Crystal Palace 2-3 Manchester United (Townsend 11, Van Aanholt 48)
(Smalling 55, Lukaku 76, Matic 90+1)
"I have never been involved in a comeback like that before , I used to watch them on TV" - Marcus Rashford on Twitter, the morning after the night before.
Football, eh? Bloody Hell. What a game, what a shitshow,
what a stunning comeback, what a winning goal from Nemanja Matic. A
rollercoaster of emotions, and at the very end, an outpouring of joy, and
regaining our place in 2nd ahead of the game against Liverpool next
week.
It really shouldn’t be this hard, after all the investment.
How can United swing so violently in competence from game to game? After
Chelsea, everything felt positive. And yet, United spent most of Monday evening
frantically trying to avoid disaster. The wonderful resilience shown by the
players was heartening, but does not erase how woeful we were in the opening 70
minutes. Our best players were dogshit, but we had managed to win… why do we
wait until we concede before trying hard to score?
Only one change was made from Chelsea, with hero from last
week Jesse Lingard coming in for Martial, who didn’t travel due to a minor
injury. Herrera, Fellaini, Rojo, Jones and Blind were still out. McTominay
started again.
Those United fans were in quality form all evening, coming
across loud and clear on Sky serenading Eric Cantona, much to the anger of the
Selhurst Ultras. Although there was nothing to shout about in a shambolic first
period which counts among the very worst since Mourinho took the job.
It is difficult to know where to start. The attitude was
unrecognisable from the Chelsea game. The whole team were second to every loose
ball, unconvincing in the tackle, way too relaxed in possession. With both wide
players floating inside, there was no width. We were playing too deep, with no
movement up top, a recipe for stodgy disaster. Simple long balls from Palace
were causing us problems, and at the other end there were no platforms for
attack, with slow passes not stretching a makeshift Palace back four, or
testing the dodgy Wayne Hennessey.
We were behind soon enough, losing the ball easily to allow Christian
Benteke to set up Andros Townsend to score from a deflection off Lindelof, who
turned his back. It was deserved, and there was little reaction from United.
Instead Palace went close to doubling their lead a few times before the
half-time whistle with Benteke and Sorloth proving a real handful in the air.
Roy Hodgson – whose England work was always appreciated by
me – had made his Palace team tough to beat and had improved them no end since
their shocking start but he was left with one hand tied behind his back here
with so many first teamers out injured. His star man Wilfried Zaha was the
headline but there were numerous others who were unavailable: Dann, Sakho,
Sako, Puncheon, Cabaye, Speroni, Ward, the United loanee Fosu-Mensah,
Loftus-Cheek and long-term crock Wickham. Yet their organisation remained, set
up in two banks of four to deny space and push the defensive line of the
visitors back.
Sanchez was a disgrace in that first half, unable to do
anything right. Continually he moved infield into traffic, hit heavy passes
straight out of play, and mis-controlled passes, his touch deserting him. Not
that he was alone. Valencia was static off the ball, afraid to do anything
unsafe. McTominay barely touched the ball, and I would hazard a guess that the
young lad was hiding on the toughest evening of his career so far. Pogba was
the opposite, coming way too deep to start attacks, and unprepared and
lackadaisical when he had possession. Matic looked weak and tired in the
midfield. Young was just terrible. The 4-3-3 basically meant more players doing
fuck all and one less game changer than usual.
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| Red Rom loves it. |
Mourinho reacted to a pathetic first half by hauling off
McTominay for Rashford, switching to 4-2-3-1. The young flier made an impact
instantly testing the pace of the Palace defenders, wanting to isolate himself
1 on 1 with his markers. Pogba and Matic were finding him a lot in the opening
moments of the second half, but no telling chance was created. That was mainly
down to rookie Palace right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who was my man of the match
for his never-say-die attitude and his desire to put tackles and blocks in.
The best laid plans were in tatters as Palace scored
another, and it was amateur hour again as we switched off from a free-kick that
was quickly taken by Schlupp, playing the speedy Van Aanholt through. No one
was going to catch him, and he lashed it past De Gea to send Selhurst Park into
dreamland. The last time we had come back from 2-0 to win a league game was in
December 2013 against Hull.
Two down, staring at the abyss, United finally punched back.
A corner was cleared and from the resulting opportunity, Valencia carefully
measured a cross from a central position onto Smalling’s head, with Tomkins
suffering a brainfade by keeping him onside. Game on.
United took control of the game, helped by taking off
Valencia and Young, who were both utterly hopeless, and bringing on Luke Shaw
and Juan Mata, with Lingard pushed to right-back in an attacking move. It made
sense, and Lingard had played at full-back against Bournemouth last season. As
for Shaw, it was pleasing to see him enter the pitch in our hour of need, what
with his form over Christmas and Young’s recent ineptitude. But he was
definitely carrying a bit of timber. Or maybe he had about 4 layers on? It was
a cold evening in South London, to be fair…
The next period of the game would’ve been enormously
enjoyable for the neutral, although it was torturous for me. The game was completely
stretched, with both teams frantic and full of panic. United were forcing
things too quickly, rushing through moves and playing over ambitious passes.
Palace dropped way too deep, terrified of the onslaught they knew were coming.
Without sounding like a know-it-all, in hindsight Palace had
given so much already, and were so weakened by the absences, that them
crumbling was inevitable. Constant defensive mistakes were made allowing United
in, saved only by luck or last ditch tackles – like when Benteke of all people
cleared off the line from Matic after a corner with the keeper beaten. Not that
I could view the game with such clarity when it was going on, mind.
Mata was making a difference as he often does when United
are having a bad game, his speed of thought, happy knack for finding gaps and
calm demeanour was beginning to take effect and calm his teammates down. He
always provided options, making himself available. Lingard at RB was a
revelation; dribbling at the defence, pinning them back, allowing Mata ahead of
him more space to come inside. Lukaku was winning more in the air, and
deservedly put us on terms when reacting fastest to a Sanchez shot that had
ricochet onto the bar after the best bit of interplay around the box all game
had created the opening. He controlled and pretended to shoot about 4 times,
having a clear picture in his head, allowing the defenders to crowd the keeper
and block his vision. You don’t score as many as him without having composure
in front of goal and the Belgian eventually stroked it home, leading the team
in big celebration. We were now favourites.
But we needed Ge Dea, as per, to save us with an athletic
save from a Benteke header that was improbable enough for the Belgian striker
and one time Lukaku rival to already be off in celebration. Spanish Dave is
just magnificent, and there is no more anyone can say. Really he deserves cunts
in front of him who are actually capable of sticking with their markers.
However, despite all the trying, it looked like we had run
out of time, with Palace squeezing every last drop of energy from all of their
players, lactic acid burning in their arms as they blocked shot after shot and
rose again and again to head crosses away. But in the 91st minute
after the umpteenth ball was blocked, the ball at up nicely for Matic about 30
yards from goal. The crowd, his teammates and yours truly were yelling at him
to pass out wide but instead he unleashed an incredibly sweet half-volley into
the top corner, sending the fans completely barmy in the process.
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| Auto-Matic! |
What a fucking moment, what a comeback, what a way to score
your first United goal. He can strike a ball (like vs Everton in 15/16, and in
the Cup semi vs Spurs last April) but his shots for United have largely been
erratic. For such a high-quality goal to be scored in those circumstances by
Matic was simply orgasmic. He led a mass of United bodies who ran to the away
end, celebrating intensely with the faithful. Magic from Matic. Scenes mate.
Scenes.
The Reds regrouped to see off any Palace pressure and the
final whistle came and the ground emptied remarkably quickly with the home team
feeling sick after snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Forgetting the
wretched performance for a moment, that’s what football is all about, last
minute winners from behind away from home. Great stuff. But now, onto the
troubling post-mortem…
Sanchez was shocking throughout, but it must be said, as bad
as he played, he never once gave up, always on the move, playing pretty much
central midfield late on to try and get on the ball and create. Although, our
big signing promptly fucked it up almost every time. Still, having a player who
takes risks and keeps plugging away, keeps trying that chip through ball to the
far post will surely be a good thing over time, but Jesus, it wouldn’t kill him
to recycle it now and then. He simply must improve, get less wasteful and start
justifying his enormous pay-packet soon, because United have looked muddled
since he arrived. Everyone deserves a bedding-in period, but the crunch games
are coming thick and fast and if he isn’t gelling with the rest of the team he
should be starting games amongst the substitutes. Although like Pogba, he
possesses the ability to come up with something special no matter how badly
he’s playing.
Valencia and Young were both embarrassing, and that is not
being unkind. They looked nervous and unconvincing in defence, and were insipid
in attack. Remember these are wingers, of some repute, by trade. So you can
forgive some defensive lapses – but how can they not provide something that
causes a second string Palace team a problem? When you start with Lingard and
Sanchez as the wingers, you know the full-backs must provide the width, and
that might’ve been a mistake by the manager. Instead Valencia was barely over
the halfway-line, and Young simply passed back to the receiver whenever he got
it. Sure, they’re on the other side of their peaks, but there is little excuse
for such a poor performance.
Of course, it needs to be said that the skipper Valencia has
generally been very good for the last three years, against better judgement. He
should be allowed off days, even if they are shockers (You knew he was bad when
Jose took him off – he is usually one of his most trusted lieutenants). But
clubs that we are competing against for honours probably wouldn’t tolerate a
well past his best former winger at right-back. His obvious weaknesses don’t
stack up well at all against Europe’s best. Given the importance of them in
today’s game, perhaps Right-back is an area to strengthen in the summer. (I
still love you Tony V, obvs.)
A left-back could be signed as well, although I would rather
just give Luke Shaw a good run. The fact that the, ahem, heavy looking lad came
on at all tells you everything about how bad Young was, especially when you
consider Shaw has never been a favourite of Mourinho. Young has played above
himself for long periods this season, even forcing himself back into the
England squad, and he deserves kudos for that. But don’t get it twisted, he is nowhere
near United standard in any position he plays. Consistently Young has been
exposed positionally. He’s a survivor – I would’ve sold him in the summer of
2014. He’s a good character, big in the dressing room, a top guy and by all
accounts a really good professional. But he’s just a bit shit, and the odd teasing
cross won’t convince me otherwise.
Having said all of that though, it was a mighty fine
comeback, demonstrating our spirit, and despite there being lots to dislike,
the subs helped change the game and keep us on track. Mourinho made the right
changes at the right time, and the lads turned it around. Well done, now try
and not lose to Liverpool on Saturday.
United (4-3-3) De Gea 8; Valencia 3 (Mata 67, 7.5), Smalling
7, Lindelof 5.5, Young 3.5 (Shaw 67, 6); McTominay 5 (Rashford 46, 6.5), Matic
7, Pogba 6; Lingard 7, Lukaku 7.5, Sanchez 5.
