Doing just enough (vs Wigan)

It wasn’t pretty and the scoreline didn’t do Wigan justice especially the way they played in the first 45, but a win is a win. With 2 massive games coming up next week, we’ll take the 3 points in any shape or form.

Impressions:

Rooney – Should probably have been sent off for that flailing elbow in the first half. Aside from that, his first touch was still really poor. He also seemed to find himself too deep in our own half trying to get the ball. This was a repeated sight in the first half, which left us with only Chicharito to really aim at once we regained possession. As a result, Wigan got the ball back easily and were able to constantly threaten. Say what you will about his inability to replicate his goalscoring feats from last season, but his assist for Chicharito’s 2nd was Wazza’s 11th of the season.

Carrick – He looked incredibly repressed playing alongside Scholes. It appeared like an inferiority complex that resulted in him looking only to pass the ball sideways and defer the more forward-looking attempts to Scholes.

JOS – Was his inclusion in the side yet again, an acknowledgement of our midfield’s inadequacy to provide cover at the back? Rafael’s play is marked by adventurous runs deep into the opposition half which leaves us exposed at the back should we lose possession. Was SAF more comfortable with JOS’s more measured approach in assisting with our attack thus ensuring more solidity across our backline? (Especially with Rio not being available and Carrick not exactly a midfielder enforcer).

Expectations – Our first goal came due to a link up down the left between Nani and Rooney before Chicharito dinked it home. No midfielders involved. The second goal was all Chicharito and Rooney. The third was a nice ball over the top from Gibson, but ultimately executed by Berba and Rooney. The final goal was a nice little finish by Fabio after he found himself completely unmarked from a free kick. The point is that we can no longer expect our midfield (Nani aside) to provide goals or carve out chances the way a Fabregas or Modric does. Maybe the appropriate expectation for our midfield is that they don’t do anything to adversely affect our team’s chances in any game.

Fletcher – As much as I’m convinced that the right side of midfield is not Fletcher’s strongest position (because he really does not provide width in the way Nani or Valencia do in a 442), he benefited from being played there today as he found himself with the space to make runs from deep into the box. He worked hard today and I thought it was one of his better performances in an otherwise, subpar season.

VDS – Came up with a big save to deny McCarthy after some good work from Moses down the left wing. The other stop he made was a little luckier since Moses kicked it directly off VDS’s right chest/shoulder.

Nani – It was one of those games that Nani seemed so determined to score that he almost never made the right pass in the box. He left his teammates, especially Rooney, frustrated on numerous occasions. With that said, he is the only player in our midfield who has that bit of “magic” that we constantly lament is missing from the squad. That’s why Rooney and the rest of us will live with the enigma that is Nani. He will make his teammates and fans throw their hands up in the air out of frustration, but he’ll also do something that will get everyone off their seats. We have to take the bad with the good. Unfortunately, there was a lot of the bad today.

Chicharito – He continues to make a case for being the best signing of the past summer. He also gives SAF a leg to stand on when he argues that he will only spend the money when there is value to be had. As isolated as Chicharito may have felt at times today up front, he never stopped working and never showed a tantrum. He just kept looking to make runs behind the Wigan backline and was rewarded with 2 well taken goals. Without him, we would be relying on the likes of Owen or Wellbeck/Macheda to provide relief to Rooney/Berba. I’m not convinced they would have been able to replicate what Chicharito has accomplished so far.

Gibson – Followed up a solid if unspectacular showing against Marseille with a great pass over the top to Berba that led to our 3rd goal. At least he’s willing to attempt the passes that Carrick used to make with such regularity and confidence.

While not exactly the kind of performance that would leave Chelsea fearful, we got the job done and we can build on that heading into this next week: Two big games that will have massive implications on determining where the title ends up in May.

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Category: English Premier League, Manchester United, Match Reports