Cristiano Ronaldo is a little bit like the Easter bunny in that firstly he seems to have become an almost mythical creature and secondly, if like me you possess an over-vivid imagination, there is almost a physical resemblance in their somewhere.
He can also jump like a hare as the flat-footed Ben Gibson discovered at Old Trafford on Saturday.
“CR7” has often been referred to as “the most annoying man in football” and if I disregard a certain midfielder currently on the books at Norwich City I could agree with that description. However, after the game, he did something rather atypical to celebrate his 60th professional hat-trick by presenting his match ball to young United starlet Alejandro Garnacho.
Some cynics among the United fans say he did this to get the academy lad to carry the ball to the dressing room for him while others believe it was a genuine gesture and a personal gift. I really hope it was the latter.
As for our performance on the day, it’s hard to be too critical. The winner from my Inbox entries this Easter weekend is Herr Cutz. Cutty succinctly summed events up by saying: “A game of mistakes. Pity really, we gave them a fright and a fight.”
Ben Gibson has been given a real shellacking over his errors that led to United’s first two goals and I must admit I think in this case the criticism is justified although I genuinely don’t like to see any player being singled out for a volley of abuse.
Dean Smith was pragmatic afterwards, saying:
“I was really pleased with the performance today. I thought we showed great belief and great confidence. I thought we were good on the ball at times, but we made big mistakes which has cost us goals and unfortunately that has cost us the result today.
“Gibbo knows he has made an error to start with [for the first goal) and then Ronaldo has got across him for the corner as well, but in terms of that goal, they shouldn’t have got to the corner. Milot [Rashica] doesn’t follow his man and they end up having a shot and a corner and then Gibbo, unfortunately, allows Ronaldo to get in front of him for the header.
“The resilience and spirit from the boys is there. The fans can see we are fighting and unfortunately we gave a soft free-kick away. I think Tim Krul will believe that he probably could have saved it.”
Some folks were less than pleased with the substitutions but as Gary said yesterday those decisions were kind of vindicated when we discovered that none of them were tactical. Dean Smith’s choices of Pepe Placheta and Billy Gilmour over Jonathan Rowe and Lukas Rupp remain a matter for debate of course although Rowe did get on for a cramped-up Pierre Lees-Melou eventually.
Kieran Dowell will be an important figure for us in the Championship next season and was upbeat afterwards:
“I thought we showed loads of spirit from going 2-0 down to get back into the game at 2-2 and then Ronaldo has put one in the top corner from a free-kick.
“I thought the tactics were good again. We felt that if we could get past their midfield line then we could get at their back four and it happened quite a few times. We probably didn’t capitalise on that enough, but it worked well at times. That performance should give us confidence going into Newcastle.”
We can surely take a bit of reassurance from this defeat although this United squad is getting a lot of stick from their supporters. Not every venomous outburst is reserved for the Glazers I can assure you.
I worked amongst what I would describe as “real”, locally-based Citeh and United fans in Cheadle Hulme for around 20 years and would habitually buy a copy of the Manchester Evening News most times I stayed overnight.
It must be over 15 years now since I last saw a printed copy so I thought I’d take a look online to see what their fans were thinking after the match. There were over 80 comments and counting; a high percentage of those thought we were not only unlucky not to get a draw but also could have won. Most were highly scathing of their own team and owners so it proves that whether you’re top six or spinning the yo-yo, passion is a quality possessed by every true football supporter, not that many of us let off flares thank the Lord:
So we move on to the clean-cut Eddie Howe and his expensively refreshed Mags on Saturday for what I believe will be the last traditional 3pm kick off of our season thanks to the PL accommodating West Ham and Leicester with rearrangements.
We can’t even blame the FA this time, which reinforces the view that the influence of non-terrestrial television continues to re-write the script of our beloved game.
I hope all MFW readers had an enjoyable Easter break and although I can’t link this song to NCFC specifically, it’s the only one I know of that is even vaguely about Easter. Beware, it features an image of Tony Blackburn getting up close and personal with a Womble:
Good morning Martin and Easter is more or less over for another year. At least the weather has been excellent and the crowds flooded to our nearby coast to bring smiles to those who ear their living from tourism.
I’ve read enough about Gibson, so I’ll move on.
Suddenly, without the ‘ginger poodle ‘ and the overhyped Gilmour in the startig 11, we have shown that we can just about compete in the PL. Admittedly, Man Utd have us loads of space in midfield,, but I’m certainly far more optimistic about next season.
Pukki is happy to stay and I’m quietly confident that Krul is as well. Our Irish internationals should return, Rowe seems a real prospect and there are a couple of the Under 23s, along with the players out on loan so that we should be competing at the right end of the table and a top 10 finish should be possible.
We’ll have to wait until the 23-24 season before we have another chance of adding to the number of years since 1p5wich beat us, but who cares??
Hi Ed
You are in an optimistic frame of mind this morning!
I agree with most of what you say but I’m not 100% on Pukki staying, or indeed Krul. Our Finnish MFW friend *1×2* has said many times that Pukki is likely to leave and I must admit that I’m tempted to agree with him – he explained why in detail in a comment on Gary’s article yesterday.
Easter’s the one time of year we’re guaranteed to avoid the coast but with the weather I agree this one must have been brilliant for the local businesses.
Cheers
I think *1×2″ is agitating for Pukki to leave only in the hope that he (*1×2*) can get a move to a bigger club’s message board….
Hi Keith
I should imagine he’s already on a couple of message boards which concentrate on the Finnish national side, which is his major passion.
I don’t think it gets any bigger than that for 1×2!
Kiitos 😉
Martin, this is only message board or forum where I write. About national team, I watch and follow also boys national teams. I do know something about also women national team and girls. There is reasons why I do it, even its not necessary.
I genuinely thought given your love of your national team you would have been involved with a couple of their message boards 🙂
We’re always glad to have your thoughts on MFW.
I do read finnish football forum regularly, there is very informative stuff even majority of it is just basically chatting/arguing. Each sport in here has own forum, so clubs does not have forums like you have. National team in football is most popular, but our football league is not. Football has clearly most licensed players and especially girls have found it now very well.
I can promise you that I started to comment here because Martin and Gary are realistic common sense having fans and there was interesting other stuff like music videos and thanks to them atmosphere in here is easy going and friendly. This is very unique place to write, but of course main reason was Teemu Pukki. Thing called message board or forum is not very interesting by just been message board or forum.
Teemu is special case in Finland, because he still has not used all his potential. He was basically seen as lost case who was not willing to understand that unless he trains, change his nutrition completely he will never get even close to his full potential. Yes, I do hope he gets transfer to big club because he deserves it now and he can make any club better. If he dont understand it, then he is just seen as Teemu who didnt even really try and that in sports is unforgiving attitude problem. Been very laid back is nice character, but not good thing in sports. Staying in Norwich would be way too laid back decision, I can tell that clear majority of finnish football people will have enough of him if he do that again. I kind of want to believe that in Norwich they also understand that and push him to leave and also because Norwich must open new page and start to trust to other players too. It can be disastrous decision but you have to do it anyway soon. I still doubt that Norwich will even try to use that 1 year option, its all media talk and nothing has happened and Teemu told that they have not even discussed about it.
Hi 1×2
I think a consideration here is that the clamour for Pukki to stay here at Norwich is because us supporters love him and do not want him t leave so maybe we’re collectively selfish in that respect!
I have said several times I agree with you that it may be better for Teemu to move on for his own good and for that of the Finland team but the desire for him to remain with Norwich is very strong with our supporters.
Personally I still agree that he might not stay but very few players in the past 10 years have gained the love and respect that he has.
Please keep sending us your perceptions from Finland – we all love a denate on MFW 🙂
Kiitos
He’s Pukki’s agent!!!
Happy Easter, Martin.
Loved the MME’s summing up of Paul Pogba’s game of two halves – “cheered off, booed off, told to f—k off”! Not the sort of comment you get from MOTD pundits!
Nice to see a second successive performance, even if the result was wrong. I thought Gibson had learned something under Dean Smith, but it appears not. It might not be Farkeball, but the old adage “when in doubt, put it out “ needs explaining to him, it would seem.
Happy Easter to you too Jim
Yes the tabloids had some great headline fun with that one 🙂
Gibson is vulnerable to that standard of high press at this level and Rangnick would have known that too – I still think he’s safe enough for the Championship though.
Cheers
Martin; if only we’d stumbled across this set-up when DS and CS arrived. Had we done so I feel we would not be where we are, nor would I be left with vacant Saturdays next season.
I’ll not dwell on the defensive errors, suffice to say that it appears Dyche knows his stuff when it comes to PL standard central defenders.
In the brief MotD highlights I’ve seen, we looked bright; inventive, and even had an end product. Pukki’s finish was top class, and one wonders just how many PL goals he could have plundered in a team which plays to his strengths. There was a great stat on the BBC site that in the past 3 seasons only 3 players have scored against each of the (supposed) big six teams. Teemu is one. Remarkable actually, given the scarcity of service this season, plus that he only had 2 seasons due to being in the Championship last time around.
Newcastle next; what a shame we’ve let another golden opportunity slip away.
O T B C
Morning John
It wasn’t that long ago that I was really fearful for our prospects in the Championship but the last few performances have given me a bit of hope.
I’m not saying we’re going to win the wretched thing – or even make the play-offs come to that – but as you say this system looks better than we’ve seen for a while.
United didn’t press high for much of the game but when they did they made it count. I doubt too many teams will press like Citeh and Liverpool in the Championship!
Cheers
Had a liverpool supporting relation, so reluctainly gave them the free run of the TV, so didn’t get to watch or listen. Some real fight and no less skill in places. The pass from Dowell was awesome, Pukki did the rest feed him and he will deliver. His own header was easy to miss, I have always rated Dowell and thought he deserved a chance he aking it now and all the better we look. At leasest he is one of our own and not a chelski loan in. As for young King Billy as they would have us believe, coming to us was a mistake on both parts for us we needed someone who had some game time in a struggle and for him too he isn;t cut out for the relegation fight. He will be and will go on to be a decent player.
Sadly I am starting to see why Burnley didn’t fancy Gibson, that is too many mistakes lately, step forward Zimmo, that guy will be a brick wall .
All the headlines flow to Ronaldo, he is a little bit special no denying that. but we deserved a lot of praise and credit, OK they say Utd are not what they were, but they are still a big club, near the top of the table and us the bottom of the pile gave them a hell of a fright, deserving something from the game.
Not disappointed at all, we are showing what we have wanted all a long
Hi Lad
You’ve got your own hat-trick – you’re spot on about Dowell, Gilmour and Gibson.
*Not disappointed at all, we are showing what we have wanted all along*.
It’s take far too much time but there are a few green shoots that surely Dean Smith will be able to nurture next season.
Cheers
Marty, agree with your Ronaldo Easterbunny thing, and he’s certainly having a happy Easter.. Even though he was gifted the three opportunities he still has the skill to put them in the net, and he‘s no youngster, in fact it‘s a mystery to me why he came back to cold wet ManU at his age, he‘s not short of a bob or two, though he would have stayed in warmer climes.
Hi Cutty
The old winker’s still got it, hasn’t he?
I worked in Greater Manchester for long enough to know that when it comes to the climate you speak with the sword of truth.
Nice people, shame about the persistent precipitation.
Cheers
One thing is crystal clear we need Pukki and Hanley next season and Buendia back on loan as he spends most of his time on the bench.
Hi John
While I agree Emi did apparently say he’d never play for us again, which kind of rules that one out for me but maybe Deano thinks differently.
Title on a plate if a miracle happened and we could get him back!
Cheers
Hi Martin
Happy Easter from a warm breezy Blackpool.
Steve Warnock says 3 poor errors down to Gibson ruined a good performance from city who deserved something out of the game but highlighted the ManUre poor preformance in leaving wide open spaces and players not covering for each other.
DS&CS seem to have changed how they want the team to play more to the players strength I just wonder if it’s due to getting certain loan fee’s down and now it’s reached bottom he has decided to use those players less and is starting to build for next season.
Maybe in the coming weeks we will see more of Tzolis, Placheta Rowe and a few others including Sorensen all given a chance to prove themselves.
Hi Alex
We’ll be getting rid of a few relatively high earners at the end of the season if you count in loan fees – none of Williams, Normann, Kabak or particularly Gilmour would have been cheap for sure.
Cantwell will remain a conundrum unless Bournemouth are committed to buy on their seemingly inevitable promotion. £11 million is rumoured and I’m really not sure who else would pay anything like that for him right now.
Sorensen has always looked good to me and surely he must get a chance in the Championship if he’s fully recovered from injury?
Cheers
Afternoon Martin saw Ronaldo in Yarmouth yesterday riding a donkey called Gibson a shame about the errors otherwise encouraging performance proud for a change see u sat ..so 👍
Hi Kev
I’ll put that one in the filing cabinet with the rest of the Holiday Weekend donkey jokes – I’ve seen a few, believe me 🙂
See you Saturday indeed.
Cheers
Good afternoon Martin.
I do not think Manchester United’s Portugese Easter Bunny will ever get the adoration he feels that Messi gets and that he too should receive.
Like you say his lovely gesture to the young fan is treated with suspicion and doubt.
But he certainly doesn’t help himself when he has his continual strops. Something I have rarely or ever seen Messi do.
But without him on Saturday there is little doubt we would have beaten them. To play as well as he does at his age and at that level is as you say almost mystical.
But when he came to Old Trafford you could tell he was not happy with the attitude of the younger players and definitely in some he has proved his point big time already. And isn’t it good to see at his age that fight that desire to win, he just needs to be more inclusive to his team mates.
And I think that is what the City players are rightly taking out of Saturday’s match. Only beaten by one of the greatest players of all time. Their fight and desire was there all game.
As I said yesterday Ben Gibson had a shocker, but why was he faffing around like that ?
Perhaps Zimbo could be in for a recall against Newcastle but for me Sorenson let no one down in his previous run out at Centre Half. It is just a thought.
I too am encouraged by the last few games Martin, at least this season doesn’t look like ending like Project Restart thank god, but the big question for next season has to be Teemu Pukki and Grant Hanley.
We will need them both if we are serious about making a real go of it next season. And perhaps Tim Krul as well. But Grant and Teemu are priceless, I am sure Dean Smith is thinking the same.
Teemu once told someone I know that he would never force his way out of Norwich City as he owes us so much, if they wanted to sell him okay fair enough. And Teemu has been as good as his word I just hope he can give us another 2-3 seasons.
Lets not forget Teemu isn’t blessed with lighting speed that he will lose over the next couple of years his pace is so much in his movement and in his head.
And Dean Smith admitted the other day how pleasantly surprised he is with Grant Hanley since he has been here. Especially his pace, which I must admit did surprise me when I first saw him in the flesh.
The Championship awaits and I wonder what is the standard like ?
I thought Fulham were walking away with the Championship even more easily and impressively than us last season. But when I looked into it I found that perception to be completely wrong, they will highly unlikely get to our 97 points haul and the second place team will do extremely well to get to Watford’s 91 point of last season.
So this season has been less competitive, which can give us great hope for next season.
Hi Tim
*Lets not forget Teemu isn’t blessed with lighting speed that he will lose over the next couple of years. His pace is so much in his movement and in his head*.
This is exactly what some of us said about Wessi as well and you are certainly right to highlight it. Teemu is not a fading speed merchant like, say, a Huckerby or an Eadie might have become. I know Eadie was the victim of a serious and persistent injury and forced into early retirement, but Hucks knew when to quit for the States. He developed a similar hip problem to Eadie towards the end, of course.
Players like that get a real battering and sometimes their careers end earlier than they should which is a shame all round.
Hope for next season? Yes, I think so.
Cheers
Teemu is like the great Bobby Moore in that respect, the first five yards is in his head. Moore never seemed to run anywhere, but was always in the right place at the right time. Teemu’s movement is the key, and it starts in his head.
Bobby Moore was unique at the time. Walked back from school past his house on Stradbroke Drive in Chigwell several times and if he was out washing his bright red Jag he’d always come over to have a quick word with us.
This would have been around 1972/3.
Maybe Beckenbauer might compare with him but I cannot think of anybody else right now.
Now that relegation is almost confirmed, I hope we do not see any of the loan players again. We need to play our players. Get them some mins on the pitch and treat the final six? games as our start of pre-season. If we can keep Pukki, Hanley, Krul, and Milot then we have the spine of a team who can push for promotion. Big Andy, Idah, Dowell, Byram, Kenny, Jacob, and Gunn and we have a decent championship team. Who knows captain America, PP, and Tzolis might actually come good in the lower league. If recruitment actually does a decent job this summer, their track record is not great but they have found some gems, then we might be in good shape.
Hi
Couldn’t agree more about the loan players even though rumour has it that it costs us £££ every time we don’t select Gilmour in some bizarre *the less you use him the more you pay* deal with Chelsea.
I’m not sure about the trio you mention, particularly PP, but as you say we might all get a pleasant surprise!
Cheers