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The first game of the season for Manchester United, and just the 2nd day of the new EPL season! With Liverpool being held by Sunderland, Arsenal being wasteful and not so creative yesterday, and Chelsea being held today ( and You-know-who failing to score again :P) , it was all going good for Manchester United before they even kicked off proceedings at the Hawthorns. But, they still had to win their first match to make it all count. Manchester United are, well, infamous for being slow starters. Against West Brom however, all went well enough for the reigning champions as they registered their first win of the campaign with a 2-1 victory over the Baggies away from home. Injuries to the first choice centre-backs and fresh question marks over the new goal keeper notwithstanding, the scoreline alone was enough to suggest that it was a hard fought match. So let’s see how United’s players performed.
1. David De Gea:
Let me say this. He is not Edwin Van Der Sar. The Spaniard is only 20 and this was his first Premier League game. Granted, he should have done better with the goal United conceded, but he also made some good saves, especially the one he blocked off from close range, when Ferdinand was beaten. He needs to get used to the physicality of the league, the extent of which he found out when handling the corners. My bet is that he’ ll cope up. He seems solid, and needs to concentrate on the game rather than the pressure. The haters and critics should really give him a break.
Rating : 6.5/10
2. Chris Smalling :
Starting at right-back today, this lad worked his socks off all match, linking up well with Nani and Cleverley. He had to work especially hard when Tchoyi threatened down the wings, and he was successful in the fact that United didn’t concede from his threats. His crossing was decent and his defensive work was impressive. With Rafael out injured for 10 weeks, Smalling’s solid performance today will bode well for him filling in ably for the injured Brazilian.
Rating: 8.5/10
3. Nemanja Vidic :
The skipper was solid as ever. It is a pity he picked up that injury, and I genuinely believe he should have come off at HT rather than later. The latest news is that he is out for a couple of weeks which means the younger lads such as Jones and Evans will have to step up now, atleast for the next two weeks.
Rating : 8/10
4. Rio Ferdinand :
Ferdinand looked a bit uncertain when WBA were attacking, but managed quite well today. Like Vidic, he picked up an injury too, and we’re hearing it’s serious and he’s apparently out for 6 weeks, which is very bad for Manchester United.
Rating : 7.5/10
5. Fabio :
In the absence of Evra, young Fabio did a great job. Defensively, he was strong and didn’t make mistakes. While going forward, he knew when to go wide and when not to, as Young was playing wider than most United wingers normally do. Fabio complimented Young well, and won a couple of corners too. The crossing needs to improve though.
Rating : 7.5/10
6. Nani :
One of the most infuriating players today for me. He can sometimes be brilliant like against City last weekend, and be utterly frustrating the next. Nani doesn’t seem to learn when not to shoot, when to pass and continues to make the mistake of going for glory too often.
Rating : 6.5/10
7. Tom Cleverley :
This young lad has carried his brilliant pre-season form into the new season. He was brilliant today, a bit nervous though. His passing, tackling, attempts at creation were all very well. He couldn’t create much today, but was good at his positional play and made very few mistakes. The only aspect of play he needs to develop is delivering long passes, something we miss after Scholes’ retirement. Otherwise, good play.
Rating : 8.5/10
8. Anderson :
If Ando was waiting for a season to announce himself, this has to be it. It is imperative that he does well in order to take his United career any forward. Now that Scholes is retired and Giggs is probably into his last season, United will look to Anderson and Cleverley for creativity regularly. The Brazilian has been at the club for some time now, and this is the time for him to take up the mantle and lead the attack from midfield. Today against West Brom, he was good at moving the ball around and making timely tackles, covering a lot of ground in the process.
Rating : 8.5/10
9. Ashley Young:
What a debut for the winger! Providing several very inviting crosses and making well timed runs down the flank, Young was brilliant today and arguably United’s best player in the park. His set-pieces looked promising and I half expected each free-kick of his to result in a goal. He combined well with Rooney and got the reward for his fine work through the goal which was a result of a double deflection. If he can continue his good form well into the season, the amount of damage Manchester United can cause on their rivals can be huge.
Rating : 9/10
10. Wayne Rooney :
Wayne was his usual self: classy and aggressive. He is probably the only player for whom I can use these two adjectives together except Scholes. He linked up well with all midfielders, and provided them ample space to move forward by drawing the defenders away. His goal was so typical of him, where his immense talent was on display and he made a difficult goal look very easy. The fact that he has started the season on a high bodes well for United, given that he is the team’s talisman.
Rating: 9/10
11. Danny Welbeck :
I was surprised that Welbeck was allowed to startthe game, but he was decent enough on the day. He could have probably played more deeper, but I guess his role was that of a finisher. The lad’s improving, and he’ll get a lot of games this season, though there is plenty of room for improvement.
Rating: 6.5/10
SUBSTITUTES
1. Jonny Evans :
Came on as a replacement for Vidic at 50 minutes, and I’m glad he looked good. Manchester United will need him to step up for the next 6 weeks or so, given the injuries to Vidic and Ferdinand. He was positive and worked hard. He won the ball well, and looked calm; quite like he was two seasons ago. Good start to the season.
Rating : 8/10
2. Phil Jones :
Came on as a replacement for the injured Ferdinand, and looked impressive in the 30 odd minutes he played. He is a great signing, and obviously one for the future. His good chemistry with Smalling is easily there to be seen, and he played well with Evans too. Good game for the new lad.
Rating: 7.5/10
3. Dimitar Berbatov :
Came on for the last 20 minutes or so and couldn’t really make an impact of any sort. It’s a good thing that he got an outing before the Spurs game next week, and I hope he emulates his scoring form of last season.
Rating: 6/10
All in all, it was a good game for Manchester United’s youngsters. Next week,its Tottenham, and I expect some of the old boys to be back ( Giggs, Carrick, Park) in the starting eleven. The injuries to Ferdinand and Vidic are unfortunate, and I hope they get back soon. A winning start for the Champions, and a good outing for the young lads. Glory Glory Man United.
