If I'm honest, will I still get grief?
The whole game for me was a potential sideshow from the start. Even before Kenny's appointment it was always going to be a game where the football never mattered, just a result either way and it's corresponding fallout.
I haven't even been bothered about it all week. Even when Kenny was appointed yesterday, it still didn't mean much to me. I we won then great, take it from there, if we lost, then fine, just move on. By this morning it felt like it would be about Kenny, rather than the football or the result. And I don't have a problem with that.
All I could ask for would be a change in attitude, that the re-appointment of Kenny would bring. I think we got that. I think there was the extra added incentive of a now, more buoyant and elated crowd. But I was still under the impression that despite Kenny's ability to raise moral across the board, he doesn't have a magic wand. And as such didn't expect too much of an improvement in the performance.
The whole hoo-har of a trip to United away, under Roy or Kenny masked the true reality of progression in the FA Cup. We're in bad need of points in the league, points that would give us a chance to push for the Europa – a minimum in my eyes. Extra games in the FA Cup, away, replays etc, with a thin and under performing squad would of added more trouble than I think we need right now. I'd accept not taking a cup this season (controversial I know) if it meant we did better in the league, giving us something to build on in the summer and keeping players happy. Todays game held no real value for me, if we win, then keep going – similar to the Europa this season. Butif we're out, then fine, it gives us something less to contend with when we've struggled thus far.
Losing to United is never great, but it offered little than bragging rights for me and a chance for Kenny to get an up-close and personal look at the squad, from the dugout. We've had the latter and that'll do. Kenny can go in tomorrow and has 3 days to instill some ideas and fine tune things for trip to Blackpool on Wednesday. They're no push over and we're awful on the road so today has given Kenny some good time to have a look at certain players and where he wants to move forward. And again, then on to Everton.
So between the the hype over the game and the hype over the return of Kenny, a loss for me was never then end of the world. The manner in which it happened was far more important. And 10 of the lads who went out at 1:30pm can be proud.
I only caught bits of the game amongst a busy day, but I saw the decision for the peno and I'll have a stab at trying to understand the whole incident. I'm disappointed by the speed in which a supposedly top official can come to a judgement, 25yrds away with a restricted view, when his on official doesn't even flag for the foul. It was like he'd been waiting for the opportunity to give them a peno and had an itchy whistle ready to blow. He could of at least consulted with the assistant on the near side to clarify his decision, but the manner in which he was so certain of the peno sickened me. He just couldn't wait to give one and must of been dying to get it out of his system.
Added to that the soft arse fanny tumble by Berbatov just added insult to injury. But here's where it gets interesting, because if that had been the other way round... say Evans on Torres, I'd of been screaming for the peno, knowing full well that it was soft. Every advantage? I don't advocate diving and the appalling condoning by Alladyce at HT was a disgrace, but we all know (if we were ever lucky enough under Webb to be awarded a peno) we'd of all called for it and taken it, if offered.
It provided the perfect luxury to a quite flat United side. They could afford to soak up our play and hope to hit us on the counter. Long gone (by about 24hrs) were the days of Hodgson, where at 1-0 down, we'd of sat back and hoped for something, so the game was no perfectly in Uniteds hands.
And just when you think you've got a chance of getting back in to the game against a lack-lusture United side something you don't expect to happen, but when it does, leaves you unsurprised that it has happened. How many times, must this lad learn? he's spent his whole career making daft challenges, and today, of all days, at Old Trafford, supervised by Howard Webb, he pulls that out of the bag. Fucking clueless. What did he expect? off the ground and late right in front of the ref with 50K+ United fans calling for a red card. Only one conclusion from the already home-banking Webb. But despite that, I have no fucking sympathy for Gerrard because we need composure from our captain and instead, we got a loss of head and stupid challenge which was the real turning point of the game. Passion yes. Tenacity yes. But some fucking common sense to go with that surely.
And again, if it had been Carrick on Gerrard, we'd of screamed for a red on the replay too. Only gripe I have is that on the replay from the other angle, Webb's back is turned and he only catches the actual collision so I'm going to say that he was likely influenced by Carricks theatrics, the United players huddling, the fans and the site of that gobshite going frantic on the touchline. If he did actually see the full thing (which I don't think he did) or the assistant gave him the heads up, it makes no difference because Gerrard made the decision an easy one with a reckless challenge, which I can't condone and would of gone nuts over if it had been done to one of our players.
I went out at HT as my day was out of my hands, but to expect anything at OT with certain officials is like asking for a wank off God. It's just not going to happen. I'm glad that Kenny got some touchline experience back under his belt and I'm glad the sideshow of the FA Cup is out of the way so we can concentrate on the league. I'm glad there was a slight improvement in quality, tactics and effort from the team and I'm not surprised by the result, nor the officiating.
Not chuffed that Gerrard will miss the Derby, but it will give chance to another player. Fuck it, stick Pacheco behind Torres and see what happens. On the up after a day going down.