Fulham Review

Manchester United vs Fulham

25th August 2012

Old Trafford

FT Manchester United 3-2 Fulham

MUFC Goals: v.Persie, Kagawa, Rafael

Fulham Goals: Duff, Vidic(O.G)

Starting X1: De Gea, Rafael, Carrick, Vidic, Evra, Valencia, Cleverley, Anderson, Young, Kagawa, van Persie.

Great to see firstly our first win on the board and hopefully we undergo a winning streak as our team will only get stronger. With people returning from injuries quickly, we could have a full strength X1 in 5/6 weeks. The sad thing shadowing United's win today was the horrific gash on Wayne Rooney's leg, which has resulted him for now being out for 4 weeks. This is one of the positive reasons for the purchase of van Persie as we have another world class striker to step in; understandably Rooney's absence is a huge blow. Rooney will miss Southampton and Wigan, he could possibly be back for Liverpool away which will be a tough game. Luckily going forward isn't our problem at the minute it's at the back. With Evans and Rio expected probably to both be in the match day squad vs Southampton it is an unbelievable boost. Rio won't start but he's getting closer and will likely start vs Liverpool. Having Evans back for Southampton is going to be very big, he's been training for a couple if weeks so I'm nearly certain he'll start alongside Vidic.

United started the game off poorly vs Fulham, conceding in the 2nd minute via Damien Duff. A sloppy free-kick was given away by stand in center back Michael Carrick which resulted in the goal but it wasn't only Carrick's fault. Duff easily lost his marker (Ashley Young) by out strengthening Young who defended horrifically which allowed him to drive the ball home to De Gea's right-hand side. This was not the ideal response by the team after being dominated so easily by Fellaini defensively last Monday. Thankfully this was the last defensive issues for at least and hour.

That goal triggered Manchester United who started to pick up the tempo of their play and were really pinning Fulham back in their own half. Rafael was nearly playing as a striker for 30 mins of the game he was that far forward. The equaliser wasn't far away as on 8 mins we scored through some good passing. It came through Anderson to Evra, who didn't cross the ball the best as the ball bounced up just before it reached van Persie, but for van Perise he finished it beautifully. He knew exactly want he wanted to do, he judged the bounce of the ball well, then struck it very well with his instep with power and found the top right-hand corner of the net.

United continued pinning Fulham into their own half and had 70% possession for most of the half. Anderson and Cleverley were playing very well as a midfield partnership both playing some very good passes and also linking up very well with Valencia, Young and Kagawa. We continued to see Valencia bombing down the wing and causing havoc for the left back, Young who was careless at times throughout the game shown some signs of changing the game but for me throughout the game it was all about Kagawa. Kagawa later got his reward by scoring one of the easiest goals he'll ever score. A whipped corner from van Persie, headed clear from Diarra under pressure from Carrick, Cleverley struck a clean hard shot to the bottom right corner, which was saved by Schwarzer and tapped in from Kagawa. There were appeals for offside but the defense were caught napping by not getting out in time which left Kagawa onside to tap in Cleverley's saved shot!

Manchester United were continually looking very good and looked like they were going to go on and finish the game scoring 5 or 6 but that didn't happen. However they continued playing well and had Fulham on the ropes. By some very good play by Rafael to get forward, he passed it into Kagawa, who dropped his shoulder to get a shot away which unfortunately hit the post. The rebound was saved as Young's shot was saved also, with the ball then entering Rafael's path who put the ball in the net; though he was correctly ruled offside so the goal didn't count. It wasn't long after till the little Brazilian was rewarded through his good work as Valencia's cross dropped to the feet of Ashley Young, who chipped the ball to the far post which then was headed in by Rafael to give United a 3-1 lead.

Fulham did have their chance to get back into the game through poor defending by Rafael. This allowed Dembele to cross the ball in to the far post where the overhead kick from Petric was blocked bravely by Evra, the resulting shot by Duff was saved very well by De Gea and he was able to save brilliantly again with his feet from another chance from Petric; which was saved onto the bar. Manchester United continued pressing in the half and should of finished with more than there 2 goal lead!  

The second half started better for Fulham as they began to play their style of football and it was a more even game. With Fulham being allowed to play their brand of football and creating more chances through the fantastic performance by Dembele they eventually got a goal to make it 3-2. A hopeful cross aimed for Petric turned out to be a problem for both Vidic and De Gea. Petric tried to make it difficult for De Gea to claim the ball which he did indeed, as De Gea missed the ball resulting it clipping Vidic's heel and conceding an own goal. De Gea still needs to work on his physical statue and as he gets older and the work at Manchester United he will be doing that will come. His achilles heel as a goalkeeper is crosses into the box because of his size. The staff aren't idiots, they would have and would still be working on that side of his game. Also a Vidic with more games under his belt would of lived up to his 'No nonsense defender' tag and cleared that himself.

Dembele looked very good throughout the game and looked head and shoulders better than the rest of his team mates. He showed great strength and determination to win the ball back, when gets the ball also and sees space he will drive with it very strongly and because of his strength he won't lose it. Also in the last 5 mins he showed great trickery to skip past 2 United players to create a chance for his team. Fulham will do very well to hold onto him this summer and with less than a week to go I expect some bids for him. I personally would attempt for him and at £15 m it would be very good as he is someone who is determined, battle-hardened, good strength and will win the ball back.

United were on the back foot for the last 20/25 mins allowing Fulham to come at United, and De Gea had to deny them on 3 occasions from close range. United were unlucky not to concede in the last 5 minutes and with 10 men because of the horrible gash to Wayne Rooney.

Review Finished