Turning Point?

February 2012, Stamford Bridge. Site of another yet United comeback? Or the place we lost the 2011-2012 premier division?

Hopefully it doesn’t turn out to be the latter.

The outcome of the game was mostly bitter, and just a little bit sweet. It’s always nice to see United’s relentlessness. Its always heartwarming to see United going at it without regard to securing the back. On some days, it ends up with us getting ripped apart 6-1, but on most days of Sir Alex’s 25 years, it has ended games in our favor. As an ongoing principle, I would gladly risk the occasions where we lose by even more (even if it be against City), to see the team continually demonstrate the United spirit. What really do we have over our premiership rivals? Whether it be Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham, Liverpool? Not much. For the most part, the starting 11 even of the top six squads, on any given day, can beat each other. What’s kept us over the others over the years, despite the inevitable turnover in personnel, is that relentless spirit – attacking fearlessly when the other five would rather be pragmatic and practical in a similar situation. So we must retain that ideal, no matter the squad, no matter the circumstance. And the game on Sunday showed that we remain Manchester United in the most important of ways, when there were reasons for me to doubt a decline of that relentlessness this season. So that reassurance was the “sweet” for me.

The “bitter” was the points dropped. We shouldn’t have had a need to fight our way back. Against a team without Ashley Cole, Ramires, Drogba, and John Terry, that should have been a stroll. We’ve beaten greater Chelseas’ and the team we played was definitely the weakest I’ve seen in the last 5 years. Even Michael Essien was just returned from injury, and should have been a non-issue. We needed to match City’s three points, but instead we missed this golden opportunity against a weak Chelsea side. Now we find ourselves two points down with another high profile game next saturday against Liverpool. The easiest way to look at it is that if City had faced the same team we faced yesterday, I would bet that they would have gotten the win. The fact that we couldn’t get a win against this Chelsea, but further, had to battle like hell to get a draw, worries me greatly. I still maintain that we are on course for another title, but this was a big mistake and another cannot be afforded.

There’s a lot of press about how our second penalty was soft. Welbeck found his left foot caught and went down. It was most definitely soft. Having said that, Cahill got him in the first half, very clearly replays would later show, and got away with it. Yet, of course no one mentions that because the referee happened to be Howard Webb. In any case, while I would normally sympathize with the other team if the were indeed unjustly penalized, I feel justified about the two penalties granted on the balance of 3 possible calls. Besides, how people would talk about that all day and yet choose to ignore Adam Johnson’s penalty awarded against Fulham feels ironic. Adam was blatantly sticking his right to get caught by Baird, and yet no one talks about that one after the game. Again, only because our game was reffed by Howard Webb.

It feels like its time to end Welbeck fest some point in the near future. I’m a big fan of our academy boy, but the hot streak is ending, Chicharito is getting restless, and Berbatov looks more sad-faced by the day. While Javier Hernandez cannot match Welbeck’s physical presence, his movement and proven understanding with Rooney will pay dividends against reactive (as opposed to anticipatory) defenders like Agger or Skrtel. While many United fans are excited about Welbeck’s growth this season, I still have significant doubt about his first touch, ball control and positioning. He’s done well, but against greater teams, his lacking in those areas will render him ineffective. Weaknesses that I see in those three areas mean that Berbatov or Chicharito deserve that spot instead.

I missed the Pool Tottenham game today. Thankfully, it was a goalless, but I would have loved to see the gameplay regardless. It seems that Suarez shows his class yet again with black belt kick to Scott Parker’s midsection. What compels him to do these things is beyond me. Why he has to kick Scott Parker just because Parker had muscled him out on a routine header is beyond me. Why tarnish such talent with such garbage character? Ugh. Its equal parts disgusting and frustrating. Why do some fantastic footballers have to pair classlessness with their talent? Why can’t Dani Alves just be a great right back? Why does he have to be a classless fuck/great right back? Why can’t Luis Suarez just be a great striker and not classless fuck/great forward? Why not just be talented and full of desire? And yet he escapes with a yellow. I’d be shocked if the FA does not investigate this post-game.

I think there comes a point where “I didn’t see it” by a manager no longer cuts it. Wenger came to that point when Arsenal lost the 4 goal lead against Newcastle last season, Sir Alex came to that point in Switzerland after De Gea made his third gaff for the club. When is Kenny going to finally admit that maybe Suarez needs to get his human side in order? When a manager covers for a player, its the right thing to do, and it is beautiful to see that loyalty from one man to a another. When that point becomes extreme, it becomes sickening. For once, King Kenny needs to acknowledge that maybe Luis Suarez just isn’t that perfectly nice guy. The guy is a fucking scum bag. Goal blocking handball, BITING people, “negro-negro-negro’, kick to the abdomen…come to terms with it so you don’t look like a manager in desperate, failing denial.

I will happily cheer for Luis Suarez the day he decides to clean up his act. But for now, I hope he plays on Saturday, I hope we knock their teeth in and I hope Johnny Evans terrorizes him.