Scorers : Rashford, Rashford, Martial, Greenwood.
3 Things from the game:
- United blitz when ahead.
It’s not a big surprise that United usually blitz teams when they have the lead at half time. Their entire set up is for the counter and once they can get their first goal, it forces opponents into moving ahead to get and equalizer allows for them to counter. But on this occasion, United scored 2 of their goals from set pieces and both had the much maligned Mata the creator. The first of his assists came when he surprisingly played the traditional winger role and staying out wide on the byline. He took his time as AWB and Andreas Pierera both came for the overlap before he whipped in a far post cross that begged for someone to just direct it into the net. Rashford obliged that fantastic cross by simply guiding the ball home just before the break. Rashford then dispatched the penalty won early in the second half by Brandon Williams. The third came from another good worked set piece, a short corner to Mata who whipped in another cross for Martial to head home.
The fourth was what is becoming a trademark Greenwood finish. A long ball from the defence to martial, who checks it back to greenwood in the no 10 role, picks it up, shifts it momentarily to the left before dispatching it from 25 yards a low hard drive beyond the fully stretched Tim Krul.
2. A win to buy time.
As much as it was a big scoring victory from United, there were many moments it feels as if there isn’t much of a gameplan other than to counter and get the ball to the wings. Throughout the game, there weren’t many patterns of play that could be discern other than a familiarity from Sir Alex’s days of flying wingers that has been synonymous with the United way. The only problem with this is United do not have the right personnel upfront to finish the good work that their wingers have done nor do they have a reliable world class midfielder that can dictate this. Paul pogba may seem to have the attributes to do so, but he himself believes that he is more influential further up the pitch rather than dictating the pace of the game.
Should OGS get the time his status as a legendary ex-player deserves? Maybe. Should it with more proven managers currently waiting without a job? No. Credit is due for him in playing youngsters that have rose to the occasion like Dan James and especially Brandon Williams, but it is more out of necessity than it is by choice. Luke Shaw seems to have stagnated ever since his understandable leg break, their midfield options of Fred, Mctominay, Peirera, Pogba and Matic can hardly be described as dominating or can unlock defences.
Nostalgia in trying to recreate something can give a rose tinted goggles to most fans, with most saying that Sir Alex was in a similar position as OGS is now, but if they take a closer look, Sir Alex came from a title winning Aberdeen side that broke the Celtic-Rangers dominance while OGS came from Molde and before that a Cardiff side that was relegated.
This win should not give that much hope to the home side fans as Norwich have been struggling with getting points in the last 2 months and are pretty much rooted to the bottom of the table. Nonetheless, a win is a win and it keeps them 5 points away from top 4.
3. No pukki. No party.
Norwich started their last few games without Pukki who has been integral in their early season performances and frankly without, they do not look as threatening. Bar Cantwell, chances were far and few for the visiotrs. Had Cantwell’s shot not been saved by De Gea, the game could look differently as United poured forward.
To be real, this is a Norwich team that has been out of form for some time and sit rock bottom of the table. Their last win coming nearly 2 months ago in November when they beat everton 2-0. They hardly got out of their half and were pegged in their own half for a majority of the game. If they want to stay up, they’ll have to find a different way to do it unless they can get Pukki back.
It was nice to have a smaller club play the attacking football that they were known for at the start of the season, but coming to the crunch time of the season, getting to the magical 40 point safety mark is their goal now. 16 games to play, with a host of top 6 sides to visit, the tide is against them as they are 7 points away from the safety zone.
Written by: Bazli
