post #45: The Wigan v Man Utd review.Cruising with style~

His smile says it all. =)

Now, what I like about being a Manchester United fan is that whenever your watching a game at a mamak nearby or anywhere outside of the comfort of your home, there's always a group of anti-Manchester United fan sitting in a table which happens to be the loudest table during the game. Of course, their reasons of being so is simple, to create a deeper frustration or to completely humiliate the Man United fans that are watching the game whenever the opposition scores against United. Usually you here the sound of thunderous claps, loud stupid noises, and horrendous comments about United players, that only these stupid and pathetic lots can do best. 

But...

Sadly to say, they were as quite and dull, as dull as their brain could be tonight. Cause why? Cause the boys in red showed them to shut their stupid mouth up! Chica, show them how to score a goal will ya?

Now you see me. Now you don't.

The fact that Unite played horribly in the first half made me think that this was another Marseille replay. Boring, dull, unentertaining and above all, goalless. United's front man really made me wanna throw my seat onto the tele once in a while. But the performance of the back four with VDS stole the show in the opening first half. 

First, Van Der Sar showed old Fergie that Kuszcak & Lindegard should stay as back-up goalkeepers for the rest of the season when he saved Victor Moses's close range shot by using his shoulders. Well, ofcourse Moses's finishing helped a little but Van Der Sar deserved some credits too. And then again, several minutes after that when Wigan began attacking in numbers, Van Der Sar showed his true quality this time denying another close range effort from the Latics.

United didn;t wait long for the opening goal and in the 18th minute Chicarito struck a low shot through Ali Al-Habsi from a counter attack of Nani and Rooney. And the score maintained at 1-0 till the half ended.

United looked more of a refreshed team at the start of the 2nd half as they gain more possession and look defensively sound in the back. The partnership of Smalling and Vidic has bare fruit in this game as chances from Rodallega, N'zogbia and Moses seemed to be denied by these two brilliant defenders. 

The Latics once again tested Van Der Sar's swift reaction, this time in the form of left-back Maynor Figueora. A blistering shot from outside the box scrambled Van Der Sar blocking the shot away from his goal, earning the Latics a corner kick.

When things look to be another slim win for United, Van Der Sar once again made a Beckham-assist to Rooney in the depth of the Latics half before poking a through pass to Chica for him to struck the second goal of the game. 

Wigan tried to battle their way back into the game by introducing Franco Di Santo into the game playing two men upfront. But things really didn't work out for them. In fact the only contribution from Di Santo was a one-two play with Rodallega before his goal was considered offside. Rodallega & Di Santo pretty much spent the entire evening in the pockets of Smalling & Vidic. 

The introduction of Berbatov and Gibson came swiftly after the 2nd goal, with more goals in the mind of old Fergie. Both of them didn't wait long to contribute in the game when in the 85th minute, Gibson's long ball upfront found the unmanrked Berba who broke into the box. Seeing the ongoing Alhabsi, Berba easily gave the ball to Rooney who puts it away into the empty net. A goal for the Roo-Meister albeit a very silent evening for the 23 year old. 

Not long after that, Fabio was introduced into the game with Nani making way. And boy was he a surprise addition. Playing wide in the left wing, he didn't wait long to get in the score sheet as well. A cross from Fletcher into the box found an unmarked Fabio, and he easily puts it away, scoring his first ever goal for United. Rafael could only manage a smile seeing his little twin brother sharing the special moment with his teammates. 

Problem Al-Habsi? Ngee...

Scorer : Hernanderz (17,75) , Rooney (85), Fabio (87)

Man of The Match : Edwin Van Der Sar

Over-acvhiever : Fabio Da Silva - came on, scored a goal, grin like a nine year-old.

Under-performer : Wayne Rooney - stayed on, tapped a simple goal, could have done more.