The Manchester derby last night ended with a predictable result, based on recent history. In what was ultimately a mediocre, error-strewn game, we did get to understand much and more about the two teams on the field. Some of the more pertinent ones are presented below:
1. The last few Manchester derbies have had a similar theme. The blue half of the city has overpowered United in the midfield, dictated the play and tempo of the game and ultimately punched them into submission. By that template, the first 20 or so minutes of this game went completely off the script. United pressed City relentlessly with Fellaini, Blind and Rooney working tirelessly to cut out any available space. They had more possession, the better threat going forward and caused considerable problems, especially with Januzaj. City manager Pellegrini's observation that his team "was not playing like we usually do" seemed to have had no effect in galvanizing his wards. And then Manchester United contrived to shoot themselves in the foot.
2. Sir Alex Ferguson bought Chris Smalling to be the long-term replacement for the peerless Rio Ferdinand; and in his first season, the former Fulham man justified the billing with some fantastic performances alongside Nemanja Vidic. Unfortunately for him and United, he has failed to develop at all from there and in the last two years regressed horribly. No amount of regression, lack of skill or confidence can account for the stunning silliness of his actions which led to his dismissal. This is a defender who has played 4/5 seasons at the top level of English football and he gets himself booked for blocking the opposing goalie from launching the ball ahead. Eight minutes later he dives into a horrible challenge which he had no hope of winning and left the referee with no other option but to send him off. Just after his dismissal, Guardian football correspondent Daniel Taylor tweeted that according to his well-placed sources, the feeling at United is that Smalling exhibits more in-game intelligence than Phil Jones. One can safely assume that judgement would be thrown out of the window now. In fact, if not for the terrible injury crisis, one can be fairly certain that Smalling himself would be banished out of the team for a long time.
3. I have been deservedly effusive of Diego Costa and his exceptional start to his Chelsea career. However, in Sergio Aguero, Manchester City possess the leading striker of the league, if not the world. Blessed with exceptional pace, skill and composure, he is as lethal a striker as any going around. Sample the following stat: Luis Suarez, who by all accounts, was magnificent last season, scored a goal every 96 minutes. So far this season, Aguero is scoring one every 67 minutes and has scored more than United's troika of Rooney, Falcao and Van Persie combined. For Manchester City to have any chance of retaining the league title, Aguero must remain fit and firing on all cylinders.
4. Talking of that title challenge though, based on yesterday's performance, it would be a pretty safe bet to assume that the English Premier League title is travelling back to London after four years in Manchester. It would require a monumental failing on the part of Chelsea for any other scenario to play out and quite simply put, a Jose Mourinho team doesn't do that. One can almost picture the self-styled Special One laughing gleefully after watching yesterday's game. Man City were victorious last night but the performance in many ways was as dire as their last three games. A 10-man United team with an embarrassing patchwork of a defence had them on the ropes for the last 20 minutes and were quite unlucky not to score. 11 vs 11 they were second best for the first twenty minutes and if not for that Smalling red card, the result may very well have been different.
5. Manchester United may take some heart from their brave fightback in the last 20 minutes in the face of severe adversity. The mere fact that they didn't fold after going a man and goal down and in fact threatened strongly to get back in the game is in stark contrast to last season's defeatist attitude. Yet 13 points from 10 games paints a grim and depressing picture, and the aim of finishing in the top four seems to be in clear danger. Of more immediate and pressing concern is the lack of fit, let alone quality, defenders. There was a lot of criticism when United didn't buy a central defender of elite quality to replace the departing Vidic and Ferdinand. The reasoning behind the decision was that they already had three young and talented centre backs that would fulfill their potential under the guidance of Louis van Gaal. Yet what was bizarrely and quite foolishly ignored by the team management was the injury record of all three of them. Right now they have all four of their first-team centre backs missing, either due to injury or suspension, which has left the manager having to play a rookie and a midfielder in the heart of the defence. Perhaps even more galling is the fact that they failed to get a right back as backup for Rafael, another injury prone defender.
January, it seems, cannot come fast enough for Manchester United.
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