What a game, what a performance.
There can be no doubts at all as to the result, quite simply the best team won, not only did the best team win, they did it in superb fashion and made their opponents look rather ordinary.
The team of course was Liverpool, and the victory is one that will live long in the memories of supporters around the world. There was not one aspect of the performance that we would change, even the goal, lets be honest, if we had a choice at the start of the game for 3-1 we would all have taken it in a heartbeat, and whilst after the game we can be quite certain that the consolation was not deserved, it takes nothing away from our performance and if anything flatters our opponents - who quite simply weren't good enough.
Lets get the main talking points out of the way with first. The rough end to the first half. Should Jamie have walked for what he did, of course he should, whilst i do not think for a second that there was any real intent to hurt Nani, he was late and he was high, and i think Jamie himself would admit that there are plenty of refs out there who would not have been so lenient. The reaction of Nani to the challenge was ridiculous, and I'm not talking about the crying - that was pathetic - I'm talking about the way he got up, chased after the referee, complained about the damage to his leg and then collapsed in a heap after that sniper took him out. I mean, come on, what is that all about really? He could not have been hurt even half as bad as has been made out if he was able to get up and run, all it was, was a clear attempt to try to get the referee to send Carra off. Carra was fortunate not to walk.
Then moments later there is Rafael, now Maxi did go in on him a bit, probably could have got a yellow for it, but it was only a graze, wasn't enough to bring the player down or cause him to lose the ball, Rafael's own heavy touch presented the ball on a plate to Lucas, his response to go in with studs up, two footed and airborne was well worth a red, if Lucas hadn't been wise to it he could well have ended up with a broken leg or two and be forced to miss the rest of the season. Absolutely shocking play from the Utd defender. But, i have to say, i never expected Dowd to send him off, all we ask from refs is consistency, and that's what we got from Dowd, he never sent Carra off for a single footed but late lunge on Nani, so i don't think he was ever going to send Rafael off for two footed lunge when no contact was made - even though the intent was there and it was very dangerous play.
You could argue that Dowd was consistently poor, but the fact is he was consistent and neither side or their supporters should have any real cause for complaint on this.
Interesting too, how all the fuss has been about Carra's challenge and there has been very little mention of Rafael's at all in the media, but then again that shouldn't surprise us now, should it?
And perhaps if players had to wear proper shin pads and not the small lightweight things that they seem to wear then Nani would not have been hurt as he was - just a thought.
Something which bothered me in the build up to the game, and more so afterwards, was all the talk about this depleted Utd side. Hardly a day, never mind a week goes by when we are not reminded of Utd's strength in depth, how their bench is the envy of teams across Europe and how they can cope with even the most numerous and long term of absences. That's a load of rubbish really. Take out Vidic, and the defence is useless, and we all know that the team is made up primarily of players who are distinctly average - Carrick, Fletcher, Brown, O'Shea, Smalling, Rafael (both of them) to name a few. And really with the exception of Hernandez they don't have any youngsters coming through who have the footballing world looking forward to their progression to the big stage. Giggs and Scholes are best there best and Van Der Sar is calling it quits at the end of the season. Fergie may have conquered the 90's unopposed by building up a young attacking side, but they're all old men now and he simply has been unable to replicate the success in bringing youngsters through that he achieved in the early to mid 90's. This is undoubtedly the worst Utd side in recent history and one that will surely come undone in the near future, the signs are there - but what baffles is how they have cruised through the league an cup competitions this season with relative ease despite being so poor, but that's life i suppose.
Now Dirk will get the plaudits for his hat trick and rightly so, it's not every day that a player scores a hat trick against Utd and certainly not every day that a player scores his first hat trick for his club against Utd. All i can say Dirk is that you certainly picked a good time to bag your first hat trick mate! Take nothing away from him, for the first it was a gift, and he did what all good strikers should do, he made certain of the goal, he doesn't know who's behind him, and the ball hasn't crossed the line, there is a chance, however slim, that the goal could be prevented, but he made sure and that was vital. The second, again probably a gift, this time from Utd but he was in an advanced position and was alert and able to take advantage of the complete hash of a clearance from Nani, easy finish but again a vital one. And for the third he was the only player alive to the possibility that if the keeper saves it or it hits the post that there is a chance of a rebound, and his awareness of this is key, he gets there first, he pokes home in front of the Kop and he pretty much wraps up the game.
The only other player I'm going to give a mention too in any great detail is Luis Suarez. What an amazing game he had, there aren't many players out there who can say that they single handedly made the Utd defence look like complete fools, now it has been said that they stood off an let him through, not wanting to give away a penalty blah blah, the media can say what they want, the truth is that they simply couldn't bring him down and not through lack of trying - superb piece of skill. But throughout the whole game, he was everywhere, he never stopped, his work rate was immense and long may it continue, his passing, vision, determination, he is already half way there to becoming a reds legend, and i can guarantee that no one will ever forget what he did to the Utd defence in the build up to the first goal.
It was however a team performance and there was not a single player on the pitch who did not have an excellent game but to name them all and roll off there achievements and contributions to the victory would take me all day and i don't think people would stick around for a post of that size! But like i said, everyone was superb.
The King even got his own Birthday song, something which I'm sure went down a treat with the visitors, its one thing to be humiliated on the field, but another for the humiliation to be compounded from the stands, pure quality. And if that wasn't enough, with a three goal lead against Utd most teams would be bringing on a few extra CB's but we bring on a huge CF!! Love it.
The best thing for on the day though, was that our most unwelcome guests from the other end of the motorway had to stay and watch til the very end, not like the hiding we gave them at their place a few seasons back when there was hardly a sole to be seen apart from the travelling supporters come the 80th minute. There was no early escape, the torture must have been unbearable, well, i certainly hope it was!
And as for the 'Media Blackout' hahaha can't it last forever, please??? It just shows how classless and undignified the club is, it takes nothing to come out and say we were beaten by the better team, the whole world knows it. And the suggestion that win, lose or draw there would be a media silence on their part is ridiculous, you cant tell me that if they had just given us a hiding like we gave them that Fergie wouldn't have been out for a gloat in front of the media. The whole thing is ridiculous and it is about time that the BBC and SKY reported the club and the manager for failing to fulfill one of the requirements as part of the league's relationship with the media, they don't pay millions for silence, although to be honest i wouldn't mind if Fergie never gave an interview again, he's clueless, classless, arrogant, and self righteous and its about time he retired to be honest - Fergie, the media still call it 'our perch' for a reason.
Last time i said performances must improve and my how it did, so lets have more of the same please, an concentrate on winning games with all the style and brilliance with which we beat UTD. If we can do this, and transfer it into the Europa campaign - well - this season might not end too badly after all!!
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