Nani was just one of the player to benefit from yesterday's tough game
Losing any match is bad. I’m a sore loser and hate defeat probably more than the average person.
After losing to Chelsea in April I didn’t speak to my brother for about a day when he told me if Drogba’s goal didn’t count then neither should have Macheda’s thus they would have won 1 – 0 anyway.
Yet despite this competitive nature I fully understand that pre-season fixtures aren’t so much about the result rather the fitness and experience that is to be acquired.
I’ll be the first to say that I wasn’t over awed with how we played and if you follow me on Twitter you will have seen me voice my displeasure particularly with the fact that they played with 10 men for a large part of the match yet we couldn’t make our advantage tell and it looked like we were in fact the team a man short.
But that being said, the are a whole host of things to take into account. This is pre-season the players aren’t fully fit rather are playing to get their fitness back. This was the team’s 3rd game of the tour with the last game coming just 4 days prior. Obviously I’m not there but I’ve been told the heat and humidity may have played a part too.
Now before you start pointing fingers and think I’m making excuses, I’ll stop and say hands up Kansas were worth their salt in victory. As I said they managed to make it look like it was United who were a man down and if they were able to do so then fair play to them. I had said previously that Philly Union looked like they deserved something against us and Kansas went a step further and took the win .
Now here’s the important part.
The team that played last night was largely an experimental team and realistically if we were told to name our 2nd string that wouldn’t have been it. Yes there were first team players amongst them but it could have been a much stronger team and I think that’s why a game like this will be helpful.
Last night we saw a number of them including our whole back line, whose oldest participant was 22, thrust into the limelight. Usually it would be an inexperienced player alongside an experienced one to guide them through but this wasn’t the case. Some will immediately say “well look what happened when we did that, we lost!” but if we look at individual performances I’m not massively alarmed.
Rafael had a mare I won’t lie but having seen what he can do I’m not too concerned at his age there are very few who consistently perform at the highest level. It’s more peaks and troughs. Smalling has shown that he has something about him. He has good feet and can pass but last night did too much covering for Rafael which in turn made him look out of sorts. Evans was solid and De Laet looked better as the game went on.
When they came on both Welbeck and Cleverley looked good and Macheda really should have scored from what was a sublime Welbeck cross.
On a whole, a game and result like this does way more for them than a walk in the park 8-0 drubbing ever could. Yesterday the players were worked physically as well as mentally and many will return in the next game feeling like they have more to do. They were not flattered by their opponents something that can be dangerous for a young player.
Kansas fought hard and worked our players physically as well as gave them something to think about. Regardless of the result if you can get that from any pre-season game you should be happy.
“Calm down Dear!” lol
Exactly and they are up to match speed having played I think 16 games already.
Like most teams that play United they lift there game (liverpool cough).
They reckoned this was the biggest game of there history. Nuff said.
The point you raise I felt exactly the same during the game after the Ref stupidly dismissed the Kansas player, In a friendly ffs.Who are the team with the 10 players?
A perfect example however of parking the Bus we just could not find the key to get through it.
It was a great work out and more experience for the lads against a very fit and organized American side.
One of the highlights for me was that Kansas player, I felt is there a reincarnation of Bob Marley out there.
Oh come off it – we were shit, and you know we were, and you are making excuses. Most of these players are part of our 2nd stream as you call it, and they are not good enough! I feel sorry for all the American United fans, interviewd before the game, who said they were fullfilling a dream to watch Man United. They were screwed on what they had to pay for a ticket, and had flown in from all other States to watch that debacle performance from United – they will probably never want to watch us across the ocean again. We let them down, there is no question in my mind.
I said a couple time’s we were poor (could have been out last night but stayed in to watch!) but I prefer to look at the good as well as the bad maybe if I had gone into greater detail regarding the bad you would be happy?
Our ball retention was piss poor! A few of these players were first team and some would be named in a second string but that was NOT a second string team by any stretch of the imagination.
I agree many will feel let down, the same can be said for the Philly Union game. Many probably expected us to go there and run riot but the thing is playing a weakened team as well as the fact that the MLS is improving meant that wasn’t going to happen.
I hope that we can rectify this in the all star game though
@isaidso – I was there. I didn’t fly in. I drove 12 hours and 650 miles over four states to be there for one night and turn around and drive back. I spent $1200, including my ticket, hotel, expenses and cost to fix the car to get there. I spent two and a half hours in scorching heat and suffocating humidity to see my first Man United live match ever. And IT WAS WORTH EVERY BIT OF IT – WITHOUT QUESTION – REGARDLESS OF THE RESULT. If you think we won’t watch United because of a 2-1 loss in a preseason friendly match in completely foreign conditions with an experimental lineup, you don’t know what a real fan is. I’m offended by your remarks – oh, and I’m Red Till I’m Dead.
Straight to do not seeing websites closer hitting the needs in construction