Just one win on the road all season has contributed to the Hammers plight at the foot of the League and another defeat here came after the side more than held their own in the opening 30 minutes.
Gianfranco Zola’s team secured a vital win over Hull City at the weekend, meaning they could travel to Old Trafford and play an open, expansive game while knowing they had done the hard work at Upton Park last weekend.
As is always the way with visiting teams at Old Trafford, their game is raised to try and keep up with the home team's standards, and as a result many onlookers will admit that if West Ham can replicate the sort of form they showed in the opening half an hour at the Theatre of Dreams, they’ll comfortably retain their Premiership status.
Whereas most of the attention was on Wayne Rooney, whose brace all but put to bed this Premiership encounter before the hour mark, eagle eyed supporters would have acknowledged the defensive pairing at the heart of West ham’s back four.
Despite seeing three goals, and many other chances created against them, both James Tomkins and Matthew Upson can come away from this fixture with their heads held high with both being terrific from start to finish.
With Rio Ferdinand, now looking like a severe doubt for the World Cup this summer after a re-occurrence of a long standing back injury, questions will arise as to his replacement in the team, and with Upson effectively the third choice centre back, this performance shows England fans should have no worries about the ability of the former Arsenal defender.
United fans should however have reservations about the loss of Ferdinand, with the inept displays their second string defender have produced of late.
Jonny Evans was dropped to the bench for this one after being found out badly at the San Siro, the venue of his making as a United defender last season, and at Goodison Park on Saturday.
At the top of the pitch, Carlton Cole looked lively, but again lacked a goal or two to cap off a fine performance, a factor that will see him miss out on selection for England World Cup squad.
The only way the 26-year old might force his way into the squad will be if Rooney endures an injury before the end of the season, a loss neither England nor United can afford.
While Rooney showed that he is potentially the best player on the world right now with two goals and a host of other nimble touches, he further proved how vital he is to the Red Devils chance of securing any one of the three trophies they crave this season.
On this occasion however, others did come to the party, Antonio Valencia, a player crudely dropped in recent week in place of Nani, provided both of Rooney’s goals, Paul Scholes looked at his brilliant best as he continues to benefit from a run in the team and Dimitar Berbatov looked more willing to contribute than he has in recent weeks.
As ever the close season run-in is crucial to the destiny of the Premiership title, as well as the European Cup, and it might be a case that United and Chelsea will have to pick their priority even at this stage of the season.
Chelsea travel to the San Siro to take on Inter Milan tonight, three days before taking on fifth placed Manchester City, who themselves face Stoke City in an FA Cup replay.
Carlo Ancelotti’s love affair with the Champions League, and Roman Abramovich’s infatuation with the competition means it’s possible domestic affairs will have to take a back seat as a challenge for Europe’s premier club competition takes precedence for the Blues.
In addition Sir Alex Ferguson’s obsession with usurping Liverpool as England’s most successful club side will mean surely the Premiership title will become the important entity for the Scot.
I stress this is just a theory, both managers are still winners after all, and neither will relent in their quest for either trophy, but in a modern era where teams play over sixty games a season, is it really possible to fight for trophies on three levels during a single season?
It highlights how great an achievement United’s treble triumph was in 1999, although Barcelona’s own treble last season shows it can be done, albeit with a winter break.
And although his love for the club is still strong, Mourinho will be first in line to attempt to throw a spanner in the works of Chelsea’s own treble ambitions, and as we know he’s never been one to turn down a challenge.
No comments:
Post a Comment