Robbed

Results

Date	Time	C	Opponent	F	A	R	S
29 Aug	5:15 PM	P	Manchester United (A)	1	2	Lost

To be honest, I do not know if I have much else to say as I reflect on Saturday's match. But for the sake of getting things off my chest, I will soldier on with this piece, sure in the knowledge that, yes, we lost the battle, and yes, we lost in the most undeserved of manners.

But the war is far from won yet, and we must all take heart from what was a terrific performance.

A performance blown to smithereens by a set of officials doing their utmost to usher the home side onto victory, a regular Old Trafford speciality as put by the crestfallen but surely proud Wenger post-match, as well as two moments of naivety from our part, despite controlling proceedings and never really looking under real pressure.

And no it was not a penalty, although the thought of "what goes around comes around" flashed across my mind as Wayne Rooney stepped up from his dramatic plunge to draw the match level. But then again, most of you will probably agree with my opinion and assessment of causation.

Looking at our own performance, as opposed to Rooney's (who incidentally would never get charged for diving), the defence was brilliant. First to every cross, and first to every tackle, the United forward line was kept silent for most of the match, right up to the dying moments when, inevitably, there were gaps left behind as we tried to save the match.

I mentioned in the match preview that this game was Song's biggest test yet, and he passed it with flying colours. Determined, strong in the tackle, he bossed the midfield along with Denilson and, painfully, Abou Diaby. Who I shall come onto later.

However, we can marvel all we like about our solidity in defence, and bemoan our luck and suspect officiating, but we cannot deny that individual mistakes ultimately cost us the match. With the defence bamboozled by a long ball over the top, and Manuel Almunia unnecessarily coming out of his goal, this was the perfect backdrop to award United the penalty. And when our experienced keeper looks back on this moment of stupidity, he will quickly realise that his coming out was the sort of mistake I'd have expected Fabianski to make!

As if that was not enough, we then cringingly watched Diaby head the ball expertly into Almunia's net. Without one bit of pressure whatsoever. No pressure except perhaps his obsessive urge to score in every match, ignoring his defence purpose. As it happened, this was the winner for United, and we never recovered.

Not in terms of the result perhaps, but what gives me confidence that this season will be different from seasons gone by is the strength and quality of our play in trying to come back after such two hammer blows. Not least Diaby himself, who, in his shame, led a few attacks, sadly without the luck afforded to the home side.

So, it was ultimate heartbreak in the end, with no luck, but then again, we did not exactly expect to get any at Old Trafford.

I stated last time out the need for a result to prove that we can fight with the best. But I was wrong. Regardless of the result, we should all be proud of such a performance at the Theatre of Dreams, topped only by Mike Dean...

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