Man United-Arsenal: Was O'Shea Winner Worst Piece of Defending This Season?

Scribe Written on April 29, 2009

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - APRIL 29: John O' Shea of Manchester United is congratulated by his team mates after scoring the opening goal during the UEFA Champions League Semi Final First Leg match between Manchester United and Arsenal at Old Trafford on April 29, 2009 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

(Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

John O'Shea has picked a good week to emerge from the shadows of Gary Neville and Rafeal Da Silva. For starters, he able to disregard the threat of the cup-tied Andrey Arshavin. But the real bonus for the, shall we say unpopular Irishman, was that Arsenal appeared to buy into the 'fact' that he is useless. So useless that they could afford to leave him unmarked six yards from goal.

O'Shea doesn't have the best reputation in terms of ability, but anyone who remembers his composed finish that rubber-stamped a 4-2 United victory at Highbury in 2005 knows that he can finish. His winner at Old Trafford tonight was probably the worst piece of defending the Champions League has seen all season.

The ball wasn't even half clear when Emmanual Adebayor trotted off to the edge of the area thinking the job was complete. When the ball came back, he wore that surprised look that accompanies him alongside a ubiquitous offside flag in the other half of the field.

Christiano Ronaldo, Carlos Tevez, and O'Shea were all unmarked. In a Champions League Semi-Final. And moments after Manual Almunia had denied Tevez from point-blank range―not the reward the Spanish keeper deserved (who made a telling difference behind a defence that conceded four at Anfield last week).

Arsenal resembled a pack of builders distracted by a scantily-clad blonde parading by in six-inch heels.

Watch the replay. All eyes are on the ball, no one knows where their man is. There has been much debate about Liverpool's zonal marking, but it is hard to decide which, if any, tactic Arsenal were supposed to install.

From that moment, 1-0 was probably the best result Arsenal could hope for. There was some good passing, but it was merely a game of keep ball, constantly going from side to side. If there were goals on the sidelines Arsenal would be world-beaters.

Creativity without Arshavin comes at a premium. Even if Robin Van Persie comes back from injury, Arsenal will need to grind out a 1-0 win at Emirates Stadium and win on penalties in a reverse plot line to the quarter-final triumph in Rome. They have a chance.

Unfortunately, the Arsenal defence is an accident waiting to happen.

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written on April 29, 2009 Game Recap

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