The Premiership clash between Chelsea and Manchester United did not go as planned for United in more ways than one.
Other than losing the match and the three-point lead to rivals Chelsea, they also look to have picked a couple of injuries. Vidic and Rooney both were substituted for picking up knocks. While Vidic got a nasty elbow in his jaw, Rooney's problem was his Hip injury that he picked up against Blackburn last weekend.
Most probably (though not officially confirmed), Rooney was on painkilling injections for the Barcelona match. This might be the reason why Sir Alex opted to play him in a right wing position so he could be spared of the lone striker role.
But the recurrence of Rooney's injury casts serious doubts on United's think tank and Sir Alex himself. Of late, Sir Alex has baffled us with his first teams and tactics, as he did against Chelsea itself.
If Rooney was carrying the aftereffects of the knock he picked up at Blackburn, why was he not rested like Ronaldo and Tevez? Moreover, resting Tevez in itself is baffling, because he has hardly started many games of late.
It takes no rocket scientist to predict the repercussion this injury is going to have on United's season. Just a piece of information: today United lost their First match in which Rooney has started, so his importance to the side cannot be understated.
Whether he will be fit for the Barcelona match remains to be seen, but if he does not make it, it may well be the Chelsea vs. United match where United's season was derailed.
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5 months ago
If he had played Tevez and rested Rooney you would have been critical of that too. He had to play Rooney, the game could have decided the title.
from 5 months ago
Andrew, i guess the point you make is a valid one but since when has Sir Alex started to put a final eleven to please me or the fans?
More over i understand this game was a potential decider, so is the game against Barcelona. Playing an injured player, anyways, no matter the magnitude of the game is not justified-specially when you have the players of the ability of tevez waiting to fill the boots.
from 5 months ago
Didn't Tevez have a shocker in his last game? Not sure why that is stuck in my head :)
from 5 months ago
he had a torrid game mid-week against barca, but then he was played in a regular midfield position as supposed to attacking mid field or a forward. But even that for me is not a reason enough to risk your main striker who is injured and "rest" others like evra, tevez and ronaldo (even hargreaves if vidic would not have got injured).
But andrew i see your point, i guess Sir Alex took a risk and it didnt pay off.
3 months ago
I bet you are looking for a hole to hide in after the season ended.
Fergie is wiser than thou. Never ever question his tactics :)
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