Manchester United Vs Crawley Town: The Reserves That Should Stay/Go Away

After all the drama and delight of last week’s derby win, Old Trafford was in store for a much more romantic, albeit sombre spectacle. Non-league Crawley sat confidently on Premiership leaders Manchester United’s playground, and with the end of the season approaching, it was the perfect time for Sir Alex to see if his raw (and rotting talent) were worth their salt. For many of United’s starting eleven, it was their best chance to quash the transfer rumours and prove they could cut it at the very highest level.

The match ended 1-0, with Wes Brown scoring from a well-guided header. On the whole, Crawley played out of their skin, and Manchester United were out of their depth. It’s worth assessing the individual performances for the home side, as Fergie’s reserves fight for their place in the team. Let’s see who deserves to see the door, and who’s worth a second chance.

Anders Lindegaard (GK): The latest addition to the squad. Had so little to do, he could’ve gone to sleep between the posts and still kept a clean sheet. Still, looked assured in his handling, and got a slight touch on a last-minute Crawley shot that struck the bar. He won’t be leaving so soon after his arrival, but with United now looking through a bucket list of goalkeeping options following VDS’s retirement plans, I’m sure he’d wished he had half a save to make to impress.

Rafael (RB): No exit rumours here, of course. But business as usual all the same for him, with some good runs down the right. Nothing else really interesting to write about here, so I’ll move on.

John O’Shea (CB): Decent aerially and on the floor, especially in the face of the gazillions of long throws Crawley had, and their second-half resurgence. Verdict: Not much chance he’s going to leave, seeing as he’s United’s "Mr-Utility-Box-with-Swiss-army-knife-attachment."

Wes Brown (CB): Rumours abound about dressing room scuffles with senior management, and news of a transfer at the end of the season. He’s barely played all season, too. On this evidence, though, this Mancunian still has it in him. Aside from a stumble and booking for a deliberate handball, he was untroubled defensively, made some good blocks, and flicked a great headed goal into the side netting from a corner. Verdict: I do hope he stays a couple more seasons.

Fabio (LB): How alike are these twins? Like Rafael, Fabio was never afraid to get forward, but not too involved at the back through the game. Missed a glorious chance to go two up. Verdict: He’s not exactly blossomed at the club the same way his brother has, but he will be forgiven so long as Patrice Evra continues to perform.

Anderson (CM): I still don’t quite know what to make of him. For somebody considered Paul Scholes’ successor in midfield, he showed none of the finesse and link-up play required to match legendary playmakers like him. While the men on the wings were making clowns of themselves, he was utterly invisible in the middle of the park, and was the first to be subbed off. Verdict: He’s a mercurial talent, and it’s only because he’s capable of hitting the heights once in a rare while that he deserves a few more games.

Michael Carrick (CM): Something’s really come over him this season, or maybe we only just realised it. He’s really, really boring. I used to think his passing and tempo-setting was extremely under-rated. I don’t think so now. For someone with a wealth of experience and quality—and he’s not the oldest man around either—he just lacks that ability to impose himself on a game, where momentum is everything. Verdict: I’d drop him like a hot brick, and sell him off while he’s still worth something.

Darron Gibson (CM): The only man in that middle three with any creativity and quality during the game. His long shooting was muted today, but more than made up for it with some classic (dare I say Xavi-esque?) defence-splitting through balls, most of which weren’t capitalized on. Also provided the assist for Wes Brown's goal with a well-measured cross. For somebody who had been beginning to be considered a one-trick pony, this performance will come as a breath of fresh air. Even so, he was quite anonymous in the second half as Crawley piled on the pressure. Verdict: With a little luck, the Irish lad will build on this match, and prove those doubters wrong. I wouldn't dismiss him out of hand just yet, but defensively and technically, there's much work to be done.

Bebe (RW): Does this feller know how to cross a ball? I didn’t think so. Added to that, he can’t dribble, his movement’s laboured and uninspiring, he’s got no work rate, no link up play, zilch. Even after he was adjudged offside, he couldn’t pass the ball into an open net. Perhaps the shearing of the dreadlocks did something to him, but if that’s not it, he’s going to remain a stern lesson to SAF about how not to conduct a transfer. Verdict: The question isn’t whether Bebe is staying or not—because he isn’t—but on how many better ways we can find to spend seven-million quid.

Gabriel Obertan (LW): In 2003, Sir Alex swooped for a certain obscure winger. He could dribble the socks and shorts off the opposition, he was young, he was quick. Not the best in terms of technique, crossing and shooting initially, but hard work yielded £80 million, bagfuls of awards, and turned him into arguably the best player in the world at the time. Clearly lightning doesn’t strike twice. Gabriel Obertan has that searing pace, that dribbling ability, but no end product. He showed us all of this against Crawley, and honestly in all this time, success has never looked like coming to him. Verdict: I do hope those rumours of his putting in a transfer request are true.

Javier Hernandez (ST): It can get VERY lonely playing as a lone frontman when the two players meant to be assisting you most are busy dawdling about aimlessly, even if you are a super-sub goal-machine. Always wanted to move into threatening positions and make the extra stretch for the ball. He did pass up a great chance after a Gibson killer pass early on, but that was his only fault the entire game. Verdict: He’s still a great prospect, and will hopefully stay at the club for a decade, and even eclipse the wondrous Ole Solskjaer.

Smalling (CB): Came on in the second half, and immediately dispossessed Tubbs when he was through on goal. The natural heir to Rio Ferdinand, and showed his composure and skill on the ball by dealing with Crawley’s ever-increasing menace, and playing up to the halfline himself a couple of times. His value’s skyrocketed, and he’s probably ahead of Johnny Evans on this form. Verdict: No chance he’s leaving anytime soon.

Fletcher (CM): Really only chased a moving ball around the pitch with 20 minutes to go. He’s not going anywhere, of course.

Rooney (ST): Ostensibly a world-class centre forward, he lacked the spark to ignite the fire for the Red Devils. Switched play well, and made a couple of decent shots, but was booked later on for a lazy, rash tackle, and is still some way off his best from last season. I won’t be expecting a transfer, but he won’t be the Rooney we know until next season, by the looks of it.