Five Things Learnt from United/Palace
Manchester United drew a blank once again
Crystal Palace and Manchester United could only play out a 0-0 draw at Selhurst Park yesterday, meaning Louis van Gaal’s men have now drawn their last three games without scoring.
It was always going to be a tough match for United, with Alan Pardew making his Palace side hard to beat at home, and with neither side managing to break the deadlock, both shared the points.
So what did SillySeason take away from the 0-0 draw?
Here are our Five Things learnt.
5) Crystal Palace Should Have Won
If anyone looked like they would win the game, it was Crystal Palace, but sadly for them, David de Gea was in fine-form.
Chance after chance was created by Alan Pardew‘s side but they simply couldn’t get the goal their play deserved.
Pardew and co. will probably be satisfied with a point against Manchester United, but they will also feel that it was a game they could have perhaps won.
4) Wayne Rooney Isn’t A Striker
More woes for Wayne.
Is his time coming to an end? Is it a blip? Is he not playing in the right position? Who knows.
Something isn’t working for Wayne Rooney anymore and it’s time Louis van Gaal perhaps thinks about changing his role at the club.
He isn’t going to drop him, that’s clear, but we think it’s time to convert him into a centre-midfielder or a centre-attacking mid. He just isn’t the striker he once was.
He doesn’t have the finishing ability anymore and he doesn’t have that eye for goal.
It’s time for Rooney to adapt if he wants to continue at the highest level.
3) Get Martial Up Front
You spend £36million on a young striker and he comes in all guns blazing scoring every week. Perfect.
So why do you then start playing him on the wing?!
Why is Louis van Gaal deploying Anthony Martial on the wing?! Yes he’s a pacy player and a very tricky player to deal with, but he’s a striker. An out-an-out striker.
Martial is not a winger and shouldn’t be considered a winger so it’s mind-boggling that Van Gaal keeps forcing him out of position to satisfy an out-of-form Wayne Rooney.
If United want goals, which they need, Martial going back up front is the answer.
Which leads us onto our next point….
2) Manchester United Need Goals
Playing your in-form striker on the wing isn’t the answer.
Three goalless draws in a row now for Louis van Gaal and to be frank, they don’t even look close to ending that drought.
Something needs to change at Old Trafford and with Van Gaal‘s tactics because as it stands, United are falling further and further away from the rest.
United just need to add goals to their game.
They haven’t scored in three games, including a 120-minute match against Championship side Middlesbrough.
Something needs to change for Van Gaal.
1) David de Gea the Saviour Again
How many times has this guy saved Manchester United? How many points has he saved them as well?!
The Spaniard was on top form at Selhurst Park yesterday and kept United in the game at certain points.
It’s easy to see why Real Madrid were so desperate to sign him up in the summer, and it’s also easy to see why United desperately wanted to keep hold of him.
Great business by them to tie him down to a long-term contract.
So there are our Five Things learnt from the stalemate at Selhurst.
What are yours?
Written by Alex Batt – @AlexBatt