Manchester United vs. Everton - Serves You Right

The elusive dream of the quintuple is gone with an odd quadruple possibility left in its place. Ferguson made his priorities well and clear yesterday when he fielded 8 changes to his starting XI from the team that took on Porto. I had no problems playing Rafael and Fabio as full-backs because Ferdinand and Vidic were there in between to lend stability. No such judgment was displayed in other parts of the park as Anderson and Gibson got central midfield. At this point I felt the game was up and handing Macheda a first start wasn't a very convincing move. Wellbeck was handed a place on the wings along with Park. Wellbeck may suffer for his versatility because I feel he is better through the middle with a much better touch than Macheda, more pace and more skill. Macheda is better at being a battering ram even at his tender age and it will negatively impact Wellbeck.



The game itself was nothing to write home about. Everton played some classic long ball football. It was repeatedly knocked up with Cahill and Fellaini the target men. Osman was his usual snarling self getting on the end of some knockdowns and lashing it goalwards. United passed well but there was no end product. Passing around the box without shooting makes you no better than Arsenal and frankly that's not very good. The Everton defence was marshaled well once again by Jagielka who improves with every game. In case you forget or do not know, this man was a central midfielder who played in goal for 20 minutes against a rampant Arsenal team and kept them out before being converted to a dominating and excellent centre-half by David Moyes. He got lucky when Mike Riley didn't give a penalty for a misjudged lunge on Wellbeck. If it were given, the assumption is United would have scored.

Of course, as most reports will tell you the match seemed destined to go to penalties as soon as it had begun. United huffed and puffed but never tried to blow the house down. Tevez was awful once again. If Wellbeck and Macheda stand to get a better chance should Tevez leave then I feel it is best he is gone. He does not justify a spend of 32 million pounds, not with such play. He is an Argentinian Dirk Kuyt at best and at worst he's an Argentinian Craig Bellamy. Berbatov may indeed be another Veron. Lovely first touch and nothing else to follow. These guys need to wake up and soon. To take nothing away from Tim Howard, the two penalties he saved were taken lackadaisically. Like I said, the assumption for the penalty shout was that if given United would have scored. That is a stupid assumption and one that should not have been in the team's mindset. Everton kept their heads well about them and deserved the win. May they now beat Chelsea in the final. I always believe if you have to lose, lose to the guy who'll win it all. Feels better losing to a champion than to another loser.

The nonsense on the pitch really does not excuse the manager. Wenger complained too but then he complains about the pitch in every game that Arsenal loses. Ferguson gambled on his team selection and lost big. It is ironic that this is the week he chooses to lambast Benitez on his disrespectful gesture towards Blackburn and then turns around and disrespects THE OLDEST CUP IN ALL OF FOOTBALL by selecting a juvenile team. To be sure, he's done it before a few times but in the semi-final? Really? If the team wins the game, everyone applauds a shrewd choice and belief in the young 'uns. If you lose the game as it turned out you get accused of screwing with a football institution. I really don't want to see Benitez's reaction mainly because it means a continuation of this ridiculous blood-feud these two have on. I'm hoping Wenger is right that mind-games have no effect because at this rate I think Fergie will lose.

He may still be justified in his actions if the team beats Portsmouth on Wednesday and the league on May 24th. With one fell swoop, his mistake can be erased and order restored. Or he will carry the blame forever more of the dream season surrendered.