United starting lineup: Barthez, Gary Neville, Wes Brown, John O'Shea, Beckham, Juan Seba, Roy Keane, Giggs, van Nistelrooy, Solskjaer. Still goalless in the half-hour mark. I have to say, United has not been playing well so far in the game, mistake after mistake, and we are lucky not to have gone one or two behind. Captain Roy booked at the 27th minute. Hope things get better throughout the rest of the game.
HT: 0-0 Elton Welsby sums up the half for United: "Make sure there are no boots lying about in the dressing room." One single shot on goal in the entire 45 minutes, by guess who -- Wes Brown -- compared to Bolton's 5 shots on goal, 5 shots on target.
OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER!!! Equalized for United in the dying seconds of the game! Bolton Wanderers 1, Manchester United 1
I cannot agree with you more. Hope that's not the case though, as we entertain Leeds United at OT next Saturday. For today, it is certainly two points lost, but then I think it is also one point earned, as United really did not deserve the draw, but then Bolton should've converted more of their 15 shots on goal/target into goals. Man of the match: Fabien Barthez.
Uninspired play today all the way around. Still, we could have very easily walked away with three points despite our poor performance. While we didn't have a load of chances, we did have twohigh quality ones that could/should have been goals (besides Solksjaer tally). Brown's header at the end the first half only needed to be on target w/ the Bolton keeper stranded and Keane's poor finish on the one v. one minutes after the Bolton goal. However, we are lucky to walk away with a point. Barthez played great today (accept for the goal, he didn't come close to winning that ball, but he made up for it with many good plays), kept us in the match. Also, I just got my digital cable hooked up again yesterday after not having it for a year, so I haven't been able to see United as much as I would like. I knew that we liked to go down Beckham's side, the right, but I didn't know that was the only side we ever attacked down, especially the way we looked in the 2nd half. And god, Giggs is so off form.
I think you half answered your own question there, also Silvestre does more overlapping down the left usually which helps our left side attack while Giggs has been struggling...
Haha, I was looking at my wall fixture poster printed at the start of the season and you're right, we and the Scousers will be entertained by the nice people at Cardiff this coming weekend instead. Hey I woke up at 4 to catch the game and I'm not exactly awake right now, so please give me a break!
I could also sit here all day and try and figure out what formation we played today. 4-5-1? Nope. 4-4-2? Yeah right. 4-3-3? Not. If I had to guess, it would be: 4-1-2-2-1 or 4-3-2-1.... Disjointed to say the least, with Veron running around aimlessly, just showing up to give the ball away, Giggs losing the ball after his second touch (that's if he still hasn't lost it after his first touch), Becks looked a little timid out there, Ole had a nightmare match, with a dream finish though, Keane couldn't get stuck in after the yellow card, Ruud didn't get much service, mostly because Becks wasn't assigned to his usual right wing position to send those dangerous crosses in to the box, and Barthez saved our bacon many a time today. O'Shea will be a legend I tell you.
Proving that we're still the most popular team in America, from the front page of espn.com: Premiership: Man United lucky to draw Hopefully things can still be turned around. We've still got several crucial matches left, and I think its time to take things more seriously.
I was cursing for 90 minutes about United's play. How uninspired can they get? Only Barthez was playing well; just about everyone else sucked. Special mention goes to Giggs & Veron - I'm not sure which one played worse. Veron would disappear for long stretches, then when he had possession, he'd pass back to Bolton. Pathetic. SAF should have brought in Forlan for Veron first, instead of Giggs. Thank goodness Solskjaer's 90th-minute goal saved a point! My bitterness turned to relief. I posted yesterday that Bolton are very dangerous. They have United's number after winning the last two at Old Trafford. And today was no different. Had Bolton come out with three points in this game, I'd say they deserved every single one.
I knew that if anyone would upset us it would be Bolton. Arsenal are now 5 points clear but i'm sure they've been more than 5 points clear before, so it isn't over. However, they probably have a better chance of winning. Still, it seems we have a better chance of winning the CL so it balances out.
about the formation, or lack thereof, played against Bolton. Why doesn't United go back to playing a 4-4-2? Giggs performs best wide left, Beckham wide right. It's so simple, back to the future!
Fergie: O'Shea could be new Roy "John could eventually play Keano's position. He sails over the ground." I have nothing to add to that, just wanted to toot my own horn.
Over! Nothing's Over Until SAF Say's It is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Have some faith! We still got time on our hand and as long as Man Utd does not play like they did versus Bolton, the seaon could end with a League Cahmpionship!
You can only play, and win, one game at a time. United need to focus on winning the next game. But of course, it would help a great deal if Arse lose.
what a difference between this and our 99 season. the heart just doesnt seem to be in it. to top that our luck has a habit of disappearing. I can't comment on all the Bolton game as I only saw the last 20mins but wtf? no urgency, no passing skills hardly a decent shot on goal. Ole took his goal well to save some major blushes but 3 points were needed. I can't honestly see Arse slipping up that much (though I'd love to see it) and we've got the harder run in. oh well.