Are we all deluded?

A remarkable game at Old Trafford this afternoon, with bottom club Fulham drawing 2-2 with United. I’d like to ask two questions from this match:

Firstly, the benefits or otherwise of a 4-4-2 system, with two wide men. Yesterday against West Ham, as soon as Villa started to play with width through Albrighton and Gabby, they posed problems galore. In fact with rattling the woodwork twice and Benteke missing glorious chances, it wouldn’t have been harsh for Villa to have taken the points. Yet they didn’t.

At Old Trafford today, United played Van Persie and Rooney up front, with Mata and Young out wide. Later on Januzaj and Valencia also took up wide positions. During the match United put in an incredible 81 (EIGHTY ONE) crosses, completely dominating the game, yet failing to beat a team that ‘parked the bus’.

Last night, I was wondering why Lambert doesn’t play with width. Why Albrighton wasn’t in the team and why our only match winner, N’Zogbia, looks to have no future at the club. Now, I’m confused. Does almost every PL manager not play 4-4-2 because it is outdated and ineffective? Discuss.

Secondly, when Fulham need someone to nick a goal, who pops up? Our OWN Darren Bent! My question here is why on Earth do we have an ageing, lumbering, journeyman called Grant Holt in our team, when we have a proven hit man in Bent? Does anyone believe that Holt is better? A man who coiuldn’t get in a Championship team? Discuss.

Finally, a quick word about yesterday. It is of course a crushing result and leaves us in deep trouble again. However, West Ham have actually kept more clean sheets than any other PL team and they’ve kept three consecutive clean sheets. Surprising isn’t it? But knowing that, should we really EXPECT our struggling, hard-working but very low quality team to beat these? Discuss.

4-4-2
Bent
West Ham