Where did that come from....

-Rahul

     Last season around this time, Manchester United were in the quaterfinals of the F.A cup where they faced Arsenal. Sir Alex's team selection comprised mainly of defenders and highly(at that time) inexperienced players. United came out of that match unscathed and with a suprising 2-0 victory........Fast-forward almost a year and United face Ajax in the Europa League Round of 32, second leg. Leading 2-0 from the first leg at Amsterdam, a week ago, the job was supposed to be finished with minimal fuss. Sir Alex's team sheet had a high number of in-experienced players and it showed.


     The tie was thought to be done and dusted within 5 minutes as a beautiful through-ball from Berbatov found Hernandez who swerved around the defender and placed it away from Vermeer. 3-0 up....surely they could'nt blow this. United looked like they were about to score on every offence, the penetration was high and in the 13th, Hernandez and Berbatov again linked up, to almost put United 2-0 up but Verthongen cut out the final pass with a slide. 

  The first half was very eventful. United's passes were sloppy and misdirected, the crosses from Young were blind and didn't look puposeful a attack after attck broke down around Ajax's goal. The Dutch made most of it exerting pressure for huge period's and exploiting Phil Jones's bad positioning and Rafael's bad clearances. In the 37th minute, it paid off. The United defence failed to clear their lines properly after breaking down an attack and the ball fell 

kindly to Ozbiliz on the edge of the area, with the right-winger lashing a low, left-footed half-volley into De Gea’s bottom right 
corner.


    United replied with a large spell of pressure leading to the end of the half, but again the final something was lacking. So the hosts went to the break level. 


    The second half the inexperience showed more, but Nani almost put United ahead but his left footed shot hit the crossbar. Sir Alex took off Young and put in Evans, with Jones moving from defence to a midfield role where, he looked significantly more comfortable. Scholes replaced Cleverly and Berbatov was replaced by Danny Welbeck, but still Ajax pushed and 3 minutes before time Scholes came up with one of those trademark late challenges, and the free kick led to a goal by Alderweid.
  
     United managed not to concede again, if they had they would have been knocked out by the virtue of away goals. So United lost the battle and won the war, but where the hell did that come from. That was supposed to be an easy victory for the hosts. Well the last time United made things difficult for themselves, they won the Champions League, so this is hoping for screwing things up in the Round of 16 first leg, against Athletic Bilbao and then do it style in the second leg......That would be classic.