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MANCHESTER UNITED AWAY FA CUP 29-1-05
Manchester United away in the FA Cup fourth round. They don't come much tougher than that. Would United recover from their midweek loss to Chelsea or was it time for Boro to rediscover their early season form?
Be Quick Or Be Dead
Boro started with JFH as lone striker and five across the middle. Colin Cooper and Gareth Southgate were paired in central defence and a very early United counter attack nearly had us seeing red.
It looked as though we were sitting back with a view to trying to hit them on the break but we didn't look quick enough to do that. Jimmy was not a convincing hold up man and United took possession from him easily at the first attempt. Our defence were consequently flatfooted and John O'Shea's strike made it 1-0. It was uphill all the way from there.
I've Got The Fire
Boro had trouble dealing with Wayne Rooney throughout the first half but managed to claw a way back in to the game. A flowing attack - our first real one of the day - saw neat interplay between Jimmy and Bolo Zenden. They found a way through the United backline and as the Stretford End held it's breath and waited for Jimmy to burst the net, he passed to Bolo who fluffed the chance. A few minutes later James Morrison tried to make use of a Downing cross and his shot was saved. The tempo was up now.
Cooper showed that he has lost none of the old spark by laying a crunching tackle on Ryan Giggs on 42 minutes and Rooney ran through from the resulting throw in and forced Mark Schwarzer to make an acrobatic save. United lay siege for the rest of the first half and it was a relief to have only one minute of injury time added on. We were lucky to be just a goal behind at half time but we were still in it.
Run Silent Run Deep
'All Along The Watchtower' pumped out of the Old Trafford speakers and the common half time consensus was that Boro needed to come out in the second half with more belief in themselves. And make changes. We were struggling to cope with Rooney's surging runs and if we were to execute our game plan and hit United on the break, then we needed to steady up the defence. Stifle them in defence and outrun them in midfield. In theory.
Boro went 4-4-2 for the second half, having withdrawn Doriva. Joseph Job entered the fray hoping for a couple of goals like the ones he got here a year ago.
Where Eagles Dare
The second half didn't burst into life for the first ten minutes but when it did, it was dramatic. A disputed Boro free kick was swung in and the United counter attack was dangerous. As the charge of the Light Brigade descended upon us in the shape of Christiano Ronaldo, we didn't even think about taking cover. Dangerous or not, Schwarzer clattered Ronaldo and Boro had finally stamped their mark on the game.
Three minutes later, it was nearly wiped out as Skippy was forced to make another flying save from Ronaldo, who didn't get close enough to get clattered this time. The pressure subsided and Giggs was eventually withdrawn, striker Luis Saha taking his place.
Sea of Madness
And just as the belief was beginning to grow, Boro's defence went missing in action again. United's substitution paid immediate dividends as Saha played a touch with Rooney putting him through for a clear chance. He didn't waste it and at 2-0 down, the Boro were now sinking.
Jimmy was put through by Zenden and created a chance on sixty-five minutes but instead of taking the shot himself, he again squared it, this time to Joseph Job, who arrived too late to knock it in and pull us back into the tie. It was a psychological blow and what little strength Boro had left evaporated.
The Assassin
We tried a reshuffle but only in defence, with Tony McMahon replacing Cooper and Michael Reiziger switching to centre half. It wasn't long before Rooney once again received the ball and bagged the goal of the game with a sweeping twenty yard drive that knocked us out of this year's FA Cup.
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink had worked tirelessly but unsuccessfully all afternoon and he was sacrificed with six minutes to go, giving Danny Graham a late run out. It was to no avail.
Today belonged to Rooney The Assassin and memories of when George Boateng shackled Rooney in September at Old Trafford seem very distant.
Wildest Dreams
Harry Haverton said this morning that if we don't win today, we could well be facing the prospect of a poor season. He was right but there are still chances to retrieve it. We've taken a battering lately but with George Boateng and Mark Viduka hopefully back in action in time for our European ties, we can pull it back and still achieve great things this season.
But we need to put far more heart into our performances than we did today, starting on Tuesday at Portsmouth.
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