12/08/07: (P) United 0 - 0 Reading …
A draw, an injury to Wayne Rooney and already United are playing catch up to the Premiership’s superpowers.
United will be less concerned by the goalless draw against a well-organised and disciplined Reading, than by the suspected hair-line foot fracture that prevented the England star from taking the field in the second half.
Another lengthy metatarsal lay-off for Rooney would be a major blow to Ferguson’s plans and the manger will hope for good news from his medical team.
United fizzed during the first half with Rooney continuing his excellent pre-season form. There was a breath-taking speed to the Red approach play that forced Reading back into defensive mode, from which they rarely departed for the rest of the game.
Yet try as they might, United looked short of the cutting edge and measured pass that would transform half-chances into goal scoring opportunities. Employing Silvestre and Evra on the left flank seems a conservative option when Evra is a better fullback than his French compatriot and Giggs or Nani are in turn, better suited to left midfield than Evra.
With Brown offering little real adventure at rightback and Scholes subdued, United looked to Rooney and Ronaldo to take a hold of the proceedings. On 21 minutes, the Portuguese winger forced a low save from the inspired Hahnemann. A fabulous shimmy two minutes later befuddled Hunt and allowed Ronaldo to send over an inch-perfect cross from the right which Giggs could not convert with his snap shot.
In the 27th minute, Ronaldo planted a left-wing cross onto Rooney’s head but the England striker flashed his powerful header wide of the post.
Rooney was a willing forager and receiver as United set up camp in Reading’s half and paid the price for his bravery on 36 minutes. The striker, with Michael Duberry in close attendance, stretched to connect with a rightwing cross and could do nothing to stop a collision with the Reading defender, who stamped on Rooney’s foot.
All Old Trafford shuddered as the 21 yeard old went down in evident pain.
The half finished amid great concern, confirmed by Rooney’s non-appearance for the second half. Nani replaced the forward but could not match his endeavour nor goal instinct.
United poured forward with ever-increasing desperation but could not find the inspiration nor provoke the error that would breach the Reading defence.
On 67 minutes, Nani shot wide of the post after an excellent interchange with Ronaldo. In the 71 minute, Reading replaced the anonymous striker Doyle with Kitson, who took just 37 seconds to make a dreadful lunge on Patrice Evra, for which he received an immediate red card. Has a substitute ever spent less time on the pitch?
Even a man down, Reading maintained the resolution they demonstrated in last year’s successful campaign. They came for a point and approached the task with intelligence and organisation. Goalkeeper Hahnemann saved well from Carrick’s low drive on 74 minutes and repeated the job when seeing Ronaldo’s well struck free-kick to safety on 89 minutes.
Four minutes of extra time couldn’t deliver United the win the full house crowd demanded, in the knowledge that on the first day of the season Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea had secured victories.
With two points lost and Rooney due for a scan, might Sir Alex entitled to be even more furious with the foot dragging that prevented him from fielding Carlos Tevez in today’s fixture?
TEAM
Van Der Sar; Brown (77 Fletcher); Ferdinand; Vidic; Silvestre (57 O’Shea); Ronaldo; Scholes; Carrick; Evra; Giggs; Rooney (46 Nani)
Subs: Kuszczak; Pique
Post Script
Sir Alex: (Daily Mail) - “It just wasn’t our day.We broke them down alright, had some good chances and some good movement. In the second half, chances started to come. We had some good chances and we just didn’t take them. Credit to them, they battled, they wanted a result and they got one. I can understand anyone coming here and doing that.
“The loss of Wayne Rooney was obvious - if he’d been on the pitch I think we’d have won the match. We did everything we could; played with great panache and urgency and good tempo.
It was everything you look for in the first game of the season, we just didn’t get the goal.
“With (Carlos) Tevez coming available, Louis (Saha) and Ole Gunnar (Solskjaer) starting to train again we’ve got the strikers there. I’m not in a situation where we have to sign someone.”
Steve Coppell: “I want people to think we are more than just a defensive side but your season-long dreams can be shattered very quickly here. I would have loved to have gone 4-4-2 and seen what happened but we would have got hammered.”
