Fulham 2 –2 Manchester United | pay penalty for that penalty miss

Manchester United made 2 changes to their lineup from the match against newcastle. Rooney who is suffering from some stomach bug replaced by Hernandez who got his first premier league start. Park replaces nani on the left wing. United opted the 4-4-2 formation. While Fulham played 4-2-3-1.

United started the game very with Fletcher and Berbatov combining and Scholes doing the same as what he did in the newcastle match. Park played inside to compensate the fulham’s 5 men midfield. Berbatov dropped deep off the Hernandez and has been key in the build up play. Fletcher made more forward runs in the first half. United got the break through when the free kick from the left found berbatov who laid the ball to Scholes who scroed his trademark goal and his 150th goal. It looked like United didn’t pressed enough after this goal. Vidic didn’t tracked Zamora properly. Fulham leveled the score before half time.

In the second hald, united looked a different team. Scholes and Berbatov disappeared means, they are not creating any changes to score. Also it was observed that Fulham’s Etunu has made many forward runs at the goals causing problems in the united midfield. Then SAF made changes by replacing Hernandez with Owen, Park for Nani and Giggs for valencia. It looked like united are getting back on track but still didn’t created any real opportunities. Then united got a lucey own goal gift from Fulham in 84th Min. And soon they were awarded a penalty which Nani couldn’t able to net. This is costly miss as Fulham for the moral boost from that penalty miss and they started moving forward more. Again in the last minutes of the second half, Fulham scored from a corner through Hergland who compensated his earlier own goal with this header and the score is now 2-2.

United got draw at Fulham on the away game with 2-2 scoreline when they have change to make it 3-1 before that penalty miss by Nani . But may be better than the last years 3-0 defeat.

Notes from the match review:

1. Park played inside …not as a winger since Fulham played 4-2-3-1.
2. We know the issue of the left wing and both Valencia and Nani are not good.
3. When you attack on the right through Evra’s runs… you should be able to switch the ball to other flank. Which requires O’shea to be in an advanced position…..this didn’t happend
4. for valencia on the right, there is no one to attempt a diagnol cross when there is space to work on the left wing as park is playing inside
5. Check SAF’s post match comments….. he said – united are not yet used to Chicharito’s pace. Yes, we need to play more through ball to him from the midfield. But in this game, its mostly short passes.
6. When SAF said, this could be Berba’s season, what i sensed is that he is going to use Berba in a different way. And he is doing it. In the first half he was really good and provided the link from midfield. And SAF kept him in the second half, just for that purpose….when his game disappeared in the second half. Of course his finishing has to improve. and the expectations from him is to provide the link between midfield and the target striker.