Well, after predicting wholesale changes to the team that beat Newcastle in mid-week, Sir Alex made just two for the trip to Fulham in the FA Cup. Ronaldo and Berbatov were rested with Inter in mind and suddenly we had a very strong line-up taking to the pitch at Craven Cottage. It's a system that I've always hopped Fergie would adopt. In the past, the gaffer chose to name a second string side with a strong bench when he wanted to rest a few players. What usually happened was that we would get our best players on when we are chasing the game. That approach hardly ever paid dividends. Remember West Ham at OT in the Cup in 2000/01 when Di Canio scored and then Fergie made a triple substitution starring Andy Cole, Dwight Yorke and Ole G Solsjaer? How about Exeter City in the Cup a few years back when we drew 0-0 away and got ourselves a needless replay. Besides the Derby game away in the Carling Cup, Fegie has chosen to play a stronger team than every one of our opponents and rest the senior players when we are winning comfortably. Yesterday, two changes were never going to hurt us given that the tea remained incredibly stronger--infact bar the absence of Ronaldo, that was the side that pretty much did the double last season.
The last thing on our minds was a replay and given the fixture congestion we've got, a defeat would be welcomed more than a draw. You didn't have to be told that, the team Fergie put out reflected that particular view!
Tevez once again reminded Fergie of what we shall miss if we let him go with a fruitful display of energy. Two goals--one that was a cracker--settled the early nerves given that Fulham had started strongly. Wayne Rooney curled in a third and Park continued his good run of form at the Cottage with a fourth goal late on. It was a demonstration of strength from United.
There is a group of fans that noticed the fluidity of our game in the absence of Ronaldo. That's not for me to judge but I doubt we were flowing like this early in the season when the lad was injured.
The win books us another trip to Wembley in mid-April but again that's another Premier League game called off. We already have one against Pompey so one can only imagine what the schedule will be like if we are still in the Champions League come next month!
Now a lot is going to be said between now and Wednesday evening--including reports that Jose wants the United job--but on our side as fans, it's time to BELIEVE!
Labels: THE FA CUP
