Deep in the Mire

The weekend is not yet over, but the results so far have been close to catastrophic. We needed Spurs to win at Wigan. It didn't happen. Newcastle are now safe. The point Blackburn got at Arsenal was a disaster. Birmingham's win over Bolton gave them breathing space. Villa's point at Everton gave them hope, and it was so nearly a win. At sixty minutes of the game yesterday we were as good as safe. By five o'clock, we were one of the favourites for the drop again.

What went wrong? We were beaten by a better team unquestionably but the selection of da Costa over Tomkins cost us, without question. First half, da Costa did well, second half he was poor and we paid the price.

There's two conflicting views on what Grant should have done at half time. Some say, at 2-0, he should have gone hell for leather for the third, ignoring the fact that the 2-0 advantage was achieved on the basis of containment and long ball break out. Others maintain Grant should have filled up the midfield, ignoring the fact that we couldn't get the ball out of our own half other than with a long ball and with one up top only, the long ball just invites wave after wave after wave of attacks from your opponents.

United were the better team and Mason made two dreadful decisions but we were lucky to be 2-0 up at half time so we have to accept that, overall, our performance with the ball was awful. Was Ba tired after his travels? Was Parker carrying a knock or feeling the effects of his father's death? Neither of them performed on the day. And apart from the long ball that led to the first penalty, Hitz was ordinary too. It was a sterile performance overall but the players were trying, just firing blanks all afternoon.

Let's keep perspective. At half time, we were delighted. Nobody was criticising Grant and the team at that point. For 45 minutes, our manager out thought the best manager in the British game and, as a defensive unit, we were impressive. How many saves did Green make in that first half? One. Credit where credit is due. And that credit is due because we defended as a unit as we did at Tottenham.

Where did it go wrong, ignoring Mason's contribution? One stupid tackle from Noble, but moments earlier he and Parker put in very similar tackles and won the ball and I was yelling "Great challenge Scotty" and "Great tackle Markie". The margins are slight, especially when you are tackling players with the quality of the Man Utd boys.

The second United goal was just genius. You could have had a back four of Brietner, Adams, Moore and Maldini and Rooney would still have scored that goal. Shit happens; live with it.

The third goal was a joke. It was never a penalty. And the fourth was scored when we chased the game and lost shape. The very thing that one of Grant's critics wanted us to do from the start of the second half!

Did we know United would come out fired up for the second half? Of course we did. I said at half time, the trouble is Hernandez, Berbatov and Nani will come on sooner or later; and I would have taken a point at half time had it been on offer. In fact, I said that if conscience allowed it, I would have money on a United victory at the interval. We had been under the cosh all first half and as soon as United scored, we were going to be in trouble. And so it proved.

But knowing what will happen does not mean you can do anything to prevent it. Japan knows it will be hit by earthquakes and tsunamis but what good is knowing? When we came back from three goals down at West Brom, all the credit was given to Parker; I heard no criticism of the West Brom management from West Ham fans. When the reverse happens, it is all Grant's fault even though the opponents are the best team in England. That defies logic.

The key now is not to panic. We are deep in the mire but three wins should see us safe. Man Utd were never really on the radar. We move on.