Rooney strike papering over cracks

Posted Tuesday, February 15, 2011 by UK.eurosport.yahoo.com

Wayne Rooney may have scored the goal of his life on Saturday, but it should not distract from another average performance by player and club.

Yes, it was incredible, but the goal overshadows an average performance from Rooney, who did little to nothing before that.

Even by United's standards this season it was a mediocre performance, helped by a negative City - but everything else was a footnote after a strike like that.

It's important that the game isn't looked on with rose-tinted spectacles because of that goal. City might turn around and say are a little bit unlucky, but they never really tested a makeshift United defence with Chris Smalling and John O'Shea starting, especially given the way they dominated possession early on.

They were again a touch negative and should look to play two up top when confronted with a winnable game like this, but Mancini is just too conservative.

It's far from over though - United have never been totally convincing and all it needs is a short run of poor form and anyone can catch them.

They have got to play all the big teams away from home - and Chelsea twice - and a couple of slip-ups would put the chasing pack right back in it, Arsenal particularly.

Fuham might get something tonight because Chelsea are struggling to score goals. The implications of Didier Drogba being dropped are huge because his alpha-male ego isn't going to take being a squad player lightly.

Time catches up with anybody in football. Age is the one thing you can't control. You have to look at his form and physical problems and say that things could be changing for him. They've just spent £50 million on a forward and have another one - Danny Sturridge - who offers a lot and, had he been used more, would have given better build-up play than the others.

Nicolas Anelka is also getting to that veteran stage in his career so it might be the time for Carlo Ancelotti to make a big decision over his squad, which has been together a long time and possibly needs sweeping up with a big old broom.

Is Ancelotti the big-broom type of coach? We'll see. He had a similar problem after a few years at Milan and by the end they were creaking, although his hands were tied financially.

He has shown he can make changes with Fernando Torres and David Luiz, but is he radical enough to totally overhaul the team?

He'll have a head start next season though. Sturridge was again excellent as Bolton beat Everton; everyone's talking about him and there's a buzz every time he gets the ball on his left foot.

I understand Carlo's dilemma - he's under pressure to deliver and doesn't want to place that weight on young players - but the Premier League is not Italy and sometimes you need youthful legs with energy, enthusiasm and desire. Maybe this team is complacent in addition to its ageing problems.

I think Fulham will get a result tonight - they have been in good form recently and should be able to grind out a draw, maybe even snatch a win.