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| United left-back heading for the exit door Posted: 22 Dec 2013 01:43 AM PST
Buttner, whose tattoos are inversely proportional to his ability to defend and sense of positioning, has endured a torrid time at Old Trafford since arriving in the summer of 2012 and immediately entering the top five of Fergie’s most surprising signings.
The Dutchman has not only failed to challenge Patrice Evra for a spot in the starting XI – not consistently, anyway – but he’s also made a hash of the rare opportunities Sir Alex Ferguson and David Moyes have given him to shine, yet he’s somehow inexplicably managed to stay ahead of Fabio in the pecking order. Buttner was at fault for playing Carlton Cole onside yesterday, thus allowing the West Ham striker to break free into the box before calmly finishing past David De Gea and it was the latest in a series of mistakes that have done nothing to argue the 24-year-old’s case at Old Trafford. With United still looking at bringing in a left-back – David Moyes has reportedly not given up on Leighton Baines yet, while Fabio Coentrao remains a possibility too – Buttner’s destiny lays away from United, but whether the club will manage to recoup some of the £5m it forked out 16 months ago, remains to be seen. The Mirror reports that Roma and Genoa are looking at signing Buttner, although both are though to prefer a loan deal for the moment, with a view to a possible permanent transfer next summer, when Buttner seems almost certain to leave United anyway. It’ll be interesting to see whether Moyes will allow Buttner to go regardless of what United achieve in the January transfer window, or whether the United manager will rather keep the Dutchman at the club until the summer. |
| Welbeck bursts West Ham’s bubbles Posted: 21 Dec 2013 09:28 AM PST
For there were positives aplenty today.
Apart from the result, which interrupted a two-game losing run at Old Trafford and saw United scoring three goals at Old Trafford for only the second time in the league this season, David Moyes’men offered one of their best performances of the season on home turf, taking the game to their opponents, rather than sit back and wait for something to happen, as they had done against Everton and Newcastle. From the very start, United’s tempo – a lot higher than in previous home games – and slick passing restored an aura of familiarity about the team, with Wayne Rooney playing off Danny Welbeck as he had done at Villa last week, while Adnan Januzaj and Antonio Valencia provided the width United desperately lacked against Everton and Newcastle. Moyes’ insistence in placing emphasis on wide players paid off almost immediately as Januzaj’s cross was poorly cleared by West Ham’s defence before falling to Tom Cleverley who, unmarked in the middle of the box, must have thought he had scored, only for Adrian to produce a stunning save to deny him. A ready-made target for criticism this season, in the last three weeks Cleverley has shown his game possesses a much more enterprising face and after solid and energetic displays against Aston Villa and Stoke the 24-year-old delivered another good performance today and one can’t help but thinking that he’s so much better when flanked by the likes of Phil Jones and Rooney, than when picked in a 4-4-2 formation. Playing behind Welbeck, Rooney displayed his usual range of passing and set up United’s opener, returning Welbeck’s back-heel flick into the path of the England striker, who calmly finished past Adrian to notch his first Old Trafford goal in 14 months and his third Premier League goal in two games. Welbeck turned provided soon after as his pass found Januzaj, who sold James Collins down the river, before dispatching the ball past the West Ham keeper to clinch his first goal at Old Trafford, as United looked to run away with the game thanks, in no small part, to West Ham’s abject performance. Poor as Big Sam’s men were, however, Januzaj’s goal was a moment to be savoured – his dives less so – and was greeted by a raucous rendition of the “He comes from Belgium” chant. Having almost scored a third, when Valencia – another player seemingly on the road to recovery – skied Rafael’s cross just before halftime, United went close twice in the early stages of the second half as Welbeck was inches away from converting Januzaj’s sublime ball, before Jonny Evans saw his header cleared off the line by Mark Noble, as United had West Ham on the ropes. An injury to Danny Welbeck looked to have partially spoilt the afternoon as Javier Hernandez replaced Welbeck, before Ashley Young came on for Januzaj and, believe it or not, produced the second cracker of the last four days. Valencia’s cross found Rooney at the edge of the box, before Rooney slipped the ball to Young who hit it first time, sending it thundering past Adrian – something, he probably wouldn’t have attempted a week or so ago, but the goal against Stoke seems to have got lift his confidence. United then simply trudged along, until Carlton Cole was criminally played on-side by Alexander Buttner – who had replaced Patrice Evra just moments before – and scored West Ham’s first goal at Old Trafford in six seasons, to give the scoreline a less daunting look. United’s fourth consecutive win in all competitions was another step in the right direction and one that will make the Christmas roast taste a bit better. |
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