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United bounce back despite slow start
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At the beginning of a season that sees Chelsea assert itself as title favorites, Manchester United deigns to make it difficult for themselves. United's visit to Portsmouth was telling, to see how they reacted to a stumble out of the gates last week, and the word "bouncebackability" makes an appearance once again.
United got off to a similarly mediocre start last season, and still managed to repeat and achieve a double, but only two points and a penalty shootout stood between the Red Devils and a Chelsea in turmoil.
Like Arsenal in their first match, United relied on possession, and a bit of luck to win, if not convincingly, but to acquire the crucial three points. Portsmouth, while slightly better than their last meeting with the Red Devils, showed little imagination, and lacked the quality to steal a point against the injury-plagued champions.
It's difficult to say that United are a shell of last year's starting 11, despite names like Rooney, Tevez, Ferdinand and Vidic in the team. But the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo and even Owen Hargreaves can do much to rock the balance of a team so dependent on movement. We've seen Wayne Rooney mature as a player, despite never quite fulfilling his potential as a goal scorer, and this discussion rears its ugly head again in the absence of Ronaldo. It's foolish to overlook the affect Rooney and Ronaldo have in terms of making space in the final third, and the number of unproven youngsters idle on the bench can attest to that.
While Arsenal can fret over a humbling loss to Fulham, and Liverpool wonders how far they can go with Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard bailing them out, this is hardly a hiccup, just as last week's draw against Newcastle didn't seem to worry United gaffer Alex Ferguson that much. Today's result should have assuaged him that despite a bit of shortness, they still responded well after a bad result, a quality that won them the Premier League. As for the crowded treatment room, this is perhaps the best time to encounter a rash of injuries, considering the number of games in so many different cup competitions will begin to pile up in number and in relevance.
United have just one competitive fixture until the 13th of September, when they take on Liverpool at Anfield (followed by a trip to Stamford Bridge). The UEFA Supercup against Zenit St. Petersburg on Friday, August 29th is the only game within the next nearly three weeks, and I'm sure Sir Alex is happy to have that extra time. What worries the fans of the other big three is just how quickly United can get players fit and clicking in harmony.
With a little over five days left in the transfer window, clubs will be looking to solve the problems they've uncovered in the first few competitive games, but in United's case, their 1st and 2nd squads are more or less complete. Dimitar Berbatov is not a need, but he could be the missing piece in an already dominant club's quest for destiny. Tottenham's threat to hold onto a wantaway player reek of desperation and foolishness, but it's a bluff worth playing. While the Bulgarian would undoubtedly make Sir Alex's job a bit easier, he may pass on the player to make a point and still win the league.
Portsmouth 0-1 Manchester United [BBC Football]
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