Utd vs Sevilla (Ferdinand’s testimonial cast in shadow by sublime Spanish)

In themselves, testimonials are not taken seriously. They are just a nice way of showing respect for a certain player’s loyalty and longevity, and the opponent and result are largely irrelevant. However, there were a few extra reasons to take a peak at the latest one at Utd. In recent years, we’ve celebrated the careers of Ole Solskjaer, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville. This season came the turn of Rio Ferdinand and the chosen opponents were Spanish outfit Sevilla. Testimonials are sometimes left until the end of player’s career, but in this case, Ferdinand has just come off the back of a season as solid as any. All the more reason for this one to be a little more competitive. In addition, this, because of all Utd’s globetrotting, was Moyes’ first game at Old Trafford. How would it go? Well, in short summary, Utd were largely made to look quite average by a free-flowing Spanish side full of confidence.
De Gea; Fabio, Ferdinand, Smalling, Buttner; Valencia, Cleverley, Anderson, Kagawa, Januzaj; Henriquez. That was the team sheet to represent Ferdinand. Sevilla meanwhile had to chop and change quite drastically, for they had been involved in the Europa League only the day before, but that was not to their detriment. Indeed, I believe there was only one player involved in both occasions and even he looked fresh. I suppose FK Mladost Podgorica are not the sort of side to push you to your limits. Anyway, the referee, as is custom in testimonials and by association football in general, whistled and off everyone went.
If Ferdinand was hoping for a quiet and successful evening, Sevilla revealed almost immediately no script had been sent their way. First, Ferdy was forced into deflecting Perotti’s attempt wide and then ensuring Marin’s ball in the box came to nought. Utd didn’t really have the firepower (yes, I have just said that) to provide much in the way of a response, despite the midfield being one that could appear without hesitation in any Premier League game. The one bright spark was Januzaj, who did try to supply Henriquez to follow up his goal midweek, but the shot was dead straight.
Oddly, left back Buttner seemed more likely to get forward than the midfield. No one was moving about him, so he had a pop himself, smothered fairly comfortably by Beto. At least it was intent, but Utd were frozen stiff by the next four minutes of play. The pacy Bacca found Perotti, whose through ball set up a one-on-one with the advancing De Gea and Vitolo on the chase. To be honest, the keeper looked favourite, but Vitolo got the stab in and just nudged it home for 1-0. It was deserved, for the move was slick, a word that would crop up again very shortly.
Forgive me for getting repetitive, but Bacca (again) then set up Vitolo (again), who simply tapped it sideways to the approaching Marin, who converted with ease. Two goals in four minutes sent a soundproof cover over Old Trafford and the crowd sounds was almost negligible. I was forced to pause to answer the phone and just knocked the TV onto mute, and when I removed it, the only difference was the commentator’s voices. Although only the lower tier of the stand was being used by the looks of it, it was still spookily quiet.
Barely two minutes later, Marin could have made it three with a shot just wide. Utd did get a short zap of action, with Kagawa, who looked very very tired and out of position, certainly not the same player Dortmund had, first failing to connect with a Fabio pass but then finding himself on the end of a sloppy move. The midfield passing was awful, and often overplayed, forcing the wide man to run just that little bit further out. Again this happened with Buttner collecting and firing in a long cross that found Valencia. The Ecuadorian lifted it back across and it found the head of Kagawa. It looked like an obvious goal but instead of going diagonal, the header was straight at Beto, who reacted swiftly to get it clear. Kind of summed up Utd’s and Kagawa’s evenings.
Sevilla responded by releasing the dangerous man on loan from Chelsea, namely Marin, who looked like he would definitely made it three with his slotted effort, but De Gea JUST managed to get enough of a contact to put it onto the goal frame. Very unlucky, and the last action of the half saw Valencia collect the ball in a very tempting position in the opponent’s box. He overdid the cut-in and his left foot effort met Geoff in row F. 2-0 at the break and for all that it didn’t matter, Ferdinand didn’t look happy and neither did Moyes. Sevilla had the two, but it could well have been double that with Marin’s efforts and a skied shot from the dangerous new signing Bacca, who has apparently settled in seamlessly.
Chances at the break saw Lingard and Jones replace Henriquez and Cleverley (I really do hate when Jones is put in midfield, it really highlights our lack of men there, but on this occasion had the slight merit of possibly tightening things up). Januzaj was now a lone striker, but Utd had a bit more zip, and he was involved again as he curled a shot over. Early signs before the impressive young Belgian got involved for Utd’s breakthrough. First he forced a save, then collected, sold the defender with great dribbling before just letting Valencia tap it in. The Ecuadorian’s reward was to be substituted, for the goal didn’t really make up for yet another lacklustre performance with little end product from the wing. Carrick, Zaha and Giggs replaced Valencia, Anderson and the flat Kagawa, as Utd looked to inject a bit of energy to draw level.
It did work to a degree, with play seeing Lingard just miss a possibly goal-worthy connection and Zaha, Buttner and Carrick all having efforts saved and blocked. Januzaj continued to shine as the only one displaying real quality, surprising as that may sound. That said, Sevilla missed the chance to go two clear again before Ferdinand was substituted and Zaha had another effort. Time ran down on Utd and for all their forward momentum at this point, it was Sevilla who capped off a fine performance with a third. Utd appealed for offside, but Rabello had timed it exactly and a simple swivel and shot found the net on 91 minutes. The final score: 3-1 and although this was still pre-season, and lacking in some first-team names, there really wasn’t much fight in them until the end, which was disappointing. That word there perhaps described the performance best: disappointing. Nothing particularly bad in terms of mistakes or such, just a complete lack of energy and, dare I say it, want. Utd didn’t look like they wanted to attack properly. Many times players got in space to provide a good ball into the box, but the bad end product far outnumbered the good.
A very quick turnaround for Utd, who face Wigan in the Community Shield season-opener on Sunday. Usually considered a friendly, personally I am starting the season from here. I certainly don’t class it as pre-season, and the opposition, despite being relegated, have been savvy in the transfer market thus far. I fully expect them to make a game of it. As for Utd, I do not want to see any more tinkering on their half, just a desire to get things going in the right direction. Until then.
P.S. No transfer activity to report. I honestly think things may have been left a little late now. Unless anyone comes from Everton, I don’t think there will be movement.