With a two week break because of international qualifiers being played, I was restless to get our season back on track. With such an emphatic win at Arsenal and a good draw at home with a tough Bolton side, and now Manchester United away, what were our expectations for this match?
Well bugger me, if you look at the comments on this board, we were going to lose. Shame on you!
With Peter Odemwingie and Jerome Thomas doubtful for the game what was our firepower going to be?
The teams
United played a 4-4-2 formation.
Van Der Sar; Da Silva, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra; Nani, Carrick, Anderson, Giggs; Hernandez and Berbatov. Subs: Kuszczak, Scholes, Smalling, O’Shea, Gibson, Rooney, Macheda.
West Bromwich Albion played 4-2-3-1.
Carson; Jara, Tamas, Olsson, Shorey; Mulumbu, Scharner, Tchoyi, Morrison, Brunt; and Fortune. Subs: Bednar, Cox, Ibanez, Reid, Dorrans, Myhill, Thomas.
First half
With the away section of the ground packed with Baggies supporters it was not going to be a dull afternoon as we were in good voice.
We made a great start and set our stall out from the whistle, with Morrison running some forty yards to release an inch perfect pass to Brunty only for him to sky it over the bar with a header.
United piled on the pressure and started to penetrate our back four resulting in Tamas and Morrison sandwiching Hernandez which resulted in a free kick from 25 yards out. Nani fired in a wicked dipping ball and Carson could only push it away but with United reacting quicker to the loose ball Hernandez fired home from close range, all the tourists in the ground went crazy.
Back we came with Morrison combining with Fortune who ran behind the United defence to cross to Brunt who was thwarted with a goal saving toe poke from da Silva.
United were causing us problems on the wing where Tchoyi had his hands full of the speedy Evra, linking up with Berbatov who shot just wide of the post We sent out the rallying cry to the players “Come on you Baggies!”
More pressure from United and an untimely slip from Shorey and boy were they clinical in the finish. Goal! Nani and Berbatov linking up with a one-two with the winger firing home a left foot screamer.
Back we came and it was our turn to pile on the pressure. Even at two-nil down we did not look finished. Our support was brilliant and yet again the tourists in the ground were silent.
We had a few chances but could not find the net but they did look venerable at the back. Que the half time whistle.
Second Half
Within seconds they were on the attack, Nani turning Jara inside out to put a cross in to our box to meet the rising Vidic who put it on to the post from his powerful header. That seemed to turn the game as we took the ball straight down their end with Tchoyi getting behind the defence only to be pulled down by the incompetent Anderson just outside the box on the six yard line. Brunty fired the ball in to the mix to go in off Evra Goal!!!! “Boing Boing, Boing Boing!”
From that moment we rallied putting the pressure on them and it worked, Van Der Sar making a right dog’s dinner of a cross to miss the ball and spill it to the waiting Tchoyi, Goal!!!!!!!!!!!!! “Boing Boing.” God, am I having a heart attack?!
We were euphoric! Two-nil down at half time, and to be 2-2 within 15 minutes of the restart against the mighty Man Utd, former champions of Europe. To be honest the game from this point was a blur of insignificance; my head was pounding along with my heart.
But I do have to say that we were like gladiators! We stood toe to toe with the onslaught that followed, even the hapless Rooney could not change anything about the game. We defended like Gods, full of passion and pride. We went on the attack again in the final minutes of extra time - four of them, but it felt like ten. Finally the final whistle, yes!!!
On reflection
What a game – although not good for your health! We deserved a point, it would be unfair to pick on one player for extra praise as they all played their part in this magnificent result. We deserve to be sixth in the table; we should fear no-one! We will have to battle on, we will have more hard tough games to come and we might not win them all, but it won’t be for not trying.
I went to Arsenal and did not think I would feel the elation again like that, but this result felt more, bloody brilliant! Remember, my glass is always full!
We are Albion till we die!