The Malaysian Insider :: Sports
The Malaysian Insider :: Sports |
| United victory fails to lift doubts over prospects Posted: 03 Oct 2012 08:09 AM PDT  Manchester United's Robin van Persie aknowledges supporters after the Champions League Group H soccer match against CFR Cluj in Cluj-Napoca, 426 km northwest of Bucharest, October 2, 2012. – Reuters pic The key to the 2-1 victory in Romania yesterday was the way Wayne Rooney worked well in attack with new Dutch signing Robin van Persie, who scored both goals as the top scorers from the last Premier League season started together for the first time. Van Persie has now scored seven times in eight games since joining from Arsenal in the summer and while United always look dangerous going forwards, questions remain because they also look a danger – to themselves – at the back. On Saturday, their defensive frailties were exposed by Tottenham Hotspur, who beat them 3-2 to win at Old Trafford for the first time since 1989. United have fallen behind in six of the nine matches they have played this season and rallied to win in Cluj after again conceding first when Pantelis Kapetanos took advantage of some shoddy defending to strike after 14 minutes. All three Spurs goals came through the heart of the United defence, as did Cluj's strike, although the initial damage was done wide on the right, where Patrice Evra is looking a shadow of the player he was two years ago. The French defender was out of position and was stranded in the wrong place as Modou Sougou surged past him and cut the ball back for Kapetanos to sweep home with central defender Jonny Evans standing too far off him. United manager Alex Ferguson described the goal as "a real shocker" afterwards, and he has some real problems to solve at the back where, cruelly, United have been hit by a series of injuries to their defenders. Nemanja Vidic has joined Chris Smalling and Phil Jones, who have yet to play this season, on the sidelines, leaving the aging and slowing Rio Ferdinand to partner Evans most of the time. POSITIVE PAIRING Cluj were far from impressive for most of the match, but United, a team that has thrived with wingers down the years, played into their hands by operating without a wide man. The home side did one simple thing well by coming through United's soft centre and goalkeeper David Da Gea preserved his team's advantage with two late, smart saves. United played with a lack of real urgency or drive, and the only tangible positives Ferguson could take from a largely unimpressive performance was that United won and the pairing of Rooney and Van Persie, who scored 71 goals between them in all competitions last season, augurs well for the future. Rooney, playing the deeper provider to Van Persie's front man role, did a superb job as he continues to regain match fitness following a month-long injury layoff for a gashed thigh. He took the free-kick that Van Persie half-headed and half-shouldered home for the 29th minute equaliser and then provided a superb pass, curling the ball high into the Dutchman's path for the striker to score a brilliantly executed winner with the outside of his left foot. Ferguson enjoyed that one, telling reporters afterwards: "The second goal was absolutely fantastic. It was a good ball from Wayne and I thought he hit it too far in front of Van Persie – but his speed to get to the ball and the way he took the goal was fantastic." Overall, United need their injured defenders to return soon and their fit players to show a marked improvement if they are to seriously challenge for major honours this season. – Reuters |
| Vettel can turn the heat on Alonso Posted: 03 Oct 2012 07:40 AM PDT  Red Bull Formula One driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany gestures after winning the Singapore F1 Grand Prix at the Marina Bay Street Circuit in Singapore September 23, 2012. – Reuters pic The Red Bull driver, revved up after winning under the Singapore floodlights, lags Ferrari's championship leader Fernando Alonso by 29 points with six races remaining and everything to play for. Consistency is the key, with Red Bull plagued by alternator failures and Vettel's win nine days ago only his second in a season full of surprises. The 25-year-old has been on pole at Suzuka for the past three years, however, winning there in 2009 and 2010, and will fancy his chances even if Alonso, second last year, has a knack for appearing on the podium. "I love the Suzuka circuit. In short, it has the most amazing corners and brilliant fans, I really like coming here," Vettel said in a team preview. "I wish I had won in 2011, it was my third Formula One race on my favourite track and it still bothers me a bit that I took my world title with a third place." McLaren's Jenson Button, who considers Japan a home from home due to his Japanese girlfriend and long association with Honda, denied Vettel victory last year but will have a five-place handicap on the grid this time around due to an unscheduled gearbox change. His team mate Lewis Hamilton remains the talk of the paddock after the 2008 world champion's move to Mercedes next season in place of Michael Schumacher was announced last week to end months of speculation. NO DISTRACTIONS McLaren will want to shield Hamilton as far as possible from all the attention, with the Briton their best shot at the title even if his retirement in Singapore while leading left him 52 points adrift of Alonso. "Clearly there will be cause to be distracted in the next days and weeks," team principal Martin Whitmarsh, who has already signed Mexican Sergio Perez from Sauber to replace Hamilton, told reporters last week. "We've got to try and protect him from that. "If I know Lewis, he wants to win this year's world championship, he wants to win the remaining six races. "He's assured me that he's a McLaren man for the rest of this year and that he's going to be completely focused on winning and we are going to try and create as much protection of him and the environment in which he can do that." Schumacher, the seven times world champion who has enjoyed some of his most memorable career celebrations at Suzuka, will also be in the limelight at what could be his farewell to the Japanese circuit. "My motivation is completely intact after the news last week, especially because Suzuka is one of the season's highlights for me," Schumacher said in a team preview. "I enjoy the circuit, it has sections that challenge you as a driver like almost nowhere else. Then there are the fans: They love motor racing and it is fun to feel their passion." Kimi Raikkonen, who still holds the race lap record from his McLaren days in 2005 when he came from 17th on the grid in one of his finest victories, will also be a man to watch in the Lotus. The Finn has yet to win this season, despite being third overall, but Suzuka offers probably his best chance of the remaining races. "You need an aerodynamically strong car there, and a solid car to go through those fast, long sweeping corners. I think that suits the E20," he said. Sauber's Kamui Kobayashi will be the local hero, with Japanese fans more revved up than ever after he put his car on the front row in qualifying at the Belgian Grand Prix little more than a month ago. No Japanese has ever won his home grand prix but Kobayashi, whose team mate Perez has had three podium finishes this season including two second places, will have some dreaming of what might be possible. "I'm very much looking forward to my home Grand Prix in Suzuka. I think our car should be very fast there," said Kobayashi, who will have a new front wing and aerodynamic package on his Sauber. – Reuters |
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