Lane woes compounded as draw makes us see Red again

I’VE had better weeks. It all started so well, with a visit to the Chelsea training ground, where a few of us got to watch training, get a tour of the facility, meet the players and finish up with a Q&A with Guus Hiddink, where I thought I’d made very clear the significance of our games against Spurs — obviously not.

The players were relaxed and the team spirit looked back to where it was prior to our recent troubles. I left Cobham confident a win against one of our fiercest rivals was in the bag.

The week then started going downhill. It started with the Champions League draw on Friday. I’m bored with playing Liverpool and they no doubt feel the same. I hate the hype that surrounds the game, I hate hearing the phrase “special European night at Anfield” ad nauseam. I hate the fact I have been denied a nice European jaunt and I hate the fact these games are inevitably controversial which increases vitriol between the two sets of supporters. I’m also sick that United and Arsenal bagged the easiest draws as well as avoiding Munich and Barcelona (easily the two strongest continental sides in the competition) in the semi-finals.

Then we come to Saturday. Where do I start? It was the first time Hiddink has got it wrong since joining us. It was evident to everyone in the ground within 10 minutes that Belletti was being done for pace at every opportunity. Not that I am using him as a scapegoat — I think the majority of the team need to look at themselves after that performance. Ballack, Lampard, Boswinga, Anelka, Drogba, indeed the whole side with the exception of Ashley Cole, Cech and Quaresma should be questioned on the lack of effort and desire they demonstrated.

How can they have lacked desire knowing what was going on at Craven Cottage? If ever there was the perfect opportunity to spook Fergie, then this was it. Instead we hold the door open for Liverpool and wave them through. To have to come out of the ground on Saturday, a ground where we reigned supreme for so long, and hear them celebrate like Tottenham had just knocked Brazil out of the World Cup was depressing in the extreme.

And just to top off the whole weekend, Liverpool give Villa a lesson in football.! It has been a constant through our season that we have failed to take advantage when our rivals have slipped up and that has cost us dearly. Could this be a sign that we are found wanting in mental strength, which is almost as important as physical strength at this time of the season? Or is it a case our increased fitness under Hiddink is still not enough to counter the general age of the team? The average age of the team that started against Tottenham was just under 29, compared to a Tottenham average which was just over 25. That said, the quality of our players should have been enough to counter the age gap and one would have hoped Hiddink had more tactical nous than Harry Redknapp.

This may be an overreaction on my part and last Saturday could have just been a bad day at the office. The problem with that is that under Mourinho we were used to bad days at the office and still getting a result. United too, up until a fortnight ago were playing just a little above average and still getting the points.

Speaking of United, it’s ironic that Rooney finally saw red when he didn’t deserve to, as opposed to those many other occasions this season, as I have pointed out, when he richly justified dismissal. It’s difficult to feel sorry for him though, because referees have given him the benefit of the doubt many more times than his behaviour has warranted.

So we now get a break from club football and the team is scattered across the globe to play (or manage). I imagine Liverpool won’t welcome the interruption. They were ominously working up a head of steam at the pivotal stage of the season, and possibly just as United are choking. As far as we are concerned, the flutter of excitement at the faint possibility of causing an upset in the league title race has diminished in the realisation that we are simply not good enough.

The Champions League and FA Cup are still up for grabs and one has to have a certain amount of fortune to win those. If we can’t be the best side left in, then perhaps we can be the luckiest. After all, that has worked for United and Liverpool in the past.