We are in the World Cup! Even though the party is over and the ticket secured, it is still allowed to celebrate. When we hear United legend and bummer Roy Keane describe how Man Utd lost points against bottom team West Ham, we get flashbacks with the opposite sign to Norway’s matches in the World Cup qualifiers. A goal should be followed by the next, then the next, then the next. Every single one of ninety minutes on the pitch is an opportunity to score. This gave Solbakken’s men a goal difference to surf on into the Italy match in November. So what does the national team do in the second half at the San Siro when the biggest pressure has been averted? Drives on until the last minute and 1-4 victory. Manchester United and Ruben Amorim should look to Norway to learn.
Roy Keane’s summary of Manchester United’s loss of points at Old Trafford, where West Ham squeezed in an equaliser four minutes before the end, is not merciful.
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-After they score the goal, you play against a team in the bottom three, they take their foot off the gas. You’re leading 1-0! Take nothing away from West Ham, they barely deserved the equaliser. You put yourself under pressure. Every time I see this United team, they are disappointing. They are not clinical, they were not “mean enough” to get the job done.
Roy Keane has accused Manchester United of being “intimidated” when faced with challenges in the Premier League, where the Red Devils are not “mean enough” to squeeze in wins in games where collective standards are allowed to fall. That was the case, as the Hammers could leave Old Trafford with one point.
-People will scratch their heads. One minute they make progress, win and you end up in fifth place. There will be a lot of frustration. Show your quality. In their last three or four games, I think it’s been desperate. Really bad. An opportunity to get the job done, and they were almost frightened. By the way, we’re talking about fifth place here. The same old problems,” Keane continues.
Which then points the finger at exactly what Norway has NOT done this championship qualification.
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-United make substitutions, and he has the right to do that, but I saw people coming off, and it was like they had won the league! Show some intensity. It was a bit of a kind of ‘this is cool’. You can’t be cool when you’re leading 1-0. Do the work! United have better players than West Ham, but this is not a good United team. It was too relaxed, do the job!”, Keane hums.
Look towards Norway, we say.
