http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/2007/10/01/united-are-so-good-it-s-scary-89520-19874709/
Birmingham 0-1 Man Utd
By Martin Lipton Chief Football Writer 01/10/2007
Want to know why the whole of the Premier League should start
getting scared?
It isn't just because Manchester United are second, two points
behind Arsenal after five straight wins.
Nor is it because they have conceded only two goals in their eight
games, their best defensive start to a season since the
establishment of the Premier League back in 1992-93.
No, the reason everybody should be really worried is that they
haven't played even half-decently yet - except in the one game they
lost!
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As Cristiano Ronaldo picked Birmingham's pockets at St Andrews,
leaving Steve Bruce heartbroken and poor Franck Queudrue rueing his
moment of defensive aberration, the sheer efficiency of Sir Alex
Ferguson's side was made clear.
United have scored just seven goals so far this season - only
Derby, already doomed to an immediate return to the Championship,
have notched fewer.
But those seven goals have netted 17 points, even though the strike
partnership of Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez is still nowhere near
fully-formed, even though Owen Hargreaves has played only three
games, even though Gary Neville hasn't kicked a ball, and even
though Nani and Anderson are still miles away from English football
pace.
No wonder there is a mood of growing confidence in the United
ranks.
Rio Ferdinand, whose shaky first half was followed by a far more
convincing second period as United locked the door after Ronaldo's
steely-eyed finish, summed up that feeling.
Ferdinand said: "Though we are near the top of the table, it is not
too important at this stage of the season.
"But if after the Christmas and New Year period we are still up
there, we can then start saying we are on the right track."
That was a comment right out of the Fergie mantra.
Blues boss Bruce, frustrated that all his side's first-half efforts
were thwarted, bolstered the defender's view.
Bruce, who admitted he would pay to watch the "fantastic" Ronaldo,
said: "With the array of talent they've got, you know it's only a
matter of time before they start really playing well.
"Look at the top end of the pitch. Look at their movement, their
ability. Rooney is coming back, Ronaldo is coming back - they're
worldclass players.
"So it's only a matter of time. At the moment they're still getting
the results even when they don't deserve them.
"They are so efficient at the moment. They are also rocksolid at
the back.
"To win anything you need a decent defence. It's all right having
fantastic players up the pitch, don't get me wrong, but you still
have to have a sound base."
Ferguson conceded it was another three points stolen - like the
wins over Tottenham and Everton.
Ironically, the only game in which they have really played the
attacking football that is their hallmark came in the derby defeat
at Manchester City.
While Tevez and Rooney are rare talents, they have not gelled yet.
Even so, the United players feel it is only a matter of time.
Ronaldo, who marked his 100th league start with his 36th Premier
League goal just after half-time as he made Queudrue pay for what
Bruce term a "horrible mistake", said: "Both are fantastic players
and I'm enjoying playing with them.
"Tevez is a new player and doing a fantastic job for us. Rooney has
played all the time and everybody knows how he can play. They are
both great players."
And Ferdinand agreed. "I am not leaving this club to go to any club
to play against those two!" said the defender. "I play against them
enough in training.
"Carlos got stronger as the game went on. He and Rooney are similar
in that they work hard for the team.
"Carlos gets in the holes between their midfield and the defence
and if he can keep doing that and slipping the ball through to
Wayne, it will be a formidable pairing.
"If you add Louis Saha in there as well, I think we have got
something really special if we can continue to keep everyone fit.
They all offer different propositions."
The warning was unmissable. The message was clear: Be afraid. Be
very afraid.
43% POSSESSION 57%
6 SHOTS ON TARGET 3
10 SHOTS OFF TARGET 7
4 OFFSIDES 5
4 CORNERS 4
14 FOULS 11
3 YELLOW CARDS 1
0 RED CARDS 0
ATTENDANCE: 26,256
Man Of The Match: Vidic
TEAMS AND RATINGS
Birmingham: Taylor 6, Kelly 6, Djourou 7 (Schmitz 76), Ridgewell 7,
Queudrue 5, Larsson 7, Nafti 6 (O'Connor 85), Muamba 6 (Palacios
70, 5) McSheffrey 7, Kapo 6, Jerome 6.
Man Utd: Van der Sar 7 (Kuszczak 46, 7), Brown 7, Ferdinand 6,
Vidic 8, Evra 7, Ronaldo 7, Carrick 6, Scholes 6, Giggs 5 (Saha 64,
5), Rooney 6, Tevez 6 (O'Shea 90).
Referee: STEVE BENNETT
Man Utd have won 65 corners this season, more than any other
side
