Where to begin?
Our unbeaten run (29 matches) coming to an embarrassing end? Disappointing to say the least.
The first time I’ve seen United lose away? Gutted. Truly gutted.
I can’t offer any excuses as to what happened in the East End snow, we deserved what we got. United put out a team that were simply out thought and out fought by a West Ham team that seemingly wanted it more. I’m not going to suggest that I don’t care about the League Cup, far from it. I was hoping for another trip to Wembley, but my real disappointment was seeing United lose on the road for the first time…and in such a fashion.
Watching United we very, very rarely see our team get rinsed like we did at West Ham, that may go someway to explaining the collective shock that shrouded nearly 6,000 Reds (how many other clubs could sell nearly 6,000 tickets for a midweek league cup game, and still disappoint thousands of others who couldn’t get a ticket?). We don’t lose 4-0, we win 4-0!! Well not tonight.
I don’t want to go on about the game too much, there’s nothing more to be said that hasn’t already been said.
Rather, last night was what I imagine those who are nostalgic about the “good old days” of football would love. A cold, dark night with a snow blizzard whipping around. A game against a proper football club, at a proper football ground. Stepping into the unknown East London. The atmosphere in the air was tense, walking down Green Street and past the Boleyn through the throngs of opposition support only adding to the atmosphere of the night.
I’m not sure what West Ham fan’s opinion is of the club proposing to move to the Olympic stadium, I’d like to think they wouldn’t want to give up the atmosphere or the intensity of Upton Park for what I imagine will be a soul-less bowl? Other clubs have moved to stadia that weren’t built with football in mind, and I’d guess the majority of their fans would wish for a return to their original home (naming no names!).
Stood in the blizzard, losing 4-0 and the atmosphere around the away end waning, seeing United completely undone I could at least appreciate (albeit begrudgingly, we were losing 4-0!) what will be one of the last of the “old school” football grounds.
I took scant consolation on the three and a half hour trip home that, whilst this defeat hurt, we are still unbeaten and top in the league.
Every cloud and all that.
Good post.
Cheers for the comments, glad you liked it. Was quite strange writing following a defeat, not something I’m used to nor I want to experience again!