No matter which numbers you cite, it all adds up to lots of drab and dull football for Manchester United.
The third goal less draw this week came today as Man United managed only a 0-0 result at Crystal Palace today. Across all competitions that’s 270 minutes of regulation play without scoring. Add in all the extra time sessions and it’s now 325 minutes without a goal.
On the plus side, it’s about 375 minutes without receiving a goal. Today’s drab result means that United have now played three consecutive goal less draws for the first time since January 2005. Yes, you have to go back a decade to recall dull, tedious Man United football on this level.
This could be the start of pressure mounting on Louis van Gaal. The lack of entertainment value that accompanies watching United football is very upsetting to the Man United community. Club icon Paul Scholes was highly critical of the team’s drab, boring style as of late.
Although Van Gaal responded well to that critique in a press conference yesterday, his team didn’t respond on the field appropriately, and that’s what really matters.
Paul M. Banks owns, operates and writes The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with Fox Sports Digital. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes to the Chicago Tribune RedEye edition. He also appears regularly on numerous sports talk radio stations all across the country.
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