Slipperduke
The Camden Cad
He didn't pick the team, he didn't give the teamtalk and he didn't mastermind the tactics, but the mere presence of new manager Nigel Clough at Pride Park seemed to inspire Derby County to an unlikely, but fully deserved victory over Manchester United. Clough may be following in his famous father's footsteps, but never mind matching those stellar achievements, how will he trump the record of caretaker manager David Lowe? One game, one win and it came against the champions of Europe. Not a bad record, is it?
Make no mistake, the scoreline didn't flatter Derby in the slightest. Last season's Premier League whipping boys were unrecognisable from their usual lethargic selves and you have to wonder why they couldn't play like this for Paul Jewell. They were quicker to every ball, stronger in every challenge and defended with great discipline and bravery. Roy Carroll, eager to impress against his old employers, barely had a save to make all evening, such was their control of this game.
"It's a fantastic result, considering the performance," growled an obviously furious Sir Alex Ferguson. "We're lucky to only lose by one goal."
The League Cup has not been kind to United in recent seasons. Since lifting it at the Millennium Stadium in 2006, they've been beaten by Southend United and Coventry City, but this was the most anaemic capitulation of them all. There just weren't any positives anywhere on the pitch.
Defensively they seemed unsure of themselves, despite the presence of Nemanja Vidic and the not-entirely-inexperienced Jonathan Evans. They were even overwhelmed in central midfield to the extent that Ferguson was forced to withdraw both starters, Paul Scholes and Anderson, in a desperate bid to assert some kind of control on the ball. The GBP32m price-tag on Carlos Tevez's head is looking more and more unrealistic as every week goes by and this wasn't a performance to encourage the Glazers to get their chequebook out. As for Danny Welbeck; was he even on the pitch?
Ferguson eventually cracked and brought on Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney to try and find a way back into the game, but even that didn't work. The Portuguese winger crashed a free-kick just wide of Carroll's goal, but that was their best chance of the game. Four minutes of injury-time gave the game a tense climax, but it should never have been that way. Derby should have been two goals ahead by then.
Clough has just two league games before the return leg at Old Trafford on January 20, not very long to assess his new squad, but by all accounts he has inherited many of his father's better qualities. He is driven, single-minded and refuses to suffer fools, of which there have been many at Pride Park recently. After 10 years learning the trade with great success at non-league Burton Albion, he'll be anxious to prove himself in his own right. Anything other than a defeat in the second leg and he'll be well on his way.
INVISIBLE MAN -
Sir Alex Ferguson moved quickly to absolve Danny Welbeck of any blame, claiming that he had no service to feed off, but privately he must know that this was a poor performance. The youngster simply vanished behind the white shirts, making barely any impact in his hour on the pitch.
ELECTRIC -
Former Tranmere midfielder Steve Davies is in his first season at Pride Park, but with performances likes this, Nigel Clough will want him to stay for many more. Technically adept and full of running, he looks like a real talent.
MISS OF THE MATCH -
Rob Hulse will lie awake thinking about this one for weeks. Kris Commons span past Jonathan Evans and fired in a shot that was too hot for Thomasz Kuszack to handle. The United goalkeeper parried the ball straight to Hulse, but it seemed to catch him by surprise and the ball was chipped over the bar.
PUNTERS RANT -
What happened to Manchester United's deep wells of talent? Where was the composure on the ball? Why was the passing so poor? How was a midfield of Paul Scholes and Anderson overwhelmed by Championship players? I could go on, but you've probably got the point.
MAN OF THE MATCH -
Kris Commons, a man whose potential has always exceeded his performances, finally fulfilled his promise here with a fine performance. His first half goal was an absolute classic and his tricks and turns could, and should, have led to more. Now, can he do it week-in, week-out?
MATCH STATS
Crowd:
Yellow Cards: Teale, Connolly (Derby), Rafael (Man Utd)
Red Cards: None
Derby:
Roy Carroll 7, Paul Connolly 7, Mo Camara 7, Andy Todd 8 (Robbie Savage, 87th), Lewin Nyatanga 8, Kris Commons 8, Paul Green 7, Mile Sterjovsky 7 (Gary Teale 60th), Miles Addison 7, Rob Hulse 6, Steve Davies 8 (Nacer Barazite 6, 81st)
Manchester United:
Tomasz Kuszack 6, John O'Shea 6, Nemanja Vidic 7, Rafael 6, Jonathan Evans 7, Paul Scholes 5 (Cristiano Ronaldo 7, 63rd), Nani 6, Darren Gibson 6, Anderson 6 (Michael Carrick 6, 74th), Carlos Tevez 6, Danny Welbeck 4 (Wayne Rooney 6, 63rd)
Make no mistake, the scoreline didn't flatter Derby in the slightest. Last season's Premier League whipping boys were unrecognisable from their usual lethargic selves and you have to wonder why they couldn't play like this for Paul Jewell. They were quicker to every ball, stronger in every challenge and defended with great discipline and bravery. Roy Carroll, eager to impress against his old employers, barely had a save to make all evening, such was their control of this game.
"It's a fantastic result, considering the performance," growled an obviously furious Sir Alex Ferguson. "We're lucky to only lose by one goal."
The League Cup has not been kind to United in recent seasons. Since lifting it at the Millennium Stadium in 2006, they've been beaten by Southend United and Coventry City, but this was the most anaemic capitulation of them all. There just weren't any positives anywhere on the pitch.
Defensively they seemed unsure of themselves, despite the presence of Nemanja Vidic and the not-entirely-inexperienced Jonathan Evans. They were even overwhelmed in central midfield to the extent that Ferguson was forced to withdraw both starters, Paul Scholes and Anderson, in a desperate bid to assert some kind of control on the ball. The GBP32m price-tag on Carlos Tevez's head is looking more and more unrealistic as every week goes by and this wasn't a performance to encourage the Glazers to get their chequebook out. As for Danny Welbeck; was he even on the pitch?
Ferguson eventually cracked and brought on Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney to try and find a way back into the game, but even that didn't work. The Portuguese winger crashed a free-kick just wide of Carroll's goal, but that was their best chance of the game. Four minutes of injury-time gave the game a tense climax, but it should never have been that way. Derby should have been two goals ahead by then.
Clough has just two league games before the return leg at Old Trafford on January 20, not very long to assess his new squad, but by all accounts he has inherited many of his father's better qualities. He is driven, single-minded and refuses to suffer fools, of which there have been many at Pride Park recently. After 10 years learning the trade with great success at non-league Burton Albion, he'll be anxious to prove himself in his own right. Anything other than a defeat in the second leg and he'll be well on his way.
INVISIBLE MAN -
Sir Alex Ferguson moved quickly to absolve Danny Welbeck of any blame, claiming that he had no service to feed off, but privately he must know that this was a poor performance. The youngster simply vanished behind the white shirts, making barely any impact in his hour on the pitch.
ELECTRIC -
Former Tranmere midfielder Steve Davies is in his first season at Pride Park, but with performances likes this, Nigel Clough will want him to stay for many more. Technically adept and full of running, he looks like a real talent.
MISS OF THE MATCH -
Rob Hulse will lie awake thinking about this one for weeks. Kris Commons span past Jonathan Evans and fired in a shot that was too hot for Thomasz Kuszack to handle. The United goalkeeper parried the ball straight to Hulse, but it seemed to catch him by surprise and the ball was chipped over the bar.
PUNTERS RANT -
What happened to Manchester United's deep wells of talent? Where was the composure on the ball? Why was the passing so poor? How was a midfield of Paul Scholes and Anderson overwhelmed by Championship players? I could go on, but you've probably got the point.
MAN OF THE MATCH -
Kris Commons, a man whose potential has always exceeded his performances, finally fulfilled his promise here with a fine performance. His first half goal was an absolute classic and his tricks and turns could, and should, have led to more. Now, can he do it week-in, week-out?
MATCH STATS
Crowd:
Yellow Cards: Teale, Connolly (Derby), Rafael (Man Utd)
Red Cards: None
Derby:
Roy Carroll 7, Paul Connolly 7, Mo Camara 7, Andy Todd 8 (Robbie Savage, 87th), Lewin Nyatanga 8, Kris Commons 8, Paul Green 7, Mile Sterjovsky 7 (Gary Teale 60th), Miles Addison 7, Rob Hulse 6, Steve Davies 8 (Nacer Barazite 6, 81st)
Manchester United:
Tomasz Kuszack 6, John O'Shea 6, Nemanja Vidic 7, Rafael 6, Jonathan Evans 7, Paul Scholes 5 (Cristiano Ronaldo 7, 63rd), Nani 6, Darren Gibson 6, Anderson 6 (Michael Carrick 6, 74th), Carlos Tevez 6, Danny Welbeck 4 (Wayne Rooney 6, 63rd)
