Ashley Young will never score this many fantasy points again in his life
I was only able to watch the first half of Manchester United’s 8-2 thrashing over Arsenal today and though I recorded the second half (and later watched it in its entirety) I left at halftime thinking 3-1 was a fair score but that the final would probably be 4-2.
Boy was I wrong.
First of all, I’d like to state the obvious. This game could have been so different in so many ways. This was a freak result. A once in a lifetime Fantasy Premier League game for Ashley Young (who finished with 20+ points) and just a miserable day for Arsenal. But the circumstances surely played a part. We know Arsenal were missing half of their first team due to injury or suspension before the weekend even came (Song, Wilshere, Gervinho, etc.) but the additional blow of losing their best defender, CB Thomas Vermaelen, right before the match due to injury, really compounded the issue.
Let me also say (as most of you know) that with Manchester United leading 1-0 Robin van Persie missed a penalty. Walcott earned it (he skinned the slow Jonny Evans) but De Gea saved it. That would have been 1-1. Game on.
Again, in the 57th minute or so, with the score still just 3-1, Andrei Arshavin spurned two glorious chances – two one-on-ones in the box, which on another day, he scores to make the game 3-2.
But enough “ifs,” “buts” and “whens” and enough making excuses for Arsenal. This day was about Manchester United. Whatever will be said about Wenger’s youth policy, or the loss of Nasri or Fabregas – I will leave to others, and focus instead on Wayne Rooney, Ashley Young, and the beauty that was United on this day.
Park Ji-Sung even got in on the action after replacing another goalscorer (Nani) in the 67th minute but it was the Rooney and Young show – the two England internationals putting up what will surely be the highest scoring fantasy outputs of the season for them – and in Young’s case – perhaps in his career. I can’t imagine Ashley Young having too many 2 goal, 3 assist games again in his lifetime. Sure he may hit for a hat trick here or there – maybe in the FA Cup or Carling Cup – but it’s unlikely he’ll produce like this for a long, long time.
Let’s give credit where it is due. Manchester United deserved the win against a half-fit, half-suspended Arsenal side. But regardless of the circumstances or opposition, scoring 8 goals in a Premier League game is something that doesn’t happen often – and it will be years before Arsenal concede this many again. Years. Decades, perhaps?
Well, that’s only if they buy a defender or two before the transfer window closes on Wednesday.
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Yes, RVP missed a penalty and Arshavin spurned some good chances but it would have made no difference. United could easily have scored 13 or 14 goals yesterday. Arsenal were absolutely terrible yesterday. The worst performance I’ve ever seen from them. If United really wanted to then they could have easily scored double digits, so those points are kinda moot.
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Even though Young got some cheap assists (his part in Rooney’s free kick goals) he is looking very threatening in United’s attack. I was very high on Nani before the season and didn’t want to take the risk of Young but he is getting very hard to ignore.
Granted, this is an abnormal gameweek, but he could prove to be a very consistent Fantasy performer for the rest of the season. It will be interesting how United will line up when Valencia is fit.