A lot of us here and confusing our form over the last month with the actual performance against West Ham. We did deserve to win the game, but when one's eyes can't get past the 0-0 score it's easy to conclude that it was like every other performance over the last month.
It wasn't.
We looked much better without Rooney and, for me at least, it was refreshing to NOT see him on the pitch. Fellaini was the wrong man for the start in this one (or ever for United) but because injuries have depleted the squad Louis gave him the start.
Let's not overlook injuries -- Rooney, Herrera, Shaw, Rojo, Jones, Valencia and then Schneiderlin during the game. Most of these are regular starters. Herrera and Shaw in particular have been massive absences this season. One might say Rooney too, but in truth his decline has been constant over the last three seasons.
We penetrated into the West Ham box more than they did ours, but we simply lack class in beating fullbacks and we only have one finisher and he happens to be double-marked all the time. Our problems lie almost entirely in a lack of up class up front. LVG shoulders much of the blame for that, but Memphis and Rooney have to accept responsibility for their horror form this season too.
Against West Ham our real problem was in sketchy defending, which gave West Ham every one of their few chances on us. De Gea with a fumble on an easy cross, a Smalling miscue and a Blind miscue which led to a 1v1 which De Gea handled comfortable. One last chance arose, but De Gea was never going to be beaten from there. Anyone who might argue that West Ham battered us just taking the piss.
This was a completely different kind of match than what we saw against Leicester City and PSV. We pressed forward with searching balls rather endlessly possessing the ball and trying to walk it in. The result was the same and frustration is completely in order but anyone who didn't see a different United over the weekend just wants to be angry.