Reflecting on Rooney

Sometimes you’ve just got to hold your hand up and say that the better team won. That was certainly the case on Saturday. The first 20 minutes of football played by United was outstanding. Even Gary Neville said that he couldn’t believe what was going on in front of him. It was one of those occasions when everything that United did came off and they blew Bolton away.

Although Bolton managed to get the game a little more even after the break, two late defensive errors let United in and Rooney was left with the matchball and all the plaudits.

Well, done United. It was a great show.

So where does that leave Bolton?

Well, first of all, it has to be said that few teams could have lived with United in that first period. Maybe Barcelona on top form? Maybe Chelsea could have nullified them?

Secondly, Bolton DID come back into the match. They created a series of half-chances. Certainly, if one of those had been put away, then the end of the match may have been a little more interesting (from a Bolton view).

Thirdly, we’re still third in the league. Amazing isn’t it? We’ve got a pretty poor goal difference, yes, but we’re still fourth. We also have two winnable games coming up against Wigan (revenge will be sweet) and Sheffield United. Six points out of that lot and we’ll be fine.

Lastly, the United game brought the team down to earth. Given the way that God, or someone equally divine, seemed to be on our side during the Blackburn game, it would have been easy for the team to get carried away.

This Bolton team, as Tal Ben Haim has said, now expect to win every game. Sometimes it will be easier than others. The team are feeling the effects of the United loss. They will be disappointed and feeling embarrassed by the size of the win.

I have a feeling that they will bounce back and bounce back well. They’ll put the United game to one side and get on with the rest of the season.

Maybe Wigan will feel the full effect of that disappointment this weekend.