by John Brewin
The second half of Manchester United's Champions League game at Bayer Leverkusen's BayArena. After taking a two-goal lead in the first forty-five minutes, United are under the cosh after a Dimitar Berbatov strike in the 52nd minute.
But now there's respite for United as an attack is broken up. Ryan Giggs plays the ball infield to Juan Sebastian Veron. The Argentinian controls the ball with consumate ease, and ahead of him has just one defender in Carsten Ramelow while David Beckham is busting a gut to get behind the German.
Veron has two options. The first is a hard and fast angled ball to beat the Ramelow for pace and give Beckham a more than even chance of a shot on goal. The second option? A sweeping, beautifully struck, curving ball hit with less pace than the first option which undoubtedly looks good but may not beat Ramelow.
No prizes for guessing which option was taken. Ramelow cut the ball out and Bayer resumed their relentless pressure on United's goal. Minutes later Berbatov beat Fabien Barthez with a header but not the post. United fans continued to suffer racing hearts for the duration of the game.
If Veron had chosen the direct route rather than what Ron Atkinson calls the 'Hollywood ball' then it could have been an enjoyable last twenty or so minutes for Sir Alex Ferguson and co. But that's the enigma of Veron.
Earlier in the game he had supplied a long crossfield ball which had meant Ruud Van Nistelrooy could lose his marker and drill home United's first goal. And it was Veron who started the wonderful move that resulted in the Dutchman's second. For Veron, playing in a role which saw him given licence to drift in from the left, the first-half had shown some of what he is undoubtedly capable.
But the next forty-five minutes showed just what level of mediocrity he is also capable. Veron's range of passing skills broke down: attempts to be too clever on the edge of the box meant the defence often had to bail him out when he lost the ball, while Mikael Silvestre was cruelly exposed on the left-hand side of defence as, time and again, Veron let his designated man go as the Germans attacked down their right.
Many critics blame Ferguson for Veron's form, including the player's agent, Gustavo Marcadi, who accused United's training regime of being wrong for his man. Many say Veron has not been given the fulcrumic role his talent requires. But when given this role, like for Argentina in the World Cup or of late in Keane's absence, Veron is yet to show the dominance many now doubt he was ever actually capable of.
Despite some semblance of improvement he is still yet to offer enough to Manchester United. Just ask an educated observer - one Sir Alex Ferguson, who said after being told that the Bayer game was United's first win in Germany for 35 years: 'If we play like that it is not surprising. I was disappointed in the second half in terms of possession, but there were fantastic counter-attack opportunities.'
Considering that £28.1m was spent on a player whose reputation was built on retaining possession and supplying the killer ball, a certain Argentinian's ears must have been burning.