SAD BUT TRUE ?

Last updated : 23 September 2002 By editor
Paradox of Veron's talent exposed at the vital moment
By James Lawton in the Independent.

For some time now the hope against hope of Old Trafford has been that in one of these days of dire need created by the temporary breakdown of Roy Keane's body and the eruption of his mind, the real Juan Sebastian Veron will stand up to be counted as a player of both poise and influence.
Increasingly, however, it looks as if the United faithful really have to put away the dream.

Here was the Veron paradox in full, gory Technicolour. One minute he sent a ball of genius out to David Beckham and set in motion one of those sweet passages of play which recalls the days when United had both hunger and a lovely touch, and on this occasion nearly brought a goal to the splendidly combative Phil Neville.

But, almost without the time to draw breath, Veron sent another ball billowing into the stand after mishitting a pass that, even if successful, would have had no compelling purpose. All creative players operate on a rather greater margin of error than their fellows but sometimes you are left to speculate on whether Veron's would be adequately accommodated by the Grand Canyon, By the time Veron gave way to Gary Neville in the 76th minute his account was hopelessly in the red. With Keane again absent and Beckham bossy but toothless - except for the occasion when he tackled Matthew Etherington with a petulant illegality that if authored by an ordinary working pro would surely have brought a booking - United desperately needed both penetration and economy from the Argentine. They got spasmodic creativity but not a whiff of economy. Veron was about as frugal as Imelda Marcos in a shoe store.