The result does not do justice to how hard this game was. United were 1-0 down at half time and had to really dig hard to get back into the game. Get back they did, and really turned the tide and the course of the title towards Old Trafford.
One major drawback and one minor one. Major: Vidic out for the season with a dislocated shoulder. Minor: Chelsea grabbed a late winner against Watford.
It is the manner of the games that should see United towards the title. Whilst it is admirable that Chelsea were able to grind out a win against Watford, despite creating few chances in a second half, it was much more impressive that United were able to come from behind to a strong Blackburn team and rout them at the end.
Chelsea might have a never say die attitude, but they remain six points behind a surging United team that don’t show any signs of dropping points anywhere.
Back to the Premiership after the dreadful week of international “entertainment”. First team wise, United are without Gary Neville and Louis Saha with Van der Sar expected to return from a calf injury and Scholes returning from suspension. Despite Solskjaer being passed fit I expect United to play with the same sort of fluid front line as they did against Bolton with Rooney, Giggs and Ronaldo interchanging up front. Park will probably be dropped for Scholes not O’Shea to help combat the physical threat of Blackburn.
Mark Hughes is an excellent manager, and one I wouldn’t mind seeing as a replacement for Fergie (Keane has done already so far at Sunderland so fingers crossed on that one as well). However, I don’t think they will provide as much problems as people seem to think they will.
In other excellent injury news, Robben is supposedly out for the rest of the season.
The first quote I read from Gareth Southgate on Morrison’s lunge at was pretty damning :-
in that situation we would all love to have done that
However, it is a cut down quote from the full quote where he says :-
“We certainly lost our discipline in the last five minutes. James Morrison is a young kid and he has a lot to learn. In that situation, we would all love to do that but you have got to be mature enough to make the right kind of tackle.”
Better, but not by much. What he is essentially saying is that everyone would love to assault anyone we don’t like but we can’t because we’d get punished. Roy Keane was rightly condemned for admitting he “did” Alf-Inge Haaland. Oddly enough, the same Roy Keane that got sent off for stamping on Southgate in an FA Cup semi-final. I think Keane had some maturing to do back in 1995.
Southgate is probably lucky that his comments have been buried under the events at White Hart Lane. But then perhaps Southgate thoughts on that issue would be “the Spurs fan is a young kid and has a lot to learn. In that situation, we would love to smack Frank Lampard in the face, but you have got to be mature enough not to run onto the pitch”.
Judge for yourself what Morrison’s intent was by viewing the video below
It seems the media is touting a potential Manchester United v Chelsea cup final as “The Dream Final”.
Well, for me the dream final died last night when Spurs were knocked out. Spurs v Man United has always been a dream final for me, and it has never happened. Tottenham are the closest in spirit and style of play there is in the Premiership. Attacking football played with style. United are just far better at it.
I was even a sort-of Spurs fan in 1981 when Ricky Villa scored that goal to beat the Enemy; City. Everyone down my road in Timperley was a Spurs fan for a day (okay, except Frank Sidebottom but he was always a bit weird, even then).
No, a final involving Chelsea will not be a “dream” in any sense of the word. Neutrals should hope for a Watford Blackburn match-up. The last big team meet up ended goalless and a penalty shoot-out. Blame a dull Arsenal performance for that one. I do.
With both clubs advancing to the FA Cup semi-finals last night, their planned April 15 meeting at Stamford Bridge will have to be pushed back
This is normal for successful clubs and is the ultimate test for teams attempting doubles and trebles. Only the best (yes, and luckiest I admit) teams manage to win everything.
The later United play Chelsea the better, as hopefully it will be all over by the time we go to Stamford Bridge. There would be nothing worse than a collapse started by defeat to Chelsea.
Meanwhile, a Spurs fan finally lost it and tried to attack Frank Lampard last night. How he missed, I’ll never know. Perhaps he should have taken a trick off Fat Frank and attempted to deflect his punch into Frank via a passing defender.
Rafael has no fear of playing and has great belief in himself. He is only 18 but he has started very well. He did well against Middlesbrough last week and he has progressed again.