Archive for October, 2007

United’s October In Review

Published by
Paul
at October 31, 2007 in Manchester United. 2 Comments

It was goal fest October as United finally clicked into gear this month. Five games, five wins and four goals for United in four of the games. Whilst September was the month of the 1-0 win, October was the month where United went on a goal streak that equalled a 100-year old record.

However, the first game of the month felt like September hadn’t ended as we beat Roma in the Champions League 1-0. It was a typical tense European match which United won with a well worked goal from Wayne Rooney. That move was a hint of the goals that were to come.

I sometimes say things that are right and whilst I rarely get an actual score prediction correct, after the Roma victory I declared :-

I think we’ve always had a top class defence but if you are 3-0 up, you don’t care if it becomes 3-1, and we’d tend to bomb further forward and make it 4-1. When you are 1-0 up, you are less likely to attack in the final ten minutes.

I’d like to think that was the United way. Why win 3-0 when you get get a 4th. In the next league game against Wigan, when United finally put in a big victory, the 4th goal came when our young stand-in full-back, Danny Simpson bombed forward and crossed the ball for Rooney to head home. It may have been his home league debut and he was only playing because of injury but it shows that he has been schooled in the United Way to attack.

After the international break, United played away to Aston Villa and beat them 4-1. Tevez and Rooney were starting to form a really strong partnership but Villa didn’t help themselves by getting 2 men sent off.

Back to the Champions League on the 23rd and United went all the way to Kiev and beat them 4-2. Whilst there were some very poor defending, United showed some great attacking prowess with Anderson making me sit up and take notice. The Brazilian didn’t have the best start to his United career, but really came to the fore this month. With the loss of Paul Scholes for 3 months, Anderson has a very important role this season and whilst he will probably lose his place to Carrick when he is fit, he has done enough already to wipe the whisper of Kleberson from everyone’s lips.

The final game of the month was at home to Middlesbrough. A 4-1 win as Rooney and Tevez showed they have work on their telepathy in training. A defence splitting back heel from Rooney fell straight to Carlos and the Argentina slotted it home. But the best goal of the night came in the 3rd minute as Nani scored another wonder-goal.

So United turned their September goal scoring form on its head and scored 4 goals in 4 successive games. United are now joint top with Arsenal with the same goal difference (okay so they have a game in hand) and we play them on a perfectly timed match up on Saturday. This season feels like Mourhino never even existed and the Arsenal United rivally has come back. Another 4-2 would be nice :)

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4 goals in 4 successive games

Published by
Paul
at October 30, 2007 in Articles. 2 Comments
It was the fourth match in succession they had scored four goals - equaling a record which stretched back to 1907.

states the BBC website report of the Middlesbrough game.

In fact, United did better in 1907, and it should have been 4 or more goals in 4 games because United’s results were as follows :-

28 Sep  Chelsea        A  4-1
05 Oct  Nottingham F   H  4-0
12 Oct  Newcastle U    A  6-1
19 Oct  Blackburn R    A  5-1

The run ended with a mere 2-1 win over Bolton. However, that was a blip as United scored 4 in three of the next four games, including a 4-2 win over Arsenal. Against Arsenal the prolific Sandy Turnbull getting all 4 goals. The run ended as United crashed to a 2-0 defeat to Sheffield Wednesday. It didn’t stop United though as they eventually ran out Champions for the first ever time.

Reading fans should cheer themselves that during the course of this Championship winning season, United lost 7-4 away to Liverpool. Whilst I doubt Reading will get anywhere near winning the league, they should be happy that history shows that losing 7-4 does not mean you will have a bad season.

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Manchester United 4 Middlesbrough 1

Published by
Paul
at October 29, 2007 in Reviews. 0 Comments

Manchester United 4 (Nani 3, Rooney 33, Tevez 55, 85) Middlesbrough 1 (Aliadiere 6)

4th game with 4 goals as Tevez and Rooney gave a lesson in striking duo and to combine to deadly effect.

Middlesbrough were never truely in this game despite equalising early on and then having another chance whilst it was still 1-1 but a combination of careless defending and brilliance from Rooney tore them apart.

However, it was Nani, coming into the team for Ryan Giggs, that started the route with the sort of goal that wins Goal of the Month. That’s his second screamer and this one was better that the one against Spurs. The celebration afterwards was something else as well. I’m not sure that Fergie was right about banning it though. Rather than hurting himself, he could take the eye out of a passing player with one of his flying studs.

Three minutes later, Aliadiere equalised for Boro, a long range header that crept in off the post. It was the first League goal let in at Old Trafford this season, but it didn’t stop United for long. Wayne Rooney is hitting top form again and stole the ball off a dallying defender and then powered the ball into the net.

Better was to come in the 2nd half. Tevez and Rooney combined to open Boro right up as Rooney produced a fantastic back heel that sent the defenders the wrong way and left Tevez with a straightforward finish to make it 3-1. Tevez added a second late on as his shot deflected and looped over Schwarzer into the net.

We’ve now found out that United will be without Paul Scholes for 3 months, and this is a major blow for the team, but United beat Boro with 2 new midfield players, Hargreaves and Anderson.  With Carrick set to return from injury soon and O’Shea and Fletcher as able backups, United look far better to cope with the loss of Scholes than they did 2 years ago when we were left with a midfield combo of Giggs and O’Shea.

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Preview: United v Middlesbrough

Published by
Paul
at October 26, 2007 in Manchester United, Premiership and Previews. 0 Comments

Manchester United v Middlesbrough (Old Trafford, Saturday, 27 October 15:00 BST)

Where’d they get the crazy idea of putting a football match on a Saturday at 3pm. I mean, that’s right in the middle of the afternoon of a weekend day. Who would want to go any watch football then?

So, United’s performances have finally started to live up to the name of this blog and we’ve scored 4 goals three straight games. Tevez and Rooney are linking together well, the midfield is performing despite the absence of three top quality England (or ex-England) midfielders and the defence even survived without Hitman Vidic for a game and half. The opposition are in freefall and heading relegation bound. What can go wrong?

On the Republik of Mancunia forums I joking predicted a 4-3 win and got a slap for my trouble, but these are just the sort of game, you have to watch out for, because you take the foot off the pedal thinking the goals will just come and suddenly you’ve gone a goal down in the 80th minute and it becomes panic stations. Everything is going right for the new boys in the team now, and I’m sure Fergie is there, telling the players not to be complacent.

Owen Hargreaves might actually be fit to play which would be great news, if not for this game, but for the up coming Arsenal class. Evra should also be fit, so O’Shea might come into midfield and Hargreaves and Fletcher on the bench. Otherwise, I don’t see much need to chop and change the team.

BTW, Spurs are idiots for sacking Jol, Bolton are idiots for hiring Megson, Liverpool are idiots for being rubbish in the Champions League, Chelsea are idiots not least for that horrible away kit. Sadly, it seems Arsenal are not idiots and will be our main rivals this season.

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Lose of players not stopping United

Published by
Paul
at October 25, 2007 in Articles. 0 Comments

The injuries continue to mount up, but United are getting better and better as a attacking outfit.

Whilst it is a concern that we’ve lost the entire first choice central midfield (and we had three to pick from), it is good to know this hasn’t affected the performance of the side. Our key player last season was Paul Scholes. Without him the previous season we were half the team we could have been. We ended up playing O’Shea and Giggs in central midfield. With him, we were champions. At the time of writing, we don’t know the extent of the knee problem he has, but let us hope he returns soon.

Michael Carrick broke his elbow in an unfortunate accident on the pitch and will be out for a while still, and Owen Hargreaves is on his way back from a catalogue of miscellaneous injuries. Stepping into the gap was Anderson, our 19 year old Brazillian. He has done very well, putting in some excellent passes and looking very busy in the midfield. Against Kiev, Darren Fletcher came into the side at very short notice.  I was perhaps a little harsh in my match report as he was clearly not fit and yet was able to play the full 90 minutes and did not make any glaring errors.

Players like Fletcher and John O’Shea are vital to any team intending on challenging for the league.  Whilst they would never be 1st choice players, they do not complain and when required come into the team or off the bench and do the job.  Remember O’Shea against Liverpool last season?  O’Shea, in the same manner as Phil Neville is particularly valued as he can play in a number of different positions, even goalkeeper :)

With almost constant injury doubt Louis Saha still out, it is vital that a) Rooney and Tevez stay fit and b) United sign a new forward.  Both Rooney and Tevez, broken metatarsals aside, look to have the physic not to be injury prone, but the selling of Rossi still looks like a bad move not that 20LEgend has retired.   Even then Nani, Giggs or Ronaldo could work as a makeshift forward.

It’s a good job that the forwards are getting into the groove, because the defence is starting to wobble.  Evra is now out with a calf injury and Vidic missed a game after concussion against Wigan, and didn’t look quite right against Kiev.  More than any other part of the team defence needs stability and this can be proved in the case of Wes Brown.  In the past when he was a bit part player, desparately unlucky with injury, he often formed a trio of blundermen with Barthez and Silvestre.  This season as an ever present at right-back he looks solid and commanding.  He is also getting forward better and putting in some good crosses.    Have we missed Gary Neville that much?

So, don’t get worried about the injury situation, now we really do have strength in depth and as the new players bed into the team more and more, United will only get better and better.

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