Archive for December, 2007 Page 2 of 4

Here we go with the Everton preview

Published by
Paul
at December 21, 2007 in Manchester United, Premiership and Previews. 2 Comments

This Sunday we play the other half of Scousershire after going to Liverpool and robbing them whilst they were at home. That usually happens when they are off on their European travels.

Nothing much happened in between. There were the usual shenanigans at the office party[1], we signed an unknown[2], Sven got as far as the quarter finals again before going out[3], Wayne Rooney has learnt another language before his new England coach learnt English[4], and we drew Lyon in the Champs League[5].

[1] Disgraceful, joking apart.
[2] Manucho. No, I’ve not heard of him, but them I hadn’t heard of a certain Ole Gunnar when he was signed either. On the other hand, I’d not heard of Dong either.
[3] City didn’t lose on penalties in the Carling Cup, unlike England
[4] Sign language with Tevez according to the Mirror. Although some might say it is the first language he has managed to learn.
[5] Probably the hardest draw we could have got, but I’m still confident we’ll get through.

So, a hard game on Sunday against Everton who are an improving and hard to beat side. Can’t offer much encouragement except to say we are usually favourites against every time we play at home and if we can go to Anfield and win, we can beat Everton at home. Also, the BBC notes that

“Manchester United have won more Premier League matches against Everton than any other club, and the Merseysiders have lost more games in this league against the Red Devils that any other side”.

Don’t get overconfident, don’t let the events midweek distract, don’t worry about the opposition, don’t forget how good you are and the three points are in the bag. Mark “not at all biased to Liverpool” Lawrenson has us down for a 2-0 win, and despite the fact he got nine out of ten results wrong last week (ours included), I agree and think it will be a 2-0 home win.

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Liverpool 0 Manchester United 1

Published by
Paul
at December 16, 2007 in Reviews. 3 Comments

Liverpool 0 Manchester United 1 (Tevez 45)

Fast and furious, this big clash between Liverpool and United had few clear cut chances.  United won the game from a well worked corner that took full advantage of Liverpool’s zonal marking system.  Despite having lots of possesion in the second half, Liverpool didn’t test Edwin Van der Sar and completed another victory as the supposed “Fortress Anfield”.

In the first half, most of the trouble for United’s defence was of their own making, or rather of Van der Sar’s making.  Twice he came for balls and collided with his own player.  One particular error had Evra scrambling away a back header from Ferdinand as Var der Sar ran into the back of Vidic.

United’s goal came from a corner.  As Liverpool defence formed in zonal marking, not one of them picked up either Rooney, on the edge of the box or Tevez in front of the goalkeeper.  As Giggs made to cross the ball into the box, Ferdinand moved forward taking away for nearest player to Rooney, Torrez.  Giggs played a flat ball directly to Rooney who took a first time shot at goal.  Carrigher, seeing the danger had come out to meet Rooney, but the ball went through his outstretched legs and towards the corner.   The ball would probably have been cleared off the line by the man on the far post, but Tevez stepped across and clipped the ball into the net.

Once United had taken the lead, the central midfielders, Hargreaves and Anderson formed a protective shield in front on the defence and Liverpool didn’t get a look in.  It might have been negative minded, but United fans up and down the country won’t mind a bit.  It was like watching a boy being held at arms length by a stronger and bigger boy.  No matter how the small boy tried to land a punch, he couldn’t get near.

Anderson, in particular, was impressive today.  Supposedly a creative, attacking midfield, he was strong in the challenge and tackle and more than held his own against the opposition midfield, particular with some robust tackles from Stevie Gerrard.  All the players had good games with the exception of Ronaldo.  Not his usual self, he avoided the big game again and ended up as centre forward, perhaps because he wasn’t tracking Riise back properly.  The ever willing Rooney swapped to the right and shored this hole up.

In the day’s other big game, Arsenal beat Chelsea so United are still 2nd, one point behind, but not there is a small but significant gap between second and third.  With Liverpool having to go to Old Trafford, Stanford Bridge and the Emirates and being 10 points off the lead, is their challenge for the title in real trouble?  All I know is that United are very strongly placed coming into the tricky Christmas period.

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Pool preview

Published by
Paul
at December 15, 2007 in Manchester United, Premiership and Previews. 0 Comments

United travel to Anfield tomorrow for the annual “annoy the scousers at home” event. Liverpool are one win away from 50 league victories over United and have been for last seven games against us now. Liverpool have 1 point from the last 18 available to them when they have played us. It used to be that we’d do well against them, but they’d win the league. Now, we do well against them and win the league.

I hope we really take the game to Liverpool and not go for a draw. We have a chance to deal their Premiership campaign a mortal blow by beating them at home. We would go nine points clear of them and potentially weaken Benitez’s position as manager.

The key threat, obviously, is Torrez. It is interesting that Fergie admitted that they had tried to sign him in the past, and you wonder at the timing of these comments. Initially, an admission that they wanted a Liverpool player, but read deeper and you’ll see that Fergie claims that United “gave up” on the player. This says two things.

  1. United no longer wanted Torrez. He is a reject.
  2. Liverpool are now buying United cast offs.

Quite clever little piece of mindgames there.  United took time out to also big up Raja Benitez, and a cynic might think that United believe that that a Rotating Raja led Liverpool is weaker than other options (Mourhino is still available).

I’m off to watch Match of the Day.  Some high scoring games today.  What was going on at Wigan?  Beating Blackburn 5-3.  But if they show Derby v Middlesboro first, I’m off to bed.

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November in Review

Published by
Paul
at December 13, 2007 in Manchester United. 0 Comments

With hindsight, November wasn’t a bad month, but if you look at the raw figures for the league, it doesn’t make good reading. One win, one draw and one loss. Plus, another injury to Wayne Rooney. However, when you delve in see that the draw was against Arsenal so we lost no ground on the leaders, and another international break (a very bad one for England). We continued our 100% record in the Champions League as well, winning the group in the process.

Starting on the 3rd with the top of the table clash versus Arsenal, we ended in drawing a game we should have won. Playing well, and containing a very good Arsenal side. Before the game, the Arsenal team had been hyped up as the new Invicibles, but United showed the rest of the Premiership that they weren’t all that. At the end of a mostly dull first half, United scored through a Gallas own goal. Arsenal stepped up briefly in the second half and Fabregas equalised before Ronaldo but the Reds in front in the 83rd minute after good work from Evra and Saha. That should have been that, but Arsenal scored in injury time. It had felt like we’d lost, and Arsenal celebrated like they’d won the league.

Fergie celebrated 21 years in charge in November (that makes me feel old because I was at the Oxford game for his first match and I can’t believe it was 21 years ago). The game closest to the anniversary was a simple demolition of Dynamo Kiev on the 7th. Another 4 goals (the Arsenal game ending the run of successive 4 goals) and signs that all was well with the depth in the squad as many first teamers were rested. Not Rooney though, who found it a little bit boring, as did the fans. Gerrard Pique didn’t as he scored on his Champions League debut.

On the 9th came news that Rooney was going to be a lot more bored for a month as he had some sort of accident in training/fooling around with kids and had done his ankle in. We were relying on Saha staying fit for a whole month. Would it be possible?

Well, he was still fit on the 11th when United beat Blackburn 2-0. However, it was a tw0-minute double blast from Christiano Ronaldo that won the game for United. Ronaldo proved that when Rooney was missing, he could still be called upon to win games for us. His first was a header direct from a corner and the 2nd a typical United fast counter attack which Ronaldo got on the end of.

Rooney’s injury meant he missed the England game against Croatia which ended in disaster for England and their manager Steve McClaren. Croatia won 3-2 despite a cameo from ex-United star David Beckham and McClaren was duly sacked.

The league returned on the 24th but United’s form was taking an unexpected longer vacation. They lost 1-0 to Bolton. The very physical Bolton had gone back to basics after sacking Sammy Lee and appointing Gary Megson, and United just didn’t get going all game. Oft touted United target Analka scored the only goal of the game, with Fergie in a fury with the ref and got himself sent off. United ended the month 3 points behind Arsenal who also had a game in hand.

The month ended on a brighter note as United came from behind and beat Sporting 2-1 in the 5th Champions League game. Tevez had cancelled out an early Sporting goal before Ronaldo scored a screamer of a freekick in injury time to win the game and the Champions League group for United.

A positive end to a mixed month.

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Review: Roma 1 Manchester United 1

Published by
Paul
at December 13, 2007 in Champions League, Manchester United and Reviews. 1 Comment

Lots of passing around the back four and central midfielders without any pressure or meaningful forward passing. Yup, another training exercise/champions league group match. With all the places in the group sorted out before kickoff, there was little point playing the game, except to give some of the younger players a run around. Wayne Rooney must have been really bored out there for 70 minutes.

Pique scored again for United, his second Champions League appearance and his second goal. Not bad for a defender. Mind you, if Roma had bothered to mark him he would have had a harder task than an open goal from 6 yards out. Roma equalised after 70 minutes with a very well taken goal from Mancini with Kuszczak had no chance with.

It it interesting to see this reserve type side develop. A few years ago, the youngsters were not close to the quality required, but tonight nearly all of them had a good game and if the first team wasn’t playing so well, some would be getting a regular game. It is no surprise that Wes Brown is playing so well with Danny Simpson waiting for him to make a mistake and take his place.

It was hard to pay 100% attention to the game, so I kept an eye on Rangers, who fell over and dropped out 3-0 to Lyon. At only 1-0 with about five minutes to go, they hit the bar. So close. Arsenal won, but still finished second. Can we draw either Arsenal or Liverpool in the 2nd Round? Would be a very interesting game.

Very bad news related to tonights game were the five United fans in hospital from stab wounds.  Another very bad footballing incident in Italy.  Will UEFA take action?

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