Archive for the 'Premiership' Category Page 2 of 12

Newcastle Preview

Published by
Paul
at January 11, 2008 in Manchester United, Premiership and Previews. 0 Comments

Managerless Newcastle come to Old Trafford in the late kickoff on Saturday. It’s probably the best time to play them as they haven’t appointed a new manager just yet; Harry Redknapp seems to be the bookie’s favourite, but unless Newcastle are going to pay silly money once again, why should he leave Ports …. oh. I guess they will have to fork out stupidly large amounts of cash to get an middle of the road manager. Redknapp does a good job and is actually probably a good manager for Newcastle.

For the game on Saturday, Nigel Pearson, the current assistent manager will be in charge.  Pearson represents the old regime and therefore doesn’t carry the “new boss” factor that means teams often raise their performances for the first few games for a new manager.   United shouldn’t really worry about the opposition at home anyway.

Wes Brown is suspended, but Gary Neville will not yet feature.  I’m not sure Danny Simpson will be trusted after the last time he started a game ended with him being substituted at half time.  His replacement, John O’Shea is more likely to play.  Owen Hargreaves is again an injury doubt, which is a long term worry considering how many games he has missed.   Carrick and Anderson will be good enough cover to match a midfield likely to contain Alan Smith.

In rivals news, Chelsea have signed Nicolas Anelka for £15 million quid, which is a lot of money for temporary cover for Cup of Nations bound Didier Drogba.  Unless Drogba is certain to be leaving which can only be good news for all teams except Chelsea.   Meanwhile, Arsenal have failed to offload comedy German Jens Lehmann and Liverpool have signed Slovakian international defender Martin Skrtel, a man with too few vowels in his name.

Related Posts

Popularity: 6% [?]

Manchester United 1 Birmingham City 0

Published by
Paul
at January 2, 2008 in Manchester United, Premiership and Reviews. 2 Comments

Manchester United 1 (Tevez 25) Birmingham City 0
1st January 2008, Old Trafford, Att: 75,459

Tevez Dummy Goal Celebration Carlos Tevez’s 25th minute goal was enough for United to get all three points at Old Trafford. A wonderful interchange with Christiano Ronaldo put him threw on goal and he dummied the keeper, sending him the wrong way to score. However, United were not at their fluid best and the scoreline remained a worrying 1-0 until full-time. Manager Alex Ferguson was critical of the atmosphere generated by the 75000 crowd, but he should be worried that the United players seem to have a continued hang-over from Christmas rather than wondering why a group of fans should be quieter than normal on New Years Day.

It was a quite unusual lineup with Park and Nani supplying the wing play with Ronaldo pushed up front with Tevez. Saha was again on the bench and Rooney was still ill. Michael Carrick returned to the midfield, partnering Anderson in the centre. Kuszczak (a name with far too many consonants close together for me to ever remember how to spell correctly) continued in goal for the injured Van Der Sar and O’Shea was at right-back in an otherwise full strength defence.

When United scored a Birmingham player, Cameron Jerome, was down injured but in truth he wouldn’t have been involved in trying to stop the goal and United scored seconds after he went down, not minutes later. I don’t think anyone would have complained about it. After the collision with Jerome, Rio Ferdinand played the ball forwards. Tevez played the ball over his head to Ronaldo, who wonderfully back heeled it back to Tevez who was then clean through on goal. Setting his body as if to play the ball to the keeper’s left, he then slotted it past his right as he dived the other way.

The goal had been coming, and the second goal seemed to be coming for much of the rest of the game. Ronaldo forced the keeper into a great safe from his head. Tevez hit the woodwork twice and United dominated for a long spell in the game. However, the second goal didn’t come and United nearly paid the price with Birmingham, through Forsell having a couple of good chances late in the game.

However, the clean sheet was kept and United started 2008 with a win to keep in close contact with Arsenal at the top.

Related Posts

Popularity: 14% [?]

West Ham 2 Manchester United 1

Published by
Paul
at December 29, 2007 in Manchester United, Premiership and Reviews. 4 Comments

West Ham 2 (A Ferdinand 77, Upson 82) Manchester United 1 (Ronaldo 14)

A very below par performance, a missed penalty and a history of bad results at Upton Park combined together to make United’s third defeat of the season.

Mostly this game was all about how well West Ham played. I have a particular dislike for the Happy Hammers dating back to 1992 when a particularly poor West Ham side beat us to stop us winning the league that season. They raised their game (like many teams since) simply because we were Man United and that seems to be the case again today. They were the better team, but where was that team for the rest of this season. In their last home game, they could only draw against 10 men Reading (and it’s not like it’s hard to score against Reading).

Against the run of play, Manchester United took the lead. Giggs crossed, and Ronaldo proved he was a good header of the ball once again. Before this, United had had their post rattled but the goal didn’t seem to inspire United to finish the game off like they usually do.

However, in the second half they had that chance when Spector needlessly handled in the area. Ronaldo stepped up and, perhaps having lived in England for slightly too long, put the ball wide. This proved to be the spur for West Ham to push on and get the equalizer and the game saw three headed goals as both West Ham centre backs Anton Ferdinand and Matthew Upson scored from a corner and freekick respectively. It was no more than West Ham deserved. I bet they want to play us every week. On New Year’s Day they play Arsenal and will probably capitulate 5-0.

As Arsenal won, United won’t finish the year on top of the table, but as I said when we were top it doesn’t matter much in December, just that you are there in the race so you have a chance in May.

Related Posts

Popularity: 9% [?]

Sunderland 0 Manchester United 4

Published by
Paul
at December 29, 2007 in Manchester United, Premiership and Reviews. 0 Comments

Sunderland 0 Manchester Utd 4 (Rooney 20, Saha 30, 86p, Ronaldo 45)

Another cold, slap bang in the middle of the Christmas break. It meant I was off work ill, but it also meant I wasn’t able to comment on the Sunderland game in a timely manner.

This was another four goals and a suprisingly easy win over Roy Keane’s side who are now staring relegation in the face. I was pleased for a number of reasons. Saha played from the start and picked up two goals. Park came back from injury and did well when he came on. United were able to rest a number of key players and still won 4-0. Chelsea had a comedy game and drew 4-4 (would that ever have happened under Mourhino?; and what has happened to Cech?). Lastly, Arsenal drew at Portsmouth 0-0 making our draw there at the start of the season not so bad and more importantly taking us to the top of the league.

Next up, away at West Ham, never an easy game for United for some reason. At least they don’t have Tevez and we do. And their home form is very poor at the moment. Just two wins from nine. Lets hope it is two from ten after today.

Update:  looks like both Carrick and Rooney are out of the West Ham game with a virus.  So the super fit can get ill just like me.  cough cough sniff sniff

Related Posts

Popularity: 9% [?]

Manchester United 2 Everton 1

Published by
Paul
at December 24, 2007 in Manchester United, Premiership and Reviews. 0 Comments

Manchester United 2 (Ronaldo 22, 88p) Everton 1 (Cahill 27)

United battered away against a resolute defensive display from Everton to what appeared to be no avail. But a last minute moment of madness from Pienaar, when be brought down Giggs in the box for no reason, meant that United took all the points as Ronaldo converted the penalty.

It had looked like United we going to drop 2 points in the race against Arsenal, but like their main rivals, they turned a home draw into a win. United started well, and converted early pressure into a goal from the boot of Christiano Ronaldo. A goal of the month contender as he cut inside from the right and powered a left foot strike into the top corner of the net. It had so much pace and swerve that Everton keeper didn’t try to dive for it.

However, a makeshift United side were unable to hold onto the lead for more than 5 minutes. United were without Van Der Sar, Ferdinand and Hargreaves which meant 3 changes in the back 5 (Brown moved to centreback and Simpson played at rightback) and Carrick played, a less defensive minded midfield.

Pienaar was given too much time on the left wing and was allowed to put in an good cross and remarkably Tim Cahill was able to outjump the Paul Parker sized fullback, Patrice Evra. 1-1 and United reacted as it the opponents shouldn’t be allowed to equalise at Old Trafford. United were unable to break Everton down for much of the rest of the game.

However, Pienaar undid all his good work in the the last minute. Giggs was running inside the box past Pienaar but going away from goal and would have had to put in a cross in with his weaker left foot. Pienaar with his back to Giggs stuck out a leg backwards and tripped Giggs down. Penalty, no question as the manager would say. David Moyes couldn’t believe it, not that the penalty had been given, but that his player had made such a howling mistake.

Ronaldo, not being English, put the penalty away with ease to score his 16th league goal of the season. I don’t think Ronaldo has played quite so well as last season, but he is banging the goals away and doing the job for us once again. Maybe it was because he wasn’t at a certain party midweek, but he stood out and stood up for us again.

There is a ciche that a true mark of Champions is to win when you haven’t played well. United have done that a lot this season.

Related Posts

Popularity: 9% [?]