United Back On Top

Manchester United 3 - Tottenham 1
Scorers
Manchester United: Giggs (pen 58, pen 86), Nani (80)
Tottenham: King (70)

Team: Van der Sar, Vidic, Evans, Rafael (Macheda 80), Evra (O'Shea 67), Scholes, Giggs, Fletcher, Nani, Valencia (Carrick 60), Berbatov

I'm down with a rather bad bout of flu so not going to say much today. We weren't anywhere near our best but yet managed to edge Spurs in a contest of wills. The two penalties helped and Nani's winner was just brilliant.

So we're top of the heap, but Chelsea have a game in hand. Looks like it could all boil down to the game next week against Liverpool that could very well decide the title. If Liverpool take points off Chelsea, we could be looking at a record 4th title. But I'm sure we all know better than to trust the scousers.

Scholes Goal Edges Shitty

Manchester City 0 - Manchester United 1
Scorer
Manchester United: Scholes (90)

Team: Van der Sar, Vidic, Evans, Neville, Evra, Scholes, Fletchers, Gibson (Nani 59), Valencia (Obertan 80), Giggs, Rooney (Berbatov 74)

As I'm typing this, Chelsea is trailing 2-zip to Spurs. This entry was going to be totally negative, but with Chelsea likely to lose, I might just have to change my tune here....or maybe not.

Let's face it, this was a terrible display, and once again the fault lies entirely with Ferguson. I mean, what kind of fucked up lineup is he putting out there? Seriously, Giggs, Scholes and Neville for the entire 90 minutes? He lucked out when Scholes scored a ridiculously late winner. Kudos to Scholes though, making the most of the opportunity after signing a new one-year contract. Giggs was honestly terrible and Neville really should have seen yellow for his many indiscretions throughout the game. He was lucky Bellamy didn't have his usual game or else it would have been curtains long before we even knew what hit us.

Let's not get started with Nani starting from the bench. Besides Rooney, he's been our best player for the past couple of months, and yet Fergie chooses to pit him on the bench. I don't understand it, I really don't.

The more I think of it, the more I think Fergie needs to go. He's using our players the wrong way. Scholes, Giggs and Neville are great players...in their prime. Now is the time to fully utilize their wonderful experience...ie to bring them on as subsitutes and not run them to the ground for the full 90 minutes. It's also apparent to have both Nani and Valencia on the pitch at the same time, especially if we're going to play with Rooney upfront on his own. Twin wing threats keep the defense decent. Instead we did what we did today and it was an easy task to keep Rooney and Valencia in check (not considering Giggs since he was doing a poor impression of Carrick).

Once again, Berbatov proved to the be choker. At least today he didn't whine and actually put forth a good display, not that he made any difference.

Well, the good news here is that we're actually back in the title race with Chelsea dropping points (keeping fingers crossed). Let's hope Spurs will be too busy patting themselves on the back after pegging both Chelsea and Arsenal to face us next week. It's still out of our hands, but with plenty of luck we're still in with a shout.

This One's On Ferguson

Blackburn 0 - Manchester United 0

Team: Van der Sar, Rio, Vidic, Neville, O'Shea (Evra 79), Scholes, Giggs (Gibson 58), Nani, Valencia, Berbatov, Macheda (Park 66)

Once again Ferguson's decisions continue to baffle. Playing 3 almost mummified players did us in today. That and the fact the Choker continues to underwhelm.

Looks like we're almost out of the title race with this draw. 4 games left, one game behind and a point back. With the way Chelsea is playing, it looks pretty much like mission impossible. I doubt Tom Cruise and the entire clan of Scientologists can do much to right this sinking ship. Xenu for the win here.

I'm not going into the game here. I'm glad I missed much of it and doubly glad I had plenty to drink after the game. Let's lock it, we're as good as done. Time for Ferguson to ring in the changes and a wholesale makeover in the summer. Either that or he can join the calcified trio in a glorified exodus. Oh, and we're a one man team.

United Limbs Out Of Champions League

Manchester United 3 - Bayern Munich 2
Scorers
Manchester United: Gibson (2), Nani (7, 41)
Bayern Munich: Olic (43), Robben (74)

Red Card
Manchester United: Rafael (50)

Team: Van der Sar, Rio, Vidic, Rafael, Evra, Carrick (Berbatov 81), Fletcher, Gibson (Giggs 81), Valencia, Nani, Rooney (O'Shea 55)

This was terribly disappointing. Sorry, make that massively disappointing. Bayern finally exorcises the ghost of 99.

We got off to an emphatic start, going two up within 7 minutes with goals from Gibson and Nani, and threatening to turn the game into a riot. The early goals totally shattered whatever swagger the Germans brought from the first leg. Bayern were making mistakes all over pitch, while we looked razor sharp all over the pitch.

When Nani scored his second and our third late in the first half, I thought the game was well and truely won. We were cruising and it looked way too easy. Bayern had given up and we really looked almost as good as Barcelona last night.

The euphoria didn't last long. Perhaps a few of the players were thinking along the lines that I was. For a brief moment after the third goal, everyone went asleep. And a brief moment was all Muller needed to send Olic thru on goal. Both Vidic and Rio were in no man's land and the task of shadowing Olic fell on Carrick who looked shock. Needless to say, in that very brief moment, Olic slid the ball past Van der Sar and Bayern were back in the tie. You could almost hear the collective sigh from the crowd thru the computer screen.

Half time came and we came out in much better shape that the last few minutes in the first half. Then everything went to hell. Rafael got himself booked for a second incredibly stupid foul and he was sent for an early shower. It gave Bayern renewed hope. For what looked terribly unlikely after the first 10 minutes, Bayern clawed their way back into the lead with a magificent Robben goal.

Ten men against eleven, and needing a goal to progress, Ferguson brought on Giggs, and the man who, henceforth shall be known as The Choker, Berbatov. Neither brought anything to the plate, which was disappointing. He might as well have brought on Macheda instead. At least the lad would have run himself silly, just as Nani and Valencia did all evening.

The season is beginning to look bleak again. Well, at least we get to concentrate fully on the league now. If we're honest with ourselves, we have no chance of winning the Champions League, not with Barcelona playing the way they are. I suppose instead of another embarrassing loss at the hands of the Spaniards, we saved our legs for the 4-pede instead, even though that also seems unlikely at this stage.

Some game comments:
- Kinda shocked to see Rooney start this game. I thought he was out for sometime and really shocked to see him at full flight in the game. Too bad another injury took him out again. Let's hope he recovers from this new one in good shape. I shudder to think of the Choker screwing this one.

-As much as I want to place the blame on the young shoulders of Rafael, I think it's a good learning process for him. His first foul was petulant and his second just plain reckless. Despite these two game changing moments, he had a good game.

- Gibson has arrived. I was pleasantly surprised at how good he is. Reminded me alot of a certain Roy Keane with his box to box efforts. His two other partners in midfield, Carrick and Fletcher put in an incredible work-rate too. Superb stuff from all three.

- Ferguson finally gets it right playing 2 authentic wingers. Both Nani and Valencia were impressive. Both combined well which resulted in both Nani goals.

- Worrying moment when Nani looked dizzy after running the length of the pitch when we were down to ten men. The run took everything out of him and it was a brilliant effort which was saved.

- 30 million pounds, one choker. Has he ever scored a goal that mattered? Don't answer, I know he has, but has he scored on that matters on the big stage?

- Brave of Ferguson to start with youth and speed instead the old men. It was a strategy that both worked and backfired. Nani and Gibson scored, while Rafael probably cost us the game. Given the choice, I still would have preferred today's result. As for substitutions, I would have preferred to have Macheda and Park (who wasn't even on the bench).

- Now that I've calmed down considerably, it was an exciting game if you're a neutral. We probably deserved better, but it is what it is and to date, the team's already exceeded my expectation with a Mickey Mouse Cup. I had expected us to fall short on every department.

No Rooney, No Title

Manchester United 1 - Chelsea 2
Scorers
Manchester United: Macheda (81)
Chelsea: Cole (20), Drogba (78)

Team: Van der Sar, Rio, Vidic, Neville, Evra, Scholes (Nani 72), Fletcher (Gibson 86), Park (Macheda 72), Valencia, Giggs, Berbatov

Let's not waste time. Our chances of the title was ruined on Tuesday when we lost Rooney. Accept it and move on.

There was nothing in our play today to suggest otherwise. Nothing at all. We missed Rooney as much as we missed the target.

For a good portion of the game, Chelsea was the better team. They were more organized, and they showed a greater desire to play the ball. Our gameplan was to hoof long balls and hope for the best. In many ways, we looked exactly like the Sunday pub team that I play for. No direction, no pace, no skill. Yup, we were that bad. For a good hour or so, we were painful to watch.

Matters were not made any easier when Joe Cole cheekily redirected Malouda's cross into the net in the 20th minute. Given our play prior to the goal, it was a mountain to climb. Without Rooney to spearhead the attack, our movement was easily read by the Chelsea players.

The second half was much more of the same. We scurried around like headless chickens, while Chelsea marshalled their defense superbly. Berbatov is easily the most useless player on the pitch, followed closely by Giggs. And it's only in that order coz I like Giggs.

The turning point of the game came in when Ferguson finally decided to take his head out of his arse and brought on Nani. Suddenly with 2 bona fide wingers, we began to see daylight in the cracks from the Chelsea defense.

Sadly, instead of a grandstand finale, the linesman (refuse to call that dick a referee's assistant) single-handedly handed the game to Chelsea. Drogba was miles offside when he received the pass and his cannon of a shot sealed the game, and possibly the title, for Chelsea.

Macheda salvaged a consolation but the mountain was just too high for the men in red. 5 Games left and 2 points behind, it seems like the odds are stacked heavily against us. Moreover our run-in looks significantly more difficult with games against City and Spurs, while Chelsea also has Spurs, they have the easy task of playing a hapless Liverpool. Adding to that, we may have to do it without the services of Rooney for a good portion of the way.

Another comment I want to add here. Ferguson probably had his worst tactical game of the season. Not playing Nani from the start was a monumental mistake. It's already an easy task to defend against Berbatov, but it was make easier without having to defend the the left wing. Their defensive gameplan was to concentrate on neutralizing Valencia and they did a credible job there.

The other point of contention was playing Scholes, Giggs and Neville in the same game from the start. In the trio, we had 3 really calcified players trying to run their socks off. As much as I dislike Carrick, I thought having him in the game would have helped matters. As history has shown, for some inexplicable reason, Carrick always has his superman games against them.

This loss has to be on Ferguson. Bad game, bad decisions.