I scouted the net and found this video on Fliggo, posted by a user 'molzit'. It's the highlights of the West Ham game, and I thought I'll post it here for everyone to see the delightful piece of skill by Berbatov in creating the second goal. The video is not totally in English, but I'm too lazy to go looking for one so you'd have to make do with this one.
The second goal occurs around 57 seconds into the video. Watch and admire.
Manchester United 2 - West Ham 0
Scorers
Manchester United: Ronaldo (13, 30)
Team: Kuszczak, Rio, Vidic, Rafael (Neville 80), Evra, Fletcher (Carrick 70) , Anderson, Nani (Rooney 70), Tevez, Berbatov
Feguson rung in the changes, bringing in Kuszczak (damn...that's one of the hardest names to spell), Rafael, Anderson, Nani and Tevez into the starting lineup. Notthat the previous lineup in the weekend was playing poorly, it's just part of the rotation process to keep the players on their toes and keep them involved.
Before the game started, Ronaldo and Rio received their awards for being in FifPro's team of the year. Ronaldo was honoured with a ridiculously gleaming trophy for being the player of the year. I have to admit it's really a sweet piece of silverware and I couldn't take my eyes off it. I wonder if there's any place selling a replica of it.....
Anyway the newly crowned FifPro player of the year struck twice in the first half to give United the win. This time there was no let down in the second half.
Right from the off, Nani was proving himself a constant threat down the left flank. Everything good that came in the first half was provided by him.
He provided the telling pass to Ronaldo to open the scoring in the 13th minute.
Berbatov then created the second with a piece of outrageous magic, turning his defender on the byline, then flicking the ball past the same defender, before squaring it for Ronaldo to add the second. The goal was a simple tap in but the build up was simply marvelous.
As the story goes, it could have been more. Tevez was rusty as hell from sitting on the bench for the past few games, and it showed. He could have added a couple but lacked the sharpness. It may take a few games to regain it, but with Rooney, Ronaldo and Berbatov in splendid form, he might not have the time.
We did somewhat take the foot off the pedal in the second half. Partly was due to West Ham playing much better and partly was from complacency on our part. I was particularly disappointed with Anderson. He was sloppy with possession and gave the ball away a few times trying to pick teammates with difficult passes.
Nani too had faded after he switched flanks with Ronaldo and Tevez continued trying without really shaking the rust off. Despite all that, we were mostly coping with what West Ham could throw at us.
In the end it was more comfortable than the scoreline suggested. We had already won the game in the first half.
I expect the rotations to continue at the weekend when we entertain the surprise package Hull City. I fully expect another victory to leapfrog them.
Everton 1 - Manchester United 1
Scorers
Everton: Fellaini (63)
Manchester United: Fletcher (21)
Team: Van der Sar, Rio, Vidic, Brown, Evra, Fletcher (Tevez 78), Giggs, Park (Anderson 67), Ronaldo, Rooney (Nani 71), Berbatov
Stupid computer chose today to go down on me that's why I'm up at 3 freaking am, typing this. Good thing it's not something a good hard kick can't fix.
This was just an incredibly frustrating game to watch. I was literally foaming at the mouth by the end of the second half. There were so many stupid stupid decisions taken in the game that it's really mindboggling what goes on in Ferguson's mind when the match is being played.
We comprehensively dominated the first half and really should have put a miserable looking Everton to the sword. Giggs and Fletcher were outstanding, and it wasn't really much of a surprise that the two combined for the opener.
Giggs' thru ball was controlled expertly by Fletcher and his shot found the back of the net in the 21st minute. There was a touch of class and plenty to be admired in the way it was scored.
Everything was going our way and we really should have made the result beyond doubt. But the ball is round and it doesn't always go our way. That's really fine, and I wasn't complaining at that point. We were leading going into the half and it's been a stroll in the park so far.
'So far' were the key words. Everton came storming back in the second half. They got physical and we couldn't cope. Fletcher was literally overworked, doing the job of all four midfielders. Park and Giggs were outmuscled and Ronaldo was just shameful. He took every opportunity to dive, pout and whine. It seems like good Ronaldo is gone and we have to put up with this arsehole until he realises he's not bigger than the team or until Real Madrid grow some balls and actually pay some decent dough.
I was practically screaming at the wide screen TV in the coffeshop for a substitution. It was obvious after just only 10 minutes into the second half, things were falling apart, and falling apart fast!
Phil Neville then lost alot of my goodwill when he threatened to turn the game on its head by lunging in wildly at Ronaldo. True, it was a bad challenge but it didn't deserve the performance by Ronaldo, wringing on the ground as if he was shot by a sniper. And he wasn't even doing it right. I have a football mate who does it perfectly, maybe I should introduce them. Just awfully despicable of Ronaldo to try to make more of what it actually was. Both set of players came together and angry words were exchanged. Thankfully common sense prevailed and it stopped at that.
Everton took the lead shortly after. Phil Neville's cross was met by Fellaini and Everton equalized.
Everton almost took the lead a couple of times when Brown, Rio and Vidic played like nervous school girls going for their first prom. Rio and Brown gave the ball away in dangerous positions and if not for Van der Sar, we would have returned empty-handed instead of the solitary point.
Ferguson's decision making was pathetic. It was clear the direction the game was going and changes should and could have been made earlier instead of responding and reacting to what has already happened on the pitch. He brough on Anderson in response to the equalizer but didn't remove Giggs from the game. Giggs was practically a pedestrian. Whenever he got the ball, we were moving one step forward and two steps back.
Rooney then tried his hand at crowd control when he started kissing the United crest on his chest. Just quite what he was trying to achieve, besides inciting a riot, was totally beyond me. Totally stupid. If there was one thing Ferguson did right today, it was removing Rooney from the game immediately, before WWIII broke out.
As time started to whittle away, Tevez was brought on too late. What has Tevez done to get into Ferguson's doghouse is again beyond me. He should've at least been on at the same time with Anderson to have some impact.
All in all, this was a game we should have won comfortably. Instead of being proactive, we became reactive, and that resulted in a poor draw. The problem stemmed from management down to the players.
And Ronaldo needs to sit. He's getting too big for his boots.
