Showing The Way Forward: Manchester United 3 - West Bromwich Albion 0

photo by David Salafia	via PhotoRee

David Moyes rolled out perhaps his best starting lineup for his club's trip to The Hawthorns and was rewarded with a 3-0 victory on Saturday afternoon.  Although the final scoreline suggested a leisurely stroll in the park, the Red Devils did not pick up the game's pace until after the hour mark had passed.  With Danny Welbeck replacing a frustrated Robin van Persie, the visitors' attack picked up speed and momentum, as space opened on the pitch for the first time all afternoon.  Wayne Rooney and Welbeck both provided late scores to complement Phil Jones' header before the interval, but it was Rafael Da Silva, United's attacking right back, who showed his teammates the way forward all afternoon long.

Herewith, the individual player ratings for a game that will quiet the critics, at least for a week's time:   

De Gea: Little to do until late, resulting in another shutout. 7.0

Rafael: The return of some attacking panache: denied by a fine Ben Foster save but offered a well-aimed cross for Rooney to put the game on ice. A Man of the Match performance from the Brazilian. 8.5

Jones: Shaky beginning before heading home prior to the interval. Crunching tackles delivered with youthful exuberance. 7.0

Smalling: Displayed an unexpected ability to make up ground. 6.5

Evra: Beaten too easily. 6.0

Carrick: Solid outing; paired well with his Belgian counterpart.  6.5

Fellaini: Played a holding role and provided a target for set pieces. Displaying an increasing steadiness in his new role. 7.5

Mata: His talents are wasted on the wing, although he did contribute a fine defensive clearance. 7.0

Relief: Manchester United 1 - Shakhtar Donetsk 0 -- Game Recap and Player Ratings

Photo by Charlie Phillips on Flickr

The relief was palpable at Old Trafford when Phil Jones volleyed the ball into the net, the act breaking not only a more than five hour scoreless streak but sending Manchester United into the Champions League knockout stage as the top seed from Group A.  Jones' goal was a standout moment in a game that featured little to be happy about for the home side, as poor ball control and numerous defensive mistakes clouded much of the Red Devils' gameplan; but for the shooting inaccuracy of the visitors from Ukraine, the result could have easily gone the other way. 

Although Manager David Moyes will undoubtedly be buoyed by the victory, the display prompted as many questions as it did answers, and will leave the Red Devils with numerous problems to sort out in order to get their season back on track.  Herewith, the frank and honest individual player ratings from a much needed home win:

 

De Gea: Was aided by the visitors' less-than-accurate shooting. 6.0

Rafael: Decent night defensively. 5.5

Ferdinand: Nearly cost his teammates dearly when he was beaten badly by Alex Teixeira. Bailed out more than once by Jonny Evans. Is this the end? 3.5

Evans: Covered for Rio Ferdinand on numerous occasions. Looked solid defensively, but appears increasingly uncomfortable in possession.  5.0

 

Büttner: Unable to deliver an accurate cross and too easily dispossessed of the ball. 3.5

 

Young: Failed on delivery from the corner and managed to miss both an open net and a wide open Rooney when the goal was begging before the interval. Roy Keane's 'Just not good enough' comment summed it up nicely. 3.5

Giggs: Completely overrun in midfield, left acres of open space in front and behind him. Not his night. 4.0

Flat Track Bullies Exposed? Manchester United 1 - Arsenal 0 -- Game Recap and Player Ratings

Photo by Boom Boom! Revolution on Flickr

Robin Van Persie's 28th minute header provided Manchester United with all the margin it needed as the home side rode the crowd's energy to a crucial 1-0 victory over league-leading Arsenal at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon.  Prior to the game the team's Captain, central defender Nemanja Vidic, had asked his teammates to produce a 'statement' victory, one that testified to the Club's title credentials in a season that has seen its share of ups and downs in the early going. Although he was badly shaken up in a collision with his own goalkeeper at the end of the first half, Vidic evidently received the performance he was looking for, as Wayne Rooney and Phil Jones in particular turned in inspired shifts on their way to victory. 

Although Arsenal looked lively and controlled much of the game's second half, the Red Devils successfully dulled the visitors' cutting edge, holding the Gunners scoreless for the first time this season.  Herewith, our ratings on the individual performances from a victory that saw the Reds gain ground on virtually all of their title rivals: 

De Gea: Nothing to do in the first half bar a punch or two. Busier in the second half but never truly threatened. 7.0

Smalling: Displaying good hustle and intensity on the right, the Englishman worked hard to stretch the Arsenal defense. Had a real chance to put Van Persie's free kick in the net but finished like the center half he is. 6.5

Evans: Read the game well and used his body to make a number of key blocks. 7.0

Vidic: Knocked nearly unconscious upon colliding with his own 'keeper after overseeing a very quiet first half. Departed at the interval. 7.0

Evra: Game plan involved lots of crossing from the left flank but the Frenchman needed to hustle back more on defense. 6.0

Valencia: Looked strong and committed in the air.  Worked his socks off but still lacks the ability to produce a consistently reliable cross. 6.0

Jones: Gritty performance in midfield but tried to do too much on the dribble. Clash of heads with Sczcesny produced an inexplicable yellow from the referee. Broke up play exceptionally well, and was badly missed in midfield when switched to center back. Beginning to come into his own? 8.5

Carrick: A calming presence in the middle, but was unable to dictate the game when Jones was moved back to defense. 6.0

Heart-less: Manchester City 2 - Manchester United 1

Photo by haven't the slightest on Flickr

 

Manchester United continued their late spring swoon, falling at home for only the second time this season in a 2-1 derby day loss to cross-town rivals Manchester City.  Although the Citizens' win moved them three points closer to the top-of-the-table Reds, more concerning for Sir Alex will be the heartless display turned in by his side, who have been seemingly unable to recover from the defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League quarterfinal over a month ago.  Although United showed a brief bit of fighting spirit to pull back level early in the game's second half, the home side  were largely complacent for much of the contest, and few of those watching will deny that City produced much of the game's attacking thrust and -- on the balance of play -- deserved the three points. City's most spectacular effort came from one of the game's smallest combatants, as Sergio Aguero's late wonder strike sealed the derby victory.

 

United began the game with a makeshift defensive lineup, and were almost made to pay for it in the game's early going, but both David Silva's and Carlos Tevez's early efforts were blocked before they were able to inflict permanent damage. It was a wild and wooly opening five minutes, with both teams bursting forward in a veritable track meet of a football match.

Robin Van Persie pulled just wide after being fed the ball by Wayne Rooney inside the box, as the home signaled their own attacking intent. Fifteen minutes in and the scoreboard showed each side with 50% possession -- an accurate indication of the evenhanded nature of the proceedings to that point in time, but one that quickly began to change.

It was City looking the more fluid of the Manchester clubs after the game's first quarter hour, and they were unlucky not to grab the lead near the 20 minute mark, when only Phil Jones' last ditch sliding clearance saved the home side's blushes. The Citizens had their ears -- not to mention the United defense -- pinned back as they pinged the ball around and through the home side's 18 YTD box on multiple occasions, gaining loads of joy on the left hand side of the pitch and looking for a goal to complement their growing advantage in possession -- but while Samir Nasri's shot sailed wide, James Milner's effort contained little venom and was handled easily by United 'keeper David De Gea.

While City maintained possession, it was Silva who caused the most problems with his jitterbugging style of attack. For their part, the home side relied on relatively infrequent opportunities to spring the counterattack during a first half in which they were unable to create any real opportunities -- bar a late Rafael toe poke which clanged off the goal's upper corner. What the game lacked in scoring as the teams went to the locker rooms, though, it made up for in intensity, as referee Mike Dean was forced to go frequently to his pocket -- showing a yellow card to Silva, Rooney, Giggs and Kompany -- during a feisty 45 minutes of action.

Twitter Feed: Manchester United 2 - Reading 1

Noel Hunt after his collision with Nemanja Vidic
photo by Robbie Howell	via PhotoRee

o It's only a minute in and Reading already look in trouble. Have a feeling this is going to be a very different game from the last time these two teams met....

o Alexander Büttner's got some himself some serious tats

o That's better by Reading. They don't really look a side in the relegation zone

o Vida has a small cut on his eyebrow; Noel Hunt looks as if he was in a car crash.

o Welbeck works incredibly hard around the box; that was great work by Danny to win the ball back

o How in the world did Ashley Young not score there?!

o Speaking of tattoos, Hunt's back is veritable sea of ink

o We've gone off the boil since the early pressure. Still unlucky not to have the lead, though

o Phil Jones limping off is a big loss. Hope he's not hurt too badly

o United are basically down to nine men with Jones exiting, because Ando hasn't run anywhere in about 15 minutes

Hiding in Plain Sight: Manchester United 2 - QPR 1

photo by TakenByTina	via PhotoRee

Sir Alex put out a strong side for United's visit to the capital yesterday, shocking most observers by going with a lineup unchanged from the eleven that beat Wolves just eight days earlier. Manchester United were looking for a victory to put pressure on Manchester City and move into the top spot -- even if just for a couple of hours -- prior to the Christmastime fixture congestion.  The Reds' controlled the match from start to finish, and although the 2-0 final scoreline might imply a tense match, it belied the action on the pitch.  Herewith, the game report from our roving correspondent:

It's an ideal start for the champions, with Wayne Rooney getting just enough onto the end of an Antonio Valencia cross to head it past QPR 'keeper Radek Cerny inside of the game's first minute. Its 1-nil at the outset, but before another 120 seconds can pass -- including the time needed for a brief celebration and re-start -- United threaten goal again, QPR's back line a shambles and Nani picking out Danny Welbeck before Cerny can bail his side out and keep the damage to a minimum.

Rooney, Valencia and Nani look absolutely electric early on, making QPR's defenders appear as if they're back in the Championship. United look bigger, stronger and faster than the home side in the opening quarter hour, like QPR but on steroids.

Rangers' first opportunity of the day comes when Patrice Evra slips and falls near his own box, but luckily for the visitors Jay Bothroyd squanders the gift high over the bar. QPR have come back into the game by the 25 minute mark, although it's United, with the movement of Valencia, Nani and Welbeck, the drive of Rooney and Phil Jones, and the calm assurance of Michael Carrick on the ball, who really catch the eye.

How Jonny Evans misses an open header from directly in front of goal is a question both he and Welbeck will ponder for quite some time, with Welbeck wondering about the missed assist for his hard work in heading the ball over to the central defender, and Evans attempting to determine why he's still not on the score sheet. Jones will soon be thinking along similar lines, put through on goal with only Cerny to beat, but his finish is less than sublime and tipped around the bar by the 'keepers' foot. Ranger's 'keeper is more than up to the task today, and it's Valencia he denies next, somehow tipping the ball wide of goal as he falls to ground.  Evans is cleared off the line and Rooney is forced just wide of net as the Reds continue their tremendous onslaught on the home side's goal.  This is a different United side than we've seen lately, hungry and confident, and looking to take the game straight at the opposition.

Stretched: Manchester United 1 - Aston Villa 0

photo by Dan Zen	via PhotoRee

Manchester United faced off against Aston Villa today needing a victory to keep pace with league leaders Manchester City, as well as chasers Spurs, Arsenal and Chelsea.  The Reds  were hoping that their Dane in goal, Anders Linegaard, paired with Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic, Patrive Evra and Chris Smalling on defense, would bolster a side that has looked less than solid at times this season. Phil Jones kept his place in the lineup, albeit playing midfield this time around, and was accompanied by Ashley Young, Michael Carrick and Nani.  Wayne Rooney and Chicharito played up top to round out the 4-4-2 played by the Champs to open the game.

The contest began ominously enough, with Chicharito twisting his ankle and being carted off on a stretcher inside of 8 minutes. Hernandez's injury was not only worrisome in the context of yesterday's game, but even more so given the injury earlier in the week to Dimitar Berbatov, putting additional strain on the United strike corp that is already producing at a paltry clip. The Mexican was replaced by Antonio Valencia after a 4 minute stoppage, and with main man Wayne Rooney's continued drought in front of goal, United looked as if they would depend more than ever on someone unexpected coming up with the goods to take all three points from the contest.

Although United had considerably more of the early possession,  in keeping with recent form they created very few real chances. Their lack of a cutting edge changed at the 20 minute mark, though, with  Nani teeing up Jones' inaugural League strike, a cross turned into the net by a perfect toe poke, to give the visitors an early 1-nil lead.  Nani tried to double the lead off his head inside of five minutes; although his long range effort was on target, Shay Given denied it rather effortlessly.

The Fountain of Youth

photo by jaci XIII	via PhotoRee

It was youth to the fore for United's contest against Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford last night, as Sir Alex once again fielded the latest crop of Fergie's Fledglings, handing a coveted starting spot to David De Gea, Phil Jones, Jonny Evans, Tom Cleverly, Chris Smalling, and Danny Welbeck, among others.  The Red team on the pitch offered a tantalizing glimpse into the future of the home side, as the average age of the Manchester United starting eleven equaled 23 years, representing the second youngest starting lineup in EPL history.

Spurs veteran coach Harry Redknapp countered with a mix of veteran guile (Brad Friedel and Rafa Van Der Vaart)  and youthful exuberance (Gareth Bale and Jake Livermore), but his midfield attack was lacking its chief engineer, with Luka Modric left back in London due to a serious case of the "Not Rights."

As the Old Trafford crowd has no doubt grown accustomed to over the years, the Reds wasted no time in attacking straight out of the gate, with Danny Welbeck just missing a ball that skidded through the box, and Rooney firing just over Nani's head shortly after the whistle blew. The combination was reversed just a minute later, as Nani connected with Rooney's head, but the focal point of the Red's attack was unable to direct it past Spurs 'keeper Friedel, a longstanding member of the United torture squad. Less than five minutes in and the pace was torrid.

Tom Cleverly tested Friedel after a swift move up the pitch involving Ashley Young and Chris Smalling, but Cleverly was denied from just outside the box, with Friedel once again more than up to the task in tipping the ball wide. United looked sharp, daggers drawn in the game's early going, as tackles flew in from every which angle on defense, and Ashley Young and Nani received the ball wide while streaming down the flanks.

Van Der Vaart gave De Gea a welcoming trip to the EPL, wanting in on the new tradition of beating on the Spanish newcomer, as Van Der Vaart's fellow Dutchman -- the man De Gea replaced -- watched from the stands above. At the other end of the pitch, Phil Jones returned the favor to Tottenham winger Gareth Bale, slicing him down as the Spurs' version of the Welsh Wizard -- poorer, hairier, and nowhere near as bedecked with trophies -- steamed goalward, as if signaling the Londoner's intent on playing themselves back into the contest by the twenty minute mark.

The look of the contest was fixed by this time, featuring United's swiftness down the wings against Spurs' desire to slow things down and move the ball through the middle of the park. United looked lively, with Ashley Young heading just wide among other chances, but seemed to lack just that last bit of quality in the final third of the pitch.

I Want More

photo by ninette_luz	via PhotoRee

Lately I've read a number of tweets and posts on Twitter and various Manchester United websites to the effect that United fans should be more than happy with our activity in the transfer season to date, which at the time of this writing had yielded Phil Jones, Ashley Young and (presumably) David DeGea.  To which I'll add my own voice: I'm happy we've signed a few younger players, and begun the process of replacing the legend who formerly guarded goal, but I won't go so far as to say I'm satisfied.  As I've already tweeted previously, the Jones signing is clearly one for the future, while the Young signing leaves me a bit cold.

The articles I've read basically imply that we as United fans should be more than happy to have "refreshed" our squad -- something that needs to be done to any team, no matter how good they may be.  But to have greater ambitions -- say to knock a certain Barcelona club off their perch -- is too much to ask at the current time.  That we should leave the big money signings to clubs like Real, City, Chelsea and Barca, because it's not the "United" way, and that the only way to ultimately beat those clubs is to strengthen and refresh as we're currently doing.  To be happy with the off-season pick ups so far.

I guess I feel differently.

Transfer Daze

photo by Sophie H Powell	via PhotoRee

"Will he, or won't he" fills the news void: Will Phil Jones sign with United?  Why, he already has!  No he hasn't, there was a last minute snag with Venkys that's holding up the deal. Will Ashley Young sign?  He's getting married this week, and will sign when he comes back.  How about Nani?  He's trade bait for Inter, to be offered in a player-and-cash deal for Wesley Sneijder. Luka's not going anywhere says Harry, but much to Arsene's dismay, Samir is playing footsie with Sir Alex.

I've written about all this transfer nonsense before, but this past week has revealed the truth once more: there's part fact, part fiction, and part pure fantasy and negotiating leverage at play here -- Welcome to Silly Season, in which the fans and "In the Know" pundits play football manager as they critique, criticize and attempt to cajole their teams into action or inaction in the summer transfer market.

In part this happens because something needs to fill the gaping maw that claims the term "news" during the slower summer months. With the hilarious and appropriately-named "Weinergate" hogging the headlines over here in the States, and no League games occurring to grab a true fan's attention, rumor and speculation suffice just fine. So to add to the witches brew of speculation, fact and opinion, I'll add a few thoughts of my own to the mix: