Waking Up the Echoes: Manchester United 3 - Olympiacos 0

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Playing as if suddenly awoken from a long slumber, and showing grit, passion and incisiveness for virtually the first time in this nightmarish season, Manchester United rebounded from a dour 2-0 first leg defeat to knock Greek side Olympiacos out of the Champions League on Wednesday night.  The 3-0 victory in front of the home fans revived the many European memories this storied club holds in its vaults, with tonight's circumstances and result most closely approximating United's famous comeback against Barcelona nearly 30 years ago. 

Led by a Robin Van Persie hat trick, and inspirational play from Wayne Rooney, Ryan Giggs and Antonio Valencia, the Red Devils' offense was not the only storyline to emerge from the pulsating encounter; rather, it was David De Gea's stunning work in between the posts that saved the team from disaster on several occasions, the Spaniard staking his legitimate claim to world's best with his performance -- a position he no doubt holds in the hearts of any true United supporter after yet another otherworldly outing.

 

Although the predictable reaction in the twitter-verse was to greet the evening's victory as "saving" the manager's job, and even more so as a game that could well represent a "turnaround" in United's quagmire of a season, instead the victory should be savored for what it truly was: a win for the home crowd, and a game that woke up the echoes reverberating throughout the stadium from the clubs' legendary European past.

 

Herewith, the individual player ratings on a rare night to be enjoyed from this season:

De Gea: Stunning, instinctive saves both before and after the break: a stone wall that kept his team alive.  Man of the Match: 9.5

Rafael: Confident, decent defensive performance tonight. 8.0

Jones: Solid at the back.  7.5

Ferdinand: Did just enough to put off Olympiacos.  7.5

Evra: Nearly scored on a header before the break, but caught out repeatedly on defense and became a bigger and bigger liability as the game wore on. 5.5

Valencia: Targeted early for physical treatment and hammered repeatedly. Played one-eyed for most of the contest, and put in one hell of a shift.  8.0

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

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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

The Debut: Manchester United 2 - Cardiff City 0 -- Game Recap and Player Ratings

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Juan Mata made his Manchester United debut Tuesday night, but it was Robin Van Persie hogging the headlines as the Dutchman got off the mark early to lead the home side to a relatively comfortable 2-0 win over Cardiff City at Old Trafford. Ashley Young bagged the second goal of the evening to put the contest comfortably beyond the Bluebird's reach in the second half. Never truly looking threatened on defense -- although definitely appearing confused and slow at times --  United played better than they have in recent weeks, although still far from the fluid heights fans may remember from recent seasons.

Indeed, while it appears that Mata will indeed be a creative spark so desperately needed by the side, the mere fact he was backed by Ryan Giggs and Phil Jones in the engine room speaks to the issues still apparent in the Red Devils' midfield.  Herewith, the individual player ratings for a game that saw the team turn around a string of poor performances in front of the home crowd:  

De Gea: Little to do on either side of the interval; a relative breeze. 7.0

Rafael: Sloppy in possession, but looked decent in attack. 5.5

Smalling: Rose high in the air on numerous occasions. 6.0

Evans: Covered for his teammates and turned in another solid performance. 6.0

Evra (c): A dangerous weapon rampaging down the left, and easily could have had a couple of assists if Mata and Januzaj had scored.  However, the Frenchman was also caught out defensively a number of times. 6.0

Valencia: Hit the bar early when he really should have scored, and was denied by Marshall late in the game. 5.5

Jones: Sat deep for most of the match and came up with a late block. Not terribly convincing. 5.0

Giggs: Unable to influence the match from the middle. 5.0

Young: A great cross to start the game, placed on a virtual platter for Valencia. His goal, the team's second of the evening, was an absolute gem. 7.0

Regret: Manchester United 0 - Real Sociedad 0 -- Game Recap and Player Ratings

David Moyes and his side will likely rue the two points dropped rather than celebrate the single point gained, as Manchester United and Real Sociedad played to a goalless draw in a Champions League Group Stage match played at the Anoeta Stadium in San Sebastian, Spain on Tuesday night. After enduring a largely uneventful opening 45 minutes, fans of both sides were treated to a more open and entertaining game after the break, with United missing on three separate golden opportunities to secure the victory. Javier Hernandez and Robin Van Persie will both be disappointed for misfiring, the Mexican from directly in front of goal and the Dutchman from both open play and the penalty spot. 

A late Marouanne Fellaini foul saw the Belgian shown an early exit for his second yellow card of the evening, although happening as it did in the last minute of regulation the visitors went largely unpunished for their midfielder's excessive fouling. 

Herewith, the individual player ratings for a draw that extends the current unbeaten streak to seven before League leaders Arsenal visit Old Trafford at the weekend.

De Gea: Not much to do before half time.  Busier after the break but never really tested. 7.0

Smalling: Still struggled to convince at right back, and strangely for his size, was beaten in the air a number of times. 6.5

Ferdinand: Never under real pressure. 7.0

Vidic: Good distribution from the back today and showed that his recovery pace is still there. 7.5

Evra: Saw lots of the ball in the offensive end of the pitch but found little joy. 6.0

Valencia: Carried the ball forward, but was unable to translate the possession into opportunity. 6.0

Fellaini: More involved this game and showed some prowess the the air. Broke up play with his physicality but got caught in possession a number of times. Played in constant danger of being shown a second yellow for accumulated fouls; thankfully he lasted until the 90th minute before being shown the door. 6.0

Hope

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As a long-time Spurs fan, one thing Ed has in abundance is hope:

At the end of the day, neither Spurs nor Chelsea should be happy about their 1 - 1 draw this past weekend. Spurs shouldn't be pleased because they missed several other good opportunities to win, including Gylfi Sigurdsson's close call near the end of the game. But more importantly, Spurs looked very second-tier in the second half and were happy just to hang on. As I said prior, this game was big for Spurs because they needed to show they could beat teams like Chelsea, not merely pull out a draw at home. They must somehow aim and reach higher or I fear even fourth place all be tougher to land than might seem the case right now.

As for Chelsea, they allowed themselves to be dominated for a half of the game by a side that should be substantially below them. Sure, they pulled out a draw and looked the better team in the second half, but if they were that much better why should they be satisfied with a draw?  If Chelsea are intent on winning the league -- which they are -- a draw at Spurs just shouldn't be enough.

By the way, it was me (and AVB) who questioned Gylfi's spot in the lineup. The last few weeks he has showed me to be completely wrong and has been a creative and goalscoring force from the left. Moussa Dembele also looked the part against Chelsea beating no less than 8 players off the dribble. Paulinho, however, looked less than impressive. Similarly Roberto Soldado, who just hasn't shown much of anything since joining Spurs. We can only hope he improves as Spurs need a finisher who, well, finishes!

# # #

Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge were fun to watch this weekend with their quick but purposeful play. Sturridge has always had the athletic ability, but now he seems very sure of himself. This confident keeps him from rush decisions, and as of now he always looks to have time on the ball. Suarez has picked up his jail break frantic style. He's an impossible player to like, but he is definitely dangerous.

Perhaps most interesting about Liverpool is that they don't even try to play the tiki-taka style that Rodgers used at Swansea. With Steven Gerrard as a holder that's frankly impossible. Stevie G is the kind of the long cross field one touch pass. He's not going to keep swiveling and moving it backwards and sideways. But Kudo's to Rodgers in not forcing something that isn't there. The tiki-taka style is more than half personnel; Liverpool don't have those kind of players, but the kind they do have are pretty good.

# # #

Last year as Manchester United ran the table we used to joke that they were a mid-table team without Van Persie. Well, Van Persie has cooled and, predictably, gotten injured, and United looks very much the mid-table team. David Moyes was criticized on this site for stating that they don't have enough top-tier players to win the Champions League. I suspect the Special One wouldn't be criticized for saying the same thing. Plus, Moyes is right. The mystery at United isn't so much why they fell to 12th place as it is why so many formerly elite players look so mediocre these days. What exactly happened to Nani and Antonio Valencia? Even Ashley Young looks bad these days. In fact, only Wayne Rooney and RVP appear to be top tier talent. That should be enough to win a lot of games in the BPL -- presuming RVP isn't hurt -- but won't be enough to win in Europe.

Obsequious Fawning: Week 1 in the Barclay's Premier League

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Week one is in the bag, and farlieonfootie's regularly insightful and often irrelevant insights on the Premier League are back for your reading pleasure:

o Don't know about you, but we were left scratching our collective heads over the style of football that Sparky is attempting to play at Stoke City....  If "no possession and relatively few chances" are what the Potters' owners had in mind when they sacked Tony Pulis in search of a new footballing identity, then we guess they're well on track.

o After watching Sunderland lose at home to Fulham this Saturday, we're wondering if Jozy Altidore will live to regret his move from the Eredivisie to the Prem.  Racking up 30 goals a season will give a striker some confidence, and Jozy's recent play for the US National Team has shown that he was positively coursing with self assurance after his year in Holland. But playing for a Sunderland side that looks as if they could be relegation fodder could have a belief-sapping effect on the young American. Only time will tell, but we're already watching.

o And speaking of Jozy Altidore, his former employer -- the Hull City Tigers, for those paying attention -- were playing the role of sacrificial lambs for the love-in that was Jose Mourinho's to Stamford Bridge on Sunday. Looking more toothless than tiger-ish, Hull City showed the drastic gap in talent that often exists between the top teams in the League and those coming up from below.  And Steve Bruce, with his embarassingly obsequious fawning over the 'Happy One,' has just demonstrated once again that all great players do not turn out to make great managers. It's gonna be a long year at Hull.

Player Ratings: Manchester United 4 - Swansea City 1

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A rather complete performance from the visitors, winning comfortably at the Liberty Stadium in Swansea to inaugurate the David Moyes era at Manchester United.  Some brief thoughts on the individual performances in what was a comprehensive team victory:

De Gea: Not much to do in the first half, nor much he could have done on Bony's late goal.  Solid 8.0

Evra: Caught ball watching early but looked positive going forward 7.0

Ferdinand: Positionally excellent, veteran led from the back 7.5

Vidic: Won the aerial battle, cleaned up messes well 8.0

Jones: Decent performance in not his favorite spot on the pitch. Mr. Utility 7.0

Carrick: Not his best effort by any means, but steady as she goes 7.5

Cleverley: Relatively anonymous performance in midfield 7.0

Giggs: Two early misses and multiple turnovers showed his age, but still managed to provide for the game's first goal 6.5

Valencia: Laid ball on a platter for Welbeck's goal 7.0

Welbeck: Broke his duck early and added a stunning second goal late on, but messing about in the defensive end led to an opening for the Swans 8.5

The Song Remains the Same: Manchester United 2 - Wigan 0

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The manager may have changed, but the result remained the same: Manchester United picked up yet another piece of hardware on Sunday, earning the first trophy of the David Moyes era by defeating Wigan 2-0 in the Community Shield. Played in front of a largely pro-United crowd at London's Wembley Stadium on a sunny late-August afternoon, the Red Devils rode Robin Van Persie's twin strikes, bookended by the half, to a wholly expected victory over their recently relegated opponents.

With the background of the club's riff with wantaway striker Wayne Rooney still simmering along, it didn't take long for Van Persie to remind the Red Devil faithful of who now holds the title of top dog, heading Patrice Evra's cross beyond the reach of Wigan goalkeeper Scott Carson to hand United a 1-0 lead within six minutes of the opening whistle. It was the perfect start for the Flying Dutchman, who began the move by spreading the ball out wide to the Red's left back before executing the finishing blow himself.

Wilfried Zaha looked lively as the United midfield bossed the game early on, although the Mancunians' early joy was momentarily dimmed when Rafael was forced off through injury after only 15 minutes. Gradually, Wigan began to press the ball a bit higher up the pitch and United slowed their tempo; the result, unsurprisingly, was the air going out of the attacking play and the crowd growing ever more hushed, impatient for more a bit more excitement on their big day out.

James McClean fizzed the ball along the goal mouth after beating Chris Smalling in the box, but the Wigan midfielder's effort came to naught when no one in blue and white was available to change the direction and tap the ball in. Danny Welbeck's curling effort from just inside the box was parried away by Carson at the other end, but it was the Latics who were beginning to make a greater impression by the time Referee Mark Clattenburg blew the half time whistle.

Getting Fit: Manchester United 5 - Australian League All-Stars 1

David Moyes mixed up the lineup for his second game in charge of Manchester United, swapping six starters from a week ago, although its doubtful that the 85,000 Aussies in attendance at ANZ Stadium on Saturday night noticed much. Staring Lindegaard, Rafael, Jones, Ferdinand, Evra, Giggs, Carrick, Cleverley, Lingard, Zaha, and Welbeck, United faced a lineup of off-season A-League All-Stars in much cooler conditions than in their prior outing, thanks to the mild Sydney winter evening.  

In stark contrast to the torpid performance turned in last weekend, it took leas than 12 minutes for Jesse Lingard to score the first goal of the Moyes era and set United on their way.  When Danny Welbeck tucked away a second on 35 minutes it capped off a half that was dominated by the visitors. Showing considerably more fluidity, speed and decisiveness in front of net, the English champions knocked the ball around with a high degree of confidence -- and few more so than the youngster looking for a call up from the reserve squad, Lingard. 

Dodgy: Manchester United 1 - Arsenal 1

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Two dodgy officiating decisions from Referee Phil Dowd's crew were all that separated Manchester United from leaving the Emirates with three points on Sunday, the Champions held instead to a 1-1 draw in a chippy contest played at The Emirates. On a day which United received a pre-game Guard of Honor from their opponents to commemorate their title winning season, the post-game stories revolved around none other than the man who also dominated the the headlines leading up to the match: United's leading offensive light, and first-time League winner Robin Van Persie.  

It was Theo Walcott, though, who began the day's action and put Arsenal on the board inside of two minutes after an uncharacteristically sloppy midfield giveaway by Van Persie. The Gunners also benefitted mightily from a misjudgment by the line judge, who neglected to spot the Arsenal winger starting his run at least a half yard offside before emerging unscathed in the box and poking the ball under David De Gea's outstretched hands.

Arsenal played the first half on Sunday as if it mattered -- which it did for them, in spades -- while the champions began the game sluggishly, as if still working off their Tuesday morning hangovers. Eleven minutes passed before the visitors found themselves with the ball in the home side's box, and that it ended up high and wide in the stands only added comedic effect to the disastrous opening.

Phil Jones headed wide from Van Persie's cross to create United's initial threat on goal, but the vast majority of the first half was played with the game comfortably under the control of the Gunners' midfield.  The home side denied the visitors time on the ball, and the Reds struggled to feed the ball into their man man -- the yellow card near the half hour mark signifying that Van Persie may have been feeling the heat of a crowd that lustily booed his every touch.  That he was joined by three of his teammates in the referee's book before halftime was another obvious sign of an uncomfortable performance from the visitors.

De Gea was forced to beat away Lucas Podolski's blast as the game began to stretch, but it was United's Flying Dutchman who came even closer to putting the ball in the net -- denied only by Wojciech Sczcesny's face.  If Van Persie had been quiet to this point in the contest, things were rapidly beginning to change.

The scoreline was soon leveled, although the equalizer came only after Jones was off target with his second header of the half. Inevitably, it was Van Persie who did the damage, atoning for his earlier carelessness and scoring from the spot after being scythed down in the box by Bacary Sagna -- the Frenchman compounding his mistake by adding a penalty and a yellow card to an overly casual midfield giveaway.

The Red Carpet: Manchester United Goes Hollywood

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Hollywood's award season may be over and done, but the Championship season accolades are just beginning to come in:

Man For All Seasons: He may have suffered through a late season scoring drought, but no one can deny that he's back on his "A" game now: there can be no other choice for PFA Player of the Year than Manchester United's Robin Van Persie.  Scoring goal after goal in a season full of them, the Dutchman provided an even better-than-expected return on investment in his first year in red.  He may not have been a one man team, but without him this season's title race would have been a whole different kettle of fish.

Red Storm Rising: Woe to all the pundits who wrote off United goalkeeper David De Gea over some part of the past two seasons.  The young Spaniard has bulked up and quietly added several new dimensions to his game.  Already possessing the best reflexes in the football world, and offering pinpoint distribution skills, De Gea has added a strong aerial ability to his game over the last several months.  There'll be no more questions about his readiness to deal with West Ham or Stoke City -- now the only question being asked will be how Sir Alex has managed to do it again: sign one of the brightest rising stars in European football.

Absolutely Electric: Manchester United 3 - Aston Villa 0

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Manchester United celebrated their 20th Premier League title in entertaining style Monday night, thumping Aston Villa 3-0 in front of  home crowd of nearly 76,000 rapturous spectators. Any lingering suspense in the contest disappeared early, and the final score was the result of a barrage of first half goals from none other than United's main man of the season, Dutch forward Robin Van Persie.  The win capped off yet another fine season for the home side with four games still left to play -- and only a record League point haul now left to aim for.

If the mood was celebratory before kickoff, it was ratcheted up another level right at the very outset, as United found themselves on the board with less than two minutes gone: Robin Van Persie finding the back of the net after beautiful interplay involving Wayne Rooney, Antonio Valencia, and Ryan Giggs -- the ball journeying from side to side before ending up in the back of the net. Despite falling behind so quickly, the visitors could have considered themselves fortunate not to be two in the hole when the Dutchman fired just over the bar a minute later, the United attack in full gear, and the atmosphere inside Old Trafford resembling the energy of the team: absolutely electric.

Rafael banged the post in yet another just-miss attack from the soon-to-be-champions, the stadium absolutely buzzing now, as if the home fans had saved up several weeks of frustration and decided to vent it all on their relegation threatened opponents.

Christian Benteke came close to leveling after 11 minutes, reminding those watching of the Villans' ability to counterattack to semi-devastating effect. But any sense the result was somehow hanging in the balance was completely snuffed out in the 13th minute, when Van Persie unloaded a left-footed cannon on the Villa goal in one of the must-see moments of the season: the over-the-shoulder ball coming at Van Persie as he hit the top of the 18 yard box, a picture perfect offering from Wazza that was topped only by the outstanding quality of the Dutchman's finish.

Blow Me: Manchester United 2 - West Ham United 2

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Manchester United drew 2-2 with West Ham in a mid-week trip to Upton Park, salvaging a point on a day when the visiting side played less than their usual best.  Hauling themselves back from two separate deficits, the Reds were unable to take the final step and find a late winner against a physical and determined West Ham United side.  Antonio Valencia and Robin Van Persie matched goals with Ricardo Vaz Te and Mohammed Diame, although it was Andy Carroll’s name that United fans found themselves cursing most after the conclusion of the spirited contest.

The home side began strongly, a not unexpected result amid the cauldron of noise at the Boleyn Ground, with Carroll narrowly skimming the post under gloaming skies.  West Ham passed the ball crisply and ten minutes passed in a blur with the theme of the game not yet apparent, as both sides suffered from turnovers and found themselves unable to impose their respective gameplans.  By the 15 minute mark, though, the theme of the contest was beginnign to come into focus: Matt Jarvis using pace to beat Rio Ferdinand to the end line, and Carroll outleaping his marker to head the ball into the path of Vaz Te’s for the opening goal – the Hammers’ speed and physicality getting the better of a diffident United defensive effort.

The away side seemed to be suffering through the general malaise that has plagued virtually all of their recent games, the end product bedeviled by passing that was not accurate enough, pace not quick enough, and movement not wily enough – through 25 minutes and the ball was still unfamiliar with the gentle caress of West Ham ‘keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen’s hands.

Although Jaaskelainen’s gloves were still unsullied five minutes later, the scoreline was leveled when Shinji Kagawa outplayed the entire West Ham defense to pick out an unmarked Valencia in front of goal, the winger finding himself left with only a tap in for the equalizer.  The goal was the first of the season for the Ecuadorian, and it changed the complexion of the contest: for the first time in the half it was the visitors looking the more fluid of the two sides.  If Sir Alex planned to pull out his famed hairdryer at the interval to castigate a largely uninspired performance, however, the final corner of the half offered him a golden opportunity to warm it up, with the Scot absolutely incandescent at the non-call on Carroll’s dangerous foul on United ‘keeper David De Gea just prior to the whistle.

Marching On: Manchester United 2 - Stoke City 0

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Manchester United took another giant step in their inexorable march toward the 2013 Premier League title, emerging from their Sunday trip to the Britannia Stadium as convincing 2-0 winners over Stoke City. Although a trip to the Potters' grounds has caused many teams to break into a cold sweat in the past, the home side's poor form -- collecting the fewest points in the League since New Year's Day -- meant that United had little to fear from a toothless effort on a blustery day in Stoke.   Michael Carrick scored early and Robin Van Persie broke his two month goal drought late in the contest to momentarily stretch the lead at the top of the table back to 15 points over Manchester City.

Encouraging signs were evident from the beginning for the Reds, who scored on their first attempt of the game, as Michael Carrick toe-poked a failed clearance past Asmir Begovic's outstretched arm and into the net for a 1-nil lead less than five minutes in.  It was another set piece goal in a season full of them for the away side, and one that compounded Stoke's considerable woes: Fortress Britannia is in the process of being transformed into a stronghold in name only, as the home side fall closer and closer to the relegation zone.

The home crowd waited until the ten minute mark to begin showing their displeasure, although it was unclear if they were jeering their own side's poor showing, or United's ability to keep possession for minutes at a time, the ball pinging back and forth and side to side through the away team's lineup.

Events finally veered back toward normality near the twenty minute mark, as Ryan Shotton's long throw in and Robert Huth's header in the box served as stark reminders of the home side's robust challenges and intended gameplan. The physicality seemed to drag United down into the muck and mire, as the brilliant passing display that graced the first 20 minutes of action was a distant memory as the clock hit 30 minutes.

The teams took turns trading fouls before the first bandage came out, an event surprising at the Britannia only in that it appeared on the head of a Stoke player, Andy Wilkinson. By the time first half injury time was blown dead, Stoke had managed to morph into a team of vampires, sucking all the life out of the game and dragging the visitors down to their subterranean lair.

Heart-less: Manchester City 2 - Manchester United 1

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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.

Wipeout: Chelsea 1 - Manchester United 0

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Manchester United lost to Chelsea, 1-0 on Monday, in an FA Cup replay necessitated by Chelsea's remarkable comeback at Old Trafford a couple of weeks back. Denied the industry of Wayne Rooney due to an injury, United's attack sputtered throughout the contest, which was ultimately settled by the classy touch of Chelsea forward Demba Ba. Robin Van Persie missed two golden chances to equalize in the game's closing minutes, the Dutchman's misses mirroring his teammate's wipeout in their shot at  a domestic double.

Ba's goal, which brought a cagey contest to life in early second half, necessitated the dominant theme of the game's final forty five minutes: United attacking and Chelsea looking for opportunities on the counter.  Ultimately, it was the home side who narrowly made their way through to the waiting Manchester City, and United was left to rue the real cause of their removal from the competition: letting a two goal lead at home slip to a second half Blue wave. 

Monday's game began evenly, as both teams felt their way into the match, played at Chelsea's Stamford Bridge grounds. Strangely, it was the home side looking to spread the ball wide in the early going and United attacking to decent effect through the middle of the pitch. It was 12 minutes gone before either side slowed the ball down even a bit, with the game's first quarter of an hour passing by in a relative blur.

The game;s first half had the feel of a European tie, both sides interested in attacking, but not at the expense of leaving their defenders exposed to the full capabilities of the other side's playmakers. Ryan Bertrand was introduced for an injured Ashley Cole on 20 minutes, the regular Chelsea left back the victim of a pulled groin courtesy of Danny Welbeck's pace.

The teams traded attacking spells as the half ground on, although only one true chance was created, Demba Ba requiring David De Gea to show up as the game clock hit thirty minutes. The action began to heat up just a bit over the next fifteen minutes, goalkeepers' attention at a premium, with Nani and Chicharito testing Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech and Eden Hazard and Oscar requiring the United 'keeper's attention at the other.   Although the paucity of real opportunities stood in notable contrast to the last time these two teams met, by the time the players left the pitch at the interval one had the very real sense the second half would be different.

AVB and Me

When Ed Thinks, it's Kind of Like a Nuclear Explosion
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Ed on football, and no, he's not kidding:

On Spurs

I'm starting to think that AVB is reading my posts.

This week against Swansea, after seeing Emmanuel Adebayor miss an easy chance of a great pass from Moussa Dembele, and thereafter create absolutely no chances of his own, he finally pulled him for Jermaine Defoe.  Defoe is ice cold right now, but at least he moves and can control the ball well, and at least he doesn't miss easy sitters.  No player on the team has been more of a disappointment this year than Adebayor.  He's become Spurs' Fernando Torres.  It's time for him to be benched.

Gareth Bale, however, continues to grow and carry the team while playing in the number 10 spot.  His first pass this week to Jan Vertonghen was perfect, as was Vertonghen's control and finish.  Vertonghen is far an away the best Spurs' signing this season, and one wonders if he will be kept away from the top teams in the off season.  Also note to players -- learning to juggle allows for just such control as Vertonghen showed not hat goal.

But returning to Bale, it was nice to see him play passes like that and to distribute so well from the position.  He's clearly capable of doing so, and now he's showing how to do it.  And note to Spurs fans:  it's okay to be carried by a star player.  See, e.g. Manchester United.  Without RVP, they might be mid-table.  Sir Alex's "genius" in this League seems to be getting four top tier strikers and rotating through the one who's the hottest.  How he keeps the ego's in check is the secret -- perhaps his is so big all others wilt in its presence.

Bale's goal was also terrific, where he stole a page from Jermaine Defoe and quick-footed it past Michel Vorm before the keeper knew he was even taking a shot.  The big windup, while self-satisfying and often allowing for a hard shot, is overrated.  The quick release is king for true goal scorers.

The Avengers: Manchester United 1 - Sunderland 0

photo by oseillo	via PhotoRee

Manchester United defeated a dour and dejected Sunderland side in Saturday's early kick off, 1-0, to maintain their 15 point advantage over second place City. Never really threatened, the Red Devils cantered to victory, with the final score belying the ease of the away side's win.  Riding a Sunderland own goal to an early lead, United tidily avenged  their perceived slight from the Sunderland fans in last season's finale.

If the crowd ended the game dejected, they had begun it in a considerably different mood, with bright sunshine greeting both teams as they walked onto the pitch at the aptly named Stadium of Light. Although United had the game's first efforts on target, it was the home side who carried a fair bit of the early pressure, in large part due to mental mistakes from the visitors. Both teams attacked in the early going, with Sunderland pressuring the ball high up the pitch -- a strategy that worked well when going forward but increasingly left the home side exposed at the back.

After their sloppy opening it was the Red Devils who looked the brighter of the two sides -- passing the ball with authority and creating multiple openings in the Black Cats' defense. It was just past the 25 minute mark when the continual pressure finally paid off -- in the form of a Robin Van Persie ball that ended up in the back of the net. Although claimed by the Dutchman, it's unlikely that the Dubious Goals Panel will fail to notice the double deflection that ended with Titus Bramble beating his own 'keeper for the game's opening score.

Jonny Evans replaced an injured Rafael at the game's half hour mark -- the Brazilian fullback having tweaked his groin -- as United's recent embarrassment of riches at the back were reduced by one. Fifteen minutes later, a quiet half ended with both sides marginally disappointed -- the home side for having failed to test United's goal, and the visitors for not having done more with the opportunities they were presented.

Sluggishly Effective: Manchester United 2 - QPR 0

photo by Ben Sutherland	via PhotoRee

It's a sluggish start from the away side on their trip to QPR's Loftus Road home in London, with giveaways and sloppy ball handling the apparent early theme of the afternoon. The home side shows some ambition going forward -- despite their two month home scoring drought -- and their game plan seems to revolve around some muddled combination of midfield whiz Adel Taraabt playing the ball and the rest of the squad attempting to win free kicks at any cost.

Nevertheless, it's United with the first whiff of goal on the afternoon: an Ashley Young swerving free kick, which Nani -- rewarded with a rare start for his match winning performance against Reading last weekend -- fails to direct on target. Minutes later, Chicharito shows Nani how it's done, although his backward flick-on from Young's second cross is easily tipped over the bar by QPR's banana-kitted goalkeeper Julio Cesar.

In truth, it's ugly play from both sides that mark the opening 20 minutes -- until the disjointed stretch of play is wickedly shattered, along with the back of the net, by an absolute screamer of a goal from United's young right fullback, Rafael. A contender for goal of the season, the Brazilian returns Julio Cesar's deflection of Robin Van Persie's effort directly back from whence it came -- and then some -- to hand United a 1-nil lead shortly before the 25 minute mark.

Ten minutes later it's the one and same Rafael clearing a headed QPR corner kick off the line to preserve the lead, and -- after charging half the the length of the pitch with the ball -- steering an inch perfect cross onto the outstretched foot of Van Persie.  The resulting shot is kept out of goal only by a fine save from QPR's top banana.

The goal mouth action is the last of the day for Van Persie, subbed off before halftime for Danny Welbeck, the Dutchman having picked up a knock that will no doubt send the club's legions of fans worldwide into a state bordering on sheer panic. Although Nemanja Vidic nearly doubles the visitors' lead before the half, his headed effort is just wide and leaves the scoreboard reflecting only the sole goal as both teams revert to the warmth of the halftime dressing rooms.

Workmanlike: Manchester United 2 - Everton 0

photo by Banalities	via PhotoRee

It's the home side with the early pressure, as Manchester United welcome a quality Everton side to Old Trafford. Sunday's contest was likely one Sir Alex circled on his personal calendar on the day the schedules were drawn after last year's disastrous 4-4 draw cost the Reds their 20th top flight title. United is energized in the game's early going, neatly personified by old boy Ryan Giggs sprinting down the touchline and young gun Phil Jones busily man-marking the ever dangerous Marouane Fellaini.

Unsurprisingly, it's the Reds with the game's first real opportunity: Robin Van Persie fluffs his opening lines, however, denting the post after faking Tim Howard out of his jock in a move that left the goalmouth begging. But the score does not remain level for more than a few more minutes: RVP makes up for his uncharacteristic miss by squaring the ball to a wide open Ryan Giggs, who batters the post himself but gets a kinder rebound than his Dutch teammate was treated to. The game's opener marks the Welshman's first goal of the Premier League campaign, a statistic that means Giggs has now scored in every single season of the Premier League's existence -- a record that can never be broken.

Although United look dangerous on almost every foray forward, Everton offer stubborn resistance, with midfielder Kevin Mirallas generating several early corner kicks through a show of sheer grit and determination. The Toffees seek to use their height and physicality as weapons to strike the Reds, but in particular Jones, Nemanja Vidic and Jonny Evans appear well up for the challenge.

The visitors seize the initiative after the home side's opener, and Leon Osman offers David De Gea his first real test of the afternoon.  The Spaniard's outstretched arms are equal to the test, however, and Vidic's sacrificial block puts an end to the threat. Everton amps up the pressure after the half hour mark, and it takes a timely intervention from right back Rafael to steer the ball away from the bruising Victor Anichebe and out of harm's way.

United change to more of a counter-attacking style to see out the first half, although RVP is repeatedly flagged for being offside -- until he no longer is. Philip Neville's deep lying position means the Flying Dutchman is onside near stoppage time, and despite valiant efforts by both Everton 'keeper Tim Howard and Center Back Johnny Heitinga, the League's leading scorer is not to be denied, and United's lead bulges along with the back of the net to two goals just before the half.