Still Following the Trawler

Bottom line: we were better and scored more goals, therefore we won. I can already picture tomorrow morning's back pages, with sentences comprising words such as 'lucky', 'unlucky' and 'wonder-strike', backed with images of Arshavin ( a) scoring his goal, and b) falling over in the box) and the stroppy, yet surprisingly hilarious, Wenger. As much as this constant bullshit slating of everything United (because their good) shouldn't annoy me after all this time, it always does. I know it doesn't mean a thing when the headlines, news stories (i.e. lies) and grade-A United-bashing opinion columns ( Brian Reade in the Mirror surely being the biggest twat of all) are lined up alongside all my years of glory and eternal Mancunian bragging rights (regardless of how well they do in their attempt at buying the domestic treble this season). But, unfortunately, a sniff of controversy in a United win always turns out to be a traversty and horrible injustice. The

Liverpool 1 - 3 Villa. I was cu rious as to how this one was going to go down across the country, especially that undoubtedly glum pocket around Merseyside. Excuses? Villa sat in front of the goal for 90 minutes? Or just the usual down-playing of such a shock result because it's 'early days' (just as we were lucky to hide behind last Wednesday)? Or hows about none of the above, as not even the fat, angry waiter can shy away from this one... "Benite z's body language was downbeat as he repeated the complaints he made about Liverpool in their defeat at Spurs - too careless in possession, lacking in precision. All words that once again drew attention to t he Xabi Alonso-sized hole in L iverpool's team that Alberto Aquilani will be expected to fill when fit. How ironic that Benitez's programme notes went under the banner headline of "Long unbeaten home record shows we're doing right things" when they sprinkled their work with so many wrong thin

Now the instant over-excitement created by a 5-0 win has composed itself back to reality, we should take our first truly positive result of the season and build on the positives while understanding and not undermining the ease at which it was achieved. Birmingham, Burnley (although Manchester United didn’t actually turn up to that one) and Wigan are all ridiculously average, bottom-half sides who we, being the Champions, should comfortably see off rather than achieve 1 good result out of the 3. Of course the overly confident folk will still point out the success that emerges from a slow starting United season, but I fear now the dynamics of the team has regressed (in terms of attacking prowess and flair) due to our Summer loss, we may see some similar patterns to what we are finding now, and that this ‘start’ could in fact drag till May. 5 goals is good any way you look at it, but Wigan – representing the minority of shit teams in our League – were, well, shit. In 5 days time we play

GOOD : Berbatov - Rooney. More specifically, the link up play, with Scholes as well, for Berba's goal which was utter ly special and very promising. Berba, starting the move off with the pass to Rooney, finds space behind the defenders, thus allowing Rooney and Scholes to display a 1-2 passing masterclass. Rooney, showing instinctive vision, knocks it into Scholes's path, who can still pass the ball like Mr.Christ himself, to find Berbatov. Berbatov in generally actually was awesome, tearing up the defence with his typically effortless, deft touch on a few occasions. Lets hope the 2 strikers can mature and develop - individually as well as in terms of a partnership - now that are more central to the teams dynamics. Owen off the mark. Beautiful finish, with the minature Scouser admitting himself that this was definitely the hardest opportunity he's had so far yet was able to put away in brilliant fashion. Well played. The game turned into a tasty little scrap, which was surp

It's still early days, and yes we are the most typical of slow starters, but I know it, you know it, we all know it. All through pre-season, in the Community Shield, against Birmingham on Sunday, and most certainly tonight, we have struggled to be 'United'. You have the money Sir Alex, so heres what we need...spend it wisely on the following: It's obvious that this situation isn't the same as anything that's happened before, because he is NOT Kanchelskis, Ince, Hughes, Stam, Beckham or Ruud - he is Ronaldo. The best player in the world. However, although we have lost him, we have been rewarded kindly so that we can enhance and improve on the void. So please, before it's irreversible (Burnley away?...How many more like this?), replace and respect a world class player by bringing someone in of similar class, stature and value rather than disregarding his ability and importance to the team by not doing so at all. It has to done for the good of the team, so just

If Saturday's opening to the 2009-10 season was anything to go by, we are in for a predictable season: Chelsea getting lucky, Arsenal suprising everyone and Tevez starting on the bench. Going into our game therefore, a rather undemanding home fixture against the leagues new boys, you would happily assume a comfortable thrashing was in-store. However, as our side's shuffling over the summer finally sinks in and starts to take affect, the demands of free-flowing football that are set on our (usually) prolific, entertaining team, must be reduced and re-thought; as yesterday, in our first competetive game since the departure of the golden boy (cos he's well tanned, innit), we clearly missed Ronaldo's creativity as much as we force ourselves to rule this out as merely a tired start to the season (which hopefully it will prove to be). We beat Birmingham 1-0 with a well worked Rooney goal (a tap-in after he knocked in his rebounded header), yet with the posession we had and ge

My seat... My view...

Well I wonder what all those cocky Kopites, rubbing there hands with delight and prematurely eyeing up a 1st title in 20 years after news broke of Ronaldo leaving, must be thinking now. Alonso to Madrid. Brilliant!...Not a good feeling to raped by Real, is it? But no doubt, every Scouser - in denial that this is a bad move and not wanting to voice their concerns or panic over this exit - will be super-rapid to state the positives: a) They've made a healthy profit on a player they bought for £11million and got 5 seasons of good football out of, b) He's 27 . £30million is alot for a player that age. c) ...nothing. There is NOTHING else good or beneficial to the team's 'oh so close' efforts last year. Benitez should be adding to their almost solid, fluid team. Because that was, and will STILL be the difference this season: they are merely a team who challenge. We are a world-class squad who win. Johnson at right-back - a great signing, who I've talked of before

Well, well...how splendidly uneventful things have been in the closing weeks of the summer for our little Northern club, considering we should be on the most exciting spending spree of our lives. Not only have I been unable to blog recently as I'm currently in Cyprus sweating like a bitch and trying to look as glorious as this: ...but I have generally been so uninspired that I've found nothing of interest to talk about (thus giving me plentiful time to work on the tan). What's been going on? The most hectic (fixture-wise) pre-season I can ever remember: having played 7 games so far, and still to come is Valencia at home on Friday and, of course, the epic Charitable for the Community Shield on the 9th. Admitedly I havn't seen all the friendlies as I've split my time between working to pay for my season ticket (= proper fan) and standing around by the pool in Cyprus, like this: ...but from what I gather it's a bit of a mash-up of opinions. The goals, of which I