Still Following the Trawler

What the papers said... Mark Ogden, The Telegraph 'If they are looking for a new white-knuckle ride to tempt adrenaline junkies to Blackpool Pleasure Beach, they should call it the Manchester United Experience and warn of being left dazed and confused before an unexpected late twist. Nobody does late drama quite like Sir Alex Ferguson’s league leaders. From Turin to Barcelona and now Blackpool, United have displayed a remarkable ability to pull something from the fire when it appears most unlikely. ...The pendulum began to swing United’s favour on 72 minutes, when Berbatov gave United a foothold by volleying in Darren Fletcher’s cross from two yards. It gave United belief and injected fear into Blackpool and the visitors capitalised further when Hernandez sprung the offside trap to receive Giggs’s pass before beating Kingson with a clinical finish from 18 yards. A third United goal seemed inevitable, but their progress was halted when the game was stopped for several minutes in ord

Good. Lindegaard and Owen. Any encounter against a team sitting 47 places below us is never exactly going to have a big game tag attached to it (well, not for any rational United fan anyway). But a place in the starting line-up was a fairly hefty challenge for two players in particular. It was great seeing self-proclaimed biggest United fan in the world Lindegaard finally taking his place between the sticks, but given the lack of threat that was predictably provided from the home side - and with our defence just about able to handle the the overexcited Southampton frontline from causing too much damage - you knew it was always going to be a quiet one for him. As for Owen, in only his fourth start of this injury plagued campaign, it was a real opportunity to stake a claim as Uniteds...erm...fourth choice striker. But seriously, with Rooney going off the boil and Berbatov and Chico impressing time and time again, Owen needs to take his chance when he's handed it. And that he did. Wi

...We'll never die! We'll never die! We'll never die! We'll keep the Red Flag flying high! Cos Man United will never die!! Blackpool     - 2 (Cathcart 15, Campbell 43) Man United - 3 (Hernandez 74, Berbatov 72, 88)

Head-to-head A United vs. Blackpool game hasn’t happened since the 1974/75 season, when both teams were in the second tier. United beat Blackpool 4-0 at home and 3-0 away en route to winning the championship, and promotion back to the top flight. The last top-flight game between the two came in the 1970/71 season. Both games finished 1-1. Blackpool The home side have lost four of their last five league games – and five of the last six in all competitions. Blackpool have scored and conceded in all of their home matches this season. DJ Campbell has scored five goals in his last six Blackpool appearances. Manchester United At the same stage of the season, United are four points short of Arsenal's ‘invincible’s’ squad of 2003/04. We are on 13 wins and nine draws from 22 games (48 points), compared with Arsenal’s 15 wins and seven draws (52). We’ve now gone 27 Premier League matches without losing, only two matches short of our record 29 game unbeaten run between December 1998 and Octob

Top (yet dissapointingly 'lazy') blogger Rossobianchi  has written a crafty little piece for the Oval Log  about United's average yet potentially 'invincible' season. So much did I enjoy the read that I thought I should point you, my dedicated readers in the right direction too. Enjoy! Manchester United: The (Possible) Season of Being Average, Yet Invincible

Good. Berbatov has scored more hattricks this season than Rooney has goals! Yesterday we undoubtedly saw the best of Berbatov. In fact, we truly saw a brilliant, all round, professional footballing performance - one that, if I might be so bold, you would commonly associate with a little Argentinian knocking the ball about in Catalonia. Against Birmingham, we saw a player acting as a poacher (his first goal), magician (second), grafter (Giggs' goal) and out-and-out striker (the hattrick). A truly flawless display from an often flawed genius. Our third goal. To merely mention it in passing as I did in the previous point is utterly disrespectful to its quality. The link up play between Berbatov and Rooney, the quality of Rooney's pass and the finish from 57 year old Giggs was just stunning. Say what you like about United's lack of quality this season - I know I have - but a goal like that displays nothing less than a coherant, united side full of desire and sheer class that

Let's not deny it: we had to fight for the point. We've had some truly glorious days/weekends this season where certain results have nicely gone our way. And after a Saturday where not a single result went in our favour - just to remind you, Citeh narrowly beat Wolves 4-3, Chelski narrowly beat Blackburn 2-0 and Arsenal...erm...narrowly beat West Ham 3-0 - we knew a win at the Lane was crucial. However after a sporadic periods in the middle of each half where Spurs were more than dangerous on the attack, especially considering later events regarding our diminished side, I think the draw was greatly appreciated. Don't you agree? Tottenham are frightening offensively. And it wasn't just on the left. In fact, their best chance - and probably the game's best chance - fell to Crouch, who tried his hardest to not score, after some slick movement and a peach of a final ball from Hutton down the right. Sure, Bale caused Nani/Rafael/Rio a couple of problems (nothing they cou

3 Key Points after victory in the cup Beating Liverpool is always good. Beating 'em on King Kenne's return is better...but beating them en route to the next round of a cup competition we haven't won for six seasons while ruining their big day and supposedly season-changing replacement of manager is just exceptional. The game was nothing to shout about and the scoreline well and truly represented that, but the manner in which that solitary goal came and the consequent controversy that followed eradicates every bit of logic relating to our victory. What do I mean? We beat them. Didn't annihilate them. But a United win it was good and proper. However ask any Scouse twat or ignorant pundit and they'll tell you ' Webb gave United victory cos Berbatov dived '. Boring. Dalglish has done, and will do, nothing to improve Liverpool this season. Thankfully due to the lazy nature of my blogging habits, I have two extra bits of information to back up my point. 1) midwe

Liverpool fringe player Ryan Babel has deservedly been charged after his team were shite against United at Old Trafford, Howard Webb gave United a penalty after seeing Berbatov go down under a heavy challenge from behind by Agger and he thought it would be hilarious and utterly righteous of himself to post this up on Twitter: What's the point, Ryan? A moment of idiocy by jumping on the bandwagon of all those ignorant, hate-filled moronic football fans has cost you the respect of your peers, manager and Mr. Webb himself. All there is to do now is is send a heartened plea to any player next playing against Liverpool when Webb's refereeing: wherever Babel is on the field, even if he's on the bench, run into him, fall to the ground and scream 'rape'. A penalty, sending off and life-time ban is sure to follow. Ta ra!

WO its been a while! Since the last time I blogged: United beat Stoke without playing well and without a sniff of controversy that apparently  solely contributed to our victory at West Brom . United have the greatest Wednesday night of all time without even playing, with defeats for Chelsea , Liverpool  and Spurs  as well as a draw between Arsenal and Citeh contributing. Something happened in the world of cricket. No idea what. Beckham says for the millionth time that he would never sign for a Premier League team if it wasn't United. Beckham signs for Tottenham. 'Arry's frilled. Beckham ends up only training with Tottenham . 'Arry's perplexed like. Scousers drop Woy. Scousers sign King Kenne, 20 years after deciding he wasn't good enough to manage them. United beat Scousers without playing well and with every sniff of controversy that apparently solely contributed to our victory at West Brom. Here's the reaction from the Stoke game: The Guardian, Daniel Tay

Kiko Macheda has turned down an offer from his second favourite club, Aston Villa, to go back to Italy for the rest of the season instead - with Sampdoria . Using fellow loanee Wellbeck as the benchmark - who has impressed at Sunderland this season, scoring six and deservedly earning a place in an expensive, experienced strike-force contain Darren Bent and Asamoah Gyan - Ferguson hopes Macheda will learn and improve from his time away from Old Trafford. Best of luck Kiko!

Hernandez's 8th goal of the season on 75 minutes gives United our second away win of the season. Good. It's that time again... Chico time! Yep, that's right, the little Mexican green garden vegetable, who I'm sure you've noticed has been out of the limelight for a while now as Fergie insists upon  partnering   Rooney with Berbs (as an adamant show of faith rather than a favouring of form), once again did his best Ole impression and saved our arses again. Wazza's off the mark. SAF probably took it a bit too far and in the process fooled noone by calling Rooney's performance 'world class'  against West Brom, but at least he's finally decided the right thing to do after moaning his way into a new contract is to actually start hitting the net. I somehow can't see him repeating 26 league goals this season (w ith only two goals in 11 league appearances so far) , but it's a start. Still unbeaten - and still capitalising on the bad results of ot