Still Following the Trawler

Sunday 29th November was geared up to be a good day. After a comfortable and promising display at Fratton Park quietly reminded everyone that we’re still in it (or rather have never been out of it), results yesterday could not only have enhanced the significance of our own result; they would have given a surprisingly encouraging appearance at the top of the league: in the form of a reduced deficit with Chelsea dropping points as well as daylight between Liverpool and a Champions League spot. Failing to observe any positive results domestically, there was always Sky Sports' 3rd derby of the day with the first Barca/Real game of the season that should hopefully do a good job in reminding us all why we love this game so much… Game 1. Everton vs Liverpool. 0-2 With Everton on top for the majority of the game, a point looked likely, even though they found themselves a goal down on 12 minutes. Their resilience in midfield and decent possession play was unable to...

Rooney's first hat-trick of the season and 8th, 9th & 10th goals in the league...although his first in the game was only his first goal for club and country in 11 games. Another win, another much needed +3 on our goal-difference...and another pathetic display by the officials. With the boss banished to the stands for the next three domestic games, he must have known that this would finally be the opportunity for the ref's - spearheaded by their poor, victimised ('unfit') casualty - to get their own back and make a stance in the face of adversity. If you look at how it's gone for us in the few weeks since the Sunderland game, you'll highlight Carragher not getting sent off at Liverpool (last man back, and all), Chelsea's robbed winning goal and the incorrect penalty decisions in our last two European games. OK, we probably should have taken our chances and utilised possession at Stamford Bridge, and we were plain awful at Anfield, but for some ...

News emerged yesterday in The Times suggesting that Ferguson will not spend money in January on another striker; choosing instead to place his faith in the goalscoring of Berbatov to complement Rooney’s. The article was quick to pounce on Ferguson’s rationale; highlighting ignorant yet pivitol stats about Dimitar’s goalscoring: ‘18 goals in 58 games and just five in his past 28 matches for the club.’ They also contradicted their statement by highlighting United’s interest in Ajax’s Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez, again throwing those unavoidable goalscoring stats in an attempt to whet our apetites – 70 goals in 104 appearances – alongside a suggested, cool £45million price tag. It made for interesting and very thoughtful reading, and although I hate to say it, you have to agree that a new striker in the upcoming transfer window, especially a 22-year-old with such an impressive scoring rate, appears to be nothing less than a necesity for our often goalshy side. It is not however a matte...

Another ‘easy’ European night? Ferguson’s team selection suggested it was certainly not the most important European night; giving our eager youths a healthy and much warranted run-out in what should have STILL been a clean victory. As the half progressed we looked more and more threatening; comfortable on the ball and even played on the brink of elegancy with some slick passing, intelligent movement and confident possession from our impressive under-21’s (Wellbeck, Macheda, Gibson, Anderson and Obertan). Even without Rooney, Berbatov et al, this game could have still been easier than expected... Yet, as has been far more consistent than our ‘elegant’ football this season, we were wasteful and unable to competently finish attacking moves. A dangerous tactic yet through our often graceful style and superb, resilient possession from the midfield – with Park and Obertan controlling the play from the wings – this surely rejected any possibility of a goal, or even an attack, from the op...

‘ Old Trafford this is the Theatre of Dreams. Please welcome Everton and the Barclay’s Premier League Champions: Manchester United.’  As these ever potent words echoed across the ground and the boys emerged onto the pitch for the first time in what seemed like ages, my adoration towards ‘proper’ football re-emerged and overtook the actual significance of the game; turning it into a magical, overwhelming occurrence rather than a league game that we were definitely expected to win. I suppose the point I’m making, and the reason behind my excitement towards this occasion (that’s right, I said ‘occasion’, not ‘football match’), is that absence makes the red-tinted heart grow fonder. Fu*k International friendlies, fu*k irrelevant games in Qatar and fu*k French hands that break Irish hearts. Today we finally saw some proper football. THIS is the Theatre of Dreams and this is what we’ve been waiting 2 long, painfully neglectful weeks for. While the media could only care themselves with st...

I had chat with The Times' football correspondant Oliver Kay ; getting his verdict on the season so far, United's new trio and those sorry Scouser's... What's your verdict on the season so far, with all the big 4 teams losing and each looking weak in certain games? Easy to say this, but I haven't been that surprised. I think there was a fair amount of complacency from the biggest clubs in the summer, an assumption that the top four would remain unchanged. There were clearly economic factors involved as well, but when you look at those four clubs' transfer activity over the summer, it looked complacent. The gap between them and the rest has shrunk considerably, which, for me, is the main reason why they have dropped more points to teams like City, Villa and Spurs. Can the 'top 4' be broken? And who do you see leaving/entering the top 4? Of course it can be broken. Everton finished fourth in 2005, Tottenham very nearly did so in 2006. What it needs is for...

If you read my blog after the Chelsea game you would have undoubtedly noticed the immense pride I felt for my team oozing from my words; complemented with hyper levels of self-belief. However, in the aftermath of this chest-beating, over-confident, ‘we was robbed’ response that was adopted by most United fans, the reality was: we lost; and after defeat left us 5 points behind the leaders, the true reality now is that we cannot afford any more slip-ups. Everton at home is probably a perfect match to follow on from a game like Chelsea. Not only can we continue the solid footballing display we put out against the league’s ‘best team’, however we can also learn from the little we did wrong on the day to improve and aptly succeed against a team of less quality. Perhaps the main negative of our performance 10 days ago was the lack of genuine scoring chances we created, even though we appeared to win the ball capably and have decent amounts of room in midfield. However, once again, we are fo...

Some brilliant articles this week; about Ferguson and the FA, as well as Nani's pathetic display of pity: Henry Winter ,  RoM   and  Rob Smyth  of the Guardian discuss Sir Alex's touchline ban following his thoughts on Alan Wiley's (lack of) fitness; Winter looking at how Ferguson helped define and develop the English game and so how more respect should be shown to him. And this is   Des Kelly   of the Daily Mail's view on how needlessly this issue has escalated. This is my Blog on www.FootballTalentSpotter.com.   This week I discuss  Nani's comments in The Sun ,  and how he's better off following the example set by Fletcher and Anderson.

With around a third of the season already gone, and no meaningful football on this weekend, I thought I’d take this opportunity to reflect on the past few months. So here’s my top 10 of the things we've seen, learnt and understood about this ridiculously awesome, if sometimes unfair, league of ours from 09/10’s first 3 months… 1. We are a different side without Ronaldo…not worse, just different. The 4-4-2 has been adopted due to his departure and we are now able to play a more direct style of football: productive on the attack and solid at the back, with the attacking players being able to cover when the full-backs go forward...well that's the idea! It's fair to say it hasn't quite been perfected yet, but positives can definitely be drawn that you would hope and assume will only improve as the season develops. We have seen some great football from Rooney, Berbatov, Valencia, Evra (more independent in his free role on the left) and promising glimpses from Obertan. Time...

Everyone knows how synonymous LDN is for it's high crime rate, but now even the West - the capital's most prevalent and safe area - has now gained a rep of being dangerous; with a high risk of daylight robbery.  Before any in-denial Chelsea fans claim that this is merely the pathetic view of us 'bitter' United fans; feel free to read a the views of some neutral, intelligent writers who know a thing or two about football: Henry Winter, 9th November - The Telegraph (Winter's brilliant account beginning : ' This was such a travesty of justice that Manchester United should follow Chelsea’s recent example and appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.' ) Oliver Kay, 9th November - The Times Patrick Barclay, 9th November - The Times ...And here's RoM collating all the best bits for us: What do the press make of the robbery at the bridge? All summed up so perfectly by Mr.Rooney: 12 Men Nuff said.

Anderson was amazing all game; working tirelessly in the centre, chasing down the ball every time Chelsea were in possession and being instrumental at creating attacking opportunities. Manchester United against Chelsea is a big game, and always has been. Today however was one our most important league encounters against the West London rent boys. This was a game where a performance was not only imperative in order to regain top-spot; it was a necessity to inject our ailing, slow and generally unimpressive season with life and genuine hope. A win against the season's most impressive side would show the rest of this unconvinced League that we  are  still the real deal,  are  able to retain the trophy that we have kept at old Trafford for 3 seasons running, and  are  still 'united', even without the best player in the world. Yet, as was perhaps inevitable coming into the game with the form Chelsea were in and the poor-form our own team h...