Still Following the Trawler

It was a different sort of United performance at Goodison Park on Saturday, one we haven't seen for a while. By lacking the usual over-reliance on possession football that the manager seems to be obsessed with, we appeared to produce a far more adventurous, confident performance rather - one devoid of lack-lustre, slow passing in favour of more attractive attacking football. Instead of the usual 60-70% possession that United seem to enjoy against teams outside the top four, the game ended 50/50. Naturally at times the opposition were granted greater freedom and time on the ball - especially on the left where Rojo looked poor (although he produced a peach of a cross for United's second) - however the flowing football and decent chances we created when we were in possession was the difference. In our four other away games so far this season United have averaged 60% possession...yet we lost half of those games while conceded seven and only managing to score five. Against Everton h...

Good. Passion. From the proud British stalwarts in the side,  Rooney and Ferdinand, to the newer continental members, Fabio, Valencia and Hernandez, I was so unbelievably proud with the levels of commitment and passion we showed yesterday. There is no denying that as the minutes ticked away and yet another golden chance went begging, frustration and lethargy naturally began to kick in. But with this United side, unique to any other, the sense of desire and undying will to win is overpowering. Van der sar, at the spritely age of 40 made the sort of save you'd expect from a 'keeper 10 years younger - instead it was made by one of the greatest the game has ever seen, and one who knew that his side's title challenge was in the balance had he not stretched for his life and pushed Rodwell's deflected effort away. Rooney was dominating the game, wherever on the pitch he roamed, and gave his team-mates a bollocking when he felt the desire was lacking. Ferdinand, captain on the ...

84th minute... United    1* (Hernandez) Everton 0 * 7 points to win the title . A victory in each of our next two games (against Arsenal and Chelsea) and we'll be crowned champions.

A mate of mine on Saturday night told me to cool off before writing up the match review. Judging by my instant reactionary post immediately after the game, it was too late! But really, I hadn’t even got started. I thought I would cool off. I thought I could falsely convince myself – using all those token clichés to excuse bad performances at the start of the season – that it wasn’t really that bad. But the disappointment and shock of being 3-1 up at 90 minutes to then drawing 3-3 at full-time is just too much. My post, had the seemingly inevitable 3-1 win stood, would have merely brushed aside this easy victory, probably referencing the vast improvement on last seasons debacle in the same fixture. I would have highlighted the awesome Nani – who’s incredible right-peg assisted our first and second goals – Scholes’ continually significant impact on this season – his vision and awareness releasing Berbatov for the ‘winner’ – and Berbs himself, who remained composed and resilient before b...

As has regularly been the case for United this season, all eyes were on Rooney; our most important player, our most improved player and the man to seemingly save Ronaldo-less United. But as always when he visits Goodison Park , the universal gaze was fixed on Rooney more than ever. In Everton’s last league game, we saw them do us a mighty favour by beating Chelsea ; with United old-boy Saha the hero. How fitting it would be if Saha was to do one over his old team, but even more fitting you felt was for Rooney – already prematurely tipped to win Messi’s Balon d’Or for 2010 – to have a shocker against HIS old team. As soon as the game kicked off, you severely got that sense. Rooney was barely in the game and seemed as distant from the attained inspirational frontman persona as possible. Yet as much as everyone loves to claim it, the fact is that United never have been a one man side. If someone as pivotal as Rooney isn’t at his best, you would simply expect others to somehow capitalise ...

‘ 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...