Reading 0-2 Manchester United

Not the best performance of recent weeks, but three points in a game where Reading showed just how piss poor Newcastle were last week. Reading were really up for this game, and seemed to take United by surprise, as we never really got our passing game together all afternoon. All our better moments in the match came from individual inspiration rather than the top notch passing and movement we show when right at the top of our game. Apart from last weeks demolition of the hapless geordies, i have felt for a few weeks now that we are just grinding the results out waiting for the ginger prince to make his comeback.
On paper the combination of Carrick and Hargreaves looks a pretty good combination, although there was the worry that they would both sit too deep. But as the first half proceeded, what i saw was a lack of creativity. And this lack of creativity wasn't really addressed until Giggs came on for Park at half time. Park looked like a footballer that had been out of football for the best part of the year, and i thought it was the right decision. Hargreaves still doesn't look fully fit, and after a very good start to his career at United, including a couple of magnificent displays at the Emirates and Anfield, his form has not hit those heights in the rare run outs he has been involved in, in recent weeks. When we bought Carrick i presumed that he was bought as much to eventually replace Scholes, as play alongside him as he did so successfully last season. But from what we have seen so far this season, he isn't going to be the answer as the long term inheritor of the ginger princes mantle. We have got great cover in central midfield, but Scholes still stands out head and shoulders above the rest. I just hope that we still have two or three more seasons from him, he has never been blessed with speed, so he is one player you could still see playing at a good enough standard aged 35 plus.
United started reasonably brightly, with Ronaldo looking to start off where he finished last week as he looked to shoot whenever he was in sight of goal. Unfortunately his radar wasn't switched on as his shots were high and wide, not forcing the goalie into any serious work. United's best effort of the first half was a from a brilliant free kick just outside the box that Hargreaves looked to have put in the top corner of the net until Hahnemann got his fingers to it, pushing it just round the corner. There were a couple of shaky moments at the back, that needed a great saving tackle from Vidic, and a headed clearance from Rio as Van Der Sar managed to find himself hopelessly out of position.
The second half saw Giggs on for Park, and straight away he showed that he is still one of the most influential players at the club. He was popping up all over the place, and the creativity that we had so totally lacked in the first half started to reappear. United now started to dominate possession and the game was now being played predominantly in the home teams half. United still had one or two shaky moments at the back, especially when first Ferdinand and then Vidic allowed Kitson to run straight through on goal, thankfully he couldn't manage to lob the ball over the outstretched arms of Van Der Sar.
At the other end Hahnemann flapped at an inswinging corner from Giggs, but Vidic couldn't get enough on his effort to get it past Cisse who cleared it off the line. Nani now came on for Hargreaves and United were now camped in Reading's half looking for that elusive goal. At one point Ferdinand found himself playing like a right winger as he took his man on and put a great cross in but no one could get on the end of it. Rooney had a shot saved by Hahnemann, but as the ball was parried out Giggs was just beaten to the rebound. Then finally with 13 minutes to go the goal eventually came, Tevez, who had endured a quiet game chipped the ball into the area and Rooney got a great touch with the outside of his right foot to at last beat the diving Hahnemann.
Reading to their credit did not fold and came right back at United, really going for an equaliser, leaving themselves wide open in the process. Ronaldo, Rooney and Nani then broke to give them selves a 3 against 1 man situation on the counter attack, but Ronaldo hit a weak effort allowing Hahnemman to save when he should have killed the game off. United could have payed for that when Harper broke forward for Reading and saw his shot from just outside the box just beat Van Der Sar, but narrowly go just wide off the post. Thankfully three minutes from time Rooney and Ronaldo again broke into an empty Reading half, but this time a clever run allowed Ronaldo to approach the goalie unchallenged and this time roll it past Hahnemann into the corner of the net. United maybe just about deserved to win but 2-0 was very flattering, but it was three points and we stay top as both Arsenal and Chelsea also won difficult away games. But for United, the really good news is, having Scholes back for the business end of the season.






DIC, the investment arm of the Dubai government put the heat on Liverpool's very own Laurel and Hardy
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml;jsessionid=LUCY3AYVHZYNNQFIQMGCFFWAVCBQUIV0?xml=/sport/2008/01/20/sfnliv120.xml

The first article to cut through all the hype, or bullshit, take your pick, and explain the realities of Keegan's reappointment as the boss of the barcodes.
http://sport.independent.co.uk/football/news-and-comment/article3353715.ece

Shearer is told he will have to manage elsewhere, before he is ever considered for the toon job whilst Ashley is owner.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml;jsessionid=LUCY3AYVHZYNNQFIQMGCFFWAVCBQUIV0?xml=/sport/2008/01/20/sfnfro120.xml
Whether that will still be the case when the Keegan era implodes as it surely will we will see. I have never had much time for Shearer though, and the last few weeks have shown him up for the midget i take him to be. He was an absolute top player, i have no arguments there, and i can't hate him as much other reds do, when he chose the team he supported as a kid over us. But the way he never came off the fence and said what he really thought about Allardyce, and the way he never comes out and gives whoever happens to be the present manager of Newcastle his full support, giving that man the time it will probably need to turn things around, stinks. He so obviously desperatly wanted that job, and maybe even saw it as his right to do so. A man who has never managed so much as a pub team. Look at Keano at Sunderland, here is a man who obviously had and has tactical nous at the top level, and learnt at the feet of two of the greatest football managers of all time. Yet he is having a hard hard time at Sunderland trying to keep them up. Have you ever heard Shearer ever come out with anything whilst sat next to Hansen, Lawrenson and co that made yo think here is a tactical genius who thinks deep and seriously about the game. Maybe he is the next RinusMichels or Johann Cruyff, but i think probably not. To be honest i wanted him to be given the job, it would have been hilarious to watch him fail and see the geordie faithful ( surely the most gullible childish football fans ever, Keegan the messiah, Shearer the messiah, get real ) realising football is real not a fairy story



Irwin Stelzer, Murdoch's mouthpiece, says we are all Keynesian's now
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/columnists/article3215610.ece

Will Hutton on Brown's trip to China
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,2243819,00.html