Manchester United 4-0 Arsenal

Well, what a day that was, Liverpool get knocked out by Barnsley at home, and then we go and absolutely trounce the London football media's darlings. As well as United played yesterday, the big bonus for us will be the sight of Arsenal just totally giving up when they were put under a bit of pressure. Let's hope that the rest of the premier league took some notice of what happens when you get in their faces. United were on fire yesterday, but it has to be said they were given every encouragement by an absolutely appalling display by Wenger's men. Walking away from the ground i could hardly remember them having a real chance.
It is very rare to have such total domination of midfield in such a big game, but that was the case yesterday. They just never got into the game at all, Fabregas did an Henry, he was completely invisible. Carrick, Anderson and Fletcher were all absolutely magnificent and completely bossed the game. I don't know what it is about Arsenal, but Fletcher just seems to raise his game to a different level every time we play them, and yesterday was no exception. I know Arsenal were not at full strength, but neither were United, with no Scholes, Tevez, Giggs and Ronaldo not even on the subs bench. I have heard the rumour that it was for disciplinary reasons that Ronaldo wasn't even on the bench, but he needed a rest from the evidence of last week, so whatever the reason, it worked out for the best anyway.
Rooney was played up front on his own as United opted for 4-3-3 with Carrick playing as the holding player just in front of the defence. But United had such a total grip of the game there wasn't that much defending to be done. I have been critical of some of his performances this season, but Carrick has been absolutely outstanding in recent weeks. His passing was really on the money yesterday, and the pass to set up Nani's goal was an absolute peach. Anderson has to be singled out on his form at present too, we saw him in a slightly advanced role yesterday given a bit more license to get forward. It is hard to remember he is only 19 at times, he is going to be some player. If or should i say when he starts to score the goals we know he has got in him, he will be one of the first names to go down on the team sheet. And what about Fletcher, not just the usual gritty tireless tackling and tracking back that we are used to seeing from him against the Arse, but goals and he even managed to skin his man on the flanks once or twice. But the man who brought it altogether was that man Rooney, oh to have had that in the team last week.
And it was nice to see him get back amongst the goals, with a nice header following some pretty lacklustre Arsenal defending from Nani corner. It would be nice to see him get the composure back that he showed in front of goal when he first signed from Everton though. He could have had a double hatrick yesterday, his movement to find the space is second to none, but he always seems to want another touch, when i don't think he needs to. When he leads the line like that though, that's just a minor quibble. Nani raised his game to a level we hadn't seen before yesterday as well, and it was he who crossed for the second goal after beating the full back, and plonking it on Fletcher's head, although TV replays show it came off the head of Gallas last. Rooney was creating havoc continually as Gallas and Toure endured a torrid time. When the third goal went in it was game over, and fittingly it was the best goal of the match. An inch perfect pass over Gallas's head fell to the feet of Nani who controlled it first time and despatched it sweetly with his left foot into the back of Lehman's net. As united went in at half time 3-0 up, we were all pinching ourselves to make sure it was real, i don't know about everybody else but i wasn't expecting this.
I expected Arsenal to have been given a rocket at half time and come out determined to restore a bit of pride. But the way they reappeared spoke volumes about them yesterday, they reappeared late, just trundling onto the pitch as if they didn't want to be there. And straight away United were all over them, with yet another chance falling to the feet of Rooney who struck a fierce shot that Lehmann managed to parry away. Then Arsenal managed to really lose the plot, as Eboue decided to lunge wildly at Evra and received a deserved red card. Around the 70 minute mark both sides decided to make substitutions with midweek European games in mind. Rooney and Anderson were taken off and replaced by Saha and Scholes.
Almost immediately Nani conjured up another piece of magic to cross for Fletcher at the far post to power a header past Lehmann into the roof of the net. Arsenal now completely lost it, and Gallas was lucky to stay on after having a sly late kick on Nani. Arsenal felt the Portugese winger was showboating, but for me when you are 4-0 up you have earned the right to do that. Whether it is wise to do it when you still have to face each other once more in the league is another matter. Saha had a couple of late chances to make it 5 but Lehmann was up to the task and managed a fine save as Saha had looked like he must score.
So at the final whistle, we had beaten Arsenal 4-0, and Liverpool had been 2-1 at home by Barnsley. That is what you call a good day. Looking at the teams left in the competition it is hard to see past us or Chelsea winning the trophy now, especially when you look at recent history.

Ferguson wins first round of mind games says Patrick Barclay in the telegraph
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/02/17/sfnman117.xml

An article on Portishead who have a new album coming out, their first in ten years
http://music.guardian.co.uk/rock/story/0,,2256187,00.html
Looking forward to listening to that

Will Hutton asks for a consensus to be built up to stand up to the special pleading from the city of London.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/feb/17/tax.economy

Al - Fayed to be humiliated?
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/martyn-gergory-the-death-knell-tolls-for-the-alma-tunnel-fantasists-783277.html
Let's hope so, the money that's been wasted on this case is disgusting.