Manchester United 1-0 Roma

This was what we hoped for at the beginning of the season, with a big big game against Arsenal on Sunday United were able to rest Ronaldo, Rooney and Scholes and still put a impressive performance. The additions to the squad enabling us to compete for the league title and in the Champions league. A full 90 minutes for a pretty rusty looking Silvestre, Pique getting a full 90 minutes and just to top it all a gentle little run out for Gary Neville in central midfield for the last 10 minutes.
United started very brightly and had some decent chances to score in the first 20 minutes, but the chances seemed to invariably end up at the wrong players feet. I know Park does score goals, but he doesn't always inspire confidence in front of goal, saw an early shot go narrowly wide. Wes Brown had a free header from a corner that he should have at least hit the target with and Hargreaves couldn't give Giggs great ball the ending that it deserved as the Roma number 1 made a reasonable save. Giggs did well to steer Hargreaves cross on target but could only hit it straight at Doni.
United were nearly made to pay for it as the referee seemed to see Wes Brown bring down Mancini when everybody else saw a great defensive tackle. Fortunately De Rossi completely lost his bottle and blazed an absolute stinker of a penalty over the bar and into the cheering stretford end. Roma did have a reasonable amount of possession after that but didn't manage to seriously threaten Van Der Sar's goal.
United seemed to settle back into the type of performance i had gone to the game expecting to see, keeping possession and hoping to take the chance if and when it arose. Consequently the game didn't live up to the standards of the first half. But a great run and cross from Hargreaves saw Tevez glance a superb header into the corner of the net after 70 minute to completely kill off any fleeting Roman hopes of a comeback. I have given Hargreaves a bit of stick over the last couple of months, but last night he was superb. For some reason he was played as more of an attacking midfielder, a box to box runner along the lines of a Robson or a Gerrard. And he was excellent in the role, getting all over the pitch, i can't see him scoring goals like either of them though. Pique did OK, never really getting troubled, but he would have been helped by Roma only playing one up front. I don't really know why he brought Rooney on for the last 20 minutes just after we had scored the goal, especially as it looked like he got told to take it easy. But at least Ronaldo and Evra got a nice little break and will be totally fresh for Sundays title clash with the Gooners. The one worry of the night was watching Ferdinand, he is obviously not right. I suspect that he is playing with a long term injury. ( i have just read he had stitches in his foot so bang goes that theory) .It would be nice if he could be given a rest at some time, but with Vidic out injured it doesn't look very likely.

Praise for the strength of the depth in Uniteds squad last night in the Indy.
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/european/manchester-united-1-roma-0-iman-u-win-30-on-aggi-tevez-takes-ferguson-back-to-scene-of-his-greatest-triumph-807098.html

More fun and games at the pool as Hicks demands Parry resignation
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/hicks-demands-parry-resignation-807452.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/04/10/ufnpar310.xml

I've always thought of Birmingham city as a pretty dodgy club since it has had Sullivan involved in it's running, but i wouldn't have had Brady down as a dodgy geezer type. Obviously wrong, although i know she hasn't been charged yet, and probably won't be knowing how hard it seems to be to prove wrongdoing in these affairs.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/birmingham-city-shares-suspended-as-club-is-put-under-investigation-807148.html

Jeremy Warner asks how resillient is the British economy
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/comment/jeremy-warners-outlook-just-how-resilient-is-the-uk-economy-as-the-imf-slashes-its-growth-forecasts-807117.html
The currency crunch will mean dearer Euro holidays this summer
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/the-currency-crunch-british-tourists-pay-price-for-euros-strength-806996.html

Robert Fox on the disaster that is British foreign policy, in Basra and as the special relationship falters
http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/robert_fox/2008/04/in_basra_without_a_paddle.html

As the Major years neared their end who could have foreseen something as shameful as the SFO decision to halt the BAE corruption enquiry
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/apr/10/bae.armstrade


http://www.newstatesman.com/200804070003