Tottenham hotspur 0-0 Mnchester United

Another disappointing away day for the reds. For whatever reason we just haven't fired away from home this season. We have had some good first halves and some good domination, but for the most part we are not totally controling games away from home like we did last season. I can't fault either Carrick or Fletcher who both had reasonable games, the problem it seems to me is up front. Whether it is not getting the move he wanted in the summer, the injury that maybe he came back from too soon or just whether defenders are playing better against him i don't know. But it is plain to see that Ronaldo is not the force that he has been for the two preceeding seasons. Tevz started the season like a house on fire but once Berbatov was bought and stuck straight into the team when he has got back into the team he has blown a bit hot and cold struggling for consistency. And it has got to be said so far Berbatov has been a bit of a let down to say the least. Fergie seems to be getting a bit hot under the collar by the attention his lack of form has come in far. But even he must be getting a bit worried at his lack of impact in games. He said it wasn't his day yesterday, but that could be said about most of his performances recently.
Losing Rooney and Evra was a big blow for this game because it could be argued and i would be one to argue it that they have been our two most consistent attackers and i say that know even though Evra is a left back. As i have said before O'Shea can come in and do a job at left back but we sadly miss the contribution that Evra makes going forward.
Although United didn't play badly you were never really convinced they were going to score. And indeed we didn't really carve out any really clear cut chances in the first half. Spurs did have a couple of long range efforts, one a speculative long range shot that looked to catch Van Der Sar off his line but the big keeper was up to the challenge diving full stretch to keep it out. When Woodgate went off shortly after this i thought maybe it might be our day even though we hadn't really got going as an attacking force. But it wasn't really to be as the final ball was just never good enough. Lennon had a shot saved and then just before half time Modric had a great chance with a diving header, from our point of view it probably fell to just the right man.
Shortly after half time United had the ball in the back of the Spurs net but it was disallowed for hand ball. I dont think it was deliberate but it's pretty unlikely you will get the decision away from home. Finally United started to get a grip on the game and the chances did start to come. Vidic has a shot saved and Ferdinand might have done better with a header form a corner. Park also went close as United took Tevez and Fletcher off and brought the two old timers Giggs and Scholes on. And it was Giggs who was to go closest for the reds as his superb curling free kick was pushed onto the bar by Spurs once dodgy keeper who seems to have come back into from just in time for our visit.
I suppose you can look at the weekend as a missed opportunity when you see all the other top teams drawing Villa apart. But even though i was disappointed in the display overall a point away to Spurs is not to be sniffed at. It doesn't seem like anybody is going to step up to the plate at present and go on a strong run. In fact with the way Liverpool and Chelsea can't seem to beat anybody at home in the league at the moment and we are struggling away, if Villa can put a run to gether who knows they could be in the shake up for the title at the end of the season. With United, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelski all safely in the qualifying stages of The chamions league it probably wouldn't do any harm for Villa to get knocked out of their European competition.

James Lawton on the lack of a Keane type figure at United
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/james-lawton-ferguson-haunted-by-absence-of-character-in-the-keane-mould-1064413.html

A leader article in the Indy that hits all the right notes on the De Menezes affair
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/leading-articles/leading-article-reckless-incompetent-and-lethal-policing-1064488.html
Cressida Dicks should get the chop according the relatives of De Menezes
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/crispin-black-let-us-hope-the-met-can-do-better-than-cressida-dick-1065881.html

The man who broke HBOS
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/columnists/article5333439.ece

William Keegan is gloomy about the world economy
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/dec/14/economy-recession

Nick Cohen on tax havens
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/dec/14/sark-barclay-brothers-labour

Andrew Rawnsley moving away from new labourism
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/dec/14/recession-tax-spending-economic-politics

A Smiths reunion, i can't see it myself
http://www.nme.com/news/the-smiths/41636