Internazionale 0-0 Manchester United

Well after the trepidation over our defensive injuries going into the game it shows how things changed that the disappointment is that we didn't win the game. A bigger disappointment is that we didn't get the away goal that our performance merited. But i will take this alright, especially as last night showed me that they are really not up to that much. I will look like a pillock if we get turned over at Old Trafford in a fortnight but i just can't see that happening. The first half was such a one sided contest it was unbelievable, the tie could have been all over after 45 minutes. You suspected that they would show a bit more after half time and that they did. But they showed nothing to suggest that we won't be able to finish the job off in the return leg.
The good news before the game was that O'Shea and Evans were both passed fit to play, i had a feeling that one of them would be fit but it was obviously great news to have both of them in the starting line up. Neither let us down both of them having excellent games. The surprise was the omission of Rooney, i suppose the performance on the night would suggest that Fergie got it right yet again. I would like to have seen Rooney given a bit longer than the 7 or 8 minutes he got at the end though.
The first half would have had to go down as United's best half of the season, though i can't help thinking that Inter helped us immeasurably by being so poor. Carrick and Fletcher bossed the midfield, the defence was tight when they were called upon and Ronaldo was causing them all sorts of problems. Back in the 90's when Giggs was still the young flying winger Italian defences have never seemed to like him, and it still seems to me that they aren't great defending against tricky speedy wide men. And Ronaldo had afield day last night having one of his best games in the Champions league. Giggs had some of his greatest performances against that geat mid 90's Juve team. Playing through the middle last night he was excellent yet again and it was unfortunate he couldn't take one of the two great chances he created. There were so many chances that i can't be bothered going through them but the two Ronaldo headers were really good chances. Berbatov also saw a fine header go just wide and they were so unable to cope with Ronaldo running at them that they were reduced to bringing him down miles more times than Mourinho must have been happy with. He hit some good free kicks from these fouls but found their goalie in good form.
The start of the second half saw Ibrahimovic and Adriano show us that they were on the pitch after all as Adraino made a mess of their best move of the match as he double hit a cross and watched it fly over the bar. Inter did start to look menacing but not really through great football more like old an fashioned British upping of the tempo. But United were still looking good and a Ronaldo cross was just too far in front of Park for him to get a touch. Giggs fashioned his second chance of the night as he picked the ball up on the right before cutting in and hitting it with his left peg but this time instead of the goalie making a great save the half time substitute Cordoba made a great block. One last free kick from Ronaldo saw Cesar make yet another save and that was it. It was a reasonable result but it was an absolutely excellent performance and one that should set us up to go through in two weeks time.

Ronaldo happy with performance and confident of going progressing
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/european/ronaldo-repeat-performance-will-knock-inter-out-1631984.html

Fergie wins tactical battle according to Sam Wallace and have the Inter fans breath took away
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/european/ferguson-wins-tactical-battle-but-inter-survive-1631451.html

This club won't win anything this season
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/european/liverpool-dismiss-benitez-exit-rumours-1632011.html
I don't think he will be there next season

John Harris talks some sense on the new labour obsession with Thatcherite privatisation
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/feb/25/royal-mail-privatisation-tnt
It would be bad socially and ploitcally disastrous if there completely inept backbenchers let this go through they deserve the disaster that they will suely get at the next election.

Geoffery Wheatcroft with an interesting article, though i don't agree with much of it. Politicians not being paid would see us end up being ruled by a second arisocracy, probably made up of paid up Thatcherites. And annual parliaments would give no government the time to see through any legislation. I agree that we have got a professional breed of ploiticians for whom being elected and wielding power are the end in themselves. But how we change that to getting ploiticians who stand for things and are prepared to be unpopular over things if that is what they belive in, i know not.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/feb/25/iraq-war-jacqui-smith-mps

Now Rafael is out

This injury crisis is going beyond a joke now, unless some bodies miraculously recover for tomorrow night i don't have a clue what team he can select. It is going to be asking a lot for us to get a result with this amount of defenders injured. I would say that mabe it will be just a night for damage limitation, but you would have to say with the defence that it looks like it might have to put out a 2-0 defeat would be an honourable result. Of course that would be right but it would probably mean the end of our participation for the season. Beating Inter 3-0 at home would be some ask
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/feb/23/inter-manchester-united
Let's just hope that our midfield and even forwards can shield the defence as much as possible. Of course that would mean we would have be very negative which is not what you want, but sometimes it has to be done i suppose.

Mourinho had predicted that United would be defensive tomorrow night, Fergie responds by saying that we never do that and laughs of our defensive problems. Maybe he is winding us up and O'Shea and Evans will both start the game
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/manutd/4788429/We-will-play-to-beat-Inter-says-Sir-Alex-Ferguson.html
I watched the Milan derby the other week and unfortunately it looks like Ibrahimovic has become the player that we had been warned about. Which is why it is such a disaster that Vidic is suspended for this game.

Hansen thinks United will beat Milan but that Liverpool will be crowned champions of Europe, i just can't see that can you. He also says Evans will be as good a centre half as Ferdinand and Vidic. And we have Cathcart to come back at some stage too, though maybe it would be good for him to have another season on loan next year. The future looks bright in defence with the twins as well.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/liverpool/4782886/Rafael-Benitezs-Liverpool-can-reign-in-Europe.html

Whilst Harry's cheerleaders in the press praise Redknapp the man that Spurs didn't give a chance shows that he has got something about him. Pity about the club he is doing it at though, mind you we will be shouting for them against the mickeys this week.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/tottenham/4782333/Juande-Ramos-showing-Tottenham-what-they-lost-by-reviving-Real-Madrids-title-hopes.html

New labour, same old pillocks
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/anger-brews-at-move-to-break-up-royal-mail-1630118.html
The heirs of Thatcher just can't let go


Music

Can - Monster movie: The first album from the Krautrock pioneers it sounds to me this is the Can that Primal Scream admire. It is more of a rock record than what was to follow.
Cut Copy - In ghost colours: Another 80's influenced album, but this is one that i can unequivocally say that i really like. Rock pop with more than it's fair share of 80's type synthesizers, but some really catchy hooks.
Dead Meadow - Old growth: A US rock outfit i had not heard of before, i had read them being compared to Sabbath when they first came out but having mellowed out a bit to sound as much like Floyd nowadays. I can just about see the Sabbath in them but i can't see the Floyd. It is a good album but it does fade a bit at the end for me. Saying that the track Till kingdom come didn't half remind me of a slower version of Led Zep's Achilles last stand.
Devotchka - Supermelodrama: I loved this, though what genre you would call it i don't have a clue, gypsy rock with a bit of every folk music you can think of thrown in. This was their first album and it is a belter i can't wait to hear more of their stuff.
The incredible string band - The hangmans beautiful daughter: I have to admit i have never listened to them before even though i have seen them namechecked loads of times. It takes some getting your head round but if you do make the effort it is worth it. There is no mistaking it as an album made in the 60's.
TV on the radio - Dear science: Another superb album, apparently this is a bit more accessible than their earlier albums. It still sounds like there is a lot going on to me. The marriage of experimentation and songwriting is absolutely top notch.

Manchester United 2-1 Blackburn Rovers

For the first time for quite a while we saw a real contest at Old trafford as Blackburn showed me that they look like becoming a replica of Allardyce's Bolton side. They didn't lie down and just wait for the eventual defeat that if we are honest is what Fulham had done in midweek. Their tactic seemed to be to hit long high diagonal balls and hope to beat the two small full backs we started with in Rafael and Evra. And in the second half they looked like they might have some success with it.
There didn't seem much cause for worry in the first 20 minutes as United carried on where they left off against Fulham playing some sublime football. The passing, movement and deft flicks were superb as Rooney, Berbatov and co ran rings round the visitors rearguard. Berbatov was absolutely magnificent again and it was great to see Rooney back in the team, watching them two playing together over the next couple of years is going to be a joy to watch. United were playing well and it seemed just a matter of time before they scored. Evra had a great chance and should of at least hit the target but dragged it across the goal wide of the post. But not long later a superb pass from Nani put Rooney in and he made no mistake in poking it past Robinson. I am no big fan of Nani myself but the moans and groans every time he did something wrong are going over the top . When he is on the pitch he has to be supported and encouraged, not made to feel that he shouldn't try anything and just give the easy pass all the time. Saying that he and Scholes made a right mess of the situation when they gifted the ball to Blackburn and Santa Cruz went on the run which ended with him beating Ferdinand and Kuszczak and rolling the ball into the net to level things. It wasn't great defending by Ferdinand but it was even worse goalkeeping by the Pole. It totally loses me how he keeps getting games, he scares us all to death in the stands and the way the defence played in the second half they obviously don't have that much faith in him. It seems obvious to just about everyone that Foster is a better long term replacement for Van Der Sar so why isn't he given as more cracks at playing when Van Der Sar is rested. I can't fathom that one out at all.
Just before half time Evans headed home a corner but the Referee Webb decided in his wisdom to disallow it. TV replays showed what most at our end had felt, that there was absolutely nothing wrong with it. That would have been a very nice time to score because that would have totally deflated them. Which would have been no bad thing as the equaliser had seemed to give them the belief that they could get someting form the game. And what had looked like a stroll in the park had become a real contest all of a sudden.
The second half continued this pattern as Blackburn had started to seriously threaten our defence in a way not many teams have managed at Old Trafford this season. When Nelson hit the post it became obvious this was going to be a serious test for us. Ronaldo had earlier got booked for diving most people were up in arms about the decision at the ground but i have to admit i wasn't one of them. Until you see the pictures on the TV you don't really know whether he has dived or not unless it is right in front of you. Of course the replays showed the ref got this one right, well i suppose he had to get something right, he really is an atrocious referee. Just two minutes after they had hit the post Ronaldo was brought down just outside the box. They must regret that now because the resulting shot from the free kick gave the goalie Robinson absoultely no chance, it was a real screamer that seemed to dip at just the right moment to fly in to the roof of the net.
From then on it was a pretty exciting end to end affair, they had chances and so did we Rooney produced one magnificent run that ended up with him delivering a very inviting cross into the middle that Berbatov should have buried but for some reason he never got over the ball and the header flew over the bar. They had a great shout for a penalty when Da Silva momentarily grabbed hold of Pedersen's shirt. By the letter of the law i suppose it was a penalty but the way he threw himself to the ground probably made the ref think twice. Of course if that was what he thought he should have been booked exactly the same as Ronaldo had been. Brilliant ref as he is though, that is exactly what didn't happen. So a real hard fought three points that looks even better as i write this after the bitters managed to put in a performance and take a point from this afternoons encounter at Anfield.
The one negative that we had to take from yesterday was the injury that Jonny Evans got. That was the last thing we needed before Tuesday night with Vidic suspended and Neville, Brown and apparently O'Shea out injured. It brings back horrible memories of our last visit to the San Siro when AC Milan murded us. I hope we aren't in for a repeat of that night because the defence are obviously going to be tested in a major way.

Evans unlikely to make it according to the Beeb
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/man_utd/7904057.stm

Match report from the Times
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_united/article5780624.ece

Oliver Kay on the class of 92
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_united/article5776845.ece

An interview with Van Der Sar in the Indie
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/edwin-van-der-sar-put-your-hopes-in-these-hands-for-safe-keeping-1628862.html

This time the Indie goes for an interview every reds favourite Serb Nemanja Vidic
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/veni-vidi-vidic-uniteds-red-rock-reveals-the-art-of-invincibility-1628075.html

More dirt revealed over the Stanford affair
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/the-stanford-files-fbi8217s-first-probe-was-20-years-ago-1628938.html

Nick Cohen on the Empires role in the Stanford affair, make you proud to be British doesn't it
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/feb/22/cricket-allen-stanford

The times reports on how the Oligarchs lost billions and influence with the Kremlin
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/specials/rich_list/article5760128.ece

Europe to tighten financial regualtion, about time but will it happen and will we go along with what needs to be done
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/europe-backs-greater-financial-regulation-1629192.html

Manchester United 3-0 Fulham

A nice easy win with some great football which turned into a training excercise in the last half an hour. Which is pretty much what the doctor ordered with the crowded fixture list we are heading into as we enter the business end of the season. There were no real surprises with the team selected, O'Shea came in at right back whilst Evra was not rested as i thought he might be. Carrick and Scholes made up central midfield, Park came in for Nani and Berbatov and Tevez returned. It doesn't seem to matter who is selected at the moment they just go out there and perform.
Fulham were never really in the game, they did have a couple of chances which weren't too far away but they didn't come until the game was as good as over.
The first goal came from the boot of the magical Scholes who was absolutely magnificent all night, spraying balls out wide to the left and to the right and continually stetching the Fulham back four. Scholes midfield partner Carrick who was also superb on the night floated a corner just outside the area where the waiting Scholes hit a sweet right foot volley through the melee of players rushing towards him. Schwarzer probably should have done better as he let the ball squirm through him, but it was a vicious swerving shot that bounced just before it arrived at his arms.
The second goal was even better with United passing the ball superbly and eventually Scholes who was almost inevitably heavily involved in the move hitting a sweet pass to the great run that O'Shea had made and the Irishman crossed for Berbatov to ghost in at the back post to tap home the second. He had already had one effort cleared off the line but he wasn't to be denied this time. It was another very impressive display from the Bulgarian who is now really looking the part.
United had two goals disallowed on the night but apparently the goggle box showed they were correct decisions. The second half was more of a take it easy we have got a lot of games coming up affair. But we still got to see 30 minutes of Rooney, who unbelievably scored with his first touch of the night as a Park shot that was going wide saw Rooney get on the end of it to put it in with his left foot. Evans came on for O'Shea at right back, i thought this was to give him a run out with Inter Milan coming up but O'Shea went straight to the tunnel so i guess that wasn't the case.
So 5 points clear and if we win on Saturday Evening it will be 8 putting a load of pressure on the bindippers. Mind you they have got City at home so i am not getting my hopes up on that front. You can start to taste that 18th title though.

Berbatov sings Scholes praises
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/manutd/4696387/Manchester-Uniteds-Dimitar-Berbatov-says-nobody-can-play-like-Paul-Scholes.html

Kuyt seems a bit troubled in the head
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/kuyt-issues-warning-to-united-1626679.html
He's cracking up, he's cracking up.......

The Stanford affair looks like it's going to be an almighty embarrasment for a whole lotta people
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2009/feb/19/allen-stanford-cricket-antigua-bank
Not least for our bumbling cricket authorites
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/4691396/Stanford-scandal-A-calamity-at-the-heart-of-cricket.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/international/england/4691158/Stanford-exit-gives-us-chance-to-put-morality-ahead-of-money-again.html

At last it look like the World's leading countries are going to get serious about tackling the outrage that are tax havens.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/feb/19/gordon-brown-tax-avoidance-switzerland
If Brown does nothing else whilst he is prime minister helping to destroy these havens for the rich that won't pay their fair share, corporations that won't pay their fair share and the the drug money and corrupt dicatators ill gotten gains would be something to balance against the disaster that his economic management has proved to be.

Nick Cohen on the RBS
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/feb/15/rbs-goodwin-bankers

Politkovskaya defendants acquited, no surprise really, they will never get anyone over this murder
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/jury-acquits-defendants-in-politkovskaya-murder-1626827.html

The Lowry debate between Brian Sewell and Mancunian Howard Jacobsen
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/art/features/the-lowry-debate-brian-sewell-and-howard-jacobson-face-off-1626667.html

Howard Jacobsen has a go at what he see's as the prevailing anti semitism
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/howard-jacobson/howard-jacobson-letrsquos-see-the-criticism-of-israel-for-what-it-really-is-1624827.html
I think he probably has a point. I am critical of Isreal because what it does is not in it's own long term interest. Having said that it is surounded by countries that should be completely abhorent to any serious liberal. I mean where would you sooner live Israel or Egypt, Lebanon, Syria or any of those horrible gulf states.

Derby County 1-4 Manchester United

This season seems to get better and better at the moment, and the encouraging thing is the future looks as though it could be even better. We saw in the carling cup that this could be a tricky affair with the squad players given a chance with some of our big names given a rest. But with Giggs again giving a magnificent perormance and Darron Gibson showing that maybe he will be able to fulfill the potential that he showed in the youth team after all it turned out to be a bit of a stroll in the park.
It was nice to see Evra back in the frame and he played like he had never been away. Evans came in for Vidic who presumably was given a rest after being virtually the only ever present in our record breaking back four over the last couple of months. Gibson got a start in his favoured position in the middle of the park besides Fletcher whilst Nani got a rare start on the left. We had an unusual pairing up front as Giggs sat just behind Ronaldo.
United started the game well and although it took half an hour for the goal to come there was only one team the goal was going to come form. Fletcher had a half decent chance before that but the goalie made a pretty straight forward save. Bywater had to make an altogether more eye catching save minutes later as Park ghosted in at the back post and hit a side foot volley that looked to be beating the derby number one, but an instinctive outstretched arm saved the day. But on the half hour the goal finally came, and it was worth the wait. It came from the right boot of Nani, i'm not his biggest fan but the one thing you can't deny is that he has got a great shot on him. The goalie had no chance as he cut in from the left and let fly.
The big talking point of the first half was the disallowed goal and the lenght of time it took to give the offside. I think the laws have got to be clarified over this. If fourth officials are going ton help in the decisions that are made on the pitch then we should be told. I am not certain it was offside anyway he looked level to me. It made no difference anyway as United got their second just before the interval as a Ronaldo free kick was blocked but landed at the feet of Gibson who capped a very impressive first half performance with a goal as he volleyed it first time. Rafael should have been given as offside but it was the same linesman and to my mind he just evened up the mistakes.
The beginning of the second half saw United pick up where they had left of in the first half . And the third didn''t take long to come with Ronaldo powering home a Giggs free kick with his head to kill the game stone dead. United started to take the foot off the pedal a bit now, understandbly enough. And Derby started to come into the game for the first time in the game. United now made a double substitution and i thought that was what cost us the goal as United hadn't really settled when a good cross from the left found Addison who headed home a good goal. Welbeck now came on for the reds as it became end to end as Derby gave it a real good go. But it was to be United having the last word as another sweeping move saw Fletcher feed Welbeck on the left hand side of the penalty area and the young Mancunian hit a superb curling shot across the goalie a bit reminiscent of the way Henry used to angle his shots from that side of the area.
The main plus to come out of the game for me though was the performance of Gibson. For the first time he played creatively looking for the dangerous passes, attempting them and finding his target with a good enough percentage of them. When he has had his chance before he has too often just played it square and back. Admittedly he has played on the right for a fair few of those games which hasn't really done him any favours. But if he was to come through and be real United player that would be a big bonus because i am pretty sure he would get us 7, 8 or even maybe 10 goals a season from the middle of the park. And whenever Ronaldo does leave for Espana we are going to need those goals.

Daniel Taylor drools over over Giggs performance in the Guardian match report
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/feb/15/ryan-giggs-manchester-united-fa-cup

Hansen praises Giggs and nominates him as his player of the year.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/7892375.stm

Great players don't always make great managers part.....
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/columnists/gabriele_marcotti/article5740517.ece

This guy should never be allowed to pass the fit and proper test, if it it comes to that
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/feb/16/alisher-usmanov-arsenal
Read Craig Murray's website to read about the nasty piece of work that he is

BMW would never dared have done this in Germany
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/fury-as-850-mini-workers-given-hours-notice-1622989.html

Nationalisation it is then
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/complete-nationalisation-of-lloyds-not-on-table-says-no10-1623451.html

Charlie Brooker on form
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/feb/16/walkers-crisps-new-flavours-brooker

West Ham United 0-1 Manchester United

A good end to the weekend after Portsmouth gifted the scoucers 3 points on a plate the evening before. Despite Pompey leading in that game twice they were easily the worst team i have seen this season, which of course doesn't say much for Liverpool. In contrast we gave yet another excellent performance, we were never at our best and yet you always fancied that when the goal came it would be us scoring it.
The one thing about West ham is when they play us at their place they aren't scared and always try to play football and have a go at us. And with Zola seemingly doing an excellent job so far you knew this was going to be a tough game. And so it proved, with Carlton Cole in particular giving Ferdinand and Vidic the toughest 90 minutes they have had since the Arsenal game. I don't particularly like West hame but i do have time for the way they have always been a football team. And under Zola it looks like they may be back on their way to being a decent footballing team again, credit crunch and Icelandic ownership permitting.
United went with Giggs on the right and Ronaldo on the left, it look more and more likely that Nani will be shown the door in the summer. Carrick and Scholes partnered each other in central midield with Rafael Da Silva at right back and O'Shea continuing to deputise for Evra.
United played reasonable stuff in the first half but we didn't really create any clear cut chances although Berbatov found the net but it was ruled offside. I thought he was miles offside during the game but when i saw it after it looked like it had come off a home defender, so really it should have stood. At the other end Lucas Neil had one chance that he hit straight at Van Der Sar and Cole got the better of Rio only to attempt a weak chance that didn't really trouble the big Dutchman who after 30 minutes went on to beat the British record for keeping clean sheets. Ronaldo made Green work after diverting a Scholes shot that was going wide but he didn't really have too many shots to save in the first half.
The second half saw United take a bit more of a hold of the game in midfield as they probed and passed trying to break the mean home defence down. When the goal came it was worth the wait. A corner was cleared by West ham but the ball ended up at Scoles feet, virtually without looking he hit a superb ball out to right where Giggs received it. Just like the teenage Giggs from all those years ago he cut in beating two men effortlessly and the delivered the coup de grace hitting the back of the net through a crowded penalty area with his right foot. United saw the remaining time out comfortably and with Rooney and Evra to hopefully be back in a couple of weeks everything is looking good at the moment.

Henry Winter's match report in the Torygraph
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/4549452/Manchester-United-back-on-top-after-Ryan-Giggs-brilliance-stuns-West-Ham.html

Zola thinks Giggs should carry on next season
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/manutd/4563598/Gianfranco-Zola-urges-Ryan-Giggs-to-prolong-career.html

Scolari is sacked
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/chelsea/7879638.stm
I had a feeling he wouldn't be succesful for them, but it is ridiculous to judge a manager on what half a season. I suppose there is some rational behind it if you might go down and lose millions of pounds. But when it's because you might not win something that is just wrong and no good for the sport, nobody has a divine right to win anything, how ever many ill gotten roubles you possess.

Ferguson amazed and says press partly to blame, i don't think this is the case here myself
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/feb/09/ferguson-shocked-scolari-sacking

So much for Chelsea being run like a normal club, where is rent a quote gobshite Kenyon
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/chelsea/4571940/Chelsea-face-15m-bill-for-sacking-Luiz-Felipe-Scolari.html

Alan Hansen questions Wenger's judgement
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/arsenal/4561570/Andrei-Arshavin-is-wrong-player-for-Arsenal.html

Geoffery Boycott on the latest English cricket debacle
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/international/england/4560492/England-locked-in-a-time-warp.html

Duncan Fletcher weighs in as well
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2009/feb/09/cricket-england-west-indies

Jonathan Fenby on the migrant workers of China
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/feb/09/china-internationaltrade

Hemut Scmidt blames the anglo saxon countries over the credit crunch
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/jan/29/crisis-schmidt-us-britain

Stephen King concurs with Larry Elliot's last column on the need for banks to regain trust
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/comment/stephen-king/stephen-king-fiscal-and-monetary-policy-can-do-little-without-some-return-of-trust-1604651.html

Anatole Kaletsky's fascinating column in today's Times
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/article5689642.ece

This sounds interesting, it's a pity it's on a Saturday though
http://www.manchesterhistoriesfestival.org.uk/

Record profits again

and we are supposed to think that's great are we, season ticket rise after season ticket rise. Will they dare to raise it again in this financial climate. What happens if Inter knock us out, and thats before they have to pay the debt off.
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/manchester_united/s/1094608_euro_triumph_boosts_utd_profits

Tevez a free agent according to that paragon of journalistic excellence the daily star, saying that i wouldn't be surprised if it was true
http://www.dailystar.co.uk/football/view/68394/Real-lead-battle-for-25m-Tevez/

Premier league go with rupert's mob again
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/premier-league-to-cash-in-on-tv-windfall-1545159.html

Max Hastings on the industrial troubles
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/feb/02/hastings-max-recession

Larry Elliot on the banks loss of trust
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/feb/02/economics-davos-credit-crunch-banking

Anatole Kaletsky gives Brown some credit, a rare thing at the moment
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/columnists/article5636248.ece

Corporate tax dodging and tax havens etc
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/feb/02/tax-gap-diageo-johnnie-walker
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/feb/03/offshore-tax-avoidance
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/feb/04/tax-gap-series

Music
A guy called Gerald - Black secret technology: Innovative drum n' bass from the mid 90's from one of Manchester's electro pioneers, and a good listen
Barry Adamson - Oedipus schmoedips: Another soundtrack for a non existant film. It has it's moments but it is not one of his best.
Be your own pet - Get awkward: Reasonable indie rock that veers towards the punk end of things at times. There are no really memorable tracks though
Eugene Mcguiness - The early learnings of Eugene Mcguiness: Promising, indie/folk pop perhaps, there are a couple of crackers on it that the rest of the tunes can't quite live up to unfortunately. Monsters under the bed is a cracking tune.
Holy fuck - LP: I saw these on channel M and Clint Boon said he saw a bit of Krautrock mixed with Hawkwind about them. That sounds like a good mix and these Canadians make good on that likeness on this space electro rock album.
Ladyhawke - Ladyhawke: I wasn't too sure about this at first but it has grown on me to a degree. Anything that draws so heavily on the mid 80's isn't usually my bag, but there are some good tunes on it and you can't argue with that.

Manchester United 1-0 Everton

Three points in a hard fought but deserved victory over the blue side of murkeydive. To be fair to them they are not a bad side nowadays, they didn't really show too much going forward but we were always aware of the potential in their side to score a goal out of nothing.
The side was a pretty strong one with Tevez partnering Berbatov in the continuing absence of Rooney. They seem to be shaping up a fine understanding and are both playing excellently at the moment. I don't really know what our strongest central midfield partnership is any more but yesterdays pairing of Carrick and Fletcher must be up there amongst our best at the moment. That said Fletcher didn't have as good a game yesterday as we have come to expect this season. He didn't play badly but with his game not quite up to speed, it left us to marvel at another superb performance by the man who undoubtedly is our main man in the middle now, Michael Carrick. So it was fitting that it was him that made that surging run into the box to earn the penalty that decided the game.
United had decent chances before that but couldn't manage to finish them off. Tevez came closest when he instinctively flicked on an attempt at goal but saw it scramble over the bar for a corner. Ronaldo saw a shot from just outside the area agonisingly hit the outside of the post, it came back to Tevez but the Argentine was ruled offside. We had expected Everton to contest everything and make it hard for United and that is exactly what they set out to do. It was a bit of a throwback of a game, hard and uncompromising, typified by the duel between Vidic and Fellanini, that the Serb won hands down. After getting one in the mouth early on he set out to dominate his opponent and managed it totally winning everything in the air against him.
The one concern that we had in the game was the success they were having on the left hand side against Gary Neville in the first half. I think Neville got injured early on and maybe should have come off earlier than hid did. When replaced by Brown the problems on that side stopped completely and Brown looked like he'd never been away throwing himself into some pretty meaty challenges.
The penalty came just before half time, always a great time to score, and despite the protests of the Everton players it was a clear penalty. Carrick tried to stay on his feet but was unable to after Arteta's stuck out foot had just caught him. Ronaldo made no mistake with the spot kick as United went into the half time break with a deserved lead.
Almost immediately at the restart United should have had another penaltyas Carrick was brought down again, if anything it was an even more blatant penalty than the first. But referee Halsey botttled it in yet another poor refereeing performance at Old Trafford, the quality of English officials at the moment is pretty dire. I am wrinting this after watching the bindippers victory over the rent boys. The sending off of Lampard in that game was an absloute disgrace and was the obvious turning point of the game. United didn't create any really great chances in the second half but we were the only team that really looked like scoring. This was a good solid win in what could have been a tricky game. Next week we face another tricky game at West Ham who seem to be going well now under Zola. If we come out of that unscathed i can't see us having too many problems winning another title despite Liverpool's late late show today. I mean was that a performance to scare anybody this afternoon, and as for Chelsea they were woeful again even before Lampard's dismissal.

The match report in the Telegraph which goes a bit over the top about Ronaldo's performance
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/4412304/Cristiano-Ronaldo-magic-sends-Manchester-United-five-points-clear.html
He had a reasonable game but nowhere near as good as Tevez, Berbatov, Carric or Vidic.

Paul Scholes best United eleven
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2009/jan/27/paul-scholes-manchester-united-team
Interesting

Ian Brown on his support for United
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2009/feb/01/ian-brown

John martyn who died last week, remembered
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/singer-john-martyn-dies-aged-60-1519948.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/feb/01/john-martyn-remembered
http://www.mojo4music.com/blog/2009/01/farewell_john_martyn_1.html

Martin Kettle on the special realtioship and Europe
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/jan/30/obama-britain-europe

Alan Watkins and Matthew D'acona think the Labour government will be no more after the next election.
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/alan-watkins/alan-watkins-the-government-is-breathing-its-last-1522511.html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/columnists/matthewd_ancona/4413199/The-week-Labour-lost-the-next-election.html