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