Manchester United 1-0 Arsenal

A good result but it could have been a great result, we didn't concede the away goal but 1-0 isn't that great an advantage to take to the emirates. And the way the game went certainly had the chances to get a second and really give ourselves a great chance to go through. We just weren't able to put one away, though it wasn't for the want of trying. They were going for it right to the end. There is no way we will dominate the game down there to the extent we did last night. Let's just hope we can get that all important away goal, if we manage that, i can't see us going out.
The team selected was a bit of a surprise, i had expected Giggs to play but Fergie went with Anderson, Carrick and Fletcher in a mifield three as we reverted to 4-3-3. It was obviously to counter Arsenal who played 4-5-1 as i had expected. I am not a great fan of the formation but last night it worked a treat as we played them off the park. Their formation didn't work at all, Fabregas couldn't get into the game, not enough to do us any damage anyway and Adebayor was non existant. But for the goalie Almunia and the cross bar in the second half the tie would be all over. He certainly isn't the greatest goalie but it was his night last night as he made good saves from Ronaldo, Tevez and the cross bar came to his aid when Ronaldo beat him with a fantastic shot in the second half. The goal when it came must have made the bookies smile, not too many can have had O'Shea to be first goalscorer.
The injury to Ferdinand is a big worry, we really need him for the second leg. Jonny Evans has had a cracking season but we will miss Ferdinand's reading of the game and his ability on the ball. It will be interesting to see the team on Saturday morning at Middlesbrough. Fergie has said there may be a lot of changes and i am sure that there will be. But i don't think he will start with exactly the same team next Tuesday, so we shall see.

Evra thinks we should settled the tie last night
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/european/evra-disappointed-by-manchester-united-result-1676661.html

Wenger happy to get away with being just the one goal down
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/apr/30/champions-league-manchester-united-arsenal-managers

Jim White on the gap in experience between United and Wenger's current Arsenal crop
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/5246846/Carlos-Tevez-shows-pedigree-Arsenal-crave.html

Ferdinand to have scan
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/man_utd/8026160.stm

Jackie Ashley on Brown's disastrous couple of weeks
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/apr/30/gordon-brown-mps-expenses

Simon Jenkins hits the nail on the hear regarding the media's overdose of over sensasionalist reporting of the latest flu outbreak
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/apr/30/swine-flu-media

No nearer finding Giggs successor

According to Andy Hunter in the guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2009/apr/28/ryan-giggs-nani-manchester-united
There is no argument from me there. In fact we haven't really found a successor for Scholes either. It was always going to be a big task and though Carrick has done well and is a quality player he is not really a like for like replacement for Scholes. As for Giggs we are absolutely nowhere near finding his replacement. We are really lucky they have both kept going and not been too unlucky with injuries. There isn't much more i can say about Nani, he has obvious talent, but he doesn't appear to have much of a football brain. The amount of times Rooney ended up shaking his head with arms outstretched looking in Nani's direction in the first half on Saturday told me his number was probably up at half time. He just doesn't seem to know the right time to do anything apart from shoot when he gets the chance. He has a great shot but that doesn't begin to make up fro the rest of his game.

Fergie backs Nani
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/ferguson-backs-nani-after-walkout-1675496.html
I don't believe that

Henry Winter on Giggs, in his opinion a worthy PFA player of the year
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/manutd/5232387/Ryan-Giggs-is-the-Premier-League-player-for-all-seasons.html

The man himself thinks he is playing better than ever, i would say more consistently than ever. It is probably easier to be consistent in the middle of the park than on the wing though.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_united/article6181267.ece

Sid Lowe on Pepe Guardiola's Barca
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2009/apr/28/pep-guardiola-barcelona-champions-league

Tightened purse strings ahead for the British economy according to Stephen King
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/comment/stephen-king/stephen-king-the-chancellors-golden-goose-is-no-more-and-the-cash-has-run-out-1674826.html

The Flu virus hits the big apple, i would have thought California would have been first hit.
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-wellbeing/health-news/swine-flu-fear-for-hundreds-of-ny-children-1675367.html

Sacha Baron Cohen aka Borat is back with a new film
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/news/sacha-baron-cohen-the-men-in-his-life-1675107.html

Manchester United 5-2 Tottenham Hotspur

When we were 2 down at half time the consensus amongst most of the people i spoke to at half time and have spoken to since was that we would gladly take the draw. But typical United they come out and score 5 and from nowhere play the best football of the season. What we had hoped for at the start of the season after we had bought Berbatov, was that he would take us up an notch. Unfortuantely it has to be said that before ysterday we had been nowhere near as good as we had in the two previous seasons. And there were plenty of us wondering if Berbatov was part of the reason. I just hope yesterday was the day when everything clicked for us. When Tevez came on yesterday, we saw that front four really click, gel, whatever you want to call it. Ronaldo had his best game for ages, Tevez worked his sock off for the cause, Berbatov had a hand in almost everything drifting into space and opening them up with some great passes and Rooney was just absolutely brilliant.
What a change from the first half when, though i didn't think we played badly enough to be two goals down we were second to almost everything and the defence looked in trouble every time that Spurs attacked. In fact it would be a great time for the attack to gel because we look all over the place at the back. Even when we scored the Fourth and fifth we still looked shaky at the back and could easily have conceded again. I didn't think we would top the Villa game for drama and excitement but we managed it yesterday. I can't wait for the game on Wednesday.
The down side at the moment has got to be the defence, we are struggling at right back and we really could do with a fit Wes Brown to stiffen us up. Rafael is going to be a good player but he can get caught out of position badly at times. Evra just seems to have lost his confidence and the last player he needed to be facing yesterday was the man who seems to have started the rot. Since Lennon gave him a bit of a chasing in the first half of the League cup final at Wembley he hasn't been the same player.
When Fergie took off the once more ineffective Nani and replaced him with Tevez the game completely changed. And the change was totally complete when he brought Scholes on. Scholes was a man on a mission and it didn't take him long to get booked. But crucially Spurs weren't first to everything any more. All that said i can't argue with the view that the penalty changed everything. We may well have gone on to get a draw or maybe even won but i don't believe we would have gone on to give the perfomance that we got. And yet again one of our supposedly best referees got it badly wrong. Unlike last week when it went against us this time it went for us, and if i could have chosen the one to be given us this is the one i would have picked . As well as we played we definitely got the luck. The equaliser was the pick of the goals for me, it was a great move between the front men and a sublime finish from Rooney. After that it was like fantasy football as every time we attacked we seemed to score. Spurs did fall apart a bit but United were majestic. It must have brought back horrible memories of the 5-3 defeat we handed them at White hart lane earlier on in the decade when they 3-0 up at half time. So it was a great game, a great second half performance and a great three points. That title is getting closer.

The match reportin the Times
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_united/article6167886.ece

Fergie admits penalty was fortunate
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/put-your-shirt-on-united-for-title-1674285.html

The Da Silva Bothers Q & A
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/apr/20/rafael-fabio-da-silva

Arsene Wenger believes the English games grip on the continent's best players is coing to an end. It's hard to argue with that as we as a nation come to the realities of slipping down the lwealth league tables.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/5221803/Arsene-Wenger-New-tax-on-high-earners-will-drive-foreign-stars-away.html

And here is Will hutton on the realities of that situation.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/apr/26/britain-super-power-will-hutton

The mouth of Rupert Murdoch doesn't like Obama's vision of the States, now there is a surprise
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/columnists/article6168774.ece

Hamish McRae on the Britain's finances and the world economy
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/hamish-mcrae/hamish-mcrae-the-state-we-are-ureallyu-in-1674376.html

Has the flu pandemic arrived
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/apr/25/swine-flu-mexico

nice people to do business with
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/apr/26/manchester-city-torture-tape

Fergie hopes Giggs wins the PFA player of the year

So do i, he has been our best player of the season for me. Vidic had a great spell in the middle of the season and seems to have recovered have his recent alarming dip in form but it would have to be Giggs for me. Whether he does win, who knows, there is always the chance that Gerrard will sneak through.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_united/article6162659.ece

Carrick thinks United should be keeping Tevez in the summer. He seems to be a popular member of the squad, you can't help wondering if the squad are as keen on Berbatov.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/apr/24/michael-carrick-carlos-tevez

Wes Brown back in training and ready for the final lap of the season, we hope.
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/european/brown-times-return-to-perfection-1673339.html


Wembley pics
view from the coach park, looking the other way there is a big Ikea store for all the football romantics amongst you.
View from the new wembley way, looking unimpressed

View of the warm up, no grumbles about that it was a pretty good view




Music

Band of horses - Cease to begin: Aother good slice of American rock on this second album.
Bob Dylan - Pat Garrett and Billy the kid: I wasn't sure how much i would like this. I have seen parts of the film but never all the way through. It's pretty good stuff, not a classic but good enough.
Bob Dylan - Self portrait: I had read some pretty appaling reviews of this before i listened to it, and have to agree it ain't that good. It starts alright but never really clicks and then just starts to drag and it's pretty hard listening through right to the end. There are a few decent tunes on it amongst the first 10 or so tracks but after that it really starts to outlast it's welcome.
Dinosaur Jr. You're living all over me: if you like your rock with scuzzy distorted guitars, the these are a great group. I love J. Masics guitar work, echoes of Neil Young amongst others. There is a great version of Frampton's show me the way at the end.
James Yorkston - When the haar rolls in: As different from Dinosaur Jr as you can get is the folk of James Yorkston. I like this , but it seems a bit commercial. The songs overcome that though, midnight feast in particular being a cracker.
Stephen Stills - Stephen Stills: I can't believe i have never heard this because it is one hell of an album. Great tunes, guest appearances from Clapton and Hendrix and great musicianship from Stills himself. Love the one your with is the song everybody will have heard but there plenty more pearlers.
Toots and the Maytals - In the dark: Another classic album, this time a reggae classic. Again great musicianship and great tunes, there is even a great reggae version of country road. I'd sooner here that at old trafford than that monstrosity that we occasionaly have to endure.

Manchester United 2-0 Portsmouth

You wouldn't have thought that the scousers had dropped 2 points the night before giving us a great opportunity to get one hand on that 18th title, the lack of atmosphere was absolutely unbelievable. Our support is becoming so embarassing it takes away a fair bit of the enjoyment off the match for me. True it was a pretty one sided game, especially in the first half, but what does that matter when the prize is almost within sight. Mind you i suppose the news of the latest season ticket price rise will have pissed off a lot of people.
The big guns were back for last night with Ronaldo and Rooney both starting. Scholes was selected for his 600th start. As usual he made no fuss and pretty obviously told the club he didn't want any before the game. Giggs came back into the team and as most times he has started since christmas he was again our best player, though Fletcher ran him close.
We made a nice start as Anderson for once got one of his passes on target to find Giggs on the left who crossed it for Rooney to dink it over James to put us 1-0 up after 10 minutes. How we went into the half time break only that goal up, i don't know. Rooney had a goal disallowed for offside that looked close and Giggs missed two glorious chances. United were playing reasonably good football though we weren't playing against much it has to be said. The second half saw us start in the same vein, but half way through the half we started to ease off and get a touch nervous for some reason. They didn't really go that close but everybody knew it would have been a massive chance gone if we didn't win the game.
Almost as soon as Carrick came on he was putting the ball into the back of the net to ease our worries. Fittingly it came through a superb pass from Scholes who showed in his 600th game why he is a favourite with discering reds. Scholes and Giggs have been 2 masters of their art for this team and boy will we miss them when they finish. If we beat Spurs on saturday we will only have ourselves to blame if we don't make 18. And that would be almost perfect revenge for the 4-1 and will give them a miserable summer knowing they blew such a great chance to have ended their title drought.

Most of the papers had a piece on the ginger prince before his 600th appearance, these are two from the Guardian and Independent
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/paul-scholes-uniteds-quiet-legend-1672039.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/apr/22/paul-scholes-manchester-united-alex-ferguson

Tevez looking ahead to pastures new. To be honest i don't think United were going to keep him anyway. Whether Fergie is right or not i am not sure. As much working for the cause as he does, i am not sure that he is worth £20 million as far as skill, creativity and his goalscoring record is concerned. Though if Ronaldo goes as well he is going have to hope Berbatov has a better season than he has this. In fact i can see there being quite a shake up this summer as it looks like was have gone backwards this season to me. We have been nowhere near as good as we have the previous 2 seasons.
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/markogden/blog/2009/04/23/berbatov_and_ferguson_edge_tevez_towards_old_trafford_exit


Keano back at Ipswich, this was a bit out of the blue, to me anyway.
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/football-league/keanes-shock-return-at-ipswich-confirmed-1672777.html

Janes Lawton on the exciting game that is not to be confused with a great game. The two 3-3's with Barca in 99 spring to mind as great games.
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/james-lawton-this-was-not-a-great-game-nor-was-it-english-1672529.html

Budget reactions
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/hamish-mcrae/hamish-mcrae-age-of-new-labour-draws-to-a-close-with-deceit-and-dishonesty-1672792.html
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/economics/budget/article6150903.ece
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/apr/23/tax-regime-budget

Manchester United 0-0 Everton ( 2-4 on pens )

That was the first FA cup semi final i have seen us lose in all the years i have been watching United. But to be honest if we go and win the league, this defeat may turn out to be a good thing. I don't blame Fergie for the team he put out either. This was always going to be a tought game even if he had picked a stonger line up, and there would still have been a chance of extra time. And the last thing we wanted was our best players playing 120 minutes on that surface with an 18th title to win to slience the other half of meseryside, i'm totally with Fergie on that. Sure it was galling to lose to Everton, who whilst they are not Liverpool, are still scouse after all.
Having said all that the youngsters gave a reasonable account of themselves even if they were all a little bit inconsistent. Welbeck had a first half to forget but he kept going and showed really good character to become one of our more dangerous players in the second half. It was never going to be easy for Macheda starting his very first 90 minutes for United at Wembley against a strong Everton team. But he didn't disgrace himself and showed some good touches at times. The Da Silva twins did ok, but we already know they are going to be class acts. Gibson did alright but central midield was where were always going to struggle, it's hard to have two young players operating there in games of this level. Anderson had a game that has been typical of him of late. He looked very strong defensively, but he still gives the ball away too cheaply.
There weren't that many chances in the game, although there would have been more if Welbeck would have had his shooting boots on. Two or three times in the game the ball came to him in inviting positions and he completely mishit the ball or kicked fresh air instead. We did hit the post as Welbeck's effort was defelected by Lescott but that would have been fortunate. Everton didn't really create much in the first half, the only worry when Foster delayed his kick too long and Saha almost embarassed him.
The second half wasn't that much more entertaining, but Everton did make it a more even affair, with the teams on show that was the least we should have expected. When the penalty that should have been wasn't given, i began to wonder if this was going to be one of those days. How the referee didn't give that loses me, it just couldn't hae been much more blatant.Welbeck showed good skill to go close with a few minutes to go. But the game went where we hadn't wanted it to, penalties.
I thought United would have done better in extra time but the best chance probably fell to Everton, but they couldn't take it. I am never confident when it goes to penalties, we may have won in Moscow and on our last time at Wembley, but this was a totally different team. Added to that i have still never seen us win a penalty shoot out in the flesh. And i still haven't. It's hard to believe Berbatov's terrible attempt after we had been given the advantage by Cahill's almost equally bad first effort. I was a big fan of Berbatov but i must admit to having doubts that will just get bigger with episodes like that. It wasn't just the awfulness of the kick but the body language as he walked up to take it. After that it just seemed how early we lost to me, Ferdinand's kick wasn't that bad to be fair, he put it in the corner but Howard guessed right and made a fine save.
I have never belived the quintuple was on, i didn't think we were good enough, but we have had injuries, lost form and had decisions go against us of late. A successful season would still entail just the league title for me, the league cup was just a nice bonus really. If the league does come back to Old Trafford i will have forgot all about yesterday.


I hadn't expected to be impressed by the new Wembley, and i wasn't wrong. It makes laugh to think of it really. Years ago Ken Bates had a pop at United saying Old Trafford was situated in a glorified industrial estate. This from the man who was in charge of the building of the new Wembley fiasco. It really is a souless new stadium aka all the rest, with plenty of warehousing and a big Ikea facing the ground, just another glorified industrial estate really. The bogs are a joke, there are no urinals just cubicles in the mens, unbelivable, really catering for the new fan there. It was a good view, i can't knock that. There wasn't much atmosphere, the atmosphere at our end was absolutely garbage, nothing new i suppose. Right from arriving at the ground it was obvious that their fans were miles more up for it than ours. United really are going to have the support it desevres in the next 10 years or so if things carry on like this. They might fill Old Trafford but it won't be much of an experience for the day trippers. When Berbatov missed his penalty the amount of wankers that took that as their to go was unreal, i though we were going to lose after that, but, you stay and you hope, surely you hope especially with United, had they forgotten Moscow already, and you get behind the shirts. And if you do lose you give the young lads some applause and encouragement.

Fergie has no regrets
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/fa-league-cups/ferguson-has-no-regrets-over-depleted-team-1671516.html

Fergie and Wenger unite to condem wembley pitch
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/apr/20/arsene-wenger-wembley-fa-cup-chelsea-guus-hiddink
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/manutd/5187596/Sir-Alex-Ferguson-wants-FA-to-act-over-Wembley-pitch.html

He's fat his round has a go at Fergie and Allardyce
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/liverpool/article6133213.ece

Was Fergies team selection to blame? maybe but if we go on to win the league he will have done the right thing for me
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2009/apr/19/manchester-united-everton-fa-cup

Interesting new tax plans from the lib dems
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/apr/20/nick-clegg-liberal-democrat-tax-cuts

Will Hutton on economic ortodoxy, how it got it all wrong, and the chance to make things anew
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/apr/19/banking-budget-recession-will-hutton

Porto 0-1 Manchester United

Has the season just got back on track again, last night was the best performance since the Inter game away. We are not back to the standards of that night but at last we looked like a team again. The returning Ferdinand helped solidify the defence even if it still isn't the defence of last seson. O'Shea has done a job at full back, some games pretty well, others not that well, but Evra still doesn't look the player of last season. But Ferdinand and Vidic were back to their best and with Anderson in front giving them a bit more cover than they have had recently, United never really looked like conceding. In fact Porto didn't have a really serious chance until the last 5 minutes.
United started the game reasonably well, at least it wasn't the sluggish start we had in the 1st leg. But the sensational goal by Ronaldo after 6 minutes really settled us and clearly knocked their game plan for six as United completely dominated the first 20 minutes and mostly controled the first half. Porto were restricted to long range shots and one well hit free kick. When their best player Lucho went off just after they had looked like getting back into the game, it really looked it was going to be our night. If Vidic had converted a chance from a corner from inside the six yard box just before the interval it would have been all over.
The second half was a more tense affair and United definitely didn't dominate the game thereafter. But i thought we always looked comfortable. Berbatov had a strange game, he got caught too often and wanted too much time on the ball i thought. But his movement was pretty good but you wish he would make more of an effort to get in the box. Rooney was excellent sacrificing himself for the team yet again, this time on the right. Anderson without being that good, his first touch and distribution again belieing the fact he comes from Brazil, made a difference giving the defence a bit more cover than it has recieved of late. Giggs yet again this season, was superb, we look far and away a better team when he in the side at present. Ronaldo had his best game in ages and almost had a second late on in the second half with a cracking right foot shot that forced their goalie into a fine save.
We did come under some pressure late on but that was to be expected with the state of the tie with them just needing the one goal because of their away goals at Ol Trafford. But at the end of the game it was a good solid professional performance that got us through. I hope that it is the start of a resurgence in our form that takes us to the title at least. It was lovely to see the bindippers get knocked out and having a game where they probably took more out of themselves than we did. Let's hope we can finish of a fine week at Wembley on Sunday.

Everyone is looking forward to the Arsenal semi final, after last night i am more confident than i was. But we will have to be at our best in those two games.
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/european/rocket-ronaldo-launches-united-into-arsenalrsquos-path-1669388.html

Ferguson glad to have Ferguson back, so am i, but will he stay fit with all the crunch games from now until the end of the season.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/manutd/5162964/Rio-Ferdinand-the-key-for-Manchester-United.html

In the loop gets 5 stars in the Guardian with doubtless more rave reviews to come. I rewatched the first episode of The thick of it last night and hat a treat it was. It still cracks me up as much as the first time i watched it.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2009/apr/16/in-the-loop-review-bradshaw

Anatole Kaletsky says it's best to be optimistic about the economic recovery when it happens
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/anatole_kaletsky/article6101278.ece

Sunderland 1-2 Manchester United

Another pretty uncomfortable afternoon, another disappointing performance but crucially we got the three points. We didn't hit any heights again but at least this times we managed to control the flow of the game in the main. We still look suspect at the back though, it was frustrating that we seemed to be in total control of the game most of the time and yet every time they did manage to go forward they looked like they might manage to create something. And when you looked at their team it is doubly worrying as there wasn't much premier league quality to be seen. I wouldn't be surprised if they are the third team to go down along with West brom and Middlesbrough.
Ronaldo was left on the bench which at least meant we would get more work rate with Rooney playing on the left and Park on the right. Unfortunately Park didn't have one of his better games, Rooney played pretty well considering it can't be his favourite position or the most natural position for him to play. Berbatov came back into the team, but didn't really do that much and when he was took off in the second half his ankle was put back in an ice pack which suggests his ankle wasn't really up to being picked.
Scholes and Carrrick made up the central midfield and at least here we seemed to have got one man back to somewhere near to his best. Scholes was magnificent in the first half and was even making his old trademark late runs into the box. The first goal came from this source as a Rooney cross from the left was met by the glancing head of the ginger prince and United's domination of posession gained some reward. We hadn't actually created that much but at least we had got back to the basics of trying to control the game. The equaliser when it came was again another bad goal to give away. We had looked susceptible to crosses all afternoon and this is where it came from as Taino beat Park and put a tantalising cross that Foster thought he could reach but only managed to tip into the path of Jones who managed to scramble it home.
Once again United didn't react very well to the set back and for 5 minutes or so went at the game again.
Fortunately they cleared their heads and started to dominate the game looking for that vital winning goal. Ronaldo was brought on for Park and Macheda was brought on for Berbatov. One minute later we were back in the lead as a pretty woeful shot from Carrick which was going harmlessly wide was deflected into the other side of the net by Macheda. United's camp maintain he meant it, i'm not sure i still haven't seen it again.
One thing i do know is we should stick with this lad until the end of the season. I don't mean starting with him necessarily, but bringing him of the bench in tight situations. He has done it twice on the trot now, he can't do it every time obviously, but as Fergie says the boy has got something. We managed to see the rest of the game out reasonably easily so our season carries on limping away without us playing anywhere near our best but at least we seem to have found the winning habit again.

Michael Walker asks which United will turn up at Porto, it's a good question, i haven't a clue. The defence is a big worry that's all i know.
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/machedas-little-boost-for-big-trip-to-porto-1667916.html

At last Fergie gets to grips with the ego that is Ronaldo
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/manutd/5143987/Manchester-United-manager-Sir-Alex-Fergusons-warning-to-Cristiano-Ronaldo.html
It was noticable that he got back behind the ball when we didn't have it, tackled back and didn't sit on the floor waving his arms in the air when he lost it after he came on as a sub.

Henry Winter on Ronaldo
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/manutd/5141316/Manchester-United-need-Cristiano-Ronaldo-to-walk-tall-and-pass-straight.html
You couldn't really write that article about Messi could you

Patrick Barclay on football finance and the disgrace that it is
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/columnists/patrick_barclay/article6083144.ece

I can't see Hughes being in charge at the boo camp next season, his United past will probably see to that
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_city/article6083653.ece

Jackie Ashley on new labour sleaze
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/apr/13/damian-mcbride-email-gordon-brown-cameron-osborne

Trouble in paradise?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/apr/13/thailand-bangkok-protests

Disgraced bank collapses to be investigated by FSA
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/apr/12/fsa-investigation-rbs-hbos-lloyds

An interview with Armando Ianucci Whose The loop comes out this week. I can't wait for it.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/apr/13/armando-iannucci-interview-decca-aitkenhead

A taste of what will happen when the US leaves Iraq, scores will be settled.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/iraq-militia-fear-reprisals-after-us-exit-1668029.html

An alternative take on the Somali pirates
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/johann-hari/johann-hari-you-are-being-lied-to-about-pirates-1225817.html

Manchester United 2-2 Porto

After the massive high of Sunday we got another downer. It might not turn out be a fatal result, giving two away goals for them take into the second leg. But the way our defence has disintegrated and, to be fair to them, the way they took the game to us it's hard to be as confident as i would like. It's amazing how a teams confidence can just evaporate, but that is what has happened. It's pretty hard to stomach but that 4-1 defeat by the scousers seems to have completely knocked the stuffing out of us.
You can't blame Fergie for the way we are defending individualy and as a collective unit but it seemed a weird tactical choice to go for a 4-5-1 when we had got our rewards on Sunday when we went all out on the attack. And to say it didn't work is an understatement. To me that system is negative, unless played the Cruyff or Barca way with 3 out and out forwards. But the one thing it is supposed to do when it is played as we usually play it is to make sure you either control the game or else at least don't get overrun in midfield. So to watch them take the game to us and look far more threatning than we did for the majority of the first half tells you that the tactics didn't exactly got to plan. In fact we only really started to get a bit of a hold in the game when we shifted back to 4-4-2.
Their first goal was even that much of a suprise when it came as almost as soon as the game kicked they looked brighter, sharper and our defence carried off where it has been for the last few games. I don't think we would have got into the game at all in the first half but for the horrendous mistake by their defender that gifted the chance to Rooney that he took as calmly as you like. At the moment the only two players that are playing anything like are Rooney and Fletcher. Carrick isn't playing badly, but he is nowhere the player that the Italian press and most reds we raving about, what, only 4 weeks ago.
The second half saw us play better but without hitting any heights or look much like getting a winner. Giggs came on and improved as he almost always has this season. But with 5 minutes to go and with the way we had performed i would have took the 1-1 draw. But then a brilliant piece of skill saw Rooney glide the ball into the path of substitute Tevez who smashed it home for what looked like it would probably be the winner and give us a 1 goal cushion to take to Portugal. But 5 minutes was long enough for our defence to crumble again and for Porto to get a second away goal meaning we will almost certainly have to win over there. The we are playing at the moment, that is going to be a big ask.

Fergie admits we have a tough task at Porto as defensive injury list gets worse as Evans is now out again.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/manutd/5122350/Manchester-United-have-a-job-to-do-after-Porto-snatch-late-draw.html

Duncan White of the Telegraph says United are missing Brown and Owen Hargreaves badly, he is right on both counts. Right back needs seriously sorting out in the summer, although i am not sure why Fabio couldn't have played a couple of games there as he looked to me as though he would be just as comfortable on the right as on the left. Whilst that formation that we played last night was made for Hargreaves to slip in to.
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/duncanwhite/blog/2009/04/08/why_manchester_united_desperately_miss_owen_hargreaves_and_wes_brown

Rob Smyth worried about United
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2009/apr/07/manchester-united-porto-champions-league
He could be right but when a team inconceivably loses it's form sometimes it can just as inconceivably come back. Let's hope


The boys in blue cover themselves in glory again, i am amazed that anybody believed them after the lies and the cover up they obviously tried to perpetrate over the De Menzes death.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/apr/07/ian-tomlinson-g20-death-video
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/second-postmortem-for-g20-death-man-1665567.html

What an embarassing creep Berlusconi really is, and crook of course.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/apr/08/italy-earthquake-berlusconi

Manchester United 3-2 Aston Villa

What a result that was, when Ronaldo equalised i would gladly have taken the draw with the team that we ended the game with. But to get all three points and to win it with such a brilliant goal was ecstasy time. Let's hope that this gets us out of our slump, as heady as the result was the performance wasn't up to scratch again, it has to be said. We didn't defend well again but when i saw the defensive line up at the start i was pretty worried. It's a bad time for Ferdinand to get a recurrence of that back injury and he was as badly missed as i had feared. We struggled up front as well, it was always going to be a big ask of Tevez, coming back from international duty in South America. He did his usual hard graft but he didn't really make much of a contribution invention wise or shot wise. Ronaldo had another of his strange games where he didn't really do that much in the game yet came out of it with two brilliantly taken goals.
The first was a beauty and i thought it would steady us down and give us the confidence to take a hold of the game as neither team started the game that well. But as the first half wore on Villa started to have a go and we started to look vulnerable. I don't think playing Gary Neville at centre half was the best idea Fergie has ever had and he didn't have much chance against Carew for the equaliser. At half time it was hard to be optimistic i was just hoping we would get lucky some where down the line.
When they scored their second it just seemed like it was going to be another one of those days but credit to the shirts they showed they were made of the right stuff. I thought Macheda had made a difference to us as well before the injury time goal, he added a presence and made a nusiance of himself. He is going to be a good player. Fletcher was the man driving us forward though, he outshone Carrick yesterday and at the moment he would be my first choice midfield player. Ronaldo's second was another cracker, it might not have looked the prettiest but it gave Freidal no chance. As for the winner, what a goal, that was a real strikers goal, absolutely brilliant. Ole rates this lad so that's alll you need to know really.

Lazio still sore at losing Macheda, they have got a fair point.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/apr/06/federico-macheda-manchester-united-lazio
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/lazio-president-slams-macheda-transfer-1664107.html

The Independent match report
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/kiko-the-kid-fires-united-title-drive-1663287.html

Fergie happy with Macheda and happy that he gambled
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_united/article6041593.ece

Ronaldo pledges his future to United according to the Times, i'm not sure that's how i read it
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_united/article6045838.ece

Alan Hansen on the title race
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/manutd/5111209/Liverpool-will-be-distraught-at-Manchester-Uniteds-amazing-comeback.html

Anatole Kaletsky on why Keynes was right
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/anatole_kaletsky/article6041266.ece?token=null&offset=12&page=2

Back to the real thing

Gary Neville fit again and in contention for the villa game. To be honest i think i would be ore optimistic to hear Da Silva was back in contention, i think we have missed his drive, even if he obviously is nowhere near the finished article defensively. Still you can't knock the experience that Neville will bring.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_united/article6015159.ece

James Lawton's column on last night's match laments the absence of midfield creativity and wonders why Carrick wasn't involved either from the start of from the bench. I am amazed he is not a regular starter he is easily the best out and out central midfielder in England.
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/james-lawton-a-night-that-cried-out-for-the-creative-carrick-1660107.html

Will Hutton and Anatole Kaletsky are mildy optimistic after today's G20 summit
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/apr/02/g20-financial-crisis2
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/anatole_kaletsky/article6018122.ece

One of the best reads on the Guardians blog/column pages, Seth Freedman on the new Israeli foreign minister
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/apr/02/israeli-elections-2009-israel

AlexPetridis loves the new Doves album in the Guardian. I love them in the studio, but unfortunately the one time i saw them live they didn't shake any trees for me. Still can't wait to hear this
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/apr/03/doves-kingdom-of-rust-review

MUSIC
A few classic albums amongst this batch that i'd never listened to properly before or never heard at all.


Augustus Pablo - Rebel rock reggae: The first album by one of the masters of dub, it hints at some of the great things to come but it's not a classic.
Bob Marley - Natty dread: An absolute classic, almost very track is a classic.
Bruce Springsteen - Nebraska: It took some getting used to this completely solo Bruce effort from 1982 that i'd never got round to hearing first time around but i can see why some people think it's a classic. There are some great tunes, no doubt too depressing for some but not for me, i loved it.
Calexico - Carried to dust: I'm a big fan of these south western Americans and this is another fine album with the usual mix of Americana and hispanic and even world influences.
Eric Bibb - Home to me: I'd heard of him through a review in mojo ( not of this album ) it has it's moments, but it was quickly forgotten if i am honest.
Fela Kuti - Gentlemen: A gem from Nigeria's mr. music from the early 70's. Afro beat with a heavy jazz influence.
Kraftwerk - Autobahn: I can't believe i haven't really listened to this properly before, because it is absolute genius. I thought Man machine was brilliant but this earlier effort is a level above even that.