Portsmouth 1-4 Manchester United

A very nice result, i would have been happy with just the three points so 4 goals and a bit of an improvement on our goal difference was a nice bonus. After the youngsters were given the opportunity to show their worth the oldies were back in force for the visit to Fratton park. Gary Neville, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs all played and all played their part in this victory. We played 4-4-3 with Rooney up front on his own. I am not sure how this system suits us now Ronaldo has gone, it worked up to a point at Stamford bridge as we dominated midfield but we didn't get men past Rooney often enough for my liking. Still we had the chances to win that game so maybe it can work.
We started the game reasonably but weren't creating too much whilst Pompey under new manager Grant were not playing like a team at the foot of the table. Kuszczak had been picked ahead of Foster with Van Der Sar presumably injured. It says how underwhelmed i have been by Foster's form that i couldn't argue with that. To be fair to the Pole in goal ( pig ) he had to be on his best form and he was making a number of good stops and one excellent save.
United took the lead as Brown clumsily brought Rooney down in the area and Rooney got himself up to calmly convert the penalty. The lead didn't last long however. As the linesman flagged the referee after a corner and a penalty was awarded to Portsmouth. Nobody knew what he had given it for, but numerous replays seemed to suggest he gave it for Vidic grabbing hold of a shirt. Seeing as though both players were at it, to say it was harsh would be an understatement. Yet again the referee in charge of a United match had a stinker, you virtually expect it at the moment.
The second half was only a couple of minutes old when United regained the lead. Fletcher having an excellent game as usual found Giggs who tapped it across for Rooney who made no mistake slotting it home for his and United's second. Five minutes later and it was three for Rooney, three for United and three points. Giggs made a run down the left, looked like he had lost it only to win and back and then got brought down in the box. Up stepped Rooney again this time on a hatrick and as cool as you like despatched it to the other side for his third treble in a United shirt.
Portsmouth showed good character to keep on playing their footbal and continued to create chances. But the final say went to Giggs who hit a superb free kick to make it four with just minutes remaining. 4-1 was probably a bit harsh on Pompey but was just what the doctor ordered from our point of view.
It's a pity about Sunday's results but all we can do is win our games. I think we can safetly say that Arsenal aren't anywhere nearer winning the title after that demilition. I hadn't fancied them to be fair, that's the second time in a row they have been murdered by the ren boys on their own patch. Oh well they will have to pick themselves up for the trip to Maine road, that will be an interesting game, won't it.

Rooney happy with the win and the performance of Giggs
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/man_utd/8384604.stm

Leeds in the third round, should be tasty. I want as strong a team as possible for that and as many goals as possible.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/article6936803.ece

Ferguson happy to have Wes back
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/manutd/6669166/Manchester-United-defender-Wes-Brown-proving-himself-in-absence-of-Rio-Ferdinand.html
It is certainly nice timing for us to have a fit Wes back whilst Rio and Jonny Evans are out.

Patrick Barclay laments the effects of the new class of football owners
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/columnists/patrick_barclay/article6935408.ece
Spot on

Obertan doesn't want to be compared to Ronaldo, yet.
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/obertan-keen-to-avoid-ronaldo-comparisons-1829225.html

Marina Hyde won't lament the passing of GMTV if the rumours are true
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/nov/27/gmtv-slimy-padded-seat-power
Neither would i, more dumbed down garbage.

Miranda Sawyer has a go at the man behind another piece of dumbed down British TV
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/nov/29/simon-cowell-miranda-sawyer
About as dangerous as the good old days

Steve Richards on what he thinks was the real reason Blair supported Bush and the invasion of Iraq
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/steve-richards/steve-richards-the-real-reasons-why-blair-went-to-war-1828412.html
Meyer said it wasn't as poodleish as that at the Iraq inquiry earlier this week, if Richards is right maybe not, but it wouldn't enhance his reputation any if it was either.

Seymour Hersh interviewed in the New Statesman
http://www.newstatesman.com/media/2009/11/interview-obama-afghanistan

I am not much of a fan of Jeff Randall but this a decent article bemoaning the status of Britains bosses.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/comment/jeffrandall/6664637/If-Britains-got-talent-why-are-we-being-run-by-foreigners.html

Will Hutton bemoans British takeover laws as it looks like a great British company will get sold to make some already rich financiers richer whilst the workorce lose their jobs and prospects.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/nov/29/cadbury-kraft-takeover-will-hutton