Hull City 1-3 Manchester United

It wasn't the most convincing display but after Chelsea slipping up again at Birmingham it was vital we secured the three points and that they did. I suppose it was a pretty good game for the neutrals in the sense that they probably felt the home team might take something from the game as once again United failed to find their best form. But the difference this time was having a proper centre half combination. The way we played it's hard to have seen us taking the three points if Brown and Vidic hadn't stepped back into the starting eleven. They both defended reasonably well as they are probably both rusty. And of course that allowed Fletcher and Carrick to move forward into central midfield. Both of them looked a bit rusty, but i suppose that was remembering what it's like to play in midfield again.
With Giggs on the left and Valencia on the right with Rooney and Berbatov up front it was the strongest team we have put for a good few weeks. But we didn't really play like that as United never found any fluency in their play. The passing was off right from the word go and it seemed it might have to be one of those days where we dug a result out.. Hull should have had a penalty as what had looked like a good tackle from Brown was in fact not as replays showed as infact Brown took the man but didn't make contact with the ball. Both sides were creating half chances and Hull's goalie veered between the very good with some fine saves and the very bad with one or two calamitous moments such as slicing one horrible clearance under no pressure at all but United couldn't capitalise. Not for the first time United left it until the dying moments of the first half to finally open up the the home sides defence and take the lead. Fletcher crossed from the right and though Giggs missed it Rooney ghosted into the middle of the six yard post to slot the ball home. We didn't really deserve it but we went in at half time with a one goal lead.
We hoped that would be the springboard for United to get their game together and take the game by the scruff of the neck. But it didn't really happen as Hull's work rate and United slipshod passing kept the home team in the game. But it took a disastrous backpass from Rooney to get Hull back in the game. As soon as he hit it he had his heart in his mouth and when Rafael brought Altidore down he sheepishly looked at the bench. Fagan made no mistake sending Kuszczak the wrong way and United were back to square one. I have to admit i am usually the optimist but it did go through my mind that maybe it was going to be another one of those days at that stage. But up stepped United's best player to make amends for his mistake to have a hand in the second and make the third. It was some game for him to be involved in every goal, even the opposition's.
With just over fifteen minutes to go United launched their best counter attack of the match that saw Giggs find park who had come on for the slightly disappointing Valencia. He found Rooney on the right who crossed for Park at the back post only for Hull's Dawson to slice it into his own net. Then Rooney played the ball of the match through Gardener's leg to the back post for Berbatov to side foot in to finally make the game safe. So United were never at their best but we came out the necessary three points as Arsenal and Villa were starting to put the pressure on us after our stuttering form recently.

Van Der Sar's wife is very ill after brain haemorrhage
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/man_utd/8433442.stm
Terrible news, i suppose that may put his football career into perspective for him. It may be that we don't see him in a red shirt again.

It seems there is at least one story a day at the moment suggesting Nani will be on his way during the January window. I can see every likliehood of that being true. I think United want shut and he wants to go. The only thing that might stop it is the Glazers not getting what they think is value for him. Bu they are't going to get that however we go about getting rid of him.
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/nani-heads-for-exit-from-old-trafford-1852142.html

James Lawton on Albert Scanlon and how the Munich crash never really left him
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/james-lawton-sad-end-for-a-troubled-survivor-1849136.html

Jonathan Wilson wonders where football tactics will go next as we enter the next decade
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2009/dec/23/the-question-football-tactics-develop-decade
4-4-2 seems to have made a come back this season, though it looks temporary to me. In United's case it would seem to be out of neccessity as without question with no Ronaldo we haven't got the players to make it work, maybe without Tevez as well if i am honest.

Andy Cole on christams for professional footballers
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/the-andy-cole-column-the-day-roy-keane-transformed-from-scrooge-into-santa-1849134.html

Inter to make swoop for Gerrard, is as i suspect they don't qualify for the champions league is suspect i think he will ask to leave and and as long as it his him that asks they will let him go. Though i would think Real Madrid is a more likely destination. Though where he would fit into their line up, i don't know. Liverpool need the money and he wants to win things before he hangs his boots up. His career won't last as long as Scholes and Giggs has.
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/inter-milan-line-up-gerrard-swoop-1852567.html

Whoever is in charge the giddiness levels just don't drop at the boo camp
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/mancini-makes-bold-claim-on-title-race-after-city-win-1852150.html

I don't know what these reports were all about, all a bit murky
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/european/6905003/Real-Madrid-deny-Sheikh-Mansour-buy-out-reports.html

Mike Atherton reveals his dislike of the review system that is being used in South Africa this winter in his Times column
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/columnists/mike_atherton/article6966851.ece
I know where he is coming from, i am not too sure i am that big a fan of it. I suppose if they use all the technology at their disposal to arrive at the right decision then fair enough. But that is not the case at the moment. Bat pad decision's without hot spot aren't much more conclusive from the third umpire than they are from the man on the spot it seems. I would go along with it only so long as they use all the technology available in all test matches. And he is absolutely spot on to say that the paying customer is getting a raw deal. They should be the first consideration in all sports at all times. Of course it isn't but it should be.

Will the bankers get punished after all asks Robert Peston
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/robertpeston/2009/12/new_ice_age_for_bankers.html