Manchester United 5-0 Wigan

In his post match reaction Ferguson said that the fitst 45 minutes was probably the best football we have played all season. We certainly haven't played any better than that, especially at old trafford. I didn't really know what to expect to be honest, but i certainly wasn't expecting the rout that we saw last night. Maybe we should have, because we have a great record against them. And after seeing that Wigan side last night the spine that Steve Bruce instilled them with in his time there seems to have evaporated. To be fair to Martinez he has lost Valencia, Cattermole and Palacios, three pretty tough premiership players. But if they want to avoid being involved in the relegation dogfight they need some players with fight as well as talent.
The only change to United's line up was Park coming in for Giggs and to be fair to him he had a reasonable game his best since he came back from injury. United didn't exactly start the game on fire but they did seem to be playing a level above what we have seen recently. We had some cracking moves, good chances and a penalty appeal turned down during the first half. Fletcher and Carrick were in total control of midfield and Valencia was causing havoc on the right. The first goal came from the right as the impressive Rafael made a great overlapping run to recieve the ball form Valencia and put in a dangerous cross that Rooney clipped past Kirkland to score the goal that our play had deserved.
Almost straight away the lead doubled as a United counter attack saw Valencia run down the right unchallenged and instead of blindly crossing he picked out Carrick at the edge of the box who finished the move of nicely placing it with his side foot into the corner of the net. And then just before half time the game was well and truly over as Rafael cut in form the right ran across the edge of the box and shot with his left foot to beat Kirkland diving to his left to make it three.
After a half like that you some times get a run of the mill second half as United settle for three points and take their foot on the pedal. But not last night as United kept attacking and although they didn't play as well as in the first half it was still pretty good attacking football.
Five minutes in and it was Valencia again who was the provider beating his man and crossing to Berbatov who took a touch and then stroked it home. It made up for his miss in the first half when he had done the hard part with a brilliant piece of ball control bringing Fletcher's great pass down first time but then horribly misdirected his lob over Kirkland. He was another who had a good night, how anybody could prefer Owen to him in the line up i just don't know. Another superb piece of football saw Berbatov cross for Rooney whose header hit the bar and was then cleared. The fifth came with another piercing attack as Rooney advanced and with plenty of options put another inch perfect ball through for Valencia who confidently chipped it over substitute goalie Pollit with the outside of his right foot to make it five. Welbeck then came on for Berbatov leading me to believe that Owen may start against Leeds and City. So a good night as our goal difference gets close to Chelsea's though Arsenal's 4-1 win means that their goal difference is better than both of us. I just can't see Arsenal mounting a title challenge come May though with Van Persie out for months and Fabregas out for anothe month. To be honest if both of them was fit i still couldn't see it.

Fergie happy and thinks we have a good chance with our defenders all coming back fit for selection.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/8435587.stm

O'Shea's injury is long term, according to Fergie he could be out for another 2 months
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/man_utd/8436026.stm

Valencia is now proving his worth according to this Telegraph article, i thought he started to do that a couple of moths ago. He has had a couple of poor games by the standards he had set him self against Fulhamd and Hull but he has been one of our most consistent performers as the amount of games he has played shows. Nani has never got close to the run of games Valencia has because he has never shown the consistent form needed to be trusted to keep playing week in week out. Now if we can only find someone for the left we would really be back in business.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/manutd/6912625/Manchester-United-winger-Antonio-Valencia-rubs-salt-into-Wigan-wounds.html

United need a new Eric according to James Lawton in the independent. That's a pretty good assessment, and i thin he is right that Rooney needs some one as good as him i the team to take burden of him.
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/james-lawton-an-heir-to-keane-and-cantona-will-be-high-on-fergusons-birthday-wishlist-1852859.html

The Times reports on the rumour that won't go away that Vidic will be off in the summer
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_united/article6970903.ece

I listened to a Times sports pod a couple of weeks ago where the question was put " who will a loner lasting on influence on football in this country, Ferguson or Wenger ". They all answered Fergie, if my memory serves me right, but Patrick Barclay put forward the view that Fergie was undeniably the greatest manager in the world as far as squad rotation goes. Here Daniel Taylor claims Fergie is the new tinkerman, i don't think the new belongs in that headline.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/dec/29/alex-ferguson-manchester-united-squad-rotation

Ronaldo tells Real Madrid fans they should be more like United and get behind their team. I don't know how well that will go down, they aren't used to players with a mind of their own. willing to tell them they are wrong. A down side i suppose of a supporters ran club, but one i would willingly accept over a debt ran club.
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/european/ronaldo-critical-of-real-madrid-supporters-1853267.html

Chelsea almost debt free according to their latest figures. The interessting part of this report is Abramovitch converting his loan into shares and what his motive for doing so are. Is he going to back Platini in his drive to get debt driven clubs to operate within their means. Is he in favour of a salry cap, does hw want to get rid of Chelsea but not leave it in debt or does he know something we don't.
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/chelsea-almost-debt-free-1853309.html

Swann is living the dream as England crush South Africa in Durban. What a find he has been for England, Monty who!
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/cricket/england-hero-swann-hails-dream-year-1853188.html

George Walden puts a bit of perspective into the Chinese execution of Akmal Shaikh, remember the opium wars. In other words western double stndards.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/guest_contributors/article6970891.ece

Larry Elliot doesn't expect a smooth economic recovery
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/dec/28/financial-fireworks-far-from-over

A wall street journal on the disgrace that are British libel laws
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704107604574607801854864672.html

A guardian report on the kidnapping of Peter Moore, nobody comes out well.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/dec/31/british-hostages-baghdad-iraq-iran