West Ham United 0-4 Manchester United

I have to say i was pretty confident that we would take the three points from this game over the last few days. With us in reasonable form, Van Der Sar supposedly back and West Ham having lost Carlton Cole to injury three points seemed to a pretty good bet. Even when i saw our team with Kuszczak in goal, Fletcher at right back and Gary Neville at centre half i was confident as you looked at their teamsheet it didn't really look much. But it has to be said if they had a full team to pick from and we had ended the game with the defence we ended up with yesterday i don't think we would have romped away quite so easily or even at all. So it was a good time for us to be playing them. We need to get some bodies back in defence though this as this will be stretching our squad to bursting point.
United played reasonably in the first half dominating possession but never really looking like breaking a dogged West Ham defence down. With West Ham fielding a weakened team and not really threatening either the first half never took off. So for United to take the lead with virtually the last kick off the half was good fortune and great news. And that it came from the boots of the Ginger prince getting forward and rolling back the years with an unstoppable shot that Green did all he could to keep out made it all the sweeter. I don't really know why he thinks he isn't playing as well as he can. He still cries out class to me when he pulls on the red shirt and he looks to have at least one more season in him to me.
The second half saw the game follow the same pattern as the first half with United dominating but never quite looking likely to score until Ronney and Giggs combined to send Gibson through and he hit another super shot to beat Green and put United firmly in the driving seat. It has been a pretty good week for Gibson whose three quality goals means he look like he is going to become a regular part of the first team squad now.
United really clicked into gear now and ten minutes later two goals in two minutes really made it a day to remember. First the improving Anderson found Valencia all on his own at the back post to tap home for the third. Then a minute later Valencia beat his man and found Rooney in the middle of the penalty area to side foot home the fourth. The down side to the game was Brown and Neville having to go off injured leaving us with an injury nightmare in defence. Carrick did well at centre half but it can't be denied he had nothing against him in the seond half. With Chelsea showing that last weeks hype of them being shoe ins for the title was just a little over the top after their defeat at the boo camp we are now just two points behing the league leaders as we begin December. Injuries permitting it looks like we are going to have a great chance to make it four titles in a row. We will be involved at the very least and that is the all you can hope for at the beginning of every season.

Injury problems at the back mount and are a concern for Fergie
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/man_utd/8397497.stm

Ronaldo had an eventful game yesterday but Real managed to win 4-2.
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/european/ronaldo-sent-off-after-inspiring-real-to-victory-1835139.html

The news of the world hacking row resurfaces
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/minister-embroiled-in-hacking-row-over-voicemail-messages-1835028.html

Paul Mason of newsnight reviews a book telling the story of what really happened on wall street in the months leading up to the credit crunch disaster.
http://www.newstatesman.com/books/2009/12/sorkin-lehman-paulson-fuld

One of my favourite comedians, Stewart Lee interviewed in the Obsever.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2009/dec/06/stewart-lee-comedy-interview
Click on the link to the youtube clip of his political correctness gone mad sketch, a total classic.