Manchester United 4-0 Hull City

It was hard to see us getting three never mind four with ten minutes left on the clock. Don't get me wrong United had done enough to get four goals. But with United having yet another off day in the finishing department it had turned into one of those days where you just want to see the second go in. United had totally dominated the first half, especially the first twenty minutes with Rooney and Owen linking up reasonably well and Nani having a second consecutive decent game. The second half wasn't as one sided and though Hull didn't create that much they did have one or two near misses.
It was great to see Ferdinand back at the heart of the defence. And though he wasn't stretched that hard, it wasn't hard to see why we had missed him. The difference between the defence linking up with midfield was marked. I had forgotten how much we had missed him in the air, indeed that is where Ferdinand and Vidic were a great combination at their best. Rafael continued at right back with Jonny Evans partnering Rio and Evra at left back. It was nice to see Scholes in central midfield and though he may not be the player he was, he still controls the game better than anybody else on the books from the middle of the park.
United started off in a mood to kill the game off as soon as possible. And following a Scholes shot that Myhill could only parry, Rooney opened the scoring. United's best chance of a second in the first half fell to Owen. He did well in the move leading up to the chance but once it came his way he made a mess of it. In fact from where i was sat i couldn't even tell you what he was trying to do.
The second half was a bit more low key but Rooney was still in excellent form and Nani was having probably his best game of the season beating his man occasionally and putting in some fine crosses. Will he be able to maintain this form is the question. He put in some promising performances in pre season and started the season reasonably well. But as usual his form tailed off and inconsistency turned to poor form. There is no question we could do with him firing because him and Valencia are our best two wide men at the moment. Added to that Nani does have that genuine goal threat. With twenty minutes to go Scholes and Owen were replaced by Berbatov and Gibson. I'm sad to say Gibson struggled and could hardly put a foot right. I have a feeling that after the Leeds debacle he is the one of the players playing for his United future. He played like there was a lot of pressure on his shoulders. As Scholes was taken off, i wondered whether he was being saved for the second leg or for Arsenal away. My money is on the Arsenal game in a three man midfield, but we will see.
Then came the last ten minutes as United finally clicked at the same time as Hull folded. The second goal finally came from a dreadful piece of goalkeeping from Myhill. Nani hit a long range free kick that the goalie seemed to have well covered. Whether it moved in the air i couldn't say, but whatever the goalie seemed to have it. But then like a piece of saop it came out of his hands. Instead of putting it over the bar he pushed it against the bar for the incoming Rooney to slot home to put the game safe. Minutes later a flowing attack saw Nani in oceans of space on the right and he put in a superb cross that Rooney just had to guide home to secure his hatrick. Then with time almost up he smashed home a fourth to complete a good warm up for Wednesday.
Off the pitch the green and gold protest made a good start with enough people wearing the colours for it to be noticeable to the neutral. The songs continued this time for almost the entire 90 minutes. And a couple of banners made an appearance. A good day all in all.

The Telegraph's take on Saturady's proceedings
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/manutd/7063863/Wayne-Rooney-hits-four-as-fans-ignore-Sir-Alex-Fergusons-calls-for-unity.html
Not that i ever thought they would be, but Fergies programme notes were well and truly ignored.

The Glazers spent £55 million from their United piggy bank to secure the bond issue that allows them to carry on using Manchester United as their personal cash cow.
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/banking_and_finance/article6999775.ece

The rumblings over last Wednesday's first leg continue as it emerges Fergie thought Tevez should have been sent off for his challenge on Wes in the first half.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_united/article6999985.ece

Did Tevez join City because they are a massive club or because he goes where the money is, i wonder. He hates Munich's, no he loves money. I haven't got that much of a problem with that, he comes form a poor background, it's the hypocricy i can't stand.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2010/jan/24/carlos-tevez-gary-neville-manchester-city-united

Welbeck is to join Darren Ferguson at Preston on loan for the rest of the season. It should be a good move all round. Welbeck needs to play as he hasn't been playing enough football and Preston need a bit more quality up front judging from when i have seen them on the box this season. It has to be said though he hasn't really come on as expected and this will be a crucial learing experience for him. If he comes back to us and he is still getting pushed off the ball too easily and giving it away too easily, it will look like he may be another who looked great at youth level but didn't come on as expected. Sending Cleverley out on loan looks like it has been the making off him and i still think a seasons loan in the champpionship would have been the best option for Welbeck. It may well be the best option for him next season. I am looking forward to Cleverly coming back next season. The only problem i can see for Fergie and the Glazers is he is going to show Park up for tha average player that we are seeing every week, but as the prospectus showed us he is vital for them. Is that where they would start to meddle in team affairs.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/p/preston/8478532.stm

Patrick Barclay attacks the games administators and wonders whether it is in the interests of Wayne Rooney to sign a new contract at United. The first is obvious i don't need to comment. As to that latter until they leave this club that is the £ million dollar question because everything unravels if he goes.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/columnists/patrick_barclay/article7000615.ece

Whilst Rooney is more important to United than Torres, Drogba or Fabregas according to Hansen.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/manutd/7066973/Alan-Hansen-Fabio-Capello-must-fear-Wayne-Rooneys-World-Cup-burnout-for-England.html
He is that important to us but if we are not to take a step back we have got to rectify that.

The Times quotes footballs very own David Brent. Pure comedy gold.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_city/article6999283.ece
It can't be long before Kenyon ends up at the wastelands.

King Eric to tread the boards for the first time.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/cantona-launches-stage-career-as-a-man-facing-death-1877869.html

Polly Toybee the woman the right love to hate says it's time to follow Obama's lead and take on the banks.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2010/jan/22/britain-obama-banks-money-bullies
I can't think how many times i have heard some right wing pundit say they read her but disagree with everything she says. The thing is though with the credit crunch and the bail out of the banks, hasn't she been proved right. Who now argues for the full blown Thatcherite agenda.

Murdoch's economist Irwin Steltzer argues it's the politics driving Obama's banking reform strategy. I hope he actually believes in the policy as well or else i fear it will be a failure. And this is possibly the best chance this reform has. His healthcare strategy doesn't exactly leave you full of confidence.
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/columnists/article6999992.ece