Aston Villa 1-2 Manchester United

I suppose that this result avenges the home defeat we suffered to the brummie outfit earlier in the season. At the start of the season i would have preferred the three points, but that has gone and once you are in a final you have to try and win it.
I've got to admit i was surprised that Rooney didn't start, although i wasn't going to complain. This was the least important game left on our remaining fixture list and injuries permitting he will be involved in every game i should think, so this was the one game Fergie could rest him. After watching the pitch cut up, players slip and the ball take some strange bumps after just a few minutes i was even more convinced that maybe Fergie had got this right. I hope as many of United's England contingent find mysterious injuries as possible before Wednesday's international.
I thought United started a bit slowly but not disastrously as Villa started the game eager and sharp. But our challenge could have been all over after four minutes as Vidic's achilles heel was exploited yet again in a big match as Agbonlahor got behin him and raced to the penalty area before the Serb did his usual and dragged him down. My first thoughts were not " oh shit its a penalty, but oh sit he is going to get sent off after just four minutes". But the ref, amazingly, didn't even show him a yellow. No wonder the Villa fans gave the ref stick for the rest of the game. Supposedly, technically the ref was within his rights to not send off Vidic, but i think we all know he should have walked. Milner nonchantly put the spot kick away but as we came away one goal down it seemed like an escape. And that is what it turned out to be, as as well as we played with ten men at Villa it would surely been much harder at Wembley in a final to play with ten men already one goal down against a team good on the break.
United responded well to to conceding the early goal and Berbatov and Owen were showing up well. Still it was a surprise to see Berbatov pinch the ball from Dunne, who normally had a blinder against us, and inadvertantly set up Owen with the chance to equalise which he took with aplomb. Slowly but surely as the half wore on United's midfield started to get hold of the game with Carrick and Flectcher assuming command of the middle of the park. Park had two great chances to score in the first half. The first he scuffed but the second hit the post with just five minutes to go until half time, that would have been a nice way to go in at half time. Shortly after that United were forced to bring Rooney on for Owen who had twinged a muscle.
United dominated the second half until a late Villa charge in the last ten minutes as Villa tried to save the game. Carrick had the first chance of the half as he forced Fridel into a fine save. Rooney was gradually forcing his way into the game and Berbatov was continuing his fine first half form. But it was when United finally started to get Valencia into the game when United really started to threaten. The winning goal came as Valencia forced his way forward and played a great one two with Berbtaov whose back heels and flicks threatened Villa all afternoon. When Valencia got to the by line he did what he has been good at all season, picking out a man in the middle. But Rooney still had a lot to do, but do it he did, as he managed to get enough power into the header to loop it over the agonising dive from Friedel. The next five minutes saw Valencia threaten to finish the afternoon off for good for Villa. First he almost teed up Berbatov and then found Rooney at the back post who this time hit the woodwork with a header that was if anything easier than the chance he had already put away. Villa fought their way back into the game with a late flurry but couldn't manage to get the all important equaliser.
So the first trophy of the season and as Fergie has said today let's hope it's not the last.

Fergie hopes that won't be the last trophy we will be picking up this season. Two of the Glazer's actually showed up at the game. It's a shame the green and gold show didn't take off as well as it might have.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_united/article7044664.ece

Fergie acknowledges we got lucky not to have lost Vidic after the penalty decision.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/league_cup/8542092.stm

Rooney has had a scan on his knee and reckons it's only bruising, that's the good news. Now the bad he should be fit to play for England so he will play on that disaster of a playing surface that is Wembley.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/world-cup-2010/teams/england/7345437/Wayne-Rooney-fit-for-England-duty-against-Egypt-and-hails-John-Terry-as-great-leader.html

Valencia, a right winger from the old Satnley Matthews school writes Richard Williams. He was when they finally got him into the game.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2010/mar/01/antonio-valencia-stanley-matthews-carling-cup

United frans go green and gold at Wembley
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/feb/28/manchester-united-green-gold-wembley

Football clubs are not money making machines argues Simon Kuper.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/feb/28/football-money-portsmouth-simon-kuper

Hansen thinks Wnger is wrong to claim that Arsenal players are being targeted. I saw the Shawcross tackle and it wasn't that bad, it's a terrible injury but it wasn't Shawcross's fault.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/arsenal/7339648/Arsene-Wenger-is-wrong-to-suggest-Aaron-Ramseys-injury-proves-Arsenal-are-targeted.html

Patrick Barclay thinks the gaffe prone Terry's form is destabilising the rent boys title challenge at a bad time as United start to get serious.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/chelsea/article7044576.ece
Rooney's fitness permitting.
He also lays into yesterday's ref Phil Dowd over Vidic's non sending off.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/columnists/patrick_barclay/article7044651.ece


Henry Porter gets to the heart of the matter, regarding Ruprt Muroch and his motivation, himself.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/feb/28/henry-porter-news-international-murdoch
He must dread a lib lab coalition, because surely one of the first things on their agenda should be to go after him in every way possible, fair means or foul. He'd understand, it's only business.

His US allies the masters of the universe don't won't to go down without a fight.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/us-banks-veto-socialist-pay-in-secret-talks-1912827.html
Shortsighted and it just goes to show that all the rich are ever interested in is themselves and screw everybody else, the world economy, their own country and their fellow tax paying citizens (sic).

The Times comment on the Ashcroft statement declaring he is a non dom
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article7045348.ece
And theGuardian follow suit as Toby Helm says same old tories, they think they are born to rule.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/blog/2010/mar/01/toby-helm-lord-ashcroft-tax

The classic Talk Talk