Manchester United 1-0 Bolton Wanderers

If we do manage to make it nineteen, it looks like we are going to do it the hard way. I had this down as a tough fixture, and it didn't let me down. In fact i can't see us having any walkover's from now to the end of the season. When Evans got sent off, with about ten minutes to go, United looked out on their feet, and even though the reds brought Jaaskaleinen into the game regularly for the first time in the second half a goal didn't look like coming. So when the goal did come, the celebrations by fans and even more so by the players themselves were as if we had just won the league.
In fact with Arsenal dropping two points, a draw wouldn't have been a total disaster for United, but it would have been another missed opportunity for us to give ourselves a little breathing space. Fergie was right to welcome the international break as we definitely look in need of a recharging of the batteries. With all our defensive injury problems the last thing we needed was to see the returning Jonny Evans get sent off, let's hope Vidic will be back soon.
On the evidence of the first half Fergie dropped a bit of a clanger starting with Hernandez ahead of Berbatov. He was obviously looking to get the Mexican in behind the big Bolton rearguard. But with Bolton coming to take the game to us, United could never get a grip of the midfield in the first half, and with Hernandez unable to compete physically with Cahill and Wheater United were unable to build any momentum as we didn't have anybody to hold the ball up front. United should have had a penalty in the first half, but the ref missed the raised arm that stopped Hernandez's goalbound effort. saying that we wouldn't have deserved to have go in at the break in front.
Fertgie rectified his mistake by bringing on Berbatov for Hernandez at the start of the second half, he also brought Fabio on for Wes Brown. I don't know whether that was injury related or tactical. Whilst it didn't really make us look any more like scoring, it did make Coyle change his tactics as Bolton eventually dropped deep and only rarely through men forward.
United pressed forward in search of that winning goal, but it looked like it might be one of those games, as we never really looked like breaking through that Bolton defence. At the match i thought the Evans dismissal may have been a touch harsh, as he had gone for the ball, but after seeing the replay, i would have been unhappy if that tackle had gone against us without a red card, so i can't really complain.
Rooney seemed to be out on his feet for the last ten minutes of the game but he and Nani had their best spells of the game, both driving forward and forcing Jaaskeleinen into his busiest spell of the game. It was ironic that it fell to Berbatov to hit home the winner, as to be honest he hadn't really that much of an influence, but we will take it. The celebrations from the players showed how important they knew that goal could be.
I still can't see Arsenal pipping us to the title, especially with the soft goals they keep giving away. But as for Chelsea, i am worried about them, they seem to be fresher than either us or Arsenal and it was around this time of the season that they moved into an extra gear last season. Thos two games against Arsenal and Chelsea are huge, and i have to say if i have any confidence of us getting results in those games, i would be more confident of us getting a result at the Emirates. We can only hope Chelsea have left it too late to really take advantage of our problems.

Fergie hails United character, that was definitely what got us through Saturday. Mark Ogden argues that Berbatovis still out in the cold despite his 88th minute winner, he notes that seven other first teamers have signed new contracts, but Berbatov hasn't and that the club holding all the aces in contract negotiations. Acclaim from Jaimie Redknapp as he praises United's never say die attitude, whilst his  dad reckons the rest of the league is trying to hand the title on a plate to United.

Wayne Rooney assures the press that the rumours of him leaving United in the summer are nothing to do with him, he wants to stay at United until he is in his thirties. Jim White believes that Rooney is the key to United's season, he has improved, but i wouldn't go that far. He still blows hot and cold but the one thing he does seem to have got back is his drive, now if he could only get his touch back we would really be back in business.

The latest news on Rio Ferdinand wasn't what the doctor ordered, but has Mark Ogden gone slighly over the top describing Rio as a man fighting to save his United career.

This blog takes a look at the taken for granted brilliance of Michael Carrick, but whilst i would agree that the stick he gets is sometimes over the top, i can't go along with that. He came with an eye for a pass, but over the last two seasons he seems to have completely lost. I would agree that he i asked to keep it simple in his more defensive role nowadays, but there are times when he attempts what used to come naturally and more often than not he doesn't find his man. He does do a good job defensively when the game is not a battle, but as at Liverpool, where he wasn't alone by any means, he can be found wanting.
What there can be no denying is that he isn't the player he was for us in those first three title winning seasons.

Gerard Pique interviewed in the Indy has warm words for his time at Manchester United. I always thought he was going to be a great player, but wondered whether we were the club for him. At least Arsenal have got their worth from Fabregas who will also surely end back back at Barca in the near future. At least with Tunnicliffe, Morrison and Pogba, if they make they will hopefully be at the club to fulfill all their dreams.

James Forsyth looks at the current state of morale in the tory camp, which he belives is surprisingly low and thinks the budget maybe Osborne's last chance. His shadow Ed Balls believes Osborne is defying history in this interview in the Telegraph. His response to the budget will be fascinating to watch.
Will Hutton is pessimistic over the future course of the British economy as budget day approaches and is another commentator to talk of coaltion panic behind the scenes.
Steve Richards wonders whether Cameron will come to regret his hawkish stance ove Gadaffi, as he notes the similarities between the press reaction he has received and that which Blair received at first over Iraq. I'm not sure about the no fly zone, though id do support arming and giving logistical help to the rebels. I do not support sending any British or foreign troops into the country.

Tim Wu predicts that we are at a watershed moment in the history of the internet.

Steve Hillage
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/mar/17/the-master-switch-tim-wu-internet