This turned into a run of the mill three points against the division's bottom team, but in reality until that second goal went in with fifteen minutes to go the three points were in the balance. United played reasonably enough especially in the second half when Valencia and Rafael started to create havoc down the Bolton right but once again we always looked slightly vulnerable at the back.
The main reason for the vulnerability would have to be Ferdinand's back problem, once again he barely looked mobile. It was good to see Evans back, but it would be nice to see Smalling and Jones fully fit as well, especially for the nest two weeks. I have been reasonably confident about our chances at the Emirates, but if Ferdinand has to play again next week, he will need protection from the midfield in front of him.
United started the game fairly well, though Scholes took time to find his feet again and the satnav took it's time to function up to the standard he would have liked. Fortunately Carrick played as if he had been liberated by the thought of having some real class at the side of him at last. Our best early chance came from a magnificent ball from Carrick that was well met by Welbeck, whose first time shot was well saved by the Bolton number one Bogdan. Welbeck had another fine game, he is fast becoming as important to the team as Rooney, indeed when Rooney has as an indifferent game as he did yesterday it could be argued that he is more important. His movement, work rate, vision and skill are in a different league compared to our Mexican hot shot, who once again looked out of touch in his late fifteen minute cameo.
It was Welbeck who earned United the penalty that we had hoped would set us up for an easy victory half way through the first half. I have to say i wasn't very confident when Rooney stepped up to take it, he just doesn't seem a natural penalty taker to me, and a look at his conversion rate from the spot this morning would seem to confirm that. As with last weeks effort at the boo camp he may have hit the ball well but he hit the ball at a nice height for the goalie to save. My other gripe about his penalty technique is that he doesn't really attempt to send the goalie the wrong way. The best penalty takers try to beat the goalie before they have even kicked the ball, how many times did Eric seem to roll the ball into an empty net as the goalie had already dived the wrong way.
Just as it seemed that we would be going in at half time frustratingly level, up popped the ginger prince at the back post to roll back the years. I had been watching him closely and he had a made a couple of trademark late runs into box during those last five minutes but this time the ball found him and he made no mistake. I don't think there has been a more popular goal all season amongst players and fans alike, the players seemed just as excited about Scholesy returing and finding the net as us fans. The second half saw United search for that second goal to kill the game but even though Valencia was tearing Bolton apart on the right the goal wouldn't come. Nani's frustrating performance must be mentioned here, he wasn't alone, Rooney seemed to be having on those days as well, but Nani seems to have lost his form altogether at the moment. Just as Valencia regains his form, Nani seems to have lost his, i don't know whether it's to do with him being posioned permantly on the left to accomadate Valencia on the right, but it would be nice if we had both wings functioning to the same effect.
The second goal came eventually with Welbeck getting the goal his performance deserved and Carrick capped his fine performance with another excellent goal. Carrick has never been a prolific goalscorer but when he does find the net they are invariably goals worth seeing. So after Tottenham's suprise draw at home to Wolves, can Wigan do us a favour on Monday night. I suppose the odds are against, but City are going through a sticky spell, so you never know. A final thought on Bolton, after reading Coyle admit that Bolton's finance's aren't too healthy and admit relegation would be disastrous for the club yesterday morning and then watching their performance at United yesterday afternoon, the future looks grim indeed.
Fergie told the Beeb that Paul Scholes still has it. The longer the game went on the better he got, in fact for the five minutes before he was taken off he was looking as good as ever. If Gibson has been sold to finance the return of Scholes, classic Glazernomics, at least we have got a player that should see us suffer no more Blackburn's at home. I don't expect to see him start the next two games at Arsenal or Liverpool but the way our injury problems never seem to go away i wouldn't be 100% on that.
Robert Fisk argues that it's not a few bad apples over the news of US troops urinating over dead Afghan soldiers that surfaced last week, this is what all wars produce.
Nick Broomfeild argues that new evidence proves conclusively that US armed forces have covered up the attrocities that occured at Haditha in Iraq. I can't remember watching that documentary, i will have to try and look it up.
Meanwhile teflon Dave visits Saudi Arabia the country proud to swim against the Aran spring tide, i have said it before i hate the way the British establishment conducts its business with a country that stands for almost everything we puport to despise.
The weeks events in Burma suggest that the junta is steadily coming out from the cold, it doesn't seem very clear to me why they have suddenly seen the democratic light or why now.
Hugh O'Shaughnessy argues that Iran and Venezuela have more in common than the west imagines, namely western hypocrisy and meddling in their internal affairs. Events in Iran this week suggest it's still going on, the hypocrisy and wrong headedness of the wests stance on Iran defies belief. Surely the last thing the global economy needs is conflict with Iran. As despicable as the theocracy of Iran may be, there is a rational and democractic opposition in Iran that is far nearer power than anything similar in the Wahhabi theocracy of Saudi Arabia.
Steve Richards argues that neither Cameron or Salmond are in control of the independce referendum debate, well at least that's good for democracy. The more the costs of independence are spelt out, the more it's hard to see the Scots voting yes to independence. Even if Salmond is never to be under estimated.
Simon Jenkins laments the fact that nobody is arguing the case for "devo max", he argues that this would tick all the tory boxes by maintaining the Union whilst making the Scots more fiscally responsible, John Curtice calls it the solution that dare not speak its name.
Hamish McRae believes that Scotland would easily be able to make a success of independence and that it may even be beneficial to us south of the border.
Robert Peston shows us why the Eurozone credit rating downgrades matter, and that Eurozone leaders claiming that they don't matter may be indulging in wishful thinking, i don't Sarkozy thinks it doesn't matter.
Samuel Brittan claims that even with all it's current woes, there is still nothing to touch the market.
The main reason for the vulnerability would have to be Ferdinand's back problem, once again he barely looked mobile. It was good to see Evans back, but it would be nice to see Smalling and Jones fully fit as well, especially for the nest two weeks. I have been reasonably confident about our chances at the Emirates, but if Ferdinand has to play again next week, he will need protection from the midfield in front of him.
United started the game fairly well, though Scholes took time to find his feet again and the satnav took it's time to function up to the standard he would have liked. Fortunately Carrick played as if he had been liberated by the thought of having some real class at the side of him at last. Our best early chance came from a magnificent ball from Carrick that was well met by Welbeck, whose first time shot was well saved by the Bolton number one Bogdan. Welbeck had another fine game, he is fast becoming as important to the team as Rooney, indeed when Rooney has as an indifferent game as he did yesterday it could be argued that he is more important. His movement, work rate, vision and skill are in a different league compared to our Mexican hot shot, who once again looked out of touch in his late fifteen minute cameo.
It was Welbeck who earned United the penalty that we had hoped would set us up for an easy victory half way through the first half. I have to say i wasn't very confident when Rooney stepped up to take it, he just doesn't seem a natural penalty taker to me, and a look at his conversion rate from the spot this morning would seem to confirm that. As with last weeks effort at the boo camp he may have hit the ball well but he hit the ball at a nice height for the goalie to save. My other gripe about his penalty technique is that he doesn't really attempt to send the goalie the wrong way. The best penalty takers try to beat the goalie before they have even kicked the ball, how many times did Eric seem to roll the ball into an empty net as the goalie had already dived the wrong way.
Just as it seemed that we would be going in at half time frustratingly level, up popped the ginger prince at the back post to roll back the years. I had been watching him closely and he had a made a couple of trademark late runs into box during those last five minutes but this time the ball found him and he made no mistake. I don't think there has been a more popular goal all season amongst players and fans alike, the players seemed just as excited about Scholesy returing and finding the net as us fans. The second half saw United search for that second goal to kill the game but even though Valencia was tearing Bolton apart on the right the goal wouldn't come. Nani's frustrating performance must be mentioned here, he wasn't alone, Rooney seemed to be having on those days as well, but Nani seems to have lost his form altogether at the moment. Just as Valencia regains his form, Nani seems to have lost his, i don't know whether it's to do with him being posioned permantly on the left to accomadate Valencia on the right, but it would be nice if we had both wings functioning to the same effect.
The second goal came eventually with Welbeck getting the goal his performance deserved and Carrick capped his fine performance with another excellent goal. Carrick has never been a prolific goalscorer but when he does find the net they are invariably goals worth seeing. So after Tottenham's suprise draw at home to Wolves, can Wigan do us a favour on Monday night. I suppose the odds are against, but City are going through a sticky spell, so you never know. A final thought on Bolton, after reading Coyle admit that Bolton's finance's aren't too healthy and admit relegation would be disastrous for the club yesterday morning and then watching their performance at United yesterday afternoon, the future looks grim indeed.
Fergie told the Beeb that Paul Scholes still has it. The longer the game went on the better he got, in fact for the five minutes before he was taken off he was looking as good as ever. If Gibson has been sold to finance the return of Scholes, classic Glazernomics, at least we have got a player that should see us suffer no more Blackburn's at home. I don't expect to see him start the next two games at Arsenal or Liverpool but the way our injury problems never seem to go away i wouldn't be 100% on that.
Robert Fisk argues that it's not a few bad apples over the news of US troops urinating over dead Afghan soldiers that surfaced last week, this is what all wars produce.
Nick Broomfeild argues that new evidence proves conclusively that US armed forces have covered up the attrocities that occured at Haditha in Iraq. I can't remember watching that documentary, i will have to try and look it up.
Meanwhile teflon Dave visits Saudi Arabia the country proud to swim against the Aran spring tide, i have said it before i hate the way the British establishment conducts its business with a country that stands for almost everything we puport to despise.
The weeks events in Burma suggest that the junta is steadily coming out from the cold, it doesn't seem very clear to me why they have suddenly seen the democratic light or why now.
Hugh O'Shaughnessy argues that Iran and Venezuela have more in common than the west imagines, namely western hypocrisy and meddling in their internal affairs. Events in Iran this week suggest it's still going on, the hypocrisy and wrong headedness of the wests stance on Iran defies belief. Surely the last thing the global economy needs is conflict with Iran. As despicable as the theocracy of Iran may be, there is a rational and democractic opposition in Iran that is far nearer power than anything similar in the Wahhabi theocracy of Saudi Arabia.
Steve Richards argues that neither Cameron or Salmond are in control of the independce referendum debate, well at least that's good for democracy. The more the costs of independence are spelt out, the more it's hard to see the Scots voting yes to independence. Even if Salmond is never to be under estimated.
Simon Jenkins laments the fact that nobody is arguing the case for "devo max", he argues that this would tick all the tory boxes by maintaining the Union whilst making the Scots more fiscally responsible, John Curtice calls it the solution that dare not speak its name.
Hamish McRae believes that Scotland would easily be able to make a success of independence and that it may even be beneficial to us south of the border.
Robert Peston shows us why the Eurozone credit rating downgrades matter, and that Eurozone leaders claiming that they don't matter may be indulging in wishful thinking, i don't Sarkozy thinks it doesn't matter.
Samuel Brittan claims that even with all it's current woes, there is still nothing to touch the market.
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