Manchester United 2-1 Southampton

When we put four past Fulham on Saturday you just knew that we wouldn't be getting another four easy goals like that in our next game. Sure enough we didn't, i'm not complaining, three points was the order of the day and we got them. What was worrying, was our poor second half performance, poor, in the sense that the visitors dominated the flow of the game. Tactically Southampton completely bossed things, even if they never really created the chances that domination might have warrented. Southampton copied the tactics of Bilbao and Wigan from last season of packing midfield and pressing hard up the field. And after watching that second half, it would seem neither the players nor our management have really learnt how to counter those tactics.
I'd hoped for a fast start to the game from us, well we got a fast start, unfortunately at the wrong end of the pitch. Carrick reprised his horror show against Bayern in the champions league a couple of years ago and De Gea wasn't fast enough to bail him out of trouble and we were one nil down. At least that galvanised us into action and it didn't take long for us to get back on level terms. Kagawa found Rooney and he took the opportunity presented to get back on the score sheet. We went on to dominate the first half, hitting the post before Rooney found the net for a second time.
Watching that first half it would have been hard to anticipate the complete turnaround that we saw in the second half. Even when we were on top in the first half Anderson had barely been in it, but when Southampton started pressing harder, he went from bad to worse. Carrick was taking Southampton's midfield on his own, as we couldn't get our wide men into the game. Welbeck did more good work in his own half during the second half, which wasn't really the point of having him in the team. The substitutions didn't really change anything, Smalling didn't have a great night, but Ferdinand wasn't really that much better when he came on. It will be nice to get Evans back as Vidic didn't really convince either. Anderson obviously had to be replaced, but pushing Jones into the centre didn't help us to retain the ball any better.
But we saw it through, that was the type of game that we might have dropped points in last season. The worry though, as this morning's papers have all stated is how our midfield and defence will stand up to the might of Madrid if we play like that. Lose either of Carrick and Cleverley for those two games and we will struggle to compete in the middle of the park. If we are to regain that league title, we won't be able to wrap those two in cotton wool for the rest of the season. 

Manchester United 4-1 Fulham

I can't pretend i thought that we would have that much trouble dispatching Fulham from the cup on Saturday evening, but i didn't expect it to be as easy as it turned out to be. Fulham started poorly and got steadily worse, the second half was a stroll in the park for United. United played some decent football, but never really had to hit the heights, so the four goals were an indication of just how bad the visitors were, United could easily have had six or seven.
Watching Fulham you realised all over again, how scandalous it really was, that in the summer that none of the teams challenging for a top six berth, came in with a bid to take Berbatov off our hands. He is criminally wasted at Fulham, he's far too good, i felt sorry for him, watching him receive no support at all up front on his own. I have rated Martin Jol in the past, but on that form, they may have a struggle to stay up.
As expected Fergie rang the changes with Rooney and Hernandez staring up front and Anderson and Nani both getting starts. Fulham started as they meant to go on, Sidwell gifting Rooney the ball with a blind back pass, that Rooney should really have done better with. It didn't matter, as Fulham defender Hughes inexplicably handled the ball from a corner, the ref saw it and Giggs confidently slotted home the penalty. We should have had a second penalty not long after, but the ref bottled out of giving us two penalties in quick succession, even though it was probably even more blatant in the first.
The rest of the half saw United get in decent positions, without being able to find either the final ball or the finishing touch. Nani had one of his frustrating games, but still reminds you that if he could get it together before his probably move in the summer, he could be a big asset during the season's run in. I suppose it will depend on his professional pride, what we get from him during the remainder of the season.
The second half was completely dominated by United, Fulham offered no resistance whatsoever, Anderson picked a good time to come back into the team as Fulham's midfield  went AWOL. Rooney almost scored a couple of minutes after the restart, but he finally found the net, with the goal of the game minutes later. Hernandez found the net twice after that, and there were numerous chances to have really humiliated the visiting team.
It was a pity we couldn't keep a clean sheet, but it didn't really matter in a cup tie anyway. I wouldn't have minded swapping those four cup goals for four league goals. No doubt Wednesday's league game at home to Southampton will be a far harder task, or will the returning Van Persie and co keep on the goalscoring run. 

Keeper uncertainty.. again

The press have gone to town over David De Gea's clanger and long term prospects at Manchester United after Sunday's game. Mark Ogden wasn't the only journo to suggest that United have lost faith and are looking elsewhere. It seems certain that United are looking for a new goalie, but that could be just as easily to replace Lindegaard as it is to find a new number one. The gist of this article, that United's defenders have lost confidence in him, may be true, but the claim that they feel safer with Lindegaard coming out for crosses, beggars belief, he was appalling at Reading, lest we forget.
I like De Gea, he has looked to be a fine prospect at times. But has made mistakes, not loads, but when he does, they invariably seem to cost us. But Fergie's the one that always say young players make mistakes, and you have got to show patience in them. So if United are are going to cut their losses, he's not exactly practicing what he preaches.
What i always find astonishing about this whole affair, is why Fergie opted for a very young foreign keeper, who hardly spoke any English and that all the experience he had, was gained in a league where goalies don't get the battering they are liable to receive here.
As far as i can see, unless the rumours about him being unsettled in this country are true, there doesn't really seem much option, other than to stick with him anyway. It's not like there are Van Der Sar's or Schmeichel's dropping of tree's around the football world at this moment in time, some of the goalie's we've been linked with are laughable.

It looks as if the rumours that will win the race to capture the signature of Wilfied Zaha are going to be confirmed before the end of the week. I have absolutely no idea how good is, so i make no comment on that, other than we really could do some class out wide.
One surprise though, if he really has got the potential we have been hearing off, why haven't City and the rent boys be linked with him, at all, after all, anybody that we're linked with, automatically gets linked with the berties nowadays.


Music

Allah-las - Allah-las: Belting debut album from the Californian sixties pychedelic rock retro outift. A few critics have been a bit sniffy towards it as itcould have been made in the sixties unlike Tame Impala's latest Lonerism. I can't really say i care too much as long as the music is up to this standard.

Bat for lashes - The haunted man: I thought her second album didn't quite live up to the promise of the first, it was good, but a bit too mainstream. This restores the quality back to the excellence of the first, not a bad or boring track on it.

Cody ChesnuTT - Landing on a hundred: A superior piece of soul, especially when he veers into the territory of funk.

Jake Bugg - Jake Bugg: This album saw a lot of hype and whilst it's a decent enough album, it's not that good. You listen to it and think it's alright, but where as you don't want a good album to end, when this ends you just want to to go onto the next thing.

Neil Young and crazy horse - Psychedelic pill: If you're a fan of this combination rocking out and Young's long guitar solo's you'll like this, if you aren't stay well clear. I do, but even for me, it ends up going on a bit at times.

ZZ Top -La Futura: I have to admit i haven't listened the Texan trio since the eighties, and that period of their career hasn't aged too well. But this is fucking excellent, heavy rock, blues rock whatever it's spinal tap time this needs listening to, turned up to eleven.

Tottenham 1-1 Manchester United

I would have took a point before the game, so i can't be too disappointed with the result. Of course conceding in the dying minutes is a killer, but it's what we do regularly, at least it only happens very occasionally to us. The big disappointment was that i thought we'd done enough, though Spurs had created chances, and some good ones at that, they looked to have shot their bolt, before that last minute fuck up.
De Gea has to cop the blame for their goal, it was a poor punch, the rest of his game shouldn't be forgotten though, he made some smart saves. Fergie sounds to me as if he is running out of patience with the Spaniard, if so, why on earth did he buy a young goalie still learning his trade to replace Van Der Sar. I was amazed that Fergie went for such a young keeper and one that didn't speak much English. We went through some goalie's after Schmiechel left before getting the right man in Van Der Sar. If United are not going to keep faith in De Gea, i fear, we may be in for a similar situation.
The surprise selection had to be Jones in midfield, brought in to protect Ferdinand and Vidic, i thought as much as to protect Rafael. To be fair to him, he had a good game, doing the job he was put in for. United's main problem was our inability to find the right final pass in the second half. As much as Tottenham had the better of the second period, there were times that United had opportunities to hurt them on the break, that we passed up. Of course if that penalty had been given, as it should have been, it wouldn't have mattered.
Carrick played well again, ably assisted by Jones and Cleverley, i thought Kagawa started well only to fade out of things again. I'm not sure the removal of Cleverley helped our cause in the latter stages as we seemed to get stuck in our own half, his movement was missed. Once more Welbeck put a big shift in, and one of the more pleasing aspects of recent games has been how our youngsters have played well in different positions, often in the same game. It's great to have that kind of flexibility and a positive that they are happy to put the team first.
We're still in a great position, five points clear at the top is not to be sniffed at. And with only Arsenal left to visit, most of our hard away games are now out of the way. There was always going to be a blip or two along the way, that's if you can call a point away at White hart lane a blip.

Manchester United 1-0 West Ham United

A run of the mill, job done, type of game that won't live long in the memory, but we're in the fourth round and that was about as much as to be expected with this game sandwiched between Liverpool at home and Tottenham away on Sunday.
On the plus side it was a good opportunity for squad rotation, injured players coming back and others such as Smalling who may not be getting as much football as they'd like. It's always nice to get a reasonably early goal, we had chances to extend it, but never really convinced that we would get it. Fortunately the happy hammers had a few injuries and they didn't really pose much of a threat, I'm not sure if they had a shot at all in the first half. The first goal was about as good as the night got for Anderson, it was a fine pass to release Hernandez who unselfishly put it on a plate for Rooney. After that Anderson once more showed how far behind Carrick and Cleverley he really is. He became more of a headless chicken with the ball the longer the game went on.
Giggs once more showed that when he gets game time, he still has a lot to offer. Others to impress on the night, were, once again, Rafael, who seems to get better and better. Jones was excellent, playing in what i think will be his best position at centre half, though i can see him coming in from time to time to give Rafael a rest at right back. He looks to me, the obvious successor to Vidic, he can play and he brings it out well, but he can be no nonsense when it's needed. The rumour is that United are in the market for an experienced centre half, i don't really see the point of that, with Michale Keane also looking an excellent prospect we seem well stocked with centre halves.
Rooney was alright, but looked a bit rusty, he obviously needs games to get rid of that, but will he get it, i suppose is the big question. There's a hell of a lot of competition for places around the squad now. Valencia still hasn't refound his best form, so it was interesting to see Nani back in the team. I thought he started reasonably but faded right out of it the longer the game went on. Again i suppose, he hasn't had much football, but will he get enough to try and rediscover the indispensable player of a couple of seasons ago.
Pity about the penalty miss from Rooney, it would have made the last few minutes a bit more stress free. I'm not really sure Rooney should be our main penalty taker, it was fair enough he took it last night, but I'd like to see Van Persie take them myself. Rooney misses too many really, last night's was a bit of a shocker. So Fulham in the next round, i suppose we shouldn't take it for granted, but it looks like we are going to have a bit of a crack at the FA cup this year

Manchester United 2-1 Liverpool

I didn't care how we won this, but to be fair, though we were hanging on a bit during the last ten minutes, it was a well deserved three points. For the first fifty minutes or so we almost completely dominated the game. The first half was just one way traffic, they came with the plan of getting men behind the ball, but seemed to forget that they would still have to support Suarez when he got the ball. Carrick and Cleverley once more played well together and our two men up front did the business as well causing their back four constant headaches.
I had a feeling Fergie would pick Welbeck and he didn't let him down, the only Mancunian in the side, he played like it, giving a 110% for the 90 minutes. Van Persie had another stormer and capped it with that superb finish to a superb move for the first goal. Kagawa was the only slight disappointment, he didn't have a bad game, but once more he didn't influence proceedings as much as we would have liked. Still Fergie is giving him games, which is hopefully all he needs to get his form and fitness back and settle him into the club.
I was a bit surprised to see Ferdinand and Vidic partner each other at the back, and i hope that the Evans injury isn't too bad as i think their best days are now past them as a centre back pairing. When Liverpool got back into the game after their equaliser, the lack of pace at the heart of the defence came to the fore. Once again Rafael was superb, and it's become noticeable recently how he starts to get stronger the longer the game goes on. That of course was a bit of an Achilles heel for him, so that's great to see. Evra has to get a mention too, he seems to have refound his form of late and it was a cracking header for the second even if it glanced Vidic's head.
It was a pity we couldn't get the second goal that first half performance deserved, we had enough chances to have got it, both Welbeck and Van Persie had great chances that they couldn't convert. But it would have been nice if Tom Cleverley's volley had gone in with about five minutes left of the half. That would have been a hell of a goal.
Liverpool changed things around at half time and the second half was a far more even contest, i was surprised how United seemed to tire late on, i think we'll see a big turnaround in players on Wednesday. It will be interesting to see who he plays at centre half, i won't be surprised to see Smalling partnering Jones given the injury situation.
It was a pity the City game turned into a non event so early in the game, but i have to say, i never really expected much from Arsenal. I doubt we'll get such an easy afternoon when we visit the Emirates, the Van Persie transfer will see to that. Still our record in the big games is pretty emphatic this season so far, so you'd still have to fancy us when we visit.

Carrick the unsung hero

Any other season, Carrick would be walking away with our best player of the season accolade. But it's not really been any other season and we probably haven't had an individual make as much of an impact as Van Persie has made this season since Ronaldo in 2006-07 when Ronaldo finally converted his raw promise into the real deal.
But it's nice to see our midfield mainstay get a bit of credit for the way he has picked the baton up this season making himself one of the few indispensables of our starting eleven. Some say he's playing the best football of his career at United, it's possible he is, but i don't forget that he was also excellent in his first season, when Scholes finally got the quality beside him that he had lacked since the 2002-03 season.
His return to the kind of form we know he is capable of resumed for me, when Scholes returned from retirement last season. But this season he has took up the mantle of the man who makes us tick and we can't do without. He'll never be as good as the ginger prince, but then who is, but he has done a vital job for us this season. Going off Gary Neville's remarks it sounds as if he is appreciated by his fellow pro's which sometimes tells you all you need to know. It's a farce that when you add Scholes and Carrick's England's caps together they don't come to a hundred.

Music

Bill Fay - Bill Fay: After listening to the cracking stuff on his return album i thought i would have to go back and have a listen of the two albums he made before giving up on the music business. And you have to wonder how he couldn't manage to sell any records, if his debut album is anything to go by. It's of it's time, but timeless at the same time, there must have been something wrong with the UK record buying public at the beginning of the seventies if Nick Darke and Bill Fay could barely make a living in the music business.

Sun Araw - The inner treaty:. Not for everyone this but if you like experimental music, this is very listenable, the final track, And I, closes the album at its peak.

Tame Impala - Lonerism: The Aussie bands second album made most end of year best of lists, so i had to give this a listen as i thought a lot of their debut. The critics weren't wrong whilst it doesn't have as much of an underground feel as the debut, the Peppers era Beatles influence doesn't feel retro in a bad way. An album that you'll never get bored of listening to.

The Limananas - Crystal Anais: Another belting long player from the French 60's revivalists, psychedelia, a touch of pop and i always get a hint of the Velvets in their material. Singing the songs in French and English works for me as well.

Tim Burgess - Oh no i love you: I didn't listen to his first solo album but after reading the reviews and reading that Kurt Wagner was heavily involved i had to give it a hearing. It is very Lambchop like, it's almost like a Kurt wagner solo album with Tim Burgess taking the vocals. It's a pretty good album, with some great tunes. Not sure about the haircut though.

Ty Segall - Twins: This guy is prolific, three, four albums a year, all with different bands. They all sound unmistakenly like Ty Segall though, loud, fuzzy reverb, guitar garage rock that needs to be played loud, very loud. Some have claimed this is better than it's predecessor Hair, but i couldn't seperate them, i love them both.

West Ham United 2-2 Manchester United

When i saw the team i'll admit i didn't really know what kind of performance to expect from us. On paper it wasn't a bad side, but there wasn't really any natural width, so it was pretty obvious we wouldn't be playing our bog standard 4-4-2 or 4-4-1. Whenever we have played either a diamond or a 4-3-3 this season, we retained possession better than we have otherwise done but usually at the cost of losing a cutting edge up front.
So it was no surprise to see us boss the early stages, but i thought for most of the first 55 minutes or so we actually had a reasonable cutting edge as well. It was encouraging to see Hernandez and Welbeck start and do well as a pairing and work the system pretty well with lots of good movement, especially from Welbeck, who i thought had an excellent game baring in mind how little football he's had recently.
We had almost scored one fabulous goal after some brilliant passing and not long after we managed another great move, that this time, saw Cleverley apply the appropriate finshing touch, with a right foot curler into the corner of the net. Unfortunately the lead didn't last long as our defensive achilles heel  returned to haunt us as we conceded just five minutes later as Collins headed home from a Joe Cole cross. We seemed to look nervous all game at the back, yet they didn't really create that much when you look back at the game, so it was a bit hard to understand.
Still United kept their heads and kept on probing, but we were unable to regain the lead before half time. The two negative's to take from the game were Rafael's deployment in midfield which i didn't really think worked and Kagawa's rusty performance. I thought Kagawa was involved the game but not effecting it enough, but then again he hasn't played much football and hasn't played much football for us, or got used to the way we play football yet. He could do with an injury free run for the rest of the season. Rafael didn't have a bad game, i just don't think he's suited to the role he was given. I could see him doing a half decent job further wide on the right but not really in the diamond shape. Another downside of his deployment was it left Smalling with out anybody in front of him at times and i don't think he is enough of a ntural right back to cope with that, he gave the ball away far too much.
I thought we started the second half pretty well and when they took the lead i wondered whether it was going to be one of those days. United's response wasn't what we have come to expect recently either as we struggled to create a chance after going behind. For once the substitions didn't really work, well until that last minute piece of magic anyway. The first change should have been to take Smalling off and move Rafael back to right back, not the last. Still we got there in the end, the ball from Giggs was sublime and Van Perie's first time chest control and shot was world class as Fergie described it as after the game. Giggs has shown over the last few games that if he is involved enough maybe he still has got something to offer next season. The problem is getting him enough game time i suppose.
My finance's could have done without a replay, but i didn't want to go out to them, not my favourite club. I wouldn't be surprised if it's a similar team when we play them again, stuck in the middle of the game between the dippers at home and Tottenham away. That will be some seven days of football.

Wigan Athletic 0-4 Manchester United

Yesterday capped off a pretty good Christmas period with the kind of thumping we have been threatening to deliver to somebody. Once again Fergie rang the changes, bringing Giggs back on the left and seeing the return of Rafael to right back. It was noticeable that he stuck with Carrick and Cleverley in the middle of the park.
United didn't start too brilliantly, but gardually go their feet into the game, until on the half an hour mark, they put their foot down and took control of the game. And once that first goal went in, which United had been threatening, United bossed the game totally. Wigan aren't a bad side, and they did manage to create a couple of chances, but you expect them to fashion a chance or two.
It was noticeable to see Erva involved with the original shot on goal, that saw the rebound fall to Hernandez to open the scoring. Whilst he's still not the player he was, especially in his defensive duties, his attacking form is approaching his best form, if not actually exceeding it. If that shot had have gone in, that would have been two in two games, almost unthinkable in the past. Rafael also showed that whilst Smalling has done a decent job at right back, Rafael is the more natural in the position. He made some great runs in the second half and had one cracking effort on goal during the first half.
The man of the day had to be Van Persie though, it was great to see how well he combined with Hernandez from a deeper role. This might sound nuts, but i don't think we have seen of the best of the Dutchman yet. To me he is getting better each week, whether in the front man role or as yesterday, playing slightly deeper. He's gelling with his team mates far better now, understanding his role in the team better. That first goal was just class, top players score goals like that, and he is very definitely a top player. In fact he is the player we expected Wayne Rooney to become when we got him all those years back. That's not having a pop, i just don't think Rooney has been the player we hoped for, consistently enough. Van Persie's run for what was almost a second goal when the score was three nil was just as good as the first goal.
The fourth and last goal was just the icing on the cake, as Welbeck caused the home defence to panic and saw him cross to Van Persie to tap home. I'm tempted to say that normal service was resumed for United away at Wigan, but if that offside goal hadn't been disallowed it could have been a totally different game.
Still all of a sudden we are looking really strong as we enter the new year. I'm not going to predict we are going to walk away with the league, but we've obviously got a great chance. I'll be fascinated to see if we can take our recent form into Europe, if we can get our defending somewhere near where it should be, that forward line will cause anybody in Europe sleepless nights. Pity we had to get Real first up, still come through that, and we'd have to be just behind Barca and maybe Dortmund as favourites.

Robin Van Persie sounds as if he is enjoying his time at United, and why not, he feels as if he is surrounded by champions. Let's hope it's not just feels, come May.

It had been rumoured on grapevine, United's young Chilean is to move to Wigan for the rest of the season on loan. It looks to be a good move for him, though as usual the Mail manage to find a negative angle on the move.
I wonder what will become of Will Keane when he returns from his knee injury, if he does, that has become disturbingly quiet. I wouldn't mind seeing him going out on loan towards the end of the season, if he successfully comes back that is.

Another United attacking youngster is on the move as Norway's Josh King makes a permanent move to Ewood park and the circus that is Blackburn Rovers under the Venky's. Funny one this, i think he will become a decent player, but not the player he looked like he had it in him to become, when he burst onto the scene as an 18 year old. He really looked like he had first team potential all ove him. But a combination of injuries and a couple of disappointing loan spell saw him fade down the scene. He has great speed and strength, but doesn't really convert enough of his chances. I suppose regualr first team football could see that improve. It will be fascinating to see how his career develops.