Norwich City 0-1 Manchester United

Given it was the second game in three days, I expected a fair few changes yersterday and given our injury list and our lack of depth in certain positions, knew that this would be no easy three points. So I would have bit your hand of for a 1-0 victory before the game, and despite the fact that the first half showed up some of our old deficiencies, I'll happily take yesterdays performance.
I had a feeling that Moyes might leave Rooney out, but hoped that if he did he would include Welbeck, I don't rate Hernandez as good enough to lead the front line up on his own. And whilst the lack of movement behind him and on the wings didn't help things, he gave the kind of performance that did nothing to shake that belief. Playing Kagawa and Giggs didn't help matters, neither really ever got into the game and it could easily have been the Japanese interntional who got hooked at half time to allow the introduction of Welbeck in the second half to completely change the tone of the game.
Another reflection on the events of the last few weeks is how Moyes has been following the Ferguson how to manage United guidebook, almost to the letter. Squad rotation, managing to get to the team to win, whilst not on their game and then the comeback at Hull. Something else he seem to be getting better at is making game changing substitutions. And the pleasing thing there, has been the way he has looked to youth, using either Januzaj or Welbeck to stir things up.  
Saying that it was disappointing to see Fabio restricted to the subs bench yesterday after Rafael's injury at Hull on boxing day. It would seem that Moyes has identified Smalling as part of his plans going forward and has decided to play Smalling as often as possible to get more experience. He is still no right back though, there's no hiding that. What made the Fabio situation worse yesterday though, was the performance of Evra, especially during the first half, where almost our problems arose. They went past him as if he wasn't there at times, two games in three days looked well beyond him at times, surely Fabio could have done a better job for the team there yesterday. If Fabio can't get a sniff of first team action on days such as yesterday, it's not really fair to keep him at the club any longer, he should be allowed to leave during the next transfer window if he can find a club.
The game started with United controlling possession with the home team sitting deep, allowing United to control the ball, but with United unable to do anything with it. Once Norwich had seen how little we had to give, they decided to go for it and the rest of the half left United living dangerously at the back. Some reds seem to think we defended reasonably well yesteday, I can't agree with that, we looked as edgy and nervous as we had done in the first ten minutes at Hull and only luck, poor finishing and a couple of decent saves from De Gea kept the home team out.
Fair's fair to Moyes, he identified the problem and didn't hang around changing things around at half time, bringing Welbeck on for Giggs. That move completely changed the game as United now took total control of the game, even if we didn't really create as many changes as we might have. And the goal, when it came, had a big slice of fortune to it, but Welbeck made it happen by working hard, getting in their faces and making something happen. He didn't look like someone who can't finish when the chance presented itself, taking it around the goalie and coolly slotting it into the back of the net.
We saw the rest of the game out, not entirely convincingly, I thought we sat back a little, when we should have been pressing for a kiler second goal as they searched for an equaliser. But our slow climb back up the table managed to keep it's momentum.
I was slightly surprised at City's narrow win, but today's fixture between the rent boys and the dippers is the one to watch for me. If Chelsea can beat them we would be right back on Liverpools tail, and my first goal for the rest of the season is to climb above them and stay there.

Hull City 2-3 Manchester United

We managed to come away with the three points, but we were pretty awful, still if we can start to win, whilst playing crap, maybe we are back in business. The first quater of an hour was a nightmare start, it wasn't just the fact that we conceded the two goals, as bad as that was, but that the defending was just so inept. Jonny Evans had one of those games, where you start to wonder whether he can step up to the plate, once Rio and Vidic finish. Smalling wasn't that much better, but their second goal just about summed Evans first half display up.
When I saw the team I was reasonably confident, no Januzaj of course, but we know he isn't going to play every game. Flecther started for the first time since he returned, and did OK, whilst it was great to see Carrick back on the bench. I was happy to see Welbeck and Rooney start together, and those two at least didn't let us down. I'm not a big fan of Ashley Young, but he was also one of our better players on the day. It was a pity Rafael picked up the groin injury, as he had just started to hit top form and his partnership with Valencia has been superb over the last few games. Valencia's late red card means we will have a completely different right hand side at Norwich. Will Fabio get a chance, with Jones on the injured list for a couple of weeks apparently, a blow that, he must be in with a chance.
The defending for the home teams goals, was abysmal, hesitant, second to everything, we did well to come back into the game so quickly. I suppose you could say their defensive work was almost as bad as ours, Smalling got his a little too easily. But there wasn't much they could have done about Rooney's equaliser, it was just a brilliant goal. And once that went in United took control of the game for the rest of the half.
But United didn't really pick the pace up in the second half and I couldn't really see United getting the winner. Januzaj, started well, but never really hit the heights in the second half and the home crowd were doing their best to get him sent off. I was glad Moyes left him on, because if he had took him off, and it must have been a toss up between him and Young, no doubt other crowds will try and put him off his game.
In keeping with the game's defensive ineptitude, our winner came via ex red James Chester as he put Ashley Young's crosss past his own goalkeeper. United did have one other really good chance, when Welbeck fed substitute Hernandez and went a touch tonto, when he didn't receive the return pass to put him through on goal. I thought Welbeck was excellent again, without being at his very best, he still caused the home teams defence all kinds of problems.
I don't think Moyes got his last substitution right, we seemed to lose our grip on the game, and of course when Valencia got sent off, we were left hanging on. There doesn't seem much point in bringingHernandez on if you are then going to try and snuff the game out. He's not the type of player whose going to hold onto the ball, in a 4-3-3.
So onto Norwich, who will be desperate for a result as they sink down the table, with injuries and now red cards, it will be interesting to see the team selected for that.

Jonathan Wilson and Roy Harper, Mazzy Star too

Music

Anna Calvi -One breath: Her second album continues the good work of her debut, a bit more rock n roll than the first, but no worse for it.

Big Sean - Hall of fame: I'm not really a fan of modern commercial hip hop, but i quite liked this, not all of it, it's 18 tracks long and one or two of the tracks are a bit too chart aimed for me.

Deepchord -  DC07,DC08,DC09: I like this, techno, minimalist at times, Berlin influenced.

Jonathan Wilson - Fanfare: I loved his last album Gentle Spirit, a real laurel canyon early seventies affair. His latest album is still a very seventies influenced affair, but with a prog rock flavour added to it. It's defintiely a grower, a very good album again, not quite as good as Gentle Spirit though.

Mazzy Star - Seasons of your day: Although I've heard of them and knew they influenced quite a lot of groups, I've never really listened to Mazzy Star before. I've been missing a good thing, right from the opening track, with it's echoes of Neil Young for me, it's a very laid back indie rock sound.

Roy Harper - Man and myth: I hope this won't be his last album, a serious court case awaits him, because this is a superb album from a top English rock/folk artist, this leans more to the rock side of his oeuvre.

Wooden Shjips - Back to land: I can't believe I've only just heard this San Francisco psych/rock outfit, as this is excellent, I suppose it's because this is an in sound at the moment. I suppose no group wants to be associated with Status Quo these days, but at times it sounds like a far more out there Status Quo live, the album, guitar jamming sound.






 

Manchester United 3-1 West Ham Utd

If last week's performance was a pleasant surprise, because it came completely out of the blue, Saturday was the first real instance where reds could start to think optimistically about the future , the first half performance was as good as we have seen over the last couple of seasons. We played at a faster pace, the passing was far better than we have seen for ages, there was a drive from central midfield that some of us thought we didn't possess, we counter attacked at pace and most excitingly of all our best players were the younger lads who we need to come good.
The combination of Januzaj and Welbeck looked looked excellent in the first half, Welbeck's pace and workrate allied to the confidence of two goals last week at Villa park and playing in his best position gave us a thruts up front we haven't seen for some time. I like Van Persie as a player, but he does tend to slow things up, at times when a counter attack looks like it might be on the cards. Welbeck scares back fours to death with his pace and movement. Januzaj showed glimpses of his genius, both goals was absolutely top drawer.
Valenica had an in and out game, but his combination with Rafael, especially in the first half is starting to look really strong again. In fact, if Valencia had finished off the counter attack right at the end of the first half, that would probably have been the goal of the game.
Rooney once again sat deeper, almost central midfield at times, and he looked all the better for it. As a team we look so much better when he plays deeper, of course it helped him that Jones and Cleverley gave what was as good a performance from a central midfield two as we have seen this season. Jones was magnificent, he could definitely make a career as a defensive or even box to box central midield player. I'd still see him as our future centre half, but he is starting to justify Fergie's seemingly, at times, over the top praise of the ex Blackburn man. Alongside him Cleverley is starting to look like the player who excited us when he first got into the team, a couple of seasons ago. He was busy, but as important, was his inclination to go forward. He still playing the role of keeping the ball moving and making himself available, but is no longer always taking the easy option. He was unlucky not to get his name on the scoresheet again, the goalie made a brilliant save from him in the first couple of minutes, and then the referee blew up too early for a foul when Cleverley had found himself clean through. But if he keeps making those runs and keeps getting into those positions the goals will come.
Even at the back there were reasons to think the future looks good as Evans and Smalling gave a really solid performance, only conceding the goal, when substitute Buttner fell asleep. So Staurday was the first game where I have come away from the game feeling really good about things. Let's hope we don't stumble again over the next couple of games, the next two in particular are really the games where we need to be taking three points if we are to start to climb our way back up the table .

Mojo's album of the year

Music

Bill Callahan - Dream river: Three brilliant albums on the trot. With his almost spoken word vocal style, at first listen his music can sound a bit samey, but it doesn't take long to absolutely love every track.

Haim - Days are gone: Iv'e followed th hype surrounding this US indie/pop outfit, and read the comparisons to Fleetwood Mac. I suppose there are similarities, but there's as many electro pop influences there to me as mid seventies California. I like it, but don't think it quite lived up to the hype.

Hugh Masakela - Home is where the music is: Obviously I have heard of Hugh Masakela, but I didn't really have any idea of what strand of Jazz he represented. This is from the early seventies, and is the kind of fusion jazz Miles davis had pioneered. It is absolutely superb, I love it when they get funky, but it's a killer album from first to last.

Kings of Leon - Mechanical Bull: It's a decent album, but they haven't really refound the mojo of those first two or three albums. There are some pretty good tracks on it, but it's not really an album you want to put on again and again.

Manic street preachers - Rewind the film: I've really liked their last couple of albums, which were on the hard rock side of indie, so I was a bit disappointed to read that they'd gone back to a more acoustic poppier sound. More fool me, because this is a realy belting album, chock full of cracking tunes, radio friendly in a good way.

Mulatu Astatke - Sketches of Ethiopia: World music, fusion jazz, I don't know how you'd label Astatke but he makes great music. This is another excellent album from the Ethiopian bandleader.

Nightmares on wax - Feelin' good: One of the original trip hop bands, still going and still delevering the goods, for me anyway. Chilled at times, super catchy at others, an enjoyable listen.

Stoke City 0-2 Manchester United

Well it wasn't the greatest performance or game, for that matter, but we're in the next round, and have got the weakest team left in the competition in the semi final, not a bad night's work really.
The game was played in atrocious conditions, I'm not sure I have seen a United game stopped for five minutes because of the weather before. It could be said, that it's the same for both sides, and maybe the way we have played this season that was true. But it didn't help us build any momentum in that first half, where we had spells of dominating possession without ever really threatening to do anything with it.
I suppose, along with every other red, I winced when I saw the team, Anderson and Young in the starting line up, doesn't generally make for entertaining fare. I suppose Young's goal will be held up as evidence that maybe there is still hope for him. Don't get me wrong, it was a brilliant goal, of which he is more than capable, but the rest of his game was pretty so, so really. But next to Anderson, he was fucking Pele, yet again the Brazillian made you wonder why he keeps on getting chances to prove himself at United. It would be in everybody's interest to let him leave in January.
As an advocate of us being more flexible in our formation, it was disappointing to see us not really make the 4-3-3 shape work. We seem to be able to keep possession in the middle of the park better when playing with three in the middle, but at the expense of posing much of a threat in the final third of the pitch. Sure, it doesn't help matters with Anderson bringing nothing to the table, but we seem to lose any threat from the two wide men.
Welbeck tried hard, but was living on scraps, especially in the first half. The two most encouraging moves of the first half, after we had come back on after the break, came from him interchanging one two's on the right hand side. The one real chance that United created also came on that side as Welbeck fed Young, who should really have hit the target.
I thought Cleverley had as good a game as he's had this season, he is one player that the system really suits, he just needed more quality alongside him. I could be harsh and say the removal of Anderson really saw United take the game by the scruff of the neck, but Young's screamer, that came out of nowhere really, was the catalyst for the win. The second goal from Evra after Young released him into the box and he curled it over the goalie into the back of the net with his right foot, was as out of place in this game as the first. But much needed to seal the game as the home time were showing signs of getting back into the game.
So we've strung a couple of decent away wins together, can we start to sort our Old trafford form out on Saturday, it's pointless to get too carried away the way this season's gone. I'm hoping that Welbeck will get another run out in a more central role, but I've a hunch we'll see Hernandez and Rooney together. The next three games, really are must win, if we are going to get this season going again, so no fuck ups please.

Aston Villa 0-3 Manchester United

Well, who saw that coming, i certainly didn't. Admittedly Villa were piss poor, but United have to take some credit for taking advantage for that. Whenever you win big, there has to be an element of the opposition being crap.
The line up was about as strong as it could have been given the injury problems. Bar Carrick, there's an argument to be made, that this was as strong a side as we can put out. I'm still no big fan of Rooney and Van Persie up front, but I am a big fan of Danny Welbeck playing in the middle. He gives us pace, work rate and a different set of skills than either Rooney or Van Persie. When he is playing regularly and is full of confidence, he is a handful for any defence in the world. He is on a different planet as a footballer to Hernandez, he can be the complete centre forward, where as Hernandez will only ever be a goal poacher.
It was interesting to see Rooney drop a lot deeper at times yesterday, now that is something we have been screaming out for. I have never sure whether Moyes asked Rooney to play further up or Rooney hasn't wanted to play deeper. If he played as deep as he did at times yesterday, his partnership with Van Persie might might be more conducive to the teams balance.
Some reds think that Valencia having one of his better days was the key to victory. It helped, no question about that, Valencia and Rafael worked brilliantly down the right together. But the pace and movement, and even his ability to be first to the ball in the box unexpectedly, scared the home back four to death. It looked pretty obvious, that they weren't really anticipating the speed of United's play. You can't blame them really, when you think of some of the turgid performances we have put in this season, they'll probably consider themselves unfortunate to have caught us in the kind of form we produced yesterday.
I was glad and a little surprised to see Januzaj, start on the left again, I thought he may have been rested for the league cup tie at Stoke in midweek. Moyes made the right call for me, getting our confidence back in the league should come first. He didn't let us down as he was excellent in the first half, and could have been the opening scorer, unluckily heading against the post before Welbeck steamed in for the rebound. He faded in the second half, and was yet again on the end of some rough stuff, but he'd done his job. I would have liked Zaha to have replaced him but Moyes went for the more conservative option in Zaha.
The other big call made by Moyes was the deployment of Jones at centre back alongside Evans. They didn't really have much to do, but I'd like to see more of that combination and more of Jones at centre half. If we could actually manage to bring in a class central midfield recruit during the transfer window next month, maybe we'll actually see it.
Cleverley took his the third goal well, and did indeed have a much improved game, he needs to, as he must know he is now fighting to save his United career. If he could get back to the form he showed when he first arrived in the first team, then he would have what it takes. It will take even better performances and producing them far more consistently for that to happen, hopefully yesterday was the start of them.
I have to be honest, I was very sceptical that we would see any meaningful return to the first team from Darren Fletcher after his second prolonged absence from the squad due to his stomach complaint. But Moyes seems to have shown a statement of intent with his inclusion on the bench and in pushing him on the final half hour. If we could get Darren Fletcher anywhere near back to his best, that would be an almighty boost to our season. His half hour yesterday makes we wonder whether we might see him start on Wednesday night, intriguing.
It was a pity we didn't score more goals, we certainly had the chances, but after the goal famine we have been on at Old trafford of late, it was just nice to get amongst the goals again.

Manchester United 1-0 Shaktar Donetsk

Not one to lodge in the memory banks, but we were spared the ignominy of a third consecutive home defeat and the press bloodbath that would have awaited Moyes if we'd lost. The only real difference between last night and preceding two games was we managed to keep a clean sheet and this time took one of the few chances we created.
I had expected a pretty tough game and wouldn't have been surprised in the least if we had got beaten. They were easily the best team we had played in the group when we visited the Ukraine, so for them to be as listless as they were and to have gone down so tamely, was a bit of a surprise. I know they created a few good chances in the first half, but looking at our back line last night, any half decent team should have created a few decent chances. Buttner had one of those games where you wondered how he ended up in a Manchester United shirt, he was poor. Ferdinand has looked like he should be hanging up his boots, come the end of the season, last night didn't offer any evidence to the contrary, that was as bad as he's been.
Despite Giggs coming back to partner Jones in central midfield and the inclusion of Januzaj, there wasn't much creativity or sparkle in our play. It wasn't one of Giggs better displays, Jones made a few decent forward runs and deserved his goal for being one of our better performers this season. Though I still really want to see him getting an extended run at centre back. With Rooney and Kagawa partnered through the middle, i had expected more from us, but our poor form and lack of confidence, just seems to have killed us at the moment.
Still it was three points, we've topped the table and hopefully we'll end up with an easier tie in the first round of the knockout stages than we ended up with last season. Mind you if we don't hit some kind of form by late February, early March, it won't really matter.

Manchester United 0-1 Newcastle United

I was tempted to say that was as bad as it's got, but hopefully nothing will reach the nadir of this season's trip to the boo camp. Still it was pretty bad, Newcastle were no great shakes, we probably didn't really serve to get beat again, but we sure didn't deserve to win. The team selected wasn't that bad, central midfield apart, but once again as an attacking force we were sadly found wanting.
It's hard to know whether Van Persie is still not fully fit, or sulking, or both, but he was a shadow of last seasons centre forward. Hernandez tried hard, but if he has no service, he might as well not be on the pitch. I'm not sure why Moyes went with him over Welbeck, other than trying to keep the Mexican happy.
I'm not particularly sure where all this, Welbeck's in a poor run of form has come from. He started the season well. then came that niggling injury. Alright he wasn't great in his first game back, but I'd have thought that was understandable enough. When we need all the physicallity and fight we can get as we struggle to get out of this mini slump, he would be one of the players I look to, to get us out of it.
Inconsistent as Nani was, he was still one of the only creative outlets in the team, I wouldn't have took him off anyway. Januzaj on the other flank never really hit the heights he's capable of, but he still produced those little pieces of magic that on another day might have opened the door for us. Van Persie was deployed in the hole, but couldn't really get in the game and never really forged much of a partnership with Hernandez.
I've thought Jones has been outstanding in his forays in central midfield for the most part this season, but on Saturday he never got going, he never seemed to be on the same wavelength as Cleverley or his central defenders behind him. Cleverley actually managed a couple of half decent runs and one or two reasonably creative passes during the first half. But for the most part, it was a typical performance from him, he just didn't affect the game enough.
Where as I thought we defended fairly well for the most part against Everton on Wednesday, we looked jittery and nervous at the back on Saturday. Neither Vidic or Jones inspired confidence, Rafael didn't have his best game and Evra's mistake for their goal was a reminder why, you can add left back to the signings that need to be made. Moyes is right there, whether he's right about Baines as his replacement, I'm not as sure. I'm pretty sure Everton won't sell, why the fuck would they sell to us, when they'll be looking at us as one of their challengers for that fourth champions league spot.
There are so many problems at the moment it's hard to know where to start. But I suppose if you go back to basics, the spine of the team, at the moment is just not good enough, I'm including central defence in that as well as central midfield. The defence need Carrick back in front of them and our attacking players need him to try and helpus control games. He is without doubt, the most important players in the squad, I can't see things getting much better until we get him back in the team.

Manchester United 0-1 Everton

I didn't go to the match last night brimming full of confidence, so the late goal wasn't a total shock or as much of a sickner as it might have been. I'm afraid there'e going to be no such thing as an easy game this season and fans and pundits alike should start getting used to this new concept. I don't actually think we deserved to get beat, but we didn't deserve to win either. And the trouble with tight games, is that if you can't put them to bed, the opposition might instead. This was the type of game that we always just seemed to do enough to get the three points under Fergie, Moyes is going to have to learn how to get United winning games when we are not at our best.
I'm not going to lump all our problems at Moyes feet, the truth is we have really been getting away with it for a few seasons now. Fergie would have struggled to have more success than Moyes with what passes for our midfield squad depth. Saying that, Fellaini was Moyes buy, and even though he was a little better last night, he still looks nowhere near United quality. When he was bought, we were told that Moyes saw his best position as holding midfield, so it was a little disturbing, to say the least, to hear Phil Neville talk about him as a box to box player ahead of last night's match. When we've witnessed greats like Robson and Keane, to hear Fellaini talked about as a box to box player is just laughable. I was no fan of the player at Everton, but was willing to give his signing a chance, not really ever taking much notice of his defensive qualities. But I know enough about his game to know he is not a United quality box to box player. I mean where do you start, he isn't good enough on the ball, he is too slow, the list could go on for ever. If he is to make it at United it will be as a holding player or nothing. On the evidence so far, it's not looking good.
Everton on this evidence have moved up a notch, they didn't sit back, and always looked to get forward. Not that they really caused us that much trouble at the back, one glorious second half chance apart, but the intent was always there, so the late goal didn't come out of nowhere.
The United team selected, didn't look too bad on paper, central midfield aside, but we never really hit anything like top form on the night. We weren't able to open their back line up enough. Rooney's effort that hit the post took a deflection, maybe Welbeck should have done better with the header that hit the bar, I'm not sure I haven't seen it again yet.
There is no aura around the team at the moment, it's going to take a lot of hard work and one or two summer signings, central midfield for sure to get it back. I think it's reached that time, where we better start to hope Arsenal really have turned the corner, because if they do implode, City have got a great chance of winning a second title in three years, I know which i would sooner live with.

Tottenham Hotspur 2-2 Manchester United

I would have took a point before the game so I'm not going to grumble about dropping further behind Arsenal. Tottenham away was always going to be a hard game, but after the dicking they got at City, it just got tougher.
The performance was so so, despite a central midfield devoid of any creative quality, we did manage to have periods of the game where we managed to get on top. But of course with no creative outlet behind Kagawa we struggled to really open them up. We seemed to put all the onus on Valencia to try and work his magic on the right. This might have worked, as at times he was having great joy beting his man, alas, once he'd beaten him, he failed to deliver much in the way of a telling cross.
I couldn't moan too much at the team selected, with no Carrick and Gigs having played in midweek, Cleverley and Jones was about as good an option open to Moyes, a damning indictment of course. I liked the look of Kagawa behind Rooney with Welbeck on the left. But it only really worked in the sense that Tottenham never really dominated possession in the way which they can at times with their strong midfield. Going forward, we never really threatened the home defence, Valencia apart.
It was Welbeck's first game for a bit, so he was always going to be a bit rusty. I had hoped he would interchange with Kagawa, but instead Welbeck started on the left and half way through the first half swapped positions with our Japanese international. As for Kagawa, trying to look at it positively, it's hard for any of the forward players to make an impact with such an average midfield behind them, so whilst he didn't have a poor game in my eyes, he can be excused for not making the kind of impact we had hoped for. Of course the alternative view would be, he's too lightweight for the premier league, and the reason for a seemingly improved performance during the previous game was the piss poor quality of 2nd placed Bundesliga Leverkeusen. I'm a fan, of course, but us Kagawa fans really need him to show the Leverkeusen form in the premier league.
Their opening goal was a soft goal to concede, I know it can be viewed as unlucky when the ball goes under the wall, but I had watched the wall lining up and it had looked an accident in the making as it formed, so I wouldn't be as charitable. Our reply was a bit of a gift, some wags gave it as a Kyle Walker assist, as indeed was our second half equaliser, Rooney made no mistake with either.
Rooney got all the praise after the game, he was certainly our best player, but the praise was over the top, once again for me. His goals were a gift and a penalty, the rest of the praise seemed, once more, for the block's, clearance's and general work rate. Whilst that's not to be sneezed at, maybe he should reconsider playing in the middle of the park, because that's the type of work we could do with in our depleted central midfield. It's not exactly what i want to see supposedly our gifted player doing for the majority of the match.
Ironically Tottenham's second goal came out of nowhere, just when we seemed to have got a grip on the game. Once again with the proviso that we hadn't really managed to create much in the way of real guilt edged chances. The quick second equaliser was just what the doctor ordered, as I had feared for our chances of getting anything from the game if we'd have had to force things.
I wasn't that impressed with the substitutions, though they were all attacking, Hernandez did nothing, Young was never going to do anything and Nani wasn't given enough time to do anything. To be fair to Moyes the subs bench wasn't the strongest, though why Januzaj wasn't there was a mystery to me, given he hadn't took part on Wednesday.
So apparently we now have a winnable run of games, though I'm not sure how Everton at home gets lumped into that category, given our up and down form so far this season. To be honest, I look at almost every game at the moment and think, this could be tough. With Moyes assessing his inherited squad, no Carrick, Cleverley seemingly proving his doubters right and Fellaini leaving us all sscratching our heads, I don't think there's such a thing as an easy game at the moment.

Keane's on the move

It was an open secret that Will Keane was going to Wigan on loan, once his foot injury cleared up. I've got to say I'm a bit surprised it's only until 1st January, I presumed it would be for the rest of the season. I still think that this is what will happen, it's a good move for him, Wigan and for United, especially as he'll presumably be able to link up with fellow United youngster Nick Powell'
It wasn't such a sure thing that Michael Keane would leave as well. I read on Twitter that he would have gone to Derby sooner, but things were delayed when Nigel Clough was sacked. That's a pity because he had an excellent season on loan at Leicester last season and he's been treading water at best, going backwards possibly plying his stuff for the under 21's.
There a couple of others who could really do with testing themselves out on loan, even if it means the under 21's struggle for numbers. We won't really know where Larnell Cole or Tom Thorpe are in their development until they get proper first team football. Still the two Keane's are the biggest talent still in the under 21's now that Januzaj has made the move up to the first team squad, so they really had to go out on loan.

Music

Acoustic Ladyland - Last chance disco: These were a group i really loved, apparently they are still doing things together, it won't be under the Acoustic Ladyland moniker. Mind you Polar Bear are pretty special as well. The driving rock and jazz worked brilliantly in their hands.

Deap Valley - Sistrionix: Another guitar and drums duo, but it works reasonably well, there's enough difference between their sound and that of the White Stripes and the Black Keys. I wouldn't go as far as to say they are anywhere near as good as mentioned bands, but it's a pretty good album.

Forest Swords - Engravings: The scouse experimental electronica man's follow up to the excellent Dagger paths, and the standard hasn't dropped, once again it's excellent.

Julia Holter - Loud city song: Experimental almost avant garde artists don't usually tend to be that prolific, but not Holter. This third long player in three years is probably her most mainstream, but there's no lowering of standards. It could be her best yet.

Money - The shadow of heaven: Another Manchester act going the high pitched vocalist left field indie pop route. It's not really my groove to be honest, I can listen to it, and appreciate it, but I'll never really get off on it. There are a couple of top tunes on it, I'll give it that and it did grow on me the more i listened to it.

No Ceremony - No Ceremony III: This manchester electronic act really hit the button, their debut album is a very stong first effort. I wouldn't class this as that experimental, but it still shifts through the genres.

White Hills - So you are.. So you'll be: More Psych/space/kraut rock, this time from the States, I love this stuff, even if it doesn't really break any new ground. There a couple of real storming Hawkwind type lift off moments, that really rock.