Manchester United 4-1 Aston Villa

You can't help feeling that Saturday will turn out to be the almost obligatory good result against poor opposition before humiliation at the hands of the the next top class opponent we face, this time, Bayern Munich. Mind you it was a win at Old trafford this time, so I suppose it's thanks for ssmall mercies, entertainment has been thin on the ground at home this season.
It ended up a bit of a stroll in the park, but it didn't look that way for the first twenty minutes of limp nothing football, that barely saw us approach the Villa penalty area, never mind actually get an effort at goal away.
What on Earth does Moyes say to them ahead of a game. After the thumpings from Liverpool and then City, you would have hoped to see United set off like a house on fire. Even if you don't break through, you have shown some intent, to your fans as much as the opposition. Yet it was yet another lacklustre showing, plenty of aimless long balls, with hardly a thing going through the middle of the park. And then, as per, this season, the opposition take the lead. It actually took that to get the team to get going.
I'm not much of a fan of Buttner, but he did make a difference on Saturday, it was his overlap that allowed Kagawa the freedom to cut inside to find Rooney with a superb cross, that Rooney could hardly miss with. It was one of our Japanese internationals best games of the season, starting on the left but with freedom to roam inside, he was probably our best player whilst he was on the pitch. It was his pass to put Mata clear that led to the penalty, and it was a beauty. I actually thought Mata should have done better before he was brought down. He had the perfect angle to hit it across the goalie, his lack of confidence in front of goal for Chelsea and now United this season perhaps? The penalty came at a great time, as the game was still in the balance, Villa never really threatened to get back into the game after Rooney slotted home the spot kick.
The second half was a pretty comfortable affair once Mata finally broke his duck to make it 3-1, I thought he was going to make a mess of that as well at first. Januzaj came on for Kagawa and reminded us of what he has to offer, beating men and hittting a fine cross to set up Hernandez for the fourth. I was surprised it was Kagawa that went off, the optimist in me hopes it was because he's going to start tomorrow. I just can't see Moyes starting with him though, though saing that I really have no idea of what eleven we'll start with tomorrow. To be honest I'm just crossing my fingers that we don't have our trousers taken down for the whole of the footballing world to see tomorrow night, we all know if they're on their game and in the mood, tomorrow could be one very ugly night.

Manchester United 0-3 Manchester City

This is truly the worst season in a very, very long time, We had a couple of dodgy seasons in Fergie's early years, but there were always a couple of big ish wins against one of the top clubs somewhere along the line. The Sexton years were pretty unmemorable, but again we managed a few decent wins over his four years. I don't think it's hyperbole to say this is as bad a season as any since the relegation season.
The only win of any note all season was the single goal victory against a cowardly Arsenal, who must regret not coming to United and having a real go. Even then United basically hung on to the one goal cushion for the majority of the second half. The home record is quite frankly a fucking disgrace, fewer home points than Norwich or Hull and the same number of home goals as Cardiff and Fulham, yes that's Fulham! Those stats are truly woeful, there can be no excuse for them. The lack of points against the top nine placed teams is the true pointer to where Manchester United are at present under David Moyes stewardship.
I was one for giving Moyes time, realising that Fergie had not left the squad in anything like as strong position as he had claimed. And i also think that all manager's deserve more than one season in charge to shape their own team. But I've seen more than enough now, to not just join the Moyes out clan, but join the Moyes out, the sooner the better, clan. There are just so many issues, his tactics are laughable, he's obviously lost the dressing room in a major way, he's a reactive cautious coach, his dealings with the press make me cringe, in fact when I see his face on the TV I quickly turn it off, because I just know he's going to say something that's going to do my tree in. And the most important thing, his football is fucking shocking to watch.
I'm sure I wasn't the only red who was fearing the worst ahead of the two games against the dippers and the divs. What does it say about a manager, that a lot of reds fully expected to get smashed in both of these games. And smashed we were, well and fucking truly. The berties are entitled to gloat, they are so far superior to us at the moment, it hurts. Not that it gives me any pleasure, but I actually though Liverpool gave a superior performance. Now that really hurts, after all the stick we gave Rodgers last season, it would appear, the laugh is on us now, as he is on a different planet as a football coach and even as a leader of men to dismal Dave.
As for the game, you have to try and give yourself something to cling to ahead of these games, last night I clung to the thought that since City landed the gulf state jackpot, they have had a habit of choking every now and then in big games. Well that thought didn't last long, as they tore into us straight from the kick off, scoring in the first minute. Then for the next ten minutes or so, made United look like a fucking pub team, looking as if the were going to score at will. You've got to wonder what the fuck did Moyes say to the team ahead of the game, they looked like startled rabbits, staring into the City headlights, it's one of his jobs to make sure that doesn't happen, and once again falling well short. Eventually United got back into it, but more through huff and puff ( Everton under Moyes? )football than the kind of football that it would take to beat a City, Liverpool or god forbid Bayern Munich. The height of my ambition for that tie was always that we don't get humiliated, if the games against City and Liverpool are anything to go by, it could be X-rated for anyone of a red persuasion.
I didn't think the forwards did that badly, but behind them, it was a shambles. That midfield looked pretty underwhelming on paper, but was even worse on the night. Cleverley gets all the stick, and he has been and was, once again, anonymous for the forty five minutes of the game he was on the pitch. But I'd take the brand, all day long before Fellaini. I never understood how any United fan could have rated him when he was at Everton, or be pleased by his signing, he was and is, a big fucking lump. I noticed that he seemed to have orders to drift to the left during the first half and once again players were obviously under orders to hit crosses towards the back post looking for him. Those are not the tactics of a Manchester United manager in my book.
The only United player to give City any nervous moments during the ninety minutes was Danny Welbeck, showing once again he's a man for the big occasion. So what does Moyes do, when we're 2-0 down and desperately needing somebody to make something happen to spark us back into life, take the only man that looked half capable of providing it.
Mata has took some stick for his performance today seemingly, but look at our tactics and then wonder what it must feel like to have Fellaini's dazzling technique and breathtaking movement around him. He looks like he's wondering what on earth he's done, joining this shambles. His chances of going to the world cup with Spain may have been better if he'd stayed at Chelski.
As for the defence, that is now as big a problem, if not bigger, than that donut shaped midfield, Ferdinand was poor, but Evra was, once again unfortunately, shocking. According to the fanzine rumours, Vidic and Evra were keen to stay at United, but wouldn't accept one year contracts. They have both been great servants to the club, but both are now well over the hill, so on this one, for once I think the club have done the right thing. Maybe if Ferdinand had been handled differently by Moyes, he could still have done a job for us this season, he did far better than i expected last season, so the judge must be out on that one. What is for sure, is that when he has played this season, he's generally been an accident waiting to happen. Maybe he should have left for that one last lucrative payday that was mooted after his testimonial.
I can't believe that United will retain the services of Moyes this summer, it's just too much of a risk, surely. There's a big rebuilding job that needs doing at this club and this season has surely shown that the ex Everton manager is not the man to be entrusted with it. If he stays and gets it terribly wrong, who knows how long it will be before we go into a derby game as favourite again.

West Ham United 0-2 Manchester United

Like a good few other reds, I was more than a little taken aback by just how good a performance United put in on  Saturday. It wasn't as spectacular as Levrkeusen away or even Swansea on the opening day of the season, but in terms of the way we want to see United playing, it was spot on. United produced a controlled attractive performance, the likes of which would go along way to pushing us back up where we need to be next year if we are to be contesting silverware again.
I can't have been on my own in thinking that was the last thing I would be saying after the game after I saw the team selected.
The front four looked decent on paper, though untried on the pitch so far under the Moyes. The injury to Van Persie wasn't as much of a disaster as some of the press had made out, instead, it was, as some of us had thought, an opportunity to put out the kind of line up that could reproduce the kind of fluid football we saw at the hawthorns after Van Persie had been given the hook.
The back four and the midfield was a different matter though, Carrick at Centre half, we know that can be hit and miss, and Buttner at left back completed an unusual back four. On the day it worked, Buttner in particular had one of his better days. How much that was down to the protection they received from the players in front controlling possession or from how poor West Ham were, who knows. Fletcher and Fellaini had a pretty easy day, though both played reasonably well, it was against a piss poor home side.
That front four of Kagawa, Mata, Rooney and even Young were excellent, no quibbles about how poor West Ham were there. The passing, movement and intercahnge was as good as we've seen all season. I suppose Rooney's goal, coming so early and the sheer brilliance of it, gave the players a massive lift. Rooney looked a liberated man playing up front with no sulking Dutchman in front of him, in fact the whole of the team does. I still think Van Persie is the better centre forward, but there seems to be so much baggage there, it looks as if player and club might be better of with a parting of the way in the summer. Mata had one of his best games since his transfer and Kagawa had perhaps his best game of the season, giving the kind of performance that made his name at Dortmund.
I suppose the only let down was the fact that after getting the second goal before half time, United couldn't go on and do the goal difference a bit of good. Still, the performance was the thing, with City to come tomorrow night, we needed a little bit of a confidence boost. Whether it's the usual, one step forward, two steps back, your guess is good as mine, we'll find out tomorrow.

April in Bavaria

I'm not sure that this was quite the tie I would have liked, not this season. Some United fans have been quite bullish since the 3-0 victory on Wednesday, whilst others wanted as big a tie as possible, because who knows when we'll be back in the competition.
I can understand the latter, whilst not really agreeing with it, do we really want to see us perform as we did against Liverpool and away to Olympiakos against probably the best team in Europe. As to the former, come on, please, assuming we adopt the usual Moyes tactics of 4-4-2, I dread to think what will happen to us over the two legs. We'll never see the ball, and our dodgy backline will be fully exposed. Who starts in midfield and will he play Rooney and Van Persie again?
I've always been an optimist as far as supporting United goes, even before the Fergie glory years, but watching United play under Moyes has completely destroyed that. I still don't really think that Moyes had that much to do with the other night, so anticipating Moyes go head to head with Guardiola, I'd love to be proved wrong, but...

Music

Demdike Stare - Post collapse: A bit of departure, a bit of jazz makes its way onto the end of untitled track one, but it works, excellent stuff.

Foxygen - We are the 21st century ambassadors of peace and magic: New to these, it ticks the right boxes, experimental, if derivitave, it's full of catchy tunes.

Hypnotic Brass Ensemble - Fly the customs prelude: Modern funky brass with a dash of this and a dash of that, what's not to like.

John Grant - Pale green ghosts: Another album that marks a big departure from the artists previous album. Whereas his debut solo album was full of classic soft rock influences, this seems to take a bit of influence from Iceland, where it was recorded, in such as it takes in electronic influences. It works a treat, for me, some critics seemed to be a bit underwhelmed with it, not me.

Laraaji - Celestial music: A compliation from a US contemporary and occasional collaborator of Brian Eno's. I wasn't much overstruck with the bonus disc, but the previously released disc was excellent, the last track is superb.

Lily & Madeleine - Lily & Madeleine: The alternative folk movement rolls on, I suppose they will be compared to the excellent First aid kit, another female duo, but the US act more than hold their own. Full of songs that grow after every listen, excellent debut album.

My Bloody Valentine - MBV: Finally got around to listening to last years surprise tthird album from the classic Irish band. It takes a few listens, but it's a worthy comeback, on the money.

Manchester United 3-0 Olympiakos

It could turn out to be the only memorable night of a pretty rotten season, so we should savour it whilst we can. I had no expectations ahead of last night, how could you, when we have only one victory against a team from the top nine all season. But we knew they don't travel well and are no great shakes. After watching them last night, I'm still non plussed that we could have been so bad over there.
I can't help thinking the decision to bring Giggs back was pure panic, rather than any well crafted masterplan. Likewise Welbeck, any fool could see that we have needed his pace, but Moyes still couldn't bring himself to leave Rooney or Van Persie out of the side. It worked on the night, but what's going to happen when Mata and Januzaj both come into the reckoning for the next biggie against City. I can't help thinking it will be back to the bench and more frustration for the Longsight forward. It's a good job that he's a Manchester lad and a United fan, otherwise you'd imagine he would be another player wondering where his future lies. I couldn't believe it when Moyes brought him off, he was the one man to stretch them and boy did Evra need his support as they had obviously identified him as a weak point. Even on a good night last night, you can't help wondering what on Earth goes through Moyes mind at times.
Playing Ferdinand wasn't as much of a risk at home to the Greeks, that said, we were still susceptible at the back. I suppose to a degree we had to be, chasing the three goals, but we wouldn't have got away with last nights defending against any of the big beasts of European football. It says it all that we had to rely on Giggs to the extent we did, not just creating the first two goals and having a hand in the third, but almost coaching the team on the pitch. Was he trying to tell us something ? But of course that left us a little light defensively, we winged it and got away with it. But I'm alright with that, we actually went for it, for once.
The goals came at good times, though maybe the third came a little early for a team in our current parlous condition. De Gea continued his fine season with a couple of great saves and Van Persie showed us that he's still a great centre forward when he wants to be. So we're in the hat for the next round, and Moyes lives to fight another day.

Manchester United 0-3 Liverpool

As Churchill might have said, I think that was the beginning of the end, Davey boy. If there were any doubts about Moyes unsuitability for the top job in British football, there surely can't be any now. It's not even as if it was that unexpected, I have been dreading this run of games for weeks now, and that dread was not misplaced, was it. We've had mares against Liverpool before, and at Old trafford too, but to be so totally outclassed from virtually the first minute, to look utterly clueless, to be second to almost everything, that was definitely a first.
A lot of reds were reasonably happy with the eleven that Moyes selected, i remain mystified as to why. Mata wasted out on the left, Rooney and Van Persie selected together again, Fellaini in the middle of the park, Vidic selected at centre half alongside Evra at left back, giving Liverpool a a slow ageing right hand side to attack us down, which they did. The team just cried out, slow, and from minute one, it was.
As per, United adopted a rigid 4-4-2, where, once more, Rooney seemed to be playing alongside Van Persie too much of the time.The amount of times United players found themselves isolated with no real out ball, was off the Richter scale. When you watch all the best teams in Europe, their players always have options, in the rigid Moyes 4-4-2, our players just get ganged up on, all the time. They are a good side, I don't like saying it, but there you are, but they are not better to us, to the extent that yesterday would have you believe. Our players must feel as if they are going out with one hand tied behind their backs at the moment. The rumours that Moyes has lost the players are all very believable, and whilst, I'm not generally in favour of players turning against the manager, it's hard not to sympathise with them, at this moment in time.
I've thought Moyes was pretty weak, almost from the moment the season started, but yesterday he surpassed himself. We saw the change to the team, that removing Van Persie during the second half instilled into us last week at West Brom. And yet after the world and his dog also seeing that last week, when Moyes was given the chance to show who was the boss, he goes back with the misfiring option of Rooney and Van Persie. Predictably it didn't work, but then, when both were having shockers, for differing reasons, Van Persie never in it, Rooney's lack of mobility being continually shown up, he chickens out, leaving both on the pitch whilst removing almost anybody else, but said two. I've said enough times this season that I think Rooney is a shadow of the player he was, and that the contract given him was a terrible blunder, but if Moyes is going to risk his career at United by backing him through tick and thin, then he is going to have to upset Van Persie, because they just are not working together.
I've read journalists describe Rooney as one of the more popular players of the squad, he may well be, I have no idea, I did notice his attempt to gee up the rest of the players after the second goal though, it was met by his colleagues, shrugging and looking anywhere else, but at him, captain material?
It's pointless to go on about the contentious refereeing decisions, we were second best from start to finish and the best team won. I'm not sure it's really fair to pick on the players, but I can't let yesterday go without mentioning Fellaini. A Manchester United player, I think not

West brom 0-3 Manchester United

Wonders never cease, a convincing away win. When you saw the team, you couldn't help thinking to yourself, we can't fail to take the three away points home to day. And yet this season, that's the last thing you can ever think.
Once again he picked what looked like an exciting front four, Mata and Januzaj out wide with Van perise and Rooney in the middle. Did it really work, not really, we huffed and puffed for most of the first half, but a couple of really good efforts apart, we could not break the home defence down. The goal when it did come was unexpectedly easy, soft even, from their point of view. It was a lovely floated ball from Van Persie, but Jones was given far too easy a clear header at goal. Fortunately, he didn't miss, as playing at centre half, for the first time in ages, he hadn't been having the best of times.
Yet again our sole tactic appeared to be to get our full backs right up the pitch, almost as extra winger. Of course i want to see our full back getting forward, but I don't want to see that as the sole means of attack against a team near the bottom of the table, low on confidence.
Rafael was unlucky with the header that forced Foster into a superb save, that was our best moment of the first half from open play. The only other really notable thing to happen was Foster's handball outside the box, showing the kind of sloppiness to his play that saw him never make the grade at United. It should have been penalised, but for me. a yellow, not a red, as it was accidental. Then again, I think you can safely say most refs would probably have given a red card if they had seen it, Moyes would have been on his high horse after the game, if the second half upturn hadn't happened.
You couldn't accuse Van Persie of not trying yesterday, but once again, he and Rooney, or anybody else for that matter, just never clicked. In fact he was throwing himself around so much Moyes took him off around the hour mark, though Van Persie shook his head as he went off, Moyes was entirely justified. Welbeck came on and United started to look far more fluent, passing and moving, fuck we started to look like a team again. The second goal, came through a lovely interchange and the third from Welbeck was one of the rare occasions this season where United have played their way through the centre of an opposition to score a goal.
Now the quality of the opposition has to be taken into account, they were very poor, but still the difference in our display, once the Van Persie, Rooney central partnership was broken up was so obvious, even most journalists were forced into mentioning it. In fact Mark Odgen decided that maybe the time had come for United to part ways with the Dutchman this summer. That looks to be on the cards anyway, but the question for me now is, does Moyes have the cojones to leave Van Perse, or Roney out over the next massive games.
I still think Van Persie is the better player and that we should have let Rooney go last summer, but we are, where we are, Rooney seems to be more popular amongst the rest of the players than the sulking ex Arsenal man. For me, if Moyes is really to stamp his authority on the squad and club, nobody should be guaranteed a game. Look at Welbeck, here is a player that never gets mentioned, but he is a top player, and he gives us a pace and presence up front that is worry for any defence in Europe.
Anyway, it was a good win against a team that on that form, are very real relegation fodder, so it's not the time to get carried away, the next three games will tell us where we are. Despite yesterday, I can't pretend that I'm any more confident of  getting much too much joy from that run of games.

Back to the football

I bet I'm not the only red that really can't wait for the resumption of the domestic season, am I. The midweek bout of internationals really seemed to grip the imagination of the continent, going of those shots of half empty grounds that I saw, can't think why!
Are the press finally waking up to the fact that Rooney isn't quite the player that they keep bumping him up to be, after his usual bog standard performance for England. The kind of form that is guarenteed to not shake anybody up in Brazil, never mind Rooney exploding in Brazil as Hodgson urged a while back. Welbeck showed far more get up and go when he came on, and though I think the bandwagon for Sturridge is a bit previous, I would have him up front ahead of Rooney. Right that's the usual Rooney bashing done with!
All the hype around Liverpool FC's young guns has got out of hand all of a sudden, it seems to be the latest press fad. A word to the wise, hardly any of those youngsters have had any experience of the the champions league, Liverpool aren't involved, remember. That's where you find out who has what it takes, not meaningless friendlies against Denmark. Even then it took until nine minutes from the end to score the goal that stopped the England team leaving the pitch to a chorus of boos. Does anybody know what system England were trying to deploy, all I could see, was the usual mess, failing to control the midfield, against Denmark, a pretty poor Danish team at that.
Moment of the night has to go to Danish coach Morten Olsen, wishing the England team look in Brazil, because they will need it. A few nicely punctured ego's there!

Music

Akkord - Akkord: I like this debut album from one of Manchester's latest electronica outfits, nicely experimental, it goes down a treat.

Blitzen Trapper - V11: New to this US indie/pop/rock outfit, I'm impressed, cracking songs infused with a touch of the Eagles and the Allman brothers at times, a bit more art rock at others.

Daniel Avery - Drone Logic: This is a bit of a blinding album, bass heavy, I've read his heroes include, the Chemical brothers and Underworld, the biggest comliment I can give the album is it bears comparison to their work.

Elvis Costello and the roots - Wise up ghost and other songs: A heavyweight collaboration prodcuces a heavyweight quality album. A nice mix of hip hop soul, funk and rock, it's a brilliant album.

Milton Henry -  Branches & leaves: Not a lost classic reggae album, though it's pretty darned good, but maybe a lots classic reggae artist, on the album front at least.

Nick Lowe - Quality street a seasonal selection for all the family: I like Nick Lowe, but I'm a total scrooge type when it comes to crimbo, so the last thing you'd expect me to love would be a Christmas album, and yet... This is a great album that overcomes the schmaltz factor with ease. I didn't really think i could love a cover version of Wizard's I wish it could be Christmas, but guess what.

The androgynous Amorphous - The Cartel vol.2: The second part of their Cartel offering doesn't quite match up to the first volume, but it's still excellent listening.

The Liminanas - Costa Blanca: The third album from the French 60's revivalists continue their successful blend of French pop, Velvet underground  and psychedelic fusion that. One of my favourite indie bands of this decade.