Cambridge United 0-0 Manchester United

The last thing my bank account needed was a replay, still I suppose the Glazer's will be happy. I'm starting to think that maybe they should be worried, I can senses the tide shifting as far as Van Gaal goes. We thankfully reverted to a back four, yet the first half, in particular, the width, the out ball, was the full full back.Then you had Fellaini popping up on the right hand side when if your going to play him, you surely want him in the box on the receiving end of any crosses we actually get in. Oh for wingers and proper width at the top end of the pitch.
A lack of confidence amongst the players has been mentioned, but what I sense is players playing with fear, scared to make a mistake. We heard during the early part of the season how the players were buying into Van Gaal's methods and that whatever the results on the pitch it was a reasonably happy camp off it. I would to know what the reality is at the moment. I can see that some players would be happy to buy into it, there are a fair few others I'm none too sure about.
It was always going to be a war of attrition, unless we got an early goal as the home team put everything into it, on their big night out. But as they tired a little during the second half and we virtually dominated possession, we still managed to create hardly anything. Wilson's performance has took a bit of stick, but what did he have to feed on. I actually though that Januzaj put in a reasonable performance, he didn't give the ball away, looked comfortable on the ball and put a couple of useful balls into the box. I thought Keown's criticism's of him were ludicrous, but it would seem that some reds see what their told, not what they see with their own eyes.
The only danger they posed was from set pieces, and they did have a couple of good chances from dead ball situations. There's not really a lot you can do about that other than try and dominate possession and keep free kicks down to a minimum, which all told, we did manage.
So another forgettable performance, and another one on national TV, free to air and all. You have to go along way back to remember United playing any kind of reasonably consistent entertaining football. I'm not sure how long that can really continue, there must must come a time where mediocre results, top four is far from a certainty, and shit on a stick football starts to hurt "the brand".

FA cup time, with philosophy kid, unfortunately the way we're playing at the moment, he'll probably only just get his gun out in time to save the day.
I'd love to see Wilson start and even more importantly wouldn't be nice to see Januzaj start. Van Gaal's been going on about balance, how about a 4-3-3 with Januzaj in one of the wide positions, Di Maria on the other with Wilson in the middle. I know, pigs might fly.

Music

Banks - Goddess: I didn't know anything at all about her until i read some of the album of the year reviews in the lead up to crimbo. It's a bit of a slow burner, i wasn't at all sold on it for the first few listens, but it creeps slowly under your skin, good album.

J. Mascis - Tied to a Star: Whether he's with the reformed Dinosaur Jr. or on his own he's delivering the goods at the moment. A quieter affair than the day job, the guitar still soars magnificently at times and the songs aren't bad either.

Jimmy Cobb - The Original Mob: The lone surviving member of the the classic Kind of Blue album, so Wikipedia tells me. It's a nice guitar led Jazz album from a man who remarkably is still hitting tose drums with his sticks.

Pulled Apart by Horses - Blood: From tother side of th'ills, they make a fine racket, more to the Nirvana Pixies side of indie. I liked this rather a lot, one or two really strong tracks and it would have been an excellent album, as it is a pretty good one.

Ryan Adams - Ryan Adams: A new album from Ryan Adams is always worth a listen, and this certainly is. To be honest I'm not really sure how big an artist he is nowadays, but he delivers great tunes and deserves to be a big star..

The Future Sound of London - Enviromental Five: Whether as FSOL or as the Amorphous Androgynous they make interesting and as importantly seriously good albums, this is no exception. It opens as it means to go on with the excellent Point of Departure.

Ty Segall - Singles 2: I had to get another Segall fix, a collection of B-sides and rarities, it's not bad, there's a couple of belters on it, can't be lone till the next one!

QPR 0-2 Manchester United

Another shit on a stick display, but at least we managed to take the three points this weekend. This was always going to be a tough game, even if we had been playing well. I actually feared the worst before the game, and the first half display didn't assuage those fears.
It was nice to see Van Gaal decide to revert to a back four in the second half without it being forced upon him by injury, as has generally been the case when he does it. I'm not sure about his reasoning though. After the game he admitted that as a team we are more creative playing with a back four, but that in his opinion it unbalances the team. Balanced or not, we don't have the players to make a back three work, that's if it would work anyway, which I'm pretty dubious about. We still haven't got one single outfield player throughout the whole squad who is any kind of form. That doesn't exactly tell you that every thing's working.
As for individual performances, the Falcao debate simmers on, I wouldn't be signing him and I would sooner be starting Wilson whilst Van Persie is out. But despite the misses on Saturday, and he should have scored at least one of the chances he was presented with, he brought more to the table than Van Persie has for most of this season. Truth be told I would be happy if neither of them is here next season, even if that means we have to spend money on a position that most don't see as a priority.
Rooney's recent less than stellar form seems to be going under the rainbow. Central midfield is not his position, what does the future hold out for him if Van Gaal doesn't see him as a central striker anymore. Once Di Maria was dropped deeper in the second half we started to see the Di Maria of last season and earlier this season. I get the feeling that this season it one big getting to know you experiment, starting Di Maria up top and Rooney in the middle, well it's different.
The less said about the defence the better. I couldn't believe that we now have a better defensive record than City after their disastrous defeat to Wenger's mob. I honestly don't know what the fuck that tells us, let's face it, De Gea's form is the main reason for that. I wasn't too upset when Mata went off for Fellaini, though not fan of the lanky Belgian, I'm no fan of Mata either. To be fair to him, he's not playing in the position he probably wants to play in, but still he brings so little to the party at times. It was good to see Wilson get some serious minutes on the pitch, I'm just hoping when Van Perie returns from injury, he doesn't get forgotten about.
I was surprised more wasn't made of Fellaini's goal celebration as he made straight for Januzaj, I can't be the only one that thinks a point was being made there. Given the results it turned out to be a vital three points, those champions league spots are becoming seriously competitive, Spurs, Arsenal and I've got my eyes on the dippers, are all within touching distance of us.

Manchester United 0-1 Southampton

Well I expected a difficult game, and we certainly got that. I've also expected out luck to run out at some stage, and fuck me we got that as well. I don't really think we deserved to lose, they defended heroically, but apart from the goal and the chance they failed to take in the first couple of minutes, they hardly got over the half way line. But we certainly didn't deserve to win either, and after fluking the three points at their place, I suppose it was a kind of justice of sorts for them to go home with all the points and leap frog us in the table.
It was a poor performance, especially in the second half, not one shot on target tells its own story. Without being threatening I didn't think we were too bad in the first half. We passed the ball better than we have done recently, dominated possession and weren't the embarrassment we have been at times over the last couple of months. But once we got to the final third, it all went south, the final ball we woeful. Our wing backs were incapable of taking on their man and getting a decent ball in and Mata and Rooney fared no better. I'm no great fan of Mata, but he was one of the better players yesterday. Saying that he had two glorious chances and should have buried at least one of them. Rooney seems to have left his revived form behind, he wasn't at the races yesterday, I'm wondering how long the Van Gaal midfield experiment is going to last.
Though they mostly fed off scraps again, neither Van Persie or Di Maria were any better. I still would have left Di Maria on at the end, even when he's playing crap, he's capable of making things happen. The worry yesterday for me was Carrick seems to have been dragged down to the level of those around him, that was his poorest game since he got over his injury. We don't have one player who you could argue was in any kind of form. The system of three at the back becomes more of a joke by the week, where exactly is it getting us.
I can't say that I was overly bothered that Falcao wasn't even on the bench, I was glad he was dropped and if you are going to bring a fresh striker on I'd sooner see Wilson myself. In fact the way Van Persie played yesterday, injury or not, I think it's about time that Wilson got a run in the team. And whilst we're at it, I'd like to Januzaj given a proper run in the team as well. I have a feeling that pigs might fly on that front, but you live in hope.
We're in the middle of a run of fixtures that was supposed to see us cement that champions league spot. At the moment it's doing the exact opposite, in it's own way this season is becoming as gruesome and bizarre as last years debacle. 

Music

Earth - Primitive and Deadly: On first listen, I thought this wouldn't be getting too many listens, the sound is a kind of slow one paced instrumental heavy rock, it's a sound that hasn't done to much for me in the past. But surprisingly I did start to get into it, I don't love it, have to be in the mood and all that but it's reasonably good.

Esben and the Witch - A New Nature: A decent album, not one to listen to again and again , but to return to now and again, suits the winter months, I think.

Nine Black Alps - Candy for the Clowns: Manchesters next big thing from the mid noughties, it never happened for them after that promising debut album. This is a return to form, probably won't break them, but it's a very enjoyable slice of loud indie/slacker rock.

Robert Plant - Lullaby And The Ceaseless Roar: Who'd have have though when Led Zep split, that it would be the vocalist who'd go on to have the most successful, varied and critically acclaimed solo career. Another album that appeared in almost all the best album of the year lists and rightly so. This time back to his fascination with North African music plus the whole gamut of his past influences.

Sleaford Mods - Chubbed Up: Another album that graced those same lists, this is a very different beast indeed. Just as good, but in a totally different way, musically at times a lean programmed The Fall, lyrically it made Mark E. Smith sound like a pussycat, bonkers, very angry and fucking brilliant. It sounds new, but they've been going a bit apparently, awaiting their next effort with relish.

Sun Ra - The Heliocentric worlds of Sun Ra volume 1: I had read all about Sun Ra a couple of years back and expected that I would like his music, but the first album I did listen to, can't remember what it was now, didn't do that much for me. This album from the mid sixties is far more like it. Obviously from the out there school of jazz, it's a minority audience that appreciate this kind of stuff.

The Juan Maclean - In a Dream: He makes some of the best accesible electronic albums of the present time and this is no different. It does add a new dimension, a kind of soft rock guitar riff, notably on the opening track that works brilliantly. It's as good an album as he's put out to my mind.

The Pierces - Creation: The fifth album from the US Folk/indie rock sister duo continues the good work from the last album, there are some fine female du acts around aat the moment and they're up there with any of them. They're probably more radio friendly than the rest of them, not always a bad thing.

Yeovil Town 0-2 Manchester United

Well we're through to the fourth round, I suppose at the end of the day that's the main thing. It was another awful performance though, given the opposition, embarrassing even.
He started with a three man back line of Blackett, McNair and Smalling and it was every bit as bad in practice as it looked on paper. We went to a back four in the second half as Shaw and Rafael were replaced, but as they both, apparently suffered injuries, that was probably enforced, rather than tactical. Carrick was rested and replaced by Fletcher who did nothing to dispel the notion that his days in a United shirt are numbered. Who knows, his days as a footballer may be numbered, he looks a million miles away from the player he was pre-injury.
Falcao was partnered by Wilson, both had to live on scraps, but at least Wilson gave a few glimpses of his potential. There was one instance where Falcao, for once, received a reasonable through ball and looked favourite to reach it, but was so easily beaten to the ball by the Yeovil defender, that it took me aback. He can't have been that slow when he was knocking them in for fun at Athletico, that injury must have taken its toll.
Behind them Rooney and Hererra toiled to little effect, Rooney had a poor game, his form has gone backwards in recent weeks. The through ball for Di Maria's clinching second goal was completely out of keeping with the rest of his display. The same could be said for Hererra's opener, it was a hell of a shot, but came from out of nowhere, at the time I couldn't see us ever scoring. Even after he scored he was caught in possession and dispossessed far too easily. I haven't made my mind up on the Basque yet, he has ability, but seems a little lightweight and wants too long on the ball. Of course he probably needs a decent run in the side, but in what position and in front of who?
Not a game to live in the memory, but we're in the hat for the next round and given this is our only realistic chance of silverware, the win was the most important thing. We can't keep playing like this and expect to win anything though, I'm starting to worry about the champions league spot I was taking for granted, to be honest, the away form could come back to pinch us on the bum.

Stoke City 0-0 Manchester United

Well despite going through the festive season unbeaten, I would still regard it as a disappointment. Beat Newcastle convincingly, should have beat Tottenham but ended up hanging on and didn't deserve anything other than the point we took at Stoke yesterday. Worryingly, yet again, when you hoped United would really be able to go for the jugular during the last quarter an hour or so of yesterday's game, it was actually the home team who went closest to scoring.
Van Gaal decried our away form after the game, but whilst the players may not be good enough to adapt to his "philosophy" it's also him who's not adapting to English football at the moment. Why on Earth are we still plodding on with three at the back, when we haven't the players to make it work. And if he insists on proceeding with it, how about a little adaptability. Why didn't he go to a back four during the latter stages when we needed to go for it, instead he brought Januzaj on as a left wing back, and then the Twtitterati get on the young Belgian's back!
I've rarely been enthused at the Dutchman's use of substitutes and yesterday was another classic example of United seemingly being in control of a game away from home only to see a set of baffling substitutions see us lose all our momentum.
He's right about the away form though. It has to be remembered that under dismal Dave we had as good an away record as there was in the division. Two victories so far, and both of those were flukes is nowhere near good enough. Christ if we don't improve on this, that champions league place that we all assumed was already in the bag, will be right back in contention, never mind the players going on about title bids.
We never really play that well at Stoke despite our excellent record there, it's usually more a case of get the job done and get out of there. But those were the day when we had a top class back four. It's noticeable that we've started to struggle there since the Vidic-Ferdinand axis days. It took just two minutes for Stoke to take advantage of our defensive indecisiveness as Crouch got an unchallenged header in and Shawcross, also unmarked, coolly slotted it home. Evans was a disaster waiting to happen all afternoon, he is surely starting to live on borrowed time.
Whilst we had periods of domination of possession, it rarely led to much in the way of an attacking threat. The equaliser was almost as soft as their opening goal, a set piece that saw Falcao finsish off a near post nod on. Much was made of Falcao's performance and substitution yesterday, especially be Gary Neville. Yes it was an improved performance, and maybe he was unlucky to be taken off ahead of Van Persie who was very quiet until the Colombian went off. But Jesus he wasn't that good, his first touch was still very hit and miss and the appreciation of his game seemed to centre around his improved work rate. Maybe we should be putting a bid in for Crouch.
As I said the second half seemed to be going to plan in so much as we were bossing the game, even if we were still not creating that much. Then the substitutions were made and, nothing very much happened at all after that. To top everything else, possibly our outfield player of the season, Ashley Young pulled up with a hamstring, that seemed to sum our season up.
I'm hoping there are no experiments lined up for Sunday, along with a fair few older reds, i really want to see us go all out for a first FA cup victory in a decade. I'm afraid it doesn't matter who we play, when we play with three at the back, I'm never that confident of victory. Fingers and everything else crossed.