Manchester United 3-0 Sunderland

There seems to be a pattern emerging watching United over the last few weeks, well at home at least, we play the dull sideways passing  football that drives you to drink during the the first half. But when we score just after half time against Liverpool and in first half injury time yesterday, the play becomes a little more expansive. I hate to say it but that is the philosophy in action and working. It would be interesting to see an opposition team score the first goal at Old traford to see how well the philosophy works then.
I heard people after the City debacle at Whit hart lane finished, well that will give them the incentive to go out there and go at Sunderland. It always makes me laugh when people say stuff like that, that might be football taught by Matt Busby, but it aint under Luois Van Gaal. Instead we got a first half where United huffed and puffed and generally didn't blow the Sunderland wall down. But in a nice piece of karma, the four minutes injury time the referee added on because of Sunderland's blatant time wasting, came back to bite them on the bum as Blinds superb ball found Mata who put it back across for Memphis to hit his first goal in the premier league in that added time. I thought Mata was trying to score but others didn't, after seeing on the TV, I'm still not sure.
The second half saw United really open up, but it was interesting to me how the two goals added in the second half were basically a case of wide men taking on their man, beating them, crossing it and voila.
It was interesting to see Schneiderlin get more license to get forward as the game went on. I want to se a bit more of that. Carrick had a better game than against Southampton, but still didn't seem quite back to his best. Saying that, he produced a superb ball to release Memphis in the box during the first half that the Dutchman failed to turn into the scoring chance that he should have done.
Once again the real attacking threat came from Martial, there's no question about it, we have purchased a bit of pure gold in that lad. He's quick, not lightning, but quick enough, has great feet, can create and can finish. He prety much ticks all the boxes, from what I've seen from him so far, he can be as good as he wants to be, that transfer fee could look like a snip a few years down the line.
So United, top of the league, it has to be said, it feels a bit surreal, I don't think it says that much about the overall quality of the premier league, but I'll take it.

Manchester United 3-0 Ipswich Town

I was pretty disappointed with the team selected, but with Wilson and Lingard both starting for the reserves on Monday night, it was obvious that neither would start the game. But for Wilson in particular to not be even on the bench? And then Van Gaal's comments about the pair in his pre match press briefing, he really isn't anything in the man management department is he.
So a strong team it was, Fellaini coming in for Martial and Young encouragingly, for me anyway, starting at left back. Fellaini was Fellaini, which isn't much to my liking, but there you go. Jones came in for his first start and didn't do anything wrong, though to be fair he wasn't really tested. Ipswich weren't up to much, the only time they really threatened was just after half time, when I presume McCarthy told them to not die wondering. But that petered out and United soon resumed control.
To be honest United weren't really up to much themselves as an attacking force, but once Rooney put United in front, it was never much of a contest. Rooney wasn't terrible, but the goal aside he still doesn't convince. On the positive side, Schweinsteiger really looked the part. Alright the opposition weren't up to much, but he bossed things in an encouraging way. The introduction of Memphis Depay and Martial in particular saw United really up their game. Martial took his goal well and once again his all round game looked top class. He certainly might have been bought for the future, but at this moment in time he is for the here and now.
Perreira starting was one to keep us United fans who like to see youth coming through the ranks happy. My problem with Van Gaal is who he brings through. If you look at last season, Blackett, McNair, but Thorpe not given a chance. Now it may well be that Thorpe wasn't good enough for United, my point would be, fine, but he is a better centre half than either of the players he picked. Perreira is a prospect, but is he better than Wilson, definitely not, maybe not better than Lingard and though he is not here at the moment, certainly not better than Januzaj either.
The thought of seeing Wilson and Martial playing together, either as a front two or as two parts of a front three is the most exciting prospect of supporting United for the future. Add in Januzaj to that equation and in becomes even more exciting. It's just that it won't be quite as exciting under this manager or even likely to happen.

Southampton 2-3 Manchester United

I was fairly apprehensive before the game, as I had said earlier, this was the kind of game I could see us losing. And the first twenty five minutes seemed to support that view as we conceded one and lived on the edge of conceding another. There isn't much subtlety to teams tactics when facing us at the moment, get the big strong forward onto Blind's side of defence and hammer away.
As at Swansea, it worked a treat for the home team as Pelle reaped havoc on the left side of our defence. I didn't think we'd miss Shaw as much as we did either, I'm not that much of a fan of Rojo, he's not a bad player, but he's nothing out of the ordinary either. That said, if he is going to play maybe he'd be better at centre half. There was a good case for playing Young at left back, going forward I think I'd like to see him given another go there.
Needless to say De Gea was possibly the difference between us walking away with any points or with out tails between our legs. That save in the second half, really was something else.
The equaliser came out of nowhere really, but what a cool finish it was from our new young French striker. Martial really has started as if that transfer fee was realistic. When the ball came to him for his second, I had no doubt that he would tuck it away. That's nuts really when we'd only seen him play one full game, but he just has that air about him. Rooney was absolutely awful again. Van Gaal installed him deeper in the number ten role, but he constantly joined in central midfield, instead of giving thehome team the problems that Mane had given us for that first half an hour.
I have to mention Carrick's performance yesterday, he never really looked happy all afternoon for whatever reason. That was his worst game in a long, long time. I have to admit being relieved when Schweinsteiger came on for him, I never thought I'd say that about him. Memphis Depay had another in and out game, he rarely looked like getting the better of his full back, yet he came alive when given a sight of goal when he  unluckily hit the post and Mata then finished to put us 3-1 up.
Their late second goal gave us a bit of a nervous last ten minutes or so, but we held out and probably just about deserved. I wonder what kind of line up we'll see for the Ipswich game, I hope to see plenty of youth, Wilson, Lingard, etc. I've a feeling we'll see a fairly experienced line instead, fingers crossed!
  

Music

Everything Everything - Get To Heaven: There are a few bands that have come along since Everything Everything burst onto the scene who have followeda similar template. None are as good in my opinion, another very listenable album.

Ghost Culture - Ghost Culture: An excellent debut album, it's as good as the new Leftfield album, nuff said.

Kendrick Lamar - To Pimp a Buterfly: Another superb hip hop album from this year, another where the backing music is taken from all over the shop, ambitious and done well.

Leftfield - Alternative Light Source: My first thoughts on this comeback album from the one half remaining member of the band was how good it is, and it is a very good listen. But it made me go back to their debut Leftism, now that really was some album wasn't it.

Nadine Shah - Fast Food: I missed the first album from this geordie indie artiste, I may have to search it out because this follow up album is right up my street.

Sea Of Bees - Build A Boat To The Sun: A pretty good slice of indie pop from Californian Julie Ann Baenziger, deserves a wider audience.

Sleaford Mods - Key Markets: A successful follow up to their breakthrough album Divide and Exit. I love the minimalist Fall minus guitar sound and his lyrics crack me up as well give vent to his scatter range anger.

Viet Cong - Viet Cong: This album took a few listens but it's a fine effort, not really sure how you'd categrise them, except to say they need to be listened to with the volume up.

PSV Eindhoven 2-1 Manchester United

Due to work I only saw the second half so I actually missed the part of the game where United are supposed to have played well. As with other reds though, the result comes second to the sorry sight of Shaw getting stretchered off with a broken leg. He hasn't been the only shining light so far this season, but he has shone the brightest. I actually thought he did show glimpses of what he could do last season, think Chelsea away. But this season from day one, he has been consistently excellent, 7 or 8 out of 10 every game. Fingers crossed he can come back the same player next season. I've read people saying he will come back alright as it was a broken bone not ligament damage. But you never really know and as his burst of pace is such a big part of his game, it's a worry.
As I said I missed the first half so all I can say is it was an excellent goal from Memphis Depay, but a bit of a soft goal to concede right at the death. It was also probable that as well as losing Shaw United were unlucky not to be awarded a penalty from the challenge that caused the broken leg.
As to the second half United seemed to be in charge of the game, without really looking like scoring, it has to be said when Darmian's sloppy pass saw PSV counter quick silver to hit us on the break. After that United were chasing the game, and United under Van Gaal never seem to be at their best in that situation. For the god knows how many'th time his substitutions had me and others scratching their heads. Fellaini up front just completely stopped us in our tracks, we just never really looked like creating a chance, never mind scoring, from that point on.
On the plus side, Martial looks as if he may just be the real deal. His close control was superb, his use of the ball pretty good and his link up play was decent. So onto Sunday and Southampton away, even before last night's defeat, I thought this was one of those games I wouldn't be surprised if we lost. It goes without saying we could do with getting back to winning ways.

Manchester United 3-1 Liverpool

Amongst the turgid football offered up so far during the Van Gaal era, the one saving grace is that when it comes to the big games you know our team will compete. Let's not forget the last three months under Moyes where we all dreaded the clashes amongst team competing for the top four. And his record against our biggest enemy of all is right up there. Of course it does help when the Liverpool side you are playing are as poor as they were on Saturday.
As to the football, it wasn't really that much different I'm afraid. The first half was dire, we were poor and they were even worse. The saving grace was the set piece that Blind buried magnificently to open the scoring. If we hadn't have got that goal, and when we got it, who knows how that game would have panned out. Because for all our improvement in the second half, we still didn't really create many chances. The goalkeeper wasn't forced into many saves, in fact I can hardly remember a save he made for the whole ninety minutes if I'm honest.
So much for Van Gaal's assertion that we were well enough equipped up front. The hapless Rooney has an injury and Fellaini was picked at centre forward with predictable results. I'm not blaming the Belgian, as much as I don't rate him, he isn't and I'm sure wouldn't pretend he was a centre forward. He hasn't the pace, movement or touch. Of course our arses twitched a little when Benteke got his wonder strike near the end, but that fantastic strike from new boy Martial settled them right down again. As to what we can garner from his brief cameo, not much really, he hardly touched it until he got it when the game was stretched right at the end. I suppose that's not that fair, he showed that the big stage didn't overawe him and he showed he wasn't afraid to express himself. Not the time to get carried away yet though. The back four acquitted themselves well again, but to be honest they weren't up to much. I wonder if Benteke wishes he was back at Villa, he had no support and didn't look that interested either.
So onto the champions league, I've not really got a clue what to expect from us in this competition this season, tonight will give us an idea of how well we'll cope with the qualifying group stage. Fingers crossed.
 

Music
ASAP Rocky - At Long Last: I one reviewer describe this as pychedelic hip hop and couldn't really imagine what that would sound like, but after listening to it, that's a pretty good description. It's a very good album.

Giant Sand - Heartbreak Pass: I have a fair bit obout Howe Gelb and knew Giant Sand was the band he was in, but have never really listened to any albums of their's. If this is the standard, will have to listen to some more, pretty good stuff.

Hot Chip - Why Make Sense: The crtics have always seemed to praise all of their albums to the sky. But whilst I have always thought they were pretty decent, I have neve really thought they loved up to the hype. To me this is easily the best album they have made excellent.

Jamie xx - In Colour: A solo album from The XX man. Not sure it's that different from the day job, but it's a quality listen.

My Morning Jacket - The Waterfall: I know they have been going a pretty long time and have a fair catalogue, but I've only heard a couple of them. And yet i really liked both of those, in fact listening to this reminded me of just how good they are. Memo to self, must listen to more My Morning Jacket.

Tame Impala - Currents: His third album has been heralded as a departure, his "disco" album. It certainly is a sharp break from the preceeding to albums, not sure about the disco bit though. It's certainly more commercial and catchy, but I'm not really hearing the funk undertones of disco on this. It's a good album, still can't make my mind up, how good it is though.

The Chemical Brothers - Born in the Echoes: They have yet to make an album that I didn't like and a fair few were absloute classics. This is one of the better ones without being a classic though.


Back to philosophy on the next post, doh!

Swansea City 2-1 Manchester United

That scoreline is starting to sound familiar, I wish I'd have a had a couple of quid saver on it now. Despite the scoreline on Wednesday, I wasn't that full of confidence ahead of the game, this was always going to be far tougher. It's not a disgrace to lose to them at their place, but if we are to challenge for any kind of silverware we shouldn't be losing three on the bounce to them or indeed the four out of the last five it now stands at.
The new gameplan was in evidence, start at an ultra high tempo, pressing them deep into their own half. The only problem was, as against Newcastle if we don't get that goal it all peters out, and once they got into the game, we started to look more vulnerable than they had. We may have had slightly more chances than them in the first half, but their chances we all really good openings. All of us who'd doubted Blind was the long term man for the job at the heart of the defence, had our worst fears confirmed as the bullied him physically and for speed.
We took the lead when our play seemed to be going nowhere, but didn't take that long to lose it. And the less said about their winner the better. What I will say is Romero has been an accident waiting to happen since day one. And with yesterday's goalkeeping transfer shenanigans, the word farce doesn't begin to describe United's summer strategy on that front.
If we didn't think Rooney could get much worse after his first three premier league starts this season, we were made to think again. It must be obvious to anybody with a half decent pair of football eyes now, that he has "gone over the hill", he just can't run. Opposition centre half's will be licking their lips at the prospect of playing against him. For that matter, I can see a few teams licking their lips at the thought of playing against this Louis Van Gaal Manchester United. Unlike others I couldn't get excited about the signing of Scweinsteiger, why would Bayern get rid of somebody if they still "had it". So far he's done absolutely nothing to alter my view that Schneiderlin was the better buy.
That game against the mickeys is going to be a right barrel of laughs, despite their poor start and the disaster on Saturday, I wouldn't like to predict the outcome. The club is becoming a bit of a laughing stock on and off the pitch, who'd thought City fans would be able to start taunting us with the comedy club label.