Manchester United 4-2 Manchester City

It looks like we have finally turned the corner, the old Manchester United is back. Yesterday was a beast of a performance with every player was at the top of his game. City may not be the team they were, but how many teams have took them apart like we did yesterday.
Kudos to the manager, it's took longer than we hoped or expected to get the team playing to the standard we have seen over the last few weeks, but hopefully it's here to stay. Whether he found the right team and formation by accident or design, doesn't really matter any more. I'm not and never will be a big fan of Felaini, but the problems he has caused teams over recent weeks means he has become almost undroppable. In his head to head with Toure there was only one wiiner, Toure hardly caused us any problems whilst the Belgian was all over City like a rash.
Valencia had easily his best game at right back, it was by far and away his best game defensively, he seemed to read danger in a way that we have never really seen before. There were a couple of worring situations that he nipped in the bud in the nick of time. I think yesterday was probably Herrera's best game in a red shirt as well, his link up play with Mata and Valenica which has been so central to our revival was matched with good link up play all over the pitch. I could say the same thing about almost every player, it was one of those rare days where every player turned up and all the individual battles were won by players in red shirts.
And yet those first five to ten minutes were so different, City bossed the game and it was us that were second to everything and us unsure in everything we did. I think Van Gaal was spot on about the equaliser being so important, from there on tables were reversed and it was United running the show. They really couldn't get to grips with us at all, it really was glorious stuff.
And we even had a proper atmosphere, which wasn't just created by the result and performance, everybody seemed well up for this game ahead of the kick off. Roll on Chelsea!

Manchester United 3-1 Aston Villa

Van Gaal stuck to the same team, minus the ill Smalling who was replaced by Rojo and stuck to the same tactical approach. It worked reasonably well for the first 15 minutes or so as United made another good start. But it all seemed to fizzle out pretty much after that. So much that when we did finally open the scoring just before the break, my first thought was that the goal would be a bit of a killer for Villa after almost getting to the break on equal terms.
But the second half never really happened, I know we had some good situations, but we rarely looked as as if we were going to score. When the second did come it came almost out of nothing as Rooney controlled a difficult ball and lashed it into the back of the net. The goal seems to have conveniently erased the rest of Rooney's afternoon which was pretty ordinary to be honest. The same could be said for the other goalscorer Herrera. Yes he scored two decent goals and was involved in some decent combination play with Mata and Valencia, but he didn't give a performance worthy of some the plaudits that came his way after the game from the majority of reds.
I was less impressed with all those combinations and triangles on the right than the most other reds as well. Yes it was a vast improvement on last season, but it was all so mechanical, dull even. I'm afraid I like to see players being taken on, and that isn't really going to be on the agenda with Van Gaal from what I can see. Why did Fellaini have to start against Villa at home, he didn't contribute anything at all. I'm still at a loss how we ended up fighting to save the three points over the last ten minutes or so, it was a pretty soft goal we gave away.
Still for all my whinging, at this stage of the season, it's points that count, not performance's and it was an all important three points ahead of what could turn out to be a much more even derby than we would have expected a few weeks ago.

Music

Alex G - DSU: My first listen to this US indie pop act and I like what I hear. Pretty good stuff, not earth shattering but never boring.

Black Submarine - New Shores: I knew ex members of the Verve were a part of this UK indie/rock act, but not the Portishead part. Anyway it more than lives up to the sum of its parts, bit of a belter on the quiet.

Liars - Mess: I've enjoyed their last couple of albums and this is another decent effort, not sure I'd ever describe what they do as part pop as I've read some reviews describe them as.

Lily & Madeleine - Fumes: A reasonable follow up to their excellent debut album, US indie/folk sisters can deliver a tune.

Natalie Prass - Natalie Prass: This got some brilliant reviews, on my first few listens, I've got to say I didn't really get it. It's partly brilliant, but there are a couple of tracks that i just can't stand, the set closer especially. Take them out of it and i may have gone along with the hype.

Ole Borud - Stepping Up: This got good reviews, but was another i took time to warm to. There are tracks that remind me very much of Steely Dan and that's very good. But I'd taken this to be a soul album, and that part's a bit more hit and miss, some good, some a bit too 80's over production for my taste.

Wu-Tang-Clan - A Better Tomorrow: I have to admit I've only really started to listen to hip hop over the last few years, but this lot are one hip hop band I've always liked, their latest is well up to scratch.