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.