Beat.........again...

     Old Trafford wasn't the best place for an United fan last evening. The tactical plans (If they were any) were falling apart all over the pace, Bilbao were allowed to launch attack after attack, and Manchester United eventually lost. The Spanish side were allowed a firm grasp on United's jugular throughout the match and bit in, not once but thrice.

    The side from Bilbao started the first half on the front foot and United left huge, massive gaps on the pitch uncovered, supplementing Athletic's penetration. To be fair to United, they did launch some pretty good counter attacks, and one of them lead to a goal by Wayne Rooney. The whole move was orchestrated  by Ryan Giggs who played the game in the middle of the park, but I'll get to that later. The Welshman probed into the final third, and played a splendid ball to Hernandez who swerved away from his marker and fired a low shot intended for the bottom corner. Iraizov got to it but couldn't recollect the rebound and Rooney took it in it stride to guide the ball into the net.

    Bilbao weren't demotivated, no sir. They started where they'd left of. Their quick movement proved to quick for United. Which brings this blogger to his point. Why did Sir Alex field Giggs and Park in the central mid-field position? Admittedly they are experienced, but they are slow, and against a faster three they were no match and they proved it. And as the play shifted across the field, the whole structure of United's central mid-field swayed. So did the defence, except they didn't sway, they just kept breaking. De Gea, probably United's man of the match for a few games now was the only string that prevented from Athletic handing out a real hammering.

  But even the Spaniard couldn't help when his compatriot Llorente collected the ball at the edge of the penalty area, played it wide, and ran it to convert the incoming, resulting cross, helped Bilbao comeback on level terms.

  United's attacks still had the sting in attack though and almost scored a few times themselves. Ferguson's half time team talk helped a little as United slowly saw more of the ball. More, but not enough. Athletic were still allowed to keep up their tiki-taka and in the stroke of the hour, they scored and this time through De Marcus who was offside but not given.

  United suddenly had more of the ball, but just like time and time again this season, they lacked the finishing edge. But then the tide turned as Bilbao were given a free kick in their half due to Patrice Evra's boot flying off.  Instead of customarily playing it to the keeper, the side from Spain who had been exemplary all evening decided to keep the ball.....This blogger feels that was an utter disgrace to their performance........But anyway De Marcos got it and drove it at De Gea and the shot stopper did what he does best, saved it. But Rafael who should have cleared it assumed that the Spaniard would recollect himself in a split second and reclaim the rebound, and the lurking Munian took advantage and put Athletico 3-1 ahead. United did get a Rooney goal from a penalty but have plenty to improve if they are to get to the quarter finals, which going by their European form this yer, they probably won't.

Three points stolen....

-Rahul

Manchester United defeated Tottenham Hotspurs last night 3-1, but the scoreline flattered the Red Devils. The United central mid-field of Carrick and Scholes were obscured for large periods in the first half, and the defencive line was not as solid as expected, but the Lancashire men showed why they were champions with a bit of clinical finishing and luck.

  The first half saw a small, minute spell of United domination, but then on it was Spurs’ game to lose. They were easily the better team and should maybe have gone ahead early as an Aaron Lennon shot from outside the D sailed just above the cross bar. The minutes following saw a collapse from the Reds’ defence and at times the gap between the midfield two and the central defenders was almost half the pitch. A ‘not exactly great' clearance from David de Gea saw Sandro pick it out and play to Adebeyor who passed trough the back four with ease before the Spaniard executed a brilliant save.

  Spurs then got a free kick right outside United’s D, but Kaboul’s curling effort yielded no gains. Spurs however had the ball in the net in the 37^th minute though as a Lennon run into the D past Phil Jones, who went down for the challenge easily, found Emanuel Adebeyor back heel the ball into the roof of the net. White-Hart Lane erupted but the spirit was quickly drowned when Mark Atkinson ruled it a hand-ball and thus a free kick United’s way. Replays showed that Atkinson was right and Adebeyor did in fact clearly handle the ball.

  That didn’t stop chants from the White half of, ‘One Nil To The Referee’ when United took the lead through a Ashley Young corner converted by Wayne Rooney who was poorly marked by Kyle Walker. The younger Englishman was more involved in preventing Rooney’s movement than the ball in from Young. Thus the three Englishman ensured that United went into the break in front.

      Spurs resumed probing after the break and came close when Livermore’s rasping shot took a thin deflection off Saha’s leg to threaten De Gea, but the Spaniard reacted sharply to get low down and block impressively with his arm. Tottenham kept coming and Benoit Assou-Ekotto was next to get sight of goal, whipping in a free kick from the right flank that swerved and dipped but just cleared the bar. 

 United though were soon doing their share of probing, and a Spurs defencive collapse saw Jones throw fall to Nani, who easily got past Luka Modric into the penalty area and played the ball in. Friedel almost got a touch, but the ball rose to find Young who calmly slotted it, far post. Poor Brad Friedel at that time was inside the goal and marked by his own men.

 White Hart Lane faithful hadn’t yet got out of shock, when 9 minutes later, Young, unpressed on by the Spurs defence, calmly curled into the top corner. Those who saw United-Arsenal ( 8-2) will know what I’m talking about. The Englishman has been having quite a week, scoring against the Dutch for his country at mid-week and a brace here.

  Consolation came though as a Defoe shot found the back of the net, past the watching De Gea, who was easily the man of the match.

    The final whistle all but swept away Spurs title hopes as they are now 13 points off the top with11 games to go, and City and United don’t look like they are stopping any time soon. Now even their third pace finish is bothered by Arsenal who are looking over their necks at the moment and have a bigger number in the goal difference column.

 

    For United however, the win was a clear signal to their neighbours that they are still there, and as United’s fixture list from now to the end of the end of the season is relatively easier, it means that suddenly United are favourites. United showed that they can churn out a result even when they are far from their best. 

Where did that come from....

-Rahul

     Last season around this time, Manchester United were in the quaterfinals of the F.A cup where they faced Arsenal. Sir Alex's team selection comprised mainly of defenders and highly(at that time) inexperienced players. United came out of that match unscathed and with a suprising 2-0 victory........Fast-forward almost a year and United face Ajax in the Europa League Round of 32, second leg. Leading 2-0 from the first leg at Amsterdam, a week ago, the job was supposed to be finished with minimal fuss. Sir Alex's team sheet had a high number of in-experienced players and it showed.


     The tie was thought to be done and dusted within 5 minutes as a beautiful through-ball from Berbatov found Hernandez who swerved around the defender and placed it away from Vermeer. 3-0 up....surely they could'nt blow this. United looked like they were about to score on every offence, the penetration was high and in the 13th, Hernandez and Berbatov again linked up, to almost put United 2-0 up but Verthongen cut out the final pass with a slide. 

  The first half was very eventful. United's passes were sloppy and misdirected, the crosses from Young were blind and didn't look puposeful a attack after attck broke down around Ajax's goal. The Dutch made most of it exerting pressure for huge period's and exploiting Phil Jones's bad positioning and Rafael's bad clearances. In the 37th minute, it paid off. The United defence failed to clear their lines properly after breaking down an attack and the ball fell 

kindly to Ozbiliz on the edge of the area, with the right-winger lashing a low, left-footed half-volley into De Gea’s bottom right 
corner.


    United replied with a large spell of pressure leading to the end of the half, but again the final something was lacking. So the hosts went to the break level. 


    The second half the inexperience showed more, but Nani almost put United ahead but his left footed shot hit the crossbar. Sir Alex took off Young and put in Evans, with Jones moving from defence to a midfield role where, he looked significantly more comfortable. Scholes replaced Cleverly and Berbatov was replaced by Danny Welbeck, but still Ajax pushed and 3 minutes before time Scholes came up with one of those trademark late challenges, and the free kick led to a goal by Alderweid.
  
     United managed not to concede again, if they had they would have been knocked out by the virtue of away goals. So United lost the battle and won the war, but where the hell did that come from. That was supposed to be an easy victory for the hosts. Well the last time United made things difficult for themselves, they won the Champions League, so this is hoping for screwing things up in the Round of 16 first leg, against Athletic Bilbao and then do it style in the second leg......That would be classic.

United play out a classic premier league comeback.

 David DeGea showing signs of why he was bought on a British keeper transfer record,  2 well converted penalties for Wayne Rooney, a goal for Hernandez, and a comeback from 3-0 down to draw 3 all. What more could United have wanted off a night that promised to be one of the most spectacular this season.
 
  Just as the loss to Liverpool in the F.A cup was a psychological blow this was a lift. The young Spanish keeper shrugged off his label of being error prone and shrugged of all Chelsea assaults except for a supreme finish from Juan Mata and two rather unfortunate own goals.
  Here's a fun fact. Jonny Evans has scored more times against Manchester United than for, in a red shirt.

  Chelsea opened the scoring in a half of United domination. At the 36th minute a shot from Daniel Sturridge diverted by Evans's hand found the back of the net to make the Londoners take a glimmer of hope from a half in which they were always second best.

 !0 minutes later the men in blue were celebrating again. Just 24 seconds from kick off in the second Torres pulled something from his hat just as he had surprised the Devils in the reverse fixture. A glorious ball from the Spanish striker to the lurking Juan Mata who pumped the ball into the the ceiling of the net rendering De Gea helpless.
 
 2-0 became 3-0 after a David Luiz header was diverted in a large angle by Rio Ferdinand who was getting booed by the Blue support after every touch not unlike Evra against the Reds. Chelsea were all ready to go home happy as 3 points would bring them more comfortably into the top 4. Andre Villas Boas sat and watched in joy as his side won him the biggest victory of the season. They were surely gonna go home happy. There was a slight flaw in the plan though.......nobody had told Manchester United.

 United launched attack after attack, wave after wave, and finally it paid off as Sturridge brought down Patrice Evra in the box. Rooney calmly converted it. The Chelsea boo boys seemed to have sparked an inferno as by every touch United got better. Rafael went out for Scholes. Paul Scholes displayed another masterclass range of passes, Giggs showed he still had brute strength in him, De Gea stood tall to the occasional Chelsea attack and United compressed Chelsea into a tight defensive unit with only Sturridge not behind the ball and with Rooney a 5th man in the midfield.

 Ivanovic then tripped Welbeck in the box and this time too Rooney calmly converted the spot kick. The game alive now Chelsea almost sored again as Torres made a great run only to take too many touches in the box and run into Jonny Evans. United however were not done yet. An amazing cross from old boy Giggs found Chicarito unmarked in the D with Luiz and Ivanovic unaware of the mexican and the little pea did what he does best. The comeback was complete but not the game. De Gea was pressurised now as Chelsea dominated stoppage time but kept out a whip from Mata, a strike from Raul and a hit by Gary Cahill. Jonny Evans appeared to be fouled by Luiz in Chelsea's D but Howard Webb said nothing doing.

    The game ended as they had started and with a result no team would have wanted before the break. But United deserved it not least cause out of the 6 goals scored 5 were by United's players.