The worst thing about the result yesterday is that nobody was really surprised. The front cover of the latest United We Stand fanzine labeled United as the unpredictables. I’m struggling to think of a more accurate cover which that fanzine has had in its near 25 year existence. United had so many crosses during the game as to be comparable as to the amount at Golgotha Calvary. While the deeply religious David Moyes won’t be crucified on any of those crosses just yet by most match-going reds, it’s only a matter of time before the mood changes dramatically, especially after this result. At full time, Moyes understandably had the exasperated demeanour of a man who couldn’t figure out just what had gone wrong. Moyes said on Match of the day that “today was probably as bad as it gets”. I hope for his sake that he’s right as I’ve seen things a lot worse at Old Trafford, albeit many years ago. My memory tells me however, that things could be a lot worse Continue reading As Bad As It Gets – Manchester 10th February 2014
Category: Diary entry
Every Cloud Has A Leaden Lining – Manchester 2nd February 2014
The transfer window provided the opportunity for the eternally talentless Jim White, of SKY Sports News, giving us a helium-fueled night of tedium on what is understatedly called, DEADLINE DAY (please shout this out loud as you read it.) Rarely has a man with so little to say, said so much. On Friday night, he had even less to say than usual, but still said too much, too loudly with all the reserve and control of a five year who’s been given carte blanche to drink Red Bull.
Staying cool: Jim White alongside Simon Thomas on DEADLINE DAY™ 2009
David Moyes said last Summer that he’s “more than happy with what we’ve got. I’m very happy with my squad and the options we have”. Continue reading Every Cloud Has A Leaden Lining – Manchester 2nd February 2014
A Wise Premonition – Manchester 23rd January 2014
In my memory of watching United (since 1981), I can say that every time United have got to a domestic semi final, there has been a justifiable confidence amongst reds of getting through to the final of the respective cup. In that time United have prevailed in seventeen out of twenty semi finals, against clubs/teams like (come on) Oldham, Arsenal, Liverpool and many other smaller clubs. However, last night, there must’ve been a wise premonition scattered amongst the United crowd. Not one red said to me in the intervening fortnight between the two legs of this semi, with the usual bravado, of “let’s wait ’til we get these back to Old Trafford”. Not once did I hear United fans sing jolly rhymes about visiting the country’s biggest open sewer, Wembley, like they normally do at semi finals. After the first leg defeat, I was expecting a repeat of the fabled atmosphere that the equivalent game in 1992 had, when United beat Middlesbrough in what was the Stretford End terrace’s last hurrah. The atmosphere last night though instead was one of nervous apprehension. The nerves of the crowd must’ve spread out to the players on the pitch. I’m hoping that is the most accurate explanation for what was a performance of almost comical incompetence.
When United drew Sunderland for the semi, everybody was pleased. Sunderland were still recovering from the ill advised appointment of Paolo Di Canio. Continue reading A Wise Premonition – Manchester 23rd January 2014
An Empty Gesture In A Fit Of Pique – Manchester 20th January 2014
Last week, United beat Swansea City 2-0 with goals from Antonio Valencia and Danny Welbeck to seize a losing run. It was at times sloppy and Swansea gave United a scare or two in the first half, but United ended up winning comfortably. Yesterday, with United’s recent results in mind, some bookies were offering 4/1 on a straight United win. I reckon it’s over twenty years since odds as good as that, were offered on a United win. Even with odds as enticing and knowing that even now, United are capable of beating anybody on the right day, I don’t know anybody who had a serious punt on a United victory. Most reds I spoke to prior to yesterday were secretly dreading the potential leathering United could have got. The 3-1 result looked emphatic for Chelsea, anybody who watched the game will know that was far from the case.
Yet again a merciful United attack spared the opposition when playing well. It was a surprise to nobody watching the match that with United dominating the early part of the game, Chelsea took the lead in the 17th minute. Samuel Eto’o sold Phil Jones far too easily on the right flank and then let fly with left footed shot that hit the back of the net right in front of the traveling reds via a Michael Carrick deflection. Before that, Ashley Young had forced the excellent Petr Cech into a save in the first minute. For all that possession up to Eto’s goal, I’m convinced that United, Young, Rafael and Evra in particular,would struggle to deliver a news paper, never mind a decent final ball. The quality of the crosses when in a good position was as bad as anything I’ve ever seen Nani deliver. Continue reading An Empty Gesture In A Fit Of Pique – Manchester 20th January 2014
A Mutual Loving Of Mankind – Sunderland, 7th January 2014
A strong smell of splff blissed everybody out as we headed towards half time in an awful game. Apart from a stupid booking for Patrice Evra, a Ryan Giggs shot hitting the bar and a correctly disallowed Adnan Januzaj goal for offside, nothing much had happened apart from plenty of impotent United possession. Inspired by the aroma of the Casbah, reds were looking at each other and remarking how cool everything is. This happy catatonia was brutally disrupted when Ryan Giggs maintained his incredible record of scoring in every season since 1990/1991 in first half injury time. Unfortunately, for the first time in 23 years, he had put the ball into his own net having been pressured by his fellow Salfordian, Phil Bardsley, into doing so. The feelings of a mutual loving of mankind, evaporated almost immediately and transformed itself the usual atmosphere at football matches of loathing and hostility. Normal service was resumed. Half time and there was a sense of numb disbelief. Nobody could comprehend how Sunderland, a side who didn’t even know who was playing in goal for United, could be 1-0 up.
Sebastian Larsson (bottom right hand corner) about to take the free kick which lead to Sunderlands goal in first half injury time
Continue reading A Mutual Loving Of Mankind – Sunderland, 7th January 2014