Tag: Mata

Take No Prisoners – Manchester 11th of January 2015

I had a late night last night and an early morning today, leaving me somewhat foggy-headed. With that in mind, it was very decent of United to turn out a performance of such clueless tedium, that I’m sure I managed a nap during the match. It was either that or I can simply recall nothing of it until Southampton substitute Dusan Tadic put the Saints in the lead in the 69th minute after Graziano Pelle’s shot had come back off David de Gea’s near post.

A rare United attack from a di Maria corner on six minutes

After that, United, who’d previously played as if they were defending a 3-0 lead away in the Camp Nou, started to actually play better than before. Continue reading Take No Prisoners – Manchester 11th of January 2015

Oh How We Suffered – Manchester 26th December 2014

This could’ve been tricky. Newcastle have a lousy record at Old Trafford but on their last visit here, just over a year ago, they beat United at Old Trafford for the first time since 1972. The protests that were raging against Alan Pardew’s incumbency a few months ago have gone somewhat muted in recent times as Newcastle had built up a good run of results which included beating this seasons likely champions Chelsea, a few weeks ago at St James Park. Such was the revival in Newcastle’s fortunes that paper handkerchief manufacturers were in serious danger of laying workers off due to the fact that Geordies weren’t crying in the stands, their broon ale or threatening to burst the banks of the Tyne with their relentless squawking after a bad result. A last minute goal from Adam Johnson the other day for Sunderland and United’s eventually easy win today should see normal service resumed for Kleenex pretty soon.

United players celebrate Robin van Persie’s goal in the 53rd minute (photograph courtesy of Neil Meehan)

Without dominating play, Newcastle made a lively start. Continue reading Oh How We Suffered – Manchester 26th December 2014

Why Never Me? – Manchester 15th December 2014

Scousers weren´t confident coming into this match. The ones I talk to had a similar demeanour about them as we did when we last (properly) played them in March. I wasn´t falling into that trap. I expected Liverpool to up their game from recent fixtures, they always do when they play United. I certainly didn´t expect United to win as emphatically as they did.

Liverpool had the better of the early play but the tone of the game was set up succinctly in the 12th minute when Raheem Sterling missed the first of three great oportunties he was to have this game. Twenty five seconds later, Wayne Rooney put United 1-0 up after Antonio Valencia took out three Liverpool players with a nutmeg on Joe Allen. It´s incredible how such a short space of time could have such a polarising influence on  a game of football. If Liverpool had gone ahead, United would have had a job and half breaking them down.

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This banner wasn´t allowed to be displayed in the J Stand yesterday because some lily livered jobsworth at Old Trafford didn´t like it. You never see provocative banners at Anfield now do you? (photo courtesy of Neil Meehan and banner designed by Mark Speakman)

The 40th minute saw United go 2-0 up with a goal from Juan Mata Continue reading Why Never Me? – Manchester 15th December 2014

Still Scarred And Wary – Manchester 2nd December 2014

It was a nervous United side that had started the game but not only was it a nervous performance, the night as a whole had a feel of everybody going through the motions. In the 21st minute, from an Ander Herrera cross, Marouane Fellaini scored the type of goal he was renowned for at Everton, to give United the lead. The reception the goal garnered was nearly as rapturous as the injury time equaliser Robin van Persie scored against Chelsea five weeks ago. I wonder how many people who cheered that goal were ironically cheering Fellaini’s every touch in the pre season friendly against Valencia at Old Trafford and I also wonder if those same people can look at themselves in the mirror, come the morning.

Continue reading Still Scarred And Wary – Manchester 2nd December 2014

Hope Springs Eternal – Manchester 8th November 2014

With United not being in Europe, we can sit back and watch what happens with a detached amusement at what sometimes goes on around us. At City on Wednesday, they lost to CSKA Moscow but they weren’t happy at their treatment by UEFA. They were so incensed in fact that not only did some fans not turn up to the game in protest, one of their number even decided to paint up a protest banner which pointed away from the pitch and in a true display of mancunian rebellion (this time against Grammar) they wrongly spelt two words out of the ten on the banner

Crystal Palace have made a reasonable start to the season. Nobody was taking a win against them today for granted. There’s a different vibe around Old Trafford nowadays. One that’s not been felt on a regular basis since the early 1990’s. There’s not the same confidence pre match that this fixture would’ve enticed before Sir Alex Ferguson retired.

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Relieved United players celebrate Juan Mata’s winner in front of the F Stand (photo courtesy of Neil Meehan) 

United had a lot of possession in this game. I believe that this is the first game when Louis van Gaal’s philoshophy was actually implemented Continue reading Hope Springs Eternal – Manchester 8th November 2014