A 19th community shield is won.

United start the season on a winning note:

What a game that was! Showing the never-say-die spirit United is known and claiming the Manchester’s bragging rights as a bonus.
Although the game is a glorified friendly game, nothing hurts if you win all your warm up matches ahead of a new season. Clearly United have done that and impressed greatly while doing that, winning games with verve and style.

The community shield, though a friendly game, has a trophy attached to it and every team wants to win another trophy up for grabs. The team started in a 4-4-1-1 with De Gea in goal, Smalling at right back and Welbeck in goal. Nani and Ashley Young manned the wings. United started the brighter of the two sides and controlled the flow of the game. City scored, against the run of play, from a Lescott header after Silva floated in a free-kick from the right hand side of Manchester City. A couple of minutes before half time, Edin Dzeko made it two with a shot from outside the area. De Gea, clearly, could have done better. United were two goals down after dominating the match and went into the break with a two goal deficit.

The second half started as the first half had begun, with United doing most of the play and City content with defending. A free-kick on the United left saw Ashley Young put in a beautiful cross for Smalling to score from and half the deficit. United kept on pushing and duly got the equalizer after a superb team move involving Nani, Welbeck and Cleverley and Nani went past Joe Hart and slotted in the equalizer. It was, still, all United after that and although it took some time in coming, the third goal came through Nani; as he charged down a loose ball and rounded Joe Hart to give United the victory over City. A well deserved victory.

Although, he didn’t play a part in any of the goals, a special mention goes out to Anderson. He was immense in midfield and, but for Nani’s brace, should have been the man of the match.

Tom Cleverley was impressive too when he came on. The future’s bright for United.

Some brief thoughts on the players today:

David De Gea: Could have done better for the first goal, should have done better for the second. Other than those, he was decent.

Chris Smalling: Mighty impressive at right back. He might be the reason Sir Alex is going out to get back up for Rafael da Silva.

Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic: Good game, weren’t really troubled although they could have given Joleon Lescott more to think about for the first goal and closed Dzeko down for the second.

Patrice Evra: Usual verve and attacking play. Good job from him.

Michael Carrick: A bit laid back today, considering he had a knock prior to the game, he can be forgiven. Kept possession well and worked well with Anderson.

Anderson: One word: extraordinary.

Nani: Nani was excellent today and took his two goals like a striker.

Ashley Young: Fitting in well with the team and seems to be impressing each time he plays. Good assist for Smalling’s goal.

Wayne Rooney: Played well today in the attacking midfield role that he now occupies, could have scored with a free-kick.

Danny Welbeck: Worked hard, played with the team and was impressive although he tailed off towards the end. Will be hoping to get a run of games in the team to continue improving and hold down his England spot.

Tom Cleverley: He was exceptional today and he played with energy and was dynamic and inventive. Although I have my doubts with him playing as one of the central two in a 4-4-2, he’s really impressed and he could really stake a claim this season.

Phil Jones and Johnny Evans: Both players were calm and adequately protected De Gea, not afraid to step forward with the ball. Phil Jones is striking a good partnership with Smalling and Evans, bodes well for the future.

Dimitar Berbatov did come on but there was little time to make an impact.

The new season is here. Let’s enjoy it

Football: We Bloody Love It

We see grown men crying because of it, we see fat* people take off their clothes (while downing cans of alcohol) and shout their voices off, we see hooligans at each other’s throats because of it, we hear of old men stealing money and lying about it, and a lot of other insane things are done.

It is football that causes all of the above and even more. The hold that twenty-two people kicking around a round piece of leather within a rectangle area covered with grass is unfathomable. Some of us live and breathe football. Football has taken over our lives and we aren’t complaining.

The first united game of the premier league season of 2010/2011 against newly-promoted Newcastle United, it was on a Monday night and I still remember the feeling of emotion that went through me when the players stepped out on the pitch. It was indescribable. Of course, United (no disrespect to Newcastle) went on to win three goals to nil. The night was complete.

That same feeling came over me when I saw Ashley young take to the pitch in the first game of pre-season. It was like a vital component of my life, that was missing previously, had been restored. I enjoyed the game and although the game was goalless in the first half, there was a goal-feast in the second as United ran out 4-1 winners. Job done!

And now, I’m excited. I can’t wait for the next United game next week and the one after that and after that and so on. The flame has been lit once again; the next ten months will be about following United avidly and structuring life around every United game.

With the kind of emotion that football arouses in people, not least me; I could go on and say “football is life”.

Bring on the new season!

*I have nothing against fat people. I’m just writing what I see in football stadia.

The Transfer Season

It’s the transfer season once again. That time of the year when there’s minimal football to be seen and transfer gossip goes into overdrive.

A constant feature of this time of the year is the need by fans to know what players their clubs are interested, and then big up that player to the extent that such a player becomes ‘that missing link that the team needed last season’. This is the case whether or not said team succeeded in achieving its objective for the season. The reported target (as tabloids are wont to call such players) is viewed by the fans as the messiah, the man to lead to team to all conquering glory.

The simple truth is that football is a team game and one player cannot on his own lead his team to glory (yes, not even Lionel Messi), he needs a support cast- a team of decent players to ‘carry’ him.

If your team doesn’t get the player you’d like to see brought in, don’t go into a sulk and then predict doom for your team. The manager most probably has other ideas. That’s why he’s paid the amount he’s paid and you are a supporter. Get behind your team and support. That’s what you do.

This is not to say fans shouldn’t talk about the merits or all otherwise of players their clubs are after; but that in the end the manager has the final say and it’s his team to manage.

The Nasri vs. Modric Debate

With rumours and gossip in full flow over the interest of Manchester United in both Luka Modric and Samir Nasri, fans have began to detail the merits of both players and how both players would affect United’s playing style.

Both players are good players in their own right and both would challenge for a first team spot in any team in the world, but to my mind Luka Modric seems to be the player United need more right now.

Nasri is an attacking midfield player that likes to play through the centre of the pack. Even though his time at Arsenal has consisted more of him playing on the wings and he did seem to do excellently on the right in the first half of the season. It’s fair to say that in the second half of the season, his form tailed off. This has been attributed to the fact that came back from injury and that may have affected him. It could also be that the arrival of Theo Walcott which moved him to the left (meaning Arshavin dropped to the bench) means he became ineffective on the left wing. These are conjectures, nothing more.

Luka Modric is predominantly a central midfield player (although he has been used on the left at times), and he can also play as a central attacking midfielder. The important thing here is that he’s a proven central midfielder.

Now to what is needed at United, at this time the team lacks a central midfielder that can seemingly control game and that is where Modric comes in (not Nasri).

If we do get Modric, he’d fit right in- alongside either Michael Carrick or Darren Fletcher (I’d prefer the former if you ask me) leaving Rooney to play as the attacking midfielder/striker he played at the end of last season partnering Javier Hernandez being supported by two wingers.

Alternatively, a natural defensive could partner Modric still in a 4-4-2 or 4-4-1-1 system. Nothing much changes. Or United could play a 4-5-1 or 4-3-3 formation and still there’d be room for Modric. Whatever formation the coach chooses, Modric fits right into the team.

For Nasri to fit into the team, some changes would have to be made. If he were to join United, one would assume he’d seek reassurances that he’d play centrally. If that does happen, Rooney would have to be pushed forward causing Hernandez to be dropped. That destroys the understanding Rooney and Hernandez have built (statistically, Rooney and Berbatov do seem to have a better understanding, though). If we were indeed to play a 4-4-2 with Nasri in the team, that would mean Hernandez comes in but that leaves us significantly weak in central midfield (this could be helped by deploying a strong enough defensive midfielder).

To my mind, it does like for Nasri to play in his preferred position and for the club to truly improve next season are at odds. Comparing the Modric situation, it would seem much better if we did go and get Luka Modric over Samir Nasri.

That’s what I think anyway.

All these could be a waste of time, though, if Sir Alex doesn’t get any of them and instead decides to promote from within. That surely, would be an even more exciting prospect with some fantastic young talent coming through at the club.

Getting closer to a double

Manchester United went a step closer to reclaiming the premier league trophy they lost to Chelsea last season, without kicking a ball.
Whereas last season Liverpool simply rolled over for Chelsea (Steven Gerrard even assisted Didier Drogba), just to prevent United from reaching nineteen league titles, yesterday they slowed Arsenal Premier League title pursuit down in the hope of a European berth for themselves.
As the gap between first and second is now six points, having both played the same number of games, it is hard to see United lose focus and lose the title at this point. All we need now is to go to Newcastle and get a win and hope Spurs will be spurred on by their pursuit of Chelsea and get a victory over their rivals, some their fans will undoubted cherish in their lifetimes.
In other news, Gareth Bale was voted the PFA player of the year, for scoring just seven goals and making one assist. Things don’t get any stranger.
With Gareth Bale voted the player of the year, Jack Wilshere was voted the young player of the year ahead of Samir Nasri, Gareth bale himself, Javier Hernandez and most unbelievably, Luis Nani.
The question now is; if Gareth Bale is the best player in the league and he’s also a young player, how is Jack Wilshere a better young player than him?

The End of the Treble Bid

There will be no treble this year. That’s for sure, after another defeat at Wembley in the FA Cup. The defeat this time was inflicted by the bitters that are Manchester City. Now we need either Bolton or Stoke (most likely Bolton) to do make us not stopping taunting them about their trophyless years.
It’s particularly hard to swallow because we had two good chances in succession to score in the first half and that could have changed the complexion of the game. We didn’t score and as they say, the rest is now history.
The recently improved performances of Michael Carrick continued (yes, you can point at the obvious error that lead to the goal, but it was a string of errors) and Luis Nani continually providing a bright spark. I have to say that the name of John O’shea on any Manchester United lineup usually scares me before he makes too many errors and he’s usually to scared to join the attack. He’s like a ‘safe’ option for Sir Alex. The safe option, one would think, is to attack and that bring the twins into contention. It was good to see Fabio come in late on, I hope he starts on the left against Newcastle with his twin on the right. It’s a must win game and we need our full backs joining the attack.
I’m advocating for Fabio on the left not because I think Evra is bad, but because I think he badly need a rest. I thought he’d have been rested against City, but he wasn’t. he needs a rest and I think Newcastle should be the place to rest him considering our next few games..
Knowing the amount of spirit and character inherent in this United team, we can expect them to bounce back at St. James’ Park (or whatever name it’s called these days) and pick up the three points required to maintain the lead at the top of the table.
We’ve got another massive few weeks ahead of us, every week is massive until the season ends, with games in the league to come along with the European Champions league semi-final against Schalke 04.
A lot of people have seemingly written the German side off talking about a final at Wembley against one of the Spanish giants. Schalke may be in performing poorly in the Bundesliga, but that’s because of how they started. They’re a good side and they’ve knocked out for Valencia and Internazionale.
I do remember the 01/02 season of the European Champions league, united were facing Dimitar Berbatov’s Bayer Leverkusen after dispatching Deportivo La Coruña in the quarter finals. People were already looking to the final. But united were eliminated, after a 3-3 aggregate draw, on the away goals rule. We have to be very careful this time.
Here’s hoping the lads can go on and claim a double as we did in 07/08.