On an unrelated note, the quality of the following fan article shows how shite our lousy football journalists and columnists really are. If they had any decency, they should do the right thing and QUIT.
From Toffeeweb:
COLUMNIST KEN BUCKLEY
From my seat: Man Utd (H)
Oh what a day... delirium abounded from all quarters of north Liverpool post match as the mighty Blues (as the match day announcer would have it) flattened the Sky darlings by 3 goals to 1 in a pulsating game that was contested between two teams in good form. AFter 95 mins of football of high standard, the Blues fully deserved the points. No fluke — just better than the Mancunians on the day.
The line-up reflected the players available and the manager did a good job in how he lined them up to meet a hefty challenge. From the off, Utd looked to have settled better and, but for a positive run from Osman, we were on the back-foot. After only 15mins, Baines showed his lack of defensive nous as Valencia passed him with ease and put in a low cross that Distin failed to cut out for Berbatov to fire home via the underside of the bar.
The away fans were in full voice and you did wonder whether we could make a game of it. Well within four minutes we got the answer, Neville pumped one forward that Saha just about got contact and the ball fell to Bilyaletdinov who changed feet and from some 20 yards hit a ferocious shot inside the near post that left the keeper motionless, his celebration was of such low key that you wondered if he really knew he had scored; however, the faithful soon roared their approval and Bily looked happy.
We were now getting to grips with things and our brand of football was on a par with potential Euro and domestic Champions so much so that within minutes from a Baines cross Bilyaletdinov profited from a Saha step-over but lashed his shot wildly over when he should have done better. Donovan was the next guilty man when from a Baines cross the ball hit Brown and he did not react quickly enough to capitalize.
The game continued in great fashion with both teams attacking well and defending well in equal measure with Osman at the hub of all the Blues good work. Rooney was relatively quiet such was the display of Heitinga but he needed careful watching and this proved the case just before the break when he burst forward, rounded Howard but Neville was back in to shepherd his rather heavy touch over the line for a goal kick.
Half-time and it was a pity it came as the Blues were getting the measure of Utd with Osman probing and coaxing and Heitinga in charge of anything threatening at the back. We wondered if the break may allow Utd to regroup and punish the two missed chances of that first half.
The second half started as though the ‘hairdryer’ had been out and Utd pressed and Fletcher exchanging passes with Rooney flashed one wide and despite the excellent work of Osman who was here there and everywhere in attempting to keep us going it was Berbatov who had the next chance but he glanced wide after a good run from Rooney had produced the cross and chance. Then the Blues started to respond to the non-stop work from Osman and both Pienaar and Arteta were again looking like the players we know they are plus some very assured centre-back play from Heitinga and we were outplaying the would be champions so much so that Sir Alex blinked first and made a double substitution after the hour mark when Obertan and Scholes replaced Berbatov and Park.
Little changed and we still enjoyed the upper hand and it was good to watch our midfield outplay theirs when for so many previous matches it has been the reverse. The manager seemed in tune with the fans when he rested Bilyaletdinov who, despite the strike of strikes, was not looking the most likely, and brought on Gosling.
As it turned out, this was to be a masterstroke as he had only been on the field 6 mins when a good piece of play down our left saw Donovan play a pass toward the by-line that Pienaar was onto in a flash leaving whoever was marking him to the mercy of his manager and played a ball low across the box that Saha and his marker seemed to miss but the wide awake Gosling was on hand to slot home and send the whole ground into raptures and silence the foul mouthed chanting of scouse stereotypic ditties from our loveable guests.
Fifteen minutes to go, 2-1 up, how would we handle it? Well, pretty well really. As you might expect, Utd pressed and we did get a little deep but with great reading of situations from Heitinga and the ever willingness of Osman to get the ball and keep it until he saw the safe pass we had just one real scare when the Ref Mr Webb gave a foul against Arteta for very little and booked him in the process and Rooney fired the resultant kick mighty close.
Two minutes to go now and the manager takes off Pienaar to a great ovation and introduces the Utd target (if you believe such things), Jack Rodwell. Another masterstroke as it would turn out. The ever improving Arteta showed composure to get on the ball in the 90th min and feed Rodwell in the centre circle, he looked up and advanced, the Utd defence stayed off him so he drove into the area, two touches and a shot despatched at ground level across the keeper nestled into the corner of the net.
Pandemonium broke out. The players swamped the scorer, the scorer whipped off his shirt and got booked joyfully, fans hugged kissed and cheered. It was all over and all assembled knew it.
In the final minutes added, the faithful regaled the ever emptying away end with chants of ‘who are yer?’ 'Rooney, Rooney, what’s the score?' and others that I won’t sully your ears with. Final whistle and just pure unadulterated joy both on the park and in the stands. Never has ‘It’s a grand old team’ been sung with such gusto three times. Never have the players milked the occasion for so long and never has the majority of the faithful stayed so long.
It was just great being there and for once I was delighted the Sky wizards would have to come up with something off planet to deny that the best team won and their darlings lost.
MotM for me Osman, the best midfield player from either side, very closely followed by Heitinga who was imperious at the back. Arteta looked to be getting better and more confident by the minute. Pienaar and Donovan gave the work rate and balance to aid Osman and Arteta in winning the mid field and that’s no mean feat against Utd.
In fact good displays all round including the goal scoring subs. That leaves Bilyaletdinov, a super strike, some delightful close foot work yet this fan is left bewildered exactly what to make of him, I think I will leave that one to the manager and hope he does a Fellaini.
Scalps against Man City, Chelsea and now Utd plus an almost v Arsenal leaves me thinking the manager's most pressing job is to gain that sort of consistency from his charges across a season. They can do it, they have shown it against the best now the trick is make me happy and show it against the rest.
Donovan is now a fans favourite but we lose him in the middle of March. I just wonder if the USA may think it prudent to leave him in the premiership and be that much sharper for their World Cup bid. Probably fanciful thinking--- but---
Sporting away on Thursday. Mr Moyes please play in the vein of Chelsea and Utd tactics, you beat them and they are two of the favourites for the Euro top crown so Sporting should not be given the respect and hesitancy of the first leg. In fact, if you have to, tell your players its Chelsea or Utd we are playing not Sporting and get them to act accordingly. That should do it!.
UP THE BLUES
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