Best team won

Can't really argue with the outcome last night, we turned up for 10 minutes then fell apart. The one game where we really really needed to be at our very best and we were well short.

Congratulations to Barca, they showed everyone why they are the bestat the moment. their passing and movement was a joy to watch (well, it was torture really but you know what I mean). Every player wanted the ball and were not afraid to take it.

Hard as it is to believe, we really really missed Darren Fletcher, perhaps he will get more appreciation for the job he does in midfield. this is where the game was lost. Barca bossed it. We ran after them and when we did get the ball we had nothing to offer in return.

Our "best" passer of the ball (Carrick) couldn't pass water last night no matter how hard he tried. Anderson was totally outclassed, his lack of defensive awareness exposed time and time again, going forward he can be a joy, but tracking back...not his game really. Park was "industrious" but showed no class, and was never going to threaten a "weakened"Barca defence.

Up top Ronaldo was a lone figure, he couldn't really do much considering we struggled to get him the ball. Wayne put in his usual shift but again, without the ball coming forward what could he do?

All that said we still have had a terrific season, considering how we started. Three trophies isn't a bad haul. Three more than most teams!

Time to rebuild over the summer, lets not stumble on transfers and wait until the last day or hours of the window. I feel and have felt all year that we still lack a predator. We are too reliant on Ronaldo and if he doesn't score we can look a bit on the light side. I'd love us to have a real goal scorer to take the weight off his shoulders. Fingers crossed SAF has someone up his sleeve.

No doubt we will have a a couple of weeks of speculation about Tevez, and then we can get back to Ronaldo-watch.

Have a good summer everyone, this season (although not ending the way we'd have hoped) has been a good one, here's to number 19!

Hull 0 - 1 United Res.

So after all the nonsense about teams suing United if they fielded a weakened team and Hull stayed up, United DID field a weakened team and Hull DID stay up.

Sunday showed that for certain games United really could field two different teams and still win.

What a goal to win too! Gibson with an absolute pearler.

Not one player looked out of their depth although Nani still infuriates me. The lad obviously has talent to burn but stillhas this notion that the way to goal has to involve running the ball up his own backside!

A decent result to finish the Premier League season and a minute after the final whistle a better result...when it was realised that Hull stayed up because the latest Geordie Messiah realised that the barcodes really are crap and will be a welcome addition to the Championship (what did you win at Newcastle again Alan?? oh aye...diddly squat! Cheer up.........)

Now all focus turns to Rome and Barcelona. This should be a cracking game. Two teams that play football the way it should be played...attack attack attack!

Of course if you are unlucky enough to be stranded in dear old blighty (or Dublin for that matter) the independent Manchester United Supporters trust are holding a number of screenings. For details visit www.joinmust.org/events

Manchester United 0 - 0 Arsenal

Surely I don't need to say very much about this.

It may not have been the most enthralling of games but it was very much a case of getting the job done. Job done indeed!!! EIGHTEEN titles...and that's a fact eh Rafa...stick that one down on your next dossier.

Now we can rest most of the team for the Champions League final (you know that one don't you Rafa...another competition you can't win this season but then you'll be getting used to winning nothing by now). Some may argue that it isn't fair to the other teams in the relegation fight but United need to look after themselves and our 2nd string may still prove too much for Hull.

Role on the 27th!

Barring any last minute glitches.....

United should be crowned Champions on Saturday before Rafa sends his losers...I mean team...out on Sunday!

Once again Tevez showed his worth and the reason every United fan has been able to tell SAF what he should already have done....SIGN HIM UP!

Carlos is a game changer and how we needed that last night against Wigan. Most of the team looked like they thought this was an easy 3 points. You know..just turn up and turn over these minnows and look forward to Saturday.

That attitude could easily have come back to bite us on the backside. Wigan could have take the lead early doors but Valencia couldn't put his chip on target....between the sticks and Ed was beaten. What made the night look more like "one of those days" was Rooneys inexplicable header "wide" (and I'm being kind here) when it seemed easier to score...

Still, the most important thing was the result. SAF introduced Mr 100% and he duly obliged by scoring a gem of a goal. Carrick's ball fizzed into the box and Carlos with an audacious back heel past the stranded keeper. From that point on there was only going to be one winner.

Ronaldo had a penalty appeal turned down but then it was a night where Rob Styles appeared to be on a mission to give us as little as possible so that was no great surprise. Christiano was clearly clipped and gained no advantage from being allowed to play on.

Thankfully Carrick was on hand to finish things off. While Ronaldo seemed intent of thrashing every chance he had over the bar, Carrick showed a calmness as he deftly placed O'Shea's pass in the top corner (see, you DON'T have to try and bust the net wide open with every shot.....)

Roll on Saturday, when we can wrap up a glorious season.

Hopefully everyone involved in the Tevez saga can see sense and put pen to paper and get the lad signed. Fergie says there has been an offer made, Joorabchian says there hasn't. I don't quite get it, when he was signed on loan there was an agreement in place that we can buy him at the end of the loan, Fergie was even happy to tell everyone that the deal was in place and we'd all be surprised at how little United would have to pay to keep Carlos. Seems like things have changed since then or it should be a simple matter of coughing up what was required.

So a simple message to all involved...GET YOUR FINGER OUT!

United 2 - 0 City

Derby matches are always tricky affairs but this one was just too easy!

Don't get me wrong, it wasn't exactly a classic by any means, very scrappy and far from our best performance of the season but it underlined just how far City have to go to get anywhere close to Manchester's best.

The ref didn't exactly help the flow of the game, I think he must have got a new whistle and wanted to get the most use out of it that he could.

Of course the big talking point after the game was Ronaldo's reaction to being subbed. A "toys-out-of-pram" moment. I'm not too concerned by it but no doubt it will add fuel to the "Ronaldo to Madrid" fire that the media love to stoke!

Even in a season where he hasn't reached the same heights as last, the boy is still top Premier league goal scorer and there is no reason why he won't finish in that position. Personally I think he was just miffed and having to come off when he was playing so well. Better that reaction than subbing himself as he did earlier in the season when he was finding things a little bit more difficult.

The other talking point will of course be the future of Carlos Tevez. He scored a belter and could have had a hat trick if it hadn't been for the wood work. So will he stay or will he go...who knows? I think the final price United have to pay to keep him is the stumbling block but United knew what that would be two years ago. Personally I think he will be away in the summer, I just don't think United want to pay up (not the reputed £20m extra anyway) for a player who appears to have  future on the bench no matter what impact he makes when he comes on. The bigger question would be who would SAF sign to replace him that will also be happy sitting watching from the bench for most of the season?

Still, never mind all that, it will be sorted on good time and we can't really influence the outcome no matter how much we chant "Fergie sign him up"!

This season, bragging rights have stayed very firmly in the red half of Manchester and rightly so. Four more points and the title os ours again. We can have it wrapped up before the Spanish waiter sends a team out again and wouldn't that be nice?!

Manchester United 1 - 0 Arsenal

What a cracking game!

United absolutely battered them and if it hadn't been for Almunia being in possibly the best form of his life we would surely have had this tie put to bed already.

Rooney, Ronaldo and Tevez all had great chances in the first half but who would have thought O'Shea would have popped up and smashed the ball into the roof of the net? Nice of Silvestre to forget he doesn't play for us any more and prod the ball right onto his foot mind you.

Ronaldo was also very unlucky in the second half to see his shot from 20 yards rattle the crossbar with Almunia totally beaten, it certainly would have rivaled his effort in the game against Porto.

On the flip side, Rio could be out for a couple of weeks when Ed took a fit of the head staggers and clattered him when trying to get nowhere near the ball. He may have a broken rib but hopefully it'll not be too serious.

So SAF will change the side for the game against Boro on Saturday, I expect Evans to come in for Rio and Giggs and Scholes may well start. Don't be too surprised to see a front two of Berba and Tevez with Roo being rested although hopefully Fergie will resist the temptation to play Nani...I'd quite like to win!

Manchester United 5 - 2 Spurs

It's an old cliche but it really was a game of two halves.

From looking like a team not really sure where a goal was coming from, United turned into a goal machine.

I'll admit that the penalty may have been generous but even at that stage Spurs were still winning, United still had it all to do and by eck did they ever!

Now it may be coincidence, but our change in form not only happened post half time, but it was also brought about by the introduction of a certain Carlos Tevez and the removal of a waste of space Nani!

I am not one to have a pop at United players, but in all honesty, how much longer can Nani live off the "promise" he has shown. The lad needs to deliver. It is no good having the ability to be the "next" Ronaldo unless you bring that ability to the party on a regular basis. The only thing Nani does on a regular basis is run the ball up his own backside and then hand it to the opposition.

I am losing patience with him (if you hadn't already guessed) and it is at the stage now that when I see his name on the teamsheet I wonder how much SAF wants to win, or does he just like to see me suffer!

Still, not to harp on about Nani, perhaps it is better to look at the positives from Saturday. Spurs came into the game as one of the inform teams in the league and Lennon gave Evra the same torrid time he did in the Carling Cup final. Fortunately for us Lennon more often than not can skin a defender then cross the ball to someone in row Z of the opposite stand.

It would be hard to argue that they didn't deserve to be in the lead by half time. The air was blue in our house and it was fortunate that I didn't have anything to hand to throw at the TV or we could have had to think up another excuse as to why the insurance company would have to fork out for a replacement TV!

Second half...what a different story. Carrick with a driving run to win the penalty (I don't care...the ref gave it, so it was a pen, we've been denied enough of them recently) and from there we went into overdrive. Rooney got the equaliser and Ronaldo put us in the lead a minute later. Not to be out done Rooney got his second and all that was left was for Berba to pop the ball past the scrambling Gomes.

Is it possible that SAF has finally found a way to have Rooney, Berba and Tevez all in the same team? Who knows, all I will say, is based on this form we have every right to be positive going into the midweek game against Arsenal. Can we do a League and Champions League double again this year...well, as they say, "It's a funny old game"!

You won't win anything with kids

Well, not the FA Cup anyway!

SAF put the kids out on Sunday against the best Everton had to offer and for 120 minutes they didn't look out of place. The da Silva boys looked impressive again, Gibson played well in midfield and Welbeck and Macheda seemed to have a good understanding up top (even if they forgot that their main job was to score goals!).

Gripes about the pitch and refereess preceded the game and both had an influence on the game. Although it is undeniable that the ref had the biggest influence. Only Mike Riley knows if David Moyes' words were ringing in his ears as Jagielka up ended Danny Welbeck in the second half, for what everyone else inside Wemberly and all of those watching on TV thought was a nailed on penalty. However Mr Riley waved it away and the rest is history.

Penalties may well be a lottery, but when Cahill fired his effort into the crowd I thought we were all but booked in the final...D'OH!

Seriously...two out of your first three penalty takers are your centre backs...what's that all about? Why wasn't Tevez in there almost straight away? Rio played a sublime backpass to Howard with his effort and Berba calmly stroked his against Howard's legs. Vidic and Anderson showed then how it should have been done but when you fail to score with your first two pens you are really up against it. I honestly don't get why Tevez wasn't in the first three, at least put the Everton takers under pressure.

So, no "Quintuple". It was always going to be a long shot but so long as we win on Wenesday night,I guess Fergie's team selection will have been justified. It would be nice if Monsieur Wenger could do us a favour by taking something from the Scouse but I guess we just have to look after ourselves from here on in and pray we win every game!

Manchester United 2 - 2 Porto

What a cracking game for football! Alright so the scoreline may not be brilliant from United's point of view but next Wednesdays game is guaranteed to be a thriller now!

Merely 48 hours after a strength and emotion sapping game against Villa seven players had to put on their boots and do it all over again last night and it showed!

The lack of available "first choice" strikers meant Wayne Rooney had to start up top on his own, which is by no means his best position, I prefer to see him in behind another striker so he can come from deep and isn't forced to hold the ball up and wait for the cavalry to arrive, but needs must and as usual Wayne didn't shirk his responsibility.

Unfortunately we didn't seem able to string two passes together for the majority of the first half and this led to the first goal. Ronaldo gave the ball away cheaply (deja vu??) and to compound matters a back peddling Jonny Evans was able to do no more than prod a clearance to Rodriguez who showed great composure to steer the ball round Evans and Van der Sar to get the opener. Not exactly the start to calm the nerves.

All through the team you could sense the tension and expectation that we would turn Porto over and take a decent lead into next weeks game, but everyone played below par which allowed Porto more of the game than most would like. However I do feel Uefa should look into the selection of "Super-Heroes" in the Porto team. The way the United back 4 stood off The Hulk would make you think they obviously watched too much tele and didn't want to make him angry!

Fortunately the Porto back four had a moment of generosity to match United's when Bruno Alves played the ball back to Helton without looking and Rooney showed what a predator he is. Wayne sprinted in to pinch the ball and place it past the stranded keeper and you could feel the relief all round the ground.

At this point I expected United to kick into life a bit like they did at the weekend, but still we were "jaded". More sloppy passing gave away possession too easily and that meant we were unable to impose ourselves on the game. At times I had to wonder who was the home team!

Second half was different, SAF obviously had a word and with Ronaldo playing up top with Wayne we gradually looked more like a team who were going to get a result. Rooney had an audacious lob from the edge of the box palmed over from under the bar by Helton and Vidic had a header well saved.

Giggs, Tevez and Gary Nev were all introduced and we looked heaps better. Tevez added energy to the front while Gary showed how good he is at getting the ball in the box.

Rooney once again showed how inventive he can be from a throw. He cheekily flicked it past his marker and Tevez pounced to fire the ball past Helton to make it 2-1 and only 4 minutes to go, a nailed on winner you'd think! Think Again!!!

By this stage some of the guys were running on empty. Evra was out of position as Porto attacked, Vidic had to come across to the left to cover, and the rest shuffled across as you'd expect but that left one man free at the back stick. Porto got the lucky break the needed and some would say deserved as the cross flicked off John O'Shea's head up over Gary Nev and landed just perfectly for the Porto striker to pop the ball past the despairing Van der Sar to make it 2-2. There may be an element of Karma to that goal after the way we mugged Villa at the weekend.

Still, like I said at the start, we had seven players playing their second game in 48 hours and we are by no means out of it (although if you listen to the pundits we might as well not bother going to Portugal). We have to go there and create history by becoming the first English team to win (although a 3-3 draw would do too!). At least we play Sunderland on Saturday, so plenty of time to rest up before that, then another few days before we play again on Wednesday.

If we get past Porto it will be no mean feat, but we have the players to do it and I believe we will!

COME ON UNITED!

Manchester United 3 - 2 Aston Villa

Anything the dippers can do, United can do better!

Half the team missing through in jury and suspension and we STILL managed to overcome a determined Villa side. No doubt there will be much made of the five minuted of added on time but Mike Riley got it spot on. Villa have no one to blame but themselves. Had they not been doing such a poor job of trying to kill time with the speed of their throw ins and substitutions then maybe just maybe it would have only been 3 minutes added and not 5.

Still, you have to play until the ref blows his whistle and United did just that. There was lots of talk on Saturday about how Liverpool had put in a "Championship winning" performance by scraping past Fulham (ok so they scraped past a team we got mugged by but that isn't important!) but I'd say that our win was all the more impressive considering the team we had to field and the opposition we were playing.

"Kiko" Marcheda may have scored his first goal for the club but it could well turn out to be the most important goal he ever scores in his career. He's only seventeen but he looks like a man already, no idea what they are feeding him but I want some for my kids!

I had that sinking feeling for most of the game on Sunday, Villa had us on the rack for most of the game and our patched up back four never really looked in control of Carew. Thankfully SAF decided to switch his original formation and stuck O'Shea in beside Evans to give us a fighting chance against the big Norwegian where Gary Nev never stood a chance.

Ronaldo had a few moments which brought me to my feet (well two moments anyway) but apart form the goals he was largely ineffective although the whole team was below par. Still, it is a mark of Champions that you can scrap for a win when it looks like you should get nothing and once again Fergies substitutions came good.

Welbeck almost got us in front when Friedel just got a hand to his shot but the big American was powerless to stop Marcheda's screamer. A deft flick inside the defender and then what a curler past the Villa custodian. I was almost in tears!

So back on track, still top but with only two days to recover we may be thanking our lucky starts half the team was missing on Sunday!