Like a lot of reds, I was fairly aprehensive about our trip to White Hart Lane yesterday, given that they were yet to lose a game and Jermaine Defoe is in great form. Whilst Spurs’ opposition teams before this weekend haven’t been world beaters necessarily, they have seen off Liverpool, and every one knows that this is the year they are going to win the league again. Spurs have looked good and the prospect of travelling to their yard on the back of our poor performance against Arsenal was a daunting one.
When we went a goal down with less than a minute played it seemed as though our worst fears had been confirmed. Dimitar Berbatov gave the ball away and the Rio-Vidic partnership couldn’t stop Crouch and Defoe. The finish was great and the worry was this was only the beginning for the in form striker, who can’t seem to stop scoring at the moment.
United responded brilliantly well, much to my surprise, with Paul Scholes having a shot down the other end almost immediately, quickly followed by another effort from Darren Fletcher. We kept the ball well and for probably the first time this season, really looked like we wanted it.
Ryan Giggs stepped up to take a freekick from outside the area and there probably weren’t too many predicting he would score. Freekicks have been Ronaldo’s job for the past few years and whilst Giggsy had come close on the few opportunities he had been given, there weren’t many screamers for us to comment on. This one was a screamer though, getting enough height to lift it over Peter Crouch’s head, but good enough placement to see it fire in to the top corner. A goal from Giggs in every Premiership season as our winger builds up his legendary status with every passing year.
You know it’s our day when Anderson is on the scoresheet, given that so many of us had to wonder whether that day would ever arrive. Scholes shot with power and it was rebounded straight in to the path of our Brazilian just outside the area. He swung at it perfectly and watched as it crept in to the bottom corner. Brilliant. This is a player who requested to play for the Reserves a couple of weeks ago after not getting much time in the first team. He put on an impressive display, scoring a goal then too, which obviously impressed the manager.
United continued to look like the better side and put in a performance we could finally be very proud of. When Scholesy got sent off for a second yellow you had to wonder whether we going to have to settle for a draw. I’d argue the second booking was harsh, given that both players were sliding in to each other with their feet raised. Difference is Scholes didn’t roll around crying about it.
Thankfully, we weren’t forced to pay for his clumsy tackling with Wayne Rooney coming alive. When we were a goal and man down at Fulham last season, thanks to another Scholes red card, the game was crying out for Rooney’s influence. Ferguson waited too long that day. Fortunately Wayne was already on the park this time and he probably made the difference between us winning and drawing. His great individual goal wrapped up the points for us and with five goals in five games, the people who questioned whether we had someone to replace Cristiano Ronado’s are starting to look fairly silly.
All in all, a very good performance from United and a vital three points. With City next weekend, we didn’t need to go in to with the desperation a bad result at White Hart Lane would have left us with. As it is, we’ve seen off two of the in form team, one away from home, and are starting to look good. There is still a long way to go and a victory at Spurs doesn’t solve all our problems, but given the only team above us in the league haven’t played anyone who will finish in the top ten this season, we’ve got to be fairly pleased with our start.
More of the same against City please.
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“This is a player who requested to play for the Reserves a couple of weeks ago after not getting much time in the first team.” – where did you get that from? if this is true, then this guy will rule..
@Red Rooney
scott posted a couple of notices about it
just check back through them
its the old where Ole Gunnar Solskjær is talking about andersons ability
Yes Red Rooney, that’s true. Great goal too in the reserves. Basically Ando has a lot to prove. I hope he builds on this. I want him to be the best.
scott – scholes first tackle should have been the red – and the second was harsh so the justice was done there—
how will we end things like eduardo’s injury and that poor bloke’s the other week when we tolarate these kind of tackles – studs up, from behind , no way to touch the ball – a red to send a message – once the player’s foot gets broken it’s too late
I couldn’t be happier to see Anderson score. Seems like if that first goal is a long time coming it can start to feel like it’ll take forever, or never happen at all. Credit to him for going into the Reserves, getting some competitive play in, and then taking confidence from it into the first team.
Disappointing for Scholes to get two yellows though. He’s got a reputation as a clumsy tackler and he of all people ought to know to keep his feet on a challenge once he’s got that first yellow because people will react, they will go down like he’s stabbed them, and he’ll get that next card. It’s a real shame in my view because he was having a great game.
Ronaldo who? We had the pace, the freekicks and the goals!!!
I have a feeling and I don’t know why, that we may start to see the UNited of old. Alot quicker on the break again and beating teams by more than one nil. I hope I am right.
It was a thrilling game, and one that filled me with pride. I was on my knees in the first minute having seen an amazing overhead kick that was set up by Vidic and had left Foster glued to the spot.20 minutes later it was game on!
We looked so impressive, and I’m talking about all the boys, even Ando.
Scholes should never have gone but I guess the referee winces like I do every time Paul goes in. 0_o And Gigg’s, well, i have a man crush on him, he is just immense! Even with Carrick, Fletcher, Hargreaves, Anderson, Valencia and co, we’re gonna struggle to replace those two legends.
By the end, Spurs were out of idea’s as we looked increasingly dangerous. We move up to second in the league, and in doing so I think the whole country has been shut up. United are gone win the fucking league and they know it!
Billy Meredith – spot on in last paragraph “By the end, Spurs were out of ideas”. THAT was the definitive measure of UTD’s superiority.
CROoney- if Scholes’ first tackle was worthy of a red, so was Palacios’ “tackle” on Berbatov before Giggs’ gorgeous goal. Two-footed, studs up, didn’t even touch the ball- and this was already after he had been warned.
Billy Meredith- totally agree. I think Spurs resorted to just trying to get Crouch on the end of a cross- which he came agonizing close to scoring a few times. Other than that, I never thought United were in danger of conceding. Great to see Rio and Vidic back together.
Also, I must say Rooney’s goal was brilliant, but Fletcherinho’s pass- genius!
As I said before the season began, there are goals in this United team. It doesn’t mean we are somehow pre-destined to win any trophies, but it does mean we have a bloody good chance.
Yeah that is brilliant–> @Billy Meredith “so I think the whole country has been shut up.”
bring on the Citeh!
its always teh same against spurs. we’re asleep, they go up. we wake up and dominate them.
For me the game was monumental in many respects. Firstly we tend to blame the players when things don’t go well and are so fearful of looking at the coaching staff. Ppl can say we lost in Rome because the players were apathetic and showed no hunger. No. The tactics were useless and player positioning was rubbish. It has been the case in many instances esp because the manager has gone negative over the years. Anyway for me three things or rather three players made me feel better and more optimistic about our season and team. They all had one thing in common. For the first time they’ve been played the right way. Wayne Rooney,now a central striker and no longer a winger. Thanks mainly to Capello who has reminded Ferguson of the obvious fact that he is a striker by playing always as one and yielding results. Secondly The Count Dimitar played as strictly the same. Last season the manager had no idea how or where to play him and he admitted to this. But now they put him where Spurs and Bayer Leverkussen played him and you can see he is a different player. Finally, Anderson. That boy. Yes he was played in the middle before but never in his natural role and he struggled esp last season. An attacking midfielder was being played as an Essien with shackles. Thanx to Ole who played him in his favoured position word got to the manager who obliged. And we saw the results. That to me was the most important thing. Playing the players right. They’ll deliver. If that can be maintained throughout the season then we have reason to be optimistic
I hope Spurs does break in the top 4, but was glad we won it with 10 man. That Rooney goal was a good piece of soccer.
Now, I hope to see Carrick being more active in the derby. He is good on his day and we dearly need him, Nani and Anderson to show up.
basically, if fergie plays every player in his natural position – especially rooney and ando – then we will keep on winning.
This is a player who requested to play for the Reserves a couple of weeks ago after not getting much time in the first team
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omg anderson , what a legend.. his committment to united is up there ole gunnar. No primadonna, just 100 per cent U-N-I-T-E-D
Mo – Ando is NOT a legend. Far from it. He needed to do something to get back in favour. Now he has.
for me fletcherinho was really man of the match and wazza superiority in front on his own after scholesy harsh sending of was superb…
love john gregory’s comment ” how do u containt him ??? “…the answer..u just don’t…
glory..glory ManUtd !!!!
United 4 : 0 city.
@Datnana – dat would just be brilliant…
loved anderson’s goal.. fantastic