United head to Cardiff one more time

UNITED HEAD TO CARDIFF ONE MORE TIME

So here we go again, Carling Cup semi final, second leg at Old Trafford. Same as last year. A draw in the first leg. Same as last year. Only problem being, last year that didn't count for much, Chelsea busted us 2-1 that time. Having said that, Blackburn aren't Chelsea despite beating us 2-1 at Old Trafford in a Premiership game earlier this season. And the away goal we got at Ewood Park did give us an edge. Having said that, due to Carling Cup regs, that edge would only count for something after extra time. In the meantime, midfield injuries forced Fergie's hand into going 4-3-3, the Ruud boy, Rooney and Saha all up front. Well we did face Blackburn in the semis last time we got to the Carling Cup final back in '03 and that time we needed a win at their place. So we had a reasonable shot of doing this.

It wasn't long till we had Blackburn on the back foot and in the 8th minute, Fletcher passed the ball to Rooney who looked to set up the Ruud boy. Blackburn defender Michael Gray didn't have a clue what he was doing and the Dutch assasin put United ahead. And for the next 20 minutes or so, Blackburn looked to have white flagged. This was a United show and we were headed to the Millenium Stadium! Well that's what should have happened. What did happen was that on a rare Blackburn attack the United defence had a joint braindead moment in the 32nd minute and Steven Reid was able to equalise for Mark Hughes's side. Back to the drawing board well and truly. Before the first half was out, Blackburn defender Zurab Khizanshishvili got done for hand ball, unfortuately United weren't able to make their luck count, the Ruud boy's penalty being saved by Brad Freidal. Half time arrived with Blackburn on the rise.

In the second half, United realised that they had to turn up the heat again. And so to start with Saha crossed for the Ruud boy to head at Friedal. And then in the 51st minute Rooney set up the Frenchman(officially now 'the top scorer in the Carling Cup this year) to lob the American goalie and allow United to regain the lead. In the remainder of the half Blackburn did what the could to buy themselves extra time. Unfortunately for them their efforts weren't anything that van de Sar and the United defence couldn't handle and as a result it was 2003 all over again, hopefully not with any students betting large on Blackburn this time out!

In the other semi, Wigan headed to Highbury with a 1-0 advantage and the first half suggested that Arsenal didn't have a hope of doing anything about that. However Thierry Henry was on hand to give the Gunners the lead on the night in the second half and force extra time. The first half of extra time came and went, the two sides still deadlocked...only for Robin Van Persie to complete what looked like an Arsenal turnaround with a beauty of a free kick. The story wasn't over yet though. Wigan striker Jason Roberts had been looking deadly throughout the entire match and when he finally got a solid ball he stuffed it into the net for what has to be the most amazing moment this season. Arsenal won 2-1 on the night but it was 2-2 on aggregate and Roberts's strike gave the still impressive Premiership new guys tickets to a Cup final!

So, United vs Wigan in the 2006 Carling Cup final, I reckon that'll be an interesting match but given that we cleaned out Paul Jewell's crew at Old Trafford, I reckon that Gary Neville will be lifting his first trophy as United captain next month.

And to finish, what can I say, Sven's on his way out. I'm just glad the FA had the brains to not boot him out right away as some journos suggest they should have done. Such a move would have been suicidal. Who the hell would have been available to take over the reins of the Three Lions mid season and prepare them for what should be England's best shot at a World Cup in my memory? Having said that, after the adventure in Germany there's still the problem of who the next England manager is going to be. Now some have come up with the idea of going for Guus Hiddink. I don't have a problem with the quality Dutch coach but England are supposed to be a major football power. To hire a foreigner for the second time in a row would be embarrassing. I reckon the first guy the FA should ask is Sam Allardyce. The Bolton gaffer has fixed up a side that knows what it's doing against continental opposition which makes me wonder what he could do with the higher quality players in the England squad.

FA Cup 4th round next week.

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