SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE

 

(Image taken from Yahoo)

For United, this is our 37th season in a row that we've spent in English football's top flight. Furthermore, last season left us with little to complain about. It helped that no team was able to realy provide a consistent challenge, Roman Abramovitch was as usual too nitpicky, Arsenal didn't have enough fire, City weren't able to really turn it on against the big guns, and no one else was in a position to really think about challenging. Coming off the back of a poor World Cup for England, it was not a vintage Premiership season. Yet we still finished the campaign as champions and so once again we have a title to defend. The opposition have plenty of catching up to do.

Last time around, West Brom started the season with Roberto di Matteo as manager and were actually one of the few teams to get a point out of Old Trafford, drawing 2-2. That was followed by a tough match at the Hawthorns which we did manage to win 2-1 and it turned out to be Gary Neville's last match for United. The Baggies stayed up but they ditched di Matteo along the way. The last time we did the double over the Baggies was back in the 08/09 season, Tony Mowbray as Baggies gaffer, Cristiano Ronaldo amongst the goals in a 4-0 win at Old Trafford then both he and Carlos Tevez hitting the net in a 5-0 win at the Hawthorns.

Before the end of last season, Roy Hodgeson became West Brom manager, and succsessfully kept his new side in the top flight. Despite the riots having hit that part of the country, there was no question of this Premiership match at the Hawthorns not going ahead. For United, it was a further chance to get the new guys settled in against what was surely relatively easy opposition. Fabio started at left back for the Reds with Anderson and Ben Cleverly(finally making his United Premiership debut) in centre mid. United's Achilles heel last season was our away form, so the hope was that that wouldn't repeat itself this time around - Fergie wasn't taking anything for granted though.

United were in no mood to hang around at the start, pushing the Baggies aghainst the wall and sure enough, they crumbled in the 13th minute when Young slid the ball to Wayne who got United's first Premiership goal this season. After that it looked as though the Reds would be able to cruise their way thrugh the rest of the half but the Baggies aren't complete mugs, slight problem, our new goalie may yet turn out to be one. He clearly can't handle himself physically and in the 37th minute Chris Brunt found Shane Long who stuck the ball in the net, smooth as you like. United held out till half time but this was a less than ideal first half for the Reds.

The second half then saw things take a turn for the worse with our main central defensive partnership picked up injuries, luckilly Fergie fixed up some solid backups over the summer but still, that might flat tyre us for a bit. That wasn't the only part of the team Fergie decided to freshen up though and despite us having to donge a few more bullets due to the Baggies's physicality, the Reds ultimately had the last laugh. It initially looked like it would be Young's first United goal in the 83rd minute after the new guy sent the ball in from wide but ultimately Steven Reid put it into his own net. From there on in United held on. Mission accomplished.

Elsewhere, Bolton beat QPR 4-0 at Loftus Road, the new guys having a very rough ride in their first Premiership match since the 90s. Wanderers opened the scoring just before half time before blowing their opponents to bits in the 2nd half. Wolves beat Blackburn 2-1 at Ewood Park. Rovers opened the scoring but then, much to my nephew's annoyance, Wolves turned the game round with goals either side of half time, credit to Wolves for the win though. That leaves United opening up in what is tachnically joint 3rd in the Premiership, level on points with leaders Bolton but with a -3 goal difference deficit and level on points, goal difference and goals scored with Wolves, meaning that as things stand we're on course for next season's Champions League but would have to playoff with Wolves for a spot in the group stages.

North of the border, Aberdeen faced Hearts at Tynecastle in the SPL. The first half didn't go to plan for the Dons with Hearts hitting the net twice before the break thanks to Arvydas Novikovis and John Sutton, the home side cruising. Things got even worse for the Reds early on in the 2nd half with Sutton getting his second goal and the Dons just looked like they were running on empty after that, getting a late opportunity but blowing it. This season is turning into a dissaster so far for the Reds, not only have they been unable to claim a result but they have yet to score a goal in their SPL campaign this season, Craig Brown eeds to come up with answers.

Elsewhere, St Mirren lost 1-0 to Motherwell at St Mirren Park. It was not exactly a classic, the first half certainly wasn't and it looked to be a "nae goals nae fitba" job till Well hit the winner in the dying seconds of the contest. Inverness CT lost 2-0 to Rangers at the Caledonian Stadium with the first half proving an uneventful affair before the Gers stepped in up after the break, grabbing two goals early in the second half after which tthe home side weren't coming back. The Dons heavy defeat meant that they dropped to 11th in the SPL, already four points behind St Mirren and the top half of the table. level on points with Inverness CT and relegation but with a +1 goal difference advantage.

 

Back south of the border and down a couple of levels, Exeter faced Yeovil in an all-L1 Carling Cup 1st round match at St James Park. City certainly had the better of the play in the first half but weren't able to hit the net before the interval. The second half was another matter entirely though with Gillaum Bauza scoring on his debut for the Grecians. As the match went on that looked to be good enough but still, there was time for Chris Sheppard to grab a second goal before the end. Congratulations to the Grecians who hadn't actually won a League Cup match since the Coca Cola Cup campaign of the 93/94 season - an awesome result!

(Image taken from This is Exeter)

The 2nd round draw has been made though and this City side have been rewarded for their place in club history with a matchup against Premiership opposition, Liverpool to be precise, at St James's Park. Well, the good news for City is that by my reckoning this is not a vintage Liverpool side and it may even be just their second stringers that show up. City haven't had the greatest start to their own League campaign though and as nuts as Exeter will go if City do manage to mug the Scousers, I still suspect they'll have their work cut out. The fact is, that playing in this match is an achievement in itself for the Grecians, from here on in they have their work cut out.

Click here to visit the football archive

Comments get emailed here

Click here to return to sports homepage

Click here to return to Matt G's homepage