UNITED DODGE BULLETS TO SCALP GUNNERS

 

 

Arsenal were our main Premiership title rivals - note the past tense. Having said that, they still mugged us 2-1 last time we were at the Emirates Stadium on Premiership busines. They then got out of Old Trafford with a 0-0 draw but we still came away with the Premiership trophy with Arsene Wenger's crew well short on points. The last time we beat the Gunners in the Premiership was in the 07/08 season when we beat them 2-1 at Old Trafford on our way to another title. To find us doing the double over the Gunners though you actually have to go back to the 04/05 season when we beat them 2-0 at Old Trafford before doing them 4-2 at their old Highbury ground.

This time around, well the Gunners started the season on seriously good form,looking like they might be up for another run at the title. The Gunners had a 100% record after all which was more than United could claim. At yet, a visit to Old Trafford was always going to be a reality check. From a United point of view, facing the Gunners was also our toughest Premiership test so far and the gaffer decided to match Wenger's 4-3-3 formation. O'Shea right back, Vidic and Brown centre back. Giggsy(captain), Fletcher and Carrick in midfield with Nani, Rooney and Valencia up front. I have to say that I had my doubts over this strategy was going to work.

I was right to have doubts. There was only one team in the early stages of the match and it certainly wasn't the team playing in red that day. Trying to beat an opponent at their own game is not often going to work, the far better strategy would have been to go two up front. That's not to say we were completely useless - we did come up with some chances but overall it was the visitors that looked much more dangerous and I'd have been very happy had we gone into half time goalless. It was not to be though and Denilon found Andrei Arshavin in space in the 40th minute and the Russian assasin proceded to rip the net off! The best things about the first half from a United POV was the half time whistle.

After half time the expected United overhaul did not come - we continued to ape Arsenal and Arsenal continued to run the show and should have gone two up. As it was, we somehow got our act together and forced Arsenal to concede a 59th minute penalty. Rooney took care of the rest. Arsenal then blew a chance to retake the lead, allowing us to turn the game around in a manner that suggested that someone had arranged a late birthday present for me! Giggsy crossed the ball in the 64th minute and Abou Diaby headed it into his own net. The Gunners weren't quite put to bed but still, they couldn't find an equaliser and Wenger getting sent to the stands just completed a slightly wierd match. Who cares though, we got the three points.

Elsewhere, Chelsea beat Burnley 3-0 at Stamford Bridge with the Blues getting their goals in a short period of time while dominating the match overall - the Clarets getting quite a reality check after their dream result early on in the season. Man City then beat Portsmouth 1-0 at Fratton Park with Mark Hughes men showing that they aren't going away any time soon after a first half winner allowed them to pick up three more points. Still, United climb to 3rd in the Premiership and are on course for a spot in the Champions League group stages, three points behind leaders Chelsea and level with City and a spot in the Champions League playoffs but with a +2 goal difference advantage.

North of the border, Aberdeen faced Motherwell at Pittodrie in the SPL. Well had the edge in the first half but overall there were few chances for either side though the Dons in particular did seem to be getting soaked up a bit too easilly. The Reds went up a gear in the second half but still didn't look like hitting the net and Well were never completely shut down either. The Dons could have had a couple of late pens but neither were given. Overall it was a case of "nae goals nae fitba" though already the Dons have had worse results this season. This was a case of Mark McGhee keeping things ticking over while teenage Italian defender Davide Grassi made his Dons debut.

Elsewhere, Hibs were beaten 1-0 by Celtic at Easter Road with the Old Firm side getting their goal just before half time. However Hibs certainly gave their visitors quite a match, particularly in the second half, just couldn't come away with anything. St Mirren beat Kilmarnock 2-1 at Rugby Park, despite Kille opening the scoring very early on. A second half turnaround saw the Buddies take home all three points after getting dominated in the early stages. That allows Aberdeen to remain 6th in the SPL, two points behind Hibs and a Europa League spot while level with St Mirren and the bottom half on the table but with a +1 goal difference advantage.

On the European stage, Barcelona faced Shatkar Donetsk in the UEFA Super Cup at the Stade Louis II. The La Liga giants weren't happy about the state of the pitch and that must have messed with their heads too much as despite dominating the game, they just couldn't find the net. It turned out to be the same story in the second half, with Barca lucky to end the match with eleven men on the pitch after an incident involving a headbutt right at the end. Bottom line, the whistle blew for the end of normal time with Shatkar goalie Andrei Pyatov still holding on to a clean sheet. Extra time wouldn't have been what Barca had in mind for this encounter.

Having gone all out defense in normal time, Shatkar did start to get their act together in extra time and came up with their first serious shot on target. Barca were still the dominating force though, they just didn't have the goals to prove it. Given that the game was heading to penalties, some of Barca's late substiutions certainly seemed questionable, that was untill Pedro Rodrigues, a striker that isn't even a regular for Barca, got his team the winner. Congratulations to Barca who won this competition for the first time since '97 when it was a two legged tie and Bobby Robson(RIP) was the manager who had got them into the competition by winning the old Cup Winners Cup.

 

In other action, Arsenal faced Celtic in the Champions League playoffs second leg at the Emirates Stadium. The Gunners certainly had the better of the first half but surely Eduardo didn't need to dive to get a penalty, either way he still scored. Emmanual Eboue and Andrei Arshavin then finished the tie off in the second half though the SPL side still managed to get the last word through Massimo Donati but by then it was already game over. The Old Firm side turned out to be nowhere near a tough enough test for the Gunners and Arsene Wenger's team now have a spot in the group stages. Celtic have to settle for a spot in the Europa League.

So, now we have the group stages to come and United are in Group B alongside CSKA Moscow, Besiktas and Wolfsburg. On the one hand this group looks fairly straightforward and yet there are certainly some issues. The first is travel, with two long haul matches to deal with. The second is the fact that English and Turkish fans tend not to mix particularly nicely. Then we have the fact that Wolfsburg are the Bundesliga champions so I suppose we can't write them off completely. Still, this group is certainly doable and I'll be very surprised if the Reds are unable to survive it. I expect some reasonable tests but it's still knockout stages here we come.

Elsewhere, Liverpool are in Group E alongside Lyon, Fiorentina and Debrecen. This should be nothing that the Scousers can't handle. Chelsea are in Group D alongside Porto, Athletico Madrid and Apoel Nicosia. Athletico will be tricky and Porto can't be underestimated either but the safe bet says the Blues will survive. Arsenal came out as the real jammy gits though, AZ Alkmaar, Olympiakos and Standard Liege, how cinch can you get? Rangers are in Group G and don't have a straightforward run with Seville, Stuttgart and Romanian side Unirea Urziceni lying in wait. That group is workable for the Gers but ultimately it's too close to call.

Going down a level, the Europa League playoffs 2nd leg matches were also taking place. Villa beat Rapid Vienna 2-1 at Villa Park but that was only enough to make things 2-2 on aggregate and Villa went out on away goals. Everton drew 1-1 at Sigma Olomouc in the Andruv Stadium but the Toffees weren't going to complain about that - they still won the tie 5-1 on aggregate. Likewise Amkar Perm beat Fulham 1-0 at the Zvezda Stadium but Fulham still pulled off a 3-2 aggregate win. Hearts weren't so happy though, they beat Dinamo Zagreb 2-0 at Tynecastle but that wasn't enough to make up for the 1st leg disaster and they lost 2-0 on aggregate.

And so now we have the group stages and they're exactly like the Champions League, twelve groups of four, top two go through to the knockout stages. Everton are in Group I dealing with Benefica, AEK Athens and Belarussian Premier League side BATE Borisov. Maybe doable but not easy. Fulham are in Group E and face Roma, FC Basel and CSKA Sofia. Again, doable but not easy and Roy Hodgeson's crew may not have the experience to get the job done. Celtic are in Group C and face Hamburg, Rapid Vienna and Hapoel Tel Aviv. Again not easy but I'm more optimistic about their prospects than I am about the Premiership entrants.

Going back to domestic matters and Championship Blackpool faced Wigan in the Carling Cup 2nd round at Bloomfield Road and proceded to make the Latics the mugs of the round. Ishmel Demontagnac opened the scoring for the underdogs, Ben Burgess made it two and Charlie Adam put them three up before half time. Gary Taylor-Fletcher then joined the party and though Antonio Amaya pulled one back for the top flight side it really was a case of "Premiership? You're having a laugh". The other top flight teams managed to have a pretty smooth run though with only Wolves looking like they were in any danger whatsoever and they're one of the new guys!

So, now United enter the competition and wind up starting their defence of that title against Wolves at Old Trafford. All-Premiership ties in the Carling Cup are always tricky to call, particularly as we are likely to play our reserves while Wolves might fancy their chances of a long Cup run. Furthermore last season's Championship winners aren't doing that badly at the moment and have a decent squad. Yet I have a hunch that Fergie might play someone like Owen in this game and if he's on form then Wolves aren't going to be able to touch him. Overall I think I'm going to give United the benefit of the doubt on this one, given that it's on our patch.

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