Manchester Derby - The Return of Wayne Rooney

I had arranged for a lot of stats to share for this match. But for a change, I won't do a preview this time around.

The Manchester Derby was on at an awkward time this saturday. 6:10pm would have been good on a sunday, but I had loads of work on saturday, which meant I was destined to miss at least the first half of the game. But around 42' in the game, I got a call from my Dad, who loves football too (runs in the family!), informing me that Nani had scored to make it 1-0. That was it, I was heading to my room.

I raced through the crowded NH37 and reached home in time for the half time analysis and saw the goal he scored. A somewhat difficult ball from Giggs (so uncharacteristic!), Nani latched on to it with a brilliant first touch and then another second touch and coolly placed it beyond Hart in City's goal. Even though it was just a replay, I felt shivers down my spine, like I always do when United scores.

Second half started and I got comfortable with a cup of coffee. Then in came Dzeko for City and after a lot of hype, scored a fortunate goal (I actually think it should go to Silva, who knew nothing of it). Damn, I thought, that ruins a special evening. But it didn't.

The way I raced home, the passion I have for Manchester United, accounts to nothing when you think of what it means to the players who are actually playing for United. Berbatov came on for Anderson and immediately you could see someone holding on to the ball in the final third, defying City's bulky defenders. And then it happened.

Nani has been brilliant all season, and it was him again, for what was probably his 13th assist this season (no confirmatory stats, this is from the heart!). A cross which seemed to deflect off Zabalata. Which made it more difficult for the finisher, who is known as Wayne Rooney.

Wayne Rooney. So many people doubted his talents for all the seasons. Ronaldo was the match winner, not Rooney, they'd tell me. And we were talking about someone who scored 4 goals in his champions league debut, who we many a times find as a centerback during a rival counter attack, someone whose dedication to the game was never in doubt for the true Red Devils. And what he did today was unimaginable, out of the world, divine, out of the world. Reminds me of that Ronaldo goal in the champions league, from almost 40 yards out. Out of the blue.

Nani's cross takes a deflection off Zabalata, puts everyone in the backfoot, even Rooney in the box. But Wayne Rooney adjusts his footing and then executed the perfect bicycle kick you'll see in your life. Just HEAVENLY. And You are thinking, am I dreaming? How can life be so sweet? And you realise when you support Manchester United, dreams turn to reality.

Once it was 2-1, you knew we were going through. We were that good. And so the match ends and ecstacy begins.

As I end this passionate post, I remember the Giggs and Scholes from the past, when they were in their prime. And I just smile and wonder what makes them go on. What makes Giggs still go on those surging runs, splitting the defence with his diagonal thrusts, making the City defence seems like boy scouts. What makes Scholes make those inch perfect pass, those driving runs. Today, for the second match in a row, I saw Ryan Giggs take a yellow card for the team. That's who he is. That's what He means to Manchester Untied. Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes are United Legends, they are part of my growing up to love United.

As the night ends, I shall party until the midweek Champions League clash with Marsaille.

Wolverhampton Wanderers Vs Manchester United - The End of the Unbeaten Run

Manchester United traveled to Molineux to face Wolves for their 25th game of the season. This was to be the game where United could break their previous club record of most games unbeaten in the league (29), which would be quite a feat, as it was achieved by the treble winning team of 98-99 season. Never the less, except the humiliating Carling Cup quarter final loss at the hands of West Ham United, the Red Devils have been unbeaten in all competitions this season. Here are some stats -
United have won 15 of their 24 league games and drawn the other 9. They have scored 54 goals in the process and conceded 22, with a goal difference of +32. Berbatov is the top scorer of the league with 19 goals, while Hernandez and Nani has 7 each. Luis Nani has 12 assists and Wayne Rooney 10.
Playing at home has been their strength, with 12 wins out of the 13 played and 1 drawn, scoring 37 and conceding a mere 8.
Away from home, though is a different ball game. They have won just 3 of their 11 games and drawn 8, scoring 17 goals and conceding 14.

Thus, even though this looked like a typical top Vs bottom table fixture, this was more than just that. First, Wolves were a tricky customer, having already defeated Chelsea and Liverpool this season. Second, United have stumbled twice against them this season, barely managing one 2-1win in the league and one 3-2 win in the Carling Cup. Third, United had a bad away form.

United had won all the last 5 games against Wolves and had won 4 and drawn 1 of their last 4 games, in which they had scored 13 and conceded 4. And the last four games, starting from the 5-0 demolition of Birmingham City, two great comebacks against Backpool and Southamton and the 3-1 crushing of Villa, had somehow marked a return to form of the team that has been criticized to be lucky all season.

Park Ji Sung was back from his international duty and Rafael was fit after being rested for 2 games.  Ryan Giggs was playing out his playmaker role to perfection and watching him run at the defense and win the ball and put in tackle made one respect him more as he grows older! And Paul Scholes might not be scoring goals that easily as before, but he was holding the midfield together like never before, allowing Nani to run riot. And what a season Nani was having! Leading the charts with the most assists, the Portuguese has matured and added new dimensions to his game. Vidic, Ferdinand, Evra and Rafael when playing together looked as formidable as ever, with the ever dependable Van Der Saar behind. United certainly had it in their ranks not to waste money in the January window, but whether injuries would make that look a vital mistake was yet to be seen.

With the Manchester Derby up next, United needed to put up a strong statement in this game.

Line Ups: Manchester United: 
1 - Vander Sar
3 - Evra
23 - Evans
15 - Vidic
21 - Rafael
17 - Nani
24 - Fletcher
16 - Carrick
11 - Giggs
10 - Rooney
9 - Berbatov

Match referee M Oliver, who had already shown 37 yellow and 2 red cards in 10 games this season, announced the start of the game. Rio Ferdinand had picked up an injury during warm up and Evans took his place in the team. In that move, I feel, the game was lost.

Ferdinand brings a sense of calm and composure in the United back four, with Vidic more of an orthodox centerback, who likes getting physical. Evans, who is immensely talented, however, has miles to go.

The game started with Wolves attacking well, not allowing United to settle, but soon enough Nani's trickery got him the his 8th league goal of the season. 1-0 United and from then on, one clearly thought that Wolves were on for a hammering.

But such is the aura of the Premier League this season, nothing can be ascertained and surely by the lemon break, United were down 2-1, mostly due to inability to cope with set pieces. Sir Alex's hair dryer treatment and the introduction of Paul Scholes in place of the quiet Carrick where what United fans were hoping would change the game and it did too. Unfortunately all that stats couldn't open the road to a goal.

Evans was substituted for Smalling and Chicharito replace the uneffective Berbatov and again we were hoping that like scoring in all the 3 away wins this season, Chicharito would get us atleast a point or more. Wave after wave of United attack followed without an end result. Ryan Giggs surprisingly was committing frustrating fouls, Paul Scholes, typically, was yellow carded for an attempted hand ball. 5 minutes of extra time and you think maybe United can still sneak it. Perhaps Park would have capitalised on that, but he was not on field.

In the end, it was a frustrating first league loss of the season, more frustrating because United, who looked like regaining their golden touch in the last few games, had finally run out of luck. Or maybe, this loss was a wake up call for United and it's players, a warning to be less complacent, to take nothing for granted. 5 points clear at the top of the table, many had already declared United runaway champions. Now is the time to sit back and work on what went wrong.

All the same, after 25 games, we are still top of the league with a 4 point gap, thanks to the Gunner's howler! (4-0 up and ending in 4-4!!) This game could be what actually galvanized the team, like it happens every season for United.

Next up, City on 12th February. I'll come up with a few more latest stats sometime in midweek.

Source of stats - www.premierleague.com