Ranting Rooney Settles Semi Final First Leg

He came, he scored, he celebrated. But gone was the irascible reproach, replaced by a exuberant smirk. Wayne Rooney let his feet do the talking last night and put Manchester United on the verge the Champions League semi final.
 
Chelsea for all their probing and prodding failed to nudge through United although they will once again feel aggrieved at a penalty. Ramires hurtled towards the United goal when Patrice Evra wrapped himself around the midfielder, felling him just inside the area.
 
It should have been a simple decision for Alberto Undiano Mallenco, the night's mediator, but John Terry should have also aimed his post-match criticism at the fifth official. UEFA's grand plan of placing officials on the goal line will prove vacuous if they fail to spot flashpoints within their vicinity.
 
Carlo Ancelotti will prove expendable also if he fails to overturn the 1 goal deficit at Old Trafford and provide Roman Abramovich the one thing money has not bought.
 
The Italian stuck Fernando Torres and Didier Drogba together from the start, so committed is he to afford the Spaniard a place within a double winning side, a decision he may later regret as the arranged marriage failed to spark into life once again.  
 
How Nando needs a goal. This was the night when Torres was supposed to terrorise Nemanja Vidic like he had in 2007, firing his way into the hearts of the Shed.. 

In the end it belonged to United and in particular an energised Rooney and the evergreen Ryan Giggs.
 
Rooney was everywhere. Partnered by Javier Hernandez, the forward reverted to a role in front of the Chelsea midfield but out of touch from the defence.
 
Michael Essien's tracking of the number 10 was like that of lost boy scout although the freedom Rooney exerted was not the responsibility of the Ghanaian alone. How could it be with Rooney marauding such vast expanses of Stamford Bridge?
 
Giggs goes on to defy all logical expectations of a sportsman in his twilight years. Operating in tandem with Michael Carrick, Giggs uses his sublime reading and penetration of the game in spurts these days but chose precisely the correct moment to do so last night. He was deployed with devastating effect.
 
When Carrick swept a darting cross field ball over the head of Jose Bosingwa at right back Giggs, in one continuous, fluid movement, took the ball into his path and beyond the Portuguese international. 

Cutting to the byline United's most capped player showed the experience he is imbued with. Looking up he picked out Rooney, moving centrally and away from the congestion caused by his Mexican strike partner, who slid the ball into the corner past Petr Cech.
 
Like in their heavyweight encounter in the Premier League last month, United were not impervious to Chelsea’s pressing. Only this time they proved impenetrable.
 
Reinforced by the return of Rio Ferdinand, United’s defence stood strong and guarded their lead ferociously. Ferdinand adds a sense of calmness and reassurance to a jittery back line when he partners Vidic. How Ferguson will be glad he came through the match injury free for the end of season run in.
 
Special mention should also go to Carrick who played like a number 16 of old. The midfielder is yet to reaffirm himself with United fans after that night in Rome when he looked infused with inertness. 

Last night he looked a different player all together, guarding the ball defiantly, making tackles and tracking Essien and Lampard. Crucially afforded Giggs space to manoeveur.  

Chelsea were not without their chances. Frank Lampard failed to bundle home a goal mouth scramble towards the end of the first half and Didier Drogba stung the fingers of Edwin Van Der Sar with a fierce near post drive.  

Torres later brought an acrobatic stop out of the Dutchman from a header, the keeper displaying agility beyond what his age would suggest.
 
Chelsea must find a way of beating him and stopping the smiling assassin to stand a chance of progressing at Old Trafford. 
 

Rooney Conjures Stunner to Silence City

The resonance of any magic trick lies in the initial deception. The curator will create the set-up, develop the spectacle before reaching the most improbable of crescendos. It is what precedes the finale that makes it all the more incredible.

Those who have followed Wayne Rooney's spectacular rise and fall over the past year may be better placed to see the relevance of the aforementioned sorcery.

Almost a year since Rooney's life, on and off the pitch, capitulated the striker delivered an emphatic moment of self expression to claim all three points against Manchester City. 

Nullified for most of the match by a superb Vincent Kompany - who marvelled in his role as the magicians assistant by keeping Rooney on a tight leash throughout the game - it took until the 78th minute for the Manchester United striker to pull the biggest rabbit from his hat.

After shanking a pass into the air, a passage of play that typified Rooney's so-far miserable day, Paul Scholes delivered a driven pass to the flanks where Nani was occupied.

The winger's cross was hoisted further into the air, the pace of the ball, crucially, dissipating, having skimmed Pablo Zabaleta. Rooney, cloaked in red, sensed his opportunity, leaping into the air and with his back to the goal unleashed a violent scissor kick into the far top corner. Joe Hart stood rooted in the middle of his goal, spellbound.  

Sir Alex Ferguson recalled Dennis Law when he described it as the best goal he had seen scored at Old Trafford. As flattering as it was for Rooney to be compared to The King, the goal was more akin to something another former red, Mark Hughes, might have scored. Sprinkled with the exuberance of Eric Cantona. 

Much of the prelude to Rooney's goal will have been confined to distant memory by the time The striker was reeling away but United were, for large swathes of the game, especially the second half, on the back foot. 

City should have been up in the opening minutes when David Silva, permeating the gaps behind midfield and defence, lacked curl on his close range effort to find Edwin Van der Sar's bottom corner. The Spaniard, a constant fixture in City's nest spells, had another attempt blocked by Patrice Evra.

If Silva was City's biggest threat it was his Iberian counterpart Nani who shone for United. The Portuguese winger tormented Zabaleta throughout, cutting and weaving into shooting positions. 

He as rewarded with a goal just before half time. Ryan Giggs, selected in a 5 man midfield, slid the ball into Nani's path who easily out-paced Aleksandar Kolarov to side foot pass Hart.

Roberto Mancini would have been right to feel slightly hard done by as his side were the more probing of the two. It was unfortunate for the Sky Blue's that their attacks were stubbed out by Nemanja Vidic and a classy Chris Smalling who stepped into replace the injured Rio Ferdinand.
 
The way Smalling contained Carlos Tevez would have delighted Ferguson especially given Johnny Evans' continuing nightmare and upcoming fixtures against Chelsea and Liverpool in the league.

City though were rewarded for their positive approach. Shawn Wright-Phillips, yes, him, cut in from the right flank and squared a ball to substitute Edin Dzeko. The Bosnian's strike clattered against Silva and fell into the net. 

But with only twelve minutes remaining Rooney's perfectly executed scissor kick left United with all three points and City's title hopes disappearing in a puff of smoke.

United Avoid Giants With Draw

A rare Anderson goal ensured Manchester United progressed to the knockout stages of the Champions League last night.

The Brazilian’s equaliser cancelled out Pablo Hernandez’s first half strike for Valencia and means United qualify top of group C.

The English side will subsequently avoid some of Europe’s heavyweights in the next round of the competition, including Barcelona, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.

The only sour footnote was that Rio Ferdinand had to be replaced shortly after the restart and is now a doubt for his sides Premier League clash against Arsenal next Monday.

United were made to work for their share of the points despite coming up against a weakened Valencia side that included 8 changes from the team that lost to Madrid at the weekend.

The Spanish established an early dominance against a united midfield pairing of Michael Carrick and Anderson. Indeed it was Carrick who was dispossessed deep within his own half that lead to the first goal.

Jose Dominguez, who had enjoyed a lively start for the visitors, was gifted an opening when Carrick turned 360° before sloppily miss-cueing a short pass back to Ferdinand.

Dominguez took advantage of the England midfielder’s premature festive generosity taking the ball to the edge of United’s area and sliding a square ball onto the ensuing Pablo Hernandez.

Hernandez took one touch to steady himself before driving the ball through European debutant Ben Amos’ legs.

The goal came against the run of play and thirty seconds after a Wayne Rooney cross was met by a diving Ji Sung Park whose volley had the necessary power but not direction to guide the ball past Vicenti Guaita.

Rooney was centre to United’s most penetrable attacks and was denied only by the crossbar in the first half when he floated a dipping shot over a scrambling Guaita. A resurgent Rooney was also the architect of chances for Anderson and Dimitar Berbatov.

Firstly for the Brazilian who when one on one with Guaita in the first half hit a timid shot into the keeper when he had time to compose himself and then the Bulgarian, one usually renowned for close touches, took a heavy side-step that allowed the Valencia keeper to again prevent United a lead.

When United scored on the hour mark it failed to spark them into life and, as Rooney said afterwards, they looked to be hanging on for an important point. Berbatov headed wide from a Rooney cross and provider could have turned scorer with three decent efforts towards goal.

Given United’s profligacy a draw was a fair outcome but Ferguson’s will need to enforce the midfield and be clinical in front of goal if they are to make it to Wembley.

Rooney contemplates United exit

Wayne Rooney has reportedly shunned contract negotiations with Manchester United and privately admitted his willingness to cross the Mancunian border and join the blue revolution following a monumental breakdown in relations with Sir Alex Ferguson.

United must now gauge Rooney’s market value and decide whether to sell him during the winter transfer window or wait until the summer when the strikers value may have dwindled. Conversely Ferguson may seek to repair the acrimony that has festered in recent weeks since Rooney’s private life became tabloid fodder.

The damage though is allegedly irreparable and unlike previous falling’s out involving United icons, it is the player who might have the final say and not Ferguson.

Things are said to have soured between the two in the wake of reports in national newspapers of Rooney’s affair with the prostitute Jennifer Thompson. Ferguson reportedly blamed his striker for bringing his club into disrepute before omitting him from the side that travelled to Everton, on the grounds of the “vile” abuse Rooney would receive, and Valencia due to a persistent ankle injury suffered last season in Munich.

Or so Ferguson said. What has transpired since is that Rooney may have been left out of the squad, like he was left out of the starting XI on Saturday, as punishment for his off-pitch behaviour and his blatant contradiction of Ferguson’s assertion that he was injured during an interview.

This, coupled with United’s staggeringly sluggish and, according to Rooney’s camp, underwhelming contract talks has created the perfect storm over Old Trafford.

The odds on Rooney leaving in January have been slashed to 2/1 but the suitors are limited to new football money with Manchester City and Chelsea potential buyers. The thought of Rooney, for most fans the quintessential talismanic leader, wearing the blue of City would be unbearable for most of the United faithful. But it would take the most short –sighted to rule it out. Rooney has after all already ditched Everton (“once a blue, always a blue”) for greater riches and success at United. Who says he will not do the same to the Manchester club like Carlos Tevez did last summer. Rooney may even look to Tevez as an example of the adoration and opportunities he would command.

Although Chelsea have become more prudent in more recent seasons a move for Rooney could be viable despite Abramovich’s remuneration and transfer fee ceiling. A potential stumbling block could be Rooney’s apparent reluctance to move away from the north: a factor that may render Real Madrid and Barcelona a undesirable destinations.

Where would this leave United? Ferguson has repeatedly stated his admiration for Rooney and how his desire fuels his own to continue at the helm. As loss such as this would therefore hurt Ferguson and consequently United. Who would the players look to for that decisive moment? Who would fans urge to beat everyone in front of them? The irony may be that Rooney, a player bought to succeed Van Nistelrooy, has no natural heir and this may be another reason why the striker seeks to ply his trade elsewhere, somewhere where the burden is less strenuous.

Indeed it has been rumoured that Rooney is concerned at the lack of quality players brought in and vision of the future at the club. Having won 6 major trophies at United and sitting unbeaten in the current season you must wonder quite what Rooney’s idea of a successful future is.

Everton 3-3 Manchester United: Match Report

Such were the events leading up to this match that it comes as a surprise that a stunning climax made the headlines and not a tabloid villain.

In a divisive move, Ferguson omitted Wayne Rooney from Saturday’s trip to Goodison so as not to “subject him to the abuse” he would surely have endured. The Scot considered Rooney’s private affairs to be of greater cause for protection than, say, David Beckham’s after he returned home from the World Cup, shamed, in 1998. And if it wasn’t for the head of Tim Cahill, twice proving to be the undoing of United’s defence, Ferguson would have been reprieved for his gamble.

Everton went into the early kick-off looking for their first win of the season. United on the other were unbeaten, taking 7 points from their first three matches.

The home side made the early advances, dominating possession and creating shooting opportunities for Steven Pienaar. The South African, who David Moyes fought to keep at Everton during the summer, was the focal point of initial attacks, aided by Tim Cahill’s early aerial domination over Johnny Evans.

The pace simmered as United gained greater authority and so did the ferocity of an Everton faithful no doubt deflated by the absence of a former hero. “Rooney”, harked the United fans, reminding the blue half of Liverpool who the striker had left Everton for.

John O’Shea, playing in a five-man midfield, first threatened Tim Howard’s goal, with a thunderous volley that clipped the outside of the post. United then proceeded to enjoy more possession and Everton were twice saved, once spectacularly, by Howard. Paul Scholes, assuming a trademark position on the outside of the area, struck a cleared corner only for a deflection to take it goal –bound. Howard denied his former team-mate with an instinctive leg that brought applause from all sides of the ground.

It was another United corner that lead to the first goal. Having defended Giggs’ out-swinging corner, the ball was played over the top of Patrice Evra, who, questionably, opted to try an overhead kick to clear and missed, allowing Mikel Arteta to race past Gary Neville and bear down on Edwin Van Der Sar’s goal. The Spanish midfielder was blocked by the Dutch keeper but only for Liam Osman to astutely, and precociously, square a pass for Pienaar to slot home.

Undaunted, United resumed where they were thirty seconds before and four minutes later grabbed an equaliser. Giggs swept a pass out wide to Nani who found the run of Darren Fletcher for the midfielder to volley past a helpless Howard. Moyes may have concerns at how easy United found Nani but make no mistake about the cross: perfection.

The second half started almost immediately with United’s second goal. Nani was again the provider, crossing in for Nemanja Vidic, who eluded Marouane Fellani to head powerfully downwards and in. The floodgates should then have opened. Nani should have threaded a pass to the awaiting Berbatov instead of blasting over, and Scholes, uncharacteristically, scuffed what by his standards should have been a simple conversion.

It came as no surprise to hear the sound of emptying chairs when Berbatov, put through by Scholes, screwed the ball with the outside of his right boot into the bottom right corner. The first touch of the striker, elegantly taking the ball away from Sylvain Distin, was followed by an equally sublime finish. Wayne who? Game over.

But the homeside hadn’t read the script and when the fourth official indicated 3 minutes of added time, an anointment that so often plays a key cameo role at United’s theatre of dreams, Leighton Baines found Tim Cahill’s head rising highest of all the United back four.

Hope rather than expectation rippled through the Victorian stadium. Sixty seconds later delirium exuded.

Baines, exploiting time and space afforded him by Gary Neville, floated a cross towards to back post where Cahill headed into the path of the oncoming Arteta. The midfielder thrashed his shot into the net, via Scholes’ deflection. The goal marked not only the most unlikely of comebacks but will no doubt go on to ignite Everton’s season. For Ferguson’s men it was the second time they have thrown away a lead already this season. Keeping their minds on things at hand remains United’s biggest concern.