Not exactly sparkling . . .

Grunge

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So far away I get up 4am to just watch Utd on TV
is the best way I can describe the lads performance today but enough to win I suppose.

I just got home from the pub (5:30 am kick off here in Sunny Alberta) and was not surprised to see Blanc in the line-up but a little surprised at Ricardson's. The Nevilles got call-ups too as expected.

When the match started, as is often the case we attacked everything that moved for the first ten minutes and deserved the goal albeit from a (legitimate) penalty.

Becks free kick was a "thing of beauty" and will get plenty of "air time" on the replay reels. The game became a bit scrappy and then of course we "sat back" and got a little sloppy. The Pompey goal was weak at best with Carrol at fault IMO . . . chickened out going for the ball and "bingo" it's 2-1. We didn't ever look in trouble but we did lose the plot a bit.

The second half saw Keane replaced by Stewart and later on, Brown took off Mikkey. Richardson eventually made way for Scholesy.

By all rights Pompey should've equalized on a break-a-way but the poor lad panicked and blazed the ball over the top. We gradually took control and although Becks clearly deserved a penalty of his own it wasn't until Ruud was dragged down again that we got the clincher.

I think Scholesy was offside when the ball was played but again full credit to him for putting it away.

A Ho-Hum game game and a good opportunity to rest soime and play others. Hopefully Keano's Ham is not badly damaged and that Silvestre was just rested.

No great performances today . . . Phil was back to normal, Gary did quite well. The young lads were largely invisible but at least played . . . experience is always a good thing.

Who's next . . . Blackburn in the "Milk Cup"?

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"There's only One United!"
 
We beat League Div 1 leaders - a potential banana skin - and no replay, which counts as a successful day.

Becks free kick was sublime. But (as with the Sunderland game) failure to convert all those chances into goals from open play is a concern.

I'd like to have seen Richardson play the full 90 minutes, running against a tiring defence.

Our full backs are very important to our forward play, especially now we play with two deep midfielders. Portsmouth marked our full backs tighter in the second half, which limited our wide options.
 
Originally posted by Gazza:
<strong>Bravery doesnt seem to be one of Carroll's strong points.</strong><hr></blockquote>

Might be a bit unfair, Gazza, based on his other performances. True, it did look an awfully namby pamby effort but I think he just got caught in two minds and then got impeded by one of their players.
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I think keane could have easily dealt with the cross that led to their goal, but tried to shield it back to the keeper. They weren't on the same wavelength which is not surprising seeing as Carroll isn't a regular.
 
Originally posted by arnie sidebottom:
<strong>
I'd like to have seen Richardson play the full 90 minutes, running against a tiring defence.

.</strong><hr></blockquote>

I thought he did well once he settled.... you can tell he's got talent.... he's still a bit weak though ....but he'll get stronger with age.
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Originally posted by Fergiesarmy:
<strong>scholes was clearly ONSIDE when the ball was played.</strong><hr></blockquote>

That's good news, 'cause otherwise I'm sure the (ABU) morning rags would have headlined with things like;

"Last minute dubious effort by Scholes seals it for the reds" ;}
or
"Lucky United rely on RVN penalities & Poor refereeing" :D
or
"Pompey robbed by cheating Mancs" <img src="graemlins/lol.gif" border="0" alt="[Laugh Out Loud]" />

. . . there again, they probably will anyway!
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I thought Carroll was fouled for their goal, right in front of us, thought their forward bashed into him deliberately so that Stone could take the shot.

By the way, shouldn't it be Paul Merson wearing the shirt with 19 Stone on the back?
 
i was about to say, I think im the only one who thinks Carrol was fouled for there goal, didnt the guy knee Roy right in the stomach, therfor kinda forcing him to drop the ball?. No one picked up on that, if we had got a goal like that thered be everyone up in arms shouting "bias to man utd", pathetic :rolleyes:
 
We controlled everything and should be 3 or 4 up easily in the first half, but Pompey scored with their only chance and the referee could have disallowed it because it seemed it may be a fault on Carroll. (Though I never have too much confident on him. Where is Ricardo?)

Beckham is easily MOM again, centre of everything and his freekick was just a state of art. He has once again proved the doubter and muppet wrong.

Gary Neville played very hard and got up and down throughout the whole match. May be he also know his position is in big doubt under the challenge of O'Shea. I wonder who will Fergie play as RB in next match against Blackburn.

Nowadays Giggs seems play better as a forward than a LW. Ruud scored two penalty (one of them earned by himself), but I was not very impressed that he seemed to be holding the ball for too long and tried to do too many things himself. He still need to improve his co-operation with his teammates.
 
Originally posted by VanNistlerater:
<strong>i was about to say, I think im the only one who thinks Carrol was fouled for there goal, didnt the guy knee Roy right in the stomach, therfor kinda forcing him to drop the ball?. No one picked up on that, if we had got a goal like that thered be everyone up in arms shouting "bias to man utd", pathetic :rolleyes: </strong><hr></blockquote>

He was. Remember couple years back, Keown kneed Van der Gouw in the face going for the ball even though Rai had already had the ball in his hands on the line. Sending off offence, but we get our goalie substituted and Keown stays on the pitch. Typical.
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Originally posted by VanNistlerater:
<strong>i was about to say, I think im the only one who thinks Carrol was fouled for there goal, didnt the guy knee Roy right in the stomach, therfor kinda forcing him to drop the ball?. No one picked up on that, if we had got a goal like that thered be everyone up in arms shouting "bias to man utd", pathetic :rolleyes: </strong><hr></blockquote>

I think it was his hesitation to go for the ball that lleads you to that conclusion . . . he's lucky that he didn't get hurt.
Playing goal requires split-second decision making and a lot of bravery. I believe Roy had second thoughts and "jammed-out". He went for the ball too upright and bnever really got the ball in his hands, when diving to get his arms around the ball was the right thing to do.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not slagging the lad but if you were to ask him, I'd bet he'd do different next time if he had the chance.
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