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UTD match reports (inc. MOM) for season 2006/7
m4m - Fri, 29 Dec 06 :
3min vid (2nd half analysis)
Villa v Ron vid (6 mins)
MOTM: There's only one Ronaldoooooooooo
Aston Villa 0 - 3 United
Article by Mark Graham, Stats Nerd
Match Review
Aston Villa 0 v 3 Manchester United, Villa Park, 15.00 Saturday 23rd December 2006.
Ronaldo (58), (85), Scholes (64). Attendance: 42,551
A glittering second half performance saw United 'shit on the Villa' as the Reds scored three times in a 4-3-3 formation after the break. A brace from the brilliant Ronaldo and a typical 30-yard Scholes effort took all the points, ensuring Jose would have to apologise again for lying because, Chelski, United are top of the table on Christmas Day and the team's best player was on the bench.
SAF opted to rest Rooney, with Heinze, Solskjaer and the injured Carrick missing from the line-up completely.
In front of a sell out crowd of 42,551, the likes of which has not been seen at Villa Park for a long time, United started slowly with a front three of Park, Saha and Ronaldo ahead of Giggs, Fletcher and Scholes across the middle of the park in a 4-3-3 system.
Villa started much brighter than United and were first to go close from Barry's free-kick, headed on by Chris Sutton for Gardner to head against a post. The danger wasn't cleared and EVDS had to save well from the follow up.
United's opportunity came when the returning Park was gifted a ball only for the rusty Korean to miss. Earlier Nemanja Vidic was booked for only what can be described as GBH. The resulting caution means the Serbian monster will miss the United's next match against Wigan.
With no real width United used Evra and Neville to great effect as the two full-backs ran and attacked all day. The Frenchman, returning from injury, saw a shot saved by the man in crap grey pants, Gabor Kiraly. Gaining rhythm as the match wore on, United almost took the lead through Ronaldo who released by Giggs twisted and turned before unleashing a shot wide of the far post.
United came into their own in the second half - the deadlock broken by Ronaldo. Collecting the ball in his own half, the winger ran fifty yards before letting fly. The Lord of the Wings shot was blocked by Cahill only for the ricochet to land at the Portuguese players feet for another bite at the cherry. This time there was no question as the net bulged.
Ronaldo, who devastated the Villa full-back Hughes all afternoon, squared for Giggs only for the Welshman to continue his poor form by missing a great opportunity. McCann cleared the resulting corner, his header falling to the feet of Scholes who's scorching 25-yards volley beat crap pants Gabor Kiraly off the underside of the bar.
SAF then brought on Rooney for Park who twice set up Ronaldo - one ruled out for offside, the other saved by Kiraly. The White Pele didn't seem, having been benched for that very reason.
United's final goal on the counter attack was straight out of the text book. Starting from their own half Giggs and Rooney combined to release Neville down the right - the full-back's squared ball fell to the deserving Ronaldo who had the simplest of tap-ins.
Rant Ratings
(4-4-3): van der Sar (6); Neville (8), Ferdinand (6), Vidic (7), Evra (8); Fletcher (7), Scholes (6), Giggs (4); Ronaldo (9), Saha (6), Park (6).
Subs: Rooney (7) for Park (66 mins), O'Shea (n/a) for Giggs (88 mins), Silvestre (n/a) for Scholes (88 mins).
Subs not used: Kusczak, Brown.
United's Man of the Match
Ronaldo. No arguments.
Rants Reaction
Ferguson's 4-3-3, with the right legs in the engine room, was so better than a 4-5-1 with Rooney wide Right. We'd still rather see 4-4-2!
Ronaldo demolishes Villa
Joe Lovejoy at Villa Park
So Upton Park was no more than a blip after all. United ensured that they would lead the Premiership at Christmas for the first time in three years by overcoming Villa’s stubborn resistance in the second half, when Cristiano Ronaldo ran amok. Villa were spikily competitive for a long time, but were eventually outclassed, and after that promising start under Martin O’Neill they have now gone seven games without a win, which must be cause for concern.
They were always second-best against opponents determined to atone for last weekend’s defeat at West Ham. United had a matchwinner in Cristiano Ronaldo, who gave Aaron Hughes a miserable afternoon, and was outstanding throughout. The Portuguese trickster scored two goals and had another disallowed for offside. In terms of the champagne moment, however, he had to give first place to Paul Scholes, who crowned a trojan stint in midfield with a volley from distance that was special, even by his standards.
United now play Wigan, Reading and Newcastle over the rest of the Christmas programme, and are going to take some catching. They may lack Chelsea’s strength in depth — witness the prosaic contributions of Darren Fletcher and Park Ji Sung — but if they can steer clear of injuries and suspensions, the dream is on.
Sir Alex Ferguson certainly believes it. “This just proves that you shouldn’t listen to Jose Mourinho,” he chortled. “He said Chelsea would be top at Christmas, but they’re not. Ours was a fantastic performance against a good side. There was a lot of energy in the Villa team and we had to handle that.”
For a crowd in festive mood, there was a nostalgic treat shortly before the kick-off when Ron Saunders was feted on his return to Villa Park. The manager who won the league with Villa in 1981 walked out over a contractual dispute and took charge of Birmingham City the next season, leaving his erstwhile assistant, Tony Barton, to oversee the club’s finest hour, when they won the European Cup in 1982. This was the first time that Saunders, 74, had been back to watch a match since his acrimonious departure and, deservedly, he was given the warmest of receptions.
United made two significant changes to the team beaten last weekend. Michael Carrick could be out for a fortnight with an ankle injury, and gave way to Fletcher, and Wayne Rooney spent the first 66 minutes on the bench before getting on for Park. Ferguson explained that Rooney had missed two days’ training after suffering a family bereavement in midweek.
Villa were busily competitive, as is their wont under O’Neill, and they created the first chance, when Gareth Barry swung in a free kick from the right and Craig Gardner, at the near post, headed against Edwin van der Sar’s left-hand upright. It took United half an hour to get into their stride and to bring the full panoply of Ronaldo’s talents to bear. Their first goal attempt was fashioned by his clever backheel, which worked a shooting chance for Patrice Evra. Then Fletcher wasted a chance set up by Ronaldo’s cross, shooting tamely wide.
Before half-time, United were asserting themselves and Ryan Giggs broke clear from deep, evading Gavin McCann and drawing Olof Mellberg before supplying Ronaldo, who, after turning Hughes, should have hit the target, but failed to do so.
Villa were on the back foot, reliant on spirit and organisation, both of which they possess in abundance these days. Their best hope was always Gabriel Agbonlahor’s pace on the break, but knocking the ball long for him to chase is too predictable to inconvenience opponents of this calibre.
The first goal, and United’s 2,000th under Ferguson’s management, came after 58 minutes, when Hughes, in the spirit of seasonal goodwill, made a present of possession to Giggs near the halfway line. The Welshman advanced with pace and purpose before setting up Ronaldo, who scored at the second attempt.
The issue was effectively settled seven minutes later, when Giggs’ corner from the right was headed out by McCann, but only to Scholes, who, from 25 yards, volleyed in via the underside of the crossbar.
Villa might have had a penalty when Nemanja Vidic appeared to impede Stilian Petrov, but United always had the initiative, and might have had the third when Rooney cut the ball back for Ronaldo, whose shot hit Gabor Kiraly’s boot. The man of the match had the ball in the net again, from an offside position, then did it for real, courtesy of Neville’s overlap. “Fantastic” was Ferguson’s description of Portugal’s finest. “He’s having a marvellous season.” And so, of course, are United.
Star Man: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
Player Ratings: Aston Villa: Kiraly 5, Hughes 4, Mellberg 6, Cahill 5, Barry 6, Petrov 5, McCann 7 (Angel 76min, 5), Gardner 6, Davis 5, Sutton 6, Agbonlahor 5
Manchester United: Van der Sar 6, Neville 6, Ferdinand 6, Vidic 6, Evra 6, Park 5 (Rooney 66min, 6), Fletcher 5, Scholes 7 (Silvestre 88min, 5), Ronaldo 8, Saha 6, Giggs 6 (O’Shea 88min, 5)
Referee: S Bennett
Attendance: 42,551
PLAYER ratings from United's win at Aston Villa.
6 Van der Sar: Keeping warm was largely his biggest job of afternoon
7 Neville: A typically solid performance from the Reds skipper
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7 Evra: Back from injury and back to form where he left off
7 Ferdinand: The wily old Sutton never got any change out of Rio
7 Vidic: Looked slightly off colour very early on but soon recovered his stability
9 Ronaldo: By far United's most dangerous weapon. He wore Villa down and broke the deadlock
7 Fletcher: Worked tirelessly and excellently to break Villa's momentum in midfield
7 Scholes: Anything Drogba can do! Fantastic finish
6 Park: First start since August and looked rusty at times but improved
7 Giggs: Upset Fergie a couple of times but not as much as he upset Villa on occasions
6 Saha: A struggle for the Frenchman and never really got a decent opportunity
Subs:
6 Rooney (sub Park 66) Joined in with festivities well
5 O'Shea (sub Scholes 87) No time for major impact
5 Silvestre (sub Giggs 87) Few touches
Brown, Kuszczak not used
Aston Villa: Kiraly, Mellberg, Barry, McCann (Angel 74), Petrov, Davis, Agbonlahor, Hughes, Sutton, Cahill, Gardner
Goals:
Aston Villa:
United: Ronaldo (58, 85), Scholes (64)
Bookings:
Aston Villa: Sutton (73)
United: Vidic (15), Scholes (77), Ronaldo (85)
Referee: S Bennett - Ran the game well 7
Attendance: 42,551
A scally loves Utd or is it Garry Nev or both ?
JINGLE BELLS
JINGLE ALL THE WAY
OH WOT FUN IT IS TO SEE
UTD WIN AWAY
J
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