Easy Win at Home [MU 2 - 0 Fulham]

Okay, it was too easy. I almost fall asleep in the 2nd half when everybody on the field merely waiting for the match to finish.

United took the lead when Nani, a constant threat and playing like a man determined to book his place in the Champions League quarter-final, wriggled from two challenges, exchanged passes with Anderson then placed the ball at the feet of Dimitar Berbatov, who was given the attacker's benefit of a marginal offside decision.

His finish was a confident sidefoot past Mark Schwarzer, his 21st goal in the league this season. Not bad for a support act.

The second, 'a comedy of errors', according to Hughes, was also inspired by Nani. Patrice Evra chipped a ball down the wing for the Portugal winger, who delightfully slipped past the hopelessly rampaging Schwarzer.

He then steadied himself for a cross, which deflected off Aaron Hughes for Antonio Valencia, almost on the goalline, to nod in.

The brilliance of Michael Carrick at Stamford Bridge

Traveling to Stamford Bridge on an European night and to come away victorious is a daunting task; one that requires a valiant and class performance by numerous squad members. This is precisely what happened when Manchester United emerged with a 0-1 victory over Chelsea FC in a UEFA Champions League quarter-final tie. Perhaps it is because not many other footballers can conjure up such a wide range of opinion on their value, or perhaps it is because his inconsistent form in recent times has lent credence to both sides of the debate, but no other player captured my attention on Wednesday evening like Michael Carrick did. He was simply superb. He was a midfield maestro. A romantic might say he was United's heartbeat.

I've generally been on the side of the argument that appreciates Carrick and I feel that his subtle contributions can easily go unnoticed. However, I've also become increasingly frustrated with the midfielder for his inconsistent performances since his shocker versus FC Barcelona in the 2009 Champions League final. There are many who are staunch defenders of Carrick, including Michael Cox, the editor of the fantastic website Zonal Marking. No matter which side of the divide one stands on when it comes to an opinion on Carrick, I think anyone who watched United's clash with Chelsea can agree that the midfielder played a vital role in the away side's success. On the evening's defining moment, it was Carrick who launched an incisive 50-yard diagonal ball that found Ryan Giggs into space before the Welshman teed up Rooney for what proved to be the winner. It was Carrick's vision and range of passing on this decisive sequence that provided the heartbeat for Giggs' sublime first-touch and Rooney's clinical finish.

A tactical breakdown on how and why Carrick was so key to United's victory after the jump...

As often can be the case for a player, tactics proved to be important reason why Carrick played so well. Chelsea played in an asymmetrical '4-4-2' for the first 71 minutes of the match. The shape was staggered horizontally, but not vertically. Thus, there was quite a bit of space in between the attacking, midfield, and defensive lines. While Rooney exposed the space between Chelsea's defense and midfield, it was Carrick, who in his role as a deep-lying playmaker, that exposed the space between Chelsea's midfield and strikers. Neither of the strikers, Didier Drogba or Fernando Torres, dropped back consistently to help in defending when United were in possession. In addition, with a two-man central midfield, Chelsea's Frank Lampard and Michael Essien were cautious in their movements as they didn't want to leave too much space in between themselves. Thus, Essien wasn't deep enough to track Rooney's deep movements and Lampard wasn't high enough up the pitch to occupy the deep-lying Carrick. He was able to simply swing the ball wide or hit the dangerous long diagonal down the flanks for the wide players or Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez to run onto.

A common theme for Carrick when he struggles, and also virtually for any other midfielder, is when teams apply relentless pressure high up the pitch. No side in the world is better at this than Barcelona, thus, this helps partially explain why Carrick struggled so much in that final in Rome. He wasn't afforded adequate time or space to offer, receive, and turn so that he could look to distribute. Some are obviously better than others at negating this (i.e. Paul Scholes, Xavi Hernandez), but Carrick himself often struggles to distribute effectively when he receives the ball with his back to goal. This actually is the case for Xabi Alonso at times as well.

However, if Carrick is allowed time and space to receive and turn so that he can face the attack, then the playmaker is world-class in keeping possession and igniting the attack. In Wednesday night's Champions League match, Lampard didn't close down Carrick when the United midfielder received the ball, therefore, the midfielder was able to boss the center of the pitch. This chalkboard of Carrick's distribution versus Chelsea is courtesy of Total Football's iPhone app:

As you can see, Lampard not closing down on Carrick allowed him time to be both accurate and incisive with a wide range of passing. 36 passes completed out of 41 passes attempted (88%) is excellent. Carrick did well to both link with Giggs and Rooney in the middle and also to quickly swing the ball wide so that United could attack with width. Lampard was consistently 5-15 yards away from Carrick; much too far away to prevent Carrick from dictating play.

A common argument made is that Carrick too often passes the ball sideways or even backwards. This occurs at a higher rate when opposing midfielders press United. However, I argue that as long as Carrick is still completing a high percentage of passes, then this patient passing is highly beneficial to your team. Even by making the simple pass, your team keeps possession and allows time for the rest of your attack to build and get forward. Where I think the criticism is somewhat valid though is that Carrick still needs to hit the incisive direct pass on occasion to expose a relentless press.

Carrick was also very good in shielding his defense versus Chelsea. By playing in a deep-lying role, he is responsible for his share of defending. Carrick certainly isn't a destroyer in the mold of Nigel De Jong or the way Claude Makelele was, but he is sound defensively because of the way he reads the game and positions himself. At the Bridge, Carrick intercepted seven passes according to Opta, three more than any other player on the pitch. The other effective way that Carrick "defends" is by being so good at keeping possession. Attacking often is the best way to defend.

All in all, this was a brilliant performance by our creative central-midfielder. On a night where much went right for United and where there was spurts of attacking flow, it was Carrick that provided the heartbeat for it all.

http://www.thebusbybabe.com/2011/4/7/2095980/the-brilliance-of-michael-carrick-at-stamford-bridge

Wayne Brilliant Europe Winner (Chelsea 0-1)

It is on nights like this when these Manchester United players deliver.

When Wayne Rooney reminds us why his employers took a sledgehammer to their wage structure to keep him.

When Rio Ferdinand defies all logic and delivers a colossal performance on his first appearance in more than two months. When Edwin van der Sar throws himself across the six-yard box like a goalkeeper half his age. And when Ryan Giggs forgets he, too, is now getting on a bit and plays like the winger who once terrorised right backs across Europe.

Even if they have an advantage in this fiercely contested tie because of a referee’s failure to spot a clear penalty for Chelsea in stoppage time, United deserved the precious away goal they take back to Old Trafford. Just as they deserved their first win here at Stamford Bridge in nine years.

They were terrific; as defiant as Sir Alex Ferguson has been in the face of so much criticism these
past few weeks and as determined as ever, proving once again that success has not spoiled them; that they remain as hungry as a manager who at one point turned to United’s supporters and demanded they raise the decibel level another notch.

No wonder Ferguson so adores Giggs. Whatever his secret, be it the yoga he practises to keep those aging muscles supple or the ultra-professional attitude that has allowed him to break all those
records, the Welshman is becoming something of a modern medical phenomenon.

Ferguson deployed him in central midfield here, but the burst of speed he produced to race past
Jose Bosingwa and deliver the ball that enabled Rooney to land that 24th-minute blow was amazing.
Freakish almost.

But Giggs was not alone in impressing. Not even close given the composure of Ferdinand, the class of Rooney and the enduring excellence of Van der Sar. The athletic dive he produced to push a Fernando Torres header to safety in the second half was magnificent. The man is 40, for crying out loud.

It was astonishing, the sight of Giggs controlling Carrick’s 40-yard pass and accelerating beyond Bosingwa in one glorious movement before delivering the ball to Rooney. Positioned close to the penalty spot, Rooney calmly slotted his shot beyond the reach of Petr Cech and in off the far post.

Further foul challenges followed — with Zhirkov picking up a belated first booking for a crunching tackle on Hernandez — as did the sight of Torres diving in desperation.

And when Rafael came off second best in a collision with Drogba after the break, Ferguson was forced to make a change that put more pressure on Ferdinand and his colleagues. He had to move Valencia to right back and deploy Nani on the wing.

Before that, Chelsea had gone desperately close to equalising. Having escaped the clutches of Ferdinand and Rafael, Drogba sent in a cross that missed an advancing Torres but also bounced beyond Van der Sar, off the far post and into the path of Lampard.

He, in turn, did well to get in a shot when he was off balance but his effort was cleared off the line by Evra before Carrick blocked his second attempt. It was courageous defending, even if Chelsea could count themselves unfortunate.

Nothing, however, compared to the sense of injustice in the dying minutes after Evra came in from the wrong side to take Ramires as well as the ball. It sparked ugly scenes at the end, Mallenco being shoved after booking Torres for diving.

Ancelotti felt the need to order his players away from the official when the final whistle went — only for the Chelsea boss to then remonstrate himself, painfully aware now of the pressure he will be under next week.

iPad2 to Launch in Malaysia on 18 April 2011

iPad2 Launch in Malaysia on 18 April 2011

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Stuff of Champions - Rooney Hattrick

1st, Super freekick...

celebrating the hat-trick...

Superbly taken second...

...but said the wrong words to the camera

a game for Vidic to forget...

...and for Evra too. Giggs took over at left back in the second half.

2 goals down at half time, in danger of losing the grip on the title, Arsenal and Chelsea are laughing watching this half time result... how are United going to response in the second half?

4 goals in 20 minutes! That is stuff of the champions!

Berba Winner against Bolton

Stay Strong, Japan

UEFA has announced today that a minute's silence will be observed before kick-off at all UEFA club competition matches taking place this week, as a show of support for Japan and as a mark of respect for the victims following the tragic earthquake and ensuing tsunami that affected the country on Friday 11 March.