Leadership and responsibility are not terms normally associated with Cristiano Ronaldo, but he displayed these very traits in another match winning performance against Newcastle United yesterday.
His 4th successive Man of the Match performance included more trickery and thrusting runs than I could count, and three shots that came back off the woodwork. At this rate, the PFA award for Player of the Year will be a One (Trick) Pony Race. Nevermind that Newcastle were inept, with 5 strung across the midfield and Amoebi isolated up front; United clearly showed signs of renewed confidence borne of the Benfica victory.
Digression:
Against the self-styled “Toon Army”, who should have scored other than Ole Gunnar Solskjaer – “Alan Sh$#@er is so much dearer” – the second a fortioutus lucky deflection off Vidic’s shot. Nothing grates me more – apart from the hordes of Murdering Scouse Scum – than the sight of the self-styled “best supporters in the land”.
They shouted “Your support is fucking shite”. Errr, where were you when you were shite? Their average attendance during the 1989 season, when they were relegated from the top flight, was a measy 22,815. Imagine that. Those were the days before Sky and Premiership money, when football supporters were really supporters. Now the replica-wearing, over-weight, slapper-infested and sickly accented Geordies are the best supporters in the land? Muppets, more like. Do they not see the irony of wearing their replica jerseys, and its resemblance to the electronic bar-codes that accompanied the Thatcherite revolution, that same revolution that decimated the coal mines and shipyards of the North East? Are they unaware of the deeds of Freddy Shephard and his clan and what they have done to their club?
Welcome to the Ship of Fools.
Match report:
But we digress. Apart from Ronaldo’s wizardy, it was great to see Ole back in goal-scoring action in front of the Stretford End. How long has it been? At the back, Vidic was once again the embodiment of strength and controlled aggression. The unlucky Gabby Heinze, however, injured his hamstring and will be out for at least a month. Evra, despite some roaring runs down the flank, has yet to give the impression that he will be a reliable and solid alternative at left-back.
After 2 dismal results in the League, United (of the Red variety) climbed back to the top of the table and now lead Chelsea by a comfortable margin (a goal difference of plus 2). Life-long Reds will point to this as just the calm before the storm: United, after all, have a proclivity for atrocious Octobers in the past.
Without wishing to enjinx what is already a Jinx month, although United’s forthcoming matches includes fixtures versus the Murdering Scum and Bolton, the likelihood of an implosion is somewhat mitigated in part by the international break. That top of the table feeling will feel even better if United are still top at the beginning of November.
