United v Boro (nearly) live blog

By: Simon James | September 23rd, 2008

Manchester United 2 – Middlesborough 1

Amos, Da Silva, Vidic, Brown, O’Shea, Nani, Possebon, Anderson, Giggs, Welbeck, Ronaldo
Subs from Zieler, Manucho, Gibson, Tevez, Cleverley, Gray, Eckersley

1st Half
Alves and Brown seem to be having quite a battle.
Welbeck seems to be very lively also.
Downing seems to be their biggest threat.
24 minutes – United, Ronaldo, score with a header. He’s very underrated in the air I feel.
Save from Amos from Wheater header.
40 minutes – Boro seem to have a head of steam for last 10
42 minutes – Ronaldo has shot saved, Da Silva offside anyway.
45+1 minutes – Giggs knocks one over the bar

HALF TIME
United’s team of youth and experience seem to be doing OK.
Whilst you’re waiting for the second half you may want to have a look at this Guardian article, very interesting. Drop in a comment if you want to discuss.

schaafito – PAY ATTENTION IN CLASS! I can’t be held responsible for you failing anything? What class is it?

Arsenal are 5 up at Sheffield United. Their team has an average age of nineteen. N-n-n-n-nineteen. Sorry, couldn’t resist. Swansea beating Cardiff 1-0, Sunderland 1 down to Northampton.

2nd Half
Boro’s Shawky is replaced by Adam Johnson.
46 minutes – United out of traps very quickly with Brad Jones saving from Welbeck.
50 Minutes – Nani has shot blocked by Wheater (he’s having a good season, even though he looks like an Easter Island statue)
53 Minutes – Adam Johson booked for unsporting behaviour. He insulted Da Silva’s landscaping gardening or something.
56 Minutes – DAMN IT, the pesky Adam Johnson pops up to volley home a screamer. Where did that come from?
57 Minutes – schaafito is ejected from class and sent to work in the mines.
60 Minutes – Ronaldo off for Tevez. Come on Carlos, get us a win.
64 Minutes – Seems to be all Boro at the moment. BUT WAIT, Pogatetz is OFF. A shocker of a challenge on Possebon and it’s a straight red. Possesbon has had to go off from that challenge, Gibson coming on. Boro have taken off Digard and replaced him with Riggot.
67 Minutes – Tevez looking lively as usual. He always plays like he’s being watched by his Dad.
68 Minutes – Gibson has a poke but Jones watches it out.
Lots of reaction to the Pogatetz challenge on Possebon, he has certainly broken his leg and it looked like a very deliberate attempt by Pogatetz, we haven’t the last of this. Ugly, very ugly.
77 Minutes – Nani’s shot saved comfortably by Jones.
79 Minutes – GIGGS! The Wonderful Welsh Wizard does it again for United with a lovely lob.
83 Minutes – Giggs off, well worth his money tonight AND MANUCHO ON! YEEE HAAA! Alves off for Emnes. And schaafito it’s Australian Brad Jones in nets for Boro.
86 Minutes – Sustained period of pressure for United, looking more confident now.
89 Minutes – Been quite a good game, Tevez has a bang and is then caught offside.
94 Minutes – Just time for another one! Nani getting on the scoresheet after a massive mistake from Wheater (after I had complimented earlier….)
99 Minutes – A lot of extra time after Possebon injury, we wish him well and a speedy recovery. But finally the ref blow’s it. A good win against a quite experienced side, I’ll take that. Well done United.

A good win marred by a horrific tackle and injury to Possebon. I hope they throw the book at Pogatetz, there is no room in the game for that type of thing. If they do, however, it will simply highlight the FA’s hypocrisy after they failed to deal out a lengthy ban to Newcastle’s Danny Guthrie on Hull’s Fagan.

Bring on Bolton.