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Home , Darren Fletcher, Patrice Evra

20 Monday, September 29, 2008 Premiership Wanderer

First half 7 mins – Elmander creates a 14 mins – Park hits the side- 31 mins – Nolan scoops his good opportunity for himself but netting after Jaaskelainen fails to shot well over on a rare action shots screws his shot horribly wide hold Te vez’s low drive Wanderers foray forward Wanderers (4-5-1)

JUSSI JAASKELAINEN Made some vital stops early on from Ronaldo and Ander- son. Nearly let Park in with a 8 fumble but the Finn was superb in the main. GRETAR STEINSSON Won’t have been through many more strenuous tests. WHITES’ REF JUSTICE Did enough to stem the tide 6 but got forward only on the rare occasion. GARY CAHILL Styles’ penalty err Slightly panicky early on, the youngster certainly had the busy first team return he pre- 6 dicted. Grew in stature as the game went on. costs Wanderer ANDY O’BRIEN WHEN Looks much happier along- launched their Respect the Refer- MAN UTD side Cahill and provided some telling blocks and chal- 7 ee campaign amid a blaze of public- WANDERERS lenges. Berbatov and Tevez ity back in August, there seemed rarely got on top of him. genuine optimism that some of the ’s ills could be JLLOYD SAMUEL remedied with a bit of old fashioned By far his best display this common sense. season. Kept United at bay while providing good move- 8 The days of enraged players sur- ment going forward. Did not rounding officials with arms flailing or deserve Styles’ decision. unnecessary touchline outbursts were to be curbed. It would be left up to the GAVIN MCCANN captain to speak with the referee – O’Brien and Gavin McCann af respect restored at last. series of wild clearances. Brought in to add experi- But as half-time approached, W ence, he provided some Hurray, shouted the public – let’s get wise words when United 7 back to the football. ers had calmed down and should have threatened to overpower. But somewhere among all the taken the lead. Gretar Steinsson got leaflets, pin badges and slick promos around the outside of Evra to deliver a the game’s rule makers forgot to men- cross toward Davies, who slid in but KEVIN NOLAN tion that with all the fuss about officials, failed to get a touch. F backing up, side-footed past the post. Worked hard to close down they had also outlawed tackling during space in midfield but was the summer and neglected to inform Precious few opportunities of that largely ineffective going for- 6 Bolton Wanderers. quality come your way at Old T ward. His passing was below After seeing publicly yet 40 seconds af par too. dressed down for a tackle on Arsenal’s do Gardner got another glimpse of goal, only to hit his volley into the floor and FABRICE MUAMBA Gael Clichy last week that would hardly have raised an eyebrow a decade ago, the wrong side of the post. His best performance for Jlloyd Samuel has now found out to his United found some cohesion and Wanderers. Energy and cost that winning the ball at Old Traf- shaved the woodwork when Ronaldo enthusiasm was a thorn in 8 ford is also a no-no. turned Andy O’Brien United’s side. On the other Every Wanderers fan feared the worst ance toward goal. It was as near as the hand, there was ‘that’ miss. when bore down on Reds had come, and there was tangible JOHAN ELMANDER the full-back like a lion stalking an ante- concern among their massive support lope with the score at 0-0. Yet when this might not be their day Some neat touches but never Samuel conjured a tackle right out of Styles changed all that on the hour really forced his way into the the defenders’ manual with all the pre- mark. Not a single United player game. Lost the physical bat- 6 cision you could ever ask for, it summed appealed after Ronaldo tumbled to the tle with Ferdinand and Vidic. up how well the Whites had managed floor having been robbed of the ball by their illustrious neighbours to that the impressive Samuel. RICARDO GARDNER point in the game. The Portuguese superstar is condi- One perfectly-positioned man dis- tioned to go to ground in such situa Always enthusiastic on the agreed. The same man who was twice tions, yet as he peered up from the tur ball, Gardner rarely stretched suspended by the Premier League for he could hardly have imagined in his his legs as he had to revert 6 wildest dreams his side would get a to defensive duties for much remarkably erratic penalty decisions of the afternoon. against and City penalty.Perhaps the subdued celebra- last season. The same man who did not tion said it all as he blasted the ball KEVIN DAVIES come out after watching a replay to say down the centre of goal. ‘I got it wrong.’ Megson gambled – bringing on Ebi Back on the right, Davies Should respect not be reciprocal? Smolarek and Ricardo V didn’t present the same United’s players could barely make side’s compact shape was lost. threat he has of late. Typical- 6 But when W ly, however, he got his head eye contact. That was not the case for down to work for the cause. Gary Megson, whose stare was fixed Scholes came on to exploit the space, rather firmly on the man he believed there seemed little chance of United SUBSTITUTES had cost his side another shock result losing their lead. at the Theatre of Dreams. When the inevitable second goal Subs: Al-Habsi; Taylor; Joey O’Brien; Smolarek There had been warning signs Styles arrived, it was a thing of pure beauty. 72 (for Gardner); Riga; Vaz Te 66, 5 (for Elman- was warming up to a decision of this Ronaldo darting down the lef der); Shittu. magnitude. Davies and Johan Elman- Steinsson before back-heeling into the der were booked for the softest of tack- path of Rooney les on Nemanja Vidic and . retreating Kevin Nolan before placing a Man Utd Even with Styles’ assitance, United precise shot inside the far post. were not operating at full tilt. Just one Whereas against Arsenal seven days win in four and with a midfield which earlier, Wanderers could take heart (4-4-2) lacked much physical punch, they were from an encouraging second-half dis restricted to half chances thanks to a play, the sense of injustice masked any ...... 6 disciplined Wanderers defence. such feelings as they tr ...... 6 Even on an off day, Anderson and pitch this weekend. ...... 7 Ronaldo kept Jussi Jaaskelainen busy. Styles will no doubt get some garden NEMANJA VIDIC ...... 7 The Finn made a series of full-length ing leave in Exeter or Aldershot next saves, letting just one evade his grasp, weekend as punishment for his game- PATRICE EVRA ...... 8 which Ji-Sung Park could only manage turning error but his lack of a post- CRISTIANO RONALDO ...... 8 to chip back into the side-netting. match explanation leaves a bitter taste. ...... 6 It was panicky at times. Gary Cahill Respect is ear ANDERSON ...... 7 WHATAMISS: Bolton’s Fabrice Muamba cannot believe it after his dreadful miss at had to be verbally sedated by Andy FA woke up to that. JI-SUNG PARK ...... 6 ...... 6 ...... 6 Second half 46 mins – Gardner volley flies 49 mins – Wanderers receive a Subs: Amos; Rooney 69, 7 (for Tevez); Giggs; inches wide of the post 40 let-off when Ronaldo’s shot on the Goal! 79 (for Ronaldo); Scholes 69, 7 (for action shots seconds after the restart turn hits the post Anderson); O’Shea; Evans. theboltonnews.co.uk/wanderers Monday, September 29, 2008 21

his 34 mins – Jaskelainen is called 36 mins – Jaaskelainen does 41 mins – Muamba wastes a 45 mins – Te vez heads wide into action again, this time well to keep out Ferdinand’s wonderful opportunity when he from Neville’s cross on the REFtipping over Anderson’s shot volleyJUSside-foots wide fromTICEeight yards stroke of half-time y error ers dear

TD ...... 2 ERERS . . . .0

BERBATOV v CAHILL AFTER a jittery opening on his Gavin McCann after a return from suspension, Cahill clearances. acquitted himself impressively time approached, Wander- against United’s star-studded ed down and should have ad. Gretar Steinsson got strikeforce and helped keep utside of Evra to deliver a Berbatov, making his home debut, Davies, who slid in but quiet on a disappointing afternoon a touch. Fabrice Muamba, for the champions’ new Bulgarian ide-footed past the post. striker. ew opportunities of that your way at Old Trafford, ds after the restart, Ricar- ot another glimpse of goal, s volley into the floor and e of the post. nd some cohesion and woodwork when Ronaldo O’Brien’s scuffed clear- goal. It was as near as the me, and there was tangible ng their massive support t be their day. ged all that on the hour VIDIC v a single United player er Ronaldo tumbled to the ELMANDER been robbed of the ball by IN his first game back from a ve Samuel. hamstring injury, which has ruled uese superstar is condi- him out since the second game of to ground in such situa- the season, the Swede showed he peered up from the turf plenty of nice touches but was too dly have imagined in his often left isolated with little support ms his side would get a as Bolton looked to defend in aps the subdued celebra- numbers, giving Vidic a trouble- all as he blasted the ball free afternoon. tre of goal. mbled – bringing on Ebi nd Ricardo VazTe. His ct shape was lost. and Paul e on to exploit the space, d little chance of United ead. inevitable second goal as a thing of pure beauty. ting down the left past ore back-heeling into the oney, who checked the vin Nolan before placing a nside the far post. EVRA v gainst Arsenal seven days derers could take heart DAVIES ouraging second-half dis- se of injustice masked any KEVIN Davies was moved to the as they trudged from the right to accommodate the returning ekend. Elmander and suffered one of his no doubt get some garden- quieter afternoons, while United’s Exeter or Aldershot next marauding French full-back dealt punishment for his game- comfortably with his opposite r but his lack of a post- number and joined the attack at ation leaves a bitter taste. every possible opportunity. arned. It is about time the o that. PAYING THE PENALTY: Cristiano Ronaldo goes over after Jlloyd Samuel’s challenge to win a penalty before, top, converting the spot-kick

60 mins – Ronaldo scores from the 77 mins – Substitute Rooney curls a 88 mins – Scholes should have penalty spot after referee Styles makes a brilliant second past Jaaskelainen after made it three but is denied by al! terrible mistake Goal! collecting Ronaldo’s clever back-heel Jaaskelainen’s boot