Evening all: And since we're in Lord Wrigley's silver jubilee week, here's the $ex Pistols. And while we're in a musical mood, here's a song for Manchester United and one for Otelul Galati. How about some team news?
Manchester United: De Gea; Jones, Ferdinand, Evans, Fabio Da Silva; Valencia, Anderson, Rooney, Nani; Berbatov, Owen.
Subs: Lindegaard, Evra, Park, Hernandez, Welbeck, Pogba, Fryers.
Otelul Galati: Grahovac; Rapa, Costin, Sarghi, Salageanu; Neagu, Filip, Giurgiu, Antal, Ilie; Pena.
Subs: Branet, Skubic, Benga, Iorga, Paraschiv, Frunza, Punosevac.
Referee: Marijo Strahonja (Croatia)
That's an interesting United line-up, probably the lowest total shirt numbers they've had for a long time with Nos1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 all featuring. Wayne Rooney's going to play in midfield, we hear. It's about as far from a 1-0 line-up as it's possible to get. Ray Wilkins thinks that this will be a cakewalk for the home side, though Galati looked pretty robust in Bucharest's national stadium. Incidentally I wrote a piece about Galati before their home tie, well more a trivia box, and noted that the eating of sunflower seeds was specifically banned in that ground. Is it really such a problem?
A correspondent writes: "That's a great picture of Berbatov's reaction of seeing his name on the teamsheet," boom-tishes Cristian Oquendo. How far we have come from the days of Berbarotica to the Bulgarian maestro barely featuring and slotting in at centre-half, Frank Stapleton-style, at Elland Road. There's an interesting stat in the excellent Uefa press kit, that Otelul have had only six corners in the group stage to date. If you don't buy a ticket, you can't win the raffle etc. Better news for the team, though, in that their flag now flies atop the sixth-highest mountain in the world, Cho Oyu, after Otelul fan Tiberiu Pintilie scaled the summit last week and plonked it there.
Sunflower seed update: Philip West writes: "Come to Turkey, to a cinema or a stadium, and just look at the piles of discarded seed cases on the floor. And I mean piles …they eat sunflower seeds like our fans knock back 12 pints of lager. Natural waste – OK, but horrible to look at!" An aesthetic ban, then, but also a health and safety one as George in Moscow also points out: "The average Romanian man can get through at least 1 x 200g pack per 45 minutes. What you need to understand is that the sunflower seed husks are spat out by the eater, resulting in an attractive pile of shells around his feet. These are then either distributed by the wind all over the pitch and the stadium or made soggy by the rain. Wet sunflower seed husks are incredibly slippy. Banning the things sounds like a very wise move." I am truly enlightened, as I was by listening to Tony Evans of the Times last week saying that Manchester United's main problem is the lack of a central midfielder adept at taking the ball off the centre-halves and thus overusing Patrice Evra as an outlet from the back. Presumably Phil Jones will be the target for the default ball out of defence tonight.
Greetings to the man at the top of the page: from Ivo Stoyanov: "It's the mess that spitting the hulls creates that is the issue. It's probably an Eastern European thing, as sunflower seeds are very popular back home in Bulgaria, too. And speaking of Bulgaria, Berbatov's inclusion today should be fun. He should thrive on playing off of a withdrawn Rooney." And so hope all those suffering Berba withdrawal symptoms. He's been out for a long time, though. Has his confidence suffered? Mark Gillies asks: "Is it my imagination, or is Gary Neville sporting suspiciously dark hair? Also, I thought Lindegaard was first choice for CL games? Any news as to why De Gea's been given the nod?" No official explanation for either, I'm afraid. It had a touch of the Paul McCartney's about it, though, Neville's barnet.
1 min: United kick off and head back towards their own goal before giving the ball away to Antal on the right of the attack before he's squeezed out but gets a second and third bite after some sloppy passes from Anderson and Rooney but the final ball loops to De Gea.
3 min: United build from the back, Evans stroking the ball to Ferdinand and back again, then finding Owen in the inside-right position who tucks it out for Valencia by the whitewash and he overhits his back-post cross over Berbatov's head.
4 min: Fabio breaks upfield from left-back, storms into the box, slips but the second ball is all so far tonight as he gets it back again, tries to find Bertbatov but the ball's knocked out for a corner, taken short to Anderson and he is forced backwards before Nani's cross is cleared.
6 min: The home side have a free-kick 25 yards out on the left, tapped across to Rooney in the Paul Scholes lurking position square and outside the box but the pass is too heavy, eludes Rooney and Valencia has to scamper to get his toe on it and poke it tamely into the box.
GOAL!! Manchester Utd 1-0 Otelul (Valencia) It's been coming and decent link-up play between Rooney and Berbatov sets up an opportunity for the Bulgarian to find Jones overlapping on the right. Owen moves for the near post cross, takes a defender with him, spins to make contact, misses and Valencia ghosts in at the far post and taps it in.
10 min: United have given the ball away a bit too frequently, though, and almost gift Otelul an instant chance to equalise but the connection was poor. Manchester United substitution, Owen off, injured presumably spinning to make contact at the near post for the goal. Hernandez comes on.
13 min: Paul Morris writes: "I never cease to be dumbfounded by the people who can obviously see the game (ie commenting on Gary Neville's hair) and still write in to the Minute By Minute. Are you that starved for football content? I would have thought watching the game would be more than enough. And yes, I am jealous that I am stuck at work instead of parked on the couch at home. I don't have a lot to contribute to the sunflower seed discussion, although when I was at the Bernabeu in early 2009 to see Madrid vs. Villareal, I sat next to a large Spanish man who plowed through sunflower seeds and spat them out all around his feet like some sort of Scrooge McDuck of shells. I thought he was merely trying to quit smoking, but he proceeded to light up a cigarette at half time." Interactivity, it's the future, Paul … apparently. Beats shouting at the telly. Kev writes on the merking possibilities of sunflower seeds: "The Canadians also spit the seed endlessly. It is viewed as the ultimate in social humor at Ice Hockey games in Alberta to eject your husk into the anorak hood of the spectator in front of you throughout the game and then follow them out to the icy wasteland, doubling as a car park, and watch as they flick their hood up, covering their mullet (all Albertans still maintain one) in a mixture of sunflower husks and lumberjack spittle. Oh those Albertans …" Back to the match, where United make further progress up the right through Jones but the cross is poor. Rooney is looking for hail mary passes out to Jones and is so close to hitting the perfect one.
15 min: Rapa and Antal combine up the right and almost make progress when Nani tries to be too clever by half and usher the ball out for a goalkick. Rapa dispossesses him and clips in a cross, hoofed out acrobatically by Evans.
17 min: Sarghi comes through Hernandez with a slide tackle and is not penalised but the ball runs through to Ferdinand who builds from the back until the long pass forward is blocked. Owen has mild thigh knack stretching for Jones's cross.
20 min: Forgot to mention that Costin was booked for clattering Berbatov. Otelul have a free-kick 40 yards out after Fabio's foul. It's knocked long into the box where Ferdinand booms a headed clearance but they come back and get a corner, taken short, pushed 35 yards back to Salageanu who falls flat on his face under Jones's challenge but no foul is given.
23 min: United's tempo is fairly slow and too many long balls are being hit from the back, giving away possession. I'm not sure if it's poor execution from United's defenders or a lack of options in space. Sunflower seeds, the gift that keeps giving. "I am a Montreal Canadiens fan living in Ottawa," writes Peter Darbyshire, "where we know nothing of the exciting way Albertans live. Thanks to Kev for enlightening me. It truly is a land of two solitudes Canada, isn't it?" We're here to help, Peter. Another Otelul free kick just in front of the centre circle, taken by Salageanu and it sails into De Gea's hands. A classic Butchism about the Romanian: "A very pleasant left foot."
26 min: Ferdinand and Evans are stroking the ball about with a nonchalance that borders on having the cigars lit but Pena and Antal harry them, forcing Evans to check back and roll it to De Gea who belts it into touch as Pena races to beat him to it. Taking a few risks too many, I think.
28 min: "Costin gets a stud in the side, bless him," says Raymondo. It's like going to the theatre with a maiden aunt. United win a corner after Rooney tonks a lovely pass out to Valencia who cuts it back for Jones to shoot. It's going wide off a deflection but the keeper can't stop conceding the corner, valiantly though he tries. They over-elaborate the corner, go back but come back at them when Rooney power heads to Hernandez's feet but the Mexican screws his shot wide of Otelul's right post.
31 min: Barnstorming run up the left from Fabio, excellent control on a 50-yard burst as he pelts through the gaps between defenders trying to sandwich him but he goes a tad too far and falls trying to cross a yard in from the dead ball line.
33 min: Now Jones plays a one-two with Valencia and attacks from the other flank, cutting in to shoot with his left foot, a ball curving into the net before cleared by a defensive header for a corner.
35 min: Rooney's playing very well in this role. he's not under a great deal of pressure on him but there's a definite swagger about his enjoyment of seeing so much ball and using it so well.
37 min: Brad McMillan has a response for Phil Morriss: "I may be the only one, but after 10 years of having my own place and being able to afford Sky, and with there being so much live football available to watch, I've actually grown quite bored of moving images of players on a pitch, and find it more interesting reading (almost) real time opinions of others. Don't get me wrong, I'm not on 100 different message boards at a time, it normally is just the Guardian (occasionally BBC and I never write in to them), and the TV is on for me to see the goals when they happen. Hopefully Phil Morris understands." Well, I do, Brad. Evans is booked for a sliding tackle into Pena, catching the forward flush on the ankle. It was a rash decision to go for that 20-80 ball.
39 min: Rooney's found his passing range, pinging them a la Scholes right and left, finding Valencia in a great position on the right but the winger handles when trying to control it and the move ends. Courtney Fleury stands up for slighted Albertans: "As an Albertan, I am shocked and alarmed to read about my fellow people spitting things into other's hoods as it opposes the stereotype of us Canadians being far too polite, which is what I prefer to think. The issue of mullets, however, is unfortunately true."
41 min: Neagu has a shot from 35 yards that swerves and dips slightly but straight at De Gea who catches it comfortably. That came after Berbatov threading a smart pass through to Hernandez who was forced too wide to get his shot on target. Then Rooney and Hernandez link up to play the Mexican into the box but Costin tackles him fairly and superbly.
42 min: Nani gives the ball away cheaply with a negligent back pass and Neagu biffs in a shot that De Geas blocks. Slack stuff. Lax.
44 min: Gary Naylor casts Butch as the Brian Cant of commentary: "Is it just me, or does Ray Wilkins have both the voice and the vocabulary of a Playschool presenter? 'Through the round window... ooh, what's this? It's Dimitar Berbatov. He's a footballer. He has a pleasant left foot doesn't he? Lovely, lovely touch for a big man too... (cont p94).' It's not just you, Gary.
45 min: United have had 65% of the possession, a lot of it at the back, and while they generally look in control they are prone to moments of hair-tearing silliness, giving the ball away in dangerous positions and wasting momentum. Anderson has a shot with his right-foot as some penalty box pinball fires the ball out to him but he tilts it miles wide.
Half time: Back in 10 minutes. Justin Kavanagh has made me smile: "You're right about Butch Wilkins morphing into the maiden aunt at the theatre. He's learnt to pass comments the way he used to pass balls: sideways but with a bit of bite. Like a crab. Bless him." More on the burning issue of the day, seedgate, from Bill Johnstone: "Further to spitting seeds into your neighbour's anorak while watching ice hockey in Alberta: Our own Adam Kleeberger is from Elk Point, Alberta (late of Canada's recently too-short Rugby World Cup campaign in NZ, great big beard & played blindside flanker). 220 lbs of muscle and attitude, his beard was probably 6lbs. If you spat seeds into his anorak, you'd never be able to outrun him later on in the icy parking lot. Better to just throw yourself under the Zamboni (ice cleaning machine) or plead for forgiveness." Oof. There's a football match going on, too. And Mike Hesford's not happy: "We need a better second half! To many long balls. We need Rooney to get stuck in a little more." I don't think there's anyone for him to get stuck into. He's got acres of space and is exploiting it to showcase his Hoddle impression.
46 min: United are finding it difficult, according to Lord Ferg, because Galati are defending with a very high line and are pretty aggressive. Hmm. I'd say it;s beacause Evans and Nani keep wasting possession and Evans does it again and Salageanu whips in a fizzing cross that De Gea clutches to his chest.
48 min: What deft feet Berbatov has, playing a sumptuously weighted pass into Jones who slots Hernandez into the box and he hits it round the corner to Berbatov wide on the right. Good save from Grahovac from Berbatov's intended cross to Anderson. "How come when Rooney sprays the ball about its à la Scholes and when Beckham does the same it's a Hollywood pass?" asks Stuart Cox. "Still, at least Beckham is now in the right place in Los Angeles."
50 min: Neagu now links up well with Rapa up the right but the ball skips away from him as he's forced wide. They're going to get caught out if they don't start concentrating and tackling properly.
52 min: Now Anderson gives away the ball to Neagu who touches it out to the left-back Salageanu who knocks in another dangerous cross. Ilie off for the Romanians Frunza on.
54 min: "Any chance of a minute by minute on the performance of Fabio. The progress (or lack there of) of the twins fascinates me," writes Hugh O'Reilly. He looks very assured in possession and can cause havoc with his forward runs but he has drifted in and out of this game as Jones seems to be the go-to man. Ben Dunn is not a Michael Owen fan: "What does Owen do during the months of down-time between his Manchester appearances? It sure can't be football as he gets crocked whenever he tries. Does he forget to warm and stretch his muscles before kick-off? Is his salary injury based? or is he 83?" The former, injury-proof I'd suggest.
56 min: Sarghu now has aback-post header that gets the Galati fans going. It's not threatening in direction but with Frunza now causing problems for Fabio, this match isn't settled. OK, I'll say it. United have been awful since half-time.
58 min: Anderson plays a one-two on the edge of the box with Berbatov who finds the Brazilian with a sharp pass round the corner and he hooks the ball towards goal, over the keeper but without the pace to stop the defender getting back to boot it away three feet from crossing the line.
60 min: "I'm not sure I can answer Stuart Cox's ponderings on one-man's Hollywood being another man's Scholes," writes Ben Dunn. "But I am sure that when Gerrard tries the same his are aptly named wild, aimless hoofs into the stands." Back come Galati, pena holding the ball up well in the centre of the field then tapping the ball to Antal bursting up the right. He shoots just outside the box but he slices it wide. That was Antal's last touch as he's replaced by Iorga. I don't think they're always "wild, aimless hoofs into the stand". I think sometimes Gerrard suffers from thinking he has to do everything on his own. He has to be the messiah whenever Liverpool are struggling so he tries these Hail Marys too often.
64 min: Fabio runs up the left and chips the ball through to Berbatov who keeps left, cuts the ball back to Hernandez who rolls it on to Nani who moves the ball on to his left foot and shoots straight at the keeper. There's no noise from United's fans, says Ray Wilkins. He's right.
66 min: Munteanu is going nuts on the touchline. Given this performance you'd expect Ferguson to be doing the same. Fabio's cross is tamely headed to the keeper.
69 min: Costin spins a fine long pass out to Iorgu who powers past Fabio and knocks a cross into the box which United clear. Elliot Carr-Barnsley is worried about the prospects of seeds in the hood: "I haven't told anyone that I'm going to Canada on Friday for two months working in Saskatchewan. I thought it would be a fun surprise. Are these the only joys I can expect of my free time? Never too late to turn back. That said, I will probably get there more quickly than this alleged half hour train home." Anderson has a certain languidness about him tonight, never really sprinting for the ball, trying ambitious passes without assessing the risks. I thought he had improved this past six months but his old failings are evident tonight.
71 min: Berbatov drosp into left-back to cut out a ball from Neagu to Iorgu after Nani stood there. The Portuguese then concedes a freekick 10 yards in from the touchline, swung in by Salageanu but there's a push in the box and United have a free-kick.
74 min: Is that thing Alex Ferguson zips up to his chin a cardigan or is it part of the coat? I'll ask Hadley. Here's Ryan Dunne, pertinent as usual: "Surely, if Scholes was the English Xavi, then that also meant not only superb defence-splitting passes, but also a high rate of pass completion? It's not necessarily a slur to point out that Gerrard, in contrast, can on occasion sacrifice accuracy for vaulting ambition. I do find it ironic when people try and paint Gerrard as under-rated tho. In the early 00s, 'real' football fans were prone to contrast gritty Scouse Stevie G with "overrated" "Hollywood" Becks, despite the fact that the latter was, at his peak, the best crosser of the ball in the world." Rapa plays a suicidal back pass to Berbatov on the left of the box and he dinks it over the keeper but into the side netting. It's all gone quite over here. All you can hear are the Romanian fans.
77 min: United are fannying around to a ridiculous extent. They look rattled. Here's Jijn John, on the red-eye: "Manchester United have been awful for too long … Ah screw it. What's the point? It's the same every time. Someone in midfield hoofs the ball into the path of someone running on the flanks who tries to get the ball into the box and it all ends up without a shot on target. Wayne Rooney seems to be having too much fun on the ball to try and score. It seems like all Man Utd do is get the ball into the box and hope Chicarito gets an assorted body part onto it. I mean seriously … I don't know how long I can go on without getting me some awesomeness of Berbatovian proportions. Although the optimist in me still hopes that all this is Sir Ferg trying to disguise the fact that Man Utd can play fluid attacking football. He just wants to keep it a secret. Sorry if I sound cranky, but it's 2.46 am here and I have no idea why I am still watching the match." Top rant, son. Take a bow.
79 min: Lovely cross from Rapa, Giurgiu makes a running flying leap at the header and smacks into Jones. Free-kick Manchester United. Not sure that was justified. It wasn't reckless and he didn't foul him, just a coming together as they went up for it Park comes on for Anderson.
82 min: Berbatov backheels a pass in the box to Park but slightly too heavily in the tight space Park had to receive it. Up the other end Evans concedes a free-kick that Galati blast straight down the middle of goal but their forwards fail to get a decisive touch on it to wrongfoot De Gea. The kids pen has a falsetto rendition of "United!" God, it's quite. Shockingly so.
84 min: So many replica-shirted fans in the stands and nary a peep. Perhaps this is over the top but they ought to be booing this half-bottomed performance.
GOAL!! Manchester United 2-0 Galati (Rooney) That's an own goal by usual standards. United string 30 passes together, moving forward 10 yards at a time then bivouacing before moving on again. When they get to the edge of the area Park strokes it back to Rooney who shoots from 20 yards and his shot aimed for the bottom left-corner hits Sarghi and goes into the other corner.
89 min: Fryers comes on for United. Jijin John is owed an apology for my misspelling of his name earlier. "This is the second time I have gotten a mention in an MBM. This is the second time I've mocked my beloved United on an MBM. And this is the second time, my name's been wrong in an MBM." he owes me one, though, for using a sad face colon thingy.
90 min+1: Rooney had an attempt at a volley from 20 yards, centrally, like a latter day Ronnie Whelan circa 1981 but got under it and skyed it over the bar.
90 min+2: Paraschiv has a left-foot shot past De Gea's left-hand post and that's it. United win 2-0. That was a lacklustre performance after some promising work from Wayne Rooney in the first half but too often Anderson, Nani and Evans gave away possession and an embarrassing equaliser was a threat for far too long. Galati may have played counter-attacking football with a high defensive line but even so a team of United's calibre should have been able to get behind that defence with more regularity. Still, they go top of the group but have to improve. A new midfielder in January may be vital if they're going to make it to a third final in four years. Thanks for all your emails. Good night and a message from Ray Wilkins: "Bless."
