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Article by Mark
Graham, Stats Nerd
Match Review
F.A. Cup Semi Final, Watford 1 v 4 Manchester United,
Villa Park, 17.30pm, Saturday 14th April 2007.
Goals: Watford:
Bouazza (26) Manchester United :
Rooney (7), (66),
Ronaldo (28), Richardson (82).
Attendance: 37,425
United entered the English football history books once again
as the 1st team to play an FA Cup final at the new and
expensive Wembley stadium after beating a stubborn Watford
side, a brace from Rooney & a goal from Ronaldo & Kieran
Richardson was more than enough to advance.
 Before
the match your reporter gathered with many Reds outside the
Aston Hotel where many fans had congregated, singing &
drinking peacefully (as we always do) bringing beer etc from
home & purchasing in the local shops. In the midst of
the as per usual heavy police presence, one of our West
Cumbria Reds who is a member of the Parachute Regiment was
drinking & talking to a couple of the many Policemen one
being an ex Para, and he had told our Simon that a
compilation of video footage of United fans behaviour before
& after matches was being compiled before being given to the
Italian police for information.
This tactic is of course to try to show the Itie shithouses
that the extreme force that is always on show is so
unnecessary and a Police presence is all that is required,
the West Midlands Police conducted themselves superbly as
all British Police do on match day, but as per usual there
will always be a small contingence of "Shit for Brains"
United fans who for example think that stealing the signs
from above the turnstile entrances at the United end was in
some way funny.
"He must ave Rocking Horse shite for brains" a Brummy Police
man said to you're reporter as he could see I was shaking my
head.
 A
crowd of 37,425 spread themselves out around Villa Park (Editor:
especially in the Watford end) making a lot of
noise and for Reds in the Trinity End, we were welcomed by
the site of many many empty seats from the ticket fiasco.
With SAF loosing JOS (calf) our already threadbare back four
was tested to the limit as natural Left back Patrice Evra
swapped flanks and played as a right back, United were soon
into gear as Rooney open the scoring before the ten minute
mark.
Fielding an almost full strength squad for what was
available SAF opted to play Alan Smith in the strikers role
& the Yorkshire man responded with another excellent game,
Michael Carrick passed toward Smith who dummied the
midfielders ball, where Rooney running from the left
controlled the ball switching the ball to his right foot
before unleashing a pile driver of an effort from the
opener.
Seemingly unfazed by this opening goal Watford kept in the
game and worked but with United looking dangerous the
Hornets needed to score & scored they did with goal not
unlike Denis Law. EVDS who had recently received a
broken nose was kicked in the beak again and after the match
was held up for a lengthy portion, after receiving
treatment, whilst the cobwebs were clearing & the cotton
wool was stuffed into EVDS nose Smith headed on into the box
where Bouazza blasted an overhead kick off Heinze's arm
where the deflection was enough to send the ball past the
diving EVDS.
With Watford level and some sort of platform created to work
upon their hard work was undone in two minutes as Rooney
powered into a challenge racing through on goal before
crossing for Ronaldo to tap in from close range.
Toward the end of the half United were dealt another injury
blow as Rio Ferdinand was replaced after picking up a groin
injury, Ferdinand's replacement was Darren Fletcher who
after a shuffled played at rightback for the rest of the
game (very well).
United went out of the 1st half with a flurry of chances as
a brilliant save only matched by brilliant built up play
from Giggs & Rooney kept the score within Watford's reach,
Fletcher then went close with a header before the half time
whistle blew.
Starting the second half quicker than the Reds, Watford
played there best football of the day in a ten minute
portion keeping United away and keeping possession, Bouazza
went close for Watford but the Premierships bottom side was
undone for good with United's third.
Gathering the ball in space Alan Smith threaded a ball
into Rooney in the box where Rooney clipped his shot past
Lee leaving no way back for Watford.
SAF then removed Ronaldo for Richardson, and the Bentley driving
Cockney Gangsta scored United's fourth with a superb chip, Alan Smith
again providing the assist putting the final touches to a United v
Chelski FA Cup Final.
So a big up goes to Bernard, Clayton Calvert & his son
of Sam , Tester, Tinker, Niffy, Mike, Tanner, Craig, Toddy, Abbot,
Adele, Sue, The Coal man, Kath
& Gareth
United Starting Line-up
Player Ratings in parenthesis
van der Sar (5); Evra (7), Ferdinand (7), Brown
(7), Heinze (7);
Ronaldo (7), Scholes (5), Carrick (6),
Giggs (6);
Smith (8), Rooney (8).
Subs Used: Fletcher (7) for
Ferdinand (40 mins), Richardson (7) for
Ronaldo (77 mins), Solskjaer (6)
for Giggs (83 mins).
Subs not used:
Kuszczak, Cathcart
United's Man of the Match
Alan Smith looked the part again with two assists and a
whole lotta work, but Rooney made it his own day with two goals and a
Rooney like display!!!.
Keano16's Reaction
A final against the history-less & false Chelski
now awaits United & a the game promises
to be a chess type affair of Manchester United's attacking flair v
Chelsea's resilience.
A classic Good vs Evil if I have ever seen it.
Moan of the Match
The empty seats as pictured above.
Was Our Prediction Right?
We said 3-1, United Rant 7 v 45 Wrong Predictions.
Milestones
Wayne Rooney's 7th & 8th FA Cup goals of his United
career & 54th & 55th goals overall.
Cristiano Ronaldo's 9th FA Cup goal of his United career
& 48th goal overall.
Kieran Richardson's 4th FA Cup goal of his United career & 10th goal
overall
Miscellaneous Info
United’s next match is on Tuesday 17th April 2007 (H)
to Sheff Utd in the Premiership, 20.00pm K.O.
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