Toughest Derby of the year

To quote myself...

The league cup game against Derby this week should be a formality after their very fortuitous victory over Forest Green at the weekend. They appear as a club in disarray, having never really recovered from their disastrous spell in the Premier League last year, and are currently managerless after the resignation of Paul Jewell. Hopefully we'll see appearances from the likes of Possebon, Rafael, Nani, Evans, Foster and Tevez as all need games at present.

I think I was wrong, though my mind is slowly closing off the synapses that allow me to remember any of that embarrassment. I think I'm finally finished defending Nani. His selfishness and arrogance are not even slightly matched by his ability and when up against the easiest opposition he could really hope for, he continued his one-man attempted showboat and failed yet again. I said on a forum earlier in the week that a large part of our success is how everyone gives 100%. I should have added on that this is for the team. Nani most certainly gives 100%, but only to himself.

Other players such as Jonny Evans, Vidic, Rafael did themselves justice. Rafael wasn't helped by the baffling decision to place Gibson on the wing, where he was clearly lost as to defensive and attacking duties. Tevez looked rustier than ever. Welbeck didn't get much of the ball, so hard to tell if he could have made an impact. Paul Scholes looked terrible, which is a concern. The inverse team should play against Chelsea on Sunday – VDS, Neville, Vidic, Rio, Evra, Ronaldo, Carrick, Fletcher, Park, Rooney, Berbatov.

It is a real credit to Park and Fletcher that I no longer cringe when seeing their names involved in such a big game. Park may not offer much in the way of goals and assists, but his tireless performances have so often helped us grind out results. Fletcher has been a revelation, and beside Carrick they have been keeping very tidy midfields of late. If we can out scrap Chelsea there, we have a real chance against a team who aren't setting the league alight themselves.

I see after pointing out that we were definitely finished in the transfer market after the Serbs were signed, Ferguson has brought in a defender that isn't good enough for Stoke. Baffling, but we'll see what happens. Didn't know reserves made signings yet.

Tevez money being allocated for Benzema? Hmmm.