Catching up - Part 1

Since my last post, I've had my first trip to Wembley, old or new. I'm in hurry to return.

I'm not sure what was more disappointing; the team that Ferguson insulted the traveling fans and the FA Cup with or the fact that we were so close to going through in spite of that line up.

It was the little things that annoyed more than anything once the game had started; Danny Welbeck's reluctance to use pace to take on as one-paced a right back as you could ever hope to see. Tevez's continual refusal to behave as a striker. Ferguson's ridiculous bench that couldn't change a game should they be playing Sega Classics on the PS3. The penalty takers.

The weekend on the whole was fun though. I spent it with an Arsenal fan, so we had mutual mourning to do. The Everton fans were superb throughout, making a good atmosphere before, during and after the game and being sound for a chat in the hotel after the game. We even had one discussion where a dyed in the wool blue said that Gerrard was the best player in the league. I suppose you can expect them to overlook Rooney given his history.

Wembley is a fantastic stadium. Massive without feeling distance from the pitch. The facilities inside are superb, the amount of space on the concourse is astounding. A shame about the pitch, eh?

Onto midweek and one of Ferguson's many days of reckoning in the aftermath of the semi-final defeat.

Luckily he was vindicated in many ways as we coasted to a very comfortable win against Portsmouth who never really troubled after a reasonably bright start.

The next game was a rather less sedate affair. Those who remember the 0-3 to 5-3 game will have been forgiven for thinking this was orchestrated but it unfolded exactly as we all knew it would. Eh, no. I'd written off our season at half time, in my own typical fashion.

A lot of time has passed so I won't go into details on the match except to cover the most controversial moment of the game...

No, not the penalty. You'll see almost identical penalties erroneously given all over the country, all season long. I'm talking about the decision to allow Wilson Palacios to stay on the pitch after a two-footed lunge on Ronaldo which thankfully the Portuguese evaded, lest his season be ended there and then. The lack of backbone demonstrated there set the tone and it was no surprise that Jenas went unpunished when he lead with his arm into Berbatov's face. Would Spurs have scored twice if down to ten or even nine men? No, thought not. Still, everyone loves a moan about us (myself included all too often)...