A Start

That's all I can really say about it.  It wasn't a good start in the Post-Roy Era, and it wasn't a bad one either.  There were some things I can take positives from, but a 1-0 loss to that team in the FA Cup is never something I'll feel good about.  Quite frankly, the way the first half went we were always up against it.

I'd love to sit here and rant and rave that it's all Howard Webb's fault, I really would.  Feels good to be the victim sometimes, and absolves you of blame.  And the penalty was a ridiculous decision, and the kind of thing we should have expected.  But I can't justify Gerrard's tackle in any way, and I've really tried, but he had to go.  Maybe it wasn't malicious, but it was reckless and dangerous, and that's enough.  And you're better off letting Michael Carrick have the ball anyway, what's he going to do with it?  Once again, Man U won a match when they weren't really all that good, which they've been specializing in all season.  They tell me that it just means they're going to run away with the league when they kick into gear, but to me they could just as easily fall back to the pack when their luck runs out, as maybe this is just as good as they are.  Time will tell.

What do we know about Dalglish?  Hard to say.  The team definitely tried to pass more and played a higher line. But that could just be a result of having Agger and Aurelio back in the lineup.  They showed more verve at Old Trafford than they have most away games this season, but maybe that's just a result of the manager change.  We'll need more sample size. 

Still, with only 10 men United only threatened during a brief flurry from a corner.  But then Pool didn't make Kuszcak work much either.  Other thoughts:

-Hopefully, Dalglish is really dispensing with Kyrgiakos and Konchesky, and hopefully he'll add Maxi to that list soon, who has all the usefulness of a fire hydrant.  And gets involved so rarely I would imagine dogs piss on him too.

-Agger makes such a huge difference to the defense.  They play the ball, Skrtel seems to have more confidence around him, his name should be first on the team sheet.

-You can haul off Torres and not get jeered, Rafa.  We know you're in shock.

-Lucas has to foul more than anyone in the league.

-More Martin Kelly, please.

We'll know more after this week with Blackpool away and then the derby at home.