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The clouds were grey and there wasnt a sign of sunshine anywhere. Cardinals Matt Bowman Jersey . Two Spanish players kicked the ball between each other as cameras ran around them looking for the perfect shot. The weather had given it away. It was clearly the north of England, but the skill on show on the pitch came from elsewhere. Juan Mata struck the ball hard off the bar and that was Ander Herreras cue to turn around, rifle the ball in the net and send a stern message to the camera. a€?Have you got the instinct? It was a message created up by the brain trust behind the latest Adidas campaign, but it is a test his new team has to pass if they want to progress. The two Manchester United players represent a new era at Old Trafford, despite them not being directly linked with Louis van Gaal. Gaalaticos, these are not. Mata was a David Moyes signing and Herrera was pursued by Moyes and the clubs chief executive, Ed Woodward, as early as the summer of 2013, yet only became a United player once the club finally caved and agreed to pay the 36 million Euro out clause to Athletic Bilbao for the midfielder. Herrera admitted he hadnt spoken to his new manager before he signed, but, then again, van Gaal was making his way to Fortaleza at the time for a last-16 tilt with Mexico for the Netherlands when the Spaniard finally put pen to paper at Old Trafford. It would be unfair on Herrera, though, to presume his face did not fit with van Gaals philosophy. The Dutch boss had been named the next manager at Old Trafford well before the final successful bid had been submitted to San Mames and it was clear, no matter who the manager was, that Herrera was a player United needed. It can take some time for overseas players to adapt to the Premier League, but last weekend the 25-year-old Spaniard looked like he had been playing in England all his life. Herrera was magnificent against QPR, operating on the right side of a midfield diamond, but receiving an incredible 87 passes all over the field. Highlighting his exceptional movement, both his full-backs, Rafael and Marcos Rojo, finished in the top three of players who completed passes to him. It was only QPR Four small words that have been thrown in the face of Manchester United fans all week. For the first time in 25 years, the club are not playing in a European competition this season, so they have more time than usual to digest domestic successes from the past weekend. It may have only been QPR, but Sundays hammering of the London club by van Gaals men showed they had the instinct, demonstrating a desire to push forward regularly with a speed from midfield that was lacking under Moyes. The game was over as a contest by half-time and, finally, their fans saw strong signs of progression away from the Moyes era. Such a low bar may have been set after the disastrous campaign of last season, yet it is important United break stride away from that period as quickly as possible. Before QPR, against Swansea and Burnley for example, questions remained. There are different ways to measure progress. Clearly, the easiest way to do this is by looking at the result and the 4-0 thumping over QPR meant van Gaal accomplished something, in his second home league game, that Moyes never did by winning a Premier League match at Old Trafford by four goals. United only won one game at home by four goals last season, coming in April under caretaker boss Ryan Giggs. It is also easy to look at a man-of-the-match performance from Angel Di Maria and see that United are finally trending in the right direction. Indeed, the former Real Madrid man was sensational on his home debut. The Argentine winger received a lot of praise for his performance, where he operated on the left side of the diamond, that was the reason for much of Uniteds success. Di Maria is a modern day footballer who brings speed, creativity and intelligence to pivotal positions on the field, starting counterattacks, igniting transitions and sending precise final balls into the penalty box for a striker to finish off. He is a player United should have had for some time, bought at a high-end cost that the club have avoided for far too long. The same can be said for the loan capture of Radamel Falcao, harshly criticized in the English media as a unnecessary luxury based on the issues in defence, but what both bring is a high level of talent and intelligence sadly lacking at Old Trafford for some time. They arrive at the gates of Old Trafford already as genuine world class players and, although this has been reported as a change of identity for the club, it was one that was needed. Falcao and Di Maria will be stars for United this season, helping shape an identity away from what they had become under Moyes where the team was, simply, far too predictable, far too direct and far too English. Midfield General The addition of Herrera is equally important as they move away from that direction. No matter what system van Gaal employs this season, what he needs is a vital link-up between defence and attack. A midfielder who has an appreciation for space and reads the game quicker than most and not one whose first move is to pass sideways. Herrera, the son of a former technical secretary at his boyhood club, Real Zaragoza, used to write scouting reports for his father on players before he was a teenager. He is a self-confessed football addict, who watches multiples leagues around the world. On the pitch it shows. He is a player with great instincts. Against QPR, he made a run into the box early in the game because he knew where Di Marias cross was going before he hit it. Robin van Persie collided with him because he wasnt used to having midfielders make those runs. He is now. His instincts and desire for the ball in tight quarters ensured he won all eight tackles he attempted and secured his team the free kick that Di Maria powered home in the first half. A short time later, he sprinted from deep in his own end on a Di Maria counter, checked his run, and then powered home his shot. He wasnt done, as he glided inside and into space to play a one-two with Mata that allowed United to penetrate into the final third that led to Wayne Rooneys goal. It was only one game of football, against inferior opposition, but Herrera brought qualities to Uniteds midfield that have been missing since Paul Scholes retired. An ability to join the attack, to always be an intelligent outlet by desiring the ball in space, by reading the flow of a move by his team and his opponent, and regularly being in the right place, with or without the ball. Di Maria and Falcao will be fun to watch for United fans this season, but Herreras development under van Gaal will be fascinating to observe. He blossomed under Marcelo Bielsa at Bilbao and in the Dutchman he gets another detailed-oriented boss who loves the game as much as him. He may not be a Gaalatico, but Herrera is the intelligent instigator whose instincts will win Manchester United a lot of games going forward. Ander Herrera and Manchester United travel to Leicester City this Sunday for their next Premier League clash. Join Kristian Jack and Andi Petrillo for the coverage starting at 8am et/5am pt TSN2. Cardinals Conner Greene Jersey . A Swiss Federal Tribunal ruling published Friday said that FIFAs disputes panel and the Court of Arbitration for Sport correctly imposed the sanction for Nantes enticing Guinea forward Ismael Bangoura to break his contract with Dubai club Al Nasr in January 2012. Cardinals Willie McGee Jersey . An offseason trade acquisition from Kansas City, Greinkes National League debut was delayed by a non-baseball injury in the spring, and he was 0-1 after dropping an 8-0 decision at Atlanta in his initial appearance with the Brewers on May 4. http://www.cheapcardinalsjerseysauthentic.com/?tag=cardinals-miles-mikolas-jersey . -- Desperate to stop Tom Bradys latest comeback bid, the Miami Dolphins sought help from a reserve safety making his NFL debut after being signed Tuesday off the San Francisco 49ers practice squad.MINNEAPOLIS - Most of the chants from the crowd in Minnesota earlier this season went like this: Teddy! Teddy! Teddy!This time the Green Bay fans took over: Eddie! Eddie! Eddie!Eddie Lacy gave the Packers another big lift. Teddy Bridgewater and the Vikings couldnt quite keep up.Lacy scored twice, on a run in the first quarter and a catch in the fourth quarter, and had season highs with 125 yards and 25 rushes to carry the Packers to a 24-21 victory over the Vikings on Sunday.Hes a workhorse. We need him in the winter months, said Aaron Rodgers, who threw for two touchdowns and 209 yards on 19-for-29 passing while again avoiding a turnover for the Packers (8-3).Those running plays between the tackles were working so well that Rodgers even surprised coach Mike McCarthy during a timeout by the Vikings with 2:31 left by lobbying for another one.I just kind of chuckled, because its usually the other way around, McCarthy said.Lacy and the offensive line delivered a 4-yard run on third-and-2 to take the clock to the 2-minute warning. One more first down sealed it for the Packers.One man cant tackle him, because hes just going to move his feet and hes going to fall forward every time, Vikings cornerback Xavier Rhodes said.After Bridgewaters second touchdown pass of the afternoon, the Vikings were within three points with 3:23 remaining. Coach Mike Zimmer said he shouldve called for an onside kick from the 50-yard line, after a roughing-the-passer penalty on the Packers during the previous play.I figured they were going to run the ball three times, and I figured we could stop them, Zimmer said.None of Lacys carries was more demoralizing than those gains of 3, 5, 4, 5 and 10 yards when the Packers got the ball back late in this game. The 10-yard reception on a shovel pass from Rodgers earlier in the fourth quarter to finish an 11-play, 87-yard drive was a dagger, too.Bouncing off guys, spinning off guys and getting into the end zone. Thats what Eddie does, right tackle Bryan Bulaga said.Here are some key points from the game:LACYS ILLNESSLacy wasnt around in the locker room to speak to reporters about his stellar performance because he wasnt feeling well, the Packers said. Three of his six career 100-yardd games have come against the Vikings. Cardinals Whitey Herzog Jersey. BRIDGEWATER COMEBACKBridgewater mostly played again like a rookie, misfiring several times with high throws. Micah Hyde intercepted his pass in the second quarter near midfield, setting up a touchdown drive for the Packers. Charles Johnson was wide open on third down inside the 20 twice. Both attempts were wide of the mark, forcing the Vikings to punt in the first quarter and kick a field goal in the third quarter. Bridgewater said he was too jumpy early in the game out of excitement about playing Rodgers and the Packers.I just have to settle down and remain poised and just let the game come to me, he said.MCCARTHY MILESTONEMcCarthy raised his regular-season record to 90-48-1 to pass Vince Lombardi (89-29-4) for second place on Green Bays regular season wins list, still trailing Curly Lambeau (209-104-21). McCarthy is 14-4-1 with five season sweeps against the Vikings since arriving in 2006, including 9-1-1 in the last 11 games.JOHNSON EMERGESFor the second straight week, Johnson was Bridgewaters go-to receiver, targeting him 11 times. Greg Jennings was the next closest with six. Johnson hauled in his first career touchdown pass, a 22-yard completion that tied the game at 7 in the second quarter, and finished with 52 yards.Johnson was a seventh-round draft pick by the Packers last year out of NCAA Division II Grand Valley State. He wound up with Cleveland during that injury-ruined rookie season and was on the practice squad this year with the Browns when the Vikings signed him two weeks in.So this was the perfect time for that first NFL score.It was pretty exciting for me. Im not going to lie, Johnson said. Ive got to give thanks to the offensive line and Teddy for getting the ball to me. I wish we wouldve won. I wouldve rather had that.NO LETDOWNThe Packers, who beat Philadelphia 53-20 and Chicago 55-14 the last two games, avoided the trap against a struggling opponent with a game at home against surging New England next week. 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