THE MANC U BOAT

So Rooney stays.Facebook and social media are abuzz with statuses of calling the MANCS hypocrites.
Toppies in the plaza says it was a ploy by Fergie to take the limelight of Rooneys affairs.
Is he still a true and true Scouse you bloody MANCS

WHO SHOULD GO-ROONEY OR FERGIE

So Im back from the Bush.I go onto the net and I see Liverpool in Shambles.Ok Il be honest I know thay wont get relegated.The Big News is that Wayne  "Fucken" Rooney wants to leave the MANCS.Now I kow in the past the toppie blasted owes like Stam,Becks,Keane so its not about the name.
But this time round many MANCS are saying that the Toppie should give it up.
What are your views?

WILL THE MANCS BEAT MILAN

Well its Champians League this week and its Big. The MANCS vs MILAN.Will the MANCS do it. Ive been involved in a slufest with DELL to sort my internet.2 f34ken weeks and not resolved.For the time being I thought Id post this. Are Milan the MANCS DADAS.Will it be the battle of the R's.Will it be Rooney or Ronaldino.Remember theres no penaltinho.Will teh DOHOS of Milan beat the MANCS.Its big and its tough.

Also Jose vs Ancelotti.CANT WAIT!

England v Italy: Five Reasons Why Manchester United Will Beat Milan

Goal.com's Peter Staunton examines the Red Devils' chances against the Rossoneri.
By Peter Staunton

EPL: Darren Fletcher, Manchester United v Everton (Getty Images)Two of Europe's elite clash on Tuesday night in the Champions League last 16 first-leg when Manchester United travel to San Siro to take on Milan. The English champions, and last season's beaten finalists, are tipped as favourites for the tie but will need to be wary of the Rossoneri's continental pedigree, which carried them through a tricky group that contained three previous winners of the competition.
United are again top of the Premier League rankings and seem to be chugging into form ominously as spring approaches. Despite the losses of key personnel through injury, the Old Trafford side continue to function as a formidable unit, even if a chunk of their pizzazz has been removed since the exit of Cristiano Ronaldo. No matter, Sir Alex Ferguson's team have enough quality and experience in their ranks to overcome Serie A's third-placed team.

Here's why:
Experience:
For the past two seasons, United have cut a swath through to the finals of the Champions League, beating the best teams that the continent had to offer, including Barcelona, Chelsea, Inter and Arsenal. This season, even when they were without some of their key players, the Premier League leaders made their Champions League tasks look easy. The only defeat they suffered came in a dead rubber against Besiktas once qualification for the knockouts was assured. Fergie has built winning momentum in the competition and made sure that his side are an imposing prospect for the opposition, no matter the personnel on the field.

Wayne Rooney:
The Scouse striker has seemingly been liberated since the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo, weighing in with his most impressive goalscoring season to date. However, goals only tell part of the Rooney story. His link-up play, physicality and instinct mark him out as one of the most devastatingly effective players in the world at the moment. Rooney is capable of sublime moments but it is often his willingness to undertake the rudimentary with a a frightening zeal that makes him nigh-on unplayable. A sure bet to score at least once over the two ties.

Fitness:
Energy, sharpness, edge, incisiveness, verve; whatever you want to call it, Manchester United have it in abundance. Patrice Evra will hassle and harry at every opportunity in the opposition half, Darren Fletcher will prevent Andrea Pirlo from having the time and space he needs in order to wave his magic wand and Wayne Rooney will test the mettle of a fragile defensive duo of Alessandro Nesta and Thiago Silva. United will not let Milan settle into the kind of game they want to play. More likely is that the English side will dictate the tempo and force the ageing Milanese to play a quick game, resulting in a high rate of possession turnover. United are masters at counter-attacking too, so if Milan moves break down at the edge of the box, United will breakout at a canter and hit Milan with more speed and power than they can handle.

Dida:
If you are looking for a goalkeeper to spoon a clearance to opposition attackers or drop a cross at a key time, then Dida is surely your man. The Brazilian netminder seems a solid enough last line of defence for about 89 minutes of every game, however, he is an accident waiting to happen. Witness Raul's goal against Milan in the group stages as evidence of this. No matter if Alessandro Nesta and Thiago Silva are fit and ready, the Rossoneri still need Dida to be on guard. Rooney and co. will need no second invite to pounce on his inevitable errors.

Vengeance:
Well matched at Old Trafford, outplayed at San Siro, United's 2007 Champions League defeat to Milan has left a bitter aftertaste in the throats of the English champions. Milan, led imperiously by Kaka, were far and away superior to United, and went on to lift the trophy. The Red Devils failed to give anything close to a decent account of themselves and will be relishing the opportunity to get one back on the Italians this time around. Milan are muddling on with much of the same number as those ties but have replaced the likes of Maldini and Kaka with players of inferior quality.

THE RED MAN SPEAKS

Manchester United News &Views


Steve Bruce – Grooming of an Orchestrator.


Of all the candidates from the Ferguson school of managers one man has gone about his business quietly & effectively. One man has succeeded, failed, recovered & honed his managerial skills to its current state of robust fearlessness. Sunderland’s victory against the Gunners can best be described as a display that had Steve Bruce’s persona stamped all over it. Bruce made his United debut in 1988, his partnership with Gary Pallister was one of the strongest in England back in the early to mid 90’s. Bruce as a player lacked natural skill yet his determination & grit saw him become one of the toughest central defenders in Britain which helped United succeed in Europe & England. Similarly Sunderland’s discipline against the Arsenal never allowed the Londoners to stamp their authority instead Bruce’s men were determined not to be outdone. They never panicked on the ball & passed it around at will. Bruce was fearless on the field with battle scars to prove he had the ability to score crucial goals mainly due to his aerial strength. The Wearsiders controlled aggressions thus far have seen them pick crucial points off United, Liverpool & Arsenal in their realistic bid for a top 10 finish. Bruce’s tactical intelligence has transformed Sunderland’s organization on the field, he has instilled a tireless work ethic backed by the skill & scoring ability of players like Darren Bent, Kieran Richardson & Steed Malbranque. Undoubtedly he must have learnt a great deal from the best in the business during his time at the Theatre. He has successfully served his apprenticeship with Birmingham bringing them up to the Premiership twice & saved Wigan from potential relegation in 2007 before leading them to a 11th place finish last season where exciting talents like Wilson Palacios & Antonio Valencia made their mark.


The evidence thus far on Bruce is he has the ability to organize a working unit working for each other. He is uncontroversial & aggressive only when it’s called for. He has an eye for talent & can efficiently spend within a budget to achieve the clubs goals. Compare these crucial traits to all of Fergies students who would love to take up the helm at the Theatre: Bryan Robson, Roy Keane, Mark Hughes, Mike Phelan & Paul Ince. Steve Bruce stands out head & shoulders purely because of his consistency. In fact scratch out ‘Sparky’ from that list cos “once you go blue you’ll never be true”. The media’s number one candidate Jose Mourinho ‘Mr Bloated Ego’ if you think back got lucky due to an incorrect offside decision given against Paul Scholes in that infamous second leg tie against Porto when United got dumped from the Champions League & Porto went on to win it. It was not marginal it was stone dead onside. Yes this attention seeker has a winning mentality but not one that fits United due to his outspoken controversial nature. As for the volatile Roy Keane like Fergie said ‘You never know what this guy might do next” his quitting Sunderland has tarnished his reputation a bit. A potential successor will need to adopt the Manchester United philosophy of football & possibly work under Sir Alex as technical director. My Pick goes to Steve Bruce for the next Orchestrator of the Theatre!!

Games vs. Everton (3-0)


The Red Devils recovered convincingly after the Chelsea defeat & really a cruel result at the Bridge when United dominated that game. A draw against Chelsea would have been fair result but the ref was under pressure by the Blue support & it showed. Why Evans kicked out at Drogba boggles the mind, if he hadn’t the sequence of play would probably not have led to the opening goal. But we dusted ourselves off & got on with business against Everton with an impressive display of character that chewed up the Toffees. Man of the match & a worthy shout out to Patrice Evra who commanded the entire left flank in defense & attack. United will need a lot more goals from midfield to challenge for silverware & this was an encouraging indication of that. Darren Fletcher who I loathed for a long while is starting to prove a lot of people wrong. He has the potential to be a great midfield power house. For one he is not losing possession anymore in silly ways. His tackling and ball winning is spot on. If he keeps improving on his finishing we might have a world class midfielder here.

Looking Ahead


From me this will be the last post for the Theatre for 2009. I will possibly pick this up next January when United’s next big game will be the Gunners. From now till then United cannot afford to slip up if a credible challenge to retain the title is to materialize. Chelsea have the Arsenal up next followed by a trip to Man City & United need to capitalize on every opportunity to make up ground. The Blues will miss their African stars in January during the AFCON cup but a potential move for Frank Ribery looks to be on the cards. United need only hope that Owen Hargreaves can realize his true potential when he returns & they might not need to spend in the transfer window. Rio Ferdinands continued injury plight has caused defensive problems, worryingly there are doubts he might not return to his best form judging from recent displays. Tonights clash with Besiktas will allow Fergie to play some reserves & maybe let the defensive partnership of Brown & Vidic to gel. Obertan has provided an extra dimension on the left it’s still early days but this guy looks like he will be first choice on the left ahead of Nani & Tosic. The depth in the squad looks good in all areas as a crucial stage of the title race beckons.


RedMan

RED MAN SPEAKS

Manchester United News & Views

Contenders - Chelsea. (Sunday 8th Nov)

One headline billed this fixture as Judgment Day for United as a test of their resolve against the Champions elect. Chelsea are the only realistic prospects at this stage to dethrone United as Champions. They are looking formidable with the best goal difference of +20. An indication of their strength upfront in Drogba’s prolific scoring record of nine goals already this season & Lampards prowess in midfield chipping in with four. Their strength comes from the middle which I regard as one of the best midfield combinations in the world. Essien, Ballack, Deco & Mikel complete an all star cast capable of beating anyone on their day. Man for man they are stronger in midfield compared to United. But the Red Devils have the precious experience of seasoned campaigners who know what it takes to grind out results. Last season’s Champions League semi final against Barcelona was really a sorry sight for the Blues as in my opinion they were cheated out of a second consecutive final appearance. They have already stumbled twice this season at Wigan & Villa which is an indication of their defensive frailties. John Terry really doesn’t have a reliable central defensive partner, Ricardo Carvalho has lost his consistency & given his willingness to leave Chelsea on a few occasions Chelsea have lost that sense of invincibility they had under Mourinho. But United play them away & our poor record at the Bridge over the last 6 seasons will be a psychological advantage for the Blues. Picking United’s midfield combination for this game remains anyone’s guess. United have plenty of defensive options & if they can keep a clean sheet in this game a positive result could be in the offering. As Rio Ferdinand remains constantly dogged by injury let’s hope he is not once again rushed back into the first team.

Most pundits figure Chelsea will have a blip in January when the African Nations Cup comes around & The Blues will lose four crucial players, Drogba & Essien being the most notable. It will be a serious blow as the talented Drogba does carry Chelsea a lot at times as he displayed last night against Atletico. With their pending transfer ban on appeal their ability to successfully see off the start of the New Year will most likely determine the destiny of the Premiership title.


Games vs. Blackburn (2-0)

The Brazilian Anderson seems to be much more consistent this season. He has good drive carrying the ball into the opposition half but his finishing leaves a lot to be desired. His wayward swipe from about 20 yards in the second half of this fixture was really embarrassing however he delightfully carved out the second goal for Rooney. It’s great to see Gabrielle Obertan building his confidence & running at opposition defenses. Although he missed a sitter for a dream debut if he can keep Nani on his toes the competitiveness will provide a lot of depth on the left. Berba’s goal was magnificent & Rooney’s 7th of the season absolute class. The thing about Rooney is he has matured a great deal & plays with a lot more intelligence & all round awareness.


Vs CSKA Moscow

United seemed to take a victory for granted & were caught out with some relaxed defending. The Russians always looked useful on the counter as the Serbian Krasic yet again the focal point of their impressive movement upfront. The turning point had to be when the Red Devils were denied a stone dead penalty & Fletcher booked for diving which Sir Alex rightfully described as unbelievable. Had we got an early second half goal & the relentless pressure we put the ‘Army Men’ under victory would have been in sight. Michael Owen could have bagged a couple but as long he keeps scoring he keeps knocking on that England door. A call up by Capello would boost his confidence a whole lot more.


Looking Ahead


It’s getting tight at the top of the premiership, the Arsenal have been going about their business quietly & impressively. There impressive one touch game dumped Liverpool out of the Mickey Mouse cup last week & even their reserves are capable of that superb passing game they brand the ‘Arsenal Way’. Fabregas will be a colossus in years to come his solo effort against Spurs had me lost for words. Their only weakness seems to be a leaky defense but if they win their game in hand they could level United for points. So getting a result at the Bridge is crucial for United.


RedMan

THE REDMAN SPEAKS

Manchester United News & Views



Games Roundup


Vs CSKA Moscow (1-0).


It was a very composed patient performance against the Russians. United bided their time, knew chances would come & just needed to capitalize on them. This is exactly what Valencia did as the Red Devils are virtually in the second phase with a home game again against CSKA up next. The player that stood out for me in this game was the Serbian Krasic. The physically imposing midfielder caused United a lot of problems. His pace & skill helped him threaten Van Der Sar’s goal on more than one occasion. I’m sure we will be seeing more from him right through to the World Cup as the Serbs head for South Africa.

V Liverpool (2-0)


Liverpool were clearly the better team in the clash at Anfield. They just pressured & harried United for 90 minutes, thereby creating more chances & could have easily been 2-0 up at half time. They had more desire about them & United’s midfield just couldn’t cope. Is that a sign of an aged Paul Scholes? Together with Carrick & Rooney up front the offense was largely ineffective. Rooney should not have started & Giggs would have been more effective playing a central role. Maybe a 4-5-1 with Berbatov playing the lone striker & more bodies in midfield could have allowed us some dominance. The contstant rotation in midfield really isn’t helping. United need an established hard man in the center, Fletcher is starting to come around but injury meant he was sorely missed in this game. In the second half United’s defense stepped up to turn the tide & played a dangerous high line. Liverpool countered to great effect & when Valencia hit the cross bar the writing was on the wall. Questions about Rio Ferdinand’s form are ever increasing. He was caught for pace against Torres but then again Van Der Sar was beaten at his near post. So the blame has to be shared. But if Fergie knows he is off form why the hell start him in the first place when Jonny Evans looks more stable. Surely Vidic needs to come under some scrutiny every time he gets caught flat footed he commits defensive suicide. Being sent off for the third time in the same fixture is cause for alarm. Fergie admittedly claimed United were second best & I’m sure there is a new found respect for the scousers.

 

Last night’s game against Barnsley was a good recovery game. Mark Robins has quietly gone on with business since he left United 2 decades ago. Now manager of Barnsley the British press holds him responsible for saving Fergies career. Its load of BS really cos if Fergie hadn’t delivered the first title in 1991 I’m sure he would still have been sacked. Gabriel Obertan made a mediocre debut & looked like he still needs to adjust to the pace of the English game. Another red card & the 4th one this season for United, Neville the culprit this time. Always nice to see Owen score & did he score a beauty.

Looking Ahead


Analyzing the weekends results United were in fact very lucky as both Man City & Arsenal dropped points. If City had won & with their game in hand second position would have been under threat. The fixtures are coming in thick & fast & the Red Devils are away to Chelsea in a couple of week’s time & a Carling Cup quarterfinal fixture in the mix. Its Blackburn at home this weekend.


RedMan

THE RED MAN SPEAKS

Manchester United News & Views

The Ryan Giggs Tribute

The Plaudits seem to be endless, the praises deeply appreciative & one poster stated “Arise Sir Ryan Giggs”. Indeed one of the greatest Manchester United players to have graced Old Trafford. The veteran of 36 still glides pass players 10 years his junior. The way he danced passed defenders in the Manchester derby was sheer eye candy. Stephen Ireland must have felt dizzy when Giggs turned him inside out as he produced quality cross after cross down the left. Against Wolfsberg yet again his vision & intelligence around the box was immense. His simplistic approach in dismantling Stokes defense cannot heap enough superlatives. Where are all the boo boys & doubters who questioned his PFA award last season. He has been the cornerstone of Sir Alex’s record haul of 11 Premier Titles & 2 Champions League triumphs & deserves every ounce of praise.

Key to his success is his discipline off the pitch, Ryan by his own admission has made a lot of sacrifices. His clean lifestyle & level headed approach to life has kept him away from the tabloid wolves. He has endured Ferguson during his time, learnt from him, taken his advice & reaped the rewards. Simply put where Beckham failed Giggs has succeeded. A panel of Sky Sports pundits this past week were discussing his amazing longevity & evident were his fitness levels & desire & hunger to keep playing football at the highest level. He has captained United predominantly over the last 3 seasons & you cannot pick a better role model. Giggs has reached yet another milestone in his marvelous United career joining the elusive group of players who have hit 150 goals for the club with his equalizer against Wolfsburg. The most capped United player of all time & most decorated player in English Football recalls his five best goals in the video: Ryan Giggs True Red - The Life of a Legend.

v MANCHESTER CITY on full league debut, Old Trafford, May 4, 1991. United won 1-0


I remember running across the front post, sticking my foot out. I don't think I touched it. I think my shoe laces might have touched it. People thought it was Colin Hendry's own goal. Everyone came running across and started celebrating with me, so I was happy enough. It was Manchester City. We were beating City in the derby and I had scored the goal. It couldn't have gone any better.


v JUVENTUS Champions League, Old Trafford, Oct 1, 1997, United won 3-2


This was a game when we felt we'd sent out a message of intent to Europe. Juventus were a great side with top players like Zidane, Deschamps and Del Piero in their prime. We were 2-1 up with about a minute to go and I ran down the left, went past a couple of defenders and hit a shot high into the net.


v ARSENAL FA Cup semi-final, April 14, 1999 (Villa Park) United won 2-1


It was just an instinctive thing. I got the ball and tried to beat whoever was in front of me. The next minute I found myself in the box and facing David Seaman, who is an imposing figure. I thought, 'I'll have to hit this as hard as I can' and it went in. I have never done a celebration like that before. Maybe it was because the goal was a bit of a relief. I had come on as a sub and given the ball away three or four times. The celebration was like the goal. It was pure instinct. I thought 'who cares'. But I got some stick for my hairy chest.


v JUVENTUS Champions League, Stadio Delle Alpi, February 25, 2003. United won 3-0


I scored two. The second followed a run from the halfway line when I went down the left and cut inside. This is one of my favourite moments. To score a goal like that against Juventus, or any Italian team, is very special to me. I'd been getting a bit of stick. It wasn't the best of seasons for me up to that point and that goal got me back on track. There was a lot of speculation that I was going to leave, but that was one of my best seasons.


v CHELSEA Champions League final, Moscow, penalty kick, May 21, 2008. United won 6-5 on pens


I had practised during the week and thought I would aim for the corner. I felt if I kept the same technique and hit it low and hard into the corner it meant if he did save it, it would be a good save. It was a relief to see it go in as it meant Chelsea had to score the next one. Edwin (van der Sar) saved (Nicolas) Anelka's penalty and we had won.


Steve Bruce recalls the day Ryan Giggs first joined United:


“My first memory of him was when Fergie was nicking him from Man City and he was saying we have got this young kid coming over so just be careful with him today, he is going to train with the first team; he was obviously wanting him to sign. He joined in but we thought 'oh well, he's going to come and just join in with us.' But he took the mickey out of Viv Anderson, dribbled round him three times and we were saying 'who is this?' “That was my first memory of him and I just went 'wow'. I have never seen anyone as natural. Running, dribbling, it was just effortless for him to do any running session. He would glide. With the ball he was just as quick with the ball as he was without it. Did he get past me? Oh yeah, very, very easily. He's as good now as he was then…”


Games


vs. Sunderland 2-2. A disappointing performance in our own backyard as Sunderland were well worth a point if not 3. But such is the luck of Champions even when you having an off day you manage to graft a result by staying positive. Apart from Berbatovs goal United lacked imagination up front. I was hoping Giggs & Valencia would start but oddly enough Welbeck was given a wide role with the unpredictable Nani. Yet again the talking point has to be Ben Foster, Bent is a striker on form but you just know Van Der Sar might have got a hand to that shot from that distance, what was it about 20 yards? Sunderland’s second was another keeping mistake from Foster who looks very unsure of himself when dealing with aerial attacks. Subsequently Foster has not been named in the England squad for the upcoming games & the writing is on the wall. Its time Kuszcak gets a deserved run in the first team. Fergies attack on Alan Wiley was surprising & seemingly obvious he wanted to deflect attention away from a bad team performance. He now faces an FA enquiry.

Looking Ahead

After Chelsea’s win over Liverpool, United slip back to second & the title chargers are starting to shape up. The two man hopefuls from Merseyside are starting to feel the loss of Alonso & lack real depth in every department. But a wounded animal is a dangerous one & we face them in 3 weeks time. That is a grudge match for Fergie & probably a season saving one for Benitez. Arsenal are starting to find there form with their impressive demolition of Blackburn. Yet again Wenger looks to be a genius at finding talented individuals in Vermaelen & Arshavin who have been superb. Man City have a game in hand which could see them level for second in the table. They were dominant against Villa & are showing all the signs of lasting the distance with the pace setters. After the International break next week its Bolton at home then a trip to Moscow that will mark the halfway stage of the group phase.

RedMan

THE REDMAN SPEAKS

Manchester United News & Views
Games vs. ManCity (4-3) In reflection of this classic Derby I has written a poem, here me out.
Ode to the Champions… M if for Magic Man United we have the trophies

M is for Moogoes ManCity who defended like morphies yeah

M is for Marvelous Ryan Giggs he can still dribble but M is for Maader CH*Ts Ferdinand & Foster they were horrible

M is for “Sparky” who shouted at Alan Wiley as the clock was growin hehe learn to count Mark cos M is for Michael Owen

Looking Ahead
This has probably been the best start to a season for a long while. Arsenal, Spurs & City were crunch games & the Red Devils have stamped there authority early & not let Chelsea get away with the points tally. The Blues who have Liverpool & Villa coming up & Drogba out injured face some serious questions. Apart from the Burnley blip United have showed what a gulf in class there is between Champions & contenders. There is no doubt United have been battle hardened over the last three seasons, they have the right mentality on the pitch no matter what the situation. A goal down, 2 goals down, Fergies army will fight & scrap to the death. Unfortunately individual errors have taken the shine off some brilliant performances far too many times. Nine times out of ten it starts when a couple of idiots decide to have some passing practice in defense.
On the scouts watch Napoli midfielder Marek Hamsik and 19-year-old Fiorentina striker Stevan Jovetic are on the radar. What has happened to Michael Carrick? Ferguson seems to have dropped him since the Burnley game. He has been suspect recently & Fergie cynically made a statement that some players were content on just getting by.

I somewhat agree cos Carrick hasn’t really staked his place internationally. Some wayward passing has crept into his game since the end of last season & he lacks that ‘heart on your sleeve’ type attitude. Fixture wise up next it’s Wolves in the Carling Cup so we should see a lot of the squad players get a run out as United defend the Mickey Mouse cup. Then it’s away to Stoke on Saturday & the type of league game where you really need to fight.

Tony Pulis’ men have made the Britannia a very difficult place to earn points. Hopefully we are going to see Michael Owen starting some games now as the fixtures start to build with Wolfsburg coming up next Wednesday, surely he will get his chance. Berbatov could have bagged a hat trick in the derby & he better be looking over his shoulder.

RedMan

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In Carling Cup Action Liverpool laboured to a 1-0 win against Leeds. Mini we beat your leads Thanks to a goal from Ngog.

There were also good wins fro Blackburn,Sunderland,Stoke and Bolton who beat West Ham. Newcastle and Burnley also Lost. I bet burnley wish they had Man Utd..

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Swoosh

THEATER OF DREAMS

Manchester United News & Views
Champions League –vs.Besiktas. Crucial 3 points away in Turkey despite an uneventful game for at least 70 minutes. The Red Devils employed a 4-5-1 formation with Rooney playing the loner which looked quite one dimensional although Valencia constantly got behind the Besiktas defense but his final ball really lacked quality. Although United dominated possession the game looked a stale mate until the introduction of Berba & Owen who took over the striking department, stretched the Turks defense & up stepped Scholes with a vital nod. It’s the German champions up next at home & a good start to the Champions League campaign. And Yes Man United still bear the WORLD CHAMPIONS badge!!


Premier League vs. Totenham 1-3. A display worthy of Champions. Spurs got absolutely clobbered by a ten men United who worked tirelessly in this game despite going down to a magnificent overhead kick by Jermain Defoe. I singled out Fletcher for criticism for the Arsenal game but in this game he was truly outstanding. The difference being he didn’t give away possession, covered almost every blade of grass on the pitch & put in some great tackles breaking up most of Spurs attacking forays. Evra had the nerve to attack even with a man down but did well enough to cancel out the Lennon threat. Together with Vidic they provided real steal defensively. Ryan Giggs provided a fresh attacking dimension his energy & verve upfront just seems timeless. At 35 a living legend who has scored in every edition of the Premier League added to his 11 League titles. His peach of a free kick set United out, capped off by an amazing show of strength & skill by Rooney who has lead the front line quite impressively so far this season.

Looking Ahead
The Manchester Derby -In years to come this fixture might turn out to be one of the biggest games in World Football. If City can match their spending spree with domestic silverware & European success, this game might even be bigger than United v Liverpool. They have made an impressive start to this campaign & given time Mark Hughes’ men might gel into a formidable outfit. In attack City seemed to have signed the Stars no one else wanted. Adebayor was desperate to make a move to United who refused his offer he then settled for a move to City. He never gave the impression that he got on well with his Arsenal team mates. After head butting Bendtner & expressing his desire to join Milan he was an outcast at the Emirates. His latest stamp of Van Persie confirms his violent tendencies. Gareth Barry once a Liverpool target never really lived up to expectation last season in Villa’s bid to displace Arsenal. Then there’s Tevez. He really stabbed United in the back by switching to City. He just wasn’t prolific enough to warrant a £25 Million pound valuation, chipping in with 5 league goals last season in 29 appearances. Given his work rate he is more effective playing as an attacking midfielder. Will he get regular first team action with City when they have Adebayor, Robinho & Santa Cruz? I’m sure Fergie lost patience with him after the 2008 Champions League final against Chelsea where Tevez could have killed off the game before half time, his finishing was criminal. He hasn’t impressed on the international scene either with Argentina on the verge of an embarrassing World Cup exit. A breakdown in communication with Fergie led to his departure. City fans came up with a wind up poster after signing Tevez stating “Welcome to Manchester”. Ferguson responded calling City “a small club with a small mentatlity”. Hughes refused to get involved in the mind games & has since been doing his talking on the pitch with an unbeaten start. Hughes himself left United for Chelsea on uneasy terms with Ferguson when he lost his place to Andy Cole. And I sense there is still a bit of retribution left there to get one over his old boss. Undoubtedly a crunch game & a loss at home for the Red Devils would surely hand Manchester City the psychological edge & belief to break into the top four. Their impressive display against the Gunners had all the signs of a club with pedigree for silverware however marred by Adebayor’s behavior they are facing a tough week ahead of this game.


Transfer Scandals - United have been dragged into the transfer debacle of teenagers since the Chelsea ban. But the facts are quite clear as the club has not forced any player to break a legally binding contract & have clearly stated all dealings are within UEFA rules & guidelines. This is expected from a club of Manchester United’s international stature. Whereas Chelsea have a history of underhanded dealings. Back in 2005 they unrightfully snatched Jon Obi Mikel from United after Mikel signed a contract with United. The Blues were ordered to pay £12 million pounds for him & yet again now another controversy. Let’s see how they survive January when their diamond returns to Africa for the nation’s cup & the transfer ban kicks in.
Elsewhere Italian outfit Catania have claimed United have shown interest in their Japanese striker Takayuki Morimoto, whilst on the goalkeeping front the Red Devils have also been linked to German keeper Manuel Neuer & Russian stopper Igor Akinfeev. Seems odd when Fergie has showed faith in Foster & singled him out for quite a lot of praise. Maybe it’s a ploy to get Foster playing out of his socks after some shaky displays. His performance against Spurs was impressive as he made some excellent saves but I somehow doubt he will take over as England’s number one.
Redman

THE RED MAN SPEAKS

Manchester United News & Views

Champions League Draw – On paper this looks to be a stroll into the second round but an opening fixture in Turkey shortly followed by an away tie in Russia will prove to be difficult games. Given the history between Turk & English supporters the away match to Besiktas might once again turn out to be one with a lot of off the field controversies. Since this is the first game anything less than 3 points in Turkey will instill the Russians & Germans with belief. United are expected to take 9 points from their home games & with at least a further four points on the road it should be enough to see us top this group. The away tie to the German champions is the last game & by that time the Red Devils will look to have already tied up the group. If not the Anglo German battle will be the crunch game. After the weekends performance the group rivals will have studied United’s weaknesses which are mainly in defense & goal. Ben Foster does come up with big saves but just doesn’t inspire confidence to the back four when dealing with aerial attacks coupled with the occasional nervous lapse. To displace Van Der Sar & be a permanent fixture for England he needs to get his act together. Hopefully Ferdinand & Vidic can pair up without any further injury problems before the group fixtures start & with Evans as cover we should be stable enough.


Games (vs. Arsenal 2-1)


A lot of talking points about this game but let’s start with Arsene Wenger. After Eduardo’s blatant midweek dive against Celtic Wenger still came out & defended his man. Nothing new as Wenger usually backs his players even when the evidence is to the contrary. By his own admission Wenger recently stated in an interview he has turned a blind eye over the years to protect his players. Not only does it make Wenger look daft but it encourages his players to keep behaving in the same manner. A case in point: Eboues attempt to get Wes Brown sent off by pathetically diving under no challenge at all in the second half. Eboue was rightfully booked for his theatrics whilst Wenger was made to look like a clown after being sent off in the last minute. Wenger has since accused United of ‘anti-football’ which is a joke when the Londoners ended up with more yellow cards. Shifting focus to the game itself the Gunners played well & United were a bit fortunate to get the victory courtesy of Diaby’s own goal. But the official match stats showed United with 58% ball possession & 5 shots on target compared to Arsenals 3. Tactically what started out to be a 4-3-3 turned out to be a 4-5-1 with Rooney being isolated & crowded out by the Arsenal back four. Arshavin’s screamer put Arsenal ahead but Foster should have done better simply because he managed to get two hands to it. He made a crucial save early in the second half & kept United in it. Fletcher & Carrick lost possession far too often they just could not keep the ball effectively & invited a constant wave of Arsenal pressure. Ryan Giggs also guilty of losing the ball on the break somewhat fulfilled his playmaking role with a hand in both goals. Fergie’s vote of no confidence to Berbatov starting the game was disappointing. The Bulgarians wayward finish on goal from Nani’s excellent cross field pass in added time summed up the overall performance.

Looking Ahead

After the international break its Tottenham away at White Hart Lane. This fixture has thrown out a couple of classics over the years with United often coming up trumps. Spurs have been showing off some exciting flowing football with 4 wins from 4. Modric & Palacious have made a big difference in midfield. The impressive Palacious was a United target last season. Defoe has looked prolific & there will be plenty more to come from Keane & the skillful Aaron Lennon who has genuine pace to hurt opposition. Spurs could well crack a champion’s league spot under the savvy leadership of Harry Redknapp. They have players with ability coming off the bench in Pavlyuchenko, Crouch, Jenas & Bentley. However a couple of signings on deadline day added to the possible move of Bentley to City & injuries to a few key players will reveal their quality & depth as Woodgate, King, Modric & Keeper Gomes are all on the treatment list.

With the transfer window closed I’m disappointed United didn’t attempt to sign an established midfielder. We clearly lack that quality in the center which showed against Burnley & Arsenal. The amount of times Fletcher looses possession in midfield is just shocking, he seems incapable of making even simple passes. Forget about being able to score a few goals as he missed a sitter against the Arsenal in the opening exchanges, this guy needs to be put back into the youth team so that he can learn to pass properly. He is a Floppin waster. Yet Sir Alex sticks by his fellow Scotsman. Hargreaves might be back in training by the end of the month & I certainly hope he stays injury free & displaces Fletcher permanently from the squad! Anyway United scouts have been checking out Belgian midfielder Eden Hazard currently applying his trade with Lille in France. The 18 year old can play center midfield or in wide positions. Rio Ferdinand could return earlier for first team action targeting the Manchester derby in 3 weeks time.This game is bound to be a cracker given all the pre season wind ups & City’s emergence as a potential footballing super power. Finally Edwin Van Der Sar picked up the UEFA Club Goal Keeper of the year award for 2008/9.

RedMan

THEATER OF DREAMS

Manchester United - News & Views

The Contenders –Over the next few weeks we will analyze the teams challenging for the title, the usual suspects referred to as the big four might well expand to a big six with the emergence of Man City & Spurs. Both teams can be giants in Europe if they break into the Champions League given the quality players they’ve brought in & current form. Let’s start with the Arsenal since it’s the first clash between a pair of big four. United will host the Gunners at home this Saturday. You have to admire Wenger for the way he has kept the Arsenal fire-ring over the last 10 years. No silverware in the last 4 years or so but his shrewd footballing acumen has kept the Gunners out of the red financially & allowed a constant influx of young talented players to make their mark at the Emirates. On their day their fluent passing game is a pleasure to watch. Unfortunately a lack of wise experienced heads has been there downfall in their quest for consistency. Upfront they have lost some quality in Adebayor.

Bendtner will struggle to fill those boots. Eduardo & Walcott if they stays injury free can do some damage. Arsene’s squad looks to have plenty in reserve with youngsters like Wilshere, Vela & Gibbs. Arshavin would be more dangerous if they played him in a striking berth instead of wide left. They suffered an extensive goal drought last term & the Russian could answer a lot of questions in their title pursuit. United will need a stable defense for this game or else there would be a mountain to climb very early on in the title race. We have the experience to see off Arsenal but will it come together on the day? Vidic could be suspended due to an off the ball incident in the Wigan game whilst Fabregas might be out with a hamstring problem.

Games Burnley (0-1). This game exposed United’s frailties which I suspect could flare up a lot this season. Fergie needs to stabilize his midfield anchors of Fletcher, Carrick & Valencia. Who need not be subject to rotation! Anderson & Park should be used to prove their worth in domestic cup games. Anderson has failed to live up to the expectation that seen him cap a promising debut season. At times he looks like a great driving force going forward but just tends to disappear when the going gets tough? He may be looking for a move after a bust up with Ferguson. Park seems more of a marketing tactic for the hordes of fans in the Far East. He is absolutely woeful in front of goal. Evra’s suspect performances starting from the end of last term has somewhat destabilized the back four. This guy’s priority is to overlap & attack, not to defend, he could easily have headed that ball out for a corner but chose to setup Burnleys goal, a great goal by Blake.

Wigan (5-0). The first half looked very nervy, United were keen not to concede & were flat at times. Defensively Vidic was outstanding he made some crunching tackles & thwarted Wigans forwards on several occasions. Upfront a 5 star second half performance with Rooney bagging his century for United. His clever combination play with Valencia opened the scoring. Berbatov’s composure & balance - stunning for the second. Whilst Owen & Nani opened their premier league accounts in fine style.

Looking Ahead
We’ve only just started the season & already panic talk regarding United’s firepower. Basically Ronaldo in his 6 seasons with United netted 118 goals. So that’s roughly 19 goals a season & a nice target for Michael Owen if he wants to break into the England squad. Given the current form of Jermaine Defoe, it is a make or break season for Owen in terms of World Cup 2010. Berbatov surely will improve on his 14 goal tally from last season, I prefer this guy playing in a deeper role, he rarely looses possession, has a cool head under pressure & an eye for that killer pass. Which is exactly what we lack in midfield.

Worrying reports about Vidic leaving is sure to bother most mancs. His advisor Paolo Fabbri was reported to have told Spanish press that the Serb was looking for a move to Barca but later stated he was misquoted. Vidic has since come out & stated clearly he want to stay. Just reeks of the Ronaldo saga, rumors’ starting in the Spanish press destabilizes the player & the problems start. United will look to extend his current contract with an improved deal running till 2013. Adding to Red Devils defensive problems Ferdinand has been sidelined for up to 4 weeks & Evans might need ankle surgery. Elsewhere & inevitably player discontent has started at Madrid & SAF is keeping tabs on Arjen Robben. Another man on the radar is the Croatian Luka Modric. With Arsenal, Spurs & City coming up we definitely will need something special!.

RedMan

THE RED MAN

We welcome to the blog our latest columnist known as the Red Man. Welcome to Swoosh0018 RED MAN. With Chelsea winning last night and Arsenal in fine form after dispatching Celtic in Europe and Liverpool waithing for David Villa, you gonna need it.
Anyways Welcome and we look forward to your stuff.
Red Man joins an exclusive panel now that includes Shoobs & Rugga Bugga.

Theatre Of Dreams
News & Views

Before we look ahead lets look back. Back to tackle a few issues that have just baffled many a mancunian. What the hell happened in the Champion’s league final?MUFC fans were left perplexed, the fact that we failed to recover after going down & were so comprehensively outplayed just left us feeling empty for days, weeks & still. It could have been 4 in the bag, damn! Sir Alex was asked in a recent interview, where did it all go wrong in the Champions League final? He refused to answer saying he knew exactly what went wrong, insisting he didn’t want to get into it. It felt as if he was avoiding some bad decisions he made on the night. For one, Ferdinand was nowhere near match sharpness, he hadn’t played for 3 games & was still selected when Jonny Evans filled in quite well & was raring to go. Playing Rooney wide left when Giggs could have filled that position quite well. In fact a conventional 4-4-2 with Ronaldo wide right & Rooney & Berbatov up front could well have been the answer, but the £30Mil Berba was left on the bench. Just a gut feeling, if we had played this system we could well have converted a few half chances inside 10 minutes. But once they scored we f%*kin collapsed. No doubting the class of Xavi, he reminds me of previous Barcelona legends like Luis Enrique, pure passion & heart. United did well to reach the final but were a little too stretched by the end of the season.

Anyways let move on, lets talk about Ronaldo, Owen & Valencia. Fergie should have made Ronaldo captain if he wanted to keep him just my opinion on the issue. Many Mancs echoed this general feeling on the matter: “… well if he wants to leave let him go, we don’t need players that don’t want to be at United”, that said Ronaldo is not the best player in the world, he is the best player in a structured system, United have that. Something Sir Alex refers to as ‘balance’, & Real need to achieve it. The best player in the world currently is a creator, ball winner, a midfield General. Someone you look up to when the chips are down - Xavi Hernandes.
On Michael Owen, there’s not a liverpudian I’ve met that just burns with envy when you bring up the topic. Let’s face it they keep saying ‘you took our reject’, but they wanted him back desperately. All but Rafa, his selection & tactics over the weekend makes you think ‘Perfect keep shooting yourselves in the foot’. You need 4 class strikers in the modern game to win silverware & Liverpool has one. Owen might have lost a bit of pace but watching him closely it’s encouraging to see how he drops off the shoulders of defenders & creates chances for himself. He has missed a few sitters, but given his experience it’s only a matter of time before he starts smacking them in. Antonio Valencia could well replace Ronaldo, many are skeptical as he might not get the same number of goals but he poses the same attacking threat. He’s not afraid to take on defenders & looks an innovative dribbler with some excellent crossing in the final third. A traditional United type winger.

Games
Birmingham (1-0). Was Berbatov worth the 30 odd million? Over the years Fergie has been known to make a few mess ups in the transfer market, Jordi Cruyf, Kleberson, Taibi, Miller etc. Let’s hope Berba comes good. His lazy style doesn’t suite our counter attacking pace, but he does have great vision. After years of loathing Fletcher, Fergies Scottish ‘step son’ is finally beginning to show some promise, still needs to work on his passing though. Rooney’s all action display & United’s constant reserve of attacking wing backs proves there’s life after Ronaldo.

Looking Ahead
Vs Burnley 18th-Aug-09, a chance to go top early on in this campaign where I feel the league will be won by the team that gets the best start. Owen should start against the Premier League rookies, maybe get a couple of goals & he should be up & running for the rest of the campaign. Unfortunately Burnley is a small town with a small ground & they will create a very hostile atmosphere so things can screw up given our defensive hospital list.

Will SAF or Ancellotti make a make a move for Aguero before the transfer deadline? I still feel we need a strong midfielder, with Hargreaves coming back, let’s see, SAF might delve into the transfer market in January. By which time the young talented striker Mame Biram Diouf currently based in Norway with Molde FC will hook up with his new Old Trafford pals.

RedMan

THE MAGNIFICENT 7

"AT MANCHESTER UNITED FOOTBALL CLUB, AN OLD SAYING SAYS,THAT WHOEVER WORE THE MAGICAL NUMBER 7 JERSEY WAS CONSIDERED THE KNIGHT OF THE NUMBER"

Look at this sorry site.Anyway I must stop moaning now and Owen is a MANC. As hard as that may sound. Met a Liverpool Toppie at a braai and the timer was gutted. He kept on saying "I thought if he left,Hed come to liverpool. So the question is fast disappearing of whether or not Owen is a crock. Rashid BC mentioned to me that this is the first time in many a moon that Owen is having a full pre season work out. And he has scored twice. Like I said if he gives the MANCS 20 + in the season its JOB DONE. And Owen is vying for an England place. To me the boy means business this year.

Owen also revealed that he was quite shocked that Fergie asked him to wear the number 7 jersey. And that number has been graced by what is termed as the magnificent 7 before Owen. And everyone who wore this number for Manchester Utd were class and in a league of there own. George Best, Willie Morgan,Steve Coppel,Bryan Robson,Eric Cantona,David Beckham and of course Penaltinho. This is a tough legacy to break. And now Owen.So Will he continue the run of the magnificent 7 or will he curse this number for many years to come. Thats pressure if you ask me.
Have a look at the video below on the MANCS magnificent 7, synonymous to the great 1960 epic Western about 7 men protecting a Mexican Village from Bandits, that starred Yul Breyner, James Coburn,Steve McQueen,Robert Vaughn and Charles Bronson

Im no MANC fan, but researching this video, gives you the goose bumps, and makes you aknowledge that MANC HATER OR NOT...Whoever graced this number.......were indeed the Knights of Football. Enjoy this video, the soundtrack..and MANC Fans dont ever say I dint post anything quality about the MANCS.....Enjoy boys

GABRIEL OBERTANSIGNS FOR MAN UTD

So with the season less than a month away and with all teh attention on Real Madrid in the EPL Sir Alex Ferguson has been a busy man. First owen and now this lity Obertan.So who is Gabriel Obertan. I was at Rashid Cassim Sports and I heard some customers engaging in banter talking about this lity.Words were flying that he would be the Toppies next 80 million signing in years to come. So who is this lity that the MANCS are raving so much about

Early career
Gabriel began his career playing for his local club in Pantin before moving to a higher level joining Paris FC in 2002. After spending a year there, he did what most youths at Paris FC often do and joined Paris-Saint Germain. Following another year of training, he moved to the famed Clairefontaine academy in order to further his development. It was here where he was first spotted by Bordeaux scouts. After a year at Clairefontaine, he moved to Bordeaux to began training with them.

Bordeaux
After spending only a year in the reserves, in 2006, Gabriel agreed to his first professional contract, signing a three-year contract. He was promoted to the senior squad for the 2006–07 season and given the number 26 shirt. He made his professional debut in a league match on September 30, 2006, against Valenciennes, at the age of 17, coming on as a substitute playing 15 minutes. Valenciennes won the match 0–2. He scored his first goal on April 22, 2007 against Saint-Étienne in a 2–0 victory scoring the goal during injury time to seal the win. He made a total 17 total appearances that season, 16 of them as a substitute.
The following season, he signed a contract extension and his playing time increased to 26 matches and 2 goals, though he was still limited to mostly substitute appearances, due to the abundance of other strikers manager Laurent Blanc had in his arsenal. For the first half of the 2008–09 season, his play was limited again, though when he did receive playing time, he continually impressed, scoring a brace in Bordeaux's 4–2 win over Guingamp in the Coupe de la Ligue. With Bordeaux contending for a title and Gabriel not likely to receive playing time, Blanc decided to loan him out to fellow Ligue 1 side FC Lorient for the rest of the season, where Blanc believed the player would receive more playing time.
At Lorient, Gabriel made 15 total appearances scoring only one goal in a 3–1 win over Grenoble.[

Manchester United
On 6 July 2009, French newspaper L'Equipe announced that Bordeaux president Jean-Louis Triaud had reached an agreement with English club Manchester United for the transfer of Obertan with Triaud stating that an agreement had been reached several weeks ago and that the player had agreed contract terms.The following day, Obertan successfully passed his medical in Manchester[5] and, on 8 July, signed his contract officially making him a Manchester United player.The transfer fee was priced at £3 million with Obertan joining the club on a four-year deal.
source: wikepedia


So MANCS, What are your guys thoughts on this signing. Will he be another Manucho,Djemba Djemba,Poborski or Forlan?

Also for Juve things have been going well under Ciro Ferraro. In are Cannavaro,Diego and now Filipo Melo. The Brrazilian from Fiorentina who has had a belter of a serie A season as well as a great Confeds Cup Campaign.
Forza Juve....looking forward to good things

THE SHOOBS CORNER

Sorry about Super Tuesday,the blogger server was up to ricks anyway the MANCS are on their way to Rome and are on the verge of taking the league. Lets see what Shoobs had to say

THE SHOOBS CORNER

All the way from the UK

I legged to Old Trafford this weekend with one of the Durban Jamiat brothers to Old Trafford for the Manchester Derby. We took the train up this time as it was a Sunday fixture and driving back from Manchester on a Sunday is always a massive effort. As usual, The Bishop Blaize was rocking and Pete Boyle and The Red Army were fully up to letting the City scum know what was coming to them. Although this game was an important one, not just because it was a derby game and the title run in is so intense, the atmosphere at Old Trafford was more of a carnival one.

The fans came up with some great chants ... ISTANBUL, ISTANBUL YOU’RE NOT GOING and CITY ARE SHYTE, THAT’S A FACT. I tried to compare the Manchester Derby against our very own Joburg Derby and while both are brilliant and lots of fun in their own way, you can never draw a comparison and say which is better.

Derby games have their own great unique feel. The atmosphere at OT on Sunday was unbelievable and definitely ranks up there with one of the best games I’ve ever seen at the Theatre of Dreams. The match itself was okay but it was pretty evident that United had this one locked in (to the dismay of L’pool fans). There Stretford End wasn’t silent for a single moment and when CHAMPIONS OF ENGLAND, CHAMPIONS OF EUROPE echoed thru Old Trafford you truly realised that you were indeed sitting in a Theatre of Dreams. Most people were calling a draw as the result for this game but it was by far the hardest I’ve seen United work all season ... not so much that City put them thru their paces, to be honest City didn’t cause any worries at all. The media, being the controversy seeking lot that they are, chose to make Ronaldo’s substitution the talking point of the match.

Yes, he behaved in an unfitting manner but so many other players before him have been incensed at being subbed and displayed their anger, and I’m sure we’ll see something like that again ... no big deal. It would be a different story if he got properly trashed and tried to beat up a bouncer – Ledley King taking headlines with that act. Ol’ ‘arry’s bound to have a solid go at him. Wigan mid-week is vital if we plan on lifting the trophy against Arsenal at the weekend ... that would be incredibly sweet. Being awarded the Prem Trohpy after playing the Gooners. Let’s hope we can secure 4 points in the next 3 fixtures and lift number 18 ... if that’s the case it looks like a certain club will no longer hold the top spot for number of Championships won.Shearer and his lads are being hailed as heroes of the week for their win against Boro.

I’ve also been inundated with request for CL Final tickets, unlike last year ... this year securing tickets is extremely difficult. United were allocated 19500 tickets offered to season ticket holders and exec members only. Everyone goes into a ballot with preference give to those who attended away Cup games. Hopefully, tickets will come thru and we won’t face heartbreak in Rome ... QUE SERA, SERA, WHATEVER WILL BE, WILL BE ... WE’RE GOING TO ITALY, QUE SERA, SERA !!!