That Night In Moscow

Paul Scholes - True Legend

noreply@blogger.com (Rajesh) — Tue, 31 May 2011 09:02:00 +0000

When I started watching football, United’s midfield read: Giggs, Scholes, Keane, Beckham! Each was more lovable than the other, but in terms of technical ability, Scholesy stood head and shoulders above the others.

Today, after an incredible 676 appearances, this one club man has decided it is time for him to hang up his boots. Sad day! Almost feels like someone’s dead.

The praise and adulation he received from some of the greatest names in the game is testament to his ability and performance. Just like we can never replace Roy Keane, we can never replace Scholesy.

Edgar Davids: “I’m not the best, Paul Scholes is.”

Edgar Davids: “Every one of us (midfielders) is just trying to become as good as him. Everyone can learn from Paul Scholes.”

Alan Shearer: “If you ask footballers to pick out the player they most admire, so many of them will pick Paul Scholes. He can tackle, and his passing and shooting is of the highest level. He’s the most consistent and naturally gifted player we’ve had for a long, long time.”

Glenn Hoddle: “There isn’t a player of his mould anywhere else in the world.”

Terry Venables: “He’s the best one- or two-touch passer in the country. He sees the game unlike any other player.”

Eidur Gudjohnsen: “I’m more an admirer of Paul Scholes than I am of Ronaldo. Ronaldo is a fantastic player, but he has 10 other great players around him every week…Scholes is one of the most complete footballers I’ve ever seen. His one-touch play is phenomenal. Whenever I have played against him, I never felt I could get close to him.”

Tony Adams: “I really rate Paul Scholes, because he hasn’t got the high profile of many of the Manchester United players, he doesn’t get too much attention, but he is one very good player. He is an intelligent player, he works hard and he scores some great goals. He is not flamboyant and is a quiet lad off the pitch but he is a tremendous asset to Manchester United and to England. He has already got my vote as player of the year.”

Cesc Fabregas: “He is the one whose level I aspire to. He is the best player in the Premier League.”

Patrick Vieira: “The player in the Premiership I admire most? Easy – Scholes.”

Thierry Henry: “I can’t understand why Scholes has never won the player of the year award. He should have won it long ago. Maybe it’s because he doesn’t seek the limelight like some of the other ’stars’.”

Zinedine Zidane: “My toughest opponent? Scholes of Manchester. He is the complete midfielder.”

Sam Allardyce: “There is not a better midfield player in the world.”

Kevin Keegan: “What United have got that Chelsea haven’t is Paul Scholes. I think he is different to anything else in English football.”

Marcello Lippi: “Paul Scholes would have been one of my first choices for putting together a great team – that goes to show how highly I have always rated him. Scholes is a player I have always liked, because he combines great talent and technical ability with mobility, determination and a superb shot. He is an all-round midfielder who possesses character and quality in abundance. In my opinion, he’s been one of the most important players for United under Sir Alex.”

Ray Wilkins: “I’m saddened because I think we as spectators, not only in this country but right throughout Europe and the rest of the World, will be missing one hell of a footballer.”

Gordon Strachan: “Paul Scholes has been the best England midfield player for 30-odd years. You’d probably have to go back to Bobby Charlton to find someone who could do as much as Scholes. When the ball arrives at his feet he could tell you where every player on that pitch is at that moment. His awareness is superb.”

Veron while at Chelsea being asked in an interview who’s the best English player: “Paul Scholes.”

Peter Schmeichel: “People say he is a great player, but you have to define what a great player is. For me, it is a player who has a bottom level that means his worst performance is not noticed. If he is having a bad game, a team-mate might feel Paul Scholes is not quite on his game, but a spectator wouldn’t notice. Scholes, of all the players I have played with, has the highest bottom level. His reading of the game is unsurpassed. He has an eye for a pass, for what the play or the game needs at that precise moment, that I have never seen anyone else have. He controls and distributes the play and the game better than anyone I have ever seen.”

Peter Schmeichel: “Still the best player in that United midfield.”

Laurent Blanc: “Scholes is the best English player. Intelligence, technique, strength… all the attributes are there. At Manchester United I saw what he could do on the training field. Phew!”

Michael Carrick: “Paul Scholes is just fantastic. When you play alongside him, you realize what a special talent he is.”

Michael Carrick: “He is a legend and he’s going to be remembered for a long time. Just to play alongside him and learn from him has been an absolute pleasure. I think he is a footballer’s footballer; he has been at this level for so long. As long as he is part of us we always feel we have a chance. We appreciate the way he goes about his business. I have never met a character like Scholesy; certainly not someone who is that good.”

Park Ji Sung when asked by the club’s official home page which United player he would like to see in the red shirt of the Taeguk Warriors: “It has to be Paul Scholes.”

David Beckham said that, among his teammates at Real Madrid, which included Zinedine Zidane, Raúl, Ronaldo, Luís Figo and Roberto Carlos, Scholes was the most admired opponent: “He’s always one of those people others talk about. Even playing at Real Madrid, the players always say to me ‘what’s he like’? They respect him as a footballer, and to have that respect from some of those players is great.”

Brian Kidd: “Paul Scholes had the best football brain I’d ever seen in a kid. Let’s face it. Paul Scholes is in a class of its own.”

Rio Ferdinand: “I can honestly say Paul is the best player in the England squad. For me he is the complete player.”

Rio Ferdinand: “For me, it’s Paul Scholes. He’ll do ridiculous things in training like say, “You see that tree over there?” – it’ll be 40 yards away – “I’m going to hit it”. And he’ll do it. Everyone at the club considers him the best.”

Phil Neville: “Paul, for me, is the best player in the England team. It worries teams. Speak to any other international team and they will single Paul out as England’s key player. For me, he doesn’t get the full credit that he deserves. He is a world-class player and deserves to be up there with the likes of Zidane and Figo.”

Gary Neville: “I wouldn’t swap Paul Scholes for anybody. He is quite simply the most complete footballer I have ever played with. He is the best.”

Gary Neville: “Paul Scholes is the best player I’ve ever played with. There’s talent in every part of his game.”

Steve Bruce: “He’s the best player in Britain in my opinion and he has to get himself fit just before we are due to play at Old Trafford. I cannot pay Paul a bigger compliment than to say that he’s the most complete footballer in the country. The best bar none.”

George Best: “To be honest I think England have lost their best player. Certainly he’s the most consistent and naturally gifted player we’ve had for a long, long time.”

Sir Bobby Charlton: “I am sorry for England because they don’t have any player like him. You can talk about others but there is no one else like him. He is the best technical player England has without any question. He could have had a lot more caps if he had carried on. And if I was the manager he would have ended up with more than I did – easy”

Sir Bobby Charlton: “He’s always so in control and pinpoint accurate with his passing – a beautiful player to watch.”

Sir Bobby Charlton: “Paul Scholes is my favourite player. He epitomizes the spirit of Manchester United and everything that is good about football.”

Sir Alex Ferguson: “Very few players can do that, but Scholes is one of them – and I knew he was one of them. That’s why, without question, I think Paul Scholes is the best player in England. He’s got the best skills, the best brain. No one can match him.”

Sir Alex Ferguson: “He has an awareness of what’s happening around him on the edge of the box which is better than most players. As a kid he always had a knack of arriving in the penalty area just at the right time, but he’s proving just as effective from outside the box because he’s using his experience in the right way. It doesn’t matter who I am thinking about bringing into my midfield, Paul Scholes will be included, as he would in any side in the world.”

Sir Alex Ferguson: Sir Alex Ferguson gave evidence in court on behalf of one of his former trainees and listened to the prosecution barrister’s list of United’s top players.

“You’ve missed Paul Scholes – and he’s my best player,” Ferguson chided her.

Zinedine Zidane: “Scholes is undoubtedly the best midfielder of his generation.”

Roy Keane: “An amazingly gifted player who remained an unaffected human being.”

We’ll miss you Ginger Ninja. Your tackles and your thunderbolts. And your on-the-toe 60 yard crossfield passes.

Thanks for all the good memories Scholesy!

Going to Wembley

noreply@blogger.com (Rajesh) — Wed, 25 May 2011 18:13:00 +0000

Subhro from bluefievre.blogspot.com interviewed me ahead of our big game against the Catalans.

Blue4ever: First and foremost, congrats for winning the league this season. The big match at the Wembley is just a few days away. Did you really think, at the start of the season that you would be here?

GiggsIsGod: Thanks a lot!

Honestly, no. I thought Barcelona and Real Madrid were better sides and favorites to win this year. Little did I know that we were going to avoid the two until the finals! But, after putting in some fine performances, especially in the knock out stages, I think United deserve to be here.

Blue4ever: Let’s not forget you face the mighty Barcelona at the Wembley. Are they the best team on the planet regardless of the result on Saturday?

GiggsIsGod: I think so. Barcelona definitely play the most attractive football and their passing is truly orgasmic. But, they play in a league where there is freedom to express themselves. I am not sure if their style of play will work in a defensively stronger league like the English League. Barcelona’s away record in the Champions League is an indicator of how difficult life is outside of Spain.

Blue4ever: They are still the favourites, aren’t they?

GiggsIsGod: Yes, they are. Over the past 3 seasons, they have consistently dominated matches against top European teams. The quality of football on display in the 5 nil El Classico showed why many people consider this to be the best club side ever.

But, here’s something you might have overlooked. English clubs have vanquished Spanish foes in European finals in ‘71, ‘81, ‘91 and ‘01. Chelsea beat Madrid in the Cup Winners’ Cup in 71, Liverpool beat Madrid in the European Cup in 81, United beat Barca in the Cup Winners’ Cup in 91 and Liverpool beat Alaves in the Uefa Cup in 2001. What do they say about history? Who, in their right mind, would now consider Barca favourites!

Blue4ever: What memories do you have of the final in Rome?

GiggsIsGod: I remember being very confident about United winning that game and becoming the first team in history to successfully defend the Champions League. Abidal and Dani Alves were suspended and Iniesta was expected to not recover in time for the game. Unfortunately, he did recover and boy did he make an impact!

Ronaldo's shoot at sight approach, Vidic making a rare but costly mistake, Xavi and Iniesta running rings around our midfield, cursing the ref who had wrongly sent Darren Fletcher off in the semis, Messi’s gliding header, going to sleep around the 80th minute with the hope that my friend will come screaming that United have leveled the score, are some of the memories from a hugely forgettable night. By far, the most depressing night for me as a United fan.

Blue4ever: What do you think will be the changes from that matchup, tactically?

GiggsIsGod: At Rome, everyone expected United to be cautious and Barca to go for the kill. United were far from that and started the more positive of the two. United started the game on high tempo and Ronaldo alone had 3 to 4 shots on goal inside the first 10 minutes.

This time around I think Fergie will go with a safety first approach. Win the ball early and keep possession of the ball without being too adventurous in the first half. With an array of attacking talent on the bench, go for the kill in the second half.

Blue4ever: Do you think that the best way to play Barca is to lie deep and play on the counter, like how you did en route Moscow in the semis?

GiggsIsGod: Arsenal tried it at the Camp Nou and I thought they were defending quite comfortably until that momentary lapse in concentration late in the first half. One mistake, one opportunity was all it took Barcelona to punish them. This approach requires supreme concentration & hard work and being clinical with the few opportunities that are created. Ideal, if you have a team of eleven Ji-Sung Parks.

I think United, with some good ball winners in Fletcher, Park and Valencia, will try to press hard and get the ball back rather than sit deep and defend the final ball.

Blue4ever: How do you expect the game to pan out? What would be your preferred starting line-up?

GiggsIsGod: Fletcher played the full 90 minutes against Blackpool and now stands a very real chance of getting into the starting 11. Which means Chicharito will be left on the bench. That and the Right Back slot are the only selection decisions to make for Sir Alex. Rest of the team picks itself.

van der Sar, Rafael-Rio-Vidic-Evra, Valencia-Fletcher-Giggs-Carrick-Park, Rooney

Blue4ever: Are you wary of the refs? Do you think, given the track record Barca has had, that they could well and truly decide this match too?

GiggsIsGod: Not too worried about it actually. Barca’s playacting is much publicized now. I just hope the ref takes that into account before sending one of our players off for breathing heavily on Busquets.

Blue4ever: Where do you think the chink in the Barca armour lies? Which position do you think you can exploit most effectively?

GiggsIsGod: I don’t see any particular weakness in this side. But, I think Guardiola tinkers a lot with his defence. Although Puyol at RB & Yaya Toure at CB kept a clean sheet in Rome, I find the idea of playing a midfielder (Mascherano/Busquets) alongside Pique, instead of a backup CB and playing Puyol on the flanks, ridiculous. If he decides to try something cute in this final, it may well be his undoing.

And I don’t know what Busquets does. Not a ball winner, not a creative player. What does he do? I hope this is the game he got exposed.

Blue4ever: Would the fans be an advantage given that you are playing on home soil? At least technically you are!

GiggsIsGod: Manchester’s proximity to the venue implies more United fans buying open tickets. That and the familiarity with the venue are, if not huge, definite factors in United’s favour.

The atmosphere at Old Trafford during Barcelona’s visit in the semi finals was the best I have witnessed. Hoping that the fans will create a special atmosphere for the special occasion.

Blue4ever: What has been your moment to remember this season?

GiggsIsGod: Berba’s and Rooney’s overhead kicks, Chicharito’s backwards header, the performance against Schalke in the first leg of the semi finals, comebacks against Blackpool and West Ham are some of the great moments to remember this season by.

But the moment of the season came 36 seconds into the potential title decider against Chelsea. The moment we knew No. 19 was ours. Sir Alex bowed down to the fans at the end of the game. Fantastic day!

Blue4ever: And the one to forget?

GiggsIsGod: The Wayne Rooney drama. He embarrassed the club and infuriated the fans earlier in the season with his contract negotiations. He has been since trying desperately to win over the fans again. Scoring the winner at Wembley will be the ultimate act of redemption. And he will be aware of it!

Blue4ever: The one player you are most wary of in that Barca lineup.

GiggsIsGod: Lionel Messi.

Blue4ever: The one player who’s gonna do it for United this Saturday.

GiggsIsGod: Wayne Rooney.

Blue4ever: Finally, your predictions for the night?

GiggsIsGod: The players have repeatedly talked about how the defeat at Rome still haunts them. The sheer will to win to make the difference this time.

United to score in the second half and win 1 nil.

Blue4ever: Thanks for the time and all the luck for Saturday.

GiggsIsGod: Pleasure. Thanks!

Click here for the Barcelona perspective.

Arsenal: From Quadruple to Nonetuple!

noreply@blogger.com (Rajesh) — Sun, 22 May 2011 15:10:00 +0000

19!

After Chelsea's catastrophic collapse and until the final month of the season, it looked like United will be fighting it out with Arsenal for the title. But, Arsenal being Arsenal, wilted under pressure and now look like, as one blogger put it, finishing fourth in a two horse race.

A summary of Arsenal's 2010-11 season and more with Vikas.

Rajesh: A season that promised much for Arsenal has ended on an utterly disappointing note. Where did it all go wrong?

Vikas: Carling cup final. The team showcased it brittleness to a large extent. After that, we have won just three games – Leyton Orient, Blackpool and United. I also think a double injury to our goalkeepers which led to us getting back Almunia never helped the confidence of the defense and it was all downhill from there.

R: 6 years now without a trophy for Arsenal. How much longer before the board runs out of patience? Do you think it is time for Wenger to call it quits?

V: 6 years is a long time for a club like Arsenal. The frustrating part is that we have not been like Liverpool – miles away from even winning a coffee cup. We have been too close too many times in these six years. That’s why it has hurt the Arsenal fans more.

Having said all that, there are a few things that need to be put in perspective

Making transition into a new ground has been disastrous for many a club in the past. It helps the club in the long run, but hurts a lot in the short term. It is like taking a huge loan to buy a home. We curse ourselves for the first few years- compromise on a few vacations, a few other indulgences etc. But it would always turn out the right thing to do.
The problem with the old board (after Dein left), was that it was never amongst the most ambitious ones. It was too happy for being able to play in Champions League. The takeover will instill more ambition and I am very much pro the takeover. I also feel that this board might just make Arsene a little more accountable some time sooner.

Personally, I think, we are too close to ask Arsene to call it quits. And whenever Arsene does quit, he would go upstairs into a director of football role, which I think he might be much better at, considering the vision he has in everything he does. And, finally I do not know many people whom I would want replacing Arsene. Everyone in football seems to love a sack. But they know not what to replace. For Gods’ sake, a club like West Ham is struggling to find a right manager.

R: Chelsea and United, in the last decade, built their success on a strong back 3 – Cech, Carvalho & Terry for Chelsea, van der Sar, Ferdinand & Vidic for United. Don’t you find it annoying that these are the 3 positions where Arsenal lacks real quality?

V: It is frustrating but it is important to recognize what the strength of each team is. I know Barcelona have a worse back 3 than even us. But that does not count for much, does it. Arsenal will always concede more than United and Chelsea. And it’s more down to the difference in playing styles. I think the back 3 is not as bad as the media makes them out to be, if we don’t consider Almunia and Squillaci.

But the frustrating part is conceding in set pieces which are more than anyone in the league. It is an honestly embarrassing stat. And set pieces are something down to the training ground rather than just the back three.

R: Title No. 19 for United. Deserving winners?

V: United were the worst losers and hence finished top. None of the clubs have looked vintage by any standards. I guess Ferguson deserved the title more than United.

R: Jack Wilshere has had a terrific season and is now a vital player in the Arsenal midfield. Apart from his emergence, what other positives would you take away from this campaign?

V: There have been a few bright spots this campaign. Chamakh, in the first half of the season, was unbelievably good. Wilshere is a first teamer and has looked a real terrier all the time. This would seem ironical, but I think the emergence of Szescesny, Djourou and Koscielny has been very positive. One of the latter two seem good enough to me to pair Vermaelen as our first choice.

R: Player of this season’s Premier League? For Arsenal?

V: For Arsenal, Jack Wilshere. Premier League is a tough one. But I may go with Scott Parker. West Ham is one of the other clubs I have always liked. And to play as motivated as he does for an insipid manager like Grant was unbelievable. It tells me more of the season too, that, there are too many people who have been outstanding for three to four months, but not lasted the marathon.

R: Wenger has been promised significant transfer funds according to various reports. Do you think he is going to make some big money signings or is it going to be another unknown gem from Burkina Faso? More importantly, can Arsenal hold on to Fabregas (and Nasri)?

V: Fabregas and Nasri won’t go. I think Cesc is a smart guy and realizes he won’t be picked ahead of Xavi. So when the latter retires he would walk into the team. I think Arsene will buy this year. There will be a quirky buy here and there. But I expect some big name players to come through.

R: Relegation battle tonight. Who are your favourites to go down?

V: I think Wigan might stay up at the expense of the other two. I sincerely hope Birmingham are relegated. A team which has five strikers and players like Hleb and score lesser goals than Wolves do not deserve to be in the Premier League.

R: Predictions for next season? Obviously, it is Liverpool’s year! But, do you think Man City under Mancini can mount a challenge? Spurs? (Ha!)

V: Man City will not win but will be the spoilers, I guess. Chelsea will have some rebuilding to do but you never know if Hiddink comes through. I think it might be down to United and Arsenal. Liverpool have to change a lot of players. Probably if Kenny still plays as he does now, a year or so from now. Spurs will spend a gazillion pounds, buy six players, sell five players, beat a few big team and finish a valiant sixth. Harry will blame the Europa League for his poor performance and say he needs three players to finish in top four in January. He will buy the three and run the club to bankruptcy soon. His last two clubs filed for bankruptcy – Southampton and Portsmouth.

R: Finally, it’s the Champions League Final in six days’ time! Who are you cheering for, rather, cheering against? Do you think this United side has it in them to beat, arguably, the greatest club side ever?

V: I think Barca will win this one. A couple of years ago, I would have cheered Barca. They were my second favourite team, once upon a time. I still can’t get my heart to cheer against Barca. But this time I will be a downright neutral on this one.

R: I hope you are proved wrong! Thank you so much for your time!

Follow Vikas on Twitter.

Chelsea vs Manchester United: Let's bring down the London Bridge!

noreply@blogger.com (Rajesh) — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 17:26:00 +0000

Ahead of tonight's game, I was interviewed by Chelsea's No.1 Fan Super Super Subhro. If you would like to have some banter with the Russians, jump over to his blog.

Blue4ever:Would you take a point right now from this game at the Bridge?

GiggsisGod: We have been reminded plenty of times in the build up to the game about how United have not won at the Bridge since 2002. Sir Alex certainly will not be proud of that record and will be going for a win. Moreover, for probably the first time in the Abramovich era, Chelsea look beatable at home. A draw is the least I would expect.Anyway, the league leader should not be happy with a point against a team competing for a place in the Europa League, right?

Blue4ever: Hmmm, we shall wait and see about that now. Why do you think you haven’t been able to leave South-West London with more than a point, at best, for so many years now?

GiggsisGod: Abramovich’s millions made you a very formidable side. Mourinho made Stamford Bridge a fortress. Hell, he still has that unbeaten league record at home! Last season, appalling refereeing cost us three points. Considering you beat us to the league title by one point, you should consider giving Martin Atkinson a league winner’s medal.

Blue4ever:Tactically, how do you see the match panning out?

GiggsisGod: As has been the case with Chelsea-United games over the years, it’s going to be intense yet unenterprising. United will look to dominate possession and slow tempo down in the first half to silence the crowds. You will see more attacking intent in the second half. Chelsea know United players shit in their pants when Torres has the ball, so Ancelotti will have a simple message to his players – “Get the ball to Fernando”. Of late, both Chelsea and United have been suspect against crosses. So, both teams will view set pieces as the best goal scoring opportunity. And clumsy Ramires tackling will go unpunished throughout the game.

Blue4ever:Starting dilemma? Who starts for you? 4-5-1? I suspect Park would have started, but his injury might pave a way for 2 strikers as well.

GiggsisGod: It’s definitely going to be a 4-5-1 with 3 in the middle. Carrick, Fletcher and Scholes in central midfield; Nani and Giggs in the wings. Van der Sar, O’Shea, Smalling, Vidic and Evra will retain their positions in defence. It will be a tossup between Berbatov and Rooney for the lone striker slot. Although he had an outstanding game against Wigan, Fergie’s emphasis on 3 in central midfield will rule out a place in the starting 11 for Chicharito. Fergie picked Rooney ahead of Berba against Arsenal and City and that trend is likely to continue. Personally, I would pick Berbatov for two reasons. First, even though Rooney has been getting plenty of Fantasy Premier League points, he has been fairly ugly to watch (yes, his football too). Second, Berbatov is the effing top scorer of the league. If you don’t play him in important games, it’s not going to please him. It shows the manager doesn’t trust him enough and that’s not going to help his confidence. I was hoping for a one match ban for Rooney so that Fergie doesn’t have this selection dilemma. Screw the FA!

Blue4ever:What’s with Rooney? Should he be playing at all in this game?

GiggsisGod: If you are talking about Rooney escaping the ban, it was a sensible decision and for once, the FA have not made an example out of our players. I’ll direct you to this blog to see the number of instances where the FA have treated United unfairly.He doesn’t deserve a spot in the starting 11 for the kind of form he is in though. Berba and Chicho have done much better than him. But, do remember, we have to sell him this summer. His market value goes down if we don’t play him often. So…

Blue4ever: Well, the blog does list instances, and yet at the most opportune times, one can't deny that the referees have favored United. You get some, you lose some. Moving on, SAF has a knack for making superstars, and it looks like Nani is next on that list. Any guesses who could be the one after that, since we really do not follow the United reserves.

GiggsisGod: Anderson, Chicharito and Macheda all have the potential. 18-years-old Ravel Morrison is tipped to be the next big superstar. With his off field antics, he is also tipped to bring the best out of Sir Alex’s man management skills.

Blue4ever:Guy to watch out for: Chelsea

GiggsisGod: Torres. He has always troubled United. Vidic, probably the best defender in the world, looks uncharacteristically shaky against this Scouser. I think Torres has had a good season overall; his goals tally don’t paint the real picture.

Blue4ever:Guy to watch out for: United

GiggsisGod: Nani. He has had an outstanding season. Cashley will repent after the game that he should have done his homework on Nani instead of indulging in shooting people’s legs.And it’s the eve of Sir Ryan’s 20^th anniversary in top flight football. So watch out for Giggs dribbling past Fat Frank, nutmegging “Tiny Tears, Captain Leader Legend” John Terry, and chipping Cech to win the game in stoppage time.

Blue4ever: Looks like Arsenal is the biggest threat to you guys. What can you say about their loss at Wembley, and more bad news seemingly on the way with a Van Persie injury?

GiggsisGod: Arsene Wenger admitted his players were “devastated” after the Carling Cup final loss. This will further weaken the confidence of the already mentally fragile Arsenal players. Van Persie’s injury is reported to be a minor one and he will be out for only a couple of weeks. In these two weeks, they play Barcelona in the Champions League, a league game, Leyton Orient in the FA cup and if they win, a trip to Old Trafford next weekend. So, the van Persie injury is not going to hurt them much. ;)With respect to the league title, it is United’s to lose. It is going to be a massive 4 days for us. If we stay ahead of Arsenal by the end of this week, we’ll be league champions for a record 19th time.

Blue4ever: Predictions?

GiggsisGod: 1 nil to United. Chicharito to come on as a second half substitute to score the winner.

Disagree with me on something? Post your abuses below.

Comeback

noreply@blogger.com (Rajesh) — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 18:41:00 +0000

It’s been a long time since we have had some activity here on this blog. The last time an article was written here, Chelsea were top of the table. That long! Now, with the hope that Chelsea continue the slump and That Night In Moscow doesn't, we restart on the eve of our trip to Marseille, the first leg of this UEFA Champions League Round of 16 tie.

Today, I’ll be previewing the game, among other stuff, with our regulars here, Ikam and Kunal (jusrooit).

Rajesh: Hello Ikam, Hello Kunal!

With United and Arsenal ahead of the 3^rd placed team, City, by 8 and 4 points respectively (with one game in hand each), it’s effectively a two-horse race now. Arsenal have relatively easier fixtures, but the experience our players have in actually ‘knowing how to win titles’ makes me feel confident that we’ll have No. 19, come May. Do you think the league fixture at the Emirates will decide the winner? And do you think Chelsea, City or Spurs can still spring a surprise?

Kunal: I see Chelsea concentrating on Champions league now, Spurs are doing pathetically away. It wouldn't surprise me if Liverpool finishes 4th. Emirates has recently been a favourite for united, we win that fixture and I see 19.

Ikampreet: I think City are done for this season. They had their chance at OT and they blew it. They will be fighting for the 2 remaining CL places amongst the 3 of them. More than the Emirates, I feel it'll be the upcoming fixtures at Stamford Bridge and Anfield that'll decide the title. Liverpool are on the rise and Chelsea are formidable opponents any day. We will need 1 win out of those 2 to win the title. And these fixtures come in the middle of 2 CL knockout legs, so these would be ones to make our season. We could render the Emirates game irrelevant if we get good results there. Though, if Arsenal continue their sizzling form, we would be in for a thriller in London.

Kunal: All is true, but Arsenal is known for blowing up things when it’s looking good for them. On the other hand United are known to rise up towards the end of season. 19!

Ikampreet: Yes. Arsenal are known for that but we are banking more on that rather than our form. Because our form scares me, we can do anything any day and are not dependable. Our season was blown in a matter of 7 days last year against Munich and Chelsea and I don't rule something like that out this season. I am a pessimist.

Kunal: Those 7 days started with Bayern and then Rooney’s injury happened. He has never got back since then.

Rajesh: Surprised to see both of you talk about Liverpool when the theme is about the League title. I can already see tabloids go on and on about how next season will be Liverpool’s. A good spanking is what I expect at Anfield. Kunal, you make an interesting point. “Arsenal is known for blowing up things when it’s looking good for them”. They are now in with a real chance in all four competitions. I was actually excited when I read that we’ll be facing them in the next round of the FA cup tie (that is, if they beat Leyton Orient) because it gives us a chance to deliver a psychological blow. If you remember, the 4-0 drubbing in the same competition in 2008 led to a string of poor results and they were out of the title race by March. Are you excited that we have drawn them or would you have preferred a weaker team?

Ikampreet: I love the fact that we have drawn them and that is in no small part due to the fact that it takes place in Manchester. It makes for a very exciting tie. I don't think it would be a psychological blow unless we completely blank them like in 2008. It would another to look forward to and I don't link it to the title race and neither, I expect, would Arsene Wenger. Or SAF.

Kunal: I will prefer Leyton. Not because they are an easy team but because they will overcome Arsenal to play us. On a serious note, with Chelsea, Spurs, Pool already out, I would prefer playing Arsenal at this stage especially at OT. Wenger can again blame the pitch.

Rajesh: Haha! For all their good football, Arsenal have usually come a cropper against the top teams. What did you make of their result against Barcelona? What made the difference that night?

Ikampreet: This season, they comprehensively beat Chelsea at home, took a draw at pool away, beat City and lost to Spurs. I would say that is a good record. It will be the performance against the other teams that will determine who wins, since the difference between the top 5-6 and others has decreased.

Kunal: All the post match reports say Wenger was superb with the strategy. I differ; they were a disaster in the first half. So up the line, time and again Barca was slipping through the defense, just could convert only 1. The match could have been over at half time. First 10 minutes, they didn't let Barca pass but you can't play with that energy throughout, Barca did pass and did get the better of them. I guess Kieta was a wrong move, made them more defensive and Arsenal got lucky on the breaks. I don't intend to undermine Arsenal here, but they didn't play like a team worthy of beating Barca. Song should have been shown a second yellow; Messi's goal was not offside. As they say - Shit Happens!

Ikampreet: Against Barcelona, Arsenal decided to beat Barca at their own game but with a few changes. They held a high line and pressed a lot. It was risky and had Barca taken their chances, it could have been all over. Arsenal's change was to move the ball quickly to the front 3 rather than patient build-up Barca-style. Yeah, and Keita was a defensive move at the same time as Wenger took off Song. Wilshere and Fabregas were brilliant. Fabregas for that brilliant chip for RVP's attempt early in the game and his through ball for Nasri during the build up for the second goal.

Kunal: Wilshere, just 18, has the right attitude, played brilliantly that night, bright prospect for England.

Rajesh: Yes, I thought the Villa substitution turned suicidal. He was the only forward player showing some urgency. Barca never looked liked scoring after he left the pitch. But, Barca didn’t deserve to win it either for their performance in the second half. Completely agree about Wilshere. Not sure about Fabregas though. Wilshere was ready to take on Xavi and that augurs well for Arsenal since mental fragility has been the usual complaint against this team. Fabregas and Messi were good, but far from their best.

Ikampreet: Messi, I thought was the best player for Barca that night.

Kunal: Fab lost the ball at quite a few occasions with that in mind he didn't create enough for his stature.

Rajesh: Fabregas, Wilshere and Nasri. What a midfield! And that brings us to the topic we can discuss all night. The central midfield at United! Fletcher and Carrick have not been up to their best and Scholes is probably in his last season, we are desperate for a new signing. But, I would still want Fergie to persist with Anderson, Gibson and Cleverley for another season before making any big money signings. Do you think they are good enough to do the job? If not, who do u fancy joining us this summer?

Kunal: When was the last time we saw a through ball from midfield and a goal? I think our strikers badly miss supply from midfield; our play always comes from the wings. Fletcher and Carrick are the hard working souls but not good enough to break down defenses. Somehow I don't see a United player in Gibson, he can't pass the ball, good only with his shots. Anderson has shown a recent spark, does good running with the ball, but that final ball is often missing. With Scholes gone I think we need someone who can control the game, and I don't see that in Fletch, Carrick, Ando or Gibson. I would love to see someone like Modric or Sneijder play behind Rooney & Berba.

Ikampreet: You know I am not a fan of some of the names you mentioned there. I feel that Scholes can be played only in a 3 man midfield to cover for him in terms of running or against teams who lack pace. Since we have been moving more and more towards playing 2 strikers, it is getting harder to see Scholes get many games other than as a substitute. Fletcher has been full of energy as always but has not had a good touch since eternity. Carrick, who for some time seemed to have found his form of old, has quite regrettably returned to his error prone self and can't be depended on for creative purposes. I won't even speak about Gibson. No, I will. He has never seemed nearly good enough to be a United player. No vision or creativity. Neither the legs to offset the lack of those qualities. We need a new midfield maestro. I would go for even Charlie Adam.

Kunal: Charlie Adams, Rodwell are realistically possible considering Modric, Sneider would be over priced.

Rajesh: To be fair to Carrick, his role has been to protect the two central defenders all of this season. He has hardly ventured into the final third. I think he is a victim of the new system Fergie is playing where the two wingers cut in (instead of running till the byline and cross like in usual 4-4-2s) and the fullbacks overlap. That still doesn’t explain is erratic passing though.

Ikampreet: I can't be fair to Carrick. He still has to pass well wherever he plays. He doesn't do that. And a bit of forward passing never hurt anyone except when Carrick does it.

Rajesh: Anyway he is automatic choice for tonight's game with Fletcher and Scholes in midfield. We are seriously hurt in the left wing with Park, Giggs & Valencia all out injured. It was a wonderful opportunity for Obertan to do well against Crawley Town and grab that vacant spot. Both Obertan and Bebe were poor, so Fergie might be forced to play something like a 4-4-2 tonight. Do u think we have a different option?

Kunal: 4-4-2 in an away match in Champions league? I don't think so. Rooney playing on the left, Fletch making daring runs.

Ikampreet: I bet on a 4-4-2 since Fergie has shown an inclination to start with Rooney and Berba.

Kunal: Who do you expect to play on the left?

Rajesh: Fletcher. Not like the usual winger though. He played in that position last season at the San Siro versus Milan in the first leg.

Ikampreet: Rooney on the left would not be conducive for anything other than a 0-0. And I don't have much confidence on the defence to keep a clean sheet. Outscore them, I say.

Rajesh: I’ll go for the same defence as in the City game. O’Shea, Smalling, Vidic and Evra

Kunal: I haven't seen Marseille play much, other than Fifa 11. And there it’s always Gignac who scores, good he is injured tonight!

Ikampreet: I saw them play against Pool and Chelsea and they have a very good player in Velbuena. Small, quick and deceptive. Gignac is their main striker but is injured. So are 2 more of their strikers. They will have a make shift front line. They try to move the ball quickly from back to front and like the game to be open. Not the best passers and lose possession a lot.

Rajesh: "Like the game to be open"! Good! Let’s hope we are not too defensive tonight. Our usual trend is to control possession and silence the crowd in the first half and go for the kill in the second. Given Marseille's injury problems, I am hoping for a 1 nil in our favour. What do you think should be our approach tonight?

Kunal: Given our injury problems I think we should be cautious, especially with attack coming from only 1 wing. Evra has a big job to today. 1-0 in our favour.

Ikampreet: Possession has been our downfall many a time. We start knocking the ball around and forget to create anything. Go into a kind of stupor. We have needed to inject a bit of pace into the game some times this season and that has not happened. The opposition can sting exactly during these times. Besides, our set piece delivery and defending has been atrocious and I fear the corners more than anything. 1-1.

Rajesh: Quite strangely, unlike in the league, we have done well in away games in Europe. We won all our away games at the group stage. In fact, we had as many wins in three Champions League group stage away matches as we’ve had in four times as many away matches in the Premier League. Let’s hope for a repeat tonight! Come on, you Reds!

Thanks Ikam and Kunal for your thoughts. Looking forward to doing this more often.

Some Fergie Worship, Some Rooney Bashing and a Little Preview

noreply@blogger.com (Rajesh) — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 16:02:00 +0000

Sir Alex Ferguson returns to his hometown for the Champions League encounter against Rangers, the club he grew up supporting. The turning point of Sir Alex’s playing career is said to be his hat trick against Rangers while he was a part time footballer with minnows St. Johnstone. The result came at a time when he was complaining about lack of playing time and was contemplating emigration to Canada to take up a position he had been offered in toolmaking, which was then a great trade. Had he taken up the job, no professional football à no managerial career à no Manchester United! And no That Night In Moscow. So, thank god for that hat trick! He became a professional footballer the following season and later realized his dream of playing for Rangers. In the two seasons with his boyhood club, he had an incredible return of 25 goals from 41 appearances.

Having had such strong connections with the club, one would have expected him to grab the opportunity of managing Rangers with both hands and legs. But, according to Alex McLeish,

"Alex declined the chance to manage Rangers – but that was only for one reason. Even then he had this big vision of going to England and managing Manchester United. Rangers weren't the only club he declined at that time. There was Arsenal and Tottenham too. In my opinion, the boss was waiting for one club and one club only – United. The rest is history."

If only every player valued the club as much as him.

“Sir Alex still has a soft spot for Rangers after all these years. He loves walking into Ibrox and being inside.”

So, Sir Alex still has a soft spot for the club. Maybe he will want them to win tonight? He has confirmed that Rooney will start today.

That brings us to Rooney’s farcical, clearly scripted interview with MUTV. He claims that, “I’ve always made people aware that I want to be at this club”. Does he honestly believe that we’ll still buy this shit? And he also declares that his “long-term future is at Manchester United”. It’s not in his control anymore, is it? And despite audible jeers from the crowd on his return against Wigan, he says, “Overall I thought the reception was brilliant”. Bizarre! By the way, where is the fucking apology?

Walter Smith, in his second spell now with Rangers, was assistant to Sir Alex twice; with Scotland during the 1986 World Cup and a short spell with United towards the end of the 2003-04 season. Sir Alex commented on Smith, saying, “There are few people in the game with his experience, knowledge and technical ability.” Smith will take on his former boss’s side with one eye on the Valencia-Bursaspor game. Rangers have to beat United to stay in the competition if Valencia beat Bursaspor at home. United, though, need only a point to qualify to the knock out stages. Rangers will be looking up to their star striker Kenny Miller to do the job for them. Miller is in sensational form with 18 goals from 14 games in the SPL this season. He scored his second hat trick of the season on Saturday and should be quite a handful to United’s young defenders.

United are without first team regulars Rio, Vida and Fletch. Smalling and Evans will play in the centre of defence alongside Rafael and Evra. I would have gone with a three man midfield had Fletch been in the squad. Since Gibson is unavailable and Anderson is coming back after a month, Fergie may be forced to play a 4-4-2 with Chicharito partnering Rooney up front; Giggs and Nani in the wings. But, Fergie hardly leaves Park out of European games, so it could be a 4-3-3 with Park featuring in the narrow midfield and Chicharito playing wide. I wish Fergie starts Giggsy though. Can’t wait to see him in action again!

Expected Lineups

Rangers(4-5-1): McGregor; Weir, Broadfoot, Foster, Whittaker; McCulloch, Davis, Fleck, Lafferty, Naismith; Miller

United (4-4-2): Vandy; Rafael, Smalling, Evans, Evra; Nani, Scholes, Carrick, Giggs; Chicharito, Rooney

Form

Rangers: DLWLWW

United: WWWDDW

Prediction

Rooney not to score in United’s 2-1 win

Preview: Rooney v the fans

noreply@blogger.com (Ikam) — Sat, 20 Nov 2010 12:38:00 +0000

We are unbeaten for some 20 odd games since the loss to Chelsea at Old Trafford last season. Does it really matter if you go without winning the away games and consequently, lose the title? We might set a new record but it would be the most worthless if our game play stays the same. The Villa game was a new low by any standards let alone United’s. So many of our players were so horrific that I cannot even begin to fathom how they got to where they are. Evra was the worst of the lot and did absolutely no backtracking when Albrighton managed to get past him in off-the-ball incidents. Berbatov seems to be in a place where strikers go when they are low in confidence, extremely irritable (his usual self), frustrated and frustrating in equal measure. Missed an absolute peach of a chance early in the game which he never looked like scoring. Hernandez started diving and giving away fouls when he did not get his way. I like both of them but only when they were gone did we make something of a match of it. Expect both of them to start the Wigan game but don’t be surprised if Macheda gets a chance by dropping one of them. He was the catalyst for us in the late charge at Aston Villa. Scholes should be back and partner Fletcher in the centre of midfield. Rafael is out with a dead leg (happens a lot with United players) and Brown should be on the right of defence. Rest of the back 4 should be the same as the one in Villa. Nani and Obertan could start on the wings given that Park was one of the main culprits in the last game and was barely moving.

Expected Starting line-up: Van Der Sar, Evra, Vidic, Ferdinand, Brown, Nani, Scholes, Fletcher, Obertan, Berbatov, Hernandez

Wigan are again stuck in the pack of teams fighting to stay out of relegation places. Under Martinez, they have oscillated from the sublime to comical football. On one hand, they are thrashed by 6-0, 8-0, 9-1 scorelines and on the other, they have the ability to eke to results like 1-0 at White Hart Lane. Against United, they have conceded 35 and scored just 4 and have lost each of their fixtures. Roberto Martinez believes that they can spring a surprise despite all that has previously happened. Teams that have been positive against us this season have reaped the rewards and Wigan will look to do the same. They have the pace in N’Zogbia, Rodallega and Moses upfront and the steel in Gomez, Diame and Thomas in midfield but rarely do they not concede.

Expected Starting line-up: Habsi, Alcarez, Caldwell, Stam, Gohouri, Thomas, Gomez, Diame, Moses, Rodallega, N’Zogbia

Player to watch (Manchester United): Nani in the scorching form that he has been in this season, could rip apart Wigan and moments of brilliance are expected.

Player to watch (Wigan Athletic): N’Zogbia can harass Evra big time especially when the latter seems disinterested in playing and one brilliant move could be our undoing.

Form Guide (Manchester United): DDWWWD

Form Guide (Wigan Athletic): WDLLDD

Rooney is back and his appearance as a substitute would give us an indicator if he has been forgiven by the fans (I know our blog owner will boo him in the privacy of his home forever). This is the match we know could be the return of the free scoring United and if this is not then nothing could ever be. Chelsea have luckily slipped up and we are still in the hunt for the title but Arsenal are looking ever more dangerous and are the dark horses. So, we have to up the ante now. I expect this is the game that we do and I predict a good win for us.

Prediction: 3-0

United take on a Villa Under Construction

noreply@blogger.com (Rajesh) — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 12:45:00 +0000

United take on a young Villa side that was involved in a midweek game in complete contrast to the borefest that was the Manchester derby. Albrighton, Bannan and Clark, aged 20, 20 and 21 respectively, started in midfield in the 3-2 win against Blackpool. The inexperienced midfield trio is set to start against United as well; Sidwell, Petrov and Reo-Coker being still out injured. Villa have two in-form wingers in Young and Downing. The latter has scored 5 goals in 14 appearances this season and will be hoping to get the better of Evra. Agbonlahor has signed a new long term deal with Villa and will be eager to show the Villa faithful that he is worth that fat contract. (Or, will be visiting the most exotic locations in the world, if he thinks like Wayne Rooney.)

Rafael is doubtful for the game and Brown is expected to take his spot. Evra might make it into the 11 if he recovers in time from his injury, but if he doesn’t, I would like to see Fabio start instead of O’Shea (wishful thinking, I know). Carrick was outstanding against City and will partner Fletcher in central midfield. Park has played 5 games on the trot, so Obertan might start along side Nani on the wings. But, we all know Park has a dozen Duracell batteries on his back, so don’t be surprised if he plays another 90 minutes today. I would like to see Fergie go with both Berba and Chicho; fielding 5 in midfield will be showing way too much respect for Villa.

Expected Line-Ups

Villa (4-3-3): Friedel, L.Young, Dunne, Collins, Warnock, Albrighton, Clark, Bannan, Downing, Agbonlahor, A.Young

United (4-4-2): Vandy, Brown, Rio, Vida, O’Shea, Nani, Fletcher, Carrick, Obertan, Berba, Chicho

Form Guide

Villa: LDLDDW

United: DDWWWD

Players to Watch

Villa: A.Young

United: Nani

Prediction: United to boss the midfield and win 2 nil

WHEN DID THE BIGGEST DERBY™ IN ENGLAND HAPPEN? WAS I ASLEEP?

noreply@blogger.com (Ikam) — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 10:35:00 +0000

I have only once been bored to sleep during a match. I have slept through some other matches too, but it happens when one team makes the game insignificant very early and apparently loses interest after that, e.g. Barcelona FC, or when you try to watch a match that has absolutely no bearing on the team(s) you support. Now, I do not need to be told, especially in the comments section (you can call, it’ll be less embarrassing that way), that “you have a sad life”. That is assumed. Anyway, to the one and only match that did not fall under either of the categories. It was the 2006 world cup first knockout round. Ukraine v Switzerland. That should have set the alarm bells ringing. Ukraine played a “3-5-2”, which almost certainly means that at any point of time there’ll be at least 4 defenders in the last line even if one has had the audacity to venture beyond the half way line. Four in the midfield, because one of the 2 strikers will be a “second striker”. This fantastic attack minded team up against the miserly Swiss, who had not conceded till then, was going to be a feast for the neutrals. Shevchenko was the only guy on the field who could conjure up something. So, 2 teams dead scared of losing played a game bereft of any clear-cut chances and God knows I tried to watch but made it only to the half-time whistle. Sleeping through the match, I woke up with 10 minutes left in ET to realise that it was still 0-0 and heading to penalties where the Swiss proceeded to miss all of their spot kicks to become the first and only team ever to be knocked out of the WC without conceding a single goal.

I have to accept, Wednesday’s match was arguably the worst match I have ever seen including the above mentioned game (whatever I saw of it). UK tabloids had gone gaga over City having a great squad and tipping them for the title at the beginning of the season. Never in the history of the game would the title contenders have played a game as this. It made City out to be more respectful and fearful of United rather than the other way around which the football pundits predicted. “We were fatigued”, said Mancini(0), sincerely wishing that the Sheikh in Abu Dhabi would find it in his heart not to fire him after an adventurous outing, when asked the reason for the City setup in the game. Betraying his lofty ambitions, he added, “I would be very happy if the season ended tomorrow”, talking like his captain has been for what seems like eternity. They are apparently very tired of football ten games into the season. Ending fourth is obviously great after spending a zillion petro-dollars (there is plenty more from where that came from) and building a squad that should be able to challenge on all fronts. City started with Zabaleta(7) at left back who was without a license to bomb forward and in a similar situation was Boateng(6) at right back. Zabaleta, after he switched to right back late in the game, even managed a shot at goal when the ball fell fortuitously after hitting O'Shea to him when he had given up already. The defense was competent when supplemented by the only black belt(7) in the team alongside the player Benitez wanted to replace Alonso with(6) in Liverpool (haha). Yaya Toure(5) yet again had the responsibility to link midfield with the attack in a chasm larger than all of Sheikh Mansour's oil wells combined. But that attack had only Tevez(6) and try as they might, they were crowded out when foraying in United's half with even the wingers going AWOL. Toure made runs after beating a couple of players but Milner(7) and Silva(5) were largely instructed to assist the full backs than be in the opposition half. Johnson was more forthright when he came on, Adebayor might have had one touch of the ball and Joe Hart(6) had one shot by Berbatov on target to deal with. That was all City did.

Surprisingly, United began with Rafael(6), Evra(7) and Nani. I had not expected Nani(to recover from his injury (as I am privy to the internal goings on at Old Trafford) and the two full backs rarely start away games together. Sir Alex (6) did not risk Hernandez playing the full game and compensated for the single striker by having 2 attacking defenders. The centre of the field was packed by City and another striker would have added more than Fletcher(7), who tried to make forward moves but was largely ineffective and failed to occupy De Jong so that space in the centre could be freed up for others. The full backs could have put in more crosses to pressurise the home team and Hernandez(5) would have been in the box to try to get to the end of those as Berbatov (4) tended to fall back much more than was good for the team. The 2 strikers would have made it a lot more balanced and attacks could possibly have been routed through the centre of the field. As it was, Nani seemed to be the only threat coming in to the centre to take shots which he curiously avoided at some instances. Park(6) was all over the field passing well without any penetration. Carrick(7) is well and truly back and I back him to do very well over the coming weeks. Scholes(6) was pressed by Toure who gave him little space to work in and the diminutive wizard was average. Vidic(8) is looking at the top of his game snuffing out runs made by Toure and generally not losing any City player and he was ably supported by Ferdinand(7) who is perhaps entering the dusk of his top flight career. Van Der Sar(7) was forced into one good save from a free kick by Tevez and that was his contribution to the game. Wes Brown (7) and O’Shea (5) had enough time on the pitch to make their mark but it was a tough night.

When a derby has just one feisty moment like a face-off between Rafael and Tevez, you know it was dull (Rafael can do better than to look in the shadows on Manchester's streets for the rest of his life for a short, stocky man: I would not back him to win a fist fight against Carlos). These games need early goals for them to liven them up and the longer they go goal less, the more likely it is that the teams involved want to tighten their defences. City never intended to get more than a single point and kept their fingers crossed for the recovering Tevez to magically get 3. I thought United started with a similar mindset but realised later that they could nick it, resulting in a positive second half. Berba form has fizzled out now and Rooney would make us a potent force when he returns, goals or not. The Bulgarian was not expected to sustain his amazing initial form throughout the season and these games need a spark which a Rooney can provide. We are 4 points behind the leaders and Arsenal are again in the mix. We have a tough away fixture against Villa and thanks to our performances, every game is looking like a must win with Chelsea returning to winning ways. Hope we have a better outing this weekend.

P.S.: The numbers in parentheses are the ratings for those involved.

Preview:Manchester City v Manchester United

noreply@blogger.com (Ikam) — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 16:15:00 +0000

My TV’s not working..yet. Incessant FIFA 11 game playing had to sting somewhere. There is a slim chance that I will have to try to stream the match through my feeble data card which will be an exercise in futility and equally futile would be to guess the United team for tonight that has been hit by a mysterious virus leaving Evra, Vidic, Berbatov and Scholes struggling to make it. Or, they might all be starting tonight depending on which version of SAF you have faith in, the clever one or the foxy one. Apart from that, the injuries have done their part to ravage the squad and we could potentially be looking at a virtual reserves team playing in the first part of the Manchester derby.

Admit it. A defeat in this match would probably hurt more than any other during the course of the season. Not because it is a big match but it could spell the symbolic beginning of the an era for the blue half of Manchester. Frankly, I did not think we would have the kind of results against City that we achieved last year. The blame for those results was laid at the door of a phenomena called City-itis, proponents of which fear the onset of this disease whenever City are cruising along. “They will mess it up” is the usual retort when the fans start feeling good about the team. City have always been the underperforming club even when they won titles. For example, when City last won the league title in 1968, guess what United did?? Sheikh Mansour would probably be ignorant of City-itis and is looking to win everything no matter what. Money being no object, obviously. After decades of one-sided affairs, the Manchester derby has become the biggest derby in the Premier League; the London, Merseyside or Northern derbies notwithstanding. Simply because both the clubs involved are huge these days and United see City as a direct threat now.

Super Mario is missing after a typical rush of blood and has shown that he can be wound up by teams who look to do that. Vincent Kompany played as a defensive midfielder in Europa League last week and will return to his favoured centre back position with Toure with Micah Richards and Kolarov partnering them. Carlos Tevez is certain to start and could be joined by two out of: Johnson, Milner, Silva and Adebayor. Johnson has, in recent games, been preferred and could be the more likely choice alongwith Milner. The 3 man defensive midfield has been a hallmark during Mancini’s reign and Toure will play in a more advanced to counter Scholes or Carrick, whoever starts. Martial arts guru Nigel De Jong has been commenting on Balotelli’s behaviour on the pitch and he certainly can, given that he has not been sent off even once during his stay in England.

Expected Starting XI: Hart, Kolarov, Kompany, Toure, Richards, De Jong, Barry, Toure, Johnson, Milner, Tevez

United have a point to prove with them being written and stated to be in decline and not capable of mounting a serious title challenge. They are within 2 points of Chelsea and a win at Eastlands could make it a 2 horse race while a loss would throw another contender into the mix. The ‘virus’ has given City an advantage and while they were in crisis mode after 3 straight losses, they have a right to feel confident about this match. Van Der Sar will start in goal and in front of him(the virus being ignored) should be Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic and Evra. The United defence has settled down after shipping goals at the start of the season and would require to be at their very best to stop Tevez and company. Scholes will be required to run the game for United and he showed his worth at the weekend. There was an element of composure and control to the Wolves game after he came on and he could largely be credited for the win even though Park scored both the goals. Carrick and Fletcher could both start in opposition to the packed City midfield and would be important for keeping the ball in the face of unrelenting pressure from De Jong and Barry . Obertan, Park and Hernandez could be the front three for United. Fletcher would be hugely instrumental while making his forward runs and required to support Chicharito.

Expected Starting XI: Van Der Sar, Evra, Vidic, Ferdinand, Brown, Park, Fletcher, Scholes, Carrick, Obertan, Chicharito

Man to watch (Manchester United): Scholes would need to run the game alongwith Carrick and would be faced by Yaya Toure when doing so

Man to watch(Manchester City): Tevez, who has been in hot form, is the player United need to pay most attention and a goal from him would hurt a lot

Prediction: 1-1(and I hope we do not lose)

Player ratings: Bursaspor 0 Manchester United 3

noreply@blogger.com (Rajesh) — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 13:24:00 +0000

Ikam had written about energy levels in the preview. United showed amazing energy levels in this game, especially the two fullbacks and the midfielders. Fergie employed a 4-2-3-1 making only 3 changes from the team that started against Spurs; Carrick and Scholes doing the holding role, Fletcher in a more advanced role beside Nani and Obertan forming a narrow 3 behind Berba. Nani and Obertan were cutting in to allow Rafael and Evra to overlap. Fletcher and later Park were given license to roam and they often found themselves in acres of space. Bursaspor, despite playing a high-pressure game, couldn’t dispossess or force the United central midfield duo into making mistakes which was were the game was won.

Vandy (7) – Perfect game but for one poor clearance which landed on the foot of a Bursaspor player just outside the box. Made a good stop on a one-on-one. The great man has no ego whatsoever; ran till the left end of the box to run the ball out of play rather than letting Fabio handle it.

Rafael (9) – Great performance. Wonderful positioning and tackling. We already know what he can do on the attack; pleased to see him do well at the back too, which is more important. Has put in two good performances on the trot. Would have picked him as the Man of the Match had Scholes not been at his imperious best.

Smalling (7) – Calm while defending, confident on the ball, he is of the Ferdinand mould. Might be preferred over Evans when Rio/Vida gets injured/rested.

Vida (8) – Dealt with ease everything that came his way.

Evra (7) – Played a sloppy pass which led to a one-on-one which Vandy saved. Made numerous overlapping runs and put in quality crosses. He was more excited than his compatriot Obertan when the latter scored.

Carrick (8) – Classy. Was happy to play second fiddle to the majestic Scholes. Played a lovely ball to Fletch who broke the deadlock early in the second half.

Scholes (9) – If we can keep this man fit, we can go all the way in the competition. None better when he is on song, like he was last night. Man of the Match.

Nani (7) – Hope his injury does not keep him out of the team and break his momentum. He displayed maturity by coming off early in the game. He could have overdone his injury if he had not curbed his enthusiasm, and United, at this stage, cannot afford an injury to Nani.

Fletch (7) – Good finish from a difficult angle to put United 1 nil up.

Obertan (7) – Good pace and aerial ability. Touches are a little too heavy. Stunning shot from outside the box to cap a good game. And, delivered a couple of good corners!

Berba (6) – Inconsistent performance. There were some moments of Berba magic midway through the first half, but, overall a disappointing performance.

Park (7) – 3 good performances in 7 days. Three-Lung Park is back!

Bebe (7) – A goal on his first Champions League appearance and his second in the space of 1 week. The whole squad looked happy for him when he scored. Ran all the way to the bench to hug Chicho. Glad that the two have gelled well so soon. Hope they do that on the pitch as well.

Fabio (6) – Fergie should give him more time on the field. Rafael and Fabio bombing forward on both wings gives me wet dreams.

Preview: Bursaspor vs Manchester United

noreply@blogger.com (Ikam) — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 18:28:00 +0000

Anderson, Darren Gibson, Johnny Evans, Rio Ferdinand, Federico Macheda, Wayne Rooney, Ryan Giggs, Antonio Valencia, Michael Owen and Owen Hargreaves are not in Turkey at the moment. The first two starting in a 2 man central midfield would be, for me, a sign from the Gods to switch off my TV. Let’s leave them be, I will probably write some choice words about them another day. So, we are carrying a very limited squad to an away game which we do not need to win but would virtually guarantee us qualification if we do and enable us to concentrate on the league for the next 3 months. We only have 2 strikers, Berba and Hernandez, and 2 central defenders, Vidic and Smalling,available and by my reckoning, only 1 in the former and both in the latter category will play. The Bulgarian could be the one given that he was subbed in the Tottenham game relatively early and Chicharito put on the bench to give playing time to Obertan or Bebe. Carrick is slowly finding his feet again and should join Scholes and Fletcher to form a trio in the centre of midfield. After a fabulous game at the weekend, our player of the season so far is expected to start on the right and we can look forward to some more sparks of brilliance from Nani to put us in the knock out rounds. John O’Shea, unfortunately, may be seen on the right side of defence owing to Sir Alex’s tendency to give everyone a chance and Evra on the left. Kusczak will be hoping he gets a run out in this game though he knows his days are numbered at Old Trafford especially when Amos gets a game and he does not.

I have nothing to say about Bursaspor. Erm, I have something to say about Bursaspor after reading what Sir Alex had to say to the press. He is still going on with comments about Rooney when he usually shuts the door to the journalists in similar cases and I do not remember him being so open about any affair related to the club. I forgot, Bursaspor then. Their stadium is located somewhere in the mountainous areas in north-west Turkey. The visiting fans at OT would have been seriously pissed off by their team’s insipid performance and aversion to giving any trouble to the home defence on match day 3. They only hope that it is better tonight. That’s it about Bursaspor. Sorry.

The previous game between these 2 teams was played in the shadow of one Wayne Rooney and lacked any sort of momentum after the early goal was taken beautifully by Nani. United, in previous years, in these sort of away games with a depleted set of players has lacked the energy levels we are used to seeing, and usually huffed and puffed their way to one goal margin victories which is great from the point of this tournament. And that is what I expect will happen tonight in a 1-0 victory for us.

Probable Team(Manchester United): Kusczak, O’Shea, Smalling, Vidic, Evra, Obertan, Carrick, Fletcher, Scholes, Nani, Berbatov

Probable Team(Bursaspor): 11 people, I know none of their names

Man to watch(Manchester United): Brilliant goal scoring and assists run should continue for Nani

Man to watch(Bursaspor): The keeper, who hopefully should be kept busy

Prediction: 0-1

Interesting Manchester United connection to Turkey: http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=aqTcL1A3fNM

Player Ratings: Manchester United 2 Tottenham 0

noreply@blogger.com (Rajesh) — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 05:42:00 +0000

Vandy (7) – Dived full stretch to stop Modric (should sign him). 40 years old!

Rafael (7) – Did very well against the in form Bale (should have signed him). Made a Messi-like run past 4 defenders before shooting wide. I thought he should have played the full 90 minutes.

Rio (7) – Didn’t sort out the problem of players dropping into the ‘hole’. Or is it Fergie’s duty to help the players sort it out? Van der Vaart (should have signed him; should sign him) and later Pavlyuchenko both dropped in between Carrick-Fletcher & Rio-Vidic to take shots at goal. Good game otherwise.

Vidic (7) – A couple of major errors that could have cost us the game. Compromised with that thunderous header.

Evra (6) – Wasn’t comfortable against Lennon; was beaten a few times by the pacy winger.

Nani (8) – He should have grabbed the headlines for the right reasons. But that incident ruined it. You can’t fault Nani though. He tapped it in only after confirming with the ref if he can play on. It took the sheen out of his Man of the Match performance.

Carrick (6) – Was marking Van der Vaart (not 100% sure) and didn’t do a good job of it. Passing was good. Will soon start fighting with Fletch for a spot in the first 11 alongside Scholes.

Fletch (6) – Was frustrating with his misplaced passes early in the game. Made amends and played some fine passes later.

Park (7) – Great movement. Unlucky not to get his name on the score sheet.

Berba (6) – Not really in the game. The Berb maybe didn’t want to hurt his former club.

Chicho (7) – Good game. Fergie opting to play him lone striker for about half an hour should have boosted his confidence, not that he is in need of any at the moment.

Obertan (6) – Didn’t do much. Good to see him get some minutes in League games anyway.

Brown (7) – Solid at the back. Supported Nani well on the attack. Played a fine chip that led to the Nani incident.

Scholes (8) – Magnificent cameo. United had complete control of the game once he came on.

Cornered

noreply@blogger.com (Rajesh) — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 07:48:00 +0000

A corner is given for the most innocent of mistakes, but the consequences for the defending team can be disastrous. At United, we have quite a few tall players and, in Vidic, one of the best headers in the game. Yet, this season we have been very poor in converting corners to goals. Out of 75 corners so far this season, we have only converted 2. One of them was an own goal! Giggs was the provider on both instances.

Nani has to take some of the blame for this situation. For all the good performances he has put in this season, Nani has been terrible with corners. His corners don't go beyond the first man defending the ball. It doesn't seem to be a tactical ploy since it is usually O'Shea who is United's first man. Hardly the player you'll want to do the intelligent flicks across the goal mouth.

This inability to put in decent corners has affected the team already this season. In the game against Bolton, we had 12 corners and didn’t manage to score one. The team sheet that day boasted Vidic, Evans, O’Shea, Fletcher, Berbatov and Rooney. Players who are more than capable of sending the ball into the back of the net provided the ball gets anywhere close to them.

Opposition	Score	# Corners	Goals	Scorer	Assist
Newcastle	3-0	3	0
Fulham	2-2	6	1	Hangeland (o)	Giggs
West Ham	3-0	9	0
Everton	3-3	5	0
Rangers	0-0	3	0
Liverpool	3-2	6	1	Berba	Giggs
Scunthorpe	2-5	5	0
Bolton	2-2	12	0
Valencia	0-1	3	0
Sunderland	0-0	4	0
West Brom	2-2	3	0
Bursaspor	1-0	6	0
Stoke	1-2	6	0
Wolves	3-2	4	0
Total		75	2

Even in past seasons, Nani’s corners were generally below par. It used to bewilder me how this could go unnoticed with Fergie. But in the Stoke game, we finally saw a change in approach. 5 out of 6 corners were taken short. And one of them led to a goal. Nani exchanged passes with Evra and his left foot cross was met by Vidic, and Chicharito knocked it in with a reverse header. The actual problem hasn’t been addressed, but at least the problem has been acknowledged.

When Valencia is back, he’ll be doing the corner duties. Gibson, in the game against Wolves, delivered a few fine crosses from the corner spot. But Nani having clearly been earmarked for taking corners in the absence of Giggs, should be working harder in the training ground. Mastering the art of corners is crucial to any attacking player and Nani will be a better winger if he can add this to his repertoire.

Do you think we should try other players or should we persist with Nani since he has a guaranteed spot in the starting 11?

The importance of corners cannot be emphasized enough. After all, the most important goal in United’s history was scored off a corner!

Player Ratings: Manchester United vs Wolverhampton Wanderers

noreply@blogger.com (Rajesh) — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 19:30:00 +0000

Amos (6) – At fault for Wolves’ first goal. Looked nervous and shaky initially. Grew in confidence as the game progressed and kept shouting instructions to the defenders. Good distribution with both legs. Little too harsh to say he’ll never be No.1 for United.

Brown (6) – Put in some solid tackles throughout the game and supported Bebe well on the attack. Was troubled by the excellent Jarvis and one of his slip ups nearly cost us when Hunt’s shot clipped the crossbar.

Smalling (6) – Very comfortable on the ball; delivered a few quality long balls early in the game. OK defensively.

Evans (5) – Not a great game. Made a lot of unnecessary fouls.

Fabio (6) – Most of Wolves’ attacks came through their right flank and Fabio dealt with them pretty well. Didn’t offer much on the attack though.

Bebe (7) – A goal on your first start, not bad at all. I was so looking forward to watching him and he didn’t disappoint. Ran at the defenders and got into good positions to cross. Scuffed a few crosses and lost the ball on a few occasions while attempting to beat the defender. Used his strong physique well to win a lot of 50-50s. We can expect him to make a few Premier League appearances this season.

Carrick (7) – Huge improvement from his past games. One touch passes, through balls, shots from distance, looked very much in form!

Gibson (7) – He was responsible for both goals United conceded. He was marking Elokobi who scored Wolves’ first; lost the ball just outside the box and it led to Wolves’ second. Yet, this was probably his best game in a United shirt (No, I haven’t forgotten the Bayern game). Along with Carrick, ran the game from midfield. Unlike his previous games, dropped deep to collect the ball and controlled the tempo of the game. In spite of the crowd calling him to shoot, on many occasions, took the right option of passing it to a player in a better position.

Park (8) – Man of the Match. Deserves a start against Spurs this weekend.

Obertan (6.5) – Made a few penetrating runs, showed good dribbling skills, good bursts of pace but poor close control. Lot of rough edges to be sharpened. Had a good first half but faded away in the second. Should work on his stamina.

Macheda (6) – Was caught offside a few times, when, if he had remained onside would have had acres of space to exploit. Credit to Fergie for letting him start as lone striker; will do a world of good to his confidence.

Neville (6) – With all due respect, his appearances should be restricted to cup games.

Chicharito (9) – Ole reborn!!!

Morrison – The 17-year old is tipped for greatness. Fergie is on a mission to prove that United's future is indeed safe!

Preview: Manchester United vs Wolverhampton Wanderers

noreply@blogger.com (Ikam) — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 14:41:00 +0000

The Carling Cup is back and the youngsters would be rubbing their hands in glee knowing full well that they will get an opportunity to impress tonight. Sir Alex has put complete faith in them for the cups in the previous years and the reward has been the wins in the last couple of years. And United must be fancying their chances given that Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City are already out of it. United legend Bryan Robson thinks that we are on our way to a hat-trick of titles but Arsenal are still in with a shot with a difficult away trip to Newcastle and Wolves are no pushovers as their display against Chelsea on the weekend showed. Wolves have had a bad start to the season and are just ahead of West Ham on goal difference in the table and they have City visiting them next. So, there is a decent chance that Mick McCarthy could field a weakened starting line-up making survival in the league his priority as he did at Old Trafford last season, choosing to virtually lose the game before it started. But let us assume that he will not do the same. Stephen Hunt returned from injury to make his debut for the season against Chelsea and will start. So should Serbian midfielder Milijas who had a good game at Stamford Bridge. Kevin Doyle remains a threat to any defence with his mobility and predatory instincts and he scored twice in the previous round to put them through.

Expected Team(Wolves): Hennessey, Ward, Stearman, Foley, Edwards, Berra, Jones, Jarvis, Milijas, Hunt, Doyle

United will certainly continue with fielding youngsters in the team and Obertan, Bebe, Gibson, Amos and Macheda should start. Owen is back and could be making his first start in a while. We could also see Hargreaves in the first team for the second time in 2 years after his prolonged battle with knee problems. That would be a big boost for the team in terms of not only this competition but also the league where we need to strengthen our midfield.

Expected Team(Manchester United): Amos, Brown, Smalling, Evans, Fabio, Obertan, Anderson, Gibson, Bebe, Macheda, Owen

Wolves passed the ball pretty confidently against Chelsea and kept possession for significant amounts of time. They could do the same especially if our midfield does not hold the ball which is certainly a worry but we have pace upfront which will trouble them. The defence also is pretty strong and can hold against the Wolves attack. Overall, we have too much quality all over to see beyond a win for United.

Prediction: 2-0

Preview: Stoke City vs Manchester United

noreply@blogger.com (Ikam) — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 09:16:00 +0000

Sir Alex Ferguson would be glad that the Rooney affair has been put to rest after a harrowing week and the players can focus on the business at hand. But it won’t be easy. As it is not only Wayne who has to prove himself to the fans all over again when he returns in 3 weeks, but the squad, whose potential and capability have implicitly been questioned by Rooney, will look to show they have what it takes to win titles. Stoke City can be expected to make them work hard every inch of the way. Britannia stadium is a tough place to look for our first away win of the season though we have to go all the way back to 1993 when Stoke City took points off United so we at least have that working for us. As always, Stoke can be expected to be tough all over the park, maintain their structure and use their big strikers. Oh, and the very very long throws from Delap. Ricardo Fuller is a major doubt for the game, but otherwise, they have their whole squad at their disposal. Etherington has been a crucial player for Stoke this season providing half of the assists which is the best record in the league by proportion. Kenwyne Jones, bought from Sunderland this season, has gelled well with his new team mates and scored 4 goals already. The Potters would be hoping to route their attacks through him and his strength could be a handful for the United central defensive pairing.

Expected Stoke City Team: Sorensen, Huth, Faye, Collins, Shawcross, Delap, Etherington, Pennant, Whitehead, Walters, Jones

This is the second least productive beginning to a Premier League season for United. With Chelsea winning last evening, the gap between United and them is 8 points. Three draws in the last 3 games have dented hopes of a record 19th title and except the Sunderland match, those have been points that have been thrown away. Clinical is a word that has been conspicuous by its absence this season for United and they have to take their chances to maintain their hopes of chasing down Chelsea. Sir Alex has been giving opportunities to the hitherto overlooked pair of Anderson and Carrick in the last few games and Scholes has been rested (he did make good use of that rest, allegedly injuring Rooney in training that will keep him out for some time). Expect Scholes and Fletcher to be given preference for this game along with Nani and Park in midfield. Ferdinand has been given the nod by the manager a couple of days back ahead of Smalling who started in the Champions League. The attacking pair of Berbatov and Chicharito is likely to be retained against Stoke but Rafael could be sacrificed for the more solid right back in the form of John O’Shea. Giggs, who provided both the assists for the 2-0 win at Stoke last season, is a big miss and limits the attacking options for us, should we need a goal from the bench. Tony Pulis has said that Rooney signing a new deal is a big lift for United and would encourage them but I think that players would be a bit shaken from all that happened last week and therefore, predict a 1-1 draw.

Expected Manchester United Team: Van Der Sar, O’Shea, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Nani, Scholes, Fletcher, Park, Hernandez, Berbatov

Player to watch (Stoke City): Kenwyne Jones – Ability in the air, strength and form make him a danger to United

Player to watch (Manchester United): Dimitar Berbatov – His creativity could be the difference between 1 and 3 points on a day when space will be at a premium

Form (Stoke City): L W D W W L

Form (Manchester United): W D W D D D

Prediction: 1-1 (the fan in me is screaming a 1-0 win)

Loyalty

noreply@blogger.com (Rajesh) — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 21:02:00 +0000

When I first heard that Rooney had signed a new contract, I didn’t know how to react. It had been a bizarre four days and this news took bizarreness to a completely new level. Like every United fan, I was absolutely disgusted with Rooney’s conduct and had resigned myself to seeing him in City colours. I didn’t want Rooney to wear the United jersey ever again and wanted him to be sold off at the earliest. So, when Fergie said he was ‘delighted’ at persuading Rooney to sign a new contract, it was disappointing to say the least. Sir Alex came across as desperate and it was unbearable, especially after what had happened.

For a while, Rooney had been a source of frustration for United fans. After a disastrous World Cup, he was caught smoking on holiday. Then the scandal broke out and it was reported that Fergie was shocked and felt let down by someone who he had valued highly and had earmarked for the captaincy. Rooney then showed utter disrespect by claiming he hadn’t had an ankle injury all season, contrary to Fergie’s claims. This acted as a trigger to Fergie’s press conference and post that, Rooney cited the club’s lack of ambition as the reason to quit, which sent out a message that he didn’t believe the current squad was good enough to win titles. And to cap it all, it was reported that he had a ‘done deal’ with City. Blasphemy, by any United player, let alone by someone who enjoyed legendary status.

Could Fergie really have forgiven Rooney after all this? Surely not.

To protect his reputation as someone who wouldn’t tolerate the slightest hint of disrespect/disloyalty, Fergie could have taken the easier route of asking the player to pack his bags. But with only an year and a half left on his contract, Rooney would have gone at a bargain price. Sir Alex clearly put the best interests of the club ahead of himself. Although it risked his reputation and let adjectives like vulnerable, desperate, embarrassing, etc. be associated with him, it has now allowed the club to dictate terms in the sale of its most valuable asset. The whole exercise was to do with Rooney’s marketability rather than his talent; if there is one person who would firmly believe the squad sans Rooney can win titles, it is Sir Alex. I don’t see Rooney stay beyond next summer even if he wishes to.

Rooney might win over the fans again, but not the gaffer.

After all, Fergie’s autobiography finishes with the words “Loyalty has been the anchor of my life”.

Football, Bloody Hell!

noreply@blogger.com (Rajesh) — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 13:11:00 +0000

I first saw Manchester United in the summer of 1999. Not a bad year to start following this club I guess. What started off as a pastime slowly became an obsession. And became the reason for many friendships!

This is an attempt to stay in touch with my football following friends, United following in particular. I want this blog to be a community for sharing opinions; should be more about the banter in the comments section than the article itself. To keep the blog active, I'll be posting 2-3 articles a week to set the tone of discussion. I hope this blog witnesses some great exchanges and soon becomes the place to celebrate Manchester United's greatest moments.

Moments like these.

The Champions League is the most coveted prize in club football and it is no surprise that my favourite football moment came in the finals of the 2008 edition that United won. The stakes were incredibly high for United since it was the 50th Anniversary of the Munich Air Disaster. United simply had to win it. It was 1-1 After Extra Time and 3-4 in favour of Chelsea after 4 penalties each. Ronaldo, of all people, had missed one. Up stepped John Terry. Mr. Chelsea. British Bulldog. Captain Fantastic. The most loathsome player in football history was to condemn United to misery. As he walked up to the penalty spot, he pulled the captain's armband up his sleeve. Utterly nauseating. He took a confident run up and in the split second that I saw van der sar go the other way with the ball bound for the back of the net, I realized it was going to be the most depressing moment of my life...

Well, you know what happened next!

Football, Bloody Hell!

This blog is a tribute to that night in Moscow!