Although other than the compulsory smug for a ManUtd fan, I tend not to look at other clubs unless it is to admire their managers and consistency of players. I am for example a big fan of Steve Bruce and Roberto Martinez and even think that although lately more embarrassing for his own legacy than anything else, Sparky could become a good manager.

Today though I have to make an exception. Make and exception and have a look at the England Manager, Fabio Capello. First of all though I must say that I am not English but have spent the last five years of my life in England until I recently moved to a sunny Southern-European isle. Of course I did support the English national eleven during my time there and as every fan of a nice game my heart always suffered watching this thing dished to us fans, this almost catanaccio alike game brought to us by Capello. But while I may at times admire the Italian style of the game, mainly for the strategical zonal game which is played in the Serie A, as a true ManUtd fan I would rather lose 5-4 than go home with 0-0. I will take a 0-1 win though, especially if fought out in true ManUtd style and we have more than 20 shots on goal as usually, playing defences of 6-9 players is not that easy. But I digress. Continue reading »

Tags:   Beckham · Fabio Capello

So I was wrong and we signed another player, Portuguese 20-year young striker Bébé from Vitória de Guimarães. While the deal still is subject to a medical the interesting news here is not that we signed another player, for an undisclosed sum, but what is really going on at Old Trafford.

Left and right Ihear that we haven’t improved our squad since both CR7 and Cryboy left but the truth is that SAF is working at something much more interesting and exciting: he’s reshaping the squad and slowly preparing a new squad, a squad ready to replace the still active legends Red Neville, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs. Not only does the young Portuguese follow in an lacklustre line of bad hair-dos or is another prodigy coming from Portugal, more so he is another young talent we recruited in the last two years. Although for now we will place a question mark after the transfer until both clubs confirm this, especially because Bébé doesn’t have any stats on his Vitória de Guimarães player profile.

What really matters though is that Alex Ferguson will probably continue to stay at OT for several more years, helping the new squad taking shape and once more enjoying the good ol’ adagio you don’t win anything with kids. I bet Wenger’s fuming inside to see what happens at OT and to realise once more the Scot while outwit him and do what the Gunners haven’t done for years now: win silverware, more so win silverware with youngsters.

Our line up of most used youngsters now reads like this: The Twins, De Laet, Cleverley, Gibson, Kiko, Obertan, Possebon, Diouf, Hernandez and we could arguably add Nani, Johnny Evans and Anderson to this list, just as well as Welbeck.

Tags:   Bébé · Transfers

The start of the season is finally there and we have had a rather quiet silly season, other than being rumoured to have been interested in everyone who can kick a ball and has a high price tag. Pretty much like Harry Redknapp during every break but it seems that all our signings were done since a long time and chances of anyone other than Chris Smalling and Javier Hernandez joining the ranks are rather slim. And just like last year, it doesn’t matter because our squad *is* strong already and the two only signings we made were sensible ones.

Last year I said:

Contrary to what most people have announced, we do not need any more new signings because ManUtd is already a stronger squad than last season, even after CR7 and Tevez left Old Trafford.
With the arrival of the talented Gabriel Obertan, Michael Owen, who signed on a free and Antonio Valencia’s arrival times certainly look great for the Red Devils.

Although at many times last season our vulnerabilities have been exploited, we must be honest and admit that the squad wasn’t weaker due to the departure of Cryboy and the Gelled Tumbler. What did happen though was that we struggled once more with a huge amount of injuries and these cost us lots. And to be honest, if I see one problem this season it’s in the defensive department again.

Continue reading »

Tags:   Defence · Hernandez · Rio Ferdinand · Squad · Transfer Talk

Missed me? Good, you won’t have to wait any longer anymore. Let the madness rebegin.

I have never seen this before, but the madness over last weeks has reached new levels and with both the Bernabeu and the Council House continuing to be of very little importance when it comes to the real game, the top of the table and domination of Europe, the transfer rumour mill this year seems to have taken never before seen proportions.

Apparently, being linked with more players than ever before, now we are interested in signing a talent we already offered a job at Old Trafford years ago but now suddenly has decided that his career is in an impasse and he should be able to sign a typical ‘Rent Boys End of Career – I only have 5 years anymore, I must think of my family’ deal.

Ladies and Gents, I present you… *drum roll, please* former England International and Rentboy, Mr. JOE COLE!

That is right it now seems that amidst rumours of the Glazers having no money and the Red Knights wanting to salvage our club, and finances, Mr. Cole’s agent has decided to bring ManUtd in the game to negotiate a better deal for his long injured and under performing client. As is typical with the Rentboys, when your body and mind reach the age you start becoming slower, have more off-minutes in a game than you had off-games in a season, when a player closes in on 30 years, instead of showing loyalty for having earned millions every year already, enjoyed fat weekly checks sitting at home, recovering legs up, you hold out for a new long-term contract with possibly even more money. Lots more.Precedents are numerous and well-known: Mr. Fat Frank, Mr. John ‘Slippery’ Terry, Mr. Michael ‘I Can’t Tackle for Sh*t And My Gob’s Bigger Than Red Nev’s’ Ballack and now both Anelka and Joe Cole seem to be the next ones on this elusive list. Continue reading »

Tags:   Chelsea · Joe Cole · Useless Agent Talk

As expected Sir Alex made different changes to the squad and the Red Devils started with a completely different line up. Foster made his return in goal and as predicted Fabio, Michael Owen, Danny Wellbeck and Machedo all started. Other players to start were Gary Neville, Wes Brown, Rafael Da Silva, Evans, Anderson and Obertan who made his debut for ManUtd.

It were ManUtd who started the game furiously and after only 6 minutes Danny Wellbeck headed in from a corner from Anderson. We dominated the game with a not too impressive performance but we can easily say that the ‘youngsters got the job done’. Both Obertan and Wellbeck had chances after ManUtd took the lead but failed to convert. The last 10 minutes of the first half were controlled by Barnsley who couldn’t convert either, even though Foster had to concede 4 corners in that period.

Danny Wellbeck celebrated Powel style. Continue reading »

Tags:   Barnsley FC · Carling Cup · Danny Wellbeck · Gabriel Obertan · Gary Neville · League Cup · Michael Owen · Zoran Tosic

Tonight we play the fourth round of the League Cup, AKA Carling Cup or Milk Cup, away at Barnsley. There’s not much to say about this game other than that we can expect many changes again and it is likely that Fabio Da Silva will start, together with Owen and possibly also Macheda and Wellbeck. If Darren Fletcher is recovered from his groin injury picked up during the international break he might also feature.

For Alex Ferguson it will be an ‘emotional’ meeting with the guy who once saved his career and allowed the gaffer to become one of the most illustrious manager s in the history of the game: Mark Robins.

As usually highlights will be updated on the Manchester United blog Facebook page, followed by thoughts afterwards.

Tags:   Barnsley FC · Carling Cup · Darren Fletcher · Fabio Da Silva · Mark Robins · preview. · Zoran Tosic

It has taken a while to recover from Sunday’s game. Losing always is difficult, but losing to the Scousers is even harder. And Sunday’s game was one of those where nothing worked.

Let’s admit it: they ran faster, ran harder and wanted it more. And they had the support of top flight unexperienced referee Andre Marriner who blatantly helped the Dippers.

Last but not least… Ngog scored.

How to overcome all this?

Continue reading »

Tags:   Analysis · Liverpool FC · Michael Carrick · Paul Scholes · wayne rooney

15 Years ago after a thrilling 3-3 draw The Kop unrolled this banner at the end of the game.

Tags:   Eric Cantona · Glory · Liverpool · Titles

Tomorrow is THE game and this year the trip to Anfield Road comes with two more bonus elements. First of all there is the question if the Anfield loyals will show Michael Owen the respect he deserves for his time at The Kop. The other factor is whether it will be the last game in charge for the Spanish waiter.

Rafa Benitez has lost 6 games out of 13 games played this season so far and I will be nice here but he actually is a good manager. A good manager with a bad attitude. A manager who seems to have lost passion.
One could give the Spaniard the bonus of the problems in the board room, some people even say that he doesn’t have money to buy players but that argument is bollocks for the guy who has bought more than 70 players in his time at the Merseyside. Continue reading »

Tags:   Liverpool FC · Michael Owen · preview. · Rafa Benitez · wayne rooney

If you thought that the Abu Dhabi family’s problems could have been made easier with the help of a decent translator, which could have saved them the embarrassment of buying a team without own stadium, you’ll have to think again.

Not only do the multi-billionaires have to live up that error now it also seems that they will have to send their manager to ground school again. Former ManUtd legend Mark Hughes admitted that he will keep an eye on the game at Anfield on Sunday but contrarily to other seasons this time he will look at the result in the hope that one team might drop points and improve Citeh’s position. According to the greying Welsh man top 4 teams seem to perform worse than in previous seasons:

When we go up against the top four teams, if we can do our work and take points off them, then that will help us in terms of the ambitions we have,” he added

Continue reading »

Tags:   Bollocks · Mark Hughes · premier league · Quotes · Smug · The Council House