Match Report
Man. Utd 4 Middlesborough 1

Wayne Rooney scored one goal and superbly set up another as Manchester United overwhelmed Middlesbrough to move to the top of the Premier League.

United went ahead on three minutes when Nani drove in a cracking shot from 30 yards but Jeremie Aliadiere soon equalised with a precise header. Nani robbed Stuart Downing and played in Rooney, to smash United’s second. After the break Carlos Tevez slotted in after a sublime Rooney back-heel and he added a fourth with a deflected shot. United scored four goals in a fourth successive game – the first time in 100 years they have done so.

They knew a win would see them overtake leaders Arsenal – at least until Sunday when the Londoners play Liverpool. And the hosts, who had Owen Hargreaves in their starting line-up for only the fourth time, wasted no time in setting about their task. Continue reading »

Tags:   goals galore · tevez rooney partnership · united win · wayne rooney

Match Report
Dynamo Kiev 2 Man. United 4

Two goals from Cristiano Ronaldo helped a dominant Manchester United to a comfortable victory at Dynamo Kiev. Rio Ferdinand opened the scoring when he headed in a Ryan Giggs free-kickfrom the left before Wayne Rooney tapped in Wes Brown’s low cross. Diogo Rincon reduced the deficit with a header before Ronaldo nodded in United’s third. Ronaldo scored from the spot after Goran Gavrancic handballed before Ismael Bangoura fired in late for Kiev.

Victory gave United their third win from three Champions League games this season but never would Sir Alex Ferguson’s side have thought they would achieve the result in such a shockingly easy manner. Kiev’s defence was poor. Actually to be blunt, they were awful for much of the match. Continue reading »

Tags:   Champions League · dnamo kiev · Ronaldo · Rooney

Match Report
Aston Villa 1 Manchester United 4

Wayne Rooney struck twice and missed a penalty as Manchester United eased to victory against nine-man Aston Villa. Gabriel Agbonlahor headed Villa into an early lead, but Rooney’s two composed finishes put United in front. Craig Gardner’s own goal gave United a third before half-time, and Nigel Reo-Coker was sent off on the hour. Keeper Scott Carson followed for a foul on Carlos Tevez, and even though Stuart Taylor saved Rooney’s spot-kick, Ryan Giggs added a deflected fourth.

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson rested Cristiano Ronaldo and gave fellow countryman Nani a place in the starting line-up. Villa opened brightly and were ahead in the 11th minute when Ashley Young retrieved Gardner’s dangerous centre and crossed for Agbonlahor to flick a header beyond Edwin van der Sar. Tevez and Rooney looked a dangerous combination, and Carson did well to block the Argentine as the pressure mounted. But it took a lapse of concentration from Villa defender Zat Knight to allow United to draw level after 36 minutes.

Continue reading »

Tags:   man of the match · Tevez · united win · villa

Sorry for not having posted several days, I’ve not forgotten you!
But I must admit… last week was boring. Nothing happened and the news headlines still were the same: Tevez & Gaby, with a little Smithy.

In between all the transfer talk, we played two more games in Asia. And scored 10 times. But lets not overrate those 10 goals. Those were friendlies. Friendlies in Asia, at a total different pace. ManU were allowed time on the ball, covering was as close as Liverpool and ManUtd are and… the games were fun.
We have one more game in Asia, on Friday against Guangzhou Pharmaceutical and next Tuesday we play Inter Milan in a friendly at OT.

I can’t repeat it enough, but it’s time for the Prem to start. I’m bored of all the talk. I want to see the lads play. I want to see goals. I want action. I want England, Europe and the whole world Europe to realize whose The Best Damn Football Club in The World (TBDFCITW)! Because it’s us! ManU!

And if rumours are true, if that’s going to be our away kit… we will even have The Most Awesome Kit On The Whole Planet (TMKOTWP)! Even though the picture is blurred, that black kit totally rocks! I want one! Two actually: an Owen and a Rio shirt for me please. I’ll have a Ronaldo and a Gaby one for the home kit.

Let the Season start now please. Let whoever wants to leave leave, let everyone who’s allowed to join us join us, I don’t care anymore right now… all I want now is football.

Uncle Jose already started the stupidities and I’m looking forward to many more to come!

They are contenders for the title, of course, but I still believe Chelsea have the best players in the world.

Don’t forget our Fantasy League and I’ll do my best, but don’t guarantee anything, not to sound as a cheerboy anymore, like I do in this entry. :D

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Does it really surprise anyone that Carlos Tevez is being closely linked with a move to the Theater of Dreams, Old Trafford for a reported 20 million? Sir Alex always has been of a fan of the Argentinian worker, master deliverer and striker.

I guess the only real surprise we could call is the attitude of the Glazer family. Daily more and more Malcolm and Family seem to become a group of angel investors putting Russian playboy Roman in the shadow lights.
50 Million Pound Sterling so far, for only 3 players and the spending spree goes on. 20 Million for Carlos Tevez. Another talented youngster. That would nothing less than 70 (seventy!) Million in only 5 weeks.

I’ll admit that I was happy when the Glazers took over. Happy because they were American.
Not that I particularly love Americans, they are nice people as long as they don’t discuss politics, which they sadly do way too often. But when it comes to sports, only Americans could have fitted Manchester United, because Americans understand exactly what the deonthology of ManU is.

To entertain.

And who could better word our spirit than the club director Sir Bobby Charlton, remembering the words of the legendary Sir Matt Busby?

People often ask me what it is that makes Manchester United so special. When I played for the club Sir Matt Busby always used to say that the lad who works on the factory shop floor, but finds it boring, wants excitement in his free time… that when he goes to football at the weekend he wants excitement. He therefore used to tell us that we therefore had a responsibility to entertain. It is a philosophy that has continued right through until today and that has made the club popular the world over.

And entertainment is one thing that Americans understand. And the Glazers show that they understand entertainment.

Entertainment at the Theatre of Dreams, entertainment at Old Trafford. And the new signings will surely add to the ManU Entertainment level, it’ll be Red Devil Samba!

Roman, you’ll have to spend more if you want to enjoy real entertainment. Other than entertainer Jose that is, I mean entertainment on the pitch, because we’ll show you what it is.
It’s part of the ManUnited History, it’s our spirit. ManU is Entertainment!

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Dutch, and Chelsea, scout Piet De Visser said in an interview with the Dutch TV Channel Tien TV, that United paid too much for Nani.

He is a talent, but if you look at the European Championship in Portugal and the current tournament in the Netherlands – Nani has not shown any progress.

Therefore I think Manchester United have paid too much money for a player who has talent, but has not developed since last year.

But what De Visser seems to forget is that there’s a huge difference between Chelsea and ManU. Chelsea buys stars and they perform or don’t perform. No matter if they are over paid or not. Look at the best performing players at Chelsea : except for Lamps and Terry, they all have been very expensive players, in the range of 20million and above.
Others are highly under performing. Just to mention some, SWP, Robben, Ballack, Sheva. Chelsea doesn’t grow players. They perform or they don’t.

But here at ManU, we buy talents and then Sir Alex and Queiroz start working them. Turn them in to world class players. We know how to get the best out of players. Examples are numerous.

Becks.
Rio has grown into a world class player.
Rooney, who gets better every season. And always learns to do more, more than just score. He’ll become deadly in the box, but most of all he’s growing in to the role of a player who can cover the whole pitch wisely. Not like in his first 2 years at Old Trafford when he ran over the whole ground and one wondered why he was at that spot now.
Cristiano. Cristiano was a talent. Nothing more. An expensive talent. Fergie made one of the world’s best players out of him.
Ruud was a talent. He became world’s deadliest striker at Old Trafford. Performing well in The Netherlands doesn’t make you a worldwide fear, just look at Kezman’s performance at Chelsea.
Giggs was a talent.
Both Neville brothers were.
No one knew who Vidic was, today he’s among the world’s defensive elite, together with Rio and Neville.

I could go on for hours with more examples. Fact is, we buy young talents and grow them, turn them in to world’s elite. And then one day, they move on. That’s when Roman, Jose and Chelsea come in play : they want to buy the best players. We make them. Young talents at Chelsea fail.
I’m sure Robben would perform a lot better if he were managed by Fergie. ;-)

Tags:   BS · Chelsea · Nani · RObben

Although Fergie believes that he has mellowed over the years, as he said in a morning interview with local radio station Key103, Cristiano told The Sun in an interview that Sir Alex still has got the touch, the hairdryer.

The boss said that time and life, have mellowed him, but accepts that some younger player are afraid of him.
Cristiano Ronaldo confirmed that Sir Alex the roll of the father figure has, but still knows how to get angry.

“Alex Ferguson shakes me up and screams at me now and again.”
“He is like my mother or my father. He sets my limits and my aims.”
“People say he is less explosive than before, but he can still get angry.”
“He has often shouted at me during half-time, but always to make me progress. He is fair.”

Or in the words of Fergie

“On a Saturday, if you’ve not won or not played well, it’s important to get the message across because winning’s important at our club,” he told the Daily Mirror.”
“With the preparation we give the players every week, nobody ever gets criticised in training. Everything is positive so, therefore, on Saturday, you expect a result.”
“With all the work we’ve put in as coaches, the preparation we put in, the time spent going through video analysis, all the physical preparation and the medical care they’ve got, we expect a result.”
“So I always believe in telling them right after the game. I’m not interested in this ‘wait until Monday’ attitude.”

Read a report of the interview on club’s web site.

Home Office set to reject Anderson’s work permit.

According to Ali Martin of The Sun, the Home Office will reject Anderson’s application for a work permit, who will move to Old Trafford for £17 million. The Brazilian has not played 75% of the international the Brazilian national team played in last two years. Anderson is selected for his national team for this summer’s Copa del America.
United will appeal if the application is rejected.

No new contract for Smith

Alan Smith’s hopes have not been fulfilled and has not been offered a new contract. But the winger has stated he’d love to continue playing for ManUtd.

And last but not least, ‘Hi, my name is Franky and I will start posting here regularly’.
Expect several changes, updates to the site and a competition for the next season to be announced.
Comments have been reopened. :)

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After weeks of speculations regarding his colorful career, now former Welsh captain Ryan Giggs finally called it quits after playing his final game with a draw against Chelsea. Giggs had the chance to exit in style but his trademark goal failed to hit its mark. Giggs exited to a standing ovation and passed on the armband to Craig Bellamy.

Giggs will no longer be around when his team faces the Czech Republic. Giggs will sorely be missed and remembered for all his contributions and memorable part in the Manchester United organization.

“Obviously it’s been emotional this week, saying goodbye to everyone,” Giggs said after the game. “I’ve enjoyed it, it’s been great and I wish the lads all the best in the future. It was a shame I couldn’t have gone off with a win but the fans have been great from day one right to the end.” – International Reds in Action

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After a successful season despite the spate of injury debacles that has plagued the multi-titled Manchester United team, the majority owners of the family of the Glazers themselves stood up and proclaimed that there is no truth to the rumor that they have been reading in the Daily Mirror about the successful ball club. It was reported that the Manchester United franchise is being held up for sale and from all indications; these will remain rumors as far as the Glazers are concerned.

“The Glazer family have a long-term commitment to Manchester United and that is not going to change,” said the spokesman.

“Quite simply, they are not interested in selling the club. Why would they?

“They are determined to make United more successful, both on and off the pitch.” Owners: Club not for sale

This should squash all news hungry tabloids who are merely jockeying for position to get a piece of the action. Manchester United is here to stay!

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The sad thing about enjoying the game of football is seeing players giving it their all, regardless of whom they are playing for. But for Ryan Giggs, the choice to make a stand on whether to continue to play competitively and satisfy all his teams or focus on one league only is expected to be the major part of his expected announcement regarding the international scene.

From all indications, this season’s Euro 2008 Qualifiers seem to be his last hurrah and Welsh will be deeply saddened by his departure. Playing for the United Reds alone has its own share of wear and tear on the body and its mental aspect and Giggs is expected to stick with the Reds to uphold the winning tradition until his last game is played.

It is truly nostalgic to hear such developments but some people just have to decide on up to what extent their bodies and minds can sustain the abuse it can receive to maintain the competitive level they are known for.

[tags]manchester united, united reds, welsh, ryan giggs[/tags]

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