Red Rants

As the extremely well crafted title would tell you, there is quite a bit to talk about today. But before we go ahead, a little word on one bit of news that sneaked away unnoticed–or should we say, did not get the coverage it deserved.

The Premier League, besides chalking up a rather controversial plan (to put it mildly), also agreed to allow seven substitutes on the bench from next season onwards. Now that is certainly something to feel happy about as it gives the manager more options. I’ve never understood the concept of five players on the bench when La Liga and the Champions’ League allow seven. Hopefully this would make man management easier.

Right, now back to United related news.

Continue reading “United’s Italian Interest. Neville’s Retirement Plans. Fergie and Carrick Speak. eBay Scarves.”

I really don’t feel like writing a match report. It can’t get any worse can it? City, of all the clubs in the world, win against us; we put on a limp display on a day which was supposed to commemorate a side known for playing one of the most free-flowing forms of the game; and the blue half actually do the double on us this season.

I just can’t think of anything uplifting at the moment either. I could, of course, cite Chelsea’s inability to capitalise on this slip up on our part. Or I could sit and hope Mark Hughes does us a favour today against Arsenal. But that’s really it.

Recently, it has come to my notice that whenever I wrote a match report following a loss, I have invariably praised the opposition and given it due credit for being the better side. At least the last time when we lost to City it was bad luck, more than anything.

But yesterday, I couldn’t see much to say that United deserved anything out of this. I couldn’t even look to chide the Citeh fans, who were well behaved during the one minute silence.

Citeh got what they deserved, and so did we. I don’t want to really go deep analysing things for today because a lot was wrong about our display. I could have talked about Rooney’s and Evra’s absence, but those are excuses. The side we put out should have beaten a Man City side that have been well below par in recent weeks. It was derby day, an occasion to rise up to — enough motivation to win. And they didn’t. Maybe I am being too hard, or maybe it was the occasion that put undue pressure on them.

But they have to rise up to such occasions and not go missing. I am letting my emotions get the better of me here, which is certainly uncharacteristic of me. But I am feeling quite bitter about yesterday and so I will end what has been a rather incoherent post from my side.

See you when I get my spirits higher than this.

Edit: Oh, and the official reason for our defeat: Fatigue due to internationals. And here we are discussing the possibility of a 39th game, not to mention our short jaunt to Saudi Arabia. Oh, the irony!

After weeks of speculation about City fans and the Munich tribute — and the minute’s silence versus the minute’s applause (mooted from some quarters) — we get to the day where we would have to realise that there is a game to be played as well. And, of course, precious three points to be picked.

On that poignant note, we shall preview today’s game.

Continue reading “Man Utd v Man City: Preview”

Tomorrow we invite our friends from the council house to our humble home, and I will surely write a preview post tomorrow. But apart from it being a derby and, of course, an opportunity to pick three points to close the gap with Arsenal, the game will assume greater significance for a non-footballing reason.

It is our first home game since the 50th Anniversary of the Munich disaster and our efforts to mark the occasion with a one minute silence may come under threat due to some City fans disrupting the said minute’s silence.

Continue reading “Derby Day. Raging Ferg. Welbeck.”

Most of you might have heard about the Premier League’s plan to increase the number of games to 39 and play the extra game abroad. I am not sure what many of you think, but to me this is one of the most arrogant decisions ever made by the Premier League. Now I am not saying that it is a bad business decision. The potential at overseas markets are huge, especially for clubs like United. In fact, if a mid table side played a ‘big four’ team abroad, they will attract fans because of the presence of the big four club. Due to the neutral nature of the venue, I would assume that the gate receipts will be split equally — which is only fair. The clubs will stand to make more money — which is all there is to it, really.

But all that is besides my point.

Continue reading “The Most Insanely Arrogant Plan”

This is to enlighten readers of this site that Soccerlens has launched it’s first Blogging Awards.

I would also like to mention that this site was not nominated for any of the categories. But then, as you may have seen, I don’t write for awards. They are incidental, you know — actually pointless. And of course, I certainly have more class than these lowly awards. I mean, who cares?

Oh, and a fox cried “Sour Grapes!”.

Anyway, honestly though, I would recommend you all to head over to Soccerlens and vote for the various categories — and trust me, there are quite a few excellent blogs out there; some of which you may have never heard of before. Personally, I was pleased to see top notch ones like 200Percent and Pitch Invasion get nominated, among others.

More than the voting, such awards serve to bring into focus a lot of quality content on the web that one may not have stumbled upon earlier, and this is a good chance for readers to find more such blogs to waste time.

Happy voting.

One cold and bitter Thursday in Munich, Germany,
Seven great football stalwarts conceded victory,
Seven men will never play again who met destruction there,
The flowers of English football, the flowers of Manchester

Matt Busby’s boys were flying, returning from Belgrade,
This great United family, all masters of their trade,
The pilot of the aircraft and the skipper Captain Thain,
Three times they tried to take her up and twice turned back again.

The third time down the runaway disaster followed close,
There was ice upon the wings and the aircraft never rose,
It ran upon the marshy ground, it broke, it overturned.
And seven of the team were killed when the battered aircraft burned.

Roger Byrne and Tommy Taylor who were capped for England’s side.
And Ireland’s Billy Whelan and England’s Geoff Bent died,
Mark Jones and Eddie Colman, and David Pegg also,
Before the blazing wreckage went ploughing through the snow.

The trainer, coach and secretary, and a member of the crew,
Also eight sporting journalists who with United flew,
and one of them was Big Swifty, we never will forget,
the greatest English ‘keeper who ever graced a net.

They said that Duncan Edwards had an injury to his brain,
They said that Jackie Blanchflower would never play again,
Matt Busby he was lying there, the father of the team
Six months or more did pass before he saw another game

Oh, England’s finest football team its record truly great,
its proud successes mocked by a cruel turn of fate.
Seven men will never play again, who met destruction there,
the flowers of English football, the flowers of Manchester

- The Flowers of Manchester

The official Manchester United site has an outstanding tribute lined up for everyone throughout the day. I think they have done a great job at the end of it all — AIG or no AIG — and everyone involved must be lauded for the efforts. I am sure I cannot write a post to do justice to the tragedy as it is not easy for me to write about something that happened many years before I was even born and expect to appropriately give it’s due. It’s not just United’s loss but that of English football as a whole and it is a shame that not many so-called English fans get that. Anyway, today is not a day to complain, therefore I would advise everyone to head over to Manutd.com and read the huge material on offer as well as documentaries available online for the whole day.

Here’s hoping that some idiots don’t spoil the one minute silence that is to be observed when England take on Switzerland today.

Amen.

It hasn’t been a good weekend, has it? Not only did United drop points, but when I briefly shifted my attention to NFL and the New England Patriots, they choked against the New York Giants — so much for going unbeaten all season. A really bad weekend, I tell you.

Anyway, after a brief hiatus from the customary daily roundups we return to it once again. Sit back, pick up your coffee (if it’s morning in your timezone) and read on.

Continue reading “A Return to Roundups”

Let’s get this straight: United didn’t deserve the point.

One may argue about United throwing everything at Spurs, towards the end, but then it is only natural to do that when you are behind by a goal.

Continue reading “Tottenham 1-1 Man Utd: Tevez Rescues Point”

This post was written yesterday but for some reason didn’t show up on the blog. Oh well, read it for your own amusement. Match report will follow…

SAF has admitted ahead of today’s game against Spurs that he has a major headache in picking the right combination of players in his central midfield position.

That was a problem I was expecting once Scholes returned from injury. It is a happy headache, no doubt, but the boss will have to summon his greatest powers of man management, while simultaneously making sure he doesn’t go the Rafa “the tinkerer” Benitez way.

Continue reading “Tottenham 1-1 Man Utd: Preview”