Red Rants

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”

Today’s midweek game features Portsmouth, a team we lost 2-1 drew 1-1 in our last encounter this season. It was also a game that saw the dismissal of Ronaldo to a head butt. Those were early days in the season when we got off to a rocky start. Things have changed drastically since then.

Continue reading “Man Utd v Portsmouth: Preview”

Here we go with the preview. We play Tottenham who are certainly flying high with their demolition of Arsenal. Moreover Juande Ramos is yet to lose a Cup game in years. Whether Tottenham have truly risen from the mediocrity to challenge the top four remains to be seen; today’s game could be a reasonable indicator.

Continue reading “Man Utd v Tottenham: Preview”

A very short one for everyone. I am headed to the airport for a long flight to some part of the world that I would call home. So this would be pretty short.

Newcastle, who are managerless at the moment, will play us today. I don’t really like the thought of a managerless team. It could be argued that due to the uncertainty surrounding their situation, the players may put in uncertain displays. But it makes things unpredictable, so complacency is something that would be best taken off our players’ system.

Continue reading “Man Utd vs Newcastle Utd: Preview”

We take on Aston Villa in the FA Cup, again. It seemed sort of inevitable when the drawing was made — we played them last time like some million times in January itself, I suppose.

Anyway, we have had a great record against them in recent times, although it must be said that Martin O’Neill’s sides can never be written off. They are a good side with a decent midfield and an excellent forward line. However their defence might appear a bit crap, as demonstrated by our last meeting. Zat Knight, particularly, seems injury prone and if we get our swagger back — something that was missing over the last couple of games — we could comfortably overcome them.

Continue reading “Aston Villa v Man Utd:Preview”

The Interwebs have been acting up lately, to my chagrin. And that is the reason I couldn’t post yesterday. I really wanted to post something yesterday, you know, with it being the last day of 2007 and all; I had a Best of 2007 post lined up. Anyhow I will get around to doing that sometime later today or tomorrow.

At the moment, though, we have the small matter of a match today, where we invite Birmingham and hope to kick off 2008 on a bright note. Speaking of which, here’s wishing all readers a very happy new year. How did you spend last night?

Continue reading “Man Utd vs Birmingham: Preview”

A former cult-hero, in Carlos Tevez, returns as the Reds visit Upton Park to take on the Hammers in their last clash of 2007. Manchester United will be looking to keep their winning run intact and maintain their lead over Arsenal.

Continue reading “West Ham v Man Utd: Preview”

Right. It’s boxing day, and we play Roy Keane’s boys. The Gaffer has mentioned making changes, but “one or two” at the most. Among those changes would be the return of Rio to the centre of defence and Hargreaves to midfield.

As you would see this is Boxing day, with tons of football going around, I wouldn’t leave your lot to waste time on this site — there is a pretty interesting game going on between Villa and Chelsea — so I’ll leave you with our squad composition and get back to watching that game.

First XI from: Kuszczak, Heaton, Brown, O’Shea, Simpson, Ferdinand, Vidic, Pique, Evans, Evra, Fletcher, Ronaldo, Nani, Eagles, Carrick, Hargreaves, Anderson, Giggs, Park, Tevez, Rooney, Saha.

Back to the game then. Discuss and I will get back with a good, good post game report. Honest!

Update: Dang! Chelsea equalised. Oh well, looks a good game nonetheless.

I had a good Saturday which was only tempered by that good-for-nothing Robbie Keane who couldn’t score a penalty past Almunia.

But today is a new day and one hopes we put several past the other Scouse team to make it a good Sunday.

In team news, we should expect Rio, Tevez and Brown to start; apparently they had some knocks soon after the Liverpool game. I suppose the partying (and subsequent bollocking from SAF) would have been enough to shake them up.

Not much else in team news, and I expect the same team of last week to start this time round. I am feeling a little lazy today. So I will link you all to several previews.

BBC’s Preview
Preview on Soccernet

My Prediction: 2-0 to United.

Alright then, I’m off now. See you after the game!

Let’s get down to business, shall we?

It’s us against the 5-times, 5-times squad on Sunday, and there’s been plenty of banter from both sides. Scott reckons that beating Liverpool is a bigger deal than slapping Arsenal around - I disagree but perhaps that’s because of our different histories and geographical locations.

Still, whether Liverpool are worthy opponents or not, they still have to be beaten (only an idiot - perhaps the same idiot who claimed the same thing last season (Reina I’m talking to you) - would suggest that the 3 points are in the bag). So how can Manchester United beat Liverpool, at Anfield, on Sunday?

Continue reading “A Simple Guide To Kicking Liverpool Ass”