Apr 10
The Day After Roma
It feels nice to be in the semi-finals for the second year running. We have a mouthwatering semi-final draw against Barcelona. For a change, I don’t feel the least intimidated about the Catalan outfit. Had we played them a couple of years ago, I’d have been quaking in my boots. But today’s Barca are unfortunately a poor imitation of their once all-conquering self. But one must also exercise some caution here. We must remember the Milan game of last year.
Milan were poor in Serie A last season but managed to win the Champions’ League. In recent times it’s been a trend where a team that has been dire in the domestic league has managed to turn it around in the Champions’ League. Barcelona are well behind Real Madrid in La Liga, and come April 23rd, they may be entirely ruled out of their title chances. So they may choose to rest players ahead of playing us.
However, to be honest, if Messi does not make it at Camp Nou, I don’t see how we could be threatened that much.
Oh well, on to some news today. Not too much I’m afraid other than stuff based on yesterday events.
Neville returns and speaks to MUTV
That was perhaps the best sight in a long time.The man steps onto the pitch to a hero’s welcome, dons the band and trots over to the midfield, and to tweak the once famous words of the current Governor of California, “I’m back!”. I just loved how everyone wanted him to come on, Anderson was so eager to get off the pitch and let out a smile, welcoming the skipper. It’s nice to see experienced campaigners returning to the squad at a crucial juncture and that could be the difference from last year.
Silvestre had a fair game and Evra can now breathe easy as he’s got a fellow Frenchman to give him a break. Silly may infuriate at times with his sudden mood shifts, but he certainly is a more natural left back than John O’Shea.
And noises have already sprung up from Catalonia, as Thierry Henry believes Barcelona can beat us. Hmm…
And that’s about it. Weekend brings another tasty encounter as we take on Arsenal. Just five more games to go. Win the next three and then we may not have to worry too much after that.
Related items from Red Rants:
- Roma v Man Utd: Preview
- Man Utd v Roma: Preview
- SAF Sounds Words of Caution | Safety Arrangements for Roma
- Manchester United v Aston Villa Preview – Tougher than it looks
- De Rossi for Manchester United?
Tags: Manchester United News
Opti (541)
Stephen (485)
RedDevilEddy (459)
Craig Mc (345)
Moscow is my heaven (272)
good performance last nite, job done. hargeaves looked class, park deserved a goal for his running and endeavour, if only his first touch matched his commitment! One player performed brilliantly last nite without even breaking sweat or making any headlines, i might watch him closer than any other player coz im a centre half myself, but Rio Ferdinand must be the best defender in the world.
correct, barca are not what they were a few yers ago, eto’o is misfiring, iniesta is les influential and ronaldihno’s star has sunk so low hes being stalked by the blue shite! Messi is a danger but will be nulled if the defence can keep him on his right foot, hes possibly the most one footed player ive ever seen.
Speaking of one footed players, terry henry never plays well against rio and wes brown and has a habit of ducking out old trafford games, dont be surprised if he doesnt play int second leg, you heard it here first!
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good to be in the semis.hope barca underestimate us.couldnt be more happier for the team,but this sort of team selection should be for moments when we are already through.
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my team for arsnal judging by yesterdays game
VDS
hargo
rio
pique
evra
ronny
carrick
scholes
nani(if fit)OR park
rooney
tevez.
PLEASE SAF, play welbeck
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Well Donni Brasco, whats yo rating 4 RYAN” THAT SELFISH PR*CK” GIGGS after yet another “poor” show 2 add 2 his appearances record.
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DoniBrasco – you have a lot of courage mate, ‘Cos you get lambasted every time you open your mouth to make a comment – sad!. A word of encouragement for you though, Dan(u-ol) used to be very misunderstood for his unpolished comments on this BLOG, but now he is getting more love and acceptance. Hang in there mate – many of us may not agree with the way you express yourself, with all the finesse of a clumsy elephant trampling on some of United’s finest players, but if we read between the expression, you do have some points sometimes.
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barca with out messi and ronaldhinho is also dangerous….they have the spanish scholes and pirlo in Xavi and iniesta…deco on bench…with henry etoo and bojan in attacking they can be threatning…. remeber they have nothng to looose and they wii preserve everything for the Champions league….as this is the only recognised trophy they cud get this year
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[Jay wire]
Stop the taunting and get a move on. And turn your caps lock off.
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The opening para of this article from the Telegraph had me rolling around in stitches and gasping for breath so much I simply HAD to share it on here!! Check out the rest of the piece too and marvel at the other gems the jokers from Rome came out with…
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wow, Italians cease to amaze me, the last time they beat us was last year at home, they where lost away(home for us), we beat them this year at their home and we beat them at are home without the likes of ronaldo, scholes, nani, vidic, rooney and evra, i mean, they got a draw out of our youth team.
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Fellow ranters,
This is completely unrelated, but it occurred to me whilst comparing our night at Old Trafford last night to that at Anfield the night before. Both clubs are incredibly special, with momentous history and tradition, and both clubs have had to endure disasters befalling either their fans (Hillsborough) or players (Munich). So why is there such a difference at the end of a great European night at the two famous stadiums? Watching on TV, I was really struck by how they play “You’ll never walk alone” at the end, and everyone stays in their places, standing with their scarves and singing. Compare that to our ground (and, it is fair to point out, most grounds across Europe- but I see no reason why we should be like most clubs across Europe) and the natural reaction is one of envy.
Watching this recalled the feeling at the beginning of the City game this year, and, though this feeling quickly evaporated during the match (!), I have never been prouder to support this club than when I stood with my dad, holding up my scarf and singing “The Red Flag” as the bloke with the bagpipes played it. Obviously I am not suggesting such an event at every match, and I actually think the pre-match build up at OT (with Take me Home United Road etc) is fantastic. All I am suggesting is that at the end of every match they play “The Red Flag” over the speaker system. (Maybe not every match, but at the very least the Champions League ones, to make them that bit more special). Whilst I would generally shy away from copying the Scousers, and I’m anticipating some criticism coming my way from diehard Mancs here, I see no reason why we can’t make our matchdays, our stadium, and our crowd, as special as theirs. Imagine how much more spine-tingling and memorable last night would have been if, at the end, everyone stayed in the ground, stood with their scarves in the air, and sang “We”ll never die, we’ll never die” etc. Our club’s history and tradition, if nothing else, deserves it.
So you all probably think a) why would we want to copy the Scousers and b) what is this bloke doing posting this here. My intention was firstly to see if there is widespread support amongst United fans for this, and secondly to see if any of you know how one would go about proposing this to the club- who to petition etc.
Cheers.
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the dippers are the only club that do that and the reason they do that is because they thrive over that annoying song.
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Barca dont worry me at this moment! First time in many years that I was hoping for a game vs Barca. The strenght in the team that we have, that we can play a team without the likes of Rooney, Ronaldo, Scholes, Vidic and Nani and still win without too much trouble, is amazing. I hope Neville starts vs Arsenal and that Nani gets fit for that game.
My team v Arsenal:
VDS
Brown Rio Pique Evra
Ronaldo Anderson/Owen Scholes Park/Nani
Tevez Rooney
Giggs has played five games in 2 weeks, so he should be rested. Scholes was rested yesterday soo he defo should start. Anderson is a big-game player and a confidence player, so he should start on Sunday. He usually saves his best for Arse and Pool…
And for those who like stats: VDS has not conceded a penalty since the 3-1 win vs Wigan, Desember 2006…
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Since the end of the season almost is here, I want you to say who is your Player of the Season and your Goal of the Season.
My player of the season: Cristiano Ronaldo
My goal of the season: Cristiano Ronaldo Free-kick vs Pompey.
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Dan(u-ol) post no 9, If I understood you I might be able to comment!. What are you trying to say mate?. Also, you and your Welbeck, your dying to get him into the team, come rain, hail or shine – haha – hope you get your wish before the end of the season. Perhaps if we win the league with a couple of games to spare – you might just get lucky lol!.
Sam, I’m with you!. I think it would be fantastic if we started and ended with ‘United never die’ anthem. The difference between Anfield and us though, is that their management made sure they kept the kop. We lost the Stretford End as fans of old knew it. The Stretford End choir should have been preserved – it was fantastic in full voice. Outsang all opposing fans visiting Old Trafford every single game. They were truly majestic!. One of the poster’s over on the Republik of Mankunia website said, “Fans had fought for a while to bring the Stretford End back in all it’s glory,” but David Gill and the management wouldn’t budge. Then they have the cheek to complain about the lack of atmosphere at many games at Old Trafford – what hypocrites!. Fergie should have fought with the fans, ‘cos he’s God around Old Trafford and it would have made a difference. They can’t have it both ways I’m afraid. I think your suggestion is a fantastic idea though Sam, and hope that you manage to find a way to roll with it. You got my support mate!.
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[Sam]
It’s an interesting point you bring up here. Honestly I find “United road” a very poor club theme for our stature. I’d rather do “The Impossible Dream” that Sir Alex suggested a few years ago, it’s very, very inspiring. Makes me want to get off my arse and achieve something in life.
Those who haven’t heard it earlier here it is from a Honda commercial http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fB_1gPRCLCo
That said, it wouldn’t kill us if we don’t have a theme for the club, but one would expect a good one for a club as big as ours.
The Scousers did steal ‘You will never walk alone’ from us anyway. It was chanted at OT before Anfield.
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[craig mc]
I agree with you about the Stretford End thing. It was puzzling how Fergie went on a rant about the atmosphere at Old Trafford during one of the Champions’ League games this season. That’s what you get if you kick (price) out some of the diehards.
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[dan]
Agree with craig mc, what’s your point? Don’t understand how that ceases to amaze you.
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Red Ranter – Sad isn’t it, how United could see so many ‘bleeding heart’ United diehard fans priced out the club, without batting an eyelash?. What price loyalty eh?. The breakaway fans who started FC United, were red blooded, throat screaming, banner waving fanatics, who fill the little grounds everywhere FC United are playing. They sing long before the players come out, all the way through the game, and long after it. We as a club have lost so much, and anyone who saw the breakaway fans on the terraces every week, wouldn’t be able to resist a lump in the throat, and a tear in the eye. I jest not mate!. We lost most of United’s fans finest. Yet they all believe, they will overcome someday. What do we have now, instead of the cloth cap and tattie pie brigade, we have the attack of the prawn sandwich brigade. Long live the true fans, the heart and soul of Manchester United. Unfortunately RR these fans have been left to die, their United life supply cut off. Commercial GREED, has switched of their bloody life support machine. O United fans – lest we forget. They are of us!!!!!!.
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RR- agreed to an extent, but what about “The Red Flag”? It’s a song specifically about United, with reference to Munich and our history, and I personally find it very rousing. I agree “The Impossible Dream” is incredibly rousing, but I think it is too well known a song- and with connotations of Honda as you pointed out!- and hence nobody would really feel that it was ours, truly. Or at least not for a very long time.
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[craig mc]
True. But that is now the same of many clubs all over England. OT is still not half as bad as say, Chelsea or Arsenal. Chelsea were recently reported giving out free tickets in an attempt to fill their stadium! I heard on a recent podcast where a Chelsea fan said that the soul of the club has been ripped apart. But we have seen this happening for a long time now, haven’t we? The bigger you become, the more publicity you get, and the more you become popular all over. There will be a tendency for any growing business to cash in. And let’s be honest, we’ve seen unprecedented success for the club, since the inception of the Premier League. But then, that’s the price.
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Most Barça fans want Henry dropped with a front three of Messi, Eto’o and Bojan against United. Keep up with the latest Barça news and opinion for the next three weeks at Fcbnews. http://fcbnews.com/
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Agreed with RR – I have always thought of Take Me Home as a ridiculous anthem to have too. IMO it sounds kinda cheesy because the lyrics are too plain and unimaginative (‘To the place I belong, to Old Trafford to see United…….zzzz) and make me cringe when I hear it being pumped out of the PA system on a match-day. Glory Glory is another unoriginal one too.
Disagree about the Impossible Dream though; although its very rousing its too commercial as Sam points out. We’d be better off changing our kit supplier to adidas and making our own songs up about impossible being nothing.
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watch this .very funny.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ofNjViTVuc
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[Nino]
The Impossible Dream is not Honda’s own song. It was composed by Mitch Leigh for Man of La Mancha. So it’s no different from us taking John Denver’s Country Roads.
Read this for the whole info on the Impossible Dream
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before the roma tie, I was thinking “if we can get past roma, then barca will be pushovers”. funny how as soon as the roma game is over I Immediately had a new found respect for them. A front line of Messi, Eto and bojan is always a threat. Having said that No team in the world wants to face Ronaldo,rooney,nani and tevez. It must be a nightmare trying to figure out a defensive game plan when ronaldo and nani can play either wing at anytime.
Lets pray we can stay injury free until then and it should be a fantastic tie. I predict 2-3 at the nou camp, then coming back to old trafford and winning 3-1(5-4 on Agg)
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To end all this “who is the best song” discussion,I think the supporters of Manchester United should make a completely new song. Something that has a power that will inspire the team. Maybe a song about the history of Manchester United, the Busby Babes, Fergie or/and treble 99. I am do not have my own favorite song, I think all are magnificent! But I still think that United need this unik, special song.
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Flamini will miss the game on Sunday along with Sagna! I think Arsenal without a midfield of Fabregas and Flamini are terrible. Great news! http://www.manutd.com/default.sps?pagegid=%7BB4CEE8FA%2D9A47%2D47BC%2DB069%2D3F7A2F35DB70%7D&newsid=548556
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RR – I was aware that The Impossible Dream was not Honda’s song. I was merely agreeing with the previous ranter that it would not be unique to us because of the association with Honda.
RedDevil – I was thinking the same thing actually! Instead of nicking songs from other teams like the ruddy Scousers, it would be great to be original and create our own, special anthem which takes into account our glorious history and heritage, and yet has the same effect as YNWA. For I have been to Anfield on a European night (Liverpool v Roma back in 2002) and I must concede, I don’t think I’ll ever experience anything like what I heard that night ever again! It was spine-chilling stuff and makes me very jealous that we have nothing similar at Old Trafford, except the poxy Take Me Home United Road, which I absolutely despise and is about as inspiring as watching paint dry…
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[RedDevil]
I think Fabregas is playing.
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Sam; Liverpudlians suffer from a tremendous inferiority complex. As well as being highly insecure, always seeking attention and being rowdy due to excess alcohol consumption, they are also sad sods who live in the past and like to sing and cry to make themselves feel better. When their team does well, they rejoice due to these factors. As a foreigner I see Mancunian’s as a more sophisticated lot who are proud and somewhat spoilt by their success. They do not need to remind the whole world that they are number one right now. Yes there is more atmosphere at Anfield but there is a much classier crowd at OT as well as the best football team on the planet. Now you tell me what you would rather prefer, mediocrity with atmosphere or excellence and reserved pride?
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What I’d like to see is United fans in Moscow singing “You Never Walk Alone” after we have destroyed Liverpool for the European Cup. Now wouldn’t that put the pathetic Scousers in their place and shut their traps for good. A dose of their own medicine is always best.
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Grognard- the best would be a combination! Excellence and atmosphere, and I see no reason why we can’t have that. Besides, this isn’t solely on atmosphere- as a commentor on the RoM blog pointed out (where I am getting stick for trying to copy Scousers!) our atmosphere was brilliant last night. I just think a theme song (Red Devil and Nino I agree a written song would be good, though I’m still in favour of the Red Flag) which is sung at the end would be very special. I think Nino knows what I’m talking about from his Anfield experience but let me just emphasise to people that this is not intended as a measure to try and copy Liverpool! I detest them! Perhaps see this instead as a way of becoming as good at them at the one thing they’re better than us at, thus becoming superior in EVERY way.
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Even better Grognard, United fans singing that after we score a jammy penalty that never was to win it in the last minute of extra time (after the scousers try to hold out for a penalty shoot out due to a couple of their players sent off harshly a la Inter Milan style). The penalty hits the underside of bar and bounces down on the line, but is still given. Now that would be a REAL dose of their own medicine!
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Grog 4 captain.Ha ha!Moving on I think the atmosphere at OT can sometimes be like at DisneyWorld.Maybe its because fans are spoilt in terms of amazing football that they are just in awe.Still I think we are falling into the big club trap.I watch Barca almost every week and they’ve had the same issue as long as i remember.This is mainly due 2 the gradual extinction of the notorious Noix bois or Noise boys a group or firm of rowdy and ultra passionate fans.These guys would sing,scream and insult opposition players and staff and their kids,wives and dogs as soon as they are within a mile of the nou camp.They also got free tickets coz they would lift the whole stadium but due 2 high prices 4 tix they were forced out.Thats why the Nou Camp is like a cinema these days.Same trend goes 4 United.
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RR- I also think Fabregas is playing, what I ment was that an Arsenal midfield with Fabregas and Gilberto is not as frightening as a mdfield with Fabregas and Flamini. And I wonder; Is anybody here a musican? Maybe they could make a new song!
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More news about the Arsenal game: After what I read on CaughtOffside.com, Adebayor is also out. Arsenal now will have to go Old Trafford with Sagna, Adebayor, Flamini, Eduardo, Denilson and Rosicky out. I cannot confirm the Adebayor injury cause it aint a really honest site, but if it is true you heard it here first!
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RedDevil: Fabregas must be running on near empty by now. I remember the stat coming up on tuesday night saying he had covered 13km, more than anyone else in either team. Three games against Liverpool with that type of effort must surely have run him into the ground.
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Well, then JB would have every right to form a Carrick advocates team. For new comers here, JB was pilloried for his staunch support for Carrick.
As for me, I am yet to lay into players for underperforming (apart from Saha who hasn’t performed at all). I tend to be more patient. So I should start a Manchester United Advocates team — plus since I run this site, I should have the most prestigious team
You are welcome to sign up!
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Brilliant result for Rangers tonight, 2-0 away to Sporting. They now have a maximum of 15, yes that’s right 15, games left this season. If anyone ever has a right to complain about fixture congestion it is our ex assistant manager Walter Smith
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If anyone is interested I had a link sent to me a couple of days ago of ITV’s documentary on Ronaldo. It’s a good watch but be warned it is 45 minutes long!
http://www.footytube.com/2008/03/07/cristiano-ronaldo-the-story-so-far
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I had downloaded that off rapidshare many weeks ago. Got a HQ version of it. Excellent doc, I must say.
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Red Ranter; Your entire blog and every member is the Manchester United Advocate’s team, don’t you think. Still, go for it, and I want membership OK.
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Sorry if I just can’t relate to theme songs and chanting at sporting events. We Canadian like cheers and doing a lot of shouting and hollering when excited but overall, we are pretty reserved at sporting events. Still, I’d love all that singing and chanting around me when I watch a game, but I probably wouldn’t participate much as it’s just not my style.
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WOW! Amazing UEFA CUP Quarter-Final 2nd leg between Getafe and Bayern. Bayern snatches a late goal by Ribery to tie the game in the 89th minute and send it in to extra time. Then in absolutely shocking fashion Getafe strikes for 2 early goals in extra time to send the crowd and all of Spain in to euphoria. But never ever count a German side out. Ask the French about the World Cup Semi in 1982. Toni scores 2 late goals, the last with only seconds left to send Bayern through on away goals agg. I feel for Getafe who played outstanding football and scored 3 goals with only 10 men. FANTASTIC match and what character by the Bayern team and especially the tall Italian. What I would give for a Luca Toni setting up camp in the opponents box for Man Utd. This game and the Liverpool v Arsenal match have got to go down as high drama classics and they al were played within days of each other. Sometimes the game just offers it’s fans such sublime utopia. GO BAYERN!
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Just to feel special(and since this is a made up team
) , I want a special membership RR! Such as a golden membership or something 
Or me and you could team up and run it together? 
And agreed re: JB, everyone else had lost faith in Carrick except him(and probably you), but even before Carrick started putting in some great performances JB enlightened me to Carrick’s importance to the team now and for the future. More often than not he is the voice of reason on this blog.
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Didn’t watch that game but there’s a constant trend in the Uefa cup of highly entertaining games over the years.Maybe its due 2 less pressure vs the ultra high stakes of the CL which is diminishing in entertainment value.But that game u were watching must have been out of this world.
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JB deserves credit for his faith in Carrick as well as Scholes. Although I am a late convert regarding Carrick, I was always a big Scholes fan but I believed earlier this year that he was truly finished. JB let me have it on that one and in fairness, the Ginger Ninja has rewarded him with his loyalty by rebounding and actually playing very well the past two months. Although I am a big Carrick supporter now, I am unworthy to be on a Carrick Advocates team as I was questioning his value before Christmas. Now I am waiting for Capello to wake up and bring the new Glenn Hoddle on to the England squad where he belongs.
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Jay wire; It was a great game with emotional high impact drama. I can’t tell you how many times I have seen German teams snatch victory from certain defeat in this manner. Along with their ability to always win in penalty shootouts, they have a knack of coming from behind and winning or at least drawing matches that looked like sure defeat. They didn’t deserve to win and Getafe were the better team with only ten men, but they have guts, composure and resolve and they find a way. Although, the Getafe keeper really screwed up badly on the second Bayern goal. This gave the Germans life with only 5 minutes left in ET. Sometimes you need to be a little lucky too.
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I really don’t understand why people would have been giving Carrick such a hard time on this blog. This is the guy who slotted into our midfield last season and proved to be a main-stay of the team that won us our first league title in 4 years. Technically, he is excellent. His passing is exquisite at times, and his intercepting and tackling are very under-rated. Sure, he doesn’t crash into tackles like Scholes, but he’s quite crafty and clean in how he wins the ball. There’s nothing impresses me more in Carrick’s game than when I see him nip in and pinch the ball of an attacker, before turning and delivering a pin-point pass into the feet on an attacker. His form might have been a bit patchy early in the season but he was coming back from the injury he had. Anyway, it’s not the United way to get on players’ backs so people shouldn’t have been giving too much of a hard time. Constructive criticism is fine though. Sometimes I think Carrick’s price-tag hangs over him a little, but judge the player, not the price-tag.
Grognard, I caught extra time of the Bayern game on an internet stream (Fox Sports channel). I was glad I tuned in. Bayern fans will feel some kind of resolve now after United inflicted something almost identical on them in 1999. Can’t fault Bayern for pure determination and will to win. Gotta feel sorry for that keeper though. He fucked up and he put his top over his face (a la De Rossi Wednesday night), but he must have forgotten that under his top he had a t-shirt with a picture of what looked like his family (obviously to show off in the event of victory). Dear oh dear, he’d just lost his team a Uefa Cup QF, and then he decides to get his family in on the act as well. Poor guy.
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RedAddict; That was also Argentina’s national keeper. Might not do well in helping him retain that spot with such a schoolboy blunder. Bayern didn’t deserve it but then again, Getafe have only themselves to blame because they choked after that goalkeeper mistake. I just knew Bayern were going to tie the game. Truthfully, I even had the feeling they were going to come back when they were 3-1 down because they had 25 minutes left in ET. Getafe shut it down and it cost them with only ten men. Hopefully United are not in a position with Barca where they have to come from behind.
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