Oct 07
United related links
Some links to get you through the day:
1. Ferguson is in a row with Foster, apparently. No quotes to back it up, but it’s quite possible Ferguson might have been annoyed with the way Kenwyne Jones’ goal was conceded. He was angry at many things following the Sunderland game, he would have picked a fight with a priest. I’m sure hot words may have been exchanged, but ‘bust-ups’, ‘row’ etc are not the exact kind of words here.
2. Meanwhile, some over the top guff from the union of referees, calling for Fergie to be ‘kicked out’ of management. Detailed commentary on this will follow in an upcoming post, but for now, just wallow in the ridiculousness of it all.
3. An article in the Mail, about Carrick’s return to the England fold; Capello has seemingly declared he will start either against Ukraine or Belarus.
Related items from Red Rants:
- New Links Feature
- For Your Reading Pleasure…
- Some Reading Material Ahead of Grand Slam Sunday
- Short Thursday Roundup
- Links of the Day
Tags: Site News
Opti (541)
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RedDevilEddy (459)
Craig Mc (348)
Moscow is my heaven (272)
@owen: Brazil>protugal, dont even joke about that.
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Denmark are through!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We’re going to SA 2010!!
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@Dan: We will see in the world cup how much good Brazil is ????I think Spain is already yhe champion…Plz dont mention the confederation cup as it was just a bad day
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@[OPTI]Madschester United: Well done mate.
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@Red Ranter: I agree sir but i am saying that they have wonderful players in their squad…why they ARE STRUGGLING ,I dont know but they deseve to be in world cup( actually they are far better than France or THE SHIT Italy)
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@[OPTI]Madschester United: Congrates and You have given Portugal a great hope if they win today
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@owen: Italy, France and Portugal have all struggled. Portugal have struggled the most. On paper France and Italy have much better players than Portugal. By your logic of having good players, Italy and France deserve to be in the World Cup more than Portugal – although it doesn’t work that way. So, you tell me, apart from making the marketing people unhappy if Ronaldo misses the world cup, why does Portugal deserve to be in it? What have they done to lay a claim?
No mate, you want Portugal to go through to the world cup. You don’t think they deserve. And if you do, you make sure your argument makes sense.
They, as such, probably don’t deserve to be in it based on their performances and points.
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Jeez! Nani is dangerous for Portugal. Why the Hell can’t he find that form for us? Fergie needs to have a hard look at his tactics and the requirements he is putting on that boy because when he is allowed to play his game, he is fantastic to watch.
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@Gabriel: Russia had a full 25 minutes at home with the man advantage and never took advantage of it and that I put down to German resiliency and organization.
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@Gabriel: I didn’t say it was but Russia is a very strong foe and Germany mate, has made it to the World Cup every time since 1954. They are automatic no matter what the group is. They have also won it three times and been to the final seven times. Now try comparing that with the groups. It’s all about pride and pedigree. Germany have it while England is still looking for it.
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@Red Ranter: I want Portugal to qualify as they will knoch out England as i hate to imagine Terry ( player whom i hate most ) to lift the cup
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@Grognard: I completely agree…Germans play very well for their nation…i dont know how they manage
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@owen: Brazil aren’t the most attractive team under Dunga, but they are just fantastic. And I’m not talking about the Confed Cup. They’ve beaten teams in South America mixing technical skill and European grit. They have big athletic men as will as skillful players and cannot be intimidated. And they have qualified through the toughest continent. Brazil right now play like they know how to win. Spain are an excellent outfit but they can be out-muscled by teams. Brazil just bulldozed past Argentina in Argentina. More importantly Dunga has stamped out the fancy partying attitude out of the side that flopped so badly in Germany. You can see the desire in Brazil’s eyes.
You cannot even begin to compare Portugal with Brazil.
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It’s looking more and more like Portugal is going to find a back way into the World Cup. Good, because the tournament needs Ronaldo and England needs an opponent they can count on to knock them out in controversial fashion so they can make the same old excuses about losing.
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@Grognard: Just hope Argentiana does not qualify
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@Redrich: The big thing is that every chance the Russians had in the game Adler had the advantage because he claimed it with strong instinct and positioning. People will say that Russia squandered sure fire goal scoring chances but with a great goalkeeper, those are nothing more than half chances. He was very strong and very authoritative out there. I loved watching him scream at veterans like Friedrich and Mertesacker as if they were rookies. Now that’s what I am looking for in a keeper for Man Utd.
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@WhiteY: Only saw part of the game and truthfully, I don’t know much about Teixeira other than a little I’ve heard. South America is not my beat mate so I really can’t say but he did look very comfortable and composed on the ball and has great vision for a box to box player from the little I have seen. Costa is still a mystery to me because the few games I have watched him in he has done nothing. Where is our expert on Brazil Mr Muhozi when we need him?
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@Grognard: Bring him on!!
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@Grognard: I think Russia will be the surprise package in the world cup
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@Red Ranter: I’d blame Queiroz for that as he has tried to instill boring Fergie tactics to a team and nation that likes to play to a samba beat. They can’t adapt to that crap just like the way Nani hasn’t been able to adapt to Fergie.
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@[OPTI]Madschester United: Thanks to that knobhead Isaksson. He makes Foster look good.
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@owen: Brazil aren’t just strong, they are mentally strong. Look at the disaster of Argentina to better realize just how good Brazil is. Nobody marches in to Buenos Aires and beats them 3-1 convincingly. Yet they did that and for me they gained my respect if I didn’t have it already. Spain are good but even though they are European Champions, i think they are a soft side and can be beat. When it comes to the World Cup one must always consider Brazil the favorite and Germany or Italy strong contenders. Spain is right up there too.
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@Red Ranter: Spain are a complete unit… if you have to beat them,then Essien must be in your team who will take Xavi out of the game and have good left and right backs….they have so much possession on the ball and their passing is brilliant which never ends before opponents D area…Brazil is very good at Counter attacks but their defence is shaky a bit and more so,Diego needs to be in the playig x1 ahead of Elano
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@Grognard: Brazil will always be the favourites going into worls cups but that is due to past respect…Spain are the best team, Germany is mentally the toughest team and England is the best team on paper…Italians are always tough to concede as they are very organized…
more so,the international standard of team has declined so much that any one can beat any one..but then also I want portugal or Netherlands to be successfull as both of them are my favourite team…
I will like England if Captain is some one else than Terry and will dislike Germany if Captain is some one else than B allack
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@owen: Spain on their day are the best attacking unit. But I think their midfield can be bullied by a physical and good team. And their defence if well tested could crack. Puyol isn’t getting younger either. I like Spain, but I think they have their flaws if they don’t have the ball. Premiership experience to some of their stars like Fabregas and Torres has helped them however.
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@owen: Brazil were not the favourites going into ’94. Nor were they favourites in 2002. In fact both Germany and Brazil were written off. I don’t think it’s past respect. Brazil have been the best team in South America. It is the toughest continent to qualify from, and I can’t see why they don’t deserve to be among the favourites.
I would say Germany, Brazil, Spain all look good. I am not convinced about England — and I’m sure a lot of England fans would give me stick for it. But I don’t see a champion side in England. They don’t have the spark of unpredictability in their side.
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@owen: You’ll see that if you reverse the order of the names in your post, you will be absolutely correct. Please do no for one second think that Kaka is over rated especially when its over 90% of the football following world that over rates him
Can so many be so wrong??????
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@Red Ranter: no, i dont think so…their midfiels consists of xavi,iniesta , alonso,fabregas… who are so much talented and very much adaptable..so it is almost impossible to keep them out of the match
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Just to follow on from a few things earlier in this thread about most celebrated and despised united players ever.
I don’t get enough time to visit this place every day so sorry if this is late or off topic.
How about, “Great United players we never saw enough of”
in no particular order…
1) Duncan Edwards (I could pick several from the munich disaster)
2) Norman Whiteside
3) Dion Dublin (it looked like he was going to be a goal machine for us before his injury)
4) Solskjaer (i think he counts through all that time out with injury)
5) Blanc (would liked to have had him at united a bit younger)
6) Cantona (what can I say hehe)
“Players who should never have played more than one minute for United”
1) Massimo Taibi
2) William Prunier (or was it really that he was good?)
cheers!
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@WhiteY: kaka is not so great in my view…i may be wrong but thats i think…
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@owen: And you are absolutely certain they wont have another bad day at the world cup? If you haven’t noticed mate, the world cup usually goes to teams who have experience in lifting it
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@Grognard: I haven’t seen too much of Costa either, but the few times I have, He does seem to be very comfortable and skilful on the ball. But then again, what do I know eh? Anderson too had rave reviews and he is at yet to light the world up. I really think Teixeira is something though.
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@Red Ranter: Exactly RR, Wayne Rooney about all England has in terms of unpredictability, something that you cant do without in a world cup. Exactly mate.
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@RedDave: Good point Dave, and to that first list, I guess we could add Owen Hargreaves.(hope that will be moot in a year so from now though)
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@Red Ranter: You won’t upset me, as long as you call it the way it really is!
England is as Wayne Rooney is, right now. Until they can find a way not to rely so much on his goal production, it’ll always be a struggle!
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@Grognard: Queiroz is probably not the man for that job.
But who in hell would want to turn that bunch of prima donna’s into a tight unit that could achieve anything other than self gratification!!!
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@Dan: Oh my god! Me and you actually have some sort of common ground. And that ground is called Kaka. I think because his game lacks the flair of others he is viewed as ordinary but kaka is a killer. I might not agree with his personal beliefs but on the pitch he is a nightmare to opponents. I still have nightmares about a makeshift united defense trying to contain him.
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@Red Ranter: Further to the talk about “Soccer” here in the US. The US will qualify if they win their game against Honduras tonight.
I am horrified to report that this game is not on TV at all. Further more, not one mention of the game in today’s newspaper (SF Chronicle).
We really do still have a long way to go!!
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@Grognard: while you make a valid point about Best playing on shocking pitches and horrble leather balls, you forget that the competition he played against was nowhere close to what it is now. Too me that more than negates the point about poor equipment. I mean if you looked at the average distance covered by players during Best time and compared them with now. You’ll see current players cover twice as much distance.
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@Johnsom33: This is the same argument offered in every sport. But you can only judge a player by his peers and not by those that came before of after.
In his day Best was second only to Pele, and at the time, most would say that was close placing.
As a player that stands out, head and shoulders above all others around him, Best had no equal!!
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@Red Ranter: The thing about many countries like Italy, France and Portugal is they have histories of struggling to get into the World Cup but then when they do, they usually do very well. Some of these teams peak just at the right time and they struggle in this long drawn out qualifying stages but do very well in groups where they play only 3 games and move on. Just because some struggle to make it, doesn’t mean I dismiss them as having no chance. Honestly, it’s England that has less chance than Portugal or Italy in my opinion. There is just something about that English team that makes me uneasy. Can’t really put my finger on it, but it’s there. I think it starts with Lampard and ends with Gerrard but for me, the biggest joke about that team is that a player like Heskey is on it.
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@owen: I do but that would take a book to explain and I am not going to bore you folks. Germany is my favorite country on the planet. I have studied it’s history, it’s people, it’s culture it’s psychology and it’s work ethic and sociological aspects and they are brilliant at so many things because of a number of key factors. They are always better as a whole as opposed to the individual parts. Their team’s are famous for grit, organization, guts, patience and above all, character. The Bundesliga is badly underrated because of a lack of success in Europe over the past ten years. Well folks, that’s not because the Germans in it are bad, that’s because the teams as a whole and the league as a whole are fiscally responsible and refuse to spend ridiculous amounts of money for foreigners. Therefore, in most cases they bring in the second tier of foreign talent as opposed to England, Italy and Spain. That second tier is not good enough to elevate them in Champions League but it also hides the fact that German players are pretty damned great and that most of them stay put in Germany despite the lack of Euro hardware. This also really helps prepare them for the international tournaments and creates a real sense of togetherness. When it’s all said and done they will be in the final four in South America again, despite the fact that only Ballack plays abroad.
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@owen: I’m torn about that. I like Argentine football and that team is gifted with so many great players but no midfield since the idiot in charge of the club continues to be spiteful towards Riquelme. Fact is that with Riquelme, I would love to see Argentina, but as long as he is not on that team and as long as the Drug Lord and criminal Maradona is in charge, I hope they rot in Hell. I feel bad for Messi and Aguero but am also elated for Tevez and Mascherano if they fail to make it.
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@owen: England is the best team on paper? I was eating when I read that and you almost made me choke. Are you frakken kidding me? Get a grip. They are a frakken joke as I wouldn’t rant them in the top 6 talent wise. To many old players and not enough really great young talent. And no goalkeepers of world class renown.
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@Redrich: Give them back to Big Phil. He has won the World Cup and has taken Portugal to the last four of the Euros as well as the World Cup. Their failings have never been a case of being primadonas. It’s because they have never had the strikers to carry them over the hump. Well here is the thing, with Nani playing well for them, move Ronaldo into the lone striker role and let him roam and pack a five man Portuguese midfield with some creative flair like Deco, Simao and Nani and i think this team can do well. Bosingwa, Pepe and Carvalho at the back aren’t bad mate. Queiroz in my opinion has done a poor job results wise but he may have instilled some patience and discipline in the team. Now if only he can figure a way to free up Ronaldo, they could still be formidable. Any team with Ronaldo firing on all cylinders has a chance. He’s that frakken great, that he can literally carry a team like Maradona in 86.
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@Redrich: Yet another case of Fox Soccer Channel dropping the ball with their useless coverage of the game. Instead they would rather bore us to death with hour long specials with Max Bretos smiling and offering verbal diarrhea.
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@Johnsom33: Fair enough but I’ve seen enough of him to know in my heart he could have been just as good in this era although he probably would have been mercilessly hacked down by the butchers of the modern game.
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@Redrich: Pele himself has said the best player he ever saw was George Best.
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@Redrich: I agree and this is what’s so hard about comparing players from different Era’s. I would look to Best’s work ethic. Talented and skilled players with a great work ethic would likely prosper in any era because they would be privy to modern diets and workouts, so the big jump in athleticism wouldn’t be an issue. I personally don’t know about how hard Best trained, so my last point has zero to do with Jim specifically.
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If anybody on this side of pond gives a shit;
Honduras 0-0 USA HT.
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