Post-season thoughts, hopes, doom, gloom and Welbeck (and Carrick) love
Ten year anniversary for a key, unsung, cog at United
Podcast: transfer rumours assessed, youth development, buying success and more…
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Author: Doron
With the 25th anniversary of Sir Fergie coming up many pundits are having their say on the great man and his reign. Alan Hansen has chosen to focus on his now infamous comment on Match of the Day in 1995, “You can’t win anything with kids”.
Author: Stretford_End
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Manchester United legend Sir Bobby Charlton has revealed that he is ‘stunned’ by United’s best start to a league campaign. United have picked up maximum points in their opening five games, scoring twenty one goals in the process. United have recorded victories over London clubs Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham – whilst beating Bolton and WBA on their travels. Sir Bobby admits that it is a fantastic, if unusual, start for the Champions. We’ve looked back at the previous twenty seasons and documented the number of points United have obtained within their first five games.
AUTHOR: – Doron
This season United decided to send out on loan four of the talented younger players at the club who need regular games at a high level. Welbeck, Cleverley, Macheda and Diouf have had their respective futures speculated over by the press and fans but today Ferguson has sounded out his confidence in those players.
Chelsea defender David Luiz has stated that Chelsea can ‘do everything’ this season and are hot on the heels of league leaders Manchester United. Luiz scored in the 2-0 victory over Manchester City yesterday and believes that Chelsea can catch United in the league and knock them out of the European Cup (a tie that Luiz is ineligible for). The Brazilian defender has been a hit at Stamford Bridge since signing from Benfica (for £25million) in the January transfer window – although was very lucky to remain on the field following an altercation with Wayne Rooney when United lost 2-1 earlier in the month.
AUTHORS: - Stretford-End & Doron
Other than lining up in the playground and getting picked last behind Yuran, the Russian exchange student who prefers wrestling with his brothers, there is nothing more humiliating than coming on as a substitute and then being taken off later in the game. Yes, we all know someone (naming no names) who has been victim of such an embarrassment, however this actually happened to our £7million Portuguese forward Bebe, when he came darting off the bench to replace Owen Hargreaves against Wolves, only to find himself walking back towards the dugout a mere 64 minutes later. Ok, United were drawing and you could argue it was a tactical shift but the fact remains that one of Manchester United’s most unusual buys hasn’t yet hit the ground running.
Following the dire performance against non-league Crawley Town the weekend, I ask you, are Bebe and Obertan limiting the playing time of other players in games like this?
AUTHOR: – Stretford-end
Manchester United left back Patrice Evra is all set for a stormy encounter when he lines up against Marseilles on Wednesday evening due to his part in the France’s implosive at the World Cup last summer. United fans are eager to find out whether or not the Frenchman has signed a new deal at Old Trafford as conflicting reports emerged last week stating that he had agreed terms. However, it is expected that Manchester United will reveal later today that Evra has indeed signed a new deal to keep him at the club for five more seasons.
Marseilles will be without their big summer signing André-Pierre Gignac, who has suffered an abductor strain in last night’s Ligue 1 match against St Etienne. Gignac has scored three goals in four appearances (one as a sub) in the Champions League for the French Champions so far this season.
AUTHOR: – Doron
Gary Neville has retired from football and ended his career with Manchester United. Widely regarded as the best right back there has been in the Premier League, Neville, the club captain will be fondly remembered by Reds forever. Only last Friday Sir Alex Ferguson said Neville would have a place at United for life. We can now look forward to his testimonial match in May where we can celebrate his career and give him the send off he deserves.
Manchester United’s #1, Edwin Van der Sar has confirmed he will retire at the end of this season. This ends speculation surrounding his future and is almost certain to mean United will now be linked with all the top goalkeepers around the world.
The last time the two sides met in the top flight was way back in the 1970/71 season, when the score finished 1-1. Denis Law was the scorer that day, in what turned out to be the penultimate match of the season, which didn’t really mean much to either side. Blackpool were already doomed to relegation and United finished in 8th spot, trailing league champions Arsenal by 22 points. Fast forward forty years and you will have witnessed one of the most entertaining matches of the whole season. Blackpool took a two goal lead before Manchester United fought back in typical Ferguson style to rescue all three points. As usual we assess the talking points below.
Former Southampton, Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United striker Alan Shearer has revealed in an interview with FourFourTwo that United took too long to sign him, which is why he opted to sign for Blackburn Rovers. United ended up signing Eric Cantona in the November of 1992 and went on to lift the Premier League title, with Blackburn finishing in 4th spot.
Shearer did pick up a league title in 1994/95 after his side beat United by a point to the crown. The England striker enjoyed a four-year stay at Ewood Park, scoring 112 goals in 138 league appearances – however, could he have gone on to win more trophies had he waited a little?
