Manchester United

[muckypups]

Perfect.. We're flying, beautiful flowing attacking play. Great work lads.. one thing though... keep the tempo up, please..

[davethailand]

5-1 at 70 mins

[Jockstar]

5-1 and no let up. Only the 1st game.

[chonabot]

Scary result , let's see how Chelsea respond in the Blue corner.....[ 2-0] I hope...

[muckypups]

Fantastic result yesterday.. It was a real delight to see United turn on the style, The Guardian sums our performance up perfectly..:

Rooney leads rout as United find renewed verve

Daniel Taylor at Old Trafford

Monday August 21, 2006

The Guardian

Manchester United began the season yesterday with a flurry of goals that suggests they may not miss Ruud van Nistelrooy as much as their supporters fear. Whether they can maintain this level of performance without their most prolific striker since Denis Law remains to be seen, but Sir Alex Ferguson could hardly have asked for more than to score five on the opening weekend for the first time since 1966, the first four arriving inside the opening 19 minutes.

Ferguson described it as a perfect start and the man in charge of the music was entitled to play That's Entertainment by The Jam after the final whistle. United's first-touch, pass-and-move football was mesmerising at times and they will enjoy the view from the top of the Premiership, even if the league is only one game old. It is time for their supporters to stop worrying about the relationship between Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo, and there is evidence to support Ferguson's theory that United are a more fluent team with the sleek, athletic Louis Saha playing instead of Van Nistelrooy.

The biggest victory, however, is that the margin of success, and the manner in which it was achieved, may have readjusted the thinking of their supporters. It has been another difficult summer for the followers of England's biggest club and, for the sake of harmony, it was vital that Ferguson's players demonstrated early on that their title challenge may be considerably more convincing than in the previous three seasons. This they did and more, led by the superb Rooney and Paul Scholes. Ronaldo showed the Fulham fans he does not mind playing the role of pantomime villain and even the maligned Patrice Evra offered a glimpse of why Ferguson felt him to be worth £5.5m of United's money in January.

"I couldn't be any more pleased," said Ferguson. "The making and taking of the goals was excellent, and there was great excitement and penetration about our play. We know the target we must aim for this season and it's a target that means we must hit the ground running and keep it that way."

Ferguson is blessed with natural self-belief, yet not even he could have anticipated the ease with which United would swat Fulham aside once Saha had opened the scoring, seven minutes in, with a glancing header from Ryan Giggs' cross. The early breakthrough seemed to disorientate Fulham, whose defensive quartet thereafter displayed the mobility of a row of four stalagmites. United were merciless and the next three goals came in the space of three crazy minutes.

First, a sweeping move involving Rooney, Ronaldo and Giggs ended with the visiting centre-half Ian Pearce inadvertently diverting Saha's low centre beyond Antti Niemi. The next was supplied by Rooney after Scholes and Gary Neville worked a quick free-kick, catching the Fulham defence unprepared again. Neville's cross picked out Saha and the unfortunate Niemi saved splendidly only for the rebound to drop invitingly to Rooney. Elusively brilliant, Rooney then floated a beautifully weighted cross for Ronaldo to half-volley the fourth at the far post.

Conspiracy theorists were scrutinising the goal celebrations to gauge the enthusiasm with which Rooney congratulated Ronaldo and, if there is any lingering ill- feeling from the World Cup, the two players hid it well. Their link-up play was a significant factor in Fulham's downfall and Rooney reiterated afterwards that he had no problem with his team-mate. "People say things without knowing us," he said.

Such was the home side's superiority it felt slightly absurd that the next goal belonged to Fulham, Heidar Helguson's shot looping over Edwin van der Sar after a decisive deflection off Rio Ferdinand. It flattered the visitors, and normal service was resumed soon after the hour when Rooney lashed in Wes Brown's pass for another reminder why he will be so badly missed during his impending three-match ban. "Devastated," was the word Rooney used to describe the fact he and Scholes are now ineligible until Arsenal's visit to Old Trafford on September 17.

The biggest impression Fulham made in the second half was the imprint of Michael Brown's studs on Giggs' thigh. A callous, deliberate stamp was seen by Andre Marriner but, on a weekend of abysmal refereeing decisions, he opted for a yellow card, rather than red. An aggrieved Giggs was booked a minute later for a retaliatory challenge but his temper did not even come close to that of Chris Coleman, the visiting manager berating his players in the dressing room for over an hour and then refusing to attend the post-match press conference.

As opening games go, Coleman remember yesterday with all the affection of appendicitis.

Man of the match Wayne Rooney

For reminding us he is the best player in England when he is not stamping on opponent's testicles or doing his Kevin the Teenager impression

Best moment Aside from his two goals, the visionary, pinpointed cross for Ronaldo to score the fourth

Only downside, no Scholes or Rooney for the next 3 matches.. thanks to the F.A... but we can cope with that..

[nev]

great result rooney and ronaldo's link ups excellent should have scored more but who is complaining.

still we should not get carried away.

and micheal brown shouldhave been sent off for that stamp on giggs.

to think rooney is getting a 3 match ban for alot minor than that.

heard rooney was not going to get banned only scholes fergie was told that and then he heres hegets banned,think thatscouse barwick had something to do with that.

[muckypups]

Totally agree Nev, Browns dig at Giggs was a shocker.. he only gets a yellow? Scholes and Rooney banned for three matches after a pre-season friendly.. O.K. it's going to sound paranoid but what's going on at the F.A.? They've really got it in for Utd. Imagine, even Steven Gerrard said the bans were out of order..!

Anyway, I think we have enough in reserve to cope with Charlton and Watford.. but it's a real shame we'll be missing Rooney for the Spurs match.

Oh, just heard an interview on MUTV with Fergie.. he reckons Carrick will be fit for next weekend.

[muckypups]

..Same interview with Fergie on MUTV, he says that negotiations with Bayern "aren't really going anywhere but we'll keep trying..." Seems unlikely that the deal will go through in time sadly.. Although the Bayern standpoint with Hargreaves is identical to ours regarding Ronaldo and Real Madrid..So I suppose we can't have it both ways...

[muckypups]

Fergie post match:

"I'm really pleased with the performance and the workrate of the players. The making and the taking of the goals was excellent. There was a real excitement about our play, particularly in the first 20 minutes. But throughout the match we played with great confidence and belief. Performances like today will go a long way [to helping us overcome Chelsea]. But more importantly the younger players are improving and maturing and the teamwork is getting better because of that. You can't expect to get the full package with players who are only 20 and 21 years of age. But you hope that their potential is fulfilled so you'll get performances like we did today. The longer they play together, the better they'll become. They linked up together on numerous occasions and you could tell he and Wayne are the best of pals. People are always looking for a scapegoat but even the Fulham fans stopped booing Cristiano in the end. I think they acknowledge the boy is a wonderful player. There's nothing new on Hargreaves. We're trying hard but Bayern are being very stubborn and resistant which I can understand; we can only do our best. We want to build up a strong squad of players and there are key elements to that and that's certainly the case with Owen. I've got a terrific squad [even if Owen dosn't come]. The central midfielders were excellent today and we've got Carrick to come back which will give us more ammunition. So I'm very satisfied with the squad as a whole. I've got 20-odd players and that's hopefully good enough"

And this from The Times:...

Oliver Kay in Times match report

'GREY SKIES OVER OLD TRAFFORD, but, for the first time in what has felt like an age, even the hardened cynics on the Stretford End seemed to be permeated by a sunny sense of optimism yesterday. They came in unprecedented numbers, an attendance of 75,115 constituting Manchester United’s biggest at the stadium and, if this performance can be taken as a sign of things to come, that record will be quick to tumble as more supporters come to witness the captivating talents of Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo, those World Cup foes turned friends reunited.

Sir Alex Ferguson would counsel against getting carried away and he would be right to do so, given that his team were given more freedom by a wretched Fulham side than by any visiting team last season, but it should not be overlooked that United produced some marvellous football.

At 1.50pm, their season barely 20 minutes old, they were 4-0 up, with Ronaldo, Rooney and Louis Saha off the mark, and it was possible to buy into Ferguson’s vision of his team emerging stronger for the absence of Ruud van Nistelrooy, sold to Real Madrid and not yet replaced.

These are early days, but the form of Rooney and Ronaldo was highly encouraging. Much will be made of the fact that it was their first appearance since their infamous confrontation during in Gelsenkirchen on July 1, their rapport on and off the ball serving a perfect response to some of the nonsense written about their relationship since their return to pre- season training.

More relevant, perhaps, is a contrast with their performances at Old Trafford against Sunderland last April, shortly before Rooney suffered his metatarsal injury; they were awful that night, each of them earning a blast of Ferguson’s infamous hairdryer treatment, but here they were superb.

Ronaldo thrived on the predictable jeers from the Fulham supporters after his role in Rooney’s red card against Portugal in the World Cup quarter-final, and was lauded by the home fans for his efforts.

It is only a matter of weeks since he was telling anyone who would listen that he wished to move to Real Madrid — an act that was potentially far more damaging than the overblown spat with Rooney — but the smiles that greeted every goal, every step-over and every near-miss suggested that his reintegration has been successful and that, for the next 12 months at least, his mind is firmly focused on United. It is funny how players can be brought back into line once they are told they are going nowhere, but Ferguson will hope that Ronaldo’s experience is not mirrored by Owen Hargreaves at Bayern Munich.

Having agitated very publicly for a move to Old Trafford over the past week, the England midfield player was left out of the squad for Bayern’s Bundesliga match away to Bochum yesterday and, while Uli Höness, the general manager, maintains that the situation will have blown over by the time the transfer window closes on August 31, the news gave United renewed optimism of concluding a £17 million deal.

With Michael Carrick likely to make his debut against Watford on Saturday, having missed out yesterday because of an ankle injury, United’s midfield may finally be taking shape, but a partnership of John O’Shea and Paul Scholes gave them more than platform enough to overcome Fulham.

Saha scored against his former club within seven minutes, glancing home Ryan Giggs’s cross, and, when Ian Pearce put through his own net and Rooney converted a loose ball with barely a quarter of an hour gone, Chris Coleman, the Fulham manager, must have known that it was going to be one of those days.

By the time Ronaldo squeezed a shot in at the near post from Rooney’s cross after 19 minutes, resignation might have given way to horror on Coleman’s part, but his team improved thereafter. Frank Queudrue, awfully culpable for Ronaldo’s goal, began to improve at left back, while the other debutant, Jimmy Bullard inspired in midfield, teeing up Heidar Helguson for a shot that looped over Edwin van der Sar after taking a huge deflection off Rio Ferdinand.

At least one Fulham supporter remained optimistic — Sonny Coleman, a chip off the old block, roaring his father’s team forward from the directors’ box — but they were fortunate that Michael Brown was shown only a yellow card for a terrible lunge on Giggs early in the second half and that United contented themselves with just one more goal, Rooney sweeping the ball home after Ronaldo sent Wes Brown rampaging down the right wing after 64 minutes.

The final 25 minutes were a virtual non-event, save for the crowd willing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to score his first goal in almost three years, but 5-1 was a hardly a bad way to start for a team who scored only once in their first five home games in the Premiership last season. Top of the league, too, for the first time since August 2003. It was almost tempting to believe that the good times are back at Old Trafford.

HOW WILL THEY DO?

Tougher tests than this lie ahead for United, but they showed more verve, penetration and attacking intent than their supporters have seen for some time. Fulham were awful. Some of the pre-season predictions of a relegation struggle have seemed harsh, but this did not bode well and that defence looks alarmingly vulnerable,'

[bidalufias]

hi guys, i'm new here. United against Fulham was great. it was simply superb. i just hope they will maintain the same performance atleast untill January.

[muckypups]

Hi Bidalufias.. and welcome, always good to know a fellow Red.

Yep, I agree... we were very slick against Fulham.. great to watch, although I doubt other teams visiting Old Trafford will allow us the time and space that Fulham did. What I enjoyed was the ruthless way we set about the match and took our chances when they came.. something that was lacking at the start of last season.

Let's hope we continue our form at Charlton tonight.. no Rooney or Scholes of course.. but we should have the players to win..

[nev]

i will miss thegame as i have a taxi booked from pattaya to bangkok so can someone message me the score and updates cheers guys. 061102594.

i go for a 2-0 win.

also tevez could be a good buy if we can get him heard he wants out of brazil,he is a lifelong red and turned up at a press confrence with a united shirt on once.

[redrus]

My text service is down nev, can someone else please oblige....?

The Mirror: *Tevez.

Manchester United were placed on red alert last night after long-term transfer target Carlos Tevez announced he planned to quit Brazil for a move to Europe.

Argentine World Cup hitman Tevez is demanding a move after falling out with new Corinthians coach and former Brazil goalkeeper Emerson Leao.

And United fan Tevez, dubbed "The Apache" and "The Bull" due to his aggressive playing style, would fit the bill.

Tevez, stripped of the Corinthians captaincy by Leao as he does not speak Portuguese, demanded a transfer after the weekend win over Botafogo.

The 22-year-old striker announced: "This may have been my last game in the Corinthians shirt.

"I would like to stay but I have to think about what is better for me and my family."

When Corinthians signed Tevez in 2004, he attended a press conference wearing a United shirt and has never hidden interest in playing for the Red Devils.

redrus

[muckypups]

O.K. Nev, if I stay up for the game, and I'm sure I will, I'll text you the score updates..let's hope it's a scoring feast again..(not for Charlton of course... )

[redrus]

redissue

Wednesday 23rd August 2006

United expect a rough ride for Cristiano.

The Sun rehash some old Gary Neville quotes ahead of United's first away game of the season.

Neville said: “We always protect our own.”

“Right the way back to David Beckham and my brother in 2000, it has always been the case where United protect their own.

“It happened again this summer with Cristiano and Wayne, but he is at the right place and he’ll be protected.

“The players will never have any problem. What happens in an international has nothing to do with what happens at Manchester United.”

“The English will always come up with excuses and scapegoats for why they haven’t won and this time it was Cristiano. The reason we lost was because Wayne got sent off, we didn’t score the penalties and didn’t get the goal.

“It was nothing to do with Cristiano why we didn’t win that tournament.

“The away games are going to be more complicated but I’m staying calm.”

While Paul Nottage, chairman of the Charlton Supporters’ Club, agrees with Ronaldo that he is in for a rough ride.

He said: “It’s safe to say there will be a fair amount of stick heading his way. There is bad blood anyway because of the ticketing policies and I can imagine Ronaldo will get the backlash.

“He may have made things up with Rooney but it will be a long time before he is forgiven by English fans.”

redrus

[redrus]

PLEASE BOO UNITED

redissue

Wednesday 23rd August 2006

And Ronaldo will play better.

John O'Shea thinks that Ronaldo and United will play better the more times they get booed away from home.

'Cristiano knows what is coming but I think he will thrive on it,' said O'Pie.

'You can see from the goals he has scored how he reacts to the test.

'Our players always seem to be targeted for certain things but it just tends to spur them on.

'In fact, I think the more people boo him, the better it will be for us.

'Soon enough, I am sure people will start to realise it is better to leave him alone, then the whole thing will start to die off.'

redrus

Charlton Vs United 8pm.

The Independent reports that, if fit, Giggs will replace Scholes in midfield and Ronaldo will play as a second striker in place of Rooney. Park and Richardson look set to be the wide men from the start at the Valley. Apart from that the team should be the same as Sunday with Heinze, Vidic and Carrick all out injured.

The BBC says that Charlton's Traore will be replaced by Gonzalo Sorondo as he sits out a one match ban with no other changes expected to the side.

[mrbojangles]

PLEASE BOO UNITED

redissue

Wednesday 23rd August 2006

And Ronaldo will play better.

I'm just gutted that the toss3r won't be coming to our place until the last game of the season

[redrus]

PLEASE BOO UNITED

redissue

Wednesday 23rd August 2006

And Ronaldo will play better.

I'm just gutted that the toss3r won't be coming to our place until the last game of the season

There's that bitterness again............

Away from Football, you seem such a nice lad...........

redrus

[mrbojangles]

PLEASE BOO UNITED

redissue

Wednesday 23rd August 2006

And Ronaldo will play better.

I'm just gutted that the toss3r won't be coming to our place until the last game of the season

There's that bitterness again............

Away from Football, you seem such a nice lad...........

It's in the blood, isn't it Red. As soon as i leave the United thread i go all calm again

Youv'e got to admit though, the reds have soon forgot about his sly wink and diving etc.

BitterBoJ

[redrus]

I don't have to admit anything.

Put yourself in that position, you've got a top player, such as Ronaldo. When he came back to you, he'd be a City player and, as long as the two actually involved were ok and the team were ok, whats the problem.

You should be thinking, he's got a blue shirt on now, I'll never boo a player in a blue shirt. As United are doin with our lads now, they're back in the Red shirt and, the way they played the other day how can we be pissed off, come on, see through the bitterness the path to agreement/enlightenment is in you some where.....

redrus

[mrbojangles]

I don't have to admit anything.

Put yourself in that position, you've got a top player, such as Ronaldo. When he came back to you, he'd be a City player and, as long as the two actually involved were ok and the team were ok, whats the problem.

You should be thinking, he's got a blue shirt on now, I'll never boo a player in a blue shirt. As United are doin with our lads now, they're back in the Red shirt and, the way they played the other day how can we be pissed off, come on, see through the bitterness the path to agreement/enlightenment is in you some where.....

But he doesn't even want to be at United. It's only cos no one came in for him that he's still there.

[redrus]

I don't have to admit anything.

Put yourself in that position, you've got a top player, such as Ronaldo. When he came back to you, he'd be a City player and, as long as the two actually involved were ok and the team were ok, whats the problem.

You should be thinking, he's got a blue shirt on now, I'll never boo a player in a blue shirt. As United are doin with our lads now, they're back in the Red shirt and, the way they played the other day how can we be pissed off, come on, see through the bitterness the path to agreement/enlightenment is in you some where.....

But he doesn't even want to be at United. It's only cos no one came in for him that he's still there.

Jasus, if he plays like that when he doesn't want to be there, then we best not try hanging on to him eh....!

redrus

[redrus]

United v Charlton, at The Valley.

1-0 to United, 48 mins. Darren Fletcher.

redrus

*Someones had a word in Fletches shell like, he's havin a blinder.....!

[redrus]

2-0, great goal from Saha. 80 mins.

redrus

*Boro have just gone to 2-1 at home to Chelsea.

[lampard10]

2-0, great goal from Saha. 80 mins.

redrus

*Boro have just gone to 2-1 at home to Chelsea.

Well, before anyone takes the p1ss, I'm glad to see Chelsea improving. Same two fixtures last year

Chelsea 2-0 Man C

Boro 3-0 Chelsea.

Looks like we are on the up lads.

[Bredbury Blue]

See Neville Neville's older boy Gary has started preparing for retirement from football - check him out on 'Blues Clues' UBC Spark.

[muckypups]

Champions League group stage is drawn tonight guys.. @ 16"00 GMT.. all the teams below..

AC Milan

Barcelona

Real Madrid

Inter Milan

Liverpool

Manchester United

Valencia

Lyon

Porto

PSV Eindhoven

Bayern Munich

Chelsea

Roma

Celtic

Sporting Lisbon

Benfica

Bordeaux

Werder Bremen

Olympiakos

Anderlecht

Hamburg

Arsenal

Benfica

Levski Sofia

FC Copenhagen

Shakhtar Donetsk

CSKA Moscow

Dynamo Kiev

Lille

Galatasaray

Steaua Bucharest

Spartak Moscow

AEK Athens

After last seasons failure in what was a fairly weak group let's hope we can make a real go of it this time.

[Bredbury Blue]

Champions League group stage is drawn tonight guys.. @ 16"00 GMT.. all the teams below..

AC Milan

Barcelona

Real Madrid

Inter Milan

Liverpool

Manchester United

Valencia

Lyon

Porto

PSV Eindhoven

Bayern Munich

Chelsea

Roma

Celtic

Sporting Lisbon

Benfica

Bordeaux

Werder Bremen

Olympiakos

Anderlecht

Hamburg

Arsenal

Benfica

Levski Sofia

FC Copenhagen

Shakhtar Donetsk

CSKA Moscow

Dynamo Kiev

Lille

Galatasaray

Steaua Bucharest

Spartak Moscow

AEK Athens

After last seasons failure in what was a fairly weak group let's hope we can make a real go of it this time.

Yeah, and i see Neville Neville's older boy Gary has started preparing for retirement from football - check him out on 'Blues Clues' UBC Spark.

[redrus]

Thats the second thread you've posted that in Bred, I might have a look in a bit..., then again, if its Ciddy's idea of humour....?!

redrus

[muckypups]

From Red News, the seeding for tonights draw:

The Champions' League seeds

Group Draw Rules

1 Teams are seeded into four groups of eight based on a coefficient calculated from the performances of the club in Europe over the last five years combined with the coefficient of their country.

2 Teams from the same country cannot be in the same group.

Seeds (teams in brackets still to qualify*)

Pot 1 Milan, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Internazionale, Liverpool, (Arsenal), Manchester United, Valencia.

Pot 2 Lyon, Porto, PSV Eindhoven, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Roma, (Ajax), Celtic.

Pot 3 (Lille), Sporting Lisbon, Benfica, Bordeaux, (Steaua Bucharest), Werder Bremen, Olympiakos, (CSKA Moscow).

Pot 4 (AEK Athens), Anderlecht, (Dynamo Kiev), (Levski Sofia), (Galatasaray), (Shakhtar Donetsk), Hamburg, (Fenerbahce), (Chievo), Spartak Moscow, (Dynamo Zagreb), (Hearts), (Standard Liège), (FC Copenhagen), (Legia Warsaw), (M Boleslav), (Ruzomberok), (Rabotnicki Kometal).

*Before last night's games