Manchester United

[MiG16]

Alex Ferguson would like everyone to believe that Manchester United's young players are as good as those being cultivated by Arsène Wenger at Arsenal, but there was little evidence of that being the case at Old Trafford last night.

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redrus

redrus...my fav ManU rival

can you post that again in the right thread?

[mrtoad]

Alex Ferguson would like everyone to believe that Manchester United's young players are as good as those being cultivated by Arsène Wenger at Arsenal, but there was little evidence of that being the case at Old Trafford last night.

[/b

redrus

redrus...my fav ManU rival

can you post that again in the right thread?

One game and people are saying that the young playersa aren't up to it. They may well taske some good experience from this result as part of a steep learning curve in their professional careers. There are certainly a couple of good players coming through at United, but Arsenal have been blooding more of their younger players overe the past 2 years, and the results haven't always been consistent, although now that some of them have a little bit more experience thay are starting to show their full potential.

[redrus]

Trophies, trophies are all that counts at the end of the day, or, season, to be more apt.

In the past we've shown our mettle, our kids in the past have proved themselves. You all know that. Yes the present do have something to prove, this will either make or break them but, I care not, Manchester United is what I care about and, if this proves some of these kids are not good enough then so be it, show em the door....!

I'm not afraid of airing my opinion, there a few in the first team who need the boot too, thankfully one of them's injured for the rest of the season and, I know that a <deleted> thing to say when you should always support someone wearing your shirt but, some are just not up to it....!

redrus

[redrus]

Vidic earns four-year deal

Defender impresses United boss

By Peter Fraser: 29th September 2007

Vidic earns four-year deal

Nemanja Vidic is reported to have been offered a new four-year contract at Manchester United after impressing manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

The United defender is less than two years into his present deal at Old Trafford, but following a string of top class displays the Serbian is said to have been offered a new £50,000 a week four-year deal.

Vidic is part of a United defensive unit which, prior to the Carling Cup defeat to Coventry, had not conceded in five successive games and the centre-back also scored the winning goal in the Red Devil's 1-0 Premier League win against Everton.

Ferguson, though, believes Vidic is more than capable of improving his level of performance.

"The quality Nemanja has is that he is so brave," Ferguson told The Sun.

"He is a great defender and he's a real threat up front as well. He can play too but, importantly, he doesn't mess about at the back.

Threat

"He is prepared to put his head in and that always makes him a threat up front. He can easily get 10 this season."

Vidic has set his sights on increasing his goal scoring tally, while also building on his defensive partnership with Rio Ferdinand.

"I plan to score lots of goals this year," Vidic told The Sun.

"If they come of my head, my feet or stomach, I don't mind. I want to help the team win more matches.

"I understand there is a lot of concentration on our attacking players. But you have to defend to win football matches.

"Myself and Rio have a great understanding and I think it is getting better. We aim to get as many clean sheets as we can."

redrus

[redrus]

Ronaldo Regrets Request

Ronaldo revealed he had stayed after the 2006 World Cup only because of the influence of Sir Alex Ferguson.

The Portuguese winger announced he would be ready to leave United for Real Madrid after playing a major part in getting Wayne Rooney sent off in the 2006 World Cup.

However, Sir Alex convinced him to stay at United and though he was target of intense abuse, his football flourished and was elected Player of the Year at the end of the season.

'Sir Alex is a very caring coach and I have a relationship with him that goes far beyond what is usual between a player and the coach,' Ronaldo told the Daily Mirror.

'In fact, I can even say I signed for United because of him and it is down to him that I am still with United in England.

'At the end of that season he was one of the most influential people in my decision.'

He wanted to leave but now says he should have thought about it twice before going public with his desire.

'There are moments in life when we all react on impulse when it would be wiser to stop, take a breath and think in a more rational way,' Ronaldo added.

'That's what I should have done after all that controversy concerning Rooney and me. I acted in haste when I said there were no circumstances under which I would stay.

'Everybody makes mistakes. But the story had a happy ending.

'I assure you the best is yet to come. And the best will be more titles, which are the icing on the cake.'

redrus

[redrus]

Fergie Back On The BBC

Sir Alex Ferguson spoke to BBC Radio Scotland, relaxing his boycott of the Beeb.

The Scot was infuriated by a documentary about his son, Jason's transfer dealings as an agent. Since then he refused to speak to BBC reporters and though he's unlikely to relax it for the English reporters, at least he took a step towards peace.

He was talking about his Dunfermline career as he had been inducted into the Hall of Fame of the club for scoring 66 goals in 89 games. He provided the interview with the strict condition that all questions will be about Dunfermline.

And when will we see him on the English BBC again? When he receives an official apology from the General Director. Need I say how unlikey it is to happen?

Both stories from Vital Football.

redrus

[redrus]

Saturday 29 Sep 2007

Birmingham City vs Manchester United

Prem, Kick-off: 17: 15

Match Report

Birmingham City manager Steve Bruce spoke of his pride following the 0-0 draw with Liverpool last weekend, yet will be well aware of the similar challenge Manchester United pose this Saturday.

"I thought we were excellent in our approach to the game, we defended as a team and the players deserve a big pat on the back," he said, before explaining his limited outlook for the season.

"We are just new into the league but we are on course and level par with the games played and the points we've got, which if we stay that way we've got an outstanding chance of coming back here next season." With United fresh from a 2-0 win over title rivals Chelsea, the Blues will probably need goals as well as tough defence to come away with anything.

These plans will have been hit following the news that on-loan Celta Vigo midfielder Borja Oubina is out for the season with injury.

The 25-year-old Spaniard ruptured his knee ligaments 13 minutes into his debut against Liverpool, an injury with a recovery period of at least six months.

Gary McSheffrey was brought on for Oubina and could win a regular place after producing a solid display.

Menwhile, the Red Devils will be as fresh as anyone coming into this weekend's fixtures having played an almost entirely second-string team against Coventry City in the League Cup on Wednesday.

However, that youthful line-up sent out at Old Trafford against the Championship club earned the wrath of furious manager Sir Alex Ferguson after a surprise 2-0 defeat.

The veteran Scot admitted he was "flabbergasted" after a side containing six full internationals - including expensive summer signings Nani and Anderson - comprehensively outplayed by the Sky Blues.

However, among his main string of players, the break could see Louis Saha compete with Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez for a start in the United attack.

Despite both players only just returning to full fitness, Saha's history of injuries over the past three years has led to Ferguson becoming increasingly protective of the former Fulham star.

"We are playing a long game here. It is a long season and one panicky move now could easily mean more serious trouble later," he explained earlier in the week.

The Red Devils also have Owen Hargreaves back in contention following a thigh strain, but he will have to dislodge either Paul Scholes or Michael Carrick in the midfield.

Referee: Mark Clattenburg

Story from 4the game.com

redrus

[redrus]

Alex Ferguson would like everyone to believe that Manchester United's young players are as good as those being cultivated by Arsène Wenger at Arsenal, but there was little evidence of that being the case at Old Trafford last night.

[/b

redrus

redrus...my fav ManU rival

can you post that again in the right thread?

This is, Manchester United, All the News and Views. Good and bad....!

I can't find your thread anyway, its above me.....!!!!! :D

redrus

[MiG16]

its above me.....!!!!!

redrus

we are above everyone at the moment its called top of the league

(hope Chon is not watching)

[LeungKen]

Am I the only one pleased to see that we ground out another 1 - 0 victory, and even more pleasing when one sees Chelsea drawing with Fulham.

[nev]

mate you are not the only one,good to see we can grind out results,all in all a good result for us.

[redrus]

its above me.....!!!!!

redrus

we are above everyone at the moment its called top of the league

That was the joke luv....

Am I the only one pleased to see that we ground out another 1 - 0 victory, and even more pleasing when one sees Chelsea drawing with Fulham.

Not at all....!

mate you are not the only one,good to see we can grind out results,all in all a good result for us.

.....but, thank <deleted> for Ronaldo....!

redrus

[LeungKen]

redrus

Any predictions for tues night game, without van der sar.

I'm sticking my neck out for a 2 - 1 win for Utd. and Scholes to score the first.

But then I always tend the accentuate the positive.

[redrus]

redrus

Any predictions for tues night game, without van der sar.

I'm sticking my neck out for a 2 - 1 win for Utd. and Scholes to score the first.

But then I always tend the accentuate the positive.

You can bank on a spot of bother for starters.

As for the game, they're going to come out all gun's blazing to atone for last seasons humiliation. Add to that the stick they got from Lazio, as they had a derby the weekend after the drubbing, it looks like it could be the match of the tournament again.

I'll stick my neck out for a 3-1 United win as I don't think either defense is gonna get a look in, if it does, ours is better.

Shame about VDS as without his presence between the sticks, that scoreline could be reversed if Roma nick an early one to quieten the crowd....! Lets not think they'll get that close to our goal to need Kuschack though eh, lol. That was a joke, I've a lot of faith in him he is a quality keeper although, always destined for second keeper as Ben Foster will be the next No1....!

redrus

[redrus]

Views From The Broadsheets

Sunday 30th September 2007

THE SUNDAY TIMES

Cristiano Ronaldo celebrated his 100th Premier League appearance with a goal of consummate class that maintained Manchester United's challenge to leaders Arsenal but disguised an unconvincing performance by his team. Only bottom-of-the-table Derby have scored fewer goals than United's paltry accumulation of seven but Birmingham managed also to expose the defensive frailty of Sir Alex Ferguson's side and only a goal was missing from their stellar endeavour.

Sebastian Larsson was magnificent for the vanquished team and Gary McSheffrey, on the opposite flank, was not far behind but for all of the discomfort they visited on United they were unable to make them suffer, which was left to Ronaldo to inflict. Wayne Rooney was a marginal influence and Carlos Tevez is still trying to find his feet but United, for the fourth time this season, won by a solitary goal.

United's lack of ruthlessness in front of goal this season has been put down by the manager to Wayne Rooney's absence through injury, Cristiano Ronaldo's three-game suspension and the late arrival of Carlos Tevez into the squad. All three were starters for only the second time as Sir Alex Ferguson, having changed the entire team for the midweek debacle against Coventry in the Carling Cup, reverted to the 11 men who began last Sunday's game against Chelsea.

A further blow was inflicted on United when Van der Sar, who suffered a leg injury midway through the opening half, failed to emerge for the restart and Tomasz Kuszczak took his place. Then, unexpectedly, came United's salvation. Ferdinand's long ball towards the edge of Birmingham's penalty area ought to have been dealt with by Quedrue but his mistake presented Ronaldo with a sliver of an opportunity, which was all that he needed. He took the ball around Quedrue and glided past Ridgewell before sending a low shot past Taylor. For Birmingham there could have been no crueller blow.

Larsson played a good ball across the face of goal which just eluded Kapo and Kuszczak had to make a great save at his near post from a deflected header by Vidic as Birmingham searched desperately for an equaliser. But they left gaps at the back and Stephen Kelly had to deny Rooney on the line before Ronaldo shot wide from Rooney's square ball.

THE OBSERVER

These are happy days for Sir Alex Ferguson. His team are collecting three points while playing just mediocre stuff, his chief rival is no more and the team left behind appear in disarray. Whatever the public utterances, Fergie will be delighted that Jose Mourinho has left Chelsea and the club he took to consecutive championships now lie five points behind. Here, United were dull and might have lost, yet scrapped away to take the victory from a side set up well by Steve Bruce to resist the champions. If Franck Queudrue had not produced the awful error that allowed Cristiano Ronaldo to again be a match winner, the United old boy might have had at least a deserved point for his shrewd approach.

Last week Bruce squeezed a point from the visit to Liverpool by positioning Mehdi Nafti in front of the defence and asking the Tunisian to lead his midfield in frustrating Liverpool. Here, against visitors Birmingham had not beaten in the league since a 5-1 rout in November 1978, he repeated the ploy. It worked, especially in the opening 45 minutes. As Ferguson said: 'It was very difficult, they played well and deserve full credit. That is the hardest game so far this season for us.'

Before the break Birmingham were certainly the sharper and more cohesive than a United side arguably Sir Alex Ferguson's strongest. The only possible debate was over the omission of Louis Saha who offers a differing option to Carlos Tevez in attack alongside Wayne Rooney. But, it was Birmingham's lone striker Cameron Jerome who stood out before Ronaldo's goal. He might have scored after 27 minutes when a poor Edwin Van der Sar clearance went direct to him. The Dutch keeper - replaced at half-time due to a toe injury by Tomasz Kuszczak -was out of goal and Jerome's curling effort appeared to have given Birmingham the lead before Nemanja Vidic hooked a leg out.

United were disjointed enough for 25 minutes to pass before a first corner arrived. It came to nothing. And though Tevez had earlier dribbled into the area after seven minutes and Rooney should have done better when through on Maik Taylor seconds before, that was about it. The visitors' problems derived from their central midfield pairing of Paul Scholes and Michael Carrick. Both failed to break forward in support, which meant there was little fluidity going forward. And as the break neared, Ryan Giggs began dropping inside in an attempt to link. By that point Birmingham had created far more and were unlucky not to be leading. Added to Jerome's near miss had been the 17th-minute effort from Gary McSheffrey that forced Rio Ferdinand to clear his line.

Ferguson, though, resisted making any change at half time and within five minutes saw his team score. Queudrue's Sunday was instantly ruined by his mistake. While the French left-back dithered, the double player of the year muscled in, rounded Taylor, and finished. 'Even I could have scored that,' reckoned Bruce. If that undersold the winger's finish, then the manager's assertion that it was his team's only serious error was correct.

THE INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY

Points continue to be more plentiful than goals for Manchester United. Once again, one of the latter was enough as Cristiano Ronaldo marked his 100th Premier League start with the finish that lifted the champions back above their greatest geographical rivals, Manchester City and Liverpool, into second place. By no means was it a vintage performance and Birmingham had every right to contend that they deserved to be ahead following some alarming United defending in the first half.

But United's season is being built on 1-0 victories - this was their fourth in the League alone - and, remarkably, the fledgling table shows only the bottom team, Derby, scoring fewer goals. So far in 2007-08, United's eight Premier League games have produced a miserly nine goals in total. It is a bizarre statistic, contradicted by the manner in which Birmingham repeatedly threatened before the break and had Sir Alex Ferguson admitting: "Give them full credit, that's the hardest game of the season and they are a good team with a lot of pace and aggression. Going in at 0-0, I was happy and we retained possession far better in the second half and defended much better."

There was extra satisfaction for United in as much as victory was achieved despite the half-time loss of Edwin van der Sar with a toe injury that makes the keeper doubtful for Tuesday's Champions' League home game with Roma.

The Dutchman had produced two fine early saves to deny Birmingham and his replacement, Tomasz Kuszczak, also performed manfully in the spirited home response to Ronaldo's second goal of the season seven minutes after the break.

The breakthrough was calamitous for Birmingham's left-back Franck Queudrue, who dallied over Rio Ferdinand's hopeful long ball and allowed the Portuguese winger to dispossess him amid his blundering attempts at a recovery. The rest was utterly predictable as Liam Ridgewell was left trailing before a composed side-step of the goalkeeper Maik Taylor resulted in an open-goal finish for Ronaldo. It was finishing of a high order.

Ferguson made seven changes from the Carling Cup eclipse by Coventry City as he went back to the side that accounted for Chelsea last weekend but his A team nonetheless resembled strangers on occasions.

Twice in the opening two minutes, Van der Sar made excellent saves, on the first occasion following an aberration by Paul Scholes. The midfielder, in trying to pick out Ferdinand deep in his own half, instead located Cameron Jerome, whose powerful left-foot shot was palmed aside with difficulty.

THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

It has been a long time coming but Cristiano Ronaldo finally made his distinctive impression on this season. What with a three-game suspension following his dismissal at Portsmouth and Manchester United's strangely subdued attacking style this term, the Portuguese winger had been peripheral. Until now.

As happened so frequently in last year's title victory, when United struggled, Ronaldo bailed them out. With nine minutes gone in the second half, Franck Queudrue stalled in possession on the edge of the box and Ronaldo was onto him with lupine fervour. Cutting across Liam Ridgewell and the goalkeeper, Maik Taylor, with astonishing acceleration, Ronaldo chipped left-footed into the empty net. It was conducted with the ruthless precision and speed of a professional assassin.

Yet while this was the fifth Premiership game in which United have not conceded, it was a shaky performance from a side who were repeatedly carved open by a Birmingham side playing with an intensity that few of the visitors seemed willing to match.

United sloppiness gifted Birmingham numerous chances. Here was a defensive unit so tight that, according to Sir Alex Ferguson, opponents are lucky to win a corner. Yet within a minute, Paul Scholes passed the ball straight to Cameron Jerome on the edge of the area. The Birmingham striker was denied by Edwin van der Sar's usual competence.

That was just the beginning, though. Ronaldo gave the ball to Gary McSheffrey, whose cross was hit wide by Jerome at the far post. Patrice Evra was next as he tried to shield the ball out but was easily bustled off it by Sebastian Larsson. The Swede picked out McSheffrey and only Rio Ferdinand's interception on the line prevented the goal. Even Van der Sar wanted in on the act, scuffing a clearance straight to Jerome only for the Birmingham striker to strike tamely at goal, easy for Nemanja Vidic to block. Uncharacteristically shoddy from the champions.

Still there were glimmers of inspiration on United's part. Wes Brown's early ball over the top lured Maik Taylor off his line but the goalkeeper had underestimated Wayne Rooney's pace. The England striker got there first but Taylor held his ground and reacted well to stretch and parry Rooney's attempted lob. Crisp passing and movement around the area, from Ronaldo and Tevez especially, intimated what the visitors were capable of but with Birmingham's commitment to breaking at speed, United were vulnerable.

So it followed football's brutal, warped logic that Birmingham's first significant defensive error was punished by a goal. As is his wont, Ferdinand floated an aimless ball up the pitch. Queudrue dithered and Ronaldo pounced. It was over in the blink of an eye.

Match Quotes

Ferguson and Bruce.

Ferguson:

"I thought in the first half Birmingham were the better team, full credit to them.

"It was the hardest game we have had so far this season. They made it very difficult for us, going in 0-0 at half-time I was very happy with that.

"In the second half we had a better threat going forward and we defended much better.

"I think we are getting together as a team again. You could see that today, the movement was very good and Rooney, Tevez and Ronaldo were big threats. Saha is getting there, he is such a threat when he gets on."

About Ronaldo's goal:

"He showed composure, he's got the pace to go by people and he took it very well.

"Ronaldo was sensational again today. The boy is so talented. His capabilities are unending.

"The goal might have come from a mistake but his composure was excellent."

Bruce:

"We gave a terrific performance, especially in the first half, and we needed to take one of those chances. To create four or five in the first half against the champions was terrific.

"The sad thing for me is we made a horrible mistake for their goal and got punished. To lose like that is cruel.

"It was and individual error but I was proud of the way we played and we could have taken something from the game."

Operation Bennett

United are reported to have compiled a dossier on referee Steve Bennett.

Mail on Sunday:

Manchester United are compiling a video of incidents in matches refereed by Steve Bennett to highlight what they claim are serious errors by the Kent official.

The video will be sent to the FA and Premier League and United could even request that Bennett, who took charge of their match against Birmingham at St Andrew's last night, is not assigned to their games.

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson questioned Bennett's decisions on several occasions last season, culminating in his fierce criticism of his refusal to allow United a goal in the FA Cup Final against Chelsea.

This season Bennett sent off Cristiano Ronaldo for an alleged butt on Portsmouth's Richard Hughes, who later admitted there had been no contact.

redrus

[redrus]

Oh Teddy Teddy

Sunday 30th September 2007

Sheringham reveals a couple of interesting things in his latest interview.

Responding to a question about his team-mates from 1999 in an interview in the Sunday Times:

"Well, they were all young lads, weren't they? And they're all still playing, but they're being described as experienced players now! Someone said to me the other day that Scholes is 32 now, but I still think of him as 22."

"Solskjaer has retired," I observe. "Yeah, that was a shame because you can tell in every interview he does that all he wants to do is play football. You know how he did his knee, don't you?" he asks.

"No." "Do you remember when he slid on his knees after scoring the winning goal in the European final? Well, that's when he felt it. I remember him coming in after the game when everyone was celebrating and saying, 'I think I've hurt my knee'. And since then he's had a problem. It's a shame. He's a fantastic lad and probably the best all-round finisher I ever played with.

"Now people will look at that and say, 'What? Better than Shearer? Better than Klinsmann?' But in terms of right foot, left foot and heading, he knew exactly where the goal was. He would put the ball through people's legs and in the corners. Brilliant."

"Yorke and Cole are at Sunderland," I point out.

"Yeah." "How do you think Roy Keane has done as a manager?"

"I think he's done great; I've been really impressed by him. He has that manner about him; he just looks like a manager, doesn't he? He stands there and looks like he has been doing it for years."

"He hasn't called you?" "No," he says. "You're probably the only one he hasn't called."

"Well, he did want to sign me," he reveals.

"He did?" "Yeah, it was quite weird. It was that conversation I had with Curbishley . . . I said, 'Well, if you won't let me go to Charlton, where will you let me go?' And he said, 'Well, I've had no phone calls about you . . . I had one phone call when I first got the job and I told them you weren't available'. I said, 'Who was that, if you don't mind me asking?' He said, 'Well, Keaney was asking about you going up to Sunderland'. I said, 'Really? Bloody hel_l!'

He shakes his head and smiles at the memory.

"Okay, so you know what the obvious question is?"

"Would I have gone?" "Yeah." "It's hard to say, isn't it?" "Come on!" I exclaim. "No sitting on the fence."

"I really don't know," he says. "There was talk at one point that Mark Hughes was interested in me going to Blackburn, but I thought, 'Do I want to be travelling up and down again?' I don't know."

"So when Keane rants about Wags and the clothes shops and trying to get players to Sunderland, is he making a valid point?"

"Of course it's a valid point. It's a fantastic point. The question he is asking is: what do they want to do with their life? Do they want to be footballers or coast along? Do they want to play for a fantastic football club like Sunderland? Or do they want to wait round for a club in London so they can go shopping on days off?"

redrus

[redrus]

Swindle

Sunday 30th September 2007

The Observer's Paul Wilson criticises Ferguson and the Automatic Cup Scheme with the headline 'The Incredible Manchester United Cup Swindle'

This time last week everyone was struggling to contain their amusement at Chelsea shooting themselves in the foot. Now, just as suddenly, it is Manchester United's turn to look very silly indeed.

Going out of the Carling Cup at home to Coventry City was one thing, but doing so in front of a record crowd of 74,055, many of whom did not want to be there in the first place and had reluctantly shelled out money to find themselves watching an unrecognisable team, was a public-relations fiasco that will take some living down.

Particularly as Sir Alex Ferguson had promised that his youngsters and reserves would do very well against Coventry, and perhaps even go on to win the Carling Cup. Arsenal's B team were good enough to score six goals at Anfield last season and go on to give Chelsea a game in the Carling Cup final, but now it is plain for all to see that United's expensively assembled reserves - Nani and Anderson cost more than £30m between them and the latter was taken off at half time - are not of the same quality. There does not appear to be another golden generation like the 1992 vintage to carry Fergie safely into retirement, and fans are already making unkind remarks about their manager staying on too long and showing complete lack of judgment in his use of reserves and substitutes this season.

First the tickets, though. Several United fans have been in touch to point out that while it is clearly risible for Peter Kenyon to talk of establishing Chelsea as a global brand on the back of Champions League attendances of fewer than 25,000, Old Trafford's record Carling Cup crowd was not the handiest stick with which to beat him.

This is because United season-ticket holders are now force-fed cup football under the hated Automatic Cup Scheme. Gone are the days, at Old Trafford in any case, when supporters could regard cup games as optional extras. Now you either undertake to pay for every game of the season, at considerable extra cost when United can play half a dozen Champions League ties as well as whatever comes along in the domestic knockouts, or risk losing your season-ticket entitlement to someone with deeper pockets.

United have lost some of their oldest and most traditional supporters this season - season-ticket holders with decades of happy memories have given up for good, either on principle or because they cannot justify the additional expense - although crucially the club haven't lost much money. Even if there were more empty seats than normal against Coventry, the vast majority had already been paid for.

To no one's great surprise, a scheme for supporters to sell on tickets via the club for cup games they had no wish to attend turned out not to work as well as anticipated. Mainly because United will put it into operation only when a game has been declared a sell-out. In other words, the United Ticket Exchange will help sell tickets only when the club have none left to sell themselves.

From an unexpected source.

Alan Green in the Belfast Telegraph:

A rather strange thing happened to me not long after the final whistle sounded in the Chelsea game at Old Trafford last Sunday.

Actually, it was quite bizarre. Someone I didn't recognise suddenly appeared at my shoulder. I was still frantically working so didn't need interrupting.

"Hello," he said, "I represent the Glazer family in England. If you ever need to talk to me, don't hesitate."

I didn't catch a name; I'm not sure one was offered, but I thanked him and politely made it plain that, unfortunately, I was rather busy.

He stood by me for a few minutes before moving on for an 'introduction' to someone else.

Why does this matter? Well, when I noticed that the attendance there for the Carling Cup tie on Wednesday night was 74,055 - a record for the competition outside of the final - it struck me that the Glazers are in severe need of a charm offensive towards their fans rather than the media.

Still not getting it? The attendance hid an appalling state of affairs somewhat exposed by the swathes of empty seats indicating there were far fewer people at Old Trafford than 74,000.

You see, a new scheme is in operation that suggests the Glazers could hardly care less about United supporters. If you're fortunate enough to have a season ticket, you are now FORCED to buy a seat at all home cup ties. It doesn't matter if you don't want to or if you're on holiday or if you're in prison, you MUST buy a ticket or your season ticket will be revoked.

This is some distance from the situation that pertains at some other clubs where a season ticket 'entitles' you to buy a cup ticket for your regular seat. There is no compulsion.

And, not unreasonably, many United fans are absolutely livid. The principle itself stinks. And what of those people - many of the club's supporters are unfairly castigated because they happen to live a long distance away from Old Trafford - who chose to put up with the 'forced sale' but refused to pay the additional, sometimes considerable, expense of actually attending? Hence, the empty seats.

redrus

[redrus]

Sunday, September 30, 2007

Does Giggs Deserve A New Contract?

Ryan Giggs has been receiving a hammering from his own fans recently, just as talk of him renewing his contract has come about. I read comments from Giggs in the MEN on Friday (which referred to Giggs as the winger who had eight Premiership titles to his name. Where have they been?) and whilst I want him to stay on, and sign an extension, I wonder how much of that desire springs from sentimentality.

Ferguson has today spoken out about Giggsy’s future, claiming it is certain the winger will still be with us next season, and could break Sir Bobby’s appearance record by the end of the season. “He will not play every game for us this season but he will be here next season, that is for certain. He could even catch Bobby before the end of May.”

Football fans are very fickle, and the moment Giggs plays a lazy flick which lands nowhere near a player in red, you’ll hear reds screaming for him to get off. “He’s a load of shit, that Giggsy” they’ll moan in the local. This season, yeh, I’d say that is a pretty fair assessment, Giggsy has been a load of shit, but I struggle, like a lot of reds, to say too much against the man.

My dad reckons that Giggs has lost his hunger for football, and I hate to say that I am slowly starting to agree with him. Towards the end of last season, Giggs really looked to be struggling, and when you’re 33 and playing twice a week, you can expect the haggard look. But after a summer off, and more recently, an international break, Giggs doesn’t look to be any more fresh.

Too many times we’re seeing Giggs give a way the ball in such a lethargic manner, not tracking back with the vigour he should, and giving up far too easily all over the field. Too many times, whether on his arse or stood with his arms flung out, Giggs is stopping and turning to the ref. “Don’t you know who I am? I’ve won the league nine times, now give me a free kick for being second to the ball.”

My frustration is added to by his lacklustre efforts as the captain. I loved seeing Giggs and Neville lifting the trophy together last season, and that will be such an iconic and moving photograph in ten, fifteen, twenty years time. However, Giggs is no captain, and like I said in my article, Rio Ripe For Demotion, it’s time the armband was given to someone else.

Giggs needs to have that fight and hunger put back in him, and maybe we could see that if he was dropped for a period of time. Whilst we can’t expect to see him playing the way he did ten years ago, for large chunks of last season he looked as good as ever. His strengths are not the same as they were, as there will be a lot of full backs who are able to cut out his runs these days, and who beat him for pace, but new strengths have developed with his experience. However, we’re not seeing those strengths at the moment, and it only seems logical that Ronaldo and Nani man our wings until Giggs sorts his head out.

Clearly, he wants to be a United player, and after taking a cut in wages to sign a two year deal last time, we have no reason to question his loyalty or feelings about playing in our shirt. However, he does seem to have a certain nonchalance in regards to the new contract. “We trust each other, which comes from 15 or 16 years in the first team. I don't think I need to play well in specific games otherwise I won't be offered a contract. Generally speaking, if I am doing well, everything else will take care of itself. You could easily get caught up in `I have only got a year left so I need to play well' and put that added extra pressure on yourself. But the pressure playing for United in itself is enough you don't want to put added pressure on.”

I have to disagree with him. He does need to be putting some pressure on himself, because clearly, his relaxed attitude is not producing the goods on the pitch. Whilst he is set to get a contract regardless of how he is playing at the moment, for the club, he needs to be putting on the pressure and needs to be playing well.

Any other 33 year old would maybe have to be worry about their future playing for the Champions if they were not playing well. Fortunately for Giggs, he isn’t just any other 33 year old, he is a 33 year old who has nine league titles, four FA Cups, two League Cups, and one European Cup. He is close to featuring more heavily in our history books, with just a few appearances short of being the player to represent our club more than any other, and it is that which sets him apart.

Ryan Giggs is a Manchester United legend, and I don’t use that term lightly. He was my hero when I was a lad and whatever he does, however he plays, I’m going to love him. He’s had the kind of career modern professionals (and fans) can only dream about, and it’s going to take a really special player to ever rival him on ability, experience, loyalty and honours. Of course he deserves a contract extension, and of course he deserves our patience to come good again.

So next time you want to throttle Giggsy for giving the ball away, just remember all the great things he’s done for this club and how your life as a football fan has been improved by him. If you need a reminder, watch this… Link to republicofmancunia.blogspot.com Scroll to the bottom of the piece....!

redrus

[mrtoad]

Sunday, September 30, 2007

Does Giggs Deserve A New Contract?

Ryan Giggs has been receiving a hammering from his own fans recently, just as talk of him renewing his contract has come about. I read comments from Giggs in the MEN on Friday (which referred to Giggs as the winger who had eight Premiership titles to his name. Where have they been?) and whilst I want him to stay on, and sign an extension, I wonder how much of that desire springs from sentimentality.

Ferguson has today spoken out about Giggsy’s future, claiming it is certain the winger will still be with us next season, and could break Sir Bobby’s appearance record by the end of the season. “He will not play every game for us this season but he will be here next season, that is for certain. He could even catch Bobby before the end of May.”

Football fans are very fickle, and the moment Giggs plays a lazy flick which lands nowhere near a player in red, you’ll hear reds screaming for him to get off. “He’s a load of shit, that Giggsy” they’ll moan in the local. This season, yeh, I’d say that is a pretty fair assessment, Giggsy has been a load of shit, but I struggle, like a lot of reds, to say too much against the man.

My dad reckons that Giggs has lost his hunger for football, and I hate to say that I am slowly starting to agree with him. Towards the end of last season, Giggs really looked to be struggling, and when you’re 33 and playing twice a week, you can expect the haggard look. But after a summer off, and more recently, an international break, Giggs doesn’t look to be any more fresh.

Too many times we’re seeing Giggs give a way the ball in such a lethargic manner, not tracking back with the vigour he should, and giving up far too easily all over the field. Too many times, whether on his arse or stood with his arms flung out, Giggs is stopping and turning to the ref. “Don’t you know who I am? I’ve won the league nine times, now give me a free kick for being second to the ball.”

My frustration is added to by his lacklustre efforts as the captain. I loved seeing Giggs and Neville lifting the trophy together last season, and that will be such an iconic and moving photograph in ten, fifteen, twenty years time. However, Giggs is no captain, and like I said in my article, Rio Ripe For Demotion, it’s time the armband was given to someone else.

Giggs needs to have that fight and hunger put back in him, and maybe we could see that if he was dropped for a period of time. Whilst we can’t expect to see him playing the way he did ten years ago, for large chunks of last season he looked as good as ever. His strengths are not the same as they were, as there will be a lot of full backs who are able to cut out his runs these days, and who beat him for pace, but new strengths have developed with his experience. However, we’re not seeing those strengths at the moment, and it only seems logical that Ronaldo and Nani man our wings until Giggs sorts his head out.

Clearly, he wants to be a United player, and after taking a cut in wages to sign a two year deal last time, we have no reason to question his loyalty or feelings about playing in our shirt. However, he does seem to have a certain nonchalance in regards to the new contract. “We trust each other, which comes from 15 or 16 years in the first team. I don't think I need to play well in specific games otherwise I won't be offered a contract. Generally speaking, if I am doing well, everything else will take care of itself. You could easily get caught up in `I have only got a year left so I need to play well' and put that added extra pressure on yourself. But the pressure playing for United in itself is enough you don't want to put added pressure on.”

I have to disagree with him. He does need to be putting some pressure on himself, because clearly, his relaxed attitude is not producing the goods on the pitch. Whilst he is set to get a contract regardless of how he is playing at the moment, for the club, he needs to be putting on the pressure and needs to be playing well.

Any other 33 year old would maybe have to be worry about their future playing for the Champions if they were not playing well. Fortunately for Giggs, he isn’t just any other 33 year old, he is a 33 year old who has nine league titles, four FA Cups, two League Cups, and one European Cup. He is close to featuring more heavily in our history books, with just a few appearances short of being the player to represent our club more than any other, and it is that which sets him apart.

Ryan Giggs is a Manchester United legend, and I don’t use that term lightly. He was my hero when I was a lad and whatever he does, however he plays, I’m going to love him. He’s had the kind of career modern professionals (and fans) can only dream about, and it’s going to take a really special player to ever rival him on ability, experience, loyalty and honours. Of course he deserves a contract extension, and of course he deserves our patience to come good again.

So next time you want to throttle Giggsy for giving the ball away, just remember all the great things he’s done for this club and how your life as a football fan has been improved by him. If you need a reminder, watch this… Link to republicofmancunia.blogspot.com Scroll to the bottom of the piece....!

redrus

Giggs has been an eay target for a number of years. He has consitently performed at a high level, and although he is now getting to the tail end of his career he still has a lot to offer. If he didn't ,you can bet your ass in Nana Plaza (certain bars) that Ferguson still thinks he is good enough, otherwise he would be shipped on out.

[mrbojangles]

Swindle

Good post Red. And absolutely disgusting the way the fans are being treated. I myself know some United fans who have "had" to give up their season tickets as they can longer justify the expense to their wives. I don't mean that sarcastically BTW.

[chavy]

Sunday, September 30, 2007

Does Giggs Deserve A New Contract?

Ryan Giggs has been receiving a hammering from his own fans recently, just as talk of him renewing his contract has come about. I read comments from Giggs in the MEN on Friday (which referred to Giggs as the winger who had eight Premiership titles to his name. Where have they been?) and whilst I want him to stay on, and sign an extension, I wonder how much of that desire springs from sentimentality.

Ferguson has today spoken out about Giggsy's future, claiming it is certain the winger will still be with us next season, and could break Sir Bobby's appearance record by the end of the season. "He will not play every game for us this season but he will be here next season, that is for certain. He could even catch Bobby before the end of May."

Football fans are very fickle, and the moment Giggs plays a lazy flick which lands nowhere near a player in red, you'll hear reds screaming for him to get off. "He's a load of shit, that Giggsy" they'll moan in the local. This season, yeh, I'd say that is a pretty fair assessment, Giggsy has been a load of shit, but I struggle, like a lot of reds, to say too much against the man.

My dad reckons that Giggs has lost his hunger for football, and I hate to say that I am slowly starting to agree with him. Towards the end of last season, Giggs really looked to be struggling, and when you're 33 and playing twice a week, you can expect the haggard look. But after a summer off, and more recently, an international break, Giggs doesn't look to be any more fresh.

Too many times we're seeing Giggs give a way the ball in such a lethargic manner, not tracking back with the vigour he should, and giving up far too easily all over the field. Too many times, whether on his arse or stood with his arms flung out, Giggs is stopping and turning to the ref. "Don't you know who I am? I've won the league nine times, now give me a free kick for being second to the ball."

My frustration is added to by his lacklustre efforts as the captain. I loved seeing Giggs and Neville lifting the trophy together last season, and that will be such an iconic and moving photograph in ten, fifteen, twenty years time. However, Giggs is no captain, and like I said in my article, Rio Ripe For Demotion, it's time the armband was given to someone else.

Giggs needs to have that fight and hunger put back in him, and maybe we could see that if he was dropped for a period of time. Whilst we can't expect to see him playing the way he did ten years ago, for large chunks of last season he looked as good as ever. His strengths are not the same as they were, as there will be a lot of full backs who are able to cut out his runs these days, and who beat him for pace, but new strengths have developed with his experience. However, we're not seeing those strengths at the moment, and it only seems logical that Ronaldo and Nani man our wings until Giggs sorts his head out.

Clearly, he wants to be a United player, and after taking a cut in wages to sign a two year deal last time, we have no reason to question his loyalty or feelings about playing in our shirt. However, he does seem to have a certain nonchalance in regards to the new contract. "We trust each other, which comes from 15 or 16 years in the first team. I don't think I need to play well in specific games otherwise I won't be offered a contract. Generally speaking, if I am doing well, everything else will take care of itself. You could easily get caught up in `I have only got a year left so I need to play well' and put that added extra pressure on yourself. But the pressure playing for United in itself is enough you don't want to put added pressure on."

I have to disagree with him. He does need to be putting some pressure on himself, because clearly, his relaxed attitude is not producing the goods on the pitch. Whilst he is set to get a contract regardless of how he is playing at the moment, for the club, he needs to be putting on the pressure and needs to be playing well.

Any other 33 year old would maybe have to be worry about their future playing for the Champions if they were not playing well. Fortunately for Giggs, he isn't just any other 33 year old, he is a 33 year old who has nine league titles, four FA Cups, two League Cups, and one European Cup. He is close to featuring more heavily in our history books, with just a few appearances short of being the player to represent our club more than any other, and it is that which sets him apart.

Ryan Giggs is a Manchester United legend, and I don't use that term lightly. He was my hero when I was a lad and whatever he does, however he plays, I'm going to love him. He's had the kind of career modern professionals (and fans) can only dream about, and it's going to take a really special player to ever rival him on ability, experience, loyalty and honours. Of course he deserves a contract extension, and of course he deserves our patience to come good again.

So next time you want to throttle Giggsy for giving the ball away, just remember all the great things he's done for this club and how your life as a football fan has been improved by him. If you need a reminder, watch this… Link to republicofmancunia.blogspot.com Scroll to the bottom of the piece....!

redrus

Giggs has been an eay target for a number of years. He has consitently performed at a high level, and although he is now getting to the tail end of his career he still has a lot to offer. If he didn't ,you can bet your ass in Nana Plaza (certain bars) that Ferguson still thinks he is good enough, otherwise he would be shipped on out.

I would say it's certain he will go on & break the appearance record at Man U

[Jockstar]

Giggs is still a fantastic player. Imagine if he had decided to play for England. But he chose Wales. Fair play. He could have been a legend for the English team. But just goes to show where he felt he belonged.

[redrus]

Giggs is still a fantastic player. Imagine if he had decided to play for England. But he chose Wales. Fair play. He could have been a legend for the English team. But just goes to show where he felt he belonged.

Nah, imagine if he'd not played for any nationality....!

Seriously though, England play loads more games than Wales, more injuries is not what Giggs wound have needed, I know its selfish but would we have seen what we have of Giggs if he'd have run himself ragged for England too....!

redrus

[LeungKen]

For those of us that don't have UBC the Manm U v Roma game is scheduled to be on Ch 3 tonight about 1:30 I think ?

[steve w]

haaaaaaaa haaaaaaaaaaa!

a cov city fan

only a week late.

[redrus]

Totti Says Sorry

Monday 1st October 2007

Fan Carli finally gets an apology from Roma

The Guardian:

Francesco Totti has sought to defuse the tensions between the supporters of Manchester United and Roma by making a personal apology to a female victim of the violence that overshadowed last season's game in the Stadio Olimpico.

In a deliberate peace initiative ahead of tomorrow's Champions League tie at Old Trafford, Totti has sent 23-year-old Carly Lyes a video message expressing regret for her treatment at the hands of the Rome carabinieri. She was among dozens of United supporters who were baton-charged inside the stadium, with television pictures showing her repeatedly being struck to the head.

She had been trying to film what was happening but her camera was snatched from her and she was beaten to the ground. "We would like to apologise for the treatment you received in Rome last season and we hope it has not damaged the opinion you and your fellow supporters have of our city," Totti tells her in the message. "We would also like to invite you to the Olympic Stadium for the game later this year and treat you as our special guest."

Lyes is one of four United fans pursuing a legal case against the Italian police. "I was presented with a replacement camera at Old Trafford last week and it contained a video message," she said. "It's a nice touch and let's hope it signals a more peaceful atmosphere when we play Roma twice in the next few months. Sadly, however, I have still not had an apology from the Italian police."

redrus

[redrus]

Double post.

[redrus]

Manchester United vs Roma - the Italian Perspective

Written by Marco Pantanella. 02 October 2007.

April 10, 2007. A date which which many Red Devils fans remember fondly, but one that to this day lives in infamy amongst Roma supporters. On that night, after beating United 2-1 at the Stadio Olimpico in the first leg, Roma confidently travelled to Old Trafford with the conviction that qualification to the CL semi-finals was within their reach. However, they did so without the knowledge that the only thing they were in for at the Theatre of Dreams, was a horrible nightmare.

Less than a year has passed since that memorable night, and once again the clubs from the Italian capital and the ‘Capital of the North’ will be meeting up again, this time in the group stage of the competition. And there are many people that are breathing an ‘air of revenge’ over on the Roma side…

“I would like to beat Manchester 7-0″. Those are the words of Roma captain Francesco Totti in a long interview to Spanish football magazine Don Balón. “My dream is to win the Champions League, it is the only title that I have never laid hands on. I am fully aware that as a Roma player it will be difficult, but I intend to succeed in my dream.” Totti added “I think that Barcelona is the prime candidate for the final victory this year, because they are able to field concurrently players such as Ronaldinho, Messi, Henry, and Eto’o”. For those that are interested, Totti also talks about the Scudetto, the Golden Ball, the Calciopoli match-fixing scandal in Italy, and does not exclude the possibility of his return to the Italian national team.

Alberto Aquilani, age 23Meanwhile, someone that was absent from the 7-1 debacle of last year is Roma midfielder Alberto Aquilani, one of the Giallorossi players most in form in this season debut. This is what he declared to Gazzetta dello Sport: “We will be going into this game with the right spirit. It’s a very attractive match, one for which motivation will come by itself, no need to be over-charging oneself”. On the 1-4 defeat at the hands of Inter this week-end, Aquilani commented “The team was not transformed as a result of Saturday. Football is like that, sometimes things will go your way and sometimes they won’t. Rome is the same team as it was, with the same objectives. We are fully aware of our strengths and our desire for victory is very high”.

Impossible not to talk about the Manchester game: “I don’t like the words ‘payback’ or ‘revenge’. Last year’s match was an ugly defeat that put a big stain in Roma’s 2006-07 campaign. Now we’ll have the opportunity to prove that if we replay that game a 100 times, it will be impossible to concede 7 goals again. (…) Against Inter the penalty and the red card changed the match completely. Now we will be travelling to Manchester with the conviction that we can do well”.

Simon Perrotta, age 30One Roma player for which this game has a particular significance is midfielder Simone Perrotta, who spent the first six years of his life in Ashton-under-Lyme, a short distance from Manchester. The Italian player told uefa.com: “My father was a big fan of this club and came to watch matches at this stadium for more than 20 years. It was a great wish of his to see his son play here. Last year I couldn’t do that, tomorrow night I am delighted to be able to play here and to make him very happy as well.”

Indeed, Perrotta was carrying a 1-match suspension for that tragic night, but commented on the 1-7 defeat anyway: “It was a combination of a whole set of circumstances that went against us last time around. Tomorrow is a different match, with different players on each team - I imagine it will be a great match between two teams with an attacking approach. (…) We have to hope it will be different. It is a different match and it is not a question of us getting revenge - what we want to show more than anything else is there are not six goals between the teams. After the defeat last time, we said there weren’t six goals and destiny has given us the chance to show that.

So there you have it. With the exception of Totti and his 7-0 dreams (surely even he cannot be serious about that), the main expectations on the Roma side for this match seem to be along the lines of “we’ll go there to play a good match and forget this is the team that kicked our asses 7-1 lass time”. No talking about “revenge” or “retribution”, unlike surely what many of the Giallorossi supporters are wishing for. Even the team managers Luciano Spalletti and Sir Alex Ferguson seem to be going in that direction.

Such a shame that no one informed Cristiano Ronaldo on the seemingly common policy to be adopted. For reference, see the article from The Daily Mirror:

[The Portuguese midfielder], who terrorised the Italians with two goals and a hand in two others in April, revealed how one of Roma’s beleaguered men pleaded with him to stop his tricks. Cristiano Ronaldo outdribbling PanucciRonaldo said: “When we were already winning 6-0 one of their players said ‘don’t do any more dribbles, you’re already winning by six’, almost begging. Obviously I won’t reveal his name, as these are comments brought about by occurrences in the game.

Ronaldo, who made the Roma revelations in his new book, Moments, will be singled out for special attention by Roma tonight, given the demolition job he performed last time.

Seems like The Times has little doubts on the identity of the Roma player in question, and tagged defender Christian Panucci (who’ll be out injured for today’s match) because of his accusations against Red Devil players to “abusing their superiority” during the match.

On the Panucci story, Ferguson responded in the Daily Mail:

‘I can’t believe a player of Panucci’s experience was affected by that. He has played for Real Madrid and AC Milan and has played for Italy 60 or so times. I can’t believe that was a reason for our win last season.’Players like him and Totti are very experienced — but I suppose it’s a good story, isn’t it?’

Indeed it is.

So Manchester United fans, what do you all think about this? Will Roma be going for the jugular tonight, or will they inevitably break their teeth?

redrus

[LeungKen]

Man Utd 1 - A.S.Roma 0

And I am more than happy with the 3 points - thanks Wozza

[redrus]

Pressbox Match Views

Wednesday 3rd October 2007

It's déjà vu all over again. Reports on the latest 1-0 win.

THE GUARDIAN

Manchester United opened up an emphatic lead in Group F thanks to a tentative superiority. This victory over Roma was in keeping with muted yet generally effective showings in the Premier League. At least United will not be damned as tiresome drudges so long as they can decide a match as they did this one. Wayne Rooney had not scored since a fixture at Goodison on April 28 but he is scarcely the man to end the wait by scuffing a loose ball over the line.

With 20 minutes remaining, Michael Carrick fed Nani and the Portuguese, enjoying his best showing for United to date, slipped a pass through to Rooney. The task was difficult but his angled shot found the net off the inside of the post. After that came indications that United will be deluding themselves if they try to trust in narrow successes indefinitely.

Roma ought to have equalised, but Simone Perrotta and the substitute Mauro Esposito were horribly wasteful. Still, it was an improvement on their last visit here in April when they were thrashed 7-1. Perhaps we were all gauche when envisioning Roma's craving for revenge.

The rout had come through the drama of knockout football, with Champions League extinction guaranteed for one party in that quarter-final. This game could not do major harm. Furthermore, the composition of both teams had altered substantially since the spring and Luciano Spalletti, the coach of the Serie A club, permitted only four of the line-up then to start here.

The goalkeeper Doni was among those who had dropped out and the hard-hearted would have sneered that his illness yesterday was psychosomatic. He might have enjoyed some therapy here because this contest had an academic tone. United needed 20 minutes to settle themselves.

THE TIMES

Revenge - or, more precisely, vendetta - has been the dirty word doing the rounds in Italy this week, but, for one of AS Roma's crestfallen players, it was to take the most cowardly form. A stray elbow from Mirko Vucinic in the final moments of the game last night left Cristiano Ronaldo with a bloodied face and a quivering lip. Fortunately for Manchester United, it was the only time all evening that a Roma player managed to hit his target.

The act of thuggery, which left Ronaldo in need of four stitches while United played out the final seven minutes a man short, showed that cynicism is not dead in Italian football, but, while violence on a football pitch cannot be condoned, Roma's frustration was not hard to understand. Having created - and missed - the opportunities to banish the memories of their 7-1 defeat in the Champions League quarter-final, second leg last April, Roma had fallen behind to Wayne Rooney's first goal of the season. What they did not need thereafter, as they continued to snatch at chances, was Ronaldo rubbing their noses in it.

Fiercely protective of his most captivating talents, Sir Alex Ferguson described the incident as "a shame" and, had he seen it properly, he might have called it an outrage. As it is, with Ronaldo having escaped serious injury, it will barely merit a footnote in United's season, a campaign that, unusually, is becoming defined by 1-0 victories as Ferguson's players continue to grind out results in the absence of the verve that accompanied them en route to the Premier League title and the Champions League semi-finals last spring.

This was the sixth time in the past eight matches that United have won by a solitary goal and, if that record implies that they are getting by thanks to their defence, it was not always the case last night. Despite the best efforts of Rio Ferdinand, who excelled in the home rearguard, Roma had numerous goalscoring chances, but they rarely tested Tomasz Kuszczak, United's stand-in goalkeeper, with Mauro Esposito, another substitute, particularly profligate when he snatched at two chances late in the game. Contrast this with Rooney, who had only one sight of goal and took it, turning sharply to sweep the ball beyond the reach of Gianluca Curci with 19 minutes remaining.

It was a moment of rare quality from United, the culmination of a crisp one-touch move between Ronaldo, Michael Carrick and Nani. It was just the kind of move that blew Roma away on their previous visit to Old Trafford, but the kind of quality that did for the Italian team on that occasion - "colourful attacking football full of penetration, flair and fierce finishing", as Ferguson put it in his programme notes - has been largely elusive since the dawn of the new campaign.

THE TELEGRAPH

It is the ambition of any manager to create a team who play like Arsenal, although this season Manchester United resemble the old machine run by George Graham, the one that needed only a single goal to take three points.

It is probably just as well the Glazer family do not put the same emphasis on excitement as Roman Abramovich, a man who could part company with Jose Mourinho after rumours his victories were insufficiently entertaining. Sir Alex Ferguson has been accused of many things, but never of sending out teams that were grimly efficient.

When the Glazers used so much of other people's money to buy United it would have been on the understanding that at Old Trafford entertainment came as standard. But this season the ground has been something seldom seen under Ferguson, a stadium stripped of its old imperial swagger, a ground that by the start of October has celebrated six goals.

"It is a disease; we are still looking for a vaccine for it," smiled Ferguson when reminded that this was the sixth 1-0 victory Manchester United have chiselled out in eight games. But since each goal at Old Trafford has produced two points, it is a disease that is not harmful, let alone fatal.

And yet it irritates. At half-time, Ferguson complained his team had been "too safe; in football you have to take a risk". This is a philosophy the Italian game has never accepted but then Italian football never forced season-ticket holders to buy tickets for cup games, as United do.

Had the first taste of compulsory football been last April's 7-1 destruction of Roma or even the desperate comeback to overcome AC Milan 3-2 in the first leg of the European Cup semi-final that followed, there might have been fewer complaints.

As it was your £26 bought you a 2-0 Carling Cup defeat by Coventry that left Ferguson "flabbergasted" and provided further evidence the latest batch of his "fledglings" are unlikely to fly far. And then there was this; an illustration that however great the quality on display, you cannot repeat great matches to order.

Thus far United have been outstanding in only one area - the central defensive partnership of Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic that could claim to be the best in the Champions League.

THE INDIE

In his programme address to the Old Trafford faithful before this match Sir Alex Ferguson told Old Trafford fans "don't worry", the recent run of 1-0 wins "doesn't represent a change of tactics".

There are clubs where winning 1-0 every week would be greeted with rapture but Ferguson is acutely aware that United are not among them. They are expected to win, and to do so with style, and he has spent two decades trying to satisfy that wish. The last time a spot of tactical tinkering led to the goals drying up the disgruntlement among the supporters was voluble, even if they preferred to blame Ferguson's assistant, Carlos Quieroz, rather than the Godfather himself.

Yet no one was complaining too loudly last night after another 1-0 win, against a team famously beaten 7-1 five months ago, gave United a firm grip on Group F of the Champions League. The Premier League champions had not played well and hardly deserved victory, but, thanks to Wayne Rooney's superbly taken 70th-minute goal, they gained a second win in as many group matches.

Roma and United's previous victims, Sporting Lisbon, are three points behind them and Dynamo Kiev, against whom United now play back-to-back fixtures beginning in the Ukraine on 22 October, are pointless after losing at home to Sporting last night. As Ferguson pointed out, in his pre-match spiel, "It's points that matter at this stage in Europe. I would cheerfully settle for another 1-0 win!"

Afterwards he said of United's sixth 1-0 win in eight matches [the other results being the 2-0 defeat of Chelsea and the Carling Cup loss to Coventry]: "It's a disease, I'm trying to get a vaccine for it." He added: "It's not a concern. The goals will come."

One has come, at last, for Rooney. He had not previously scored in a season interrupted by his latest metatarsal injury. It did not show as he turned on to a clever pass from Nani to drill a shot past Gianluca Curci and in off the far post.

"It will do him good," said Ferguson. "Goals always do players good. He is expected to score but this is only his fifth match and he is still trying to get his rhythm and real match fitness."

THE SUN

Pumped-up Manchester United fans rolled out of Old Trafford last night chanting raucously of being on the way to Moscow.

Just as they have in recent years trumpeted their belief they were heading for Glasgow, Istanbul, Paris and Athens.

But they still have not reached a Champions League final since the annus mirabilis of 1999.

And last night's evidence suggests Moscow next May, even at this early stage, could be just another noisy pipe dream.

Sure, United won — but it was a desperately close-run thing. But for two narrow escapes in the last seven minutes they would have been forced to share the points with a Roma side thrashed 7-1 on the same ground just 175 days ago.

And no one would have really argued with that.

Roma, beaten 4-1 at home by Inter Milan over the weekend, had come to Manchester talking about saving face and gaining new respect after the quarter-final disaster last April.

The night when they were the April shower.

Ronaldo Fakes Foul Again

Winger in tomato ketchup drama.

Ferguson on Ronaldo's head injury last night: [he was elbowed by substitute Mirko Vucinic and had to leave the game for stitches]

"I didn't see it, but Ronaldo himself said he was elbowed.

"He has had four stitches in his eyebrow. It's unfortunate because the game was played in a good spirit. There was never anything really untoward in the match."

Match Quotes

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Wednesday 3rd October 2007

Feguson tries a bit of humour.

Ferguson:

"We're trying to get an antidote. [referring to 1-0 win]

"But overall I'm pleased with the performance and I think it was a fair result. We controlled most of the match but we got a break in the last 15 minutes. They were good chances so I was relieved they were all missed. I think it would have been unfair if they had equalised but football can be unfair.

"Maybe the first half was a bit more tactical and we played with far too much caution. In the second half I think we improved and the goal was a fabulous goal.

"It was great movement and good passing which gave us the penetration we were looking for and created the opening for Wayne's excellent goal.

"We controlled most of the match. We tired a little bit towards the end when they started to take risks going for an equaliser but in the main I think we deserved the result.

"Ten points will get us through.

"We don't want to have to go to Rome looking for a result in our last game and hopefully we can avoid that."

More:

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"It was only his [Rooney's] fourth or fifth match and he is still trying to get his rhythm and real match fitness.

"It will do him good. Goals always do players good, particularly when goals are expected of them, so I'm pleased with that."

Roma manager Luciano Spalletti:

: "I think the team showed what happened in April was a blip. Tonight's performance showed there was a huge difference between what happened then and what happened now.

"When a team puts in a display like that it should not be a beaten side. If anyone deserved to score more goals it was us, rather than Manchester United."