Friday, September 29, 2006

Quick Punches

Giggs injured. Rooney out of form. ManU beaten at home. God help ManU! Silvestre out injured for 6 weeks. Sweets, anyone?

Argentine superstars move to West Ham. Time to win the UEFA Cup. West Ham record since then - Played 5, Lost 4, Drawn 1. Out of the Cup!

Age: Sheva 29. Ruud 29. Cost: Sheva £30 million. Ruud £12 million. Goals: Sheva 1. Ruud 5+.

Arsenal Red. Juventus Red. Inter Red. PatRed Viera?!!

posted by Lucas @ 12:22 PM  13 comments

Wednesday, September 27, 2006

Bad Refs and Other Stinkers

One month into the new season and no prizes for guessing which team tops the EPL table. Chelsea are not committed to playing free-flowing football like Arsenal or entertaining & attacking game like ManU does...they just go for the points. One goal and they win the game in some style - sitting back, defending deep and stifling the opponents' attack. Can't expect much more from a team playing 4 central midfielders!

Anyway, looks like ManU again flattered to deceive. After winning 4 in a row, they lost at home to the Gunners and then drew at Reading. They still are at number two and have a few points more than the Gunners and the Kops, their other main rivals.
Too early to say this but I think the Red Devils, Gunners and the Kops have to improve their consistency drastically if the title race is to gonna go down to the wire.

Some interesting observations till now...
Ref Trouble
The quality of refereeing seem to go down every season. Refs such as Steve Bennett still referee at the top division, elbowing still goes unpunished, inconsistencies in 'handling the ball' decisions, laughable penalty decisions, and offside controversies.

Jose's Eleven
Mourinho finally succumbs to the pressure of changing his formation to accomodate his superstars into the playing eleven. Makalele, Essien, Lampard and Ballack in the midfield...but with Sheva so out of form (as many of you had predicted!), I guess it's just a matter of time before he finds himself on the bench. Btw, Gallas is scoring goals for Arsenal whereas Cole, the best LB in the world, looks ill at ease in his new club!

Boo Hoo
The constant booing from rival fans seems to have made Ronaldo an entirely different player. He has been one of the best player in the league along with Giggs and defenders have already expressed their unhappiness at facing him on the pitch. More consistency, more goals, and of course the constant booing has made Ronaldo much more determined. And that's bad news for the defenders.
Tinker Stinker
Liverpool manager has not fielded the same team for 93 games in succession now...and they used to call Ranieri the tinkerman!
Rumble on
Why do managers seem to say the same things during the post match talk? Fergie has been singing in praise of Ronaldo saying how good he is and Wenger keeps claiming there is lot of potential in his Arsenal squad. I think I'd rather opt for Mourinho's remarks "Levski Sofia away is tougher than playing Barca"...that guy is getting funnier by the day!

posted by Lucas @ 10:52 AM  8 comments

Sunday, September 10, 2006

09.09.06 - Venue: Theatre of Dreams - I WAS THERE!


11.00 - I am on the Virgin train from Oxford to Manchester, all excited about going to the Old Trafford football stadium. I just hope I get a ticket. I am willing to spend up to 80 pounds.

13.00 - The train looks crowded as a number of people get on at the Birmingham station. I hear a bloke sitting some feet away from me, explaining to his female co-passenger that the OT stadium has just got bigger and that ManUtd has started the season very well. I can probably afford 100 pounds, I think.

13.55 - As the train moved towards the Manchester Piccadily station, I could see the Old Trafford football stadium coming into view. If only I could get a ticket!
14.00 - The train is right on time and I have reached the station. I alternate between going by a bus or by Metrolink tram, to Old Trafford. I choose the latter.
14.15 - I get a ticket for 2 pounds and am told I can use the same for the return travel too.
14.20 - I am inside the tram and I find a number of people wearing ManUtd jerseys. I curse myself for forgetting to bring it.
14.25 - Aware of the fact that I still have not got a ticket, I ask the blokes who are seated right before if I could get a ticket this late. I am told there are many people trying to sell the tickets for higher amount. I keep my fingers crossed.
14.35 - I get down at the Old Trafford station and follow the hordes of fans to the stadium.
14.40 - I pass by the Old Trafford cricket stadium and can see that a few people are watching a county match.
14.45 - On the way, I come across a number of small roadside shopes selling ManUtd memorabilia. I buy myself a ManUtd scarf for 5 pounds.
14.50 - I could see the stadium ahead, a few hundred yards from me. More than 2 hours before kickoff, the area is already crowded.
14.55 - I encountered a guy selling tickets, who was selling a 35 pound ticket for 60 pounds. A seat in the Eastern stands. I decided to buy it.
15.00 - I passed by a father-son duo who were wearing ManU jerseys. I asked them what would be the best time to enter the stadium. I am told they do not enter more than an hour before kickoff.
15.02 - I take a few snaps in front of the stadium and decide to check out the ManUtd store.
15.05 - The ManUtd store was great. I take a few snaps there too, and after checking out the stuff and the high prices, I decide to goto the ManUtd museum.
15.15 - I go inside ManUtd museum after paying 6 pounds. I am there for over half an hour, checking out their great history, the titles they won, reading more about the 1958 Munich Air Tragedy. I also watch a small video detailing how the stadium and locker-rooms and other things are prepared before any match. The museum visit has made me even prouder to be a ManUtd fan.
16.00 - I decide to go inside the stadium, and as I climb up the stairs to enter the corridor of the East Stand, I am beginning to get really excited.

16.08 - A shock for me as I cannot find my ticket. After some frantic search, I find it a minute later on the stairs. I curse my stupidity and thank my stars.
16.10 - I enter the East Stand, and begin to take snaps. The seats are still empty around the stadium. The words 'STRETFORD END' and 'MANCHESTER UNITED' were etched onto the seats of the West Stand and North Stand respectively.

16.30 - Players from both teams have started to warm up on the pitch.
17.00 - The seats are beginning to fill up very fast.
17.15 - Fergie and Giggs are presented the 'Manager of the Month' and 'Player of the Month' awards. Match kicks off. Tottenham seem to play well in the opening few minutes. Both sets of supporters are singing. Tottenham supporters surprisingly seem louder.
17.24 - Giggs scores with a header after Robinson fumbles a Ronaldo freekick.
17.30 - I chant along with other ManUtd supporters - "UNITED! UNITED!"
18.00 - We are nearing half-time and I have heard various ManUtd chants. I cannot get the lyrics though.
18.30 - ManUtd are much better after the break and the atmosphere is just electric. A guy behind me is really enthued and has been singing vociferously.
19.00 - An announcement is made that a new Premiership attendance record has been set. I am one among the 75434 people who watched the game at the Theatre of Dreams.
19.15 - After an entertaining match, supported by fierce singing from both sets of supporters, the match ends in a ManUtd win.
19.20 - I am on my way back to the station and I try to make my way through thousands of fans and a number of security guards.
19.35 - I leave Old Trafford and on the way back to Manchester Piccadilly, I reflect back on my experience. Visiting the Theatre of Dreams was a dream and I finally fulfill it! Thank you ManUtd! United Forever!

posted by Lucas @ 2:42 PM  6 comments

Monday, September 04, 2006

Transfer Mockery

There was a flurry of transfers as the summer transfer window slammed shut on Thurday. None was as shocking as the swoop for in-demand Argentine duo Tevez and Mascherano by West Ham United. Definitely something sinister was going on the background, which I am sure we'll come to know more about as time passes by.

Fergie let down the ManU fans yet again by making just one signing in Michael Carrick, who is not a replacement for either legends - Keane and Ruud. In fact, for the first time in many years, ManU spent less money than they received for selling players. Rossi moves to Newcastle at a time when ManU have just a couple of fit strikers. And we all know about Saha and Solkjaer's history.

Arsenal made astute deals on the last day by swapping Reyes for Baptista with Real Madrid, on loan. Furthermore, they got 5 million pounds plus Gallas from Chelsea in exchange for Ashley Cole. Although Gallas' age (he is 29) is a minus-point, he is one of the best in EPL and scores the occasional goals too. Arsenal will benefit from Gallas far more than Chelsea benefits from Cole. Btw, Walcott remains the only English player now in Arsenal.

Tottenham spent more than 30 million pounds this summer and nearly half of that on the last couple of days. Chimbonda, Malbranque, Mido looked like panic buys, especially with the Spurs in not so great form.
Liverpool had a good summer and made most of their buys before the World Cup. Attacking players such as Gonzales, Bellamy and Kuyt are certain to add steel to their attack, an area where they were found wanting last season.

Portsmouth, for all their new-found money, kept a low profile spending just about 10 million pounds and making a number of loan deals. Manuel Fernandez is supposed to be the next next-Viera, after all Sissoko and Zakora have made similar claims. And of course, Lassana Diarra has claimed to be the next Makalele. And, I am the next Andy Gray!

posted by Lucas @ 9:58 AM  3 comments