Forever United: championships

Showing posts with label championships. Show all posts

Preview: Inter Milan vs Manchester United The biggest match of the season so far, so much is the hype and anticipation around this match that it would be really surprising if it really lived upto the expectations. True Inter and United are No 1 in respective leagues with similar number of points(creepy!!), you would expect fireworks right from the word go. But i just feel differently. Inter will be keen to make sure they get to a good start and wont be surprising to find if they start a little defensively, same can be expected of United. It can be noted that San Siro has not been a happy hunting ground for United, so Ferguson would be happy to get a point.

United will have to really play well if they need to win here, esp now that their defense seems to have some trouble. Vidic is suspended,Brown, Neville injured and now after Blackburn game Evans is also injured it seems. A clean sheet here and the tie could very much be ours. There has been a lot of talk about Ibra, that he is the best and all..really..Ibra has a habit of not performing in the crunch games so how does he be the best?? he is talented no doubt but there is a long long way to go if he is to be the best.

United will look to attack the flanks, esp with Ronaldo and Evra teaming up. Both are quick and can cause any defense trouble. The Evra vs Maicon battle will be very interesting as both play very similar games. Inter on the other hand will have a very deadly combination in the form of Adriano and Ibrahimovic, both on their day can tear open any defense. But the question is can they perform? Both have crumbled under pressure in the past, and playing United anywhere can create pressure, so much that the best of best players have been humbled and made to look like kids. Cambiasso will be key for Inter just as Scholes will be for United. Scholes is in really good form, the kind of passing he has brought with him is unmatched and he will be key if United have to get anything from Italy.

Inter has not been in really stunning form when it comes to Champions League football. Inter Milan have the worst record of the 16 teams that qualified, earning only eight points in the group stages. The last time Inter faced English opposition they lost. Manchester United have lost only once to an Italian opposition in last 8 meetings. Also United have the joint best defensive record this year in the competition along with Juventus - with only three goals conceded. Manchester United have been unbeaten in their last 19 Champions League games.

There is no doubt whatsoever that this tie is going to be a cracker over both the legs, but i have a feeling that this might just be decided after the 1st leg.

My Prediction: Inter 0-1 Manchester United

Unstoppable United March to Top... A lot has happened since I last posted anything here and that was in September, almost half-a year back..time just seems to fly. Why I did not post, there are a lot of reasons, but I don’t think I should be writing that, When I last posted United, had lot of injury problems and a very unfair-fixture,lost a couple of games,drew a few, in total a very bad start. Many said, they will not be winning the league this season, and given the start, I had a small doubt myself. But now the tables are turned on its head, those who said we are not going to win the league are writing off all other clubs to winning it, how strange.

What is even more intresting is the clean sheets we have kept. 13 games without conceding a goal in the league, and most of the matches,we did not have our best defence. There were like 7-8 games Rio did not play, a few in which Evra was missing. But the best thing is that whoever replaced them did really well. Evans and Rafael have really showed what they are capable of. And one has to say that EVDS has been really brilliant.Even though he has been helped by having some brilliant defenders infront of him, but credit has to be given too him,for he made some brilliant saves. Hope he continues till the end of the season. It looks impossible at this point that he will let a goal in, but that also seems a lil unrealistic as well…

Another good thing that I have to stress upon is that we have been improving in every aspect of our game. There were some games where I feel, United were a little too defensive, trying very hard not to conceed a goal, and that probably made us a bit too cautious. We were not the kind of free-flowing relaxed team and that worried me. But now esp in the game against Fulham(this was the first game I watched since Chelsea where we scored more than 1 goal. And the Chelsea game was brilliant..Men against KG kids..wish we scored more ;)..). What I loved is Berbatov’s goal. It was a move full that probably would have resulted in a goal against any opposition. [Here you can see the move(in pics)]. The game against Fulham, was the game in hand for us. It was important for us to win it as this would mean we would go 5 points clear of 2^nd place (surpsingly!!) Liverpool. It is the first time in probably 5 months or so that the top 5 teams have played the same number of matches.

When everything was going just right for us, some of our opponents have not had a good time at all..Chelsea for instance is in totters..They have sacked Big Phil..The hype, the rumors and all the oohs and ahs when he took over in May or June last year has died out all too soon. It is probably Chelsea’s 5^th manager in the same number of years in the form of Guus Hiddink. Well, I am not particulary intrested in whats wrong out there,because everything is!! It was probably just as Sir Alex Ferguson had said even before the season started, when he wrote Chelsea completely off from winning the league..

At Anfield, Robbie Keane..Ha..Back to Spurs!! LOLZ…Why the hell did they buy him in the first place!! Also they have lost the momentum and are now 5 points behind..And they have not been in the finest of forms as well..In 2009,out of the last 6 games, Liverpool has managed to get 12 points when United has got all 18. Also they have won only 2 of their last 6 games at home. That too at that time when United has won 5 and drawn 1 ie 16 of 18 points..Thats easily covers the 5 points lead United have.

United are more than favorites to win the League, but they are also in the finals of Carling Cup(which is against Spurs on March 1), Last 16 of champions league and quarter-finals of the FA Cup. It means that United's in the running for doing an impossible task ie to win all 4 cups ie the quadruple..Hope it happens :)

Somethings i have not written about.. Firstly let me apologize for not writing for sometime now. I was rather unwell.

In the mean time we managed to beat Portsmouth by a lone goal thanks to Darren Fletcher, who has scored in both of United's matches.

In another match, this time in Europe we were playing Zenit St. Petersburg for the Super Cup. We should have won this one but we were miles away from the football that the Reds are known for. And as a result we lost the game 2-1. And to add insult to injury Scholes got sent off for picking up his second yellow card of the game when he tried to do a 'Maradona'. Now that he will be missing champions league matches, this doesnt seem to be good news for United.

With Berbatov deal done and dusted we hope that he settles in quickly and we can play our best side against Liverpool on 13th this month.

Community Shield..Our first Trophy Yeah we did win...The match was a boring 0-0 draw even though united were easily the best side on the field. But we din score and that matters...You cant win if u don't score..The game was decided by penalties. We won the penalties 3-1.

I din watch the match unfortunately so i may not be able to describe it for you.. You can read the reviews here:

1) Manchester United Blog
2) Red Rants

THE PENALTIES this is the video of THE PENALTY SHOOTOUT OF THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINALS BETWEEN MANCHESTER UNITED AND CHELSEA IN LUZHINKI STADIUM, MOSCOW

ITS REDS IN RUSSIA

Wednesday night was a night of spectacle, glamor and some brilliant football on what looked like a slick n soggy pitch. As the two teams fought( and they did "fight") bravely till the end, it was Manchester United that had the last laugh when they finally lifted the trophy for the third time. Previously having won in 1968 and 1998.

This one was even more special as this year marked the 50th anniversary of the 1958 Munich Disaster. A fitting tribute for all those who lost their lives. It was fate. It had to be. The gods decreed that it had to end this way. Or maybe, just maybe, it was those Busby Babes who perished 50 years ago, looking down on a rainy Russian capital who had the final say. This is the way they would have wanted it.

Busby won the European Cup in 1968 with George Best heroically waltzing around Wembley to outwit Benfica and provide an historic first triumph in the competition for English football.It was a long wait until number two arrived, in 1999 under Fergie. After being outplayed by Bayern Munich for virtually all of the final in the Nou Camp, somehow United won 2-1 with the latest of late goals from supersubs Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solsjkaer. An amazing victory for UNITED would be just perfect.

The stadium was full of colour and noise when the players entered the playing arena on a night that would see one of them celebrating and the other devastated.

Ryan Gigs was surprisingly left out of the starting 11 as Hargreaves played on the right side which surprised everyone. United dominated much of the first half creating a lot of chances which if had been taken the game could well have been over by the end of the first half. Hargreaves proved his selection was deserving when he delivered 2 brilliant crosses in the area from the right side but unfortunately did not result in goals.

A heavy tackle between Makelele and Scholes left Scholes sporting a bloodied nose. After recieving treatment Scholes played a crucial part in setting up the first goal with Brown before Brown delivered the ball in the area to find Ronaldo who headed it home making it his 42nd goal in all competitions this season.

Chelsea had their chance in the 36th min but Drogba missed. United could have gone up by 2-0 had either Tevez or Carrick managed to get the ball past Czech who in both the occassion made brilliant saves to deny them the 2nd goal. But Chelsea had their moment in the 40th minute when an Essien shot cannoned off Rio and Vidic only to land in front of Lampard. Trying to collect the ball to safety, Edwin Van Der Saar slipped and this gave Lampard and easy finish which he finished well to equalise.

Chelsea could have gone ahead had Essien's shot was on target when Van Der Saar slipped again trying to save but this time he was lucky. After this the backline was in redalert working hard to keep the blues at bay. Chelsea did have their chances but fate seemed to be favouring United as the ball kept hitting the wood work.

Giggs came on to the field in the 87th minute breaking the record of Sir Bobby Charlton for most appearences(758 appearances). Soon united were put under pressure when lampard sturck a brilliant shot only to strike the crossbar. Giggs himself came close to scoring when Evra burst into the area before giving the ball to Giggs whose shot was blocked by Terry.

Then in the second half of Extra time came the worst moment of the game when Drogba was red carded for slapping Vidic while Tevez and Ballack were shown the yellow card. Eissien was also booked soon afterwards which was the last notable event in the half before the penalties. United went on to win 6-5 after penalty shoot out, but not before Ronaldo missed one to give Chelsea a brief advantage. When Terry squandered his opportunity to win it for the Blues, Anderson scored to level for United - then Kalou and Giggs both netted before Anelka stepped up for the final decisive spot-kick, saved superbly by Edwin van der Sar. Cue scenes of ecstasy in Moscow as the Reds made history, wonderful history.

Even though the night belonged to United one can definitely not take anything away from Chelsea, they performed well, played well(barring few incidents) and it was definitely sad to see them loose this way but better luck next time(if its not United you face).

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINALS: UNITED EYEING ANOTHER DOUBLE

Wednesday will witness first ever ALL-ENGLISH SHOWDOWN in the finals of the Champions League 2008 when Manchester United will take on their rivals and runners up in the league Chelsea at Luzhinki Stadium Moscow.

The players are all pumped up and excited and cannot wait for the match to start. Rooney has said that it is frustrating for him to wait for this match to start. United will definitely want him to fire in the finals and if he does the title could well go to OLD TRAFFORD.

But just when everything seems to go very smoothly there comes a report that just messes up everything. Reports have come straight from Moscow that the pitch is not ready and could be dangerous. The pitch at the Luzhinki stadium is not laid properly and has few barepatches which could make the pitch bumpy also the pitch overall is very sluggish which will make the ball to tend to slow down. the players will surely not going to like the pitch if some last minute work is not done to rectify these problems.

Both the sides will be going on the pitch with a full strength team, each matching each other in all aspects and areas of the game. It will surely be a feast for all the football lovers who i am pretty sure would not want to miss this one for anything.

United will be looking forward to take the confidence and momentum of winning the premier league with them but know that Chelsea will be seeking revenge and will be tough to beat. United have named a very strong 24-man squad which has flown to Moscow along with Sir Alex Ferguson.

Sir Alex has admitted that it would be extremely tought to pick players not just in the starting line-up but also the 7 substitutes which would leave 6 players disappointed adn watching the match from the stands. It can be assumed that Giggs and Scholes will be playing(i hope they do) but nothing can be confirmed as of yet.

Sir Alex would be aware of the fact that they have not won the champions league since they last won it in 1998 when they also completed the fantastic treble. But also the memories of the group stage exit 2 years before in 2005 will still hurt them. The lesson learnt in 2005 will definitely help them overcome any nerves on Wednesday.

Sir Alex will be feeling very confident of his team's chances to win on Wednesday especially with the way the team is performing at the moment. Definitely winning the League title will add to their confidence. Only Chelsea now stands in their way of attaining yet another double

Though Chelsea may be having a more mature team than United but United have a good big-game temperament which Sir Alex Ferguson feels will be of great help. Unbeaten in the Champions League so far United will be hot favorites to win the Champions League, but Chelsea will have a thing or two to say especially when everyone had written them off from winning any silverware when their "SPECIAL ONE" Jose Mourinho was forced to leave the club which was then taken over amid lots of controversies by Avram Grant who has proved all his critics wrong by taking his side very close to winning the Premier League title and now have reached the Champions League Finals.

The match on Wednesday has all the makings of a classic especially when both the teams are so well matched and will be knowing each other fairly well. Players and managers are now as a pre-match custom are having a go at each other but they know pretty well that what they speak is of little importance and it is the 90 minutes ON the field that matters the most.