Paul Pogba and Ben Amos: Genuine Options
Last night we comfortably disposed of Stoke City 2-0 at Old Trafford, a win which moved us level on points with City once more. Although both goals came from the penalty spot, there was plenty left in the tank, and we were given a good 20 minutes of Paul Pogba in midfield.
At the other end of the pitch, Ben Amos kept goal ably against the charging brigade of ogres that is Stoke City, standing tall and doing the limited amount of work required with minimal fuss. He’ll face tougher challenges in his United career than this, most likely against Chelsea at the weekend, but you can only beat what you’re up against.
Pepe: Thug, Animal and Exactly What We Need
Those of you who watched an initially enjoyable Clasico last night would no doubt have been disturbed by the antics of Real Madrid’s midfield destroyer Pepe as the game wore on.
Pepe was physically imposing, tactically fouling, throwing his weight about the midfield and generally being a bit of a hard case. At least, until he overstepped the mark by stamping on Messi’s hand and play-acting hilariously after a foray forward.
Debate: Would The Current Manchester United XI Beat A Present-Day Former United XI?
I was having a debate with a friend over the weekend as to what constitutes a selling club, or a club in decline. An interesting idea we had was that you can tell a selling club by comparing their current XI with the best available former players XI. If the former players XI would beat the current first XI, then the club is a selling club or club in decline.
This got me a little worried. If we applied this idea to Manchester United, which team would come out on top? Would our current first team beat or be beaten by the best available former players?
Gibson and Morrison Transfers: I Know Which One I’ll Miss
It’s emerged this week that we’re getting rid of Darron Gibson and, more than likely, Ravel Morrison in this transfer window. Gibson looks set to make a £2m switch to Everton and Morrison has been subject of a £500’000 bid from Newcastle United which we have rejected – we’re probably trying to spark off an auction.
These two should, really, be at opposite ends of their Old Trafford careers. Gibson has worked hard and kept his head down but has ultimately been undone by a lack of true quality. Morrison doesn’t lack that but, thanks to a combination of problems with the law, a lax attitude towards training and a generally shitty attitude, both find themselves on the way out.
Rooney and Vidic Named In FIFA World XI
There were honours for Manchester United players at the FIFA Ballon d’Or gala the other night, with Wayne Rooney and Nemanja Vidic both being named in the Best XI for 2011.
Wayne was also one of three finalists for the Puskas Award, given to the scorer of the best goal of the year, but lost out to Santos sensation Neymar.
Leo Messi picked up his third straight Ballon d’Or, polling (based on some back of an envelope rough calculations) the highest proportion of the vote since Zindedine Zidane in 1998.
Alongside Vida, Rooney and Messi, the team of the year consisted of Cassilas, Ramos, Pique, Alves, Xavi, Iniesta, Xabi Alonso and Ronaldo, with just three clubs represented for the first time in the history of the Award (David Villa’s inclusion in 2010 included 5 months with Valencia).
There were no representatives from any other Premiership club nominated for any award.
What Was Wrong Pre-City?
Can has new contributor? Can! Here’s our newest writer, James, on his thoughts as to where we were losing our way. Please note, this was written pre-City!
Can we all just please calm down?
Before I start I’d better say that I’m focusing on the league here; our exit from the Champions League was completely as a result of complacency and lack of respect of our opposition for which the management should take full responsibility.
Having spent the last week listening to the media tell us how poor United are and how there “can be no happy ending for a decaying club“, I think it’s time for us all to take a break and have a deep breath. No, the Blackburn and Newcastle games weren’t great – in fact they were pretty fucking awful – but to write off the season and our whole squad as a result? Give me a break.
Kompany Tackle: What Not To Say
The Vincent Kompany red card at the weekend has divided opinion amongst football fans. If you take out the Manchester City fans, who insist the decision was horrific, and the United fans who universally back it, then you’ll find the whole range of opinions held, from “definite red” to “worst decision of the season”.
This, I can accept. Talking points are a huge part of the game, and everybody has the right to their opinion, however stupid or wrong it may be. What I can’t accept is some of the illogical, bloody-minded and plain stupid arguments that people are coming out with. Here are five arguments that you should never, ever make about a refereeing decision, but all of which I have seen with regards Kompanys red.
Is It Nearly Jose Time?
There isn’t a manager who divides opinion more than Jose Mourinho. Outspoken, controversial and outrageously successful, he is seen as both arrogant and brilliant, often by the same people.
I would love nothing more than for Jose Mourinho to be the next Manchester United manager. I have made no secret of this. Clowns can go on about David Moyes and Martin O’Neill all they like. There is only really one manager in the world who has won trophies at a continental level with more than two clubs and still has the energy and ideas to go and do it again. That’s Jose.
The Manchester Derby: Let Them Gloat. The Title Is Decided In May
Given the horrible performances we’ve put in against Blackburn and Newcastle in the past few days, you would be forgiven for thinking that we are going to be like turkeys in the line of fire against City on Sunday afternoon. City, for their part, will be without Yaya Toure and Gareth Barry in midfield and the sporadically brilliant Mario Balotelli, so that evens it up slightly.
No matter what the City fans and media have you believe though, Sundays game is basically meaningless in the grand scheme of things. If you’re going to come and sit at the big club table, then you have to be eating the same food as the big clubs, and that food is a nice, juicy Championship steak. Until City win one of those this century, they’ll remain second tier.
Newcastle Post-Mortem: How Do We Fix This?
It’s perhaps a little bit rash to say this when we’re three points behind the leaders at the start of the year, with both of us beginning to wobble a bit after strong starts, but you can’t help but think that there’s a crisis on our hands. Given our previous two fixtures, you’d expect us to take an absolute minimum of four points, but we’ve come away empty handed and in disarray.
To be perfectly honest, I’m not sure which performance was worse. We were utterly diabolical against Blackburn but little better against Newcastle. We scored twice against Blackburn but only threatened once against Newcastle. The goals we conceded against Blackburn were terrible, stupid goals, but (ignoring the meaningless late own goal) we conceded two absolute worldies against Newcastle.
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