No United fan can be happy right now. Ferguson seems to be blind to the fact that they need to get another striker, and quick, before the transfer window closes. Ronaldo just will not keep quiet about how "unfair" his red card was, and although no one can claim that the EPL refs have been on the top of their game in the last couple weeks (hello Ref. Styles), there is literally nothing that can be done to reverse it and Ronaldo has two more games to whine through before he can come back. Rooney's injury is no one's fault (but true fans will begrudge Reading for Rooney's fracture) but no one is happy when Rooney is not being fielded.
Tevez and Nani tried to score those goals that the Rooney-Ronaldo team scored last season during the Manchester derby, but they just couldn't net the ball and Man City gets bragging rights for the next year, which they rightfully deserve - United just couldn't close the deal. Nevermind that Nani probably wasn't bought with the anticipation that he'd be played so soon, but Tevez was a bit of a disappointment - this player is familiar with the Premier league and had a good summer, but probably not a burn out amount, during the Copa America and yet...nothing netted.
Its aggravating that United is flailing. They have bought heavily over the transfer period and lets not forget they won the Premier league last year.
But something is off with the team, outside of just the lack of goals and points - a certain amount of...whining and blame shifting which is not classy. Now its to be expected that when teams win, why would they complain? United, however, is a team that typically has more...breadth than to whine and moan about whose fault it is that they're losing - the fault is no one else's but their own and its high time they start taking responsibility for how foolish they are (under) performing.
This week, SAF came out and admitted that United has certainly created an "uphill" battle for themselves, but its not over yet. All of the Big Four are under performing, and except for some standout individual performances (Torres' premier EPL goal, Gerrard's "Beckham-esq" free kick (awarded after...diving but still a great shot), Martin's bicycle kick goal), the smaller teams are really playing the better football...while many don't mind that the domination of the Big Four, at least this early on, is being diminished, one can't help but wonder just what has happened over the last two months that the club's usual remedy of big bucks and new, bigtime ballers can't cure. Maybe its a sense of entitlement (SAF did ask for a "zone of protection" around CR7, which to everyone but SAF sounds ludicrous), or just fatigue, or maybe they don't want it as much (sans Liverpool whose drive to take the Premier title is quite clear)...but is the old guard making way for a new generation? Its still early and anything can happen...but when Man City is #1 and Man U is 16, you just can't help but wonder...and if so, what that type of Premier league would look like.
21 August 2007
17 August 2007
Rooney Injured. Ronaldo Out for Three. There is Nothing to Worry About.
Its the Manchester derby this weekend, and the unlikely scenario of Manchester City ahead of Manchester United has some people panicked.
The seasoned fans have analyzed the points difference logically, and not just in terms of Sunday's derby. At this time last year, Manchester United - who went on to win their 9th title last season - were close to where they stand today: 3 points. Man U's draw with Reading and Portsmouth have garnered them 2 points and Manchester City's victories over West Ham and Derby have them top of the league at 6 points with Everton and Chelsea.
Maybe its not the point difference or the goal difference that have some fans panicked but the state of Man U right now: Rooney's injury is problematic. That fracture has the morale of the fans down but also has put a hole in where many of Man U's goals came from last season, and it tears apart the successful pairing of Rooney-Ronaldo, a force, last season, that proved to be the source of many game wins. Rooney will likely get better but its the EPL, and every game counts - every loss, every draw, every win, contributes and already, Man U is behind.
Ronaldo's hot headed attitude, regardless of the responsibility of the ref's, is doing no one any good and has put him out for three games which leaves yet another gaping hole where Man U's goals used to be found. The Rooney-Ronaldo team is now completely absent...and Ronaldo just looked foolish.
What is left? Strikers are like endangered species right now, and it would take just one bad foul against newby Tevez to put Man U in real trouble. What happens this weekend won't mean as much as many people think in terms of who ends up on top and who ends up on bottom at the end of the season, but it doesn't mean that a loss to cross town rivals City won't feel like a devastating blow to every Man U fan across the globe. The stars of the team have been ticked off quite handily, and the new signings have more pressure than is usually expected. Frankly, its hard to be a positive Red Devil at this point.
Finally, it can't be good that SAF has come out and demanded a level of protection for his precious Ronaldo - certainly the conduct during the Portsmouth draw was below a certain level of decorum, but if it was illegal is another question. Maybe Man U is suffering from a prima donna sort of syndrome (where they are generally the prettiest girl at the party, and dare anyone conduct themselves to the contrary, be damned), but SAF must surely realize in hindsight that he is fundamentally asking the opposition to just give Man U what they want - lots of place to trick and outpace. Parking the bus like Reading did may be cause for disdain, but it is not entirely illegal. Playing more physical can put strain on Man U's more stylized form of play, but its up to the refs - and its Man U's job to leave it at that - to make the calls. Coming out to whine about games gone past is not only petty but beneath the history and the glory that Man U has invested and to pander to the public with reasons why the loss or the red card wasn't their fault is a disservice to the fans and the team alike.
To help both themselves and the fans, Man U needs to put up and shut up and play like the warriors they were last season - barking about controversial calls will not garner them any more points - please, simply focus on the next game, as opposed to whining about the last one.
12 August 2007
MAN U CAN'T GET PAST READING'S DEFENSE -- Start Season Behind Liverpool, Chelsea, and Arsenal
Reading: 0 Manchester United: 0
--Reading's ten men still an effective blue wall against the Red Devils
Arsenal: 2 Fulham: 1
--Two goals in the dying minutes of the second half give Arsenal their first three
Chelsea: 3 Birmingham: 2
--Chelsea sets new record at 64 winning home games
11 August 2007
BETTER THAN CHRISTMAS MORNING - "BPL" Takes Off Without Hesitation
Aston Villa: 1 Liverpool: 2
--Villa's Laursen's own goal in the first half, coupled with Gerrard's surreal free kick sealed Liverpool's first three points.
West Ham: 0 Manchester City: 2
--Sven's newly minted Premier League players prove that transferring international leagues isn't always a two season endeavor.
Bolton: 1 Newcastle: 3
--Big Sam celebrates first Newcastle win at former club's loss.
Derby: 2 Portsmouth: 2
--Predictors may be wrong - Derby may not be so easily relegated.
Everton: 2 Wigan: 1
--Moyes celebrates 200th Premier league as gaffer
Middlesbrough:1 Blackburn: 2
--Despite star player McCarthy's injury, Blackburn wins, showing depth and skill.
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