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2011-03-15T15:35:00.000-07:00

The Treble? At the time of my last post that was the furthest thing from my mind. I was just hoping for a good result against Arsenal. But thats why we, as supporters, love our game so much. Two solid wins, and the dream of the Treble is back on. Now, I'm going to be real for a minute. As posted in previous blogs, I think the lack of a truly word class midfield is going to make it tough to complete a Treble; spercificly the Champions League. Can you picture Carrick and Gibson winning a midfield battle against Xavi and Innesta? No, neither can I. Though in the last two games, we appear to have got some of our grit and desire back. The pace is up and the wide players (Valencia is a great addition) are running at defenders and creating chances.

When the line up against Arsenal was posted, I, like many others; didn't know what to think. But the genius, and yes I will call it genius by Sir; was the pace and width of the team he put out on the field. He judged correctly that Arsenal were there for the taking and sent out a team that would continue to push the pace of the game, constantly putting defenders on their heels. Now, the open game led to chances for Arsenal, but again VDS was immense, never looking like letting one in. First blood us in the run in to the title; but don't write Arsenal off, they still have some bite and we need to continue to up our game and keep our lead. The draw for the semi finals has given us another great game, and the chance to make sure City's trophy drought goes on for one more year.

With a different line up, United came out and played the same way against Marseille. Good value for the early lead and should have added to it, perhaps looking for one pass too many at times. It always looked like a second goal was going to be needed, and thank goodness we got it. It seemed that when we did take our foot off the pedal, we let Marseille back in to it. Hopefully the injuries to O'Shea and Fabio are not serious, other than the unlucky goal, the defence looked very good. It can only improve with the return of Vidic and Rio. The draw for the next round is going to be interesting; every team is going to be tough, but I can think of one I want to avoid at all costs. They begin with a 'B'

Lets keep the momentum in to the Bolton game and continue to put pressure on Arsenal.

The Red Prophet.

2011-03-10T19:22:00.000-08:00

So that was a depressing couple of weeks. My last post was in response to the dire effort in France, little did I know things were going to get much worse.

The Chelsea game was frustrating to say the least. A first half that brought back belief in our ability to play, open, attractive football. A well deserved lead, gained thru Rooney, who looked like the striker from last season (at last) As well, our midfield, was in charge! The work rate of Fletcher and Carrick ( uh huh Yes, I admit Carrick played well in the first half) gained space for Scholes to control the tempo of the game, thus giving us the upper hand.

A strong fight back in the second half by Chelsea, earned them a goal ( deservedly so) but yet again, we were fuc*ed over by an over zealous ref who wanted to be the deciding factor in what was actually a really good game. The penalty call was so soft that those of us watching on TV were left wondering if a sniper had taken up a position in the upper reaches of the shed end. When will the FA take action against these idiots they employ to ref games? Oh but it got worse.

Well I can state, and I think most people would agree; that we were worth at least a draw in the Chelsea game; this was not he case against Liverpool. We were utter bollocks. Our midfield was non existence and we were second to every 50/50 ball. That been said, what Carragher did was beyond scandalous. Take away the seriousness of the injury, and its still a red card challenge. How the ref, standing no more than 5 metres away, cannot have the balls to show the red; is beyond belief. Would it have changed the outcome of the game? I doubt it. BUT, as the owners of the most popular league in the world, the FA needs to act against referees that fail on a regular basis. As they punish players and managers, the FA needs to take referees to hand; holding them accountable as they do with players/managers. Not even going to talk about the ref in the Arsenal/Barca game; but there is another example of ludicrous decisions, basically, deciding a game.

Back to United. 2 games, 2 losses. What do we need? About a hundred million pounds of talent. Two new creative midfielders, a screening player for the back four, and a possibly another striker. We also need a new keeper with VDS's retirement. As mentioned in previous blogs, time for Sir to stop butting heads with the cost of buying talent. We need new blood and we need it soon. The golden generation was a one off. Gibson/Fletcher etc are not going to replicate what Scholes, Giggs and Beckham achieved.

This Saturday is huge. Although this game is for the competition that may be seen as the least important, it is going to go a long way in determining who wins the league. Time for the boys to put up or shut up. 10 games to go. 19th championship on the line.

The Red Prophet.

Retaining First Place w/ 10 Games to Go

2011-03-04T07:58:00.000-08:00

Hello,

I got a question wondering what was the greatest point comeback to win the PL. This is a difficult question to answer as the ELP is a long season and at what point do we say a team has “blown” it. I decided to look at the table with roughly 10 games to go.

Since the inception of the PL, with 10 games to go, only 3 teams have lost first place. In the 95-96 season, Newcastle was a point a head of United with a game at hand and lost the title by 4 points.

In the 02-03 season, Arsenal was 5 points up on United and lost the PL by 5 points to the red devils.

In the 07-08 season, Arsenal was in first by two points over United and ended up in third place.

So history is still on United’s side and do not forget that Arsenal still has to play Tottenham as their game at hand.

Thanks,

Stat guy

2011-02-24T18:05:00.000-08:00

The Red Prophet is suffering from a nasty case of winter flu, so was only partially conscious for the 0-0 bore draw in France. Thru chills, sweats and aches one point was painfully obvious though. That midfield is not going to win us the Biggerton and Slough Sunday morning pub league, let alone a Premier League, FA cup and Champions League.

Just maybe with the use of some smoke and mirrors and the return of some injured players, we may win the league, might even take the FA cup; but I am not all confidant about the Champions League. Sir needs to stop this pointless one man crusade against 'ridicules and exhorbinate transfer fees' That's life, world class players cost world class prices (fig:1 Ronaldo to Madrid) Use the money that is supposedly at your disposal and act like a manager of a European power house. Buy the players for the midfield that are needed, because if you don't, we are in real trouble.

Not even gonna waste time talking about how useless Carrick, Gibson and Fletcher were ....... maybe they could get a game in the Biggerton and Slough league.....

2011-02-17T13:32:00.000-08:00

Two very entertaining Champions League games this week. I'll be honest, I support any English team in Europe, as long as we're not playing them. Every win for an English team further debunks the myth perpetrated by many, Michele Platani being the most prevalent, that the English league has no place among the 'elite' of European football. Regardless of the number of English teams in the last 16, 8 or 4, or the number of times an English team has made the final or won the competition, UEFA still seems to support idiots like Platani (Who never had the parts to play in England) This week must of made him sick!

1. Spurs vs AC. Obvious from the start, just looking at his line up, that 'Arry was going for a 0-0 tie. Not a bad plan at the San Siro, against a team, that on their day; can beat anyone. However as it became clear that Milan were having a bad day, I thought 'Arry had missed an opportunity by not changing his line up and putting two up front. Gomez was man of the match, two world class saves that kept Spurs in the game, and then a great fast break and goal; made the manager look like a mastermind. Crouch was immense, anyone who denies he is not world class needs their head checking. But really, the score was second to the battle of hard men. Gattuso vs Jordan. Gattuso, what an idiot. I have no doubt that he struts around talking about 'respect' and the great 'history' of Milan. Well, my bearded little gnome, Jordan was an AC Milan player before you were even convincing yourself that a beard would improve you tough man image and make people look past the fact that you look like the Uni Bomber with no legs. UEFA must come down hard on Gattuso. In my opinion a 10 to 15 game ban would not be over the top. To physically assault a member of the opposing teams management (twice) is way beyond playing your 'role' as the 'tough guy'. Have no doubt, if that had been a player from an English team, UEFA would be throwing the book at them. Flamini. You dirty French C*%T. How the ref did not send him off for that is beyond belief. Straight red, no doubt, and hope that Jordan doesn't find you in the tunnel and kick your ass! Well done Spurs, thoroughly deserved.

2. Now I'm a little bit of a closet Spurs fan. Always like them. But the next sentence is going to take some serious quashing of a vomit response to write. Arsenal played well, and deserved the win. uuuggghhhhhhh that was hard. But they did. Even one down they stuck to their guns and played Barca at there game, and at times looked better at it. Messi again was non existent, he just can't hack the English game and speed. He basis his success on being able to use his impressive speed and touch to suddenly up the tempo and beat defenders. When the game is already being played at a high tempo, he can't use that option, and keeps dropping back further and further to attempt to get the ball. Great skill and vision, but really well handled by the Gunners. Look what happens when you shoot. The ball goes in the net. If Arsenal are to continue to succeed, they need to keep shooting, because the perfect goal looks nice, but it only comes around once a season, and that's not enough to compete with the big boys in Europe. I still feel that Barca have the edge in the tie, but if Arsenal can steal one in Spain, it might just be enough.

Just watched Liverpool tie Sparta Prague 0-0. Can we stop referring to 'Pool as a 'big team' now? Haven' won the league in a generation and are a mid table team at best. Preston North end have won the English league a bunch of times to (1800's) but we don't call them a big team do we. Fuck off Liverpool.

Gotta come out and establish ourselves early against Crawley Town. Do not want to give them any encouragement.

Red Prophet.

2011-02-13T09:23:00.000-08:00

After the loss to Wolves last week, a win in the derby with the noisy neighbours was a must.

For the first time this season, we looked out of ideas against Wolves. If we had to loose, then I'm glad it was that game, and also happy that none of the chasing teams really made up any ground. As we have not lost two in row in the prem in a number of years, signs were good for the huge game vs City.

Derby games are always a bit of a enigma. Very often they don't live up to expectation, but when they do, hold on to your hats. Last season's 4-3 thriller at OT falls in to that category, while this seasons 0-0 bore draw at the City of Manchester stadium was very much in the 'didn't live up to expectations' category. The run up to this game did not feature any of the usual trash talk, with both sets of players maybe feeling that no words were required to ratchet up the emotions in what was set to be pivotal contest in the title race.

I'm going to be honest and admit my surprise in seeing the starting line up for United, with Rooney by himself, on top of a five man midfield. I liked the midfield, Ando, Scholes and Fletcher with Giggs and Nani; signalled our attacking intent and sent a message that we were going to push the pace, getting the ball wide and stretching what at times is a very 'centred' City team, meaning they don't use the wings.

From the start, we played at pace, forcing City to match us thru the midfield and come out to the flanks to challenge. City have quality, no denying that. When Tevez and Silva are on song around the box, they are very hard to defend. We were lucky not to go one down when they combined well to create a chance. Had it been reversed and Tevez had ended up one on one with VDS, I think City would have made it 1-0. As it was we survived the scare and from that moment on, picked up the defence. Smalling had, in my mind, his best game in a United shirt. He is beginning to show why he is worth what we payed (10 million I think) He is mobile and can pass, while his partner ( The Serbian Assassin ) is the rock in the middle, and was immense against very large threats in on set pieces.

Nani was arguably our best player in the first half, and deserved his goal. Great first touch and cool finish. An interesting point made in the English media was that if you watch Joe Hart, he lifts his hands up, maybe expecting Nani to blast it, so that when Nani places it to the left of Hart, he is unable to get down with his hands to make the save. Do not write off the idea that Nani saw this, and made the decision to go with a placed shot rather than a blast. Love him or hate him, Nani is coming in to his own, and is repaying the confidence and patience shown in him by Sir.

City were always going to get chances, it was just unlucky that they also got a freak deflection to aid in the equaliser. The defending was not bad, we had four players goal side and would of dealt with the shot from Dzseko had it not hit Silva and flew in to the corner. In the end, it just made our winner that much sweeter.

Rooney. He has had a terrible season. I'm sure he would be the first to admit that. But he is still Wayne Rooney. Blessed with touch, skill and vision that, when combined in that moment of brilliance, create moments beyond comprehension. That is what his strike amounts to. A moment that will be talked about for years and years to come. "Where were you when Rooney beat City with an overhead kick that defied the laws of physics?" The moment was summed up nicely by Sir who said he had never seen a better goal at OT. For me, if never scores again this season, he is worth the two hundred thousand plus a week we pay him; just for that one kick.

Overall it was a great performance. Strong from back to front, looking every inch like a team on top of the league and hopefully peaking at just the right time as we look towards the run in and return of the Champions League. Rooney ............ Jeezzzzussssss .

2011-02-01T20:23:00.000-08:00

Rooney scores!! Jezzus, thank goodness. Good all around performance and a solid effort by a team on a roll. After some nail biting comebacks in the last few weeks (Brum game not withstanding) it was nice to get an early lead, and then add to it. Van Dar Sar again proved his worth, his distribution setting up the first, and some solid claims on crosses when Villa looked like maybe getting back in to it. Bring on Wolves!

Some thoughts on the crazy last day of the transfer deadline. Liverpool made out like bandits on selling Torres for 50 million. I think he has peaked. That is not to say he will not contribute some seasons with a solid goal scoring record, but I don't think he will be as prolific as the first two years he was in Liverpool. Here is why. Firstly the team chemistry at Chelski is very different, there are many more egos, and Torres will not be the only top dog in town. In Liverpool he and ( and Gerrard) were always top billing He may not play every game, and his past history shows he does best when he gets a run of games, scoring in bunches. He has no history of success at Chelski, so if he doesn't get off to a good start, it won't take long for the crowd to turn against him (ask Svechenko) To get 50 million for Torres, was a bit a coup in my mind.

Now to turn around and spend it on an (as yet) unproven striker with an already questionable habit of getting in issues away from football, is a huge gamble. The other half of the deal with the Suarez kid, is good stuff. Lucky enough to have seen him play for Ajax a couple of years ago, and he looked like the real deal. He had a good world cup and I think he will do well, as long as not too much is expected of him.

Still always hope for a Liverpool loss, but watching with interest as to how there big gamble pans out.

The Red Prophet

Red Prophet Returns

2011-01-21T14:45:00.000-08:00

After an extended holiday break, the Red Prophet is back. First order of buisness, our four games over the Christmas break. 3 wins and a draw? I'll take it. Good solid performance by the entire squad. It could be argued that we were unlucky at Birmingham, but I felt we brought it on ourselves a little by not pushing for that second goal. Kinda lucky against WBA, but thats the luck we will need to remain unbeaten and take back the Premier League crown. It was nice to see Rooney get his goal, and it seems that Berba and Rooney are really beginning to build an understanding.

Always great to beat Liverpool, and I hope that is a start of an extended cup run. Its been to long since we have made noise in the FA cup. For those who have, or still do, live in England, you know the feeling towards the FA cup is unique. The history surrounding it and the upsets that occur every year are part of a long tradition. Unfortunentley, last year, we were the victims of the upset vs Leeds. Last note on that, it was a stone wall penalty. Berba was tripped, end of.

On to Spurs. This was never going to be an easy game. Despite our excellent record against Spurs, this is a different team, mostly in the mental department. Where as old Spurs teams were capable of attractive football, but went in to melt down at the first sign of any fight back; this team plays football and has the mental toughness to see a game out. I was not sold on Bale, until seeing him in this game. What a player. His speed to the touchline is amazing. Keep in mind that Rafael is no slouch. Bale was going past him like his feet were in cement. Most of his deliveries were first class as well. The only reason that Spurs didn't score was the play of Vidic..... solid as a rock back there... dare I say, better than Rio? A point is not a bad result, made even better by another clean sheet. We had some chances, but didn't catch Gomez on one of his off days. Although Arsenal and City made up some ground, we still have games in hand, and our record against the top teams is good. City play boring, bland and unattractive football, suited to the Italian league. Scared to go and attack.. which is crazy considering the players they have.

One point on our midfield. They stunk. Everyone knows my opinions on Carrick, and how he was picked over Anderson is a mystery. He was worse than usual and added nothing to the game, other than playing back to the defense. We could spend 50 quid on building a 6 foot by 4 foot ply wood wall, stick it about 25 yards our side of centre, and have Rio and Vidic just kick the ball against it back to themselves throughout the game; and still would be in the same position as if Carrick was there in person. Sadly though, Fletcher seems to have lost some form. After such a promising 2009-2010, he just can't seem to get a decent run of games going. Hopefully Anderson can continue to improve, and maybe give Tom Cleverly a chance in the next few months.

Big run of games coming up. Lets get behind the team and push for a trophy filled May!

The Red Prophet.

Message to Mike Dean (01.16.11)

2011-01-16T16:59:00.001-08:00

I has a message to referee Mike Dean. Hey Mike, if you are going to look for a reason to give young Rafael another yellow, why wait. Why not give him the red for not throwing the ball in correctly in the 2nd half. Or, even better, why not give him a straight red for the first one? I mean why not?

2010-12-13T18:53:00.000-08:00

Now that was more like it. A dominating team performance from front to back handed United the league lead and consigned Arsenal to there usual position of 'losers' . Wenger is already complaining about the field, the fans, anything he can think of in order to justify the fact, that, his team is all show and no blow.

The overall team performance was by far the best of the season. We looked solid at the back, won everything in the midfield, and created some good chances up front. The only cause for complaint would be that, again, we seemed to loose focus in front of goal. That been said, Park's finish was outstanding and well deserved. Once we started getting the ball to Nani, who could run at Clichey, good things followed.

Overall Rooney had a good game, apart from the penalty miss, but again, didn't have many chances to score in open play. He is improving every game though, the goals will follow.

Well pleased with the game.

More of the same vs Chelsea please.

The Red Prophet

2010-12-07T16:45:00.000-08:00

I have just read the updates made on the web site, good job Derek; and noticed my bio mentions I don't think much of Michael Carrick. This is not true. I CANNOT STAND IT WHEN CARRICK IS ON THE PITCH.

There is only one reason that we do not, now this minute, hold the record for being the only team in CL history to finish the group stages without conceding a goal. Carrick. His mistake directly caused the goal. Not only did he dither on the ball in the middle of the park, but had he passed the ball FORWARD, he never would have given the ball away. Carrick's addictive need to only play the ball backwards, caused him to have to turn in order to find a defender to play the ball to. When he lost the ball, he JOGGED back, ball watching, entirely missing the scorer who was running in behind him. He is utterly bollocks. But lets be constructive, he gets picked for the team, he must have some positive points. I decided to construct a team, where the zero (Carrick) would be a hero.

1. This team would play, boring, slow paced football

2. This team would prefer to play the ball back to the defenders, instead of looking for a creative forward pass to attacking players.

3. This team would use a 6-3-1 formation

4. This team would score, then sit back and defend a lead for 89 minutes

5. The entire starting 11 (except Carrick) would only use one name on their passport

6 This team would be coached by an annoying 'Tony Danza" looking guy who wears a cashmere scarf at all times

7. This team would have 'simulation' practice.

8. This team would have at least two players named 'Luigi or Mario' on the squad.

9. This team has at least 5 players on the pitch at all times who have 'really great hair'.

10. Everyone on this team wears gloves if the temperature drops below 20 degrees.

11. This team is full of technically brilliant players..... who spend 85 minutes of every game rolling on the ground in apparent agony, before springing up to gesculate and make flamboyant hand gestures towards the referee, other players and each other.

This team is ANY team in seria A, crappy Carricks perfect home.

Just sell him for FUCK's SAKE .

The Red Prophet.

2010-11-30T09:44:00.000-08:00

After a long absence, the Red Prophet returns. To be honest, I've just been lazy, however the lack of commentary on my part appears to have helped the team start to achieve (or thats what I like to think)

Reading my last post, I see we had just tied WBA, what a difference the 5 weeks since has made to the league table. Chelsea have been found out for having a shallow squad with a distinct lack of cover in the midfield/defense. Arsenal have continued to drop points with silly lapses (and are still fighting for a place in the last 16 of the CL) City are crap (still) and Liverpool appear to have swapped identities with Bolton (Did anyone else see there second goal against Blackpool on the weekend!!!!?????) And UNited? We are top of the league, playing with confidence and have just beaten Blackburn by 7 to 1!

A note on that game. I was there. What a fuc*ing game. It was like watching men vs boys. Believe me, Berba finished his chances well, but they were because of the fantastic work of his supporting cast; not least Rooney. Now, over in the UK, and hear as well, the media is going on about how Rooney did not score. BUT, he was involved in at least 5 of the goals and some of his off the ball movement was great. Sometimes its tough to see this on TV, but live, he looked up for it and a lot sharper than I have seen him for several months. The goals will come, and I think we are beginning to look like a team that can, and should, hit the ground running between now and Christmas.

One (somewhat) sour note. Carrick. I watched the game from the north stand. For those who know OT, this is the largest stand and holds a lot of parents with children, calmer types who are not going to eff and swear at the players/ref etc. This is not to say that they are not knowlgeble fans, just that they may not be as vocal as say, the hard asses in the Stretford End. But let me tell you, people have had enough of Carrick and his gutless, non invention and seria A paced play. Everytime he made ANOTHER pass backwards, the entire section errupted in to language that should not be printed. I think the fans have had enough, he has to go. In a game where the other team lay down after 30 minutes, Carrick still refused to move the ball at pace, relied on the centre halves to kick the ball forward, and was often pushed off the ball when Blackburn did manage to get over half. Why this waste of space is still conning Sir in to picking him is a mystery. He his useless, any creativity he used to possess is long gone. On the other hand Anderson looked really good. Here is hoping he can build on this game.

7 goals at OT.... Not a bad game to go watch!

Carrick, on your bike mate.

The Red Prophet.

My Trip To Old Trafford (Nov. 20, 2010)

2010-11-26T11:56:00.000-08:00

My wife gave me the greatest gift ever a couple of weeks ago: we went to Old Trafford and did not only the stadium and museum tour but I saw also saw United live for the first time outside Canada as they beat Wigan 2-0. I brought the club’s flag and got a few shots in key locations which you can view on the website. The whole experience was surreal and I am grateful to my wife, Denis and the members who helped get the tickets and meeting all you who kind of pushed me to go. The museum tour was interesting and you learn a lot about the club. The thing that struck me the most was the amount of silverware and medals. I also felt the energy and passion from the tour guide. He reported that he has had season tickets since 1972. I asked him what game sticks out in his mind with the most energy. He said the 1983 Barcelona European CWC 3rd Round, Second Leg where United game back from 2-0 on aggregate to win 3-2 at home. He said the energy of crowd was so intense.

With respect to the game, we were on the top level behind the goal opposite the Stretford End, actually 20 rows from the back I think but we could see everything. Two things I noticed that perhaps you could not from TV was the very positive body language between Vidic and Rio after breaking up a play. I also noticed how much the game changed when Wayne Rooney came on. He completely messes up defenses and pulls/distracts so many opposing players. It was amazing to watch. What else was amazing was after the game, seeing all the people leaving the stadium. It was literally a sea of people. Outside the stadium, there were tons of merchants with lots of fun United stuff like T-shirts, flags, pins and more. I was able to pick up several different future raffle prizes so stay tuned. Also, the mega-store, while neat, is VERY expensive. Do not expect deals if you go there. Although they will print names, numbers and badges on any shirt from the last 2-3 years if you want to bring it with you.

I did not bring the flag to the game itself as I was afraid to lose it and unsure how I would hang it. Now the tour guide said bring it so long as it does not hang over the edge so much to skew the view of the people below. After getting there, I realized that if you are in the top sections, you can easily hang the flag. There are railings you can tie it on and I even noticed duct tape along it where people probably tapped the string for safety. Next time, we will get the flag up there during the match.

Thanks to you all.

Derek

F&^k You City

2010-11-11T14:15:00.001-08:00

Hello,

Patrick was singing this during the game and it felt right:

This is how it feels to be City
This is how it feels to be small
This is how it feels when your team wins nothing at all
Nothing at all...

While Chancellor Dan did a great job in his EPL report, I have to get this off my chest. City used negative tactics and looked scared AT HOME against United. It was like they did not want to attack in fear of losing another game, which at that point, would have been 3 of 4. Now, you can read Dan's report and the UK paper's description of the negative tactics. I will not go through it again.

But...

There was a moment around the 86th minute where City had some changes. One or two, maybe three. They flashed 4 minutes of added time and City made a substitute. Now, United, away or at home, attack right to the last listen, even up 1 or 2 nothing. It drives some fans nuts as they invite the other team to attack. Tevez gets called to the bench, with two minutes left in added time, and walks off the field, killing time.

F&^k you. F&^k you you lazy, heart-less, gut-less F7^ks.

At home.

Arg.

City, your players might make money but United players make history.

Sorry for all the swears but f^&k.

Derek

Top 5 Reasons Why Gomes Made The Mistake

2010-11-03T11:53:00.000-07:00

Hello,

1 - He sucks
2 - Did I mention, he sucks
3 - Remember the school yard training: play to the whistle.
4 - If Gomes thought if was a hand-ball/free kick, then why did he not place the ball in the same position as the foul? He threw the ball way past it.
5 - If Gomes really thought it was a free kick, then why would he dive after Nani's shot.

I have spoken.

DN

2010-10-21T07:44:00.000-07:00

Quite the week. First, gremlins, attack VDS to hand West Brom a point, and then shrek decides that he knows something Sir doesn't. There are two quotes by Sir, that I'd like to bring attention to. They offer, perhaps, the most calm and considered approach to the situation; that actually may not be as bad as most people think.

First:

"I've identified all my life the potential in young people. I know potential. I know how to develop and have faith in it. And young people surprise you when given the opportunity. That's what this club is all about."

He's right. Whatever you think of him, you cannot deny that time and time again, he has identified young talent, given them an opportunity to perform. Most times they have repaid his confidence. We have one of the best youth systems in the world. Not only at developing players we already have, but also at finding young players at other clubs. Rooney wants out? Let him go. Have faith in the manager and his proven ability.

Second:

It's difficult to maintain a cycle of more than four years at a time. At the end of the day, we lost a fourth successive title by a point. It would have been a record. We don't like that and we'll try to do something about that. But we'll be there. We'll be OK. I have every confidence in that."

True, true, true. Find a team, in any country, that has been at the top for more than four years in row. To compete at the highest level for multiple years you have to continue to refresh and add to your squad. The papers are all predicting " The decline" of United. Bullshit, Liverpool are in decline, United are in contention this year as they are every year.

Rooney is a victim of his own success last year. He had a great year, everything was going his way. After a terrible world cup and awful start to the season, it would appear that he is looking to blame his form on something or someone. Instead of looking at himself, he has decided to make the club his scape goat. Let him go; no player is bigger than the team.

Lastly, good win last night. The team, which was a young one, did what was needed and picked up the three points. Lets hope the boys can build on this and go on a little run in the league.

The Red Prophet

2010-10-02T09:12:00.000-07:00

In order to be objective and present, fair, well thought out analysis; I like to wait 24 hour before writing about a recent game. Against my better judgment, I write this 3 minutes after the final whistle at the Stadium of light.

Anderson you F%$king useless piece of S*#t, wipe that p*ss eating pout of your three year old looking mug. You are about as f*@king useful as a screen door in a submarine. Your 75 minutes of midfield bullcr*p, made me want to come thru the TV screen and smash your stupid looking mug with a baseball bat. How you have the balls to call yourself a professional with a display like that, I have no idea. Take your ball and go the fu^k home. Take Owen with you.

Sir, you are a master personality manager, not a master technician. Stop f#cking with the the line up. Play the best fu*&ing players, not idiots you feel 'need a run out'. For fu*&'s sake, do you see Chelski starting a must win game with a 5 foot nothing, has been with zero speed and an 18 year old, yet to be prove his potential; up front?

Remember last season, Burnley away? Blackburn away? This, like those games will come back to haunt us. We looked like we were not fuc*ing interested today, it was a disgrace. The only good part in the game was when Steve McManaman said in relation to playing against Steve Bruce " Bruce played when United were all conquering" hahahaha those words must have been tough for the scouse bastard to get out!!!!

Over all though, I'm going to go fuc*ing break something.

2010-09-27T14:05:00.000-07:00

The secret is out. Pump high balls in to the box, and make Johnny Evan's defend them, and you will have some success. From open play or set pieces, Evan's looks like a boy amongst men in the first six games of the season. This is not to say he is the only defender having a bad year, but when your looking for answers the weakest link is often the best place to start.

I watched Evan's live in the San Siro a couple of years ago. He shut down the very best that Inter could throw at him for 90 minutes. He looked calm and composed, a much more mature player than his young age (at the time) would suggest. Its a strange fact, that as he has become a more regular player in the squad, his early flashes of brilliance have faded in to rambling shambles.

His demise, has been slow, making it a distinct possibility that he may actually not be as good as first thought, and this is not just a 'dip in form'. If this is the case, what does it mean for a defense that was previously akin to a brick wall. Vidic is the rock in the middle, but we know he is sometimes beaten with pace. Rio was the cover for this, but it would appear that Rio's time as a top flight defender may be curtailed by injuries and age. Smalling is a fast and agile defender, but is still young. That means that out of the four central defenders who play in the first squad on a regular basis, only Vidic is can be relied on to provide world class service on a game to game basis.

Giving up goals happens. It is the way in which they have been leaked that is the concern. The lack of confidence in the back is obvious, and Evan's appears very shaky. Defense, much like goal scoring, thrives on confidence. When a player or group of players are not defending with belief in themselves, its infectious. Although Smalling is young, maybe this is the time to give him the opportunity to prove himself. Evan's does not look like he is up to the task.

My heart cannot take anymore of this slapstick defending, and Johnny is not up to it right now.

The Red Prophet.

2010-09-13T08:56:00.000-07:00

2 Games. Leading both with minutes to go. 4 Points dropped. Unthinkable, but true. Perhaps the most disturbing fact is the way in which the points were lost. It was if the entire team stopped playing, almost to a man. As a team that has won games so many times in the last minutes rescuing victory from the jaws of defeat, you would think the players would understand the need to play until the final whistle. Although only the start of the season, this is a worrying trend, the comment about it 'only being the start of the season' should not be the mindset. Our main rivals for the title, have not dropped a point, they have only conceded one goal; in short they are looking VERY good. I think the questions need to start being asked now.

What are we missing?

Goals? We look pretty good in that department.

Midfield? Attacking we look good, defending and tracking back? Not so good. However it would be hoped that the return of Anderson helps.

Defending? We don't look good. Vidic looks very isolated without Rio. Evans is now past the 'young up and coming phase.' He needs to establish himself as a first choice centre half, he has not done this. Playing Neville is verging on desperate. We can't find a better right back? Surely with the supposed millions at his disposal, Sir could have got a better option for the right side of defense?

So to answer my question, I think we need a top rated defender, maybe two. As the season progresses, we may claw back Chelsea, but the more games we have to play, the more the lack of depth in the back will become apparent.

The last three times that Chelsea have won the title, they have started the season off without loosing in the first nine games. Not a good omen for our challenge, even this early in the summer.

United's CL Group Preview

2010-08-26T10:12:00.001-07:00

Hello,

Here is a breakdown of United's favorable draw in the Champions League.

Rangers - United beat the Scotish champions in both legs (1-0 away and 3-0 home) in the 2003-04 CL season.

Valencia - a strong spanish side but they do not have David Villa nor David Silva this season. United has a 1-3-0 record against the Spanish team.

Bursaspor - it is never easy to go to Turkey and play the Turkish champions, even Bursaspor who were not expected to win the Süper Lig last season and are the lowest ranked team in the CL pot. We would love another grinding 1-0 away win from Scholes like last year in Turkey.

What do you all think?

Derek

Champions League: The Other Teams

2010-08-26T06:10:00.000-07:00

Hello,

Here is a breakdown of who is in the CL (+ = first time in modern era CL):

POT ONE
FC Internazionale - Italy
FC Barcelona - Spain
Manchester United FC - England
Chelsea FC - England
Arsenal FC - England
FC Bayern München - Germany
AC Milan - Italy
Olympique Lyonnais - France

POT TWO
SV Werder Bremen - Germany
Real Madrid CF - Spain
AS Roma - Italy
FC Shakhtar Donetsk - Ukraine
SL Benfica - Portugal
Valencia CF - Spain
Olympique de Marseille - France
Panathinaikos FC - Greece

POT THREE
Tottenham Hotspur FC - England (+)
Rangers FC - Scotland
AFC Ajax - Netherlands
FC Schalke - Germany
FC Basel - Switzerland
SC Braga - Portugal (+)
FC København - Denmark
FC Spartak Moskva - Russia

POT FOUR
Hapoel Tel-Aviv FC - Israel (+)
FC Twente - Netherlands (+)
FC Rubin Kazan - Russia
AJ Auxerre - France
CFR 1907 Cluj - Romania
FK Partizan - Serbia
MŠK Žilina - Slovakia (+)
Bursaspor - Turkey (+)

ELP Preview - Manchester United

2010-08-16T06:20:00.000-07:00

Hello,

Below is my preview for Manchester United. Be sure to check it my full, 20 team preview on the main website. - Derek
---

Placing 2nd by a point last season probably left a bad taste in manager Sir Alex Ferguson’s mouth along with the players and the fans. Always in the hunt for silverware, do not expect United to stay down long.

Last season saw a break-through campaign for striker Wayne Rooney scoring 34 goals in all competitions. Last season also saw injury devastation to United’s defense. So much so, there were weeks where mid-fielders Fletcher and Carrick were playing on the back-line and perhaps cost them the title.

Even with a healthy defense, there are many questions to be answered. First, does United have anyone to that can play even close to abilities of Paul Scholes? Second, Sir Alex has given a lot of younger players such as Rafeal and Gibson big game experience over the last two seasons so will that pay off. Third, can Berbatov step up in the big games where Rooney might not be around? Finally, are United fans asking too much of new signing Herdendez in his first ELP season?

One thing is certain, Sir Alex and United have a reputation of answering questions with silverware.

First up for United is Newcastle, then Fulham, West Ham, Everton and Liverpool.

PREDICTION: the fight is on with Chelsea for the title

2010-07-30T15:07:00.000-07:00

Almost here. Real football returns in a week. Yes, the Charity Shield is often a dour affair, but it marks the true beginning of what we hope will be a season full of success.

I didn't comment on the World Cup. The reason being my vocabulary of swear words is far to short to express my feelings on England's performance. I blame nobody but the eleven players on the field, they and they alone have ability to perform, and time and time again; they fail.

I've seen United a couple of times in pre-season, once in person at the Celtic game in Toronto, and then the MLS All Star game on the box. Both performances were good to watch, a nice blend of young and old players seemed to come together well. Admittedly, pre season is never a true indication of how players will react to the rigors of a Prem/FA/Carling and UEFA cup season, but it was good to see everyone looking eager to play a fast passed, attacking style. I for one, would like to see Sir give the younger players a chance this year. I've heard the Welbeck, and Cleverly may be loaned out for the year, I think taking a chance, on Cleverly especially, may pay off.

Good to see Vidic made the right decision. He is going to be key to our year, and it will be important to keep him fresh, hopefully by letting Evan's and Smalling rotate in to games when possible. Who knows about Ferdinand? I think any string of games he manages will be a bonus.

My concerns lie more with the left and right back positions. Evra, first name on the team sheet; but expecting him to play every game again, may be wishful thinking. The twins. Moments of absolute class, followed by stupid defensive errors ( See the MLS All Stars first goal) I still blame whichever twin was on the field during the Bayern loss in the Champions League. I think this will be a pivotal season for both of them. I would take less attacking, for better defense, from both of them.

Midfield. As I said, I like Cleverly. He looked good at Watford last year, and I think (hope) he has done enough to convince Sir he deserves to be in the squad for the year. Will Hargreves be back? I'm his biggest fan, but it looks like it might be curtains, gutted for him, but you have to cut your losses and move on. Anderson. Your guess is as good as mine. This will be his season to prove he deserves the pay cheque and he needs to do a LOT more in all areas of his game in order to this.

Giggs. Class. Scholes. Class. Valencia/Nani some very promising games last year, hoping they can build on that. Obertan looked good in the Celtic game, just needs the confidence in the box. Gibson and O'Shea will perform as required. Not convinced Gibson has the goods to be a starting eleven player, but we said the same about Fletcher a few years ago, and now........ Fletch is Fletch.

Up front we have some interesting options. The young boys look good, Macheda, in my opinion, is ready for the big time. He makes runs that a centre forward is supposed to make, and it not afraid to stick his head in where it hurts. Looks like Berba is staying. Not sure how I feel about that. He was great in the game against Celtic, pure class, but again, not sure where he fits in. Rooney will be Rooney (I hope) and should have another good year as long as he is not over played; we need another 'go to guy'; hoping Macheda is that guy.

Excited. Hope to see many of you at the Scots Corner.

The Red Prophet.

World Cup: Wayne Rooney

2010-07-21T09:12:00.000-07:00

Hello,

Watched all England games twice in full plus watched reviews from Bobby McMahon (Fox Soccer Channel), The Footy Show (The Score), along with reviews from Sky Sports News, The Guardian and Football 365. Many of them, except Bobby McMahon, whom I consider to be my personal teacher on footy, got on Rooney's performance. They called him out for not scoring nor performing up to his standard.

I have some numbers for them:

26: number of times Rooney was WIDE open in the box. This is amazing considering the fact that he was helping the mid-field and even defence. A friend of mind, let's call him Patrick, said: "find me a game where you heard the phrase, 'great defensive header from David Villa'". You see, strikers are not supposed to be all over the pitch. It just goes to show you what kind of confidence either the manager or Wayne had in the rest of his team. Remember Heskey tripping over his own two feet and the ball attempting to cross the ball to Wayne?

7: great passes/through balls from Rooney. At least 3 of them should have been goals, especially in the USA game and that one Gerard missed in the last group stage game. Of that 7, only two were even on target. And you wonder why Rooney was angry. No one gave Rooney the same kind of pass. The only one Rooney even got was a high/long header pass from Lampard.

Coming soon, my demolishing of the England squad.

Time to clean up and take out the trash Fabio.

Derek

Derek's WC Picks

2010-06-10T10:09:00.000-07:00

GROUP A - Uruguay, France, Mexico, South Africa
GROUP B - Argentina, Nigeria, South Korea, Greece
GROUP C - England, USA, Slovenia, Algeria
GROUP D - Germany, Serbia, Ghana, Australia
GROUP E - Netherlands, Cameroon, Denmark, Japan
GROUP F - Italy, Paraguay, Slovakia, New Zealand
GROUP G - Brazil, Portugal, Ivory Coast, North Korea
GROUP H - Spain, Chile, Honduras, Switzerland

2nd Round
Nigeria def. Uruguay
England def. Serbia
Germany def. USA
Argentina def. France
Netherlands def. Paraguay
Brazil def. Chile
Italy def.Cameroon
Spain def. Portugal

Quarter Finals
Brazil def. Netherlands
England def. Nigeria
Germany def. Argentina
Spain def. Italy

Semi-Finals
Brazil def. Germany
England def. Spain

Finals
Brazil def. England

2010-05-11T08:47:00.000-07:00

Anti climax. That is the best way to describe the end of the season. Dumped out of the CL, and loosing the Prem due to points dropped at some very strange places. If you think back, we lost at Burnley ?&*$!>, Everton ( We never loose there) and tied Blackburn. The title was not lost on the last day, it had been slowly handed over during the last 9 months. Without a fit Rooney, we looked lacking in goal scoring ability, although Nani did come alive in the second half of the year, looking good for next term.

I think that dwelling on the past is a mistake, we need to look forward; and most of all we need to strengthen the squad in key positions. I've taken it on myself to suggest a few names that perhaps, may not be on everyones radar, as players that could come in improve the team. Further, they are all from Premier teams, and are already used to playing in England. In a World Cup year, there are always players who have a good tourney, grossly increasing their price tag; I don't think we need to get sucked in to this game (Karl Poborsky-example one). Feel free to comment on my suggestions, debate makes for good conversation and proves some people actually read these posts!

1. Joe Hart. Has all the tools to be a world class keeper. Will be going back to Man City and fighting it out with Shay Given, who still has numerous playing years left. Offer him a long term contract, tell him to learn from VDS for the next year; then reap the rewards. If Hart is not playing for England this summer, he will be by 2012. He will be the best keeper in the Prem, if not the world, for years to come.

2. Leighton Baines. To good not to be playing Champions League football. Outside chance at making England's world cup team. Has defensive ability, likes the ball at his feet, and chips in with 5-10 goals a year. Reminds me of Clayton Blackmore. Would look good in red.

3. Jamie O'Hara. Yes, you may laugh. But put this boy with other good players and he has potential. Box to box midfielder with touch and ability to score. Has some creativity and would be a cheap buy from Portsmouth who are going to be selling.

4. Nigel Dejong. The prototypical defensive midfielder. Watched him live in the Carling Cup second leg semi at OT. Patrols the area in front of the back two, can pass and also gets forward. Likely wants to play Champions League football and would be a great asset to allow Fletcher to have a role more like a young Paul Scholes.

5. Tim Cahil. Again, never going to get to play Champions League footy at Everton. Scores a lot, and would get more with some decent service from Nani and Valencia. Would play in the hole behind Rooney and break up attacks as he is not afraid to tackle hard.

6. Luka Modric. Pure class. Tougher buy now that Spurs made the CL, but is a player that will not be happy without winning trophies. Redknapp will have a hard time holding on to him if there CL adventure goes badly. Great vision and can score from nothing. Likes the ball at his feet, and is always looking to distribute. Berbatov for Modric? No brainer.

7. Fernando Torres. Why not? I don't think the issue is that he doesn't like playing in England, more that he is sick of not winning anything. A fit and hungry Torres scores goals for fun. Him and Rooney together? Scary. Would be one of the greatest transfer coups of all time if we could get him at OT. Depending on his World Cup, the price could be right to. (I pick Spain to tank in the summer, the bubble has burst)

8. James Milner. Talk about a player that has come of age. He is, without a doubt, England's best midfielder. Box to box, scores, defends leads and is only still in his early twenties. He is everything Stevie G used to be. Far to good not to be playing at the highest level and the penny may have dropped, that Villa are never going to make the CL. He will be moving soon, and if its to Chelsea, we have a problem. Signing him provides an immediate replacement for Scholes, and again, takes pressure off Fletcher.

9. Joe Cole. No matter what Chelsea say, he is not a 'first' choice for the manager. Cole is a bit of a enigma as your not sure if he is a midfielder or a forward. When fit, he is one the Prem's best players with the ball at his feet, running at defenders. Would be a natural replacement for Giggs, and has the hunger, and point to prove, to make him a solid buy.

10. Clint Dempsey, Clint Dempsey, Clint Dempsey. Class, class, class. The best American player of his generation and set to have a stand out World Cup. His passing and defending had improved under Hodgson and he scores goals. In order to go to the next level, he needs to play against the best in Europe. If you have not seen his goal against Juventus, check it out. It explains everything.

There you go, ten players I think could really improve our team. In terms of who to sell. Carrick, Berbatov, Carrick and Berbatov. Might of had a couple of duplicates there, oh well.

COM'ON ENGLAND!!!!!

The Red Prophet.

Quick Thought

2010-05-10T11:33:00.001-07:00

Hello,

Was it me or did Sir Alex looked pissed during the Stoke game?

Thoughts?

Derek

Title Run-In: The Numbers

2010-04-21T08:47:00.000-07:00

Hello,

v. Spurs (4th place)
- beaten Arsenal and Chelsea in one week
- United is 2-0 this season against Spurs (3-1 PL and 2-0 in League Cup)
- 8 wins out of last 10 at Old Trafford
- overall against Spurs: 25-7-3 in PL

at Sunderland (13th place)
- 2 wins and 1 loss in last three
- Beat Spurs three weeks ago (3-1)
- Lost to West Ham but rebounded to beat Burnley
- Strong at home (9-7-2 vs. 1-4-12 away)
- 2-2 draw in October at Old Trafford

v. Stoke (11th place)
- 1-1-1 in last three
- Weaker on the road
- 2-0 United at reverse fixture

Remaining Fixtures - Chelsea
H - Stoke
A - Liverpool
H - Wigan

Four Remaining Games - The #s

2010-04-12T08:16:00.000-07:00

Hello,

Let's look at Chelsea, Arsenal and United's last four games of the season:

United
- Man City (A)
- Spurs
- Sunderland (A)
- Stoke

Chelsea
- Spurs (A)
- Stoke
- Liverpool (A)
- Wigan

Arsenal
- Wigan (A)
- Man City
- Blackburn
- Fulham (A)

Average points for opposition:

United: 50.25
Chelsea: 47
Arsenal: 44.5

Derek

2010-04-07T15:45:00.001-07:00

Your always taking a chance playing a young player in a big game, Sir has made a career starting players who others feel are to young. Tonight, the gamble didn't pay off. The knock against Rafael has always been that he picks up dumb cards. I remember him getting sent off for two cards in another game (help me out with which game). He is still young and has lots of years left, but he needs to figure out how to walk that line between aggressive challenges and tackles that get you booked. The really sad part was that in the first half, he was one of our best players. You really felt that a fourth goal for us would have ended it, but as soon as Rafael got his marching orders, Bayern really got up for the game.

Loosing on away goals is real kick in the teeth, but its the cost of conceding soft goals. The goal before half time to make it 3-1 was totally against the run of play, and defended in a comical fashion by Carrick. I can only hope that Carrick has now been found out for the useless lump of shit he is, and we ship him off while we can still get someone half decent for him. For my money, Gibson, is a more than an able replacement for Carrick and a couple of good buys in the off season will make the services of crappy Carrick surplus to requirements. Olic shrugged him like he wasn't there, in an area where he had no business scoring. That goal then put the pressure on us again, which was compounded by Rafael being sent off. Carrick was then largely invisible and again, went missing when we needed him most.

Hopefully we can now concentrate on the league and console ourselves with the thought that no one is going to beat Barca anyway, so its just as well we got knocked out now!

The Red Prophet

2010-04-01T14:28:00.000-07:00

I've had to calm down for 48 hours before commenting on the game, Tuesday. It reminded me of watching us in Europe, perhaps 5-8 years ago, when we had real problems finishing teams off. It was disturbing to watch how out of sync Fletcher, Scholes and Park seemed to be in the second half. To be fair to Bayern, VDS made some good stops to keep the 1-0 score line, but they were well worth the win; we're lucky it wasn't by more. Its easy to play armchair coach, but I think with the final score line, questions have to be asked about bringing on a forward (Berba) and a winger (Valencia). If Sir was happy with the 1-0 win, it should of been a more defensive minded substitution; and hind sight is 20-20, but it would have been a good time to bring Rooney off. We now have two games that will shape our season, and we play without our stand out player. Chelsea's manager made the comment that some teams are more dangerous when they are without their best player, hopefully this is the case. The big question mark in my mind is Berbatov, this is his chance to prove his worth. Time for him to step up and take control of both games, something he has the ability to do. If there is one thing that is a part of United history, its the ability to come together and beat the odds. Lets hope the boys can get the job done.

The Red Prophet

2010-03-21T09:08:00.001-07:00

Another big game and another big win. This one made all the more memorable as our recent record against Liverpool is shite, and we went a goal down early. The boys played very well, in a controlled and measured performance. I don't think anyone thought this was going to be a goal-fest, and the 2-1 score line is a fair reflection of the game. It was nice to see another player step up and take over when Rooney wasn't having his best game. Although Wazza led the line well enough, he was finding it hard to locate that space in which to work chances. Queue Fletcher and Park to combine with a sublime cross/head to win us the 3 points. The workmanlike attitude of all the guys, made this a very satisfying and well deserved win.

Just a quick word on the draw for the Champions League. I LIKE IT!!! We avoid Inter and Barca, and play a team, that while still a quality side, is unlikely to control a game for 90 minutes. We will have our chances against a slow back four, and if we take them, I like our chances of making the last four and playing either Lyon or Bourdeux. In those two teams you will have complete newcomers to the final stages of the CL. United have proven it takes many years to know how to compete in the knock out stages of the CL, and teams with that previous experience can usually figure out the win, even if they are not the better team on the night.

Look at the last ten years, can you name one team that has made the final as a 'Cinderella' team? No, because it doesn't happen. The CL is perhaps the only cup where the best teams always seem to make it thru. After years of experimenting with different styles, Sir has a formula for success in the CL. While you cannot look past Bayern or either of the French sides, I certainly think we drew the easiest road to Madrid on May 22. To end, I will go out on a limb, a very thin limb. Arsenal, on their day, can give Barca a game. Possible upset!!

The Red Prophet.

Happy Anniversary To Man City

2010-03-16T18:54:00.000-07:00

Hello,

Last Sunday marked the 34th anniversary of the day Manchester City last won a trophy. We at RED TILL DEAD would like to wish Man City a happy anniversary. If you see any City supporters, please do not forget to wish them a happy anniversary.

Cheers.

Derek

2010-03-13T08:57:00.000-08:00

As the season comes to a climax, we are again in great position to win on two fronts. It could be argued that we are in position to win the two titles that mean the most to Sir, and the fans. Holding on to our premier league champions crown is not only expected, but historic as it would make us the most successful English team, in terms of league championships, ever. Although there is no chance of Liverpool winning the league, they still may have a big say in who will. We play them next week, but can't look past a tough game vs. Fulham. I think the game against Liverpool, may be more important then the one against Chelsea in April. If we can put some recent bad results against Liverpool behind us and get three points; the pressure will really be on Chelsea.

I fully believe Chelsea will drop points between now and the end of the season, and when we beat Liverpool it will send a message to them, and the rest of the league. United have been in this position many times before. It is these tight situations where Sir's man management, and mind games, come to the fore, and his true value as a manager is displayed. The ability to keep the boys focused and on course, while at the same time making comments to unnerve the opposition is Sir' at his best. The finale to this years league promises to be one of the best in recent memory.

Like every hard core red, I was thrilled at the result mid-week vs. Milan. To dismantle a team of Milan's quality, was great to watch and considering our play, justified. However, the result in Madrid may, in the long run, be of greater help to us. Before Madrid lost, it looked like we would be have to play at least one Spanish team, and win, to be Champions of Europe. People may disagree, but I feared Madrid, more than I fear Barca. Barca are still a fantastic team, but recently have had a couple of slip ups, and did not look convincing in the first leg of their tie, there is a still a possibility they may not make it thru. I felt that Madrid, would offer us a tougher test than Barca. It looks like we a peaking at just the right time, opposed to last year, when we lost a little bit of form from this time of year to the close. I fancy our chances in the CL whoever we are drawn against. When you look at the teams that are left, you can assume that it is likely we are going to have play an English team at some point.

With our experience of playing the later stages of the CL, and winning it twice in the last ten years, I always fancy our chances over two legs against English teams. We know how to play CL football, and we know how to find the results we need. Even against English teams, its a different type of game then is played in the Premier League. With the return of a couple of key players from injury, including dare I say it? Hargreaves, I think we can push on and make this a truly memorable season.

The Red Prophet.

Random Thoughts

2010-03-08T18:31:00.000-08:00

Okay, I've only got a few minutes to chat before Sir's bedtime. So let me share a few thoughts that Sir and I have been having over the past few weeks in no particular order.

Hahahaha Liverpool lose again. They had Stevie and Fernanda and still couldn't produce anything that remotely looked like quality. Whats your excuse now Rafa?

I am tired of hearing these "best left back in the World" nonsense surrounding Ashley Cole. The boy is a very good player but is not even the best left back in Europe. Patrice Evra is the best left back in the World without a doubt. That is why FIFA in their infinite wisdom voted him into there all world 11 last year(http://www.fifa.com/classicfootball/awards/gala/besteleven.html)
End of story.

It was a gutsy performance, albeit altogether unspectacular on Saturday and those games are the types that you have to win in order to retain the title. I thought Berba had a fantastic game and would have contributed more if Nani had been able to shake off the hair grease and support him. After an extended time on the bench that allowed Obertan and Park onto the field (I think Tosic might have been on the bench once too) Nani came back into the first 11 with something to prove and he was playing out of his skin. Taking people on and whipping the ball in, all of a sudden I thought here comes the player we have been waiting for. But then he went and got himself that silly red card, didn't play well against AC and poof just as soon as he appeared he disappears again. Hopefully he finds some form or better yet hopefully someone gives him a video of Valencia and says watch this if you want to be a Premier League player.

Sir's yawning time for bed. Until next time

United v. Chelsea v. Arsenal - The Numbers

2010-03-04T13:03:00.000-08:00

Hello,

With 10 games left, here is how the top three team's opponents rank:

Manchester United (5 home, 5 away)
01-04: 2 games
05-10: 3 games
11-17: 5 games
18-20: 0 games

Chelsea (5 home, 5 away)
01-04: 1 games
05-10: 3 games
11-17: 5 games
18-20: 1 games

Arsenal (5 home, 5 away)
01-04: 0 games
05-10: 4 games
11-17: 4 games
18-20: 2 games

So, if you look at the schedule, one could say that United has the most difficult schedule. United has 2 top 4 plus City and Liverpool. Chelsea only has United left to play in the top four but has equal amounts of 5-10 and 10-17 teams left with one in current relegation problems. Arsenal has, by far, the easiest with no top 4 games left and 6/10 in the top half of the table.

For me, Arsenal's season is on the line in the next two weeks as they face Burney and Hull City. If you want to be taken seriously has title contenders, you must win those games.

Should be a good run to the end,

Derek

2010-03-01T11:30:00.000-08:00

Yesterday saw the first silverware of 2010 won by the boys in a satisfying win, 2-1 over Villa. In his match report, Dan mentioned how he liked the way Villa played and hoped they go on to win the FA cup this year; I agree. Villa play a fast, aggressive style of play, relying on speed and counter attack to create chances. When it works, its a joy to watch. Luckily for us, Villa appeared to loose their way after we equalized thru Owen, which is good because for the first 10 to 15 minutes, we looked unable to deal with the speed of Young and Agboniahor.

Watching the sequence of events that led to the (obvious) penalty award against Vidic, I thought how good Agboniahor would look in red. Picture our standard formation of the year, a four, three, three; with two attacking midfield/forward players on the right and left, supporting Rooney and also dropping back to help defend. Yesterday we had Valencia on the right and Park on the left. No issues with Valencia, he works hard and scores some goals, plus crosses the ball. I have a big problem with Park. Playing for United in a forward's role requires a certain something, a something that Park does not have. He can't shoot, he can't cross and he can't stay on his feet, and I don't care how many he shirts he sells with his name on the back, he is utter balls. However, Agboniahor as a United player? Playing on the left in a attacking forward/midfield role? I get goose bumps!! Agboniahor has always seemed to enjoy playing from a wide position, giving him room to sprint at players with the ball at his feet, anyone who saw him create the penalty yesterday will agree. Plus, when he gets in good positions he has the ability to finish. If Villa don't manage fourth spot this year, and personally I don't think they will, their squad size being the smallest of the teams challenging for the spot; will they be able to keep Agboniahor?

To truly be a world class player, Agboniahor needs to play Champions League football and test his skills against the best in Europe. With the direction of Sir, and playing with world class players everyday, Agboniahor could become a truly great player, and a regular in the England national team; and Park could go on a 'free' to Port Vale.

On another note, the pitch at Wembley, was a disgrace. Within the first 20 minutes, huge sections of turf were coming up from the field. It was obvious the playing surface was too soft, and the quotes by the players after the game confirmed this. To have a world class facility, the national stadium, with a sub par field is unacceptable. Surely the FA will take note and move to re-think how the field is prepared for big games. It has a negative effect on players, the game and thus the viewing fans, if the pitch is not the same fast, firm playing surface that is the norm in the Premier League. Also, the different surface, creates injuries, Owen and Rafael, being prime examples.

Lets buy Gabby, and play Cup Finals at Old Trafford!!!!

The Red Prophet.

2010-02-24T16:51:00.000-08:00

With the continued dominance of our in form pumpkin headed striker, who is scoring for fun, I thought I would crunch some numbers to dispel some of the more negative comments being made about our reliance on one player.

To this point United have played 42 games in all competitions: Rooney is obviously our top goal getter with 27. However the next three players on the list, Berba, Owen and Valencia have 9, 8 and 7 goals respectively for a total of 24. We then have 7 players with 2 or more goals this year.

Chelsea, the main rivals for 'our' title, have played 41 games in all competitions (including todays loss in Milan, way to go Jose :)) There top scorer is Didier Drogba with 25, then Lampard and Anelka have 12 each for a total of 24. Malouda and Kalou are next with 8 and 7 respectively. Then there are 7 players with 2 or more goals. Keep in mind that Chelsea are still in the FA cup and have had a very good draw, resulting in some blowouts, somewhat padding there goals for stats.

Arsenal have played 41 games to date. Fabregas is top scorer with 15. Arshavin has 9, R.V.P follows with 8. Diaby and Vermaelen follow with 7. Something is not right when your third highest scorer is a central defender. 8 players than follow with 2 or more goals.

Liverpool have played 38 games to this point. The 'feminine' one Torres has 12 goals, all while trying to decide if the fleshy mound between his legs represents male of female genitalia. No touch Kuyt follows with 9, hard work does produce results. After that 5 players have 2 0r more goals.

I could go on, but won't. Point is that, take the top goal scorer away from each team, and the supporting cast would provide a fairly even return among the four top teams. Yes, Rooney is a vital part of our team, but no more so than Drogba to Chelsea or Torres to Liverpool. Rooney is finally playing the role he is best suited to; an all out centre forward. This has resulted in the windfall of goals this season. Long may it continue.

The Red Prophet.

Facts For Rafa

2010-02-24T13:21:00.001-08:00

Rafa Benitez "Facts" T-Shirt: Some facts for Rafa: 1) The league table does not lie. 2) The team with the most league points is universally accepted to have performed best over the season. 3) It is now 19 years since Liverpool were the team that performed best over a season. 4) Your club is not famous anymore. 5) Fergie has won the league more times than Shankly, Paisley, Fagan (and you) put together. 6) Manchester United are now the most successful English team. Ever. 7) Sir Alex Ferguson has won the league title eleven times. 8) You have never won the league title. 9) 18 times, and that is a fact.

Welcome

2010-02-24T12:53:00.000-08:00

Hello,

This is the blog for RED RANTS which means we get to talk trash about every other team in Europe and/or praise the greatest football club in the world.

You will find random rants from myself (Derek), Pat, Ben and even Dan whose rants scare me sometimes.

If you would like to be a contributer, please contact me through the main website.

Members, feel free to comment as often as possible.

Cheers.

Derek