Manchester United Forum

[orca_sea]

hi, im new here .. (this thread), personally i'm a man utd fan since (1993) but let's face it.

man utd's strikers are going thru a very bad patch of late, they aren't scoring enough (even RVN is off-form this season). and that is what constitutes to the team not winning enough matches, nor earning enough points.

having attacking midfielders to score is only a bonus; giggs and scholes shouldnt be doing that all the time, else .. what are the strikers for? 4-5-1 is a boring formation, man utd has lost the flair it has during it's days of 4-4-2.

rooney is just an over-rated buy.. at $20m, i think he's a fluke. c-ronaldo is as inconsistent as man city .. with attacking players of these calibre.. i think man utd needa figure out what they should do to make their strikers score again, else .. they're gonna be empty-handed again.

sigh

Yah i believe we r juz goin thru a bad patch at the moment but we shld hav faith in the team.. even if we dun do well this season itz alrite lor bcos we r slowly undergoing a transitional phase which most team will go thru oso. Itz part of the lifecycle of a team. Anyway we shld hav total faith in Sir Alex as he knows wat best iz for the team. LONG LIVE SAF!! For Rooney case, he still very young and hardheaded at the moment but i hav no doubt tat he's juz a gem tat is waiting for to further polish so lets juz wait!! ;)

[jujube]

gravesan is good this season[/B]

he was good last season and the previous too. just that Everton has done well this season.. he rise to prominence especially since he played such an important role

[RVN]

I have faith in our first-team players but I am seriously unconvinced about our 2nd-strings, espically no one really capable of replacing Keane, Scholes, Giggs. That said, I hope we can get back on track sooner than later. But big changes must be made within the squad in the summer.

[cutieboy86]

Roy ready to quit United
Roy Carroll will quit Manchester United if he is not named in the side to face Liverpool on Saturday. The blundering goalkeeper is in a contract dispute with the Old Trafford club and his current deal runs out at the end of this season. He expected to be left out of the FA Cup game against Exeter and tomorrow’s Carling Cup semi-final first-leg at Chelsea. But he wants his first-team jersey back for the Premiership clash at Anfield. If Northern Ireland keeper Carroll, 27, is left out he will know he has little chance of being the long-term No 1. He is free to sign a pre-contract with any club and leave United for nothing in the summer.
Neil Custis, The Sun

Ruud rush job
Ruud van Nistelrooy is ready to be rushed back into action in a bid to rescue Manchester United's season. The Dutch ace, out since November 27 with an Achilles injury, may make a dramatic early comeback for the big Premiership showdown at Arsenal on February 1.
Bill Thornton, Daily Star

Humiliated Ferguson set to unleash big guns at Chelsea
Sir Alex Ferguson will meet fire with fire when he goes head-to-head with Jose Mourinho tomorrow night aiming to restore Manchester United's battered pride. Ferguson is set to scrap plans to field his second string in the Carling Cup semi-final first leg at Stamford Bridge in a bid to avoid a second humiliation inside five days. The United boss will ditch his youngsters after their dismal FA Cup goalless draw with non-League Exeter and instead field a team of 11 full internationals - including Wayne Rooney - for the grudge clash with the Premiership pacesetters.
Richard Tanner, Daily Express

[Ronaldo7]

please don't rush rvn back . it's not good for both him and club in the long run :s27:

[RVN]

Rooney and Saha returns

Wayne Rooney and Louis Saha are among a group of players likely to return for United against Chelsea as Sir Alex Ferguson looks to bolster his League Cup squad with experience.

Having watched a weakened Reds team draw 0-0 with Conference side Exeter in the FA Cup, Ferguson has re-evaluated his selection policy for the match at Stamford Bridge.

With a lunchtime kick off against Liverpool on Saturday, Sir Alex will not use his strongest squad, but the Reds manager will field a more experienced side than the one that failed to break down Exeter at the weekend.

Rooney returns from suspension and is being tipped to start, while Louis Saha could be named among the substitutes after impressing during training this week.

”Wayne Rooney is available after suspension,” the manager said ahead of the game. “John O’Shea is available again. He has been out for a short spell after getting injured in the Aston Villa game on 28 December. Quinton Fortune is fit again.

”Louis Saha is coming along great. He has been doing some terrific training

”I just need to make my mind up on him. I may put him on the bench against Chelsea. He’s back and that’s the good thing.”

"We will not put out our strongest squad because we have one eye on the 12:30 kick off against Liverpool on Saturday and one eye on this tie. But We're getting much more like our strongest squad again."

Ferguson was asked if the 0-0 draw with Exeter had changed his thinking on team selection for the League Cup semi final. "Slightly," he said. "With the young players having only played once in the past month, I won't be starting the likes of young Pique and Jonathan Spector.

"I had to pick that team because nine of my first team squad had played six games in 21 days.

"With the injuries I had over the Christmas period I had to play those nine in all the games. Ronaldo had played in five in 21 days, so it had to be the case that I gave those players a break on Saturday. We were absolutely correct about that decision.

"What we didn't anticipate was the performance of the team. The disappointment is always there after a performance as bad as that.

"But then, eight of those players hadn't played since 8 December, which is a long time without football. Nonetheless, we should be beating Exeter at home."

Report by Ben Hibbs, at Carrington.

http://www.manutd.com/news/fullstory.sps?iNewsid=141150&itype=466&icategoryid=122

[blackevil_2000]

yeah liverpool n chelsea u wait manu will crash u
!!!!!!!!!!!

[v3locity]

play 4-4-2 again, and we'll win :)

[kahmun7]

Roy ready to quit United
Roy Carroll will quit Manchester United if he is not named in the side to face Liverpool on Saturday. The blundering goalkeeper is in a contract dispute with the Old Trafford club and his current deal runs out at the end of this season. He expected to be left out of the FA Cup game against Exeter and tomorrow’s Carling Cup semi-final first-leg at Chelsea. But he wants his first-team jersey back for the Premiership clash at Anfield. If Northern Ireland keeper Carroll, 27, is left out he will know he has little chance of being the long-term No 1. He is free to sign a pre-contract with any club and leave United for nothing in the summer.
Neil Custis, The Sun



interesting, Caroll dares to demand for a place against Liverpool, so soon after his blunder... not saying he's not good, but I guess it's a bad time to be demanding things... it's just like asking for an increment after focking up a big deal. :s8:

[kahmun7]

I guess this is just time, when Rooney proves to everyone he is not a mistake buy, and Saha shows why he deserves a regular place in the first team. I hope they succeed.

[RVN]

If Carroll want to make a fuss about not playing against pool, he can go, still got the cheek to do that after his horrendous blunder. :s22:

However this is from the SUN, and most of thing they wrote are bull****. :s8:

[MatrixFanatic]

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has written off Chelsea's chances of winning four trophies this season.

Chelsea are at the top of the Barclays Premiership, seven points clear of second-placed Arsenal, face Barcelona in the last 16 of the Champions League, Birmingham in the fourth round of the FA Cup and Manchester United in the semi-finals of the Carling Cup.

Jose Mourinho's side continue their quest for a clean sweep of honours with the first leg of the Carling Cup semi-final against Ferguson's side tonight at Stamford Bridge.

But Ferguson, who led United to the treble of Champions League, Premiership and FA Cup in 1999, insists Chelsea will not better that achievement.

'There is no chance of a club doing a quadruple,' said Ferguson.

'A treble is more feasible. But it is still very difficult to think that will be done again.

'When we did the treble, we had only Henning Berg injured.

'You need a hell of a good squad and your main players have to be fit all the time.'

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/headlinenews?id=321634&cc=4716

[jackjack]

Hey who read the newpaper today??

Pls sms your support to 93678728

manu <space> name
lpool <space> name


No extra sms charges,only normal charge


VOTE FOR MANU!!knn liverpoool won us.

[MatrixFanatic]

Hey who read the newpaper today??

Pls sms your support to 93678728

manu <space> name
lpool <space> name


No extra sms charges,only normal charge


VOTE FOR MANU!!knn liverpoool won us.

It's okay. Our number of post in here more than any thread. :o

[Raul7]

It's okay. Our number of post in here more than any thread. :o


hahaha..yeah man.... :s13:

[Ronaldo7]

the tnp result is also not the official result what :s22: waiting for the chelsea vs man u match :evil:

[LiquidSilver]

fergie pls get geremi

[blackevil_2000]

i tink that fegie forget abt this 04/05 n use this time to get miller,howard n rooney ready next season
next season win treble

[Raul7]

fergie pls get geremi


ya..he buay song chelsea liao :s13:

[Ultimate10002000]

I doubt Man U can win anything this season. Cant believe Man U is still relying on Senior players and the young player is unable to do their best

[cracker]

For those who had watched the Chelsea-MU game, will wunder how the blues failed to score.
Both P.Nevile and Heinze need to perform goal line clearance...esp the former in the last 5 min of the game.

Both team was fielding almost first 11....Utd minus Keane and Ferdinand...Saha was back to partner Rooney while Scholes and Smith, was introduced late in the game to replace ROnaldo who had a skirmish with Drogba,....The home team almost fielded all their strike force except robben....

In failing to get the crucial away goal, MU will need to win on the return leg...

[RVN]

3 straight goalless draw now, so far, in the month of january, we have been rather dissapointing. :(

We need to start scoring goals soon. :o

[kahmun7]

fergie pls get geremi
Geremi is Right Midfielder I think, think we already have plenty of that...

[kahmun7]

3 straight goalless draw now, so far, in the month of january, we have been rather dissapointing. :(

We need to start scoring goals soon. :o
A goalless draw is not such a bad result, considering it's at Stamford Bridge, and like you said, Chelsea fielded their best attackers minus Robben, and Man Utd played without the 2 most influencial player in Keane and Ferdinand.

[cracker]

u guys should see the way Jose pat fergie's head when they left for the tunnel...
it seemed he was trying to say..." Ur team is lucky to leave stamford bridge w/o conceding any goal...old man.."

[mclarenfan]

Saha played terrible :s31: ...but one can forgive him for that, cos he just comeback from injury. Iam happy to see him back and hope no more injuries to him....

Chelsea did not play Cech, Duff, Robben...(thats all)

Man UTD did not play Carroll, Ferdinand, Keane, Giggs, Ruud, Alan smith(played last few seconds only).....
still chelsea dare to say they have a bigger and better squad than man utd....let us see what happens to chelsea when they kena injury list like Man Utd....

Kezman was sub-in and he cannot touch the ball for a long time :s13: ....drogba was pissed =:p ....somemore they play at home..... How would they feel at Red Devils Home :s27:?

[kahmun7]

u guys should see the way Jose pat fergie's head when they left for the tunnel...
it seemed he was trying to say..." Ur team is lucky to leave stamford bridge w/o conceding any goal...old man.."

I saw that hehe


Chelsea did not play Cech, Duff, Robben...(thats all)




I saw Duff, he did play.. I'm half asleep.. but I remember seeing him on the field

[chengsun]

duff got played......

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/match?id=169873&cc=4716

[cracker]

Saha played terrible :s31: ...but one can forgive him for that, cos he just comeback from injury. Iam happy to see him back and hope no more injuries to him....

Chelsea did not play Cech, Duff, Robben...(thats all)

Man UTD did not play Carroll, Ferdinand, Keane, Giggs, Ruud, Alan smith(played last few seconds only).....
still chelsea dare to say they have a bigger and better squad than man utd....let us see what happens to chelsea when they kena injury list like Man Utd....

Kezman was sub-in and he cannot touch the ball for a long time :s13: ....drogba was pissed =:p ....somemore they play at home..... How would they feel at Red Devils Home :s27:?


chelsea just need a non-goal less draw to go thru....remember porto last min goal in last year CL ?

[cracker]

Saha played terrible :s31: ...but one can forgive him for that, cos he just comeback from injury. Iam happy to see him back and hope no more injuries to him....

Chelsea did not play Cech, Duff, Robben...(thats all)

Man UTD did not play Carroll, Ferdinand, Keane, Giggs, Ruud, Alan smith(played last few seconds only).....
still chelsea dare to say they have a bigger and better squad than man utd....let us see what happens to chelsea when they kena injury list like Man Utd....

Kezman was sub-in and he cannot touch the ball for a long time :s13: ....drogba was pissed =:p ....somemore they play at home..... How would they feel at Red Devils Home :s27:?


chelsea just need a non-goal less draw to go thru....remember porto last min goal in last year CL ?

duff did play...only robben was absent.

[Yellowfin]

Today, 5-30pm on channel 22 repeat telecast of the League cup match.

[DJkillbill_24]

chelsea just need a non-goal less draw to go thru....remember porto last min goal in last year CL ?

duff did play...only robben was absent.
Away goal rules applys only in extra time see thread below.

http://forums.hardwarezone.com/showthread.php?t=918135

[Ronaldo7]

not a bad performance if you ask me :s22:

liverpool is next :evil:

[cracker]

Away goal rules applys only in extra time see thread below.

http://forums.hardwarezone.com/showthread.php?t=918135



strange rule.....

[mclarenfan]

morientes playing for liverpool against man utd..... iam worried....

[MatrixFanatic]

Got Rio worry for what. :s12:

[RVN]

Away goal rules applys only in extra time see thread below.

http://forums.hardwarezone.com/showthread.php?t=918135

That means we have to go all out to win the 2nd leg then to go to the final. ;)

[RVN]

GIGGS TO MAKE EARLY RETURN

http://www.4thegame.com/media/00/02/36/ryan_giggs_2005.jpg

Ryan Giggs is set to return to the Manchester United starting line-up when they face bitter rivals Liverpool at Anfield on Saturday.

The in-form winger limped out of last week's goalless draw against Tottenham with a hamstring injury and it was reported that he would be ruled out for around six weeks.

Sir Alex Ferguson subsequently said that he expected the Welshman's absence to be much shorter, but it is still a major surprise that he is in the Scot's plans for the weekend.

"Ryan has a chance for Saturday," said Ferguson. "He trained today and I expect him to be fit."

Rio Ferdinand is also likely to return after sitting out the games against Exeter City and Chelsea, while Louis Saha could keep his place after returning from a knee injury at Stamford Bridge.

Saha made his first appearance for nine weeks in the Carling Cup semi-final first leg at Chelsea on Wednesday and Ferguson was impressed by his contribution to the goalless draw.

"Louis' return is a big bonus for us," he said.

"It gives me an alternative to Alan Smith, who has been a real soldier for us over the last few weeks.

"He got tired in the last 20 minutes and lost a bit of penetration but I kept him on because I thought he might get a goal."

Wayne Rooney also returned to action against Chelsea following his three-game suspension, but Ruud van Nistelrooy is still some way from recovering from his calf problem.

http://www.4thegame.com/club/mufc/news/164953/giggs_to_make_early_return.html

[mclarenfan]

Help!!..Iam suffering from addiction :s34: to drug.... the drug is man utd... I just watched their match today morning against chelsea, carling cup.. and i already feel starved :sad: of man utd... i got subscribe to MU TV but still not enough..... Cant wait for Sat match against Liverpool :s21: .... are you also suffering from this addiction?

[cutieboy86]

Fergie Confident For Semi-Final Second Leg

Sir Alex was full of praise for the team after the 0-0 draw at Stamford Bridge, especially for Scholes' sparkling performance.

Here's what he had to say to Sky Sports after the game...

United denied a penalty?
"It looks as if it was a penalty all right, no question about that. Interestingly enough Chelsea got a free-kick from exactly the same kind of situation about five minutes later, but outside the box. Sometimes you get them sometimes you don't, but it's disappointing we didn't this time. I thought the referee gave Chelsea an awful lot in the first half.

Return of Saha
"For us the great thing is we got Louis Saha back. With that game behind him he'll be an absolutely terrific addition to our team now. He's got the pace, he's got the spring in the air, two great feet and I think if he'd had a game behind him he'd have been a bigger threat to Chelsea. Towards the last 20 minutes I was toying with the idea whether I should take him off. But I'm very happy with him.

Changes from the Exeter game
"Some of them needed a game, like Louis Saha, Quinton Fortune, John O'Shea, young Wayne Rooney. At the end of the day we've coped well with Chelsea and they are a threat in the air, there's no question about that. When they brought that big Russian guy on (Jarosik), crikey, I don't know what size he is, but he was an even bigger threat. We coped well with them, their one opportunity was knocked off the line by Phil Neville. So there was one or two moments when we had to defend well. In the main I think for me, we knew we were never going to lose the game when Paul Scholes came on the pitch. He showed what a fantastic player he is, there's not a player in the land as good as him. He was absolutely magnificent tonight. Control, composure, vision, awareness, everything. He settled our whole team down.

Clean-sheet confidence
"They've not been losing goals, Chelsea. From our point of view, if Louis Saha had had a couple of games behind him we might have just got nthe one we needed. He had two or three good opportunities from headers. I was pleased that we didn't lose a goal, that's six in a row now that we haven't lost a goal and that spreads confidence in the team.

Next leg
"There'll be a great atmosphere, there'll be a full 67,000. I don't know how many Chelsea will be bringing, but at least we'll have a massive support behind us. It could go either way. Two terrific teams, a lot of great players on both teams so it could go either way. It really depends on what team I play I think.

Team vs Liverpool
"Giggs and Ferdinand will be fit... well, I think they both should be fit."

[Raul7]

Help!!..Iam suffering from addiction :s34: to drug.... the drug is man utd... I just watched their match today morning against chelsea, carling cup.. and i already feel starved :sad: of man utd... i got subscribe to MU TV but still not enough..... Cant wait for Sat match against Liverpool :s21: .... are you also suffering from this addiction?


wah so hardcore issit... hhahahaha

[Ronaldo7]

glad that giggs is most likely fit to face liverpool . still remember his cross turn goal against liverpool last season :s22:

[Raul7]

glad that giggs is most likely fit to face liverpool . still remember his cross turn goal against liverpool last season :s22:


hahaha...hope he will terror liverpool defence again... :)

[Ultimate10002000]

Good to hear that Giggs is coming back...Man U cant do that well without him.

[ralliart_ray]

where to watch this match sia??? any1 suggest?? devils bar?

[Ultimate10002000]

Got starhub cable tv..i am sure they will show live

[Raul7]

where to watch this match sia??? any1 suggest?? devils bar?


devils also can...home of the old trafford faithful :)

[Ultimate10002000]

Oh isit ? now then i know...interesting

[Raul7]

Oh isit ? now then i know...interesting


hmm should be right ? arbo i also dun know where liao ???

[Ultimate10002000]

Actually this is for those die-hard fan if not any coffee shop should be good enough otherwise stay at home watch also is quite fun.

[RuMmYtUb]

A must win for us.. :D

[Raul7]

Actually this is for those die-hard fan if not any coffee shop should be good enough otherwise stay at home watch also is quite fun.


should gather all ur Utd friends to see together...hahaha :s13:

[mclarenfan]

How much does it cost to go devils bar?

It will be a huge shame if the devils bar dont have MU Tv..

[mclarenfan]

http://www.gamersquare.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=9820&stc=1

Whats your prediction?Man UTD vs Liverpool on 15/01/05 :s27:

Mine is 0-0 ....will be very happy if man utd win of course...

[MatrixFanatic]

Win win win win win for Manutd! :s12:

[Yellowfin]

Man U is playing away. I will be happy with a draw and it wiil be a bonus if Man Utd win.

Just hope that Man Utd strikers suddenly found their goal scoring form and start scoring goals in the coming match. :D

[cutieboy86]

Lean mean Heinze
Gabriel Heinze is the no-frills hardman sending shudders through Premiership attacks. Not since Stuart Pearce has the English game seen a full-blooded full-back like him. A Star Man performance from the Argentine in the Carling Cup semi-final first leg 0-0 draw at Chelsea on Wednesday has helped make Manchester United favourites for a trip to Cardiff. The United fans at Stamford Bridge certainly approved again, chanting ‘Argentina’ every time Heinze launched into one of his thundering challenges. And Heinze, 26, admitted: “It’s amazing to hear the fans chanting my country’s name. Things like that have helped to make me feel very much at home.”
Neil Custis, The Sun

Sir Alex targets Kameni
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has targeted the most highly-rated keeper in Spain to solve his Old Trafford goalkeeping crisis. Ferguson is chasing Espanyol's Cameroon international Carlos Kameni, 20, and has sent his goalkeeping coach, Tony Coton, to watch him four times this season. United are even ready to offer Spanish third choice keeper Ricardo as part of a £4million deal to lure him to Old Trafford. Kameni, who prefers to be known as Carlos rather than his real first name of Idriss, has a £4m buy-out clause on his contract which expires in 2007 but Ferguson will try and get him cheaper and would also like to do a player-plus-cash deal.
John Cross, Daily Mirror

[kahmun7]

Man U is playing away. I will be happy with a draw and it wiil be a bonus if Man Utd win.

Just hope that Man Utd strikers suddenly found their goal scoring form and start scoring goals in the coming match. :D
with Rooney's current goal scoring for? I highly doubt it.. :D but of course still hope we can at least draw 0-0... win I will be totally ecstatic.

[RVN]

Hoping for as draw, seem like you all think we lose then. :(

[Yellowfin]

Hoping for as draw, seem like you all think we lose then. :(

I never say that Man Utd going to lose. But lately, Man Utd have a goal crisis, so playing away game and in Anfield is not an easy game to win.

But with Man Utd defence playing well, I have an hunch we will draw the game unless the striker suddenly found their shooting boots.

[DJkillbill_24]

Man U is playing away. I will be happy with a draw and it wiil be a bonus if Man Utd win.

Just hope that Man Utd strikers suddenly found their goal scoring form and start scoring goals in the coming match. :D
Please be reminded that United need the 3 points badly, less than 3 we can surely (+confirm and chop) be out of the title race. United would not want to go to anfield going 4 a draw, they r going there to win (at all cost!!!). Most of the time i would be happy for a draw at Anfield, but not tomorrow... If we win tomorrow, who knows Arsenal and Chelsea drop points and we can close the gap again.

[blackevil_2000]

nvm just wish that manU win

[cutieboy86]

Fergie Hopeful Duo Will Play

Ryan Giggs and Rio Ferdinand face late fitness tests ahead of Saturday's lunchtime clash with Liverpool at Anfield.

Sir Alex Ferguson confirmed at his Friday press briefing that the pair will both be put through their paces on Saturday morning prior to kick-off, with the Boss remaining hopeful that both players will be passed fit to start the match.

”Ryan trained on Thursday and we are hoping he will be OK for Saturday," revealed Fergie. "He and Rio Ferdinand will both have fitness tests on Saturday morning. Hopefully both will be alright."

Gary Neville will definitely miss the game despite recovering from a virus. The United defender is back in training but the trip to Anfield has come just a little too soon for Neville, who will continue to build up his fitness over the next few days.

“Gary won’t be called on tomorrow," continued the Boss. "He has been training all week, but I think that it’s more important he continues that training and we can consider him next week.”

[Ultimate10002000]

Man U will have a much higher chance of winning if these 2 players are around on the pitch.

[Raul7]

Hope Smith can score...... :s13:

[Ultimate10002000]

Well....Smith is too careless sometime for a few time he should be able to score one la perhaps need to work harder during the training session for his finishing.

[Raul7]

Well....Smith is too careless sometime for a few time he should be able to score one la perhaps need to work harder during the training session for his finishing.


i got faith in his work rate and he will score..... :)

[Ronaldo7]

i seriously hope that rooney can get on the scoresheet against pool :evil:

[Ultimate10002000]

Well i got to agree with you. He just need more chances and more confident. Actually he had improve alot since his move from Leeds United. However he need better discipline otherwise people will know him better for his bad attitude rather than his skills.

[Raul7]

Well i got to agree with you. He just need more chances and more confident. Actually he had improve alot since his move from Leeds United. However he need better discipline otherwise people will know him better for his bad attitude rather than his skills.


hmm think smith really improves on his disciipline problems already.his anger quite tone down liao...another player who need to change is Rooney.if still hot headed he might be send off when playing for Utd.

[Ultimate10002000]

Ok perhaps Smith had improved in this area so good for him. As for Rooney i really dont see much Angel good in him. You see firstly he is very dirty minded and like to go around bedding women and not loyal to his GF and got bad attitute and super arrogant. What an asshole.

[Raul7]

Ok perhaps Smith had improved in this area so good for him. As for Rooney i really dont see much Angel good in him. You see firstly he is very dirty minded and like to go around bedding women and not loyal to his GF and got bad attitute and super arrogant. What an asshole.


wahahahaa.... :s13:

[United_Treble]

mu wun lose this one

[Ronaldo7]

Striker Fernando Morientes is expected to make his Liverpool debut and fellow new signing Mauricio Pellegrino should also play a part in the match.

Centre-back Sami Hyypia has recovered from flu and will return.

Winger Ryan Giggs and defender Rio Ferdinand face late fitness tests but Gary Neville is out again despite returning to training after a virus.

Giggs has missed the last two games with a hamstring injury and, along with Ferdinand, is expected to play.

Liverpool (from): Dudek, Finnan, Carragher, Hyypia, Pellegrino, Traore, Riise, Luis Garcia, Hamann, Gerrard, Nunez, Warnock, Morientes, Baros, Biscan, Diao, Harrison, Mellor, Sinama-Pongolle.

Man Utd (from): Carroll, Howard, P Neville, Silvestre, Ferdinand, O'Shea, Heinze, Fortune, Ronaldo, Keane, Scholes, Giggs, Djemba-Djemba, Smith, Saha, Rooney.

[Raul7]

scally Mauricio Pellegrino is another 'Blanc' for them.....thats it liao... so Utd chances will be higher...

[mclarenfan]

Strikers cannot score....is it because of 4-5-1... should we change to 4-4-2 ?
Having said that i think all our strikers are selfish... they dont play like yorke and cole... you know, help each other...that kind of thing

[blackevil_2000]

so sad so sad i prefer saha rvn

[United_Treble]

scally Mauricio Pellegrino is another 'Blanc' for them.....thats it liao... so Utd chances will be higher...
peo haven play and u make this comment, now then i noe why some mu fan r detested bt liv fan

[Raul7]

peo haven play and u make this comment, now then i noe why some mu fan r detested bt liv fan


hahaha..no la, i'm no longer man u fan already.stop supporting when Sir Alex sold off Stam to Lazio... :s27: i'm a neutral fan now. :)

[United_Treble]

hahaha..no la, i'm no longer man u fan already.stop supporting when Sir Alex sold off Stam to Lazio... :s27: i'm a neutral fan now. :)
ya i remember u mention, kept thinking u mu fan cuz ur smith pic

[Raul7]

ya i remember u mention, kept thinking u mu fan cuz ur smith pic


hahaha...is ok la :) paiseh to make u confuse...hehehe...so now i'm toking in pure football point of view. :)

[cutieboy86]

EXCLUSIVE: STAPLETON ON LIVERPOOL V UNITED

Former Old Trafford hero Frank Stapleton believes that Manchester United's Barclays Premiership title challenge will be all-but over if they fall 14 points behind leaders Chelsea on Saturday.
United face a daunting trip to Anfield to take on fierce rivals Liverpool and Stapleton insists Sir Alex Ferguson and his players cannot even contemplate defeat should Chelsea go on to take maximum points against in-form Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane.

Stapleton told premierleague.com: “If United were to lose or even draw the game, then you’re looking for Chelsea to really mess up.

“It makes it really difficult for the league - it will be almost impossible.

“United players still talk about overhauling Newcastle a few years back, but there’s a bit more resilience about this Chelsea side. It’s a long haul against a team of that calibre.”

However, Stapleton believes it is quite possible Chelsea will drop points at Spurs, allowing United to close the gap with a win and reignite their own title charge.

“We could see it turning out the other way,” Stapleton said.

“It will give United a new incentive. They’ve been playing well lately as their result sequence shows, as well as their performances.”

A former striker, one United player that Stapleton believes has yet to perform to the best of his ability is Wayne Rooney, who cost £27million from Everton earlier this season.

“We are still waiting for Wayne Rooney to fully emerge,” Stapleton said.

“Generally his performances haven’t been up to scratch.”

But Stapleton insists the teenager is a big-game player and believes he is more than capable of coming up with the goods against Liverpool.

“We still expect too much from him,” Stapleton said.

“That’s the thing with big game players. But it’s these sort of games when the manager doesn’t tend to worry so much about them.”

With Rooney yet to hit top form in the Barclays Premiership, Stapleton is concerned about United’s forward options in the absence of the injured Ruud van Nistelrooy and thinks the goalscoring form of Paul Scholes is crucial to their chances both on Saturday and beyond.

“In the last few weeks Paul Scholes has been in really good form, especially with his goals,” he said.

“It’s important because Alan Smith is not an out-an-out goalscorer, while (Louis) Saha has just had his first game after injury and I think he may suffer a bit from that and will be on the bench.”

One striker Stapleton is looking forward to seeing in action is new Liverpool signing Fernando Morientes, a player he believes is a real steal for Rafael Benitez.

“Morientes is a big coup for Liverpool,” he said.

“I think the way he he leads the line is impressive. He’s got decent ability, he’s very good in the air, is decent on the ground and has lots of experience, especially in the Champions League.

“He’s just the sort of player Liverpool need. In their recent performances Benitez has played a lot of young forwards which is a lot to ask for a club like Liverpool. The manager’s done great considering as it could have been very easy to fall apart.”

And Stapleton would have no qualms about throwing Morientes into the cauldron of a Liverpool-Manchester United derby.

“I don’t think there’s an alternative,” he said.

“It’s too big a game for Liverpool, especially as they’ve had an awful lot of injuries.”

He also believes Morientes’ arrival should see Benitez ditch his policy of favouring a lone striker in big games.

“There’s no point in leaving one of your strikers on the bench,” he said.

“It doesn’t really help the forwards. You really want them to get into double-figures in terms of goals, particularly at home.”

It couldn’t be a much tougher debut for the Reds’ new Spanish star, according to Stapleton, who has been extremely impressed with a United defence that has now gone five matches without conceding a goal.

“I think they’ve got a settled back four when they’re all fit,” Stapleton said, before singling out one player for special praise.

“Gabriel Heinze has been a major influence - he’s been a revelation. He’s settled into the team as if he’s been playing there a long time. His level of consistency has been the same all the time.”

“The contribution of (Mikael) Silvestre and (Rio) Ferdinand at the back has also been impressive."

Stapleton has fond memories of these games between the two most successful clubs in English football, which he insists were of equal importance when he was playing.

“The atmosphere in my day was every bit as competitive,” he said.

“There’s always been a rivalry. I only know of one player directly transferred between the clubs - that says it all.”

As for the latest instalment, Stapleton insists it is almost too close to call and it may come down to who needs the win more.

“It’s going to be a tight match. The need of Manchester United is not to drop any more points. Their need is greater than Liverpool’s.”

[ragnarok95]

hahaha..no la, i'm no longer man u fan already.stop supporting when Sir Alex sold off Stam to Lazio... :s27: i'm a neutral fan now. :)


One of the worst mistake SAF make....

[cutieboy86]

Fergie: No one compares to Scholes


Manchester United will be looking to Paul Scholes to fire them to Barclays Premiership victory at Liverpool tomorrow.

The Anfield clash of the north-west giants is always keenly contested. But this season's encounter should be even more highly charged than usual - given United must win to retain any realistic hope of winning the title, and three points are also a must for the hosts as they look to claim a Champions League berth.


Fernando Morientes' likely debut for Rafael Benitez's men offers even more intrigue.

But as Sir Alex Ferguson's side look to claim a third successive win at Anfield, it is Scholes who will be their key man.

'There is not a player in the land as good as he is,' said Ferguson.

'He has control, composure, vision, awareness. He is absolutely magnificent and for me one of the greatest players in the game.'

Ferguson's opinion is shared by Darren Fletcher, who knows the quiet man of the Manchester United dressing room will assume authority when it is needed tomorrow.

'He is so good at keeping the ball and keeping the pressure on the opposition,' said the Scotland midfielder.

'He plays little one-twos to get us moving forward and he is great at keeping calm and settling us down.'

After coming off the bench against Exeter and Chelsea, Scholes is a certain starter tomorrow as Ferguson brings back his big guns.

The United boss rested captain Roy Keane from the two cup clashes to keep him fresh for his confrontation with Steven Gerrard, while Rio Ferdinand and Ryan Giggs are also expected to play after recovering from minor injuries.

Ferguson's biggest selection dilemmas centre around the main striking role - which will probably see Alan Smith's greater match sharpness edge out Louis Saha - and in goal where Tim Howard and Roy Carroll are vying for the starting berth.

Carroll always knew Howard would play in the two recent cup games. But the American's inclusion could not have been timed any worse for the former Wigan goalkeeper, who has not had the opportunity to atone for his clanger against Tottenham.

Howard has started to look the part again, and Wednesday's shut-out at Stamford Bridge was his fifth in six appearances since being axed in the wake of his own blunder against Lyon in September.

Either way, three points are imperative as United head into a six-week period which also includes trips to Arsenal and Manchester City, the Exeter FA Cup re-match, the second leg against Chelsea and a Champions League date with AC Milan.

'This is what Manchester United is all about,' said Fletcher, who won his first major Red Devils honour in last season's FA Cup final.

'We have big games coming up Saturday, Wednesday, Saturday for about the next two months - and they are the ones we all want to be involved in.

'We don't want to be looking any further forward than Liverpool, though, because we need to win there to get our league form back on track.'

[Raul7]

One of the worst mistake SAF make....


Yes... worst sale ever... :s27: i think the best deal in his manager career should be getting King Cantona from Leeds utd... :)

[Ultimate10002000]

As usual Man U will be relying on their Senior Players to make an impact and hopefully Liverpool can do much better with the 2 new signings. Possible result from what i can see now according to the 2 team status could give us a draw.

[Kyubi]

sorry .. but i have a bad feeling today we will lose leh .. :( but lets hope i sae wrongly ... go go man u ~ scholes pls score against them :D

[Ultimate10002000]

You know what i really like this 2 team ler...dont wish either one of them to lose. As i want Man U to overtake Arsenal and Liverpool to overtake that stupid Everton. So i pray hard that it is a draw which is the best solution as each team get 1 point....fair enough right.

[Rume]

WTH! Giggs and Rio still injured and out for tonight!!! ARGH!

[Ultimate10002000]

Hey dude take it easy...I believe Man U still can make it even without the presence of this 2 players. It is just that the influencial power on the pitch for Man U side will not be that strong as only got Keane and Scholes can influence the team mainly.

[Kyubi]

yes first goal .. rooney ...

[Ultimate10002000]

Rooney...i doubt it might be Smith or perhaps Liverpool will strike first by Milan Baros or even Morientes. You never know.

[cutieboy86]

woah... rooney score le... gd shot

[Kyubi]

keane suay luck .. hit the post .. wah seh!

[cutieboy86]

Fergie Hails Rio As World's Greatest



Sir Alex Ferguson believes Rio Ferdinand is the best central defender in the world - and probably the best that's ever played for Manchester United.

The manager’s comments, which appear in full in the forthcoming issue of United - the club’s official magazine - are sure to create even more debate among fans. Steve Bruce, Gary Pallister, Ronnie Johnson and Jaap Stam are among the great defenders who have played for the Reds in recent years, but Fergie is now convinced Rio has the edge over them all.

"Rio is the best centre-half in the world at the moment and has been in incredible form,” says Sir Alex.

"He’s come to the maturity that you get when you reach your mid-twenties. You see that in his consistency of performance.

"That maturity over the next five or six years is going to make him probably the best centre-back this club has ever had. No doubt about it, even compared to Bruce and Pally."

Competition

Rio Ferdinand could be among the ‘big guns’ Sir Alex has threatened to wheel out for Wednesday's FA Cup replay against Exeter City, following the non-league side's gritty display in the shock 0-0 draw at Old Trafford.

[el_leumas]

You know what i really like this 2 team ler...dont wish either one of them to lose. As i want Man U to overtake Arsenal and Liverpool to overtake that stupid Everton. So i pray hard that it is a draw which is the best solution as each team get 1 point....fair enough right.
why u want liverpool to overtake everton? i see everton so difficult get into this position...so i supporting them a bit...

[Ultimate10002000]

Cos i feel that Liverpool will deserve the 4th spot more than Everton> Trust me la Everton is definitely going down. Even if Everton can clinch the 4th spot till the end of the season and represent England for UEFA football match, they also cant be in the competition for much longer one la. And it is a waste la. But for Liverpool it is different they are more cut out for UEFA. I really dislike this stupid Everton team

[Kyubi]

FT 0-1 man u won!! wahaha

[ragnarok95]

We beat liverpool twice this season!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[el_leumas]

Cos i feel that Liverpool will deserve the 4th spot more than Everton> Trust me la Everton is definitely going down. Even if Everton can clinch the 4th spot till the end of the season and represent England for UEFA football match, they also cant be in the competition for much longer one la. And it is a waste la. But for Liverpool it is different they are more cut out for UEFA. I really dislike this stupid Everton team
why?



they work hard for their victories.....

[el_leumas]

We Did The Double Over Lousypool!!!!

[kengbeng]

Great defensive performance. Heinze is my MOM for all his combative spirit and pin-point tackles.

[cutieboy86]

gd job again by man utd defenders esp heinz...he is really a veri consistent player since he 1st started playin for man utd... a great buy by fergie... man utd play a beta game esp in the 1st half wif gd passes but miss a few chances... finally see rooney scorin again... hope tis goal against liverpool will boost his confidence like wat it did to scholes and start scorin more goals again while ruud is out injured

[el_leumas]

who was the official man of the match?

[alvinoyw]

The TV viewers are blind, they can only see the contributions from the attacking players and they voted Stevie Gerrard as their MOM. Heinze wasn't even on the list and he should have won it.

[kengbeng]

I thought Keane was ESPN's MOM? Yeah I agree Heinze should have won it. He was everywhere on the pitch and saved us with a few crucial tackles.

[Yellowfin]

I heard from the tv commendator say that there is a handphone throw at Rooney after he score his goal.

[ragnarok95]

Yes, a handphone was thrown at the young boy...

[ralliart_ray]

impressive goal by rooney =D but the attacking after brown sent off was scary =/

[RVN]

Great result for us. :D

Yeah, a sore loser pool fan not happy with rooney celebration go and throw mobile phone at him. :s8:

[stipe]

heinze's my man for this match and so far for this season too. its amazing how he has fitted in this season, as if he had been playing in a man utd jersey for years!!! his fiery commitment makes me salute him, fiery but not crazy. controlled aggression!

the fact that he is playing in defence and the fact that he stands out with his level of standard says alot about him.

[MatrixFanatic]

impressive goal by rooney =D but the attacking after brown sent off was scary =/

Yeah. Last 10 minutes seems like forever. :s13:

I also agree that Heinze should be the man of the match. :s12:

But Silvestre also did very well. :s7:

[leslielai_]

We were fortunate to earn the 3 points. Brown and Fletcher are still rubbish. Absolutely brainless play from both players who looked lost throughout the entire match.

Do not let the victory make us oversee the problems we have within our squad. Retaining and keeping faith in the services of Wes Brown and Fletcher will only land us into trouble in time to come.

[leslielai_]

Heinze was my MOM and Keane showed Gerrard who's the master clearly in the clash last night. Liverpool has much to learn ^_^

[cutter]

Yes, a handphone was thrown at the young boy...

shows the educational level of certain people...

1. throw things
2. throw expensive thing
3. throw expensive thing with own number/SIM card on it
4. throw expensive thing with own number/SIM card on it and fail to hit target

:D :s13:

[Ultimate10002000]

This was a good victory as Man U quite deserve it la as they really did very well. Now they are able to keep up with Arsenal and hope Man U can overtake Arsenal soon. Liverpool must really work harder. With the debut of the 2 new signings i am sure everyone can see that both of them are not being morph together with the team yet. It is too rush and that 2 signings did not get to play frequent first team football so not at good form yet, so hope Liverpool can do better next time round. As for Man U hope the team will not get too cocky and underperform for the next match.

[Raul7]

Wasted sia...Keano nearly scored against Liverpool...and if really goal, would be a nice goal....:) Overall Man U controlled the midfield very well...maybe that is the key to win. :)

[United_Treble]

best la, ten man can win at anfield, damn proud

[Kyubi]

best la, ten man can win at anfield, damn proud
ya and rio was not there .. giggs oso ..

[Ultimate10002000]

Ok i will conclude that it was a really good victory....this show that the midfield standard of Man U was still one of the best in EPL. Old Keane still did his best just a pity that he did not get to score.

[vivre]

Heinze was my MOM and Keane showed Gerrard who's the master clearly in the clash last night. Liverpool has much to learn ^_^

I think Silvestre was better than Heinze... He made quite a lot of good and decisive defensive decisions. Heinze was good, but at times he dwindled on the ball a little too long...

[vivre]

One dissapointment from the match was Saha... Didn't seem in sync with the rest of his team mates, esp. with Rooney.

[kengbeng]

One dissapointment from the match was Saha... Didn't seem in sync with the rest of his team mates, esp. with Rooney.
Can't really blame him for that. He's been out so long and this is probably one of the very few times he's played alongside Rooney.

[Ultimate10002000]

A player that just come back from a long term injury is like that one la....suddently dont feel in place. But wait for a few matches before that playing feeling come back. It is like you very long din hold a pen to write and i want you to suddently write with a pen, you will feel very strange and uncomfortable and cant write properly. The same logic dude get it.

[Yellowfin]

Just read the newpaper, the article say that Dudek allow a Rooney tame-looking shot went underneath him.

I am not sure whether the writer watching the same match as me, Rooney shot is definitely not tame-looking shot, it had power and speed but also the ball was curving to the near post.

[cutieboy86]

Fergie Delighted With League Double Over Liverpool



Sir Alex Ferguson could not contain his delight as United completed the Premiership double over Liverpool with a 1-0 win at Anfield.

Wayne Rooney's first half strike after a blunder from Liverpool keeper Jerzy Dudek gave United a thoroughly deserved three points, despite the loss of Wes Brown for a second bookable offence twenty minutes from time.

The Boss was full of praise for his defence, who equalled a club record of seven consecutive clean sheets. Here's what Fergie told Sky Sports at the final whistle...

Delighted With The Win
"It was a fantastic game and a great performance from us. The important thing for us to do was keep our composure. We passed the ball well which took a lot of the steam out of Liverpool. It was very tense and competitive throughout but I'm really pleased with our performance today."

Brown's Sending Off
"I'd have to see it again but it may have been a bad tackle. We had an awful lot of bookings in the second half but I'd need to assess the sending off more closely. We knew we were going to face a bit of an onslaught when we went down to ten men. We had to survive that and we did.

High Praise For The Back Four
"The defence has been magnificent. Since Rio Ferdinand came back into the side he's brought that composure to the defence. Although he hasn't played in the last few games we've carried that momentum forward.

"John O'Shea came on today and did well after his fine performance in the week at Chelsea, while Wes Brown is a terrific defender as well. So I'm very pleased."

Keeping The Pressure On The Top Two
"The most important thing about today was getting the three points. Arsenal and Chelsea have both been to Anfield but I would have thought our performance was the best of the three."

Injury Update
"I thought Rio was going to be okay for the game but he failed a fitness test this morning. Ryan Giggs didn't feel right, while Alan Smith came down on his ankle in the last minute of the Chelsea game on Wednesday night so he wasn't available today either."

[RVN]

Benfica confirm Kleberson interest

Benfica have offered Kleberson an escape route from Manchester United but The Red Devils are reluctant to let their Brazilian misfit leave.

The South American has failed to justify the £7 million price-tag that accompanied his move from Atletico Paranaense and was last seen getting injured in the Carling Cup win over Arsenal.

Benfica coach Giovanni Trapattoni sees Kleberson as an alternative for top target Maxi Lopez, whose move from River Plate has stalled.

'Trap' wants to sign the United man on loan but Sir Alex Ferguson is not keen on the proposal.

"He is one of the best foreign midfielders," Trapattoni told Record.

"Already, we spoke and we are going to see if we have the possibility to hire him.

"The player wants to come, the businessmen also but not the club.

"Negotiations are not always easy but the deal is not at a standstill."

Trapattoni has other targets, including Liverpool's Igor Biscan, according to Portuguese sources, but Kleberson would perhaps welcome a chance to prove his worth at Estadio da Luz.

United would prefer a permanent transfer and, if they do relent and allow the midfielder to leave, it must be with at least a view to a concrete sale.

The World Cup winner is still sidelined with the ankle injury he sustained against Arsenal's under-strength side on December 1.

http://skysports.planetfootball.com/list.asp?hlid=250212&cpid=8&CLID=&lid=2&title=Benfica+confirm+Kleberson+interest&channel=Football_Home

[Yellowfin]

I know alot of Man Utd fans don't think that Kleberson are good enough. But I still think he have to the potential to be Man Utd regular if he get a run of game without getting injured.

[jujube]

I know alot of Man Utd fans don't think that Kleberson are good enough. But I still think he have to the potential to be Man Utd regular if he get a run of game without getting injured.


I agree. He shld be given a good run of games before juddging him. but ofcoz he musnt always be injured. Even forlan was granted that many chances

[RVN]

Sell him, 2 years now and he still hasn't proven his worth, beside its no good for him just injured/sitting on the bench for us all the time. :s8:

[Ultimate10002000]

I believe Man U should give Kleberson some more chances, it is sad to see a player that is injury prone and is being leave out for most of the actions. I think this player do have the potential and is definitely worth the price tag that is on him. After he is fit surely he is able to fight for a more regular role in the first team, so no point selling him right now.

[Yellowfin]

Rio should admit that he take cocaine rather than say he forget about the drug test. At least, he get a shorter ban than missing the drug test.

http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,1563,1392284,00.html

[RVN]

Well in the FA eyes, taking drugs is better than missing it. :s8:

[mclarenfan]

Is Injuries Man Utd middle name ? :s7:

Btw ....i keep getting 'server very busy'..when i enter hwz.... happening very often since last week only....is this normal? :s11: ....does it happen to you also?

Arsene wenger recent comments on Man utd is part of his mind games....try to put ferguson off track....cos man utd just one point behind Arsenal :s27:

[cutieboy86]

Rooney To Escape Action From The FA
Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney will not face a Football Association charge for his goal celebration after scoring against Liverpool on Saturday. The former Everton player ran to the Kop and cupped in a defiant gesture that appeared to taunt the home fans. But Rooney - who had a mobile phone thrown in his direction - will escape a police investigation for his part. Inspector George Dawson said: "It looks like Rooney hasn't committed a criminal offence so he won't be investigated."
Source: BBC Sport

[usjag_18]

hahaha..no la, i'm no longer man u fan already.stop supporting when Sir Alex sold off Stam to Lazio... :s27: i'm a neutral fan now. :)

If U are a Man U fan, U will never change, no matter what decisions the manager made.


One of the worst mistake SAF make....

I disagree with what U said. It's not really the worst mistake SAF made. I think there is no such thing as worst mistake when it comes to soccer. Maybe it's one of the bad decisions, but surely not mistakes.


I believe Man U should give Kleberson some more chances, it is sad to see a player that is injury prone and is being leave out for most of the actions. I think this player do have the potential and is definitely worth the price tag that is on him. After he is fit surely he is able to fight for a more regular role in the first team, so no point selling him right now.

Totally agreed with you, I think should give Kleberson chances. He will prove himself once he's out of injuries.

[usjag_18]

Rio should admit that he take cocaine rather than say he forget about the drug test. At least, he get a shorter ban than missing the drug test.

http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,1563,1392284,00.html

Well in the FA eyes, taking drugs is better than missing it. :s8:


Lolx... :s13: Alright, after a good laugh, I really have to say, no matter who the player is, English FA is not unfair becos of whether the player took the drugs or not. They are just being unfair to R.Ferdinand becos he's a RED DEVILs!


Rgds,
O'

[usjag_18]

why?



they work hard for their victories.....
Becos Everton has not been performing as well as Liverpool in the histories. Moreover, I think D.Moyes really makes people dislike him. The way he talks really very irritating.


Rgds,
O'

[Raul7]

[QUOTE=usjag_18]If U are a Man U fan, U will never change, no matter what decisions the manager made.

although no longer supporting Utd,but afterall, after watched them play quite a while liao(when giggs been handed the no.11),hard to kick the habit for not watching them playing... :)

[usjag_18]

If U are a Man U fan, U will never change, no matter what decisions the manager made.

although no longer supporting Utd,but afterall, after watched them play quite a while liao(when giggs been handed the no.11),hard to kick the habit for not watching them playing... :)


lolx... I am not saying anything against U, I am just telling what i think.

But seriously, I think the main reason that SAF had to sell J.Stam away also becos if Stam anyhw said mgiht affect the team spirit.

[RVN]

Rooney To Escape Action From The FA
Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney will not face a Football Association charge for his goal celebration after scoring against Liverpool on Saturday. The former Everton player ran to the Kop and cupped in a defiant gesture that appeared to taunt the home fans. But Rooney - who had a mobile phone thrown in his direction - will escape a police investigation for his part. Inspector George Dawson said: "It looks like Rooney hasn't committed a criminal offence so he won't be investigated."
Source: BBC Sport

And why should he?

Oh goodness sake, celebrating a goal in front of the kop is criminal offence, what rubbish. :s27:

[Raul7]

lolx... I am not saying anything against U, I am just telling what i think.

But seriously, I think the main reason that SAF had to sell J.Stam away also becos if Stam anyhw said mgiht affect the team spirit.


no worries man... :) stam also got fault la, say stupid things in his new book,haiz..... :s27:

[usjag_18]

no worries man... :) stam also got fault la, say stupid things in his new book,haiz..... :s27:


Even though he said some stupid things, but not as stupid/silly as D.Beckham & R.Keane. Go & admit they purposely go and attack people. lolx...

But R.Keane & J.Stam are good players larh.

Rgds,
O'

[Raul7]

Even though he said some stupid things, but not as stupid/silly as D.Beckham & R.Keane. Go & admit they purposely go and attack people. lolx...

But R.Keane & J.Stam are good players larh.

Rgds,
O'


haha.. :) when keano was signed from forest,i was thinking who the heck was roy keane...hahhaa..maybe that time still young,din really know a lot of soccer players back then. :) but keano has proven his worth to Utd. :)

[mclarenfan]

'We need video replays,' said Wenger. 'United would be mid-table if officials had the benefit of them.' - Soccernet.

:mad: whats his problem ?

[Raul7]

Arsene Wenger has continued his war of words with Sir Alex Ferguson claiming the Manchester United boss has lost "a lot of credibility" in their latest row.

The two men have been at each other's throats after Ferguson accused Wenger of confronting him during the infamous tunnel fracas after United's win over Arsenal in October in a weekend interview.

Ferguson also claimed Wenger's failure to apologise for the behaviour of his players after the match was a "disgrace" and believes he will never get an apology from the Frenchman.

The Scots' comments forced an angry rebuke from Wenger with the Arsenal chief calling for Ferguson to face a disrepute charge over the comments he made.

Wenger has continued his tirade by slamming Ferguson on French television.

"Ferguson's out of order. He has lost all sense of reality," Wenger told television station TPS.

"He is going out looking for a confrontation, then asking the person he is confronting to apologise."

[usjag_18]

'We need video replays,' said Wenger. 'United would be mid-table if officials had the benefit of them.' - Soccernet.

:mad: whats his problem ?
Finally, if there's video replays, I think Arsenal should be the one @ mid-table, not Man Utd. Stupid. His problem is SH*T!!!


Rgds,
O'

[Raul7]

Finally, if there's video replays, I think Arsenal should be the one @ mid-table, not Man Utd. Stupid. His problem is SH*T!!!


Rgds,
O'


think something wrong with this bloody Wenger..... :s27:

[kahmun7]

Finally, if there's video replays, I think Arsenal should be the one @ mid-table, not Man Utd. Stupid. His problem is SH*T!!!


Rgds,
O'
har har... yeap.. I really wish there are tv replays... see who's the real cheater. In fact I was quite disappointed there wasn't any security cameras outside the dressing room area to catch the whole incident. there should be yet another camera pointed at Wenger's face throughout each and every match to see where was he looking that everytime his player did something, he did not see it.

[RVN]

Fergie has wind Wenger up badly. :s13:

If he want video replays, he should also seen Viera blatant dive against Pool. An elbow dished out by Bergkamp on Smith. :s8:

So Wenger says he'll say nothing more about Fergie, then immediately says more. Ok, but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. He must have been down, and perhaps a little confused, after Arsenal capitulated to Bolton. Poor chap. :s13:

[blackevil_2000]

crap la wenger

[Raul7]

har har... yeap.. I really wish there are tv replays... see who's the real cheater. In fact I was quite disappointed there wasn't any security cameras outside the dressing room area to catch the whole incident. there should be yet another camera pointed at Wenger's face throughout each and every match to see where was he looking that everytime his player did something, he did not see it.


got a few divers in arsenal. :s27:

[usjag_18]

har har... yeap.. I really wish there are tv replays... see who's the real cheater. In fact I was quite disappointed there wasn't any security cameras outside the dressing room area to catch the whole incident. there should be yet another camera pointed at Wenger's face throughout each and every match to see where was he looking that everytime his player did something, he did not see it.
Pot calling Kettle black! If Fergie is bad, he's even worse. After losing to Bolton, starting to give such stupid things.


Rgds,
O'

[Ronaldo7]

i didn't see anything :s13:

exeter is next . . time to kill them off by playing a strong lineup :evil:

[Raul7]

i didn't see anything :s13:

exeter is next . . time to kill them off by playing a strong lineup :evil:


yup..confirm will whack them hard

[Ultimate10002000]

Well i think for the coming match, Man U first Team all the injured players should more or less return a few. So i dont see any reasons why Man U cant win this match with a wonderful victory. The opponents is not that good so Man U should be able to do its job.

[cutieboy86]

Giggs And Neville Return For Cup Replay



Sir Alex Ferguson says Ryan Giggs has a "50/50 chance" of playing in United's FA Cup Third Round replay at Exeter on Wednesday night, while Gary Neville is set to return following a virus.

Giggs has been out of action for the last two weeks after picking up a hamstring injury in the Premiership clash with Tottenham at Old Trafford on 4 January.

The United manager had hoped to have the Welshman available for the trip to Anfield last Saturday, but the 31-year-old was not deemed ready for the lunchtime kick off.

However, Giggs will be in Ferguson's squad which travels to the south coast. "Ryan is 50/50," confirmed Sir Alex. "He is much better and I will take him with me. Hopefully he'll be alright for the game."

Gary Neville, who hasn't played since the 5-2 win over Crystal Palace on 18 December, has been suffering from a lingering flu virus, but will play against Exeter at St James' Park.

"Gary is back fit and will play on Wednesday night," added Fergie. "He's fine now and has had ten days training."

Neville's prolonged absence might have been a cause for concern, but Ferguson says the defender's condition had been monitored closely and has been given the all-clear to play.

"It has been a surprise at how long it has taken for him to shake it off. Normally, the viruses the players have been getting in the last two months have been a two or three-day thing. Gary's came, went, came back again, went and came back again. It has persisted with the lad.

"But he has been back in training for ten days, we have done all the blood tests and checks. He's perfectly alright now."

Rio Ferdinand has not been included in the travelling squad, with Ferguson confirming: "I will take a strong side, but I won't be taking Rio. He's not fit.

"One or two others have colds so I will leave them behind. There is a little bit of virus going around the place so we are keeping an eye on that."

Report by Ben Hibbs, at Carrington & Gemma Thompson.

[blackevil_2000]

yeah yeah kill kill exeter

[Ultimate10002000]

This is a must win match for Man U and i truely believe they should be able to kill off the team. Trash them with a 3-0 win will be cool

[blackevil_2000]

manu like nvr bid 4 any player at all......

[blackevil_2000]

heinze solid a very good buy

[RVN]

manu like nvr bid 4 any player at all......

Gill has already said before they is no money to spend in jan unless we sell players. :o

[cutieboy86]

heinze solid a very good buy

ya... i agree wif u sia... heinze is really a gd buy and i beginnin to like him alot... he plays like he has been in the squad for veri long le

[d4r3d3vil]

how much heinze cost?

[Ronaldo7]

around 7m . i just loves his attitude and passion for the game :evil:

[cutieboy86]

not more than 9million pounds lor

[Ronaldo7]

we are thru to the next round of the fa cup :s7:

glad that ronaldo finally got on the socresheet again :)

[padixiong]

guys who visited EDMW recently would hav notice an arsenal fan ____jeff put up a post assusing me of banning ppl with abusive remarks... and a few man utd fans here like greycat also misunderstood me becos of ___jeff one sided story ..

well .. now we hav evidence that the person is not by me and ___jeff is just trying to make trouble here .... THIS (http://forums.hardwarezone.com/showthread.php?t=919979) is the thread ... just for quick refence... post#1 is the post he copy and paste from irc .. post #26 is the post i was explaining myself but no one seems to belive me and still thinking i am the one .. post #110 is the edvidence ___jeff is trying to make trouble her ... from than onwards .. ____jeff DOES NOT DARE to reply ..

tats y i calling all manu fans here to help up that thread to at least return my innocent :D

[Ch3tah_39]

guys who visited EDMW recently would hav notice an arsenal fan ____jeff put up a post assusing me of banning ppl with abusive remarks... and a few man utd fans here like greycat also misunderstood me becos of ___jeff one sided story ..

well .. now we hav evidence that the person is not by me and ___jeff is just trying to make trouble here .... THIS (http://forums.hardwarezone.com/showthread.php?t=919979) is the thread ... just for quick refence... post#1 is the post he copy and paste from irc .. post #26 is the post i was explaining myself but no one seems to belive me and still thinking i am the one .. post #110 is the edvidence ___jeff is trying to make trouble her ... from than onwards .. ____jeff DOES NOT DARE to reply ..

tats y i calling all manu fans here to help up that thread to at least return my innocent :D

alamak i believe u are innocent one lor, even if there is no evidence.. :)

[kahmun7]

guys who visited EDMW recently would hav notice an arsenal fan ____jeff put up a post assusing me of banning ppl with abusive remarks... and a few man utd fans here like greycat also misunderstood me becos of ___jeff one sided story ..

well .. now we hav evidence that the person is not by me and ___jeff is just trying to make trouble here .... THIS (http://forums.hardwarezone.com/showthread.php?t=919979) is the thread ... just for quick refence... post#1 is the post he copy and paste from irc .. post #26 is the post i was explaining myself but no one seems to belive me and still thinking i am the one .. post #110 is the edvidence ___jeff is trying to make trouble her ... from than onwards .. ____jeff DOES NOT DARE to reply ..

tats y i calling all manu fans here to help up that thread to at least return my innocent :D
i read read read, but damn blur ler.. dunno wat talkin in post #110..
can anyone summarise?? :P

[padixiong]

alamak i believe u are innocent one lor, even if there is no evidence.. :)

but some man united fans in EDMW dun believe .. sad ... they hear ____Jeff one sided story than started accusing me le .. **sob** **sob**

[padixiong]

i read read read, but damn blur ler.. dunno wat talkin in post #110..
can anyone summarise?? :P

haha...
blur arx ! !??

erm ..

dunno how to summarise leh .... but than .. is ok .. try to up that thread can le ... :D

[cutieboy86]

Fergie: Duo Should Have Scored Eight



Sir Alex Ferguson rued a host of missed chances in United's 2-0 FA Cup third round replay win over Exeter City on Wednesday night.

The Reds boss claimed goalscorers Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo could have scored eight between them, and said the match was a stern reminder of the qualities needed to win a cup tie.

"Ronaldo could have scored five and Wayne should have got a hat-trick," Sir Alex told MUTV after the game. "We missed a lot of chances.

"We had fantastic opportunities in the match," opined Ferguson. "It is a reminder that cup ties are cup ties; there is no tablet set about how you play a game of football in a cup tie.

"It's about luck, determination, realising what cup football is all about and getting stuck in at times. That's a great reminder to us."

That may prove a timely lesson for United, who may need to draw upon those qualities when they return to Champions League duty next month against AC Milan, in the two-legged cup format of the competition's last 16.

As the season nears its most crucial stages, Sir Alex was pleased to see the timely sight of players returning from injury.

"It's good to have Ryan and Gary back," Ferguson said, "particularly Gary. Ryan hasn't been out for that long, but Gary has been out for quite a while.

"It's good for him to get his first game under his belt and it was ideal for him to play at centre half and not a full back, simply because it gave him an easier role.

"It's a boost to have players like Louis Saha, Ryan Giggs, Gary Neville, Quinton Fortune, John O'Shea, and Wes Brown who was suspended against Exeter, available again."

The United manager left the final word to praise Exeter's approach to the two matches, saying: "It's been fantastic. Exeter have handled the whole thing very well. They've purported themselves in the proper fashion."

[Ronaldo7]

but some man united fans in EDMW dun believe .. sad ... they hear ____Jeff one sided story than started accusing me le .. **sob** **sob**

bro , relax lah :)

as long as you know that you are not in the wrong can liao what . why care about others right ? :s22:

[Feador]

they should visit irc and take a look at what arsenal fans do instead of what we do to them..

[usjag_18]

Seriously, dun have to get so agitated. People might misunderstood U, but relax first even though U think it's serious that U are being misunderstood. However, I think it's really silly of you and jeff argue abt such things. So just forget abt the matter and get on with our games & concentrate on Man Utd & their players.

Stop thinking abt wat A.Wenger said or J.Mourinho said. Most important is what A.Ferguson intends to do and what to do and even be careful with what they said! ;)



Rgds,
O'

[cutieboy86]

Fergie in for Abbi
Sir Alex Ferguson has made inquiries about AC Milan keeper Christian Abbiati in a move that is sure to rile Arsene Wenger. Abbiati, 27, is Wenger's No.1 target and the Arsenal boss sent chief scout Steve Rowley to watch him play in an Italian Cup tie against Palermo last week. But Ferguson is now closing in on the keeper after Edwin van der Sar signed a new deal at Fulham and Middlesbrough's Mark Schwarzer agreed a three-year extension to his current contract. United have asked whether AC would be willing to release their second-choice keeper and have been told he can leave once they find a replacement.
Lee Reynolds, Daily Mirror

[mclarenfan]

Saw the FA cup leg 2 against exeter...
Exeter played like any EPL team...

My point is ....

Ronaldo is pissing me off!....he is getting selfish and more selfish....want to go for glory always....SAF pls fix this Ronaldo's head

Saha is not selfish and he seems to be returning to his best....was sharp in the match...

[Ultimate10002000]

Guess Ronaldo is just trying to do his best for the team, who knows this might be part of Fergie Attacking strategy. If Ronaldo can contribute more by holding up the ball and his position and attack well i think it is pretty ok. As for Saha i am great to see him return to the pitch after a long term injury problem. Heard that he performed very well for the game.

[cutieboy86]

let's hope saha will not be injured again and i waitin to see his performance again... i tink saha play a gd game last nite

[Ultimate10002000]

Well you are right pal, now Man U will really need a experience senior striker like Saha to play upfront, i dont think he will get injured so easily la so dont worry. Hope to see this Saha scoring more goals for Man U later on in the upcoming matches.

[RVN]

Fergie in for Abbi
Sir Alex Ferguson has made inquiries about AC Milan keeper Christian Abbiati in a move that is sure to rile Arsene Wenger. Abbiati, 27, is Wenger's No.1 target and the Arsenal boss sent chief scout Steve Rowley to watch him play in an Italian Cup tie against Palermo last week. But Ferguson is now closing in on the keeper after Edwin van der Sar signed a new deal at Fulham and Middlesbrough's Mark Schwarzer agreed a three-year extension to his current contract. United have asked whether AC would be willing to release their second-choice keeper and have been told he can leave once they find a replacement.
Lee Reynolds, Daily Mirror


Another italian keeper, wait become another Taibi, no thanks. :s8:

[Raul7]

Another italian keeper, wait become another Taibi, no thanks. :s8:


i think he is at least better than that Taibi....lobang king... :s27:

[Ronaldo7]

nope . abbiati is much better than taibi :s22: he is good but just can't get ahead of dida in the milan team

[Raul7]

nope . abbiati is much better than taibi :s22: he is good but just can't get ahead of dida in the milan team


yeah you are right man.... :) if i'm not wrong he is the 2nd choice in Italy team

[United_Treble]

yeah you are right man.... :) if i'm not wrong he is the 2nd choice in Italy team
muz why get e 1st choice, dida right

[RVN]

Hilderbrand another one been linked, and very funny, every keeper is all linked with United and Arsenal. :s22:


English big-guns in for Hildebrand

STUTTGART, Germany (AFP) - English Premiership duo Arsenal and Manchester United are reportedly chasing VfB Stuttgart goalkeeper Timo Hildebrand.

The 25-year-old Germany international has snubbed a five-year contract at Stuttgart and is a free agent at the end of the season.

It is believed Hildebrand shunned Stuttgart's offer in the knowledge that a move to a bigger club was on the cards.

"Hildebrand set for Arsenal," headlined the Bild daily.

The tabloid claimed that Arsenal had already expressed their interest in the goalkeeper and that his agent, Dusan Bukovac, wanted to take him to the London club.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger dropped German custodian Jens Lehmann following a string of mistakes and the inconsistent form of Spaniard Manuel Aluminia has prompted Wenger to look for a new glovesman.

Ironically Stuttgart have earmarked Lehmann as one candidate to replace Hildebrand at the end of the campaign.

Manchester United are also experiencing problems between the posts with US goalkeeper Tim Howard and Irish shot-stopper Roy Carroll less than convincing.

"Is Hildebrand going to Manchester United?" asked the Frankfurter Allgemeine.

Hildebrand had an outstanding game for Stuttgart in last season's Champions League group stage encounter against Manchester United as the Germans ran out 2-1 winners.

German champions Werder Bremen and Bayern Munich have removed themselves from the running.

"He will not be moving to Munich," confirmed Bayern chief Felix Magath. "We have Oliver Kahn under contract until 2006."

Werder sporting director Klaus Allofs admitted signing Hildebrand was no longer a priority.

"Hildebrand is not a target for us any more," affirmed Allofs.

http://uk.sports.yahoo.com/050120/3/8lfh.html

[1920_me]

i think united dont need keepers..i think caroll and howard are fine..most keepers do make occasional errors(everyone except CECH!!)

[cutieboy86]

haha... almost all goalkeepers that are playin quite well are linked... wonder which gk is next

[chengsun]

i dun think it is abbiati though i wish is him. we will be playing ac milan soon, do u think any team will release one of their good player to the opponent they r facing so that the player can help to beat themselves? no way!

[Ultimate10002000]

i think united dont need keepers..i think caroll and howard are fine..most keepers do make occasional errors(everyone except CECH!!)

I understand that Caroll is still refusing to sign an contract extension yet right...? Whereas for Howard he has been kept in the fridge for too long liaoz. If howard can improve his skills and willing to train harder then actually Man U dont need a new goalie yet.

[blackevil_2000]

ya manU not need new keeper

[Ch3tah_39]

anywae imo hor caroll hav the tendency to co*k up in easy catch... :s27:

[ralliart_ray]

somehow i miss horward.... how is he doing these days?? Will he regain back his No.1 ?

[RVN]

somehow i miss horward.... how is he doing these days?? Will he regain back his No.1 ?

Playing in the fa and carling cup. :s8:

[mclarenfan]

Tim Howard and Roy Carrol look equal to me.....I feel sorry for Ricardo though...hope he can be loaned to other club for a while....

I hope we can have a goalie who is as influential as Khan, Casillas, Buffon...

Carrol has really upped his ratings this season...i think he will be worth a lot compared to a couple of seasons back.... :s27:......Howard's value on the other hand looks decreasing to me....on the player point of view...it is better he finds other club, where he will be no.1...but like Keane said...it is very difficult to walk away from Man Utd...

Anyway everyone knows what Howard is capable of...unlike Ricardo...

Howard played in all the FA cup and Carling cup matches right ?

Carrol played in all the EPL and Champions League matches right? can someone confirm this...

[trax06]

Jan 19, 2005
FootballAsia.com


HONG KONG – English Premier League side Manchester United have revealed that they will be playing matches in Hong Kong and Beijing as part of their pre-season tour of East Asia this summer.

The club have announced that they will be playing matches against Hong Kong on Saturday, July 23 and China Super League side Beijing Hyundai on Tuesday, July 26 as part of their four-match tour of the region.

The tour schedule is also likely to include matches in Japan although no details of other fixtures have yet been released.

One of the best-supported European clubs in the East Asian region, Manchester United have won eight English Premiership titles in the past 12 seasons and are currently third behind leaders Chelsea and Arsenal in the Premier League standings.

http://www.footballasia.com/en/regi...&yr=2005&cc=HKG

[Ronaldo7]

i am really impressed by our defence recently . 8 clean sheets in a row liao :s7:

aston villa is next :evil:

[cutieboy86]

8 clean sheets in a row is a club record le... our defence is really stable le... gd job done by our defenders... nw nid to improve on the strikin side

[RVN]

Howard played in all the FA cup and Carling cup matches right ?

Carrol played in all the EPL and Champions League matches right? can someone confirm this...

Howard did play against lyon away, but after his blunder, he has lost his place to Carroll.

Carroll has done a solid job, well until his madness against spurs. :s27:

[gxelan]

yes..agree that we need to buck up on the strike rate...

[Raul7]

i think united dont need keepers..i think caroll and howard are fine..most keepers do make occasional errors(everyone except CECH!!)


really agreed that Cech plays exceptional well in EPL. :)

[Ultimate10002000]

Yup thats right Cech is really performing very well. Never make much mistake and Chelsea must really thanks god this goalie is on their side. Wonder why Man U din join in the chase for this goalie ?

[MatrixFanatic]

Yup thats right Cech is really performing very well. Never make much mistake and Chelsea must really thanks god this goalie is on their side. Wonder why Man U din join in the chase for this goalie ?

He's performing well only because the defence is tok kong. :s12:

[trax06]

He's performing well only because the defence is tok kong. :s12:


yeah i think cech is gd but we have not seen him with a bad defence line yet.he doesnt do much during a match.

[usjag_18]

Saw the FA cup leg 2 against exeter...
Exeter played like any EPL team...

My point is ....

Ronaldo is pissing me off!....he is getting selfish and more selfish....want to go for glory always....SAF pls fix this Ronaldo's head

Saha is not selfish and he seems to be returning to his best....was sharp in the match...


I do agreed that C.Ronaldo is a bit selfish in a certain angle, but it's also another way to build up his confident though on the expense of Man Utd. However, it will still turn out to be positive for Man Utd since he's one of our youngest players. So which may benefits us in the future if he can be one of the scorers.


Rgds,
O'

[usjag_18]

Yup thats right Cech is really performing very well. Never make much mistake and Chelsea must really thanks god this goalie is on their side. Wonder why Man U din join in the chase for this goalie ?


:s13: Does Man Utd has to join every single chase for a player? Moreover, I dun think Petr Cech can really do any better if not becos of the 4 men in front of him. And I dun think that Carlos Cudini is lousier than him.


Rgds,
O'

[RVN]

Rio returns against Villa

Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed that Rio Ferdinand is fit to face Aston Villa on Saturday, having missed the trips to Liverpool and Exeter with a hamstring strain.

"Rio's fit and he will play against Aston Villa," said Sir Alex.

The news comes as a welcome boost to the Reds' back four, who are aiming to secure a ninth consecutive clean sheet.

Alan Smith, however, will not be included in the squad to face David O'Leary's side, although Sir Alex is hopeful the fiery striker will be fit for next week's Carling Cup semi final second leg tie with Chelsea at Old Trafford.

"Alan Smith won't be fit for Saturday's game," Ferguson confirmed. "But he went into full training on Sunday and will hopefully be ready for the game on Wednesday."

Report by Steve Bartram, and Ben Hibbs at Carrington.

http://www.manutd.com/news/fullstory.sps?iNewsid=144038&itype=466&icategoryid=122

[Ultimate10002000]

Well dont forget Cech got quite a number of occasion is in a 1 on 1 situation. Cudicini is not lousy la just getting old only, so the manager just want to train the young Cech more in order as a replacement.

[usjag_18]

Well dont forget Cech got quite a number of occasion is in a 1 on 1 situation. Cudicini is not lousy la just getting old only, so the manager just want to train the young Cech more in order as a replacement.


Point taken, but still I think experience does help a player a lot. Even though Cudini is old, but a GK for his age, I think he still quite a good GK. However, I dun think there's a need to fight for Cech as we also have good GKs. Just like to give us a lot of scarier experiences than we needed.

But currently, I am hoping that Ferguson can solve both the wingers & strikers problems. Like who are the midfield players who are more suitable to pair up with W.Rooney, L.Saha and A.Smith becos midfield players will be the ones who provides ball to these 3 strikers who still can count as young players who will eventually take over the important roles. As for wingers, I really hope that C.Ronaldo will not be the only one who can play wingers. Seriously, I think D.Fletcher is still too soft when it comes to attacking & passing. I hope Man Utd can find someone to replace R.Giggs in the Future when he retired or injured which I am hoping it won't be happening within these 2-3 years time.


Rgds,
O'

[Ultimate10002000]

Wow what a long speech. Clap Clap Clap. Actually for the left wing Ronaldo can take the role la. I always feel that he is more suitable to play on the left rather than right. Also got the wonderful Fortune for the left wing. The problem comes only on the right wing, actually Fletcher is very good la just need more confidence. Perhaps train more in Crossing and attacking. As i understand that for Man U currently most of the right wing cross are done by the right full back, the right midfield player din cross much. A inbalance situation. For the striker problem when Ruud come back from injury then no more problem liaoz. Currently got Saha around is powerful enough for most of the EPL team defence.

[usjag_18]

Wow what a long speech. Clap Clap Clap.
wah, u sounds so sarcastic....

**************************************************************************
Also got the wonderful Fortune for the left wing. The problem comes only on the right wing, actually Fletcher is very good la just need more confidence. Perhaps train more in Crossing and attacking. As i understand that for Man U currently most of the right wing cross are done by the right full back, the right midfield player din cross much. A inbalance situation. For the striker problem when Ruud come back from injury then no more problem liaoz. Currently got Saha around is powerful enough for most of the EPL team defence.

Fortune good meh? If you said Fletcher is good, I might be agree with you even though he's not like what u said as VERY GOOD. But in my humble opinion, I think Fletcher is better than Fortune. Fortune really CMI. The way he performs is just depending on his mood. Even though I admit that he didn't have much chances to perform, still he's really a problematic player. Even though Djemba^2 and Kleberson did not perform well too, but they are just playing for Man U not long. However, Fortune been playing for Man Utd so long and yet still he's playing like a school boy sometimes.
**************************************************************************

Rgds,
O'

[usjag_18]

Even though, Man Utd got some problems with Leeds Utd, but still I am really pity them. One stupid chairman is enuff, now got another taking up the position. Not only wanted to pity them, also wanted to pray for them. Hope that Leeds Utd won't be getting from bad to worse

Rgds,
O'


Bates seals £10 million Leeds takeover

Kevin Blackwell's future as Leeds United manager could be in doubt following Ken Bates' £10million takeover.


Bates, under the guise of a Geneva-based company known as The Forward Sports Fund, has bought a 50% stake in Leeds for a figure believed to be £10million.


The question now is whether Blackwell will remain as boss as Bates has been quoted as saying in the past that goalkeepers do not make managers.

When asked what Blackwell's future might be, Krasner ominously replied: 'Ask Ken.'

Blackwell has guided Leeds towards a midtable position in the Coca-Cola Championship despite having to start from scratch in the summer after a mass exodus of players.

But it remains to be seen if Bates will recognise that achievement or install a new manager of his own choice.

The takeover deal has taken just four days to complete after Bates approached the outgoing board on Monday, with the takeover finalised at 2.27am today.

Although Bates has long stated his desire to return to football, since parting from Chelsea just over 10 months ago with a £17million pay-off from current Blues owner Roman Abramovich, questions are already being raised as to why he has moved in on Leeds.

But Krasner, who has stepped down along with the other members of the board - with the exception of Peter Lorimer who is to work with Bates - said: 'This is a great day for Leeds.

'We have always said we would only do a deal in the best interests of the club. That's why some of the earlier deals were dealt with by the board in the way they were.

'We met him on Monday for the first time and talked it all through. We did an outline deal and he offered what we needed. The board approved the deal on Tuesday, and the deal was done early this morning.

'Nobody else has ever moved like that, which is great on Ken's behalf. His team will now move in and take this club, much quicker than we ever could, back to where we belong.

'Ken's very serious. I have seen his plans and he has discussed them with me and they are far and away the best offer we ever had to help Leeds United.

'Ken is a football fan when all is said and done. His motives are to prove yet again he can run a football club successfully.'

Krasner, who is to remain at Leeds for a short period to assist in the handover, is delighted to be stepping down for a man he believes will take Leeds forward, ending all the uncertainty at the club with the exception of one aspect.

Bates has vowed to buy back Elland Road and Thorp Arch 'in due course' as part of his long-term commitment to Leeds following his takeover.

Krasner was forced to sell both assets last year to Manchester-based property developer Jacob Adler to ease the club's debts, which now stand at £25million compared to £103million 10 months ago.

Bates confirmed: 'I am delighted to be stepping up to the mantel at such a fantastic club.

'I recognise Leeds United is a great club that has fallen on hard times.

'We have a lot of hard work ahead of us to get the club back to where it belongs in the Premiership and with the help of the fans, who have stuck by the club through thick and thin, we are going to do everything in our power to ensure that happens.

'Our first task will be to put short, medium and long term plans in place to secure the financial future of the club and these will include buying back, in due course, Elland Road and Thorp Arch.

'Fans could then ensure that no would-be property developer will be able to end the playing of football at Elland Road.'

Bates paid tribute to Krasner and the current board, adding: 'They have done a magnificent job at a time when nobody else would touch Leeds United.

'It gives me great confidence to know the outgoing board will remain in close contact and provide all the help needed to ensure a smooth transition in the months ahead.'

Bates' board is understood to comprise former Chelsea finance director Yvonne Todd and his lawyer Mark Taylor, along with Lorimer.

It remains to be seen whether he will appoint a chief executive at a later date, with Trevor Birch also earning plaudits.

Birch helped save Chelsea by bringing in Roman Abramovich, and then did the same again with Leeds a year ago, with Bates adding: 'I would also wish to pay tribute to Trevor for his contributions.'

Source (http://soccernet.espn.go.com/headlinenews?id=322412&cc=4716)

[RVN]

Well, I salute them selling Rio and Smith to us. :D

[cutter]

Even though, Man Utd got some problems with Leeds Utd, but still I am really pity them.

traditional rivalry is not "problems" lah... like referring to the Palestine-Israel thing as a "problem".... it is ingrained and you have to experience it from the actual natives of that region to understand that some football rivalry borders on racism/bigotry etc...trust me.. most native Man Utd fans are enjoying what is happening to Leeds...at best they will feel that it is unseemly that a big famous club that has some achievement has fallen so far.

for less hard-core fans from other parts of UK and foreign fans like us, it is more friendly... just entertainment and fake rivalry for fun... :D

[blackevil_2000]

leed=poor poor thing hope that leeds go back up to epl soon.......

[Raul7]

Well, I salute them selling Rio and Smith to us. :D


yo dude, u forgot someone liao..King Cantona..... :s13:

[RVN]

yo dude, u forgot someone liao..King Cantona..... :s13:

Oh yeah paiseh, plus it was King Eric arrival that started our glory days in the 90s. :D

[usjag_18]

Well, I salute them selling Rio and Smith to us. :D

yo dude, u forgot someone liao..King Cantona..... :s13:


:s13: Agree....

traditional rivalry is not "problems" lah... like referring to the Palestine-Israel thing as a "problem".... it is ingrained and you have to experience it from the actual natives of that region to understand that some football rivalry borders on racism/bigotry etc...trust me.. most native Man Utd fans are enjoying what is happening to Leeds...at best they will feel that it is unseemly that a big famous club that has some achievement has fallen so far.

for less hard-core fans from other parts of UK and foreign fans like us, it is more friendly... just entertainment and fake rivalry for fun... :D


Wah, not really, I get to know one native Man Utd fan from online, he's definitely not thinking the way U are saying about them. I guess not all Man Utd fans think that way. Moreover, there are also Man City fans. I believe not all clubs' fans willl be thinking the way U are thinking.


Rgds,
O'

[Ultimate10002000]

wah, u sounds so sarcastic....

**************************************************************************


Fortune good meh? If you said Fletcher is good, I might be agree with you even though he's not like what u said as VERY GOOD. But in my humble opinion, I think Fletcher is better than Fortune. Fortune really CMI. The way he performs is just depending on his mood. Even though I admit that he didn't have much chances to perform, still he's really a problematic player. Even though Djemba^2 and Kleberson did not perform well too, but they are just playing for Man U not long. However, Fortune been playing for Man Utd so long and yet still he's playing like a school boy sometimes.
**************************************************************************

Rgds,
O'

Wow another good analysis done by you, Clap Clap Clap. I dont know about you la, but what i feel is that all international players are very good as for they have that standard and skills to represent their country. Fortune is another poor dude that has stick with Man U for quite many seasons but just dont get the chance to get into the starting 11 frequently. If you can see he got the speed and i think he can also cross well. So conclusion is he need more chances given by Ferguson. As for Fletcher i often see him as the future Beckham of Man U, somehow i sense that this young lad will be some star in the future. Djemba and Kleberson till now i still dont quite see the reason for buying the 2 of them. Not too impressive in their performance yet perhaps need more time.

[Raul7]

Oh yeah paiseh, plus it was King Eric arrival that started our glory days in the 90s. :D


yeah man..no need to paiseh...me supported Utd before he transfered to Man Utd for 1.3 or 1.5 million...cant rem liao clearly liao.... :) now all are history to me liao...cant forget... :)

[RVN]

Fergie rubbishes Djemba talks

Sir Alex Ferguson has rejected reports linking Eric Djemba-Djemba with a move to Birmingham.

The Cameroon midfielder has failed to win over the Old Trafford sceptics since his £3.5million arrival from Nantes 18 months ago, with many United supporters feeling Ferguson should try to offload the 23-year-old during the transfer window.

And although the Manchester United manager revealed he had received a number of inquiries about the player, he insisted Djemba-Djemba will be going nowhere and specifically denied the Birmingham rumour.

"There is no truth in it," he said. "I don't know where that has come from. We have had a few inquiries about Eric over the last few weeks, but we are not in a position to make a decision about that."

Ferguson did confirm young midfielder Chris Eagles had been allowed to join Watford for the next three months, where he will join United old boy Danny Webber.

However, he appeared to quash Nigel Worthington's hopes of luring Kieran Richardson to Norwich by stating the only other youngster who could be leaving is David Jones, who earned high praise for his performance in the otherwise immensely disappointing FA Cup draw with Exeter on January 8.

"I have quite a few players loaned out and David Jones might join them depending on how things go over the next two or three days," said Ferguson. "But apart from that, I don't anticipate any more."

http://www.soccerweekend.com/division/news_story.asp?NewsID=10844&DivisionID=43

[MatrixFanatic]

leed=poor poor thing hope that leeds go back up to epl soon.......

I still can't believe they were in the CL only a few seasons back...

[Raul7]

I still can't believe they were in the CL only a few seasons back...


yas..so sad for them....few seasons ago, they got the potential cos they are young team...but haiz....

[blackevil_2000]

they r strong team but see becuz of the chairman

[RVN]

This slapping game very funny. :s13:

http://www.slapthemanager.com/

[kengbeng]

This slapping game very funny. :s13:

http://www.slapthemanager.com/
LOL! :s13:

[1920_me]

ya..that is hilarious

[stipe]

As for Fletcher i often see him as the future Beckham of Man U, somehow i sense that this young lad will be some star in the future. Djemba and Kleberson till now i still dont quite see the reason for buying the 2 of them. Not too impressive in their performance yet perhaps need more time.

Clap clap clap for the good analysis.... :s22:

in my personal opinion, fletcher is too slow on the right and too weak in the centre. he no skills to go past defenders.

i have got a feeling he will follow the way of luke chadwick...

but then again, i am not fergie

[stipe]

Fortune is another poor dude that has stick with Man U for quite many seasons but just dont get the chance to get into the starting 11 frequently.

Fortune may be good for South Africa, but he may not be the best in Man Utd.

Heinze OWNS leftback position as long as he is fit.

Giggs will take the left wing as long as he is around.

Maybe that's why fortune is not playing much these days, simply because there are players in the team better than him.

[cutieboy86]

Djemba Stays, But Eagles Gets Loan Move



Sir Alex Ferguson has denied rumours that Eric Djemba-Djemba is set to leave the club, but confirmed Chris Eagles has joined Watford on a three-month loan deal.

Asked if there is any truth in rumours that Cameroon midfielder Djemba-Djemba is on his way out of Old Trafford, Sir Alex responded: "No, no. I don't know where that has come from.

"There have been a few enquiries about Eric over the last few weeks, but we're not in a position to make a decision about that."

However, 19-year-old Reds midfielder Chris Eagles will join Watford in a loan deal, while David Jones could go out on loan.

"We've loaned Chris Eagles out to Watford," said Sir Alex. "That's one thing that has happened.

Watford boss Ray Lewington said of the deal: "The boy has got great potential. He is a Hertfordshire lad so in a sense he is coming home.

"Sir Alex has been very good in letting us have him for three months and I think he can help us."

Ferguson anticipates only one other possible departure during the January transfer window, highlighting David Jones, who impressed against Exeter in the 0-0 FA Cup third round draw.

Sir Alex said: "David Jones may also be farmed out depending on how things go in the next two or three days.

"After that, I've got quite a few players out on loan at the moment so I don't anticipate there being any more."

[Ronaldo7]

we need a big squad going into the 2nd stage of the season and i think thats the reason why fergie won't let djemba x 2 move to another club . as for fletcher , i think he looks more effective in the centre than on the right . what i think is that he lacksa bit of self-confidence at the moment :s22:

[1920_me]

I not sure if you guys have read it..its from Manutd.com Fanzone

Fergie Lifts The Lid On Training Terror

Training with United's stars at Carrington can be a hazardous job, as Sir Alex Ferguson revealed in an interview with a Sunday newspaper last weekend.

"They batter balls all over the place and one of them will hit me one day and kill me. That Scholes sends them inches by my head. Then all they hear is me bellowing 'Scholes!' 'What?' he says, looking up like an angel."

It's always the ones you least suspect that make the trouble.

[chengsun]

we need a big squad going into the 2nd stage of the season and i think thats the reason why fergie won't let djemba x 2 move to another club . as for fletcher , i think he looks more effective in the centre than on the right . what i think is that he lacksa bit of self-confidence at the moment :s22:

of coz lah dude, everytime he played, sure kena cursed n swear n critics, scolds from ppl, even god will lose confidence man...

[cutieboy86]

Ferguson puts flops on sale
Sir Alex Ferguson is ready to listen to offers for mifield flops Kleberson and Eric Djemba-Djemba. Benfica have shown an interest in Kleberson, although the 25-year-old is not expected to recover from an ankle injury until the end of February. Last night Ferguson confirmed: "There have been a few enquiries for Djemba-Djemba. We have a strong enough squad now so we'll treat these enquiries seriously the moment they become serious offers."
Ian Ladyman, Daily Mail

United to risk Ruud for Milan
Ruud van Nistelrooy is on course to make his long-awaited comeback for Manchester United in their Champions League tie with AC Milan. The Dutch striker has been out for almost two months with an Achilles injury and was expected to be sidelined for considerably longer. But the £19million goal ace, who is under going treatment in Holland, has his comeback in sight and is booked on a flight back to Manchester on February 15. Van Nistelrooy, who has begun running as part of his rehabilitation programme, will then under go a week of intense fitness work in a bid to be fit for the February 23 clash against Milan. United boss Sir Alex Ferguson confirmed van Nistelrooy's progress and said: "I spoke to Ruud yesterday and he's doing great. He's doing power running now and feeling no pain at all. Hopefully the AC Milan game will be the target."
David McDonnell, Daily Mirror

[cutter]

know one native Man Utd fan from online, he's definitely not thinking the way U are saying about them. I guess not all Man Utd fans think that way. Moreover, there are also Man City fans. I believe not all clubs' fans willl be thinking the way U are thinking.

Rgds,
O'

Aiya bro... you have to ask the hardcore fans to understand the hatred between Man Utd and the three main enemies of City, Leeds and Liverpool... esp City and Leeds. You talk different to your kaki compared to when talking to a tourist right :D ... will be more diplomatic and courteous...

When I went to watch a match at OT some years ago, there were chants and singing against Leeds and City even though they were not the opponents. Of course, their fans like to taunt Utd with sick songs about the Munich disaster and simulating flying/crashing planes during matches...

You can ask any bro here who has lived/studied/spent some time in that part of the world to gain an understanding of how football for those people can represent age-old rivalries... imagine how China vs Japan is like.. or Singapore vs Malaysia (which is rather tame in comparison) :D

[Ultimate10002000]

I duno whether U are purposely or not purposely being sarcastic/not really being sarcastic. But if U think what I commented is really rubbish, then I shall not comment again.


Rgds,
O'

Hey man i am really not being sarcastic...i think you get the wrong idea..it is just that i am quite impress with the way you look at things. The things you post are definitely not rubbish, i learnt quite abit from what you have posted.

[Ultimate10002000]

Ferguson puts flops on sale
Sir Alex Ferguson is ready to listen to offers for mifield flops Kleberson and Eric Djemba-Djemba. Benfica have shown an interest in Kleberson, although the 25-year-old is not expected to recover from an ankle injury until the end of February. Last night Ferguson confirmed: "There have been a few enquiries for Djemba-Djemba. We have a strong enough squad now so we'll treat these enquiries seriously the moment they become serious offers."
Ian Ladyman, Daily Mail

United to risk Ruud for Milan
Ruud van Nistelrooy is on course to make his long-awaited comeback for Manchester United in their Champions League tie with AC Milan. The Dutch striker has been out for almost two months with an Achilles injury and was expected to be sidelined for considerably longer. But the £19million goal ace, who is under going treatment in Holland, has his comeback in sight and is booked on a flight back to Manchester on February 15. Van Nistelrooy, who has begun running as part of his rehabilitation programme, will then under go a week of intense fitness work in a bid to be fit for the February 23 clash against Milan. United boss Sir Alex Ferguson confirmed van Nistelrooy's progress and said: "I spoke to Ruud yesterday and he's doing great. He's doing power running now and feeling no pain at all. Hopefully the AC Milan game will be the target."
David McDonnell, Daily Mirror

I dont think Ferguson need to offload this 2 players so soon, i feel that he should give the 2 of them more chances to perform.They are definitely not that lousy after all just unlucky in a sense. As for Ruud hope i can see him in action as soon as possible, cant wait to see him strike again for Man U especially against AC Milan.

[Ronaldo7]

Ferguson puts flops on sale
Sir Alex Ferguson is ready to listen to offers for mifield flops Kleberson and Eric Djemba-Djemba. Benfica have shown an interest in Kleberson, although the 25-year-old is not expected to recover from an ankle injury until the end of February. Last night Ferguson confirmed: "There have been a few enquiries for Djemba-Djemba. We have a strong enough squad now so we'll treat these enquiries seriously the moment they become serious offers."
Ian Ladyman, Daily Mail

fergie so fast change his mind liao ah :s22:

[Ultimate10002000]

Fergie never really know who are the exact players needed by the club. He see a player play quite well currently then he sign. After signing then regret and cant wait to get rid of the player.

[jackjack]

Fergie never really know who are the exact players needed by the club. He see a player play quite well currently then he sign. After signing then regret and cant wait to get rid of the player.
Welcome to Man Utd.

[cutter]

yeah man..no need to paiseh...me supported Utd before he transfered to Man Utd for 1.3 or 1.5 million...cant rem liao clearly liao.... :) now all are history to me liao...cant forget... :)

1.2 million. Damn funny... Leeds manager called SAF to ask him to name a price for Dennis Irwin.. SAF say NFS and then retaliated by asking Wilko to name a price for Cantona...

From looking to add Mr Reliable to Leeds, Wilko instead ended up selling God to Utd for spare change, a few towels and some extra footballs... till today, Utd fans still sing about that during matches esp if facing Leeds... hahahaha :s13: :D

[Raul7]

1.2 million. Damn funny... Leeds manager called SAF to ask him to name a price for Dennis Irwin.. SAF say NFS and then retaliated by asking Wilko to name a price for Cantona...

From looking to add Mr Reliable to Leeds, Wilko instead ended up selling God to Utd for spare change, a few towels and some extra footballs... till today, Utd fans still sing about that during matches esp if facing Leeds... hahahaha :s13: :D

yup..hahahahahaha..... :s13: :D

[Kyubi]

wahahha 8 min score liao .. thx to saha's assist !!

[ragnarok95]

man u 1 villa 0

[AhHuat]

good start.....

knn as for chelsea....arjen robber assisted didi DOGbar just score.....

[cutieboy86]

nice assist by saha and a gd strike by ronaldo

[Kyubi]

wah i thought ronaldo going to score again leh~ that header .. very ncie

[Ultimate10002000]

So far well done Man U keep it up and do not conceive any goals later on

[Kyubi]

wah lao .. ronaldo tio card ... i thought its suppose to be that guy whu foul ronaldo leh .. zz