That is unless you're Ji-Sung PARKing. He can unload in the white zone all he wants!
While watching the United v Wolves match today I was waiting to hear in the background P.A. "Dr. Ferguson, please report to Ward C STAT." The injury and sickness list was so long today that it's a wonder Mike Phelan, Paddy Crerand and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer weren't given the call-up.
With Nani still injured, Michael Owen nursing a hammie (I would like to help him with that), Giggsy on the mend, and Antonio Valencia still out until after the New Year, Dr. Ferguson had his work cut out for him.
Add in that Looney Rooney is getting his head sorted at Spa Nike in Oregon, and a mysterious illness has permeated the United training ground, Carrington, felling the likes of Anderson, Carrick, Berbatov, and infecting Vidic, Scholes, and Evra, who ended up playing today despite their malaise.
What a week for United!
The pesky Wolves, who despite behind second-from-bottom in the table, have a way of playing outside themselves when they really want to. Paul Scholes said as much in the pre-game presser on Thursday. He said that the Wanderers could get a result at OT, and he was almost right.
From the opening whistle, United had several chances but just couldn't find the gumption. Then the OT faithful shuddered as they saw starter Owen Hargreaves hobble around at the 4' mark. His dodgy knees and the miracle surgeries performed in Colorado by Dr. Steadman over the past two years have lead many to think, "why is he still on the player's list?" It's not that we don't like Owen, but if he's not going to recover, then give him a coaching job and free up the wages for someone who can play. It's a real shame, because when he was healthy he was a phenomenal player. So when he had to be subbed by Bebe, a virtual newbie, the fans shrugged their shoulders. Luckily it only appears to be a hamstring strain, and unrelated to this million-dollar bionic knees.
Bebe took the job with aplomb and ran the right-side wingers ragged. He came close a few times and put in a perfect cross that was only slotted wide.
With the halftime whistle looming, it was shaping up to be another useless draw, when Ji-Sung Park jumped on a through-pass from Darren Fletcher and beat the exposed Marcus Hahnemann.
The second half was more of the same, but the Wolves seemed to let the Reds press more. At the hour mark, Bebe almost scored when he let loose a screamer that Hahnemann spilled, with John O'Shea just inches from making it 2-0.
But Wolves weren't going to let down. They brought on Sylvan Ebanks-Blake (which sounds like a financial institution), a former Red. Within a few minutes he had leveled for the Wanderers. Was it going to be another blown opportunity for United?
The Reds had several chances in the waning moments of the regulation, most notably from Chicharito, who had been double-marked all day. But again, Ji-Sung showed his superb finishing skills, when he took a through-ball from Nemanja Vidic at 90+2, shimmied through the defense, and put the winner in the bottom corner.
The win puts United into second place, in front of Arsenal, who host Toon tomorrow before their big test at Man Poo next week. C-Scum are away to giant-killers, WBA. Would I like to see the Baggies bag the Blues? Oh yes. We are within two points of them. A loss or draw would put us within reach.
A stroll in the Park...Ji-Sung makes it 1-0
Ji-Sung Parking it in the net. United 2-1.
A PENNY FOR THE GUY
Yesterday was Guy Fawkes Night in Britain. If you're not familiar with the Gunpowder Plot of 1605...Guy Fawkes and other Catholics tried to assassinate the Protestant King James 1 and return Catholicism to the Isles. Their plot to blow up parliament didn't succeed and the observance of the day has taken on many faces. Children used to have a stuffed dummy that they would display on the street with a sign "a penny for the guy" to raise money for fireworks. That is frowned upon now and most partake in bonfires, fireworks, and sometimes the effigies of real people are burned in the fires....which leads me to my next photo. One Looney Rooney (whose banishment to the Colonies for intense training at Club Nike has many thinking he hasn't been forgiven) was the honored "guy" at a Guy Fawkes bonfire in Kent. Known as "Shrek" by his "beloved" fans, he was holding his newly-minted United contract and carrying a bag of cash.
When they lit the fire, it's the hottest that Roo has been in a while. :)
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