Is He or Isn't He?

I have to say that the transfer periods that occur in January and the summer are the most annoying things about footy.  The constant "inside stories" batted around by the press, claiming to know the boardroom dealings of billion-dollar clubs (like United) is laughable.
Cesc Fabregas, the Spanish midfielder at Arsenal, has been leaving, staying, leaving, staying, leaving, staying for more than two seasons now.  Schooled in la Masia (Barcelona's academy), he was plucked at a young age to play for the Gunners.  Their dearth of trophies has made the 23-yr-old pine to play for Barcelona.  His Spanish National Team mates (some of whom play for Barca) have spoken in the press ad nauseam that he belongs at Barca and he can't wait to leave Arsenal, blah blah blah.  Well OF COURSE he does.  Arsenal hasn't won anything and the club's tight-fisted manager promises the fans that youth is the key (although they win nothing) and they should hold out...the fans are tired of holding out and the empty promises of big signings every summer have the Gunner faithful up in arms!
Barcelona has been very successful in recent years and I'm sure Cesc thinks he will walk on to the team and they'll win gobs of trophies...but the interesting thing that most people fail to mention is...CESC ISN'T GOOD ENOUGH TO PLAY FOR BARCELONA!!!!  He doesn't start for the Spanish NT (who won the World Cup and Euro 2008)...in fact he barely plays for the NT.  Why does Cesc think he will go to Barcelona and automatically have a starting position with a team that is already successful?  He will be warming the bench for when Xavi or Iniesta get tired and want to be subbed off. 
Arsenal is asking a ludicrous price for a player who has done nothing since being at Arsenal.  When Cristiano Ronaldo was sold to Real Madrid from United, his 80mil price was warranted because he was the league's leading player, the reigning World Player of the Year, and a player ANYONE would want for their starting XI.  Cesc?  Constantly crocked, ineffective in big matches, loses the ball more than anyone on the team....need I say more?
Well, Arsene Wenger has finally relented and agreed (according to the papers) to let Cesc go...FINALLY!!!!!!!!  So sick of hearing about it.
Samir Nasri seems to be heading out of the Emirates as well...ironically Nasri is a better player than Cesc, but to his detriment was not a member of the Spanish NT...and seems bound for Man Poo...not exactly a step up in my estimation...

United's own transfer saga involves one Wesley Sneijder...formerly of Real Madrid (until he was unceremoniously dumped two season ago and sold to Inter Milan...where he won the Champions League the following season with Inter AT MADRID!), and a member of the Dutch National Team, who were the runners up to Spain in last year's World Cup.  Wesley's Inter of last year was horrible and lost out to AC Milan for the prized Scudetto of the Serie A...or Serie Blahhh as I call it.
The rumors have been rampant about Sneijder's impending arrival at United, supposedly in line to take the retiring Paul Scholes' place in midfield.  He is a good player and the pulse of United fans has been mostly positive...but...he's 27.  SAF and the board at United have a rule about not paying top dollar for anyone over 26.  Why?  Because a 4-yr or longer contract would find the player in their early 30s at the end of the contract and not worth much in the resale market.
Dimitar Berbatov was a one-off in that category and was purchased at age 27 a few years ago...but he was also the league's leading scorer last year (tying an unmentionable troll for that title). 
Wesley has had an off year with Inter and many think he wants to move on and United have the money to purchase him so he had his agent toss United's name in to the whirlpool that is the public transfer market.
But...United never do business in the press so I was skeptical when I heard that "it was a done deal."  Many are still saying that today, but now The Guardian, a UK newspaper is reporting that a "boardroom-level source" has told them that the deal is dead and Sneijder will not be joining United by the end of this month.  The supposed reason is Sneijder's outlandish wage demand.
.........big sigh........
So Is He or Isn't He?  I have no idea.

Marouane Chamakh laughs with wantaway Cesc Fabregas earlier this week

"YES!!! I could be playing for United!"--Wesley Sneijder

A New Season Awaits

Since United's victorious run last season, a record-breaking 19th title, much has happened.  I have been out of town most of the summer and unable to update the blog.
Our Reds managed a disappointing second place to our arch-nemesis in the Champions League, Barcelona, at Wembley Stadium at the end of May.  But unlike RM, our Reds didn't lose 5-0... :))

In the transfer market Sir Alex has been his usual wily self.  Picking up Ashley Young from Aston Villa, Phil Jones from Blackburn, and David de Gea from Atletico Madrid.
Ashley Young, who now wears the 18 of newly-retired legend Paul Scholes, has impressed the Reds faithful already in the pre-season.  His quickness and ability to read the defense has lifted the pall settling in over fans who didn't want to see Scholes retire (or think about Giggsy leaving in the near future).  The calm, quiet precision in which Scholesy worked can be seen in Young's quick runs on the wing.  He also has a rocket (which the former number 18 was known for), and isn't intimidated by anyone.  Perhaps having experience playing next to United's English players for the National Team helped him to acclimatize quickly.  He is keen to improve his skills and earn his keep!

Jones, a young defender, has featured a bit in pre-season as well, and after a few matches seemed to feel more comfortable in his position.  He has big shoes to fill.  Last year's signing, Chris Smalling, was called into action early on when Rio Ferdinand was injured.  He didn't have time to contemplate a First Team start like many recruits who start out in the Reserves.  Hopefully that won't happen to Jones, who will probably just add to the depth this year in case of injury.

David de Gea's transfer or possible transfer has been in the papers since Edwin Van der Sar announced last year that the 2010-11 season would be his last.  The 40-yr-old, who has won many trophies with the Reds, decided it was time to pass the baton to a younger keeper.  Many were batted around in the press as his successor, but de Gea got the call and joined the Reds while on their US Tour after playing in the Under-21 World Cup for Spain.  Despite his tender age, he was the starter for Atletico Madrid last year.  Anders Lindegaard, purchased last year by United, has also featured in the pre-season and did very well.  It's a nice thing for a manager to have two steady keepers in case of injury.  Ben Amos also played in the pre-season and did fine, but de Gea has already been assigned the number 1 kit.  His only weakness at this point is his language...he is learning English!!!  Eric Steele, the United keeper coach, has had to learn some Spanish to converse with his new recruit.  I suppose he just has to point to the players and tell them which way the wall needs to move!!!

Speaking of the Pre-season.  United went on tour to the United States and won all 5 of its games (some by 7!) against MLS teams and the MLS All-Stars, but the last match of the tour was perhaps the most-anticipated: a rematch with Barcelona.  Barca didn't have a few of its stars (Messi, Puyol, etc.) but United didn't start it's usual XI either...in fact, the match was won by United's youth, with an average age of just under 23!!  Barca has always relied on it's "la Masia" (youth academy) to keep the fires burning, but it wasn't enough against United youngsters like Danny Welbeck, Tom Cleverley, and Mame Diouf, who all three were loaned out last year to give them more senior experience.  Obviously it worked, because after the match the United fans who've been pining for a CM like Wesley Sneijder to join the Reds were singing the praises of Cleverley, who along with Ashley Young and Anderson, ran riot over the Barca midfield. 
All these kids need is a bit of confidence and they will be unstoppable...the future of United.

After returning from the US, United faced it's "noisy neighbors," Man Poo for the Community Shield at Wembley.  The Reds were down two goals at the half despite dominating the match.  Sir Alex knew the goals would come, as did the TV announcers, and it took just a few minutes after the half for Chris Smalling to put the Reds back in it.  A clever dink from an Ashley Young cross broke the seal and a few minutes later, Nani scored a brilliant goal that was set up by just about everyone wearing a Red kit.  Ping-pong, first-touch ball had Man Poo running in circles and Nani received a brilliant ball from Cleverley and slotted home from 6-yds out.  2-2.  At that point there was no doubt that United were on a roll and Man Poo, as usual, were dumbstruck with no guidance from the touchline.  At 90 + 4' Nani dispossessed a clueless Kompany (receiving a lobbing backpass from a teammate) and faked the keeper...BANG!!!  2-3, game over. 
United came from behind in too many matches last season, and gave Man Poo and others the same old lesson...never count out United.  David Beckham said it best when he confided that "even when United are down with a few minutes to go everyone still believes they can win it."
Indeed. 
How thrilling to see our newbies jumping up and down with their first trophy as a Red!
GGMU!!!!!

Tom Cleverley marshals the midfield

New defender Phil Jones

Ashley Young, Chris Smalling, Phil Jones, and Tom Cleverley proudly display the 2011 Community Shield...let's hope they get to do this much more this season!!!!

The Run-In...BEL19VE

I realize it's been 3 months since my last post, but a project at work and computer problems had me hog-tied.  It's now over and I can focus more on my footy addiction.

The EPL run-in is only 5 games from completion.  Manchester United are still atop the table with a 6-point margin on Chelski and Arsenal (who have fallen to third based on goal differential).  The Gunners have stuttered down the stretch (as is usual for them this time of year) and Chelscummers have seen fit to win their games in recent weeks after stuttering for most of the season.

United are also still vying for the Champions League crown after seeing off Chelski in the quarterfinals.  Next up is Schalke 04, who's remarkable staying power in the CL masks their poor performance in the Bundesliga (10th in the table, 29 pts out of 1st).  The German side has one power forward in Raul, the former legend and fan-favorite of Real Madrid.  Failing to make an impact on Los Merengues in recent years, the 33-yr-old made a move to Gelsenkirchen to rejuvenate his career.  It has worked for him, but if Die Konigsblauen fail to advance against United, then their season will be a disappointment.
Also known as Die Knappen (the miners), Schalke has seen off some good teams during the CL Group Stage and Knockouts.  Most notably the holders of the trophy, Inter Milan.  But the Inter of last year and this year (now without blowhard manager Jose Mourinho) are two completely different animals.  So that leaves us United fans with a *shrugs shoulders* not-too-sure idea of Schalke's abilities.

The Champions League title is very important.  Barcelona and Real Madrid (who have played each other 3 times this year and still have 2 more matches to go in the next few weeks) will meet in the semis, with the winner taking on the United/Schalke winner.  The Final will be played in Wembley Stadium, London, so United supporters are hoping for a home advantage, should they see off the Miners.  Here's hoping we give them the shaft... :)

As I said above, the CL title is important, but my main focus is always the EPL crown.  The record-breaking 19th title is within grasp so our Reds just need to focus in the last 5 and bring that trophy back to Old Trafford.  Seeing it adorned with blue ribbons last year was....WRONG.  Let's hope Sir Alex's men can carry it through the streets of Manchester with its proper accoutrement...RED RIBBONS.

United Has Most Supporters

Manchester United is the best-supported team in Europe!

Click here to see the article and statistics.

Gobbledygook Part II

For those of you still interested in "David Beckham Takes England Part II" then here is an hilarious video put out by the Sun.

Here is the address...then click play on the video. 

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/3352103/David-Beckhams-texts-to-Harry-Redknapp-leaked.html

A Gobbledygook

So much to talk about:

DAVID BECKHAM IS A SPUR (SORT OF)
Yes, the man who said "I will never play for another team in the Premier League out of respect for Manchester United," is now playing for another team, Tottenham Hotspur.
The aging wonderboy still fancies himself as an England NT player and wants to play/train over the MLS break but decided against going back to AC Milan.  I'm sure that AC's table-topping status more than likely prevented him from joining the Italian side.
But...in a curious turnabout, 'Arry Redknapp, the ebullient manager of Tottenham came out to say that he would not be playing with the side, but merely training with them.  The reason was insurance.  After David was injured last year while playing with AC (achilles tear), he only managed 7 games with the LA Galaxy, the club who pay his exhorbitant wages.  So it would make sense that insurance was a sticky factor.  And the footy world took note in a five-alarm-fire way this week when DB was seen limping out of the Spurs training facility.  OMG...was he already injured?  Haha..it was revealed later that he had....drumroll please...a blister.

After the insurance angle was revealed, several footy insiders took note of the situation and delved even further.  It seems that the LA Galaxy owner is also the man behind AEG, a company who are bidding in tandem with Tottenham for the Olympic stadium when the Olympics are finished.  Others in London are also bidding for it, and the insiders suggested that David's "loan" was merely a PR ploy to bring credibility to Tottenham's bid. 
They continued to suggest that the loan was never intended to be for playing time.
Both sides have been dragging their feet and one would wonder why, since David's loan was only meant to last until February 10, when he is due back in LA for training with the Galaxy.  Why would they be dragging?  One word...United.
The Spurs are due to play United at White Hart Lane on Sunday.  Of course if they drag their feet enough, then David would not have to face his former club, something which would put his status as a hero at the club in jeopardy.  It was one thing to play for Milan last year, a team which doesn't compete regularly against United (although DB did play at OT when Milan met United in the CL...and lost).  But playing against United with a team who are in the top 5 of the Prem League could cause harm to United's title chances...David Beckham would forever be a pariah at Old Trafford, something which he is kean to avoid (being a diehard fan of his former team).
Whewwww!
Redknapp confirmed the suspicions of the footy insiders by revealing yesterday that David would only be training with the club (he thinks) and wouldn't be featuring against United.  I found this curious.
If it's just about training, then why wouldn't David train with United?  Yes, he left on a sour note with Sir Alex when the circus that is David and Victoria, Posh and Becks, started to interfere with his playing level.  So maybe SAF was thinking at this time in the season United didn't need any other distractions.  Smart thinking.
But I'm sure if DB had his druthers, he would be training at Carrington with Giggsy, Scholesy, and company.
I do think it will be interesting when the Tottenham faithful look through the crowd and find their new "signee" cheering for the opposition on Sunday.  David can't hid his true colors.

MANCHESTER UNITED V LIVERPOOL...FA CUP 3RD ROUND
Manchester United hosted the other Reds at Old Trafford on Sunday for the right to move on in the FA Cup.  In the 3' Dimitar Berbatov was brought down (a soft penalty), Howard Webb issued a penalty and Ryan Giggs slotted home to score the only goal of the match.  United were close many times, but indeed the score was 1-0 at Full Time.
Liverpool were utterly useless, including their stars.  I'm a pseudo-fan of Fernando Torres because he's a Spaniard who really wants to play in the EPL and has turned down several offers to leave (may not happen now), but he has been an inconsistent performer for the Liverpudlians and his constant crocked status has not helped his team in the slightest.
He couldn't contend with Rafael da Silva on Sunday, who was given the task of marking "el Nin~o" when Vidic was unable to play.  The young Brasileiro did a superb job and kept "Nando" in the "Nada" category. Their "star" was subbed off after the hour mark.

The captain of the Merseysiders is Steven Gerrard.  A one-time captain of the English National Team, and diehard member of the 'Pool Reds, Gerrard did little to deserve his title when he went in two-footed on Michael Carrick in the 32'.  Webb made no mistake of sending off Gerrard, thus leaving his limp side to contend with the leaders of the Prem League with only 10 men.
After Ryan's goal in the 3' you could see the looks on the faces of the opposition, "game over."  Their place in the table, which was at one time in history always at the top, is an embarrassing four points from relegation. 
With all that said, I don't feel a bit sorry for them.  After they purposefully lost the match against Chelscum last year, I lost what little respect I had for them.  If Chelscum had lost that match, United would have been the champions.  Of course they denied throwing the game vehemently, but since they had no way of making it into the top four and a Champions League spot, they were content to sit in 7th, thus denying a record-breaking 19th Prem League title for the Reds of Manchester.  Currently the Red Devils of Manchester and the Reds of Liverpool are tied at 18 wins apiece.
Daniel Taylor of the Guardian newspaper had an interesting take on that, which you can read here.

If a Ryan was the hero of the winning side, another Ryan was the idiot for the other.
Ryan Babel, who rarely sees action for Liverpool, found it necessary to mock the official, Howard Webb, for his awarding of the penalty in the first part of the match.  Criticism of an official in public by anyone associated with a club is big no-no on the FA's part.  But Ryan, who should have taken heed of his surname, which mirrors the Tower that crumbled to the ground, saw fit to post on his Twitter account a doctored photo of Howard Webb wearing a Manchester United kit.
The Twitter world went tweet-crazy and some United supporters (whom I follow on Twitter) retweeted his post to the FA's account.  One tweeter responded with, "I would tweet a pic of @RyanBabel in a Liverpool shirt, but I can't find one." (referring to Babel's inability to feature in the first team)
Within hours the FA had charged Babel with Improper Conduct.  I'm sure the dolts at the FA will give him a slap on the wrist, but it served as a warning to footballers who tweet that someone is listening.  Also within hours, Twitter newbie Tom Cleverley, the former United Reserves star, who is sitting out on injury after a stint on loan, opened and closed his account within two days, "after the club and his agent advised him to shut it down."
Rio Ferdinand, whose tweeting skills I've blogged about, still remains.  I'm sure the club realize that Tom, being a very young man, might run the risk of saying something out of sorts like Babel.  (I doubt that, but I understand the club's position). Rio, on the other hand, strays away from controversy, and even batted away the hate-tweets of Scouser fools after the match.
One such Scouser Scum sent a tweet to @rioferdy5 accusing him and United of being cheating, dirty scumbags.  He then wrote, "MUNICH, Manchester United Never Intended Coming Home."  The daft and cruel reference to the Munich aircrash, which cost several United lives, only underscored the insanity tap tap tapped into PDAs around the world after a match.  Pathetic.

SCOUSER IDIOTS
I reserve the term "scouser" not for regular, diehard Liverpool fans, but for the hooligans who make assclowns out of themselves while "supporting" their club.
The Scouser Assclowns last Sunday (9,000 strong) and their ridiculous behavior harkened back to the days of hooliganism that was rampant in the Premier League.  With added security and rules (of which breaking them will get you banned for life from matches), one would think that we've moved on from the images that have stained the reputation and growth of footy worldwide.
So...when you have 9,000 angry fans, whose once-great team is quite possibly the worst in the Prem League, add in alcohol and a complete lack of sense, and you have the nobheads who destroyed property at Old Trafford.
Yes, they ripped up seats in the visiting end, throwing them over the balcony into the lower stands (on to their own supporters...brilliant), and then destroyed bathrooms in the same area.  Many (real Liverpool supporters in the vicinity suggest 70%) were chanting "Munich." (which was seen on TV by everyone watching)
Their rebellion didn't end inside the grounds, but also spilled into the outside area, where 15 were arrested for their dissent.
If they want to vent their anger then they should rip out the seats at Anfield and throw them on to the pitch.  Their team's pathetic season is what they should be mad about.  They are responsible for their own place in the table, not children attending a match at Old Trafford.  Their idiocy could have injured or killed people in the lower decks, children included.  All over a game. SMH.

THE SILLY SEASON
Yes, it is January, and with that comes the winter silly season, where clubs trade and buy and sell and loan out their players.
United have stayed out of the buyer's market, as have other clubs.  Kiko Macheda (the adorable Italian) was loaned out to Sampdoria last week and impressed on his first runout in Serie A.
Arsenal have shunned the market like United (although they desperately need a sound keeper), but of course you could count on Man Poo to BUY BUY BUY like it's going out of style.
This last week Eden Dzeko, formerly of Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga, made his move to the Blue Boo Hoo side of Manchester.
His arrival sparked a curious quote from the Bosnian, when he was formally presented at a Man Poo press conference.  His verbal hilarity is my Quote of the Week:

"I've been told that most of Manchester are City fans..."

Oh dear...

But he didn't stop there.  He also added,

"I saw something in Man City that I didn't see at any other club."

One hilarious post on Twitter interpreted Dzeko's quote by reminding us that it's been 35 years since Man Poo has won anything:
"A trophy room with f*** all in it?"

I'll end on that.

Okay...Now It's Just Ridiculous

Ugghhh...as if those of us following this closely didn't know it would turn out to be a farce...

The derelict braintrust that is FIFA awarded the 2022 World Cup to the tiny Gulf nation of Qatar.  Dripping in oil money, yet lacking in any football prowess whatsoever, nevertheless the Qataris topped the voting over second-place USA, Japan, etc.

The fallout that ensued, especially after England was dumped out of the 2018 voting in the first round WITH ONLY ONE VOTE, was monumental.  Nobody could understand why Qatar had been given the vote...130 degrees in the summer, no place to put enough stadia for the event, out-of-touch religious codes, and a relationship with terrorist nations unchecked in the region.
But...FIFA DID vote for Qatar.

So a week ago when Septic Bladder (the scheming moron who runs the world's authority on football) sauntered over to the Asian Cup (no doubt on a private plane, staying in five-star accomodations), HRH saw fit to comment on Qatar.

He suggested that WC 2022 should be held in the winter! *crickets*

The proposal, no doubt, left all of UEFA's clubs in a quandary...meaning the WC would appear smack dab in the middle of their seasons.
Yes, the Asian Cup and African Nations Cup do run during the same time, but that assures only limited disruption in UEFA's leagues, and doesn't involve 2/3 of a club side.

Bladder's suggestion was to change the leagues' schedules around to fit the WC. *crickets*

Why is he suggesting the winter change?  Because it's obvious that FIFA did not answer the most pertinent of questions when listening to the Qatari contingent present their bid...What, praytell, are you going to do about the oppressive heat?
In Qatar's bid, they PROMISED that they would air-condition all of the stadia (a technology which does not exist in 2010/11) so the players and fans would not be uncomfortable.
Really?
So I suppose they were also proposing to follow around the fans attending with a personal air-conditioning device to keep them cool when they WEREN'T at the stadia... 

The schedules are already a quagmire, what with extra matches (domestic cups, Champions League, Int'l friendlies and qualifiers) to contend with.  Now the Supreme Ruler of All Things Footy wants them to just "change the season around."
Well, what he isn't considering is that the seasons in footy run during certain months to avoid the heat of the summer, which is exactly what FIFA should have done when NOT awarding the 2022 WC to Qatar.

As if Bladder's consistent idiocy isn't hard enough to swallow, now we have another supposed know-it-all chiming in on the WC issue.
The Court Jester of UEFA, Michel Platini, let loose with a whopper today when he also suggested that the World Cup 2022 could be held in all of the Gulf States and that a change in schedules would not be out of the question.  How convenient for him.  Of course he's not worried about the scheduling because he isn't the one in charge of trying to meld the schedules of the EPL, La Liga, Ligue 1, Bundesliga, Turkish League, Portuguese League, et al.  His words, though, have only underscored the malfeasance and underhandedness involved in awarding the world's largest sporting event.  He and his twin goon at FIFA merely brush aside real questions about infrastructure and reason with an indignant edict of "if you're not towing the line then you are not a real fan of footy, a closet xenophobe, and most assuredly a whining fool who knows nothing about the business of sports."
 
Here is a snippet of his words:

"I hope it will be a World Cup of the Gulf. It could be the World Cup of Qatar but played in the Gulf. I think we need political people (for this to happen), but I think so.''

Asked why such drastic changes could be considered when they were never mentioned during the bidding campaign, Platini added: "Who will remember the words in 12 years? In 12 years everybody will be happy to have a very well-organised World Cup and not remember what's happened before.
"When I organised the World Cup in France we did (things) differently from what we proposed in the bid.''
Platini did not speak about playing the 2022 World Cup in January but raised the prospect of a major change to the football calendar.
He added: "When I came in 1998 as advisor to Sepp Blatter I worked on the international calendar and my proposal to Blatter was to play from February to December. FIFA was close to accepting that, then Italy and Spain said no because they wanted to play in winter. Finish.
"It is necessary to think what could be the future. I don't say to play in winter or not to play in winter but to think about what could be the calendar in the future.''

When Michel PlasticNobHead suggests that nobody will remember what was discussed now when 2022 rolls around, what he REALLY means is, when the 2022 WC becomes a monumental disaster, "I won't be in office so I won't have to deal with the ramifications."


I was under the impression that when a bid is made (at great expense of a bidding nation) that said bid is the final option of that country.  That the infrastructure, financing, and logistics have been thought out to the nth degree, raked over with a fine-toothed comb by those schooled in organizing these types of events, and then presented to the bid committee as a "take it or leave it."
Boy was I wrong.
Now that we're just one month out of the vote, two changes have already been proposed for Qatar:
1)  Hold it in winter because the Qataris did not really think through the heat issue...and...
2)  Have the entire footy world rearrange their schedules so a football non-entity can host what will go down as the worst WC in history.

Why haven't the organizing committees of the USA, Australia, and Japan cried foul?  To be fair, FIFA should hold the vote again, and allow those committees to rebid, if the criteria have changed.

The comments from fora around the world have echoed my sentiments, aghast at what FIFA have been allowed to do....change the rules AFTER the vote has been taken.  And to those voices, I will add my own...until the financial backers of the WC... Nike, Budweiser, Adidas, VISA, et al combine to change the business dealings of Septic Bladder and his cronies, he will continue to run amok and take football down with him.

"Oye, oye, I am the Supreme Ruler of Idiocy!"

The News I've Been Waiting to Hear

Antonio Valencia is progressing well and could feature for the Reds possibly in late February or the beginning of March.  I still haven't worn my Valencia kit and won't until he returns.
Just think...if he had been healthy and we were fortunate to have him on the wing this entire time, I don't think we would have drawn so many matches!

Animo! Antonio!


http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Features/Football-News/2011/Jan/Valencia-on-course.aspx

I Know the Score

I don't live in the UK so I'm not close to any of the footy venues of which I normally speak.  But yesterday I could hear a collective gut-wrenching moan from thousands of EPL fans.

The festive season in UK footy is staggering.  While other leagues go on vacay, the EPL trudges on with a stiff upper lip.  While other leagues are sunning themselves on some remote island, the EPLers are trudging through rain/sleet/snow/cold...you get the picture.  And while other leagues take that mid-season breather, United played four games in 9 days.  Whewwwww.
The EPL has been staunch in keeping the tradition of the festive period alive.  Boxing Day matches are sacrosanct and the idea of axing those so players can go on a bender in Bali just doesn't sit well with the league honchos.
I agree.
It's enough to ask us fans to suffer through the arduous international breaks (zzzzz...wake me when it's over), but to add on an almost two week break over Christmas and New Year's would be...well......wrong.

I suppose I take solace in the festive season because it is the time that the men are separated from the boys, so to speak.  The crowded league table usually finds some space during this period, and United are notorious for making it their kick-into-gear battle cry.
While others seem to lose steam, my Reds find the much-needed umph to make their intentions known.

And as loudly as Old Traffordans...Old Traffordians...umm...OTs sang on Tuesday night, Wednesday's match-ending whistles were death knells to some clubs...drowning out the "Fire Woy" and "Sack Carlo" rants.

Wednesday also signalled a foul wind, a la Homer (the poet, not Simpson), in the I Know the Score game on premierleague.com.  I started playing this maddening *pulls out hair* game during last season (seven weeks in) and I must say it tears at my innards when I punch in my scores.
If you haven't heard of this game, you should try it.  You guess the outcomes of the weekly matches in the EPL.  If you guess the correct score you get 30 points.  If you don't get the correct score, but match the correct outcome of the game (winning team), you get 10 points.  A successful prediction of a draw (no matter if it's exact) will get you 20.  If you guess the correct goal differential you will get 15 points, but if you guess the wrong outcome, you lose 10.
To make it interesting, the Machiavellian maestros behind this game also give you a chance to better your score.  You have one banker's chip to put on a match, which could give you 2x the score, or 3x, depending on where the teams playing sit in the league.  If they are in the top four, then you can only get double, but if they are in the final sixteen you can get triple.  So it's possible to get 90 points on one match if you play your cards right.  If you don't choose wisely though, you will lose 20 points (for 2x) and 30 points (for 3x) on one match.  Each week if you use your banker's chip right, then you also get bonus points that increase by 5 until you get to 20.  But if you lose the match, then your bonus points return to zero, and it takes two weeks to get back to 5.
Just to make sure you don't pull out every last strand of hair, the game gives you an insurance chip to put on a match.  If you are successful then you get the points, but if you guess wrong, you don't lose any.

One has to be very careful when selecting the week's matches.  Sure bets aren't always sure bets and midtable teams, who are tied on points or very close, are hard to predict.  Home venues don't always mean success, so it takes a bit of savvy to have a winning score each week.  A few mistakes that some players fall prey to is believing the tripe the journos write before matches, or thinking managers are going to be "open" about the actual status of their team (and selections).  I can't tell you how many times SAF has said that a player is still crocked, only for that player to start the match!  These are some pitfalls that rookie I-Know-the-Score-players are doomed by each week.  But I've learned to circumvent the crap talk and look at the overall picture.
The league table and my predictions cause a schizophrenic moment each time I enter my scores.  I want United to win every match so I always pick 3-0 to United.  But at the beginning of the season C-Club was tearing up the league and I wanted them to lose every match.  The problem was I didn't think they WOULD lose every match, so it took every bit of my finger-punching skill to tap in a winning score for them.  To predict that our rivals would win tore at the very fabric of my footy heart.  Yes, it would mean my score improved, but it also meant that United were not gaining points on them in the league!  Arrrrghhhhh! 

Last night I jumped from 22,000th place to 7,000th place.  I know, you're thinking, "you suck!"  But I need to tell you that 212,000 people are playing...so being in the top 20,000 or so is not bad.
As I said above, the death knell was ringing last night for several clubs.  And it was also ringing on premierleague.com.  My footy crystal ball was in full form and I correctly predicted all matches.  So while Joe Chelscum Fan had serious delusions that his team would find winning form against Wolves, I predicted the exact outcome...Wolves 1-0 Scummers.  And while Joe Gunner Fan was positive that Arsene's boys would be victorious at the Emirates, I predicted a draw (2-2, though the actual score was 0-0).  And to top off my night, I also predicted the exact score of Liverpoo/Blackburn and got the correct goal differential for Everton/Spurs...so in just those four matches, I got 95 points!
I have a feeling that many players lost their shirts (although the game is free) in the midweek melee that was Wednesday.
To be honest, I don't always know the score.  One week in October I missed every single match and lost 110 points. 
But I've been on a roll since and would love to crack the top 1,000, if even for a week.  My true dream would be to end up in 19th place.  Because I'm hoping my beloved Reds make 19 my lucky number this year! 

Come on United, GET IN!!! 

1999 Remembered

I found this link and the memory of this gives me goosebumps every time!

Enjoy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frX68nFSmR4&feature=player_embedded 

The Referee

It would be hard to forget the most dramatic and inflammatory event of the WC 2010 buildup...Thierry Henry's handball that sent France to South Africa instead of Ireland.
The images of a once-great striker handling a ball twice while looking at it, then passing it to a teammate who scored, will no doubt be ingrained in every Irishmen's psyche for many years.
It was a huge mistake by a referee (and his team) and when things of this magnitude happen, it is easy to get sucked into the vortex of extremes.  "He's the worst referee ever"...etc.
As Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger so eloquently said, "It is inconceivable that millions of people see something that one man doesn't and we can't help him."

Why am I revisiting this?  I found a link for a documentary on referee Martin Hansson, the one who missed the call in the match.  It is enlightening and allows one to see the game from the other perspective.  The award-winning video is not that long (28 minutes), but I think you will agree that you can feel for this guy, knowing he made a monumental mistake in a very visible match.

To watch the video, click here.  Scroll down through the article to find the video.

1.1.11: Victory, RooRon, Rio and Photos

Yes, it's a new year and I'm hoping today's date...1.1.11 is indicative of our place in the table at the end of the season.  1 is all I will settle for.


VICTORY
Today the Reds won a massive 3 points at the Hawthorns.  Always a sticky (no pun intended) place to play, United started off the match with a bang.  Wayne Rooney scored his first goal from free play in the 3' with a header.  Maybe Wazza should concentrate on his aerial game.  The only point he's scored with his feet so far is a penalty way back.  He's still in the match though, helping others score...very important to us!
Chicharito, who subbed in for Berbatov in the 61', also scored a header that gave us the points.
The match was not the prettiest footy from United, especially after a poor clearance resulted in the Baggies leveling in the 13'.  WBA had a chance to go ahead when Rio Ferdinand barely clipped Odemwingie in the area.  But Odemwingie (who fell like he'd been shot from the upper deck) missed the pen...BADLY!  So bad that the ball's eventual spot couldn't be seen on TV.
After that snafu, United seemed to kick up the heat a bit (probably spurred on by the hairdryer treatment at halftime).  And beautiful little Javier Hernandez earned his stripes by scoring another winner for United (he has made a habit of this...a la Ole-G S).
Gary Neville, United's very own spitfire, was very lucky to not get a red and give up another penalty to WBA.  Even SAF said, "I think it was a penalty, he was very lucky."
Ji-Sung Park and his spirited play were missed today.  And Nani needs to hurry up and return.  I thought he would be back by now, but SAF is still resting him.  I need to be patient because we still have a few months to go!  I suppose I'm still in Valencia depression; I miss his never-give-up play on the wing...sigh.

In the end, Rooney was hacked down and hobbled off with an ankle injury.  But SAF had used all of his subs when he took off Gary Neville for Fabio.  So when the 4th official signalled for 5 minutes of extra play, the trooper Roo ran back on the field so the Reds wouldn't have to defend the lead with 10 men. 
SAF indicated in his post-match remarks that Rooney had suffered an ankle injury but that it wasn't bad and he would probably be back for the Stoke match on Tuesday.  Let's hope.
Still top and still undefeated.  Come on, you Reds!
 
WAZZA REVEALS A WORLD CUP SECRET
Speaking of Rooney, he gave a very open interview this week talking about the transfer saga and such.  One interesting note was his admission that he has been hiding some guilt since the WC 2006 incident with Cristiano.  Everyone knows that all of England blamed CR7 for what they saw as an attempt to get Rooney sent off during the match with Portugal.  It worked (and the ensuing wink left Ronny with a moniker...the Winker).  But Rooney said in the interview that he was guilty of the same earlier in the match when he approached the ref to tell him he thought Ronny had been guilty of a dive and should be given a card!!!!  The press gave Ronny an awful time (and still do) after that fiasco, so it was nice of Wazza to clear the air a bit.
They are very good friends and he admitted that he missed him.  Awwww...I miss the RooRon linkup play too, but Roo pairs well with Berba and he and Valencia had a great understanding of each other (a la Ronny) last year.

UNITED ON LOAN
Another interesting tidbit that has emerged since the transfer window is officially open.  SAF has decided not to buy in the January window (not surprising), but did indicate that he might shake up the team a bit.
With Danny Welbeck lighting up the board at Sunderland on loan (scored another today...Go Danny!), SAF thinks sending out 19-yr-old Kiko Macheda would be smart as well.  His idea is to give Kiko some more time on the pitch to improve his play, like Danny has done.
Kiko's agent (you know how I despise agents) added fuel to the fire today when he said, "I don't think the player will simply arrive on a pure loan, though. I think any deal would at least be a loan with the option to buy."
*cue the "RM wants Macheda" headlines from Marca*
UPDATE:  Apparently, Kiko is headed to the Serie BlaaAaah and Sampdoria.  I hope this doesn't mean that he's homesick and we won't see him again.  I trust United to figure out the best course for the players.

RIO THE TWITTER KING
Rio Ferdinand has one of the most popular twitter sites for footballing fans. @rioferdy5 lights up the board daily and even trends worldwide.  If you're not a twitter officionado, to trend means that everyone is talking about you.
He is the only United player to have a twitter site, even after United sent out a communique last year saying that none of the players were allowed to have official sites or a facebook page.
When asked about this and why United doesn't have a twitter site, Rio responded, "I serve as my own and United's." :)
So I had to laugh when Rio sent out some family news to his "twitfam," whom he also refers to as "tweeps." His brother, Anton, who is a defender for Sunderland, bought his "l'il men", Tate and Lorenz, Black Cats kits for Christmas.
Here are the tweets from Rio on Dec. 29:

rioferdy5 Rio Ferdinand

Anton bought my lil men Sunderland kits for xmas-I get home 2day+they are wearing them...I thought we agreed they wouldn't be worn?!*Fuming*

rioferdy5 Rio Ferdinand

Look at them, feel them, hang them up...but playing football+running around in them in the garden shouting "rooney...ferdinand..." is nuts!!

rioferdy5 Rio Ferdinand

Lucky they still singing man utd songs + sayin they support man utd...so I can still let them be part of the family!!

rioferdy5 Rio Ferdinand

"I only like this kit because of anton + because its got red on it daddy" that's my lil man right there!! Had to hi 5 him for that!

Rio and his wife, Rebecca, are expecting another Lil Ferdinand.  I'm hoping for a girl this time so I can read future tweets from Rio about watching his Lil Gal run around the pitch in her pink boots!  Note to Rio:  Susana would be a nice name. :)

As a bonus...a twitpic of Anderson with Rio on the train back to Manchester

Our United lads clean up well! *whistles*

and more photos from the match:

Wazza opens the scoring

Chicharito makes it 2-1

Yeah, babyyyyyy!!!!!

Of COURSE I'll give you a hug!

Some Rio love for Chicha.  Look at the Hawthorns goons trying to hold them back! haha

United Spread Christmas Cheer

Manchester United held their annual Christmas party (now that SAF has relented) in downtown Manchester.  The next morning, the lads went to cancer research hospital The Christie and then to Royal Manchester Children's Hospital to hand out presents to the children.

Enjoy the photos:

NemanjaVidic, Ben Amos, and Bebe stroll to the party

Not sure about the man on the left...but Jonny Evans, Edwin Van der Sar, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, Wayne Rooney, Darren Gibson, and Michael Owen make their way to the party.

Darren Fletcher, Michael Carrick, NemanjaVidic, and Wayne Rooney meet with a young patient.

Michael, Nemanja, and Darren

Putting smiles on sick faces

Awwww....Edwin and Wes Brown

from Rio Ferdinand's twitter:

"Asked a young teenage patient if she wanted 2 take a pic 2 send to the twitfam and she said "NO-I aint done my make up" haha,fair play 2her!"  :)

Welcome, Anders!

26-yr-old Anders Lindegaard, the Danish goalkeeper who was signed by United for the January transfer window, has begun training with the lads at Carrington.  With his Norwegian side, Aalesunds, finishing fourth this year, he has had plenty of playing time.
Anders is unable to play matches with United until January, but is getting acclimated to the area and with his teammates.

Welcome, Anders!

A Busy Few Weeks

So many things have happened in the last few weeks in the footy world and I've been absent from my blog duties...apologies.

Managers in the EPL are dropping like flies.  First Chris Hughton was unceremoniously dumped from Newcastle, followed closely by "Big Sam" Allardyce at Blackburn.  Both cases have glaring similarities, not the least of which is their owners are mental numpties.  To make it worse, players from both teams were shocked by the dismissals, and generally ticked off at the timing.
Hughton and Allardyce were well-liked and respected by their players and fans.  So why the sudden change?  Toon's owner, Mike Ashley, has not exactly been popular with the fans.  Big Sam's former bosses are...well...hmmmm....hard to describe.  The "Chicken Nuggets" as they are referred to in the British press, cut off poor Sam's head before he had time to roost.  At first they said that hovering midtable would be fine for them, but now they say the reason for dumping Sam was "a top four finish."  hahahahahahahahahahaha.  Right.  Good luck with that.
Avram Grant at West Ham (bottom of the table) has supposedly been given a three-game "git er done" edict from boss Karren Brady or he will be gone.  Roberto Mancini (Man Poo), Roy Hodgson (Liverpoo) and Carlo Ancelotti (Chelskipoo) have all been rumored to be walking a tightrope at their clubs.  Only time will tell.

Finger-lickin' idiots (Blackburn owners)

Apparently, Iker Casillas and Cristiano do not like each other.  According to a Spanish radio station, several strange interviews from RM players, and newspaper articles, the two had a falling out in September when Iker's girlfriend/"sports reporter" Sara Carbonero (Pastasauce to the kickette crowd) made a shocking revelation on Italian TV that Cristiano was not well-liked in the locker room at RM and that he was a "selfish player," and "egotistical."  Hmmmm...what RM player isn't?  Obviously Pastasauce (or Sarinara as I call her) should keep her mouth shut, and while we're at it...quit her job because the only reason she's been given it is due to her tight clothes and Cleopatra makeup.  I find it hard to look at her without thinking she should be standing in a Valley of the Kings tomb.
Frankly, I believe it's true based on the constant facial expression modeled by Iker in goal.  He thinks he is God's gift to footy and should be the darling of Spain.  With a certain Portuguese winger taking all his press and having the audacity to score goals to help his team win, I'm sure poor Iker's ego has taken a bruising (much like Barcelona did to him in their 5 goal dismissal).  So, he has his girlfriend get a blanket and send out some smoke signals... CRIS-TIANO...HAS....NO....FRIENDS. 
I'm not sure what Sarinara and Casillas have up their sleeves, but it can't be good for his club.

Deadeyes Sarinara (left) and her makeup inspiration in the Valley of the Kings

Iker and Sarinara released their Christmas card this week

Carlos Trollvez Tevez has gone completely mental.  I know, I know...you're saying, "but she's already said that before."  Well, this time it's for real.  His latest antic of turning in a transfer request to Man Shite has pretty much secured his entry into the EPL looney bin.
I won't get bogged down in the details, but according to the troll, "promises were not kept" by chief financial officer Garry Cook.  Is it me, or does this mook cause problems at every club he plays?
Whatever the reason conjuring in his tiny brain, one thing is for sure...the Man Poo execs are not happy.  He is the highest paid player on the team, was given the captaincy (big mistake, he's not a leader), yet he still can't find happiness at all.
The Daily Mail's Des Kelly made me hoot with laughter on his take of the conTROLLversy:
The last time I heard Carlos Tevez speak he was with the then Argentina manager Diego Maradona in a private box at Old Trafford. Naturally, they were chatting in Spanish.  Tevez was obviously unhappy at being left on the bench, but since they didn’t mention beer, grilled prawns or ask one another for the bill, my vocabulary was pretty much exhausted after the first handshake.  I sat there feigning understanding as they chatted, hoping I wasn’t nodding in empathy as they discussed troublesome piles or erectile dysfunction.
This language problem sprung to mind when it was announced this week that Tevez’s relationship with an executive at Manchester City had broken down.  Even at its best, Tevez’s English is on a par with my Spanish, so it was hard to establish how this breakdown could happen unless it was through the medium of mime.  Moreover, the last time I looked at the Wikipedia page of the City chief executive Garry Cook it described him as ‘a time traveller who plays golf with Bananaman, spearheaded a bid for Pele and invented the colour yellow’.  But even the online vandals mocking his brash boasting didn’t dare to claim anything as outlandish as the idea that Cook was fluent in Spanish. English can be challenging enough for him.
So who’s upset with whom? And what is it really about?
Tevez wants for nothing. He is on £280,000 a week, disappears for mini-breaks at regular intervals, was somehow given the club captaincy (possibly in a raffle), has traded his club car for a sedan chair carried by Filipino maids and wears snoods heated by the breath of unicorns.  But he complains he is tired, homesick, upset with greedy players and is now furious about an unspecified ‘broken promise’. It sounds like another breakdown in communication.  Here’s how it will pan out. It will be resolved for a short time. He’ll probably score against Everton on Monday night.  And then, judging by his track record, Tevez will find something else to moan about. The lad just has an uncanny knack of finding excuses for not enjoying playing football for a living. [end quote]
Hahaha...couldn't agree more, Des.

The UK needs snow removal...pronto!  More fixtures were cancelled today (4) and another was cancelled for tomorrow (albeit suspiciously).  With Mother Nature ravaging the Isles, the locals are finding it hard to cope with the white stuff.  It seems a few inches (and fewer) can cause the entire country to grind to a halt.
One footy fixture that was cancelled (a full 24 hours before it was scheduled to be played) was Chelski vs Man United.  The Chelski fools (in a vain attempt to postpone their loss) said that the fans would be in danger (whatever) and that the police had agreed with them.  It's curious since other matches (from Championship sides with so-so pitches) managed to play today, and Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp was suspect in Chelski's motives for calling it off a full day before they knew what the weather would be on Sunday.  I think Reds fans know the reason.

Apparently this much snow constitutes a national disaster (Arsenal's pitch today)

United have gone top while we say farewell to a hero!  Yes, the Reds secured top spot last Monday night against Arsenal at Old Trafford.  The game wasn't much to ballyhoo about and the Reds secured a 1-0 win thanks to the head of Ji-Sung Park.  United still have a game in hand, and after Chelski's rush to judgment over the weather conditions, will now have another one on several clubs.
In a touching sendoff, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said his final farewell to the Reds faithful on Monday as he will be moving to Norway with his family to take over the managerial duties for FK Molde (his previous club).  It is a bittersweet moment for many people.  Ole is a class act through and through and no doubt everyone involved with United will wish him well.  He did say that they are keeping their house here because you just don't know what the future will bring and they might return.  To see the complete interview with Ole, click on this link to manutd.com.

Some pics for the week:

Jose Mourinho took it from Barca (left), then UEFA (but then UEFA caved like the incompetent clowns they are)

Hahaha...I'm not a Messi fan but I thought this was funny

Ji-Sung PARKing us at the top!  Nani approves!

Very brave men:  Chilean miners who were trapped underground for two months were treated to a United win over Arsenal on Monday night.  Sir Bobby Charlton (who's the son of a miner) invited them to Old Trafford and is pictured in the center.  Class act, United is!

Old mates David Beckham and Gary Neville took in the Arsenal match, and were obviously reminiscing about the old days.

David was wearing wool all over, including his face. :)

And that concludes the blog for this week...I promise not to be absent for as long this time.

 

Champions League Draw Dec. 17

AS Roma v Shakhtar Donetsk


AC Milan v Tottenham Hotspur

Valencia v FC Schalke

Inter Milan v Bayern Munich

Lyon v Real Madrid

Arsenal v Barcelona

Marseille v Manchester United

Copenhagen v Chelsea

The first legs will be held Feb 15/16 and Feb 22/23
The second legs will be held March 8/9 and March 15/16

Arsenal drew the same team they did last year, Barcelona.  Lyon and Real Madrid also met last year with the former knocking out the Blancos in the first round.  Inter and Bayern are also meeting again (last year's finalists).
The first teams listed above were the runners-up in their groups and they will be home team for the first leg.

Retiring Ref: Ronaldo's Annoying

from soccernet.com

Referee Claus Bo Larsen has named Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo his 'most annoying player'.

The FIFA Top Class Referee, who took charge of his final Champions League game on Wednesday, claims Ronaldo is always looking to buy free-kicks and that they have to be prepared for his behaviour ahead of Champions League games.

"He's always out to get a cheap free-kick, especially at home," he told Ekstra Bladet. "We tended to talk before games about how he'd go down easily.  We know not to be biased, but we have to be prepared. He has a clean slate at the start of every game. When he would lie down after failing to win a free-kick, he smiled at me because he knew I didn't fall for his theatrics."

Larsen also said he is on good terms with Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
"I have a good relationship with Ferguson, even though he sputters and shouts and screams at referees," he said. "I'll never forget him coming to knock on my door after a Champions League game at Old Trafford.
"He simply said that it had been the best refereeing performance in years. That was great."

Champions League Group Stage Complete

Today's matches (some which had no bearing at all) have finally completed the Group Stage for this year's Champions League.

With Groups A, B, C and D completed yesterday, Groups E-H played their final games today.

Group E was topped by Bayern Munich (last year's runners-up) and the second spot was taken by AS Roma.

Group F was won by Chelski (despite losing their match today against Marseilles) with Marseilles as runners-up

Group G was already decided, with RM atop and AC Milan in second.

Group H came down to the wire, and 3/4 way through the matches, Arsenal seemed to be teetering on being dumped out of the Group Stage.  But Shakhtar Donestsk beating Braga 2-0 helped their cause and the Gunners managed a hard-fought 3-1 win over Partizan Belgrade.  So Shakhtar top the group and Arsenal are in second.

With Arsenal losing out the top spot in Group H, it prevented the EPL from having all four teams top their groups.  Now the Gunners will have to meet a top team in the first stage of the Knockouts.

Here is a complete list of the Group Winners:

Group A:
1. Tottenham Hotspur (England)
2. Internazionale Milano (Italy)...defending champs *coughs*

Group B:
1. Schalke 04 (Germany)
2. Lyon (France)

Group C:
1. Manchester United (England)
2. Valencia (Spain)

Group D:
1. Barcelona (Spain)
2. Copenhagen (Holland)

Group E:
1. Bayern Munich (Germany)
2. AS Roma (Italy)

Group F:
1. Chelski (England)
2. Marseilles (France)

Group G:
1. Real Madrid (Spain)
2. AC Milan (Italy)

Group H:
1. Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukraine)
2. Arsenal (England)

I put the countries in parentheses because in the draw for the Knockouts, which will be held December 17th in Nyon, there are two criteria for selection.  Teams cannot play another team from their own league (country) and also cannot play a team from their own Group.

The EPL won the most groups with 3 (should have been 4...Arsenal...grrrr).  La Liga and the Bundesliga (Germany) each had 2.  Serie A (Italy) saw all three of their teams place second in their groups, including defending champs Inter.

Here is a breakdown of the possible draws for EPL and La Liga teams:

Manchester United:  Inter, Lyon, Copenhagen, Marseilles, AC Milan, Roma

Chelski: Inter, Lyon, Copenhagen, AC Milan, Roma, Valencia

Spurs: Lyon, Copenhagen, Marseilles, AC Milan, Roma, Valencia

Arsenal: Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Schalke 04  (since three EPL teams topped their groups, Arsenal cannot play them, and they also could not play their group topper, Shakhtar Donetsk, which leaves two teams from Germany and two from Spain).

Real Madrid: Arsenal, Inter, Lyon, Copenhagen, Roma, Marseilles

Barcelona: Arsenal, Inter, Lyon, Roma, AC Milan, Marseilles

Valencia: Spurs, Schalke, Bayern Munich, Chelski, Shakhtar Donetsk (Valencia were runners-up to United in their group).

For the Knockouts, each pairing will play a Home and Away match.  The team with the most goals over the two-leg ties will move on to the next round.  In the event of a tie with goals, away goals count for more, so the team with the most would move on.  If that is also a tie after regulation time ends in the second tie, then the teams would go to penalty kicks to determine the winner.

United Top Group C; Headed to the Knockouts

Well our perfect run is done.  United hadn't conceded a goal in the Champions League this year and if we had not done so tonight, it would have been the first time a team had made it through the group stages without giving up a goal.
But...we drew with Valencia at home 1-1, so we didn't make the record.  However, we did advance to the knockout rounds as the top of Group C.  Anderson scored our goal (only his second goal with United).  Without that goal we would have been second in the group on goal differential.

The first knockout rounds are special, in that they have a special draw.  The teams who top their groups will not play other group toppers, but will instead play the second-place teams.  But they can't play teams that come from their own country, and can't play the team that took second to them in their own group (so United could not draw Valencia).
All of the groups (A-H) are already sewn up except for Group E and Group H.
In Group E, Bayern Munich (last year's runner-up) has in all probability wrapped up the top spot, but Roma could still pip them to the finish line if they won 9-0, while Bayern lost.  I don't think that's going to happen, but Roma is still in danger of losing out the second spot to Basel.  Basel has 6 points with a 0 goal differential.  Roma has 9 points but has a -1 differential.  If Roma win or draw with Cluj tomorrow then they will move through.  But if they lose and Basel beats Bayern and scores a couple of goals, then Basel would take the second spot.
Group H is wide open for the top two spots.  Shakhtar Donetsk is atop the group with 12 points and a GD of 4.  But Arsenal is right behind them with 9 points and a GD of 9.  Braga also has 9 points but has a GD of -4.  Shakhtar will play Braga (who beat Arsenal in the last match) tomorrow.  If Shakhtar win or draw then they will top the group and help Arsenal secure the second spot.  But if they lose to Braga and Arsenal lose to Partizan Belgrade, then Shakhtar would top the group with Braga taking the second spot.  Braga's biggest hurdle is their -4 GD.
But the top spot between Shakhtar and Arsenal is very heated because although Arsenal is second in the group on points, they have a 5-goal superior GD.
If Arsenal takes second in the group, United could not draw them in the second round.

So who could United draw?
Inter, Lyon, Copenhagen, Marseilles, AC Milan, Shakhtar (if they lose and Arsenal win) and Roma or Basel, depending upon the outcome of Group E.

If Arsenal end up topping their group, then all four Premier League teams will be first in their groups.

FIFA...What ARE we going to do with you?

"Follow the money."---Deep Throat in All the President's Men

Once again the organization controlling footy has put its foot in its mouth.

I waited to weigh in on this subject to let the dust settle a bit.  So much information was blasted on the day of the WC 2018 and 2022 announcements that it was hard to get a handle on what really went down...

What really went down?
Two fantastic bids were denied a fair chance to host the Cup.

I watched the England 30-minute bid proposal and was blown away by it.  Tying in the fantastic venues (already built), and the efficient infrastructure, the passion of footy's Motherland, and the impact it's had on youth who would otherwise be errant....was brilliant.
So why didn't England get the bid for 2018?
Many will blame the program Panorama for its ill-timed investigation into FIFA corruption, and as much as I feel it was aired at an inconvenient time, it was bang on!
But I feel the BBC (who aired the program) are being made out as scapegoats by the ones who are really responsible for the transgression.
The mugs at FIFA, led by an incompetent blowhard named Septic Bladder, have long been held in the public scorn for their ridiculous notions and inability to really govern the sport.
Backroom dealings, suspicious agendas, and outright pandering have all been discussed ad nauseam in fora around the world.
So if you are involved in trying to thwart England's bid attempt, then it would make sense to say publically (through "source" links) that the program made the voters angry.  It would deflect the real goings-on at FIFA headquarters.
England had the most technically-sound bid, yet it wound up with only two votes in the first round and was eliminated from the process.
FA chiefs and bid committee members have now said that promises were made to them by certain voters; that their votes would be there for England...and they weren't.
The only votes England received were from Geoff Thompson (former FA chief) and a member of the Asian block.
TWO VOTES.  Unbelievable.
It has been suggested by many that the vote had already taken place months or weeks before and that England's bid push in Zurich, which involved Prince William (honorary head of the FA), Prime Minister David Cameron, and LA Galaxy star David Beckham, was useless because England had already in effect been voted out.

Vladimir Putin's public admonishment of the British press just days before, and his decision NOT to attend the bid announcement left many suspect about the nature of the vote.  Why would Putin not want to be there to help...unless the vote really had taken place and he wasn't needed.
Sitting in the audience for Russia were several oligarchs in the former Soviet state, among them Roman Abramovich (the owner of Chelsea FC).  Chelski has been under a black cloud lately in what most see as a from-the-top illness permeating the club.  Has Roman lost interest in his club and put his sights into a more lucrative venue?  It would seem so.
The fact that Russia is a "mafia state" should have put the bid at the bottom of the pile to begin with.  Manchester United and Chelsea fans remember all to well the bloated hotel prices (more than a 1,000 US dollars each) that they encountered during the Champions League final in Moscow.  So how much are tickets and hotel rooms going to run for the World Cup? 

Wigan boss, Dave Whelan, suggested that it's high time the FA did something about FIFA's greed.  The organization made a profit of 3 billion GBP on the South Africa WC (quite honestly, one of the worst Cups ever), yet the clubs receive nothing for the "loan" of their players.  Many of the players return injured and the clubs receive a pittance from their national associations to cover the losses, but you can't cover the loss of a player from the lineup.  He suggested that the clubs charge FIFA for the use of their players (whom the clubs own the rights to). 
I agree with him.  I am on record here many times for the disdain shown clubs during international breaks.  The clubs are the ones who pay the players their high wages, and expect them to live up to that wage by playing.  But when they go away for useless friendlies and then return injured, it can mean the season for a club.

QATAR
If the denial of the England bid was suspect, then the awarding of the 2022 to Qatar is the most suspect thing in the history of FIFA.
How a tiny nation, with horrible weather (130 in the summer), with no stadia, no fans, and no players, could be given the world's biggest sporting event is just a sham.
Qatari bid officials promised to air-condition the stadia for the matches.  Really?  Using what technology?  The technology hasn't been invented yet, and if they are talking about misters, I would say that is the worst idea.  I used to attend baseball matches in the heat of the Arizona sun, and they would use the misters to keep everyone cool...but it made everything you had wet.
How are they going to keep the rest of the country cool?  Are they going to follow people around on the street with personal AC? 
I read a comment from a person in Dubai, and he said he won't walk 100 yards to the grocery store during the heat of the summer, so these organizers think that people will traipse around the country during the WC in similar conditions?
And the stadia...none have been built.  The organizers promised FIFA that they would tear down the stadia afer the WC and donate them to poor countries.  How are they going to do that?  That would take 10 years to do.  How is that helping anyone?
And the stadia will be so close together in Qatar that logistics for travel will be pathetic.
Hotels?  Where are they going to house 32 teams, officials (and if they're like the FIFA hooligans it can't be anything less than a five-star plus resort with a penthouse view), FAs, fans, media....Qatar is a country with less population than Houston...and then they're going to add 3 million people to the mix?
And what about the religious ramifications.  No alcohol, scantily-clad women (Samba girls!), or touching of the opposite sex.  And if you're homosexual...then you'd better stay away as well, because it's illegal.
I can think of nobody who would even entertain the thought of going to a country that has such poor human-rights standards, unfair treatment of women, and has turned a blind-eye to terrorism in the neighboring states.

Until companies like Nike, Adidas, Budweiser, etc. stop supporting FIFA, nothing will be done.
The United States boasted the highest ticket sales (by a large margin) for South Africa.  This from a country that supposedly doesn't care about footy. 

Sir Alex Ferguson had it right when he said, "the Champions League is a far better competition than the World Cup."  It's far better for several reasons, the least of which is that it's fair. 

Follow the money.