Archive for the ‘Opinion’ Category

Same Old Arsenal Under Wenger, Different Manchester United Under Van Gaal

Posted: February 28, 2016 in Arsenal, Football, Manchester United, Opinion, Premier League
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Well that was a nice surprise! Arsenal were favourites to win at Old Trafford for the first time in ages and never looked as though they would actually manage it throughout the game.

After the game Graeme Souness, Thierry Henry and David Platt all questioned the commitment and desire of the Arsenal eleven. Arsene Wenger saw nothing wrong with the commitment and desire of the Arsenal eleven, and THAT is the problem!

Wenger thought United had kept breaking up the game with petty fouls although, given that all the experience was with his team you would think that they could have coped. United won this game with an overall possession of 39%.

Arsenal, yet again, proved susceptible to the counter-attack, which was how United had to play due to injury and no adequate replacements ever being bought. In Marcus Rashford though, they seem to have inadvertently found a star for now, never mind the future. His two goals were taken very well and now bring his tally to four in two games. (more…)

Manchester City & Liverpool Fans Pay The Price Again For Wembly’s Shortcomings

Posted: February 28, 2016 in Capital One Cup, Football, Liverpool, Manchester City, Opinion
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Wembley Stadium - Pre Carling Cup Final

If a family of four, from either Manchester or Liverpool, wishes to see the Capital One Cup final at Wembley they can do so for a reasonably small fortune.

Yes folks, it is that disgraceful time of they year when the FA, for reasons known only to themselves and for a lot of money, decide that two teams and their fans, separated only by 30 miles of motorway should travel, at great expense, to London to play a game of football which could have been played a lot nearer home.

Without going into any great research I just quickly looked for match tickets and train tickets and found that for a mere £82 each return, the family can get to London. For a further £40 each, they can have a ticket to watch the match.

So, assuming that they travel to, and back from, London on the same day, eat before they leave and when they get home, thereby spending nothing more than the ticket prices, (train and match), the cost to this family will only be £488 in total.

By the time they get back to either Liverpool or Manchester they will be starving and very tired, but one of them will have seen their team lift a trophy. (more…)

Manchester United’s Limp Turns Into A Stroll!

Posted: February 25, 2016 in Europa League, Football, Manchester United, Opinion
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To be honest, this was a very decent performance by Manchester United. Despite going a goal down in the first half and missing a penalty they played with enough purpose and resolve to score five good goals.

To add to the reasons for slight celebration, two of the goals were scored by Marcus Rashford, making his debut after Anthony Martial had decided that David De Gea shouldn’t have the monopoly on pulling up with an injury just before kick-off. What further added to the feel-good factor was the fact that Memphis Depay was the man-of-the-match.

To continue with the honesty, though, this was always a game that a Manchester United team should expect to win. They are in the Europa League playing teams who weren’t good enough for the Champion’s League. The fact that they have now fallen into this category is their own fault, but they should still be good enough to win it, even though they probably won’t.

Staying with “honesty is the best policy”, the young lads who won the game tonight were not playing because van Gaal gives young lads a chance, no, they were playing because injuries give young lads a chance. (more…)

Manchester United Trying To Catch Manchester City, Whatever Next?

Posted: February 25, 2016 in Football, Manchester City, Manchester United, Opinion, Premier League
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What is happening in Manchester? United, if they are not very careful, will continue on their downward slope into total mediocrity, (in some people’s eyes, they are already there)!

City, on the other hand, can afford to throw away the FA Cup in order to be able to win in the Ukraine three days later. Many people think they could have achieved the Champion’s League win without sacrificing the other trophy but, what the heck? This is City. Who cares what the fans want?

What was particularly annoying was that they had been on a very good run in this competition with some good away wins and there was a very real possibility that a stronger City team would have beaten Chelsea.

So, at least if City win the treble, it will not include the FA Cup so wouldn’t be quite the achievement of United in 1999. (more…)

Jose Mourinho Doesn’t Want The Manchester United Job Now

Posted: February 24, 2016 in Chelsea, Football, Jose Mourinho, Managers, Manchester United, Opinion, Premier League
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The latest from the gutter press appears to be that Jose Mourinho doesn’t want the Manchester United job! Not until June anyway. That means that whatever happens between now and the end of the season can be blamed on van Gaal and van Gaal alone!

Could be a smart move, Jose and, then again, maybe not. What happens if United win the FA Cup and the Europa League? Remember that the team have now returned to winning ways and have just beaten a team sixty places below them who are struggling against relegation. According to Louis this was “fantastic”.

It does seem, unfortunately, that barring relegation and all the players handing in transfer requests, van Gaal will be there until the end of the season. Nobody appears to want to be called the “interim manager”.

There is also the Ed Woodward factor. He would be stupid enough to insist that van Gaal saw out his contract if he was given the slightest excuse and winning a trophy or two would pass for the slightest excuse. (more…)

Same Old Arsenal, Same Old Barcelona

Posted: February 23, 2016 in Arsenal, Champions League, Football, Opinion
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Without playing particularly well, (by their own standards anyway), Barcelona were able to win this game as though they had played particularly well.

Arsenal had chances and should have certainly scored at least one goal. They didn’t and, against a side as good as Barcelona, that will always be a problem. As Aaron Ramsey pointed out the Spanish side average a goal per game so somebody WAS going to score for them.

When the goals came they came from Lionel Messi. No surprise there you may think but, before tonight, he had NEVER scored against Petr Cech.

His first was laid on a plate for him by Neymar, who unselfishly squared the ball back for him to take a touch, which beat Cech all ends up, then place the ball in the net.

His second came from the penalty spot after he had been fouled by Mathieu Flamini, who was making his first tackle having just come on as a substitute for Coquelin.

(more…)

Eden Hazard Will Probably Leave Chelsea For More Money & An Easier Life

Posted: February 23, 2016 in Chelsea, Football, Opinion, Premier League
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Recently the press appear to have decided that Eden Hazard would rather go to Real Madrid than to PSG. This pre-supposes that he actually wants to leave Chelsea and go to a weaker league. Strangely, though, most of the best players do!

Luis Suarez chose Barcelona over staying at Liverpool or moving to Arsenal. Cristiano Ronaldo favoured Real Madrid above Manchester United. Zlatan Ibrahimovic who, rather amazingly is considered world class by some people, has managed to avoid being roughed up in England his entire career, as has Lionel Messi. Neymar is also staying in Spain for the time being although the appointment of Pep Guardiola at Manchester City may change one or two minds.

Hats off then to Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil who have both made the reverse trip to the Premier League from Barcelona and Real Madrid respectively.

Sanchez, in particular, hit the ground running upon his arrival and looks made for the Premier League. (more…)

Louis Van Gaal & Manchester United Have A Slice Of Good Luck For A Change

Posted: February 22, 2016 in Football, Manchester United, Opinion, The FA Cup
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So yet again Louis van Gaal has one game to save his job. I’m starting to doubt this ultimatum business as this is now about the fourth or fifth time he has had one game to save his job and he certainly hasn’t won many of them.

Against Shrewsbury they played reasonably well although Memphis Depay showed, yet again, how moving to Manchester United can be a nightmare just as easily as it can be a dream.

He had two shots which were both closer to going out of the ground than they were to threatening the Shrewsbury goal.

When United took the lead it was very fortuitous. Smalling had gone up for a corner, without anybody really knowing why. His last header from a corner had gone miles over the bar! As is usually the case with Smalling, once the corner had been wasted he forgot to run back to his defensive position. In fact, had Shrewsbury been a little more awake they could have mounted a decent counter-attack. They didn’t, in fact not only didn’t they mount the counter-attack, they forgot all about Smalling, who had turned invisible. Anyway, the ball arrived at Smalling’s feet and, with a trademark swing, he whacked it straight into the ground in an attempt to put it over the bar and the bounce took it over the keeper and into the net, much to the amazement of Smalling and everybody else in the ground. (more…)

The Truth Behind The Headlines About Jose Mourinho To Manchester United

Posted: February 22, 2016 in Chelsea, Football, Jose Mourinho, Managers, Manchester United, Opinion, Premier League
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It’s a done deal! There is a gentleman’s agreement! Jose Mourinho agrees to become Manchester United’s next manager! Mourinho will take over this season! Mourinho will take over next season! Van Gaal has three games to save his job! Mourinho will take over in February! Van Gaal has two games to save his job! If van Gaal loses the next game he will be fired!

These are just some of the headlines I have been reading in the last few days. It is hardly any wonder that the great British football fan is dazed and confused as far as the goings-on at Old Trafford are concerned.

In actual fact, as far as I am aware, nothing has been agreed, certainly nothing has been signed and Mourinho won’t be taking over in the next couple of days.

What is disappointing in this whole sordid affair is that van Gaal is still in place. Ed Woodward either doesn’t have the guts to sack him, in which case HE is in the wrong job, which he most definitely is, or he thinks that he will lose face by sacking him, which is the more likely answer. (more…)

David Moyes Thinks That Louis Van Gaal Should Get More Time At Manchester United, While The Board Bickers Over Jose Mourinho

Posted: February 21, 2016 in Chelsea, Football, Managers, Manchester United, Opinion, Premier League
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Some people, who shall remain nameless, even if their name is David Moyes, think that Louis van Gaal should be given more time.

Had Moyes himself been given more time, United could well be in the Championship by now which might have made them a less attractive proposition for an arrogant egotist like van Gaal.

Moyes would still have been sacked but United would have somebody other than the Dutch clown in charge, which would probably have been a good thing.

Moyes is currently touring the TV channels in his new found vocation as an ‘expert’. He has been a guest on Clare Balding’s show on BT, he has appeared on BBC to give his views on the FA Cup. Sky has welcomed him to their studios, once for a match and once for ‘Goals on Sunday’ so he could be asked infantile questions by the infantile Ben Shephard. (more…)

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