ManUtd CL Group Stage 2006-07

Guardian clarified that if united and celtic should finish the group stages level on points, it would not be goal difference that counts (which united are currently leading at +3 to celtic's +1) but the better head-to-head result. This way, celtic would edge united out because they scored 2 goals at old trafford while united managed a majestic zero goals (did we even have a single shot on target in open play?) at parkhead.

This is a dire state of affairs, really.

A do-or-die encounter against benfica at old trafford in two weeks' time. I'm not feeling so confident just now. This season could all end in tears if the gaffer doesn't pick these guys' morale up from the gutters at about now ...

Post Celtic Loss Reaction

there are two ways to look at manchester united's loss to glasgow celtic at parkhead.

as a champions league group game, manchester united's bid to qualify for the knock-out round and avoid the humiliation of last season's champions league short lived campaign was blemished. shouted down by 60,000 vociferous fans surely from even before disembarking the team coach to the second the referee blew the whistle for yet another united champions league away loss, it was a time to show their mettle and for them to look at this challenge as one beyond football. it was a chance for them to grow as men.

on the contrary, their performance was one of timidity as it was obvious that while the players were going through the motions of a good game, retaining possession and playing neat triangles, they cowered every time they had to strike a final blow. they tried to give evidence of a good team trained and able to take on the 11 footballers put infront of them but the truth was much more stark. that lack of a final thrust could be seen in saha's body language, giggs' apologetic smile every single time he mistimed his run, overhit a pass or failed to charge down through passes. the crafty scholes was industrious and fearless but after that rather tame challenge that earned him his yellow card, even i was left wondering if he was starting to cave in. that challenge on him in the first half deserved punishment and he was lucky to escape without serious injury. that he did not retaliate could have been a sign of a calmness from maturity in such important games and to not let emotion overcome the task at hand. it could also be a sign that he was intimidated, if only slightly. if anyone has watched scholes in action all these years, it is evident that he is a short fuse when things are not going united's way or when he is badly fouled. put those two together and he would blow his ginger top off before you can pick up the ball in anger. in the second half when he must have started to feel frustrated at his team's inability to kill off their opposition, he lunged but shirked at the last moment. what could be going on in his head? rooney did not shirk any responsibilities and put himself about but whether his rather subdued performance (by his normally high standards only of course) was a result of ferguson's inexplicable deployment of him out on the left rather than through the middle or due to the 60,000 voices exerting what must amount to at least 60pascals of pressure to keep each and every manchester united player at slightly less than 100% is anyone's guess.

but for all that was lacking in this game, the most crucial must be the lack of courage. if bill shankly is to be believed, that surely means that we do not have enough winners in the team then. how is ferguson going to turn this around?

the other way to weigh this result, or the result of this loss is to see this as a preparation for the premiership title bout against chelsea this sunday, this is a piss take. on top of all that was previously mentioned, how will the team react to this result? how will ferguson react to this loss? i know i wanted to wring saha's neck already in the first half without having to see him miss two gilt edged chances for united to pack all the points on offer home down south with them. the only way to explain that drooped shoulders and the shake of his head in resignation at every missed opportunity, every badly timed run, every time he stood still instead of running ahead, across or in between in support is his timidity. he has never struck me as a fierce competitor, much less a hard man. what he needed to show today was that he was more than willing to stand and be counted - that he wanted to be at the frontline, THAT frontline, to be the one to shut all 60,000 mouths out there - that he was a winner. he failed miserably. that no one else fought him to take that penalty is also beginning to make me wonder if that atmosphere was too much for the other 10 players as well.

so if i could only be a fan and growl about this at home - what will ferguson be thinking and doing now? he has to balance his power to be able to pulverise each and every one of the players who failed their task rather miserably today with the responsibility of getting them ready for the next game.

will the players learn from this match?
will they come out better for this and become great, not just good?

that fine line separating the two - no one can answer it but themselves.
but at the risk of more emotionally charged hyperbole, i think the gaffer would be able to see it in their eyes tonight. one by one, he should give them a good hard look and get an answer.

Losing the verve?

sheffield united 0 - 1 manchester united

the 13th game of manchester united's season saw them start with the same 11 that showed great spirit to leave ewood park the week before with 3 points - this time in blue. the two uniteds were not just fighting to keep the red shirts, the home united actually drew first blood with slack defending. early reports kept the finger firmly pointed at rio ferdinand but it was ultimately a culmination of a high backline and a midfield that was slow to get back. evra was also slow to react and allowed the former united youth player keith gillespie enough space to put a firm head to a well hit cross.

however, even before that short sequence that culminated in the home team breaching what has hitertho been a solid defence, the writing was on the wall. the start saw manchester united slightly loose and the solidity that provided the team's march this season with free flowing, sometimes breathtaking, attacking football was not apparent. queiroz put it down to a lapse in concentration but lapses like these have their reasons. the red devils escaped with all 3 points with a neat little box of tricks from the magic of their no.9.

the first goal in the 30th minute showed a deft piece of skill, controlling a gary neville pass into the box with his left before slotting the ball to one-brow kenny's right. the winner came much later on in the second half when fans like me were beginning to wonder if we would stumble after not preparing properly for this game. from a inswinging cross canoned off evra's left foot for the third time this game, rooney timed his far post appearance to capitalise with a first time volley that gave one-brow no chance.

two ronaldo misses and one scholes over-head kick saved on the goal line later on in the game might have caused more consternation if we had left the blades' homeground with anything less than maximum points on offer. as it stands, we enter the game versus chelsea 3 points ahead with all the pressure on the new enemy, the nouveu-riche. and the united management have been milking it for all it's worth.

if the pressure of trying to be on a par with us would be advantageous to us for that game next weekend, this is a good ploy indeed. i can imagine that pressure providing that extra bit of motivation and urgency for the chelsea players then and if united hold them and play it tight, like a title bout on the alert for signs of weaknesses, from the 3rd quarter of the game on, if the scores are still level, that pressure might start to unnerve all except the most steely hearted. there would be hard fouls as they go for broke if united keep their cool and control the tempo. this would need a strong referee. pair this with all the dark arts that chelsea seem to always have just under their surface and ferguson was already injecting the thought that "the game is not decided on some refereeing decisions" into the collective gaia of the premiership.

before then, we have a big big game at celtic park. that is for another discussion.

School Night Out

Who would've thunk it? Me on roller skates in a roller disco in the middle of unclaimed King's Cross, keeping balance, finding the flow and enjoying it? It was a night to remember indeed. Stafford, who didn't seem like an expert on wheels, donned his cape and defied the 40+ years and showed the way as Director of the team and headed straight to the dance floor in his skates. Anna and Chris - young, blonde and beautiful - rolled their way to the bar and bankrolled our night out with drinks till the club tab cap was reached.

And the stories about Chris being thoroughly entertaining after a drink or three was not wide off the mark. He was jumping and posing, cajoling each of us to outdo ourselves and each other. He led me to my first fall but I was a willing follower. He was probably the last amongst us (and not very far from the last in the whole club) to return his skates for his shoes. On our way out, he remarked that he felt like he was still on skates. Then, suggested that we all head to the next thump-thumping venue for more drinks and more moves - anything that required us to put on something on our feet. We ended up at BigChillHouse (nice, relaxed and looks like funfun) and then to a late opening pub after. I've had enough of the night but only because all the G&Ts that I gulped down did not do enough. The action was fading and it was time for my exit.

Funny thing today was that Katie didn't seem to give me as much time as she normally did. She's very friendly to everyone of course but I think she would, given the opportunity, be befriending the upstairs just that wee bit more. It's working and she's going to be yet another level above me in the project soon. Pro-ject Architect.

I must learn from her and from this.