Relief: Manchester United 1 - Shakhtar Donetsk 0 -- Game Recap and Player Ratings

Photo by Charlie Phillips on Flickr

The relief was palpable at Old Trafford when Phil Jones volleyed the ball into the net, the act breaking not only a more than five hour scoreless streak but sending Manchester United into the Champions League knockout stage as the top seed from Group A.  Jones' goal was a standout moment in a game that featured little to be happy about for the home side, as poor ball control and numerous defensive mistakes clouded much of the Red Devils' gameplan; but for the shooting inaccuracy of the visitors from Ukraine, the result could have easily gone the other way. 

Although Manager David Moyes will undoubtedly be buoyed by the victory, the display prompted as many questions as it did answers, and will leave the Red Devils with numerous problems to sort out in order to get their season back on track.  Herewith, the frank and honest individual player ratings from a much needed home win:

 

De Gea: Was aided by the visitors' less-than-accurate shooting. 6.0

Rafael: Decent night defensively. 5.5

Ferdinand: Nearly cost his teammates dearly when he was beaten badly by Alex Teixeira. Bailed out more than once by Jonny Evans. Is this the end? 3.5

Evans: Covered for Rio Ferdinand on numerous occasions. Looked solid defensively, but appears increasingly uncomfortable in possession.  5.0

 

Büttner: Unable to deliver an accurate cross and too easily dispossessed of the ball. 3.5

 

Young: Failed on delivery from the corner and managed to miss both an open net and a wide open Rooney when the goal was begging before the interval. Roy Keane's 'Just not good enough' comment summed it up nicely. 3.5

Giggs: Completely overrun in midfield, left acres of open space in front and behind him. Not his night. 4.0

Slow, Plodding and Boring: West Bromwich Albion 2 - Manchester United 1 -- Player Ratings

Photo byKen Teegardin

Manchester United continued its laborious and frustrating start under head coach David Moyes, losing 2-1 to West Bromwich Albion in front of a questioning home crowd at Old Trafford on Saturday. Failing to score from the run of play for a 5th  consecutive game, the United attack was positively sclerotic against the visitors, with dull, plodding and -- even worse -- boring the kindest descriptives a neutral observer might offer.  A series of defensive breakdowns on Saturday compounded the problems caused by an offense that has been transformed from the League's most prolific to parsimonious seemingly overnight.

Herewith, the individual player ratings for a performance that will set the critics to resume sharpening their knives:

De Gea: Once again, almost nothing to do before the interval. Denied Saido Berahino to snuff out one threat, but was beaten by a fine piece of individual skill from Morgan Amalfitano after the break. Stretched to his limits to deny Amalfitano's set piece near the 65 minute mark, but beaten by Berahino just a short while later for the winning goal.  7.0

Jones: Looked infinitely more settled than Smalling has as Rafael's backup, but not a natural right back by any means.  6.5

Ferdinand: Was fortunate that Berahino just missed netting the cross that skimmed over his head in central defense before the break. Embarrassed badly by Amalfitano with a 54th minute nutmeg and was beaten in the air by Olsson before being bailed out by a friendly cross bar.  4.0

Evans: Never under pressure before the break, but was badly beaten by Sessegnon to give West Brom a chance after the interval. 5.0

Buttner: Doesn't possess the attacking game of Evra, but did manage to get involved going forward. Gave the ball away far too easily in the second half, and cleary needs more seasoning. 5.0

Nani: Heavily involved in the first half attack from the right touch line, with several inviting crosses that the home side failed to take advantage of. Looked even more creative in the second half, but to little avail. 6.5

Swan Song: Manchester United 2 - Swansea City 1

Overseeing a development he had witnessed dozens of times in his illustrious managerial career, Sir Alex Ferguson saw his side notch a late winner to overcome a determined visiting side at Old Trafford, defeating Swansea City 2-1 on an 87th minute Rio Ferdinand goal.  The defender's score capped off a day filled with raucous celebrations in Manchester and all over the globe, a day marking not only the Champions' 13th Premier League title, but -- perhaps more sentimentally -- the end of the most remarkable managerial career world football has ever known.

If both the spectators and the players began the match with lumps in their throats, the players for both sides soon put their game faces on: Chicharito hit the underside of the bar to get the action underway, and with Phil Jones losing his footing at an inopportune moment, it was only lady luck that denied the Red Devils a lead within the first five minutes.

Nine minutes later and Swansea defender Chico Flores' used his body to keep Hernandez from testing the Swans' 'keeper yet again, as United continued to exert pressure on the visitors.  Paul Scholes -- as he has been so often in his career -- was once again at the center of United's movement, but by the 25 minute mark there was still no joy for the home side.

United were denied a decent penalty shout in the 32nd minute as Shinji Kagawa was felled in the box by Neil Taylor, but referee John Moss wasn't convinced -- even as Sir Alex looked on expectantly from the sideline.

It was Hernandez, though, who always looked the most likely, and he finally slotted the home side in front shortly before halftime, pouncing on a loose ball in the box as he has so often, the ball finding its way to the Mexican's feet as if by magic after a Robin van Persie free kick bounced fortuitously around in the Swansea end.

Newser

photo by aloshbennett	via PhotoRee

News and Notes from Around the World of Football:

o Newcastle fans like to have their day out -- although their idea of a fun time might be slightly different from yours and mine.  Ripping up the pitch, stealing balls and dropping trousers pre-game...?  And we thought that only happened in Correpsondent Ed's Geriatric League....

 

o Sir Alex thinks the pitch at Old Trafford is "dead?"  You should see the conditions they played in back in the days when Correspondent Scott was active....

 

o We have a couple of quick words of advice for all those slating Rio Ferdinand over his decision not to risk injury and disrupt his specialized training regimen to play against European minnows San Marino, but we can't print them in this family-oriented publication.  Where were all of these know-it-alls when the very same Ferdinand was left out of the squad that faced Brazil for "footballing reasons?"

 

Flicker: Manchester United 3 - Manchester City 2

photo by The Wandering Angel	via PhotoRee

Q. Any derby day surprises to the United starting lineup?

A. Quite unsurprisingly, yes: for beginners, how about Fergie starting his "backup" goalkeeper, David De Gea, less than a week after telling the British press that Anders Lindegaard had become his number one choice between the sticks....? Although many United fans likely saw though this managerial feint, there was a palpable sense of relief among the Twitterati when the young Spaniard's name was revealed as first choice. Other surprises included the selection of the recently injured Antonio Valencia and Tom Cleverley, and the fact that the starting eleven did not include a single surname spelled Scholes, Giggs or Fletcher. Onward and upward, as they say.

Q. How 'bout for the remaining quarter of Manchester?

A. We were a bit surprised to see a Sky Blue lineup that included Mario Balotelli at the expense of Carlos Tevez, but we were not as shocked to see David Silva experiencing the type of miracle cure usually reserved for those bathing at Lourdes. Tom Cruise revealing himself as a City fan pre-match seemed entirely appropriate, as well.

Q. How went the early going?

A. It was virtually all City to begin the game, as might be reasonably expected at Eastlands. That is, until the Wayne Rooney goal on about the quarter hour mark, which came against the run of play and on the Reds' very first effort on goal. The scuffed shot, none too pretty in and of itself, looked a real beauty in the eyes of United fans worldwide.

Q. Did City get right back up after the surprise counter?

A. It was actually United who seized the momentum and appeared to have the bit between their teeth. The Reds appeared determined to impose their will on the contest, a turnaround that became even more evident when Rooney capped off a sweeping move to double the visitors' advantage near the half hour mark, this time more emphatically finishing Rafael's picture perfect pull back.

Q. So, 45 minutes in, and 2-nil to the Reds. Your thoughts at the half?

A. We couldn't have been any happier after viewing the team's best half of the season. Showing great urgency both on and off the ball, the Reds played with ambition and determination, while the Blues looked the very picture of a toothless tiger. Roberto Mancini slowly twisted on the sideline as his team played the ball side to side, while Sir Alex looked as energized as his charges as he walked to the locker room. In addition to Rooney, standouts for this viewer included Ashley Young, as well as the entire United back line: the shape was good and the lads were disciplined.

Q. Any notable developments to begin the second half?

A. Yes: Jonny Evans was forced to limp off almost immediately after the second period began, and Mario Balotelli was handed his walking papers in favor of Carlos Tevez shortly thereafter. Somewhat less surprising was seeing Samir Nasri being booked for verbal abuse, his oral diarrhea finally raising the ire of referee Martin Atkinson -- the latter about to become central to the outcome.

A Real Nail Biter: Manchester United 1 - Fulham 0

photo by Arturo de Albornoz	via PhotoRee

I should have known there would be a problem when I saw the overabundance of confident pre-game chatter on my Twitter timeline, showcasing lots of happy talk about narrowing the goal difference on City.  A strange thing happened on the way to a 4-0 victory, however.  Instead of a comfortable walk in the park, United were forced to hang on for a 1-nil nail biter over Fulham  yesterday at Old Trafford.  Despite the narrowness of the result -- a game in which United appeared  they may surrender the lead on multple occasions in the last fifteen minutes -- the win moved the Red Devils three points clear at the top of the table after thirty games.  It's squeaky bum time for the Champions, a time of year they know well.  To Old Trafford for our match report:  

o United looked in the mood early on. Fielding an exceptionally strong squad at home, the Reds showed no lack of ambition or aggression against the Cottagers in the opening ten minutes. Allowing Fulham virtually no opportunities to leave their own end of the pitch, it was only the final touch which stopped the Red Devils from taking an early and deserved lead.

o I don't know if it was the television broadcast or the excitement of the title race, but the crowd at Old Trafford on Monday clearly started the contest in top voice. They then proceeded to fade pretty quickly as Fulham came into the game....

o Clint Dempsey in pink boots?  No thank you.... I'm guessing that Ryan Giggs got a good view of them from the back, however, as Deuce flew by him repeatedly in the center of the pitch.  Playing Michael Carrick and Giggs in the middle opened up quite a bit of space for Dempsey and Moussa Dembele to run into, as Fulham withstood United's early assault, came out of their shell, and gradually began to dominate midfield.

o United were absolutely wasteful in possession last night, displaying a heavy touch and a knack for wayward passing.  Several Reds were guilty of turning the ball over repeatedly, including some of the biggest names on the pitch: Wayne Rooney, Giggs, and Ashley Young among the guilty.

o Wazza's goal right before halftime was much needed, and brought a palpable sense of relief to the proceedings. Jonny Evans may not have scored a goal this week, but his assist on the goal was a clutch play by the Northern Irishman, who appears to be gaining new fans each week with his exploits filling Vidic's boots.

o Last season it was early goals that gave United confidence and led to the title -- remember Chicharito's opening minute tally against Chelsea...?  This season the Reds' magic hour happens to be just before half-time.  It seems as if we get the goals just when they are needed most, but are only rarely able to begin the game on a roll -- the kind of roll that leads to big goal outbursts.  Here's hoping United can change that, and add some goals to their tally in one or two of the upcoming games.

o Antonio Valencia may just be the most terrifying one footed player of all time. Combined with Rafael, who himself had a terrific game on Monday, United tore John Arne Riise to shreds on the right hand side of the pitch for much of the night.

The Wrong Way Forward: Newcastle 3 - Manchester United 0

photo by opensourceway	via PhotoRee

Manchester United traveled to the North East of England and the stadium formerly known as St. James Park on Wednesday, to meet Newcastle in a game that many called a "must-win" in order for the Reds to keep pace with City at the top of the League table.  With Tottenham nipping at their heels from the other side, several United players spoke openly pre-game about how important it would be to get a result in the mid-week contest.  Instead, the Reds left Newcastle with their tail between their legs, well beaten and cursing their fate.  What follows are thoughts and observations on the critical 3-0 Tyneside loss :

o Newcastle is a club that will be badly hurt by the African Cup of Nations.  Not only is leading scorer Demba Ba heading off at the weekend, so too is Cheik Tiote, a key driver of the Magpies' defensive midfield. Some clubs -- the Reds included -- could withstand the loss of two starters without missing much, but for a club like Newcastle to lose arguably their two most valuable players at the same time could be a real problem. Ba looked absolutely lethal last night, and his first half tally was a striker's goal of the highest order; on the flip side of the ball, Tiote hassled and harried United into too many turnovers to recount.  It's unfortunate that United had to play Newcastle this week and not next, but that's how the schedule works.

o Fergie has no sentimentality -- none. Witness the current United striker situation: at the beginning of the season, Danny Welbeck was paired with Wayne Rooney to lead the line, in part because of Welbeck's form, and in part because of the injury Chicharito picked up during the US pre-season tour. Later, when Welbeck went down with an injury, it was the young Mexican who was preferred as Rooney's strike partner, while Dimitar Berbatov continued to languish on the bench.  But due to the Bulgarian's form over the past month -- with 6 goals in his last 4 games -- it was Berba who was handed the start again last night, while Chicharito now seems slotted in as fourth choice.  Never one to rely on history as his guide, Sir Alex is all about "What have you done for me lately...?"

o And despite all that, my guess is Sir Alex left the game last night wondering exactly who his best two strikers are at the current moment. Berbatov was largely ineffective -- to be fair, he didn't get much in the way of quality service -- necessitating the introduction of Welbeck. And when that wasn't deemed sufficient, Sir Alex also threw Chicharito into the mix. But with none of the four strikers finding the net, just who has the hot hand going into the City game?

o The penalty call on Rio in the home fixture may have been evened out by referee Howard Webb's non-call in the first half last night.  At the very least, Ferdinand's challenge which sent Demba Ba sprawling in the box was significantly clumsier than the challenge for which he was penalized at Old Trafford.  Alan Pardew was so incensed by the decision (and another non-call by Webb which followed) that he resembled someone Howard Webb would lock up in his day job more than he did the coach of Newcastle.

The Trouble with Twitter

photo by carrotcreative	via PhotoRee

Let me start out by saying this: I love Twitter.  I find it interesting to see the "unfiltered" thoughts of the various Manchester United players on the social networking service, as well as a useful form of communication with people of like minds around the globe.  But the focus of today's column is not about how much I love Twitter, but rather on how it may be leading to unforseen problems in the Manchester United camp.

Rather than the agent-polished, PR-produced ramblings of Cristiano Ronaldo's Twitter account ("I scored two goals today, and am very proud of the team's achievement"), the steady stream of "tweets" coming from the United camp of players is authentic, and often unfiltered.  Rio Ferdinand was first to the game, cultivating a direct and instant communication bond with his fans. Rio opened up the inside of an athlete's mind to his legions of supporters, and created a movement. He's been richly rewarded for his early adoption: Rio is now consistently the number one or two most followed person on Twitter in England, and has his own personal army of more than a million followers.

Rio was followed by Luis Nani, who has also done remarkably well on the medium, despite the fact that English is not his first language. Nani took to Twitter like a Portuguese duck takes to water, and was warmly greeted by the Twitterverse. In short order, Antonio Valencia and Michael Owen followed. The former has tweeted only infrequently, hampered by his admitted lack of command of the English language; the latter has been a revelation, adding some rich and well received insight into the beating heart of a true player. Michael Owen's foray into Twitter has been universally well received, and the former scouse heartbreaker has been transformed into Red Devil elder spokesman before our very eyes, both on the pitch and off it.

Then the story becomes more complicated. Owen was followed in short order by Wayne Rooney, and for a brief but eventful moment, by Darren Gibson, as well.  While Wazza's appearance in the Twitter-verse coincided with his overall return to form, and the outpouring of affection from his fans appears genuine, Gibson's foray into social media, brief as it was, marked another kind of reaction among the fan base: unfiltered abuse. So strong was the string of epithets and critiscism directed at the Irishman that he lasted a whopping 45 minutes or so before closing his account. Sometimes it's truly better not to know what people REALLY think of you.

True Grit

photo by Paul Garland	via PhotoRee

Now that's what I call a game.  Manchester United, showing True Grit and determination, survived a very tough cross examination by Tottenham Hotspur at the Lane this afternoon.   After spending all fall and winter bemoaning the points dropped on the road this season, this was well and truly a point gained for the Red Devils against a very talented Spurs side.

Playing nine against eleven for one death defying moment, United spent the last twenty minutes of the game a man short, thanks to yet another dodgy Mike Dean decision [Ed. Note: how long is one man allowed to keep officiating in the league, when it's obvious his decisions are biased against a team, to say nothing of his general incompetence?  See here and here for examples of me calling Dean out previously for his bias, as well as here for me noting his incredible incompetence.  It's time for this guy to go.]  Despite finishing the game without their right back, United hung tough on the road, and incredibly, had an opportunity to nick the full three points just before the whistle blew.  Sir Alex has to be well pleased with his side's fantastic effort.

Ten Reasons I'm Thankful to be a Manchester United Fan

>

Even the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Turkey Loves Manchester United
photo by Ben+Sam	via PhotoRee

On this day of American Thanksgiving, here are ten reasons among many that I'm thankful to be a Red:

1.  No Carlos Tevez. Could this guy be any more annoying?  I hate him, absolutely detest him, so I'm thankful he's moved across town to the noisy neighbors' house. Good riddance, and good luck over there. By the way, I don't think they've won anything for, oh, about 34 years or thereabouts. Enjoy being trophyless, Mr. Tevez.

2. Chicharito. I love this guy. Regular readers of farlieonfootie will have been on the little Mexican's bandwagon for some time now, and the rest of the world is still figuring out just how good this guy is going to be. The sky's the limit, in my opinion, as the Little Sweet Pea seems ebullient not only to be scoring regularly, but even more so just to be playing.

3. Nani's Creativity. In a season in which the Red Devils have been struggling offensively, even against supposedly "lesser" Premier League sides, Nani has been a shining beacon of creativity on the right side of midfield. I shudder to think where we'd be without him this year, and it shows just how much the Portuguese winger has improved that a year ago I'll readily admit I wasn't sure he belonged at Old Trafford. I'm sure of it now, though, and thankful he plays for United.

Keystone Kops or Comeback Kids? United Leave it Late

Keystone Kops or Comeback Kids?  You Decide.
photo by SMJJP	via PhotoRee

George "Sportif" Le Coq, Sissy Buttlefelt, and I, in attendance at Villa Park, to take in Saturday's near-noon kickoff against Villa.  We're joined by farlieonfootie's Director of Marketing, Oliver Miller.  It's a relief to be free of the events of the past week, enjoying football with colleagues as well as friends, and our correspondent Ed's problems are but a bitter memory in the farlieonfootie rear view mirror.  The four of us enjoy a game day beer, profiled later in this column, to cloud our memories of a week we'd like to forget. Herewith the game:

It's an experienced United side that travel down to Birmingham today to face a youthful Villa squad. The Red Devils have to be looking forward to this fixture, as they haven't lost at Villa Park since 1995. United emerge from the locker room in their white strip today, so let's hope the new color brings us luck.

United dominate the early possession, showcasing more aggression from the start than they offered in the entire 90 minutes mid-week versus City.  Villa fight their way back into the match after 15 minutes, though, with new boy Barry Bannan showcasing tremendous vision to unlock Ashley Young and fashioning the first opportunity of the day. Although Wes Brown is caught out on defense, Rio Ferdinand comes to his rescue and partially blocks the resulting shot before it can trouble Van der Sar.





Villa's offense comes at a price, as they've left acres of well-manicured pitch open for United to counter-attack. It's swift and dangerous when they do, with Chicharito slotting Berbatov in alone in front of the home side's goal. The Bulgarian's shooting woes continue, though, as he manages to pull the ball wide left from virtual point blank range.

At the other end, Villa is aided today by our inept man in charge. Displaying his usual inability to see what's going on, referee Mike Dean turns a blind eye to several prominent muggings by Villa in the offensive box.  The opportunities are shunted aside by the United boys in the middle, and it's superheroes versus villains locked in hand-to-hand combat; to this point in the action the good guys -- the men in white, after all -- appear to be up to the task.  After such a promising start for United, though, Villa have managed to play their way back into the game, and by the half hour mark they're giving as good as they're getting. 

Evra and Nani employ a bit of training ground trickery on a free kick at the Villa end, and remarkably it works, as Evra is put through on the left wing with five yards between him and the nearest defender. Unfortunately, none of his teammates make their way within five yards of goal, and the French fullback's fine cross skitters through untouched.

To this point in the game the United offensive effort appears lacking on the wing, as Nani repeatedly looks to cut in, as if dragged by magnet to a middle which is well-stacked with bodies. The Red Devils' offense is all too narrow, with Park, Hernandez, Berbatov, Carrick and Fletcher playing bumper cars as they routinely crash into each other around the 18 yard box.

Villa end the half with a nice spell of pressure, once again aided by a referee who fails to see the rather fiesty pushing in the box, but their best effort ends with a Stuart Downing shot partially blocked by Ferdinand.   The twitter maven is showing his worth today, as he and central defense partner Vidic are standing like unmoveable towers in central defense; against a lesser side it's likely Villa would be on the board at least once this afternoon.

It's a different United that start the second half, and as poor as they have been to this point in the action, it's still not a good thing.  United look like the Keystone Kops right now, as if they've made their way back onto the pitch but have somehow managed to leave their composure behind in the locker room.




Villa miss a sterling chance to take the lead as a ball dribbles through the box, but the resulting shot is fired wide. A short minute or two later and it's Albrighton somehow heading wide from right in front of Van der Sar, the goal gaping at his mercy. Although it's routine to say these misses may come back to haunt Villa, United have not created enough opportunities for one to see how they might punish the home side.

With a half hour left United are bloodied and losing their composure, as Chicharito is carded yet Warnock's high boot which bloodies Fletcher's face goes unspotted by referee Dean. Fletcher re-emerges onto the pitch looking angry; whether it's because his new jersey is numberless or he's upset at the biased officiating remains to be seen. 

The game becomes increasingly tense as Villa continue the pressure. Collins tries to claim the lead for Villa, but the top of the bar comes to the rescue and United is let off the rack.  Ninety seconds later it's the left post playing defense for United, as Agbonlahor is denied from giving his team the lead.  The goal frame may be saving United at this point, but even the neutrals watching on television will feel the goal coming

When it does come it's aided by a biased Mike Dean, who hands Villa a rather dodgy penalty on an innoucous Wes Brown shoulder barge, with Ashley Young converting from the spot to give Villa their deserved lead.  Obertan and Macheda are called on to replace the ineffective Berbatov and Hernandez, neither of whom has been given much to do today. In truth, Park and Nani in particular have stunk up the joint -- truly a faulty, pathetic performance from the midfield and wings today.

United are caught out on the counter in the 76th minute, as Macheda is robbed of the ball and Albrighton converts a cracking Stuart Downing cross for a 2-nil lead. It's hard to argue at this point that Villa don't deserve the two goal margin, and it could easily be double that amount.  United have been shockingly poor today, and the long run of unbeaten games now looks set to come to a crashing halt.

Ferdinand is denied by American goaltender Brad Friedel after creating United's first shot on target in the 80th minute. That says it all: a central defender has the first shot on target today with only a scant ten minutes left to play.

But it's at this low point that the tide begins to go out on Villa's remarkable run, as Kiko Macheda is not denied a minute later when he hits the target and pulls back a goal -- what is it about Macheda and Aston Villa?  We've got a tense finish set up here, and the Red Devils would be well pleased with a tie at this point, a thought most United fans would have scoffed at in their pre-game bravado.

Nani's inch perfect cross finds Vida in front of goal in the game's 86th minute, and United has fought their way back to tie the game at two, as the United captain finds the net with his head. 


It's an absolute shocker to be sure, and it'll be a true slam-bang mugging if United gain a point or more on the day. Five minutes of time are signaled at the end of regulation, offering further hope to the visitors.  Villa, after being in absolute control of the match only ten short minutes ago, are now just looking to hang onto their draw.

United fashion several chances in stoppage time, with the best being Obertan's direct route to goal, but Friedel once again manages to deny, with his face standing in the way of an undeserved United lead. Time ultimately runs out on the comeback, and it's another two points dropped by the boys in white.

Sir Alex shakes his head at the final whistle, befuddled by his team's lackluster play, and it's a truly puzzled farlieonfootie, as well, for November 14.  Who are these impostors in the white uniforms today, and what have they done with my team?

Game day Beer Review: Avery Brewing The Kaiser Imperial Oktoberfest (9.73% ABV). Poured into a goblet, displaying a translucent copper color with minimal head. Smell is mixed malt and dark fruits. Taste is malty, biscuity caramel, with herbal grassiness that leads to a long, sweet finish with a strong malt backbone. Extra thick, sticky mouthfeel, with highly noticeable alcohol. This is defintiely a sipper, from one of my favorite American breweries out of Colorado: B+

Bottoms up!

The Calm Before the Storm. Although it's been eight days since we last saw Manchester United in action, don't worry too much.  I know the international break seems painful, but relief is in sight.  Starting next Saturday, the boys in red will play nine games in 27  days, or for those of you who are less fortunate in the math department, once every three days for almost four weeks.  Sure, this encompasses EPL, Champions League and Carling Cup action, but so what. I, for one, am ready for some footie.

Photo by Thomas Duchnicki :: Location Scout via Photoree

Rio isn't Pipped.  For those familar with US Major League Baseball lore, Wally Pipp was the NY Yankee first baseman who allegedly sat out of the lineup one day due to a headache (never mind the inconvenient fact that the "headache" was actually a concussion due to a fractured skull resulting from Pipp being hit by a batting practice pitch) and never played again due to the quality of his replacement -- the replacement in question being Lou Gehrig, the original Iron Man of sports, natch.  In any event, suffice it to say that it's not Rio's fate to be "pipped" by Stevie G for the England captaincy, as England's coach, Fabio Capello, finally made the correct decision and handed the armband back to Ferdinand.

Gazza Caught Drunk Driving -- Again.  Not that this semi-annual occurrence is news, but rather a question.  Why do the English call it "drink driving," while the Americans call it "drunk driving"?  Anyone?

Joe Hart Likes Jägermeister.  A lot, apparently.  Although it's not straight out of your typical coach's handbook, English goalie Joe Hart got ready for his upcoming match against Montenegro the old-fashioned way: by getting rip-roaringly drunk and staying out until 5am.  In a move sure to anger Coach Fabio Capello, but no doubt delight the shareholders of Mast-Jägermeister, the makers of the Jägermeister brand of digestif, the English 'keeper danced on a bar and downed shots with his buddies until just hours before meeting up with his English teammates.  Uncle Harry Redknapp perhaps summed up the issue best when he explained that the problem with English footballers isn't the quality, it's the drinking.

It's 5 o'clock somewhere (but not here, unfortunately), and I'm farlieonfootie for October 11.

Thoughts on United's Tie (Ughh!) against Bolton

photo by Terry Wha	via PhotoRee

Thoughts after viewing the Manchester United - Bolton game this morning:

* First off, it can't be avoided: Manchester United needed the win today to pull within a point of Chelsea, and didn't get it.  Third straight tie on the road.  Very disappointing to be honest.  Moreover, I think United were probably fortunate to get the tie.  Bolton's front line caused repeated problems for the United defense, which struggled to keep up.  Things settled down a bit after Vidic and Evans switched to allow Vida to cover Davies, but they were never able to totally suppress the Bolton attack.  Again, very disappointing.

* Thank God for Nani.  I never thought I would be typing these words; I have to admit I formerly thought Nani should be traded. I'm feeling pretty good right now that I've been a steadfast supporter of Dimitar Berbatov throughout the past two years, but if I'm being completely honest I've got to own up to my former feelings about Nani. Not that I have them anymore, of course....

I felt, I suppose (to give myself proper cover), like many United supporters: too many wasted chances, the final ball almost always lacking quality, and an aimless sort of drifting through a game with seemingly little focus on what he should be doing or to whom he should be doing it. Also, too many shots that wound up in the 15th row (WAY too many shots that wound up in the 15th row), sailing wildly up and beyond the top of goal. He always looked like he was trying to be the poor man's Ronaldo, playing in the shadow of his older Portuguese compatriot.

In the middle of last season things just about boiled over and I thought my former wish was about to come true: Nani criticized SAF publicly, which is a virtual crossing of the Rubicon for United if ever there was one (see Column 4, La Liga The Temptress, regarding Beckham for more on this particular sin).

But these are different days. Nani may not be CR7, but that's okay. He's not trying to be anymore. I date Nani's newfound confidence and resurgence to the game at the Emirates last year against Arsenal. His wonder goal that game (I think the "Dubious Goals Committee" eventually awarded the goal to Nani, although at the time it was ruled an OG against Almunia) was the result of fantastic footwork and brilliant creativity.  (Quick aside: I love the Brits for proper usage of the English language.  No surprise there, in that they invented it!  But my guess is that the average American sports fan wouldn't even know what "Dubious" means!). His second flash of brilliance that game came on United's lightning-quick counter attack with Rooney that effectively ended the game.

Flash forward several games (ignore Nani's ill-tempered red card vs. Villa) to the late-season game against Spurs where United desperately needed a win to stay in contention for the title. After giving up a late goal to go behind, who popped up for United but Nani with a cheeky little chip over Gomes that very few players in the League would have the vision or audacity to even try.

Nani has carried on from there, fueled by resurgent confidence (see Berbatov, Dimitar) and resulting success, and is now -- especially with Antonio Valencia likely lost for the season -- one of the keys to this season's United attack.  Today's game saw Nani play a key role again: a goal and an assist to bring United back twice against Bolton.  Thank God for Nani.

* Michael Owen is back. I know I said this the other day, but this time I really mean it. The devastating pace may be gone, but the trademark nose for goal is still there. How does the shortest guy on the pitch (playing a Bolton team that is not lacking for height, the one skill in footie that can't be taught!) come off the bench and immediately get his head on Nani's free kick and stick it in the back of the net?  Positioning, plain and simple. Michael Owen is an incredibly smart player and always seems to put himself in the right spot. You do that enough times and the ball is going to bounce your way every now and then. It bounces Owen's way a lot, and he still knows what to do with it.

* United need Rio Ferdinand to get well soon. I love Jonny Evans but to me the United back line is missing the touch of confidence that Ferdinand brings to it. We haven't seen the big guy much lately (although we've heard him a lot via his Twitter feed @rioferdy5) but I keep hoping his consistent return to the United roster is right around the corner. He and Vida form arguably the best defensive partnership in Europe, but they haven't played much together over the last season and a half, and United have been much the worse for it.

* Sir Alex has chutzpah. Very few managers in the game would have had the temerity to substitute Rooney and Giggs and bring on Macheda and Owen. Yes, I know he has the luxury of a deep bench, but on the road, 2-1 down, the guy throws the midfield out the window and adds offense.  Kind of a "Damn-the-Torpedoes-Full-Speed-Ahead" move.  Didn't pay off with a win, but it didn't backfire, either, and let's hope maybe the point earned will prove important later in the season.

Still, the road ties problem is bothering me.  Not sure what it means yet, but hoping it sorts itself out sooner rather than later.  And that's farlieonfootie for september 26.