Decline?

Are we, Manchester United, on a decline?
After a long time of trying to swallow the fact that we have nothing but the Carling Cup to show for the 2009-2010 season, finally, I am nearly over it and now just waiting for the World Cup, where I still do not know who to support, but the news keep making me upset, and all MU fans as well.

First, the Red Knights seems to fall apart, because they could not get the money they want or the Glazers does not want to sell. Either way, we have to live with the Glazers for … damn it, how long?

David Villa moved to Barcelona. What? Was he one of Sir Alex Ferguson’s targets? Nope, it seemed. With the Glazers, we have to settle for the guys around 10m not the guys at 40m. And Sir Alex, please stop going on with “The market is hard”, etc, why not simply said: “We have no money, so I bet on our young stars and of course our old guards, they might guide us on to another Premiership”. If Sir Alex retired today, MU may broke .

Today, I visited manutd.com
So, look at the picture, now our marketing guys have to rely on two old men, and on, uhm, well, not exactly a household name. This makes me remember our last season Asian tour, we are lucky that we have Park.

You know, I believe in Sir Alex, but if next season, our Gibson, Macheda, Anderson and Co do not deliver, then, seriously, we are in a decline.

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Manchester United vs Bayern Munich: crashed out

We won, yet ironically, we are out. I must say that I was surprised and very pleased with the way Manchester United played (of course in the first forty minutes, not in the last fifty minutes). After a tough week, we bounced back, attacked with pace and determination. But after three goals, the ghost of 99 continued to haul us. It just like we could not win, just like destiny. Between the red card of Rafael and the goal of Robben, we had two decent chances for Nani then Carrick, but we could not score. How many chances Bayern Munich had after Rafael was dismissed? I think just two, but they scored, and that was the important thing.

We now experienced what Bayern Munich felt in 99, so close to the cup, and yet could not touch it. And Ferguson was not angry as usual, sometimes, you could not blame the players, they played their best, but after all, they could not deny destiny. Everyone thought Bayern would score after we missed the chances, I am sure.

So, we now have only one target left, the Premier League, and Chelsea is in the driving seat. A tough fixtures ahead with a visit to Edwood Park before the derby with Manchester City. Come on, United, forget the results, you played well, now braced yourself for the fourth title in a row .

Manchester United vs Chelsea: tough luck

Another 2-1 defeat, this time at home, in the hands of the old enemy, Manchester United need all Ferguson management skills to help them back on track. Last year, when facing with the same problem, Christiano Ronaldo saved us all with a wonder strike at Porto. This time, the man who is most capable of rescuing us, is sitting on a far away box, and could not do anything for at least another two weeks, when maybe everything is decided. Anyway losing the match is nothing compare to losing the momentum and the moral in the team. Looking at the team right now, we understand why we need someone like Roy Keane, someone who could lift the team out of the mess, and not in the way Christiano Ronaldo did.

Many would keep on moaning about the referee not award Manchester United penalty or about the Drogba goal (clearly offside), but the truth is neither side deserved to win. In this kind of match, luck is the most important factor, and of course, Manchester United right now is not exactly lucky. So we have to accept it, sometimes you are lucky, and sometimes you are not.

My script for the match is, sadly, wrong. However, Macheda did score a “wonder” goal . Hopefully, lady luck would be more generous with Manchester United next Wednesday.

Life without … Rooney

How quickly things turn around in football? A week ago, every Manchester United fan, confident sky-high, believes in a golden week. A draw away to Bayern, a win at home, and then the conclusion of Bayern also at home. Things do turn around, now, the “Wayne team” has to cope with the lost of Rooney. We could lost everything in one week .

Chelsea is in good form, you could tell that from the demolition of Aston Villa, and the week could not be better for Terry and Alex, they may sleep soundly tonight. Of course, winning at Old Trafford would make a wonderful week for them.

So, our hope now rest on Berbatov and of course our defense. My script for the match would go like this: we defense for about thirty minutes, Drogba misses a sitter, then Berbatov pulls some magic tricks out of his sleeves to score the first goal. In the second half, Lampard and Terry score in ten minutes. Then Paul Scholes scores on eighty minutes. Finally, Sir Ferguson throws in our golden boy Macheda. And, in the final minutes of injured time, he turns in style to score a wonder goal, maybe from forty yards, to settle the match. That’s it, hopefully.

Bad night in Munich

We lost the game when everybody said we’ll win. How many times we’ve seen that
Rooney is injured, and by the way we played today, we will have a hard night next week. But first we have a date with Chelsea this weekend, and I do not want to think about it without Rooney.
Back to today’s match, I think Bayern Munich deserved to win, yes, Manchester United played a pretty bad match, and it seems that Sir Alex had a night when all his formation went wrong. Or maybe it was not because of him, all the players seem to be exhausted. Carrick, Park, Fletcher, all played well below standard. Evra had a very bad night, woefully in defense, and not attack much . Rooney, if he was a little more clinical we might have won, although that would be lucky for ourselves .
Having said that, this is not the end. Losing first leg 2-1 is not that bad, but losing Rooney is.

Manchester United vs Bayern Munich: Big night

Eleven years gone, and we meet again. United these days is more like a “Wayne team”, not the class of ’99. The same could be said about Bayern, a “Robben and Ribbery team”. But while Manchester United is still favorite for the final, Bayern Munich is not the same force as they used to be. Having said that, it will not be easy.

The Germans always find a way to make you work your socks off, international level or club level. And compare man to man, Manchester United is not so much better than Bayern. The same could not be said if we still have Ronaldo and Tevez. So as Ferguson has said, Vidic and Ferdinand are vital to this tie. A 2-2 draw would make my day .

Manchester United vs Liverpool: Nervous win

Manchester United won 2-1, deservedly I might add, but it was still a nervous win. If that Spanish guy was a little more careful with his shot, we had been robbed two points, and this morning we would have headlines all over the places, in which our French professor told the reporters that he believed his team could do it blah blah blah. Come on, sometimes you media ask silly questions, I have never seen a coach going out, declaring that they are crap, and they are going to win nothing this year and maybe they will not finish in the top four, and Europa League is the best thing they could hope for next year. Although Benitez should make exactly the above statement tomorrow .

Anyway, back to ourselves, one down seven more to go. It’s been a long time since we had such a close title race. With Arsenal have an easy fixtures (except for Manchester City and Tottenham), every match is like the final with us now. Begin with Bolton this Saturday. I really think Sir Alex should consider to rest Rooney this Saturday, let Berbatov leading the line for once. He played very well lately, and with Park, Fletcher in such form we could labour out a win at Reebok.

In the mean time, let celebrate the moment. By the way, where
the hell are our Red Knights?

Bayern Munich/Manchester United v Lyon/Bordeaux

Everybody say MU has the easy draw. Yet, we have a bad habit of doing it the hard way. I still expect many bumps along the way. Talking about Bayern Munich, they have a certain footballer, named Ribbery, although I believe he is overhyped, still a dangerous player. Add to that the fact we have only Gary Neville or the inexperience Rafael, we have a problem. Then there is the Dutch guy, hope he picks up another injury before 30 March . The good news is that we will play the return fixture at Old Trafford, and we have Wayne Rooney. I do not believe the form of Wayne Rooney would last to the end of the season. Form likes some kind of math graphs, it goes up, then it must goes down before going up again, hopefully Wayne will peak at the right time. What about this Sunday, the week on March 30th and then on May 22nd. That is the kind of graph I’d love to see. .

So, another Super Sunday tomorrow. Manchester United is kind of unfortunate, whenever we play Liverpool, the Spanish guy always in good mood. He did not play much this season, yet, our Vidic will have to deal with him again. Sometimes injuries help . Everything will depends on the dual between those two guys. Benitez will no doubt put everyone on defensive, and throw the ball at Torres. Hope you have a nice afternoon Vidic. MUST is always with you.

Manchester United vs AC Milan: Memorable night

Real Madrid is out again. Could not be happier. .

What do you think about the picture above. Priceless. Could not be happier . OK, I am mean, I admit, but I could not help smiling. Rooney proved me wrong once again. If there is something to say to him right now, I would say, please, please have a rest.

Then came the news about the latest move of the Red Knights. Still a long way, but we have something to looking to, and that is good. “Debt is the road to ruin”, you could not be more right, dear Gill.

Finally, if you have not joined our HEROES, please, you should joinMUST now.