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Defence is best base for attack - Rooney
Posted by Bill on Sat Mar 13 @ 09:15 GMT
Wayne Rooney is predicting Manchester United will become even more prolific now their first choice central defensive partnership is back in action.

Thanks to Rooney's efforts, United have so far been able to make light of lengthy absences for Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic this season. Already the duo's recovery from back and nerve problems respectively has had an impact, with United keeping successive clean sheets for the first time since October.

And, ahead of Sunday's Barclays Premier League encounter with Fulham, Rooney told MUTV: "It is always difficult when your defenders are injured. We have used different defenders in different games but thankfully now Rio and Nemanja are back. It gives us more stability in defence and that should mean more opportunities to score."

Rooney took his tally to 30 for the season with his midweek brace against AC Milan, so it is little wonder Sir Alex Ferguson reacted with irritation on Friday when asked what he would do if the England striker got injured.

"I am not even thinking about that," Ferguson said. "Please, give me a break. Do you want to stick pins in us?"

Tempting fate or not, United tackle Fulham at Old Trafford knowing Rooney is pivotal to their hopes of glory.

A place in the last eight of the Champions League is already assured but it is a record 19th title - and an unprecedented fourth in a row - that is really driving Ferguson on.

"The record we are chasing is four titles in a row," he said. "That would be fantastic. It would be the 19th title. It would be the most in the league.

"It doesn't matter who you beat for that record, it's a record and we have got a chance."

Un Giorno Perfetto; a personal report PaulJ
Posted by Barry on Sat Mar 13 @ 06:51 GMT
Un Giorno Perfetto
I drove through a gridlocked Stafford all Wednesday afternoon trying to avoid the lorry fire on the M6 contemplating how privileged we are. Ferguson has us in a position each spring, almost without fail, to savour club football at its highest level while our neighbours are either out of Europe altogether or seeking to entertain those with nothing better to do than watch Channel Five on a Thursday Night. When I got to Manchester after six hours on the road I was in the happy situation of reacquainting myself with friends and Sangam’s Chicken Tandoori and moving on to watch United take on the famous Milanese in the knock-out round of the European Cup.

Van der Sar, of course, was in goal and Ferguson went for the experience of Gary Neville at right back, playing as captain alongside Vidic, Ferdinand and Evra. With Carrick suspended and Anderson injured, Scholes and Fletcher were in the middle. I had expected Valencia and Park to be on the wing and Rooney and Berbatov up front but Ferguson played Rooney alone, Nani on the left and Park in a central role. We won because more of our players were willing to work for the team, because our centre-forward is currently the most lethal in Europe and because Park subdued their most threatening play-maker with a display of skill and energy which still allowed him time to support the attack. He was Ferguson’s man of the match; you could have picked from three or four.

Milan began the game with a couple of minutes of studied possession but Darren Fletcher was superb destructively and constructively and once he had stepped in and robbed Massimo Ambosini, United set about the night’s task going forward with speed and flair. Rooney was the fulcrum, showing in turns delicate footwork and sheer force against the tightest of marking, resisting the physical threat while distributing the ball hither and thither.

United’s adventure allowed Milan minatory possession. Andrea Pirlo’s free kick was flicked on by Nani, allegedly back to help, allowing Ronaldinho a clear header from six yards which came to him so fast he could not react; it grazed the post. Then Thiago Silva launched a pass over the top for Huntelaar, onside and in the clear. Milan, Ronaldinho in particular, kept repeating this ploy, which might have been based upon their experience of Jonny Evans’ indecision in the first game and their imagination that Huntelaar was a class finisher; he turned out merely to be Klaas.

Nani cut in and shot for the near post but with him in mercurial form we posed a more consistent danger up the right. Neville seemed to have calculated that Ronaldinho’s indolence would leave him opportunity if he was adventurous; he, Park and Valencia enjoyed the space and provided Rooney with a couple of early opportunities from the edge of the area. Neville cut in and shot wide and it was no surprise that Milan’s lack of attention to this area undid them. Scholes picked up the loose clearance and gave it to Neville who was given time to calculate his options. His deep cross was a peach and just inside the area Wayne Rooney rose with athletic grace to beat Danilele Bonera and direct the header home; 13 minutes 1-0.

For the remainder of the first half Milan had the greater possession. They were the more patient and accurate with the ball and cleverer in every aspect of the game except actually scoring. Vidic had his hands full in a lively duel with Marco Borreillo. Rio played like a lion at crucial moments; he made a vital block when Pirlo’s free kick reached the danger area and then produced a brave header amidst the flying feet to deny Huntelaar. When Nani gave the ball away and Pirlo’s drive swerved in the air it was stutteringly smothered by Van der Sar, his only mistake of the night. Yet just as we were discussing how unsettling would be a Milan goal before half time it was United who nearly scored; Nani broke up the left and passed inside to Fletcher whose shot from twenty five yards was fierce, beat Abbiati’s photogenic dive and looked at first to have gone in.

After the interval Milan brought on Clarence Seedorf for Bonera but within seconds of the restart the corn of their plans had been ground to polenta. Silva failed elementary control of a crossfield ball near the half way line and Nani was away down the left touchline. When it became obvious that Silva was matching him stride for stride we expected the chance to be wasted but he produced with the outside of his right foot the defining moment of the tie, a stunning ball curving infield along the ground. The predator read the situation, peeled away from his marker in an arc and met the ball just outside the area as Abbiati came to meet him. One deft touch from the master is all it takes and as Rooney hurdled the flying goalkeeper and just kept his feet the ball was rolling into the Stretford End goal; 46 minutes 2-0.

There is undoubtedly, however, a mneme about institutions as campaign hardened as the Rossoneri. They still gave cause for worry; Fletcher got away with the riskiest of back headers through a crowded area. Nani neglected his chores at the back and allowed Ignazio Abate a cross which Huntelaar headed over, but going forward he was an altogether different player. He turned Silva inside out and the ‘keeper only just managed to claw the cross from under the bar with Valencia awaiting the tap-in. It was Nani’s break from deep that began the scoring move. The ball was transferred until the crowd urged Scholes to shoot. Instead he produced a disguised ball up the inside right channel for Park to run on to and score from a narrow angle, low across the goalkeeper, in off the far post; 59 minutes 3-0.

The tie was now as good as over. David Beckham came on to a magnificent welcome and showed he might have made a difference. Rooney and Neville went off to make way for Berbatov and Rafael and United played around the edge of the Milan area for long periods taking turns at shooting while every now and then affording the visitors a chance up the other end; Van der Sar did incredibly well to save with his feet a deflected ground shot from Mathieu Flamini and was standing in the right place when Beckham connected with a spectacular volley which the Dutchman still had difficulty pushing over.

Scholes, lucky not to have been booked in the first half for a missed tackle on Flamini, got himself in a tizwoz over a nudge from Ronaldinho and then needlessly booked trying a shot after Beckham had been tripped by Park; he was taken off for Gibson before he did anything else silly.

Ronaldinho tried a Scholesian tackle on Rafael, who made a meal of it. “You should have signed for a big club” we sang at the talented but murcid Brazilian. On came Filippo Inzaghi, who showed three times why Ferguson had once said was born offside and eventually missed an absolute sitter from close in. Meanwhile Valencia’s cross was blocked, Park won the ball cleverly and worked it back to Rafael whose deep cross was met at the far post by the stooping Darren Fletcher as Abbiati made it insufficiently difficult for him; 88 minutes 4-0.

Growing around the ground had been the increasing signs of rebellion. Other than at either end, where the Heathens’ colours were in preponderance, the balance between the red and the green and gold was about fifty-fifty. There had as part of the normal repertoire been Glazer chants from the start but now the anti-Glazer songs were taken up with increasing vigour on all sides and the Stretford End was alive with twirling green and gold scarves. When the match ended Beckham came over, picked up one of the rebel scarves and to a huge cheer donned it as he went down the tunnel.

News came through that Lyons had equalised in Madrid; Real were out of the European Cup. In the gents someone began singing “Could have won the cup but he fucked it up, Viva Ronaldo” and as I sat in the traffic jam on the Chester Road a dear friend long out of touch rang me to share the joy of victory. It was a perfect day.

We are through to the quarter finals, no more. One has to go back only a year to recall how such elation can be turned to disappointment. I know enough of history to be aware how ended the peasants’ revolt and that more powerful, cynical forces were needed to bring about the regime change. In my heart I see the triumph of the people but my head tells me that no number of MUST enrolments, no amount of chanting and no Red Knights will persuade a family of obscenely avaricious Americans to release our beloved club, our life blood, our pride, when to them it is a cash cow funded by us, its gullible lovers. They will pursue their despoilment into Hell.

But perfect days have been as hens’ teeth recently. I drove the byways of Cheshire and Staffordshire to circumvent the Highways Agency chaos of the M6 yet as the caffeine and adrenalin coursed through my veins my spirits were soaring to the huge strains of Non Più Andrai, blasting around my car as it hurtled down the unpoliced M40 at two in the morning. Four goals without reply against the seven times champions of Europe, and I was there. Life does not get much better than this.

Copyright
Paul James

Bullish Man United face Fulham test of discipline
Posted by Bill on Fri Mar 12 @ 13:01 GMT
Manchester United, buoyed by their destruction of AC Milan at Europe's top table, return to the bread and butter of the Premier League when they face Fulham at Old Trafford on Sunday.

The 7-2 aggregate victory over the seven-times European champions kept United on course for a third successive Champions League final but manager Alex Ferguson is equally excited about the possibility of becoming the first club to win the English title four years in a row.

Ferguson was delighted with the way his players rolled up their sleeves to eke out a 1-0 win at Wolverhampton Wanderers last time out and they will have to do the same against Fulham who thrashed United 3-0 at Craven Cottage in December.

Ferguson said he had huge respect for Fulham and what manager Roy Hodgson has achieved at the club, who lost 3-1 at Juventus in the first leg of a Europa Cup tie on Thursday.

"What Roy has done there is a remarkable story," Ferguson told reporters on Friday.

"When he came in they were third-from-bottom and now they are playing in Europe -- and they're not out of that tie either with that away goal.

"He's brought his experience and authority, they play with great discipline and that's down to the manager. He's formed a team no-one wants to play against. They are well organised, they're a good possession team and they pass the ball well.

"He's turned the whole club round and it won't be an easy game for us on Sunday."

INJURY CRISIS

Fulham were fortunate to catch United in the depths of a defensive injury crisis in December, with midfielder Michael Carrick forced to operate as an emergency centre back.

However, the first-choice pairing were back in harness against Milan.

"Having Rio Ferdinand and (Nemanja) Vidic back on Wednesday, that was an amazing performance by the two of them given that they've not played a lot of games together this season," Ferguson said.

"Having them back is fantastic for us."

With Gary Neville, at 35, also delivering an impressively athletic display at right back against Milan, United are looking solid in defence again as they go into the business end of the season.

Ferguson said he expected Ryan Giggs to be back in action in time to play against Liverpool on March 21 having returned to full training with a new lighter cast on his broken arm.

"He's trained very well and after he's had a month off it will it will be like getting a fresh player back," Ferguson said.

United are two points clear of Chelsea at the top of the Premier League table but have played a game more.

(Editing by Ed Osmond)

Hargreaves return in sight
Posted by Bill on Fri Mar 12 @ 11:01 GMT
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson insists he is ready to let Owen Hargreaves take the next step on his road to recovery.

Hargreaves was due to play in a reserve team encounter with Manchester City on Thursday night and end a near-18 month absence following a double knee operation.

But officials confirmed on Wednesday the England international would not be involved as it interfered with his training regime.

It seemed a strange explanation but Ferguson has clarified the situation, pointing out Hargreaves in fact went to see a specialist for the latest update.

However, as the verdict was positive, Ferguson believes an end to Hargreaves' lengthy spell on the sidelines is in sight.

"Owen went to see a specialist," said the United boss. "There is nothing wrong and the idea is for him to play in the next game. He has to play in the next game because he is ready to play."

Giggs ready for title run-in
Posted by Bill on Fri Mar 12 @ 11:01 GMT
Sir Alex Ferguson believes Ryan Giggs' month-long absence with a broken arm has provided him with the rest required to be a major weapon for Manchester United in the title run-in.

Giggs will sit out Sunday's Premier League encounter with Fulham but is expected to make his comeback against Liverpool at Old Trafford seven days later.

As United's Champions League campaign will continue 10 days after that, it is the perfect time for Giggs to return as Ferguson's men bid for glory on two fronts.

It also means the Red Devils boss does not have to worry about juggling the arduous demands of a fixture list that barely gives any time for a break as he knows Giggs will be fresh and, with harder pitches less stamina sapping, the 36-year-old can have a major impact in the latter weeks of the season.

"Ryan will be fit for the Liverpool game," confirmed Ferguson. "His performances in training have been fantastic. He is getting another plaster on but we will be getting a fresh player back, which is good.

"For weeks we had to try and work out the best games for him to play in, in terms of freshness and rest. Now he has had a month's rest."

Nomura to advise Red Knights
Posted by Bill on Fri Mar 12 @ 09:15 GMT
The battle for control of Manchester United has taken another twist following confirmation that a leading global investment bank has agreed to advise on a possible acquisition of the Old Trafford outfit by the Red Knights group.

Nomura will work closely with the Red Knights, the Manchester United Supporters' Trust and other potential investors to "coordinate and formulate the proposal to be put to the Glazer family".ý

The Nomura team will be led by Guy Dawson and Andrew McNaught, both of whom advised the Board of Manchester United plc when the club was sold to the Glazer family in 2005.

Nomura is beginning its role by contacting the many expressions of financial support the Red Knights have received to date.

Whether that number includes David Beckham is not known but the former England skipper did the entire campaign a massive favour by donning a green and gold scarf after AC Milan's 4-0 Champions League defeat last night.

Protesters against the Glazers have adopted the green and gold colours and they have been highly visible at United matches in recent weeks.

"I'm a Man United fan. I saw the scarf there. I put it round my neck, it's the old colours of Man United, that's all I knew," Beckham said.

"To be honest it's (the protest) not my business. I'm a Manchester United fan. I support the club. I always have done and I always will do. It's nothing to do with me the way everything is run, that's to do with other people but I'm a Man United fan and I support the team. I will always support them."

With United over £700million in debt, many now see the Red Knights as the only salvation for the Old Trafford outfit, even though the Glazer family insist it is business as usual and the club is not for sale.

Gill: Glazers' model benefits United
Posted by Bill on Fri Mar 12 @ 09:15 GMT
Manchester United chief executive David Gill insists the Old Trafford outfit are benefiting from the Glazer family's business expertise.

Whilst the highly visible green and gold campaign, which David Beckham offered support to by wearing one of their scarves as he made his way off the pitch on Wednesday night, will again be in evidence as United entertain Fulham on Sunday, Gill believes the Glazers' positive contribution to the club is being ignored.

United announced a seven-figure sponsorship deal with Telekom Malaysia on Thursday, providing further proof the Red Devils remain an attractive proposition. The five-year deal is part of a new commercial strategy implemented by the Glazer family.

Instead of taking a global approach, United adopt a territorial stance, doing exclusive deals in specific areas to maximise income and make the most of an estimated 333million supporters worldwide.

It was one of the facts the Glazers took into account when they launched their own takeover.

"The owners thought we were doing very well on the commercial front but that there were other opportunities out there," Gill said. "This is the insight they have brought in. It doesn't get much media coverage but the very fact they have come in and are able to do these deals benefits us. We can reinvest that money back into the team."

United team up with new sponsor
Posted by Bill on Thu Mar 11 @ 13:01 GMT
Manchester United have signed a five-year sponsorship agreement with Telekom Malaysia.

The deal makes Telekom Malaysia the "Integrated Telecommunications Partner" of United in Malaysia.

It continues the strategy of widening United's sponsorship base and hopes to tap into the enormous fan base of the Red Devils in the country.

"Anyone who went on our tour of the Far East last summer knows the strength of feeling that Malaysians have for the club," said chief executive David Gill.

"Over 40,000 attended our training session and another 40,000 came to the second match in Kuala Lumpur, despite only having 48 hours' notice of the fixture."

Rooney setting no targets
Posted by Bill on Thu Mar 11 @ 11:30 GMT
Wayne Rooney is refusing to set himself a goals target for the season despite crashing through the 30 barrier at Old Trafford on Wednesday night.

Rooney continued his incredible recent run of form for Manchester United by grabbing a double in the stunning 4-0 Champions League demolition of AC Milan.

It meant the 24-year-old scored four of United's seven goals on aggregate and left him just 12 away from the number Cristiano Ronaldo scored in the double-winning season two years ago.

With nine Premier League games remaining, plus up to five more in the Champions League, the odds on Rooney eclipsing Ronaldo's feat are tumbling fast.

But the England striker is refusing to look too far ahead, and insists his major priority is looking forward to the last eight draw on Friday week.

"I am delighted to get two more goals but I have not set myself a target. I just want to keep scoring," said Rooney. "Overall, it was a great result and we are delighted to get through. Now we can just look forward to the draw and see how it goes from there."

Rooney and Park take the plaudits after Man Utd's
Posted by Bill on Thu Mar 11 @ 09:15 GMT
Alex Ferguson paid his expected tribute to two-goal Wayne Rooney after Manchester United's 4-0 thrashing of AC Milan on Wednesday but also had special praise for tireless midfielder Park Ji-sung.

Rooney, who scored twice in the 3-2 San Siro victory that put United in such a commanding position, weighed in with two more at Old Trafford as United swept into the Champions League quarter-finals to stay on course for a third successive final.

Park, who will line up for South Korea at the World Cup starting in June, scored the third with a rare goal after an hour - having briefly taken a break from his completely effective man-marking job on Andrea Pirlo - and Darren Fletcher put the icing on the cake with a late header.

"It was a fantastic night for us," Ferguson told reporters. "Wayne Rooney's performance was just a continuation of his performances for the last two or three months, just sensational, unbelievable.

"The key tonight was Park and Rooney. Park played a game of sacrifice with discipline and intelligence that won us the game."

Rooney opened the scoring with another powerful header after 13 minutes to swing the tie heavily United's way and Ferguson said his practice at that discipline had paid off.

"His movement in the box has improved this season, he's practiced a lot more, he does heading sessions after training and I think you get your rewards," he said.

The striker, upon whom England's World Cup hopes rest, then showed lung-bursting ambition to be first to Nani's cross a minute into the second, bringing lavish praise from Milan coach Leonardo.

"I think that Rooney is still young but he is a very complete player, he's fast, strong and scores a lot of goals," said the Brazilian.

"He's fast over short and long distances, he's a very, very good player and is playing in a system that for him is perfect. On the counter-attack, he's incredible."

Leonardo said the damage in the tie had been done in the first leg and with his team suffering more injuries ahead of Wednesday's game they faced a virtually impossible task.

"It was always going to be hard after losing the first leg and conceding a goal so early made our comeback even more difficult," he said.

"But one thing we can't deny is the powerful and strong performance United put in. "We met a team who are in extremely good form."

(Editing by Justin Palmer)

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