Manchester United

The best team lost, but Mourinho knows the best manager won. Not that he’ll mention it.

Mar 092013

“The best team lost”, is the quote doing the rounds after Real Madrid’s 1-2 win at Old Trafford. It’s widely accepted that this rare show of humility from Jose Mourinho is true, but as Manchester United know better than most, you need to be more than simply “the best team” in a competition, if you want to win it. Mourinho’s modesty is being seen as an indication that this great wandering winner will one day want to settle down at Old Trafford. Alex Ferguson has singled out the Portuguese in the past as one of the few managers whom he thinks has the quality to continue the work he’s done at Manchester United. Mourinho withdrew Read more..

Summer Transfer Roundup – Financial Fair Play?

Premier League, Transfer News

Jun 092012

Summer Transfer Roundup - Financial Fair Play?

Chelsea have capitalized on their Champions League win by signing one of the most coveted young talents in European football, in the shape of Eden Hazard. It was originally thought that Manchester would be the Belgian attacking midfielder’s destination of choice, but he announced on Twitter that he was to join the current European Champions for £32m. Chelsea are also said to be interested in Brazilian forward Hulk, who currently plays in Portugal for Portuguese champions FC Porto. The striker is strong and powerful and enjoys cutting in from the right, deploying his bullet like left foot shot, but many commentators have worried that he might be a bit green, and will need time to Read more..

Dave Whelan and The Mysterious Sky Sources – Revealed

Premier League, Satire

May 242012

Dave Whelan and The Mysterious Sky Sources - Revealed

During the past day or two the identities of the mysterious “Sky Sources” have been uncovered – in a café in Wigan. “Sky Sources” are usually the origin of any story Sky aren’t 100% sure about but want to be the first to report just in case, in true glorified tabloid fashion. It has recently been leaked that these sources consist of Dave Whelan. Whelan has excelled in his role of late, appearing regularly on Sky Sports’ 24 hour advertisement channel, otherwise known as Sky Sports News, as a primary source for many of the breaking stories of the day. He has kept close tabs on Roberto Martinez, who he affectionately calls “Roberto”, as Liverpool’s owners interrupt the Read more..

First Transfer Window Round-up – Summer 2012

Transfer Rumours

May 222012

First Transfer Window Round-up - Summer 2012

Eden Hazard is still confusing everybody with stories being leaked firstly saying he wants to play in blue, then saying he wants to play in Manchester. Whilst this suggests Manchester City, many Manchester United fans are still hopeful he will join a team who play in red. Another player linked with the red side of Manchester is Everton’s Leighton Baines. Rumours suggest the clubs have already been in contact and Manchester United have bid around £12m. Newcastle will continue their shopping on the continent, as they approach French champions Montpellier for central defender and captain Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, and return to Lille for defender Mathieu Debuchy. Chelsea‘s Champions League win means they will have much more clout in this transfer window. Read more..

English Premier League Team of the Season 2011-12

Opinion, Premier League

May 132012

English Premier League Team of the Season 2011-12

We’ve now reached the end of one of the strangest and most exciting seasons in Premier League history. The FA Cup winners and Champions League finalists Chelsea finished 6th, big spending soccer ballers Liverpool win the League Cup but finish 8th below Everton, and Manchester City wait until the last few minutes of the season to secure their status as the best team in England, and claim the title for the first time since 1968. Even now all the games have been played, the European spots are still undecided as Chelsea can qualify for next seasons Champions League if they win the final next week, meaning Spurs would miss out on Europe’s most lucrative and prestigious competition, Read more..

Tweets on Nationalism – Football, Obsession, and Orwell

Analysis, Philosophy, World Football

Mar 302012

Tweets on Nationalism – Football, Obsession, and Orwell

The world of football is more exposed than ever thanks to the internet. The global game has become increasingly more accessible, and the amount of people following the game online multiplies each day. Elementary translation services provided by services such as Google, or Bing, mean foreign texts can be badly translated and taken out of context; and every club, nation, manager, and player is covered by some blog, tweet, journalist or podcast somewhere in the ether. Football fans have never had it so good, as the overpriced TV channels show leagues from all over the globe, and even if you can’t access these the internet allows you to keep up with results and news in Read more..

Why Athletic Bilbao beat Manchester United & Why English Teams Can’t

Opinion, Tactics, UEFA Europa League

Mar 172012

Why Athletic Bilbao beat Manchester United & Why English Teams Can’t

It was supposed to be an all English final in this season’s Europa League, an all Manchester one at that, which had Channel 5 and ITV 27 rubbing their hands with glee at the prospect of more football (advertising money). Suddenly Thursday nights on Channel 5 were the place to be. That was until both Manchester sides went out of the competition on the same night, but why were Athletic able to beat Manchester United so convincingly? The main reason for this result would be that Athletic Bilbao have been built into a well oiled pressing machine by their manager Marcelo Bielsa, which unsettles their opponents and doesn’t give them time to play, or time Read more..

Trouble at Manchester United?

Analysis, Opinion, Premier League

Jan 062012

Manchester United have a history of triumph against adversity. Nowadays there isn’t much adversity, much the opposite if anything, but their manager still tries to instil a mentality of ‘us versus them’ into his squadron of players and staff. Meaning the triumph against adversity continues, even if only in the minds of their players and fans. All the recent talk of Manchester United has been that of a team in crisis. Neither of the ‘keepers they have are getting a run in the team because neither is good enough, their defence without Vidic is too fragile, they’ve never replaced Paul Parker at right back, they have no central midfielders, Ashley Young has been about as Read more..

The January Transfer Window – A Return to Madness

Satire, Transfer Rumours

Dec 222011

The January Transfer Window - A Return to Madness

“I think we need a solid centre back, a creative midfielder, and a striker to put away those chances we keep missing.” With many teams wanting the same thing from the transfer market, it’ll be interesting to see who will be the most successful in the often unpredictable January transfer window. Unpredictable, unless you’re one of those tabloid newspapers who report every transfer rumour conceivable, and many which aren’t, so then when the transfer goes through you can say “As WE reported LAST WEEK!!“. Our favourite saga by far, that of Carlos Tevez, will continue this January, as he seeks a return to football after being banished by Roberto Mancini after refusing to warm up. AC Read more..

Liverpool v Manchester United – Match Report & Player Ratings

Analysis, Premier League

Oct 162011

Liverpool v Manchester United - Match Report & Player Ratings

Participants in the popular fantasy football game over at fantasy.premierleague.com will notice that Charlie Adam picked up some points for an assist from today’s clash of the English titans between Manchester United and Liverpool. It was certainly a case of a free kick won, rather than a free kick conceded, but it was an example of Rio Ferdinand going in for a challenge when perhaps he didn’t need to, of which there were many in this game. Luis Suarez was somewhat stifled in the first half by a Manchester United team containing four players who, if playing in what would be considered their best and most natural position, would be centre backs. Manchester United looked Read more..

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