Fanzine Fanzone - Times Online - WBLG

Man United: At least Real Madrid won't hijack this deal

Craig Malpas

A few days ago during this weird mini-heat wave we have been enjoying in Manchester, my girlfriend asked me why Michael Owen got relegated. I thought he was good, she said, with the simplistic view that only bad players get relegated. I contemplated explaining the Newcastle saga but decided to agree that ‘yes, he’s alright’. Then came the line she has been triumphantly reminding me of tonight, she suggested that United should buy him. Yeah, course they should sweetheart – let’s get you out of the sun now you’re talking nonsense.

Is Fergie G-Owen crazy? Maybe, but I like it.

As everybody has known, Michael Owen is available on a free. Initially, clubs like Hull and Stoke were credited with an interest. Nah, he’s too good for them was my suggestion. Then there was talk that Villa and Everton could be in for him. He could be good at Villa or Everton was my initial reaction, with a bit more thinking, though, I began to think that if he still has the magic, he could be really, really good at Villa or Everton. That’s where I left it, Owen to Villa or Everton, that’ll be lovely.

Next thing I know, Sky Sports are showing a top story that the deal to United was ‘imminent’ - I thought I was seeing things. You know the way Peter Kay described garlic bread, I was much the same when digesting the headline. Michael Owen to Manchester United. What?? Crikey, Fergie, we are scraping the barrel here, big man, a bit risky I thought, bit of a gamble signing Owen. Then I thought, is it really a gamble? After all, the outlay is nothing, if the deal goes through we will be signing a player who can offer something to United which we haven’t had for the last few years. When he is fit, sharp and, most importantly, hungry, Owen is a predator. He has the instinct and desire which Van Nistelrooy had. Give either of them the ball in the box and it will probably go in. He also offers something which Rooney and Park are often guilty of lacking: clinical finishing when they only have the keeper to beat. Michael Owen with a point to prove and the desire and stage to prove it would be a cracking signing for any of the top teams on the Premiership.

Man United; Ronaldo’s step down will see Rooney step up……

 

So, there we have it. Barring a highly unlikely U-turn, Ronaldo’s gone and United are searching for a new ‘number 7’ and a new best player.
 
When I initially heard the news that United had accepted an £80million bid for Ronaldo I was gutted. There’s no hiding it, as much as his histrionics annoy me, I secretly loved the fact we had a player that struck fear in to every team we played. After years and years of having great players, we finally had somebody who was recognised as the greatest player in the world.

After the cursing of Madrid, Ronaldo and my colleague who told me the news, I began to think that the world beater I was mourning for was what we’d had last season. This season, Ronaldo has either been below par or he has shown everybody that the previous two seasons were the best he could offer and, hopefully now, the best he will ever offer. It got me thinking, is £80million a cracking deal for a player whose heart has lay in Spain for at least 12 months? For a player who scored 18 league goals last year? For a player who had no more than 3 or 4 ‘world player of the year’ type performances last year? Answer no to any of those and you could lie as well as Ronaldo did when he claimed he would be at Old Trafford next year. For 80 million big ones, I think Perez might have been had - break your heart that wouldn’t it. Pellegrini, Perez or whoever picks the team won’t ever get a better two seasons out of him than United got between 2006 and 2008.
 

Man Utd: At last an end to the United saga

Player moves from one club to another shock horror. It happens all the time, so why is there so much fuss about Ronaldo? Don't get me wrong, he is a wonderful player and replacing his goals will be hard, but is it really such a big deal? In my opinion no.
 
The transfer has created such big headlines for several reasons. Firstly, it involves clubs with such huge global names. Secondly, it involves a player who is a celebrity as well as a footballer and who courts publicity and contraversy wherever he goes. Thirdly, the public want to read about Ronaldo because they either love or hate him.

Manchester United: Paul Scholes - the legend's time is up

I wrote an article in January comparing the virtues and careers of, in my opinion, the two greatest midfielders in Premier League history. Whilst one has recently been voted the Football Writers Player of the Year, the other is unceremoniously winding down his illustrious career. The folks in question go by the names of Paul Scholes and Steven Gerrard.

Unfortunately, it now appears to me that the Scholes which Utd fans, and probably many neutrals, know and love has gone, for good.

Forever In Our Shadow

"Are you watching Merseyside" the assembled United masses sang before the game in Rome last night. Yes, we are. And how we enjoyed it.

The United fan base have this unhealthy obsession with Liverpool, with everything they do being measured against our own achievements. They cannot play a single game without their fans singing about Liverpool. Everything they strive for exists at the other end of the M62. The odd blog from myself does not constitute hypocrisy on that front. We go to the game to support our own side and very rarely sing about others unless we happen to be playing them. The hatred and jealousy United fans have for us doesn't allow them to do that.

After living in our shadow for so long, they can now see the sun blazing down just a few steps away. Just a couple more strides and they'll walk from that shadow and cast one of their own as the most successful club in the land. They can see the light, and last night missed a huge opportunity to take another huge step away from that darkness.

Man United; Worthy losers.

For all those people that hate United then please, feel free to enjoy yourselves today, read on and bask in our magnanimous failure. United fans and, in particular, Sir Alex Ferguson are often much maligned and mocked for their tunnel vision and inability to accept defeat gracefully. For instance, if I agreed with Fergie and said we were the better side when we got stuffed by Liverpool, you would get my point. Just like when Liverpool took us apart at Old Trafford, last night we were woefully short of the quality needed to become European Champions.

Hopefully, I am a little different to many of the annoying, arrogant and blinkered United fans which plague the planet. Last night, I have to admit that we were out thought, out played and most certainly out classed.

Man United; Time for Ronaldo to deliver!

As the title to my blog suggests, Wednesday night is the time for Ronaldo to deliver. You may think I am a little strange to suggest that the current World Footballer of the year needs to deliver as, after all, he destroyed every competition put in front of him last year and he has done pretty nicely this term too. The reason I suggest he needs to deliver is two fold. For us and for himself.

Man United: well you asked us to gloat

In 1994 I had the pleasure of seeing a large banner in the Kop at Anfield during the classic 3-3 draw that said "Come back when you have won it 18 times". Fair enough I guess, so now we have done just as requested. And by the way Kopites, Giggs 11 Gerrard 0.

Benitez just cannot help himself and even this weekend went on another rant about how having the most most points and winning 3 titles in a row does not make you the best team. So what does Rafa, having the manager who writes down the most facts? Because you may want to note 18 times - FACT, champions - FACT, going to Rome- FACT. We won the Carling Cup and we progressed further than you in the FA Cup too, so how are we not a better side?

You're staying at home and I'm going to Rome. See you next season but in the meantime thanks scousers for making this win all the sweeter. You have given us a great run for our money much to your credit, but that only spurred us on more. Have a great trophiless summer.

And happy 100th birthday Sir Matt for next week.

Oli

Man United; Fergie, sign him up!!!

 

Anybody who has read more than a handful of the stories I have written here over the course of this season will know how I have a soft spot for Carlos Tevez. I have written about his contractual situation and lack of regular opportunities on more than one occasion and as the season comes to a pretty satisfactory finale, I am having one last Tevez related rant and I dont apologise one bit.

Sorry to repeat myself but, as I pleaded earlier this season, Fergie; Sign him up!!!

Manchester United; Ronaldo vs. Messi

I wrote a blog in December asking the question, Ronaldo or Messi – who is best player in the world?

Many of the replies were what I expected. Lots of football manager addicts and Revista de La Liga fans I think. Hordes of people were lavishing little Messi while Ronaldo was roundly condemned as a diving, arrogant, cheating, overrated, overpaid…. shall I go on? 5 months on and lets take another look at things.

Ronaldo or Messi??