So we could be saying buy to injury prone Owen Hargreaves at last. Although he’s a great player he hasn’t played for two years.
Spend some money Fergie.
]]>From next season the Qatar Foundation, a non-profit organisation concerned primarily with education projects in the Middle East, will pay €30m (£25m) per season until 2016 for their name to be displayed on the Barcelona shirt.
Despite the record breaking deal with the Qatar Foundation Barcelona will still maintain their agreement with UNICEF so their jerseys will display the names of each. However, if that’s not possible the Middle Eastern organisation will take priority.
Sir Alex Ferguson has suggested that Giggsy may make the Manchester derby while Rooney is progressing well but may be sidelined for another 3 weeks.
City fans beware. Fergie has a habit of unleashing his stars for the big games and could be playing mind games and hiding the fact that his two stars are closer to full fitness than he is suggesting.
]]>I’m also concerned to see Man City in second spot. However it’s early days and things can change again and again over the course of the season. I think that if Chelsea get a few injuries (OK, Fat Frank has been out for a few weeks) they will struggle against tougher opposition on the road. Especially if Drogba or Anelka are out for a period of time. Next May I reckon United will just pip Chelsea and get revenge for last season. Especially as Chelsea are the only team which have started with a bang and not really suffered a dip in form yet, largely due to their inferior opponents to date.
Oh, and wouldn’t it be nice if Liverpool got relegated too.
Come the end of the season I’m predicting the top 4 to look like this:
Man United
Chelsea
Arsenal
Man City
]]>During the tournament Anelka of Chelsea criticised the coach which led to him being sent home and causing turmoil with in the camp at a hearing yesterday a number of players received bans such as Anelka’s 18 game ban, Evras five game ban and Riberys three game ban.
]]>This year however, I doubt you’ll get a better atmosphere anywhere than at Old Trafford for the Carling Cup semi final, when Wayne Rooney bagged another late winner to sink Mancini and his men. The new City boss kind of set himself up for a fall by saying that at the end of this season, the famous rotating banner at the Stretford end indicating the number of years since City last won a major trophy (currently 34 years) would have to come down, as City were pushing for Carling Cup and FA Cup glory.
Roll on a few months, and déjà vu seems to be happening. We’re two thirds through the season, and City are out of every competition they realistically had a chance of winning. I’ve got loads of bitter blue mates, and I even refrained from sending a text to one of my closest mates last night saying “35 years, Ha!”. He sends me countless text messages every time United are knocked out of a cup, or Europe, or even lose a league game. The one thing I’d like to think is that most United fans are above the ridiculing and gloating. I’m a season ticket holder and prefer to let our team and our results do the talking, I don’t gloat (that often). But for City fans, it will be 35 years at the end of the season since your team last won a trophy. This may change soon, but I think Mancini was a bit premature with his statement.
The Stretford Enders will soon be singing:
In ‘76, now this is true, a trophy was won by the team in blue
Its been a long time, since that day
So we’ll sing em a song that they f***ing HATE
35 years, f**k all, 35 years, f**k all…
Sorry City fans, maybe I just had to gloat a little bit.
]]>Rooney is now tipped to pass 30 goals this season, having already notched up 25 following his brace against Milan in the second half of the UEFA Champions League last 16 knockout stage. United won the game 3-2 after going a goal down to a deflected Ronaldinho effort early on. The red devils weathered the storm in the first half before a moment of luck levelled matters before the break when Paul Scholes scored with a miss kick – the ball coming off his standing leg and trickling past the stranded Dida.
Rooney then dazzled with 2 goals to put United 3-1 up, before Clarence Seedorf pulled one back with 5 minutes to go. Michael Carrick was sent off for kicking the ball away on David Beckham’s first game against his former club. The second leg is played in just under 3 weeks time.
]]>You’ve probably heard all the jokes over the past week:
JOKE: “Sorry to ruin your day mate, but I’ve just driven past your house and John Terry’s car is parked outside”
JOKE: “Fabio Capello phones up Wayne Bridge and say’s…Wayne, I need your help. John Terry seems to have lost his captain’s armband. Could you do me a favour and look under your bed for me?”!!!
Rio Ferdinand is set to take over as new captain with Steven Gerrard as vice captain.
]]>The 24-year-old former Newcastle player’s last appearance for the Nigerian Super Eagles was in the reverse leg fixture in Maputo, Mozambique about five months ago.
Martins hasn’t always been in favour with the Nigerian team selectors as his lack of seriousness towards his international commitments compared to his club and the fact he has been injured more often than not. However Nigeria’s current top scorer Ikechukwu Uche is unavailable due to a damaged cruciate ligament.
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