Mnchester United 2-0 Portsmouth

One of the best performances of the season, and a solid three points. It could have been 5 or 6, but i would have settled for 2-0 before kick off so i'm not grumbling. Ronaldo didn't just score two excellent goals he was superb throughout the game, his vision and awareness of others was as eyecatching as his dribling and silky skills. That was the kind of performance we saw from his last season, but for all his goals, i still don't think he has been as good as last year. The last few games though, have sen him start to step back up to that level, which must be pretty frightening for everybody else. But there was one other player on the pitch equal to him last night, yes you guessed it Paul Scholes. The passing and movement last night was on a different planet to what we have been watching whilst he has been out injured. He just sits and wields the baton conducting the orchestra in the middle of the park. We are such a better team with him in the side. Against the lesser teams, particularly when he and carrick are paired together, the opposition are just literally starved of the ball. I don't know what the stats were from last night but it just seemed like United had the ball almost all the time. The movement and passing was on a par with the Villa park performance in the league, Scholes last game in the league before his injury. A big thumbs up for Rooney too, he didn't have his greatest night, but his work rate just makes things happen anyway.
United started brightly and just carried on all night, even the substitutions in the second half only temporarily stopped the chances coming. The first goal came in the 10th minute as a triangle of passes between Scholes, Nani and Ronaldo saw Nani put Ronaldo clear through with only James to beat, and beat him he did, as easily as you like just side footing past him. Just 3 minutes later United were awarded a free kick 30 yards out, just a nice distance out to allow him to get it over the wall and dip it back down. Which is exactly what he did but at such a pace that James had absolutely no chance of saving it, add some swerve into the equation, and you come up with a perfect free kick. Even at that stage i felt it was game over, as it felt like it was a question of how many more we would score. Some how though, we remained goaless after that, despite numerous chances and near misses. It wasn't rooney's night in front of goal he missed two outstanding chances one in the first half where he couldn't convert Evra's cross when he really should have at least hit the target. And the other in the second half when a long punt from Van Der Sar, similar to the one against Spurs on sunday saw Campbell misjudge it and let Rooney in, but he couldn't manage to get his chip right and James got back to save it.
The second half saw Redknapp make a couple of substitutions, it seemed to me to try and keep the scoreline down more than to try and get back into the game. United carried on the domination, but though we were still carving out chances they weren't as plentiful as in the first half. I thought United wound down a bit saving themselves for saturday's tough looking fixture at White hart lane, whilst Pompey were just happy to get out of Old Trafford without the kind of humiliation that was handed out to Newcastle. United showed that they did have this in mind when they too Rooney and Ronaldo of with about 20 minutes to go. But they had combined earlier through rooney's never give anything up attitude when he lost the ball to Campbell, then chased and tackled him back presenting the ball to ronaldo on the edge of the box. It was a great chance, and with him being on a hatrick i expected him to do better, but he seemed to be as surprised as everybody else at the chance served up on a plate to him and hit it weakly wide.
Hargreaves and Tevez came on for the pair, and at first United struggled to adjust, although Nani hit a thunderous shot that seemed to surprise James, but was just over the bar. Anderson had come on for Scholes on the 60 minute mark, and he had a really good last half hour almost topping it off with a goal right near the end when he outstripped the defence and nipped in front of James, but the prodded shot just drifted wide of the post. So job done, and when the news came through that Liverpool had been beat, though we didn't know it was a last minute penalty, a good night was complete.

Munich anniversary memorial vandalised
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/munich-anniversary-memorial-defaced-with-paint-776039.html
Whilst i detest what the Glazers have done to our club and i don't think AIG should be on that memorial, i don't think that was the right way to go about protesting. To be honest i don't even see the need for the memorial anyway. There are enough memorials, the clock and the plaque are unbeatable for me, subtle and poignant. Unlike that piece of tat.

Player power ?
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/ronaldo-goes-for-16312m-it-could-happen-776041.html


Ouch i had no idea Internet connections were so fragile, thats without the Russians and Chinese trying to sabotage it.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/jan/31/internet.blackout.asia

Timothy Garton Ash on the surveillance state that we are becoming.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,2249473,00.html

More splits in the Kremlin exposed
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/europe/russian-minister-exposes-split-in-putins-government-776178.html

Is Mervyn King really up to it?
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/adrian-hamilton/adrian-hamilton-the-question-remains-is-king-up-to-the-job-776107.html

Pitch woes

Fergie aint happy about the state of the Old Trafford pitch, it did look a bit of a mess by the end of Sunday it has to be said.
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/article740874.ece

Nani vows to be a hit
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/article742935.ece
I don't know whether he is going to be a top player or not to be honest. He has the talent, but so far I'm not sure that he has the temperament to be a success at Old Trafford.

David Conn gets down to the bottom line on Liverpool's financial situation
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/article742935.ece

More nautical misadventures, this time from the present day German navy,
http://www.guardian.co.uk/germany/article/0,,2248927,00.html


It looks like slick Willie isn't doing much for his marriage again
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uselections08/barackobama/story/0,,2248578,00.html
I am not convinced by either of them, but obviously hope which ever one gets the nomination goes on to win the presidency. And i think Obama has more chance of doing that. But what will whoever wins inherit,
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/hamish-mcrae/hamish-mcrae-the-swagger-has-gone-but-what-comes-next-775620.html
I don't for a minute, believe that Clinton once in power would be a protectionist. Yet more playing to the gallery from her

Stanislav Belkovsky says we should stop viewing Putin as an ex KGB apparatchik and view him instead as just another oligarch, defending the interests of his fellow crooks, sorry businessman.
http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/stanislav_belkovsky/2008/01/putin_no_secret_policeman.html
I have noticed how Abramovitch gets quoted more and more on these articles about the power games in the Kremlin as on of the key figures in the regime. Is that good or bad for Chelski?

A taste of things to come, probably
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/jan/30/nuclearpower.energy
If coal had been subsidised like that there would be plenty of still prosperous pit towns and villages

Wenger comes out with the truth about Saudi trip

He may be trying to wind up Fergie, but he is 100% right about the trips repercussions. Does anybody really think Fergie was happy about this, because i don't.
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/fa-league-cups/wengers-taunt-well-timed-775223.html

Daniel Taylor picks up on the theme in the guardian
http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,2248011,00.html
It was there for all to see when they went down to ten men. United should have finished the game off easily, but their legs had gone, Evra was completely knackered. The glazers seem to get away with absolutely everything don't they. If we had lost this, there would have been no doubt where the blame lay, but United's players dug deep and pulled it out of the fire. Let's hope we don't pay for this further down the road as Wenger speculates that we might.

It's official the scouse are now in exactly the same boat as us. All the profit they make will go towards paying the debt the Americans took on to buy the club. As much as we can laugh at them, it really stinks and any political party looking for a populist move would bring measures forward in their manifesto for the next election that disallow profitable football clubs to be bought out with borrowed money. In fact i would say profitable firms full stop, but i suppose we would have to revisit the great depression to see the money men brought down to size. That or the Chinese and Arabs buying up all our top firms and financial houses, which is already happening of course.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml;jsessionid=CHZWT2MX0K0QZQFIQMFCFGGAVCBQYIV0?xml=/sport/2008/01/29/sfnliv129.xml

That other comedy football club show they haven't lost the talent to make us laugh
http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,2248462,00.html
This just shows what a clown Ashley is, as i suspected Keegan's appointment was a sop to the fans to try to keep them on board. How this will work, i don't know. Who has the final say on transfer targets, that is usually a job for the director of football. But there is no way Keegan would have took the job on surely, if he had known he wasn't going to be able to buy the players he wants. Knowing Keegan's history this could be his shortest appointment ever.

The Halle hits the 150 years old mark
http://music.guardian.co.uk/classical/story/0,,2248501,00.html

A totally on the ball analysis of the economic stupidity that pops up during every boom time
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/andreas-whittam-smith/andreas-whittam-smith-banks-invite-trouble-if-they-try-to-reinvent-the-wheel-774876.html

Sub prime misery gets worse
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/jan/29/subprimecrisis.useconomy
The stand out feature of this article is some of the states doing badly are the more prosperous staes like Arizona, California and Florida rather than the usual rust belt states of the north that always seem to get mentioned when times are bad. That tells me things are really bad.

Was Kerviel not the only snout in the trough?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/jan/29/europeanbanks.banking
That would be unbelievable

Thaksins man becomes Thai PM
http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,2248375,00.html
sounds like a decent bloke doesn't he

Fascinating article from Tristram Hunt in the New Statesman about Brown's visit to China and India and his vision of Britain for foreign audiences
http://www.newstatesman.com/200801240028
I agree with the comment below the main article, reliance on the city of London for the future prosperity of our country is bound to end in tears. Eventually these countries won't need the cities expertise, they will do it themselves, and where will that leave us. The sick man of Europe again probably.

Manchester United 3-1Totteham Hospur

FA cup 4Th round

A flattering scoreline it has to be said, we probably just about deserved to win, but i don't think we have been carved open as easily as we were in this game for a long time at Old Trafford. It was a bit puzzling to be honest, that with two defensive midfield players in Carrick and especially Hargreaves in the side, we could be caught on the counter attack and what's more be out manned on those counter attacks. I had watched the Spurs semi final against the Arsenal and had noticed that all the second half goals had come on the break. But at the time they were two goals to the good and Arsenal had to attack leaving themselves exposed, but after watching yesterday it looks like this is going to be the Ramos way of playing. That was certainly the best Tottenham performance against United at old Trafford in a long time, i am not counting the displays where they came for a draw and got everybody behind the ball, this was a proper we think we can beat you display.
I would be worried if i was Liverpool fan, not so much for this season, although i think they are going to struggle to finish fourth this season as well, but if they can make a couple of decent purchases and keep Berbatov i think Tottenham are going to really threaten the big four next season. And Liverpool are easily the most vulnerable to slipping out of the top four, which that would be financial meltdown time for them at the moment.
It must have been a good game for the BBC to have picked as one of their live games, as both sides really went for it. We had the rare sight of Rooney preventing a goal on the quarter hour as Berbatov climbed higher than Wes Brown to power a cracking header goal wards only to see that man at the far post heading it clear. Spurs had started well, but United seemed to have settled and had started to get a grip on the game when Lennon managed to get a cross in that Robbie Keane bundled home to put the London club one up. This provoked United into their first concerted period of pressure, but United couldn't convert this pressure into chances, though Giggs was unlucky when the Spurs goalie Cerny tipped over a fierce strike. When the equaliser did come it was worthy of the game as Giggs involved again, managed to put Tevez through, and from a widish angle the Argentinian struck it home superbly. Then came one of the vital moments of the match as Jenas found himself clear through on goal with only Van Der Sar to beat. He went for placement aiming for the far corner, thankfully for United, Van Der Sar was up to the task as he made a tremendous save getting just enough on it to send it past the post for a corner.
You would have thought this would spur United to out and make them pay for that miss, but it was Spurs who had two more great chances at the beginning of the second half. As Lennon and Evra chased a through ball it seemed that Evra was a the least going to force him towards the corner flag until he slipped leaving the flying Lennon clear through on goal. Fortunately for United he proved that whilst he is a good player he is nowhere near the finished article as he hit his shot over the bar when at the very least he should have hit the target. Next Jenas found himself clean through again, but this time he couldn't even hit the target. Ferdinand gave Hargreaves a piece of his mind after this. Although he had a lot of good moments in the match, i don't know how we were cut like a knife through butter at times, with him supposedly guarding the back four. At the end of the day, he was bought to stop this happening.
United now finally got a grip on the game although you couldn't say the chances were coming thick and fast. Ronaldo did have a good chance, but hit a poor shot as he went for power and the near post instead of hitting it across the goalie, following a a magical Tevez pass. The second goal was a bit basic when it did come, a long punt from Van Der Sar caused confusion in the away sides defence as the goalie stayed on his line. As the ball was going to fall beautifully for the feet of Rooney, Dawson panicked and handled it away. The referee thankfully saw it, and had no option but to send him off, deliberate hand ball or last man take your pick. Ronaldo had no qualms about taking the resulting penalty after his miss at West Ham, and coolly slotted home to put us 2-1 up with 20 minutes to go and now against 10 men.
Now the game really did become end to end, and Spurs didn't give up to the surprise, i thought, of United who did seem to ease off for a time. And it could have been fatal as a poor attempt at a clearance from Wes Brown almost put spurs level, but came back off the post instead. The game was sealed with a second goal for Ronaldo as he hit a powerful shot, that Cerny seemed to have saved until it wriggled under his body and into the net with two minutes remaining.


Don't you just love City, you watch United win, get back to the Throstles and then watch the finest comedy any football club could ever provide,
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/article3261616.ece

United in grief and hope, the aftermath of the disaster
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/sport/story/0,,2247754,00.html

No more Tevez transfer fiasco's
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml;jsessionid=VODJMEEUM5HQRQFIQMFSFF4AVCBQ0IV0?xml=/sport/2008/01/27/sfnwee127.xml

Hicks on talks with DIC
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/liverpool/article3259636.ece

American dream spells nightmare for Traditional supporters by Nick Towle
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml;jsessionid=152OTSOPE1FBDQFIQMFSFF4AVCBQ0IV0?xml=/sport/2008/01/27/sfngue127.xml

Will Hutton in the Observer decries the world's financial system
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,2247583,00.html

William Keegan on why the US economy still matters above all others, despite the rise of China and India
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/jan/27/useconomy.businesscomment

Larry Elliot on the 5 fantasies still prevalent in the financial community
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/jan/28/davos2007.economy

An opportunity for Egypt
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,2247568,00.html

Another article on the shyster that is Richard Branson
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,2247552,00.html

John Pilger on Suharto, a man we could do business with
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,2248012,00.html

Charlie Brooker, the voice of common sense
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,2248015,00.html

Danny Welbeck moves up to first team squad status

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/manchester_united/s/1033887_fergie_backing_for_welbeck
A good move, i expect he will probably get a couple of substitute appearances, especially with Saha's injury problems. If he turns out to be as good as the coaching obviously think i don't see us buying any strikers any time soon.

With all the talk of the Americans undoing years of tradition by the day at Anfield, this crackpot idea keeps popping up to remind us of the barbarians trying their hardest to destroy our club and it's glorious history.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml;jsessionid=TPWD0E0LT2C35QFIQMFSFF4AVCBQ0IV0?xml=/sport/2008/01/26/sfnwin426.xml

More on the good news from Anfield yesterday
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/01/26/new_loan_new_stadium_but_stony.html
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/james-lawton-liverpool-are-left-to-pay-painful-price-for-turning-their-back-on-a-proud-tradition-774327.html
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/nick-harris-anfield-weighed-down-by-163350m-millstone-774334.html

It's a good job the Soviet navy wasn't as incompetent as it's tsarist predecessor, otherwise i don't think I'd be here writing this
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/graham_stewart/article3254174.ece

Another reason to feel sorry the Palestinian people is the way all their brother Arab nations always profess solidarity with them. And yet when the chances come for any of them to do anything practical to help them, they seem to go out of their way to make sure that they do no such thing
http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/seumas_milne/2008/01/wall_comes_tumbling_down.html

Fergie praises Scholes and Giggs

He said they will probably last at the club longer than him
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml;jsessionid=GF1UNX3NXANGTQFIQMFCFF4AVCBQYIV0?xml=/sport/2008/01/25/sfnfer125.xml
Only he knows that, but he is right to praise them as they are both still magnificent players and both are still amongst the first names to be pencilled into that first eleven. It's a shame about Gary Neville's injury nightmare over the last couple of seasons, because i always imagined he would last until his mid thirties as well. That would have been three one club players from that class of 92 at United playing well into their thirties, that may well never happen again .

Steve Bruce has a go at the dearth of domestic talent coming through the academies
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/wigan_athletic/7208649.stm
I am not sure that the argument about kids playing with their PC's instead of playing on the streets holds up. Just look at the rewards on offer for any kid who makes it as a professional footballer nowadays. I know IT work is a well paid job but it doesn't begin to compare with what's on offer to modern day premiership players. I think the standard of coaching is obviously where the vast majority of problems lie.

Hicks and Gillet strengthen their grip at Anfield
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/liverpool/7203724.stm
good, let the turmoil continue, where are their stars and stripes flags now.


The world's financial system is just one badly run casino really isn't it. Now a rogue French trader loses his bank £3.7 million.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/jan/25/banking.france
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/comment/jeremy-warner-in-davos-socgen-fraud-deepens-crisisb-773935.html


The wikipedia entry of a man who was deeply unfashionable for the last 30 years of his life, if i believed in an afterlife i think he would be quietly smiling away and shaking his head at current events.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Kenneth_Galbraith

Italy looks like it is going to take one giant step backwards
http://www.guardian.co.uk/italy/story/0,,2246606,00.html
As bad as Blair and now Brown have been Berlusconi is in an entirely different league.

Artificial life creeps a little bit nearer
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2008/jan/25/genetics.science
I don't have a problem with this research, though that in that picture Venter looks like some mad evil genius. Maybe we should be worried?

I have always liked Nick Broomfield's documentaries as entertainment, but i thought the last one where he changed tack completely to make a docu drama about the Chinese cockle pickers was probably the best thing he has done. So his next project about the killing of 24 Iraqi civilians by Us marines looks like another must watch piece of television.
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/film-and-tv/features/nick-broomfield-how-the-filmmaker-recreated-one-of-the-most-notorious-incidents-in-the-iraq-war-771014.html

A funny piece from Richard Herring on the demon drink
http://www.newstatesman.com/200801250001
I'm totally with him on preferring teetotalers to moderate drinkers, i really cannot just drink a couple and then stop. I'd sooner not have a drink at all than that, it just doesn't feel right.

Signing Ronaldo is impossible

Say's Real Madrid's sporting director Predrag Mijatovic
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/real-madrid-admit-signing-ronaldo-is-impossible-773063.html
I wish i could believe that but for a whole host of reasons i don't.

Ferguson wades into the shenanigans at Anfiled
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_united/article3241306.ece

Freedom of information working, just, but at a snails pace. Will the truth about the dodgy dossier now come out.
http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/chris_ames/2008/01/no_more_draft_dodging.html

Mp's committee warn that the NHS is not taking dementia seriously as the numbers suffering form the disease is set to climb in the future.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/jan/24/longtermcare.socialcare

The democratic primaries get dirty, as Kerry steps into the fray to accuse the Clinton's of smear tactics against Obama.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/jan/24/longtermcare.socialcare

Hamish McRae isn't as pessimistic as others about our economic woes
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/hamish-mcrae/hamish-mcrae-the-markets-are-bad-but-dont-panic-yet-772191.html

Meanwhile a French Nick Leeson is exposed as French bank is hit by a 5 billion euro fraud
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/banking_and_finance/article3242996.ece

Larry Elliot on the missed chance of creating a new industry with plenty of jobs, out of the enviromental challenge the world is facing.
http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/larry_elliott/2008/01/green_jobs.html
At almost every turn Labour has been timid and afraid to challenge the Thatcherite agenda.

Where were the protesters when it mattered

At least United's fans put up a fight when a buyout became a possibility at United as Coolmore and the Glazer's started buying shares. Neither was going to be welcomed with open arms.
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/01/23/prospectors_for_gold_leave_liv.html
Tremendous letter from the Evertonian below David Conn's excellent article about the supposed saviours DIC
"As an Evertonian, I find what's happening over on Anfield Road absolutely priceless. What I find even funnier is the thought that the red shite think that DIC will swoop in and the long term saviours of the Kop when the whole reason this mess began was because DIC said straight out they would flog the club after 5 years after profits from the new stadium came in and the board felt that the yanks were more stable for the future".

Gill shaken, but not stirred as AIG now come under attack
http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,2245325,00.html
I don't understand why they want their logo on at all. Let's face it the people they want to attract with their sponsorship of United probably know next to nothing the Munich air disaster anyway, so how would it be hurting them to leave the logo off anyway.

The evening news get exited by Welbeck
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/manchester_united/s/1033221_welbeck_hopes_to_follow_hughes_path

Great cartoon from Steve Bell on the carnage on Wall street.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/cartoons/stevebell/0,,2245368,00.html

Jonathan Freedland wants to know if the left can grab the intellectual reigns now the free market acolytes have been shown to be the false Messiah's they always were
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,2245256,00.html
If it does it won't be coming from this country where the labour party is as a thatcherite as the tory party. I don't hold out too much hope of it coming from the orange book liberal democrats either, though this could have been a great opening for them. It wasn't the best time to be taken over by the right wing of the party.

Peter Bradshaw on the 28 year old Heath Ledger who was found dead in New York earlier.
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/film/2008/01/heath_ledgers_death_could_not.html
I haven't seen Brokeback mountain but i have seen Casanova and Candy, and the latter is an excellent film. Both the lead actors Ledger and Abbie Cornish are superb.

Music
Josh Rouse - country house, city mouse: An excellent album, i don't know what you would label it as country folk, Americana , but it is tremendous.
Richard Hawley - Richard Hawley: I had a lot of time for it's predecessor Coles corner,so this had a lot to live up to. It's OK, but not up to the standard of the last album.
Band of horses - Everything all the time: They have been lauded as a really top band, so i had to have a listen. It's pretty good, they seem to have their own unique sound, which is always a good sign. There are more good indie, alternative or rock bands, call it what you will coming out of the states than the UK at the moment.
PJ Harvey - White Chalk: A PJ Harvey album with no guitars, i didn't know what to expect. I should have known better, she hasn't brought an album out i haven't liked. Some age better than others, and i think this will stand the test of time. It fits in quite well with the likes of Bats for Lashes ET AL.
Underworld - Oblivion with bells: Still going, but not the innovators of old, this has it's moments, but it's not a second toughest in the infants.
Calexico - Garden ruin: A good album, again, I'd love to hear them make an album influenced across the whole of it by Mexican influences instead of just 2 or 3 tracks.
Curtis Mayfield - Back to the world: Some 70's soul, top stuff, great vocalist, guitarist and some funky soul songs.

A minute's silence it is

And quite right too. How could you have had a minute's applause for a tragedy, it would have not been appropriate at all.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/man_utd/7201817.stm
With the whole football world watching this, my betting would be that city's fans will probably respect it anyway. They will sink to the level of Leeds United fans if they don't. Then again,
http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,2244784,00.html


United lost 3-2 in Saudi yesterday in a friendly that was suppose to net United £1 million. The one promising thing that came from the trip for me was the introduction of Danny Welbeck as substitute. I know it was only a friendly, but it is obvious that unlike most of the strikers we have had come through the ranks over the last few years he is going to be big and strong enough to make it at the top level. Everything else looks to be there also, good close control, great acceleration, good in the air and a good appreciation of team mates. He has got a really excellent chance of making at United. I wouldn't be sending him to Belgium on loan next year, i would send him straight to a championship team for the first part of the season to see how he handles it.
http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,2244788,00.html

Bardsley on his way to Sunderland
http://www.manutd.com/default.sps?pagegid={B4CEE8FA-9A47-47BC-B069-3F7A2F35DB70}&newsid=525891


Henry Winter has a go at Gill's new painters and decorators in the telegraph
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml;jsessionid=FCYUDRRQP1PK3QFIQMFSFFOAVCBQ0IV0?view=DETAILS&grid=A1YourView&xml=/sport/2008/01/22/sfntal122.xml
The world credit crunch and now the slump in the market's probably doing just the job at the moment. Though who will have the money to buy it from them? And how is the debt going to disappear?

No sign of an end to the turmoil at Anfield
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml;jsessionid=24W24HOMTUBYHQFIQMFSFGGAVCBQ0IV0?xml=/sport/2008/01/22/sfnfro122.xml
Good.
And more evidence that Hicks is one hell of a buffoon
http://sport.independent.co.uk/football/premier-league/article3359034.ece


Crash, the biggest fall in shares since September 11
http://news.independent.co.uk/business/news/article3359065.ece

The times describes why markets are jittery
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/markets/article3230791.ece
And here is nils Pratley's version in the guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/jan/22/viewpoint

This smells like panic to me
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/jan/22/useconomy.marketturmoil1

Whilst the government still don't convince anyone they have a clue what they are doing with Northern rock
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/article3359072.ece
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,2244691,00.html

Reading 0-2 Manchester United

Not the best performance of recent weeks, but three points in a game where Reading showed just how piss poor Newcastle were last week. Reading were really up for this game, and seemed to take United by surprise, as we never really got our passing game together all afternoon. All our better moments in the match came from individual inspiration rather than the top notch passing and movement we show when right at the top of our game. Apart from last weeks demolition of the hapless geordies, i have felt for a few weeks now that we are just grinding the results out waiting for the ginger prince to make his comeback.
On paper the combination of Carrick and Hargreaves looks a pretty good combination, although there was the worry that they would both sit too deep. But as the first half proceeded, what i saw was a lack of creativity. And this lack of creativity wasn't really addressed until Giggs came on for Park at half time. Park looked like a footballer that had been out of football for the best part of the year, and i thought it was the right decision. Hargreaves still doesn't look fully fit, and after a very good start to his career at United, including a couple of magnificent displays at the Emirates and Anfield, his form has not hit those heights in the rare run outs he has been involved in, in recent weeks. When we bought Carrick i presumed that he was bought as much to eventually replace Scholes, as play alongside him as he did so successfully last season. But from what we have seen so far this season, he isn't going to be the answer as the long term inheritor of the ginger princes mantle. We have got great cover in central midfield, but Scholes still stands out head and shoulders above the rest. I just hope that we still have two or three more seasons from him, he has never been blessed with speed, so he is one player you could still see playing at a good enough standard aged 35 plus.
United started reasonably brightly, with Ronaldo looking to start off where he finished last week as he looked to shoot whenever he was in sight of goal. Unfortunately his radar wasn't switched on as his shots were high and wide, not forcing the goalie into any serious work. United's best effort of the first half was a from a brilliant free kick just outside the box that Hargreaves looked to have put in the top corner of the net until Hahnemann got his fingers to it, pushing it just round the corner. There were a couple of shaky moments at the back, that needed a great saving tackle from Vidic, and a headed clearance from Rio as Van Der Sar managed to find himself hopelessly out of position.
The second half saw Giggs on for Park, and straight away he showed that he is still one of the most influential players at the club. He was popping up all over the place, and the creativity that we had so totally lacked in the first half started to reappear. United now started to dominate possession and the game was now being played predominantly in the home teams half. United still had one or two shaky moments at the back, especially when first Ferdinand and then Vidic allowed Kitson to run straight through on goal, thankfully he couldn't manage to lob the ball over the outstretched arms of Van Der Sar.
At the other end Hahnemann flapped at an inswinging corner from Giggs, but Vidic couldn't get enough on his effort to get it past Cisse who cleared it off the line. Nani now came on for Hargreaves and United were now camped in Reading's half looking for that elusive goal. At one point Ferdinand found himself playing like a right winger as he took his man on and put a great cross in but no one could get on the end of it. Rooney had a shot saved by Hahnemann, but as the ball was parried out Giggs was just beaten to the rebound. Then finally with 13 minutes to go the goal eventually came, Tevez, who had endured a quiet game chipped the ball into the area and Rooney got a great touch with the outside of his right foot to at last beat the diving Hahnemann.
Reading to their credit did not fold and came right back at United, really going for an equaliser, leaving themselves wide open in the process. Ronaldo, Rooney and Nani then broke to give them selves a 3 against 1 man situation on the counter attack, but Ronaldo hit a weak effort allowing Hahnemman to save when he should have killed the game off. United could have payed for that when Harper broke forward for Reading and saw his shot from just outside the box just beat Van Der Sar, but narrowly go just wide off the post. Thankfully three minutes from time Rooney and Ronaldo again broke into an empty Reading half, but this time a clever run allowed Ronaldo to approach the goalie unchallenged and this time roll it past Hahnemann into the corner of the net. United maybe just about deserved to win but 2-0 was very flattering, but it was three points and we stay top as both Arsenal and Chelsea also won difficult away games. But for United, the really good news is, having Scholes back for the business end of the season.






DIC, the investment arm of the Dubai government put the heat on Liverpool's very own Laurel and Hardy
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml;jsessionid=LUCY3AYVHZYNNQFIQMGCFFWAVCBQUIV0?xml=/sport/2008/01/20/sfnliv120.xml

The first article to cut through all the hype, or bullshit, take your pick, and explain the realities of Keegan's reappointment as the boss of the barcodes.
http://sport.independent.co.uk/football/news-and-comment/article3353715.ece

Shearer is told he will have to manage elsewhere, before he is ever considered for the toon job whilst Ashley is owner.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml;jsessionid=LUCY3AYVHZYNNQFIQMGCFFWAVCBQUIV0?xml=/sport/2008/01/20/sfnfro120.xml
Whether that will still be the case when the Keegan era implodes as it surely will we will see. I have never had much time for Shearer though, and the last few weeks have shown him up for the midget i take him to be. He was an absolute top player, i have no arguments there, and i can't hate him as much other reds do, when he chose the team he supported as a kid over us. But the way he never came off the fence and said what he really thought about Allardyce, and the way he never comes out and gives whoever happens to be the present manager of Newcastle his full support, giving that man the time it will probably need to turn things around, stinks. He so obviously desperatly wanted that job, and maybe even saw it as his right to do so. A man who has never managed so much as a pub team. Look at Keano at Sunderland, here is a man who obviously had and has tactical nous at the top level, and learnt at the feet of two of the greatest football managers of all time. Yet he is having a hard hard time at Sunderland trying to keep them up. Have you ever heard Shearer ever come out with anything whilst sat next to Hansen, Lawrenson and co that made yo think here is a tactical genius who thinks deep and seriously about the game. Maybe he is the next RinusMichels or Johann Cruyff, but i think probably not. To be honest i wanted him to be given the job, it would have been hilarious to watch him fail and see the geordie faithful ( surely the most gullible childish football fans ever, Keegan the messiah, Shearer the messiah, get real ) realising football is real not a fairy story



Irwin Stelzer, Murdoch's mouthpiece, says we are all Keynesian's now
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/columnists/article3215610.ece

Will Hutton on Brown's trip to China
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,2243819,00.html

Scholes nearly fit

Scholes may be back for fourth round tie with Spurs, it goes without saying what tremendous news that is http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/manchester_united/s/1032787_scholes_eyes_cup_return


Febian Brandy is going to division one outfit Swansea city on loan for the rest of the season. It sounds like he must be highly regarded at the club, they haven't wasted any time sending him out on loan. I have always liked the look of him, although his size has been and still is a bit of a worry. When i first saw him in the youth team he was really small, but thankfully he has grown.

"The gaffer (Sir Alex Ferguson) spoke to me about going on loan to Swansea and said it would be a good move to gain experience and for my development. I'm looking forward to the challenge. My target is to get into the first team and show what I can do, score a few goals and help Swansea gain promotion. If I can do well for Swansea then perhaps the boss will give me a chance when I go back to United."

Swansea manager Roberto Martinez

"He is highly regarded at Old Trafford and we are grateful to Sir Alex for allowing him to join us. Sir Alex is a very impressive man and his footballing knowledge is second to none. It is a great compliment to Swansea City that we can attract players from the likes of Manchester United. Febian is a very exciting talent who we have been chasing for quite some time. He has great pace, skill and holds the ball up really well for his size."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/swansea_city/tables/default.stm

Ryan Shawcross moves to Stoke city for a fee of £1 million plus more depending on appearances
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/stoke_city/7176695.stm
I have seen him playing for Stoke a couple of times and he looks like yet another decent centre half that has come through the ranks at United who will go on to have a decent career in football. Let's hope one of Pique, Evans or Cathcart will actually come through and make it as a first team regular at united.

Events amongst the hierarchy don't get any easier to decipher at Loonypool
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/liverpool/article3207360.ece

Keegan to be given big war chest?
http://sport.independent.co.uk/football/premier-league/article3347923.ece
The one thing all these ridiculous articles fail to appreciate is that top players want to play for clubs in the champions league. And they generally prefer to go clubs where the manager has a track record of actually winning things. Despite the absurd geordie hysteria for the return of their chosen one, what has he actually achieved at the highest level in management. One second place, where his team were 12 points clear at Christmas. But then saw a calamitous second half of the season, where his tactical nous was shown up for what it was and almost undoubtedly still is. And then when the inevitable happened and United took over at the top, we saw his other massive flaw, he can't stand the pressure as he duly showed the watching world, with his infamous " I'd just love it" rant. How can you be so delirious to have a man like that back in charge, it truly is laughable. This is also the man who admitted he wasn't up to the job as manager of England. Alright he is not alone in that, but to my mind he is up there in joint position with Graham Taylor as the worst England manager i have seen in my adult life. It's not exactly the CV of someone you would expect to lead you champions league glory is it.
And as for Ashley, he has just shown he is as big a clown as i had presumed. Well it will make him popular for the time being i suppose.
http://sport.independent.co.uk/football/premier-league/article3347923.ece

An interview with Stephen Fretwell from the times
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/swansea_city/tables/default.stm

And a piece from last Saturdays guardian on the emerging Manchester folk scene
http://arts.guardian.co.uk/filmandmusic/story/0,,2238438,00.html
Chorlton where quiet is the new loud

Larry Elliot on bubble economics
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,2242822,00.html
Jeremy Warner says banks face regulatory backlash
http://news.independent.co.uk/business/comment/article3348039.ece
We can only hope

Good news for Salford RL fans, as the new stadium constructio start date seems to edge closer
http://www.reds.co.uk/newsroom/2008/news319_170108.html

Manchester United 6-0 Newcastle

What a good day that was, Arsenal could only draw at home to Birmingham, Liverpool could only draw at Middlesbrough and City got beat at Everton. And then we go and annihilate a truly woeful Newcastle 6-0, the Chelski result was the only blip on the day. I really didn't expect Birmingham to get a result at Arsenal, that was the big bonus of the day.
Right from the off United took the game by the scruff of the neck, particularly Rooney, who started the game on fire and could have scored a hatrick in the first 20 minutes. The first chance was probably the best, as he was put through after an excellent pass from Carrick. Unfortunately he probably took a touch he didn't need to and ended up blazing over the bar. For the first time this season we saw the Michael Carrick that we saw last season. Carrick put Rooney through again minutes later, but this time Rooney's first time volley was saved by Given. There then followed two big penalty shouts, i have to admit that when i saw them live at the match i wasn't sure about either of them, but after seeing the highlights, they were both definite penalties. The next chance fell to Giggs after a good low shot from Ronaldo was only parried out but Given managed to get up and save Giggs attempt. The chances came thick and fast, but they wouldn't go in. The crowd seemed to get a bit anxious in the last ten minutes of the first half, and this seemed to get through to the players as they tried that bit too hard. I thought this was a bit silly, you start worrying when you are not creating chances.
Newcastle must have wondered how they got through to half time still level, but they had. The second half started in exactly the same fashion as the first, as United went for the jugular. Taylor cleared off the line twice almost immediately first from Tevez and then from Rooney. But the goal had to come, and come it did as Smith fouled Ronaldo on the edge of the box. From the resulting free kick Ronaldo cleverly struck the ball under the wall and past Given. The dam was now breached and eight minutes later a calamitous piece of defending between Given and Cacapa saw the ball rebound to a grateful Giggs who put a simple cross in for Tevez to coolly slot home the second. The next goal saw a sweet exchange of passes from Carrick and Tevez who the fed rooney, who put another superb ball into the box for Ronaldo to run through and control first time before slotting home as nonchalantly as you like to make it 3-0.
Not long afterwards came another big shout for a penalty as Carr gave Ferdinand a not so subtle nudge in the back, the referee missed it again, but as the ball came to the recently introduced Nani, he attracted two players to him before sliding it across to Carrick on the edge of the box who nearly capped a fine display with a rare goal but Enrique managed to clear it off the line. Although United were still totally on top i thought they were going to settle for the three goals and reclaiming the top spot. But there followed an absolutely disastrous last five minutes for Newcastle as they just completely folded, and for once United really killed a team when they were down. First a superb through ball from Rooney put Ferdinand in and from a tight angle he volleyed brilliantly past the helpless Given. Then Ronaldo managed to get the hatrick he has been threatening to get all season as another half hearted piece of defending saw him gifted the ball just inside the box and after cutting inside the defender he struck a shot that took a slight deflection and 5-0 it was. As if that wasn't enough, a pretty innocuous cross from O'Shea found it's way to Tevez who stuck his shot onto the underside of the bar, and as it fell, it definitely crossed the line and the scoreline began to tell the story of the game.
I haven't mentioned the abundance of other chances that were created in the second half, Rooney could have scored another hatrick. It seemed to be one of those days for him as far as putting the ball in the net went, but he more than made up for it with the goals he helped to create. Simpson who came on for Evra to play at right back spent more time in the Newcastle penalty area than his own and he went very close twice. Just wait till we get Scholes back, we will really start flying then.

Arabs to buy Gillet and Hicks out?
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/sport/story/0,,2240163,00.html

A good article about the Newcastle situation an what it says about football in general
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml;jsessionid=3AFJMSABTSP1BQFIQMFCFGGAVCBQYIV0?xml=/sport/2008/01/13/sfnpad113.xml

An interview with Daniel Day Lewis in the observer
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,,2239726,00.html

It is beginning to look like everything Brown touches turns to shit
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/politics/story/0,,2239947,00.html

Profits eaten up by debt plus MUST statement

The guardians take on United's financial results
http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,2239094,00.html
The response from MUST to the results
http://www.joinmust.org/forum/showthread.php?t=43296
Gill bullish on results say BBC
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/man_utd/7182589.stm
Though the financial expert quoted doesn't sound too convinced does he.
A more sympathetic article from the times that also mentions a laughable quote of 139 million core fans
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_united/article3168706.ece
Financial experts and economists always say the budget statement should be given a week before you can say whether the economy is in good shape or not, because it takes that long to go through the fine detail. I don't like the mention of the debt being transferred around, it sounds like the kind of financial skulduggery that led to enron and latterly the credit crunch.

United to Israel?
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_united/article3167592.ece
I haven't got a problem with this, but a few of those Arab countries that the Glazer's are trying to fleece money from might have.

The financial position seems to be getting unclearer over at the boo camp
http://sport.independent.co.uk/football/premier-league/article3324389.ece

Howard Jacobson on the 150Th birthday of the Halle
http://arts.independent.co.uk/music/features/article3326598.ece

Supercat, an interview with the great Clive Lloyd
http://sport.independent.co.uk/cricket/article3328322.ece

Klinsmann to coach Bayern next year
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/7182811.stm
That should be fascinating to watch, Bayern have never really played attractive football, but that seems to be his managerial ethos if his stint as the national team coach is anything to go by.

The Guardian obituary of Sir John Harvey Jones
http://www.guardian.co.uk/obituaries/story/0,,2238890,00.html
I am not a fan of businessmen or financiers, they are usually odious creeps, but this guy at least seemed like a normal human being. I enjoyed his TV series, it helped in respecting him, that he despised Thatcher and her monetarist followers so much. And he was right, this quote still holds true today "If we imagine the UK can get by with a bunch of people in smocks showing tourists around medieval castles, we are quite frankly out of our tiny minds."

Gary Neville scores in reserve game comeback

In a 2-2 draw against Everton at Widnes rugby league ground in the rain. He was brought off at half time, i presume because the conditions were so heavy underfoot, and they didn't want to risk another injury setback.
http://www.manutd.com/default.sps?pagegid={B4CEE8FA-9A47-47BC-B069-3F7A2F35DB70}&newsid=522184

Lee Martin goes to Robbo's Sheffield United for the rest of the season
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/sheff_utd/7181043.stm


United to tour South Africa in 2008 pre season
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml;jsessionid=BAZOMT1YPZ5P1QFIQMFSFGGAVCBQ0IV0?xml=/sport/2008/01/10/ufnmanutd110.xml


Eriksson to urge city fans to respect minutes silence
http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,2238228,00.html
No comment needed

Oliver Holt has his say on Fergie's comments on the atmosphere at old trafford in the Mirror,

Moan United

Oliver Holt 09/01/2008

Sir Alex Ferguson complained last week that the atmosphere at Old Trafford was like being at a funeral. Well, when you lose 5,000 of your hard-core fans because you sell out to debt-ridden owners, put your admission prices up, flood the place with corporates, reduce the allocation for away fans, widen the divide between the players and the public, allow your stars to blow £4,000 each on a party, tell your stewards to act like the Stasi and slag off what's left of the loyal supporters, what do you expect?

Newcastle sack big Sam
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/n/newcastle_united/7179847.stm
Although he probably isn't the right manager for them, you can't judge a manager on 8 months in charge, so he is unlucky to be sacked, he should have given to the end of the season. I wouldn't trust that clown Ashley to get things right either, if i was a Geordie, he seems a prize balloon to me.
Well Allardyce got his wish and managed a big club, so he should now know his own limits. The trouble for him is so does everyone else. He will never get the chance to manage a big club again, in fact i think he would struggle to get a job at a middle ranking club ( west ham, Everton or any team pushing for a UEFA cup spot ) after his time on Tyneside.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/newcastle/article3162615.ece

Our Geoffrey has his say on the rumblings down under http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml;jsessionid=BXDVVGCZXPTWFQFIQMGCFGGAVCBQUIV0?xml=/sport/2008/01/10/scboyc110.xml

Another new labour decision that will be seen as scandalous in years to come
http://www.guardian.co.uk/nuclear/article/0,,2238329,00.html
It's not just the dubious safety record of the nuclear industry that makes this a bad and backward looking decision, but the record of governments all around the world having to endlessly subsidise nuclear power that really appalls. It isn't a done deal yet though,
http://www.guardian.co.uk/nuclear/article/0,,2238477,00.html

Johann Hari on public services and a sweet twist of history
http://comment.independent.co.uk/commentators/johann_hari/article3324413.ece
Very interesting

Anatole Kaletsky says he doesn't think America will have a recession, but if it does he thinks it will mean we have a worse one.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/anatole_kaletsky/article3162696.ece

Fergie hopes for better in europe

I would leave the treble talk alone
http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,2237544,00.html

Silvestre dreams of United return
http://sport.independent.co.uk/football/premier-league/article3321354.ece

Forgotten men of football, Stefan Kovacs manager of Ajax after Rinus Michels
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/01/08/the_man_who_took_ajax_to_new_h.html
I love reading about that great Ajax side of the early seventies. The style of football they played, which was superb, footballers with opinions of their own, i admire that although it has to be admitted it doesn't always help to foster the best team spirit. As keano said somewhere in his auto biography, the Dutch players were arguing amongst themselves as usual.

Championship clubs the latest target for takeovers with profit in mind
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/01/09/from_bust_to_boom_a_12m_gamble.html

The test series goes on, for the moment, as now Brad Hogg seems set to be banned. Nobody seems to be coming out of this well, though. The Aussies giving it out ( sledging ), and then not being able to take it when it's given back. But then if it was racist, Singh got the punishment he deserved. Ponting's actions as captain, and catches claimed that should never have been claimed. But India's actions since the test finished, virtually trying to blackmail the authorities to get the umpire replaced and have singh's punishment rescinded without going through the correct procedures have been just as bad for the game.
Bucknor dropped from the next test, a poor reward for someone who has served cricket so well.
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/01/09/proud_bucknor_may_be_on_the_wa.html
The Indian media fanning the flames, populist politicians
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/01/09/india_where_truth_is_up_for_gr.html

A good day for press freedom
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/jan/09/pressandpublishing.freedomofinformation

The west are still getting Pakistan wrong says Simon Jenkins
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,2237569,00.html
I suppose all the great powers of history have been unable to resist the urge to meddle in other states affairs. It doesn't make it any more right, and if we all support democracy it is usually self defeating. But are they really interested in democracy?

Consultants, auditors, accountants and the unaccountable state
http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/prem_sikka_/2008/01/heart_of_darkness.html
I have a feeling that future historians will see this as a bigger scandal, or at least as big a scandal as the foreign policy of post communist period.

Tootenham or Reading in Fourth round

Paddy Crerand is happy with the draw, i suppose it would have been nice to get a lower league team, and with the amount of premier league teams that got knocked out, there was more of a chance of it happening. I am fed up of people going on about the magic of the FA cup and what it means to players and fans. The fact that hardly any ground was full even for some of the more high profile games tells you all you need to know where it stands in the priorities of most clubs. I still love the FA cup but lets face it, even for us it comes a poor third in the trophies we hope to win at the start of the season. So for those clubs that statistics say over the last ten years have no chance, that's everybody outside the top four, how can you really blame them for not taking the competition seriously, especially with the financial implications of staying in the premier league being so great.
http://www.manutd.com/default.sps?pagegid={B4CEE8FA-9A47-47BC-B069-3F7A2F35DB70}&newsid=521658

Thaksins wife is arrested as she re-enters Thailand
http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,2237153,00.html

Australia v India, it is hard to know who is wrong and who is right in all of this. The Aussies have got one hell of a record for upsetting countries from the sub continent though. Here are a variety of comments on sledging, Indian racism and Steve Bucknor being stood down from the next test.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/cricket/article3150974.ece
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/01/07/ucnich107.xml
http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/mike_marqusee/2008/01/india_in_denial.html

The Guardians Iranian correspondent has seen his attempt to renew his visa to stay and report in the country fail, he has been kicked him out in other words. In his final article he gives us his summary of the country and its people and where it's at, and where it may be heading.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,2236340,00.html

A piece about the continuing hunt for Nazis in South America
http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,,2236927,00.html
What caught my eye was the postwar Argentinian governments efforts at persuading escaping Nazis to settle there, as they were desperate to lure skilled people to the country. I knew that Nazis went there, but i had no idea that Peron's government actively encouraged it.


Music
Beth Gibbons and Rustin man - Beth Gibbons and Rustin man : I loved Portishead, Bet Gibbons is a cracking singer, so it's a shame they have put so little music out. It has took me a while to get round to listening to this, but if you liked Portishead you will probably love this.
Black Lips - Good bad, not evil : I remember reading about this groups stage antics after deciding to listen to this, and then wondering whether this was really for me. One of them manges to drink his own piss as part of the act. To me that kind of thing is just a gimmick to divert attention from the mediocrity of the music usually. But not in this case, it's a quality album, with hints of The Velvet Underground, the Cramps and sixties garage.
Felix Da Housecat - Kitten and thee glitz : Quality techno, i had heard his excursions album from around the same time 2002. I liked that, though it is more of a DJ mix album, where as this more of a proper song based album.
Miles Davis - Jack Johnson a tribute :One of the great Jazz rock or fusion albums, what an album. Though i would categorise it as a rock album with a magnificent Jazz trumpeter at it's heart. I am a big fan of bitches brew, but i have to say this effort tops that in my book. Now i will have to listen to On the corner.
Ray Davies - Working mans cafe : The kinks seem woefully under appreciated to me, so it's great to hear Ray Davies putting out a couple of solo albums over the last couple of years. I saw him in town a few years back when he was doing his one man show reading passages from his book, and he was a class act. He doesn't break any new musical ground, but you get what you expect from him, catchy tunes, that make you want to sing along.
Robert Plant & Allison Krauss - Raising sand : A lot of critics had this down as one of their albums of the year, and i can see why. The songs are great,the two singers more than do their job and the musicianship is superb. They are talking about doing another album, it will be hard to beat this effort, but if it's half as good it would still be worth getting.

Aston Villa 0-2 Manchester United

Not the best performance, but we are in the hat for the fourth round, so mission accomplished. Although United struggled to get their game together until Rooney came on, at least, most of the blame for this turgid affair must surely be laid at the door of the home team. Alright they got a right going over in the league earlier in the season, but that was possibly United's best performance of the season. So with United minus Rooney, Tevez and Scholes in midfield i was expecting a hard game and for Villa to have a real go at us. As it was they just sat back for almost the entire ninety minutes hoping that they would be able to exploit a set piece from which they seem to have scored a lot recently. But surely, even for that negative tactic to have a chance of working, you have to attempt put some concerted attacking play together.
It is a good job United seem to be a bit jaded and out of sorts after the Christmas period, because a fully fit and fired up United yesterday, would have beaten them even more comprehensively than we had done in the league. As it was United themselves rarely threatened the villa goal in the first half , though we were in such total control there wasn't much to panic about. The only moments to get anybody of their seats was a run from inside his own half that Anderson made about half way through the half, that saw him manage to get a pretty tame shot away at the end of that Carson saved easily. The other chance fell to Giggs just before half time after a shot from Ronaldo was parried by Carson to him just outside the six yard box. Unfortunately it seemed to take him totally by surprise and he never got his feet right and ended up hitting a pretty embarrassing effort the wrong side of the post.
The first twenty minutes of the second half saw a similar pattern of play, United having all the possession and Villa sitting back. The one promising aspect of United early second performance was that they seemed to put their foot on the gas and stepped it up a level. But although we had one or two chances, their wasn't much quality on show. A big part of the problem had been identified by Schmeical at half time, Saha looks a shadow of the player he was. I am beginning to think that his injuries have taken their toll on him. Ever since he got back in the team i have yet to see him run flat out. He used to win most headers outside the box, or at least his fair share, but that part of his game has diminished badly also. That was a big part of his game, putting balls over the top for him to run after, or balls to him for him to control with his back to goal and then release to others running from deep or give it out wide. Sadly we saw almost none of that on Saturday, and Giggs didn't really have a partner to play with. I thought Park looked as if he wasn't really ready for two games in a row. He didn't do anything wrong, he just couldn't get into the game as much as he would have liked. So it was a toss up who went off and park lost as Saha stayed on the pitch when Rooney came on for Park and totally transformed the game.
Straight away there was more pace, more movement, more enthusiasm and most of all more class. The change to 4-3-3 seemed to completely throw Villa as United seemed to have a lot more space all over the pitch for the first time in the match.It was interesting to see Ronaldo's game pick up as soon as Rooney came on, he had been having one of those games where he couldn't seem to beat his man or make the right pass. But as soon as Rooney came on, and the pace picked up he looked a different player. A brilliant interchange of passes between the two almost saw Rooney score after being fed by an inch perfect cross from Ronaldo, but he hit it too well and it blazed over the bar. But a couple of minutes later United took the lead after a neat interchange of passes on the left led to Giggs crossing for Ronaldo to sneak in at the far post and bundle it home. He can't stop scoring even when he doesn't have that great a game this season. Just to complete his almost perfect twenty minutes of action Rooney managed to strike home the second after Ronaldo's shot was blocked and came back to him just at the edge of the box.
The support did themselves proud yesterday, with no inspiration coming from the pitch they made a fair old racket for almost the entire ninety minutes.

Fergie lays into indipendent United fans

Henry winter says Fergie should listen to disenfranchised fans
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml;jsessionid=ADKAUHKOZDXFXQFIQMGCFGGAVCBQUIV0?xml=/sport/2008/01/05/sfnwin105.xml
http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/30438/Fergie-fans-the-Flames_
All this after the support he was given in his dispute over "that" race horse by those same fans in his dispute with Coolmore. And we have learnt since he was entirely in the wrong. And all this that led to the situation which split our fans, and priced out a lot of hardcore fans who did stay but couldn't afford the ridiculous price rises. I still respect him as a manager, how could you not, but nothing else. He could just stay quiet, but to continually take the piss, he will never be regarded in the same way as sir Matt.

More about Johnny Evans loan move to Sunderland
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/sunderland/article3134430.ece


Britain not fit for purpose
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/jan/05/computing.egovernment
http://comment.independent.co.uk/commentators/howard_jacobson/article3310025.ece
And public transport is garbage, privatisation is no answer to anything. I am not saying old fashioned nationalisation was brilliant, it wasn't, but it was better than what we have now.
http://comment.independent.co.uk/commentators/article3310022.ece

Oliver Kamm responds to Oliver James article on selfish capitalism
http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/oliver_kamm/2008/01/enlightened_selfish_interest.html
I agree with his basic premise that governments should only aspire to provide everyone a with a reasonable standard of living, and make sure you have a safety ladder you can't fall below. After that it is up to individual choice, governments can't be worrying themselves with the mental state of the population.

John Harris on the myth of the return to form
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/01/the_myth_of_the_return_to_form.html
I think he is probably right that most bands or artists have only a limited time in the creative sun and then it is either breaking up or just plodding on living off your back catalogues. But that means as he says that the greats must be truly great.

Evans to Sunderland, but Brown stays

Evans to Sunderland on loan for the rest of the season, a good move all round, he has played nowhere near enough football so far this season for his career to progress as well as we hope it does. It will also help to clear his mind of the rape allegation, although i am pretty sure he has nothing to worry about on that score.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/sunderland/7171301.stm

Newcastle make bid for Brown, but United say no.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7171748.stm
Sensible, until we see Gary Neville fully fit, he surely has to stay. He is obviously still no great shakes going forward, but he is better defensively than any of Neville's deputies.

An article that paints Salford in a pretty dismal light unfortunately,
http://www.guardian.co.uk/race/story/0,,2235241,00.html
I can't say it is massively surprising, but the racist aspect was.

Larry Elliot speculates on the chances of a recession
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/jan/03/creditcrunch.houseprices
Not what the financial doctor ordered as utility prices set to soar
http://news.independent.co.uk/business/comment/article3307649.ece
Will India replace the USA as the special relationship in years to come. I have thought this myself, they are a better bet for responsible future world leaders than China, democracy the rule of law and religious toleration, China lags along way behind in all these fundamental aspects of civilisation.
http://comment.independent.co.uk/commentators/hamish_mcrae/article3307555.ece

U-turn on end to 24 hour drinking
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article3118841.ece

A surprise to see Martin Samuel commenting on the drug laws
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article3118841.ece
and being right

Paul Thomas Anderson has a new film out, i loved Boogie nights, this new one sounds good.
http://film.guardian.co.uk/interview/interviewpages/0,,2234642,00.html

Barack Obama wins Iowa caucus, Clinton only third
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article3133047.ece
Good result i can't see the American public electing her as president and i don't respect her anyway, the ultimate careerist politician.

Atmosphere

There are quite a few articles on the lack of atmosphere at old trafford and the premiership in general
http://sport.independent.co.uk/football/comment/article3303590.ece
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_united/article3123786.ece
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_united/article3123830.ece
http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/gwyn_topham/2008/01/were_not_singing_any_more.html It's all hot air, i am afraid there are debts to be paid of at United and Liverpool, so nothing is going to change at the two biggest clubs. It's a good piece by Cascarino, it's always been obvious players up their game when they have the fans behind them. What Fergie was right about, was when Liverpool were winning everything, we had a great record against them and i am sure part of that was the down to the fanatical backing we use to give them in those games.

Selfish capitalism is bad for our mental health
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,2234337,00.html
I am not sure i buy into the mental health part, but it is obviously wrong, unfair and will be bad for us economically in the long run. The disparity in earnings between the super wealthy and the majority of our populations is mind boggling.

Kenya seems to be pulling away from the anarchy that seemed possible.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7169720.stm

A very interesting piece on the republican party by Johann Hari
http://comment.independent.co.uk/commentators/johann_hari/article3303614.ece
You wouldn't write them off all the same

Manchester United 1-0 Birmingham city

Well that is the Christmas period over and we have come out of it with 9 out of the possible 12 points, one less than Arsenal. That's not too bad, it's just a pity about the west ham performance or rather result. No team has played that well over the four games, and United ended yesterday looking very jaded. Indeed i think everybody was glad to hear the final whistle, the last ten minutes were a bit more tense than they needed to be. United just couldn't take one of the many chances that came along, and when Forsell came on for Birmingham, they started to pose a real danger, making a more uncomfortable final period than had seemed likely.
It was disappointing to see rooney still wasn't fit, we have really missed his energy over the last two games. It would seem Saha still isn't trusted to play back to back games as Ronaldo partnered Tevez up front, with Park starting his first game of the season with Nani on the other flank. Anderson started the game this time, he should have started the West Ham game for me, alongside Carrick in central midfield, a better balanced midfield than we had in that game also.
The first real moment of class in the match came after five minutes when Ronaldo fed the ball down the flank to put Evra through on the left and he put a quality centre into the box for Tevez to head past Taylor but against the post, a shame because it would have been a quality goal.
United's passing and moving game was in far better shape than in the previous game and United were in total control of the game. We still had to wait until the 25th minute for the first goal, but it was worth the wait. A brilliant exchange of passes between Ronaldo and Tevez saw the Argentine put through with only Taylor to beat, and beat him he duly did. It was good to see him score and great to see him back to kind of form that seemed to desert him against his former club. Birmingham did have a couple of decent chances, but they were usually down to defensive mistakes. One of them was an excellent chance but McSheffry lost his head and blazed it high and wide.
The second half followed the same pattern as the first half as United bossed the midfield, and 10 minutes into the second half Park put a great cross onto the head of Ronaldo, Ronaldo didn't do much wrong he headed it hard and down but Taylor managed instinctively to get his feet to it, to brilliantly keep it out. Next it was Tevez who went close as he hit the post again, and somehow Ronaldo saw his follow up attempt blocked by a couple of blue shirted defenders. But United couldn't take one of these chances, and when Forsell came on the game totally changed. Now Birmingham had a real threat up front, with Forsell causing Ferdinand and Vidic real problems. The game became end to end, but the Christmas period seemed to catch up on United's players and a few of the players seemed to be running on empty for the quarter of an hour. I have mentioned before that i think Anderson struggles to see out the ninety minutes, and he looked really jaded during this period. He had been excellent again during the first seventy minutes, whilst Carrick carried on with his inconsistent form again. He is really taking the safe option far too often this season, and doesn't seem confident enough to make any of the defence splitting passes that we saw from him last season. Another player to struggle again yesterday was Nani, i can't work him out at all, he obviously has all the ingredients to be a cracking footballer, but seems to lack confidence in his own ability at times. His decision making and some of his short passes are wildly inconsistent too. Park on the other flank had an excellent game, especially taking into account it was he was starting his first game of the season. The best defender on the park was that man Evra again, he has been truly magnificent this season. So we start the new year placed second and two points behind Arsenal, we can't ask for much more than that. I have to admit though, when we went above Arsenal following their draw at pompey i thought we would stay top for longer than we managed. It looks like they are going to make a proper challenge this year. As for Chelsea, i thought they were out of it, but they have had a pretty good christmas. January is going to be make or break for their title challenge though i feel, especially when they lose the large number of African players that they have for the African nations cup. As for Liverpool, they just aren't good enough, i know if they win their games in hand they would be back in touch, but i can't see them putting together the kind of run they would need to, for them to have any chance.

Tevez injury not as bad as feared
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/man_utd/7167508.stm
I didn't realise that it might be a bad injury to be honest. Although he did seem to be in the wars, for most of the game.

Old Trafford is quiet shock
http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,2234081,00.html
Well he will go and praise the Glazers, seriously it was quieter than normal, but the atmosphere is pretty abysmal most games if we are honest. And the sooner the stand up for the champions chant is binned, the better as far i am concerned, it is just embarrassing. I would love to hear some of the old classics from the seventies and eighties, Oh Manchester is wonderful, from the banks of the river irwell, we are the Manchester boys, MUFC OK, the amount of day trippers at United nowadays though, i think i have got a long wait.

Kenya erupts
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7167363.stm

A leader article that couldn't have been written in a Murdoch paper
http://comment.independent.co.uk/leading_articles/article3300994.ece