Fergie was tempted

to go overseas and try his luck managing abroad
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/article857200.ece

Fergie hails Ronaldo's goal tally
http://uk.reuters.com/article/sportsNews/idUKPER95372020080229

Thaksin catches the dreaded City lurgy, as he says City can become a new Man United
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/thaksin-says-city-can-match-united-789253.html
He hasn't recovered his all gotten gains yet, and i can't see the junta giving in that easily, they obviously detest the man. Oh and it's giddyness.

If this is true, a big if given the paper admittedly, i suppose it shows there are no depths some people won't sink to in the football world.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/sport/football.html?in_article_id=522760&in_page_id=1779
Although with some of the individuals involved in that organisation it's all too believable.

The Indy goes big on two reports that savages new Labours educational policies since it came to power.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/failed-political-interference-is-damaging-childrens-education-report-claims-789333.html
To be fair it was the Tories who started all this targets nonsense, but Blair picked up on it in a big way. Targets were to be New Labours answer to all society ills, as far as the state sector went, now they had lost faith in socialism. Of course as Professor Smithers writes targets were one of the reasons the command economy of the USSR didn't work.
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/professor-alan-smithers-lessons-of-the-soviet-union-should-have-been-learnt-789334.html
It's amazing when you think about it, the Tory party was as unpopular as it has been in it's entire history for the last 15 years, and the best a supposedly left of centre party could come up with was the minimum wage, which the CBI assured us would be catastrophic for business, and tax credits. Of course the minimum wage has had no effect on business, something a left of centre party should have realised. Children working down pits, the 8 hour day, these have all been resisted fiercely by business interests telling us it will ruin our competitiveness. This should be borne in mind with the non doms controversy and corporate tax avoidance.

Polly Toynbee with a column on the corporate tax avoidance culture and especially offshore tax havens,
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/feb/29/2
Make them open the books and see the tesco's of this world rubbing shoulders with drug smugglers, gangsters the lot.

Kremlin to rig elections, well what a surprise http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/feb/29/russia2
It looks like Putin has chosen his heir well
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/europe/putins-heir-struggles-to-come-out-of-his-masters-shadow-789354.html
I have read a few reporters crediting him as being more liberal predecessor, let's hope he surprises us.

Foster hopes to emulate hero Schmeichel

So do we, at the age he is now, if he comes close to the Danes ability that would be the no.1 shirt filled for at least the next 10 years, injuries aside. Every paper seems to be going with some kind of Foster article this morning.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/2008/02/28/ben-foster-is-aiming-to-become-the-manchester-united-and-england-no-1-89520-20334254/
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/02/28/sfnfos128.xml

Will Ferdinand be here next season, his agent Zahavi is already playing hardball. Like him or not he is the best defender at the club and we miss him more than any other defender when he doesn't play. I had hoped that Pique was going to come through this season to push both centre halves for that position but sadly it hasn't happened, and i wouldn't be surprised if he isn't here next season either.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_united/article3449207.ece

How game 39 met it's match by David Bond in the Telegraph, he seems to know his subject, he has been first on the Liverpool ownership saga all the way through.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/02/28/sfnscu128.xml
If he is right that confirms my view from yesterday, the FA did piggy back on FIFA and UEFA in vetoing the proposal.

Rijkaard to Chelsea next season?
http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,2260401,00.html

Rijkaard no to Chelsea next season, take your pick
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/rijkaard-will-not-move-to-chelsea-this-year-788474.html

Sid Lowe on the man himself
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/02/28/quiet_man_at_the_centre_of_bar.html

Thaksin returns to Thailand, hero and villain
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/feb/28/thailand1
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article3450410.ece

More on corporate tax avoidance
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/retailing/article3449048.ece
The guardians editorial gets to the crux of the matter
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/feb/28/tesco.supermarkets
Vince Cable comments on yesterdays tesco story
http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/vincent_cable/2008/02/every_billion_helps.html

How the north sea oil windfall could have been used,
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/feb/27/economics.oil
Instead it was used to fund the failed monetarist economic policies of Thatcher and Geoffrey Howe, ending up paying for the 3 to 4 million that ended up on the dole, as the manufacturing base of this country was decimated needlessly, never to return. And some people still think Thatcher was one of the best things to ever happen for this country.

At least she destroyed her own party like everything else she touched
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/steve-richards/steve-richards-the-shadow-of-mrs-thatcher-still-hangs-heavy-over-the-party-of-david-cameron-788495.html

Reserves lose 2-0

Against Liverpool at Warrington RL ground last night, on the plus side Gary Neville played 60 minutes. Without really playing very well, the passing and movement was again not what i would expect of any United side, they were unlucky as they had two perfectly good goals disallowed. That is the second time i have seen Pique in the reserves recently and worryingly he seems to be going backwards to me. He is a far better player than he has shown in the last two games. I feel sorry for the forwards in this side, they don't get any service at all. There doesn't seem to be much quality in the wide positions i am afraid. Losing Lee and Brandy who have both gone on loan can't have helped, but that was definitely the best route for their careers to take. It will be interesting to see what they do with Welbeck next season, i don't think the playing in the reserves is going to bring on his career.
http://www.manutd.com/default.sps?pagegid={B4CEE8FA-9A47-47BC-B069-3F7A2F35DB70}&newsid=535802
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_united/article3442530.ece


There are a lot of ifs in this article about Thaksin's return to Thailand
http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,2260217,00.html

David Conn writes that the FA now have someone with a bit of backbone in charge,
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/02/27/triesman_gives_backbone_to_fa.html
I will wait and see, the FA seemed to take a back seat to Platini and Blatter to me, it was UEFA and FIFA that ridiculed it, and the FA that piggybacked on the back of their comments. That's how it looked to me anyhow.

A perfect example of the way big business runs rings around elected governments, as tesco is found to be using offshore tax havens to avoid paying tax.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/feb/27/tesco.supermarkets
That is money that should be going to the NHS, to help the armed forces in Iraq and Afghanistan and to our public transport, what there is left of it. But will anybody point these things out?

Francis Becket has a go at market mania madness in education,
http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/francis_beckett/2008/02/sink_or_swim.html

Simon Jenkins with another of his excellent articles on local democracy in this country
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/feb/27/prisonsandprobation.ukcrime

More exposure of big business dishonesty as drug firms are found being economic with the actualite
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-wellbeing/health-news/drug-giants-warned-tell-the-truth-on-medicines-787907.html

Iraq is as fragmented as ever warns Patrick Cockburn in the Independent
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/patrick-cockburn-the-turkish-invasion-could-destroy-a-unified-iraq-787830.html

Music
British sea power - Do you like rock music : This took a few listens to get into, but once i did, i was really into, and now i can't really understand why i didn't love it straight away. Far better than most of the NME trendy groups that can't really play their instruments and try to sound like the libertines. I have read one review compare this album to Arcade Fire and i would say that is a valid comparison.
Fela Kuti - Roforofo fight : I love Afro beat, and it's finest exponent Fela Kuti. The tracks all last about 15 minutes, but none outlast their welcome, all drawing you into that funky west African groove.
Josh Rouse - Nashville : Having recently listening to his latest i had to go back and listen to some of his earlier stuff. This was made in 2005, one of his more recent offerings, and if you like, Country mouse, city house you will like this, he can write a memorable tune.
The long ryders - Native sons : I saw these on the old grey whistle test in about 1985 and liked what i heard, but never got around to getting the album. A bit late i know, but it was as good as i expected it to be, if you like the Byrds, the Beatles and country rock that is.
Voice of the seven woods - Voice of the seven woods : A great guitar album, what a shame he is only going to do the one album for this project. Folk guitar, with north African influences, electric guitar with similar influences plus a bit of psychedelia. A top Mancunian export.
Robyn Hitchcock - I often dream of trains : I have seen him a few times on Jools Holland's Later and have always liked his quirky individual sound. And that just about sums this up, it is very individual. It might take a few listens, but it is well worth the effort, some of the lyrics are well out there. The tunes are tremendous, following no pattern whatsoever, catchy guitar pop and then the surreal uncorrected personality traits, that i didn't appreciate at first, but now love.
Babyshambles - Shotters nation : I have to say when i heard the single for the first album, i disliked it so much i couldn't be bothered to listen to the album. And the reviews were terrible, so i guessed i was right. But i loved the Libertines, and here Pete Doherty's men get somewhere back to the glory of his former group. I just love that guitar sound, the nearest thing i can say it reminds me of is the Stones live circa Richard and Mick Taylor, but somehow more English and with not as much reliance on the blues.

Goal difference could be vital

Says Fergie,
http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,2259996,00.html
He's not wrong, i always felt it was vital in the treble year, it was like an extra little cushion having the superior goal difference.

Fergie says he is confident Gary Neville will return, but he won't be playing for the reserves tonight against Liverpool.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/02/26/sfnman126.xml

The Mirror says Charlton will offer£2 million for Frazier Campbell in the summer
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/2008/02/26/charlton-line-up-swoop-for-manchester-united-striker-fraizer-campbell-89520-20332199/

Benzema doesn't fancy the premier league, or not yet anyway.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/02/26/ufnbenzema126.xml

DIC close to sealing Liverpool takeover, according to some reports, others say it is just Gillet selling out, whilst Hicks wants to tough it out.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/02/26/sfnbon226.xml
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/liverpool/article3434438.ece
http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,2259995,00.html

All is not well at the Bridge,
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/cup-final-split-highlights-grants-struggle-to-keep-squad-happy-787322.html
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/2008/02/26/john-terry-in-amazing-bust-up-with-chelsea-coach-henk-ten-cate-89520-20332105/
This just goes to prove you can only keep such a big squad of ego's happy whilst you are winning trophies, and even then only if your main man is a good man manager. Which is something that it has to be admitted Mourinho obviously was, and which they are going to find hard to replace.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/columnists/matt_dickinson/article3434426.ece
A 50,000 stadium is too big for them, some of those European qualifying group stage attendance's are pitiful.

John Sadler bemoans after post match interviews,
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/02/26/wenger_shows_the_hazard_of_hav.html
Quite right too, besides the fact they run the risk of saying something they will later regret, when was the last time you heard anybody say anything profound or worth hearing post match anyway. Funny how Wenger saw it though wasn't it, he usually doesn't does he. What was he saying last week about his players trying to kick lumps out of Nani, "it was quite right too", i do believe. He's not a hypocrite is he.

Stagflation is the spectre worrying the US
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/columnists/article3433830.ece

Whilst inflation is the worry for China
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/feb/25/china.globaleconomy

And if nothing changes the only people to walk away unaffected by the upcoming economic turbulence are the people to blame for the whole sorry mess.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/campaign-targets-obscene-city-pay-787271.html

Possible bidders for Manchester XFM
http://www.crainsmanchesterbusiness.co.uk/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080226/FREE/202342714/1109/-/-/duo-interested-in-manchesters-xfm-station

One day Ferguson will get the credit he deserved

Excellent piece in the Independent, if Arsenal had won a game as gloriously as this, we we would be hearing how they have taken the beautiful game to heights the like of which only the Real Madrid 55-60 or 1970 Brazil teams got near. United were outstanding, and to produce a performance like that at this stage of the season was even more impressive.
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/newcastle-united-1-manchester-united-5-ferguson-basks-in-brilliant-light-of-shining-stars-786817.html

Carrick the only geordie to leave St James's park happy on Saturday evening
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/02/25/sfnman125.xml

Scoucers give Hicks Jr a traditional Anfield welcome
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/02/25/ufnliverpool125.xml
Seriously though, good on 'em, there a few more owners who need to know that they can't just try and steal our game from as easily as they seem to think they can.

Alan Hansen thinks Ramos is going to have Spurs challenging for a Champions league spot next season, after yesterday's welcome League cup victory over Chelski.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/02/25/sfnhan125.xml
I came to the same conclusion after our two recent encounters with them, it will be interesting to see what they do in the transfer market in the summer.

Barca have gone just 2 points behind arch rivals Real Madrid, what a come back that would turn out to be, if they manage to pip them for the table.
http://football.guardian.co.uk/breakingnews/feedstory/0,,-7334812,00.html
I saw the goal and it was hilarious

A site for the campaign for a fitting memorial to victims of the Peterloo massacre
http://peterloomassacre.org/index.html

Nader to run for president, worryingly for the democrats
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/feb/25/uselections2008.usa
I think liberals are wrong to have a go at him, at least he gives people on the left the option of voting for someone who is actually a liberal, instead of just voting democrat to keep the republicans out and getting a moderate version of conservatism. And that is how the democrats usually end up governing when in office. And that is what democracy should be about

Cameron trying to keep the right wing of the party happy
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/feb/25/health.health
Not surprising after his dismal showing on the northern rock affair.

Larry Elliot argues we have entered dangerous economic times
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/feb/25/economics

Yasmin Alibhai-Brown believes that corruption is endemic in our political culture
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/yasmin-alibhai-brown/yasmin-alibhaibrown-corruption-is-now-endemic-in-our-political-culture-786865.html
I would say it is more about the intertwining of politics and big business, with no ideological safeguards against money always getting it's own way. Look at football now, it is now blindingly obvious, if it ever wasn't, that this new breed of owners care not one jot for the history and tradition of our national game. But they think they can see dollars to be made by doing everything in their power to take our national game off to Asia.
And who has tried to stop them, not our elected politicians who are supposed to represent us, they are either in bed with these owners, or scared stiff of them. They really are cowards, for one thing these owners are wrong, they will not make the money that they need to justify their acquisitions. And the financial climate is really going to put the final nail in their coffin. Let's just hope it doesn't take some of our football clubs with it.

Johann Hari on the trial of Charles Taylor at the Hague
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/johann-hari/johann-hari-the-diamond-heist-thats-mass-murder-786868.html
The Congo is still suffering for being home to numerous rich natural resources

Newcastle 1-5 Manchester United

Before yesterday's two matches i have to admit i was a bit apprehensive, i thought ours might be a tricky game anyway, but after having to play Arsenal in the cup and then another vital game in Europe in midweek, it looked very tricky. Even though Arsenal seemed to have an easier game on paper, i expected them to face a stiff challenge too, but expected them to narrowly win. So for us to have recovered two points on them at the end of our game was very satisfying, especially as they were playing against ten men for virtually the entire match. That was a horrendous injury that Eduardo picked up, but no way was Taylor to blame for it, it was a foul, but it was just slightly mistimed. I don't take any satisfaction from the injury, from a United perspective, i want us to beat them fair and square, with both clubs being able to pick from a full squad. And against ten men they really should have won that game.
I was reasonably pleased when i saw our staring line up, Nani has been superb in the past 1 and a 1/2 games, so i was happy to see him in the starting line up. And Fletcher and Carrick in central midfield looked a pretty well balanced midfield, Carrick playing his best football of the season and Fletcher having energy to burn and a lot to prove with him not having played as many games as he would have liked. It would be nice if we could give one or two of our defence a rest, but you don't rest your first choice centre halves away from home and we haven't got great cover at full back. I mean Brown is really only doing a steady back up job there, whilst Neville is out and that is all you would get from O'Shea. To me it is essential for the style of football we try to play that we have at least one attacking full back playing, which means that whilst we have no Gary Neville Evra really has to play every game. One of the major problems we suffered from when we played City was losing Evra as well as Rooney to suspension. It made it easier for City to sit back, soak up the pressure and catch us on the break. They seemed to take the decision that they would let Brown overlap and not try and stop him because they were confident he wouldn't be able to deliver any quality crosses, unfortunately they were right. Whether Brown stays or goes, right back is an area that has to be looked at. Unfortunately the amount of time Gary Neville has been out of top flight football and his advancing years, makes me fear that even if he does eventually recover from his injury woes, we won't be seeing the overlapping 90 minute overlapping full back that we remember.
So to the game, United started reasonably brightly, not the sluggish start that you sometimes see the Saturday after a big European game. Newcastle started very positively too, looking like a team striving to make amends for the 6-0 drubbing handed out to them just 5 weeks ago. But the important thing for us was that there was no adverse reaction from the Lyon game. And both our form men of the moment, Carrick and Nani were carrying on where they left off against Arsenal. Nani really seems to have moved up a level over the last couple of weeks, he is playing better than Ronaldo at the moment. His final ball and his decision making, when to pass and when to run and maybe most of all his confidence in himself are there for all to see. But it was a delicious cross from Ronaldo that saw Rooney evade his marker and arrive alone in the 6 yard box to volley home the first, that saw United grab the game by the throat. After that there was really only one team in the contest, though it took until the last minute of the half to increase the lead. In the meantime United created chances, the best being a magnificent cross from Nani that Tevez managed to head wide. The goal was a corker when it came, poor defending from Newcastle again, but a superbly weighted pass from Carrick was taken in his stride by Ronaldo and straight away hit past the advancing Given into the corner of the net.
Newcastle hardly created a chance in the match, the nearest they came was when Duff mamaged to find a rare bit of space for himself in the box, but could only hit it straight at Van Der Sar. Then 10 minutes into the second half another comical piece of defending gifted the ball to Fletcher who prodded it forward to Ronaldo who beat Taylor embarrassingly easy and then waltzed round the replacement goalie Harper and slotted it into an inviting empty net. This was the signal for Ronaldo to be replaced by Saha, O'Shea had replaced Evra at half time as United started to play out time. To their credit Newcastle did now start to show a bit of fight, and managed to get a soft goal back following a corner. Unfortunately for the barcodes this just stung United into stepping up a gear again, and almost immediately Scholes had a decent header saved by Harper. Shortly after that, 10 minutes from time,Rooney scored the best goal of the game as he curled a beauty into the corner of the net from the edge of the box following a corner. Minutes later Saha had a great chance to make it 5 but hit it straight at Harper who pulled off a fine save. He wasn't to be denied though, and in the last minute more excellent play by Rooney saw him find Saha in the penalty area and this time his right foot shot did find the back of the net and 5-1 it was.
The title race is now well and truly back on, with United only three points behind the Gooners. But perhaps the most telling aspect of the last week has been the awesome depth of strength that the United squad is now showing. And it is beginning to look like the depth of Arsenal's is now going to be well and truly put to the test.

Ian Ridley on Gazza
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/columnists/columnists.html?in_article_id=517788&in_page_id=1951

The Germans get serious about tax evasion by the super rich
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/feb/24/germany.globaleconomy

How good is Rooney?

Asks Clive Tyldesley after the question was posed in a French football magazine,
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/02/23/sfntyl123.xml
I can understand why the question is asked, he is massively influential for us but i have to be honest and say his first touch is sometimes not what you would consider out of the top draw. He is as influential for us as Cantona was, but there is no way he is as pleasing on the eye. When we first signed him he looked like he was going to be out of the top draw, but even though i still believe he is at least as influential if not more influential than anyone else at the club, he hasn't progressed skill wise as i would have expected. I would still take him over anybody else in his position in the world though, when you add his will to win to his talent, which even if not of the very highest order, is not far short, you can't go far wrong.

Newcastle get giddy thinking what might have been after the 5-0 defeat of us in 97, forgetting of course one of the reasons it didn't happen was that their present manager, decided to walk out without reason after a 7-0 thumping of Spurs a couple of months later.
http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,2259384,00.html

An interview with Nick Cave recently turned 50
http://music.guardian.co.uk/rock/story/0,,2258743,00.html

Brazil's leader Lula
http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/conor_foley/2008/02/viva_lula.html

Fergie lambasts Brown and his agent

He is right of course that some players just do what their agent tells them to do, and most of the time it's what suits their bank balance rather than the footballers career. But i am afraid with his history, his son Jason's elite football agency, he is probably the least credible person to be getting on his high horse about it.
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/players-allow-agents-to-live-lives-for-them-says-ferguson-785489.html

Ferguson likes the look of Benzema, i bet he does, he is just what the doctor ordered.
http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,2259078,00.html
I would be amazed if we got him I'm afraid though, that debt is not going to get paid if we spend that amount on him. The only way that could happen is if we sell Ronaldo to Real or Barca first, but they might rate Benzema higher. And then come back a couple of years down the line, they might then come back in for Ronaldo anyway, and i am sure he will end up in Spain some day, so the Glazer's will hold out for the peak time to sell. Which will be 2 to 3 years time, if the debt doesn't get too serious before that is. All that is without mentioning Roman's billions at Chelsea, but i think Benzema would prefer one of the Spanish giants, he should if he has got anything about him.

The FA signal to FIFA their reservations about game 39
http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,2259092,00.html

Sad but not surprising news about Paul Gascoigne
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/gascoigne-turbulent-life-of-football-genius-785158.html
I still think if he had signed for us instead of Spurs we would have won the league before 92-93, on the down side we would probably never have seen Eric either. Whether his life would have panned out any differently who knows, but i am certain he would have had a far more fulfilling and successful career. Maybe that would have made less prone to the booze and depression, one look at George best and the brazilian Garrincha shows that wouldn't necessarily be the case though.

News on the redevelopment of the other old trafford, Lancashire county cricket ground,
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/cricket/s/1037646_12m_opener_for_old_trafford
I am not sure about this, one of the reasons why the present ground is so ugly, is because it has been constructed in such a piecemeal fashion. I would much prefer them to have a grand plan for the stadium, and then build it in phases if it can't be done in one go. They can't get this wrong.

watchdog to order an energy price inquiry,
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/power-to-the-people-watchdog-bows-to-pressure-for-energy-inquiry-785585.html
Waste of time, the real point is was privatising the utilities a good deal for the taxpayer or a good deal for the shareholders. If it privatisation was a bad deal, is there a not for profit model that would be a better deal for for state and consumer, than can be put together. I can see that happening at some stage in the medium to distant future.

This sounds like a must read book, Nick Davies - Flat earth news
http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/inayat_bunglawala/2008/02/dont_fence_us_in.html

Lyon 1-1 Manchester United

That vital late goal from the right boot of Tevez gives us a great chance to progress into the quarter finals, so it must go down as a good result. But i have got to say i was disappointed by another indifferent away performance in Europe. Not that this was ever going to be an easy game, i would have took a score draw before kick off gratefully. It was the same old story away from home in Europe when we play 4-5-1, and away from home in Europe it is 4-5-1 not 4-3-3. We had the majority of possession and generally took the sting out of the opposition but at the expense of us being able to express ourselves going forward. I wouldn't totally blame the formation though, none of the midfield played particularly well, and Rooney had to feed off scraps. That said Rooney did have one great chance in the first half, the only time we really put a Manchester United quality move together in the match. That is where we miss a real out and out goalscorer like Ruud, i think he would have buried that.
The player everybody was singling out as the coming star of French football didn't disappoint. Benzema was a handful for Ferdinand and Vidic all night. I thought they had done a pretty good job on him, but he showed the true signs of top class quality creating his goal out of absolutely nothing. It was ironic that they scored just as United had looked like they had stated to get a grip on the game.
The first half saw both sides start with the same formation, each side seemingly trying to stifle their opponents. And for the most part it worked, the two best moments in open play were Rooney's effort that was well saved by Lyon's goalie Coupet, and their best move of the match which ended with Benzema hitting a stinging shot just over the bar. Yet again in a big game Ronaldo wasn't shining, and unfortunately neither Giggs or Scholes were compensating for him.
I have to say Hargreaves is puzzling me at the moment as well, it's pretty obvious to me recently we play far better when he is on the bench. I thought he was going to turn out to be the best signing of the summer, the man who would give our forwards that bit of extra security in front of the back four, as they attacked. But i have got to admit i had overrated his first touch and passing ability, either that or he has lost his touch. When he plays he seems to disrupt our fluent passing and movement and i would have replaced him with Carrick earlier than Fergie did last night. And when we knew we couldn't afford to give needless free kicks away just outside the penalty box, he lunged into an awful tackle that gave Juninho a reasonable chance that he lifted just over the bar towards the end of the first half.
I was disappointed by our reaction when they scored, we seemed to panic, and the first touch and passing suffered. We were trying to force the game too much too early, for all the experience that Fergie keeps telling us that these players accumulate each passing European season, away from home i am not sure i see it myself.
Reverting to 4-4-2 was when we really started to get on top, though i was glad they had took off Benzema. If i was a Lyon fan i would have wanted him to stay on, to see if they could snatch that vital second goal on the break as we threw more and more men forward in search of the away goal. From their point of view surely, that was worth the risk. Tevez and Nani came on for Giggs and Scholes in the 65th minute, and although it was Tevez who got the goal, it was Nani who really helped to change the game for us. He seems to have come into his best form of the season at just the right stage of the season for us, and was a lot more influential from open play in the 25 minutes he was on, than Ronaldo was in the 90 minutes. There was no showboating and stepovers from him, just beat your man enough to get a cross in, and his crosses were excellent. We can only hope that Ronaldo is trying too hard in these big games away from home in Europe, he seems to revert to his old failings of trying to beat too many men and not making the right decisions when to pass the ball.
That away goal was just the result of all the pressure really, it was a great cross by Nani, but the Lyon defence had a great chance to clear it before it fell to the grateful right boot of Tevez who made no mistake. The bigger squad definitely did it's job last night, though we are still lacking an alternative up front. So a pleasing result, but still some worries about our tactics and our performance on the road in Europe.

Giggs aims for a future in coaching
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/7255828.stm

Mourinho to Barca, that would be interesting. The Catalans had better get used to seeing a different style of football than they are used to. I would presume Ronaldinho will definitely be out of the door, and maybe fat fwank will join his buddy at the nou camp.
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/european/cruyff-leaves-barccedila-door-open-for-mourinho-784845.html


More trouble for the Government over northern rock
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/audio/2008/feb/21/northern.rock.podcast

Anatole Kaletsky wites in the times, persuasively to me, on the failings of prime minister Brown over the northern rock affair
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/anatole_kaletsky/article3406260.ece

John Rentoul says northern rock affair is a mess that Cameron would have dealt with exactly the same, maybe so. But Brown and Blair would have done exactly the same as Major and Lamont over the ERM, so i suppose they would say they are getting their just desserts.
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/john-rentoul/john-rentoul-its-official-even-if-it-is-unfair-northern-rock-has-been-a-huge-disaster-for-the-government-784902.html
And as for being unfair well who enacted and encouraged the legislation that led these banks to think that they could get away with these bad practices. Of course they are partly to blame, has he not noticed, as every other political commentator seems to have, that Vince Cable has been warning that something along these lines was bound to happen. Once a Blairite, always a Balirite.

Amsterdam to build underground
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/feb/21/netherlands
Living or even socialising underground doesn't sound very appealing to me.

An article in the guardian about Malian star Toumani Diabate Kore player extraordinaire
http://music.guardian.co.uk/world/story/0,,2258437,00.html
It's weird how a place seemingly sparsely populated and seemingly isolated produces so many great musicians

United confident against lyon

Ferguson thinks we have a more complete squad than last season as we aim to go that one step further
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_united/article3399660.ece

http://United prepare fitting feast for Giggs 100th Euro appearance
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/european/united-prepare-fitting-feast-for-giggs-century-784304.html

I can't say i was very confident that Inter would get anything last night, but when Matterazzi got sent off i feared the worse. I have got to agree with this column by Tony Cascarino, that the Italian league is vastly overrated these days. I know AC Milan beat us and Liverpool last season, but they played us at just the right stage of the season as we began to hit a fitness brick wall, and they were carefully resting their most important players as the league title was well gone for them. And even in the final against a very ordinary scouse outfit, even to my biased eyes Liverpool were the better team for the larger part of it.
When you watch Italian football the first thing that you notice is the speed of it. It is just so slow, and when they play against English teams, especially over here, they just get blown away by the speed of our top teams. Even though i thought AC Milan caught us at the right time last season, they are definitely the one Italian team who could live with our top four. You couldn't see them doing it in our league over a season though, and in a year or two they are going to do some serious rebuilding. Roma are a good team, but no more than that and Inter are probably a bit above them although below their big city rivals when they step up to this class of football. The slower speed of international football is probably one of the reasons the Azzuri are still very competitive, when it comes to world cups and European championships. Not to overlook the fact that most of the best players in the world now ply their trade in England and Spain. Mind you everything goes in cycles, maybe serie A's time will come again
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/liverpool/article3400146.ece

This must have been some game of cricket, i hope there are some highlights on at some stage. To see two scores of 340 in a day takes some beating. England really seemed to have picked it up a notch after the disaster of the first two one dayers.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/cricket/article3401222.ece

A two part debate in the Guardian on a remark by BBC music co-ordinator that men and woman
experience music differently, as she explained changes to BBC Radio 6 scheduling. That is one of the only stations i listen to nowadays.
http://music.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,2258116,00.html
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/02/women_men_music.html
My only thought on that is that i would class myself with Laura Barton's dad, it is the music that comes first for me. If it's the lyrics you are listening to, there must be so much music you miss out on. World music, jazz, classical music, techno, i don't really see how you can really like any of these styles if what really turns you on are profound lyrics.

David Hepworth slags off the Brits in the Indy, music awards and awards shows in general are just about the most cringe-worthy shows ever invented to my mind.
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/david-hepworth-these-silly-awards-are-pops-most-absurd-anachronism-784365.html
He makes a cracking point in that the awards seem to be for the media nowadays and not the other way around. Who watches this shite though? I suppose it's the same Muppet's that think big brother is entertainment.

Meanwhile we can now search for free the records of our ancestors from the first world war, as the full medal records go online. I had already found that my great grandfather Robert Alfred Kemp had joined up, or more likely was conscripted in 1916. Conscription was a hot political potato in 1916, it was felt to be an un-English thing to do, and helped play a part in the downfall of Asquith, and his by his replacement Lloyd George. I had found that he served on the western front, but was moved behind the lines because of chronic bad feet, that i have been told was trench foot. I never knew him but apparently he had terrible feet for the rest of his life. Anyway he was then enlisted in the royal veterinary corps, i think as a blacksmith. And at the end of the war was awarded the victory campaign medal, that everybody who had fought and survived the war received. It has to be said though that i wouldn't have found any of that on this website, there isn't enough detail in it.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/feb/20/military.news
http://landing.ancestry.co.uk/ukmilitary/collections.aspx

Will Musharraf stand down in Pakistan after his parties rout in yesterdays elections?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/feb/20/pakistan

How long before democracy comes to Cuba?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/feb/20/cuba2

Another bank has to reveal embarrassing malpractices, this time credit suisse
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/columnists/article3399749.ece

Giggs the European centurion

It will take some player to beat the records Ryan Giggs is going to hold when he finally hangs up his boots. I was going to say it would be a shame if he finished with just the one champions league medal, but of course Scholes hasn't even got the one.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/02/19/sfnman119.xml

United may have to refund the £12 million they received for Mikel, if his old agent Andersen is found guilty. Though who would they paying it back to? What a joke that transfer was, and obviously still is.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/02/19/ufnche119.xml

Is Ashley trying to offload Newcastle United, if it was any other club and any other owner you would be certain there was nothing in it. Especially after replacing the manager and bringing in Dennis Wise and other assorted flunkey's in the background. But with that club who knows
http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,2257907,00.html

Jason Burke reckons the election results show that an emerging middle class is now emerging in Pakistan.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/feb/19/pakistan.benazirbhutto1

The rich get richer in Putin's Russia as long as they stay non political
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/feb/19/russia

Steve Richards gives his reading of the Northern rock nationalisation and it's political implications
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/steve-richards/steve-richards-british-politics-will-never-be-the-same-again-783974.html
That is the way i see it too, and he is right about the Tories total misreading off the affair. Where are their up and coming Ken Clarke's and Heseltine's, it is pretty obvious it is a party still in total thrall to Thatcher-ism.

Fidel Castro resigns
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/fidel-castro-resigns-as-president-784123.html
Although it as hard not to have some admiration for a leader who withstood economic warfare waged on his country by the might of it's northern neighbour, it's embarrassing the way some on the left try to lionise him. Just because he was a vast improvement on his predecessor the American puppet Batista, he is still a totalitarian throwback, totally unscrupulous in throwing people in jail for disagreeing with the state orthodoxy

Rooney can't play up front on his own theory goes up the spout

Quite rightly too, i have never for a moment believed that. Surely anybody who saw United beat Arsenal 4-2 at highbury in the 2004-05 season, when Rooney was as absolutely magnificent as he was on Saturday could believe that he can't play that role. In fact as i said after the match if his finishing was that bit more clinical he would be unbelievable. I don't for one minute think it is his best position, but he can do more than just a good job there that's for sure. Surely the problem if he is going to play that position for England is that Gerrard apart, who is going to get forward to support him. And needless to say where is the quality, is Gareth Barry really international class, not for me he ain't.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/article3386697.ece
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/02/18/sfnsmi118.xml

Whilst David Pleat awards the plaudits to United's midfield, singling Carrick out for special praise.
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/02/18/united_caused_a_lone_star_to_s.html

United still believe they can catch Arsenal,
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/fa-league-cups/fergusons-statement-of-intent-loud-and-clear-783338.html
And after Saturday who doesn't, even Chelsea must think they are still in with a fair shout.

Alan Hansen bemoans Liverpool's record in the transfer market
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/02/18/sfnhan118.xml
Rafa must stay!
http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,2257618,00.html
I'm fairly confident he won't though, unless they manage to sneak another European trophy, highly unlikely you would have thought, fingers crossed.

Mihir Bose thinks the FA will come out stronger against the Premier leagues 39th game proposal later in the week.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/mihirbose/2008/02/post_8.html
That's very brave of them, wait until everybody else has savaged it before they stick their head over the parapet.

Anatole Kaletsky savages the chancellor in the Times over the nationalisation of northern rock, and says the worst has only just begun for the government
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/anatole_kaletsky/article3386753.ece

Vince Cable meanwhile feels that the government has eventually done the right thing, though the months of dithering have battered their reputation.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/audio/2008/feb/18/cable.northern.rock

Martin Jaques reappears in the Guardian for the first time in quite a while to tell us this is only the start of the sea change in the world economy that is going to become apparent as the old neoliberal world order comes to an end.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/feb/18/northernrock.alistairdarling

Whilst Murdoch's economic mouthpiece seems to fear the worst for the state of the American economy. Although he seems to row back a bit at the end.
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/columnists/article3381600.ece

Al-Fayed has his day in court and you could not make it up, any better,
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/feb/18/diana.monarchy
Simon Jenkins sums it up
http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/simon_jenkins/2008/02/a_travesty_of_justice.html

Manchester United 4-0 Arsenal

Well, what a day that was, Liverpool get knocked out by Barnsley at home, and then we go and absolutely trounce the London football media's darlings. As well as United played yesterday, the big bonus for us will be the sight of Arsenal just totally giving up when they were put under a bit of pressure. Let's hope that the rest of the premier league took some notice of what happens when you get in their faces. United were on fire yesterday, but it has to be said they were given every encouragement by an absolutely appalling display by Wenger's men. Walking away from the ground i could hardly remember them having a real chance.
It is very rare to have such total domination of midfield in such a big game, but that was the case yesterday. They just never got into the game at all, Fabregas did an Henry, he was completely invisible. Carrick, Anderson and Fletcher were all absolutely magnificent and completely bossed the game. I don't know what it is about Arsenal, but Fletcher just seems to raise his game to a different level every time we play them, and yesterday was no exception. I know Arsenal were not at full strength, but neither were United, with no Scholes, Tevez, Giggs and Ronaldo not even on the subs bench. I have heard the rumour that it was for disciplinary reasons that Ronaldo wasn't even on the bench, but he needed a rest from the evidence of last week, so whatever the reason, it worked out for the best anyway.
Rooney was played up front on his own as United opted for 4-3-3 with Carrick playing as the holding player just in front of the defence. But United had such a total grip of the game there wasn't that much defending to be done. I have been critical of some of his performances this season, but Carrick has been absolutely outstanding in recent weeks. His passing was really on the money yesterday, and the pass to set up Nani's goal was an absolute peach. Anderson has to be singled out on his form at present too, we saw him in a slightly advanced role yesterday given a bit more license to get forward. It is hard to remember he is only 19 at times, he is going to be some player. If or should i say when he starts to score the goals we know he has got in him, he will be one of the first names to go down on the team sheet. And what about Fletcher, not just the usual gritty tireless tackling and tracking back that we are used to seeing from him against the Arse, but goals and he even managed to skin his man on the flanks once or twice. But the man who brought it altogether was that man Rooney, oh to have had that in the team last week.
And it was nice to see him get back amongst the goals, with a nice header following some pretty lacklustre Arsenal defending from Nani corner. It would be nice to see him get the composure back that he showed in front of goal when he first signed from Everton though. He could have had a double hatrick yesterday, his movement to find the space is second to none, but he always seems to want another touch, when i don't think he needs to. When he leads the line like that though, that's just a minor quibble. Nani raised his game to a level we hadn't seen before yesterday as well, and it was he who crossed for the second goal after beating the full back, and plonking it on Fletcher's head, although TV replays show it came off the head of Gallas last. Rooney was creating havoc continually as Gallas and Toure endured a torrid time. When the third goal went in it was game over, and fittingly it was the best goal of the match. An inch perfect pass over Gallas's head fell to the feet of Nani who controlled it first time and despatched it sweetly with his left foot into the back of Lehman's net. As united went in at half time 3-0 up, we were all pinching ourselves to make sure it was real, i don't know about everybody else but i wasn't expecting this.
I expected Arsenal to have been given a rocket at half time and come out determined to restore a bit of pride. But the way they reappeared spoke volumes about them yesterday, they reappeared late, just trundling onto the pitch as if they didn't want to be there. And straight away United were all over them, with yet another chance falling to the feet of Rooney who struck a fierce shot that Lehmann managed to parry away. Then Arsenal managed to really lose the plot, as Eboue decided to lunge wildly at Evra and received a deserved red card. Around the 70 minute mark both sides decided to make substitutions with midweek European games in mind. Rooney and Anderson were taken off and replaced by Saha and Scholes.
Almost immediately Nani conjured up another piece of magic to cross for Fletcher at the far post to power a header past Lehmann into the roof of the net. Arsenal now completely lost it, and Gallas was lucky to stay on after having a sly late kick on Nani. Arsenal felt the Portugese winger was showboating, but for me when you are 4-0 up you have earned the right to do that. Whether it is wise to do it when you still have to face each other once more in the league is another matter. Saha had a couple of late chances to make it 5 but Lehmann was up to the task and managed a fine save as Saha had looked like he must score.
So at the final whistle, we had beaten Arsenal 4-0, and Liverpool had been 2-1 at home by Barnsley. That is what you call a good day. Looking at the teams left in the competition it is hard to see past us or Chelsea winning the trophy now, especially when you look at recent history.

Ferguson wins first round of mind games says Patrick Barclay in the telegraph
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/02/17/sfnman117.xml

An article on Portishead who have a new album coming out, their first in ten years
http://music.guardian.co.uk/rock/story/0,,2256187,00.html
Looking forward to listening to that

Will Hutton asks for a consensus to be built up to stand up to the special pleading from the city of London.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/feb/17/tax.economy

Al - Fayed to be humiliated?
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/martyn-gergory-the-death-knell-tolls-for-the-alma-tunnel-fantasists-783277.html
Let's hope so, the money that's been wasted on this case is disgusting.

NO to game 39

sign the petition here
http://www.fsf.org.uk/petitions/no-to-game-39/index.php?ID=&di=#namelist

Johann Cruyff is the latest to slam the idea
http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/34736/Cruyff-blasts-39th-step
Of course, all these people no nothing about football, they are just Luddites

Giggs says we will win ugly if we have to
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/02/14/sfngig114.xml
I know what he means, you can't win the league playing dazzling football all the time. It doesn't exactly sound Manchester United like though, and it doesn't even sound all that convincing after three of the four defeats this season. Apart from City away where we didn't deserve to lose, all the other performances were very poor and what was worse seemed to become inevitable as those games wore on. And the common thread to them all of course was no Rooney, if he is not in the team and we go behind it seems it is time to worry. I suppose that is fair enough if we were playing against one of the top four or one of Europe's elite, but not the three clubs that have defeated us in the league this season. It is not the fact we have lost in those games but how. You couldn't see the 93-94 team going down without giving it one hell of a crack at the end, you always felt that give us five more minutes at the end of the games that team lost and we would have equalised. Saying all that i would take the most horrible 1-0 win this weekend, so i will shut up being a spoilt moaner.

Chelsea climb in to the top five richest clubs in the world, whilst we move back up to second behind Real Madrid for whatever that's worth.
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/chelsea-climb-into-top-five-of-worlds-richest-781884.html
It is all a total nonsense of course how can a team up to it eyeballs in debt be classed as rich. If you earn the second biggest set of profits, but immediately have to pay that to the banks to pay off the debt, surely you are just treading water.

There really is no end to the malevolence of the Murdoch empire for this countries football fans
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/02/14/sfnfro114.xml
You might have known it would be a Murdoch man's idea.

Geoffery Robertson says we should say sorry to the Aboriginal Australians as well.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/feb/14/australia
I would have no problem with that, but i think more to the point would be educating our own people to the less glorious aspects of the British empire of which their were many. Genocide wasn't that far off what went on in North America as well. Remember the reason Hitler admired Britain as he did, was because of it's empire. The empire had big pluses like exporting democracy, the rule of law, the English language and sport. But at lot of people paid with their lives for these benefits that they never saw. Genocide, famine and the pillaging of their natural resources were usually the price paid by those peoples whose ancestral lands were painted red.

Robert Fisk talks about Imad Mougnieh, Terrorist, kidnapper and now dead.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/fisk/robert-fisk-bloody-end-of-man-who-made-kidnapping-a-weapon-of-war-782031.html

Ferguson : title race will go down to the wire

The position we are in now it's to be hoped it does
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/02/13/sfnfer113.xml
I suppose the neutrals will be hoping it remains a three club affair, it would be the first time that has happened for years if nobody drops out of the race.

And he is definitely not happy about the 39th game according to the times
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/article3359692.ece

Graham Taylor making more sense than he did when he managed England as he says foreign ownership of premier league clubs isn't good for English football
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/02/13/ufntaylor113.xml

Mark Lawrenson still fancies us to win the league
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/2008/02/13/manchester-united-will-still-win-the-league-says-mark-lawrenson-89520-20317803/

Scudamore is too powerful says McCabe
http://football.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,2255956,00.html

He didn't do such a good job on the Chinese TV deal did he, i have read about this before.
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/clubs-furious-as-league-fails-to-turn-on-chinese-fans-781388.html
£ 1 million a year to cock up like that, nice if you can get it

Dunphy attacks Keane, well everybody gets it from him in the end, though on the 39th game affair he is right.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/sunderland/article3359798.ece

Simon Jenkins on democracy and David Millibands speech on liberal intervention.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/feb/13/foreignpolicy.davidmiliband
One thing that has surely helped South America whilst it has transformed itself into a largely democratic continent is that the US took it's eyes off the ball. It has been so busy fighting wars in Afghanistan and then Iraq that it stopped it's usual meddling.

Tristran Hunt on the rich and patriotism, that is surely an oxymoron.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/feb/13/1

Music
The Warlocks - Heavy deavy skull lover : Quite good, they have a kind of hypnotic rock groove thing going on.
Animal collective - Strawberry jam : It took a couple of listens, but it's a rewarding listen. There is a lot going on, it's not really for lovers of classic song writing.
Chromeo - Fancy footwork : I am still not sure what i really think of this, at times i have thought it was OK, but i think the cheesy 80's sound ultimately doesn't do it for me. Apparently this is their most commercial work, maybe i should give some of their earlier stuff a try.
Devendra Banhart - Smoker runs down thunder canyon : He delivers the goods again. He seems to have widened his palette on this album, and it works well. He sounds just as good when he sings in Spanish which doesn't do him any harm.
Justice - Cross : My favourite release of this batch, it's a rocking techno cracker.
Robyn - Robyn : I wasn't into this at all, i didn't have much time for the music or her voice.

Films
I have watched a few films recently, the best of which were
Sophie Scholl - A German film about the brother and sister who tried to demonstrate against the Nazis during the war. A good film that told an extraordinary story of human courage, i think this was one of the bravest acts of the second world war.
Zodiac - A true story about a serial killer who struck in San Francisco in the seventies but was never caught
Pans Labyrinth - A magical children's story set just after the Spanish civil war, that appeals to adults just as much.
London to Brighton - An excellent film set in the seedy underbelly of the south east.

No more displays like Sunday's says Giggs

I hope he is right, because if he is wrong there won't be any silverware to parade at the end of the season. Sunday reminded me of the end of last season, when United's fitness seemed to hit a brick wall. From the AC Milan game at the san siro to the cup final we became a shadow of the side we had been. We have been relying far too much on Ronaldo's goals over the last month, it couldn't go on forever. And we are now paying the price for not having any cover up front, can you imagine what would happen if we were to lose Rooney or Ronaldo for the rest of the season.
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/there-can-be-no-repeat-of-city-defeat-says-giggs-781075.html

Wave of anxiety concerns United
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/02/12/sfnman112.xml
Paul Scholes seems to be coming in for a fair amount of stick on the united fanzine message boards, which i find absolutely amazing. Alright he had mediocre games at white hart lane and on Sunday, but did he have a poor game. Whatever happens in the rest of the season, i would bet my bottom dollar he will be one of our star performers. The problems were in front of him and behind him on Sunday, i heard some say that city controlled midfield. I don't know what game they were watching. City defended deep and caught us on the break, as did Spurs here in the cup and as Arsenal almost certainly will try and do on Saturday. If we play poorly again in that game, i would be looking at how susceptible we have become to the counter attack all of a sudden.

AIG's auditors reveal a far from rosy picture as it has understated it's losses
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/robertpeston/2008/02/aig_the_horror.html

FA to quiz Scudamore over 39th game
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/02/12/sfnbon112.xml
That is an interesting snippet at the end, about a fall out between Gill and Ferguson. It has the ring of truth to me, no way do i believe that Ferguson as craven as he has been over the Glazer stewardship of our club, will go along with this. Gill seems to be showing his true colours as a follow the money careerist more and more openly recently. Let's hope these people go down in the annals of football as the enemies of the sport that they are, when future histories are written.

Liverpool's new stadium architects, apt partners for Gillet and Hicks
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/sport/football.html?in_article_id=513646&in_page_id=1779&ct=5

The original supergrass from the indy
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/bertie-smalls-queit-death-of-the-original-supergrass-781020.html
A fascinating story, i haven't read about him before. I knew about the corruption in the yard, it was brilliantly portrayed in that magnificent drama series our friends in the north.

An excellent column by Johann Hari in the indy about the Rowan Williams sharia law row
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/johann-hari/johann-hari-rowan-williams-has-shown-us-one-thing-ndash-why-multiculturalism-must-be-abandoned-780710.html
That is absolutely bang on the money, all of the opproprium landing on Williams head seems to be anti Muslim, when it should be pro secular.

A review of sin city which finished it's run on channel 4 last night
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/film-and-tv/tv-radio-reviews/last-nights-tv-theyve-dished-out-enough-punishment-780950.html
A fair review, i liked it myself but for the historical parallels to today, without thinking it really as worked as well as it could have done as a drama. I hate the tendency that the tabloids have in spreading the lie that everything is going downhill nowadays, with drunkenness, crime, prostitution, paedophilia etc. Unfortunately all the things that appall us today, have happened as long as human beings began living in cities. As this series reminded us. I am not saying we shouldn't be appalled when adults get murdered by drunken teenagers, but we shouldn't think that events such as this have never happened before. It simply isn't the case.

Australian PM Rudd to apologise to indigineous Australins for the policy that led to the stolen generation
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/feb/12/australia

Manchester United 0-2 Manchester City

It would have felt horrible to have lost at home for the first time since 74 to City at any time, but to have managed the feat yesterday of all days was absolutely nauseating. To see the papers giving their fans all the credit for not interrupting the minute's silence was just a bit too much as well. Fair enough, give their team credit for beating us fair and square, and reading that's hard enough to stomach, but it's a bit over the top for them to be praised for behaving like normal human beings, and respecting what should have been respected anyway.
I had been secretly dreading this fixture, our record over the last three or four seasons against this lot isn't very good. They treat it like their biggest game of the season which of course it is, whilst we seem to think we can regard it as just another game. Our recent record against them shows what a mistake that is. We have been too too complacent, and i suppose yesterday's result against them at old trafford has been coming.
Quiroz blamed the international fixtures for our poor performance and inability to pick our game up after conceding the two goals before half time. How about having a go at our owners who decided a trip to Saudi for £1 million to subtract from the clubs debt was a good idea. Add that to the last weeks internationals and it seems an even more idiotic decision than it did at the time. Once the game started, City were bigger and stronger as usual, but United weren't able to make their footballing superiority count for anything at all. Apart from the first ten minutes, United just didn't turn up at all. In fact the longer the game went on the more embarrassing it became, as they just had us in their back pockets. It is hard to pick a single player who did himself justice, Anderson played OK, and Tevez struggled manfully, although he was caught offside too often. But too many players didn't just have an off day, they produced their worst performance of the season and for such an important day of the season. I won't pick out anybody because that would be unfair when they were all so bad.
I thought the referee might have given a penalty for the push on Ronaldo in the first half, i haven't been able to stomach watching it again on TV so i don't know if he was right or not. The pompey game apart, since United got back from Saudi, our form seems to have completely deserted us. We were lucky in both games against Spurs, and were dreadful yesterday. I am glad Rooney is back next week, our record of four defeats when he hasn't played tells it's own story. I think that the beginning of next season is the right time for him to be made captain, whilst Gary Neville is out anyway. We are rudderless and leaderless when he doesn't play, Capello was right to pick out on his inspiration qualities for England last week. I think the most worrying aspect of yesterday was the way United were absolutely unable to create any pressure in the last 15 minutes. I mean if that was against Arsenal, Chelsea or AC Milan and they were 2-0 up then i could understand it a bit more, but even then not totally, but against City, very worrying.
The tribute was as good as could have been hoped for, although i still don't know what those loud bangs were, though i have heard some of the rumours. I actually wore the scarf, the first time since i was kid in the seventies i have worn one. It won't be happening again any time soon.

James Lawton in the indy on yesterday's non performance
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/james-lawton-moving-tribute-marred-by-uniteds-inept-display-780801.html

Priorities all wrong, i can't imagine Wenger being told or agreeing to do this
http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,2255571,00.html

Capitalism Russian style
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/feb/11/russia

Larry Elliot asks which central bank governor will come out of the upcoming downturn with their reputation still intact
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/feb/11/economics.bankofenglandgovernor

Anatole Kaletsky in the times doesn't seem to think the British Treasury's reputation is to going to remain unscathed
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/columnists/article3346344.ece

Interesting piece on Sarkozy and the wests reaction to the economic upsurge of the east
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/feb/11/france.china

Roy Scheider has died aged 75, in all the reports he has been associated with the film Jaws, it's a good film. But i will remember him best in The French connection myself, an absolutely cracking film.
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/film-and-tv/news/jaws-star-roy-scheider-dies-aged-75-780784.html

Platini : English football is a joke

The people who run it are, too true
http://football.guardian.co.uk/breakingnews/feedstory/0,,-7295036,00.html

An excellent article on American sporting franchises by James Lawton
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/james-lawton-premier-leagues-idiocy-driven-by-same-impulse-that-killed-the-brooklyn-dodgers-780221.html

Jim White in the telegraph on the midgets running English football
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/02/09/sfnjim109.xml

Paul Scholes believes wining the champions league would be the most fitting tribute
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/2008/02/09/paul-scholes-champions-league-glory-would-be-tribute-to-munich-89520-20313561/
I don't like this kind of talk, we have been here before, like the final in Glasgow was supposed to be destiny. Except the real world isn't like that, you have to earn the right and get that little bit of luck you always need to win things.

The only place for religion in the laws that we all live by is the freedom to believe in whatever religion you want to believe in or don't as the case may be, full stop.
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/yasmin-alibhai-brown/yasmin-alibhaibrown-what-he-wishes-on-us-is-an-abomination-780186.html
Christian, Muslim, Jewish or whatever

The American economy is reliant on asset bubble's to stimulate growth
http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/thomas_palley/2008/02/the_debt_delusion.html

hostile reaction to premier league plans

I suppose it was only a matter of time before this plan saw the light of day. The only way that this idea won't happen, is when fans start to take the drastic actions that are needed. I don't know how, but fans have got to make it financially not worth their while. Empty grounds are probably the answer in the short term, but we have got to try and get football clubs run as football clubs, not business's. It would be great if MUST and the Liverpool supporters can get some kind of minority stake in their clubs, though i am not that optimistic. This is the only way we are going to get our sport back. We need our elected politicians on board, but they are all in bed with big business at the moment, so maybe we should get a couple of people to stand in seats at general elections where it may knock a minister out of his seat. That might scare them into doing something.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/02/08/sfnhen108.xml

Ferguson is looking for a fitting tribute on Sunday,
http://football.guardian.co.uk/breakingnews/feedstory/0,,-7293539,00.html
Aren't we all

Munich 50 years on

As a Manchester United fan born 6 years after the disaster we are commemorating what is it i am feeling. It can't touch me as personally as for those older fans who lived through those dark days, obviously, i never saw them in the flesh. I have read the books, seen the clips and listened to older fans such as my dad who grew up watching them.
My main emotion is the pride that Sir Matt Busby had completely revolutionised our football club, and turned it from probably the second team of Manchester, into the main club in Britain and on the cusp of rivalling Real Madrid as the best team in Europe. The way he changed the whole philosophy of how a football club should be run, how it should play and what it should stand for. How he developed a scouting system to cherry pick the cream of footballing talent from these islands, but built around a local core, before anybody else had dreamt of such an idea. And when he brought all these young men into the team, the way they captured the hearts of the footballing public, not just because they were so young, but because they were so good. The last game in this country, the 5-4 defeat of Arsenal at highbury encapsulates everything that Manchester United should stand for in my eyes. I know football has changed and defence is a far bigger part of the game today, but Manchester United, first, last and always should be about that attacking football tradition.
As for the great Duncan Edwards, well a couple of seasons ago i used to have an old Scottish guy sitting right near me. Whenever we scored a great goal he used to celebrate as wildly as anybody given his age, but as we were about to sit down he would always seem to tap me on the shoulder and say i wish you could have seen Duncan Edwards.
I don't think anybody born later can really get their head around what it must have been like to have followed such a great local pioneering team on the verge of being such a great, great side and then see it snatched away from them so cruelly.
But for the club to come back from that and reach the dizzying heights of ten years later tells you something about the special qualities of some of the great men such as Busby, the unsung hero Jimmy Murphy and the incomparable Bobby Charlton that have made our great club what it is has become.
In the words of Harold Hardman
“Although we mourn our dead and grieve for our wounded, we believe that great days are not done for us… Manchester United will rise again.”

http://www.flowersofmanchester.net/
http://www.flowersofmanchester.net/Lyrics.htm

Duncan Edwards remembered
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/tragedy-of-duncan-edwards-the-hardest-loss-to-bear-778480.html

Jimmy Armfield reminisces
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/7225422.stm

Bill Foulkes memories
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_united/article3315516.ece

The forgotten hero Jimmy Murphy
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/manchester_united/s/1035191_forgotten_red_hero?rss=yes
I don't think anybody that reads up on their United history has any doubt about his massive importance to the quality of the babes themselves and the rebirth of the club after the disaster.

Rooney reveals how the players realise the importance of the clubs history
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/internationals/rooney-in-awe-of-the-ghosts-of-munich-778494.html

Let's hope this lad carries on the traditions of local youth coming through the ranks at Manchester United, which Sir Alex Ferguson has so magnificently brought back to our club.
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/manchester_united/s/1035190_welbeck_hits_red_jackpot

The aftermath of the crash

Good article from the times about the immediate aftermath of the crash and the cup run that saw them return to wembley, only to be beaten by Bolton 2-0.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_united/article3300282.ece

Rhythm of life faster up north says report
http://music.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,2252596,00.html
What a waste of time and effort, what does that tell us, absolutely nothing.

Martin Bell laments our dumbed down TV news
http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/martin_bell/2008/02/the_death_of_news.html
Absolutely spot on, i never watch the 6 pm news nowadays, it just insults your intelligence. It covers nothing in any depth, it's good that is unbiased obviously, but that doesn't mean they can't give us opposing views on any given matter and let the viewer make his or her mind up. And he is right on the coverage it gives cases like the McCanns and the Soham murders, let's face it that is just chasing ratings.

Brown refuses to reveal meetings with Murdoch
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brown-refuses-to-reveal-contacts-with-murdoch-777681.html
We will know when we get a real radical political party in power when they stand up to this man and his organisation and risk being slaughtered in his media outlets. Until that happens they are all just pretending.

Simon Jenkins reviews Robert Peston's new book Who runs Britain:the super rich and how they are changing our lives
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/non-fiction/article3276665.ece
I would say Jenkins is right, at the end of the day the rich are only the exploiting the laws of the day as they always do. It is up to elected politicians to change those laws to stop them, but what hope have we when they are such a spineless lot, and have fallen hook, line and sinker for the fallacy that the market knows best. And George Monibot on the real shame of Peter Hain
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,2252536,00.html

A reasonable overview of the race for the presidential nomination in Guardian America
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uselections08/comment/story/0,,2252428,00.html
I hope the democrats win, but i can't say i think it will be on a rejection of conservative values, more a rejection of one of the worst presidents in US history. Whilst religion is so strong over there conservatism will always be stronger than liberalism.

5 hours to Australia anyone?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/feb/05/theairlineindustry.travelnews