Platini on the warpath again

For a fellow Frenchman, he doesn't seem to have much sympathy for Wenger. I would say he is right, but if he did get the EU to rule in his favour, Arsenal and co will probably look to Africa instead.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/sport/football.html?in_article_id=549615&in_page_id=1779

David Pleat on Saturdays game, with the emphasis on Scholes and Carrick
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/03/31/how_scholes_and_carrick_sucked.html

Yesterdays Observer had an interview with our midfield magician Anderson
http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,2269359,00.html

Roma coach Spalletti labels United the best team in the world, but not unbeatable
http://football.guardian.co.uk/breakingnews/feedstory/0,,-7425080,00.html
Martin Samuel agrees
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/columnists/martin_samuel/article3649117.ece

David James with his column in the Observer during which he tells us Eric was the best penalty taker he ever faced
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/03/30/goalkeepers_fear_of_the_penalt.html

Henry not enjoying his spell in Catalonia
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/european/henry-lambasted-as-barccedila-stumble-802785.html
It's great to see Rossi doing well as also

Johann Hari on electoral reform, comes out against the alternative vote
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/johann-hari/johann-hari-we-need-proportional-representation-but-whats-on-offer-will-just-make-matters-worse-802741.html

Charlie Brookers take on the Apprentice
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/mar/31/television

AN Wilson writes in praise of Alexander Solzhenitsyn
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2008/03/31/do3104.xml

Manchester United 4-0 Aston Villa

What a stunning performance this was, i thought the away performance in the league at Villa park was up there as one of the best of the season, but this was even better. The game was played in appalling conditions, heavy rain from start to finish and even torrential at times, but maybe that helped United to get back to the brilliant pass and move football that we know they can play. It would have helped having Scholes and Carrick in central midfield both on top of their game performing as we saw them most of last season. The fact that Villa came to play football helped us see such a cracking game also.
The first surprise of the day was the starting line up, it was virtually our strongest line up. I think Anderson may well come back into the team for the game in Roma, possibly at the expense of Giggs and if Van Der Sar is fit he will come straight back, but otherwise it was first eleven time. Right from the kick off both teams set out to play football, and though United had slightly more possession, Villa did have some dangerous moments including one pretty decent effort from Carew that wasn't too far wide. But it was United who took the lead after 17 minutes following a sublime piece of quick thinking by that man Ronaldo. A Giggs corner fell at the feet of Ronaldo who without taking a first touch back heeled in through the legs of a Villa defender and past Carson into the back of the net. It was truly world class and the kind of thing no defence could plan against. United really started to get in their stride now with Rooney and Ronaldo on fire, Tevez not far behind them and Scholes and Carrick dominating the midfield. Of the front six only Giggs was slightly off the pace, literally, he seems to have lost a little more pace this season and i am afraid his football brain isn't masking it as much as it did last season. I wouldn't want him to retire yet, i still think he can give us one more season, though i don't see him starting as many games as he would like.
The second arrived 15 minutes later as Scholes found Ronaldo in space on the right and he put in a superb cross that Tevez dived to meet, and he powered it home with his head. At half time United went in with a deserved 2 -0 lead having played some excellent football. Unfortunately when there is another big game due in midweek what you usually get is a second half of United consolidation. But not yesterday, United came out and played even more scintillating football, with Rooney especially on a mission to get on the score sheet.
Within a couple of minutes of the restart Rooney was played through by Tevez following another slick piece of passing, but his recent jinx in front of goal saw him put the ball agonisingly the wrong wide of the Villa woodwork. But it didn't take long for Rooney to get back on the goalscoring trail, another fine pass from Ronaldo put Rooney through. This time he took the ball successfully around the goalie and slotted the ball into the empty net. With United 3-0 up and the Roma game coming up on Tuesday i expected Rooney and Ronald to come off. Wrong again, Hargreaves came on for Ferinand, O'Shea came on for Evra, who had given us a scare going down injured in the first half but had carried on, hopefully he will be right for Tuesday, and Anderson for Carrick.
Hargreaves went to full back and Wes went into the middle, and almost immediately Hargreaves was maurading down the right as i had imagined he might when i have been arguing for him to play in this position. So hopefully, if Evra did have an injury at some stage during the rest of the season we do have another overlapping full back option to fall back on. Hargreaves first foray down the right almost paid dividends straight away as he put in a sumptuous cross for the unmarked Tevez, but somehow the Argentine missed out on his second goal of the afternoon. Next up another great piece of football saw Rooney miss out on his second as he hit the outside of the post. With 13 minutes left Rooney did manage to get his second after being found by another magical pass from Ronaldo. He almost had a hatrick as another overlapping run from Hargreaves saw him put in a cross that Rooney buried into the back of the net. But it wasn't to be as the Linesman had raised his flag, and after seeing it on the TV, it was the correct decision.
All the while Villa had kept trying to attack and Maloney had two good chances, one which he made out of nothing that Kuszczak managed to tip over. Whilst the other had bounced over Vidic's head and left him one on one with our Polish number one, but unluckily for Villa he put the chance just to the left side of the post.
So United go into Tuesday pumped full of confidence, tactics permitting i really fancy us to get a result out there.

Paul Wilson on yesterday's game in the Observer
http://football.guardian.co.uk/Match_Report/0,,2269360,00.html

Totti out on Tuesday?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/03/30/ufntott130.xml

Laurent Blanc praises Rio, high praise indeed
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_united/article3646332.ece

Alan Watkins on electoral reform
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/alan-watkins/alan-watkins-electoral-reform-is-in-season-802546.html

Martin Scorcese on the Rolling stones, sex, drugs and rock n' roll
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/film-and-tv/features/martin-scorsese-the-rolling-stones-provided-the-soundtrack-to-my-decade-of-sex-and-drugs-801573.html

MDC claim victory in Zimbabwe poll, i can see bloodshed about to happen
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/mar/30/zimbabwe1

John Gray on the future superpowers
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/mar/30/fossilfuels.water

William Keegan on the world economy
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/mar/30/useconomy.subprimecrisis

Will Hutton on T5, another great British cock up
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/mar/30/britishairwaysbusiness.theairlineindustry

Quieroz to Benfica?

I can't say i am his biggest fan, but it is pretty obvious that it would give the club a real headache if he did go. He is obviously more than a normal number two, some think he is the real manager. He has a lot more influence than any other number two i can think of at the very least.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/sport/football.html?in_article_id=548074&in_page_id=1779

I can't think what this is all about
http://www.crainsmanchesterbusiness.co.uk/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080317/FREE/569677740/-/-/man-utds-new-transfer-target-is-a-bit-mift

A good win for the reserves as they beat Newcastle 3-1 and more importantly put in a far better performance than we have seen of late. A new youngster to take note off possibly as well, as Brady came on in the second half and looked very promising.
http://www.manutd.com/default.sps?pagegid={87C73467-BE93-4D12-8E9E-152F1F1CC55D}&newsid=544751&page=2
The second and third goals were beauties, the second was a magnificent solo effort from Welbeck, whilst the third was a magnificent team effort finished off by Eagles. It's a pity he just hasn't got that steel that a top player needs, because if he did, i think Eagles could have been a real player for United.

Scholes back to his best and vital for the run in says Fergie
http://www.manutd.com/default.sps?pagegid={B4CEE8FA-9A47-47BC-B069-3F7A2F35DB70}&newsid=545009

Fletcher out for 6 weeks, that doesn't give him too much of a chance of football for the rest of this season
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/03/28/ufnfletcher128.xml

Keano cuts through the bullshit as usual
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/03/28/ufnkeane128.xml

More on the rise of the east, as Tata's purchase of Jaguar and Land rover from Ford
http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/martin_jacques/2008/03/life_in_the_fast_lane.html

The plot thickens at Anfield
http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,2269074,00.html

This must have been something else, a triple century in 278 balls, unbelievable
http://sport.guardian.co.uk/cricket/story/0,,2269061,00.html

What London does today, the rest of the world won't be be doing tomorrow
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/mar/28/theairlineindustry.britishairwaysbusiness

Neville unlikely to figure this season

I don't think this comes as much of a surprise, it's more a question of will he be fit for next season.
http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,2268165,00.html
As good a season as we have seen so far, how much better would it have been with Gary Neville overlapping the player in front of him if he had been at right back.

Ferdinand handed captaincy of England by Capello
http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,2268083,00.html

A punishment for Terry?
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/internationals/capello-punishes-terry-by-making-ferdinand-captain-800478.html

House price slump in US shows credit crunch still in full throttle
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/house-price-slump-in-us-dashes-hope-of-end-to-credit-crisis-800674.html
If that happens here, Gordon Brown can wave goodbye to 10 Downing street in 2009-10.

Constitutional reform not worthy of the name, but what did anybody expect.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/mar/26/constitution

We don't need no education, targets again I'm afraid, that's what matters to politicians these days.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/mar/26/tradeunions.schools

Parliament - Osmium : The first album from George Clinton's funk collective, it's pretty good, there is more experimenting going on than in subsequent albums, even a touch of hillbilly
Tinariwen - Aman Iman:water is life : More cracking Saharan blues from the nomads of the desert.
Four tet - Dialogue : The first album from Kieran Hebden as a solo artist laid down the blueprint for the magnificent techno of his later albums, top stuff.
Bob Marley - Burnin : I am going through all his early albums and this is tremendous, at times it seems a bit harder a sound than his later stuff. And is none the worse for it.
Black Mountain - In the future : I loved their first album and this is even better. Proper hard rock without the guitar solo's and more experimental stuff see them progressing from their debut album.
Drive by truckers - Brighter than creations dark : These have been compared to Lynyrd Skynyrd, but though i can see it at times , i hear more country influences than rock n' roll on this album. It has got some cracking tunes on it, but outlasts it's welcome for me, there are a few fillers on it.

Manchester United 3-0 Liverpool

It's always beautiful beating Liverpool, but beating them on such an important day made it as sweet as most of our victories over them. And to be gifted it, really, by an act of stupidity by one of their better players put a smile on this Mancunian face . It also meant that United didn't really have to take as much out of themselves as you would have expected, auguring well for the next couple of months.
Whilst United were always the better team, i wouldn't go along with Fergie's after match talk of the side showing maturity. That spell in the second half where the 10 man Liverpool team threatened to come back into the game, kind of summed up the game to me. I thought there were some nervous performances out there for United, as if some players were scared of making a mistake in such a big game. Thankfully for us, the main men were the exceptions, Rooney, Ronaldo and especially Ferdinand were absolutely magnificent.
United started the game on the front foot right from the start, as Liverpool's tactics as usual seemed to be to defend and try and catch us on the break. United had a few decent half chances without quite opening the Liverpool defence completely. Rooney had a half chance that he controlled first time, but couldn't bring down in time to get a clear shot in and Reina saved easily. Ronaldo hit the post from a Giggs free kick, but it wasn't an easy chance. And another Giggs cross saw Reina fumble the ball under his own cross bar, but he managed to get away with it. The one thing that amazes me about Benitez's side is that he employs such negative tactics and yet his team are so susceptible to any crosses delivered into the box. And that's where the first goal came as Rooney put a decent cross in that didn't seem that dangerous to be honest, when Wes Brown of all people appeared in the penalty box and managed to out jump Reina to bundle the ball into the back of the net off the back of his shoulder.
On the stroke of half time Mascherano lost his marbles and handed us the game on a plate. He had already been booked for a foul on Scholes that was thoroughly deserved, when a foul on Torres saw Mascherano run over to berate the referee. After the Ashley Cole incident at White hart lane he was obviously giving the ref a chance to send him off, and that is what Steve Bennett duly did. At this Mascherano really lost it, and had to be virtually dragged from the field. Benitez had likened his Argentine defensive midfielder to Keano in midweek, and whilst the Cork man was no angel as we all know and had his share of red cards he never got sent off for dissent in a big game to the best of my memory.
The second half saw United have an outstanding chance to kill the game almost straight away as Ronaldo was gifted a great chance but couldn't put the chance away. Next up Rooney had a great ball put through for him that he controlled with a sublime first touch before unleashing a left foot strike that Reina saved brilliantly. Scholes produced a magnificent lob pass to put through Ronaldo through once more, but Reina was up to the job again as he came out to smother the effort. Half way through the second half nerves seemed to get the better of United as they were seemingly unable to put the game away. Vidic seemed to suffer a bit of a shaky spell during this stage of the game, i don't know if he was carrying a knock, but fortunately Ferdinand was in imperious form. He managed to keep Torres shackled for the entire 90 minutes, though to be fair to Torres he did show some reasonable touches in the first half.
United fought their way through this spell to get on top of the match again, and once more another great chance fell to the feet of Ronaldo, and unfortunately, once more he couldn't find the back of the net as this time Reina tipped it round for a corner. Thankfully for United this led to the second goal as Nani's corner was glanced into the back of the net off the head of Ronaldo who had beaten Reina to the ball. Just two minutes later Nani finished off a fine move with a superb finish into the corner of the net which Reina didn't even bother to dive for, and the game was now emphatically over. The day didn't go entirely to plan as the draw we had hoped for in the other game didn't materialise as Chelsea came from behind to beat Arsenal. That was the last result i had wanted. I have expected Arsenal's title charge to fade away for quite a while and although it has took longer to happen than i thought it would, the last month has seen them start to bottle it as i had expected. So with me not expecting Arsenal to last the pace, i would have preferred them to come out victorious rather than the rent boys. That game at Chelsea is going to be a biggie now, if we draw or win that, the title will be ours.

A 90 minute master class according to the guardian
http://football.guardian.co.uk/Match_Report/0,,2267731,00.html

Alan Hansen on United's perfect day
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/03/24/sfnhan124.xml

Scholes is enjoying it while he still can
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/paul-scholes-i-know-there-isnt-much-time-left-so-i-have-to-enjoy-it-799562.html
And so are all us Scholes admirers, there aren't too many footballers who are able to produce perfect lob passes like the one that gave Ronaldo such a great chance yesterday, in the very biggest of games. It was very similar to the one that produced the Rooney equaliser against Milan at Old Trafford last season.

Ryan Giggs loves beating Liverpool, don't we all
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_united/article3602355.ece

Patrick Barclay on Ferguson and Queiroz, the double act
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/03/23/sfnpad123.xml

Will Hutton on reforming the city
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/mar/23/creditcrunch.economy

The end of capitalism as we know it
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/comment/outside-view-the-end-of-capitalism-as-we-know-it-799494.html
probably not, but almost certainly the end of the market fundamentalists hegemony

Rooney to rediscover goalscoring touch

According to Fergie
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_united/article3599711.ece
It would come in handy, we can't keep on relying on Ronaldo.

A more realistic appraisal of Ronaldo from James Lawton in the Independent
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/james-lawton-ronaldo-must-beat-the-best-before-he-can-be-put-in-the-same-league-as-best-799350.html
It was this stage of the season last year, that people started talking about him being the best player in the world, that he had the two games against Milan where he was completely outshone by Kaka. Mind you i thought he ran out of legs around that time last year, and that is something that with our stronger squad this season that isn't going to happen this year. So he has every chance of being able to show that he can do it against the big teams.

Fergie attacks lack of discipline in football
http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,2267386,00.html

Torres the one that got away, I've got to admit i would have liked him here last summer. And from what i have seen so far this season he would have been a great signing. Tevez has proved to be a better signing than i had imagined he would be and is a very good player, but Torres would have given us the perfect balance up front.
http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,2267397,00.html

I would be amazed if Grant is still in charge at Stamford bridge next season, as the Indy reports Abramovitch is running out of patience with him.
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/roman-at-breaking-point-with-grant-799361.html

Scrooge is alive and well and living in Seattle apparently
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/mar/22/starbucks.usa

If this is how ingrained into the system the mafia are in Italy, where does that leave Russia. Where the state is the mafia.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/europe/modern-mafia-operates-at-every-level-of-italian-society-799290.html

Ronaldo : the best in the world?

So say Nani and Alan Smith
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/03/21/sfnnan121.xml
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/03/21/sfnsmi121.xml
I wrote at the beginning of last season that if Ronaldo continued to improve at the rate he was doing then he could well become the best player in the world. For me though, despite this years heroic goal tally, i still think he was slightly better last year in open play. But as David Sadler has written in today's Evening News that i can't find online unfortunately, until he starts to put in the big performances against the Liverpool's, Chelsea's, Barca's and AC Milan's of this world it is still a bit premature to call him the best in the world. Lionel Messi's not that bad a player either is he, it will be fascinating to see which of these two does go on to be recognised as the best in the world.

And according to Viv Anderson the man to take over the mantle of fans favourite from Eric
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/manchester_united/s/1041957_ronaldo_better_than_eric

And his overall scoring record so far this season
http://www.joinmust.org/forum/showthread.php?t=45851
When we sold Van Nistelroy, which was partly about giving Ronaldo the freedom to do his own thing, i don't think anyone could have realised that it would be Ronaldo himself who would become the man to take over Ruud's goalscoring feats, even to the point that we have become even more reliant on Ronaldo than we were on Ruud.

There are injury concerns ahead of Sundays big match
http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,2267207,00.html

Reserves win derby 4-1 with a Welbeck hatrick
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/s/1041985_united_res_4_city_res_1

Simpson goes to Ipswich on loan
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/manchester_united/s/1042014_simpson_joins_tractor_boys

Lowering the tone I'm afraid, with some Glazer news
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/6540265a-f61e-11dc-8d3d-000077b07658.html?nclick_check=1
Is that good news or bad, maybe he has been put in there to get them the best price when they sell, or is that too optimistic.

Johann Hari and Larry Elliot with two comment pieces on market fundamentalism
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/johann-hari/johann-hari-has-market-fundamentalism-had-its-day-798314.html
http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/larry_elliott/2008/03/supernanny_wall_street_needs_y.html

Manchester United 2-0 Bolton Wanderers

Three points, job done. Fergie shuffled the pack a bit more than i thought he might, but the team picked were more than up to it, especially with Ronaldo on top form. Though it has to be said the team didn't really deliver in front of goal as Fergie had ordered. Without the captain for the nights goals it's pretty obvious we would not be top of the league. There were enough chances created last night to have won by 4 or 5, although Bolton did have a few chances themselves in the second half. It has been obvious for the last month or so that Rooney's confidence in front of goal has taken a bit of a dip, but to be fair to him the midfield aren't exactly pitching in. When you look at the contribution that the whole team to goalscoring last season, it's hard to know what's gone wrong. But we have been far too reliant on Ronaldo, Rooney and Tevez this season. You only have to imagine if Ronaldo did a hamstring and was out for a month, i wouldn't be too confident of us getting the points that would normally be expected of us if that happens.
Fergie rang the changes last night with Pique coming into the back four and Hargreaves starting right back and O'Shea deputising for Evra at left back.
I have argued in recent blogs that Hargeaves should be used at right back, as he would be able to counter attack more effectively than Wes does. But if last nights evidence was anything to go by i will have to take that back. It has been a season to forget so far for Hargreaves as far as i am concerned. I know he didn't have a good start carrying that niggling knee injury in the first half of the season, and may have struggled to reach full fitness. But the most alarming thing about his game, and which i will have to admit i had not noticed it when i have seen him playing for Bayern or England, is his first touch. For a man who cost £17 million his first touch is shocking. When he receives the ball he never kills it dead, he kind of half volleys it away from his body and then uses his pace to reach it before an opposition player. This for me is one of the reasons we don't look the same player when he plays in midfield. Last season when we had Scholes and Carrick in midfield we had two superb passers of the ball who both had excellent touch. This season you can add Anderson to the midfield mix, he is going to be an exciting player, and a player who runs with the ball a bit more than Carrick and Scholes, but with a good enough first touch to slot in alongside either nicely. But Hargreaves slows things down too much with that first touch, giving the opposition more time to cover our forwards moves as well as of course knowing that he is never going to hurt them with his passing. I suppose i should have realised that you still need a good first touch at right back to control it smoothly as you overlap.
Pique is another concern i am afraid, i really rated him when i saw him in the youth team, he was good in the air, very good on the deck and read the game pretty well. The only doubt was whether he would be up to the physical side of the premiership. When i saw him play for Zarragozza last season he really seemed to have come on in leaps and bounds in that regard. When you can look an accomplished player as i saw him do twice against Barca you must have something going for you. But this season although i don't think it has helped him playing in fits and starts and then of course being out injured, when he has had his chance in the first team in the premiership he hasn't looked up to the physical challenge. Although he didn't make any mistakes last night, he wasn't totally commanding either. He has looked much better in the two European matches that he started. It worries me that Pique and Rossi don't seem to have made the impact at United that i had expected. Though to be fair to Rossi he was never given the chance and given his head at Villareal he is delivering the goods and who knows if the buyback clause is for real we might still see him in a red shirt. He is a real Manchester United player as far as i am concerned. The point is though we have had some more than useful youngsters coming through the ranks in recent years, but none have broken through into the first team squad and challenged for a first team spot. Looking at this years youth and reserve teams Welbeck and Brandy apart there doesn't seem that much coming through. I don't know what's happened to Cathcart since he came back from Antwerp, is he injured, he was another who looked like he had a chance.
As for the game those two early goals from Ronaldo killed the game really, it's a pity we couldn't have got a couple more, but with the arrival of our biggest rivals on Sunday, not too worrying. The first goal was a bit of a scrappy affair, but the second was a Ronaldo free kick special. I don't know how, but when he gets them just right you know they are going into the back of the net from the moment it leaves his foot. It will be one hell of a save if a goalie does manage to stop one that he has hit to perfection, that's for sure.
There were numerous other chances in the first half, but that second wouldn't arrive. I thought Tevez had an excellent game and that his performance merited a goal, but then again he had the chances and didn't put them away. It was tremendous watching him using all his footballing nous to keep the bigger and stronger Bolton defenders at bay. As for Saha, he didn't convince again I'm afraid, he plays as if not fully fit which he obviously isn't, but even worse as if he is scared of really putting 100% into a game in case he tweaks something else. There were countless occasions last night where a fit and healthy Saha would have scared Bolton to death. It will be criminal if he is still at United next season, i mean i know Rossi is pretty similar to Rooney and Tevez but if we had kept Rossi at least he would have been fit for the majority of the season.
Nani seems to have regressed back to his earlier season inconsistent form in the last couple of performances. His link up play in general was pretty good, but his decision making, whether when to cross or when to shoot wasn't all it could have been. If he had been on his game last night it definitely would have been 4 or 5. I think someone needs to have a word with Rooney and tell him to relax. When he came on last night he was like a man on a mission, except he kept forgetting the ball. When he slowed down and started to get his head up we saw the real Wayne Rooney and the ball that should have presented Tevez with United's third of the night was a peach.
I have read that Rio is a big doubt for Sunday, which is a bit of a worry, and i presume that is why Wes Brown didn't start last night. The defence did reasonably well seeing as though that was probably the first time and may well be the last time that they play together. I have got to say though i would miles sooner have Foster in goals on Sunday than Kuszczak if Van Der Sar is not available.
What a great result from white hart lane too, i thought Spurs might get something with it being a derby, but with their season virtually over i wasn't that hopeful. So when i heard they had gone 3-1 down i feared the worst. I am not sure what result i want from the Arsenal v Chelsea game on Sunday. I think Chelsea will prove more resilient than Arsenal in the title run in, so i wouldn't be that gutted if Arsenal won. So a draw it is then, and if we can finish off the double against the bindippers, Sunday might provide a few hangovers for Easter Monday.

Bryan Robson appointed as ambassador for club
http://www.manutd.com/default.sps?pagegid={B4CEE8FA-9A47-47BC-B069-3F7A2F35DB70}&newsid=542529
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/article3589934.ece
Great news, his outstanding contribution to Manchester United doesn't seem to be properly appreciated these days. As great a player as Keano was, i would have Robbo above him in my all time United team ( that is of the players i have seen obviously )

Unfortunately i agree with some of this, though not the ludicrous slagging off of Rooney
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/03/19/ronaldos_brilliance_masks_unit.html
Midfield is a worry, which must seem odd with the riches at our disposal. But last year when we just had Carrick and Scholes, we saw much more consistent performances from us in this area. Of course it could be argued and it may well be right that United are adjusting themselves to the eventual disappearance of the ginger prince. If that is the case, i still don't think we have found his replacement, though Carrick and Anderson will more than do for the present. But if we want to be the undoubted best team in Europe we need either a Keano, Robbo type or a Scholes replacement. I'm not totally sure where Anderson is going to end up playing so it's hard to predict a future United midfield. I love Iniesta at Barca, but there is no chance of us getting him. Besides i think we are going for too many foreign players as it is.

No more cheap holidays on the continent predicts Hamish McRae, actually he predicts the pound to follow the dollar, down in value.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/comment/hamish-mcrae/hamish-mcrae-after-a-decade-riding-high-the-pound-may-have-a-long-way-to-fall-798419.html

It was a tory, Ted Heath who coined the phrase " the unacceptable face of capitalism" and as long as we live in a capitalist system it will always be needed.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/comment/jeremy-warners-outlook-outrage-as-the-speculators-sip-champagne-on-the-proceeds-of-yesterdays-hbos-killing-798474.html
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/columnists/article3587215.ece
And especially as long as we live in a de-regulatory market worshipping era such as this

The Liberal intelligensia speak out on the Chinese suppression of Tibet
http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/vclav_havel/2008/03/tibets_peace_of_the_grave.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/mar/20/tibet.china

fergie vows to counter

physical Bolton
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/03/19/sfnman119.xml
It's a bit much him crying about their physical approach, we haven't cried about it in the past when they have done us a favour or two by denting Arsenal's title hopes in the past. I am not saying i like their approach, but there have always been teams like that and there always will. The point is true champions match them and then beat them with their football.

he is right to be wary of Bolton, because for their fans this is the biggest game of the season, and if they did happen to go down, they would at least love to be able to say they dented our title challenge.
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/ferguson-is-fearful-of-backlash-from-bolton-797703.html
I have to say when Megson was appointed i was as amazed as everybody else and thought they might go down., as he hadn't struck me as a top flight manager. But after the good start to his reign i thought i was going to have to eat humble pie. They are really in trouble again now though and the last thing they needed at the weekend was City rediscovering winning ways.

A pivotal week in the title race begins as Fergie issues title challenge to his players
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_united/article3579168.ece

Anti corruption police raid Birmingham City
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/birmingham/article3582917.ece

David Conn on the FA's proposal to pump £200 million into grassroots football
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/03/19/english_football_sows_seeds_fo.html

Hamish McRae on the Fed's response to Bear stearns
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/hamish-mcrae/hamish-mcrae-this-is-serious-but-dont-panic-it-is-no-worse-than-other-.htmlnt-downturns-797758.html
And more from the times
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/columnists/article3578928.ece

Robert Fisk on Iraq and the lessons not learnt, historical lessons that is.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/fisk/robert-fisk-the-only-lesson-we-ever-learn-is-that-we-never-learn-797816.html

An excellent column by Simon Jenkins on Post office closures
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/mar/19/post.communities

In demand Foster to be rewarded with new contract

according to the Mirror
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/2008/03/18/man-united-to-offer-ben-foster-a-new-long-term-contract-89520-20355124/

Ferguson tells United to get deadly in front of goal
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/03/18/sfnman118.xml

Sky win champions league auction
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/mar/17/bskyb.television

Credit crunch is going to be a worry for top Premier league clubs
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/03/18/sfnbon118.xml
Who will we get after the Glazers?

Reality bites as living beyond your means is going to disappear for the US and UK
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/mar/18/useconomy.marketturmoil

How the credit crunch will affect you, according to the Independent
http://www.independent.co.uk/money/invest-save/from-homes-to-jobs-ndash-how-ill-winds--from-wall-street-will-hit-you-797118.html

Iraq a country no more by Patrick Cockburn
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/patrick-cockburn-iraq-is-a-country-no-more-like-much-else-that-was-not-the-plan-796499.html

Foster impresses

Most of the match reports focus on the debutant's fine performance
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/article3564460.ece
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/manchester_united/s/1041092_fosters_timely_bonus

AIG shares fall sharply!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/feedarticle?id=7381950
Bad news for the Glazers?

Sid Lowe on la liga
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/03/17/does_anyone_want_to_win_the_wo.html
I saw both Real and Barca over the weekend and they were both poor. Diego Forlan had a fair game for Atletico, though it has to be admitted the opposing defence wasn't the best.

Markets rattled
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7300017.stm

Larry Elliot on the fallout from Bear Stearns collapse
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/mar/17/creditcrunch.marketturmoil

IRA "willing to disband Army council"
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/mar/17/northernireland.northernireland
I would have thought this would have been a bigger story today, only the guardian gives it the prominence it deserves

Mancunian guitarist Vini Reilly appreciated by Dave Simpson in the guardian
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/03/hendrix_page_townshend_and_vin.html

Derby County 0-1 Manchester United

It was starting to get worrying, i don't think too many of us thought we be wondering if it was going to be one of those days with 75 minutes of the game gone. Thankfully Rooney's fantastic work rate and Ronaldo's willingness to keep getting in the box came to the rescue as our number 7 bundled home his 31st goal of the season to settle our nerves. And with Arsenal stuttering again, how vital will this three points prove to be.
The way United started in the first 10 minutes it would have been hard to believe at the time that the game would turn out to be such a tense affair. United came out of the traps determined to blow Derby away as early as possible. United completely dominated possession and seemed able to carve their way through the home sides defence at will. But again, just as in recent weeks, when the chances did present themselves United were unable to put them away. Giggs had a couple of decent chances as he made a welcome return to the side and added such much needed guile to the attack. Rooney was all over the front line and ronaldo was in slightly better form than of late, and he was very unlucky to see his shot hit the post. Another Ronaldo shot brought out a fine save form ex red Roy Carroll, and it just seemed a matter of time before United opened the scoring.
But for some reason, United seemed to start to feel sorry for themselves after creating so many chances and not taking any. Added to this Derby started to get a toehold in the game and as their crowd got behind them, they started to believe maybe it might be their day. So after 30 minutes the fluency United had started the game with began to disappear and it became obvious that the big scoreline that some of us had been hoping for to nudge our goal difference out of Arsenal's reach probably wasn't going to happen. In fact as half time approached the unthinkable started to appear a possibility as debutant Ben Foster was forced into action for the first time in the match. His first save from Miller was a far better save than it had seemed at the time when we saw it on the slow motion replay. But the second save from a Robert Earnshaw effort was a magnificent save, the strong hand was vital in not just keeping it out but in stopping any chance of a Derby striker following up. Although Derby had created two good chances at the end of the half, United had done enough in the earlier part of the half to have deserved to have gone into the half time break in front. But if you don't take your chances you can't complain.
The second half saw United controlling the game for long periods again, but without the cutting edge that we had seen during the first half an hour. United's defence which was minus the injured Ferdinand played reasonably enough and Derby didn't manage to create a chance as good as the two just before half time. Trouble was United weren't really creating as much either and Fergie started to ring the changes bringing Saha and Carrick on for Scholes and Park. Not that this changed much to be honest and United's better chances during this period came from set pieces.
Then came the goal as Rooney showed his desire as he used his strength down the left hand side to put an inviting cross into the box for the incoming Ronaldo to finally get the goal that we had become so desperate for. United seemed to settle for the one goal cushion for the remaining 15 minutes, although right near the end Ronaldo had a great chance to make it 2 but Carroll was up to the task as he denied him with a fine save. So a vital 3 points were now in the bag to keep the pressure on Arsenal, and as we saw later it doesn't look like they are going to be up to dealing with it. I saw the second half of their 1-1 draw with Middlesbrough and Arsenal were really poor, they hardly created a chance. And though they may have been unlucky to have a goal disallowed in the first half, they got really lucky with the equaliser as Boateng was clearly fouled before the corner that the referee gave that led to Flamini's equaliser.

Ferguson has a go at the BBC again
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/ferguson-will-never-talk-to-the-bbc-again-401487.html

Evans to face no charges, now there is a surprise
http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,2265643,00.html

Wall street is very worried as talk of depression gains ground
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/wall-street-fears-for-next-great-depression-796428.html

10,000 city workers face axe
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/mar/16/marketturmoil.creditcrunch

Roma again

Possibly good news on the pitch, but not good news for those who fancied a Euro away that week
http://www.manutd.com/default.sps?pagegid={B4CEE8FA-9A47-47BC-B069-3F7A2F35DB70}&newsid=540800
Possibly because it depends on which United turn up and the tactics of course

I don't think anybody could have foreseen him getting into the first team after his operation this season. Kuszczak must be pretty upset with himself for getting sent off last week.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7284957.stm
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_united/article3549798.ece

Gary Neville aims for return against Bolton,
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/03/14/sfnman114.xml
It really would be a massive bonus to have a fit Gary Neville for the final stages of the season. I would be more confident of our chances in both the league and in Europe with him at right back.

David Sadler's column in the evening news discusses the strike force problem, better known as Saha
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/manchester_united/s/1040894_david_sadler_column

Henry Winter's column extols the virtues of the premier league as we await the draw for the quarter finals
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/03/14/sfnwin214.xml&CMP=ILC-mostviewedbox

Clive Tyldseley on the remaining foreign Quarter finalists
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/03/14/sfntyl114.xml

Is this the end of the hedge fund asks the Independent as CCC goes kerplonk
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/analysis-and-features/death-of-the-hedge-fund-795749.html
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/columnists/article3549792.ece
I doubt it is the end, but if it is, it is just a pity in didn't happen in 2005 before those Florida based numpties secured control of our club. I haven't read anything anywhere about how the credit crunch is affecting them . Gillet has come out and said the tumbling dollar has made his plans for Liverpool too expensive. I don't think that applies to the Glazers, but things can't be be too good for them. My only worry is when they eventually bail out we will be bought out by some corrupt anti democratic joker from anywhere east of Poland. They will probably be the only suitors able to totally buy out the club. Game 39 would be just a matter of time then.

Jeremy Warner on the worsening economic situation as the American economy goes from bad to worse
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/comment/jeremy-warners-outlook-shares-wilt-as-us-.htmlssion-starts-to-bite-795804.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/mar/14/useconomy.usa

The protests in Tibet seem to have been stronger and more widespread than first reported
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/mar/14/tibet.china
I would have thought they would have waited for a time closer to the Olympics

An interview with Kim and Kelley deal of the Breeders
http://music.guardian.co.uk/rock/story/0,,2265013,00.html
The Pixies are definitely one of my all time favourite groups, i saw them at the move festival at Lancashire CCC a few years back when they co headlined with the Stereophonics and completely blew the Welsh band away.

Gary Neville gets another 70 minutes

For the reserves as his comeback effort continues. They lost 1-0 at Sunderland
http://www.manutd.com/default.sps?pagegid={B4CEE8FA-9A47-47BC-B069-3F7A2F35DB70}&newsid=540493
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/man_utd/7293596.stm

Giggs says experience vital as we enter crunch time in the seasons silverware hunt
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/manchester_united/s/1040589_old_heads_vital_to_reds_giggs

Corruption case hanging over UEFA, what a surprise
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/03/13/sfnbon113.xml

Reaction to Yesterday's budget seemed to coalesce around the view that if he gets i his forecasts wrong we are in for some very rough times.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/mar/12/budget.economics.comment
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/mr-darling-and-his-box-of-tricks-794990.html
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/economics/budget_2008/article3542850.ece

The markets are in free fall again as the credit crunch looks set to take down more victims
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/markets/article3544604.ece
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/banking_and_finance/article3542723.ece
It looks like we are now watching the end of the United States 20th century financial hegemony that hasn't lasted long into the 21st.

GMP's chief may have killed himself as colourful private life exposed
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/police-chief-may-have-killed-himself-over-exposed-affairs-795001.html
Great to know the man in charge of your cities law and order was threatening other people's physical well being, and is still supposedly worthy of our admiration.
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1040574_revealed_todds_secret_affair?rss=yes
I don't think this is going to do her career a lot of good

Austria in denial over Anscluss
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/europe/anschluss-and-austrias-guilty-conscience-795016.html
I'm not sure why, all the evidence shows they were not just willing Nazis, but that they were even more enthusiastic Nazis than the Germans themselves.

Johann Hari on American Liberals awakening to the reality of the Clinton's
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/johann-hari/johann-hari-what-wouldnt-clinton-do-to-secure-power-794923.html
Of course Christopher Hitchens had warned them, i remember watching some late night election special in 92 that had Hitchens on. There were various liberals, democrats and republicans on, and i think they were all dumbfounded how much he tore into them. But he has been proved absolutely right. Pity he got the Iraq war so wrong.

Benfica target Queiroz

Not the worst news i have ever heard
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/03/12/ufnman112.xml
The tactical approach to the Lyon performance at Old Trafford had his grubby paws all over it.

Giggs not ready for coaching yet
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/manchester_united/s/1040322_giggs_not_ready_for_coaching_yet
Most people seem to think he hasn't got it at the top level any more. I disagree myself, i still think he has a lot to offer, i just think he is going to have to be used more sparingly. It would have been nice to see him coming off the bench on Saturday. He may not have the speed nowadays but he still has the brain, vision and technique to be a more than useful member of the squad.


Harry Redknapp has his say on Portsmouth's physical approach to last Saturday's cup tie,

"The referee was not on our side, that's for sure. He didn't have to be because there wasn't a bad tackle in the game. I don't remember one of my players making a bad tackle, not one, so I didn't agree with what Alex said there. He is entitled to his opinion after the game and if that is what he felt it is up to him but I don't agree with it and that's the end of the matter. I don't know why he said what he did, you would have to ask him about that. I only know what I saw and what I know and as far as I was concerned I didn't see any of our players go in with their studs up or try to make a bad tackle all game."

Happy Manchester day, i am not too sure about this, it would have to have a better name than that anyway.
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1040347_happy_manchester_day
Not the most appropriate time to announce it maybe
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/manchester-police-chief-constable-found-dead-after-hillwalking-trip-in-snowdonia-794455.html

An interesting column from Martin Samuel on the competitiveness of European football
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/columnists/martin_samuel/article3532949.ece

More on the shenanigans at Loonypool
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/03/12/sfnbon112.xml

Credit crunch worries the central banks into more concerted action
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/mar/11/creditcrunch.economics
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/mar/12/11
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2008/03/12/dl1202.xml

Hamish McRae on chancellor Alistair Darling's dilemma
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/hamish-mcrae/hamish-mcrae-in-the-face-of-a-downturn-darling-will-only-make-matters-worse-if-he-pushes-up-taxes-794424.html

Monaco's millionaires plan fight back
http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2008/mar/12/tax.incometax

Cecil Rhodes heirs show a colonial state of mind still exists as Simon Mann spills the beans from a prison cell in Guinea
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/mar/12/equatorialguinea
Good to see a Thatcher named and shamed in that dirty money raking operation wasn't it. A chip of the old block.

Obama wins Mississippi as the race for the democratic nomination threatens to get dirtier
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/black-vote-helps-obama-claim-mississippi-794482.html

I will bet Tibet is a big worry for the Chinese, when the Olympics are staged in Beijing. That place will see a massive influx of police, army and spies to try and prevent any embarrassment.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/a-reminder-to-china-that-the-world-has-not-forgotten-tibet-794483.html

I watched the BBC4 programme Prime Ministers and the press barons on Monday night, and excellent it was too. The main lesson to me, was when a politician is brave enough and clever enough he can take the press on. Obviously Lloyd George was a political giant, but he wasn't in that strong a political position when he took Northcliffe on, as he was a prisoner of the Tories in the coalition government. And whilst Baldwin was not on the same planet as a politician, he was still strong enough in his position as head of the 30's national government to see off Beaverbrook and Rothermere in their personal battles with him. Does anyone believe any of our present day lot have that same steel in them. As i have said before we will know when we have a real radical left of centre government only when they dare to take Murdoch on, and are prepared for him to attack them with all guns blazing
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/page/item/b0094z25.shtml?order=aztitle%3Aalphabetical&filter=channel%3Abbc_four&scope=iplayerchannels&start=2&version_pid=b0094z1k
There are 4 days left to watch it.

best way to beat bullies

For Ronaldo is to get on with it say Sadler and Summerbee
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/manchester_united/s/1040217_best_way_to_beat_bullies_for_ron
Be a man my son

Queiroz apologises to Martin Taylor and Birmingham City
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/manchester_united/article3525381.ece
I should think so too, i wasn't too thrilled when i heard he had said that, it was cringe-worthy. I am not sure how Fergie and Queiroz thought they could get away with crying like that when the worst tackle of the match was obviously Rooney's and that's to somebody as biased as me. Leave the whinging to Wenger, it's not as if we haven't had our tasty tacklers ourselves. Most of my favourite United players were the sort to get their revenge in first, Whiteside, Jordan and sparky. They are beginning to sound like they want to do away with tackling altogether as Platini argued for, a number of years ago. I don't want to see it become a cloggers game, but it is still a game for men i hope. Bad injuries will always happen, it is an unavoidable outcome of physical contact sport. One of the reasons this present team will never be one of my favourites is the lack of a hard man or two. It has become obvious they can bullied out of a game every now and then. That didn't really happen with the 94 and 99 teams, the 94 team especially.

Fergie laid into players after Saturday as well as the ref,
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/sport/football.html?in_article_id=530253&in_page_id=1779
That's more like it

Cheltenham starts today
http://sport.guardian.co.uk/cheltenham2008/story/0,,2264051,00.html


Taxes and the little people
http://crookedtimber.org/2008/03/10/taxes-and-the-little-people/
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/libby_purves/article3525100.ece
I agree with the argument about tax credits, though well meaning, it would surely be better to have people on the minimum wage pay national insurance and pay no income tax. What's the point making you pay tax and then the state handing it you back in tax credits. I would prefer everybody paid a little tax myself, just so you can say you pay your little bit towards the health service etc. But if taxing say five per cent isn't worth the administrative cost, then take them out of the tax paying bracket altogether. There must be a better way to help low income workers than Tax credits.
This is of course the last thing on an Uber Blairite's mind as Hutton urges the Labour party to be glad that people can be incredibly successful, Polly Toynbee tells him why he is wrong
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/mar/11/budget.economy1
But is she going to tell us to vote with nose pegs on again at the next election?

More economic bad news as supermarket staples keep going up, which of course will hurt those at the bottom, whilst those pleading not to pay a bit more tax, won't even notice.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2008/mar/11/consumeraffairs.interestrates

Mugabe blames everybody else as usual as he admits food shortages
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/mar/11/zimbabwe

Credit crisis still going strong
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/carlyle-capital-in-plea-to-lenders-after-series-of-missed-margin-calls-794058.html


The Charlatans new album is available to download free on XFM's website
http://www.xfmmanchester.co.uk/Article.asp?b=reviews&id=602757

FA might cut semi final ticket prices

This is a joke, what are they trying to say, because we are Manchester United fans we must be loaded. I don't see how they should be able to get away with this, if we had got through they would have been top wack as usual. It really does stink doesn't it.
http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,2263866,00.html

DIC claim they have agreement to buy 49% of Liverpool
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=A1YourView&xml=/sport/2008/03/10/sfnliv210.xml
More instability at the pool, i don't know how this is going to work.
Especially if this is going to be their working relationship
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=A1YourView&xml=/sport/2008/03/09/urhicks109.xml

I am afraid this comment piece in the evening news on Ronaldo's rough treatment on Saturday is a joke as far as i am concerned. Sure he was given a hard time and the referee should have protected him better than he did. But bloody hell, did these people never saw the Juve side we played in 78, Portsmouth were Corinthian in contrast on Saturday. It's embarrassing, we lost because we didn't take our chances. It's almost as if they are trying to come up with excuses to sell Ronaldo and put the blame on weak refereeing. Well it won't wash with me,
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/manchester_united/s/1040002_ronaldo_scared_to_play

Martin Samuel on Keegan and Ashley in the Times
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/columnists/martin_samuel/article3517413.ece

Larry Elliot on the forthcoming budget
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/mar/10/budget.economics

Anatole Kaletsky sticks up for non doms in the city
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/anatole_kaletsky/article3517090.ece

A new Labourite gives you more reasons for thinking the Labour parties finished
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/mar/10/johnhutton.executivesalaries
If that's not thatcherite i don't know what is

Unfortunately we know where some of the budget will be going, but will it be worth it.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/mar/10/iraq.defence
I very much doubt it, still look at the yanks, that's wasting money on a heroic scale. And all it's going to really achieve is to give the Iranians more influence in Iraq than they can ever have dreamed of.

Manchester United 0-1 Portsmouth

Well that's the FA cup gone for another year, as i thought we saw more evidence of United's stuttering form. Although United created enough chances to have been the team to go through, the performance itself wasn't very convincing. For the third team in recent weeks when United were confronted by a big, physically strong and fast side they struggled to play their normal game. I will give credit to Portsmouth, they defended well and rode their luck at times, though they didn't really give us much trouble until the penalty. The referee didn't have a great time and when they decided to test Ronaldo's mettle in the first 10 minutes he let them get away with it. And the challenge on Ronaldo was a clear penalty which he ducked out of giving. I still think that Ronaldo should have crossed that earlier to the unmarked Scholes in the middle, it would have been a great chance and one the ginger prince doesn't usually miss. Having said all that, the post match criticism of the ref by Ferguson and Queiroz was totally over the top and Wenger like. At the end of the day we lost because we didn't play well enough and didn't take the chances that we created when we did get it together.
I don't know why Saha wasn't on the bench but we were crying out for a proper target man yesterday. If he was injured in the warm up as i have heard rumoured, then that really must be the last straw as far as his United career is concerned. Too many times in the first half Rooney and Tevez were both caught dropping deep leaving no one up front. The last thing you need against a team with a game plan to stick everybody behind the ball when they haven't got it, is to have nobody in the box. We were guilty of having just one and two men in the box, with nobody from midfield making late runs or indeed any runs at all into the box. Added to that Nani seemed to revert to his earlier indifferent form as he came up against a full back in Johnson seemingly his equal. And on the occasions he did get into position to put a decent ball into the box his touch seemed to desert him. Our best attacker at times yesterday was Evra, and i suppose it sums up the day that when he did get in a position to put the ball on a plate for what seemed must be a goal in the second half he managed to put it behind Tevez, and another chance bit the dust. Rooney and Tevez conspired to mess up the best chance of the first half as they found themselves in a two on one situation which saw Tevez release Rooney through on goal with a pass slightly to the side of him. It wasn't the best pass, but i still think Rooney made an absolute meal of it as yet again he tried to make absolutely sure and take the ball around the goalie allowing Campbell to get back and make an interception taking the ball form his feet. Even then the loose ball fell to the feet of Tevez who hit a powerful shot that was then headed of the line. I am afraid Rooney's finishing seems to gone to pot at the moment, he is struggling and if i was him i would either go back to chipping the goalie which is what he used to always try or just put his foot through it and blast it. Unfortunately it's becoming obvious he is not a natural finisher which isn't the best trait for someone who Fergie and Queiroz want to play as a lone front man.
I wouldn't say United played that much better football in the second half, more it was a case of upping the tempo and playing with more urgency to avoid an unwanted replay. The interval saw Kuszczak replacing Van Der Sar who had a groin problem apparently, not the best news for us as i am not a big fan of the Polish goalie. Not that he had much to do until the penalty incident. Central midfield is worrying me at the moment, the press and most of us fans have been foaming at the mouth at the different midfield permutations that Fergie can put out each week and has been doing. But is all this tinkering helping us to sustain our form, i am beginning to think not. Forwards need to know that the runs they make are going to be seen and the passes are made to them. Midfield players need to play more regularly than they are at present to either find their form or if they are in good form to keep it. I don't see a problem with changing one midfield place game after game, but i don't see selecting a completely different midfield game after game helping United to sustain their momentum going into the business end of the season. And the other problem yesterday was the pairing of Scholes and Hargreaves, it doesn't seem to work. Opinion is split on Scholes at the moment, my opinion is although he has not hit the heights of the form that he was showing pre injury, he isn't playing that badly. Others think his lack of pace and strength is finally showing as he advances in years, but to me that wouldn't explain why he was playing almost as well as at any other time of his career before the injury. Unless that blurred vision has returned, i still think he has got it. I have said that Hargreaves worries me in my last few blogs, and again yesterday to my mind, when Portsmouth did break sporadically when Baros came on, he didn't look as commanding in that defensive midfield position as i think we should be expecting. And if you are not getting that from him, i am afraid to say he shouldn't be getting in the team, in midfield anyway.
Which brings me to another point, the best teams attack down both flanks with two wide men and both full backs. We all know that Wes can't do that, he is a centre half filling in, doing a decent steady job. But when United really need to exert pressure why doesn't Hargreaves either get brought on at right back or start there. We know he can play there and with his indifferent form in the centre of the park, maybe playing there will help him find it. He has got the speed and the engine and you would like to think a central midfield player would be able to delver better crosses than a centre half. It would certainly give defending teams more problems to deal with, stretching their defence which is the name of the game when breaking packed defences down.
Bad luck, poor finishing and strong defending all went against United in the second half. Ronaldo hit a shot agonisingly wide after a goalmouth scramble, he hit a poor shot after the best United move of the match and saw a difficult header go over the bar. Evra was very unlucky to see James make a tremendous save pushing his shot against the post with the rebound just evading Rooney. Then the moment when you suddenly realised it was probably going to be one of those days as Ronaldo put Carrick through clear on goal, he then proceeded to do the hard bit as he dragged it past James only to see the ball get stuck between his feet in the six yard mud allowing Distin to get back and scramble of the line. Shortly after this United got badly caught on the break ( yet again recently ) as a David James throw engineered a two on two situation in United's half that ended with Kuszczak bringing down Baros. Kuszczak was unlucky, Baros hit his head rather than the Pole tripping him up, but it was a goalscoring opportunity so the referee can say he was acting under instructions in giving him a red card. Ferdinand went in goals, although for a moment it seemed Rooney was going to go in goals. That would have been bizarre, why would you put one of your best forwards in goal when your probably about to go one goal down, thankfully good sense prevailed. Ferdinand was unable to save it, and that was it really, United huffed and puffed but couldn't blow the Pompey goal down.

David James writes about yesterday in the Observer
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/03/09/dodgy_boots_dodgy_kick_but_wha.html

Johnny Evans is doing well at Sunderland and enjoying himself
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/fast-learner-evans-eyes-up-a-bright-future-at-sunderland-793415.html

Henry Porter on a new bill of rights
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/mar/09/constitution
He talks my language, but i am not too sure enough people give a shit to stop our politicians getting away with all this, unfortunately.

Fergie goes on and on and on

I am not complaining, when he does retire we are going to find out just how good he has been i fear. We have got to hope that United manage this transition better than they managed the post Busby era. I can't say i am that confident, especially with the muppets in charge at present, none of whom really understand the club at all. And that's not just the Americans i am alluding to.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/03/07/ufnferg107.xml
Maybe he is looking to outlast the Glazers.

Foster returns to the fold as the reserves won 2-1. His knee must be OK he was kicking it an absolute mile, though he did have one hair raising moment when he gave the ball away. He doesn't half have a commanding presence about him, centre forwards will think twice before running into him, that's for sure.
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/manchester_united/s/1039913_fosters_happy_return


James Lawton in the Independent on the premier league's foreign influence
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/james-lawton-premier-leagues-triumph-a-victory-for-foreign-legion-792653.html

To Russia with tension ( from today's guardian )

Fears are rising that May's Champions League final at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium will present huge problems for travelling fans, who could fall victim to the post-Litvinenko tensions between Russia and the UK. A three-week wait for visa applications to be processed by Russia's London embassy is normal, but with only 21 days between the second semi-final and the final, logistical issues are bound to arise - especially if two English clubs qualify for the May 21 date and 42,000 fans make simultaneous applications. But it is unclear what measures the UK government has put in place and the Foreign & Commonwealth Office was unable yesterday to say if any discussions have been held with the Russian embassy. The Football Supporters' Federation is also waiting to hear back from Uefa over its request to liaise with the Russian authorities on behalf of the fans who will require visas.

After the one redeeming act of his his career in football, his demolition of the 39th game proposal, Sepp Blatter returns to his usual idiocy.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/article3499478.ece
Look at the Eduardo injury, it was a foul, but did he mean to harm Eduardo, not for me and a host of others, but still some have tried to make out he did. So who has the final decision on something like that if UEFA enacted his proposals, there would be a fair few lawyers licking their lips in anticipation.

It is barbaric and i don't condone it, but what else do the Israeli's expect, when they are killing so many innocent Palestinians in Gaza, that we generally don't see the pictures of.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/massacre-in-the-heart-of-jerusalem-792745.html

Simon Jenkins on Ian Paisley, bigot, christian fanatic and general all round good guy according to Gerry Adams
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/mar/07/northernireland.northernireland

Freedom of information act helped bring about the end for Paisley Jr and eventually the big daddy himself.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/freedom-of-information-first-major-casualty-of-the-right-to-know-legislation-792725.html

Isobel Hilton on the winners and losers on the dispute between Columbia, Ecuador and Venezuela
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/mar/07/venezuela.colombia

An interview with Elbow's Guy Garvey who have a new album coming out the week after next. One of the best groups around at the moment
http://www.bbc.co.uk/manchester/content/articles/2008/03/07/170308_guy_garvey_feature.shtml

Music
Neu - Neu : Krautrock compatriots of Can, and just as good. I love the groove that can be trance like, their sound apparently influenced loads of groups and even genres like electro. Listening to this it easy to see why.
The Zombies - Odyssey and oracle, not bad for a group on the point of disbanding. It gets better every listen and yet to me despite being supposedly psychedelic somehow manages to sound as English as the Kinks to my ears.
Benga - Diary of an Afro warrior : Back to 2008 and this is a cracking piece of electronica( dubstep apparently ). It reminds me in places of Justin Berkovi, albeit catchier and less robotic.
Barry Adamson - As above so below : I love this, it's a kind of jazz rock with a pounding bass in the background. He is noted for his soundtracks and even soundtracks to films that don't exist, and parts of this album do feel like they could serve that purpose.
The Hives - The black and white album : One of the best rock groups in the world of the last decade deliver again. If you like your music three minutes long, short and catchy and full of aggression they are the band for you. Some of the more experimental tracks even worked for me, which they don't always, T.H.E.H.I.V.E.S. is excellent.
The Specials - More Specials : The second album from the Coventry group, a decent album, though not up to the quality of the first for me. International jet set is the stand out for me.

Rooney wants to stay in England

and at United i hope
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/european_football/article3492303.ece

Foster to return for reserves tonight
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/manchester_united/s/1039478_foster_set_to_return

A decent piece by Rob Smyth about the different tactical approaches adopted by the British sides in Europe this week.
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/03/05/the_fast_and_the_furious.html
He is right about about us playing as if scared of everyone else, when of course it should be the other way round.

David Conn examines Randy Lerner's ownership of Aston Villa so far
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/03/05/lerner_gives_the_foreign_owner.html
He does seem to have done a reasonable job so far, but you would still want your club to be owned by someone with roots in the local area and hopefully in the club itself.

Sid Lowe writes about Real Madrid's exit at the hands of Roma and how losing to the Italians of all people was almost as bad as going out itself.
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/03/06/you_only_win_when_youre_sinnin.html

Milan mourns the passing of legends, as team rebuilding looks to be the order of the day.
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/european/milan-left-to-mourn-passing-of-its-legends-791933.html
They have been a good team, but not a great one, but they knew how to win in Europe, as we have found out twice to our cost.

Scary, a machine that will be able to read minds
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2008/mar/06/medicalresearch
the thought of a totalitarian regime getting hold of that is frightening

An interview with Forest Whittaker, who so brilliantly portrayed Idi Amin in the last king of Scotland and was pretty good as Kavanaugh in the Shield
http://film.guardian.co.uk/interview/interviewpages/0,,2262443,00.html
I had forgotten about Bird, i thought that was a pretty good film too

Manchester United 1-0 Lyon

Well we won, that's about the only good thing i think i can say about last night. We have to watch another negative tactical boreathon in Europe, whilst Arsenal go away to Milan and play there usual way and win convincingly. When the scoucers sing about winning it 5 times, i like to think yes but the two times we won it we played exciting exhilarating football that captured peoples imaginations not the dull negative crap we have seen from them. But it has to be said, if we did happen to win it this year, i couldn't place it the same company as the 68 or 99 triumphs. I used to really look forward to European nights , the atmosphere was always electric and United always played the right way, taking the game to the opposition. Sometimes we would be out-manned in midfield, but we still managed to create enough chances, so that if the opposition did score we always felt we would get enough chances to put things right. Plus obviously, this is the tradition of the club, started by the great Busby babes.
I can't pretend i look forward to them now, in fact i don't look forward to them at all. When the team is selected mainly with the intention of stopping the other team from playing when you are at home, i can't accept that being the Manchester United way. I mean we were playing Lyon not Barcelona, a decent side with a potentially great centre forward, but nothing special and definitely nothing to be scared of. I still don't think that we are very good at this style of play anyway. The team is full of attacking players and yet we are asking them to go out and play like Benitez's Liverpool or Mourinho's Chelsea. Which is basically how they play week in week out anyway. When they score a goal you know the opposition is going to have to play really well to get back into the game as they will just get everyone behind the ball and stifle the hell out of the opposition. Are we really any good at that and do we even want to be? Sure there are times when you will have to be, when you are down to ten men and you have got your backs to the wall, the Villa park replay in 99 springs to mind. But as a tactic for every game, it's not how i want a United side playing.
I also think there was too much made of the 50th Munich anniversary and how it would be fitting if this side went on to win the trophy. I don't think that's fair to the players, they should be going out to enjoy the game, not worrying if they make a mistake that could ruin the 50th anniversary. Whatever the reasons for the derby result, none of the players really looked like they were enjoying their football that day. Compare that to Everton game after Sir Matt Busby died, the players responded superbly, playing brilliant football with a smile on their faces. It helped it was a crap Everton side of course, but there wasn't as much pressure or maybe that was a just a more mature bunch of men. But the occasion didn't get to them, they went out and played their usual game and that day most of the things they tried came off, even if the 1-0 scoreline didn't reflect the nature of the game. Surely we have seen enough " it's our destiny" moments go horribly wrong in our history to not be doing it again.
As for the game, it won't live long in the memory. We started reasonably well without creating much, enjoying the vast majority of possession. As usual when we play 4-3-3, 4-5-1 we had the overwhelming majority of the ball but as they had everybody behind the ball, Rooney was up front on his own not getting much support. They seemed to grow in confidence about 20 minutes into the game as if they suddenly thought that this was a game they might be able to get a result from. And i have to admit i thought they might be right as Ronaldo seemed to be having one of those nights where he always seemed to be taking the wrong option. Rooney was getting no support at all from midfield, maybe he should remind the manager of what he said after the 4-0 demolition of Arsenal. When he said it's a big help to the lone striker when you have midfield players taking it in turns to get forward to support you. That wasn't happening last night, or wasn't happening enough anyway. I couldn't see why Scholes didn't play last night, i can understand him not being picked away from home. Even though i would still pick him, i can see some might see his lack of pace as a luxury too far. But not at home, you have got to pick your most creative player, and that is what he still is. And when you are playing three in midfield, so he has some protection, it was an even more baffling decision. I can only think that Fergie thought Lyon would be overcome a lot more easily than they were.
The goal came just before half time with Ronaldo latching on to the ball after Andersons shot had been blocked and keeping his composure to fire it home. I thought we were lucky to be up to be honest because we hadn't created much really. The second half saw Lyon get more adventurous as the half wore on as they searched for an equaliser. United were happy to see this and Tevez was brought on for Anderson with 20 minutes to go as United sought to catch them on the break. And United did have numerous chances to catch them in the last 10 minutes, but it really was one of those nights as neither Ronaldo, Rooney or Tevez could find a final pass when given the chance to put another forward clean through on goal. Lyon did try to get forward, but United's defence had a good night apart from one moment when Keita beat Van Der Sar but hit the wood work instead of the net. So quarter finals here we come.
The one positive i take from Arsenal's result is as i said after Saturday's game, the fact that they won't be able to pick their strongest side for every league match. And on the evidence of the last few weeks i am more confident of us retaining the title than i am of us getting to Moscow.

James Lawton in the Independent on last night
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/james-lawton-moment-of-virtuosity-rescues-unsatisfactory-effort-791417.html

The mirror applauds Fletchers display last night
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/2008/03/05/darren-fletcher-comes-of-age-for-man-utd-on-europe-s-elite-stage-89520-20340978/
Whilst agreeing that he had a good game i think that is a bit over the top.
Marin Samuel on Kia Joorabchian and his case against West Ham over the Tevez affair
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/columnists/martin_samuel/article3485413.ece

DIC up the pressure on Hicks and Gillet
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/dic-aims-to-force-liverpool-sale-with-final-offer-791198.html



The Post office, should it be treated as public necessity or let privatisation run it into the ground
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/mar/05/post.publicservices
The answer is obvious to anybody left of centre, but of course New Labour isn't so we know what is going to happen.

And they still think manufacturing is an out of date concept judged by this story
http://education.guardian.co.uk/higher/news/story/0,,2262167,00.html

The minimum wage is to go up to £5.73 in October,
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7279199.stm
good news

A good background guide to the war of words that threatens to turn into something worse between Columbia, Ecuador and Venezuela.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/the-big-question-why-has-colombia-invaded-ecuador-and-why-is-venezuela-joining-the-fight-791263.html

A interview with Moby
http://music.guardian.co.uk/electronic/story/0,,2260505,00.html