ABUism part 999

I couldn't quite believe my ears when i heard that Rooney had been given a two match ban and just a day to appeal. A two match ban for that, it would be comical if it weren't so serious. Some United fans are back in the worlds against us mode, but i usually steer away from that view. We are targeted, i wouldn't dispute that, but we do get the rub of the green from time to time as when Rooney escaped a ban for his elbow at Wigan. But that was because the rules are the rules and with the ref not reporting it, there wasn't much the FA could do about it.
But this is either a case of the suits revenge on Rooney and United or, and more likely for me, it's a case of a weak and inconsistent FA. Not that it will help our case but if they could trawl through the video vaults they would almost certainly find mountains of evidence of other players committing similar offences.
He surely has to appeal, he does not deserve to miss a semi final appearance at Wembley because of Saturday's outburst. I don't believe there is a serious chance of getting a three match ban, and if the did increase it, at least we would then know that they have got it in for us. So as the old song goes, you can stick your fucking England up your arse.

Just when did Harry Redknapp become the arbiter of sporting morality by the way, a man under investigation from her majesties police force. Of course Bobby Charlton didn't have a sky camera or microphone stuck in his face after scoring a vital goal.
Kevin McCarra gets to the crux of the matter, the influence of Sky's financial input into the sport, and the carte blanche given to them from our footballing authorities.

Ian Herbert seems to think Chelsea head into tomorrow's champions league quarter final as favourites. They may have beat us in the last three encounters down there, but we have had no luck in any of them and we always manage to score a goal. I would take a 2-1 defeat and an away goal on the night but i really fancy us to get a result. I suppose i should await team selection before getting too confident but i just really fancy us tomorrow.

Back to Saturday as David Pleat describes a victory that favoured the brave and was the performance of champions.

Steve Richards compares Lansley's NHS proposals to the poll tax legislation introduced under Thatcher and asks whether cameron forgotten that experience. Peter Oborne is impressed with Milliband's performance so far as the leader of the opposition as Milliband had a mixed week amonst the commentariat. In the Economist the blighty column asks whether the labour party know what it stands for when money is tight and do they think pre credit crunch public spending was sustainable.

AC Grayling on why you can't be a militant aetheist

Lynyrd Skynyrd