We Must BELIEVE And The Players Must BELIEVE!

Last month Sir Alex came out on several occessions and played down any talk of the quintuple saying it was a pipe dream. Many thought he was just playing it all down, trying to take the pressure off his players. At the time United were on a run of 26 games undefeated and another run of 15 games without conceding a goal, so I was a bit unhappy with his scepticism.

But watching United play over the last month, they look they have reached the 'wall' that marathon runners talk about. One minute they were running along at the the head of the field looking fine and then suddenly, WHAM, they hit the 'wall' and their legs have gone, their heads have dropped and they seem incapable of that explosive, quick fire football that enabled them to break records and go weeks without a hint of defeat.

Against Porto last night, they got caught out by the elctric start the Portugese made. Porto charged at them like men posessed and nicked an early goal. For 20 minutes I was praying for half time to come so Fergie could work his magic.

The game finished 2-2 and now United must break another record to advance further in the Champions League. No English team has beaten Porto away from home in 16 attempts but now that is the mission facing United.

It is not impossible, far from it, but it's going to be so very hard. For a start, we need our defence to be intact and we must field Rafael, Ferdinand, Vidic and Evra and maybe, just maybe the golas will stop leaking in.

In midfield we need Anderson back, he has boundless energy, there are no goals from him yet but he can bully players and lend his stregth to the cause. Paul Scholes is a living legend, some say he is too old but still I have 100% fath in him, he too must play. Alongside these two guys must be Ryan Giggs, there are no more experienced players in the world than Giggsy and for this game we need his steadying influence. Ronaldo is an automatic choice, but please God someone tell him not to be so lazy like he was against Villa, he never once tracked back to help Neville who was being killed by Carew and Agbonlahor. Up front we NEED Berbatov, desperately. You can call him lazy, uninterested or whatever else you like but that's simply not true. He is as cool as cucumber under pressure. He can hold the ball up, he can make great innovative passes and he is agreat playmaker and he scores for fun!! Alongside him is the lovable Wayne Loony. This guy is my hero. No matter how lost the cause may seem, no matter how low the players around him are, he will always give 100% and will run and run and run.

Having wrote this now, I actually feel better myself. These guys are our heroes and we love them all. They NEVER let us down and this team I have selected here CAN and WILL go to Portugal and do what no other English team has ever done before them.

The tiredness and body language of the guys last night makes it seem impossible. But we must have faith and BELIEVE.

At the end of this season, no matter what United win, someone somewhere MUST look at the fixtures situation for the Prem League. As can be sen by the sudden demise of 'invincible' United, this fixture pile up is just not good enough. United are currently beginning a run of 5 games in 14 days. No one else in the Champions League is having to face that!!!

Back To Home Page...

AIS Robert T Withers PhD Scholar Award for physiologists

Talented sports physiologists recognised for excellence@AISTalented sports physiologists Nicola Bullock and Eileen Robertson from the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) have been named joint winners of the inaugural AIS Robert T Withers PhD Scholar Award.‘Both of the PhD scholars are working at the forefront of sports science research and development and pushing the limits of scientific inquiry

Lazio Accuse Manchester United Over Macheda Deal

Federico made his Manchester United debut on Sunday and it turned out to be the thing dreams are made of for the youngster as he came off the bench and scored a stunning winner against Aston Villa. But now United have been accused by Lazio of snatching away their star youngster.

Lazio, who first groomed the young striker before he moved to Manchester, have been angered by the loss of Macheda.

"All these players are robbed as a matter of course by this club," Lotito told Tuesday's Daily Mail. "They are always outside what is normal in terms of etiquette. They go to the parents and give them money and important jobs. These are boys who come from poor families. The families base their choices on economic interests. It's not moral. It is like a cattle market. The young players are treated like cattle."

Macheda himself seems more than happy at Manchester United though as he described his debut as "the day of my dreams". Surely it is the welfare of the young players that counts most, and Macheda seems more than happy with his lot.....Back To Home Page...

Fergie Admits Team Selection Was Wrong

I'm a big fan of Gary Neville's but on Sunday against Aston Villa I watched on as he was run ragged by Aston Villa. John Carew gave him a torrid time of it and not surprising really. Gary Neville, at just 5'11" against the giant Carew standing 6'4" is a mis match made in hell.

Neville has been out with an injury since January and this was his first game back so it was expecting too much of him to mark Carew and with Agbonlahor running riot down the middle too Villa seemed to be able to do as they pleased every time they attacked.

I was thinking it is Fergie's fault for this, he has asked too much of Nev on this occasion and now Fergie himself has come out and said the very same thing.

While refusing to explain his thinking in opting to start Neville in the centre and John O'Shea at right-back, Ferguson conceded on Monday that the selection was a mistake.

"I picked the wrong team, I made the wrong decision on Gary Neville. It was asking far too much of him to play against Carew and it gave us a fragile look at the back," accepted Ferguson.

The Manchester United manager also confirmed that Neville would sit out the Champions League quarter-final against Porto.

"'Vida' will play alongside Jonny Evans at the back with John O'Shea moving to right-back," he told reporters.....Back To Home Page...

Just Who Is Federico Macheda?

Federico Macheda became an instant Old Trafford hero when he scored a stunning injury-time winner on his debut against Aston Villa in April 2009.

Aged just 17, the young Italian told MUTV it was "the best day of my life".

But while that goal heralded Macheda's arrival on the biggest stage, his prowess in front of goal has been apparent ever since he arrived at United in September 2007. Indeed, just six days before his Villa winner, the boy they call "Kiko" netted a hat-trick for the Reserves in a thrilling 3-3 draw at St James' Park.

Formerly a member of Lazio's youth system, Macheda signed professional forms on 22 August 2008. A powerful forward with a natural eye for goal, he was born in Rome and is regarded in Italy as one of the most promising prospects of his generation.

Having relocated to England to further his career, Macheda has quickly moved up the ranks at United. He started out in Paul McGuinness' Under-18s side, but has become a regular in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's Reserves.

He began the 2008/09 campaign with a fine goalscoring run in the youth team and quickly translated that to Reserve team football.

His strength on the ball, positional sense in the box and clinical finishing haven't gone unnoticed at the very top: Sir Alex Ferguson handed him a Champions League squad number midway through the 2008/09 campaign and then showed stunning judgement to introduce him against Aston Villa just when the Reds needed a goal most.....Back To Home Page...

Manchester United 3 - 2 Aston Villa Video Highlights

Would you believe it? I wouldn't have believed todays game if it was fiction, never mind happening right before my eyes. 80 minutes gone and playing without half of our defence in the shape of Vidic (suspended) and Rio (injured) and with Neville clearly not match fit. Add to this the absence of Rooney (suspended) and Berbatov (injured) also Paul Scholes (suspended) and 2-1 down to Aston Villa, all seemed lost. Fergie's only option was to bring on a 17 year old striker for his debut and the rest as they say is history.......watch the highlights below.



Back To Home Page...

Manchester United Line Up 'v' Villa

Talk about bad luck. Just after we lose Rooney,
Vidic and Scholes through suspension, things
have now got worse as Rio has picked up an
injury playing for bloody England in mid week.

So todays line up is probably:

Van Der Sar, Neville, O'Shea, Evans, Evra, Giggs,
Fletcher, Carrick, Nani, Ronaldo and Tevez.

Ronnie up front with Tevez is not ideal as we
rarely have to resort to a set up like this.

Evans, O'Shea and Fletcher have all been called
upon again and I'm sure they wont let us down.

Just when the going gets tough, United struggle
once again this season with players missing.

Back To Home Page...