King everything

I was saddened to see United suffer back to back defeats. Not only did Manc. Red lose points but also pride, which is what it was always about, at Anfield at least. Chelsea were outplayed for a large part of the game, but there wasn't much significance attached to the result as United looked to have got their moves right.

But at Anfield, it was a completely different story. It was like a Rapunzel without the hair or Korn playing pop music, whatever suits you fine. Five letters made the difference - Vidic. The defence was poor and I was surprised to see Scholes make more clearances in the box rather than Brown. I would've put Rio and Evans on wheelchair instead of Nani and Wayne(who), who seemed to make things worse. Another thing that completely blew me out was the mediocre performance of Vander Sar, who seemed determined to give Kuyt a well deserved hattrick. Liverpool's play reminded me of the 4-5-1 Manutd of last season.

Kenny Dalglish has more than inspired the Liverpool team. He seems to have out some spell on them and the way he's getting Suarez, Kuyt and Raul to linkup will sure give the neutrals and opponents some food for thought.

Clearly, United have lost that attacking flair and need someone through the centre to pump it up. Come to think of it, all the top teams in the world have got extremely good players and big names on the centre of the pitch, maybe that's not the United way, but losing isn't the United way either.

Arsenal once again proved that it doesn't matter if it's their home or anything to draw matches rather than go closer to the top. Chamakh and Nasri were unlucky, but Sunderland played their socks off, England have a nice future striker in Welbeck. Whatever happened at Arsenal, draw was the least expected result. Winning against Barca and then drawing Sunderland doesn't make logical sense at all. Van Persie perhaps?

Moving to Chelsea, they seem to be getting stronger by time and victories over United(not very emphatic) and Blackpool would sure do a hell lot to ease Abramovich's nerves. Chelsea were particularly good against Blackpool and with Lampard back in the thick of action, maybe they can just pull of the title(provided Vidic, Van Persie,  Fabregas etc. remain injured). I wonder though, how longer Chelsea can depend on their defence rather than forwards for goals!

Things are really getting out of proportion here with the title race being very much open again. If United and Arsenal slip up, of which I'm pretty sure, Chelsea and City could be back in the reckoning, It all depends on how well they manage to keep that balance and maintain the freshness of players.

So, that's what I make of it all right now. But yes, keep your eyes open as the CL fixtures are taking place this midweek.

Bye,

Post Mortem

I was actually going to make this post sunday night(Indian Time) but the cricket match between England and India kept me glued to my idiot box. Skipping - only way to describe the state of my heart yesterday. Picture this, a team posts 338 and the match gets to go as a draw, something like a 16-16 full time result(Ok, I'm exaggerating). Oh, how I would have welcomed that result if it were football. India drawing a football match against England!

Honestly, how many of you would have heard of Baichung Bhutia or Sunil Chhetri I'm not sure; not as many who've heard of Wayne Rooney for sure. There I go again...my girlfriend threatened she wouldn't see me for a week if I even use three letters of Rooney's name(I'm supposedly suffering from Rooneymania) consecutively, but hell...I'll take my chances.

If you're wondering how the picture is relevant to my blog, P.S : READ BELOW.

"Wayne Rooney" picked up his disastrous form from where he'd left against Marseille. Sure, he got a goal but Berbatov could have got more; the only reason why Roo is preferred to Berba is his acceleration and work rate, which were not even better than a 36-year old named Scholes(normal, forget phenomenal). Spain calling perhaps?

WHU beat the kop out of a "rejuvenated/refreshed/fired-up/suarezed/dalglished" Liverpool team. Sympathies to Meireles for picking a knock, Liverpool did try but their defense just wasn't upto the mark. Doesn't matter if they can keep up their position in the table though, maybe some glory next season.

Picking up the last four words of the last para and adding a few more "nexts" , Mancity can use that as a tagline. And incidentally, I'm surprised Tevez, Balotelli and Dzeko started the match given the high number of casualties on the flanks and centre of defence. Another Italian tactic maybe, ENCORE Mancini! If you can't pickup three points against Fulham at home, it doesn't matter even if you win against United or Arsenal.

Ah, now that I mention Arsenal, perhaps the bees have stung them too hard! Heartbreak, that's what I would call it, but Arsenal should've done better. With a team boasting of a midfield that can equal Barca's this was quite the anti-climax, Nasri and Wilshere did work hard but Koscielny took care of the result. Arsenal should have started with Chamakh or Bendtner instead of Rosicky. Second fiddle to the red devils and a CL quarterfinal berth(at most!) is where I can see them go.

The Chelsea v/s Manchester United fixture is (re)scheduled for tonight. Maybe Torres will get fired up when he comes against Vidic, Gawd knows Chelsea badly need a win, especially at home. I heard someone say United will use a Barcelona type formation with Roo and Chicharito supporting Berbatov from the flanks and Nani cutting in from the centre, interesting but not the United type. Curious to see if Rooney starts!

Till then, Ciao

Wide left and extreme right!

Sigh, the very word 'right' brings to me, the memories of one David Beckham, who on his day could well score a goal virtually any tattoo parlour in this galaxy, universe, whatever.I guess Rooney, after the success of hitting a goal(the one he slipped on the banana and got airborne) wanted to, let's say 'take it to another level' and tried to set new champions league standards by trying a goal from the halfway."Just buck up mate" that's what my friend said and I couldn't agree more.

                                     On different fronts : Rooney and Nasri

Anybody would be off their mind if they said Wayne Rooney was in, anyway(!) similar to Samir Nasri except for the fact that they are human(I'm not sure about Rooney being a footballer anymore!). Effortless, magnificent play by the Frenchman. Oh boy, he was tortured to the highest possible level, shifting from the left to the playmaker role and then eventually ending up on the right; but I'd bite my head if anybody said he looked out of position at any moment(so much for the left side Arshavin!).

Edin Dzeko's scoring boots seems to have arrived from Germany. Shame not to have got a hat-trick. Mancity doing good on the European front, but as usual will fade away in the premierleague. Liverpool scrape through thanks to Dirk Kuyt's goal, nothing more to say on that front.

What a shame for Spurs to lose so badly. Blackpool sure are making a statement of intent on the premierleague. Personally, I was hoping Spurs to pip Arsenal at the start of the season, looks like my dreams are never going to come true.
P.S: Fabregas and Van persie have outlasted their warranty, but are back to the hospital! I could hear the long term patients making plans for Fabregas' birthday(May 4th).

Did-err Drogba? Unnecessary tinkering of the

forward line and now people are expecting Anelka to partner Torres upfront as the first choice strike pair. Don't ask me for reasons, Malouda is going to be sold(some Hercules), Terry to be replaced(?)...forgive me but all I can give is a "lol."

More news on the weekend fixtures coming up, till then Bye!

Dreams, Rumours & Fantasies.

I heard imagining things is good for the creative part(no idea where) of the brain. Okay, so how about a Jack Wilshere in a Catalan jersey? Well yes, I did picture it too.

Not nice, that's how it turned out to be. Why Barcelona have taken a pledge to butt into Arsenal's perfect midfield, I shall never understand. This eventually turned out to be nothing more than a rumour, but they haven't given upon Fabregas yet. Heard Gunners are signing(read kidnapping) another Catalan youth, supposed wonderkid Jon Miquel Toral Harper, nice one Wenger!

In other news, Marseille coach Deschamps is set to receive the Nobel prize for seemingly finding a weakness in Manchester United's backline(are you listening Wenger and Mancini?). United travel without Giggs for their CL clash; Anderson is rumoured to have broken some part again and is going to samba dance for two months.


This one's a real shocker :

Yes, you got it right. Sergio Ramos is seemingly unhappy with Mourinho(damn them trophies!) and an agreement is supposed to take place where the brazilian would turn up on the Bernabeu bench once Higuain is back. Ramos in black and white...OMG!

Jack Rodwell(Everton) is getting a lot of attention from top people. Latest interest is from Real Madrid, who want to sign him for around 15 million who of course will immediately displace Gago,  Xabi, Khedira, Diarra, Canales and others from the eleven.

Harry Redknapp has, for the thousandth time(more than Giggs' appearances for MUTD), insisted that one Luka Modric is not joining a Manchester(the red one) club. Why United will want to sign him, having Anderson, Carrick, Fletcher, Gibson, Cleverly(on loan), Scholes, Hargreaves(injured!) remains a mystery to me.

Another player Matheiu Valbuena has been linked to United(another central midfielder). Read second sentence of the previous paragraph again.

It seems Inter Milan is going to buy Arshavin and Van Persie for a combined fee of 50 million. People sound too optimistic nowadays!

It actually surprises me that so many players are being linked after the January transfer window. I hope you get and idea of what's happening. Of course this isn't the real deal. But if you add Manchester City's interest to every player mentioned above(with a price tag not less than 25 million), there may be some value in it. I'll leave you to ponder this.


Hasta la Vista

"EL" impacto

I'm sorry to all the Daddy Yankee fans...this isn't a tribute to him or anything to do with him. This is about someone who's 19 days old!

Did someone say "El Nino?" BULL'S EYE!!! I'd give you a million bucks if I had, but Abramovich sure has excess so you'd be better off knocking on his door. I frankly fail to understand why someone who's loaded with money and can get better players went for the Spaniard. I use the word "better" not in terms of talent but in terms of contribution to the team. Of course, Torres is a great striker, he's got great finishing, he's got pace......................yes, no one doubts all that, but is he really worth all that last day drama is what's pestering me. No doubt he will eventually settle down at Stamford Bridge, but I don't think it was a  good decision to go for him, especially in January.


Torres is used to play completely by himself upfront, that's what he's been doing for consecutive seasons and asking him to share the space all of a sudden is pestering. At Liverpool Torres had to only take the ball and punch it in, courtesy Gerrard and Kuyt. Torres' outings have been disappointing so far, looking completely out of place, whatever Mr.Ancelloti says.

 The main theme that provoked me to write this piece is if there was a need for a striker at all at the Bridge. If so, I fail to understand why Sturridge, who was showing real maturity on the ball was loaned out in the first place. Chelsea could have gone for Carroll and bought a creative player like Arshavin, if they really had to spend so much. You can't expect to keep world class players on the bench just because you want to prove your decision right.

On the whole, I think this is another egoistic effort to show that money can buy trophies, I wonder why people fail to look at Arsenal or United. For me, El Nino is a no-go at Chelsea and would only cause havoc to the team philosophy.

More about this at the end of season, till then wait and watch!

So long then,
Vinay

VaN & VaN

Yes, what a movie Van Wilder was...starring Ryan Reynolds and the lovely Tara Reid. And gosh, that assistant guy was sure great; especially the scene in which he......

OK, that's enough I guess. As you intellects would have easily guessed, my title refers to Vander Vaart and Van Persie (not some party liasion), both of them having won the first leg of the Champions League(round of 16?). Rivals, they maybe but the quality of the two London sides was sure amazing(if there are any more teams from London I'd recommend renaming EPL to LPL!).

Anyway, let me start off with the Gunners, as it was more recent to me. Firstly, I wasn't sure what was happening at the Emirates. I could see Nasri on the pitch and Van Persie playing upfront with Fabregas in his usual role, frankly it sure was a bonus not to be injured. Things were going as predicted with Villa showing his class, Messi ballet-dancing and Xavi putting in some passing sessions. But things weren't supposed to go as planned(planned by someone called Pep Guard...ever heard of him?) and Arsenal duly changed things round. "Changed things round" would be an overstatement because Barca never really got on the backfoot but I'd have to applaud one Koscielny who decided to show that he really was a defender in younger days. And oh yeah, the little master did steal the show in the heart of midfield(no, not Messi!), Wilshere was sure phenomenal in whatever he did. Kudos to Wenger for sticking with him. All in all it was a game to have defined a 0-0 draw but fate blew it. Second leg should be interesting though. Nice boots Persie!

It looked like a fairytale when the draws were made and Spurs had to go to Sansiro again, but it wasn't to be as Spurs started without Modric and Bale, arguably two of their most influential players. But they weren't even missed as Crouchy made sure there were other things to talk about(like Gattuso). Spurs started out with Piennar on the left instead of Kranjkar but the real threat was Crouch who gave Nesta's partner(something with a Y) a nightmare. Abate had a good outing but I'd loved to match it against Bale. Of course, the fantasy forward pairing of Ibra and Robinho was supposed to deliver something(I heard Balotelli's signing for Milan) but Gallas and Dawson put everything away. Pato did then try to do something but Milan, not having anyone(like one Pirlo) to propel the midfield gave way to the Spurs. Incidentally, Seedorf was taken off and the remaining two center players (Flamini and Gennaro) did create wonders! Second leg is nothing to look forward to. With Bale back and Modric starting, Milan should be blown away.

Ok, that pretty much sums up the main stuff in Europe(nah, I don't cover Europa league, as Ancelotti says, I cover only the top four teams!). So, go say your prayers now and wait for next week fixtures.

Bye,
Vinay

A Month and a half...apologies and all that.

Technically, it's been more than a month and a half since my last post, a month and 9/14th if u ask me but February's got 28 days and January 31 so I'm not sure about it...I'll leave you to do the math here...

Let me in fact apologize to my regular readers. I could find a million excuses but all I can say is MY BAD!(man..I sure am sticky at making up!). Sorry once again(I can't guarantee this won't happen again though..)

Well people, I know it's been a lot of time around which nothing much has happened, of course; if you can count out the transfers of Torres, Suarez and Carroll which didn't even sum up to Ronaldo and another "Galactico" so that's not much to speak about and yes I'd love to speak about "You should have stayed at a big club" but I guess that's way too recent! United's loss to Wolves of course should be a talking point, but like 007 movies, Bond's always in danger but manages to find his way out eventually, well at least Rooney did! After cheeky headers from Chicharito and Park in the first half of the season Berba and Roo are upto something else- Pure Red MAGIC!

Looks like the latest kid from ARSE is getting a lot of playing time these days. Of course, following in the footsteps of Fabregas, Barca wasn't a big deal at all! Credit to Wenger though...the midfield is looking threatening these days.

I'll be coming up with other posts of recent events soon.

A lot of interesting fixtures on the cards, but I hope the cricket world cup doesn't mess with the EPL relay, and with my exams(the real thing!) coming up let's see what the future holds. And people, all the best and loads of good luck(show some courtesy, wish me back).

Bye,
Vinay