The Busby Babe: FanPosts

From the Back Pages: 9/5/2010

2010-09-05T05:01:17Z

WAYNE ROONEY'S ADMISSION
Come on Roo, pull your head out of your arse and be a real man to your family.

The Mirror: Wayne Rooney cheats on pregnant wife Coleen with £1k-a-night prostitute
The Daily Mail: Rooney stunner for England: Mystery of striker's dismal World Cup resolved as call girl tells of £1200-a-night hotel trysts
News of the World: Wayne Rooney told hooker: Let's score at home

Join the discussion thread for Busby Babe reaction. Don't have an account? Click here to create an account and join the discussion!

Javier Hernandez and Antonio Valencia traveled to Guadalajara and played, I couldn't find much about this game, but I think they played 90 minutes each.

Canadian Press: Ecuador defeats Mexico 2-1 in friendly for its first win over Mexico in 14 years
Soccerway.com: Mexico lose to Ecuador in friendly

More links after the jump!

SQUAD NEWS:

Manutd.com: Internationals: Evans ecstatic
The Republik of Mancuina: VIDEO: Corry Evans' winner for Northern Ireland
Manutd.com: U18s: Huddersfield Town 0, Manchester United 3
The BBC: Hargreaves fails to make Euro cut
The Guardian: Manchester United leave Bebe and Owen Hargreaves out of Champions League squad
Sky Sports: Giggs blasts 'overpaid' stars
The Republik of Mancuina: Latest installment of the This is how it feels to be City series.

JAMIE CARRAGHER'S TESTIMONIAL: Michael Owen played 45 minutes for Scouse scum in front of a really poor crowd, not only in numbers but in class. However, I don't imagine Carlos Tevez would get a good reception in a testimonial as a United player, either.

The Republik of Mancuina: Keano and Giggsy Emphasize Carragher's Testimonial Embarrassment Perhaps the most telling of all is the comparison of attendence numbers for Carragher vs. Keene and Giggs. They don't mention Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's testimonial numbers...no idea what those were, but I'd imagine OT was more than 78% full.

From the Back Pages: 9/4/2010

2010-09-04T06:40:45Z

Corry Evans becomes Northern Ireland hero via:(Reuters UK)

ENGLAND 4, BULGARIA 0
Rooney played all 90 minutes, and Carrick stayed on the bench. More on Rooney below:

The BBC: Fabio Capello hails England hat-trick man Jermain Defoe
The FA: Hat-trick hero lauds Rooney
The Telegraph: Jermain Defoe hails 'the sweetest hat-trick of my career'
Sky Sports: Fabio delighted by deadly Defoe
The Republik of Mancuina: VIDEO: Rooney behind all four of England's goals
Goal.com: England goalkeeper Joe Hart: I stole my technique from Kasper Schmeichel
The BBC: Tottenham's Michael Dawson waits on knee injury scan
UEFA: Defoe hat-trick helps England defeat Bulgaria

LITHUANIA 0, SCOTLAND 0: Darren Fletcher skippered Scotland in Craig Levein's first match in charge and played all 90 minutes.

The Guardian: Craig Levein presides over damaging draw for Scotland in Lithuania
Sky Sports: Levein's Scots settle for point
UEFA: Nothing to separate Lithuania and Scotland

ARMENIA 0, IRELAND 1: John O'Shea anchored the Irish defense for 90 minutes, but Darron Gibson went unused.

The BBC: Giovanni Trapattoni hails 'important win' over Armenia
Irish Times: Ugly at times but three points matter most
Belfast Telegraph: Cool Keith Fahey puts his name on the game for Republic (In Pictures)
UEFA: Fahey earns Ireland three points in Armenia

FAROE ISLANDS 0, SERBIA 3: Nemanja Vidic (#5) played all 90 minutes...Zoran Tosic was an unused sub.

ESPN: Zigic rounds off easy win
Yahoo!: Serbia captain scores in 3-0 win over Faroe Islands
SB Nation: Serbia Cruises to 3-0 Win at Faroe Islands
UEFA: Serbia ease to victory in the Faroes

Much more after the jump!

PORTUGAL 4, CYPRUS 4: Nani played for a very long 90 minutes

Yahoo!: Weak Portugal held to thrilling 4-4 draw by Cyprus
UEFA: Avraam earns Cyprus a point in Portugal

NORTHERN IRELAND 1, SLOVENIA 0: Corry Evans proved to be the hero, scoring in the 70th after coming on in the 67th. Craig Cathcart played all 90 minutes after Jonny Evans was ruled out with a groin injury.

Belfast Telegraph: Nigel Worthington's praise for Northern Ireland's young guns
Irish Times: Northern Ireland end winless streak as Evans secures the points
The Daily Mail: Corry the super sub proves Worthy winner
Sky Sports: Slovenia 0 N Ireland1
UEFA: Evans the hero as Northern Ireland stun Slovenia

U21: PORTUGAL 0, ENGLAND 1: Bebe played all 90 minutes for Portugal, wearing #16; Tom Cleverley and Chris Smalling played 90 minutes for England and Danny Welbeck was brought off in the 84th.

ESPN: Sturridge strikes as England beat Portugal
The Daily Mail: Sir Alex Ferguson must wait for Bebe to blossom after indifferent showing for Portugal Under-21s
The FA: Sturridge secures points in Portugal
The Republik of Mancuina: How did Bebe do for Portugal U-21? I watched a good portion of this game, and I think this would be a fair assessment of Bebe's play. He concludes his opinion with:

In conclusion, he is "far off full fitness yet and needs a lot of coaching. He must up his football-IQ to become a Premier League hit. If only he’d been 17 or 18…

UEFA: Sturridge sinks Portugal and keeps England alive

PAUL SCHOLES:

Sky Sports: Scholes surprised to play on
ESPN: Scholes: I thought last season would be the end
The Sun: I thought I'd be done by now
Sky Sports: Capello reveals Scholes U-turn Can we please drop it and move on?

SIR ALEX:

The Daily Mail: Sir Alex Ferguson didn't knock us off our perch...Graeme Souness did, says Liverpool's Jamie Carragher
The Guardian: Jamie Carragher: 'Souness not Ferguson knocked Liverpool off the top'

OTHER SQUAD NEWS:

The FA: I'll give it my all Danny Welbeck talks with thefa.com
Manutd.com (requires registration): VIDEO: Berba impresses Irwin
Manutd.com: Park: There's more to come
Manchester Evening News: Giggs on the secret to his United success
Press Association: Park: Best is yet to come
Sky Sports: Park not worried about Blues
The Sun: We can't afford a stroll in the Park
Sky Sports: Fletcher ready to shine
The Telegraph: Jamie Carragher asks Liverpool fans not to abuse Michael Owen in charity testimonial Thanks, we'd appreciate it if you'd return him in one piece.
ESPN: Carragher urges Liverpool fans to lay off Owen
The Daily Mail: Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher insists Michael Owen deserves respect at Anfield - despite joining bitter rivals Manchester United
The Telegraph: Manchester United fans prepare 'old shirt' protest against Glazer family Oh boy, now we get to see everyone wear their 'retro' ugly shirts from the 90's that Um,bro and Adidas made:

From the Back Pages: 9/2/2010

2010-09-03T06:00:21Z

I'm gonna be right here on The Busby Babe during this match...who's with me?

TEAM ENGLAND/WAYNE ROONEY NEWS:

The Daily Mail: Manchester United's Wayne Rooney is back, insists England boss Fabio Capello
The Telegraph: Fabio Capello happy with Wayne Rooney's form
The Telegraph: Stanimir Stoilov warns referee over Wayne Rooney temperament
The Daily Mail: FIFA farce as World Cup flop Wayne Rooney is described as 'outstanding'
The Guardian: Premier League managers offer to help Fabio Capello revitalize England

SQUAD NEWS:

Manutd.com: Giggs: We're getting stronger
Sky Sports: Giggs happy with squad
ESPN: Giggs happy with United prospects as players return
football.co.uk: Giggs: Squad is looking strong
Manchester Evening News: Berbatov ready to rock
Manutd.com: Gimme 5: Nani's favorite 5 goals
Givemefootball.com: United to make January move for midfield ace Never too early to start the January transfer window rumors.
Manchester Evening News: Van der Vaart: United on another level

CAPTAIN NEMANJA VIDIC: Look, I respect the hell out of Giggs, Scholes and Neville. They are the reason the club is in the position it is in today. But Vidic is an everyday player and the Captain needs to be that. In truth, at United, the captains are Giggs, Scholes, Neville and Ferdinand...maybe Rooney...but to give Vidic the armband shows how truly special he is. So, congrats to Nemanja and thanks for picking up Jonny Evans' slack the last couple of games.

Sky Sports: Vidic relishing skipper role
The Sun: Vidic relishing captain's role
Manchester Evening News: Vidic proud to take United armband

BEBE NEWS: I'll be glad when this stuff about his transfer is over with. For being a relatively young unknown player, alot of undue pressure is being applied to himself and Sir Alex to get him into the lineup. Let this kid run out with the Reserves a few games and see what he has before pushing him out in front of 75,000+ at Old Trafford and millions more at home.

Sky Sports: United lose out over Bebe
The BBC: PSV turned down Bebe 'for free'
ESPN: Manchester United missed out on cut-price Bebe
The Daily Mail: Bebe blunder! Manchester United could have had £7.4m signing for £125k
The Daily Mail: Revealed: The incredible rise of a lost street kid who is now.. Manchester United's new Bebe If you only read one article out of this whole post, this is the one to read:

Manchester United’s new £7.5million forward Bebe flew from England to Lisbon with his Old Trafford team-mate Nani on Sunday morning, following his first call-up to the Portugal Under 21 squad.

Nani continued his journey north to meet up with his country’s full squad near Porto.

Bebe, however, took a taxi to the remote southern village of Santo Antao do Tojal and spent the night at the homeless shelter that was his home until just two months ago. Bebe, a man of 20, wanted to sleep among his friends at the Casa do Gaiato for one last time before his life changed forever.

He came and had lunch here with me and my wife and children,’ the shelter’s director, Jose Joao, told Sportsmail this week. ‘He shook hands with every single person here. He thanked them.

He spent the night here and the next morning someone from the Football Federation picked him up. I think he wanted to say goodbye properly. He lived here with us for eight years. He knows that without this place he would have been just another lost kid.

RESERVES: UNITED 2, OLDHAM 1 In case anyone missed it, Ferdinand played 45 minutes, but don't read into that. He'd played 2 simulated games the last 2 days in training, so he was due for a rest anyway. Also, Anderson played the full 90 minutes.

Manutd.com: Reserves: Oldham 1 United 2
Manutd.com: Rio makes Reserves return
Sky Sports: Rio poised for return
ESPN: Ferdinand and Anderson back for United
The Telegraph: Rio Ferdinand eyes Manchester United comeback after reserve outing

25 MAN RULE NEWS:

The Sun: Gordon Taylor blasts new Premier League rule
The Daily Mail: After Premier League 25-man squads announced, we introduce the top-flight kids from ... Fame!

Manchester United

Corry Evans, 20, defender/ midfield, Northern Ireland

Can play in the centre of midfield or in central defence, like his older brother Jonny, and is a regular in United's reserves. He also has a handful of senior international caps for Northern Ireland.

The Daily Mail: Manchester United squad for 2010-2011 Includes all registered players

GOAL LINE TECHNOLOGY: Sir Alex prefers giving 2 extra refs a try as opposed to bringing technology into the game.

The Sun: FIFA set to kick tech into touch

POOR SEASON TICKET SALES:

The Sun: Fans turn backs on Manchester United as season ticket sales slump
The BBC: Manchester United defend season ticket sales

JOSE MOURINHO/CRISTIANO RONALDO:

The Daily Mail: Jose Mourinho insists his Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo is an honest player

OTHER BLOGS:

We Aint Got No History (Chelsea): Packing the Midfield - Why the Blues Don't Use 4-4-2
The Republik of Mancuina: The latest installment of 'This Is How It Feels To Be City'

From the Back Pages: 9/1/2010

2010-09-01T14:11:59Z

via soccernet-assets.espn.go.com

TRANSFER DEADLINE ROUNDUP: As Section312 said, Tom Cleverley is headed to ~~the JJB~~ DW Stadium for the year, which will give him some very valuable time in the Premier League, even if it's not with United. Can't wait to see what he can do for the Latics as they try and stave off relegation.

Manutd.com: Cleverley agrees Latics loan
Sky Sports: Latics land Cleverley
Sky Sports: Martinez lauds Cleverley loan
Sky Sports: Cleverley - Loan move best
The Sun: Latics strike Cleverley deal
ESPN: United youngster Cleverley makes Wigan loan move
The Daily Mail: Clever move from Wigan as they pip Bolton to Manchester United youngster Tom Cleverley
The United Religion: Cleverley Done
The United Religion: Month in Review: August 2010

DIOUF STRIKES AGAIN:

Manutd.com: Loans: Diouf strikes

GENERAL TEAM NEWS:

The Guardian: Manchester United fail to hit season ticket sales target
The Daily Mail: Manchester United fail to hit season ticket target as vendetta against Glazers takes its toll
Manutd.com: Evans eyes goal rush
Manutd.com: Smalling needs a little time
Manutd.com: Ministry of defence
Sky Sports: Edwin happy to keep going
ESPN: Edwin van der Sar not thinking about retirement
The Telegraph: Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar still has no plans to retire
Sky Sports: Bebe realises Portuguese dream
The Guardian: Ryan Giggs lavishes praise on Manchester United team-mate Nani
The Guardian: Tony Blair asked Alex Ferguson's advise on Gordon Brown
Sky Sports: Rio to return in reserves...Ferdinand to take the pitch tonight for the reserves squad tonight vs. Oldham.
The BBC: Rio Ferdinand to make comeback in Man Utd reserves
The Sun: Ferdinand set for United return
The Daily Mail: Crocked Rio Ferdinand set for Manchester United return...but Bebe still out in the cold.

QUEIROZ GETS 6 MONTH BAN:

The Sun: Queiroz gets 'new ban'

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE NEWS:

The Daily Mail: UEFA ban vuvuzelas at Champions League games and Euro 2012 internationals...Hey, they finally got one right! I swear to God, I thought my head was in a beehive during the World Cup.
The Telegraph: Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson gives gloves to Chelsea's Petr Cech
The Guardian: Manchester United and Rangers step up security for Old Trafford match
The Guardian: Giant screens at Wigan could keep Rangers fans out of trouble
The Daily Mail: Manchester United and Rangers prepare major security plans for Champions League clash
The Telegraph: Rangers fans face stringent security measure for Manchester United Champions League trip

United and the 25 man roster limit

2010-08-30T17:02:29Z

In a couple of days, United are going to have to turn in to the Premier League a 25 man roster that they must use until January. This is a small problem, since United lists 37 players on the "First Team."

This is all for the purpose of installing the so-called Home Grown Rule, where teams need to have 8 players on their roster that are "home grown."

A home grown player is defined as one who, irrespective of his nationality or age, has been registered with any club affiliated to the Football Association or the Welsh Football Association for a period, continuous or not, of three entire seasons or 36 months prior to his 21st birthday (or the end of the season during which he turns 21).

Here's who I think we'll most likely see on the roster when it's released:

KEEPERS:
1. Van der Sar
29. Kuszczak
???????

DEFENDERS:
2. Neville
3. Evra
5. Ferdinand
6. Brown
15. Vidic
22. O'Shea
23. J. Evans
???????

MIDFIELDERS:
8. Anderson
11. Giggs
13. Park
16. Carrick
17. Nani
18. Scholes
24. Fletcher
25. Valencia

FORWARDS:
7. Owen
9. Berbatov
10. Rooney
14. Hernandez
???????
???????

4. Hargreaves
12. Smalling*
20. Fabio*
21. Rafael*
26. Obertan*
28. Gibson*
30. De Laet
31. C. Evans*
33. Bebe*
35. Cleverley*
42. Eikrem*
44. Dudgeon*
45. Gill*

* - U21. Players born after 1 January 1989 do not count against 25 man roster and may be used at any time

So, who are our home grown players? Simple answer: I don't know. I read somewhere that John O'Shea isn't a home grown player because he wasn't a part of the English or Welsh FA for 3 years prior to his turning 21 (he's Irish). I think Neville, Ferdinand, Brown, Giggs, Scholes and Rooney are all HGP, not sure about J. Evans, Carrick and Owen.

Note: After writing and posting this, I came across this article (that somehow slipped through my Reader) where SAF addresses this exact topic. From his article:

For Manchester United it’s not a problem, at least for this season, because we have the likes of Gary Neville, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, Darren Fletcher, Wes Brown, Michael Owen, Rio Ferdinand, John O’Shea, Michael Carrick and Wayne Rooney.

Who do you think is in or out? Will Hargreaves make the squad? Am I completely wrong in how I'm interpreting the rules? Let me know in the comments below. Don't have an account? Click here to create an account and join the discussion!

From the Back Pages: 8/30/2010

2010-08-30T06:02:54Z

YESTERDAYS GAMES:

BOLTON 2, BIRMINGHAM 2

The BBC: Bolton 2 - 2 Birmingham
Sky Sports: Match Report

LIVERPOOL 1, WEST BROM 0

The BBC: Liverpool 1 - 0 West Brom
Sky Sports: Match Report

SUNDERLAND 1, MANCHESTER CITY 0

The BBC: Sunderland 1 - 0 Man City
Sky Sports: Match Report

ASTON VILLA 1, EVERTON 0

The BBC: Aston Villa 1 - 0 Everton
Sky Sports: Match Report

SB NATION REACTION:

7500 to Holte (Aston Villa): Aston Villa v Everton: Match Recap
Bitter & Blue (Manchester City): Sunderland 1 - 0 City
Royal Blue Mersey (Everton): Aston Villa v Everton: Live GameThread

Before I get into the links, was just wondering if anyone had any preferences on the links...I try and find as much as I can, but sometimes I miss stuff. Please let me know.

MORE POSTGAME FROM UNITED 3-0 WIN OVER WEST HAM:

The BBC: Man Utd boss Sir Alex Ferguson praises Wayne Rooney
ESPN: Phelan: United inherited ''dishevelled'' Rooney
The Telegraph: Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney 'dishevelled' from England's World Cup flop

ENGLAND SQUAD ANNOUNCED:

The Daily Mail: Scott Carson and Matthew Upson back for England as Fabio Capello's defensive crisis bites

WESLEY SNEIJDER SAYS MOURINHO TO MANAGE UNITED:

ESPN: Sneijder: Mourinho wants to take over from Fergie
Sky Sports: Wes backs Jose for United post

UNITED STILL EYEING EVERTON TEEN JACK RODWELL:

The Sun: United target £10m Rodwell

Boss Alex Ferguson is set to offer £10million plus out-of-favour Michael Carrick before the window closes tomorrow.

From the Back Pages: 8/29/2010

2010-08-29T05:00:59Z

UNITED HANDLE WEST HAM:

Manutd.com: United 3 West Ham 0
Sky Sports: United pile on Hammers woe
The Daily Mail: Manchester United 3 West Ham 0: Wayne Rooney hits the spot to delight Sir Alex Ferguson as Reds cruise to win
The Sun: Man United 3 West Ham 0
The United Religion: United 3 West Ham 0: A Disciplined Win
The Guardian: Manchester United's Wayne Rooney breaks drought in defeat of West Ham
ESPN: Report: Manchester United v West Ham United; Rooney on the mark

POSTGAME REACTION:

Manutd.com: Boss delight at team play
Sky Sports: Fergie - Win was well-earned
ESPN: Fergie hails team effort as Rooney grabs goal

CARLING CUP:

Manutd.com: Reds draw Scunthorpe
Sky Sports: Carling Cup third round draw
The Sun: Carling Cup 3rd round draw
The Telegraph: Tottenham drawn against Arsenal in Carling Cup third round

NANI:

Manutd.com: Nani's perfect riposte
The Republik of Mancunia: Nani: I'm Working Hard Every Day

WAYNE ROONEY:

Manutd.com: Now watch Wayne go

OWEN HARGREAVES:

Sky Sports: Fergie torn over Hargreaves
The Sun: Owen-ly the lonely for Fergie

TRANSFER NEWS/RUMORS:

The Daily Mail: Watford tracking United defender Ritchie De Laet

PREMIER LEAGUE ROUND UP:

ManUtd.com: Blues maintain perfect start
Sky Sports: Premier League round-up
The Telegraph: Manchester United 3 West Ham United 0: match report

From the Back Pages: 8/28/2010

2010-08-28T07:00:24Z

Will you just score so they'll shut up? via www.mirrorfootball.co.uk

First things first, sorry about not getting up FTBP this morning. It works out well, since I was thinking of doing the work before I go to bed, instead of trying to do it first thing in the morning...we'll see how it really works out.

First things first:

SCHEDULE CHANGES:

Manutd.com: Everton trip switched

MANCHESTER UNITED VS. WEST HAM UNITED:

The Daily Mail: Andy Townsend's boot room: Clash of the day - Man United v West Ham
The Daily Mail:Man Utd v WEST HAM: Victor Obinna could feature while Matthew Upson set for return
The Guardian: Squad sheets: Manchester United v West Ham United
Daily Express: Manchester United v West Ham United preview
The BBC: Man Utd v West Ham
Sky Sports: Man Utd v West Ham preview
Manutd.com: Match Pack: West Ham
The Telegraph: Alan Smith: nullifying elusive Paul Scholes is West Ham's first priority
The United Religion: Iron Out The Hammers

WAYNE ROONEY READY FOR WEST HAM....

The Mirror: Fergie backs Rooney to end goal drought
The Daily Mail: Wayne Rooney looks to end goal hoodoo with return to starting XI

...BUT IS HE READY FOR ENGLAND?

The Sun: Capello ready to axe Roo
Seriously, they're going way overboard with this scoring drought thing. Yes, it's been since March since his last goal in United red. Yes, he failed to score at the World Cup. But he also came (quickly) back from injury to play for United against City 10 days later then Sunderland and Stoke to help us get past Chelsea. He was stuck in front of a sorry midfield at the World Cup...he's played in 2 competitive matches since returning to the team following his World Cup rest period. Cut him a little slack...football isn't as simple as putting players together and expecting it to work. They need to gel...West Ham will be a great opportunity to gain confidence going forward. Let's see if they learned anything last week at Craven Cottage.

INJURY UPDATES: Getting Ferdinand back before Rangers come to town is awesome news considering only last week they had him ruled out until the end of September.

The Telegraph: Manchester United's Rio Ferdinand could return to action within two weeks
Manutd.com: Rio back in training
Sky Sports: Ferdinand closing on return
The Daily Mail: Rio Ferdinand set to make rapid return for Manchester United in two weeks' time
The Sun: Fergie: Rio has been fantastic

SIR ALEX DEFENDS BEBE:

Manutd.com: Boss springs to Bebe's defence
The Guardian: Sir Alex Ferguson defends Bebé after 'vicious' media attacks
The Daily Mail: Bebe IS good enough for us! Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson insists new signing only needs to improve fitness
The Independent: Bebe left out due to fitness not ability, says angry Ferguson

PAUL SCHOLES VS. ARSENE WENGER VS. SIR ALEX VS. ???

The Sun: Forget Scholes, look at your lot?
The Sun: Paul so 'selfish,' raps Grant
The Guardian: Sir Alex Ferguson angered by Arsenal manager's remarks about Paul Scholes
Daily Express: Alex Ferguson and Sam Allardyce slam Arsene Wenger
The Republik of Mancuina: England Disrespect Scholes and Pay The Price

I think this topic has been beaten up enough ~~for today~~...time to move on...

MANCINI TALKS ABOUT SIR ALEX:

The Daily Mail: Roberto Mancini: Tough? Me? At least I don't put the boot into players!

TRANSFER RUMORS/NEWS:

The Telegraph: No new signings for Manchester United in transfer window, says David Gill
Sky Sports: Gill - No more summer deals
The Daily Mail: The Insider Basically, this is all they had to say that involved United:

Steven Defour

Standard Liege to Manchester United - The Insider says: 2/5

United are firm admirers of Defour and have pondered making a move over the summer but look increasingly like leaving it another 12 months to see how well Defour picks up after a rusty return from injury.

A talented player, he will attract interest from around Europe but United are willing to take that chance.

They are also throwing the gauntlet down to their own underperforming midfielders Michael Carrick and Anderson to battle back to full fitness and form while they are still hoping Owen Hargreaves can come back from America with a chance of resurrecting his career.

CHAMPION'S LEAGUE:

Manutd.com: Boss relishes Rangers ties
The Telegraph: Sir Alex Ferguson does not fear violence at Manchester United's Champions League clash with Rangers
The Guardian: Spectre of Manchester madness hangs over Rangers' visit to United
The Guardian: Police on alert for Rangers trip to Manchester United
Evening Times (Glasgow): Lee McCulloch pleased it’s Walter Smith v Alex Ferguson
The Republik of Mancuina: All You Need To Know About United's CL Group
The BBC: Rangers & Manchester United play down security fears

OFF TOPIC, BUT STILL RELEVANT:

ESPN: U.S. Soccer, Juergen Klinsmann talking
I'm not really big into US Soccer, other than I'll watch it and cheer for the US when they're on TV. I'm a fan of Scotland and England. But if the USSF is meeting with Klinsmann, that means the talk about Bob Bradley going to Aston Villa might be true. They just got knocked out of Europe and just surviving the Premier League might be an accomplishment for them this year. If he can manage that, he might have a future in English football.

An impromptu conversation

2010-08-26T21:21:33Z

Sepp Blatter, misses the mark...again.

Recently, I traded emails with another blogger, David Hammons of The United Religion blog. The emails started off innocently enough, but it turned into a really good discussion about goal line video technology and some of the ways it could be implemented. I thought The Busby Babe would enjoy reading it, so here it is, after the jump:

I mentioned that I'd come across his site in my Google Reader and pointed him over here. I also told him I really like the SBNation platform and that I was over at Rock M Nation, Mizzou's blog alot.

David:

With that said, did you go to the Manchester United / KC Wizards match on Tour 2010? .... Awful to say the least. Sat behind the goal where the controversial goal was scored, and it was never a goal, but until video technology is introduced where will continue to have calls such as that.

Leghumpingjihadkiller:

The video technology is there...Sepp Blatter doesn't want it and I think FIFA is afraid that if they institute it, the costs burden on some lower division teams may be too much. I'm not sure why the individual leagues don't institute it on their own though...the Premier League could easily mandate and subsidize the teams to install the cameras and put a TV on the sideline, near the benches and the 4th official can review the goal.

David:

Of course the technology is there, and the implementation would go against everything that FIFA has stood for throughout this debate, so I cannot see it happening anytime soon. I mean, look how many teams were screwed in the WC this summer!? Countless.
FIFA needs to take COMPLETE ownership of this, because they are the governing body and can "enforce" this on all of the "top" leagues and Champions League matches.
I do agree that the initial cost would be substantial, and most leagues / teams could not afford it, but if you think of the amount of money that is being lost by them not having it - it will more than likely equal itself out.
Say if a controversial decision went the wrong in the Championship play-off final between Blackpool and Cardiff when the pot for the winner of this third place match was a mere 90m .

Leghumpingjihadkiller:

FIFA will soon grow tired of having the stigma of the worst officiating. It may take waiting on Sepp Blatter to leave, but it will happen. I totally agree that this is FIFA's mess, but I think the FA and the Premier League could use this as an opportunity to be an example to the rest of the world and require the broadcasters (ESPN and Sky) to install 2 cameras at an appropriate height squarely on the goal lines at both ends of the pitch and a feed controlled by the producer, who is in communication with an official from the Premier League. They could make it like the NHL, where an official in Toronto reviews all the plays. The official could be at Premier League HQ watching all the matches live (with help, of course) and direct Sky on what to show the 4th official. Sky and ESPN already mount cameras there anyhow for the big matches. I think if the EPL took that step, other leagues would take notice and force FIFA's hand.

David:

I associate FIFA with Major League Baseball and the whole "Technology Debate" to Pete Rose. Rose won't get into the Hall of Fame until Selig is out, and technology won't get in until Blatter is out. II made the point of what hockey does in one of my blogposts, but I have been saying it all along as well. Have ONE person sit behind or on the side of the goal and if the ball has / could have crossed the line then he buzzes a bell into the referee's ear piece - which signifies that technology is already in the game and being used by the officials! Simple Solution! Cost is having two extra officials, so instead of four you have six for each sanctioned match .

Leghumpingjihadkiller:

We agree the video technology is forthcoming, we just disagree about the details. That's good debatin' there. It's all the better since we're on the same side (in terms of soccer, anyhow).

What do you guys think? I'm sure it's been discussed before and I'm sure it will continue to be discussed. Don't have an account? Click here to create an account and join the discussion!

Also, sure to check out David's blog, The United Religion, which by the way, had United's European schedule up before UEFA did.

From the Back Pages: 8/26/2010

2010-08-26T14:30:33Z

Reach down and grab a ball!

CHAMPION'S LEAGUE DRAW:

Manutd.com: Sir Alex awaits Euro draw
The Daily Mail: CHAMPIONS LEAGUE LOWDOWN: The teams to avoid, plum picks and all you need to know about the group stage draw
The Sun: Jose braced for Wenger battle
Goal.com: Champions League Draw: Who can your team get in their group?
Goal.com: Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson eagerly awaiting Champions League draw
The Mirror: The Champions League draw: the best and worst teams your side could pull out of the hat

SQUAD NEWS:

The Daily Mail: Carrick vows to fight for his place after growing frustrated by lack of games at Man United
Sky Sports: Carrick admits frustration
The Mirror: Michael Owen set to play for Liverpool again
TribalFootball.com: Man Utd boss Ferguson wants Owen to find form in Liverpool shirt
football.co.uk: Evra To Appeal (ed. note: He's appealing his 5 match ban from the French National Team)
Daily News (India): Rooney needs goals, Anderson needs to grow up: Alex Ferguson

TRANSFER/LOAN NEWS:

TribalFootball.com: Porto freeze out Meireles waiting for Man Utd offer
TribalFootball.com: Man Utd discussed Ganso with Santos during Possebon sale
The Daily Mail: Sir Alex Ferguson considering late bid for Steven Defour as Manchester United boss worries about Owen Hargreaves
The Daily Mail: Bolton line up a Clever move as Owen Coyle renews interest in Manchester United youngster

TEAM ENGLAND/WORLD CUP 2018:

Daily Express: I got it wrong with Nigel De Jong says Howard Webb

"My decision to show the yellow card was not based on a desire not to show a red card in the World Cup final, although of course I was aware it was a big game and there was a need for a sensible approach. I knew it was a high foot but I didn’t realise how bad it was until later.

The BBC: Fabio Capello media criticism unfair says Rio Ferdinand (video)
The Mirror: Rooney joins call for Scholes to get England recall
Sky Sports: Milner eyes Scholes call-up
The BBC: Man United stars back England's 2018 World Cup bid
Daily Express: FIFA issue glowing praise for bid

2010 Champion's League group stage draw

2010-08-25T21:08:03Z

It's that time of year again...time to make your travel arrangements for a holiday to see United in Europe. With the group stage draw, we can begin to put together a path for United to reach European glory once again. Monaco was rough on United last year, putting them in a group that meant midweek flights to Russia and Turkey...perhaps it will be a bit kinder this year.

Who would you like to see in the Group Stage? Feel free to discuss...don't have an account yet? Click here to create an account and join the discussion!

WHAT: UEFA Champion's League Group Stage Draw

WHERE: Grimaldi Forum, Monaco

WHEN: 12:00pm ET

TV: Fox Soccer Channel

Mourinho shows Wenger how to be classy.....

2010-08-25T19:42:27Z

The Special one shows the Voyeur how to show the proper respect for a true footballing great.

Mourinho told the Telegraph: "Scholes? Fantastic. For me, why isn't he playing for England. It is crazy. Only in England. Scholes is a great, great player So experienced and still, for me, one of the best in the world in midfield. Manchester United are lucky to have him."

Also on United and Liverpool Mourinho had interesting comments.

"Manchester United would be a great challenge for me. But Liverpool is not the club for me. I know why, but I cannot tell you."

Here is a link to the full article.

From the Back Pages: 8/25/2010

2010-08-25T15:59:47Z

Joey Barton lurks behind his new mustache via Sky Sports

Squad News:

Manutd.com: Cleverley aims to shine
Goal.com: Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs praises Javier Hernandez's impact at Old Trafford
TribalFootball.com: Man Utd boss Ferguson: Players must make more of Hernandez pace
TribalFootball.com: Man Utd striker King unsure of extending Preston stay
football.co.uk: Diouf a hat-trick hero for Rovers. If you didn't see the video from yesterday,here is the video and thread.
Sky Sports: United remain keen on Defour
TribalFootball.com: Agent challenges Man Utd to make concrete bid for Real Madrid ace Van der Vaart
The United Religion: Simply Scholes, Simply Splendid I've been trading e-mails with the author of this site and I hope to put some of it out in a post later today.
The Daily Mail: Manchester City star James Milner dreams of partnering United's Paul Scholes in England midfield. Don't get me wrong, I love Scholes, but wouldn't picking him defeat the idea that England need to look to their youth for the future? Capello doesn't want Beckham on the team any more, why would he want an even older midfielder?
TribalFootball.com: Wenger highest paid at Arsenal on £115,000-a-week

Bebe fails to impress:

The Daily Mail: Manchester United's £7m man Bebe fails to make reserve squad for mini-derby
Irish Times: United's Bebe may not be all he is cracked up to be
Yahoo!: Premier League - Bebe can't make reserve team

Sir Alex to help England land 2018 World Cup:

The Daily Mail: Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson to is backing England's World Cup 2018 bid
Sky Sports: Fergie - 2018 would inspire
The BBC: Sir Alex Ferguson primed to join 2018 World Cup bid
The Guardian: Sir Alex Ferguson lends support to England's 2018 World Cup bid
The Republik of Mancuina: Fergie Really Has Gone Soft If Supporting ANOTHER World Cup Bid

Sir Alex vs. the BBC (continued):

The Sun: United to pay £60k of Fergies fines

The first fine is £1,000 but this rises each time with the cost hitting around £60,000 for the full season.

Huddersfield Daily Examiner: Manchester United's Sir Alex Ferguson is right not to speak to the BBC

Reserves: City 1, United 3

Youth Squad: Chelsea 2, United 3

The Republik of Mancuina: VIDEO: U-18 Beat Chelsea, Reserves Beat City "Elite"
Manutd.com: Youth over experience

As a regular watching United’s Reserves, last night was a strange experience. The team that appeared through the tunnel at Ewen Fields didn’t feature the usual crop of Joe Dudgeon, Corry Evans and Oliver Norwood. Emerging instead were Gary Neville, Wes Brown, Michael Carrick, Chris Smalling, Anderson, Darron Gibson and Rafael.

Not a bad deal, going and seeing most of the first team run out and only have to pay a few quid at Ewen Fields instead of Old Trafford prices.

Manutd.com: Reserves: City 1 United 3
The Telegraph: Manchester United midfielder Anderson returns to action for first time since cruciate injury

Mourinho still getting digs in at Wenger and Benitez:

The Australian: Jose Mourinho fires new broadside at Arsene Wenger and Rafael Benitez
The Telegraph: Liverpool were in terminal decline under Rafael Benítez, says Jose Mourinho
Sky Sports: Jose makes PL prediction
Daily Star: Jose Mourinho backs Sir Alex Ferguson's attack on Manchester City

Glazer money problems?

The Telegraph: Manchester United owners fail to repay mortgage on four malls
The Guardian: Glazers fail to pay mortgage on four shopping malls

The four malls are in Houston, Texas; Denver, Colorado and two in Ohio. That means nine, or 13%, of the Glazers' malls are now "delinquent" or insolvent, and a further 29 centres, 43%, have so many units empty the rental income does not cover the mortgage payments. First Allied is the only significant business the Florida-based family runs besides Manchester United and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers NFL franchise, and the bank disclosures show it making income above the malls' running costs of only US$9m a year.

Remembering Munich:

I've been reading through a lot of United blogs, and I came across this series:

Worriedturkey is a member of the Stretford End Arising forum, he has been a United fan for over fifty years so is fortunate to have witnessed large chunks of our history. If you love reading about the history of Manchester United then these are the articles for you. In part one of this contribution, worriedturkey discusses his memories of the Munich air disaster.

Here is Part 1 and Part 2 of how he remembers the Munich air disaster.

From the Back Pages: 8/24/2010

2010-08-24T14:13:04Z

Courtesy: Manchester United

Team News:

Manutd.com: Owen primed for action
The Daily Mail:Blackburn aiming to steal Real Madrid midfielder Mahamadou Diarra from under Manchester United's nose
The Daily Mail: Quids in! Premier League big-guns still the kings of cash despite Champions League flop
The Daily Mail: After 6-0, 6-0, 6-0 in the Premier League... here's why there's no case for the defence!
The Telegraph: Nemanja Vidic denies Manchester United have lost title initiative to Chelsea
The Daily Mail: Jose Mourinho insists Liverpool and Arsenal are not good enough - Chelsea, Manchester United or City will be champions
Manutd.com: Giggs: New boy's a great buy
The Guardian: BBC lets Premier League decide how to make Sir Alex Ferguson talk
The Daily Mail: Manchester United and Liverpool linked with Newcastle target Hatem Ben Arfa
Manutd.com: Papers: Capello to call Scholes?
The Daily Mail: Manchester City re-open Carlos Tevez poster wounds with United by revealing massive roadside mural

Found a feed that wasn't with the rest, so a second set of links....w00t!

More Misc. News I try and sort it, but really no time this morning

football.co.uk: Ferguson bemoans missed opportunity
The Promised Land blog: For Those Who Know It's The Best Of Times...And The Worst Of Times...

Here's a preview...the rest of the article is full of colorful language (if we have any younger readers):

Paul Scholes, a clumsy tackler? Yes. A bad tackler, even? Perhaps. But dirty? Not a chance. Paul Scholes is the most placid footballer of his generation. Unlike me, the man doesn’t possess an ego. He lives for his family and Manchester United. He pulls on a red shirt every week and plays a game of football. And all he wants to do is play. A gifted individual with a ball at his feet, Scholes is not the type of person who would willingly attempt to injure another player. He doesn’t need to. He’s too good for that shit. He’s not a Roy Keane, a Steven Gerrard, a Patrick Vieira or a Joey Barton (although most of Barton’s attempts of GBH have occurred off the pitch). Three great players, and Barton along for the ride, but all limited in their footballing skill. None possess the football brain Scholes has, and that’s why others have got the better of them on occasion, whereas Scholes is just too good to end up in a situation where he must lash out in order to get the upper hand. To label Scholes as a dirty player is disgraceful.

The United Religion: Placement Of A Penalty
The Republik of Mancuina: STATS: Wenger On Scholes? "Dirty" Players At Arsenal and United
Manchester Evening News: Shearer not expecting Fergie BBC u-turn
Sky Sports: Fergie - 2018 would inspire
Sky Sports: Ferguson cools Obertan link Darren Ferguson responds to reports Preston may get Obertan on loan.
Sky Sports: Mourinho frustrated by City

Okay, that's it for today...off to fix Reader and do family stuff.

From the Back Pages: 8/23/2010

2010-08-23T14:56:03Z

via The Sporting Life

Fulham 2, Manchester United 2

Match Reports:

Manutd.com: Fulham 2 United 2
The Guardian: Fulham rescue a point after Nani misses penalty for Manchester United
The Daily Mail: Fulham 2 Manchester United 2: Brede Hangeland makes up for own goal with late header to deny United
The Telegraph:Fulham 2 Manchester United 2

More links after the jump:

More post-match links:

Manutd.com: Boss rueful as Reds pay penalty
Manutd.com: Vidic: Live with it and learn
The Guardian: Fulham's late goal caps miserable day for Manchester United
The Guardian: Nemanja Vidic urges Manchester United to learn from Fulham draw
The Daily Mail: The six factor! Newcastle rout Villa as Fergie fumes over Nani's missed penalty in Fulham draw
The Daily Mail: No time to Hang around! Fulham defender Brede Hangeland relieved to make up for own goal and scupper Manchester United
The Daily Mail: Nemanja Vidic demands big improvements after Manchester United are held to late draw by Fulham at Craven Cottage
The Telegraph: Sir Alex Ferguson left frustrated at Manchester United over missed penalty
The BBC:Sir Alex Ferguson rues loss of 'silly points' at Fulham

Sir Alex vs. the BBC:

The BBC: Sir Alex Ferguson's BBC boycott under review
The Daily Mail: Sir Alex Ferguson's BBC snub lands Manchester United boss in hot water with the Premier League
The Daily Mail: Premier League to discuss Sir Alex Ferguson sanctions after fresh BBC snub
The Guardian: Sir Alex Ferguson faces Premier League fines for continued BBC boycott
The Telegraph: Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson faces fine for ongoing BBC boycott

Paul Scholes:

The Telegraph: Manchester United pass-master Paul Scholes finds a deeper-lying freshness
The Guardian: Paul Scholes just getting fitter and better, says Sir Alex Ferguson
The Daily Mail: Zinedine Zidane's hails 'the complete footballer'... Paul Scholes! France hero regrets never lining up with Manchester United ace
Manutd.com: Scholes reaches milestone in style

Scholes remains ninth on the Reds' list of all-time top scorers and is again just six goals shy of Ryan Giggs' tally. The Welshman netted for the 156th time in the game against Newcastle, from a chipped pass by his long-serving team-mate.

New Fulham boss and United legend Mark Hughes is ahead of Giggs in seventh place with 163 goals while the top six comprises, in order, Sir Bobby Charlton (249), Denis Law (237), Jack Rowley (211), George Best and Dennis Viollet (both 179) and Joe Spence (168).

Transfers and Loans:

The Guardian: Manchester United anger Ajax by attracting teenager Gyliano van Velzen
Manutd.com: Loans: King's a winner Congrats to Joshua King for being named Man of the Match in his debut for Preston
The Daily Mail: Chelsea and Manchester United warned Atletico Madrid star Sergio Aguero's £50m price tag could rocket

Last, but not least:

The Daily Mail: PIERS MORGAN: What's wrong with Wayne Rooney? He hasn't scored in more than 18 hours of football There's nothing wrong with Wayne Rooney. He's fine. It's you jokers in the media that think there's something wrong with him. More on this later...hopefully.

Busby Babe FIFA '11 Xbox Live league?

2010-08-22T17:12:13Z

I've yet to do an online FIFA league and I'm participating in my first online Madden league this year. I figured we have a large enough membership to try to do this.

The idea would be to hopefully have at least half the league filled up by people through here. More after the jump.

My hope would be to have enough people to actually play out the season with a full schedule of human played fixtures. Worse comes to worse we put out feelers to the other EPL blogs on here and get some friendly blog competition going.

Teams available -

ARSENAL
ASTON VILLA
BIRMINGHAM CITY
BLACKBURN ROVERS

BLACKPOOL
BOLTON WANDERERS

CHELSEA
EVERTON
FULHAM
LIVERPOOL

MANCHESTER CITY
MANCHESTER UNITED (We will discuss how to give it out)

NEWCASTLE UNITED

STOKE CITY
SUNDERLAND
TOTTENHAM HOTSPURS

WEST BROMWICH ALBION
WEST HAM UNITED

WIGAN ATHLETIC
WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS

Man Utd - Fulham Game Thread 8/22/2010

2010-08-22T14:44:02Z

I hope that Section 312 doesn't mind I'm doing this but I figured the sooner the better for the thread to go up for the game.

News:

*Javier Hernandez makes his first EPL start as Wayne Rooney is not included in today's squad.

*Ji Sung Park has been chosen to start over Nani.

*Ryan Giggs not chosen to start again but is included in today's squad.

*Clint Dempsey will start for Fulham, as manager Mark Hughes looks to change his attack after an opening game 0-0 draw versus Bolton.

*Paul Konchesky has been ruled fit to play and will be starting for Fulham.

Per BBC Sport - Football:

FULHAM v MANCHESTER UNITED LINE-UPS
Fulham: Stockdale, Pantsil, Hughes, Hangeland, Konchesky, Duff, Murphy, Etuhu, Davies, Dempsey, Zamora.
Subs: Zuberbuhler, Kelly, Baird, Gera, Riise, Greening, Dembele.
Man Utd: Van der Sar, O'Shea, Vidic, Jonathan Evans, Evra, Valencia, Fletcher, Scholes, Park, Hernandez, Berbatov.
Subs: Kuszczak, Owen, Giggs, Smalling, Carrick, Nani, Rafael Da Silva.
Referee: Peter Walton (Northamptonshire)

From the Back Pages: 8/21/2010

2010-08-21T15:02:28Z

Paul Scholes and Alan Smith battle for the ball Monday Night (MUFC)

Starting out all about #18:

The Daily Mail: Arsenal boss Wenger lauds Scholes...and then hits out at United man's 'dark side'
The Telegraph: Manchester United's Paul Scholes not a fair player, says Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger
The Daily Mail: Paul Scholes: Manchester United's pass master or a red devil?
The Daily Mail: Paul Scholes is our Dan Marino! Darren Fletcher lauds Manchester United's quarterback pass master
The Telegraph: Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes regrets missing World Cup
The Telegraph: Referendum: should Paul Scholes have any regrets about missing the World Cup?

Vidic signs 4 year extension:

Manutd.com: Vidic pens new contract
The BBC: Nemanja Vidic signs new Manchester United contract
The Telegraph:Nemanja Vidic signs four-year contract extension with Manchester United
The Daily Mail: Defender Nemanja Vidic extends his stay at Manchester United to 2014

More on Rooney's goal drought:

The Guardian: Wayne Rooney's next goal is to end the worst drought of his career
Manutd.com: Ryan: Rooney's goals will come

Anderson nearly quit United:

The Telegraph: Sir Alex Ferguson admits: Anderson wanted to quit Manchester United
The Guardian: Manchester United hope Anderson's layoff has helped him to mature
Manutd.com: Curbing Ando's enthusiasm

Rio news:

Twitter: Wow solid training 2day, running like a kenyan middle distance runner(long distance at PACE!) Heart rate was through the rooooof! Enjoyable! I'm not having much luck finding United-related Twitter accounts. Please let me know if you know of any accounts I'm missing from the club. Rio is the only one I could find after a quick 5 minute search. Thanks.
The Telegraph: Manchester United's Rio Ferdinand and Owen Hargreaves given gloomy injury verdict

Yesterday was Friday, so that means Sir Alex was behind the mic and he never disappoints:

The Daily Mail: Sir Alex Ferguson sticks boot into Roberto Mancini's Manchester City by praising Mark Hughes's spell as boss
The Daily Mail: It's good to talk! Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson should move on and speak to the BBC

More Fulham Links:

The Guardian: Mark Hughes renews battle with Sir Alex Ferguson after move south
The Guardian: Squad sheets: Fulham v Manchester United
The Telegraph: Fulham v Man United: match preview
The Daily Mail: Fulham v MAN UNITED: Patrice Evra set to start after freak injury setback
The BBC: Fulham v Man United: match preview

From the Back Pages: 8/20/2010

2010-08-20T15:30:51Z

Team News:

The Telegraph: Wayne Rooney backed to end goal drought by Manchester United's Sir Alex Ferguson
The Daily Mail: Wayne Rooney just needs a goal to stop the rot, admits Sir Alex Ferguson, but Manchester United boss plays down drought
The Guardian: Wayne Rooney will rediscover his scoring touch, says Sir Alex Ferguson
The Telegraph: Man Utd boss on Anderson and Rio Ferdinand's fitness (video)
The Telegraph: Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand on course for September return
The Guardian: Rio Ferdinand expected back for Manchester United by end of September
The BBC: Man Utd's Rio Ferdinand to return at end of September
Manutd.com: Anderson returns to training
The Daily Mail: Rodrigo Possebon calls time on Manchester United career by returning to Santos
The Daily Mail: Manchester United supporters group fears steep interest rise could lead Glazers to take extra cash out of Old Trafford
The BBC: Manchester United owners hit by debt payment rise
The Telegraph: Manchester United on alert as Rafael van der Vaart issues come and get me plea

Fulham Previews:

The Daily Mail: FULHAM v Manchester United: Mark Schwarzer to face late fitness test
The Telegraph: Fulham v Manchester United: match preview
The BBC: Fulham v Man Utd
Manutd.com: A score to settle at the Cottage
Manutd.com: Match Pack: Fulham

Other News:

The Telegraph: Portugal boss Carlos Queiroz suspended after aggressive behaviour towards drugs testers

What a great performance against Newcastle!

2010-08-16T21:56:00Z

I was only really able to catch the second half of the match, and here's what I saw tactically.

via web10.twitpic.com

I think the difference between the first-half play and the second-half play was the ability to execute the passing triangles. Our play was so simple, yet looked so fluid and pretty because the players were moving in rotations that kept triangle passing lanes open-- it looked a lot like fluid Brazilian tactics.

What do y'all think?