Group hug!
Well I was intending to write this post yesterday but Monday’s for me are ridiculously busy. After work I play 5-a-side and then with no more than ten minutes back at home I’m off out to play darts and don’t get home till go 11pm. So less to say I wasn’t really up to blogging.
Anyway as most people should know that last couple of weeks have been taken up, sport wise, by the Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Canada, the host nation, had never won any golds when they’ve previously held the event but this year they’ve made up for lost time. With winning the gold on Sunday for Mens Ice Hockey, they set a new record for the total number of golds won in a Winter Olympics (14). Now this has to be quantified by saying that in today’s Winter Olympics there are more events than there used to be but either way it’s an impressive achievement. I haven’t watched that much of the Olympics in all honesty though I have caught the odd event here and there but being a hockey fan I was always going to watch Sunday’s game and the fact that it was Canada vs USA just made it that much more interesting. The game didn’t disappoint as I was entertained for the full 60 minutes and the at-the-death equalizer by Zach Parise with twenty-four seconds to go was just almost too exciting. I was supporting Canada purely on the basis that my NHL team’s captain, Sidney Crosby, is Canadian. So it was fitting, then, that it was he who scored the winning goal in OT despite being quiet for most of the game. It was a thrilling end to an awesome game of hockey and I really wish I could’ve been there in Vancouver to celebrate the win as, having visited, I know the love of hockey runs deep there.
Earlier in the day also saw United play Aston Villa for the first piece of silverware this season, the League Cup. I can’t say I was entertained in this match as was to be for the hockey final but to see United lift the cup at the end was very satisfying. It must be said, however, United were lucky still to have 11 men on the pitch come the final whistle as, despite bringing down Agbonlahor and being final man, Vidic was not sent off nor carded. At the end of the day though I’d say United deserved the victory whether we’d have won with ten men though would be doubtful as I really rate Villa. They may have lost out on Sunday but I can definitely see them lifting some silverware soon make no mistake. What made United’s win bittersweet in some ways though was the unfortunate injury to Michael Owen. After scoring United’s equalizer with a glorious finish he had to go off with an hamstring injury but I guess what hurt more for Villa fans was his replacement; Rooney. It was probably fitting then that it was Rooney who scored United’s winner especially considering the rich vein of form he’s currently in. Right now I’d go as far to say Rooney is one of the most lethal strikers in the World game as he just cannot stop scoring; his header on Sunday was just superb. It wasn’t a great final but nor was it one-way traffic as Villa really pushed United and as I’ve already said they’ll win a trophy soon. As for United, with the League Cup now out-of-the-way, we can concentrate on pushing for the league title.
Jumpers for goalposts..
Injury-hit Manchester United have been forced to bring the son of club chief executive David Gill in as emergency cover for a mounting defensive crisis.
via BBC Sport.
Well this has to be worrying at this stage of the season. Okay we’ve already qualified for the next stage of the Champions League but the fact is, we’re thin on the ground in most departments now.
We have eight defenders out of action, van der Sar is also out and we have our main two Strikers sidelined as well. I mean we have cover but they’re inexperienced especially when it comes to Europe. Sure we’ll still have Evra in there and I’m sure Ferguson will draft in Carrick to play centre-half but it’s a bad time to have injured players as United typically step up a gear over the Christmas period. Now that’s not to say Gill isn’t there on merit son of the Chef Exec or no he’ll be played on merit according to Sir Alex and I have no reason to doubt that, it’s just defensively a partnership is key.
In the past this has been key to United’s success be it Pallister and Bruce or Vidic and Ferdinand, a pairing in the centre of defence is vital just as it is up front and it’s these two areas that United have been hit the hardest. We showed against Spurs we can cope but in all honesty I’d feel more confident with the regulars back playing. Vidic is the one likely to be back soon as I think he’s only out with the flu the rest I think are unlikely to return before January and that’s 5 league games they’ll be missing.
I’m hopeful we’ll win/draw tonight and go through as group winners, I’m also hoping that we’ll do fine in the league but looking at the fixtures there’s potential to slip up with tough ties against Aston Villa and Fulham. In the end in Ferguson we trust, he knows the youth he’s got there and he’ll use them it’s just when league leaders Chelsea have two 11 man squads of Internationals the gulf in financial backing shows.
Berbatov On Target
One thing that’s been lacking here on this blog of late is any posts about my other passion; sport. I’m an avid fan of many teams in many sports but the team that’s first and foremost for me is Man Utd. So far this season United have been a very inconsistent team. Now I know we’re second with a good record but sometimes we’ve looked unstoppable and others, like yesterday, we’ve looked awful.
The thing I love about watching United over the years is how we pass and move the ball forward. We’ve had and still have some of the best passers in the game. Scholes for example while not the best at tackling is one of the few Premiership footballs who can seemingly pick out anyone anywhere on the pitch with consummate ease. However yesterday none of them turned up with United giving the ball away in the first half with passes that were 10yrds or less which, for a team in the Premiership, is laughable. Sunderland on the other hand played fantastically well. They showed United they were no mugs and as the clock ticked down I honestly thought they’d come away with the win and over the 90mins you couldn’t say that was unfair.
However United did what they’re fantastic at doing; scoring late goals. While Berbatov’s goal in the 51st minute for a while gave United some extra wind in their sails Jones’ goal seven minutes later removed it. From then on United again looked as hapless as Foster did for Jones’ goal and while I still think he can be United’s #1 goalkeeper when Van der Sar retires he still has a way to go. However Sunderland’s first win at OT in something silly like 40yrs wasn’t to be when United were fortunate to score through an unlucky deflection/own goal by Anton Ferdinand. While I’m sure that’s made for some interesting Sunday dinner discussion in the Ferdinand household it was harsh on Sunderland. However they weren’t helped by the fact that Kieran Richardson was sent off for two yellow cards including a rather silly one for kicking away the ball. Don’t get me wrong I’m happy we got the point and it’s a mark of great sides to not play well and not lose but it was an awful display by United.
So has much happened since my last post? The answer is a simple yes however to flesh it out would be a little unfair. Things at work have gotten a little complicated but hopefully things in time will sort themselves out, I’m not worried; far from it. All I need to do is keep going and things will work themselves out and I’m sure of that. I’m a little more relaxed at work but not as much as I’d like. That’s not to say I want to be doing sweet FA at work, quite the opposite, but being able to be relaxed in what I do helps.
Out of life, United won today although unfortunately Arsenal did too which still leaves them top of the league. It certainly does seem that the league is going to be more widely contested this season which’ll be nice. I still hope United win of course but I do like seeing it contested.
As ever it seems I’m back to my old ways of rarely updating. Guess I’ve been too busy in some ways or too lazy either way this blog has been a bit quiet. Don’t panic though, I’m quite happy with everything here, guess I just haven’t had much to say in some ways. I mean since I last blogged not a lot has happened. Sure I’ve been a few places, watch the odd Westbury game or two and Cat has done her ballet exam but some how I just haven’t been spurred to blog.
Perhaps, with New Year on the way, I should make it a resolution to at least blog fortnightly just at least to keep those who may read this blog (does anyone? I mean actually read it here, on my site?) up-to-date. I mean I’m training for a half-marathon next year so that would be quite interesting to chronicle. Still just thought I’d let people know I’m still here.
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