FA Cup Winners..? continuation of a torrid Manchester Utd season
First, Congratulations to Arsenal for winning the 2005 FA Cup.
No dispute, they won in the end. This's a case where only the results mattered, not what happened in the 2 hours before.
3 hours plus ago, I BOUNDED down the stairs after hearing 'bout SBS's live telecast of the FA Cup Final. So excited I was, at the thought of watching my first match in months. I'm a Manchester Utd fan you see, for the past 7 years.
As the match began, both sides were missing a few regulars. My fave - Giggs, started on the bench. My other fave - Scholes started the game, with Keane (holding midfielder) etc etc etc. The pace started to pick up only at the half hour mark.
Somehow, messrs Rooney, Van Nistelrooy, Ronaldo, Scholesy etc contrived to miss a significant number of chances throughout the 2 hours. Manchester Utd practically dominated the 2 hours of play. Whenever Arsenal had possession, all they seemed to do was pass the ball around the park. For the uninformed, the match went into extra time (two 15-minute halves for those clueless about football). The match then went on to penalties - the first time ever that the FA Cup Final's decided this way.
Needless to say, Arsenal won. Scholesy's shot got saved. Heartbreak for all. Including me. Ferdinand was disconsolate. So am I. Having not watched football (NOT FOOTY) for sooooo long, I was practically dyingggg for them to score.
Come on comeon comeon we urged (XiMin and me).
I was on the edge of my seat. He - what seat? for he was on his feet
At the end, as oft stated, football's a cruel game. If we went on whether Arsenal deserved to win, it was more a case of Manchester Utd (please DON'T call them M-a-n Utd BTW) losing the Cup, than Arsenal winning it (look at the match statistics from Soccernet - it should be published in a half hour). MU's 11 corners v. Arsenal's measly 1. Shots on target 23 (i think) v. Arsenal's 5. Of course, dominance of a game does not guarantee victory. But in this instance (in a final) there're no second chances. By not taking so many of their opportunities, success on penalties are far-fetched. Unless the keeper's name is Schmeichel.
3.30am and I'm rueing whats left of a torrid season. Being left out of most of the action (Aussie public tv DOES NOT show a single English Premiership match in the entire season and I've no Foxtel -- meaning NO live telecasts for poor me) is bad enough.
The takeover of my beloved club by an insensitive American (Malcolm Glazer again for the uninformed) who has never been to Manchester nor watched a single football match is worse. The fact that he's sending the club into sky high debt-ridden status from their previous solvent status (see Shareholders Utd for more info) makes it look even more.. what shall I say.. disgraceful? disgusting? (add your own adjective).. planning to give the gaffer a transfer fund of 100million pounds over 5 years is laughable. That brings us on par with Wigan Athletics transfer kitty. He prob had no idea how much Rooney alone costs.
Bah.. black is the colour of the day. To mourn the takeover of the club by Malcolm Glazer. Which I think is definitely much/wayyy worse for Manchester Utd's future than today's loss of the FA Cup is going to be.
No dispute, they won in the end. This's a case where only the results mattered, not what happened in the 2 hours before.
3 hours plus ago, I BOUNDED down the stairs after hearing 'bout SBS's live telecast of the FA Cup Final. So excited I was, at the thought of watching my first match in months. I'm a Manchester Utd fan you see, for the past 7 years.
As the match began, both sides were missing a few regulars. My fave - Giggs, started on the bench. My other fave - Scholes started the game, with Keane (holding midfielder) etc etc etc. The pace started to pick up only at the half hour mark.
Somehow, messrs Rooney, Van Nistelrooy, Ronaldo, Scholesy etc contrived to miss a significant number of chances throughout the 2 hours. Manchester Utd practically dominated the 2 hours of play. Whenever Arsenal had possession, all they seemed to do was pass the ball around the park. For the uninformed, the match went into extra time (two 15-minute halves for those clueless about football). The match then went on to penalties - the first time ever that the FA Cup Final's decided this way.
Needless to say, Arsenal won. Scholesy's shot got saved. Heartbreak for all. Including me. Ferdinand was disconsolate. So am I. Having not watched football (NOT FOOTY) for sooooo long, I was practically dyingggg for them to score.
Come on comeon comeon we urged (XiMin and me).
I was on the edge of my seat. He - what seat? for he was on his feet
At the end, as oft stated, football's a cruel game. If we went on whether Arsenal deserved to win, it was more a case of Manchester Utd (please DON'T call them M-a-n Utd BTW) losing the Cup, than Arsenal winning it (look at the match statistics from Soccernet - it should be published in a half hour). MU's 11 corners v. Arsenal's measly 1. Shots on target 23 (i think) v. Arsenal's 5. Of course, dominance of a game does not guarantee victory. But in this instance (in a final) there're no second chances. By not taking so many of their opportunities, success on penalties are far-fetched. Unless the keeper's name is Schmeichel.
3.30am and I'm rueing whats left of a torrid season. Being left out of most of the action (Aussie public tv DOES NOT show a single English Premiership match in the entire season and I've no Foxtel -- meaning NO live telecasts for poor me) is bad enough.
The takeover of my beloved club by an insensitive American (Malcolm Glazer again for the uninformed) who has never been to Manchester nor watched a single football match is worse. The fact that he's sending the club into sky high debt-ridden status from their previous solvent status (see Shareholders Utd for more info) makes it look even more.. what shall I say.. disgraceful? disgusting? (add your own adjective).. planning to give the gaffer a transfer fund of 100million pounds over 5 years is laughable. That brings us on par with Wigan Athletics transfer kitty. He prob had no idea how much Rooney alone costs.
Bah.. black is the colour of the day. To mourn the takeover of the club by Malcolm Glazer. Which I think is definitely much/wayyy worse for Manchester Utd's future than today's loss of the FA Cup is going to be.
posted by xaverri at 3:15 am
4 Comments:
About Malcolm Glazer...
Don't read too much into it. They only dislike him just because he is American. The Brits seriously have issues with Americans when it comes their beloved football. Trust me, I know.
The previous majority shareholders, JP Magnus and John Magnier weren't fans of the the club as well, and had never been to Old Trafford before.
If someone like Bobby Charlton or Eric Cantona found enough money to buy the club, I am sure nobody would object.
There's really nothing to worry about this fat American dude though. YOu don't get so rich and spend 700 million pounds on something without knowing what to do. We all know his aims. He wants to make money. And the only way to do that is for the club to be successful.
By the way, Wigan's tranfer fund of 20 million pounds is for just this year, and not 100 million over 5 years. 100 million over 5 years, while not as much as Chelsea, is still damn good. True that Rooney cost 30 million, but the (old) United board said that Ferguson would not be able to buy anybody else this summer.
Count it as Arsenal being bloody lucky with Lehmann just being superb when needed. 5 shots at goal against 23 is a staggering difference, and it clearly showed who was in control for the whole match, all 120 minutes of it. Tough that Manchester couldn't convert, but you win some, you lose some. Sweet retribution, wasn't hoping for them to win given they dumped Newcastle out =P
To be honest...I don't watch football but chanced the match when the guys were over my place to watch...Arsenal one side and MU the other side...I thought Arsenal didn't play at all.
Quoting one Arsenal fan then: "Let's not watch this horror movie anymore, let's watch Exorcist!" Says it all...
Can you count to FIVE? :)
I think Man U fans just hate Glazer because he's ugly. haha. And ABU (Anything But United) fans are just loving every minute of it. hehe. :) :)
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