Scholes out for 3 months

Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes will have a knee operation on Thursday and is expected to be out of action for three months.

The 32-year-old reported the injury during training prior his side’s Champions League win over Dynamo Kiev on Tuesday.

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson confirmed on Friday a first scan proved inconclusive – but a second examination today has confirmed ligament damage, meaning Scholes will now be out of action until February.

It is a big blow for Scholes, and also for United, even though the return of Owen Hargreaves for Saturday’s Barclays Premier League win over Middlesbrough and the imminent return to training of Michael Carrick – who dislocated an elbow against Roma earlier this month – negate the impact slightly.

For over a decade, Scholes has been one of the mainstays of Ferguson’s side and his unerring ability to produce goals at vital times has aided many of the Red Devils trophy successes down the years.

He had already made an amazing comeback from career-threatening eye surgery to play a major part in last season’s title triumph and while he had only scored once in 12 appearances so far this term, few were discounting him as a massive influence on the current campaign.

Although there were early rumours of a three-month absence, United officials felt they were not in a position to confirm the bad news until a second examination had taken place.

It means the former England star – who has rejected two comeback calls from national boss Steve McClaren – will miss a minimum of 13 Premier League games, starting with Saturday’s visit to Arsenal and including the crucial trip to Liverpool on December 16, plus the start of United’s FA Cup campaign.

However, Ferguson will be delighted to note Scholes should be back in action – and hopefully fresh – when his side resume their Champions League quest at the knockout stage towards the end of February

50th Anniversary of Munich

URA -This has not been written by me but somone has asked me to bulletin this, in the hope support can be gained to mark this anniversary in a respectful and appropiate manner.

I would like to take a few minutes of your time to tell you about a proposal that has been put to the Club for a unique tribute to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Munich tragedy next February and how you can help to bring it about.
The proposal is that for the home game nearest to February 6th that the team play in an EXACT replica kit of the 58 side.Modern materials but identical design.

(URA – it has been suggested that the 10th Feb 2008 ManUtd v Man City maybe the game chosen)

That means no AIG, no Nike or Premier League logos and that the starting players be numbered 1 – 11. I am convinced that this could happen as a one off. There are strong indications from my sources within the Club that this proposal is being very seriously considered and I am very hopeful of a positive outcome. I believe that the Sponsors would get more publicity from allowing it to happen than they would if the team ran out in the ‘normal’ kit.

There is a precedent for a one off shirt in the PL. Blackburn Rovers had one for a 125 year anniversary as did Spurs recently. I believe that this would be a poignant and dignified tribute to ALL those who died in Munich.

The alternative is the dreadful minutes silence/applause which would no doubt be abused by the visiting supporters. I believe that the 50th anniversary deserves a unique acknowledgment, personally I don’t think there would be a dry eye in the Stadium.

This proposal has the backing of www.munich58.co.uk.

I have not heard of anyone who is against the idea, it has 100% support from United fans. The story so far is that a letter has been sent to David Gill via Uniteds Director of Communication,Phil Townsend (who incidentally loves the idea and can see the benefits to the sponsors and the Club).

I have received a message from a former player who hopes to discuss the idea on MUTV in the near future. There has been a petition set up on the Downing street website which currently has over 800 signatures. I do know that the Government won’t take the slightest bit of interest in the proposal but the petition is a public place where YOU can add your name, thus adding more weight to the argument. I would urge you to sign the petition here. http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Munich-Tribute/

If you are able to offer help or support it would be greatly appreciated particularly anyone who has a contact within the Club ( or even a friend of a friend). Disappointingly the MEN has so far failed to cover the story so if anyone has a contact at the MEN please can you either talk directly to them or contact me. The story was covered in The Sun a little while ago but if anyone has any contacts with the press I would be obliged if you could contact me with the details. Other people have also written to the Club with David Gill and Bobby Charlton being the most popular recipients.

If anyone wishes to do that then that would be an excellent way of keeping the idea in front of the people who matter within OT. This could happen IF the Club has the WILL to do it. They have all the necessary contacts with the Sponsors and the PL.

They CAN make it happen and hopefully with your support we can persuade them that they should do it.
Thanks for reading this.
Dennis.

URA – Many thanks for reading this, lets hope we can all pull together on this one and make it happen,try writing to David Gill even write to manutd.com and make them aware, it is something that we the FANS would like to see happen.

PASS THIS ONTO ALL YOUR UNITED FRIENDS, in the hope it can do some good.

Aston Villa 1-4 Manchester United

Today saw the return of a Manchester United side of old, with their visit to Aston Villa, where the home side had not beaten United at home in quite a few years but they were on a roll of being unbeaten in over 300 minutes of play.

Villa started really fast and were soon in the lead with a header from Agbonlahor in the 13th minute, we were all thinking could they really finally beat us, they were on good form of late and looked quite threatening on the break but as ever United stuck at the task, some really great passing between Rooney and Tevez and in the 36th minute Wayne Rooney made it 1-1, just what United needed, this spurred them on and in the 44th minute Rooney scored his second goal of the day, just on the stroke of half time Rio Ferdinand managed to get us a third goal, what a way to finish the first half.

The second half Villa were not a real threat at all and in the 60th minute Reo Coker was sent off after receiving his second yellow card, promptly followed by the goalkeeper Carson in the 66th minute after bringing down Carlos Tevez in the penalty area, Villa were now down to 9 men.

A penalty was given but unfortunately the new keeper Taylor saved it, denying Rooney his hat trick, then in the 75th minute Ryan Giggs added the fourth goal and the old United flair was back in evidence, today proved we were still championship contenders, a win that has left us again second in the table, 2 points just behind Arsenal.

The play between Rooney and Tevez today has proved that these two can play together, something the footballing world has been waiting to see, now maybe this will stop the criticism of Alex Ferguson’s belief regarding his players and what he knows they can or cannot do, give this guy credit, lets face it, he has been around for a while now uh?

Aston Villa

Scott Carson, Wilfred Bouma, Zat Knight (Stuart Taylor), Martin Laursen, Olof Mellberg, Gareth Barry, Craig Gardner (Shaun Maloney), Nigel Reo-Coker, Gabriel Agbonlahor, Luke Moore (Isaiah Osbourne), Ashley YoungEdwin Van der Sar, Wes Brown, Patrice Evra, Rio Ferdinand, Gerard Pique, Luis de Abreu Anderson, Ryan Giggs (Cristiano Ronaldo), Luis Carlos Nani, Paul Scholes (John O’Shea), Wayne Rooney, Carlos Tevez (Darren Fletcher)

Will it be a thriller at the Villa?

With the break over from the internationals, its back to business again, with a trip to Villa tomorrow, hoping to try and gain more ground and points to keep us in the running for yet another title challenge.

A lot of people are predicting Rooney going mad tomorrow to try and make up for the England fiasco the other night, which might make the Villa defence to be all over him like a rash, whilst attention is on him, others are free to roam and cause problems.

My money is on Tevez to score again, not sure why, just a feeling.

Vidic and Wes Brown should be back as well, so that bolsters our defence again.

Neville, Hargreaves and (sicknote) Saha are sitting this one out it seems

Van der Sar looks likely to play after his injury, pushing Kusczak back onto the bench again.

Villa wont be a pushover, even if United have won the last 9 encounters at Villa park, they haven’t conceded a goal in over 300 minutes of play at home yet, so they will want to win as well,to keep their unbeaten record, tough game to call truthfully.

For those not going to the match you can watch it tomorrow afternoon on Setanta Sports 1

Redknapp reports on England.

I don’t particularly like Jamie Redknapp but he makes some valid points in his report on the England match in the Mail Online, here is the article, see what you think?

Jamie Redknapp gives his expert opinion on England’s lame defeat in Moscow

Key to defeat

Key moments decide these key games. When Paul Robinson pushed that shot from Konstantin Zyryanov back into traffic, he invited the finish for Russia’s winning goal.

Wide boy: Steven Gerrard misses a great chance to put England 2-0 up

Sure, the shot came through a crowd of defenders, but Robinson should have pushed the ball away from the goal instead of back into the danger area.

Steven Gerrard will know he should have taken the chance that would have made it 2-0.

He will struggle to clear that memory from his mind — at least he has the Merseyside derby to come next.

In so many matches, Gerrard has dragged his team through, but not this time. The England captain will be replaying the moment when the ball dropped to him in so much space in the box.

He will wonder if he should have taken it on his left foot or gone across the goalkeeper with a volley. Instead, he tried to play safe and the chance came off his ankle and dribbled wide.

It was a turning point and you could sense in the stadium that Russia grew from that moment. After they scored the equaliser, the game was theirs for the taking.

I don’t accept that McClaren should have made earlier substitutions.

It’s easy to say in hindsight, but at 1-0 England were still creating chances. The plan was clearly to score the second, then batten down the hatches.

The coaching staff will certainly point to the penalty decision. Wayne Rooney had switched off in an unfamiliar defensive position, but the offence was outside the box. There was minimal contact, too.

Even so, Sol Campbell later had a chance to equalise with a big, thundering header.

He scored that sort of goal for Arsenal in the Champions League Final of 2006, but this time he couldn’t hit the target and the game slipped away.

That’s the difference between getting your results and sitting at home when the rest are playing in major championships.

Synthetic Shambles

Steve McClaren won’t use it as an excuse, but the pitch was rubbish. He won’t hide behind it, but football should be played on grass and not plastic.

I am angry about this: UEFA or the FA should not have allowed this game to go ahead on this surface.

No way. The ball was bobbling, it was getting stuck under feet and how many times did you see a player comfortable to run with it?

I walked on the pitch before the game and it was horrible. We ended up with an artificial game on an artificial surface. Well done to Guus Hiddink and the Russia Federation — they got one over us.

Telltale sign: Steve McClaren looks blank while No 2 Terry Venables can hardly watch

Tell me this, if it is such a wonderful surface then why is it being replaced with grass for the Champions League Final being played in the same stadium? If it’s such a good surface and endorsed by UEFA, keep it for their premier club game.

Oh no. It’s good enough for England, suits Russia’s gameplan and, in the meantime, we have been mugged. The manager can’t say it, the players might not feel able to say it. But I can. It’s nonsense, absolute nonsense.

Anything positive?

Er … big Sol defended as if his life depended on it. He blocked and tackled and, with John Terry missing, he was the player who threw his body in front of Russian attacks. Time and again.

Rooney’s goal — the flick from Michael Owen and swaggering volley from the Manchester United star — was worthy of winning the game. Sadly, it didn’t.

Can we still make it?

Look, I can see the group too. We are in a state, but we have to hope.

We have to believe that Israel can save us.

Yes, it has got to that stage; the draw at home to Macedonia, the dropped points in Tel Aviv and the two defeats in the difficult away games to Croatia and now Russia have taken England — and Steve McClaren — to the brink.

Now for the good news.

Russia may be 26 games unbeaten at home, but they don’t travel so well.

Israel are a proud, emerging football nation and we are familiar with some of their players, such as captain Yossi Benayoun of Liverpool and Chelsea’s Tal Ben Haim.

We need friends and favours … or it will be a summer of watching cricket.

Giggs to stay at Old Trafford until 2009

Ryan Giggs has committed himself to Manchester United for an incredible 18th season – and revealed there is no end in sight for his illustrious Old Trafford career.

Only three weeks after Giggs confirmed tentative talks had begun over an extension to his present deal, which was due to expire in the summer, negotiations have reached a successful conclusion

Not only does it mean the 33-year-old will get the chance to add yet more medals to a haul which already includes nine Premier League titles, four FA Cups and a Champions League success in 1999, it is now virtually certain he will surpass Sir Bobby Charlton’s club appearance record.

Currently 32 adrift of the England World Cup winner, Giggs could even break the record before the current campaign is out – should his fitness hold up. If the former Wales captain continues to feel as good as he does just now, his new contract may not represent the end of his stay at United.

“I am enjoying football more than ever and I hope to carry on playing football for Manchester United for as long as I can,” he said.

“I am delighted to have signed for a further season and I would like to thank Sir Alex Ferguson, the fans and everyone at the club for the great support I have received over the years.”

Only once in all his time at United has Giggs fallen badly out of favour with the Red Devils faithful.

When he was booed during a League Cup semi-final with Blackburn at Old Trafford in January 2003, it appeared his time at United was drawing to an end.

Instead, Giggs rallied and went on to enjoy what – in his eyes – was his best season as a professional.

Although the Cardiff-born player accepts he will probably be used more sparingly by Ferguson over the coming years, his retirement from international football at the end of last season has helped keep some of the freshness in his legs.

After resting during the current break, Giggs will be one of the men Ferguson will look to when the champions try to extend their six-match winning streak in the Barclays Premier League at Aston Villa on Saturday.

More and more, it is looking as though Ferguson will be the only club boss Giggs will play for in his entire career.

The bond between the two Celts is still as strong as it has ever been.

While their personalities are vastly different, the fiery Ferguson shares the same insatiable desire as the laid-back Giggs – who was first spotted as a raw teenager and instantly snatched from under the noses of Manchester City.

“Ryan Giggs epitomises the word loyalty,” said Ferguson.

“He signed here as a 14-year old school boy and is still with the club 20 years on.

“Apart from his playing ability, he has a fantastic demeanour and is a great role model to the younger players.

“I am sure he will be at the club for a long time to come.”

Tevez debt to Fergie.

CARLOS Tevez has revealed his debt to Sir Alex Ferguson for helping him return to top form.

The Argentina striker is proving a big hit at Manchester United after initially struggling to find his feet at Old Trafford.

But brilliant goals against Chelsea and Wigan have suggested that he can produce the kind of heroics that saw him almost single-handedly save West Ham from relegation last season.

And Tevez reveals that there is one man responsible for his outstanding performances of late.

“The help I’ve had from Sir Alex has been very important,” said the 23-year-old. ”I know he has total belief in me and I’m very grateful to him because of it.

“Sir Alex knows a lot about football and I’m learning a lot with him. He makes me feel relaxed and valued and he calls me by my first name.

“The main difference between United and West Ham is that the coach believes in me at my new club. He called me a lion.

“He’s started doing it at training because I turn up just after getting out of bed with my hair all messed up. And when my hair is like that, I look like a lion apparently.

“I’m feeling physically stronger with every game. That makes me feel good and everything else, like scoring goals, comes as a result.”

Manchester Evening News.

England 3-0 Estonia

Not alot to say about this game really, an expected result if truth be told, Estonia had a few moments when they might have got a goal or two back, not really a great threat to England.

The test of this English team will come in the next match, away to Russia, playing on the plastic pitch, then we might see if McClaren has got it right or not but its still a match England must not lose, otherwise they are out of the Euro’s finals next year.

Lets hope for English football, they manage to win and in the process save McClaren his job too, personally I dont think he is the man for the job but what do I know, I’m just another fan right?

McClaren is a prick.

How can Steve McClaren compare Paul Robinson to Peter Schmeichel?

 This is what he said today.

McClaren also confirmed that Robbo will play in goal against Estonia on Saturday and followed this up by saying: “I trust him with my job”.

McClaren then continued his staunch defence of Robinson saying:

“I’m not at all bothered by what I’ve seen with Robbo. He starts. He is our Peter Schmeichel. Sometimes players go through bad spells and have bad games. But I think you’ve got to have belief and faith and trust in your players. With this squad, you know the history of them. If they’ve performed well for England in the past then that’s taken into consideration.”

When asked about Robbo’s endless gaffe-laden displays, McClaren said he was 100% behind his keeper and again reiterated the crazy comparison with the Great Dane. McClaren said:

“Everybody is human. Everybody has frailties and makes mistakes. I feel the same confidence in Robbo that we had in Peter Schmeichel when I was at Manchester United. I would not play him otherwise.

 And we let an idiot with views like that manage our national team?

 

Neville set for United return

Manchester United captain Gary Neville is set to make his long-awaited return from injury for the club’s reserves on Thursday.

The England right-back has been sidelined since March with an ankle problem which required surgery during the summer.

GARY NEVILLE

But, following his return from that initial blow, the 32-year-old then suffered calf and thigh injuries which have prevented him from making a first-team appearance this season.

However, after returning to full training towards the end of last month, Neville is set to return in a second string outing against Liverpool.

“We’re hoping to use Gary against Liverpool reserves this week. That’s the plan,” United boss Sir Alex Ferguson told the club’s official website.

“He’s getting better and he’s improving all the time.

“He’s over his last injury and he has been training now for over two weeks and he is at a good level.

“Because he has been out for so long, he needs games now and hopefully he can start on Thursday. It will be a good introduction for him game-wise.”