6 plus 5 plan

Read about it here:

http://redrants.com/on-sepptic-bladders-6-5-plan/

Pique dah blah, Richards in?

BREAKING NEWS:

Following the transfer of Gerard Pique to Barca;

Manchester United are expected to launch a £20m bid to lure Micah Richards from neighbours Manchester City to Old Trafford.

Sir Alex Ferguson is reported to have been keeping tabs on the England defender for some time and the imminent sale of Gerard Pique to Barcelona – United confirmed on Tuesday that an agreement has been reached between the two clubs – is likely to result in a formal offer.

Pique’s departure leaves Wes Brown as the lone cover for both Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand, a situation made all the more precarious by long-term doubts over Gary Neville’s fitness. The versatile Richards would be able to provide cover at both centre-half and right-back.

The Daily Mirror claims that Richards features on a three-man target-list along with Seville duo Luis Fabiano and Daniel Alves, while The Daily Telegraph reports: ‘The ongoing uncertainty over the future of manager Sven Goran Eriksson and any likely successor at Eastlands has convinced the United manager that a bid in the region of £20 million would be accepted.

Earlier today:

It’s official now.

MANCHESTER UNITED defender Gerard Pique is joining Barcelona.

The Spanish centre-half has decided to return to his homeland after failing to establish himself as a first-team regular at Old Trafford.

Pique, 21, will sign a four-year deal with La Liga giants Barca, who were beaten by United in this year’s Champions League semi-finals.

The Red Devils snapped the youngster up from Barca’s academy in 2004 but he has made just 14 starts since arriving in England.

His hopes of breaking into the United team remained slim thanks to the formidable partnership of Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic.

A Barca statement said: “The player will this afternoon sign a contract that will link him to Barcelona until 2012 and which will include a buy-out clause of £39.9million.

“With this transfer, Gerard Pique returns to Barca, the club in which he began his career as a player between 1997 and 2004, when he left to join Manchester United.”

COMMENT:

Gutted, we just sold 1 of the best young central defenders in the world. We already knew about this for past few days. Though Rio-Vida pairing are unbreakable, we should give Pique chances. We could have keep him for another season, at least. Honestly i viewed Pique-Evans as a shadow and understudy to Rio-Vida and they were our future CB pairing. It’s obvious that Wes won’t continue as RB for the next season and we will sign a new RB for a long term replacement for Gary. As for Richards, he will be a quality addition to the squad.

United checked on Henry?

Today is another boring Sunday since all major European leagues have wrapped up for 2007-2008 season. Cant wait for Euro 2008 to begin in June.

Here is some footy news (and rumours…);

Barca Stopped United Henry Bid

Thierry Henry was prevented from considering a move to Manchester United recently after being told that he was is Pep Guardiola’s plans at Barcelona for next season, according to a report.

“Thierry was told by the new coach he didn’t want him to leave, that he was going to be a big player for Barca next season and would have an important role to play for them,” an unnamed source was quoted as saying.

“That was the reassurance Thierry needed but United were ready to buy him.”

While United may have been monitoring his situation, Henry has always insisted that he would only return to Arsenal if he were to go back to the Premier League.

COMMENT:

HAHA! I doubt United would have paid a large sum for a 30+ years old attacker, we are not desperate in the slightest. Henry is Arsenal through and through. For example, you can never imagine Giggs going to join Arsenal under whatever circumstance. The story is just a joke, even though Henry will always remain a big player, he will never hit the form that he had during his Arsenal days, that is a fact. Whilst Saha’s days were numbered, Frazier Campbell is maybe worth of going for another season on loan with Hull and this time he will get his chance to ply his trade in top-flight football. Though I have this kind of feeling that Manucho is going to be a hit next season, I still like the idea of another addition of young and potential goal poacher in the mould of Ruud Van Nistelrooy to add another dynamic and options to our attacking force. We are still tracking KJ Huntelaar, Marcelo Moreno, Stevan Jovetic and perhaps, Karim Benzema. Any of those mentioned will make it happen for us.

Champions League Final review

By Steven Howard

IT was 1.45 in the morning and the clouds had opened above Luzhniki Stadium.

But no amount of rain could wash away John Terry’s tears.

A few minutes earlier, the Chelsea skipper had walked from the halfway line for his date with destiny.

The one player to have come through the Stamford Bridge ranks, the one player with true Blue blood coursing through his veins had one successful penalty between him and immortality.

That he should then miss was more than both he and the thousands of Chelsea fans at the other end could bear.

It should never have ended like this.

As Chelsea now survey the wreckage of their season this morning, you wonder exactly what is going through Didier Drogba’s mind.

Having undermined a campaign at Stamford Bridge that was traumatic enough by making it patently clear he wanted to leave the club, he then ruined what should have been the greatest night in Chelsea’s history by getting himself sent off six minutes before the end of extra-time.

Had he not shown such total petulance and unprofessionalism in slapping Nemanja Vidic in the face, Terry would not have had to take that vital spot-kick.

If it is Drogba’s last game for the club, it’s one he will never be able to eradicate from his mind.

Wherever he goes — Inter Milan or anywhere else — he will be haunted, quite rightly, by the agony which his actions inflicted on his Chelsea team-mates.

But if we agonise over what happened to Terry, Frank Lampard and the rest of Avram Grant’s team, we can only salute the resilience and guts of Manchester United.

If it was rough justice for Chelsea, no one can doubt that the season could not have ended on a more poetic and fitting note in a year that marked the 50th anniversary of the Munich air crash.

There could be no greater testimony to the eight Busby Babes who lost their lives on that runway in Germany.

What a night for Bobby Charlton — survivor on that fateful day in February 1958 and the most celebrated player ever to appear in a United shirt.

And what a night for Ryan Giggs, who came on in the 86th minute to make his 759th United appearance — breaking Charlton’s record.

And, above all, what a night for Alex Ferguson, the keeper of the flame, a man who respects United’s heritage more than anyone.

And a man who cherishes the memory of Sir Matt, his fellow Scot and great mentor. Not all that many years ago, Fergie announced his intention to quit.

No sooner were the words out of his mouth than he knew he had made a mistake.

Last night, his smile lit up the Luzhniki as he collected his second Champions League title and, with it, another monumental European Cup and Premier League double.

Later on, though, he looked totally drained. So where does the maestro go from here?

Well, a well-earned holiday will surely see even a man of his 66 years return refreshed and fully stoked up for yet another crack at football’s greatest honours.

And what of Grant? The man who stepped into the huge void left by Jose Mourinho was just that Terry penalty away from celebrating his first season with the most coveted trophy in club football.

Had that gone in, Grant surely would have been unsackable. Roman Abramovich might even have ordained that Red Square be renamed Blue Square.

But now? Well, the look on Grant’s face at the end said it all. This could be it.

Whatever the ramifications and however long it takes for Chelsea’s broken hearts to heal, they should be proud of the part they played.

It was a dramatic and wonderful game that grew minute by minute as a mind-gripping spectacle for all 70,000 inside the stadium.

On and off the pitch, it had been a tremendous advertisement for English football irrespective of the wretched Drogba’s red card.

It was a brand of power, passion and commitment that the Russians loved because it reminded them so much of their own football.

Well, they got their money’s worth last night.

We had feared it would be a case of a more experienced and physically stronger and fresher Chelsea smothering the life out of a more talented United side.

But after being outplayed in the first half, Chelsea produced some of their best football of the season with a style of attacking play that must have delighted Abramovich.

But for Drogba and the luckless Lampard both hitting the woodwork, it could well have been Chelsea’s name on the cup.

And yet United should have been up and away over the horizon by half-time.

Ronaldo’s brilliantly placed header just inside Petr Cech’s right post was another reminder — not that we needed it — of the remarkable all-round talent of the young Portuguese superstar.

Cech then came up with an incredible double save from Carlos Tevez and Michael Carrick before the Argentinian somehow failed to connect with a stupendous low cross from Wayne Rooney.

It should have been 3-0. The cup should have been on its way back to Manchester. And Chelsea should have been dead and buried. Then, God bless him, Lampard levelled and the whole context of the game changed as Chelsea took over.

But, in the end, United held their nerve and just about came through. As Edwin van der Sar beat away Nicolas Anelka’s spot-kick, the United team raced from the halfway line to bury him under a mound of bodies.

All apart from one player. Back in the centre-circle, Ronaldo lay face down with his head in the turf. Breathing the greatest sigh of relief of his career.

Minutes earlier he had missed the penalty that seemed to have sent the cup to Stamford Bridge.

After 42 goals and one of the finest individual seasons English football has witnessed, it seemed the impossible had happened.

But the footballing gods had one last trick up their sleeve.

As they smiled on the sport’s golden boy they drove a stake through John Terry’s heart. The one with Chelsea engraved on it.

No man has deserved it less.

KINGS OF EUROPE!

MANCHESTER UNITED 1 (Ronaldo ‘26) Chelsea 1 (Lampard ‘45) – MU beat Chelski 6-5 on penalties after E.T

United are Champions of Europe for the third time after beating Chelsea in dramatic fashion… 6-5 on penalties.

Edwin van der Sar was ultimately the man who made the Reds’ dream come true when he saved the Blues’ seventh spot-kick taken by Nicolas Anelka. John Terry also missed in the shoot-out, when a goal with his kick would have won the cup for Chelsea.

Earlier, during normal time, Cristiano Ronaldo had put the Reds in front with a first-half header before Frank Lampard equalised in first-half injury time.

Sir Alex Ferguson surprised many pundits, and no doubt his opposite number Avram Grant, by starting with Owen Hargreaves on the right, Michael Carrick and Paul Scholes anchoring the midfield and Cristiano Ronaldo taking up the left flank position. Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez were up front. As for the bench, Gary Neville and Louis Saha were understandable absentees after spending much of the campaign troubled by injury. The biggest shock was perhaps the omission of Ji-sung Park.

The Luzhniki Stadium was a sea of colour and noise before kick-off with the travelling Reds in typically good voice. Their team were the more lively outfit early on with Hargreaves in particular seeing a lot of the ball and sending in a couple of decent crosses from the right.

United were temporarily down to ten men whilst Paul Scholes received treatment for a bloodied nose after a clash with Claude Makelele – for which both players were booked. Thankfully Scholes was back in time to play his part in the opening goal.

Neat play between Scholes and Wes Brown after a throw-in on the right flank gave Brown time to pick out a cross for Ronaldo who expertly directed his header past Petr Cech – his 42nd of a staggering season. Who can’t do it on the big stage then, eh?

Chelsea, who had so far offered little in attack, went close to drawing level on 34 minutes. Drogba headed Lampard’s deep cross to the far post, back across goal. Rio Ferdinand dithered for a just second with Michael Ballack breathing down his neck. His presence forced the United skipper into heading towards his own goal, but Edwin van der Sar was alert, beating the effort away at point blank range.

United broke forward immediately from the resulting corner, Wayne Rooney finding Ronaldo with an exquisite 40 yard cross-field pass. The winger controlled it brilliantly and delivered a perfect cross onto Carlos Tevez’s head. Cech blocked the diving effort from the Argentine and was also on hand to parry Michael Carrick’s follow-up shot from the edge of the box. An awesome double save.

The Reds were clearly growing in confidence and Ronaldo in particular was giving Chelsea’s stand-in right-back Michael Essien a torrid time. Two minutes before the break Hargreaves won possession, broke forward and fed Rooney on the right. He fizzed in an early daisy-cutter which evaded Makelele at the front post. Tevez was waiting just behind him but just wasn’t able to poke the ball goalwards.

At the other end, Ferdinand was booked for a foul on Lampard right on the edge of the box, butBallack curled the subsequent free-kick over van der Sar’s crossbar much to the delight of the jubilant United fans behind the goal.

That jubilation turned to deflation right on the stroke of half-time when Chelsea drew level. When the marauding Essien’s shot cannoned off both Vidic and Ferdinand, it dropped to Lampard in the area. Van der Sar raced to meet him but slipped at the vital moment, allowing the Chelsea midfielder to side-foot home.

Buoyed by their ill-deserved equaliser, Chelsea began to take a grip of proceedings after the break. Essien broke forward down the right and, after holding off the attentions of Ronaldo, cut inside and hit a powerful left foot drive. Van der Sar slipped, as he had done for the goal (dodgy pitch, anyone?) but thankfully for United the shot flew over the bar.

United’s back line were on red alert thereafter – Vidic brilliantly headed Ashley Cole’s cross away from danger as Drogba lay in wait, before Ferdinand twice did the same as the Blues’ attacking barrage continued. Michael Carrick then hooked Florent Malouda’s inviting free-kick away from danger. The Reds breathed another sigh of relief 12 minutes from time when Drogba arced a left-foot shot against van der Sar’s left-hand post with the Dutchman well beaten.

The half chances were all falling to Chelsea, who had dominated the second period. Drogba went very close to steering Joe Cole’s low centre home three minutes from time, but blasted wide.Ryan Giggs entered the fray just before extra-time, thus breaking Sir Bobby Charlton’s all-time appearance record in his 759th match for the Reds. But the occasion was almost spoiled when Lampard spun to clip a shot against the crossbar.

Giggs himself almost scored when Evra burst into the area, before pulling the ball back. The record-breaking Welshman was set to net the winner until John Terry somehow headed his flicked shot off the line.

The second half of extra-time was marred by ugly scenes which saw Drogba receive a red card for slapping Vidic while Tevez and Ballack were shown yellows during the same melee by the referee Michel Lubos.

A further yellow card, for a foul by Essien, was to be the last noteworthy event before the game headed for penalties. There United were to have their glory but not before Ronaldo had his penalty saved by Petr Cech, to give Chelsea a brief advantage. When Terry squandered his opportunity to win it for the Blues, Anderson scored to level for United – then Kalou and Giggs both netted before Anelka stepped up for the final decisive spot-kick, saved superbly by Edwin van der Sar. Cue scenes of ecstasy in Moscow as the Reds made history, wonderful history.

Team line-ups

United: Van der Sar; Brown (Anderson 120), Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra; Carrick, Hargreaves, Scholes (Giggs 87); Ronaldo, Rooney (Nani (101), Tevez. Subs not used: Kuszczak, O’Shea, Fletcher, Silvestre.
Booked: Scholes, Ferdinand,Vidic, Tevez

Chelsea: Cech, Essien, Terry, Carvalho, A Cole, Makelele (Belletti 120)., Ballack, Lampard, Malouda (Kalou 92), J Cole (Anelka 99), Drogba. Subs not used: Cudicini, Shevchenko, Mikel, Alex.
Booked: Makelele, Carvalho, Ballack, Essien
Sent off: Drogba

Attendance: 69,552

We will make history

Best wishes to United, we are behind you. I wish United to turn passion for winning into actions. I wish Sir Alex to get his tactics right. I wish Vidic to make Drogba cry. I wish Park Ji Sung can run like never before. I wish Rio to show why he should be England captain. I wish Carrick to prove me right that he is the pride of United. And above all,…I WISH ROONEY TO FIND THE KILLER TOUCH AT THE RIGHT TIME AND I WISH RONALDO TO PROVE ME WRONG AND FIND THE BEST OF HIS BEST IN THIS GAME. GLORY GLORY MAN UNITED!

Euro 2008 Fantasy Football!

Jom la pakat-pakat main Euro pulak. Liga ngan UCL pun dah nak abis. Boring-boring nanti summer jom kita pakat-pakat main Euro plak. Walaupun England tak layak…

http://en.fantasy.euro2008.uefa.com/

Roo to Ron: Please Stay

Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney has appealed to teammate Cristiano Ronaldo to stay at Old Trafford and continue the prolific form he has shown this season.

While Rooney remains focused on the Champions League final clash with Chelsea on Wednesday, he has called on Ronaldo to commit himself to United.

“I hope the partnership will continue for years. Ronaldo is a great player and it will be brilliant if we can keep him at the club for as long as possible. He’s an unbelievable player,” Rooney told reporters in the build-up to Wednesday’s Champions League final against Chelsea in Moscow.

“What he’s done for United in the last few years is brilliant and it makes you work hard.

“For Ronaldo to score those goals is helping the team. I’ve got no problem if he scores 60 goals in a season and I don’t get anywhere near that.”