Perhaps that isn't too surprising. Last weekend Rooney was dropped by Sir Alex Ferguson after a dinner he and Coleen had with teammates Jonny Evans and Darron Gibson and their wives. It is alleged the trio did not train very well the following morning and apart from being dropped against Blackburn, the players were also fined a week's wages, in Rooney's case ?180,000. Expensive dinner.He returned against Newcastle and was substituted after 75 minutes of near anonymity. Rooney's body language, demeanor and the poverty of his all-round performance made his display probably his worst in a United shirt. Unusually, he even looked unhappy.Having lost 3-2 at home to Blackburn, a reaction was expected at Newcastle. In fact the champions were even worse than they were against the relegation battlers, though nothing should be taken away from Newcastle, which was terrific, showing many of the qualities its opponents have been missing.In Chiek Tiote and Yohan Cabaye, Newcastle have the type of midfielders the visitors lack and so obviously need, Tiote a ball-winning warrior, and Cabaye an intelligent, industrious player who cost what is looking a bargain ?4.8 million from Lille last summer.The new idol of Newcastle, however, is Demba Ba, who has scored 16 goals in his last 17 games. Available on a free transfer from West Ham at the end of last season, he failed a medical at Stoke, whose manager Tony Pulis said Ba's troublesome knee was "a ticking time-bomb that could go at any time." Having sold Andy Carroll to Liverpool for ?35 million, Alan Pardew replaced the England international with a player who cost nothing and has been far more prolific. Good business.The Ivorian scored a sensational opening goal as United was run ragged by the muscular but mobile Ba and Shola Ameobi. Ferguson dropped David de Gea but his replacement Anders Lindegaard, like all his teammates, had a night to forget.United's form this season has been the subject of more criticism than usual, with its unexpected early exit from the Champions League. The Red Devils have 45 points after 19 games despite dropping eight points at home already compared with only two in all of last season. Though it has been grinding out results rather than gaining victories by exciting, attacking football on only three occasions at this stage has United had more points.Its impressive half-season haul is all the more surprising given the problems United has faced. Neither de Gea nor Lindegaard has proved to be an adequate replacement for Edwin van der Sar. Rio Ferdinand has made 11 starts, Nemanja Vidic six before his season-ending knee injury. The central defenders are the cornerstone of any side and United's injury list has meant midfielder Michael Carrick filling in at the back.Manchester City, which United meets in the F.A. Cup third round Sunday, is probably not the opposition United would choose to play after two defeats but Ferguson's side has shown many times how it can bounce back from setbacks.* * *HOW COULD Liverpool have got it so wrong, handled it so badly and alienated all but the most deluded, pig-headed of their supporters?Luis Suarez, Kenny Dalglish and Liverpool do not seem to think there is anything wrong with the striker calling Manchester United's Patrice Evra "negro" because in Uruguay "black" or "blackie" is, he claims "a friendly form of address to a black-skinned person." Really?It is stretching credibility to the breaking point to believe Suarez was using a so-called friendly word on so many occasions in a hot-tempered situation between opponents. There is no context in which any reference to the color of a person's skin during a heated argument can be deemed anything other than racist.Dalglish, the public voice of Liverpool, embarked on a misguided, ill-advised public relations campaign that has damaged a great club's credibility. The Scot has shown sensitivity and understanding in the wake of the Heysel and Hillsborough disasters but his attempts to defend the indefensible had all the subtlety of an over-the-top tackle.What should have happened is that Liverpool had immediately put out a statement to the effect that Suarez regrets what he was said, while in Uruguay it may have a different emphasis or meaning but he accepts that what he said was wrong and apologizes for causing any distress to Evra.Instead Dalglish and Liverpool attacked the F.A. process, claiming a witch hunt "against one of the best players in the Premier League" as if skill is relevant in racism. In Liverpool's eyes, Suarez somehow became the victim.Belatedly on Wednesday, in the wake of widespread criticism, Suarez issued an apology but without saying sorry to Evra. Any apology only has any true meaning if it is offered without pressure, otherwise they are empty words. Suarez's apology of an apology was: "I admitted to the commission that I said a word in Spanish once and once only. I never used this word in a derogatory way, and if it offends anyone, then I want to apologize for that."Their stance is likely to have a knock-on effect in terms of worldwide marketing.They'll be popular in Uruguay, though.Christopher Davies was a longtime Premier League correspondent for the London Daily Telegraph.
Showing posts with label flaws. Show all posts
Showing posts with label flaws. Show all posts
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Man United's flaws on display in loss
LONDON — Wayne Rooney looked like someone who had not been training properly during a shocking cameo display in Manchester United's 3-0 defeat at Newcastle three days ago.Perhaps that isn't too surprising. Last weekend Rooney was dropped by Sir Alex Ferguson after a dinner he and Coleen had with teammates Jonny Evans and Darron Gibson and their wives. It is alleged the trio did not train very well the following morning and apart from being dropped against Blackburn, the players were also fined a week's wages, in Rooney's case ?180,000. Expensive dinner.He returned against Newcastle and was substituted after 75 minutes of near anonymity. Rooney's body language, demeanor and the poverty of his all-round performance made his display probably his worst in a United shirt. Unusually, he even looked unhappy.Having lost 3-2 at home to Blackburn, a reaction was expected at Newcastle. In fact the champions were even worse than they were against the relegation battlers, though nothing should be taken away from Newcastle, which was terrific, showing many of the qualities its opponents have been missing.In Chiek Tiote and Yohan Cabaye, Newcastle have the type of midfielders the visitors lack and so obviously need, Tiote a ball-winning warrior, and Cabaye an intelligent, industrious player who cost what is looking a bargain ?4.8 million from Lille last summer.The new idol of Newcastle, however, is Demba Ba, who has scored 16 goals in his last 17 games. Available on a free transfer from West Ham at the end of last season, he failed a medical at Stoke, whose manager Tony Pulis said Ba's troublesome knee was "a ticking time-bomb that could go at any time." Having sold Andy Carroll to Liverpool for ?35 million, Alan Pardew replaced the England international with a player who cost nothing and has been far more prolific. Good business.The Ivorian scored a sensational opening goal as United was run ragged by the muscular but mobile Ba and Shola Ameobi. Ferguson dropped David de Gea but his replacement Anders Lindegaard, like all his teammates, had a night to forget.United's form this season has been the subject of more criticism than usual, with its unexpected early exit from the Champions League. The Red Devils have 45 points after 19 games despite dropping eight points at home already compared with only two in all of last season. Though it has been grinding out results rather than gaining victories by exciting, attacking football on only three occasions at this stage has United had more points.Its impressive half-season haul is all the more surprising given the problems United has faced. Neither de Gea nor Lindegaard has proved to be an adequate replacement for Edwin van der Sar. Rio Ferdinand has made 11 starts, Nemanja Vidic six before his season-ending knee injury. The central defenders are the cornerstone of any side and United's injury list has meant midfielder Michael Carrick filling in at the back.Manchester City, which United meets in the F.A. Cup third round Sunday, is probably not the opposition United would choose to play after two defeats but Ferguson's side has shown many times how it can bounce back from setbacks.* * *HOW COULD Liverpool have got it so wrong, handled it so badly and alienated all but the most deluded, pig-headed of their supporters?Luis Suarez, Kenny Dalglish and Liverpool do not seem to think there is anything wrong with the striker calling Manchester United's Patrice Evra "negro" because in Uruguay "black" or "blackie" is, he claims "a friendly form of address to a black-skinned person." Really?It is stretching credibility to the breaking point to believe Suarez was using a so-called friendly word on so many occasions in a hot-tempered situation between opponents. There is no context in which any reference to the color of a person's skin during a heated argument can be deemed anything other than racist.Dalglish, the public voice of Liverpool, embarked on a misguided, ill-advised public relations campaign that has damaged a great club's credibility. The Scot has shown sensitivity and understanding in the wake of the Heysel and Hillsborough disasters but his attempts to defend the indefensible had all the subtlety of an over-the-top tackle.What should have happened is that Liverpool had immediately put out a statement to the effect that Suarez regrets what he was said, while in Uruguay it may have a different emphasis or meaning but he accepts that what he said was wrong and apologizes for causing any distress to Evra.Instead Dalglish and Liverpool attacked the F.A. process, claiming a witch hunt "against one of the best players in the Premier League" as if skill is relevant in racism. In Liverpool's eyes, Suarez somehow became the victim.Belatedly on Wednesday, in the wake of widespread criticism, Suarez issued an apology but without saying sorry to Evra. Any apology only has any true meaning if it is offered without pressure, otherwise they are empty words. Suarez's apology of an apology was: "I admitted to the commission that I said a word in Spanish once and once only. I never used this word in a derogatory way, and if it offends anyone, then I want to apologize for that."Their stance is likely to have a knock-on effect in terms of worldwide marketing.They'll be popular in Uruguay, though.Christopher Davies was a longtime Premier League correspondent for the London Daily Telegraph.
Perhaps that isn't too surprising. Last weekend Rooney was dropped by Sir Alex Ferguson after a dinner he and Coleen had with teammates Jonny Evans and Darron Gibson and their wives. It is alleged the trio did not train very well the following morning and apart from being dropped against Blackburn, the players were also fined a week's wages, in Rooney's case ?180,000. Expensive dinner.He returned against Newcastle and was substituted after 75 minutes of near anonymity. Rooney's body language, demeanor and the poverty of his all-round performance made his display probably his worst in a United shirt. Unusually, he even looked unhappy.Having lost 3-2 at home to Blackburn, a reaction was expected at Newcastle. In fact the champions were even worse than they were against the relegation battlers, though nothing should be taken away from Newcastle, which was terrific, showing many of the qualities its opponents have been missing.In Chiek Tiote and Yohan Cabaye, Newcastle have the type of midfielders the visitors lack and so obviously need, Tiote a ball-winning warrior, and Cabaye an intelligent, industrious player who cost what is looking a bargain ?4.8 million from Lille last summer.The new idol of Newcastle, however, is Demba Ba, who has scored 16 goals in his last 17 games. Available on a free transfer from West Ham at the end of last season, he failed a medical at Stoke, whose manager Tony Pulis said Ba's troublesome knee was "a ticking time-bomb that could go at any time." Having sold Andy Carroll to Liverpool for ?35 million, Alan Pardew replaced the England international with a player who cost nothing and has been far more prolific. Good business.The Ivorian scored a sensational opening goal as United was run ragged by the muscular but mobile Ba and Shola Ameobi. Ferguson dropped David de Gea but his replacement Anders Lindegaard, like all his teammates, had a night to forget.United's form this season has been the subject of more criticism than usual, with its unexpected early exit from the Champions League. The Red Devils have 45 points after 19 games despite dropping eight points at home already compared with only two in all of last season. Though it has been grinding out results rather than gaining victories by exciting, attacking football on only three occasions at this stage has United had more points.Its impressive half-season haul is all the more surprising given the problems United has faced. Neither de Gea nor Lindegaard has proved to be an adequate replacement for Edwin van der Sar. Rio Ferdinand has made 11 starts, Nemanja Vidic six before his season-ending knee injury. The central defenders are the cornerstone of any side and United's injury list has meant midfielder Michael Carrick filling in at the back.Manchester City, which United meets in the F.A. Cup third round Sunday, is probably not the opposition United would choose to play after two defeats but Ferguson's side has shown many times how it can bounce back from setbacks.* * *HOW COULD Liverpool have got it so wrong, handled it so badly and alienated all but the most deluded, pig-headed of their supporters?Luis Suarez, Kenny Dalglish and Liverpool do not seem to think there is anything wrong with the striker calling Manchester United's Patrice Evra "negro" because in Uruguay "black" or "blackie" is, he claims "a friendly form of address to a black-skinned person." Really?It is stretching credibility to the breaking point to believe Suarez was using a so-called friendly word on so many occasions in a hot-tempered situation between opponents. There is no context in which any reference to the color of a person's skin during a heated argument can be deemed anything other than racist.Dalglish, the public voice of Liverpool, embarked on a misguided, ill-advised public relations campaign that has damaged a great club's credibility. The Scot has shown sensitivity and understanding in the wake of the Heysel and Hillsborough disasters but his attempts to defend the indefensible had all the subtlety of an over-the-top tackle.What should have happened is that Liverpool had immediately put out a statement to the effect that Suarez regrets what he was said, while in Uruguay it may have a different emphasis or meaning but he accepts that what he said was wrong and apologizes for causing any distress to Evra.Instead Dalglish and Liverpool attacked the F.A. process, claiming a witch hunt "against one of the best players in the Premier League" as if skill is relevant in racism. In Liverpool's eyes, Suarez somehow became the victim.Belatedly on Wednesday, in the wake of widespread criticism, Suarez issued an apology but without saying sorry to Evra. Any apology only has any true meaning if it is offered without pressure, otherwise they are empty words. Suarez's apology of an apology was: "I admitted to the commission that I said a word in Spanish once and once only. I never used this word in a derogatory way, and if it offends anyone, then I want to apologize for that."Their stance is likely to have a knock-on effect in terms of worldwide marketing.They'll be popular in Uruguay, though.Christopher Davies was a longtime Premier League correspondent for the London Daily Telegraph.
Saturday, December 10, 2011
CL exit exposes Man United's flaws
LONDON — Three weeks ago, Sir Alex Ferguson walked out of a UEFA news conference when he was asked a question by a reporter that began: "With the two best teams in the Premier League struggling in Europe. . . "Ferguson cut him short and replied: "Struggling? Are you serious? We're not struggling," and stormed off.It was also last month when Ferguson said Manchester United was "making great strides toward Barcelona."The reality is the gap between last season's Champions League finalists is widening significantly and the only strides United will be making are toward teams such as Metalist Kharkiv in the Europa League.Ferguson, who holds the written media in contempt, does not like to be contradicted by a football hack, but he had little defense, like his team, after United's 2-1 defeat in Basel that saw it knocked out of the Champions League.To have failed to qualify from a group containing teams from Switzerland, Portugal and Romania, which Ferguson would have hand-picked, suggests a European superpower on the wane and United got what it deserved after a string of wretched displays: elimination.While Manchester City also lost out in a far more difficult group, Roberto Mancini has so many outstanding players he can be far more confident about the future than Ferguson. United has failed to replace icons such as Edwin van der Sar, Paul Scholes, Roy Keane and Gary Neville and its midfield, particularly, lacks a playmaker in the class of Wesley Sneijder or a dominant ball-winner.David de Gea has made several crucial errors as he tries to fill the void left by van der Sar, Ashley Young's form has dipped alarmingly since September, Park Ji Sung is graft not craft, there is none of the traditional firepower in attack and the humiliation of playing in the Europa League will affect United, Champions League finalists in three of the last four years, far more than City.A season that has seen United beaten 6-1 at home by City — the teams meet in the F.A. Cup third round — knocked out of the League Cup by a weakened Crystal Palace side and dumped out of the Champions League after only beating Otelul Galati is in danger of falling apart.Ferguson and United have proven critics wrong before, but the decisive loss in Basel was an unforeseen embarrassment, and while many will gloat in the club's knockout the competition is poorer for its absence.* * *THE FOOTBALL Association was celebrating victory when UEFA's appeals committee reduced Wayne Rooney's ban from three games to two, meaning he will be eligible for England's third Euro 2012 game against Ukraine.It claimed a three-match suspension was excessive in a tournament of a maximum of six games, whereas, in domestic football three games in a 38-match season is different.A fair point but the F.A.'s disciplinary system has long been riddled with hypocrisy and double standards.Earlier this week it charged Liverpool's Luis Suarez with allegedly making a one-finger gesture at Fulham fans (most of whom, I am sure, were truly horrified and traumatized by it). Yet the F.A. fails to punish the hatchet-men for potentially leg-breaking tackles, claiming under FIFA regulations it is powerless to take action against a player if the referee has seen the incident.The weakness in the F.A.'s argument is that there is no such FIFA ruling and Sepp Blatter, the president of world football's governing body, has said the F.A. can take retrospective action if the referee has made an obvious error.Article 77 of FIFA's disciplinary regulations states: "The (national association's) Disciplinary Committee is responsible for . . . rectifying obvious errors in the referee's disciplinary decisions." In other words if the referee has seen a challenge as a yellow card offense and it is proven to be worse, the F.A. can act.However, the F.A. chooses to ignore this, claiming the rule doesn't exist where there is, seen above, a regulation stating the opposite, thus allowing flying elbows and bone-crunching tackles the referee has not seen or not sanctioned to be punished.FIFA disciplinary statutes also state: "An expulsion automatically incurs suspension from the next subsequent match." Not in English football, it doesn't. The F.A. allows clubs to appeal against wrongful dismissal, thus going against FIFA's regulations.While not condoning what the Uruguay international did, too often the F.A. punishes easy targets like Suarez but are too lily-livered to ensure a natural sense of justice against violence. No player has ever sustained a serious injury because of a hand gesture.The F.A. should charge itself with bringing the game into disrepute.* * *IT IS UNUSUAL to find a man who trained to be a lawyer and has a huge interest in the National Football League to be a Premier League manager. But then Martin O'Neill has never fit the stereotypical image of being the "boss" as players in English football still tend to call their manager.O'Neill has the ability to make every football writer believe he is his favorite reporter, but none is, though he is charming to all of us. Eloquent and intelligent, the former Northern Ireland international does not do slips of the tongue, his legal background taught him that, while such is his energy, enthusiasm and personality even fans of rival clubs like him.Football is better for O'Neill's return with Sunderland 16 months after leaving Aston Villa, which finished sixth in the last three of his four seasons in charge. He resigned unexpectedly, the club citing that O'Neill and the club's American owner Randy Lerner "no longer shared a common view as to how to move forward."Christopher Davies was a longtime Premier League correspondent for the London Daily Telegraph.
Ferguson cut him short and replied: "Struggling? Are you serious? We're not struggling," and stormed off.It was also last month when Ferguson said Manchester United was "making great strides toward Barcelona."The reality is the gap between last season's Champions League finalists is widening significantly and the only strides United will be making are toward teams such as Metalist Kharkiv in the Europa League.Ferguson, who holds the written media in contempt, does not like to be contradicted by a football hack, but he had little defense, like his team, after United's 2-1 defeat in Basel that saw it knocked out of the Champions League.To have failed to qualify from a group containing teams from Switzerland, Portugal and Romania, which Ferguson would have hand-picked, suggests a European superpower on the wane and United got what it deserved after a string of wretched displays: elimination.While Manchester City also lost out in a far more difficult group, Roberto Mancini has so many outstanding players he can be far more confident about the future than Ferguson. United has failed to replace icons such as Edwin van der Sar, Paul Scholes, Roy Keane and Gary Neville and its midfield, particularly, lacks a playmaker in the class of Wesley Sneijder or a dominant ball-winner.David de Gea has made several crucial errors as he tries to fill the void left by van der Sar, Ashley Young's form has dipped alarmingly since September, Park Ji Sung is graft not craft, there is none of the traditional firepower in attack and the humiliation of playing in the Europa League will affect United, Champions League finalists in three of the last four years, far more than City.A season that has seen United beaten 6-1 at home by City — the teams meet in the F.A. Cup third round — knocked out of the League Cup by a weakened Crystal Palace side and dumped out of the Champions League after only beating Otelul Galati is in danger of falling apart.Ferguson and United have proven critics wrong before, but the decisive loss in Basel was an unforeseen embarrassment, and while many will gloat in the club's knockout the competition is poorer for its absence.* * *THE FOOTBALL Association was celebrating victory when UEFA's appeals committee reduced Wayne Rooney's ban from three games to two, meaning he will be eligible for England's third Euro 2012 game against Ukraine.It claimed a three-match suspension was excessive in a tournament of a maximum of six games, whereas, in domestic football three games in a 38-match season is different.A fair point but the F.A.'s disciplinary system has long been riddled with hypocrisy and double standards.Earlier this week it charged Liverpool's Luis Suarez with allegedly making a one-finger gesture at Fulham fans (most of whom, I am sure, were truly horrified and traumatized by it). Yet the F.A. fails to punish the hatchet-men for potentially leg-breaking tackles, claiming under FIFA regulations it is powerless to take action against a player if the referee has seen the incident.The weakness in the F.A.'s argument is that there is no such FIFA ruling and Sepp Blatter, the president of world football's governing body, has said the F.A. can take retrospective action if the referee has made an obvious error.Article 77 of FIFA's disciplinary regulations states: "The (national association's) Disciplinary Committee is responsible for . . . rectifying obvious errors in the referee's disciplinary decisions." In other words if the referee has seen a challenge as a yellow card offense and it is proven to be worse, the F.A. can act.However, the F.A. chooses to ignore this, claiming the rule doesn't exist where there is, seen above, a regulation stating the opposite, thus allowing flying elbows and bone-crunching tackles the referee has not seen or not sanctioned to be punished.FIFA disciplinary statutes also state: "An expulsion automatically incurs suspension from the next subsequent match." Not in English football, it doesn't. The F.A. allows clubs to appeal against wrongful dismissal, thus going against FIFA's regulations.While not condoning what the Uruguay international did, too often the F.A. punishes easy targets like Suarez but are too lily-livered to ensure a natural sense of justice against violence. No player has ever sustained a serious injury because of a hand gesture.The F.A. should charge itself with bringing the game into disrepute.* * *IT IS UNUSUAL to find a man who trained to be a lawyer and has a huge interest in the National Football League to be a Premier League manager. But then Martin O'Neill has never fit the stereotypical image of being the "boss" as players in English football still tend to call their manager.O'Neill has the ability to make every football writer believe he is his favorite reporter, but none is, though he is charming to all of us. Eloquent and intelligent, the former Northern Ireland international does not do slips of the tongue, his legal background taught him that, while such is his energy, enthusiasm and personality even fans of rival clubs like him.Football is better for O'Neill's return with Sunderland 16 months after leaving Aston Villa, which finished sixth in the last three of his four seasons in charge. He resigned unexpectedly, the club citing that O'Neill and the club's American owner Randy Lerner "no longer shared a common view as to how to move forward."Christopher Davies was a longtime Premier League correspondent for the London Daily Telegraph.
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