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manchester united Category

Manchester United football club news, Manchester United transfers, Premier League

Trasnfer balls: Manchester United keep and lose de Gea to Real Madrid as Casillas stays to play for Arsenal

Transfer balls:  The Sun says Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas, 33, wants to join Arsenal this summer. That move would mean Madrid buying David De Gea from Manchester United.

We know this because the Sun has heard from “top sources in Spain”. The facta only get more factual when the Sun presses caps lock:

And it means Real WILL swoop for Manchester United star David De Gea, who is still stalling on a new deal at Old Trafford.

It WILL!

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted: 29th, April 2015 | In: Arsenal, manchester united, Sports | Comment


Manchester United spend only 50% of their turnover on wages

Were Manchester United right to get rid of David Moyes as manager after a mere 10 months in charge? It was hasty. But then, the average tenure of all current Premier League managers is 1.57 years. Life is brief at the top.

The Daily Mirror has statistics to prove that under Louis Van Gaal, Man United are a tougher prospect.

Was Moyes hindered by taking over the champions of England?

 

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The facts show that United are on the up once more.

But at what cost? Have they spent too much on chasing success? The Times has more figures. As a percent of turnover, Manchester United spend least of all on players’ wages.

 

manchester united spending

 

The BBC notes that Chelsea have the best point-to-wages ratio. Jose Mourinho is getting more return from the club’s investment in players than Van Gaal is.

But what about debt?

The Mail says Chelsea are  whopping £958m in debt; Manchester United are £342m in debt; and – get this – Manchester City apparently have a debt of just £67m. In May 2014, the Telegraph noted that “over £680m has gone towards interest fees, bank charges and debt repayment” to finance the debt since the Glazer family took over the club.

Imagine the team that could have bought…?

Posted: 22nd, April 2015 | In: manchester united, Sports | Comment


Transfer Balls: Manchester United’s De Gea is leaving after signing a new deal with two clubs

Transfer Balls: The Daily Mirror leads with news that Manchester United’s David De Gea is leaving the club. The story is that Man United are “convinced the Spanish keeper has made his mind up to quit Old Trafford”. But this Daily Mirror “EXCLUSIVE” contains not a single fact.

De Gea has one year left on the Manchester United contract. His loss would be a blow to manager Louis Van Gaal’s plans.

But is the Mirror right?

In January, the Guardian told its readers De Gea wanted to sign a new deal to remain at United:

Transfer news: De Gea wants to stay at Manchester United – as it happened

That information was confirmed by the Metro:

David De Gea ‘SIGNS new five-year Manchester United contract after snubbing Real Madrid transfer’

And despite speculation last week that the 24-year-old had agreed terms with Madrid ahead of a summer switch… he’s now staying at Old Trafford having signed up until 2020.

That was followed in April by the Expressnews that De Gea had agreed to join Real Madrid:

 

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Three days after Izzy Horsefield’s scoop, the Express had other news: Real had cooled on De Gea and wanted Stoke City’s Begovic:

Man Utd handed MASSIVE boost as Real turn to Arsenal and Liverpool target Asmir Begovic

Oh, and ther was this from the Daily Mirror:

Boss Carlo Ancelotti is happy to keep the status quo with Iker Casillas and Keylor Navas as his keepers and spend big on other positions in the summer

Such are the facts in the trusty papers…

 

Posted: 22nd, April 2015 | In: manchester united, Sports | Comment


Transfer Balls: Sami Khedira’s Arsenal agreement is worthless

Transfer Balls spots the Daily Star’s news that Sami Khedira has delived a “blow to Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United”.

Jonathan Green reports:

The 28-year-old has become one of the most sought after players in European football with Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United, Bayern Munich, Dortmund and Schalke all looking to secure the German’s signature.

This is the Daily Star that told readers that Khedira had agreede to join Arsenla and Bayern Munich:

 

khedira agrees

 

khedira arsenal

 

Such are the facts in the Daily Star…

 

The World Cup winner is out of contract in the summer and has confirmed he will leave the Bernabeu after five years.

The 28-year-old has become one of the most sought after players in European football with Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United, Bayern Munich, Dortmund and Schalke all looking to secure the German’s signature.

And reports in Spain claim Dortmund are in the process of drawing up an offer for Khedira as they look to move ahead of their rivals.

Borussia Dortmund want Sami Khedira
INTEREST: Borussia Dortmund want Sami Khedira [GETTY]
They say Dortmund officials are prepared to offer Khedira a deal worth €11m (£8m) a year to bring him to the Westfalenstadion.

The Bundesliga club are set for a major overhaul this summer following Jurgen Klopp’s announcement that he will step down as manager at the end of the season.

Mats Hummels looks set to follow Klopp out of the exit door while doubts remain over the futures of Ilkay Gundogan, Marco Reus, Ciro Immobile and Neven Subotic.

Posted: 21st, April 2015 | In: Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, manchester united, Sports | Comment


Manchester United balls: foolish Juan Mata celebrates Chelsea

Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid reacts after scoring his team's second goal during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 Second leg match between Manchester United and Real Madrid at Old Trafford on March 5, 2013 in Manchester, United Kingdom.  (Photo by Jasper Juinen/Getty Images)

Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid reacts after scoring his team’s second goal during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 Second leg match between Manchester United and Real Madrid at Old Trafford on March 5, 2013 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Jasper Juinen/Getty Images)

 

Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata has a blog. He wrote on it following United’s 4-2 win over city rivals Manchester City.

His article is entitled ‘Outstanding Atmosphere at the Theatre of Dreams‘:

Hi everyone…

So much for the start. We’ll fast forward to the bit where Mata talks about Manchester United’s trip to Chelsea.

From this Monday we are already thinking about our next ‘final’, a visit to the leader of the Premiership… going back to Stamford Bridge for the first time will bring me plenty of good memories, for sure. The day I arrived to this great club I wrote: “Gratitude is the memory of the heart”. And I keep thinking the same. At that time I had the chance to thank everybody who helped me in London during those two and a half years, and next Saturday it will be nice to meet former team-mates, fans and friends. I keep good memories of them and I wish them the best…

Call me old-fashioned but I like it when my team’s players don’t declare their love for the opposition. I  sympathise with the Newcastle United fan who spotted his side’s goalkeeper Tim Krul wait at half-time to congratulate Sunderland’s Jermain Defoe on scoring what turned out to be the game’s only goal and noted:

“It’s f**ing derby… you don’t laugh with some scum in the tunnel, you either ignore him or kick the sh*t out of him. Nothing else is acceptable.”

A friend is a highly intelligent, sane and respected individual. Whenever a team other than his beloved Manchester United is playing his wishes only destruction on their houses. Unreasonable, inhumane, bigoted and unhinged, of course he is. He’s a fan.

Mata’s cameraderie and admiration for the team that sold him is not what any Manchester United supporter wants to hear. If Mata has to say anything, then wish ill on Chelsea.

Mata’s blog is the verbal equivalent of the player who refuses to celebrate his goal against a former club. The player – let’s call him Cristiano – scores. His teamates celebrate. And he stands, head bowed in respect, alone in the frenzy. It is utterly pathetic.

In the right world, any footballer failing to wildly celebrate a goal – famously described as an act better than sex – should be red-carded and banned for six matches. And that goes for you, too, Juan Mata. If you score against Chelsea, Manchester United fans will not respect your open-palmed apology to the opposition, and I’d wager Chelsea fans won’t either. They want you to slide across the turf and pump your fists like Mike Tyson on speed.

The United fans will love you. The Chelsea fans will regret losing you. You win. Anything else is just sad…

Posted: 13th, April 2015 | In: Chelsea, manchester united, Sports | Comment


Manchester United balls: statistics prove Herrera is better than Paul Scholes?

Just how good is Manchester United’s Ander Herrera? Well, the Daily Express’ Ben Jefferson takes time out from his usual diet of Transfer Balls to state that the Spaniard is very good:

The stats that PROVE Man Utd’s Herrera is BETTER than Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal stars

Which stats? Which stars?

The Spaniard’s current form has drawn comparisions with Paul Scholes from the Old Trafford faithful.

Old Manchester United fan 1: “He’s not as good as Scholes?”

New Manchester Untied fan 2: “Whose Scholes?”

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted: 8th, April 2015 | In: manchester united, Sports | Comment


Transfer balls: Manchester United are selling their captain

The Daily Mirror leads with news that Manchester United are to rid themnslves of £200,000-a-week Robin van Persie.

United will replace RVP with PSG’s Edinson Cavani.

Is that right? can we believe what the Press report?

As Barry Glendenning says:

A handsome, lank-haired South American striker moving to Manchester United from a high profile Ligue 1 club? What could possibly wrong?

It’s all gone wrong for Van Persie. But what did the experts say at the start of the season, when the Dutch striker’s compatriot Louis Van Gaal was heading to the club?

Back in May 2014, the Daily Mail’s Martha Kelner stated:

Louis van Gaal sees Robin van Persie as perfect captain for Manchester United…

The Holland manager has grown close to the striker, who captains his country, and is set to favour him over Wayne Rooney for the skipper’s armband at Old Trafford.

The Daily Mirror agreeed. Van Persie was a shoo-in for the captain’s armband.

And then Van Gaal made Wayne Rooney his captain.

Such are the facts…

 

Posted: 7th, April 2015 | In: manchester united, Sports | Comment


Want to see a video of Manchester United player Marcos Rojo’s one-man sex tape?

Manchester United sex tape

 

Why anyone would do this is bemusing. Why anyone with a public profile would resort to digitally insultated solo sex suggests a deep mental negligibility.PSST! Want to see a video of Manchester United star Marcos Rojo playing with his little ‘Red Devil’? No, us neither. But the Times, 34, alleges Rojo, 25, sent Sarah Watson a recording of himself masturbating along with “explicit messages” and photos.

Why anyone would do this is bemusing. Why anyone with a public profile would resort to digitally insultated solo sex suggests bordom and deep mental negligibility.

To add to the stickiness, at a flat belonging to Rojos’ friend, Waston claims she prefomed a “sex act” on the Argentinean watched by four other players, who might or might not also play for Machester United.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted: 6th, April 2015 | In: manchester united, Sports | Comment


Transfer balls: Raheem Sterling thinks Manchester United and Arsenal are better than Liverpool

Raheem sterling auction

 

Can it be that Raheem Sterling, the Liverpool tyro, would leave the club to play for Arsenal or Manchester United? The Sun says the deal to Old Trafford is on.

The last player to move between the two clubs was Phil Chisnall, who left Manchester United for Liverpool in 1964.

Sterling has rejected a near £100,000-a-week deal to remain at Liverpool. He and his agent are agitating for an exit. Liverpool want him to stay.

Their mistake was securing him on a £35,000-a-week deal that ends in two years time. They should have offered him more when he signed that deal just after his 18th birthday. They should have seen the improving player and recalculated his worth. Now that Liverpool are ready to negotiate, Sterling has raised his sights.

Sterling thinks Liverpool owe him back pay.

And Liverpool’s rivals are ready to exploit his position.

Sterling, of course, runs the risk of looking like a greedy, ungrateful, disloyal tosser.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted: 4th, April 2015 | In: Arsenal, Liverpool, manchester united, Sports | Comment


Transfer balls: Hummels ‘pledges’ future Manchester United and then explains

hummels pledge united manchester

 

Transfer balls: The Sun leads with news that Borussia Dortmund’s Mats Hummels has made a “pledge” to join Manchester United. Hummels is reported to have said that Manchester United is the only non-German team he will play for.

He is quoted:

“If I was to transfer abroad at some stage, then it would only be to Manchester United.”

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted: 1st, April 2015 | In: manchester united, Sports | Comment


Transfer balls: Gareth Bale joins Manchester United for £90m and Chelsea for £150m

Transfer Balls: So, how much is Gareth Bale worth to Manchester United, Manchester City and all the usual suspects lining up to buy the Real Madrid star?

The Daily Express says it’s £90m.

90m gareth bale daily express

 

That’s the same Daily Express who said Manchester United would buy Bale for £90m last January. They didn’t:

 

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Manchester United had best strike fast because that price is rising. It was £80m in the Daily Express a few weeks ago:

 

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And the Indy said it was £100m.

 

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Mind you, lsate last year the Mail said the figure for Bale was £120m:

 

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It was getting a bit pricey.

But then an oligarch stepped in to reinflate the fee. The Mirror reported that Cheslea will buy Bale for…£150m:

 

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Does anyone know how much Gareth Bale is worth?

Posted: 26th, March 2015 | In: Chelsea, Manchester City, manchester united, Sports | Comment


Transfer Balls: Arsenal ‘buy’ Dybala for £31m, chase Cavani, want Marco Verratti and miss Benzema

Paulo Dybala arsenal

 

Are Arsenal buying Palermo’s Paulo Dybala? The Telegraph says they could be. The paper also says Chelsea might buy him.

The Standard says Dybala will cost £30m. It says Arsenal will not pay that. That’s odd because the Daily Star says Arsenal have agreed to buy Dybala for £31m.

The Express says he will cost Manchester United £28.9m – and they want him, too.

The Daily Star says Arsenal are really keen on Karim Benzema – as they are every year. But they have been “rocked” by news that Paris St Germain also want him. But not to worry because that will mean Arsenal sign PSG’s Edinson Cavani for [insert ridiculous amount of money here].

The Daily Express says Arsenal are in for Paris Saint-Germain’s Marco Verratti and Bayern Munich’s Bastian Schweinsteiger. But, then, it says Real Madrid want both of those player, too. The Express says it knows this because Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has “specifically requested the duo”. Yeah. He didn’t say “get me whathisface and oojamiflip”. He used their actual names. #flattered.

The Metro, says Arsenal will “snare” Chile international Charles Aranguiz by dangling Alexis Sanchez over a bear pit filled with cash.

Such are the facts…

Posted: 25th, March 2015 | In: Arsenal, Chelsea, manchester united, Sports | Comment


Manchester United balls: Falcao cries, Di Maria sulks and boots don’t talk

Having been told by an insider that Radamel Falcao has been “reduced to tears” at Manchester United, the Sun leads with news that his teammate Angel Di Maria is sulking after Louis Van Gaal told him off for playing badly.

 

Falcao leaves Manchester United

 

One page in and we get to see rheumy-eyed Falcao and read that the misfiring Colmbian will “walk out” on Manchster United  unless he gets a “public show of faith” from Louis Van Gaal.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted: 25th, March 2015 | In: manchester united, Sports | Comment


Liverpool balls: Gerrard earns by the second and Skrtel is a master of cool

When Manchester United beat Liverpool 2-1, the point scoring had only just begun. The Daily Mirror’s man with an abacus used various esoteric and expert techniques and algorithms to award his scores out of 10 to the game’s players.

The scores for the Liverpool team are worthy of comment. Three Liverpool players – Adam Lallana, Moreno and…Steven Gerrard scored 4 points each.  Gerrard scored one point for every 9.5 seconds he was on the pitch. He was, of course, red carded after 38 seconds of playing time. Lallana and Moreno lasted 45 minutes and 66 minutes, respectively.

 

 

DAily Mirro Liverpool Manchester United

 

And that’s not all.

The Mirror praises “Liverpool’s best defender” Martin Skrtel.

He “kept his head while others lost theirs”.

 

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Skrtel has been charged with violent conduct over an alleged stamp on Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea.

It’s almost as if those points aren’t worth the paper tgey’re written on….

Posted: 23rd, March 2015 | In: Liverpool, manchester united, Sports | Comment


Transfer balls: Paul Pogba to join Manchester United after signing and not signing for PSG

Transfer Balls – a look at drivel presented as football fact by the mainstream media. Today the Press returns to France and Juventus star Paul Pogba. And news is that he’s on his way to Chelsea and Manchester United.

The Times and Telegraph both say Manchester United will splash out £60m on Pogba. Jason Burt says Pogba is the “key” Manchester United target.

Burt adds that some other teams also like Pogba: Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona and Real Madrid are all “strongly linked with him”.

Of course, we have already read in the Express that Pogba is off to Arsenal, and has signed a deal to join PSG. Burt catches up with the PSG angle:

Juventus director Pavel Nedved was quoted in La Parisien newspaper on Saturday as saying that PSG had submitted a bid – but, in this same report, this was denied by the French club’s director of sport, Olivier Letang.

Clear as mud, then.

Sky Sports says Pogba could remain at Juventus. After all, they are in the quarter-final of the Champions’ League, and Pogba was happy to run his Manchester United contract down and leave the club in 2012. Why go back?

Which leads to Jacon Steinbeg’s news in the Guardian that Pogba will be playing for Manchester City next season. Well, maybe. He understands that such a link is “nonsense”.

And if you want real nonsense, you need to look at the Metro and the Star, which reports:

Chelsea are getting closer to landing Paul Pogba, according to The Metro. They quote Juventus CEO Giuseppe Marotta who has hinted Juventus can do without Pogba.

Did he?

Marotta said: “We are here celebrating a victory achieved by a team, a team that played without Pogba. This means football is a team sport and not just about individuals.”

So. He did not say anything about Pogba being surpluss to requirements. He said football is a team game.

And what Moratta went on to say – not something quoted by either paper but mentioned in the Standard – is:

“Pogba is a young player with lots of promise but he is realising his potential,” he said after Sunday’s 1-0 victory over Genoa. We want to win and we don’t necessarily have to sell our best players. It is clear that players of this quality attract interest from other clubs but we don’t seek buyers and there has been no contact.”

Such are the facts…

Posted: 23rd, March 2015 | In: manchester united, Sports | Comment


Manchester United: Spitting Jonny Evans pleads the Winslow Boy denfence

Jonny Evans spitting

 

Banned for spitting at Newcastle United’s Papiss Cisse – who then returned fire with interest – Manchester United’s Jonny Evans is talking to the Times.  The headline – “If I’d genuinely spat, Mum and Dad would have been disgusted” – gives readers heads-up as to what the kind of nonsense they can expect.

This is no mea culpa. This is me a victim. Banned for six matches for his part in that exchange of bodily fluids, the caption beneath Evans’ face tells readers the spitting is “alleged”.

James Ducker says this is Evans telling his side of the story. But it looks a lot like the Times‘ is cocking an overly sympathetic ear, a feeling compounded by the accompanying photo of Cisse gobbing at Evans but no photo of Evans clearing his throat at Cisse.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted: 21st, March 2015 | In: manchester united, Sports | Comment (1)


Transfer Balls: Arsenal ands Liverpool sign Khedira from Bayern Munich and Real Madrid

Transfer Balls catches the Daily Star’s news that Arsenal and Liverpool are all set to sign Sami Khedira.

Paul Brown says Arsenal and Liverpool will both try to sign the German player when his Real Madrid contract ends on June 30. Offering no proof that they will, Brown then says Chelsea could afford to buy him. Why Chelsea would want Khedira and why Kehdira would want Chelsea are not things that bother the writer. And readers can also imagine what other clubs could afford Khedira.

Maybe Bayern Munich can? After all it was the Daily Star that rold us Khedira was heading to the German champions:

 

Khedira Chelsea

 

But that would be odd because whilst Brown says Arsenal baulked at Khedira’s wage demands, the, er, Daily Star told us that they didn’t:

 

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But then came Daily Star news that Khedira had gone back on that Arsenal agreement and agreed to join Bayern Munich:

 

Khedira agrees

 

So. He agreed to Arsenal. He agreed to Bayern Munich. Which brings us to the Daily Star’s news that next season Kehedia will be playing for Manchester Untied, Liverprool or Chelsea:

 

Khedira Liveprool

 

 

Such are the facts…

 

 

Posted: 12th, March 2015 | In: Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, manchester united, Sports | Comment


Manchester United fans cheers for Danny Welbeck as his mis-controls the ball

How football journalism works: the Dail Mail v the Daily Star  Sun. Last night Manchester United lost 2-1 to Arsenal in the FA Cup. Danny Wellbeck, formerly of United, scored the winning goal.

Neil Ashton is dishing out points in the Daily Mail:

Danny Welbeck: Kept his composure to put Arsenal back in front when her took the ball round De Gea with class and conviction. Good on him for that. 8

That’s the game’s highest score.

In the Daily Star, Jeremy Cross saw a different Wellbeck:

Welbeck struggled to make an impact… The first pass he received  was badly mis-controlled and the same happened the next one he got…

Maybe Neil Ashton is trolling? As he wrote previously:

Life would be easier if I followed the golden rule – give the highest mark to the player who scored the winner, or set it up – and you won’t get clubbed to death on Twitter.

But so good was Wellbeck that all the Manchester United fans cheered him off. Well, so says Martin Samuel in the Daily Mail:

The locals will not begrudge Welbeck his moment either, or resent his celebration. They did not want him to leave and confirmed that support by applauding him all the way to the bench when he was replaced by Olivier Giroud after 72 minutes

Neil Curtis in the Sun heard other noises:

Even the Arsenal fans gave him some generous applaus after initial boos

David McDonell in the Mirror also used two ears:

Welbeck was treated to a mixture of boos and cheers from United fans…

Such are the facts in the tabloids. And in the more high-brow newspapers, the facts are even more challenged. The Times tells us that 8 is better than 7:

 

Manchester United, The Times, Arsenal, football, FA Cup,

.

Football used to be just about the scoreline…

Posted: 10th, March 2015 | In: Arsenal, manchester united | Comment


Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney teaches dumb foreigners Angel Di Maria and Adnan Januzaj the Great British Dive

Wayne Rooney, dive, diving, football, manchester united

Writing on Arsenal’s FA Cup win over Manchester United, Martin Samuel turns to the matter of diving. Two Manchester United players – Angel Di Maria and Adnan Januzaj (who now has more bookings for diving than goals for Manchester United – five yellow cards for diving; four goals scored) were both yellow carded for cheating.

Samuels is unimpressed, telling his Daily Mail readers diving is not the English way:

“Januzaj has been around the English game long enough  now to know better.”

Is Samuel seriously suggesting that only foreingers dive? That it’s not the English to truy to con the referee? If he is, he could do worse than look at Manchester United and England cpatain Wayne Rooney, who in the previous FA Cup match won a penalty for this tumble:

 

How we hanker for the good old days when ever sin in the game – and let’s include Team GB’s Olympic tumbling – could be blamed on Liveprool’s Luis Suarez

Posted: 10th, March 2015 | In: Arsenal, manchester united | Comment


Manchester United balls: the Sun shines on Jonny Evans

The tabloids can hardly contains their excitement that Manchester United’s Jonny Evans denies spitting at Newcastle United’s Papiss Cisse.

Cisse has held his hands up to the offence, apologised and accepted his seven-match ban. But Evans is digging in. The Sun calls his stance “amazing”. Louis Van Gaal, Evans’ manager at Manchester United, has delivered the outstanding defence: “…he was not aware he was spitting.”

As we look for signs of drool from mouth-breather Evans, the tabloids go to work.

The Sun fill up 7 pages in the Evans spit, including its font and back pages:

 

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If you discount the adverts, the Sun’s 68 pages are reduced to around 54 pages. Seven pages deal with Jonny Evans’ drooling – that’s around 13% of the entire paper. And not a single word on Westminster paedos, Iraq, Syria or phone hacking in the Daily Mirror.

To the Sun, ‘Jonny is Evans sent’…

 

Posted: 6th, March 2015 | In: manchester united, Sports | Comment


Transfer balls: Liverpool replace Gerrard with Manchester United and Arsenal’s William Carvalho

Transfer Balls: a look at the nonsense written about William Carvalho, the Sporting Lisbon midfielder.

Yesterday the Daily Mirror told its readers that Carvalho could be on his way to Liverpool.

 

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That will come as some news for Manchester United fans because according to reports in the Daily Mirror, Carvalho plays for the Red Devils, who he joined for £37m before the last World Cup:

 

 

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News of Carvalho’s move to Manchester United was confirmed by the Daily Express, although there it was for a lower fee:

 

 

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And there was the earlier news in the Daily Star that Carvalho was on the point of signing for Arsenal:

 

 

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As for the player himself, well, the Daily Express had news that he doesn’t want to play for Arsenal, Chelsea or Manchester United.

 

 

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Such are the facts in the mainstream Press…

 

Posted: 6th, March 2015 | In: Arsenal, Chelsea, manchester united, Sports | Comment


Manchester United’s Johnny Evans and Newcastle Pappis Cissse to get life bans and spitting statue

In the Premier Lesgue match between Newscastle United and Manchester United, Johnny Evans and Pappis Cisse appeared to exchange bodily fluids. No, the players – one white, the other black – did not get off with each other to further please fans looking for evidence of moral enlightenment at the match. It seems that they spat at each other, and not in any way that can be construed as good for the game.

No-one has moved to claim the spitting was rooted in racism. And in the curent climate where racism is sought in a speck of dust, for that we must be thankful.

The referee missed the spitting.

But the papers didn’t. They wade in, telling their readers how long the Evans and Cisse could be banned for:

The Guardian says one-match, maybe:

 

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The BBC looks to recent history: “Last season, George Boyd was given a three-match ban for spitting at Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart”.

The Daily Telegraph says: “Jonny Evans and Papiss Cisse [are] facing six-match ban after spitting row in Newcastle v Manchester United clash.”

The Daily Mirror wants more: “Papiss Cisse apologises for Jonny Evans spitting storm as he faces SEVEN game ban.

lan McInally: “If you get tackled and somebody injures you, I think you take it. If somebody spits on you, as a footballer player, that’s not happening … maybe six games isn’t enough. If you give them 10 games, they take the wrath of their football club.”

The Times: “Jonny Evans is not that kind of guy,” Paul Scholes, a former team-mate of the Ulsterman, said. “What Papiss Cissé did afterwards is unforgivable.”

Unforgivable. A life ban it is, then.

(Cisse has accepted a seven-match ban. Evans is holding out.)

 

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Is any of it a big deal? Maybe spitting is as much a part of the game as the leg-breaking tackle, verbals, biting or the headbutt? Maybe one day they’ll just make a statue or fountain to spitting, like this tribute to Zinedine Zidane, whose World Cup final red-card earning butt was immortalised in bronze:

 

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Posted: 5th, March 2015 | In: manchester united, Sports | Comment


Revealed: What Manchester United will do to win the Premier League

Football Balls loves those space-filling lists. The Daily Mail delivers news on Manchester United. Mike Keegan lists “10 things Louis van Gaal must fix before next season”.

Here, Sportsmail looks at what Van Gaal needs to do to ensure it is mission accomplished at Old Trafford.

Mission accomplished at Old Trafford is not like George Bush’s famous ‘Mission Accomplished’ in Iraq, where a swift defeat of the less well-armed enemy is followed by grandiose statements, trebles all round and chaos. Manchester United need to win the Premier League and then conquer Europe to accomplish any mission. Anything less for such a rich, free-spending club is failure.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted: 5th, March 2015 | In: manchester united, Sports | Comment (1)


Manchester United fans use Sikhs to abuse Chelsea and all other racists

'A round of applause for out ethnic minority fans. Stand up and take a bow, guys"

‘A round of applause for out ethnic minority fans. Stand up and take a bow, guys”

 

Sky News has been discussing racism. And that always means racism in football, the obvious stuff when white, working class people in man-made fibres are filmed ranting and raving about a soft target.

Eamonn Holmes, the Sky News anchor, was chairing the debate, which quickly turned to Chelsea fans (club owner: Jewish Russian; supstar striker: black African), a few of whom had been filmed behaving badly on the Paris Metro.

Holmes, a Manchester United fan, puffed up, sat up straight and told viewers that things were rosy at Old Trafford, because sat close to the manager’s dug-out are a few obvious ethnic fans. Said Holmes:

“The group of guys in turbans at Manchester United sends out a lovely message.”

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Posted: 4th, March 2015 | In: Chelsea, manchester united, Sports | Comment


Manchester United injury balls: Robin Van Persie is out for weeks and weeks and weeks and weeks

Football balls: whan a player is injured the media goes into overdrive. They love it. Manchester United’s Robin Van Persie has poorly ankle. But how long will be out for?

BBC:  Van Persie is out for up to two weeks.

 

Screen shot 2015-02-27 at 15.06.10

 

The Express says it’s at least two weeks:

 

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The Mail says RVP is out for 3 weeks:

 

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The Mirror says RVP is out for “at least a month“:

 

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The Sun says he’s out for “four games” , which is five weeks.

It’s as if the media take the most basic fact and spin it until the actual news is lost in the fog of sensation…

 

Posted: 27th, February 2015 | In: manchester united, Sports | Comment