EVERYTHING that's UNITED

Anirudh Agarwala — Tue, 18 May 2010 19:45:06 +0000

WEB BLOG UNDER CONSTRUCTION:

WE ARE SOON GONNA BE UP AND RUNNING…

PLEASE BEAR WITH US…

CHECK IT OUT ON ITS NEW LAUNCH DATE:

1st June 2010..

In the meantime… Check out the following links:

The Republik of Mancunia

UP and Running Again!!

Anirudh Agarwala — Tue, 18 May 2010 19:18:43 +0000

Some ppl might wonder where i had vanished for the last one year.

Well its called hibernation.. The blog was starting off well but I needed time of to figure out what all is required here on this blog and soon (before the world cup ends) there are going to be a few recruits to this blog. This way even when I have one of my many writers blocks, the blog shall roll on.

Moreover, I am looking at exending the reach of this blog also to the non-man utd section of the football fanbase to provide their ABU stances and for us to test and review what is out there. And hopefully occasionally also write about their competition with United.

Now that we have lost the title, i think the blog header also need to be re-invented to show respect to the fact that Chelsea piped us to it.

SO lets toast to this new beginging….

For all readers who are visiting: Thanks for stopping by… Come again.. Inspire me to write more

Anirudh

Gabriel Obertan

Anirudh Agarwala — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 08:02:13 +0000

So we have another signing…

Don’t feel like saying anything about it though…

Am a little lost for words right now !!! Come on for god’s sake… i really doubt i am really excited about any of United’s signings….

BUT, in Fergie I trust….

Micheal Owen!!!

Anirudh Agarwala — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 07:01:32 +0000

Even as the dossier was made on one of the world’s most past-it players, there was a nagging feeling that this may have been a possibility however bleak. The fact that it is a reality is absolutely outrageous.

When I first heard the rumour, I was thinking whether the Press have done it again. But as the day progressed, there was so much more that kept happening.. it was no surprise that he was finally signed but only SHOCK!!!

Can you imagine Micheal Owen, the Liverpool prodigy, Legend etc. playing for UNITED. Its like Beckham playing for Liverpool or more recently Ronaldo playing for Liverpool. I compare the Owen-Ronaldo situations coz both are World Class talents, both Ballon D’Or winners and both had/have moved on to Real Madrid for developing their “Galacticos” image, albeit at different times.

This transfer leaves a bad taste in the mouth, not because I doubt the quality etc of the player but merely coz of the LIVERPOOL Connection. The sight of him wearing the United Red is a little difficult to phatom and the thought of our fans singing for him (in case he is a success) sends a chill down ur spine.

On the pure business sense though this is a brilliant deal. Owen is definitely World Class with a proven on-feild track record. So the real thing is to keep him there. At United its no mystery that the Medical staff is way better than Newcastle. I bet the moment the medical was completed, Owen has been on a stringent fitness regime, the likes of which he may have never seen at Newcastle. The staff will make sure he is available as much as possible.

This is where as much as possible becomes important. If one looks at the cost benefit analysis, United did not pay inflated fees, actually did not pay fees at all, did not have a long drawn out bidding wars with the i-have-got-the-government bailout club and got an undoubtedly talented player.

Eric Cantona was a man who learnt to love United. Fergie saved his career that was going downhill at Leeds and he in-turn changed the destination of the Premier League trophy for ever. If Owen can do half of what Cantona did (football wise), we might just have to forget about his Liverpool connections. Lets wait and watch on this one…

P.S. Liverpool fans: The FACT that we saved his career will definitely play on his mind when we come to the next derby.. so be ready to get stick from us.. haha

Poll: Who should wear the talismanic No. 7?

Anirudh Agarwala — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 08:12:24 +0000

With the exit of Ronaldo, one of the most important decisions that SAF will make is to crown the next Manchester United Talisman!!!!

So who do you think it should be.. Vote here:

View This Poll

Analyzing the United Transfer Policy

Anirudh Agarwala — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 07:28:27 +0000

There has been a lot of fuss on the quality of players that we should be buying with the 80 million transfer kitty that we have got. As I have mentioned before, the press have taken to our bank balance to the extent that any possible transfer has to be linked with Manchester United and Sir Alex Ferguson.

We are apparently in the market for all top starts (whatever is left anyway) as well as unknown quantities. The Media has created a greater hype of the United transfer strategy than Sir alex would have wanted. This is not helped by the fact that Madrid are spending without a care in the World and English press want at least one of their clubs to do the same. Manchester City would have been the more likely candidates, but with Huges at the helm I am not surprised that they are moving slowly but surely towards devloping a quality team capable of challenging Chelsea and Liverpool for second spot next season.

There can be various assumptions about the role of the debt in the transfer policy and as a United fan, I have learnt to live with it. It is a matter of FACT that we have a debt and it has to be serviced, so whatever business and policy decisions have to be taken are fine. So whether the Under 26 policy is in place or not, i would not care. The only thing that matter is the quality of footballers at our club and their dedication towards the team goal.

Any team loosing 2 out of 3 forwards that won you the champions league is definitely going to struggle to replace them but I dont think that at United we ever do a straight swap. One can argue that Cantona, Keane, Beckham, Ruud were never replaced. So it is going to be with Ronaldo and Tevez. Valencia will take the place that Ronaldo left on the starting line up and rest assured the system will change.

Under Ferguson, the United system has always been changing and I think Berba was the first signing for our latest system. SAF had a year to prepare for the departure of Ronaldo and he did that by making Berba his main man. If you see a dvd of last season, it will become obvious how Ronaldo was marginalized on the wing for most of the early part of the season. Only towards the final stages did Ronaldo get the freedom up top to roam about and United reverted somewhat to the Ronaldo dependent system of earlier season. [Hence Berba was benched]

So the Rooney-Berba strike force is definately going to be the dominating part of our next system and therefore Tevez felt that he was “not a part of the Family”. The Valencia buy proves that we have a more direct winger who will run past players and cross balls like the Steve Coppells of old. But, what remains to be seen is how the roles of the other players will be defined. Tosic was bought in January and looks like a no-nonsense-cross-at first-instance type of player. Tosic may not have had the impact that SAF desired but he may again be looking for someone in the same mould or for Nani to step up to his billing.

With the front four of our system pretty much clear, I would say that its the Central Midfield which is the mystery. We have enough quality there to last another 5-6 years and I think the fact that Anderson is a year older and will now have the license to roam may make a world of a difference. I have seen Anderson play the attacking midfield role for Brazil and the lad is real quality. He just needs to net his first goal and we might see the confidence return in his shooting. Alongwith Rooney, he is probably the only player we have that can run past the midfield and defence.

So a return to the 4-4-2 is definitely on the cards but what kind will it be can be determined by which of our Midfielders is ready to carry the team on his shoulders. The form and future of Fletcher, Carrick, Hargreaves and Anderson will actually decide how successful we are as a team. That is where United have the most quality and that is where SAF will look to bestow his faith. If this quartet can come out of Ronaldo’s shadow we might still have the most flexible United systems ever. I say so because each of these four have very very different qualities to offer and United will be a different proposition depending on who plays.

Our defence is clearly in no need of any re-inforcements and the fact that Evra will now have real competition from Fabio and Rafael will be one year older will ensure that we have the most attack minded full-backs not only in the league but may also be in Europe. (The Brazilian samba 4-4-2, maybe??)

That settles our first team, but to compete on all fronts we need a bench and other options. That is where I think Fergie is going to forge into the market. For players who may be happy to be marginalized initially but be Lengends when they retire (Remember Solksjaer anybody). However, the only place in the United first team that actually needs to be filled is the left wing. Nani has been unconvinging and Tosic has not made an impact yet. However, they have the potential but a “marquee” signing there is also a significant possibility.

Unfortunately the only “marquees” there are Ribery and David Silva and I dont think either of them is coming this summer anyway.

Disagree with anything I have to say!!!! Comment below and I would be happy to reply…..

SO Valencia is Here.. Finally!!!

Anirudh Agarwala — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 06:31:07 +0000

Predictably, there has been a lot of transfer speculation after Ronaldo’s departure was announced on June 11. However, it does feel like a relief that we finally have someone that has come to our club rather than the other way around.

With the departure of Tevez and Ronaldo, the team is definately weaker than it was last season and we really need to purchase some quality if we want to challenge Barca in Europe next season. [I shall discuss this in detail in the next post]

So is Valencia the answer to our woes???

Here is a video of Valencia in his Wigan days……

After looking at this video, it feels like we have another Ronaldo at our hands, but videos can be deceiving. Cant wait to see what this lad can do with World Class Players around him rather than the mediocre ones he had at Wigan!!!

Welcome LUIS ANTONIO VALENCIA!!! Hope you are a success!!!

Why has Ronaldo not gone yet!!!!

Anirudh Agarwala — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 05:52:29 +0000

UPDATE: I had written this post before Ronaldo’s move was confirmed, but thought the best time to publish it would be only after hez gone.

June 25, 2009:

The next peice of news is absolutely fictitious and the theory of a drunken United fan desparately fighting with a Madrid fan over which club is more prestigious. Even fort a United fan like me it was unthinkable and extremely hillarious. Here goes an excerpt of the conversation:

Real Madrid Fan: “What the F*** is GLORY GLORY MAN UTD!!! We are ******* bigger and outrageously better”

United Fan: Ya so can you explain why you have not reached the champions league semis in the last 5 years???

RM F: All ur ******* BEST players come to US like its the best thing to happen in their lives!!! Ronaldo.. if u know dreams of playing for Real not United cunts even after spending his devloping years there… nd so did Beckham btw… The people who play know better than you single minded fools

MU F: Ha!!! but Ronaldo has not gone yet!! Sir Alex and United are just taking the mickey out of your stupid club and all this transfer is going to fail at the last minute…. Its just to get back for all the disgusting and absolute nonsense that your last president did.. btw how many presidents have you had???

————————-

For me thats where the discussion ended folks!!! Stupid drunken supporters!!! but a good laugh none-the-less…

P.S. To the Madrid fans: Get real… Ronaldo is probably the only united player going to Real in/before his prime…The others were well past their best

LONG and HARD SUMMER!!!

Anirudh Agarwala — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 08:19:34 +0000

Unlike what Sir Alex has always wanted of his transfer dealings, this summer is really going to be a long drawn and public affair. Not because the club want it so but because the media wont let us go.

We have not even sold Ronaldo yet and there are already a host of signings on their way to United. Ribery, Benzema, Aguero, Costa, Nilmar, Valencia, Mariga, Silva, Villa and so on.The summer is just going to get worse with the papers either running a new story every day on the same players or comming up with more pathetic ones like this one. If you click on the link, you will see that the press have not even bothered to get their Facts right. FYI Mr. Vince Masiello, the striker is nicknamed “Kiko” and not “Chicco”. Anyway, back to the point I was making, at Manchester United, we should actually revolt against the quality of journalism. They will link us to players that meet their personal fantasies, add inflated price tags and publish an article. Lately, they are saying that we will offer Nani for Valencia (I dont think so, coz Nani is the only orthodox first team winger we have in the team right now anyway).

Whatever the state of affairs, at some point some paper will hit the mark and so we fans have to keep reading all this stuff all over the place to understand what Fergie is doing. I hope for once we had Fergie give up his silent, moral transfer policy and talk to the press like Madrid about their targets. This way we would at least have rumours that are in more ways than one more believable that the stupid fantasies. We have not signed anyone yet and its a clear sign that we are anyway having to deal with Real tracking all our players as well as exhorbitant and inflative prices.

So Fergie, spare us the suspense and come out at least with an interview about whats happening. A sincere request from a fan sick and tired of reading a load of Hogwash every morning.

Ronaldo: cant get Enough of Him!!!!

Anirudh Agarwala — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 18:25:02 +0000

The seasons gone by were all about Ronaldo. The summers thereafter were even worse. The UNITED Fans stuck by him and he did more than enough to repay us season after season. This trend was broken in the last season when his summer antics could not have been undone and it was definately time for Ronaldo to look for pastures new. Most United fans were in awe of his ability but were no more messmerized by his presence. For us, he became a means to an end but not the end itself. I remember supporting UNITED in the times of real legends like Cantonna when we fans would give up anything to watch him play, he was the end, he was the MAN and whatever united achieved was just a heart warming BONUS.

In his interview that was published today on his decision to leave united, he HOPES that he is a legend. Unfortunately, he will never be a legend, he will just be ONE of the greats. We will learn to love him again when time passes and respect the things he did for United in his past three seasons, but we will never put him on the pedestal that Cantonna still enjoys. So best of luck Ronaldo, thanks for the memories, the trophies and the 80 million.