news
Tue, 17 Apr 2001 16:04:38 -0700
--------------------------------- [11] Fancy a bet? --------------------------------- Posted Wednesday, April 18, 2001 by ps: 10-1 for a repeat of the 2-1 victory over Bayern. Don’t say we didn’t tell you about it! --------------------------------- [10] Fergie - losing will knock us flat --------------------------------- Posted Wednesday, April 18, 2001 by ps: "It would be a very flat year for us and it would be disappointing, particularly as the league campaign has not been as exciting as normal" said the United manager. "Both are important and we want to win our domestic league because it's such a competitive league in terms of the rivalry between us and Arsenal, Liverpool and Leeds. It's also an important league to win." "But we have to progress as a football club and Europe is the place to progress." "That is the focus of people's estimations of you in terms of your football power and we want to be considered that way." "That's why losing would be a big, big disappointment to us." --------------------------------- [9] More Dyer talk --------------------------------- Posted Wednesday, April 18, 2001 by ps: As again we get linked with the 'you've been framed' devotee. Do MUTV need another camera man? --------------------------------- [8] A baby sitter speaks --------------------------------- Posted Wednesday, April 18, 2001 by ps: O'Dreary on Fergie's retirement: "Manchester United are fortunate to have had a manager and players hungry for success. But I think he might be coming to the stage where he would be delighted to get out of it." --------------------------------- [7] Fergie: early is good, but better late than never --------------------------------- Posted Wednesday, April 18, 2001 by ps: "We know it's going to be a very difficult game, but we hope we can score a goal that will change the whole pattern of the game. If we do score then Bayern will have a problem, but we know it will be difficult," he said on Tuesday. "I think we can score, I really do think we can score, and I think it will be very interesting when we do score." "It doesn't matter when you score a goal. At the top level you need patience and sometimes you have to wait." "Bayern proved that in the last game and their best football was in the last fifteen minutes." "So if we have to wait another 88 or 89 minutes it doesn't matter to me. I'm used to that. "I'm not just talking about against Bayern, I'm talking about against all the teams and we are a team that tends to leave things very late." --------------------------------- [6] Last call for Schmeichel --------------------------------- Posted Wednesday, April 18, 2001 by ps: Denmark will use him for a final time on April 25th in his 129th match for the team against Slovenia. --------------------------------- [5] Andrew 'I'm greedy' --------------------------------- Posted Wednesday, April 18, 2001 by ps: "I'm greedy and, having just signed a new four-year contract, I'd love to take my championship medals up to nine by the end of it. "We're quite capable of it. I'm not really bothered about what the other challengers have not done. It's up to them to do something about it now. If they want to challenge us, they better do it from the off next season." "We're going to get better and better." --------------------------------- [4] Gary Nev speaks (again!) --------------------------------- Posted Wednesday, April 18, 2001 by ps: "It is important we have to give everything we have got on Wednesday and don't come away with any regrets. There can be no excuses for not throwing the kitchen sink at Bayern. "We are at our best when we know what we have to do. It would be impossible to go over there and say we'll win 1-0 and play for penalties. That's not the way we work. We have to think two goals and I'm sure the rest will fall into place." --------------------------------- [3] Fergie wants Turin spirit --------------------------------- Posted Wednesday, April 18, 2001 by ps: "We have been in tighter corners than this before and come out of them. You only have to think of the semi-final with Juventus two seasons ago when we went on to win the Champions League. "I went into that game with Juventus believing we would have to score twice to win and that's exactly how I'm looking at this one. We must score two." "I remain confident because we have players capable of opening up the game and scoring. The players have a good appetite and I sense they are determined to do something about the first-leg upset." --------------------------------- [2] Injury update --------------------------------- Posted Wednesday, April 18, 2001 by ps: According to Teamtalk the following are doubtful: Andy Cole, Nicky Butt and Wes Brown. Only believe it when you see it folks --------------------------------- [1] An ex Bayern coach has a go --------------------------------- Posted Wednesday, April 18, 2001 by ps: As Udo Lattek says: "The club dominates the English Premier League to such an extent that they've won it again in second gear. "But only very few teams can suddenly turn it on when it matters. I'm convinced Manchester won't be able to shift gears." "They fall flat on their faces when they play on the continent," he said. "The moment they leave their island, English teams are only half as good. "I'm prepared to bet that Bayern will get through, largely because the older players have one last chance to win a major title, and they will give their all." Isn't that what they said about Matthaus before 26/5/99?? --------------------------------- [16] Tuesdays Euro Action --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, April 17, 2001 by ps: Results: Valencia 1 Arsenal 0 (Agg 2-2) Valencia through on away goals Deportivo 2 Leeds 0 (Agg 2-3) Leeds meet Valencia in the semi's Both Arsenal and Leeds were under the cosh quite a bit but both still had chances to score - Viduka and Henry being the culprits in front of goal. Well, the only pattern I have noticed so far is that all home teams have won ... except when Bayern and United play ... and if that isn't good enough for you then you'll just have to get out your lucky underwear from Wembley '85. --------------------------------- [15] Gary Nev - no recognition yet for our achievements --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, April 17, 2001 by tb: "I think this is something that won't be fully recognised for 15 to 20 years," he said. "I think at the moment we are being judged on our European performances. The domestic championship seems to have been put on a back burner. "I think that's because we've won it by such a margin this year and last. At the start of the season I remember we lost to Chelsea in the Charity Shield and people were saying Chelsea were going to challenge us along with Leeds, Arsenal and Liverpool. Then all of a sudden we were 15 or 16 points clear and the league wasn't so important. But I think when people look back in 20 years they will realise this was a serious achievement." --------------------------------- [14] Wenger crosses his fingers --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, April 17, 2001 by tb: "You never know," Wenger said. "Things can seem to last forever, like Liverpool, then suddenly they collapse. It can happen to anybody." --------------------------------- [13] Wenger talks the rest of the league up --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, April 17, 2001 by tb: "It is not only Arsenal's responsibility to push United close, it is the whole league's," Wenger said. "There are 10 to 15 teams with Arsenal's potential." Yeh, right --------------------------------- [12] Wenger accepts reality --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, April 17, 2001 by tb: "Everybody wants to beat Manchester United but they have already a good team and they have big financial potential,". "It is not even a case of waiting for Alex Ferguson to go. If they can keep the players they have at the moment, and buy right, that will be more important than who is the manager. At the moment you have to accept United are a better team in the championship and it is a fight for second place." --------------------------------- [11] Mr Potatao Head pleads for mercy --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, April 17, 2001 by tb: On the derby: "Somehow I don't think they'll go easy on us. They want to win every game whether or not it's against us." Spotted the difference yet Joe? --------------------------------- [10] Rivaldo says 'I want to stay' --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, April 17, 2001 by tb: And denies the Moral/Soccernet fairy story: "I know nothing about meetings between clubs and I don't want to know anything about them," he said. "If it is down to me I will honour my contract but it all depends on the fans, the president and directors." "It gives me great pleasure to see my name linked with clubs like Manchester United and Milan,". "However, when I signed my improved contract I gave Barcelona all the say in any transfer. At the moment it is up to Barcelona to decide." --------------------------------- [9] Gary Nev on missing Germans --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, April 17, 2001 by tb: "Of course we're disappointed that David is not playing, but they will be disappointed that they have lost their two wing-backs - Lizarazu and Salihamidzic - because they are very important for them,". "They're both good players with strong engines, they're good defenders and willing to work up and down. "They're going to have to find two replacements for them and it's probably going to be a lot easier for us to adjust our system than it will be for them. "They're going to have to find two players for their most key positions, the wing-back places." --------------------------------- [8] Wilson on Injury --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, April 17, 2001 by tb: "I was out training in pre-season when it happened. I went up for a ball and I landed on my toe and my Achilles snapped, just went. It was one of those that if it hadn't gone then, it might never have gone. "It was bad luck. I felt this season would have been my season, in that I could have had a few games and shown what I can do. With the injury I've been set back a big way and I've got until the end of the season to prove what I'm worth. "I was resting for the first two months, with a bit of manipulation on my toes, trying to build the muscles back up in my legs. Then I started to jog and get on the weights to build everything back to what it should be. It's a long hard slog, but the first eight weeks were the hardest, taking everything in. "I had to get my head round it and believe that I'd come back a better player. I'm on my way back now, and hopefully I'll get some more games this season,". --------------------------------- [7] Wilson drops leave hint? --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, April 17, 2001 by tb: "It's coming to the point in my career when I need to be playing every week," "I love the club to bits, and I've supported them all my life. There's nothing more I'd like than to make it here and become a first team regular. But I'm up against world class players, it's hard. "I will get the games in, but it must be hard for the manager to pick me because the other players have done all the work all season. But now we've almost won the League I might get a few games,"