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--------------------------------- [8] Becks on us, the fans --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, December 25, 2001 by bar-knee: "The fans have stuck with us, which we needed, and they have been excellent for the last few games. That's what has got us through it. We had to turn it around because everyone knows we had not been performing as well as we can do. We've always said as players and as a team that we would stick together and people who know the team and the players know we will come through the bad patches. We've worked hard in training and we've never stopped working hard in training. The team spirit is there and the ability doesn't just go overnight." --------------------------------- [7] Beckham on our title chances --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, December 25, 2001 by bar-knee: "As Manchester United players we are brought up to want to win things whatever position we are in. We've not been in this position before. It's a bit weird and it's new to us. But we've shown in the last couple of games that we can get results. As players we've got to believe that we can still do it. What people don't realise is the self-belief between each player and the rest of the team. We've got to believe that we can do it and that's the only way through for us." --------------------------------- [6] Blomqvist on United --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, December 25, 2001 by bar-knee: "United have hit a great run of form, but I never doubted they would be able to do that, I know them. It has changed a lot in the last few weeks, and here they are again as favourites to win the title. But I do believe there is a lot of hard work for them this season, it looks like a really tough league to win this time, but they definitely have everything they need in the squad to do it. It hasn't surprised me the way it has turned round for them. I know them, I have trained with them and I have always known it was possible when everyone else was writing them off. They have to be strong and confident, and they can do it." --------------------------------- [5] Blomqvist on his chances --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, December 25, 2001 by bar-knee: "I haven't really completed my comeback yet, I still want more in terms of my fitness and form, but it was a great feeling to come on at Sunderland at the weekend. I really enjoyed it. My fitness is getting better, but not what it should be. I need more games but I know it will come. It will be a strange feeling for me to maybe face United in the Premiership so soon after my comeback. On Saturday at Sunderland it was the first time I have played a senior match since my injuries. Just to even be on the bench will feel strange, I was only training with them a few weeks ago. This is a great opportunity for me at Everton, I will give it everything to keep my career going, I just want to keep playing. The motivation is massive. But I am trying to reduce things to just smaller goals rather than to look too far ahead. I am going from week to week and seeing things improve. I have had a lot to do in the last two years to get to this stage. It shows what you can do if you don't give u! p. I have a lot of motivation to play football at the highest level, I still enjoy it so much." --------------------------------- [4] Walter Smith on Blomqvist --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, December 25, 2001 by bar-knee: "Blomqvist is ready for a full game now. He's trained well for a sustained period and played some reserve games and got his first taste of first team action for us at Sunderland. Now he may well get his chance." --------------------------------- [3] Latest team news --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, December 25, 2001 by bar-knee: Barthez again a doubt with his back injury - Carroll stands by. O'Shea still out, Becks expected to step in for suspended Scholes. Everton have Alessandro Pistone, Kevin Campbell, Mark Pembridge, and Alan Stubbs out injured. --------------------------------- [2] Blomqvist to feature for Everton against us --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, December 25, 2001 by bar-knee: Rumours are he is in the Everton squad and may play - his first competitive start since the Nou Camp "It is strange that I could be facing Manchester United, maybe it was meant to be. And I know I will be facing them now that they have started to string wins together, it proves you can't write them off for the title." --------------------------------- [1] Happy Christmas to all our readers --------------------------------- Posted Tuesday, December 25, 2001 by bar-knee: >From all the RN team. Hope you have an enjoyable one. --------------------------------- [21] Fergie on Becks and Giggs --------------------------------- Posted Monday, December 24, 2001 by bar-knee: "David was looking fresh and Ryan has recovered from his hamstring, but the midfield four have been doing exceptionally well, they've done everything that I've asked of them and you have to respect the job they're doing. So unfortunately for David and Ryan, we'll have to wait until the time is right to play them. David may not be thankful at this moment in time for the rest I'm giving him but he could be in a few months' time" --------------------------------- [20] More from Fergie on Saturday --------------------------------- Posted Monday, December 24, 2001 by bar-knee: "Some of our football was fantastic. There were periods when we were much more like ourselves." --------------------------------- [19] Latest Becks contract gossip --------------------------------- Posted Monday, December 24, 2001 by bar-knee: >From the Indy 'David Beckham is negotiating a new contract with Manchester United that could see him become football's first self-employed footballer. The England captain has 18 months left on his current deal at Old Trafford and according to reports, Beckham is negotiating his contract as a company rather than an individual. The issue has caused numerous problems at United and prompted escalating fears that Beckham will leave the club when his present contract ends. Beckham's agents SFX are handling the player's contract talks and if they are able to successfully negotiate a deal to their satisfaction it could fundamentally alter players relationships with their clubs. The players could sign deals with provision for image rights that could net them huge sums of money.' --------------------------------- [18] Team from Saturday --------------------------------- Posted Monday, December 24, 2001 by bar-knee: Barthez, P Neville, Blanc, G Neville, Silvestre, Veron (Beckham 65), Keane (Wallwork 80), Butt, Scholes, Van Nistelrooy, Solskjaer (Giggs 65). Subs (not used): Irwin, Carroll (gk). --------------------------------- [17] Early team news --------------------------------- Posted Monday, December 24, 2001 by bar-knee: Keano to have fitness tests on his knee. MEN also reports Wes Brown is also to undergo more tests on his knee as there are worries that he will now be out for longer than expected. --------------------------------- [16] More from Strap-on --------------------------------- Posted Monday, December 24, 2001 by bar-knee: "Some strikers have this theory that the less they do, they will be fitter when they get the ball. But he was all over the place, absolutely all over the place. I've known the manager here for over 20 years and I think he has always said your two strikers determine how well your team plays. I think that on that basis then I thought there was an awful lot coming from him that was world-class. The clinical finishing of Manchester United was phenomenal and the goalie has made world-class saves. It's all about the good players playing well and too many of our good players did not play to their best today." --------------------------------- [15] O'Dreary on Bowyer --------------------------------- Posted Monday, December 24, 2001 by bar-knee: :"He (Bowyer) was stupid to be out drinking in Leeds, as was Jonathan Woodgate, but :he's not a racist or a thug, in my opinion." --------------------------------- [14] Ruud on 3 goal bag --------------------------------- Posted Monday, December 24, 2001 by bar-knee: "It's always nice to score a hat-trick and get the ball and hold it. I'm very proud. For me walking off the pitch at Old Trafford with the ball makes me very proud." --------------------------------- [13] Fergie on title bid --------------------------------- Posted Monday, December 24, 2001 by bar-knee: "I think we've got to win our games. We've given ourselves an uphill fight. Teams like Newcastle, Leeds, Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea will never ever have a better chance of winning the league. They're going to go for it and we just have to hope we can claw our way back. We have a mountain to climb." --------------------------------- [12] The Ginger one on United --------------------------------- Posted Monday, December 24, 2001 by bar-knee: "The clinical finishing of Manchester United was phenomenal and the goalie has made world-class saves. It's all about the good players playing well and too many of our good players did not play to their best today." --------------------------------- [11] More from Strap-on on Ruud --------------------------------- Posted Monday, December 24, 2001 by bar-knee: "He has it all. Some strikers have this theory that the less they do, they will be fitter when they get the ball. But he was all over the place, absolutely all over the place. I've known the manager here for over 20 years and I think he has always said your two strikers determine how well your team plays. I think that on that basis then I thought there was an awful lot coming from him that was world class." --------------------------------- [10] West Am on those Di Canio rumours --------------------------------- Posted Monday, December 24, 2001 by bar-knee: Which spread like mad before the game on Saturday. Glenn Roeder : "We have had no contact with Manchester United. This story flared up pre-season and it has now flared up again. I don't have to sell any of my players. In fact I am looking to bring people in." --------------------------------- [9] Ruud himself --------------------------------- Posted Monday, December 24, 2001 by bar-knee: "I have to say the Premier League is a physical league. The tempo is high. I've got used to that and in the last 15 minutes I'm feeling different from the start of the season so I think I've improved." --------------------------------- [8] Fergie on Ruud --------------------------------- Posted Monday, December 24, 2001 by bar-knee: "Ruud's on fire. He's getting stronger. I think he's settled in now. There was a period when he looked tired and getting used to the humdrum nature of our game is difficult. You've also got to remember he was out of the game for a year and he has done remarkably well to adjust and acclimatise to our game and produce performances like this. In that respect it's a great comeback for him." --------------------------------- [7] Gordon Strap-on on Ruud --------------------------------- Posted Monday, December 24, 2001 by bar-knee: "one of the best centre-forward players I've seen for a long time". --------------------------------- [6] Phil Nev on Ruud --------------------------------- Posted Monday, December 24, 2001 by bar-knee: "His form at the moment is probably better than any other striker in the Premiership. He's definitely on fire and you just hope the chances fall to him." --------------------------------- [5] Remember 'Tino' at the Geordies --------------------------------- Posted Monday, December 24, 2001 by bar-knee: As their walls came tumbling down. Sound familiar? Paris St Germain president Laurent Perphre: "I long believed that Nicolas would have a future with PSG but eight days ago everything fell apart and we could not put the pieces back together. Initially a transfer was envisaged but there were not many clubs in a position to do that. Therefore we chose a loan deal with the condition that Nicolas go to a large club where he has a chance to play and get back his confidence." --------------------------------- [4] Steven Howard in the SUN on Veron --------------------------------- Posted Monday, December 24, 2001 by bar-knee: "...Yet United were seriously flattered by their 3-0 half-time lead and, even at 4-1, had a distinctly uncomfortable spell. And few players can have performed as poorly as Juan Veron in a victory of this dimension...Yet equally worrying is the fact that Alex Ferguson is no closer to solving the £28million riddle of Veron than he was at the start of the season. I have seen the Argentine fail to turn up several times this season La Coruna, Anfield and Highbury spring to mind. But the surprise on Saturday was that he should see so much of the ball and still do so little with it...It is a matter of considerable personal pride for Ferguson that Veron should succeed. The player's arrival was supposed to provide the extra midfield ingredient that had been missing from United's last two European campaigns...As for his current position wide on the right he has never been asked to do this job before in his entire career." --------------------------------- [3] Stam on coming back to OT --------------------------------- Posted Monday, December 24, 2001 by bar-knee: It would be great if I could say goodbye properly. I left with no bitter feelings. If I bumped into Alex Ferguson I would be able to have a normal conversation with him. --------------------------------- [3] Keano injury worry --------------------------------- Posted Monday, December 24, 2001 by bar-knee: After going off with his knee sore, the SUN reports that in the coming days we'll know if Keano needs that op on his knee. --------------------------------- [2] Latest title odds --------------------------------- Posted Monday, December 24, 2001 by bar-knee: We know a lot of people who followed our tip to back us at 9-1 a few weeks back, now with Coral Bookies Coral we are favourites at 7-4, Arse at 9-4 and Liverpool 3-1 from 6-4. We are 66-1 to win THE treble. --------------------------------- [1] To all our readers --------------------------------- Posted Monday, December 24, 2001 by bar-knee: >From all of us at Red News to all our readers - have a great Christmas (do drink and >eat too much) and thanks for all your support this year. One more wafer thin mince >pie please... --------------------------------- [15] Fergie: Still working --------------------------------- Posted Sunday, December 23, 2001 by tb: "We were good in periods, very good in periods, but there were times that we were slack," he said. "After the first goal I thought we were slack and we allowed them to play a bit. "In fairness we defended well enough. Then again we've lost a bad goal, which is what we're trying to eradicate from our game. "So there's still work to be done." Getting the same back four 2 games in a row might help. Sooner the injuries clear up the better. --------------------------------- [14] Fergie still in Julie Andrews mode --------------------------------- Posted Sunday, December 23, 2001 by tb: "I think we've got to win our games. "We've given ourselves an uphill fight. Teams like Newcastle, Leeds, Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea will never ever have a better chance of winning the league. "They're going to go for it and we just have to hope we can claw our way back. We have a mountain to climb." --------------------------------- [13] Ruud chuffed --------------------------------- Posted Sunday, December 23, 2001 by tb: "It's always nice to score a hat-trick and get the ball and hold it. I'm very proud. "For me walking off the pitch at Old Trafford with the ball makes me very proud." --------------------------------- [13] Keegan sniffing araound Andrew? --------------------------------- Posted Sunday, December 23, 2001 by tb: Footballbc.com claim that Keegan is showing interest in signing Andy Cole for £8 million. And how does Keegan reckon this will help Andy get to the World Cup? Massive mistake! --------------------------------- [12] Wenger on Fergie --------------------------------- Posted Sunday, December 23, 2001 by tb: "I believe they'll take somebody from the continent, because if the guy who comes in doesn't win the European Cup or the championship, he'll be a failure. "I think he has coped with the current situation very well. I'm shocked that some people asked him to go after what he has achieved for the club. It' nonsense for that when he had lost three of four games after 15 years at the club. --------------------------------- [11] Becks on the ingerlund muppets --------------------------------- Posted Sunday, December 23, 2001 by tb: "I look forward to playing for England now much more than I did three years ago." "At Wembley there were always certain supporters who used to give the United players so much abuse that we'd turn to each other and wonder whether it was worth it. "Travelling around the country has helped in that respect. To get the ovation I did at Anfield when we played Finland was nice while it lasted. Things have turned around remarkably and hopefully it won't revert to how it used to be when the new national stadium is built." --------------------------------- [10] Oh god no! --------------------------------- Posted Sunday, December 23, 2001 by tb: As O'Dreary goes on about being Fergies successor - more scary than those tobasco shots I was drinking last night 'I wouldn't be scared of the job.' 'I don't think it's scary. The truth is, I think it's a complete managerial turn-on.' 'People keep saying to me that whoever goes in there after Alex is going to be in awe of it all. I have only one reply. They would be mad to be in awe of anything at that club.' O'Leary said: 'If you have anything about you, and you know exactly what is on offer, why should you be intimidated or doubtful about taking on United. That I don't understand. 'You are going to the biggest club in the world, you are going to have the biggest football revenues and you have, well, not exactly a bad base of players within the squad already. If, with all that in front of you, there remains a complex about Alex Ferguson, then you should definately not be in the frame to replace him. 'It might be a bit harder on certain people. If it was Gerard Houllier, Arsene Wenger or me, for instance.(first sensible thing you've said) But people also say foreign coaches, men of real repute, are bound to be scared of it. Marcello Lippi, Fabio Capello, Louis van Gaal....well they won't be frightened one bit.' --------------------------------- [9] Scoutmaster desperate --------------------------------- Posted Sunday, December 23, 2001 by tb: "To win the championship - and I'm desperate to win the European Cup. You have to forget what you've done in the past and look at what is in front of you." With Wengers notorious vision, that might be difficult --------------------------------- [8] Strachan on game --------------------------------- Posted Sunday, December 23, 2001 by tb: "The clinical finishing of Manchester United was phenomenal and the goalie has made world-class saves," he said. "It's all about the good players playing well and too many of our good players did not play to their best today." --------------------------------- [7] Strachan on Ruud --------------------------------- Posted Sunday, December 23, 2001 by tb: "He has it all. Some strikers have this theory that the less they do, they will be fitter when they get the ball. "But he was all over the place, absolutely all over the place. "I've known the manager here for over 20 years and I think he has always said your two strikers determine how well your team plays. "I think that on that basis then I thought there was an awful lot coming from him that was world class." --------------------------------- [6] Fergie: Ruud's on fire --------------------------------- Posted Sunday, December 23, 2001 by tb: "Ruud's on fire," said Ferguson. "He's getting stronger. "I think he's settled in now. There was a period when he looked tired and getting used to the humdrum nature of our game is difficult. "You've also got to remember he was out of the game for a year and he has done remarkably well to adjust and acclimatise to our game and produce performances like this. "In that respect it's a great comeback for him." --------------------------------- [5] Scousers beaten by 10 man Arse --------------------------------- Posted Sunday, December 23, 2001 by redend: Liverpool lost again - this time 2-1 at home to 10 man Arsenal, who also had to make do without the services of suspended Vieira. So another wheel falls off the Scouse bandwagon. --------------------------------- [4] New striker praises Ruud --------------------------------- Posted Sunday, December 23, 2001 by tb: As Phil 'tear you apart' Neville says of Ruud: "His form at the moment is probably better than any other striker in the Premiership. "He's definitely on fire and you just hope the chances fall to him." --------------------------------- [3] Roeder: Not for Sale --------------------------------- Posted Sunday, December 23, 2001 by tb: "We have had no contact with Manchester United. This story flared up pre-season and it has now flared up again. "I don't have to sell any of my players. In fact I am looking to bring people in." --------------------------------- [2] Fergie: Still a chance --------------------------------- Posted Sunday, December 23, 2001 by tb: "It's still going to be an uphill struggle in terms of the championship, but with performances like our last two outings we have at least given ourselves a chance. "I know our championship chances are on a knife's edge, but we cannot give up and we won't. "All those top teams, like Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Leeds, will be feeling that this is the best chance they have had to win the league for a good many years. "I'm sure they will go for it with all their might. "In a way that could help us because I can envisage a real dogfight at the top and they could all lose points as well as win them. "It opens the door for us a little, but we in turn must make sure we come up with a winning run. "A major factor in our recovery has been the absence of individual errors, an element that first put us on the slippery slope. "I think the concentration levels of the players have gone up and at the same time we have enjoyed some better luck --------------------------------- [1] Sunday news ... --------------------------------- Posted Sunday, December 23, 2001 by redend: .. a late update will appear here shortly ... late due to alcoholic poisoning. Sorry - but it had to be done. --------------------------------- [8] Rumours knocking around ... --------------------------------- Posted Saturday, December 22, 2001 by tb: ... about Paulo Di Canio coming to OT. But nothing of substance so far. A bit odd timing to bring in a striker - unless someone is going out (i.e. DY). Sceptical. And its news to Di Canio's agent apparently. Maybe he's trying to get a better deal / contract extension?