First silverware of the season!

Bolt : I want to be celebrating at the end

Usain Bolt, the fastest man in the world – holder of double world record for 100m and 200m sprints, is a self confessed Manchester United fan and, in the past, has visited Old Trafford on several occasions. Ahead of the Carling Cup final against Aston Villa, he is desperately backing United to defend the trophy as he prepares to meet his mates at his Kingston home at 10am Caribbean time for kick-off.

The athlete said he got a jolt when United lost 3-1 to Everton last week, especially since he was up before 8AM to watch the match, and was subsequently late for his training on Tuesday due to watching the 3-0 victory over West Ham.

“When it comes to January normally we play superbly all the way to the end.

This time it’s been up and down. We haven’t found that right XI which blends together, although there have been injuries.

Whenever Michael Carrick and Darren Fletcher are together in midfield, I feel much better. I also prefer two up front rather than Wayne Rooney on his own – even though he has done very well in that role this season.

The problem is who the other striker should be because Dimitar Berbatov hasn’t done it.

We need him to step up. We were looking for big things from him but he has been disappointing.

Our back four has been the main problem, though. We might play five games well and when it comes to the next important one we mess up.

If Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand were playing together, we would be all right but, unfortunately, that isn’t happening.

Wayne has shown what it is to step up with the character of a champion.

He has taken on the big responsibility since Ronaldo left. In team sports if the main guy leaves, it’s up to others to say ‘Listen, it’s my time’ and that’s what he’s done.”

Noisy trophyless neighbours do United a favour

Lets face it. United haven’t got unwanted neighbours after all. They provide us with so many opportunities to laugh at them as well as laugh with them that its kind of good to have the noisy neighbours that we have.

On numerous occasions, they have demonstrated their mentality (Small club??), which is the obvious thing someone does when they are screaming for being in the spotlight and cannot stand someone else (Us!) having it. Welcome to Manchester was a case in point.

They mocked the fans’ banner and said they were out to take it down. Only to be knocked out of their only remaining options – the league cup and the FA cup.

They have given us reasons to believe that rich unity of play in the team is what matters, not a rich owner. Knocked out of the Carling Cup and the league game at OT in the injury time on both occasions demonstrated on which side of Manchester the better “team” lies.

Yet, they have helped us in our quest for the title by doing the double over Chelsea winning 2-1 at home, and 4-2 away.

Many thanks. 34 years and still counting!!

Anderson out for 6 months

United midfielder Anderson has been ruled out for six months with a cruciate knee ligament injury.

The Brazilian was forced off in the first half against West Ham on Tuesday and will undergo an operation in Portugal in a fortnight, but Sir Alex Ferguson hopes the 21-year-old will be fit for the start of the 2010/11 campaign.

“The real bad news we have got is that Anderson has suffered a cruciate knee injury and he’ll be out for rest of the season,” confirmed the boss on Thursday. “It’s unfortunate for the boy. It’s a bad blow.

“We’ve assessed the situation, we know he needs an operation. That will be done in two weeks’ time when the swelling has gone down. We’re going to let him go to Portugal to do it. Sometimes we send them to Colorado and to Dr Richard Steadman, but on this occasion he is comfortable with the specialist he has dealt with at Porto in the past. He will deal with it. We made these decisions yesterday once we had assessed the damage. But hopefully, six months, should have him about right for the new season.”

The incident itself against West Ham seemed innocuous enough, Anderson stretching to reach the ball to make a pass. “With these types of injuries, it’s usually something simple. He stretched to pass the ball and his knee just popped,” added the boss.

“It’s a bad bit of news for him. He was just getting back into the first team after being out for a few weeks. He was looking forward to it and he was showing great energy in the match.

“So that is a blow to us, particularly with the Milan game coming up, because Michael Carrick is suspended for that one.”

Courtesy: Official Website

It’s a big blow for the lad, especially after his alleged misconduct by leaving for Brazil without the club’s permission. He just got back into the team after a good reserves game, but unfortunately it lasted a mere 15 minutes.

34 years and still counting…

City’s trophyless period is extended as they lost 4-2 on aggregate to Stoke City in 5th round of FA Cup.

What’s New?

Its been a wonderful past few weeks for Manchester United and a dream come true for millions of fans around the world to witness Wayne Rooney in sizzling form finally this season. Not that he wasn’t great for us till now. But he is truly showing how much damage he is capable of doing and that’s a very bright thing!

Starting this month, Wazza Said So will now sport a new feature on the blog called “Pick of the Month” on the left sidebar under which, every month, we shall nominate a Player of the month. Clicking this image will redirect you to our Polls page on which you can then vote if you agree or disagree with our views.

We start with nominating Wayne Rooney for the Player of the month for January. Scoring 7 goals in 4 games, he dazzled the footballing fraternity with a 4 goal thriller against Hull City as well as moved his all time United goals tally in the Premier League to 83, 1 shy of Ronaldo’s 84 for United in the Premier League.

Agree or Disagree?

Becks still has it in him to go on for another 3-4 years

Ryan Giggs, who is out with an elbow injury and missing the trip to AC Milan, has spoken about his relation with Beckham and has nothing but good things to say about him.

“We are different in the sense he has been in the limelight, front page and back, while I prefer to keep myself to myself.

But I still speak to him. He has not changed as a person.

He has always loved football. He has always been dedicated and that is still the same now.

Like myself, Becks looks after himself.

He is naturally fit and is a natural athlete, so I am not surprised he is still going at all. In fact I reckon he will keep going for another three or four years.

We had a couple of chances to meet when he was at Real Madrid but it is great that it will finally happen and great for Becks to come back.

It will be fantastic for the fans to see him again because he was a great player for United and still is a great player for England and Milan — and in America as well.”

About the looming encounter with AC Milan and the threat posed by Becks, he added, “I hope he doesn’t do anything nasty to us. He is a quality player and has always risen to the occasion.

With the right foot he has he can just ping balls 50 yards or make a five or ten-yard pass. He has amazing accuracy. And we must try not to give free-kicks away from 25 or 30 yards out because he is capable of putting them into the top corner.

Hopefully he will enjoy it – but not that much.”

Heaton out on Loan at Wycombe

Tom Heaton, the former England U-21 goalkeeper, had returned to Manchester following the end of his loan deal at Rochdale in December, 2009 and has now been sent out on loan at League One outfit, Wycombe Wanderers.

The 23 year old had a decent run with United reserves in 2004-05, in which the Reserves side went on to win Premier League Reserves North & Central leagues, but has failed to make any further significant stints with United.

Wycombe Wanderers are his sixth loan club since 2005, and his loan deal expires at the end of this season.

Van Der Sar : No thoughts about future

Another encounter of men against boys

The title charge has truly been reignited! With this 3-1 pounding of Arsenal, the Champions continue building their momentum while dampening the North Londoners’ spirits.

After the humiliating 3-0 defeat at Craven Cottage, United have picked it up from there and gone about their ruthless streak. Found the back of the net 19 times in 6 Premier League games and picked up 16 points from a possible 18.  More than anything, United have strongly re-established their reputation of being feared.

There were simply too many positives yesterday, so much so that it would be rude to talk about the negatives. Arsenal needed to really show up and Arshavin looked like the only man who was fired up, but he could have done better.

Fabregas was kept quiet for the entire match and deprived of time and space.

Denilson was as anonymous as the Sardarji at Old Trafford who occupies his seat beside the dugout area and is to be seen only once or twice in the entire game as an unmissable backdrop to the shouting manager, despite it being such a conspicuous position.

Clichy was left gasping for breath. And the ball. Arsenal’s defence was pretty solid, keeping United from having their way in the box many times, but perhaps their cause was lost by Vermaelen rushing forward and helping in the attack, when it should have been Denilson doing that.

They sorely missed Van Persie, as a clueless Rosicky ran hither thither.

The United midfield yet again proved a point. That they won’t stand being underestimated, and let all the credit go to Rooney alone. Nani must make Valencia seem like a small time winger, and probably gives the gaffer a headache, but these sort of headaches are good to have. And all this, without even Giggs’ presence on the field! Simply “mind blasting”, as an amused Russell Peters would put it were he a United supporter.

Our defence was without two first choice centre backs and did a great job.

The only negative that I can see is the poor start to the game that we had – sloppy in possession, and bossed in the midfield despite having a man extra. The couple of chances Arsenal had early on were enough to give us a scare, and had they been converted into goals, it could have been a very different story.

But, oh well. Not a single shot on target until the 57th minute says something very obvious. The boys were put in their place.

Glory Glory Man United!