The Beautiful South?- Manchester Utd
The “clash of the titans” Sky is building it. But for me at the moment it’s more like another meeting with a distant Uncle who really we have seen to often over the last few months. You know the type of Uncle. The one that’s does bad dancing at weddings, reeks of whiskey and leers at your wee cousins.
The Scottish meeja have got them into an awful kafuffle regarding the master against the apprentice. The fact that GS and old red eyes haven’t seen eye to eye for many a year they are trying to put a spin on it, which really isn’t there. The fact is that Man Utd fans probably see this as no more than a game against say, a Charlton, Fulham or Portsmouth.
Their Champs league failure last year will still be fresh in their minds but they will see this game as a gimmie 3 points, a chance to score a few goals and most will be looking towards Sunday’s games with Arsenal as the big one this week. They probably won’t be bothered if players are rested for the Arsenal game as, as was proved in the pre-season friendly their reserves are good enough to step up to the plate.
In the Seville season, I remember being asked by the scouser who got me the ticket for the Kop that night, if I could give him my ticket stub after the game as that would entitle him to an extra ticket for the semi final home leg.
I agreed as really we were punching above or weight, the tie had swung in Liverpool favour. It was only when Hartson scored the winner that I took notice of the arrogance of the boys request. He expected to win. He expected to go on and win the UEFA cup. He never expected a bunch of limited ability vagabonds to play them off the park.
That night ranks as the best I have ever had watching Celtic. The fact I was in the Kop, had walked through Shankleys Gates and seen a Celtic team, play the Celtic way over turn our bigger and richer neighbours was top drawer.
Wednesday night will top that though if we manage to pull off any sort of result. Man Utd are on a different level from that Liverpool team and our team was on a different planet than the current, work in progress, that takes the field in the hoops at the moment.
Celtic and Man Utd are linked through Irish catholic connections and the fact that we have played each other so many times in testimonials in the past. We are also both have worldwide support and a brand name, which will always attract players, of a certain footballing knowledge and not money grabbers to come to us.
But the financial differences between us mean that we should not be able to live with Man Utd. The fact is what could GS have done with £18.6 million during the summer instead of selling our best player? To fund raids on decent level CL players?
GS said quality and players win games and sometimes tactics don’t matter. That’s true. One of the match ups’ on Wednesday night will be Lee Naylor v Ryan Giggs. Now Naylor is a decent lower reaches of the EPL full back up against a world-class winger who this season has been unstoppable. No matter how you set your team up better players will win individual battles if they are up for it.
GS will set his team up as Aberdeen did against us. Try and make Man Utd play through us deny them space and hopefully our quality on the ball and speed on the attack may get us chances. We have to keep the ball for spells as if we give them it back we are in trouble. Set Pieces. Two words but take a note, as regular match of the day viewers will know what I’m on about.
The banter between the fans will be interesting as well. We all know that Man Utd don’t like “You’ll never walk alone”. We all know that we don’t like their version of “The Billy Boys”. Testimonials take away the competitive edge of rivalry but at Keano’s testimonial the banter between us and the corner of the Stretford end was a bit heated.
Be interesting to hear how the Man Utd fans will treat us and how we will treat them, as on Saturday our away support regained it’s sense of humour and moral ground with their choice of songs. They also regained a sense of colour and political values with the banners regarding Arthur Boruc.
Unfortunately I won’t be able to experience another Anfield type night, if the result goes our way, as I will be watching the game from an olde alehouse close to the River Liffey. Might end up in the Liffey if we getting a doing. But my cohort Seven could have a great could have the night of his life at Old Trafford.
Then again maybe not.
Hail Hail
The Scottish meeja have got them into an awful kafuffle regarding the master against the apprentice. The fact that GS and old red eyes haven’t seen eye to eye for many a year they are trying to put a spin on it, which really isn’t there. The fact is that Man Utd fans probably see this as no more than a game against say, a Charlton, Fulham or Portsmouth.
Their Champs league failure last year will still be fresh in their minds but they will see this game as a gimmie 3 points, a chance to score a few goals and most will be looking towards Sunday’s games with Arsenal as the big one this week. They probably won’t be bothered if players are rested for the Arsenal game as, as was proved in the pre-season friendly their reserves are good enough to step up to the plate.
In the Seville season, I remember being asked by the scouser who got me the ticket for the Kop that night, if I could give him my ticket stub after the game as that would entitle him to an extra ticket for the semi final home leg.
I agreed as really we were punching above or weight, the tie had swung in Liverpool favour. It was only when Hartson scored the winner that I took notice of the arrogance of the boys request. He expected to win. He expected to go on and win the UEFA cup. He never expected a bunch of limited ability vagabonds to play them off the park.
That night ranks as the best I have ever had watching Celtic. The fact I was in the Kop, had walked through Shankleys Gates and seen a Celtic team, play the Celtic way over turn our bigger and richer neighbours was top drawer.
Wednesday night will top that though if we manage to pull off any sort of result. Man Utd are on a different level from that Liverpool team and our team was on a different planet than the current, work in progress, that takes the field in the hoops at the moment.
Celtic and Man Utd are linked through Irish catholic connections and the fact that we have played each other so many times in testimonials in the past. We are also both have worldwide support and a brand name, which will always attract players, of a certain footballing knowledge and not money grabbers to come to us.
But the financial differences between us mean that we should not be able to live with Man Utd. The fact is what could GS have done with £18.6 million during the summer instead of selling our best player? To fund raids on decent level CL players?
GS said quality and players win games and sometimes tactics don’t matter. That’s true. One of the match ups’ on Wednesday night will be Lee Naylor v Ryan Giggs. Now Naylor is a decent lower reaches of the EPL full back up against a world-class winger who this season has been unstoppable. No matter how you set your team up better players will win individual battles if they are up for it.
GS will set his team up as Aberdeen did against us. Try and make Man Utd play through us deny them space and hopefully our quality on the ball and speed on the attack may get us chances. We have to keep the ball for spells as if we give them it back we are in trouble. Set Pieces. Two words but take a note, as regular match of the day viewers will know what I’m on about.
The banter between the fans will be interesting as well. We all know that Man Utd don’t like “You’ll never walk alone”. We all know that we don’t like their version of “The Billy Boys”. Testimonials take away the competitive edge of rivalry but at Keano’s testimonial the banter between us and the corner of the Stretford end was a bit heated.
Be interesting to hear how the Man Utd fans will treat us and how we will treat them, as on Saturday our away support regained it’s sense of humour and moral ground with their choice of songs. They also regained a sense of colour and political values with the banners regarding Arthur Boruc.
Unfortunately I won’t be able to experience another Anfield type night, if the result goes our way, as I will be watching the game from an olde alehouse close to the River Liffey. Might end up in the Liffey if we getting a doing. But my cohort Seven could have a great could have the night of his life at Old Trafford.
Then again maybe not.
Hail Hail
posted by Keving at Monday, September 11, 2006
3 Comments:
A repeat of the game that Wim Jansen gained his spurs in when Celtic drew 0-0 at Anfield in the UEFA cup back in 1997 would do me for Wednesday.
We weren`t expected to do much in that game and although we went out the performance helped the team`s confidence.
Is that asking too much?
The Champions League is all about money. For it to have any meaning for Celtic and the fans then the team has to go for glory.
I`m uneasy about being in tournaments that we can`t win, are we the equivalent of what Trinidad and Tobago were at the World Cup.
I look forward to going to the 3 home games and will listen with hope when we are away.
Dunfermline on Saturday? Maybe we should rest some players for that. :-)
Was last night a confidence boost?
We`ll know soon enough. A lot of misplaced passes, perhaps due to the tempo that Man U play at. The step up from SPL matches can be difficult.
Post a Comment
<< Home