30/08/07: Today Tomorrow
Sir Alex says he is “happy” with today’s Champions League draw but goodness, first round games against Roma, Sporting Lisbon and Dynamo Kiev look like the 1998 ‘group of death’ all over again.
So that means…Yippee, book your tickets for a Euro final in Moscow next May!
Roma will be chomping at the bit to gain revenge for their April humiliation whilst Sporting Lisbon and Kiev will be no pushovers. United will need to show better form on the road to have any chance of getting through as group winners. Let’s hope the goals start to flow by the time the games come round.
At least Wes Brown is confident. “This year we know we’ll be as good if not better. We’ve got the squad and the confidence to do well and hopefully we can go one step further.”
If fans weren’t talking about the Euro draw, they might be reflecting on United’s fading hopes of signing a striker before the transfer window closes. I’ve had a bee in my bonnet in recent days over the destructive comments and behaviour of Nicolas Anelka and Dimitar Berbatov. But they won’t give two hoots, as both have been rewarded handsomely for boosting talk linking them with a move to Old Trafford. Drinks, salary increases and conservatory extensions to mock Tudor mansions all round!
Sometimes though, it is easy to understand why some footballers are prone to squeezing clubs until the pips squeak. The terrible injury West Ham’s Kieron Dyer suffered this week, brought back memories of the horrible break to David Busst’s leg when he was tackled simultaneously by Denis Irwin and Brian McClair during an April 1996 match.
A day after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer retired due to his unequal struggle with serious knee trouble, the Sun reminded readers that Busst’s injury eventually forced the ex-Coventry defender out of the game too.
“Busst went under the surgeon’s knife 21 times in 2½ years,” the newspaper revealed.
To reinforce the point of footballers’ vulnerability to career-threatening injury, the newspaper published some of the more gruesome incidents. Attention! This could hurt your eyes.
Speaking of injuries, United are having their work cut out preventing Wayne Rooney from making a quicker than expected comeback. If Carlos ‘Birtles’ was scoring for fun and the team was on fire, this job would be a lot easier.
But should United’s sluggish start continue, the manager could find himself with many good reasons to agree to his top striker’s speedy return. Given what happened last season and the dip in form Rooney suffered after his 2006 April break and hasty return for the World Cup, can United afford to make the same mistake twice?
