www.red11.org DAILY NEWS
Date: Wed Nov 11 01:07:53 GMT+00:00 1998
Mail: barry@www.red11.org
This Issue:
1. United pitch for success
2. Keano: Simply The Best (ET)
3. BLOMQVIST FACES NEW NIGHTMARE
4. JOHNSEN CALMS FEARS OVER INJURY
++++++=========+++++++========+++++++++========++++++++
Daily RED Trivia Wed 11th November:
11/11/1908: Neil Dewar born in Argyllshire. Dewar scored on his debut at Preston North End
in February 1933 and was a forward with a tendency for the mazy dribble, He cost
£5000 from Glasgow Celtic and made 36 appearances in 1933, scoring 14 goals
before moving on to Sheffield Wednesday. He was capped 3 times by Scotland.
11/11/1972: United beat Liverpool 2-0 at Old Trafford in a Division 1 game watched by
53,944. Wyn Davies and Ted MacDougall scored the goals. Team was: Stepney,
O'Neil, Dunne (McIlroy), Morgan, Sadler, Buchan, Best, MacDougall, Charlton,
Davies, Storey-Moore.
************
Barry Daily Comment:
Lets hope these Johnson and Blomqvist worries are unjustified.
The pitch problem could be worse though?
Next 4 games:
Result/Fixture Index:
http://www.red11.org/mufc/fix9899z.htm9
Today! Nottingham Forest (H) LC
Sat 14/11 Blackburn (H) PL
Sat 21/11 Sheff Wed (A) PL15.00
Wed 25/11 Barcelona (A) CL 19.45
UNITED Stats v Blackburn:
http://www.red11.org/mufc/stats/vsblackburn.htm
*** TEAM RESULTS - MANCHESTER UNITED ***
Date Opposition Score Pos. Attend.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
15/08/98 Leicester City Home D 2-2 11 55,052
22/08/98 West Ham United Away D 0-0 11 26,039
09/09/98 Charlton Athletic Home W 4-1 9 55,147
12/09/98 Coventry City Home W 2-0 5 55,193
20/09/98 Arsenal Away L 0-3 10 38,142
24/09/98 Liverpool Home W 2-0 3 55,181
03/10/98 Southampton Away W 3-0 2 15,251
17/10/98 Wimbledon Home W 5-1 2 55,265
24/10/98 Derby County Away D 1-1 2 30,867
31/10/98 Everton Away W 4-1 2 40,079
08/11/98 Newcastle United Home D 0-0 3 55,174
Champions League:
**Nov 4 Barcelona 1-2 Bayern Munich
**Nov 4 Man Utd 5-0 Brøndby
Group D P W D L F A Pts
Man United 4 2 2 0 16 7 8
Bayern Munich 4 2 1 1 6 5 7
Barcelona 4 1 1 2 6 6 4
Brondby 4 1 0 3 4 14 3
To be played:
Nov 25 Barcelona v Man Utd
Nov 25 Bayern Munich v Brøndby
Dec 9 Brøndby v Barcelona
Dec 9 Man Utd v Bayern Munich
++++++=========+++++++========+++++++++========++++++++
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Tuesday, November 10, 1998 Published at 18:01 GMT
Subject: United pitch for success
Old Trafford cut up badly during Sunday's clash against Newcastle
Manchester United could face more problems from the
Old Trafford pitch than from struggling Nottingham Forest
in the fourth round of the Worthington Cup on
Wednesday.
United boss Alex Ferguson has held further talks with
head groundsman Keith Kent and turf consultant John
Souter in an attempt to solve the recent problems.
Ferguson was far from pleased when the pitch, which
was re-laid in the summer, cut up alarmingly during
Sunday's goalless draw against Newcastle.
One theory is that there has not been sufficient sunshine
for the grass to grow and therefore the roots have not
become properly embedded in a mesh just below the surface.
If the pitch does not improve, United may be forced to
re-turf large sections before the end of the season.
Following his meeting with Kent and Souter, Ferguson said: "They are Perplexed,
they couldn't believe it.
"We think we know the reason, but until they have had a
full investigation we won't be certain. It's fingers crossed
that's for sure."
Struggling Forest have failed to record a victory in their
last nine Premiership games and only just scraped past
Third Division Cambridge on penalties to book their
meeting with United.
But boss Dave Bassett believes victory over Ferguson's
men could spark his side into life.
Bassett said: "Confidence is not something that players
can get by taking a tablet - it comes from playing well
and winning games. I really believe that one good result
could set us on our way again."
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Subject: Keano: Simply The Best (ET)
New release takes Keane to top of the charts
By Henry Winter
IN THE over-hyped, over-heated world of modern football, where even the
mascots are having dust-ups, it is difficult to know what to believe. But
amid all the smoke and confusion, one fact burns brightly: Roy Keane is
currently without equal among Premiership players.
There are lies, damned lies and sponsors' statistics in football and
Manchester United's Irish captain lies only a laughable seventh in Carling's
chart of the nation's most influential central midfielders. Jamie Redknapp
heads the list followed by Neil Lennon, David Batty, John Collins, Patrick
Vieira, Garry Flitcroft and then - at last - Keane. Old Trafford should
demand a recount.
Vieira apart, none of these is in Keane's league as an all-action, all-round
midfielder, a player capable of construction and destruction, a catalyst as
well as a captain. Carrying greater weight is the statistic classifying
Keane as the "player with the most successful passes". Others have passed
the ball more (Lennon) but none as accurately. A more interesting fact would
be to note the time and date Keane last misplaced a pass.
At least the Carling judges have seen sense and voted Keane as Player of the
Month for October. At 27, the Republic of Ireland captain is arguably a
better player now than before the horrendous knee-ligament injury sustained
during that highly unnecessary lunge at Alf-Inge Haaland last season. Keane
always had the talent; it was just that on occasion his volatile temperament
let him and United down. On this season's evidence to date, his infamous
fuse has become longer.
Maybe Keane has changed. Maybe, as he worked furiously to rebuild his knee
and fitness, he thought about the prospect of life without football. Maybe
his hair-trigger will reappear, but, as of now, as he wins the ball and uses
it unfussily, cool-hand Keane deserves his award.
It is the nature of the elite midfield beast that he is rarely a creature of
complete Corinthian conduct. Graeme Souness, so often so sublime in
possession, could mix it with the dirtiest. Paul Ince's wearisome
indiscipline should not mask his undoubted footballing prowess. Keane,
clearly, is trying to retain that competitive edge without the dark side. At
last, he is behaving like a captain.
The full nature of Keane's versatility has been seen this season. His
movement alters according to the identity of his midfield partner. United
have learned from that coruscating counter-attack in Turin when Juventus
poured through an untended central midfield; now they always ensure one
central midfielder sits in.
When Nicky Butt, a midfielder in the holding, ball-winning mould, plays
alongside Keane, the Irishman can charge upfield. But the increasing
inclusion of Paul Scholes, a more attack-minded spirit than Butt, has
inevitably meant Keane holding the fort. With a new central-defensive
partnership in Gary Neville and Jaap Stam, United need Keane's shielding
presence.
Gary Lineker has argued cogently that Keane should be used in central
defence. Although Keane remains a vital force in midfield, a first base for
United moves, Lineker's suggestion contains one very obvious truth: Keane
would make an outstanding centre-half. Tall, commanding, good in the tackle
and quick on his feet, he also distributes the ball well.
When United reshuffled against Newcastle on Sunday, Keane dropped in
alongside Stam and immediately fitted out Shearer in a made-to-measure
strait-jacket. Two balls played into Shearer were intercepted by Keane with
a towering header and a thumping tackle.
Almost a third of the way through the season, Keane is making an impressive
case for Player of the Year. But more testing times lie ahead. In the period
during which Keane earned his award, United faced decent but hardly
trail-blazing opposition. Forthcoming fixtures against Barcelona (away),
Leeds United (home), Aston Villa (away) and Bayern Munich (home) will
provide a truer analysis of his stature. He looks ready for the challenge.
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Subject: BLOMQVIST FACES NEW NIGHTMARE
By STEVE MILLAR
JESPER BLOMQVIST checked in with the medics yesterday amid fears he faces
another injury nightmare. Tendonitis trouble in the arch of his foot has
come back to haunt his career.
The Swede was out of football for three months because of the problem before
his move to Manchester United and only began his Premiership career in
September after making a full recovery.
But Blomqvist, a £4.5million signing from Parma, was taken off against
Newcastle on Sunday after feeling pain throughout the second half and now he
is a worried man, as is United boss Alex Ferguson.
It will be a massive blow if Blomqvist suffers another long-term injury
after such high-powered performances in the absence of crocked Ryan Giggs.
The Welsh winger looks to be out for the vital Champions League clash with
Barcelona at the Nou Camp in two weeks, so now the race is on to get
Blomqvist back to provide the left-side balance which is crucial to United.
Ferguson will hope that rest this week will be the cure for Blomqvist as he
reflects on his invaluable contribution to a 10-game unbeaten United run.
He said: "Blomqvist has been outstanding. He has got better and better."
Giggs is recovering from a hairline fracture of his famous left foot.
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BREAKING NEWS - Tuesday 10 November 1998
Subject: JOHNSEN CALMS FEARS OVER INJURY
Manchester United's Ronny Johnsen insists his ankle injury is not as
serious as first feared.
Johnsen's comeback after two months out with ankle ligament trouble
lasted just 25 minutes when he limped off near the end of Sunday's goalless
draw against Newcastle at Old Trafford.
Initially it was thought the Norwegian international had suffered
a recurrence of the injury and faced another lengthy spell on the
sidelines, but Johnsen claims he has not damaged his ligaments and that he
just took a kick on his ankle and feels he could be back in action
before the end of the month.
"I got a kick on it and it has swollen up," he said. "It's on the
same spot where I had problems with the ligaments, but it's just a kick
and not a twist this time.
"Hopefully by the end of the week I will be back in training or at least
doing some running."
Johnsen admitted it was sickening to be back on the treatment table so
soon after recovering from the first injury.
He said: "To go on in the second half and then to come off again 25 minutes
later is not what I would have wanted. I've been a little bit
unlucky, but hopefully I can come back again."
Manager Alex Ferguson said: "It's a bad blow for the player and the club."
******************
Johnsen out until the New Year? (Sporting-Life)
JOHNSEN FACES INJURY LAY-OFF
"Manchester United defender Ronny Johnsen could be out until the New Year
following a recurrence of the ankle injury which has plagued him all season."
"Johnson received the bad news this morning after being injured during
Sunday's draw with Newcastle."
"The Norwegian international has suffered a total repeat of the injury
which ruled him out of the last 10 games."
"He was hurt in the win over Coventry in September and made his comeback
during Sunday's goalless draw."
"But Johnsen lasted just 25 minutes after being brought on as a substitute
and X-rays have revealed ligament damage. He can now expect another two
month lay off."
As a red I just hope that G.Neville and Stam will escape any seroius
injuries because they've been playing so well together in our central
defence. Let's all hope the best for Ronny.
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Pic Link today is http://www.red11.org/mufc/imusa.htm
Barry
J. Leeming Digest Prgram
by 
William
McArthur Canada
