www.red11.org DAILY NEWS
Date: Sat Sep 19 GMT+00:00 1998
Mail: barry@www.red11.org
This Issue:
1. Arsenal and Manchester United renew on-field rivalry
2. READY TEDDY GO?
3. UEFA TIGHTLIPPED OVER FERGUSON
4. CRUYFF HITS OUT OVER HESP CLAIMS
5. FERGUSON BACKS FULL-TIME REFS
6. United Furious (Mirror)
7. Becks: (DMail) Beckham can really hurt if he switches to the centre
++++++=========+++++++========+++++++++========++++++++
Daily RED Trivia Sat 19th September:
1984: United beat Raba Vasas ETO Gyor (Hungary) 3-0 at Old Trafford in the UEFA
Cup 1st Round 1st leg watched by 33,119. Bryan Robson, Arnold Muhren and
Mark Hughes score for the Reds. Team was: Bailey, Duxbury, Albiston, Moses,
Moran, Hogg, Robson, Muhren, Hughes, Whiteside, Olsen.
********************************
Next 4 games:
Result/Fixture Index:
http://www.red11.org/mufc/fix9899z.htm
Sun 20/9 Arsenal (A) PL
Thu 24/9 Liverpool (H) PL
Wed 30/9 Bayern M (A) CL
Sat 3/10 Southampton (A) PL
UNITED Stats v Arsenal are here:
http://www.red11.org/mufc/stats/vsarsenal.htm Url
http://www.red11.org/mufc/stats/vsarsenal.xls Excel File
*** PL TEAM RESULTS - MANCHESTER UNITED - AS AT 12/09/98 ***
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
++++++=========+++++++========+++++++++========++++++++
"Are you Against the BSkyB takeover? Please Read! Click on image!"
Subject: Arsenal and Manchester United renew on-field rivalry
By Mike Collett
LONDON, Sept 18 - One day the fixture might be billed as Carlton Reds v BSkyB United, but at Highbury on Sunday the biggest game in English soccer goes ahead as Arsenal v Manchester United.
The only two clubs to have each won the English F.A. Cup and League Double twice, the two prime movers in talks to establish a European Super League, and the two who were both the subject of huge takeover deals last week, are also the two most likely to go down to the wire in the race for this season's title.
Liverpool, Aston Villa and Leeds United might all have different opinions about that, but Arsenal and United are currently the heavyweights in English soccer with both eager to land a knock-out blow to the other this weekend.
Arsenal have the slight pyschological advantage having beaten United 3-0 in the curtain-raising Charity Shield match at Wembley five weeks ago.
In isolation that counts for little on Sunday and neither does the fact that broadcasting company Carlton Communications made a 275 million pounds ($460 million) approach to Arsenal last week and Rupert Murdoch's BSkyB agreed a 623.4 million pounds ($1.04 billion) to buy United.
But add those factors into the equation of what an Arsenal-United clash means in terms of the title, and the already considerable pressure on the players, coaches and even fans is increased dramatically.
Both teams go into the fixture after drawing their opening matches in the European Champions' League on Wednesday. Arsenal dominated French champions Lens and looked to be heading for a 1-0 victory until Lens equalised in the last minute, while United led Barcelona 2-0 and 3-2 at Old Trafford before being held to a 3-3 draw.
Wednesday's match was Arsenal's fifth successive draw and they meet United without a win since beating Nottingham Forest in their opening league match of the season on August 17.
United have not lost in 11 league matches since Arsenal beat them 1-0 at Old Trafford on March 14 -- the victory that opened up last season's title race which Arsenal eventually won from United by a single point.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is considering playing new Swedish signing Fredrik Ljungberg for the first time following a run in the reserves on Wednesday, and the 21-year-old international could take the place of Emmanuel Petit who was carried off with an ankle injury against Lens.
United are likely to start with the same team that drew with Barcelona.
The top clash on Saturday sees unbeaten third-placed Leeds United at home to unbeaten league leaders Aston Villa while second-placed Liverpool are at home to Charlton.
Liverpool's French co-manager Gerard Houllier confirmed on Friday that Robbie Fowler would make his first start of the season after recovering from his long-term knee injury.
Fowler returned to the side for the first time in seven months when he came on as a substitute against Kosice in the UEFA Cup on Tuesday, and will form a potentially lethal striking partnership with Michael Owen.
The two have scored 24 goals between them in the 25 matches they have played with each other and Charlton's shaky defence could be in for a torrid time at Anfield.
"Are you Against the BSkyB takeover? Please Read! Click on image!"
"Are you Against the BSkyB takeover? Please Read! Click on image!"
Friday 18 September 1998
Subject: UEFA TIGHTLIPPED OVER FERGUSON
UEFA have received reports from their officials at Wednesday's 3-3 draw between Manchester United and Barcelona - but refused to say whether they mentioned Alex Ferguson's verbal assault on referee Stefano Braschi.
The United manager was furious with the Italian official after he gave two penalties and sent off Nicky Butt.
A UEFA spokeswoman confirmed: "If something is mentioned in the reports, it will be dealt with at a meeting on October 8 and the control and disciplinary committee will decide on a sanction then. We can't say if Mr Ferguson is mentioned."
Ferguson had said: "The referee was a real shocker. In the last three major games we've had here, we've had bad referees.
"After the game I saw the Barcelona president go into the referee's dressing room. He certainly had cause to be happy with him."
Ferguson branded the first penalty award "appalling" and said of Butt's dismissal following a handball "no one saw it but the ref".
Such comments could lead to the United manager being fined by a UEFA disciplinary committee on October 8 if either the referee or the match delegate has mentioned what was said in their reports.
Butt faces an automatic one-match ban for his red card but he could be given a lengthier suspension by the committee.
"Are you Against the BSkyB takeover? Please Read! Click on image!"
Friday 18 September 1998
Subject: CRUYFF HITS OUT OVER HESP CLAIMS
Jordi Cruyff has angrily denied Ruud Hesp's claims that he gave the Barcelona goalkeeper inside information on Manchester United.
Hesp revealed before Wednesday's Champions' League clash at Old Trafford that the United and former Barcelona winger had told him everything about the United players.
Hesp met his fellow Dutchman at Barcelona's pre-season training camp in Mottram Hall, Cheshire, last month before the draw for the Champions' League took place. Cruyff was horrified when he read Hesp's claims and he has assured manager Alex Ferguson and his team-mates that he did not spill the beans.
"I never spoke to the Barcelona players about United and I'm disgusted and furious about this," he raged.
"If Hesp has said something then I'm furious with him, but I don't think he said it. The players laughed because they know what I'm like.
"They know I'm an honest player to my team-mates and Alex Ferguson has told me not to worry about it because he knows how the world works.
"To be honest teams at this level know all about each other anyway so Barcelona would not have needed me to tell them what United are like. My loyalties are with United and I would never do anything like this to the fans and my team-mates."
He concluded: "I was really motivated for this game - I wanted to beat Barcelona because they are one of my former teams and it would have meant a lot to me if we had."
"Are you Against the BSkyB takeover? Please Read! Click on image!"
Friday 18 September 1998
Subject: FERGUSON BACKS FULL-TIME REFS
Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson, the bane of referees across Europe, and Paul Durkin has given the thumbs-up to Premier League plans to introduce full-time officials before the Millennium.
Ferguson has long been one of the loudest critics of referees in the domestic game and on Wednesday Italian Stefano Braschi became the latest to find himself on the receiving end of a tongue-lashing
from the fiery Scot.
But news that the Premier League is discussing the idea of professional refs in time for next season, together with video evidence to be used to decide whether shots have crossed the goalline, was we
lcomed by Ferguson.
"I think that's a good step forward," said the United boss, whose side conceded two penalties and had Nicky Butt sent off in their Champions' League clash with Barcelona in midweek.
"I think with the money being generated in football, we should be looking to advance the refereeing system and also standards.
"Full-time referees should benefit the game at this level and I'd welcome their introduction".
Ferguson joked: "I recommend that they also suggest this to Italy."
Durkin, England's referee at France 98, revealed he would think about becoming a professional referee if given the chance.
"Living where I do, travelling to games and things like that and holding down a full-time job does create problems," said Durkin, 43, who is based in Dorset.
"Being on the FIFA list as well as the Premier League list does take up a lot of my time and if the opportunity came to go full-time, I'd certainly consider it."
"Are you Against the BSkyB takeover? Please Read! Click on image!"
Subject: United Furious (Mirror)
RIVALDO'S A DIVER WHO CHEATED US OUT OF VICTORY
STEVE MILLAR
BARCELONA'S superstars scuttled out of England accused of dirty tricks
following the explosive Champions' League clash at Old Trafford. Manchester
United defender Jaap Stam branded Brazilian Rivaldo a cheat for taking a
dive and feigning serious injury.
And fellow Dutchman Jordi Cruyff, labelled a supergrass by Ruud Hesp for
revealing United's secrets, blasted back claiming he'd never even spoken to
the Barcelona keeper.
It left both United stars fuming and frustrated at underhanded antics that
tainted such a soccer spectacular.
Stam, a gentle giant of a man, is normally quiet and reserved but even he
couldn't hold back the bitter emotion of the night. He was furious that he
was adjudged to have felled Rivaldo in the controversial 58th-minute
incident that handed Giovanni a dramatic spot-kick equaliser.
Stam was still proclaiming his innocence long after the final whistle, and
joined with boss Alex Ferguson in blaming Italian referee Stefano Braschi
for a fatal boob.
He said: "It was the wrong decision. People would have seen on TV that it
wasn't a penalty. I felt on the pitch that it wasn't.
"I didn't make any contact at all. Rivaldo tricked the referee. It was a
clear dive. At first I didn't even hear the whistle. When I saw that the
referee had given a penalty. I was stunned. It disappoints me as a
professional footballer to see players diving like that. I saw it in the
World Cup and now I've seen it again.
"Some referees don't see it and can't understand what it's all about. It's
an increasing trend this cheating. So many players were diving in France,
but as a defender you can't do anything about it."
Stam's fury was further heightened by the red card shown to team-mate Nicky
Butt for handling a goal-bound shot which earned Barcelona another penalty
prize.
He added: "Nicky was covering the angle with his body and then gets hit on
the upper arm and is sent off. But where could he have gone with his arm?
That wasn't worth a red card.
"It hurts you when that happens and then nothing is done about the players
who go around cheating. I don't know about other Barcelona players diving. I
was just concentrating on one man, Rivaldo.
"He was certainly one of the guilty players. But then again the referee
didn't have a good game. Every time we made a tackle there was a whistle."
In fact, United were blown up 16 times for fouls, with Barcelona giving away
just two free-kicks. If that wasn't bad enough, Stam was further angered
over Rivaldo's theatrical reaction when he brushed against Henning Berg.
Rivaldo writhed around in agony before being stretchered off, apparently in
a great deal of pain. Yet a couple of minutes later he was back in the
action after an amazing recovery.
Stam says: "There's no excuse for feigning an injury like that. When we saw
him on the floor we thought maybe he had torn ligaments or something.
"You only had to look at his face to see he was in trouble. But five minutes
later he's back on, running at Henning and doing everything.
"They might think they have the psychological advantage over us now, but we
were awesome in the first half. I think we scared Barcelona more than they
scared us."
Stam was as upset as Cruyff who met boss Ferguson on the day of the game to
deny Hesp's allegations of feeding vital team information.
Cruyff said: "I find the whole thing outrageous and I want to clear my name.
"Anyone who knows the way I left Barcelona would know there's no way I would
help them. I am disgusted by the whole thing and I just hope United fans
realise my loyalty to the club is 110 per cent."
"Are you Against the BSkyB takeover? Please Read! Click on image!"
Subject: Becks: (DMail) Beckham can really hurt if he switches to the centre
Beckham can really hurt if he switches to the centre
Friday, September 18, 1998
Graham Hunter offers Alex Ferguson a bold midfield solution
Whether he knows it or not, David Beckham's outstanding form this season is
causing him a problem and offering his manager a challenge.
Since that point-saving display on the opening day against Leicester,
Beckham has made himself almost indispensable on United's right flank
despite proving, during the World Cup, that his aspiration to play in centre
midfield is completely legitimate.
Now, with neither Paul Scholes nor Roy Keane at full power, Beckham would be
the ideal candidate to slot into the central engine room at Highbury on
Sunday. But can Alex Ferguson afford to tinker with a player who is in such
sublime form?
Without any question, Beckham has become the single most dominant footballer
in Britain over the last few weeks and he has achieved that lofty position
with all the swagger of an apprentice who is becoming a maestro.
Such natural, exuberant talent has been hypnotic to watch. Fizzing and
buzzing down United's right touchline, the anti-hero of France 98 has
created goals while scoring with two imperious free kicks from near the
centre of the pitch.
But it is in that very area where his, and Alex Ferguson's, problem lies.
Compare the sheen of Beckham's play with the sheer gutsy effort which
Scholes is making to blot out what appears to be either football fatigue or
an unsettling niggle in his fitness .
The pocket rocket still offers the same, subtle vision and invention that
make him very special and that hair-trigger reaction in the box against
Barcelona indicates that he remains a threat.
Yet it really does appear that Scholes could do with a rest. For For England
in Sweden, I saw him, on numerous occasions, look perturbed as the vicious
pace of the game increasingly whizzed past him.
In the first 40 minutes against Barcelona, Scholes was technically and
tactically inspirational. His terrier-like shuttle-runs between opponents,
his probing little give and go's and that Gerd Muller-style goal were at the
heart of United's 2-0 lead. But, like Keane, he ended the game looking like
a man whose desk at work has a pile of 'pending' papers right up to his chin
and he is on his fifth straight night of overtime.
Probably Alex Ferguson will hold faith with his man - and, knowing football,
Scholes will probably find inspiration in Highbury's tight pitch and score a
hat-trick on Sunday.
Emmanuel Petit sustained an ankle injury in France during the week which, at
least, jeopardises his full fitness and, at worst, could break his
phenomenal Arsenal partnership with Patrick Vieira.
Against Barcelona there is no doubt that United sagged in midfield,
partially due to the deployment of extra Spanish resources in the second
half. Twice last season it was the Vieira-Petit axis that helped strangle
United's title challenge and now an opportunity beckons to attack that.
Perhaps Nicky Butt is a more simple solution - matching like with like in
the area where studs will fly. Yet Beckham looked special for England when
he finally won the place, further infield, which he has always believed is
his best.
His distribution, vision and pace were enough to start the argument about
whether that is where he will achieve greatness or whether his vicious
crossing power is too vital to remove from the right.
The degree of bile heaped on Beckham has been way out of proportion since
his sending off against Argentina meant he returned to England in the 'bad
boy' category.
But his restraint and professionalism when United played in the aggressive
atmosphere of Upton Park won him a police commendation and, instead of
seeming worn down by his summer cares, Beckham has otherwise played like
someone who adores what he does for a living.
Barcelona goalkeeper Ruud Hesp said: 'Having quality like that gives you a
big advantage. I knew where he was going to place his free kick but he
shoots so hard and so well that it is very hard to stop the ball. United's f
irst goal, by Giggs, came from Beckham's foot and the second followed his
good ball in to Yorke. He had an influence in all three goals so, yes, that
was some performance.'
Now another thunderous clash with Arsenal beckons for Beckham and who could
say, with certainty, that he might not do equal damage in his preferred
position?
Maybe conservatism will win out.
But no one can deny that Beckham's brilliant form continues to advance his
claim to play in the killer area of the pitch while making him more and more
indispensable where he is already excelling.
"Are you Against the BSkyB takeover? Please Read! Click on image!"
Pic Link today is http://www.red11.org/mufc/imusa.htm
Barry
J. Leeming Digest Prgram
by 
William
McArthur Canada
