www.red11.org DAILY NEWS
Date: Thu Feb 18 09:02:16 GMT+00:00 1999
Mail: barry@www.red11.org
This Issue:
1. Match Report
2. Manchester United and Arsenal in gripping 1-1 draw
3. Bojan Djordic info from Robert Gustavsson
4. Arsenal Reports/Pics by Boon Wee
5. Utd - Arsenal final result
6. Kanu carves out one that counts
7. Italian Cup Semi Final, 1st leg Inter 0 - 2 Parma
8. United And Arsenal Have To Settle For A Point Apiece,
++++++=========+++++++========+++++++++========++++++++
Daily RED Trivia Thursday 18th February 1999:
18/2/1939: United win a thrilling Division 1 game 5-3 at Blackpool watched by 15,253.
Jimmy Hanlon 3, Billy Bryant and Johnny Carey got the goals. Team was:
Tapken, Redwood, Griffiths, Warner, Vose, McKay, Bryant, Wassall, Hanlon,
Carey, Rowley.
1975: Keith Gillespie born in Larne, Northern Ireland. Gillespie won a Youth Cup
winners medal in 1992, and made a scoring debut against Bury in January 1993, aged
just 17. The pacy Winger made 13 appearances before a surprise move for £1M
to Newcastle United in January 1995, as Andy Cole moved in the opposite direction.
Gillespie has capped more than 20 times for Northern Ireland..
***************
Barry Daily Comment:
So we deserved a win but a draw last night!
David Seaman did a crack job to keep us out & even had Dwight
covered with the penalty by standing still in the middle of goal!
A good result for both sides, REDS 4 pts clear! :)
NEW www.red11.org Survey #38:
Does Roy Keane deserve £40,000 a week?
Vote here: http://www.red11.org/miva/survey.mv
Previous News:
Brian Kidd Press conference, pic, real audio
http://www.iol.ie/~redcafe/kidd.htm
Peter Schmeichel's last Season at United!
http://www.red11.org/mufc/news/schmeichel.htm
Next games:
ALL Result/Fixture Index:
http://www.red11.org/mufc/fix9899z.htm
20 Coventry (A) 15.00
27 Southampton (H) 15.00
March
3 Inter Milan (H) ECLl "Quarter Final" 1st leg 19.45
7 Chelsea (H) 14.00 FAC6 *SKY SPORTS* LIVE* + DkTV1 Scand.
10 Liverpool (A) 19.45 PL (moved due to FAC)
13 Newcastle (A) 15.00 PL
17 Inter Milan (A) ECL "Quarter Final" 2nd leg 19.45
21 Everton (H) 15.00 PL
UNITED Stats v All teams:
http://www.red11.org/mufc/stats/
**************************************************************
*** RESULTS AND ATTENDANCES ON 17/02/99 ***
Aston Villa 1-2 Leeds United 37,510
Chelsea 1-1 Blackburn Rovers 34,382
Everton 5-0 Middlesbrough 31,606
Manchester United 1-1 Arsenal 55,171
Newcastle United 4-1 Coventry City 36,352
*** SEMI-FINALS RESULTS (SECOND LEG): ON 16+17/02/99 ***
Wimbledon 0-1 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 25,204 (AGG 0-1)
LEICESTER CITY 1-1 Sunderland 21,231 (AGG 3-2)
*** FULL LEAGUE TABLE AS AT 17/02/99 ***
Pos Team P W D L F A W D L F A GD Pts
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 Manchester United 26 9 4 1 33 14 5 5 2 27 14 32 51
2 Chelsea 25 8 5 0 19 7 4 6 2 17 13 16 47
3 Arsenal 25 7 5 0 16 4 5 5 3 13 8 17 46
4 Aston Villa 25 8 2 3 24 17 4 5 3 13 10 10 43
5 Leeds United 25 7 3 2 20 6 3 6 4 18 19 13 39
6 Liverpool 25 7 3 2 31 14 4 2 7 16 16 17 38
7 Derby County 25 5 5 2 13 10 4 5 4 12 12 3 37
8 West Ham United 25 7 3 3 18 19 3 3 6 9 17 -9 36
9 Wimbledon 24 7 4 1 18 11 2 4 6 11 24 -6 35
10 Newcastle United 25 7 2 4 20 16 2 5 5 13 17 0 34
11 Middlesbrough 25 4 7 1 16 10 3 4 6 17 26 -3 32
12 Tottenham Hotspur 24 5 5 2 19 16 2 5 5 10 15 -2 31
13 Leicester City 24 5 3 4 17 18 2 6 4 8 11 -4 30
14 Sheffield Wednesday 24 5 3 4 13 7 3 2 7 14 16 4 29
15 Everton 25 3 7 3 8 6 3 2 7 11 21 -8 27
16 Blackburn Rovers 25 5 3 4 14 12 1 5 7 12 20 -6 26
17 Coventry City 25 5 4 3 17 13 1 2 10 7 23 -12 24
18 Charlton Athletic 25 4 4 5 18 13 1 4 7 11 24 -8 23
19 Southampton 24 4 2 6 18 21 1 3 8 5 26 -24 20
20 Nottingham Forest 25 1 6 5 10 21 2 1 10 11 30 -30 16
*** TEAM RESULTS - MANCHESTER UNITED - AS AT 17/02/99 ***
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
14/11/98 Blackburn Rovers Home W 3-2 2 55,198
21/11/98 Sheffield Wednesday Away L 1-3 2 39,475
29/11/98 Leeds United Home W 3-2 2 55,172
05/12/98 Aston Villa Away D 1-1 2 39,241
12/12/98 Tottenham Hotspur Away D 2-2 1 36,079
16/12/98 Chelsea Home D 1-1 2 55,159
19/12/98 Middlesbrough Home L 2-3 3 55,152
26/12/98 Nottingham Forest Home W 3-0 3 55,216
29/12/98 Chelsea Away D 0-0 3 34,741
10/01/99 West Ham United Home W 4-1 3 55,180
16/01/99 Leicester City Away W 6-2 2 22,091
31/01/99 Charlton Athletic Away W 1-0 1 20,043
03/02/99 Derby County Home W 1-0 1 55,174
06/02/99 Nottingham Forest Away W 8-1 1 30,025
17/02/99 Arsenal Home D 1-1 1 55,171
*** TEAM RESULTS SUMMARY - MANCHESTER UNITED - AS AT 17/02/99 ***
P Won Drawn Lost For Against Points
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Home 14 9 (64%) 4 (29%) 1 (7%) 33 (2.4) 14 (1.0) 31 (2.2)
Away 12 5 (42%) 5 (42%) 2 (17%) 27 (2.3) 14 (1.2) 20 (1.7)
Total 26 14 (54%) 9 (35%) 3 (12%) 60 (2.3) 28 (1.1) 51 (2.0)
Averages per game in (brackets)
League position: 1st
Form position: 1st (Index: 51%)
Predicted position: 1st
(The higher the form index, the higher the average
league position of the recent opposition)
Highest league position: 1st
Lowest league position: 10th
(Excluding the first 4 matches)
*** TEAM STATISTICS - MANCHESTER UNITED - AS AT 17/02/99 ***
AVERAGE HOME ATTENDANCE: 55,174
HIGHEST HOME ATTENDANCE: 17/10/98 - Wimbledon (55,265)
LOWEST HOME ATTENDANCE: 15/08/98 - Leicester City (55,052)
BEST WIN: 06/02/99 - Nottingham Forest (8-1)
HEAVIEST DEFEAT: 20/09/98 - Arsenal (0-3)
BEST HOME WIN: 17/10/98 - Wimbledon (5-1)
HEAVIEST HOME DEFEAT: 19/12/98 - Middlesbrough (2-3)
BEST AWAY WIN: 06/02/99 - Nottingham Forest (8-1)
HEAVIEST AWAY DEFEAT: 20/09/98 - Arsenal (0-3)
******
Champions League:
Group D P W D L F A Pts
Bayern Munich 6 3 2 1 9 6 11
Man United 6 2 4 0 20 11 10
Barcelona 6 2 2 2 11 9 8
Brondby 6 1 0 5 4 18 3
Dec 9 Brøndby 0-2 Barcelona
Dec 9 Man Utd 1-1 Bayern Munich
******
CHAMPIONS' LEAGUE QUARTER-FINAL DRAW
Manchester Utd v Inter Milan
Real Madrid v Dynamo Kiev
Juventus v Olympiakos
Bayern Munich v Kaiserslautern
Ties to be played on March 3 and 17
FAC Quarter Finals Draw ties to be
played the weekend of Saturday, March 6:
Newcastle United or Blackburn Rovers v Everton
Barnsley v Leeds United or Spurs
Arsenal or Sheffield United v Huddersfield Town or Derby
Manchester United v Chelsea (Sunday 7/3 1400 hrs UK)
++++++=========+++++++========+++++++++========++++++++
Penalty miss last night [more? click on pic]
Subject: Match Report
Back in September Cole was merely a spectator as his former club Arsenal
strolled to a 3-0 victory over Manchester United in
the late summer sunshine. Cole had been left out of the squad after he had
refused to play in a reserve match and his future did
not look promising. But Cole battled his way back and at Old Trafford he
scored what could prove to be the most important goal
of United's Premiership campaign.
Arsenal were on course to record their fifth successive victory over the
league leaders in the "biggest shoot-out", as Alex
Ferguson had described it, after Nicolas Anelka had scored just after the
interval. With the game, and United's lead in the title
race, slipping from their grasp Cole headed home to keep them on course for
Premiership glory.
Before kick-off Yorke and manager Alex Ferguson had received their Carling
awards for January in recognition of United's
magnificent 100 per cent start to 1999. But rather than unnerve the
champions, who were without Dennis Bergkamp, Emmanuel
Petit and Martin Keown, the presentations only seemed to inspire them
further for this clash of the titans.
Ferguson had predicted Arsenal would sit back and defend, but they took the
game to United from the off. Ray Parlour forced a
save from Peter Schmeichel before the quick-thinking Lee Dixon floated a
30-yard free-kick just over the bar after he had spotted
Schmeichel off his line.
Marc Overmars, who netted the only goal when these sides met here 11 months
ago, missed a terrific chance to repeat his
heroics. Patrick Vieira swung a ball over to the back post where Overmars
was running in unmarked, but the Dutch international
mishit his shot into the side netting and United breathed again.
The incessant rain made for difficult playing conditions and David Seaman
was almost caught out by the slippery ball when he
spilled a shot from Cole, but Vieira was on hand to complete the clearance.
The biggest Premiership match of the season was
living up to its billing and it was the best league match witnessed at Old
Trafford this season.
Roy Keane got in on the act and he made a great surging run into the box
past Steve Bould only to be denied by a great
left-handed save low down by Seaman.
The game exploded into life just before the half hour mark when referee
Gary Willard awarded United a controversial penalty.
Willard ruled that Parlour had caught Ronny Johnsen in the right-hand
corner of the penalty area and pointed to the spot.
Up stepped the Premiership's top scorer Dwight Yorke, but the normally
reliable hitman shot wide to the disbelief of the United
supporters.
Cole tried to make amends two minutes later only for Seaman to make another
terrific save and block his shot with his legs, a la
Pat Jennings. That save and Yorke's penalty miss took on even greater
significance three minutes after half-time when Anelka
fired Arsenal ahead.
Nwankwo Kanu beat Jaap Stam superbly only to be tackled by Phil Neville and
when the ball broke to Anelka on the edge of the
six-yard box he fired home into the roof of the net.
Tempers were reaching breaking point and Keane and Vieira were booked after
the midfielders clashed on the halfway line.
Arsenal visibly grew in confidence after the goal and began knocking the
ball about in United's half while the home side tried to
regroup. Then out of the blue United equalised on 60 minutes.
Phil Neville swung over a great cross from the left for Cole to head home
his 19th goal of the season. United had been preparing
to bring on Paul Scholes and they made the change anyway, taking off the
ineffectual Jesper Blomqvist.
Now the initiative was back with United and it was they who looked the
likelier to score a second goal.
They unsuccessfully appealed for a penalty after David Beckham had gone
down in the box. Bould then got a vital touch to
deflect a Cole effort away for a corner before Seaman saved from the same
striker.
United sensed a memorable victory and with 13 minutes to go they brought on
the fit-again Ryan Giggs for Nicky Butt. Yorke's
miserable night was completed when he squandered a great chance to win the
game six minutes from time when he shot from
inside the six-yard box but Seaman tipped it to safety.
Even yet there was still time for United to snatch all three points, but
Keane blazed wide from a chance and when the final whistle
blew they had to settle for just the one point from this pulsating match.
TEAMS
Manchester United: Schmeichel, G Neville, Johnsen, Stam, P Neville,
Beckham, Butt, Keane, Blomqvist, Cole, Yorke.
Subs: Scholes for Blomqvist, Giggs for Butt
Scorer: Cole (60)
Arsenal: Seaman, Dixon, Adams, Bould, Winterburn, Parlour, Vieira, Hughes,
Overmars, Anelka, Kanu.
Subs: Garde for Kanu, Vivas for Winterburn, Diawara for Overmars
Scorer: Anelka (48)
Referee: G Willard
Attendance: 55,171
Penalty miss last night [more? click on pic]
Subject: Manchester United and Arsenal in gripping 1-1 draw
By Mitch Phillips
LONDON, Feb 17 - Manchester United and Arsenal, the two form
teams in the English premier league, battled to a pulsating 1-1 draw at a
muddy Old Trafford on Wednesday while drama abounded elsewhere.
There was a penalty miss and two red cards at Stamford Bridge as Chelsea
conceded a late equaliser to draw 1-1 with Blackburn Rovers while normally
goal-shy Everton thumped Middlesbrough 5-0.
Aston Villa's title hopes look over after another home defeat, Leeds United
the 2-1 victors, while Newcastle United thrashed Coventry City 4-1.
Leicester City booked a place in the League Cup final against Tottenham
Hotspur. Their 1-1 home draw with first division Sunderland gave them a 3-2
aggregate victory
and their sixth Wembley appearance in seven years.
Manchester United, on 51 points, maintain their four point lead over
Chelsea, with Arsenal a further point back on 46. Aston Villa are fourth on 43 with Leeds
up to fifth on 39. Manchester United have played a game more than the chasing pack.
Something had to give at Old Trafford where United were seeking their ninth
successive victory against a team yet to concede a goal in 1999.
The match began at a frantic pace with the hosts making the best of the
running.
They should have gone ahead after 30 minutes when Ray Parlour fouled Ronny
Johnsen in the box but Dwight Yorke sidefooted his penalty wide.
Arsenal took the lead in the 48th when Nwankwo Kanu drove into the box and
although he was tackled, the ball ran to Nicolas Anelka who drove it in.
A rare defensive lapse left Andy Cole unmarked to head the equaliser after
an hour and from then on it was all United.
England keeper David Seaman made three great saves to keep it at 1-1 as
Arsenal never looked like claiming a fourth successive win against Alex Ferguson's
team.
Arsenal midfielder Patrick Viera, who worked tirelessly in the absence of
suspended Emmanuel Petit, was happy with the result. "It's very good to leave Manchester
United with a point," said the Frenchman.
Manager Arsene Wenger said: "When they equalised they had some very good
chances. The last 25 minutes were diffcult for us. It was a very
competitive game."
United manager Alex Ferguson said: "It was always going to be a passionate
affair but I thought we were the better team."
Penalty miss last night [more? click on pic]
Subject: Bojan Djordic info from Robert Gustavsson
They interviewed him on swedish TV yesterday. He was training
with Brommapojkarna (not Bromma Pojakarna) (Brommapojkarna translated
means The BrommaBoys (Bromma is a place)).
He said that he didn't think keeping his feet on the ground would be a
problem as his father is there to give him advice (played for Yugoslavia
and Red Star), and that he would try to simply think of it as a name
change from Brommapojkarna to United.
Anders Limpar (ex. Arsenal etc) was there to train with Brommapojkarna
(Limpar played for swedish champions AIK last year and is this year
going for his last journey abroad to play in MLS before retiring (Colorado)).
Limpar said that he thought Bojan was very mature for his age and that
he didn't think he would have any problem adjusting to english football
as long as he learnt that in England you don't get much time with the ball
before you have to pass it. He also said that Bojan has a godgiven left foot.
And I don't know of him as being the best young footballer in Sweden,
our youth teams are swarming with exciting talent at this point, so
the future looks bright for Sweden :)
Robert
Penalty miss last night [more? click on pic]
Subject: Arsenal Reports/Pics by Boon Wee
The usual reports and 9 pictures are waiting for you at
http://members.xoom.com/heathens/mufc.html
I saw three scenes from last night's match (through the news). First, Yorke
missed the penalty (ouch!). Next, Kanu's shot was deflected for an
unmarked Anelka to score (double ouch!). And finally, Phil Neville's cross
(for once it was good) was met by Cole who headed in United's equaliser
(relief). Hence I am in no position to mention anything about the match.
There are a couple of happy thoughts though. First was the return of Giggs,
way earlier than expected. So his hamstring was not as bad as we have
thought. Next, Aston Villa dropped points again, think we can safely say
that they are out of the race. Lastly, United finally overcame the barrier
of beating Arsenal, not that United won, but at least United fought with
them in every department and if the reports were to be believed, United's
engine was far more powerful than Arsenal's.
Wenger said that Arsenal are the first team to stop United from winning
this year. The same can go for United as well, I'm glad that we have
stopped Arsenal's winning recent winning streak as well.
Coming up is Coventry, a couple more own goals from them? (wish!)
Cheers. Boon Wee
Penalty miss last night [more? click on pic]
Subject: Utd - Arsenal final result
Utd (0) 1 - Cole (sometime mid second half)
Arsenal (0) 1 - Anelka (sometime early second half)
Utd: Schmikes; GNev, Johnson, Stam, PNev; Beckham, Keane, Butt (Giggs 70?),
Blomqvist (Scholes 60?); Cole, Yorke
Arsenal: Seaman; Dixon, Adams, Bould, Winterburn (Vivas 70?); Parlour,
Hughes, Viera, Overmars; Kanu (Garde ?), Anelka + some new guy who replaced
someone else... (memory fails me - he didn't do much anyway)
Utd should have won really - Arsenal only looked seriously threatening in
the first 15 or so minutes after halftime. Dwight Yorke missed a penalty
(my condolences to the Dale household's pet cat) and Utd had the better of
several other chances that could have decided the match. A major surprise
was Giggsy coming on for Butt in the second half. He didn't injure himself
again (even bigger surprise) and even contributed some neat touches which
opened Arsenal up on two occasions.
I missed the first 15 minutes or so. The pitch was an awful f*cking mess,
it contributed to some poor passing from both sides; it was also pouring
down with a delightfully light Manchester shower (please send some of that
rain here - we're in the middle of drought conditions!). All this added to
the decidedly iffy temperment of the game; with their nasty evil
firebreathing monsters often getting illegally entangled with our fair
angelic choirboys - Keane and Viera having a minor tiff at one point that
resulted in both getting a yellow. Tackles were late, and tripping/
bodychecking quite common from both sides. Being a Red however I'm really
upset about Arse's obstruction tactics - if it were Rugby League they'd have
been pinged several times for accidental offside and obstruction. It's not
a clear cut foul but often Utd's advances on goal were impeded by second
Arsenal player while the first cleared the ball - they'd just get in the way
(but making no attempt to get the ball themselves) while Mr. Adams would
hoof the ball 90km downfield.
The differences in Utd's and Arsenal's playing styles were quite apparent.
Utd's passing game wasn't as fluent due to Arsenal's defensive work (one
major attribute of Arse's success is their ability to close down their
opposition's passing options - Utd need to learn to do this much better than
they currently do) but when they did get it right Arsenal were stretched in
trying to contain us. Andy and Dwight obviously had orders to take on Bould
and Adams at every opportunity; when combined with our deliberately set wide
players dragging Dixon and Winterburn out of the centre it left those two
old cloggers exposed on a number of occasions against the Soul Brother's
pace. Often Dwight and Andy would get mugged by a backtracking midfielder
but the tactic worked well generally (hopefully other sides will take note)
and breaks on goals occurred frequently. Another good result of this was
that Viera hardly got forward all night with his having to hang back and
help deal with Cole and Yorke.
Arsenal rely on quick passing to augment their quick player's ability to
take opponents on. Fergie started with Butt and Keane in the middle however
and they disrupted the Arsenal pattern really well. They rarely managed to
feed Anelka and Overmars all night - and not once could I recollect them
ever getting a clear run on goal.
Dwight's penalty miss came after Ronny was bodychecked by Parlour just
inside the right hand corner of the penalty area. Not much doubt about it
really - from one angle it merely looked bad, from the other you could see
there was enough force imparted by Parlour to flatten an elephant (or maybe
even Stam). In taking the penalty Dwight approached the ball head on and
sidefooted it inches past the right hand upright with his right foot
('inside out' fashion). Bring back Dennnnnis is all I can say (although
presumably Fergie rightly thinks Pnev has the pace to deal with Parlour). A
few other chances on goal from Andy and Dwight were well saved by Seaman (we
need a Seaman voodoo doll now, Terry).
Their goal came Kanu took the ball halfway into the penalty area with some
nifty footwork - Ronny came across and put a solid tackle in but somehow the
ball squirted loose under him all the way across the goal mouth to Anelka,
who promptly lashed it into the net. With Kanu beating Stam and Keane,
Ronny's tackle was timely but resulted in Anelka being unmarked. Big Pete
had come out to face Kanu and was left with no chance of stopping the shot.
Arsenal then dominated for the next 15 minutes. I can't remember much about
this period except that I was looking around for a cat of my own to kick
(I'll stop off at the RSPCA tomorrow) - it was dire. Every ball seemed to
be intercepted, every pass sold the recipient short, and their players were
everywhere picking up all the goddamn loose ball.
Out goal came from some nice interchange work on the left between PNev and
Blommo. It resulted in PNev moving forward to the corner of the penalty
area before lofting a perfect cross for Andy to jump and head the ball into
the net from the edge of the six yard box. Neither Adams nor Bould where
within 2 yards of him - the cross was an absolute gem and IMO underlined
Phil's excellent all round contribution to the game. Soon after Scholsey
came on for Blomqvist and Butt moved out to the left. His better vision and
quicker feet started to cause Arse even more problems - he took on their
defence in one brilliant run that ending with Bould using his elbow like a
Bohemian Earspoon on Scholsey's unfortunate lughole. Beckham took the
freekick (crap officiating here - the ball hit Parlour's arm in the wall
which should have got us another closer fk) which, when deflected, fell to
Keane who blazed it wide from a tightish angle.
Other chances in the second half: Giggs turned himself inside out (god
knows what Dixon suffered) to run at the box - his cross was nudged on by
Andy into Dwight's path. Dwight beat the lunging defender to tap the ball
at goal only for Seaman's armpit to deflect it wide - the ref then awarded
Arse the goalkick..... (would a fluffy toy substitute for a real cat I
wonder?) Andy got free once - turned Adams outside the box, struck the
shot, only to see Bould lunge and knock it away.
Player of the day? Stam was solid again, as was Ronny - they both dealt
with their opponents well. Keane and Butt suffered from the awful pitch the
most but eventually claimed the midfield. Blomqvist gave them trouble but
didn't do it often enough. Beckham's passing delivery was 50-50 all match
and his tackling was awful. Up front Andy was in fine form (roasting Bould
on more than one occasion) and Dwight only struggled in front of goal - both
of them were tackled while trying to turn on the ball on numerous occasions
but I think they were playing to a plan with this - it had to be expected.
Scholsey caused them problems when he came on. Overall however I think the
brothers Neville deserved the praise today. Rarely did Arsenal get away
down the flanks - they pushed up very effectively, giving Beckham, Blomqvist
and Giggs a lot of help - much of Arsenal's inability to get the ball from
wide to the danger spots in the middle was their doing. Phil Nev as MOM for
all that *and* for the cross though I think..... :)
Overall, except for that period in the second half after Arse scored, Utd
*just* had the better of the play. 3 points went begging - it should have
been a win really but for the missed penalty and the damnable David Seaman.
I expect to hear that Dwight will be doing nothing other than practising
penalties for the rest this month at training.
--
snark^
Penalty miss last night [more? click on pic]
Subject: Kanu carves out one that counts
By Graham Hunter
Thursday, February 18, 1999
Arsenal dug to the very pits of the courage and skill which won the
Championship last season to carve out a significant draw at Old Trafford
last night.
In a game of monstrous excitement and commitment, Manchester United failed
to capitalise on a second half when the champions wilted visibly and late,
gaping, chances for both Dwight Yorke and Roy Keane went a begging.
At the weekend Kanu had had a hand in the goal that Arsenal didn't want -
that controversial FA Cup goal against Sheffield United. This time the
Nigerian made a major contribution to the 47th-minute Nicolas Anelka strike
that kept the Gunners in the title hunt.
At that stage Arsenal looked on course for their fifth straight victory
over Manchester United in two seasons.
But as the home side grew stronger than their oponents, who had initially
larked in the Old Trafford mud, Andy Cole's first ever goal against David
Seaman, a header from Phil Neville's 60th-minute cross, gave United
deserved parity.
As if to present the nation with an antidote to the labyrinthian, political
mess otherwise known as finding an England manager, these two teams laid on
a feast.
It was hypnotic to see so many good players, rain lashing their jerseys to
their chests and plastering their hair to their skulls, bursting lung and
pain barriers in search of dominance.
Ten goals Manchester United have conceded to England's champions in the
last four meetings between the two sides - games which have not seen
anything other than victories for Arsene Wenger's side.
Alex Ferguson called this the 'big title shoot-out' in his programme notes
but there was more than just an edge in the championship race at stake in
this one.
Arsenal have established a psychological stranglehold on the team which has
dominated the 1990s, one which left United limping away from Highbury last
September, routed by the Londoners and shattered by the experience.
The fact that Ferguson and Yorke shared a crowning ceremony on the muddy
pitch before the kick-off, each Carling Man of The Month in his profession,
marked the strength the United revival since then.
Top of the league and still enjoying the European tour which left Arsenal
gasping, United have nevertheless failed to shake the pincer teeth of their
rivals off their ankles.
Wenger and his team knew full well if they took no worse than a point from
Old Trafford then United would enter mad March facing games against Inter
Milan, twice, Chelsea, Liverpool, Newcastle and Everton with the spectre of
Arsenal still on their mind.
With that knowledge Arsenal set about the match as if they believed it
could be won in the first 20 minutes.
Missing Dennis Bergkamp, Emmanuel Petit and Martin Keown, they were
bolstered by the early power of Patrick Vieira and the instancy with which
Kanu, Ray Parlour and Anelka found each other's wavelength.
Parlour's second-minute shot on goal was saved. Then, Lee Dixon floated a
cheeky free-kick over Peter Schmeichel's grasping hand but just over the
bar, too.
Although Yorke glanced a header just wide in the eighth minute, it was
still the champions who were bossing the game.
Their four-man midfield was splitting into two sections with Marc Overmars
and Parlour playing alongside Kanu and Anelka up front while Stephen Hughes
and Vieira gave extra comfort at the back.
Anelka's pace caused Schmeichel and Gary Neville to get in a muddle moments
later but they survived. Overmars should have punished them with a
half-volley on goal from 12 yards, created by a wonderful Vieira right-foot
pass.
Then came the crazy seven-minute spell during which Ferguson's team should
have scored four times.
Cole started it by making an angle outside Tony Adams but shooting into
David Seaman's hands. Then Roy Keane's rampage through the middle of the
box, past Steve Bould, was blocked by the excellence of Seaman's charge out
of his goal.
With the adrenalin screaming through their veins, United caught Parlour
with his guard down and referee Gary Willard, a little surprisingly, gave a
penalty for the midfielder's 30th-minute challenge on Ronny Johnsen.
Yorke, who had looked as off form up to that point as he had in September
at Highbury, missed the kick glaringly with a side-foot past the right post.
Almost before that shock had penetrated the minds of either set of fans -
in fact only 90 seconds later - Cole erupted past Bould to fire David
Beckham's cross at goal but Seaman again outdid him with a diving parry.
With Arsenal you almost always know what is coming next - and come it did.
The second half was barely two minutes old when a wonderful bit of
old-fashioned trickery by Kanu dragged the ball past Jaap Stam and into the
heart of the box.
Gary Neville's tackle was bang on the penalty spot and brilliantly checked
Kanu in the act of scoring but the rebound went straight to Anelka, who
joyously volleyed into the roof of the net.
Ferguson was already juggling his substitute options and the home fans were
gnawing their nails when Cole caused Arsenal to concede their first goal
for over 10 hours and push the game to its dramatic climax.
Manchester United: Peter Schmeichel; Gary Neville, Jaap Stam, Ronny
Johnsen, Phil Neville; David Beckham, Nicky Butt, Roy Keane, Jesper
Blomqvist; Andy Cole, Dwight Yorke. Subs: Giggs (Butt 77), Scholes
(Blomqvist 61).
Arsenal: David Seaman; Lee Dixon, Steve Bould, Tony Adams, Nigel
Winterburn; Ray Parlour, Patrick Vieira, Stephen Hughes, Marc Overmars;
Nwankwo Kanu, Nicolas Anelka. Subs: Vivas (Winterburn 77), Dicewora
(Overmars 87), Garde (Kanu 61).
Penalty miss last night [more? click on pic]
Subject: Italian Cup Semi Final, 1st leg Inter 0 - 2 Parma
Inter finished with eight (yes, that's '8') players. They'd hammered
away at the Parma defence all the game risking the odd counter attack,
when they fell behind controversially in the 77th minute. There appeared
to be a foul out on the left and the Inter defence froze expecting the
referee to blow his whistle. He didn't. A Parma player (Asprilla I
think) crossed the ball and Veron scored. Inter went berserk. First
Bergomi was sent off, and he was closely followed by Colonnese and
Zanetti. Playing against 8 men, it was all Parma for the last ten
minutes and Balbo headed in a second in the 86th minute. This should
effectively eliminate Inter from the Cup. They're already more or less
out of the Serie A championship ... which just leaves the Champions
League for them to concentrate all their efforts on. Hhhmmm.
Inter were again without Ronaldo and Zamorano, and Baggio was missing
last night too. By the way, the latest on the Toothy One is that there
is 'a small ray of hope' that he might make it for the Manchester game.
Get yer dolls out again.
I didn't get to see last night's Arse game. It's a pity we didn't take
our chances but with Chelsea drawing and Villa losing, our position
hasn't suffered. Thanks to Snark for the report. I just have one
question: what's a Bohemian Earspoon?
_____________
Terry
Saudi
Penalty miss last night [more? click on pic]
Subject: 365 United And Arsenal Have To Settle For A Point Apiece,
MANCHESTER UNITED 1 ARSENAL 1
How Andy Cole's fortunes have changed since these Premiership
heavyweights last met. Back in September, Cole was merely a
spectator as his former club Arsenal strolled to a 3-0 victory over
Manchester United in the late summer sunshine. He had been left
out of the squad after he had refused to play in a reserve match
and his future did not look promising. But Cole battled his way back
and at Old Trafford last night he scored what could prove to be the
most important goal of United's Premiership campaign.
Arsenal were on course to record their fifth successive victory over
the league leaders in the ''biggest shoot-out'', as Alex Ferguson had
described it, after Nicolas Anelka had scored just after the interval.
With the game, and United's lead in the title race, slipping from their
grasp Cole headed home to keep them on course for Premiership
glory.
Before kick-off Yorke and manager Alex Ferguson had received their
Carling awards for January in recognition of United's magnificent 100
per cent start to 1999. But rather than unnerve the champions,
who were without Dennis Bergkamp, Emmanuel Petit and Martin
Keown, the presentations only seemed to inspire them further for
this clash of the titans.
Ferguson had predicted Arsenal would sit back and defend, but they
took the game to United from the off. Ray Parlour forced a save
from Peter Schmeichel before the quick-thinking Lee Dixon floated a
30-yard free-kick just over the bar after he had spotted Schmeichel
off his line. Marc Overmars, who netted the only goal when these
sides met here 11 months ago, missed a terrific chance to repeat
his heroics. Patrick Vieira swung a ball over to the back post where
Overmars was running in unmarked, but the Dutch international
mishit his shot into the side netting.
The incessant rain made for difficult playing conditions and David
Seaman was almost caught out by the slippery ball when he spilled
a shot from Cole, but Vieira was on hand to complete the clearance.
Roy Keane soon got in on the act and he made a great surging run
into the box past Steve Bould only to be denied by a great
left-handed save low down by England's first choice goalkeeper.
Although there was plenty of passion in the opening exchanges, the
game only exploded into life just before the half hour mark when
referee Gary Willard awarded United a controversial penalty. Willard
ruled that Parlour had caught Ronny Johnsen in the right-hand
corner of the penalty area and pointed to the spot. Up stepped the
Premiership's top scorer Dwight Yorke, but the normally reliable
hitman shot wide to the disbelief of the United supporters.
Cole tried to make amends two minutes later only for Seaman to
make another terrific save and block his shot with his legs. That
save, and Yorke's penalty miss, took on even greater significance
three minutes after half-time when Anelka fired Arsenal ahead.
Nwankwo Kanu beat Jaap Stam superbly only to be tackled brilliantly
by Phil Neville but the ball broke invitingly to Anelka on the edge of
the six-yard box and he fired home into the roof of the net.
Tempers were starting to reach breaking point and Keane and Vieira
were booked after the midfielders clashed on the halfway line.
However, Arsenal visibly grew in confidence after the goal and
began knocking the ball about in United's half while the home side
tried to regroup. Then out of the blue United equalised on 60
minutes.
Phil Neville swung over a great cross from the left for Cole to head
home his 19th goal of the season. United had been preparing to
bring on Paul Scholes and they made the change anyway, taking off
the ineffectual Jesper Blomqvist. Now the initiative was back with
the home side and it was they who looked the likelier to score a
second goal.
They unsuccessfully appealed for a penalty after David Beckham
had gone down in the box. Bould then got a vital touch to deflect a
Cole effort away for a corner before Seaman saved from the same
striker. United sensed a memorable victory and with 13 minutes to
go they brought on the fit-again Ryan Giggs for Nicky Butt.
Yorke's miserable night was completed when he squandered a great
chance to win the game six minutes from time when he shot from
inside the six-yard box but Seaman tipped it to safety. Even yet
there was still time for United to snatch all three points, but Keane
blazed wide from a chance and when the final whistle blew they had
to settle for just the one point from this pulsating match.
Penalty miss last night [more? click on pic]
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If ever they are playing in your town
You must get to that football ground
Take a lesson come to see
Football taught by Matt Busby
Manchester, Manchester United
A bunch of bouncing Busby Babes
They deserve to be knighted
Barry
J. Leeming Digest Prgram
by 
William
McArthur Canada
