Echoes from Old Trafford - December 2019

NEWSPAPER POST

Volume 47- Issue 2, December 2019

“Brandon Williams was absolutely exceptional!”

Solskjær after Partizan match

Manchester United Supporters’ Club-Malta Founded 1959, is officially recognized by the Manchester United Football Club.

In this issue  EDITORIAL ENGLISH................................................................................

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 EDITORIAL MALTESE...............................................................................

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 CLUB NEWS.............................................................................................

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 TEDDY’S CORNER.................................................................................

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 THE RISE OF SCOTT McTOMINAY..........................................................

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 WHY IS IT SO HARD TO MANAGE MAN UTD?.........................................

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Official publication of the Manchester United Supporters’ Club Malta editorial team Clint Camilleri · Braden Galea · Michael Calleja advertising executive Glenn Lucas contributors Michael Calleja Clint Camilleri Joseph Tedesco Jude Cauchi Julian Tabone Kevin, Justyn, Wayne Tabone Robert Mizzi Silvio Scicluna Alan Abela Wadge Fr Anthony C. Ferrante Kenneth Abela Martin Calleja Urry Alex Dudley Daniel Cuschieri Iain McCartney Stefan Attard

 Y & Z UNITED PERSPECTIVES...............................................................

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 ONE THIRD THROUGH THE 2019-20 SEASON THE STORY SO FAR.......

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 MANCHESTER UNITED’S STRIKER PROBLEM .....................................

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 ZLATAN IN THE US...............................................................................

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 ER....WHAT???.....................................................................................

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 BRANDON WILLIAMS..........................................................................

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 MANCHESTER UNITED’S BEST HISTORIC FREE KICK TAKERS.............

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 SERGIO ROMERO.................................................................................

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club president Joseph Tedesco

 UPHILL.................................................................................................

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club committee

 RISING FROM THE WRECKAGE............................................................

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 CHAMPIONS LEAGUE NIGHTS ............................................................

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Clint Camilleri

Secretary, Media Coordinator

Braden Galea

Assistant Secretary, Publishing Coordinator

 ECHOES FROM ACROSS THE CHANNEL...............................................

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Kevin Tabone

Treasurer, Public Relations Officer

printing Progress Press patron Sir Alex Ferguson club founder John Calleja

Joseph Tedesco Joe Catania

President, Match Tickets Coordinator Vice President, Souvenir Shop Manager

Egidio Sciberras

Assistant Treasurer

Robert Mizzi

Membership Secretary

Matthew Portelli O’Toole Club Manager, Social Activities Coordinator Glenn Lucas

Advertising Executive

Robert Muscat

MALTA MALTA

FOUNDED 1959

MALTA MALTA

FOUNDED 1959

Quarries Square Street, Msida MSD 1101 Malta.

Telephone: +356 21223531 E‑mail: info@manutd‑malta.com Website: www.manutd‑malta.com Based in Msida, Malta, we are a non‑profit organization designed to bring the Manchester United experience to United fans here in Malta. We are the only Official Manchester United Supporters’ Club on the Maltese Islands. We are also the oldest Manchester United Supporters’ Club in the World.

Tours Coordinator

United Club Gozo Archbishop Pietru Pace Street, Victoria, Gozo.

E‑mail: gozobranch@manutd-malta.com Telephone: +356 99825090 translator Braden Galea club chaplain Fr. Anthony C. Ferrante (Carmelite) business partners

THE VIEWS IN THIS MAGAZINE ARE NOT NECESSARILY SHARED BY THE CLUB. VOL 47 - ISSUE 2 - DECEMBER 2019

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w w w. m a n u t d - m a l t a . c o m

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VOL 47 - ISSUE 2 - DECEMBER 2019

Editorial IT’S ALL TOPSY-TURVY AT THE MOMENT! I

t’s not been the best of months for Manchester United fans. From pure ecstasy against Chelsea in the Carabao Cup to downright misery against Bournemouth in the Premier League, it goes without saying that the 2019-20 season is so far turning out to be one of those ‘topsy-turvy’ campaigns.

those who still believe that Solskjaer might deliver a major trophy.

will surely be more than determined to end their group-stage commitments on a positive note.

Even though most fans would consider the UEFA Europa League to be an ‘inferior’ competition, the Red Devils have already secured an elusive 10 points and the double-header victory against Partizan Belgrade was certainly welcome. The

Mention must certainly be made of Anthony Martial who is certainly a very viable option up front especially when fully fit and available.

When on-form and in pristine condition, there are times where he is often unplayable. His performance against Norwich City [albeit missing a penalty] rammed home this point as it freed up Marcus Rashford who was able to cut inside from his favourite left-wing position to devastating effect. Martial’s only problem seems to be his injury woes which certainly compound United’s problems up front. Nevertheless, one can only hope and pray that the mercurial Frenchman regains his form and fitness that has so often endeared him to the United fans – and provide a platform for the Red Devils to get back to genuine winning ways.

The club’s league commitments have been particularly disappointing because the results have not been commensurate to the on-field performances by the players. The Red Devils clearly deserved at least a point against Newcastle United [had it not been for Harry Maguire’s crucial first half miss] and could have easily grabbed another elusive goal against a flat Liverpool side to ram home the victory.

Unfortunately, it was not to be and a new low was reached with an awful performance away against Bournemouth – a game in which United never looked like mounting a serious attack… let alone scoring. Already cries were heard after this particular fixture for the manager to resign with the press sharpening their knives the very next day calling for the Norwegian’s blood.

The Carabao Cup has brought some glimmer of hope to the United faithful. Fans feared the worst after the lacklustre draw against Rochdale but the 2-1 away win against Chelsea brought a smile to most supporters who witnessed ‘vintage’ United booking passage into the next round of the trophy [where they will face Colchester United at Old Trafford]. It wasn’t only the goals scored by Rashford which were impressive but the overall performance by the Red Devils who put in an extra gear to deliver some much needed reprieve. It goes without saying that with Liverpool, City & Leicester still in it, the Carabao Cup might end up being a genuine battle of the ‘heavy weights’. However, United’s cup run has been impressive of late and there is nothing ruling out the Red Devils from a claiming a major scalp against one of our deadly rivals. Hope spring eternal for all

away game was a tough and bruising affair [as is often expected when playing in a Balkan cauldron] whilst the home fixture against the Serbians reaffirmed United’s superiority with Anthony Martial scoring a very-well taken goal to cap off a fine evening. With the games against AZ Alkmaar next and Astana we expect two good performances from the players – who

Manchester United would not be the ‘special club’ that it is without mention of its academy players. In Brandon Williams, it seems the club has unearthed another gem who can certainly mix it with the big boys. From a surprising full debut against AZ Alkmaar to a substitute appearance against Liverpool in the league, Williams has certainly been a shining light for the Red Devils [capitalizing on Luke Shaw’s long-term injury]. During the game against Brighton, he was voted as the ‘Man of the Match’ – a worthy accolade given his panache, grit and determination on the field. One can only hope and pray that this youngster will remain focused, humble and driven – as the club looks to rebuild its identity based on young, hungry and supremely talented players.

Stay strong! And even if the performances have not been up to scratch, fans must surely give the manager time – in order to build a United side that mirrors our hopes and dreams. Enjoy the read and GGMU!

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MALTA MALTA

FOUNDED 1959

The Echoes Editorial Board & the Committee of the Manchester United Supporters’ Club Malta would like to wish you and your families

a Merry Christmas & a Prosperous New Year.

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VOL 47 - ISSUE 2 - DECEMBER 2019

Editorjal

GĦADDEJJIN MINN ŻMIEN TA’ TAQLIB!

D

awn ta’ l‑aħħar ma kienux l‑aħjar xhur għas‑sapporters ta’ Manchester United.

Mill‑ewrofija tar‑rebħa kontra Chelsea fil‑Carabao Cup għall‑miżerja kontra Bournemouth fil‑Premier League, m’ hemmx għalfejn ngħidu li l‑istaġun 2019‑20 sa issa qed ikun staġun ta’ taqlib.

Il‑prestazzjonijiet fil‑kampjonat kienu partikolarment diżappuntanti minħabba li r‑riżultati ma kienux jirriflettu l‑kwalita’ tal‑logħob milgħub mill‑plejers. Ir‑Red Devils kien jistħoqqilhom minn tal‑inqas punt kontra Newcastle United (li kieku ma kienx għall‑iżball kruċjali ta’ Harry Maguire fl‑ewwel nofs tal‑partita) u setgħu faċilment kisbu gowl kontra Liverpool sabiex jerbħu l‑logħba. Sfortunatament dan ma seħħx u agħar minn hekk kien hemm it‑telfa diżastruża barra minn darna kontra Bournemouth – logħba fejn United saħansitra bilkemm dehru li setgħu iwettqu attakk serju, aħseb u ara kemm jiskurjaw. Mal‑ewwel beda l‑għajjat minn ċerti nies sabiex jirriżenja l‑kowċ bil‑gazzetti jsinnu s‑skieken mill‑ġurnata ta’ wara u jitolbu t‑tkeċċija tan‑Norveġiż.

Il‑ Carabao Cup ġ abet naqra tama għas‑segwaċi tal‑United. Is‑sapporters beżgħu mill‑eliminazzjoni wara l‑parita’ kontra Rochdale imma r‑rebħa ta’ 2‑1 kontra Chelsea barra minn darna ġabet lura tbissima fuq fomm is‑sapporters leali li raw team bi prestazzjoni ‘vintage’ jibbukja post fir‑rawnd li jmiss tat‑trofew (fejn jiltaqgħu kontra Colchester United f ’ Old Trafford).

Ma kienux biss il‑gowls ta’ Rashford li kienu impressjonanti iżda anke l‑prestazzjoni in ġenerali mir‑Red Devils li għamlu ħilithom sabiex tawna ftit kuraġġ. M’ hemmx għalfejn ngħidu li bil‑Liverpool, City u Leicester għadhom fil‑kompetizzjoni, din tista’ tkun battalja ġenwina tal‑‘heavyweights’. Madankollu, l‑prestazzjonijiet riċenti fit‑tazzi kienu impressjonanti dan l‑aħħar u kollox huwa possibli li jiġri, inkluż li United jerbħu battalja maġġuri kontra rivali eterni.

It‑tama l‑aħħar li tmut għal dawk li jemmnu li Solskjaer kapaċi jrebbaħna trofew maġġuri.

Għalkemm ħafna mill‑fans jikkunsidraw l‑Europa League bħala kompetizzjoni inferjuri, ir‑Red Devils diġa’ ġabru 10 punti u rebħa doppja kontra Partizan Belgrade. Il‑logħba barra minn darna kienet iebsa u brutali (kif dejjem tkun logħba fil‑Balkani) hekk kif il‑logħba f ’ Old Trafford kontra s‑Serbi uriet is‑superjorita’ ta’ United b’ Anthony Martial jiskurja gowl tajjeb. Fil‑logħbiet kontra AZ Alkmaar u Astana nistennew żewġ prestazzjonijiet tajbin mill‑plejers tagħna li żgur huma determinati biex nispiċċaw il‑fażi tal‑gruppi fuq nota tajba.

Ma nistgħux ma nsemmux lil Anthony Martial li ċertament huwa għażla vijabli fuq quddiem speċjalment meta jkun f ’ saħħtu u disponibbli li jilgħab. Meta fil‑forma u f ’ kundizzjoni tajba, hemm drabi fejn ma jistax ma jintlagħabx. Il‑prestazzjoni tiegħu kontra Norwich City (avolja falla penalty) hija prova ta’ dan hekk kif tat il‑liberta’ lil Marcus Rashford biex jaqta’ minn mal‑linja xellugija favorita tiegħu b’ effett devastanti. Il‑problema unika ta’ Martial tidher li hi n‑nuqqas tiegħu minħabba injuries, li toħloq problemi għall‑United fuq quddiem.

Wieħed jista’ jispera u jitlob li l‑Franċiż ikun f ’ forma u kundizzjoni tajba, li jagħmluh favorit mas‑sapporters leali tal‑United – filwaqt li jipprovdi pjattaforma sabiex nirritornaw ġenwinament għar‑rebħ.

għal dħul minn fuq il‑bank kontra Liverpool fil‑kampjonat, Williams huwa raġġ ta’ dawl għar‑Red Devils (li kkapitalizza fuq l‑injury ta’ Luke Shaw). Waqt il‑logħba kontra Brighton, kien ivvutat ‘Man of the Match’ – li ċertament kien jistħoqqlu wara l‑grinta u determinazzjoni li wera. Wieħed jispera li dan il‑plejer ta’ eta’ zgħira jibqa’ ffukat, umli u determinat hekk kif il‑klabb jibni identita’ ġdida bbażata fuq plejers żgħar mimlijin talent u għatx għas‑suċċess.

Manchester United ma jkunx klabb speċjali mingħajr ma nsemmu l‑plejers tal‑akkademja.

Fi Brandon Williams, jidher li l‑klabb sab ġojjell li jista’ jintegra ma’ plejers aktar stabbiliti. Minn l‑ewwel logħba sħiħa tiegħu kontra AZ Alkmaar,

Ibqgħu sodi! U anke meta l‑prestazzjonijiet ma jkunux dawk mixtieqa, is‑sapporters għandhom ċertament jagħtu ċans lill‑kowċ sabiex jibni tim li jaqbel max‑xewqat u ħolm tagħna. Ħudu gost aqraw din il‑publikazzjoni u GGMU!

2,000,000 MALTA

FOUNDED 1959

Thank you VOL 47 - ISSUE 2 - DECEMBER 2019

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CLUBNEWS

by Clint Camilleri

N

ovember was a very busy period for us at MUSC Malta. Starting on the 3rd of November, we organized the usual All Souls Day Mass at our premises in Msida, followed by profs. Victor Grech book launch, Q & A with Quinton Fortune and Film Premiere of 60 Years of Loyal Support – The Religion both in Malta & Gozo in a weekend.

NITED MANCHESTES'R CULUB MALTA ER RT O PP SU

A Tale of Two Cities Book Launch On Friday 15th of November MUSC Malta was invited by Prof. Victor Grech at the Remax Offices in Portomaso for the Book Launch of A Tale of Two Cities. All the photos in this book were taken by Prof. Victor Grech by a mobile phone, of the Valletta Grand Harbour & Manchester. Also, it has a extensive 12 pages about our Supporters’ Club 60th Anniversary events. The money from this book will go for Beating Hearts Malta.

GLOBA L FOO TBALL

United nizes Manchester ester United officially recog standing Manch Manchester United

by John Malta as the oldest founded in 1959 Supporters’ Club the The Club was in the world. er in 1958 when Supporters Club Munich air disast The plane following the d on take-off. crashe Calleja, the year 609 med the Airways flight ll team, nickna British European United footba were 23 ester There Manch lists. the journa was returning supporters and in this book. ", along with later Babes y ed “Busb but is detail rest is history fatalities. The use in spacious clubho and has its own Manchester United is very active is to promote MUSC Malta , but main objective not only in Malta Msida. The Club’s rt for the team ts, such as rage more suppo l achievemen severa and to encou of s won The Club boast the team have also overseas. trophies which e Treble in 1999, to Malta all the ing the uniqu bringing over the most decades, includ ions, three occas past te during the three separa first team squad g the team on when the entire as well as hostin ara. the visit in 2000 against Birkirk recent one being friendly game over to play a were brought ester Malta and Manch between MUSC of high strong bond to our Islands visits There is a very yearly the have underlined by some of whom United, clearly Old Trafford, from s over these six ls and player worked very hard profile officia that it The Club has esteem again. and and come over of organization to keep the the high levels to work hard decades to reach ns committed islands. , and it remai in the Maltese currently enjoys high flying ester red flag of Manch happy to be very are we and tion organization with this exhibi is a non-profit MUSC Malta g Hearts Malta tion, but and support Beatin ents the exhibi able to assist not only docum and to the publication that photographs and with this round to the of both interesting backg in the history also provides as evidenced erce via water comm of ur. pts Harbo conce Malta via its Grand Manchester and

Left to right:

Notary Robert

Muscat with Club

President Joseph

Tedesco

Since the lat e ninete by the enth ce British sport, ha ntury the int a globa s resulted ernati in it all conti l game onal that un becoming nents . It ha individ the wo diffusion of ites cu s be ua rld’s mo foo ltu have an ls are some en estimate rally divers st popu tball how dir e d that The co engage interest, an over a societies fro lar ntinual d footba ectly involv quart m globa d more increa ed in liza body, se in int ll’s flags footba er of a billio FIFA (Fé than 3.5 bil subjec tion, which erest hip ll, over n – lion vie in foo controls the las tive co is chara dération 1.5 bil tball is we t World nsciou place cterize attribute , an sne footba contracts wo Internation rs. Football’ d Cup fin lion ll turno ale de s d to rth sev telecom d by an esc ss of the wo by two pro als – ver ex Footb world gove cesse invest eral bil alatio munic s, an inc ment, ceeds all n of so rld as a wh rni lio Th ati ng Associa n dollar e latter ons (in ole as wit cial an reasin 2018 tion), cludin s, and nesse $250 billion. d cultu , almost as World g airlines. has been g d the Th by ral Cu a single circa $6 facilitate social me world e the co p, wh Globaliz annual dia) an connectivity ich co nstruc sport requir other billion d by the ation st tio co d previo es throu in Ru int thu un n sig mushr reven trie s mean us Wo by tra ue fro ssia circa $1 and preparat nificant ooming ernational tra gh rld Cu s that velling s and watch m the 1.8 bil ion vel. of p). fan ma to low for 2018 s can match tches the cost World lion. FIFA ge ide es wit at will Cup (up nerated h relati and eff ntify with tea ve ease.

25% fro ortles ms in sly on m the line, or

FOOTB ALL IN MANC HESTE R

Footb all comp World eti Cup (19 tions hoste Olym d in Ma 66), the pic ncheste the UE Football (20 UEFA Europ FA Cu 12), the ean Fo r City includ p 1970) e the otball UEFA and thr Final (2008 FIFA Cham Cham ), four pionsh ee Le pions FA Cu ague Cup Fin p Finals League Fin ip (1996), al (20 als (19 (1893 03), , 77, 19 78, 19 1911, 1915 , 84).

k Som e peo ple thin r] is a ma tter foo tba ll [so cce I don’t like th. of life and dea m I can ass ure the t tha t atti tud e. ser iou s tha n tha it is mu ch mo re

TW M ANC FOOOTB ALL THEESTER AMS

(1913-1981) r BILL SHANKLY player and manage l

Scottish footbal

ters’ Club Malta JOSEPH TEDESCO ster United Suppor President, Manche

A Tale of Two

Cities: Malta’s

ester ster • Manch

r and Manche

Grand Harbou

ter’s Club Malta

United Suppor

26

In ass ociatio n footba United ll, the trio of United Ge Trinity becom orge Best, or De e the first eve nis Law, and the Holy Trin ity refe r English Sir rs to the club tea Bobby Cha Manch m to win rlton, wh ester o hel the Eur Manch opean ped United ester: Cup in Sport, 1968.

Footba ll, Ma nchest er Un ited FC • A Tale of Two Cities: Malta’s Grand

Manc heste r is be footba st know ll clubs n for its and Ma that be two ar the nc Old Tra hester Un city’s na decorated ite Premi fford, er Leag the lar d (since 18 me: Manche 78) gest clu ue ste b footba which plays r City (since The tw o footba its ho 1880), ll groun Manc ll d in the me game clubs heste s at provid UK. r Cit suppo e an int rt rathe y has tried erestin to stren r than nationa g juxtap reach gth l/inter en os ing itio and nationa 2005 wh l level, out to widen consolidate n.

United. ich proposed with an the clu local The cam b’s Our Cit that ‘re non-loc y brand fan base at al’ Ma paign al), co nc depic a rporat some ted the unians sup ing campaign how mo e en port Cit in re authe tity. On the latter as a comm y and globa unity not ntic an other l (and roots. ha d cool hence with tra nd, City is depic dition ted as al worki ng-class

MA ANDNTCHESTER U HE BU ITE SBY N BABEDS

Manc heste r Unite with a d is on rep e the from the utation de greate rived st clu fro United’s early 1960 s onwa m its formi b names in most da world rds. Th celeb footba e origin ble record rated ll, of ach mana story ger, Sir iev Matt Bu lies in the wa ement y in wh sby, reb ich uilt the Harbou team r and Ma nchest

er

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VOL 47 - ISSUE 2 - DECEMBER 2019

Q & A with Quinton Fortune & Michael Clegg Saturday 16th November we welcomed exManchester United players Quinton Fortune and Michael Clegg at our premises in Msida.

Clegg is also the current first team fitness coach. The Q & A was hosted by Nate Darmanin (Vibe FM) and Valhmor Borg (Times of Malta) and lasted for over an hour.

60 Years Of Loyal Support - The Religion Film Premiere On Saturday 16th November, at 19:00 we welcomed guests at St. James Cavalier in Valletta for the first screening of the film 60 Years of Loyal Support – The Religion by our dear friend John Gubba. The documentary about our Supporters’ Club was welcomed with positive comments both locally and internationally. A stand up reception was held after the first screening and the second screening followed at 21:30. The next day we headed to the beautiful island of Gozo to the Grand Hotel were as always we were welcomed by the Gozo Branch committee and thanks to Silvio Rapa for the hospitality and screening of the Documentary.

Committee with Quinton Fortune & Michael Clegg.

As always I urge you to renew your memberships and also encourage people you know support Manchester United to join our club.

Finally I take the opportunity to wish you all a joyous Christmas and a prosperous and healthy 2020.

Clint Camilleri Club Secretary

Gozo Branch with MUSC Malta committee members after the Film Premiere.

VOL 47 - ISSUE 2 - DECEMBER 2019

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Q&A with Quinton Fortune & Michael Clegg

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TEDDY’S corner

Dear All After nearly one year since his appointment as caretaker manager, eight months since he was given a 3-year contract and three months since the beginning of this football season, there seems to be mixed feelings on whether the club should stick with Ole as manager or not. The Norwegian does not have the CV of Van Gaal or Mourinho, hence it was expected that any blip would be attributed to his lack of managerial experience at this level.

After 13 games, Manchester United are currently a mid-table team, 9 points away from 4th placed Chelsea, looking so far away from City and Leicester, let alone LiVARpool, with only 19 goals scored and 15 conceded from 4 wins, 5 draws and 4 defeats. A Champions League spot seems out of reach. Looking at the situation from this perspective may give the ‘Ole Out’ fans some weight to their plea. Games like Newcastle and Bournemouth kick off frustration. The fact that the owners have not invested in a midfielder and a centre forward after letting Herrera leave and selling Lukaku respectively keeps making the headlines for the anti-Glazers. Maguire has not proven his 80 million price tag yet.

The Rochdale Carabao Cup game was almost a tragedy. The performances in the Europa

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VOL 47 - ISSUE 2 - DECEMBER 2019

League have not been outstanding to say the least. The Pochettino sacking gave more fuel to speculation. This is the general perception of the negative ones looking at the glass half empty.

Now looking at the glass half full, we can take a look at a number of positives. Look at Ole’s acquisitions…Harry Maguire, Aaron WanBissaka and Daniel James. These are 3 Man Utd type of players. Committed to the cause, no superfluities…just focused on their game.

They have the credentials to fit like a glove in the Manchester United way. I do expect more from Maguire to be honest and can’t wait for his first goal from a set piece. Wan-Bissaka has done very well but there are instances when he seems to go missing. He needs to be more consistent and more effective going forward. James has probably been the most impressive so far, especially keeping in mind the ‘low’ fee paid for his services. Let us not forget the pressure that comes with wearing a Manchester United shirt.

Surely we need more of the same in the following transfer markets. Look at the successful introduction of Academy players Greenwood and Williams. Both players have paved their way to first team candidacy thanks to their contributions so far this season.

have your say on info@manutd‑malta.com

They both have great potential but need more experience. Look at the trust shown in Tuanzebe and McTominay. Tuanzebe has been unlucky with the injury but Scott has been so impressive that I am suddenly believing that my prediction last season of him becoming our next captain will eventually materialise if he keeps this great momentum going. Look at the faith shown in Gomes, Chong and Garner even though I believe these three desperately need a loan spell at a minor club to play more regular football. Look at improved aspects of the game. The speed of play is sometimes breathtaking. When comparing our reaction after going 2-0 down against West Ham in September to our reaction after going 2-0 down to Sheffield, one couldn’t but observe an evident, strong improvement in the attitude.

I spoke about how the manager dealt with dead wood in my last article so I will not repeat. Hence if Ole made good acquisitions in his first transfer market as a full time manager.

If Ole is doing things the Man Utd way, playing attacking football and introducing exciting Academy players. If so far we are still in all knock-out competitions with a slim chance of lifting some silverware come the end of the season. If we need stability and not keep changing the manager at every hurdle. Why do we have to sack Ole? I stick with my manager.

Considering the situation Ole had to deal with when he took over, it was never going to be fair to judge him so early. From what I have seen so far he has convinced me that he will prove a few people wrong.

Many football fans thought the introduction of VAR would make the game fairer. After 3 months of VAR in the Premier League, my verdict is that at the cost of trying to be 100% fair, apart from the continuous annoying inconsistency in the decision making, the VAR has killed the excitement of watching the game of football. I have always been in favour of the introduction of technology in football but have always insisted that technology should stick to goal line dilemmas. The reactions from the fans in stadiums and on social media clearly show that VAR, at least in the way it is being operated at the moment, is not wanted. It has created more controversy and feel of injustice rather than fair judgement. I will not delve into matters about who has benefitted most from the inconsistency so far in the Premier League because I am sure you know who I am referring to. Considering the amount of investment done in recent years to introduce this technology, I can’t see it being abolished, however I sincerely hope that the competent authorities will find that right balance which would really and truly give a fair flavour to the

game without ruining the pleasure of watching the beautiful game.

We might not feel on top of the world anymore as Man Utd fans at the moment but let’s not look at the negatives only. There is no harm in being critical but at the same time there are positives to look at as well. I predict some activity in the forthcoming January transfer market, not much, but we will see a new face or two.

I believe in Ole’s work and hope that in the long run he will prove me right.

Patience is golden at this stage.

May I take this oppor tunity to wish you and your loved ones a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year full of everything you wish for but above all good health.

Yours United Teddy

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THE RISE OF

Scott McTominay

by Jude Cauchi

L

ife teaches us that in spite of the commonalities that human beings have with each other, it is those people who always aspire to be better and who work very hard and smart for their goals that will make their dreams come true. Scott McTominay supports this theory perfectly well and he has been constantly improving every match since he commenced playing for the biggest club in the world.

The environment where a player grows to play his football is likely to have a huge impact in one’s career and hence factors such as family life, friends as well as the academy where the player ends us playing his football are all part and parcel of the development of a football player. Luckily for the player and also for United, the player was developed from the Manchester United academy since he was five years old and signed his first professional contract with the club in the summer of 2013. Despite this however, the midfielder struggled with injuries during his early years playing for the under 18s, 19s and 21s and had to be patient in order to be called into the senior team.

As a matter of fact, his first senior Manchester United appearance was registered in the 201617 season under former United manager Jose Mourinho where the midfielder played a part as a substitute versus Arsenal and also managed to start the last Premier League match of the season against Crystal Palace as Manchester United won 2-0 at Old Trafford. The following season, the player was more involved in the first team especially since he participated in the pre-season tour of the United States and played a part in two matches and also scored a goal which surely did not do any harm to his confidence. With regards to his first official appearance, the Scottish international came on as a substitute against Burton Albion in the Carabao Cup and a few days later, the midfielder also made his Champions League substitute debut away to Benfica. Following his gradual development and involvement in the first team, McTominay was rewarded with a new contract keeping him at the club until June 2023.

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In terms of his international career, the boy who was born in England but raised in Helensburgh had a difficult choice between either representing England or Scotland.

Eventually, similar to Manchester United, McTominay followed his heart rather than the prestige and picked Scotland over England since it was his dream as a young boy to represent Scotland on an international level.

Following his decision to play for Scotland, the midfielder made his debut in March 2018 in a friendly versus Costa Rica and later registered his first competitive appearance as a substitute against Albania.

Moreover, following the departure of Jose Mourinho from the Old Trafford club, new manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was also eager to utilise the midfielder in the first team.

Consequently, his major breakthrough in the first team arrived when a depleted Manchester United side faced an in-form Liverpool team at Old Trafford and Scott McTominay delivered a world class performance worthy of a United player. From there on, his performances continued to improve as the player played a key part in helping Manchester United defeat PSG and complete the miracle in the 2018-19 Last 16 of the UEFA Champions League. Unfortunately, however, following those heroics in Paris, the Reds went on a miserable run of form and ended the season on a very sour note.

In consistency with the previous seasons, the current season has been a very difficult one to endure, however, one always has to look at the positives and players like Scott McTominay makes you look at the future with more optimism. In fact, this season the Scottish International has been instrumental in this United team and is more or less already developed into a key player at Manchester United. In fact, apart from being a key member of the squad, the midfielder has recently scored important goals against Arsenal plus Brighton at Old Trafford and away to Norwich.

Consequently, in view of his impressive performances, former players such as Owen Hargreaves heaped the praise on the 22-year-

old and argued that: ‘’Scott McTominay is what every Man United player should play like every time they step on the pitch’’.

Speaking of good qualities, besides possessing good dribbling skills and fearless shots, it is the player’s willingness, drive and enthusiasm as well as his leadership skills which makes him one of the best current United players in the team. In fact, one must not underestimate the importance of showing pride and passion when representing the Reds’ heart of Manchester and ironically, the midfielder is currently doing the job that most Manchester United supporters wish other players who have more international experience playing at the top level should be doing. Unlucky for the player and for Manchester United though, the 22-year old picked up an injury during the last part of the match against Brighton so hopefully this new setback will not keep the boy out for too long especially in view of the situation surrounding Nemanja Matic which could see him leave the club soon.

On the other hand, however, it is very important that the player keeps improving further and addresses certain complacencies which occurred during some matches this season such as the goal versus Norwich which on another day could have had more major consequences. The best players in the world become the best not because they are born the best but because they constantly keep working hard and improve their skills. In fact, if one analyses the success that Ronaldo has had in his career, besides having world class talent, the Portuguese had to sacrifice a lot of aspects from his life in order to fulfil all of his potential.

The present is proving to be a hard reality for Manchester United supporters to digest since not competing for the top places in the Premier League is unthinkable for a club like Manchester United. However when one looks at players like Scott McTominay, fans can for a moment forget a bit about the present and look at the future with more optimism. Glory Glory Man United!!

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Why is it so hard to manage Man Utd?

by Julian Tabone

F

inding a suitable successor to Sir Alex Ferguson was always going to be a mammoth task.

Every manager – no matter the experience was going to find it difficult to fill in the shoes of such a managerial legend. Replacing the irreplaceable, everybody said. That may have been just right.

Those who thought that the transition would be smooth and easy were certainly in denial.

a half and managed 118 matches. He had a winning rate of 56.8%

then for some reason or other they struggled and faded away.

He was cocky and could attract the best players as he effectively did with Zlatan and Pogba. He had a good star t, won the Charity Shield in his first match, the Carabao Cup and the Europa League to get the team back in the Champions League.

But then he star ted to lose his magic.

Reports of internal rifts started emerging and the promise of exciting football started to slowly fade away. His third season was a

In modern day football, patience is a rare commodity and instant dividends are requested.

Following Ferguson, first came The Chosen One – David Moyes – who was regarded as a possible extension of Sir Alex. A fellow Scot and a hard-headed coach who had worked hard his own way up to become a Premiership Manager and who had transformed Everton into a good stubborn side.

He ultimately survived just 51 matches and had a winning rate of 52.9%.

Ryan Giggs replaced him for the last 4 matches of the 2013/14 season and he won 2 out of those 4 matches.

In came Louis Van Gaal. Described as a winner and above all a great mentor for young players – largely because of his past record at Ajax Amsterdam and Barcelona. He attracted some big name signings who somehow failed to deliver. Van Gaal was our manager for 2 full seasons or for 104 matches. He had a winning rate of 51.9% which culminated in that extratime FA Cup triumph against Crystal Palace. But the next day, he was sacked.

And then in came Jose Mourinho – the Special One. He was our manager for 2 seasons and

mitigated disaster; ever since pre-season right up to his final match in Anfield in December 2018.

These past 6 years haven’t been easy but we should have known better.

We were always under the impression that we were stepping it up bit by bit. Every hired manager was regarded as an improvement on his predecessor.

All of them have had promising starts but

Manchester United, however, is such a different animal from all of the rest.

Right now, there’s Ole Gunnar Solskjaer who knows all about Manchester United, their fans and the history. Drafted in as a caretaker manager, he made an impressive start by winning all of his first eight games but he got caught soon after being handed a fulltime contract. The statistics right now make for grim reading. Just 18 points after 14 matches represent a meagre return.

The summer investments however have been good. All 3 summer signings – Wan Bissaka, Daniel James and Maguire - are proper Manchester United players and Solskjaer seems he is enjoying himself nurturing them because this is a long-term strategy. Add to that the emergence of a bunch of exciting youngsters such as Brandon Williams, James Garner or Mason Greenwood.

I’m sure it won’t be long however, until we start hearing about the likes of Pochettino in line to replace him.

I strongly believe however that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer should be given time, at least another transfer window. After all, replacing the irreplaceable was never going to be easy and managing Manchester United remains one of the hardest jobs in football.

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Y & Z United Perspectives

by Kevin, Justyn & Wayne Tabone

L

ooking back at 2019 from a United perspective, the Tabone boys can’t say that this year was the best of years, but are hopeful that 2020 will be the springboard that will take the club we love to the place we think deserves. Best wishes for the festive season from the Tabone clan and may next year bring what your heart desires!

It has been an up-and-down season so far.

Struggling in the Premier League but we are through to the quarter final of the League Cup and through to the knock out stages of the Europa League. Name 2 negatives and 2 positives since this season kicked off.

Wayne: Two positive aspects are that we are through the group stage of the Europa league.

This could mean that we can earn another cup and possibly building on our way to win bigger trophies. Another positive aspect is that we have great talent and Ole is giving young players a chance and they are performing great.

A negative in my opinion is that we are not performing well enough in the Premier League and this could affect the players. Another negative point is that not all the players seem to have a great relationship with the manager.

Justyn: This season was always going to be a struggle as Ole is still rebuilding the

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Manchester United side he wants to put out.

The first positive from this season is youth being able to be involved in every competition.

With the likes of Greenwood and Williams getting regular minutes in the first team and youngsters like Gomes and Garner knocking on the door it is inevitable that United have a strong base of youth in the team which will definitely come good in the long run.

However, this also comes with a drawback lack of experience. With United having such a young squad, certain game management, like seeing out games cannot be achieved to its maximum. Another positive is the signings being made. In the past players that joined usually were joining because of the huge wage rise from previous clubs. The three signings that were made have shown that they have a lot of respect to the club and play for the badge.

One of the biggest problems that we have faced this season is not being able to score goals.

This inconsistency has been shown mostly against the smaller teams as they sit back in their box and defend. Creative players are a definite must in our team and Ole will probably be looking to address this.

Kevin: When asked what my expectations for the season were in a previous edition, I gave specific priority to the Carabao Cup. I felt, and still do, that this trophy could provide a solid platform on which to build for future success. We already have experienced this in the 2005/06 campaign when we had won the final against Wigan. We all know what followed in the following campaigns.

One of the negatives that surely needs working on is the lack of freedom in play there has been in some of the matches. It might be pressure, it might be youthfulness, but this is certainly a factor which is not allowing our team to create enough chances. Another would be the number of injuries we’ve had. At a stage we just had enough to field the first XI! A definite positive is the attitude and passion that MOST (not all) of the players are showing towards the badge. This is certainly credit to the manager and the team he wants to build.

A statement he made in a press conference recently sticks to mind: “I am not a manager for myself but a manager for Manchester United.”

Damn how much we’ve missed that since my mentor Sir Alex retired! Another positive is the impact the academy players are having on the first team. This is bringing back the identity and the ethos the club is so much renowned for.

Which areas in your opinion need urgent attention during the coming January transfer market and maybe list one or two potential names you would like to see joining the squad very soon (be realistic)?

Wayne: I think that we have to improve the midfield area and a solid left back. I think that we need to improve the number 10 [the player that plays in the midfield and behind the striker] we need a player that is a playmaker, that knows how to strike the ball into the net, a player that understands the game of Ole. It is a counter attack game, and, if not quick, the opposing team will catch up and counter attack us. I think we need someone like Mason Mount.

He is a great young talent and has shown it with Chelsea his current club. As a left back I think we need Junior Firpo. He is a great left back with Barcelona but hasn’t had enough time to play as he has a great competition with Jordi Alba.

Justyn: In my opinion the attacking department is in need of a fresh face or two. Specifically, I

poacher in the Van Nistelrooy mould, as I’m not too keen on that type myself, but a striker who works hard for the team but knows how to finish if he has just one chance in a match.

I’ve seen quite a bit of both Lacazette and Aubameyang and am really undecided between the two. Bringing one would be hard enough, let alone two so I would go for Lacazette. His clever movement and neat link-up play would fit perfectly our style of play.

think that a creative midfielder and a winger are needed in the upcoming transfer window. We have been very flat when attacking and lack that bit of spark that gels everything together. Two players that come to mind that I think would fit perfectly with our system are James Maddison and Jadon Sancho. James Maddison has been a revelation since joining Leicester and has recently been shown acknowledgement by the England national team as he made his debut.

He would be phenomenal behind the likes of Martial and Rashford putting in balls behind for them to run at. Sancho on the other hand would add to that creativity and raw pace to our attack. Not only is he quick but his close control is a joy to watch and I believe he would flourish in his second shot in the Premier League.

he has the heart and the passion to play for the club and knows exactly what it means to play for a club of our stature. He has shown that he is also good going forward and can be threat on that wing. The penalty he won for us in the Europa League eventually went on to win us the match in a tight 1-0 away victory over Partizan Belgrade.

Another area which needs particular attention, keeping in mind that most probably, and hopefully, this is Pogba’s last season with us, is the midfield area. And I’ve always been someone who favoured midfielders who hold midfield but also score. I would put Rúben Neves on top of my shopping list! I’ve been impressed with him long before he scored against us at the Molineux Stadium. I would even go on and state that I would give more priority to acquire him over Lacazette.

Who has been the player from the Academy to have been introduced to the first team in the last year who has impressed you most and why?

Kevin: Clearly we are still quite a number of players away from being back challenging for the top places, let alone winning titles. I certainly wouldn’t buy a central defender as this would hinder Axel Tuanzebe’s chances of making it. Such a fan of this boy!

The first area I would work on is a striker who has finishing instincts. Not necessarily a goal-

Wayne: This season lots of great players came from the academy but the best academy player is McTominay. He is a future captain, a great playmaker and is one of the most hard-working players that makes him my man of the match in most matches he plays in.

Justyn: I think the one Academy player that has impressed me most is Brandon Williams. The few games that he has played, he has shown that he has got both physical and technical traits to fill in the role at left-back. Moreover,

Kevin: Would McTominay qualify for this question? Maybe not, since it’s been a while since his debut. But what a player he’s turning out to be! We’re also starting to see a player with leadership skills that we’ve so much lacked in the recent past. If I had to choose another I would go for Axel Tuanzebe. He plays with a confidence beyond his age and another player who falls under the category of ‘many more years a United player’!

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One third through the

2019-20 season The story so far

by Robert Mizzi

A

s I write this, United have just been involved in a 3-3 draw with Sheffield United. I did not get to see this match due to other commitments but the extended highlights have provided me with enough to conclude that it was a match which pretty much reflected the season so far. This article will try to analyse what happened so far in this so-called transitional season.

I think it is safe to assume that most of us United supporters are not happy with what we have seen so far. We are, as I write this, lying in 9th place with 17 points from 13 matches, dropping 22 points along the way! Simply not good enough - even for a transitional season!

The optimistic take it in their stride and simply accept that Ole needs more time to move his project forward. Others are more critical and have started calling for Ole’s head as they insist that we are not really going forward.

Most insist that despite the loyalty to Ole for what he achieved as a player, the harsh reality is that Ole is struggling to make his team play attractive and attacking football.

As always, the reality is probably somewhere in between. I’ll just say that the way United were playing at the beginning of the season was better than what we have seen recently.

The results have been inconsistent throughout but if one considers the number of times we were in the lead and let points slip, one can debate that with a bit of luck we could have picked up at least a few more points. Is it just bad luck though?

Let’s start looking at some of these season’s statistics. United have played 13 matches to date in the EPL as I write this. We have conceded 15 goals and manage to keep only 2 clean sheets.

With De Gea in goal and the addition of Maguire and Wan-Bissaka in defence, it was expected that our defence would tighten up and concede less goals that we have actually conceded so far. No penalties conceded to date, 3 goals conceded from open play and the remaining 12 goals let in from open play. Reviewing the goals our team has conceded so far I must confess that some of the defending has been, to put it mildly, not up to scratch! The decision to keep Phil Jones ahead of Chris Smalling was, in my opinion, a bad decision and I am not saying this after just seeing Jones struggling against Sheffield United. I am also not really convinced that Lindelof is the right partner for Maguire in the heart of our defence. We need another central defender who is quick enough to cover for Maguire who, we have to admit, has been found out a few times when taken upon by quick and powerful opposing forwards. The one really positive news coming out from analysing our defence so far is undoubtedly Brandon Williams.

The boy has grabbed his opportunities with both hands and from what I’ve seen, he is our best option as left back. And please, don’t give me the “he’s still too young” crap! If he’s good enough, he’s old enough is my motto.

However, as any football fan should know, football is a team game and there are 10 outfield players that collectively need to defend when the opposition has the ball. I believe that this is the real reason why we have struggled

to keep clean sheets this year. It seems that we are also struggling to keep the opponents away from the danger zone in the last part of our matches. 5 out of the 15 goals conceded have been conceded in the last 10 minutes. The Liverpool equaliser and the Sheffield United goal on 90 minutes come immediately to mind.

Those are 4 points that would have taken us to, yes, you’ve guessed it, 21 points in 5th place.

These details make the difference at the EPL level and we have been found wanting in too many instances when it comes to focusing and seeing the result through this season. Some are of the opinion that results have not been better due to the manager being tactically naïve. Truth be said, in both the instances referred to above, Ole made defensive changes to tighten up the defence and in both cases we failed to do so and conceded an equaliser.

There is an old saying that I still subscribe to and it is that attack is the best form of defence.

The midfield area has been undoubtedly a sore point for us United supporters this season.

Already short of options, injuries to Pogba and McTominay have left us very short of options.

With Matic visibly struggling for form in the past year or so, Fred given his chance but essentially not doing great and Pereira blowing hot and cold, one can really understand why us supporters are so angry that reinforcements in midfield were not made during the summer transfer market. In my opinion, it is the critical department for Ole to sort out. United this season have been very often outplayed in midfield and when we have the ball, the creative spark is so often missing.

A strong midfield will provide the necessary

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cover for defence and create chances for the forwards. The injuries undoubtedly matter, but let us admit that our midfield options are simply not good enough to win us games. The fact that Scott McTominay has been our best midfielder to date says quite a lot. The boy has made huge strides in the past 12 months but he should really not be our best midfielder if we want to be dominating teams in midfield.

Will the January transfer window try to address this deficit? I’m living in hope that we do, and at the same time we allow some unhappy players to leave (hint, hint).

This brings us nicely into the analysis of the attack. Once again, many supporters have questioned the decision to let Lukaku go without acquiring a replacement. To date we have scored 19 goals, an average of 1.46 goals per match. We need to be averaging closer to an average of 2 goals per match if we want to be going anywhere. As mentioned earlier, our midfielders have not been very creative to date. This leads to fewer chances for the forwards and other players and to be able to average 2 goals per match with few chances being created every match, we would need to have an exceptional convergence rate something which is not really the case so far.

To add insult to injury we have scored only 2 out of 6 penalties awarded to us so far. We are the EPL team with most penalties awarded top date and the team with the worst convergence rate! It is difficult to identify a specific reason but I will only say that when the team is lacking serenity and confidence, even taking a penalty becomes a complicated matter.

Martial has been given the opportunity to cement his position as centre forward this season. Overall, I believe he has done well

and few would question his individual skills.

He has scored 3 goals so far despite missing some matches through injury. What supporters (including moi) often question about Martial, is his overall attitude and his hunger for the game.

Very often he seems to lack the proverbial ‘fire in his belly’ and seems unhappy to track back or else he does it half-heartedly. Rashford has a better work rate than Martial but he also seems to fade out of matches at times. He is of course our top scorer with 7 goals and has the potential to score much more if he improves his finishing. Daniel James has also contributed 3 goals and if I have to be honest, his overall work rate and contribution have been one of the few positives so far this season. Of all our midfielders, only Scott McTominay has scored more than one goal so far. Evidently, we need more goals from all our outfield players, especially from our midfielders!

Before concluding, a few more damning statistics. As mentioned earlier in this article, we have been awarded 6 penalties and scored only 2. The current leaders of the EPL (no need to get into more details on who they

are) have scored 2.31 goals per match as opposed to our 1.46. They have an average of 571.92 passes per match against our 483.54 passes per match. Most of the passes happen in midfield, when you can actually hold the ball efficiently…just saying! We have had 75 corners to date in the EPL. I do not think we have scored one single goal from a corner – despite the addition of Harry Maguire.

Is it all doom and gloom then? Let me just say that things are not looking good at the moment.

The squad is what it is, and injuries have not helped at all, but the overall general feeling is that we should still be playing better football and getting more points than we actually have.

With Pochettino now available and Allegri also available (and potentially Ancelloti also becoming available if rumours from Napoli are anything to go by), Ole will come under more pressure if results don’t improve this season.

Do I have faith in Ole? If you had asked me this question when he was appointed my answer would have been an absolute yes. At this point in time? If I manage to put my loyalty to Ole aside, and doing my utmost to be objective (now that it nearly impossible when writing about United!), I must admit that I think he is struggling.

The one question that still keeps me awake at night is how could he have had such a positive impact at interim manager and suddenly, overnight, as soon as he was officially appointed, the magic disappeared! As it happens, I do not really believe in magic, so the question remains: what happened after the 28 March 2019 to a manager who managed to get 14 wins out of 19 matches as interim manager?

Was it just luck? For 19 matches??? I do not think so. The story continues….Numquam Moribimur.

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Manchester United’s Striker Problem

by Silvio Scicluna

A

t the time of writing this piece, in the middle of yet another boring international break, Manchester United had scored just 16 goals in 12 league games this season. And the picture was bleaker before the last three games, just 10 goals in the first 9 league games. The stats were only made to look slightly better with six goals in two victories, at Norwich and at home to Brighton. The numbers don’t lie, Manchester United have a striker problem.

While some might argue it’s a goalscoring problem in general that Manchester United have, in that goals do not seem to flow freely as they once used to in previous years, the root cause of this season’s miserly goal return lies mainly with issues that the club has in the forward line. For starters, the strikers’ department is very thin in numbers with just three players that you can classify as centre forwards in Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford and the young Mason Greenwood.

Whilst arguably Martial is in his element as centre forward and having regained his favoured No. 9 shirt seems to have embraced his role as the team’s main target man, Rashford has gone on record to say that that he does not see himself as an out and out centre forward and seems to favour playing wide on the left. He looks more at home facing the goal rather than playing with his back to it.

As for Greenwood, the manager has himself stated that he thinks that the youngster is the most natural finisher of the three but surely it would be asking too much of a kid who has only just turned 18 to shoulder the burden of responsibility of being a regular goalscorer for Manchester United. And when Martial suffered an injury in just the third game of the season against Crystal Palace, which saw him miss two whole months of action, Rashford had to play mostly as a No. 9 and suffered. Rightly so, the manager did not resort to overplay Greenwood in this period as it would not have been fair on the boy, although he did grab some important match winning goals in the cups.

When the likes of Lukaku and Sanchez were

allowed to leave Old Trafford in the summer without adequate replacement strikers being brought in, it was always going to be a risky strategy. And unfortunately this has proven to be the case with the manager admitting as far back as September that “you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to see that it’s a forward that next time we’re going to recruit – we’re looking for some creativity and goals.”

Whereas in seasons gone by the issue of profligacy did occasionally raise its head, this year we are suffering a combination of profligacy and lack of chances created. We seem to struggle to create clear cut chances, especially when trying to break teams down (here the problem lies with the midfielders’ department), but frustratingly we seem to be cursed by not being clinical enough in front of goal when the chances are eventually created.

When asked about the topic by journalists, the manager has repeatedly stated that he’d like our strikers to score more scruffy goals and more tap-ins. Being a former striker himself he knows what he’s talking about.

He’d like them to have more of that striker’s instinct of sensing an opportunity and make those runs into the area to finish off crosses and little passes. How often have we seen Rashford and Martial score picture goals, ‘worldies’, ‘golazos’, call them what you like, but then go on to miss sitters in front of goal?

At this juncture one has to point out that the problem of lacking a genuine 20 to 25 goals per season striker is not just a present-day issue that Manchester United has faced. The younger generation of United fan will probably be feeling slightly worried at this moment in

time what with having been blessed with genuine prolific strikers along the years.

The likes of Cantona, Hughes, Rooney, Ronaldo, Chicharito, Berbatov, Van Persie, Van Nistelrooy, Cole, Yorke, Sheringham, Solskjaer et al were all great goalscorers that scored goals almost for fun throughout the glorious nineties and beyond. But those fans my age will surely remember the barren period which was not only starved of trophies but also of great goalscorers. For a period of more than twenty years, Manchester United did not have a player that scored more than 20 goals in a league season. Not since the great George Best did so in the 1967 title winning year, did a succession of strikers that followed manage such a feat.

So much so that at one point, Old Trafford was seen to be as a striker’s graveyard.

I remember quite clearly the feeling of satisfaction and relief felt all round when Br ian M c C l air plunde r e d 2 4 league goals in his first season in 1987/88.

A s mentioned before, in recent years goals have not been f lowing f reely at Manchester United. Primarily this may have been be due to different playing st yles adopted by a succession of managers that have followed Sir Alex Ferguson.

Styles that were probably too pragmatic and possession based, and which were conducive to stultifying fare which was not easy on the eye.

But another reason for the drop in numbers is the fact that the midfielders are not chipping in as they used to with their fair share of goals.

Any successful side needs those one or two midfielders with a goalscoring instinct, and why not, even a defender who does his bit regularly from set pieces. All put together they make for healthier goalscoring figures.

But ultimately the buck stops with the strikers.

They are the ones on whom the team relies on to get the goals to win matches. Goals are their bread and butter, the currency in which they trade. And maybe at the moment Manchester United have scorers of great goals but not great goalscorers.

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Zlatan in the US

by Alan Abela Wadge.

Ibrahimovic is now expected to return to Europe, Italy specifically, where Milan, Bologna and Napoli are all believed to be interested in taking on the Swedish striker. Most probably we’ll see him turning up with Milan’s colours once again (correct till the time of writing!)

But what legacy has he left behind for MLS? As the most headline-worthy soccer player to have played in North America since David Beckham, was Ibrahimovic a good or a bad influence on the league?

T

he Swede has picked up and left LA Galaxy after a season and a half, but what legacy has North America’s most headline-worthy player since our beloved David Beckham left behind for MLS? In his own not-so-humble words: “Now go back to watch baseball.” Because a league without Zlatan Ibrahimovic is not a league worth watching, at least according to the man himself who confirmed his exit from LA Galaxy and Major League Soccer with a typically brash social media post earlier in November. The enigma that is Zlatan ensured that he left in the way that he spent his 18 months in the US, on top!

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His record of 52 goals in 53 starts certainly ranks him among the most prolific MLS players in the league’s 24-year history, but in a country where soccer is still developing as a truly mainstream sport, Ibrahimovic will retrospectively be measured by more than just his performances on the pitch.

During his time in the City of Angels, Ibrahimovic had his say on MLS’s play-off format (which he called “shit”), the quality of his teammates (where he thinks, and most probably is right, that he is “a Ferrari among Fiats” apparently) and the league’s artificial pitches. He regularly put pressure on MLS, surely making the league uncomfortable with many of his remarks, but did this come from a place of genuine concern

or narcissism? Was Ibrahimovic looking after the best interests of his teammates and the league as a whole or just himself?

Part of the problem comes in separating Ibrahimovic from the caricature he has become over the latter part of his career. All too eager to paint himself as some sort of sporting Chuck Norris, working out what is the real Ibrahimovic and what is just another part of the act can be difficult. For instance, when he claimed that “nobody will remember what MLS is” now that he’s gone, did he really mean it? Or was this just performance art from the “This Is Zlatan” playbook?

Despite his extraordinary goalscoring record, Ibrahimovic’s detractors say he “conquered” in the same way he conquered the Premier League during his time at Manchester United.

He scored big goals at big times, but failed to get his hands on a championship. Ibrahimovic at least won the League Cup and the Europa League while at United. At LA Galaxy, he finished empty-handed.

While Ibrahimovic undoubtedly upheld his end of the bargain for LA Galaxy, breaking numerous goalscoring records in the season

and a half he spent in Los Angeles, his former club will now have a better chance of building a balanced roster. Ibrahimovic was paid a league-high salary of $7.2m by Galaxy. His departure gives them a lot of money to play with. There’s a good chance that Galaxy are already working on their next marquee designated player and whoever it will be, it will leave them enough money to bolster other parts of the squad too.

The departure of Ibrahimovic could mark the end of an era in MLS. One by one, the league’s globally recognizable stars have left over the past few years. Wayne Rooney departed DC United at the end of the regular season, while Sebastian Giovinco was sold by Toronto FC at the start of the year. 2018 also saw David Villa leave New York City FC.

Whether by design or not, MLS seems to be moving away from the strategy of luring ageing European stars across the Atlantic in the hope of catching some of their stardust. Just as there’s an argument that Ibrahimovic held back LA Galaxy from becoming a more rounded, complete team, it’s possible that the transfer policy the Swede represented similarly stunted MLS’s wider development.

Clubs like Atlanta United and Los Angeles FC may well have set a new precedent by targeting exciting, young South Americans over big names whose best days are behind them. Miguel Almirón, for instance, may have left a more significant legacy than Ibrahimovic by establishing a trade route between MLS and the Premier League, making the

£21m move to Newcastle United from Atlanta United in January. That one transfer made MLS a stepping stone to Europe, although Almiron’s effect on the Premier League hasn’t been up to the standard that it was in the MLS just yet.

It’s possible that all that Ibrahimovic leaves behind in MLS are wonderful memories. In that regard, he was certainly productive.

There was his incredible introduction as an LA Galaxy player in the first ever El Tráfico derby, a match which saw him come off the bench to sensationally score a hat-trick and almost single-handedly nab a 4-3 win from 3-1 down.

His hat-trick in the 3-2 victory for the Galaxy over LAFC this July was also fairly memorable.

And there was the spinning, karate-kick finish against Toronto FC, the 500th goal of his career, among many more incandescent moments.

Definitely Ibrahimovic left a wonderful memory after another in the United States!

Nobody could ever claim MLS didn’t get what they paid for. Ibrahimovic might be a fading force, he might have lost a yard of pace and his ability to play two games in a week, but what he produced over the past season and a half was quintessentially Zlatan. Maybe that was

enough. Sometimes you just have to enjoy the show and Ibrahimovic certainly put on a good one. After all, Zlatan is the ultimate entertainer!

All in all, Zlatan may not have won a single trophy in the States, however please try and find me a single United supporter that wouldn’t like Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to give Zlatan a ring and ask him to return for a swansong at Old Trafford, although we all know that it won’t happen.

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NEW

Er....WHAT???

by Fr. Anthony C. Ferrante

I

n one way or another, we have all been members of a discourse community at some point in our life. So, what is a discourse community? A discourse community is defined as “a group of people involved in and communicating about a particular topic, issue, or in a particular field” (Robert Mohrenne).

The social media have helped a great deal to make this even more practical. It is highly probable that persons involved in this kind of communication, whatever the theme, share the same common goals and aspirations. This is where diehard sports fans fit into the description of belonging to a discourse community.

It is only fair to note that these supporters have the common goal of wanting to see their favourites dominate others. They do not fail to keep displaying their loyalty. They do not refrain to declare proudly and openly that they belong to the category labelled as Diehard fans. It is this group of supporters that are liable to keep the flag flying even if facing defeat or apparent hopelessness. They belong to the kind that, even in adverse moments, would not miss going to watch or follow a losing team play, rain or shine. These are the type of persons who would not be at all aghast if referred to as being able to take it like a man.

They are the faithful supporters who resolutely and unyieldingly resist changing their mind in the face of adversity and despite some kind of

pressure. This does not mean that a true die hard will not feel bad when things are not so bright. He will notice, comment and maybe even condemn when he feels it appropriate, but he will still cry out “we will never die”.

As usually occurs in other instances, even diehard fans are not always on the same rails. It is due, at the end, to being positive or negative.

Being positive is a mental attitude that sees the good and the accomplishments rather than the negative and the failures. A positive attitude is a mindset that helps you see and recognize opportunities. Alternately, certain so-called diehard fans tend to be on the opposite stream.

They lean rather to their being focused on what may be going wrong, on what may be bad or lacking. This could be the result of being a person always ready to complain. It is easier for them to criticize, simply because they do not really nest their supposed favourites in their heart, or even worse, they do not have the required knowledge of the sport in question.

Mind you, they would somehow watch a game involving their favourites; they may even wear the colours of their team, they might also daub their faces in the appropriate colours, but they are lacking in passion or commitment.

The real diehard fans do not care for such fans. These negatively oriented fans only ride the wave of the team when they are on

a winning streak. It is commonly admitted that they are more likely to be glory hunters.

These people do not really care for their “favourites”, they never “believe”, not at least until a winning streak is on or trophies are won. Their “support” is only evidenced when a traditional “despised rival” is overcome. It is then that they brazenly come out with: “I always believed.” This is why it is rather easy to distinguish glory hunters from true diehard fan: it is based on the interest level and knowledge of the team in question. It does not matter what you say or how many facts you name, their only retort will always be to insist on a negative, albeit temporary, streak.

Those people that never really and steadily believe in their team, that is, until they started winning, the glory hunters, may be despised, but I would like to be positive and admire the diehards that would bravely shout out: “we will get them next time” even when they might be aware that the odds are not so much in favour. They may have witnessed a season end in misery and heartbreak, but you can be sure that they will be back in full support at the beginning of the next season. They keep the flag flying high. They will be hoping that the next season is better.

WHERE THERE IS HOPE, THERE IS LIFE.

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Brandon Williams

by Kenneth Abela

“Brandon was Man of the Match,” Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer told MUTV following the match against Partizan Belgrade at the Partizan Stadium, agreeing with the supporters’ view. “Absolutely excellent.

Fantastic attitude. Great defending, great in the air. He gets us the penalty by driving with the ball forward. We’ve found a left-back there.” The attacking wing-back had galloped into the home box to earn the first-half penalty that was tucked away by Anthony Martial to secure our first away win of the season.

recoveries, five clearances and two tackles.

One tackle in particular, subsequently starting a counter late in the game, went down a storm with United fans on social media.

Apart from the penalty that decided the game, he gave a composed performance in intimidating surroundings, as he defended bravely and won a series of challenges. He recorded an 83% pass accuracy, eight ball

A Mancunian, born on the 3rd September 2000, Brandon Williams joined United on the 1st July 2017 at the age of just seven. . A full-back capable of playing on both flanks, Williams tends to be deployed on the left for

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Williams recalls, “I just remember before the game they told me to get at the full-back and I just knew and so I took it down the line and waited for the foul to come. It gives me more chance to advance forward which I like doing but also get back and defend, which I like doing as well, so it’s a good formation for me.”

the United youth teams. Watching him play it is clear that he works hard to add an attacking edge to his game.

The 19-year-old wonderkid has impressed this term with a string of mature performances following his full debut for the club in the 1-0 win against Partizan Belgrade. Williams has been around the first team before and was a notable inclusion in the squad for the crucial Champions League knockout clash against Paris Saint-Germain last March. He played a key role as the Red Devils won the Premier League North title in April 2018 and was duly rewarded with his first professional contract that same month. He made his firstteam debut on 25 September 2019 in the EFL Cup match against Rochdale. He then made

emergence remains a surprise and the club have been buoyed by the manner in which he has taken to first team action. Although Brandon had been close to a breakthrough at Old Trafford under Jose Mourinho, the fullback was not considered worthy of making the cut for the pre-season tour of Australia and Asia. However within 35 days, he had emerged as possibly the most polished of the teenage quintet.

Breaking through into the first-team picture in 2019, he’s got a reputation as a speedy full-back who isn’t afraid to get stuck in and take care of himself. He lived up to that when he was sent off in a closed-doors pre-season friendly against Accrington Stanley for his part in a scuffle with Football League veteran Sean McConville.

Manchester United goalkeeper Sergio Romero has likened Brandon Williams to a South American full-back. Romero and fellow Argentinian Marcos Rojo lined up with Williams in his second European start at Partizan Belgrade and he believes Williams is as committed as a South American defender.

“For me and Marquitos - because we’ve been chatting about this - seeing him play is like watching one of us play - a South American!”

Romero told the United programme. “The commitment he shows, the way he feels about football, he never gives any ball up as a lost cause He would be waiting for a pass and if it’d didn’t come he’d be shouting for it. All that is very reminiscent of us South American players.”

Williams made his first Premier League start against Brighton since Ashley Young was suspended. He showed his tough side and was also lucky not to get red-carded.

Always willing to go forward, it was only a fine save by Ryan, the Brighton keeper that stopped him from getting his first goal in the Premiership.

The boyhood United fan who was nominated for the Premier League 2 Player of the Month award in September, received his first England call-up for the Under-20s on the 30th August 2019 ahead of fixtures against the Netherlands and Switzerland. He made his debut in a goalless draw with the Netherlands in September 2019.

Williams signed a new long-term contract on 17 October 2019, keeping him at the club until June 2022 with the option to extend for a further year.

his full debut on 3 October 2019 in the UEFA Europa League match against AZ Alkmaar. He made his Premier League debut on 20 October 2019 in the 1-1 draw against Liverpool at Old Trafford as a late substitute.

Against Chelsea, in the Carabao Cup, which United won 2-1 at Stamford Bridge, Williams repeatedly showed his skills by first retreating vigilantly to thwart Callum Hudson-Odoi early in the second-half and then remained composed as he placed an emphasis on defending.

Williams is another product of the club’s outstanding Academy system and is one of 12 Academy graduates who have featured in a first-team matchday squad this season.

Never theless, the speed of Williams’

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Manchester United’s Best Historic Free Kick Takers

by Martin Calleja Urry

I

n the world of sports, there’s nothing quite like watching a beautifully hit dead ball flying into the back of the net at breakneck speed. The modern game has been blessed with a variety of freekick technicians, including Riquelme, Ronaldinho, Mihajlovic, Zola & Juninho – but United’s top dogs can go blow for blow with any of them.

against Barcelona in the 1999 cup winning season and against Real Madrid in 2002 were particularly special. While it was in an England shirt, Beckham also scored that famous last minute freekick against Greece to take England into the 2002 World Cup. His statistics are hard to believe at first, as

The highest echelon of set piece takers to ever wear a United shirt has to start with none other than David Beckham, the pretty boy from London who became a fan favourite and global superstar thanks to his good looks and scintillating freekicks.

David Beckham Calm and composed in his run up, there was always something special about the way he struck the ball, bending and swivelling his body in a way previously unseen. Short or long range, there weren’t many goalkeepers in the world capable of stopping Beckham’s incredibly accurate shot, as it would often curl and dip at awkward moments.

He scored dozens of terrific freekicks throughout his career, but the goals

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Cristiano Ronaldo While it’s safe to say that his glory days from set pieces are over, Ronaldo was quite prolific during his days with the Reds. In recent years, he went on somewhat of a drought in both Italy and Spain, with certain headlines suggesting he has become the second least accurate freekick taker in all of Serie A. he scored an unparalleled 65 freekick goals throughout his illustrious career for club and country. As far as the best ever taker of freekicks, Juninho is the only one who can stand up to Beckham.

Despite all of this, United fans will never forget the days when Ronaldo would eagerly place the ball down, take five steps back, take in a deep breath and run up to strike

the ball with a technique almost never seen before. Known now as the ‘knuckleball,’ it’s an incredibly difficult style of hitting the ball which generally results in a world class goal or an embarrassingly high and wide shot sent into the stands.

In fact, Rashford’s majestic freekick versus Chelsea was followed by comments of it being ‘Ronaldo-esque.’ While Marcus is not old or consistent enough to have made the list yet, his goal is a sweet reminder of the days when our Portugese talisman was sniping in long range efforts on the regular.

In his heyday with United, Ronaldo scored some absolutely outrageous freekicks from weird angles that would often send goalkeepers entirely the wrong way. While Beckham would calmly curl freekicks into a corner, Ronaldo had a completely different approach – smacking the ball with pace and power which often led the ball to take an awkward flight path towards the goal. An ideal example of this is the goal he scored versus David James at Portsmouth in 2008.

The former England international was left rooted to his spot as his watched Ronaldo’s unstoppable shot sail into the opposite corner. Overall, Ronaldo’s record of 11 goals from direct freekicks is a very respectable one, topped only by the likes of Robert, Zola, Henry and Beckham.

introduced to inspire a much-needed morale boosting victory. Stepping up to the plate in the 86th minute, Mata curled a left-footed effort smoothly in the top right corner, a goal which spurred United on to win the game 2-1.

Nobody has scored more freekick goals in the Premier League since August 2011, when Mata made his debut with Chelsea, an impressive feat considering England is choc-a-bloc with world class players.

dead ball – in fact, his debut hat-trick against Fenerbahçe was rounded off with a well taken freekick from just outside the box.

Perhaps his most famous freekick was against Stoke in 2016/2017, when Rooney made history with his 250th goal, effectively becoming United’s greatest ever goal scorer. From an acute angle to the left of the goalkeeper’s box, the Evertonian smacked the ball with accuracy and power to send it flying past Lee Grant.

Had it not been for Ronaldo taking most of the set pieces during the many years they played together, it’s safe to say Rooney would have scored a few more.

Wayne Rooney Known more for his sheer scoring prowess and outrageous volleys and bicycle kicks, Rooney could also get the job done from a

Honourable Mentions Dennis Irwin & Ryan Giggs both deserve to be remembered, but their numbers don’t quite match the others. Giggs only bagged 5 goals for United via free kicks in the Premier League, but his 6.8% conversion ratio puts him up there with the top 10 most accurate players in the Premier League history. Similarly to Wayne Rooney, he wasn’t always allowed to take them, and was only given the green light if the angle was suitable for a left peg. Irwin on the other hand was more of a penalty wizard than a free kick maestro, but nobody will quite forget that famously taken set piece versus Liverpool in 93/94 which left Grobbelaar fuming as United went 3-0 up.

Juan Mata The days of Beckham and Ronaldo are long gone, and Juan Mata is the only player to make the list still currently playing with United.

It may come as a surprise to some, but Mata’s dead ball statistics are actually at the elite level – his conversion rate beating the likes of Beckham, Henry and others. As it stands, he’s currently the deadliest set piece operator still playing in the Premier League, despite only featuring in a cameo role for United in recent years.

One of the Spaniard’s more memorable freekicks came in the Champions League in 2018 versus Juventus, who dominated the game and made United look subpar, until Mata was

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Sergio Romero United’s Second Goalkeeper

by Alex Dudley

W

hen Manchester United brought Sergio Romero to the club in 2015, he was somewhat of an unknown quantity. He joined during the same summer as the famous fax machine charade surrounding David De Gea, and the Argentinian looked set to take the number one jersey when the impending move was completed.

Fortunately, the Spaniard stayed at Old Trafford and will probably do so now for the entirety of his career, but because of that United have the best number two in the Premier League, and maybe even the world.

There is no doubting Romero’s quality and had De Gea’s move gone through, then the Argentinean would have been an excellent number one. Unfortunately for him though, he has been made to play second fiddle throughout his career at Old Trafford. However, you would never hear the 32-year-old complaining about his lack of playing time, and that is a credit to him as a person, player and to his team-ethic.

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United Career He has never let the side down when he has been called upon, and while Premier League appearances may be sporadic, he has excelled in many of the cup competitions. He started his first three games in the league for the Red Devils and produced memorable performances to keep three consecutive clean sheets before losing his place back to De Gea for the Liverpool game in the 2015-16 season. However, he was an ever-present for Louis van Gaal in all the cup competitions.

His best season for the club came in Jose Mourinho’s first campaign in charge. He was once again number one for the cup competitions, and he kept five clean sheets on the way to the Europa League final in Stockholm.

He most notably made an excellent save from Christian Noboa against Rostov to ensure United progressed. He showcased his dedication for the team and the project that Mourinho had in place by rejecting a move back to his homeland with Boca Juniors in the winter transfer window.

His dedication to the cause was rewarded in the 2017 Europa League final when he was handed the start ahead of De Gea despite the game having massive implications for United.

However, Romero was never one to let his teammates and fans down as he comfortably kept a clean sheet in the 2-0 win over Ajax, which gave United their place back in the Champions League.

As he enters the final year of his contract at Old Trafford, this could be the final season that we see the brilliant Argentinian in the United goal, and he has already impressed on the seven times that he has appeared this campaign. He may yet choose to sign to stay with the club for another season, and that news would be music to the ears of the fans. He has only conceded two goals in the games that he has played to this point, and he is certainly the man to call upon for a reliable back-up goalkeeper.

It is unfortunate that he has never been given the chance to play a prolonged

amount of games for United in the Premier League, but that is largely down to the incredible performances of De Gea over the past five years. But his attitude should be commended, and instead of throwing his toys out of the pram, he has settled down and worked closely with the team in achieving their goals. He has been a revelation and many other professionals should take note about the sacrifices that he has made just for the honour to be able to say he plays for the greatest football club in the world.

Stats His record is utterly staggering. He has only conceded 24 goals in 49 appearances for United and has kept 30 clean sheets. The lion’s share of those have come in the Europa League, as he has kept 12 clean sheets in 22 appearances in the competition, while he has kept nine clean sheets in the FA Cup, six in the Premier League, three in the EFL Cup and one in the Champions League.

To put that into perspective, he is statistically United’s best goalkeeper of all-time if the stats contribute to that. He has kept a clean sheet in just over 62% of his appearances, and the fact that other fans may argue their case for other goalkeepers being the best number two in the league is frankly ridiculous.

Two names that are frequently brought up in that argument are Claudio Bravo and Paulo Gazzaniga. The formerly mentioned Bravo is nowhere near the level of Romero, and that is evident by the fact that Pep Guardiola brought in Liverpool and Aston Villa reject Scott Carson as a further back-up option over the summer. He makes far too many mistakes to even be compared to our super Argentinean. Meanwhile, Gazzaniga may be a solid goalkeeper for Spurs and performing well this season, but again there are question marks about his game, whereas there are no questions surrounding Romero and his capabilities.

Future This could end up being his final season at the Theatre of Dreams, and it will be wonderful to see Romero go off into the sunset having won at least one competition this season with him playing a pivotal part in that success. The Europa League could be that very competition, and fans will be sad to see the back of him. He knows exactly what it means to play for this great club, and you can feel his pride every time he takes to the field for the Red Devils.

Unfortunately for him, the current strategy in the transfer market means United are going to keep rolling with a younger squad, and the club already has an excellent young goalkeeper ready to fill the void of a number two, and potentially eventual number one.

Dean Henderson is that man, and the Red Devils will do everything within their power to ensure that the Englishman doesn’t leave the club, even if that means parting ways with Romero unfortunately.

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Uphill

by Daniel Cuschieri

W

ith nearly half the season gone, the team appears to be in a position of an uphill struggle, whereby due to the lack of squad depth, injuries have affected the team and led to indifferent performances.

It appears the manager has opted for youth to be the way forward for the club and any player who is not fully committed to the team can move on. We have seen a number of youngsters being tried out and playing well in the first team. Consistency and experience will come after playing senior games and I am sure that fans like me enjoy seeing a new youngster on the pitch rather than an expensive purchase who plays for himself and not the team, irrelevant of how much he is worth or how much he is marketable.

Unfittingly we have seen a strong Manchester City and lately the surge of consistent performances from Liverpool, taking the English Premier League into a two-horse race.

I compare current matters as to when United and Arsenal had their grip on the English Premier League and Liverpool had decent players but was never consistent and lost points due to individual mistakes. One thing I think the club has noticed is that spending millions will not solve the issues at the club and even past United legends have stated the same. Recruitment on paper or Playstation for that matter looked like purchases of stellar players which should have got United back to the top, and as we all know that hasn’t

been the case, and manager changes haven’t helped neither with all having different ethos, playing styles and ambition. Louis van Gaal was never going to be a manager that would have lasted long at the club due to his age.

Mourinho had the 3 year stigma, which I thought he would have put to bed once joining the club, which wasn’t the case. David Moyes had a team of champions however I think was out of his depth unfortunately and it fell apart once he removed the backroom staff.

The current manager has come from a playing era, whereby hard work pays off and off the field nonsense appears to have been removed from the dressing room. The club needs players with ambition to play for club cause and win trophies evidently leading to having a career to look back on.

The players appear stronger physically this year, but the lack of menace going forward is costing United points. Also individual errors is not helping the cause neither.

He knew from day one this was going to be hard, the brilliant start to his helm papered over the cracks which currently are still there, but his recruitment has been spot on. I think the three players he has signed are playing well, settled well and also cemented their place in the starting eleven. A team needs a few experienced heads in the team to guide the young players in killing off certain matches, close off certain matches and even

turn around certain matches. This team is not a top three team and who thinks otherwise is not in touch with reality. Spurs have been having indifferent form since last season and Leciester are back to playing exciting football under Brendan Rodgers, which is a team that does not buy extravagantly but whoever they bring in appears to fit the slot in the jigsaw.

Nowadays patience is a virtue especially when it comes to football managers, as sackings are a sort of a norm and unless instant results are produced, one will get the sack. We have seen this at United lately and unless the board backs the manager in the market, giving him time to settle his playing squad, this repetition will continue. Clubs who United should take example from are teams which are dominating their leagues in Europe. It is sad to say but one cannot but admire the way teams like Barcelona, Bayern, Juventus, City, Real Madrid and lately Liverpool have consistently competed for the title and also for European honours.

This United squad is young, with promising youth players. Not all is doom and gloom, as some portray but patience is going to be needed as this team can’t seem to hold on to a lead.

Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year!

Daniel

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RISING FROM THE WRECKAGE SEASON 1958‑59

by Iain McCartney Part 6

Back amongst the on-field action, all good things must obviously come to an end and United’s unbeaten run was brought to a halt seven days after their notable victory over Wolves, with a 3-2 defeat at Highbury on the last day of February. Two days later, the defeat was simply shrugged off with a 3-1 victory at Ewood Park, Blackburn, kick starting the push for the championship and a further run of victories when it mattered most. Further victories, 2-1 at home to Everton, 3-1 at West Bromwich Albion and 4-0 against Leeds United at Old Trafford, helped United remain within touching distance of leaders Wolves as the fixtures became fewer, with one solitary point all that kept the two teams apart. The Midlands side did, however, have the added cushion of a game in hand over their rivals.

or less decided as United’s visit to Burnley saw the Turf Moor side complete the double over their near neighbours in a game that fortunately did not carry the same malice of the previous seasons encounter.

With five games remaining, Busby called Foulkes into his office and following a ten game lay-off, which had seen the former captain further demoralised with a sending off in a Central League fixture against Chesterfield, told him that he was back in the side in his preferred position of centre-half.

Portsmouth were beaten again, for the second time in three days, but only 3-1 on this occasion, but it was enough to take United back to the top, but only for twenty-four hours, as Wolves notched up a similar score line against Leeds United at Molinuex.

A 6-1 win against Portsmouth at Old Trafford on March 27 th, a goal spree which included an own goal, a penalty and two shots which went in off the post, took United into top spot, a point in front of Wolves, but the Midlander’s now had two games in which to overhaul their title rivals.

The normally defiant Bolton were defeated 3-0 at Old Trafford, while Wolves could only draw 3-3 at home to Burnley.

Hoards of United supporters flocked to Burnley expecting another victory along with the hopes that Preston North End might do their fellow Lancastrians a favour and send the Wolves back to the Midlands with their tails between their legs.

It was United, however, who returned home deflated, as they found themselves two down within the opening twenty minutes and despite pulling it back to 2-1, through Goodwin, before the interval, setting up a storming second fortyfive minutes, they simply couldn’t put the ball in the net when it mattered most.

Scanlon missed two golden opportunities after the restart, which proved costly, as the home side added a third in the sixty-eighth minute and a fourth a few minutes later. Viollet scored a second for United fifteen minutes from time, but this was little more than a token gesture.

Twenty-four hours later, the destination of the First Division Championship flag was more

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would have been gratefully received if it had meant three points for United. A few miles across Lancashire, Wolves headed for home two points better off and well and truly in the driving seat.

It was certainly a more sporting encounter than last season’s impetuous display, but a few bumps, bruises and indeed bookings

Seven days later then nerves were beginning to show, as Wolves dropped another point at home to Bolton, but that same afternoon, United waved goodbye to any slim hopes they still held in snatching that Championship crown in a goalless, ill-tempered ninety minutes at Kenilworth Road Luton.

With Bobby Charlton on international duty at Wembley, Busby brought Mark Pearson into the side for what was only his fourth senior outing of the season, (his last way back in December) with the England man, who had scored five in his previous four outings being sadly missed.

Luton, with one eye on their forthcoming Cup Final appearance, were undoubtedly there for the taking, but Pearson’s sky-high effort in the twelfth minute, with Luton ‘keeper Baynham lying helpless on the ground, set the tone for the afternoon.

As the game progressed, tempers became frayed and as the players lost their cool, United lost the Championship, which in all reality had been little more than a dream since the defeat by Burnley.

McGuinness and Bingham were booked and one correspondent was surprised that only

over Leicester City in their penultimate fixture, followed by a 1-0 win against Everton. United on the other hand finished their season with a 1-0 win over Birmingham City, but on that final afternoon lost 2-1 at Leicester, ensuring that the Filbert Street side would continue to enjoy First Division football the following season.

Despite losing out on the title, runners-up was a position that few could have envisaged twelve months previously. The strong vein of form between mid-November and the end of March, whilst proving that Manchester United no longer needed sympathy to win games and that Matt Busby had the nucleus of a promising side.

“We’ve won neither Cup nor League – but we have achieved something greater than either of these honours hold” proclaimed the United manager. “We’ve concertinaed into a single season a period of rebuilding which I imagined might extend over three or four years.”

Luton’s Pacey was a casualty of the afternoon, receiving a deep cut above his right eye. The same reporter claiming that neither side deserved even the point they won through the 0-0 draw!

The following Saturday, Wolves showed United how a championship winning side should perform, defeating Luton 5-0, before rounding off their campaign with a 3-0 victory

They had weathered the storm, but the future was far from plain sailing, as the months ahead were soon to reveal.

Although the domestic season was complete, United had one more fixture to play, a friendly in Rotterdam against Feyenoord, arranged, with a short break, as something of a ‘thankyou’ to the players for their endeavours throughout the past season. But for two individuals, the short, seventy minute crosschannel jour ne y could just as well have been around the world, non-stop journey, as it filled them with dread and nervous anxiety.

F or M at t Bu sby and Bill Foulkes, it would be their first flight following the events of Munich.

The other survivors, Harry Gregg, Bobby Char lton, Denis Viollet and Alber t Scanlon had all exorcised the demons, taking their tentative first flight on a previous occasion.

But despite the flight being little more than an hour, it was going to be a real test for Busby and Foulkes.

Many would never have set foot inside an aeroplane again and this was something t hat t he Unite d manager had indeed contemplated, struggling in coming

to terms with the mental barrier that such a scenario produced.

“I swore that I would never fly again” he had said. “Once at the hospital, I remember they wheeled me on a stretcher into the sunshine of the veranda. As we left the door I had a sensation of flying again. Before I knew it I was screaming. They had to hold me down.

But he knew that he would, one day, have to endure flying again and he continued: “There was something else. Something that made me fly again.

“One of the teachings of the Roman Catholic faith, as I understand it, is that your life is in the hands of God…..that when your time comes to go, you must be ready and prepared for you will surely not miss it.

“Why then, I asked myself, was I avoiding the air? Was I so uncertain of my trust in God? “So, I flew again. It was only a short hop from Manchester to Rotterdam. But it was long enough. Every second of that flight was like an endless torture. Along the runway I actually relived the whole crash, saw the whole thing.”

Prior to travelling, the United manager had been asked if he had considered sending his team to Holland on two different flights, but he waved the suggestion aside, saying “We are a team when we are playing and when we are travelling I do not want to spilt the team up.”

In the friendly itself, Alex Dawson once again showed his capabilities, scoring three in the 5-3 win, a performance that once again highlighted his calibre, but trying to secure a first team place was so much harder than scoring goals for the Aberdonian.

VOL 47 - ISSUE 2 - DECEMBER 2019

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Champions League Nights Brondby vs United

by Michael Calleja

United hammer Danish Champions in seething rain.

O

n the 21st of October 1998, Manchester Unite d pr oduce d one of t heir outstanding vintage European displays to comprehensively dispatch Brondby 6-2 in Copenhagen. Despite United being far superior than their Danish counterparts, this was the same Brondby side that a couple of

40 VOL 47 - ISSUE 2 - DECEMBER 2019

weeks earlier had beaten Bayern Munich 2-1 in the same venue - the Parken Stadium.

The Red Devils had just played out two titanic struggles against Barcelona (3-3 at Old Trafford) and Bayern Munich (2-2 in the Olympic Stadium) before preparing for double

header against Brondby of Copenhagen.

On a wet and windy evening, United linedup as follows: Schmeichel; Brown, Stam, G Neville, P Neville; Beckham, Keane, Giggs (Cruyff ), Blomqvist; Yorke (Wilson), Cole (Solskjaer).

It was Alex Ferguson’s men who went in front when a cross from the right by Wes Brown was not caught by the goalkeeper allowing Ryan Giggs to tap the ball in from close r ange. T he same Giggs made it 2-0 on 21’ minutes when a strong header gave the goalkeeper no chance. It was soon 3-0 when Andy Cole’s intricate play allowed the striker to place the shot in the far corner all but putting the game to bed.

The Danes did pull a goal back on 35 minutes thanks to Daugaard from a freekick but normal service was soon resumed in the second half. First Roy Keane scored with a strong shot off the post and in before Dwight Yorke made it 5-1 with a trademark header giving the goalkeeper no chance. Finally Ole Solskajer completed the rout with a strong shot after a neat lay-off from Dwight Yorke.

Ebbe Sand managed to grab a consolation goal right at the death when a shot was not saved by Peter Schmeichel - allowing the Danish striker to simply convert a tap in - into an empty net.

After the game, Alex Ferguson stated that: ‘“It was not a great per formance. The conditions were difficult for both teams and that created a carelessness and sloppiness in our play and we gave the ball away too much. Still, you can’t dismiss the goals we scored and that was the main feature of the game for me.’

All things considered, United stormed to the top of Group D when Bayern Munich managed

to beat Barcelona 1-0. “It’s been a great night for us and we got the result we wanted in Munich”, added the canny Scot.

In a season which will long live in the memory of each and every United fan, this display demonstrated United’s tactical and physical superiority - two key facets that would certainly serve them well in the latter stages of the competition - where more daunting opposition would await!

VOL 47 - ISSUE 2 - DECEMBER 2019

41

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Echoes from across the channel

by Stefan Attard

MALTA MALTA

FOUNDED 1959

A

fter over 20 years of activities in Gozo, the committee of the Manchester United supporters on the sister island reached an agreement with MUSC Malta to establish an official branch in Gozo. As Gozitans, we are thrilled to be united with MUSC Malta, a supporters’ club that is officially recognised

by Manchester United Football Club. It is also befitting that this milestone coincided with the time when MUSC Malta is celebrating its 60th anniversary since being founded, thus becoming the oldest Manchester United supporters’ club outside the UK. Europa League Trophy As part of the celebrations of MUSC’s 60th anniversary, the club obtained the relative authorisations from Manchester United to bring the Europa League Trophy to Malta. This is the only trophy which the local Supporters’ Club had not yet managed to bring to our shores from all the trophies the Red Devils won since 1991.

The Europa League trophy was the highlight on the historical day which helped commemorating the official opening of the Gozo branch on Friday 3rd May. More Manchester United memorabilia were brought over from the Manchester United Museum as part of the MUSC Malta anniversary celebrations. All Gozitan paid up members of the Supporters’ Club were invited for the event to mark this occasion. Members were given the opportunity to take pictures with the trophy.

Following a reception, a contract between the MUSC and the sub-branch was signed before the unveiling of a plaque to commemorate the occasion. During the event a quiz was held where the three finalists were given official Manchester United memorabilia as a reward for their knowledge about the club.

Bobby Robson A month later, precisely on the 18th of June, the Manchester United Gozo branch organised another unique event when the legendary Bryan Robson visited the branch. After signing memorabilia at the club premises, the Manchester United legend met the Manchester United Gozitan fans during a BBQ night held at the Grand Hotel in Gozo. This was another unique event which will live long in the memory of all fans who attended the event.

Gozo winner Each year the MUSC Malta draws a raffle for members who pay their membership before the end of July to get a chance to win a prize.

Ted Beckham On the 27th September, our Club hosted David’s Beckham father, Mr. Ted Beckham.

He presented our Club with a Manchester United shirt signed by the England superstar himself. The club was also given a combination of pictures signed by Becks.

This time, George Gauci, who has been a member of MUSC Gozo for a number of years, was the winner of a Manchester United shirt.

Congratulations to George.

Deal to promote Malta In September, the English Premier League giants announced their agreement with Malta to be recognised as their official destination partner for the next three years. This agreement is likely to bring plenty of Manchester United activity to our shores. Hopefully this agreement will give our club the opportunity of bringing Man Utd’s first team squad to the Maltese Islands for a training camp next year. The prospect of seeing the first team players of our beloved team in Malta or perhaps even in Gozo certainly makes us fans excited and proud.

MUSC birthday Bash On Saturday 12th October, the United Club Gozo celebrated its 1st birthday. An anniversary bash was held with live music entertainment provided by Cash & Izzy.

The Religion – 60 Years of Loyal Support Film During the month of November, the club took advantage of the international break to organise another event. In collaboration with MUSC Malta and Mr. John Gubba, the MUSC sub-committee were proud to announce that the showing of the documentary film “The Religion – 60 Years’ of Loyal Support” would also be premiered in Gozo. The film is all about how Malta has been transformed following the Second World War interlinked with how the oldest standing Manchester United Supports Club in the world has flourished after it was founded in 1959 – one year after the Munich air disaster. The premiering in Gozo was held on Sunday 17th November at the Grand Hotel. A reception was held before the

VOL 47 - ISSUE 2 - DECEMBER 2019

43

showing of the film in the packed Grand Hotel cinema. As a United fan, it was very emotional to see how Manchester United recognises us Maltese as family. I am also proud to have attended to all the major events organised by MUSC Malta during the last 15 years or so. Being a Manchester United supporter from Malta is certainly a special feeling!

Open invitation On behalf of the Gozo MUSC Sub branch, I recommend and invite all members of MUSC Malta to visit the Manchester United Branch in Victoria Gozo. If you happen to be in Gozo and want to keep up with the action in a proper Manchester United environment, this is the place to be. It is the place where Gozitan members meet to watch all Manchester United games in a wonderful Man Utd shrine. Entrance is free of charge.

Glory Glory Man United.

44 VOL 47 - ISSUE 2 - DECEMBER 2019

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