After taking a two month hiatus, the Near Post is back! I’ve been knee deep in college basketball, and without the Champions League hanging around, it’s difficult to get amped. But, the Champions League Round of 16 started today, and I’m back in full force, my friends.
I had to DVR the [...]
I can’t figure out this guy. I’m a Manchester United fan, but I’ve become more and more jaded over the past few seasons, partly because of Sir Alex Ferguson’s incessant ranting and raving about officiating. Today, after Leeds United and Manchester resumed the War of the Roses in the FA Cup, Ferguson [...]
This isn’t because they don’t play attractive football, or because I’m no longer a fan. The reason goes a bit deeper than that. The fact that I am a graduate of the University of North Carolina has more to do with it than anything.
Since I grew up on Tobacco Road (that name refers [...]
After Chelsea’s 3-3 draw at home to Everton, Manchester United could have drawn level with a win v. Aston Villa, but Villa were having none of it. Gabriel Agbonlahor headed home an Ashley Young cross in the 21st minute to score the only goal in the match. These two fellows deserve to be part of [...]
Portsmouth get only their third win of the season today, after they beat Burnley 2-0 at Fratton Park. With the win, Pompey stay bottom of the table, but move to within only four points of safety.
Manchester United got two stunning goals from Paul Scholes and Darren Gibson, along with two tap-ins by Wayne Rooney [...]
Manchester United beat Everton 3-0 today to keep pace behind league leaders, Chelsea. Chelsea hammered Wolves 4-0 earlier today, opening up an eight point lead on United. But, United took care of Everton, getting a wonder-goal from Darren Fletcher (yes, really), and goals from Michael Carrick and Antonio Valencia rounded off the scoring. [...]
Rafael da Silva must have told his twin brother to take the blame when his foul resulted in a booking for Fabio during Manchester United’s 2-0 victory over Barnsley in the Carling Cup on Tuesday. Rafael committed a foul on Barnsley’s Jamal Campbell-Rice, but referee Chris Foy booked Fabio instead. Manchester United are [...]
Julio Cesar’s wife, Susana Werner, has released a bit of priveleged information about her husband being sought after by Manchester United. It was rumored that a ‘big club’ was after Cesar for around $35 million, but it was only after Werner’s blog that United were named as the club in question. The whole issue caused [...]
I think we all know where this one is headed. Apparently, Sir Alex Ferguson was furious with goalkeeper Ben Foster after Kenwyne Jones scored Sunderland’s second goal on Saturday, after Foster came late for a chipped pass that Jones headed home. Foster was also left out of the squad for England’s World Cup qualifiers v. [...]
Dimitar Berbatov’s wonderstrike to pull United level with Sunderland.
Ben Foster has been dropped from England’s squad to face the Ukarine and Belarus following a mysterious chest injury. Manchester United claim that Foster was injured during the Sunderland match, but I watched the match, and Foster didn’t seem to have any ill effects of an injury. Foster has been very poor this season, and [...]
UPDATE: Patrice Evra has scored to level for United after his shot took a deflection off of Anton Ferdinand in second half stoppage time. 2-2.
UPDATE: Kenwyne Jones puts Sunderland back in front after finishing off a header. Ben Foster came out to claim the cross, but Jones was too strong in the air. [...]
I must admit that Manchester United brought me into soccer as a fan. I remember watching the old Fox Sports World Report when I was a freshman in high school and seeing David Beckham hit a curling free kick from 25 yards out. Little did I know that team would go on to win the [...]
Absolutley incredible build-up.
If you’ve watched any Manchester United matches this season, you’ll notice a trend. The ever present trend is that United goalkeeper, Ben Foster is terrible. A couple of seasons ago, when Foster was at Watford, he was assumed to be England’s keeper of the future. He played great at Watford, mainly because he could make [...]
Gary Neville has gotten off with a warning after celebrating United’s game winning goal on Sunday. Neville ran to the Manchester City supporters section and celebrated in front of them. This seems faily hypocritical considering the FA charged Emmanuel Adebayor with improper conduct just a week earlier for the exact thing. I bet the only [...]
My friend, Sam Bristow, sent me this picture. The Rock couldn’t believe it either!
The Guardian has just reported that Manchester United do, in fact, receive more stoppage time when they are trailing at Old Trafford, United’s stadium. The figures have shown that referees add more than a minute extra to the stoppage time, on average, when United are trailing at home. The figures have also shown that United get [...]
Manchester City’s Mark Hughes is fuming over the seven minutes that the center official added on during this afternoon’s Manchester derby. Craig Bellamy equalized for City in the 90th minute, only to have Michael Owen win the match for United six minutes into second half stoppage time. Hughes is upset because the fourth official put [...]