Thursday, 24 July 2014

United make winning start under Van Gaal

14:35

By: TBMU Admin On: 14:35   In:   No comments

United make winning start under Van Gaal

United make winning start under Van Gaal

Posted: 23 Jul 2014 10:04 PM PDT

In a sign of things to come at Old Trafford, United flexed their muscles as they dismantled the MLS club courtesy of braces from Wayne Rooney, debutant Reece James and substitute Ashley Young in Van Gaals first match in charge. Danny Welbeck was also on the scoresheet in Uniteds opening pre-season fixture at the International Champions Cup. United have at least three games remaining in their tour of the United States, with matches against Roma, Inter and Real Madrid set to follow before opening the 2014-15 Premier League season against Swansea City on August 16. New recruits Ander Herrera and Luke Shaw were handed starts, while Van Gaal - David Moyes replacement -opted for a 3-4-1-2 formation that was similar to that used by the Netherlands at the FIFA World Cup in Brazil. The change in system proved effective during the early exchanges and Welbeck got the ball rolling in the 13th minute, benefiting from an advantage following a foul on Juan Mata before striking the ball off the post and into the net from outside the penalty area. United gained a stranglehold of proceedings in the 42nd minute, when Rooney converted a spot-kick after the referee awarded a penalty for handball against the Galaxy, who are fourth in the Western Conference standings in MLS. Rooney put the result beyond doubt on the stroke of half-time, pouncing on some awful defending to bundle the ball over the line for his second of the match. Van Gaal made wholesale changes at the break, with Darren Fletcher and Herrera the only two players to keep their places in the XI, and it ultimately disrupted the flow of the game. However, Young cut the ball back in the box and it found its way to James, who scored a similar goal to Welbeck just past the hour-mark, before the 20-year-old struck again with five minutes remaining. But United were not done there with Young getting in on the action with two goals in as many minutes during the closing stages as Bruce Arenas men were swept aside.

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Top 10 mad medicals: Knackered knees, teething trouble and too much sex

Posted: 23 Jul 2014 08:28 AM PDT

1. Ravel a bit wrong in the tooth Former Man United prodigy Ravel Morrison has been labelled 'temperamental', 'chaotic' and 'bizarre' during his short career. Just don't call him 'toothy'. Before passing a medical to join Birmingham on loan in 2012, the West Ham midfielder needed emergency treatment to have seven gnashers removed after complaining of toothache during the Hammers' pre-season tour of Germany. His teeth were reportedly in such bad condition that he was advised to have dental implants costing £28,000. We trust cash-strapped Blues didn't pick up the bill. 2. Frank shows the ladies his worth Notorious shagger Frank Worthington's aborted move from Huddersfield to Liverpool in 1972 is the stuff of legend. After failing his medical due to high blood pressure apparently caused by having too much sex, Worthington was sent to 'calm down' in Majorca, where he continued to enjoy "the fruits of being young", namely (in no particular order): Miss Great Britain, a Swedish mother and daughter, and an unnamed Belgian beauty. He returned, failed the medical again, and joined Leicester instead. 3. Fourth time lucky for Hartson "There is the possibility that the medical might not go well," said Rangers chairman David Murray, fearing the worst as John Hartson prepared for his once-over ahead of an expected move to the Glasgow giants in 2000. Big John, who had already failed medicals at Spurs and Charlton, again failed to pass muster, but a year later joined Celtic where he was a huge success. "The best medical I've ever failed," said the Welshman. 'Gers fans might not agree. 4. Hinchcliffe told: you're not hired Even when he was plain old Alan Sugar, the Apprentice star was known for his ruthlessness – just ask Andy Hinchcliffe. The England left-back was on the verge of a £3 million move from Everton to Tottenham in January 1998, when Spurs chairman Sugar reportedly stepped in to stop hapless gaffer Christian Gross from mis-spending any more of his money, although the official line was that Hinchcliffe failed his medical because of a dodgy Achilles. Rumour has it Spurs even sent Hinchcliffe the bill for the medical. Sugar eventually filled the left-back void with the signing of Paolo Tramezzani, who is now assistant manager of Albania. 5. Kamel gets the hump with turncoat Rovers After a tasty season with Celta Vigo, Algerian hotshot Kamel Ghilas was all set for his dream move to, er, Blackburn in 2009, when Rovers apparently had a last-minute change of heart. Cue claim and counter-claim. The Lancastrian club said Ghilas failed his medical; Celta claimed Rovers tried to renegotiate his fee and wages at the 11th hour. A vexed Vigo even fielded the striker in a friendly the following day to prove he was fit. A form of poetic justice was eventually done when Ghilas – on loan from Hull – fired Stade Reims into the French top flight in 2011/12, while Blackburn were relegated. Take that! 6. Abou's Bantams move off amid suggestions of cannibalism "The lad went home to the Ivory Coast and got a bit of food poisoning. He must have eaten a dodgy missionary or something." Harry Redknapp at his PC best, talking as West Ham manager in 1998 after Samassi Abou's record move to Bradford City was aborted as the striker returned with a dicky tummy and failed his medical. In fact, it turned out to be malaria. Same difference, right 'Arry? 7. Asa doesn't have the Hart to move to Leeds There was nothing simple about West Brom and Scotland midfielder Asa Hartford's move to Don Revie's mighty Leeds in the 1971. The deal was already done when the results of a medical revealed Hartford had a potentially career-threatening hole in his heart. Fat chance – the super-fit Scot went on to play until he was 41. "It was literally a pinhole," he explained, "but I ended up playing 800 games so it wasn't that bad!" 8. Crocked Motta plays up at Pompey There was a time when life wasn't so easy for Thiago Motta. Back in 2008, the former Barcelona midfield powerhouse was between clubs after Atletico Madrid withdrew their offer of a new contract following a troubled season in the treatment room. Wily Uncle 'Arry was on hand to offer the then-26-year-old a fresh start at bank-busting Portsmouth, however, only for Motta to fail a medical at Fratton Park thanks to his dicky knee. He failed at Racing Santander too, and started the next season without a club. Genoa took him on in September where he excelled, joined Inter, won the Champions League (among other things) and became an Italy regular. You'll currently find him lifting more silverware at PSG. 9. Three's a charm for Ruud It took a year of waiting and three medicals, but Ruud van Nistelrooy's transfer to Manchester United was probably worth the wait. Sir Alex Ferguson had been set to land the free-scoring PSV hitman for £18.5m in summer 2000, when a press conference was called to welcome the Reds' new man. Instead, though, the press were told that the move had been held up due to worries about the Dutchman's fitness. Days later he ruptured cruciate ligaments in training and the deal was held off for a year, but not before he failed another medical test a month before his eventual signing. "No one need worry at Old Trafford," purred Van Nistelrooy."I will work on my fitness in Eindhoven and go back to Manchester in perfect shape." Five seasons and 150 goals in 219 games later, things turned out just fine. 10. Gillespie puts his ankle in, puts his ankle out Another 'done deal' was Keith Gillespie's move from Newcastle to Middlesbrough in 1998. The Northern Irish winger turned up at the Riverside for a pre-season tournament expecting to be unveiled, with manager Bryan Robson even hailing the signing in a press release. Cue embarrassed back-tracking straight after the final whistle when Gillespie's dodgy ankle was revealed.

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Cavani keen to continue with PSG next season

Posted: 23 Jul 2014 08:22 AM PDT

Much has been made of the Uruguay international's reported unhappiness in the French capital after a debut season spent predominantly on the right wing as he played second fiddle to Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The former Napoli talisman was still able to find the net 25 times in his maiden year at the Parc des Princes as PSG retained thetop-flight title and won the Coupe de la Ligue and Trophee des Champions. However, the 27-year-old has been repeatedlylinked with a move away from PSG, with Manchester United saidto be the leading contendersfor his signature. Cavani has now attempted to quell rumoursof an impending switch, insisting thathe is happy at PSG, but he remainsunsure whether he will be with Laurent Blanc's men come the end of the transfer window. He told Ovacion Digital: "I feel good at Paris and I count on staying, but considering how this window has gone thus far, nobody really knows. "The idea was for me to stay in Paris and the owner of the club thinks the same." Blanc's decision to shift Cavani out wide was a consistent topic of debate throughout last season, and the ex-Palermo man revealed that he has held positive discussions with the former France boss in regards to a potential tactical switch. Cavani added: "We talked before the end of the year and I think for this season there will be a new formation."

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Year Zero: Spain need pruning, not root-and-branch reform

Posted: 23 Jul 2014 03:45 AM PDT

The best remedy for eternally frustrated England fans is to embrace the fact they are never going to see a world-beating team of home-grown players. There's no real disgrace in that. After all, an Englishman invented the sandwich and the USA made the concept an awful lot better. However, no 'Angry of Croydon' seems to call BBC 606 to yell at Danny Mills about a lack of creativity in England's relish selection. The same grumbling supporters have an awful lot to be chuffed about in comparison to the state of domestic football inmany rival nations. Especially Spain, to take one random example. England's four main leagues are stuffed with 92 fine, upstanding clubs that most people have heard of, and not a B-team in sight. Surely everyone has a strong opinion when considering the trials and tribulations of Rochdale or Brighton Hove Albion. Third-tier football in England can pull in more fans than many top-flight European clubs. Big cheeses of world football would be delighted to turn out in the Premier League if the chance ever came along. The convoluted point is that everyone should stop talking about root-and-branch reforms, ordering two-year-olds to learn to play with both feet and putting Gary Neville in charge of the country's economy. Spanish inquisition Spain's post-Brazil gloom is a different kettle of fish, though. Aside from a bit of a fluke year last season, the main domestic league is insanely unbalanced. Clubs are going out of business like flies running a manure shop, and nobody in their right mind wants to play for a theoretical mammoth like Valencia knowing that the chances of ever being paid on time are slim. This meant that the humungous World Cup flop in Brazil really hurt, and of course led to some ruminating. However, rather than a "woe is us, we so bad" English self-pity vibe, most Spanish watchers –LLL aside, obviously –had predicted very bad things for the World Cup before a ball was kicked (and then missed by Iker Casillas). Spanish frustration doesn't come from a lack of decent player who can trap a ball, but that the wrong ones were taken with the wrong tactics used. Tiki-taka had clearly died on its arse (apologies for the fruitiness) in the face of a bit of physicality –Bayern Munich and Atlético Madrid proved that –and some fresh thinking was needed for Spain's football in Brazil. Fresh players were also required too; those hungry for success and not stuffed to the gills burping about trophies like the posse Vicente del Bosque mostly fielded. The likes of David de Gea, Juan Mata, Santi Cazorla and Javi Martínez may not have been good enough to win the World Cup, but would have added a bit of zing to Spain's play that might at least have got them out of the group. There are dozens more sprightly footballers who can form a new generation, from the young contingent at Real Madrid including Dani Carvajal, Isco and Jesé, to those learning a few tricks abroad like Thiago Alcantara and Ander Herrera. Like England, the Spanish are doing some soul-searching after watching the triumphant Germans, but of a very different variety. There is no call for a major reform of the game in Spain. Instead, all that's needed is a bit of pruning. YEAR ZEROHow Germany restructured itself – and why it couldn't work elsewhere YEAR ZEROBrazil may want to copy trendy European models, but they can't afford to

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United prepared to spend big, claims Woodward

Posted: 23 Jul 2014 02:18 AM PDT

United have brought in Luke Shaw and Ander Herrera since Louis van Gaal was confirmed as David Moyes' replacement at Old Trafford. The 20-time English champions have also been linked with the likes of Juventus midfielder Arturo Vidal and Borussia Dortmund defender Mats Hummels. AndWoodward says United would have no problem in paying a world-record transfer fee for a player - provided he was of a sufficient calibre. "Whether it's a record or not doesn't really resonate with us," he told reporters. "What resonates is a top, top elite player that the manager wants that is going to be a star for Manchester United. "We are in a very strong financial position. We can make big signings. "I get pointed in the direction of a target that the manager wants and there is an assessment of what that might cost and I'll negotiate hard to do the best I can on the trade."

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