Sunday 20 September 2009

#21 - Joy

As the red half of Manchester will be falling asleep with a huge grin on itself and for the first time since the last derby win, actually looking forward to work. The blue half (pictured) will be having sleepless nights and shouting "it was only 4 minutes added time, ref!".

This I feel I need to address first. I have a feeling this will be the biggest argument heard from City fans for the next year. Now. Firstly, there's a reason the announcer always says "a minimum of x minutes added time". This a minimum. People hopefully don't believe that by some bizarre circumstance every time the referee adds on time during stoppages in the match it doesn't miraculously end up being an exact minute. This is just the minute they put on the boards. It could well have been 4 minutes, 59 seconds and was rounded down. We don't know. Now, I have that goal put down as 95:28. So, let's say by some strange coincidence it was exactly 4 minutes that the referee had as added time. That leaves 1 and 28 seconds. Bellamy's goal scored in the 89th minute, with play not resuming until the 91st minute as well as the substitution for Michael Carrick to come on (which correct me if I'm wrong, I believe adds 30 seconds) more than covers it. Phew. Let's carry on.

The game itself was rather exciting. What was a pretty even first half with a dire Ben Foster mistake letting Carlos Tevez (with the way the commentators talked of his closing down it was as if no other play ever closes down, only Tevez does it. He invented closing down.) pass into Gareth Barry to score. In the first minute Rooney put us ahead. Second half was all United besides the two Bellamy goals. 79% possession and what should have been a Berbatov hatrick. Then in the 95th minute, sheer ecstasy as Michael Owen makes us completely forget he ever played for Liverpool (did he? Didn't someone just make that up as a joke?) by scoring a huge goal and celebrating like a nut. Quite a relief really. Especially since Sir Alex, Ben Foster and Nemanja Vidic this week all knocked City's title bid.

The good news doesn't stop there. Craig Bellamy, the essence of calm, was snapped punching or pushing very hard with his hand in a fist shape the face of a fan. Mark Hughes (who seems to have become deluded with wealth) tried to defend the actions by comparing it something Brian Clough did with a fan many years earlier. Brian Clough also fired two tea ladies for laughing after a defeat. It does not mean Craig Bellamy can fire tea ladies either. Mark Hughes really is going a bit off the boil accusing life long Manchester United fan Gary Neville of "over celebrating". Hm. I wonder who's player has been in a row of celebrating lately, Mark? Sparky also invented a penalty claim of Patrice Evra apparently fouling Carlos Tevez.

On a related note, did anyone see Patrice Evra boo as he promised?

More good news! Book maker William Hill lost approximately £1,000,000 due to Michael Owen's late winner. They then issued a statement that makes them sound very bitter. How fitting.

In less interesting (but still good) news...

Park Ji-Sung has extended his stay until 2012. Which if you're stupid, is apparently when the world will end. The Mayan calender is not a suitable use for determining the life expectancy of the world. These are the same people who tore out children's hearts as a sacrifice.

Now then. Next up is the Reserves' Carling Cup 3rd round tie against Mick McCarthy's Wolves. And until then let's gloat.

This blog has been brought you by;
  • Ignoring our shambolic defending.
  • Finding every piece of Manchester United memorabilia I own and strapping it to myself to walk around Manchester with tomorrow.
  • The Michael Owen fan club.

6 comments:

  1. I yanked my jersey off, swung it over my head (Giggsy style) and did a couple of laps around the house when Mickey scored. How did you celebrate?

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  2. Just seen MOtD analysis as well. They reckon the ref should have called time 1 second before the goal was scored, as taking everything into account, added time should have been 95'26''. HAHAHA bet that will piss Sparky off even more.

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  3. Hahah. I wasn't that crazy. I jumped as close to hitting the ceiling as possible. It was a stark contrast to my mood 5 minutes early.

    And the time shouldn't even be an issue! It's only ever an issue if someone scores.

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  4. Exactly. And I fail to understand how people can use phrases such as ''Fergie time'' - isn't added time the same for both teams? They chose to defend . Their loss. Now you see evey single daily coming out with weird stats and claiming United own referee's watches.(After all Hublot sponsors us)

    Btw - thats how I celebrated when Macheda scored against Villa last season.

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  5. Oh man!! What a game!! Bloody kick me in the nuts and call me Nanny!! I was jumping up and down and screaming like an idiot in a 17 story apartment building... everyone probably heard me scream and cry! lol!

    BTW, who's the president of the Michael Owen Fan Club? Are they still looking for members?

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  6. I do believe Michael Owen's horse is the current president, membership is open!

    And yeah. I've not shouted as loudly for a goal since Macheda's. That was the moment of the last season.

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