BTW - BT, I'm going to be on a flight to la-la land so PBP is all yours on this one. I'd offer to cheer for your team in exchange, but since it will come down to which team I dislike less...sorry, I'm a big DMB fan.
Have fun in L.A., DK-- and no worries... barrack for whoever you like. I think we all know who's going to win on Sunday afternoon/Monday morning. I'll do the PbP-- that is, if I can find something in which to do it from. On TV here in Australia, the game's live across the nation on Fox Sports 2, a channel my local cable system has still stubbornly not added yet, and Man Utd's and Blackburn's streaming audio webcast services are no longer free and now on subscription only. Might have to rely on any of the various text services for this one. Not the best option for me, but it could work in a pinch. Perhaps I should defer to someone who's bound to watch the game on FSW. I think they'd have a better perspective on things, and I can just chime in with the odd remark and question here or there. All things considered, though, I am getting geared up towards doing a BigSoccer PbP on MLS Cup on Monday morning here. And to all of you headed to L.A. and the HDC, like I've told my bretheren on the Quakes boards, have fun and think of me as there in spirit.
* * *I'm William, and this is the news* * * Going to take care of this in two posts-- one with the Man Utd/Howard slant, and the other for the Blackburn Rovers/Friedel angles. Here goes, first for Tim Howard and his team's news... In-form Forlan facing the bench? -- Soccernet [*]Match preview from Soccernet (as aforementioned by DK) [*]Team news, from sportinglife.com [*]Fergie sticks with Forlan -- Sportinglife.com [*]United trial French ace -- skysports.com [*]Fergie hails defence -- skysports.com [*]Match preview, from skysports.com [*]Ferguson sweats on international stars -- Yahoo's UK soccer site, via Reuters [*]Match preview, via the BBC's website (complete with facts & figures) [*]Preview, from 4thegame.com [*]Dutch and glow for Van the Man -- 4thegame.com [*]Preview: Manchester United v Blackburn Rovers -- Manchester Evening News
Blackburn-related And now, the Friedel chronicles... [*]Rovers' Thompson out for season -- Soccernet [*]Yorke fit for Old Trafford return [*]Souness sends for teen spirit -- sportinglife.com [*]Amoruso: Injury affected my form -- sportinglife.com [*]Lambert backs (Barry) Ferguson for success -- sportinglife.com [*]Souness wants new faces -- skysports.com [*]Johansson unhappy -- skysports.com [*]Cole misses Old Trafford trip -- premierleague.com [*]Bosses attempt to lift spirits -- BBC [*]Rovers duo suspended -- 4thegame.com Also... which local daily newspapers in the UK cover Blackburn Rovers? Just curious, so I can add those to my list of news sources for whenever Brad plays. There should be a small bit of overlap within these two posts, which I tried to avoid as best as possible. In that spirit, all the match preview content is above, in the Howard/Man Utd post (after all, they're the home team). Comments and anaylsis are always appreciated, as are additions to the lists here...
Would be remissed if I didn't include this in the news roundup, from BigSoccer's front page.... EPL: Howard, Friedel do battle -- foxsportsworld.com, via the Associated Press Should also mention that Man United currently sit in third place, and can move top of the table for at least a couple of hours should they win. Blackburn, meanwhile, sit 16th in the 20-team Premiership, level on 11 points from 12 games with two other clubs and need some kind of reward in order to stay above the relegation zone.
I'll be watching on FSW,but have to go back and forth ('puter's in next room),so I'll do the Andy Gray bit if someone can be Martin Tyler.
I'll still defer to PbP duties to someone who can actually watch the game and see what's happening. I'd hate to have the responsibility otherwise, with just text updates here for me, when someone else has better access.
Credit goes to jmeissen0, for finding this and using it in the daily news roundup in MLS N&A... Howard gamble saluted -- The Sun (UK)
Tim and Brad starting mano á mano, to no one's surprise. The lineups, from sportinglife.com... MANCHESTER UNITED 14. Tim Howard 2. Gary Neville 5. Rio Ferdinand 27. Mikael Silvestre 22. John O'Shea 15. Jose Kleberson 16. Roy Keane 3. Phil Neville 25. Quinton Fortune 12. David Bellion 10. Ruud van Nistelrooy Subs 7. Cristiano Ronaldo 8. Nicky Butt 11. Ryan Giggs 13. Roy Carroll (GK) 21. Diego Forlan Interesting lineup for the Red Devils... Kleberson and Bellion in, Ronaldo, Giggs and Forlan all on the subs' bench. BLACKBURN ROVERS 1. Brad Friedel 15. Andy Todd 6. Craig Short 11. Markus Babbel 3. Vratislav Gresko 23. Brett Emerton 24. Barry Ferguson 7. Garry Flitcroft 12. Steven Reid 10. Matt Jansen 19. Dwight Yorke Subs 31. Peter Enckelman (GK) 21. Dino Baggio 4. Martin Taylor 14. Nils-Eric Johansson 17. Paul Gallagher
http://www.wwitv.com/portal.htm?http://www.wwitv.com/television/index.html Then, click on Croatia on the left. Then, click on the 225 button next to TV Dalmajca. Enjoy!!!!!
FWIW, and according to the match preview feature on the Beeb's site, Rovers are the only team this season not to have been involved in a nil-all draw. Probably won't happen here, either... but man, would I love to eat those words.
16th min. -- Reid's long ball intended for Emerton is headed back to Howard gracefully by Gary Neville.
20th min. -- Friedel comes out well to catch a cross from Bellion. Trends: Rovers had much of the early play and possession, but United have been coming into matters a bit more of late. Both defences, including that of Blackburn, playing well, and showing fair to good organisation... Until now. 22nd min. -- RVN puts Man Utd up 1-0, with a cool finish past Friedel, after making a perfect run to accept Bellion's return pass from a one-two in stride. RVN, cool as a cucumber...
Comment on the goal courtesy of Soccernet... Rovers will be disappointed with that. After looking comfortable, they fell asleep at a throw-in, and you can't do that at Old Trafford. Just saw a replay, and Rovers' defence got caught ball-watching on not only the throw-in, but the wall pass between RVN and Bellion as well. A cardinal sin...