UK Football

Federico Macheda is becoming a miraculous hero for Manchester United.  First the 17 year old, in his first appearance ever in Manchester United’s first team, tips United past Aston Villa to win 3-2 in the second minute of extra time.  And then, as if that wasn’t enough to begin his United legacy, Macheda makes his second appearance in United’s first team today, and within four minutes of him entering the match, the brilliant youngster puts United ahead 2-1 for the win over Sunderland with a lucky left footed strike.

I just can’t wait to see into Macheda’s future, to see if we are actually seeing the beginnings of something special.  Or if this is just a lucky 17 year old that will level out into an average at best player in the next few years.  

photo: Mark Freeman

Salomon Kalou’s goal celebrations from Wednesday’s match are being investigated by the FA, for what the Football Association calls a ‘handcuff’ gesture by Kalou.  Supposedly this is a shout out to recently freed activist Antoine Tiemoko, and the FA apparently disagrees with such a thing.  My point, who cares?  If Salomon Kalou want’s to call attention to some political issue he thinks is relevant, in a goal celebration, let him, I can’t be bothered to be offended by such a trivial thing.

Worthy of note is Kalou’s dismissal of the accusations, stating that the ‘handcuff’ gesture was in actuality a reference to his own strength for having scored both goals in Chelsea’s 2-0 victory over Middlesbrough.

Manchester City have failed once again in their attempt to sign Roque Santa Cruz from Blackburn, despite tabling a very respectable £18million+ offer, Blackburn are apparently smart enough to not throw away their greatest talent.  That or they believe Santa Cruz to be in the £30million transfer level, and Allardyce has them holding out for more cash.  Either way, looks like Santa Cruz is stuck at Blackburn at least until the end of this season.

Speaking of Blackburn Rovers, El-Hadji Diouf is reportedly close to signing for the club.  Which is a move again that I don’t understand, for Blackburn it’s brilliant, they get a good player who failed to peak at Sunderland and who will be a worthy attacking replacement for when Santa Cruz does inevitably leave.  But why are Sunderland again in the habit of selling their big names.  I understand they had a few disciplinary issues with Chimbonda, but that doesn’t seem like enough reason to have sold him.

And I think the same thing of Diouf, yes he’s failed to score at Sunderland, but that doesn’t mean he won’t.  Sometimes it takes a player a long time to get settled at a new club, but that’s no reason for Sunderland to sell one of their best talents.  But I guess Ricky Sbragia has a plan, and he’s carrying it out to the fullest.

Finally, Bolton sold Kevin Nolan to Newcastle, a good pick up for Kinnear, but Newcastle shouldn’t be spending too much money at the moment, especially considering Shay Given has just officially handed in a written transfer request to depart from the club.  It’s not going to be cheap buying another keeper of Given’s quality.

photo: John Dobson

Tottenham have picked up Carlo Cudicini on a free loan deal from Chelsea. The move means Tottenham finally have someone capable, instead of the unpredictable Gomes, as Gomes has played a big part in the horrid season Tottenham are having. And if nothing else Cudicini will bring capable hands as a back up for the next time Gomes is injured.

West Ham have found their replacement for Craig Bellamy in Savi Nsereko, although I don’t understand how signing an unproven 19 year old and letting another club buy Bellamy is in any way good club strategy. Bellamy was awesome, and understood how to play Premiership football, not to mention how to make perfect runs behind the opponents defence. Nsereko could end up being a dud, I know he was the UEFA U19 best player of the tournament, but that’s a big difference from trying to cut it in the Premier League.

photo: Vintagekits

Sunderland are on the verge of selling Pascal Chimbonda to Tottenham Hotspur, and I don’t really understand the move. Sunderland were really trying to achieve something with the signing of stars like Chimbonda, but in the aftermath of Roy Keane I just don’t understand the direction that the club is taking. Just over the halfway point of the season, and Sunderland are selling their best players? That club really needs to get itself straight, or else they‘ll drop another five places and find themselves back in the Championship.

Word is that Robbie Keane is heading for an Anfield exit, especially after Liverpool’s last match, in which the Irishman was left out of the squad completely, Rafa Benitez even resorted to putting David Ngog in place of Keane on the bench. But this is nothing new, Robbie Keane has never been right for Liverpool, and Liverpool never should have bought him.

photo: Jonnymccullagh

Keane needs to go somewhere else, maybe another mid-table club where the expectations will be lower, and Keane will once again flourish as he did at Tottenham.

Manchester United are in trouble again as 12 senior players will be unavailable for Tuesday’s fixture against West Brom. The problems are also mounting as United’s upcoming fixture against Everton that was supposed to take place next Monday has been moved to Saturday, because of Everton’s upcoming FA Cup replay with Liverpool. Meaning the almost fit Rio Ferdinand and Wes Brown will probably still be unavailable after having lost an additional two days of recovery.

But United have been playing well with the youngsters, and as long as they still have Giggs, Neville and Scholes to keep the younger players in check, United will do fine.

(probably not one of Gareth Southgate’s fond memories)

Stewart Downing officially turned in a written transfer request, for his departure from Middlesbrough, but I doubt Downing will find another club as Tottenham was turned down with their bid of £12million. Which in this economy, seems like a massive amount of money for someone like Downing, who still hasn’t proven himself to be at the level of consistency that the Premiership requires. I don’t know exactly what Boro are looking for, in terms of financial compensation for Downing services. The boy doesn’t want to play at the club anymore, so Downing already won’t be at his best, and unless Gareth Southgate and crew are planning on convincing Manchester City to offer up a huge bid, they may regret not taking Tottenham’s money.

£12million is a massive amount of money that Middlesbrough could put to good use, buying a few more attacking options that they desperately need. Stewart Downing already isn’t getting it done, as their sudden drop in the table has shown, meaning Southgate needs to attempt something different anyway. So why not take a good offer like Tottenham’s, and then change the club for the better?

And to sum up the rest of the transfer news that matters, Redknapp is also interested in Sunderland’s Pascal Chimbonda, as well as Jermaine Defoe, looking to improve Tottenham’s season even more. Theo Walcott still hasn’t been offered the long term Arsenal contract he desires, which could lead to the gunners losing their pace fuelled winger. And Carlos Tevez is still complaining about having no permanent deal at Manchester United.

photo: Vintagekits

Roy Keane has officially resigned as Sunderland manager. And I’m not too sure how that will be for the greater good of the club. Sure Sunderland has lost five of their last six under Roy Keane, but he is the man that guided them to so much success in the past, and I don’t really see any reason why the Irishman can’t guide them out of the rut they’re in now. But Keane has decided to call it quits.

Despite having left the club in the uncomfortable position of needing a new manager, and being on a bad run of play, Sunderland chairman Niall Quinn had nice things to say about Kean, “Roy’s decision sums up his desire to always do what is best for the club, despite the club’s efforts to keep him.”Roy deserves huge respect for his contribution and the manner in which he guided the club from the depths of the Championship back to the Premier League.

“His winning mentality and singled mindedness were just what this club needed. Even in his departure he has been more concerned for the welfare of the players and his staff than himself.

“The board has reluctantly accepted his decision and wish him and his family well for the future.”

But Roy Keane did do some positive things in his two years in control of Sunderland. Advancing the club to the Premier League once again, after their long stint in the Championship. And then keeping them there in Sunderland’s first promotion year, even making them a formidable middle table squad, opposed to a relegation threatened disaster.

But I guess Keane thinks him leaving is best for the club, and maybe it is, but I hope this isn’t Roy Keane walking away from football for good, because that would be the last thing most fans would want.