Lyon v United

United played Lyon last night and drew 1-1. It was an OK performance and good to get an away goal. Lyon took the lead with a great goal by Benzema – he is apparently wanted by loads of clubs inc. United.

Not sure about the performance as I was watching the Brits mainly (more of that in abit). It was good though that Giggs played and got 100 caps in Europe. However I have heard that once Scholes and Giggs were subbed for Tevez and Nani we were a lot better.

Brits

The Brits were last night and it was OK. Some good performances, some controversy. However it just didnt seem quite as smooth as previous years and I have a few points to bring up …… (More of that abit later)

* I am glad that Foo Fighters won – funny acceptance speech by Dave Grohl.
* Not sure how Arctic Monkeys won a couple awards. A completely over-rated band! They turned up all completely drunk (which I suppose you want some for some “rock and roll” behaviour” but they made abit of a fool of themselves. Sharon Osbourne clearly wasnt a fan and could be heard saying “What have they come as!!”.
* Mark Ronson supposed deserved something – even if he doesnt sing!!
* Also Mika deserved something with his successful year.
* Leona Lewis – not my sort of my music but she does have a very good voice. However, did she mime????
* Kylie was great – as usual. Great performance, looked amazing!
* Sharon embarassed herself. She was on too much. Jack hardly on. Kelly was good – but she does do presenting on tv and radio now so expect her to be OK. Sharon seemed to try too hard and tried to be funny. Maybe she was a bit drunk. Everyone else seemed to be!! There was abit of swearing including some when Vic Reeves came on to present an award (and bombed!!) he forgot what the award was for. Sharon had a go at him to and told him to get on with it and grabbed the card from him. She kept calling him a pi**head!! LOL Dear me.
* Ozzy was hardly on!! He said about 3 lines!! Ozzy is a legend and should have been on more!!
* Amy Winehouse – looked like she needed to go to the toilet and seemed to forget some lines. (I am one of the few who is not really the biggest Amy Winehouse fan). I think she wasnt quite ready to perform as didnt look that comfortable.

I suppose we dont want the boring American type award shows but at times it was abit of a messy!! Thought it was better last year when Russell Brand presented.

The full list of winners:

Best British male: Mark Ronson (it was either going to him or Mika. Also who is Richard Hawley!!!)
Also nominated: Jamie T, Mika, Newton Faulkner, Richard Hawley

Best British female: Kate Nash (would have liked KT Tunstall to win. PJ Harvey is nominated EVERY year!)
Also nominated: Bat For Lashes, KT Tunstall, Leona Lewis, PJ Harvey

Best British album: Arctic Monkeys – Favourite Worst Nightmare (anyone but them!!)
Also nominated: Leona Lewis – Spirit, Mark Ronson – Version, Mika – Life In Cartoon Motion, Take That – Beautiful World

Best British group: Arctic Monkeys (Girls Aloud should have won!!! )
Also nominated: Editors, Girls Aloud, Kaiser Chiefs, Take That

Best British breakthrough act: Mika (properly about right)
Also nominated: Bat For Lashes, Kate Nash, Klaxons, Leona Lewis
(Winner chosen by BBC Radio 1 listeners)

Best British live act: Take That (Muse always nominated!! I have heard Take That do a good show)
Also nominated: Arctic Monkeys, Kaiser Chiefs, Klaxons, Muse
(Winner chosen by BBC Radio 2 listeners)

British single: Take That – Shine
Also nominated: Leona Lewis – Bleeding Love, Mika – Grace Kelly, Mark Ronson Ft Amy Winehouse – Valerie, The Hoosiers – Worried About Ray

International male solo artist: Kanye West (Bruce Springsteen nominated!!!?!?!)
Also nominated: Bruce Springsteen, Michael Buble, Rufus Wainwright, Timbaland

International female solo artist: Kylie Minogue (YES!!)
Also nominated: Alicia Keys, Bjork, Feist, Rihanna

International group: Foo Fighters (WOOHOO!!)
Also nominated: Arcade Fire, Eagles, Kings of Leon, White Stripes

International album: Foo Fighters – Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace (WOOHOO!!!!)
Also nominated: Arcade Fire – Neon Bible, Eagles – Long Road Out Of Eden, Silence, Patience & Grace, Kings of Leon – Because Of The Times, Kylie Minogue – X

Critics’ choice: Adele (Shes alright I guess)

Outstanding contribution to music: Sir Paul McCartney

United played Arsenal on Saturday in the FA Cup. Games between United and Arsenal are usually good and with incident and this was no different!!

United won 4-0 playing brilliantly. Arsenal were particular poor (just 2 attempts on goal), they just couldnt pass and kept giving the ball away. They were also being pressured into making mistakes with United players pressuring them constantly. Fletcher, who always seems to play well against Arsenal, was constantly hassling them. It was a particular bad performance by Arsenal who looked like they didnt want to be there and showed no desire or passion.

United were not at full strength resting players with the game against Lyon on Wednesday in mind. He rested players such as Tevez, Ronaldo and Giggs. (Apparently Ronaldo was going to be on the bench but was ill (Fergie said in an interview he had a dodgy stomach and diarrhoea – maybe too much info!!). Arsenal also rested players including Adebayor.

United took the lead early on. Anderson headed the ball back on the 6 yard box and Rooney was in the right place to knock the ball past Lehmann. The 2nd goal came after great play by Nani. He took the ball to the byline and crossed in for Fletcher to score. (On the replays it looks like it was actually a Gallas own goal). That wasnt it for the first half and Nani scored a third. Carrick passed brilliantly and Nani controlled the ball around the 18 yard box and shot first time past Lehmann. The first half ended 3-0 and could easily have been 6 or 7-0. If only Rooney had his shooting boots on!!

The 2nd half I was expecting a reaction from Arsenal but it was more of the same (if not worse!!). Eboue got sent off for a rash high challenge on Evra. Eboue (who is no stranger to controversy) didnt want to leave the pitch but he had no excuse. Luckily Evra wasnt serious injured.

Gallas also was lucky not to get sent off (and if the FA do anything – which I doubt it – he could be in more trouble) after he kicked out at Nani. A few players had a kick at Nani after a little bit of showboating (see below). However thats what people like to see – bit of entertaining. (Especially at the expense of Arsenal!!). In one particular move Nani got the ball and almost did the “Seal move” bouncing the ball on his head while running with it). Cant remember which players it was but they certainly didnt like it and a few challenges went flying in!!

Adebayor came on with 20 minutes to go – too late to really do anything. He didnt do much expect an embarrassing dive!!

Fletcher scored to make it 4-0. There was no doubt this time that it was his goal. It was after great play by Nani again.

Man of the match is a tough one. It was certainly Rooney until he was subbed but than Nani just got better and better. Fletcher was also great as well as Carrick and Anderson. Even when Saha came on he looked lively. Just imagine of Ronaldo played as well!!

I read today that Wenger is moaning about the state of the pitch and how its rubbish how they couldnt pass between the ball was bouncing about – or something like that. LOL!!! We seemed to pass OK!!

Heres some highlights:

Nani showboating:

5o years ago today was the tragic Munich air disaster. If you didnt know this is when 23 people died. This included 8 players and 3 club staff. 22 people died on the plane while Duncan Edwards died 15 days later. The United team had played Red Star Belgrade in the European Cup and were on the way back home. They had stopped in Germany to re-fuel. The weather was terrible and actually had 2 attempts to take off where were were aborted. On the third attempt the plane crashed. Snow/ice at the end of the runway meant the plane slowed down and was not going fast enough to take off properly.

The tragedy is a big part of United’s history. How United play now is comparable to the Busby Babes era.

There will be a minutes silences tonight at the England game and also one before the Manchester derby on Sunday. Lets hope its respected because it was a tragedy for football in general.

There is lots of coverage about it on TV with it being the 50th anniversary and on MUTV and manutd.com there is plenty of coverage. MUTV is free to view today.

Related links:

BBC t
Manutd.com

It was the superbowl over the weekend. I didnt watch it and couldnt care less about it but during the Superbowl the half time adverts are usually pretty good. You can see them on Youtube all on one page.

There are various funny (and not funny) commercial and some movie trailers. Here are some of my favs:

Coca Cola Its Mine

Wall E Superbowl spot

I have not played the National Lottery for ages but a few weeks ago I decided to play. I really want to win!! I remembered I had some money on the National Lottery online account for just bought £1 and didnt win anything. Anyway, last week I spent another £1 and won ……… £10. Better than nothing!!

I dont have to win the big one, 5 numbers and the bonus would do!!!

Well I went to see Cloverfield at the weekend, the much anticipated movie from Lost creator JJ Abrams. First of all I have to say that if you get motion sickness you may want to avoid it as the whole movie is all my a hand held camcorder – Blair Witch style.

Overall a very good film, however I think part of what has made it good is the novelty factor with it being filmed all with a camcorder. Before I continue this review may have some “spoilers”. Dont read on if you dont want to have some minor things “spoiled”.

I am sure you will know by know that the “bad thing” in this movie is a big giant Godzilla sized monster. Its never explained where it has come from and why its here. I have heard some people say the movie is a bit scary with jumpy moments. I didnt think so – I would say it was if it was the case (I dont really like horror scary movies). It was more “gripping”. The movie is only about 80 minutes over and after the first 10 minutes it doesnt really stop. Shortly after the disaster there are certain scenes which are very “9/11″ like with the dust cloud etc.

There are some things which I thought was odd was that one of the characters was badly injured but seemed to recover very quickly and also they seemed to managed to walk down about 60 floors extremely quickly.

Unlike some other monster movies the movie concentrates on the actual characters. One of the best characters is arguably the man behind the camera who provides the comedic relief.

I have heard a rumour that there is going to be a Cloverfield 2 but it will be the same events from this movie BUT filmed from someone elses perspective.

(Well 8 minutes 14 seconds to be precise).

Lost starts again at the weekend (Sunday I think) with season 4. Looking at the previews it seems like we may finally get some answers. However I remember reading awhile ago that there was to be 7 seasons of Lost so it still could drag on.

I used to love Lost but kindoff got “lost” in it all with nothing really happening for ages.

Anyway, I will watch the new series and give it a change. Just incase you missed some episodes or have never watched it checked out this official recap (done by the makers of Lost ABC so they would have included the important bits in it). Its quite amusing!

However since 3 seasons can be condenced into just over 8 minutes show how much actual stuff happened in the other 2800 ish minutes (there are about 24 episodes per season and each show is properly about 40 minutes without all the “previous on” and adverts etc.

United played Portsmouth the other day and once again Ronaldo won the match for United. Dont get me wrong, the whole team played brilliantly (it was great having Scholes back) and it really should have been more than just 2-0. Ronaldo scored a good first goal with some good build up play especially Nani. However the game will be remembered for the 2nd goal. It was a freekick and one of those which he just smacks.

Last season it either went in or more often miles wide or into the wall. You can tell he has been practicing as more often than not he gets it on target. This goal seems to even surprise him and he celebrated like it after scoring (and not his usual nodding of head and raising of the shoulder). He even said it was his “best goal”.

Have a look at THAT goal:

AMAZING!!!

Heres the 1st goal:

Thank goodness he didnt!!! Before he signed for United in August 2003, he almost signed for Arsenal. Wenger said about Ronaldo: “I knew about him yes. We were very close.” He thinks that because of United’s have links with Sporting Lisbon is the reason he ended up at United rather than Arsenal.

He said: “He was here much earlier – he could tell you that if he wants. “Manchester United had a partnership with Sporting Lisbon when United assistant coach Carlos Queiroz moved and that made it very difficult.”

He was meant to be a United player!!!