Red Devil Zone

Disclaimer: The following post is strictly restricted to the section of people who practice MUFC as their religion and consider Old Trafford as their Mecca. People from other religions go ahead at your own risk.

“The champions of Europe, the champions of England, they have reached the promised land”, how sweet were those words !!. It certainly gives me Goosebumps hearing those words time and again. As Sir Alex Fergusson always put it the fans of this great club, Manchester United, should have heard, should be hearing those sweet words more often.
Now that the new season has begun by now most of us must have gotten over the euphoria of ‘the double’ partly thanks to the transfer saga of the one and only Ronaldo.
Without much ado, here is what I expect from each of the squad members this season and their average ratings:

Goalkeepers

EVDS: One more year left in the contract, still going strong. There are absolutely no signs which suggest that he will be turning 40 next year. One of the very few players to reach their peaks twice in their glittering careers. Usually fades out as the season goes, but it should be different this time around thanks to the younger talented lot. 7/10
FOSTER: Will not start when fully fit , but having EVDS as a mentor will do him a world of good. Touted as England no.1 for years to come and I don’t expect him to disappoint. Will become a regular towards the end of the season. 7/10
Kuszczak: Foster will limit his chances this season, but will get cup games hopefully. Will compete with Foster. 6/10

Defenders

RIO: Arguably the best centre half in the world at the moment. Expecting him to have another great season. Mostly would be handed the captain’s armband by the end of the season. After Ronnie he was the best player last season, he shouldn’t be too far from the best this season either. 8/10
VIDIC: ‘Nemenja, he’ll fucking murder ya’. That’s said and done about him. 8/10
EVRA: Becoming a fan favorite with his runs up and down the left flank. He is expected to become a better defender this year as he sometimes gets caught out of position. Would add another dimension to United’s attack if he can improve his crossing. Expecting him to have another cracker. 8/10
BROWN: The return of Red Nev will limit his chances as a right back but is an excellent deputy to the back line. Will not feature as prominently as last season but will give solid performances when ever needed as he always has. 6/10
Red Nev: The captain returns, so will the attack from the right side of the pitch. Great to have him back. 6/10
O’SHEA: John-any position-O’shea will get another winner at Anfield. Nothing more is expected from him. He would continue his old Trafford career as long as he scores against the scousers. 5/10
EVANS: With the departure of Pique, he’ll definitely get his chances to show his mettle. I expect him to be ready to push Rio and Vida next season. 6/10
The TWINS: Rafael to get a few chances, Fabio in the reserves. I expect one of them to be converted as a winger come the end of season. 6/10

Midfielders

SCHOLES: A little old to be as influential as the old Scholes but will add to the creativity as usual. With the all the first choice mids out injured Scholes will have to guide the team in the first half of the season and I expect him to do that with ease. 7/10
CARRICK: Injured for the first two weeks. Will become the man to pull the strings in the middle this season. He has improved over the last 2 yrs and this should be his season and would eventually fill the gap that would be created when Scholes leaves. Expecting a more consistent season from him. 8/10
HARGREAVES: With a summer off to rest his crocked knee, this should be the season where he shows his worth and the reason why SAF pursued over him for a year. 7/10
ANDERSON: He would arrive this season. He just exploded last season and I expect nothing different from him this season. I believe the first goal for him would open the floodgates. Would be missed for the first 2 matches but after that, with carrick and hargo injured, mid field should be his. 9/10
FLETCHER: Will feature prominently for the first few months and will once again up his game for the big matches. Going by the charity shield and the game against the barcodes, there is a new added composure to his game. 6/10
POSSEBON: Looks like class act, a young Carrick. Should become a better player by the start of the next season. 6/10
RONALDO: Almost the Judas , he would be dearly missed for the first two months and even more so if SAF fails to sign a striker.Some question his commitment to the team but I don’t expect anything short of 100 % as he is too proud a man to be second best. If Manutd stay in the title race until October, Ronnie’s return will take them to the promised land once again. I just hope he doesn’t swap his red jersey for the white one by the end of the season. 8/10
NANI: Big things expected. Would become the mainstay of the team this season. Should give some width and attacking flair. I expect him to have a good season. 8/10
GIGGS: Probably his last. Should be around to guide the young ones and lend his experience to the team. It would be a great gift to the younger players if he can transfer some of his first touch skills, as they are still amongst the best in the business. 6/10
PARK: Once fit should help the team. I expect nothing from him, but would be a big bonus if he can get us some goals. 6/10

Attack

ROONEY: If SAF signs a striker who can play up on his own, then I expect this season to be Rooney’s. He was phenomenal in the 05/06 season playing behind Van the Man .Once he gets back his best position, operating just behind another striker; we’ll get to see the devastating Wazza once again. 8/10
TEVEZ: Looked devastating in the pre season and in the shield match. If he stays fit for the entire season, he should have a cracker of a season. 9/10
CAMPBELL: Will the get the cup games, looked lively in the game against the Magpies . Not yet the United material who can lead the line, but at 20 he is good enough to be the 4th choice striker. 6/10
SAHA: Only if we can trade him for glass. 4/10.
MYSTERY STRIKER: 10/10

U for ......

After having stayed for more than a week in Mumbai, I realized that the two most quintessential things needed to survive, in this part of the fast-paced India, are: a house and an umbrella. I’ll give you the reason I wanted to rant a bit about an umbrella.
I was hugely convinced by the incessant rains of Mumbai and as well as by my friend to get an umbrella for myself. What I didn’t realize before stepping my foot out in the pursuit of one was that to buy an umbrella in that kind of weather, I had to possess one. Surely one of the many paradoxes of this world. To buy an umbrella, you first need to have something to protect you from the rain in this kind of weather.

And then I began to wonder about an umbrella which otherwise I wouldn’t have.

There are many words which start with the alphabet ‘u’ but easily the most famous word amongst them must be ‘umbrella’. It’s at least the first word that I learnt amongst the aforementioned lot. I gradually started to get the grip of the word with the correct pronunciation of it and also the use of it in this otherwise compact world. I started out pronouncing it as ‘ooh-m-bu-re-lla’ and then moved onto ‘ooh-m-bre-lla’ and then finally to ‘umbrella’. I admire the word umbrella for it is referred to as ‘an umbrella’. I have this grudging admiration for all the words which need to be addressed by a special article ‘an’. It kind of gives them the respect for being one of the few elite words to addressed so.
Think of the space an umbrella occupies when it is in its functioning mode. An umbrella reminds us of ourselves, the dull boring and constrained life when not in use, strapped and put in the corner of a room. Then suddenly springs open when asked to protect us. That is of course the job description of an umbrella. It takes great pleasure in basking in the rainy days, letting its wings caress each drop of the downpour. An umbrella actually reminds us of the Yin-yang of this world; it reminds us of the two sides of the spectrum. On one side it is the humans, not all though, who wouldn’t want to get wet and on the other side it is the species of umbrella who want to get wet to see the world.

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