So now that the passion/disappointment has simmered a bit after a below mediocre season, I figured I's sit and look at the team as a whole and write about what I thought should happen for 2010.

Peter Vermes = Technical Director: After 3 seasons in this position I feel Vermes has done a less than stellar job.

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Barca's first final of the season is the second leg of the Spanish Supercup against Athletic Bilbao, and we're in this to win. We have a strong feeling Barca will be getting the season's first silver tonight, as we go into this match with a 2-1 lead and on our own turf... not to mention that several of our stars who were injured for the first leg will be able to play this one. Click to continue reading...

The new grass on Camp Nou makes its debut for Barca's traditional Gamper Cup match, this year facing Man City, the host of such stars as Robinho, Adebayor, Messi's compatriot Carlos Tevez, and Yaya's older brother, Kolo Toure.
Messi and Ibra both got their greenlights to play yesterday, and will be able to particpate in this match. Click to continue reading...

Barca's first competitive match of the season is here, as the team heads out to face Athletic Bilbao for the Spanish Supercup. The title will be played out over two legs, and Barca play the first leg away, the second at home. A comfortable result in this match will make things alot easier when we meet Athletic again on Camp Nou; but this match could be tough, especiallly seeing as the opposition have the home advantage. Click to continue reading...

Reina
Johnson Carragher Ayala Insua
Lucas Mascherano
Kuyt Gerrard Benayoun
Torres
Subs:
San Jose for Carra 16'
Babel for Kuyt 61'
Kelly for Johnson 74'
Spearing for Mascherano 79'
Voronin for Benayoun 79'
Ngog for Torres 82'
Goals:
Aguero 15'
Forlan 33'
Lucas 81'
Good riddance to these friendlies. Click to continue reading...

Well, 2009 was to be the same for Everton as it was in 2007 - Salt Lake City, Utah, that is. Last time here we were not exactly overwhelmed by the "night life", but the saving grace was that we got to see Everton again - and in an extremely close-up way, not normally possible for the average fan. We arrived from drought hit Houston on Saturday and booked into our hotel in downtown Salt Lake to Click to continue reading...

Ritchie De Laet enjoyed his home début in a friendly against Valencia last night, putting in a good performance from right-back in our 2-0 win.

After the game he reveals he only found out he was playing at the last minute but Rio Ferdinand helped settle his nerves.

"I only found out I was playing when the boss did his team talk," said De Laet.

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Another win for United in the pre-season, making it six out of seven for the summer of 2009. A 2-0 win over the sixth best side in Spain is good preparation for the Community Shield on Sunday, as we're ten days away from the season!

Positives
Antonio Valencia - The press have questioned, repeatedly, how Sir Alex Ferguson reckons a Wigan winger who's scored a handful of goals over the past few seasons is going to replace Cristiano Ronaldo.

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Cavalieri
Johnson Kelly San Jose Dossena
Kuyt Lucas Spearing Babel
Ngog Voronin
Subs:
Mascherano for Spearing 46'
Degen for Johnson 46'
Riera for Babel 46'
Plessis for Lucas 46'
Benayoun for Kuyt 46'
Gerrard for Voronin 62'
Torres for Ngog 62'
Insua for Dossena 62'
Ayala for San Jose 62'
Gulasci for Cavalieri 79'
Carragher for Riera 86'
Goals:
Voronin 44'
Ngog 59'
I know everyone's more interested in the Aquilani news. Click to continue reading...

"PICTURES: United vs Valencia" was originally published at The Republik of Mancunia. Click to continue reading...

Manchester United beat Valencia 2-0 in our last pre-season friendly of the summer, ahead of our Community Shield match against Chelsea on Sunday.

Wayne Rooney and Tom Cleverley were the scorers, with Antonio Valencia getting both assists.

"VIDEO: Rooney's Goal vs Valencia" was originally published at The Republik of Mancunia. Click to continue reading...

United vs Valencia "LIVE BLOG: United vs Valencia" was originally published at The Republik of Mancunia. Click to continue reading...

Barca's American adventure has taken them to Seattle, where we'll be facing the Seattle Sounders up next. After the great performance against LA Galaxy this match should be no trouble for the boys; we expect they'll do well.
Iniesta has been having some injury problems, however reports are that he might be able to play this match. Click to continue reading...

Reina
Johnson Carragher San Jose Insua
Mascherano Lucas
Kuyt Gerrard Benayoun
Torres
Subs:
Babel for Benayoun 46'
Dossena for Insua 46'
Degen for Johnson 46'
Spearing for Mascherano 46'
Plessis for Lucas 70'
Riera for Kuyt 70'
Ngog for Torres 70'
Voronin for Gerrard 70'
Kelly for Carragher 83'
Alonso for Spearing 83'
Goals:
Luis Garcia 19'
Sahar 64' 87'
Meh. Click to continue reading...

Sorry for the lack of posts this week; it has been an extremely hectic last five or so days. Anyway.

Chelsea netted twice in the final five minutes to salvage a 2-2 draw with Reading at the Madjeski on Saturday afternoon. Kalou bagged the first I know, shocking with an own goal, set up by the towering Alex, providing the late-game theatrics in added time.

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It was only the China Cup but it still counts as silverware . But on the off chance that we win another trophy soon we will have to do some training on our acceptance routines. We were all over the place.We played two matches against opposition that played poorly who by chance we play again within the month. Click to continue reading...

For the first match of Barca's American tour, the boys will be up against such stars as David Beckham and Landon Donovan as they face MLS team LA Galaxy - we can hardly wait! Not only because of who we're up against, but because Pep will surely be fielding the usual starters for this one, instead of the subs and B-teamers he was playing in London. Click to continue reading...

The season is fast approaching, and with preseason friendlies now fully underway squads are getting ready for the 2009/10 Premier League season. Last season saw Aston Villa comfortable in fourth place for much of the season before stuttering over the finish line, but Martin O'Neill's side lead a long list of clubs hoping to crack into the four coveted Champions League spots this season.

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Craig Cathcart put in a good performance for United last night against Boca Juniors, playing the centre of defence alongside Wes Brown, then Rio Ferdinand.

However, in a game that ended 2-1 to United, Cathcart almost scored for the opposition, with his header coming back off the woodwork! Still, that didnt stop him from enjoying his day.

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They Think It's All Over... posts a WDKF Wednesday article looking at the merits of pre-season matches and how much we should read into them. Click to continue reading...

Tempting as it is to jump on Newcastle's 6-1 defeat to Leyton Orient as yet another sign that the club from Tyneside is sinking faster than the Titanic, I think to do so would be entirely misguided. Oh, don't get me wrong, I feel that Newcastle have a lot of work to do to halt [...] Click to continue reading...

Stevenage are up against Peterborough tonight at Broadhall Way. Updates from the game will be live here.

LIVE SCORE: Boro 0-1 Peterborough

BORO: Bayes, Wilson, Laird, Roberts, Ashton, Cole, Bridges, Bostwick, Long, Yemi, Boylan

POSH: Lewis, Lee, Zakuani, Pearce, Williams, Boyd, Coutts, McLean, Batt, Whelpdale, Diagouraga

1 min: Boyd cross shot easily dealt with by Bayes
4 mins: Snap shot by Long saved by Joe Lewis in the Posh goal
12 mins: GOAL!

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"PICTURES: United In Munich" was originally published at The Republik of Mancunia. Click to continue reading...

Boca Juniors are Manchester United's first opponents in the Audi Cup which kicks off tomorrow evening Munich.

Sir Alex Ferguson has confessed that during sleepless nights in Manchester he has watched Boca Juniors playing on late night telly.

"If you can't sleep at three in the morning in England, then you can see Boca," said Ferguson.

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Manchester United take on Boca Juniors tomorrow in the opening game of the Audi Cup in Munich. Sir Alex has today revealed that Valencia will start in that game, making his début, after missing out on the tour of Asia.

"Valencia didn't join us in the Far East because he was behind the rest of the squad in terms of his fitness," Ferguson said.

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Last year, the number of men practising safe and getting tested increased dramatically in Sierra Leone, a country that had seen a 75% increase in all new HIV infections since 2002. The reason? A nationwide campaign across TV, radio and billboards. It was doctors telling men to put a condom on, it wasn't politicians fighting the stigma of the virus, but three footballers.

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England's Brave John Terry has finally committed his future to the club. And Chelsea wrapped up the World Football Challenge in style Sunday night, handing Club America a 2-0 defeat at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas.

All is good.

It finally went right for young Franco Di Santo who, as a second-half substitute, scored and set up the Blues' second goal.

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You gave 'em a chance Harry and they didn't let you down. Gawd bless you sir. That's the main positive I take from the Wembley Cup, played at Wembley by the way, between four teams chosen at random by the Premium Bond computer.Bostock, Livermore, Rose and Naughton are ready in my view to be introduced to the first team squad. Click to continue reading...

"PICTURES: United Against Hangzhou Greentown" was originally published at The Republik of Mancunia. Click to continue reading...

First Half:
Cavalieri
Degen Carragher San Jose Agger
Benayoun Mascherano Lucas Babel
Ngog Voronin
Subs:
Gulasci for Cavalieri 46'
Riera for Babel 46'
Insua for San Jose 46'
Kuyt for Benayoun 61'
Torres for Voronin 61'
Plessis for Mascherano 61'
Pacheco for Lucas 61'
Nemeth for Ngog 61'
Spearing for Degen 61'
Kelly for Carragher 61'
Reina for Gulasci 78'
Alonso for Agger 78'
Dossena for Riera 78'
Goals:
Voronin 45+1'
Riera 54'
Nemeth 73' 83'
Torres 80'
Bit different than the first three friendlies, eh? Click to continue reading...

Hangzhou Greentown vs United "LIVE BLOG: Hangzhou Greentown vs United" was originally published at The Republik of Mancunia. Click to continue reading...

It's our second preseason match, and Barca's up against Egyptian club Al-Ahly as the Wembley Cup continues.
The two teams met before in a friendly in Egypt at the end of the 2006-2007 season, where Bojan made his first team debut and scored the second goal in Barca's 4-0 win.
We expect Pep will be playing the kids once again for this one, and that Messi will also get some game time. Click to continue reading...

"Can't Watch Hangzhou Greentown vs United?" was originally published at The Republik of Mancunia. Click to continue reading...

If you can't watch the match tomorrow, check out the RoM liveblog.

"PICTURES: United In China" was originally published at The Republik of Mancunia. Click to continue reading...

The first match is near, and we can barely contain our excitement. It seems like ages since we've seen the boys play (in reality only about two months) and we just can't wait for this!
Barca opens preseason against English club Tottenham as part of the Wembley Cup friendly tournament, which also features Scottish club Celtic and Egypt's Al-Ahly. Click to continue reading...