Things I Learned From This Weekend

• It’s good to have Edwin Van der Sar back. Bolton may have pulled a goal back, but the big Dutchman kept his area clear for a large portion of the game and definitely seemed to be a calming presence at the back. The play that most stands out in my mind is when Van der Sar made a save and immediately punted the ball 70 yards to the feet of a waiting Dimitar Berbatov, who promptly launched a counterattack. Pinpoint accuracy on the longball + the ability to play with his feet = welcome back Edwin.

• Ryan Giggs has clearly made some kind of deal with Satan. The 96 year old winger once again looked deadly on offense and threatening on defense. My favorite Giggs moment came in the closing seconds of the match when Giggsy dribbled into the corner and then proceeded to hold off two Bolton defenders for far longer than should have been possibly, and then he won a corner. Shouldn’t he be allowed to select a national team to play for in the World Cup? That only seems fair, right?

• Wigan are way better than our shellacking of them indicated. Since we had our way with them way back when, Wigan have found their footing, defeated Chelsea, and drawn with Manchester City. The speed and overall size of that squad could do further damage to some of the bigger teams. Speaking of which….

• Get ready to hear everyone and their mother call on Rafa Benetiz to resign, Hicks and Gillette to commit seppuku, and all of the rest of the team to pack it in for the season. Liverpool have now lost four of nine games, and are currently eighth in the table behind the likes of Sunderland, Villa, and City. Not exactly the start they were hoping for.

• Sir Alex should probably be quiet for a little while. He was officially charged by the FA for his remarks regarding the fitness of referee Mark Wiley. Given the fact that his apology wasn’t an apology (I’m sorry you’re sad/fat sort of thing), I’m not entirely surprised. Ferguson was charged with improper conduct and could face up to a five match ban. Looks like the FA are hoping to make an impression with this one. More to come on this issue later…

• Just when I was ready to count Aston Villa out, they pull me back in. Aston Villa are always pipped to push for a Big Four spot but it never materializes. After City’s growth and Tottenham’s start, I figured the Villains were no doubt going to be luck to push for a UEFA position. Now? I guess I don’t know what to believe anymore.

• AC/DC are still amazingly good despite the fact that 1) they are all approximately 18 inches tall and 2) they are all damn close to being senior citizens. I saw them in Washington DC on Friday, and I gotta say that if I’m in my fifties, and can still run around like Brian Johnson or have demonic seizures like Angus Young, then I’ll consider myself a success.

• I love football. An excellent weekend of games all around, with exciting games all over the place. I was supposed to do housework and the like on Saturday, and instead found myself watching three games at once. I watch so much football that when I tried to turn off the screen, I went through withdrawals and was therefore forced to watch the Argentinean League and the United Soccer League. Good weekend all around.

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Category: Manchester United