The question is where Carlos Tevez will be fitting into this lineup with Dimitar Berbatov up front now. Tevez played some beautiful football during the first month of the season while Rooney seemed to struggle at times, but he has now started only one of United’s past five games. There was talk earlier in the season about signing the Argentinean to a long-term deal, but it’s hard to imagine that he’ll be excited about such a move now. ......read the rest at: 

 http://www.examiner.com/x-642-Soccer-Examiner~y2008m10d8-EPL-discussion-and-the-Tevez-issue

In a way, this one ended as it should.

Manchester United needed at least a point following last week’s loss at Anfield, and they got it with the 1-1 draw. Chelsea, on the other hand, controlled the game from midway through the first half to the end and certainly deserved their point to keep the incredible 85-game unbeaten home record.

In a game with two heavyweights and plenty of pace and space throughout, the final score was in a way disappointing because of the neutral result and at the same time not all that surprising.

For United, it still leaves them with questions as they try to battle out of this early season funk that engulfed them last year, as well......

Check out the rest at: http://www.examiner.com/x-642-Soccer-Examiner~y2008m9d21-Chelsea-and-Man-United-battle-to-a-11-draw 

I was lucky enough to find a place last night showing both the Arsenal and Manchester United Champions League games.

Let’s start with Arsenal, which naturally had the big screen TV since my living arrangements are well within the club’s range in London.

The Gunners looked dangerous to close out the first half, but Dynamo Kyiv drew first blood on a penalty in the 64th when Bacary Sagna pulled down a man in the box as a service ball was coming in. Replays were inconclusive, with one making it look like the Arsenal man was over his back while the other seemed to show the Dynamo player grabbing onto Sagna and then tumbling to the ground. Perhaps a harsh decision from the referee, but such is life away from home.

But even with the home team retreating back.....read the rest at: http://www.examiner.com/x-642-Soccer-Examiner~y2008m9d18-The-return-of-Ronaldo

It took eight years for United to capture the Champions League hardware again after their 1999 triumph, but the new title brought a similar result in the UEFA Super Cup on Friday when the Reds took on UEFA Cup winners FC Zenit St. Petersburg on Friday in Monaco.

The Russians were the more quality side when viewing the entire 90 minutes and deserved their 2-1 victory against a very strong United side. A beautiful flick-on off a corner at the end of the first half set up the first goal, and Danny’s daring run and pin-point accuracy with Rio Ferdinand right on him brought the Russians a 2-0 lead in the second half that could have been more.

Zenit continually broke down the United defense on the wings in the first half, and Edwin van der Sar did well to keep out a point-blank volley on a free kick. Zenit had opportunities throughout the second period as well, with Andrei Arshavin coming on in the second half to produce countless opportunities on the left wing.

For United, they were porous defensively (Gary Neville did not look impressive), and had little room on the flank to let Evra go – a strategy that worked so well against Portsmouth on Monday. Wayne Rooney again disappeared at times and bumbled a wonderful opportunity in the box after a dynamic run down the right wing by Carlos Tevez.

Tevez was a maniac throughout the match as he demanded that ball and rarely lost it. And when Zenit did steal it from him, he must have recovered it within the next two seconds at least four or five times.

Read the rest at this link: 

 http://www.examiner.com/x-642-Soccer-Examiner~y2008m8d29-Manchester-United-falls-in-Super-Cup