Versatile Brown draws praise

26/09/2007 08:20, Report by Steve BartramVersatile Brown draws praiseSir Alex Ferguson admits Wes Brown is revelling as an interim right-back during Gary Neville's enforced injury absence.

The Reds' club captain is back in training after more than six months out of action, but Brown's recent outstanding displays have not gone unnoticed by the United manager.

"Wes Brown is a great substitute for Gary because he's a terrific defender," Sir Alex told Manchester United Radio.

"His two best performances have come against Sporting Lisbon and Chelsea. He's played his guts out in Gary's position."

United sit second in the Barclays Premier League table, despite a shot-shy start to the season, thanks to a miserly defence that has conceded just twice in seven games.

Edwin van der Sar was a virtual spectator in Sunday's win over Chelsea, and Sir Alex has been delighted with his side's collective defending.

"I must say, in home games this season, we've done that quite a lot," he said. "Reading and Sunderland hardly had a shot between them. I don't think we're doing a lot wrong.

"The team ethic has been good and everyone's working very hard to win the

ball back," Sir Alex said. "That's all down to team-work, all of them, not just one or two."

Sir Alex is hopeful that his side's 2-0 triumph over Chelsea – the Reds' first two-goal haul since April – will prompt a return to the traditionally goal-laden play United can produce.

"There's no question this club is built on goals," he said. "I was talking with Sir Bobby the other day and he said he'd never heard of four straight 1-0 wins. I said 'I'll be getting sacked soon!'.

"I'll take four 2-0 wins now. The way we attack and the way we play, of course you expect goals, but I think they'll come now."

Boss expects entertaining tie

25/09/2007 09:09, Report by Steve BartramBoss expects entertaining tieSir Alex Ferguson expects a competitive, entertaining tie as United begin their Carling Cup campaign against Coventry City on Wednesday night.

Iain Dowie's Sky Blues come to Manchester with just one point from their last three games, but with a huge travelling support, and Sir Alex is wary of the Midlanders' threat.

"He's doing a good job, Iain," Sir Alex told Manchester United Radio. "I watched them on Saturday against Ipswich. They lost three goals in the first half but they looked the better side to me.

"I think Coventry will have a real go. It will be a fantastic atmosphere, which I think will help them, with 10,000 of their fans here. It will feel like a real cup tie."

The United manager confirmed that he will field a host of his squad's burgeoning young talents against the Sky Blues, and hand run-outs to players who are in need of action.

"I'm going to play the younger ones, but also players like Anderson, Nani, maybe O'Shea," he said. "But the younger one like Pique, Evans, Simpson, Bardlsey, Eagles, Martin, Dong, Campbell, Kuszczak – they'll all be involved."

Sir Alex also confirmed that another match-hungry member of his squad has been pestering him for some involvement on Wednesday night.

"Wayne Rooney's been in my ear wanting to play," he revealed. "'I want to play, I want to be captain, I want to take the penalties, the corners, the free kicks, the goal kicks, the lot'.

"There's a real buzz about the place. We're really looking forward to it."

Youth given chance to shine

25/09/2007 08:49, Report by Nick CoppackYouth given chance to shineSir Alex Ferguson says United's youngsters can look to Sir Bobby Charlton for inspiration ahead of the Reds' Carling Cup clash with Coventry City.

A number of players will gain rare first-team starts on Wednesday night and the United manager says it's up to them to make the most of the opportunity.

"I've just been reading Bobby's book and he speaks a lot about his early years here," the manager told Manchester United Radio. "What came across strongly was the number of times he had to say, 'Believe in yourself Bobby, you'll get your chance'. I didn't realise he was 19 before he played his first game for United. He was being kept out of the team time and time again by more experienced players.

"It's the same with these young lads. They have to keep believing in themselves and, when their chance comes, take it. And they will get chances."

Sir Alex revealed he hopes to hand opportunities to almost a dozen Reserves or fringe players, including Gerard Pique, Chris Eagles and Tomasz Kuszczak. He also said Nani, Anderson and John O'Shea could be involved.

"This is a really important night for these players. They all want regular first-team football and that's not easy to manage. I'm trying to get them games in the Premier League and in Europe too, but Wednesday is a great opportunity for them.

"You have to use your squad throughout the course of the season and I'll be doing that when the time's right. At the moment they might not see that, but it will happen and I know they won't let us down.

"A lot of these players have already shown great improvement. Chris Eagles has been sensational in training and the games he's played in. Young Jonny Evans and Gerard Pique have also been excellent, as has Danny Simpson.

"There's real promise there and that's what we want to see on Wednesday. We want them to play with the kind of commitment they see from the first-team players every week."

Match Pack: Coventry

25/09/2007 07:07, Report by Nick CoppackMatch Pack: CoventryWednesday's Carling Cup clash will be the 83rd meeting between United and Coventry. The Reds have won more than half (42) of those, with Coventry emerging triumphant just 22 times. The last time the Midlands club won at Old Trafford was in April 1989.

Form guide: The Reds might not be scoring freely, but Sir Alex's men have picked up maximum points from the last five games. Sunday's win over Chelsea saw United record their first win by more than a single goal since the Reds beat Everton 4-2 last season. Meanwhile, Coventry City are coming off the back of a 4-1 thumping at the hands of Ipswich Town. The Sky Blues are currently eighth in the Championship.

Ins and outs: Expect lots of changes from United, as Sir Alex continues to employ his squad rotation policy. This will be the perfect chance for the likes of Gerard Pique, Jonny Evans, Dong Fangzhuo and Tomasz Kuzczak to shine. We could also see Owen Hargreaves, Nani and Anderson. Coventry have had a number of injuries recently, with Michael Hughes, Robert Page and Kevin Kyle all ruled out. Meanwhile, David McNamee, Colin Hawkins and Julian Gray are also struggling to prove their fitness.

Star men: Gerard Pique showed his talent in La Liga last season and the Spanish defender will be keen to prove he can do the same in England. The visitors' hopes will be pinned largely on former Wigan defender Arjan De Zeeuw, but also keep an eye out for Maltese striker Michael Mifsud, who's notched twice already in the Carling Cup this season.

What are the odds? Betfred have United as 1/4 favourites to win, although Coventry are a decent bet at 15/2. Backing Chris Eagles as first scorer might be worth a shot, especially with odds of 10/1. For all the markets, visit www.manutd.com/bet

Have your say: Will United's youngsters be strong enough to beat Coventry City on Wednesday night? Vote at www.manutd.com/polls

MUTV Online: Carrick interview

24/09/2007 11:10, Report by Gemma ThompsonPAGE: 1 2MUTV Online: Carrick interviewMichael Carrick believes United landed a crucial blow to Chelsea's title hopes following the Reds' 2-0 victory on Sunday.

Although it's still early days in the title race, midfielder Michael was delighted to see United come out on top in a match which was about more than just the three points.

"Chelsea have been our main rivals over the last few years so it's nice to get one over them," said Carrick, in an interview you can see on MUTV Online (from 19:00 Monday).

"In some ways it was a bit of a six pointer with us getting the three points and taking those points away from them.

"We played as well as we have done all the season. They're a very good side and it was a good test for us. Even before they went down to ten men [following John Obi Mikel's dismissal] I thought we were the better team.

"The second half was a different game in many ways - they sat back, while we just tried to keep the ball and take any opportunities when we got them. Thankfully we managed to get the penalty which just killed it off at the end.

"We're on a good little run now and it's important for us to keep it going."

Carrick hailed the contribution of Carlos Tevez, who opened his account for the Reds with a perfectly timed goal just before the break.

"It's great to see him off the mark," added the midfielder. "His performances have been getting better and better.

"As a striker you want to get that first goal sooner rather than later and there was no better day to get it than today."

Other post-match interviews on MUTV Online include Sir Alex Ferguson and Ryan Giggs (in News > Player Views), plus Chelsea's Avram Grant (in Monday's News).

Soccer

Soccer
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Article Outline
Introduction; Field; Team; Officials; Equipment; Play; Skills; Amateur Competition; Professional Soccer; International Competition; History
I Introduction

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Soccer, game played by two teams on a rectangular field, in which players attempt to knock a round ball through the opponents’ goal, using any part of the body except the hands. Generally, players use their feet and heads as they kick, dribble, and pass the ball toward the goal. One player on each team guards the goal. This player, the goalkeeper, is the only player allowed to touch the ball with the hands while it is in play.

Soccer is a free-flowing game that has relatively few rules and requires little equipment. All that is needed to play is an area of open space and a ball. Much of the world's soccer is played informally, without field markings or real goals. In many places, the game is played barefoot using rolled-up rags or newspapers as a ball. Soccer is the world's most popular sport, played by people of all ages in about 200 countries. The sport has millions of fans throughout the world.

Only in the United States and Canada is the game referred to as soccer. Outside these countries the sport is commonly called football, or fútbol in Spanish-speaking countries, where the game is particularly popular. The official name of the sport is association football. The word soccer is a slang corruption of the abbreviation assoc.

The Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) is the worldwide governing body of soccer. FIFA governs all levels of soccer, including professional play, Olympic competitions, and youth leagues. The organization also governs the sport’s premier event, the World Cup, an international competition held every four years pitting national teams from 32 countries against one another.


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II Field

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FIFA’s rules state that a soccer field must be rectangular. It must be between 90 and 120 m (100 and 130 yd) long and between 45 and 90 m (50 and 100 yd) wide. The rectangular goals at each end of the field are 7.32 m (24 ft) wide and 2.44 m (8 ft) high. The goals are generally made of metal or plastic. A nylon mesh net attached to the goal traps the ball when a team scores.

Several field markings define the area of play. These include the penalty areas, sidelines, end lines, and corner kick quarter-circles. The two penalty areas are the most important field markings. They lie at each end of the field directly in front of the goals. The areas are 40.32 m (44 yd) wide and extend 16.5 m (18 yd) in front of the goal. Goalkeepers can use their hands within this area, but if they venture beyond the boundaries of the penalty area, they must follow the general rules applying to all players. If a player commits a major foul inside the penalty area, the other team is awarded a penalty kick. (Fouls and penalty kicks are discussed in greater detail in the Play section of this article.)

Sidelines and end lines define the area of play, meaning that any space outside these lines is considered out of play. If a team kicks the ball out of bounds over a sideline, the opposing team puts it back in play by a throw-in. To make a throw-in, a player outside the sideline throws the ball to a teammate who is in play. The player must always use two hands and bring the ball from behind the head while standing in the spot where the ball left the field of play. Failure to do so results in a change of possession, and the other team is awarded the throw-in.

When a ball passes beyond an end line, one of two things happens, depending on which team last touched the ball. When the defending team touches the ball last, a corner kick is awarded to the attacking team. A corner kick is a free kick taken from one of the quarter-circle areas at each corner of the field. If the attacking team kicks the ball past the end line, the defense takes possession of the ball. The defense is allowed to kick the ball up the field from one of the corners of the goal area, a smaller rectangular area within the penalty area. These kicks are called goal kicks.

III Team

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In a regulation soccer game, each team fields 11 players. There are four main positions—goalkeeper, defender, midfielder, and attacker. One player from each team plays the position of goalkeeper, but the distribution of other players among the other positions can vary.

Generally, teams play with three or four defenders, who are also known as fullbacks. Fullbacks are the last line of defense between the goalkeeper and the opposing team. Their primary job is to thwart an opposing attack by winning control of the ball. Fullbacks then initiate their own team's attack, moving the ball in the other direction, upfield, and passing it ahead.

Three or four players called midfielders, or halfbacks, act as a link between defense and offense. Midfield is the most demanding position, as halfbacks must master skills necessary both to defend and attack. Halfbacks are also constantly moving, running from one end of the field to the other.

Attackers, or forwards, are primarily responsible for scoring goals. Teams generally play with two, three, or four forwards. Forwards must handle the ball well and be excellent passers, and they also must be exceptionally quick.

Teams align their players in strategic formations that are described numerically. In the early days of soccer, the most common formation featured two fullbacks, three midfielders, and five forwards (2-3-5). As the game has developed, teams have put more emphasis on defense. In the modern game, most teams use the 4-4-2 (four defenders, four midfielders, two forwards). Other variations include the 3-5-2, 4-3-3, or 5-3-2. Regardless of the official formation a team uses, any player may be called upon to attack or defend at any time during a game.

In youth, high school, and college games, substitutes may enter the game as often as desired. In the professional game, however, a limited number of substitutes are permitted per contest, usually two or three. A replaced player may not reenter the game. Because of these restrictions, stamina is even more important in professional games than it is at other levels. During a professional game players may run 11 to 13 km (7 to 8 mi) in a grueling series of stops, starts, sprints, and quick changes of direction.

IV Officials

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Soccer differs from other team sports in that there is only one referee, who makes all decisions related to rules. In most countries, the referee is also the sole timekeeper and has discretion to add time to the end of the game if he or she believes one team has intentionally wasted time. Or the referee may add time at the end of the game because of player injuries or other delays.

The referee can eject players from a match for violent or unbecoming conduct. The referee may show a player who commits an especially dangerous foul a yellow card, which is an official caution. A player who is shown the yellow card twice in one game is ejected, and his team must compete a player short for the remainder of the match. If a single foul is violent enough, the referee may immediately show the player a red card, which means automatic ejection. Soccer uses the yellow and red card system throughout the world. This means that even if the players and referee do not speak the same language, everyone can understand the referee’s actions.

Two assistants, known as linesmen or referees’ assistants, aid the referee. Their primary job is to alert the referee when balls go out of the playing area and to assist in making offsides calls (see Rules section below). The assistants carry flags, which they wave when the ball leaves the playing area or use to point to the spot where a foul was committed.

Laws of the game

There are seventeen laws in the official Laws of the Game. The same Laws are designed to apply to all levels of football, although certain modifications for groups such as juniors, seniors or women are permitted. The laws are often framed in broad terms, which allow flexibility in their application depending on the nature of the game. In addition to the seventeen laws, numerous IFAB decisions and other directives contribute to the regulation of football. The Laws of the Game are published by FIFA, but are maintained by the International Football Association Board, not FIFA itself.[15]


Players, equipment and officials
See also: Football (soccer) positions, Formation (football), and kit (football)
Each team consists of a maximum of eleven players (excluding substitutes), one of whom must be the goalkeeper. Competition rules may state a minimum number of players required to constitute a team; this is usually seven. Goalkeepers are the only players allowed to play the ball with their hands or arms, provided they do so within the penalty area in front of their own goal. Though there are a variety of positions in which the outfield (non-goalkeeper) players are strategically placed by a coach, these positions are not defined or required by the Laws.

The basic equipment or kit players are required to wear includes a shirt, shorts, socks, footwear and adequate shin guards. Players are forbidden to wear or use anything that is dangerous to themselves or another player, such as jewellery or watches. The goalkeeper must wear clothing that is easily distinguishable from that worn by the other players and the match officials.

A number of players may be replaced by substitutes during the course of the game. The maximum number of substitutions permitted in most competitive international and domestic league games is three, though the permitted number may vary in other competitions or in friendly matches. Common reasons for a substitution include injury, tiredness, ineffectiveness, a tactical switch, or timewasting at the end of a finely poised game. In standard adult matches, a player who has been substituted may not take further part in a match.

A game is officiated by a referee, who has "full authority to enforce the Laws of the Game in connection with the match to which he has been appointed" (Law 5), and whose decisions are final. The referee is assisted by two assistant referees. In many high-level games there is also a fourth official who assists the referee and may replace another official should the need arise.


Pitch

Standard pitch measurements (See Imperial version)Main article: Football pitch
As the Laws were formulated in England, and were initially administered solely by the four British football associations within IFAB, the standard dimensions of a football pitch were originally expressed in imperial units. The Laws now express dimensions with approximate metric equivalents (followed by traditional units in brackets), though popular use tends to continue to use traditional units in English-speaking countries with a relatively recent history of metrification, such as Britain.[16]

The length of the pitch for international adult matches is in the range 100–110 metres (110–120 yd) and the width is in the range 64–75 metres (70–80 yd). Fields for non-international matches may be 100–130 yards length and 50–100 yards in width, provided that the pitch does not become square. The longer boundary lines are touchlines or sidelines, while the shorter boundaries (on which the goals are placed) are goal lines. A rectangular goal is positioned at the middle of each goal line. The inner edges of the vertical goal posts must be 8 yards (7.32 m) apart, and the lower edge of the horizontal crossbar supported by the goal posts must be 8 feet (2.44 m) above the ground. Nets are usually placed behind the goal, but are not required by the Laws.

In front of each goal is an area known as the penalty area (colloquially "18-yard box" or simply "the box"). This area is marked by the goal-line, two lines starting on the goal-line 18 yards (16.5 m) from the goalposts and extending 18 yards (16 m) into the pitch perpendicular to the goal-line, and a line joining them. This area has a number of functions, the most prominent being to mark where the goalkeeper may handle the ball and where a penal foul by a member of the defending team becomes punishable by a penalty kick. Other markings define the position of the ball or players at kick-offs, goal kicks, penalty kicks and corner kicks.


Duration and tie-breaking methods
A standard adult football match consists of two periods of 45 minutes each, known as halves. Each half runs continuously, meaning that the clock is not stopped when the ball is out of play. There is usually a 15-minute "half-time" break between halves. The end of the match is known as full-time.

The referee is the official timekeeper for the match, and may make an allowance for time lost through substitutions, injured players requiring attention, or other stoppages. This added time is commonly referred to as stoppage time or injury time, and is at the sole discretion of the referee. The referee alone signals the end of the match. In matches where a fourth official is appointed, toward the end of the half the referee signals how many minutes of stoppage time he intends to add. The fourth official then informs the players and spectators by holding up a board showing this number. The signalled stoppage time may be further extended by the referee.

In league competitions games may end in a draw, but in some knockout competitions if a game is tied at the end of regulation time it may go into extra time, which consists of two further 15-minute periods. If the score is still tied after extra time, some competitions allow the use of penalty shootouts (known officially in the Laws of the Game as "kicks from the penalty mark") to determine which team will progress to the next stage of the tournament. Goals scored during extra time periods count toward the final score of the game, but kicks from the penalty mark are only used to decide the team that progresses to the next part of the tournament (with goals scored in a penalty shootout not making up part of the final score).

Competitions held over two legs (in which each team plays at home once) may use the away goals rule to determine which team progresses in the event of equal aggregate scores. If the result is still equal, kicks from the penalty mark are usually required, though some competitions may require a tied game to be replayed.

In the late 1990s, the IFAB experimented with ways of creating a winner without requiring a penalty shootout, which was often seen as an undesirable way to end a match. These involved rules ending a game in extra time early, either when the first goal in extra time was scored (golden goal), or if one team held a lead at the end of the first period of extra time (silver goal). Golden goal was used at the World Cup in 1998 and 2002. The first World Cup game decided by a golden goal was France's victory over Paraguay in 1998. Germany was the first nation to score a golden goal in a major competition, beating Czech Republic in the final of Euro 1996. Silver goal was used in Euro 2004. Both these experiments have been discontinued by IFAB.[17]


Ball in and out of play
Main article: Ball in and out of play
Under the Laws, the two basic states of play during a game are ball in play and ball out of play. From the beginning of each playing period with a kick-off (a set kick from the centre-spot by one team) until the end of the playing period, the ball is in play at all times, except when either the ball leaves the field of play, or play is stopped by the referee. When the ball becomes out of play, play is restarted by one of eight restart methods depending on how it went out of play:

Kick-off: following a goal by the opposing team, or to begin each period of play.
Throw-in: when the ball has wholly crossed the touchline; awarded to opposing team to that which last touched the ball.
Goal kick: when the ball has wholly crossed the goal line without a goal having been scored and having last been touched by an attacker; awarded to defending team.
Corner kick: when the ball has wholly crossed the goal line without a goal having been scored and having last been touched by a defender; awarded to attacking team.
Indirect free kick: awarded to the opposing team following "non-penal" fouls, certain technical infringements, or when play is stopped to caution or send-off an opponent without a specific foul having occurred. A goal may not be scored directly from an indirect free kick.
Direct free kick: awarded to fouled team following certain listed "penal" fouls.
Penalty kick: awarded to the fouled team following a foul usually punishable by a direct free kick but that has occurred within their opponent's penalty area.
Dropped-ball: occurs when the referee has stopped play for any other reason, such as a serious injury to a player, interference by an external party, or a ball becoming defective. This restart is uncommon in adult games.

Fouls and misconduct

Players are cautioned with a yellow card, and sent off with a red card.
A foul occurs when a player commits an offence listed in the Laws of the Game while the ball is in play. The offences that constitute a foul are listed in Law 12. Handling the ball deliberately, tripping an opponent, or pushing an opponent, are examples of "penal fouls", punishable by a direct free kick or penalty kick depending on where the offence occurred. Other fouls are punishable by an indirect free kick.


A player scores a penalty kick given after an offence is committed inside the penalty boxThe referee may punish a player or substitute's misconduct by a caution (yellow card) or sending-off (red card). A second yellow card at the same game leads to a red card, and therefore to a sending-off. Misconduct may occur at any time, and while the offences that constitute misconduct are listed, the definitions are broad. In particular, the offence of "unsporting behaviour" may be used to deal with most events that violate the spirit of the game, even if they are not listed as specific offences. Non-players, such as managers and support staff, may be dismissed by the referee if they fail to conduct themselves in a responsible manner.

Rather than stopping play, the referee may allow play to continue if doing so will benefit the team against which an offence has been committed. This is known as "playing an advantage". The referee may "call back" play and penalise the original offence if the anticipated advantage does not ensue within a short period of time, typically taken to be four to five seconds. Even if an offence is not penalised due to advantage being played, the offender may still be sanctioned for misconduct at the next stoppage of play.

The most complex of the Laws is offside. The offside law limits the ability of attacking players to remain forward (i.e. closer to the opponent's goal-line) of the ball, the second-to-last defending player (which can include the goalkeeper), and the half-way line.[18]


Governing bodies

23/09/2007 13:22, Report by Ben HibbsPAGE: 1 2 3Report: United 2 Chelsea 0The Reds moved second in the Barclays Premier League table on Sunday after Carlos Tevez grabbed his first United goal and Louis Saha capped off a deserved 2-0 victory over Chelsea at Old Trafford.

Chelsea's John Obi Mikel was sent off in the first half, but even before that point, United were always in control and never looked like ending this match with anything other than three points.

The goings-on at Stamford Bridge earlier this week took centre stage in the build-up to the game. However, during his Friday press conference, Sir Alex was insistent that Jose Mourinho’s departure would not overshadow the greatest need – three points – in what he said would be an important, if perhaps not decisive, meeting in the race for the title.

And that mindset was clear from the start, with United playing an attacking 4-4-2 formation as Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez spearheaded the Reds' attack for the first time. And the former quickly stamped his mark on the game. Rooney latched onto a ball Ryan Giggs won in midfield, and carrying the ball forward he took on his marker Tal Ben-Haim and curled a shot towards the far top corner. Petr Cech had to be at his best from the off, finger-tipping his save from the jaws of the upright.

The new man, Avram Grant, wasn’t aiming for a rapid departure from the brand of football Mourinho preached, sticking to the Portuguese coach’s 4-5-1 template, with width and expansive, attacking play – high on Roman Abramovich’s wish-list – clearly not yet applied. The missing Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard further blunted Chelsea’s attacking options.

Just short of the 20-minute mark, Evra and the entire Stretford End were up in arms as Joe Cole appeared to catch the Reds' left-back just inside the area. Referee Mike Dean ushered away the protests.

United’s forward triumvirate of Rooney, Tevez and Ronaldo began increasingly to cause Chelsea significant problems. Paul Scholes picked out their forward runs with relative ease. All three attackers had

shots that troubled Cech, and Sir Alex’s side were edging closer to finding the breakthrough.

All the goalscoring opportunities were United’s. Rooney controlled a poor Ashley Cole clearance and crossed to the far post, where Giggs narrowly side-footed over. More than the chances, red shirts were first to every ball, strong in defence, organised in midfield, eager to get on and play from free-kicks and positive in everything they did going forward.

United were to be given a further boost in the 32nd minute when John Obi Mikel went into a challenge on Patrice Evra and lifted both feet off the ground. Fortunately he didn’t follow through, otherwise the Frenchman could have seriously been injured. It was maybe harsh, but the referee considered it dangerous enough to send the young Nigerian from the field.

Advantage United, perhaps. But it still needed the goal the home side’s play deserved. It almost arrived five minutes from time when Nemanja Vidic, the match-winner against Everton, rose above Chelsea’s defence to test Cech again.

The breakthrough finally did arrive in injury time at the end of the first half. Giggs curled in an inviting cross to the front post and Tevez darted into space, heading past Cech. It was nothing more than United deserved, and what better time for the Argentinian to score his first goal for the club?

The second half brought, as expected with Chelsea down to ten men, long periods of possession for the Reds. And with United rock solid in defence, wave after wave of attack came with the rain that raked across Old Trafford.

Chelsea never really looked like equalling United in any department all afternoon. The sending off undoubtedly didn’t help their cause, but from the very start the Reds showed they wanted this victory more than the visitors.

Joe Cole was lucky to stay on the field after a challenge caught Ronaldo on the ankle and could have caused injury. He was booked and can count

But United had the final say of the afternoon when substitute Louis Saha, on for the impressive and tireless Tevez, was pulled back in the area by Ben-Haim and the referee pointed to the spot. The Frenchman, having earned the penalty, stepped up to take it, despite the inevitable offer from Ronaldo to take over duties if he should be required. Saha welcomed his second goal of the season with a strike down the middle of the goal.

Saha had the chance to add a second in injury time. The forward raced away from Ben-Haim and controlled Carrick’s raking ball forward perfectly before firing his shot narrowly over.

The victory breaks the trend of 1-0 wins – United were headed for a fifth on the trot before Saha’s penalty – and moves the Reds to second in the table, two points behind Arsenal. Chelsea must surely now be asking questions of their ability to reclaim the title. For United, the defence of it gathers momentum.

Team Line-ups

Manchester United: Van der Sar; Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra; Ronaldo, Carrick, Scholes, Giggs (c); Tevez (Saha, 79), Rooney.
Subs not used: Kuszczak, O’Shea, Nani, Pique.

Chelsea: Cech; Ferreira, Ben-Haim, Terry(c), A.Cole; J.Cole (Pizarro, 76), Mikel (sent
off 32), Makelele, Essien, Malouda (Wright-Phillips, 69); Shevchenko (Kalou, 59).
Subs not used: Cudicini, Alex.

Attendance: 75,633

23/09/2007 17:49, Report by Ben HibbsPAGE: 1 2Sir Alex: We deserved winSir Alex Ferguson believes the "fortunate" moments when Chelsea had a man sent off and United were awarded a penalty merely made up for other incidents missed by referee Mike Dean.

Chelsea's John Obi Mikel was dismissed after 32 minutes for lifting both feet off the ground in a challenge on Patrice Evra, while Louis Saha was pulled back in the box in the 89th minute before completing United's 2-0 win from the penalty spot.

“I’ve seen the sending off incident and it was maybe a bit harsh, but there was intent there," said Sir Alex on Sky Sports.

"It could have hurt the boy (Evra) but a lot of referees would have let it go. Then, when you see Joe Cole’s tackle in the second half on Cristiano Ronaldo, that should have been a straight red card. It was right down the Achilles which is happening repeatedly to Cristiano. He got a yellow card, but it should have been red. I think the referee was perhaps balancing it out.

"The foul on Louis Saha for our penalty was a bit harsh, but I think that cancels out the one we should have got in the first half. We should have had a penalty kick (for Joe Cole’s foul on Evra) in the first half, I think the cameras clearly show that. In tight games like that, the referee has to make big decisions quickly and he can get it wrong."

Right or wrong, the refereeing decisions did not taint the worthiness of United's victory for Sir Alex, who said: “I think we were the better team.

"Our football in the early parts of the match was outstanding - in the first half hour we played as well as we have all season in terms of the penetration of our play, the movement and our passing.

“We could have been two or three up early on. Petr Cech made a great save from Wayne Rooney right at the start and we were dominant at that point.

“I think the real turning point was the goal just before half time. It was a real blow to Chelsea. At that point we had complete control of the match.

“In a way we got some of our confidence back today," added Sir Alex.

"There was style and tempo to our play. I was delighted with that. Tevez and Rooney are getting more games and Saha is coming back. We are looking more like ourselves.”

Blog: A sporting gesture

19/09/2007 20:40, Report by Nick Coppack in Lisbon
Blog: A sporting gesture
It wasn't always the hero's welcome he had hoped for, but Cristiano Ronaldo did eventually receive plaudits from Sporting Lisbon fans on his return to his former club.Indeed, in a show of tremendous sportsmanship, the Lisbon fans applauded Ronaldo when he put United in front on 62 minutes. It was the winger's first meaningful contribution of the match but it was enough to earn the Reds a valuable away victory and Ronaldo the morning headlines.The goal sparked Ronaldo into life; what had previously been a lacklustre performance turned into an individual display of sparking skill and confidence. In fact, his second half contribution was so impressive it brought the home fans to their feet when the Reds' no.7 was substituted minutes before the end.For large parts of the match, however, Ronaldo's return was almost a non-event. There was no official recognition and Sporting fans seemed more intent on getting behind their team and venting their frustrations at referee Herbert Fandel. The odd jeer could be heard, particularly in the game's opening stages, but it was nothing compared to the abuse the Reds' no.7 endured when United met Sporting's rivals, Benfica, in the last two seasons' group stages.

At Tuesday's press conference, Ronaldo spoke with fondness of the club that spent seven years developing his skills, although he was also quick to point out his desire to take all three points back to England.Perhaps it was that statement that prevented the Sporting fans wholeheartedly embracing the winger from the opening whistle. Or maybe their initial ambivalence towards the player they once adored was born of regret at what might have been had Ronaldo not signed for the Reds in 2003. In the end, however, all 39,514 people inside Lisbon's Jose Alvalade stadium rose to their feet in acknowledgement of one of the world's most exciting young footballers.

Red View: The Official Man Utd E-Newsletter
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18/09/2007 08:23, Report by Ben Hibbs
Rooney to be let off the leash
Wayne Rooney has been itching to get back to action following his fractured metatarsal injury, and now he's ready to take out his frustration on Sporting Lisbon.The 21-year-old Reds striker flew out to Lisbon with the rest of the United squad on Tuesday morning as the Reds prepare for the opening Champions League Group F match on Wednesday.Typical of Rooney's enthusiasm and hunger for football, he feels he could have played before now, but understands the caution taken by Sir Alex Ferguson and United's medical staff."I'm fine," he told MUTV. "I feel I could have played a few weeks ago and I'm a bit disappointed I haven't. But it was probably best in the long run. "I've been dying to play. I wanted to make sure the manager knew I was ready to come back. The manager and physios have been a bit cautious and rightly so - it's a long season. Hopefully, I can get a run-out on Wednesday and get back playing."For Rooney it was frustrating to endure the same type of injury he has suffered on two previous occasions, but he denied that it has anything to do with the Nike boots he wears."It's the third time I've had this injury and it was disappointing it happened so early in the season," he added. "I know there has been a lot of talk about the boots but they are fine. If you have a lad like Michael Duberry stamp on your foot, it is quite likely to break."

FIFA has a huge responsibility to reach out and touch the world, using football as a symbol of hope and integration

Mission
OUR PROMISE
For the Game. For the World.
The world is a place rich in natural beauty and cultural diversity, but also one where many are still deprived of their basic rights. FIFA now has an even greater responsibility to reach out and touch the world, using football as a symbol of hope and integration.
Only with the unwavering dedication of every FIFA team member, every member association and every business partner can football in all its forms contribute to achieving FIFA's goals at a high level by protecting standards, encouraging competition and promoting solidarity in the world game.
For the Game. For the World.
OUR MISSION
'Develop the game, touch the world, build a better future'.
Played by millions around the world, football is the heart and soul of FIFA and as the guardian of this most cherished game, we have a great responsibility. This responsibility does not end with organising the FIFA World Cup™ and the various other world cup competitions; it extends to safeguarding the Laws of the Game, developing the game around the world and to bringing hope to those less privileged. This is what we believe is the very essence of fair play and solidarity.
We see it as our mission to contribute towards building a better future for the world by using the power and popularity of football. This mission gives meaning and direction to each and every activity that FIFA is involved in - football being an integrated part of our society.
OUR APPROACH
Develop the game. Improve the game of football constantly and promote it globally in the light of its unifying, educational, cultural and humanitarian values, particularly through youth and development programmes. Football development means investing in people and society at large. Football is a school of life.
Touch the world. Take world-class football action and passion at all levels to every corner of the planet through our 208 member associations. The broad range of competitions shows the many faces of football, spearheaded by the FIFA World Cup™.
Build a better future. Football is no longer considered merely a global sport, but also as unifying force whose virtues can make an important contribution to society. We use the power of football as a tool for social and human development, by strengthening the work of dozens of initiatives around the globe to support local communities in the areas of peacebuilding, health, social integration, education and more.
WHAT WE STAND FOR
Our core values of authenticity, unity, performance and integrity are at the very heart of who we are.
Authenticity. We believe that football must remain a simple, beautiful game played by, enjoyed by and touching the lives of all people far and wide
Unity. We believe it is FIFA´s responsibility to foster unity within the football world and to use football to promote solidarity, regardless of gender, ethnic background, faith or culture
Performance. We believe that FIFA must strive to deliver football of the highest quality and as the best possible experience, be it as a player, as a spectacle, or as a major cultural and social enabler throughout the world
Integrity. We believe that, just as the game itself, FIFA must be a model of fair play, tolerance, sportsmanship and transparency
A CHANCE AND A CHALLENGE
'For the Game. For the World' reflects the core element of our mission and represents both a chance and a challenge: a chance for us to contribute to making a difference to people´s lives, and a challenge to balance this social element with our traditional competence of overseeing the rules of the game and organising world-class competitions.
"We see it as our duty to take on the social responsibility that comes hand in hand with our position at the helm of the world's most loved sport.
Join us in uniting forces to develop the game, touch the world and build a better future!"
Joseph S. Blatter

“Soccer” redirects here. For other uses, see Soccer (disambiguation).

“Soccer” redirects here. For other uses, see Soccer (disambiguation).

A player (wearing the red kit) has penetrated the defence (in the white kit) and is taking a shot at goal. The goalkeeper will attempt to stop the ball from crossing the goal line.

A goalkeeper dives to stop the ball from entering his goal.
Association football, commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players each. It is widely considered to be the most popular sport in the world.[1] Football is a ball game played on a rectangular grass or artificial turf field, with a goal at each of the short ends. The object of the game is to score by manoeuvring the ball into the opposing goal. In general play, the goalkeeper is the only player allowed to use their hands or arms to propel the ball; the rest of the team usually use their feet to kick the ball into position, while they may also occasionally use their torso or head to intercept a ball in mid air. The team that scores the most goals by the end of the match wins. If the score is tied at the end of the game, either a draw is declared or the game goes into extra time and/or a penalty shootout, depending on the format of the competition.
The modern game was codified in England following the formation of The Football Association, whose 1863 Laws of the Game created the foundations for the way the sport is played today. Football is governed internationally by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (International Federation of Association Football), which is commonly known by the acronym FIFA. The most prestigious international football competition is the World Cup, held every four years. This event, the most widely viewed and famous in the world, boasts an audience twice that of the Summer Olympics.[2]

How To Teach Drills For Soccer

How To Teach Drills For Soccer
by Andre Botelho
Dribble around cone & pass relay race is one of the best ways to teach the players regarding drills for soccer. Speed dribbling i.e. running with the ball, turning, passing and receiving at game-speed while under pressure is very important.
This method teaches the players all of these things, such as speed dribbling, passing, receiving, turning, and kicking a ball while running and under pressure. Furthermore, it also teaches the receivers to move to the ball.
Easy Set-up
The set-up is very easy. To start with, the coach should divide the players into teams with two players per team. However, this is no hard and fast rule. If one of the teams has an extra player, or a parent also want to play, it should be allowed.
In this method, there is a turning cone, which is placed about 6 to 15 steps from the starting cone. The players have to race around the same and the dribbler can pass to the waiting teammate as soon as he goes around the turning cone. There should be a point system, such as one point for each completed pass.
Teaching the Passers
The passer learns how to kick the ball while running and under pressure or how to pass quickly after having made a turn. One important thing is that the method teaches the passer that he / she should quickly move after making a pass and not stand still.
Teaching The Receivers
One common mistake that the young players make is that they wait for the ball to come to them, instead of going to the ball.
This method helps the receivers learn that they should not wait for the ball to come straight to their feet. Instead, they must anticipate the pass, be alert and move to the ball. Coaches can also teach the receivers to come to slow or short passes so they get to the ball quickly.
This method is simple but carries valuable advantages. The method really works and the best thing with this method is that it is self-teaching. The set-up for these drills for soccer method is very easy and you will certainly see fast results.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:Andre Botelho is a recognized authority on the subject of drills for soccer. His web site,Youth Soccer Drills: www.SoccerDrillsTips.com, provides a wealth of informative soccer articles,resources and tips for soccer coaches, parents and players.

Soccer-Coach-L Compilations

Soccer-Coach-L Compilations This site was last updated on 08/10/04
January 28, 2003Availability of Abridged Version of List Digest 1997 - 2002Fellow list members, First, to make a long story short: I have compiled and edited an abridged version of the list digest for the period 1997 to 2002. In the form of a compressed zip file, it comes to 2.7 MB. If you would like a copy of this zip file, please email me *off list*. I will respond by sending all those who requested a copy an email this weekend with the file attached. Now, by way of explanation: I have been a member of this list for six, going on seven years. When I first joined, the number of Internet sites geared to the coaching of youth soccer players was but a fraction of what is available today. Back then, if you poked around, you could find web sites with excellent coaching advice and commentary from Bruce Brownlee, Ric Miller, Jeff Pill, and Gary Rue. Today, there are dozens, if not hundreds, of quality web sites containing instructional material for youth soccer coaches. And there is the Soccer Coaching Manual. The new coach in the year 2003 is faced with not a dearth of coaching content, but an overwhelming abundance of it. And the web content is no longer restricted to ASCII text and diagrams, today's practice plans incorporate color line graphics, animation, photos, movies, and audio, all of which help to make a particular topic easy (or easier) to comprehend and implement. However, back in 1997 I had no idea what would be available in 2003. So, like many list members of that time (and maybe even now), I copied and pasted posts and threads of interest to me and stuffed 'em in a shoebox. Well, perhaps not quite that haphazard. I did organize them into about two dozen categories - - - 1st and 2nd defender, team defense, flat back, offside, 1st and 2nd attacker, team attacking, receiving, dribbling, passing, shooting, goalkeeping, set pieces, formations, warm-ups, conditioning, injuries, nutrition, humor, parents, indoor soccer, tryouts, etc. Some posts fitted neatly into a single topic; others could have gone into any one of several different categories, and still others clearly overlapped multiple themes. In the beginning, not realizing how in depth and varied this compilation would become, I did not retain information about posting date and author, so I apologize if some list members’ earlier postings are included without being credited. I also edited posts for brevity, clarity, spelling, grammar, and formatting. If there is any question regarding the authorship or exact wording of a post, do a keyword search of the archives to locate the original source material. Finally I should point out that some of the very earlier material from 1997 came from one or two other web sites; I estimate this early material constitutes less than 0.5% of the total abridged digest. Some things I didn’t copy and paste, such as posts related specifically to coaching female players or to just high school players, small-sided vs 11 v 11 discussions, national team discussions, administrative software inquiries, U8 team formations, many officiating posts, posts about specific problem parents or problem players, and many of my own posts. I have included only a couple of Rob Kerby’s posts, not because they aren’t all interesting and topical but because I believe it’s more appropriate for Rob to issue his own collected works someday if he so chooses. Still, the total over these 6+ years of what I did retain comes to 8.7 MB distributed over 33 MS Word documents. This is roughly 2500 pages, which if you were to read a page a minute, is about 40 hours of reading. Shelborne Fungfamfung.sr@worldnet.att.net