red with passion

Just to illustrate how passionate people are about the club I support, I'll tell you the atmosphere at the venue where I watched the Champion's League this morning; I never knew A.S Roma had so many fans. To be honest, I've really taken the Manchester United fans' tagline to heart; Manchester United: loved by many, hated by the rest. When Manchester United play, people get passionate. And that might be an understatement. Even to fans of the team(s) which are not playing Manchester United at that particular moment.

Last night was when we played nervously. Van der Sar showed this with his spectacular reflexes (it is a scientific fact that you are more alert when you're nervous) and getting-nowhere-near-his-teammates clearances, even when not under pressure. And his lips were almost white. But maybe it was cold in Rome. Giggs had a quiet game. And so did Ronaldo and Rooney in the first half, relatively speaking.

But if anything, Roma played like men possessed. And they were organized, too, which made life difficult for the likes of Ronaldo and Giggs. If in the EPL Ronaldo can weave past defenders, then A.S Roma showed him not all defenders have two left legs (sorry, EPL defenders).

And then there was Scholes.

Oh dear oh dear of dear! Why you were looking so determined to get a booking is anyone's guess. Totti made a meal of Scholes' poor challenge the way he always did with anyone's I don't think, but still, why were you playing like that? I know Fergie wanted both his central midfielders to protect the everyone-but-Rio-are-not-regulars defenders, but I doubt he said "Kill! Kill!" ..or did he?

Anyway, this morning almost justified Fergie spending so much on Micheal Carrick. He did not give away posession once, and was composed throughout when in most of our games in the earlier part of the season I thought Fergie would be better off buying one of those freekick dummies (sorry, Alan Smith). Our man-of-the-match, no doubt. Especially since he had to operate alone for roughly sixty minutes. He knew he can't afford to give away posession, and he did just that. And then some. He's almost like Ronaldo sans the running; evading tackles and such, and producing those sublime passes.

Anyway, to be completely honest, I do not think that 2-1 is a bad result at all. I mean,we were playing with 10 men and only have one regular defender and still managed a precious away goal. So yeah, I'll look forward to Old Trafford.

...so tell me, why are you celebrating that Vucinic goal like crazy when you're wearing an Ajax shirt? And umm..while at that, do you know that's an Ajax shirt?

Passionate, we are.