Friday, April 30, 2010

United depending on Liverpool...

Liverpool FC...18 league titles and 5 European Cups. A proud club with a great tradition...a club that has always rubbed shoulders with the best of the best. Though this season has been a big let down. After finishing second last season, it was expected they would challenege United for the title. Instead they are fighting to finish fourth and got dumped out of UCL and Europa League as well. So it's strange that they get to play a major role in deciding where the championship goes this season...will it adorn the trophy room at OT or will it go to the Bridge?? Liverpool will decide the fate...

Liverpool take on Chelsea on Sunday just before United go to Wearside to take on Sunderland. Chelsea lead United by 1 point and are way ahead on goal difference (thanks to the massacre of Stoke City). If Chelsea drop points at Anfield and United win, then United go ahead and look likely to win the title. However, if Chelsea win at Anfield, then the title goes to London. No disrespect to Wigan but I can't see them taking points against Chelsea.

If United win the title, then we go one up over Liverpool. The record will stand at 19-18 and Liverpool's long standing record will be over. Would Liverpool fans love to see that? Would they want to hand over the title to United by beating Chelsea?

But the main point is that we are dependent on Liverpool winning the title for us. That in my opinion is the maost shameful thing for a Red Devil...that we need help from the Scousers. We had umpteen opportunities to seal the title by now.

1) Points dropped at Burnley: Carrick missing the penalty that would have got us a point atleast. But we had no business losing this match. Burnley were surely relegation material.

2) Points dropped against Sunderland at home: This was again a match which we should have won. Sunderland played well that day but SAF got the line-up wrong. And there was some shocking goalkeeping by Foster as well...

3) Loss to Aston Villa at OT: Again...we were toothless in this match. Created nothing after giving away a headed goal to Ablongahor. Atleast a draw was needed here.

4) Points dropped at Blackburn: If Valencia had taken that chance, we would have sealed the title by now.

I think these four games have put us in this spot where we need Liverpool to do us a favor. Of all the teams, we need Liverpool to help us out.

We really don't deserve the title. Even if we win, this won't be one of the best titles ever.

GGMU!!

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Inter Milan vs Bayern Munich - UCL Finals

So finally Europe's biggest football competition will be contested between Inter Milan and Bayern Munich. No English team in the finals...none made it even to the semis. Manchester United and Arsenal went the furthest but were beaten by Bayern Munich and Barcelona respectively.

For United, this represents a big opportunity lost...an opportunity to make it the UCL finals thrice in a row and a realistic chance to win it as well. I am not saying that Inter Milan are not a good team...they have beaten Chelsea and Barcelona so they have to be good. But I doubt they would have beaten United...

Anyways...we had a good chance to win our fourth European Cup and reach closer to Liverpool's record of 5 European triumphs. Sadly we let it all slip away...an easy draw...3-0 up at home...comfortably winning the tie and then a few moments of madness...

Anyways...best of luck to Bayern and Inter. Both deserve to be there...hopefully it should be an entertaining final and not a dull drab encounter between and Italian defence and German ruthlessness.

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Do early morning dreams come true??

I had a really beautiful dream - atleast in a very long time - today morning. I know the chances of this dream getting realized are pretty slim but what the hell...I'll keep faith.

Monday, April 26, 2010

Then & now...

I am right now watching the movie "Waqt". Not the new one but the older one...the one where Raj Kumar makes his most famous dialogue "Jinke ghar sheeshe ke hon, woh dusron par pathar nahi phenka karte"...

The scene is where two of the heroines are playing badminton dressed in salwar kameez. Rajkumar, Rehman and the heroine's dad are playing snooker. Then, they all get together for tea. I was thinking how that same scene would be shown today.

The heroines are playing beach volleyball in bikinis. Rajkumar, Rehman and the heroine's dad are playing poker. After the game, they all sit together for some vodka...

How Indian cinema has changed...

Monday, April 19, 2010

Summer of reversals...

It looks like a summer of reversals...

And worse is that the summer has just started...

Friday, April 16, 2010

Surfing TV randomly, I came across Dil Chahta Hai playing on some channel. My favorite scene wasn't on (that is when Aakash cries on the phone with his dad) but the scene playing is also a memorable one...

Sid is strolling along the beach and comes across Deepa. He tries to help her with her problems...she's in a one-sided love affair with Aakash and can't accept the fact that if she's so good, then why can't she get Aakash...Sid's explanation is really intense...

"Aisee umeede hi nahi karni chahiye jo..."

"tum iss ret ko dekh rahi hon...jitni koshish karo isse jyaada pakadne ki...utni hi ungliyon ke beech se nikal jaati hai"

Does it ring any bells Mr. Nabar???

Thursday, April 15, 2010

The tarrot reader speaks her mind...

The 7th wise lady is a tarrot card reader...and more importantly she's the only married lady in this series so far. Ergo, her opinion carries a lot of weight...

"when u expect...its based on u PRESUMING that the one oppo understands u...
but in both case....it is based on u trusting on some level the person opposite u..."

She then proceeds explain her views with an example...all engineers do that. They have to back their theories with examples.

"like a new born baby....
it come to the world with no expectations but a whole lot of wants
which si why when it hurgy and wants food...it CRIES
it expects the same food on the table without saying a word"

"i think relations start with wants....and move to expectations
but the line is grey"

I thought she was done but she took a timeout and then came up with this:

"expectation is what u keep from your parents
and want is what u keep from your boss"

Maybe she's correct...maybe not.

Change...

I can feel change creeping towards me...I can feel it's presence...everyday I see it seep into my life bit by bit. Wise people say that you should not resist change...that you should accept it...embrace it

But why embrace something which I don't want??

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Past, Present and the Future...

I tried to look into the future to see what it held for me and I saw nothing...I look at my present and I see there's no future...I looked at my past and saw the glimmer of a good future (implying a good present)...

Somewhere in the transition from my past to my present, I messed up my future...

Monday, April 12, 2010

6th wise lady speaks out...

The 6th wise lady is very forthcoming. When asked if she is wise, she replies "No...I am not at all wise."

However, I think otherwise. She's a voracious reader and a very good reader too. The books she reads always have an exotic name and are by exotic authors. I always feel ashamed in asking her what she's reading because:

  1. I've never heard of the book or author
  2. I will never be able to read that book
  3. I struggle to pronounce the author's name
  4. Reminds me of how shallow my reading habits are

So...to get to the chase, she classifies as a wise lady...and here's what she had to say:

"for me expecting something is where u know that particular something is bound (u have a right) to happen but in wanting u r not sure coz u do not have any right over it.."

Quite rightly said...

Friday, April 9, 2010

El akela is shahar mein...

Sometimes even in a crowd you feel all alone...it's a feeling that hits you really hard...it leaves you numb.

Reminds me of the song Ek Akela Is Shahar Mein...

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Rafael DaSilly..

Rafael DaSilly is a silly boy. A very silly boy indeed. His stupid act of petulance has cost us a place in the semis of UCL.

While his second yellow card is explainable, he should have been sent off for the first one itself. Such stupidity and at this level is not acceptable. But hopefully it should make him a better player. Beckham learnt from his mistake at the '98 WC. Hopefully Rafael will do the same.

About the game...well over two legs Bayern deserved to go through. They showed tremendous spirit to come back after conceeding goals and getting the required results. Their play was not really attractive or flashy but was effective and got the job done.

As for United, we deserved what we got. We lost the plot the moment Rooney scored in Munich. A hint of complacency set in and we came undone. A silly handball by Neville gave away a cheap freekick and a goal. Then Evra got caught cold by Olic. But the worst was the first goal we gave at OT. I can't believe Carrick was so easily outmuscled by Olic. And the red card then settled everything.

Overall, I think this is a season where SAF needs to rebuild bigtime. It's time we got in a midfielder who can create and not just drive the team forward. And we really need a 20 goal a season striker.

GGMU!!!

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

5th lady calls back...

The 5th lady immediately calls back...and with proof in her hand. She lets rip into the opinions of the other four wise ones, especially the 4th lady who is simply shown no mercy. The rest get a few ounces of respect...

She then refers to her impeachable source, quotes certain excerpts, and without waiting for me to infer anything she declares that she is correct and the rest are wrong. "That's it...I'm correct and I've got corroborative evidence to prove that I'm right. The case is led to rest." What follows are giggles and I can picture a mini-jig as well...

I'm muse whether I should end this series here itself and she concurs but I'll continue the hunt...

Clarifications from 5th wise lady...

...and I'm back, rather the Wise Ladies are back.

This time it's a very pretty lady who mixes beauty with brains...a very potent combo. Here's what Ms. Moneypenny (is that a clue to her identity??) has to say (she dictated this the first time at ultra-high speed over the phone...then when I asked her to slowdown, she really went slow):

"to expect something from someone...it conveys an idea of legitimacy or having reasons for expecting that...whereas when you say you want something...it's a need...the reason maybe fickle or justifiable or just an urge..."

She is adamant that she is correct in her opinion because she has quoted an impeachable source i.e., the Dictionary. Meanwhile I'm running out of wise ladies...

Monday, April 5, 2010

5 day work week...

This Monday there are extra blues...because a 5 day work week awaits me after a long time.

How I wish every week had a mid-week holiday!!!

Thursday, April 1, 2010

Happy New Month!!!

It's a new month...a new financial year!!!

A long time back I made a pact with someone that on the 1st of every month we'll ask each other a question. And a true answer is required...

I asked my question...but no answer is forthcoming.