Hehehe, I LOVE being prescient!!! :D:D:D
Dirty bloody Gallas. To be honest though, take that goal away and we still lost. I was never taking the result for granted, even at 2 - 0 up. Anyways, 2 losses aside, I think most fans are pleased with Bolton’s showing in the 2 games. We just need to put that effort out against Sheffield and Burnley and take those games and move oon from there.
It’s probably too much to expect any shame for the manner of the victory (there certainly won’t be any from chowder), but on the other hand I have to come in and say - City were lucky, and will be luckier still if their slender lead holds out on the other side of town next week.
Does anyone know if away goals count?
Why would anyone be ashamed of that win, when the slender defence against the penalty call is to claim that Rafael stopped fouling Bellamy just in time? At worst it’s 50-50, and to these eyes it looks like Rafael is at least trying to hold back Bellamy inside the area. In which case the ref is entirely justified in awarding a penalty; indeed the laws of the game explicitly instruct referees to do so for holding that starts outside but continues into the area. Rather than arguing about the blade of grass over which a foul is committed, maybe players should consider not fouling their opponents at all.
And yes, away goals count in the Carling Cup, but only once you’re in extra time. If it’s 1-0 United at the end of normal time, you’ll play the extra 30.
Well, the pen was, um, controversial, but I count it as a bit of giveback from the one that was awarded against Richards in league action. The second goal was deserved.
And lucky? Not our problem that Shrek can’t put one in the back of the net like Carlitos 
I beleive the away goals count as 1.5, but I am not sure how that all works out?
The traditional “away goals count double” is an irrelevant piece of arithmetic. It simply means that in the event of a tie, the team that scored the most away goals wins. You could say they count double. Or 1.5. Or 1000 times, or 1.000001, and the result is the same.
It’s about time they started penalizing for shirt pulling in the box. I saw the one Saturday against Richards (on Saha) and it was so obvious and blatant you have to wonder what he was thinking. The oft-offered idea that a “marginal” foul shouldn’t be whistled in the area if it doesn’t obviously interfere with an attempt on goal gets no support from me; the laws do not make any reference to such a requirement, and with good reason. Simple solution for fullbacks: don’t pull on shirts.
If I’m not mistaken, in this case, United would win the tie and go to the CC Final. Buf it United win 2-1, obviously they’ll go to extra time. Should both teams score once each, on the day, it’d be United 3-2 City, and 4-4 agg. But City would go through to the Final based on 2 away goals. They’d have 30 additional away minutes to have scored that goal. I suppose the thinking is that United had the advantage of a home crowd for 30 additional minutes, so it evens out in that manner. But the Carling Cup is the only competition in which I’ve seen this happen. In Europe, if both teams score a goal in extra time, then it’s penalties. The extra time is essentially treated as neutral. I prefer it that way.
I wish the Manc bastards could work out between them who is going to get stuffed at Wembley… After all, with the vaunted defense Villa showed in the second leg, how can we possibly lose?
Yeah, I think you’re mistaken. From wiki:
Only the aggregate score counts at the end of the 90 minutes, so if Utd are 1-0 up after 90 minutes, it’s 2-2 on aggregate, and extra time is played. If at the end of that it’s still level, only then are away goals counted and United would go through. If it’s 2-1 United aet, then it’s all square and it’ll go to penalties.
I believe UEFA do indeed apply the away goals rule to goals scored in extra time, meaning that the only way you get to a penalty shootout in UEFA competition is if extra time is scoreless (since away goals must’ve been equal after 90 minutes to get to extra time in the first place).
Ah, yep, they do:
Thanks, Dead Badger. I was wrong on both counts. Ooof.
While much of England is concerned about that tinpot trophy, Rooney scored 4 to put United back on top (Arsenal with 1 game in hand, Chelsea with 2) of the most important race.
Leeds United’s FA Cup run continues with a 2-2 draw at Spurs, the equalizer coming in stoppage time in stoppage time (the 6th minute of stoppage time that was originally declared to be 5 minutes).
As a Leeds fan of 40 years, I have mixed feelings. Yes, it is exciting, but getting out of the basement is top priority and Leeds’ form against “lesser teams” has gone to pot since the win over ManU.
I notice that Rochdale hit 4 in a win today, away, no less. chowder will be happy. City, of course, weren’t playing today, but get to thump Scunthorpe in the 4th round tomorrow. 
I’m off to Villa Park tonight to watch my first ever live Premiership game 
It’s Villa vs Arsenal and both teams should be right up for it - Arsenal could go top again if they win, and Villa need a win to move about Liverpool and close in on Tottenham in fourth place.
Being a Liverpool fan growing up in East Anglia and moving to Bristol for university, I’ve never been close enough to a major club to make it worth going along, so looking forward to this one!
We’re in the Holt End so atmosphere should be cracking, assuming I can understand Brummie chanting
To don my old man’s hat for a while…
While the Holte End atmosphere is still better than 95% of clubs out there, it’s nothing like it used to be when it was standing. That’s when I gave up going to (top flight) games.
United 4-3 City aggregate. Rooney!!!
Where in the hells is chowder? You OK me old mucker, bin a fair few city games gone by without comment from your good self.
You can’t really expect him to show up after that result, but I agree it has been a while. I’ve almost forgotten which clubs he likes and dislikes.
he didn’t even show up when City won 2-1 at Eastlands against Man Utd.