Cool, Relax

(Image from here)

Not much around today. Rio comments on Owen:

"He has been hammered yet he has not even played a full 90 minutes," Ferdinand told United's TV channel. "People have said he was finished and was not worth the risk, yet he scored with probably his hardest chance of the season. I think that goal on Saturday will catapult him towards scoring a few more."

And on Berba:

"People say certain things about Dimitar but he is always the first into training and the last to leave," Ferdinand said. "He is a dedicated professional who wants to score goals for Manchester United.

"Maybe he is not like Wayne in the sense of being 100mph all the time. He is quite relaxed and does things in his own time. But you do not win the league with 11 players who are all the same."

Berba on the Champions League:

"After what happened in last year's final we're even more determined in Europe this time around," said Berbatov.

"For me, losing in Rome was doubly frustrating because I wasn't at the club when the team won in Moscow.

"I've never won the Champions League so losing to Barcelona was very upsetting.

"This year our aim is to make it all the way to Madrid. The Bernabeu is one of the best stadiums in the world and I know we're good enough to make it there and win it.

"There are many clubs with very, very good players. But when you say the name Manchester United, it inspires respect in a lot of people. Nobody will fancy playing us."And there's an interesting point made about the Arsenal game in The Manchester Evening News:

Fergie got the measure of Arsene Wenger in the two-legged Champions League semi-final last spring big style when his system destroyed the Gunners.

But the success of the blueprint relied upon Rooney in a disciplined wide left role.

Though the same tactics were to later leave the 23-year-old isolated and anonymous in the final against Barcelona, there was no doubt it was the key to the last four comprehensive aggregate defeat of the Londoners.

But memories of Rome have forced Fergie into a rethink and he's shelved the plan that saw Rooney shift from an out and out centre forward role operating in a link-up with another striker.

The Old Trafford manager has reverted to 4-4-2 and Rooney has revelled in the central role with a touch of freedom attached.

And that's yr lot.