Hands Held High

I'm wondering whether Kevin Davies paid any attention to our away form last season.  Ahead of tomorrow's game he has this to say:

 “We fancy anyone. United managed to escape with a draw last season so we know we can match them and we’ve got a decent record here.”

Yes, drawing with us at home last season was certainly a good guide, evidence indeed that they'll "match" us this season. He also says he's looking forward to giving Phil Jones and De Gea some problems to deal with.  

There's some quotes from De Gea in the papers today, here from The Independent, talking about his start to the season and the press:

"No," he said, when it was put to him that the British press are more difficult than the Spanish. "It's normal when you make mistakes even if it is just a couple of errors. The press has a right to criticise you – and a lot more if you are a keeper. Now it is in my hands to change that criticism that I received at first and turn it into praise."

Of course he's right, and he may as well try and stay on their good side, but it doesn't stop them being wrong and taking too much childish delight in their criticisms.  Good article from The Independent, not just quoting De Gea but also a few quotes from others and a general overview of him:

Resino has told Four Four Two magazine in a revealing interview that it is De Gea's "security and seriousness that makes him different: the quiet confidence". The young man from Illescas – a municipality between Toledo and Madrid – is "not a 10 out of 10 in anything," Resino says. "He might be an eight out of 10 in everything. He's good in the air, judges space well and he's agile. His reflexes are good, though he is not electric. [But] it was the assuredness, security [that I liked]. It wasn't arrogance. It was conviction."

Finally, a brief story telling how David Gill has written to the Russian Ice Hockey team involved in the recent plane crash to express our condolences, bringing, as it does, memories of Munich:

The letter from Gill, addressed to the president of Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, contained the following message: “Dear Mr President, It is with great sadness that I write to express the heartfelt condolences of everyone at Manchester United over the tragic loss of life in the plane crash that your club suffered yesterday.

“The news came as a great shock here and brought back some terrible memories for some of those connected with our club of our own tragedy in Munich in 1958.

“I hope that you can take strength from the knowledge that with time, support and the collective determination of those who are left at the club and colleagues throughout your sport and further afield, Lokomotiv will recover from this and rebuild itself in the memory of those who died.