Albie
Keeping an open eye on the Weeping Angels.
So the Champions league got of to a controversial start to the knock-out stages in Lille. I did not see the first half but I read and heard later that Man U fans were crushed against the surrounding fence as fans poured in through an entrance opened by the local police. By all accounts, it was done to allow all of United ticket holders in one place - regardless of were in the ground their ticket placed them. The issue here is that this is almost the very same scenario that caused the Hillsborough disaster in 1989 in which nearly 100 Liverpool fans were killed. From this tragic event, the inquiry (named the Taylor Report) had many recommendations - one was the removal of the surrounding fence that barricading in the fans. Why, after 16/17 years are grounds still with these fences and worse allowed to host games in a major competition? Every ground in the UK is now without the fence and is all-seater - other federations should have learnt from Hillsborough, but clearly they haven't. To make matters worse, it is reported that the reaction of the police to the angry United fans getting crushed and trying to climb the fence to safety, was to fire of tear gas at them! 
As for the game, one Lille goal was controversially disallowed and one United goal was equally controversially allowed.
The disallowed goal was a big, but correct, decision by the Ref. Had the Lille forward (Odemwingie) not pushed the United defender (Vidic), he may not have been able to attack the ball and score. And there was definite contact.
The Giggs free kick was taken too quick for Lille's liking - but the Ref allowed it. Take a look at the clip from behind the ball. As the Ref walks away (and as David Pleat said as a pundit on ITV - "once the Ref backs off, the ball is in play"), you can clearly see a conversation between the Ref and Giggs - and it is at that point that the Ref appears to nod at him. So Giggs takes the free kick while Lille were still building their wall. It is the fault of Lille to firstly, give away a free-kick in a dangerous position and secondly, be unaware of the quick one.
And their reaction to this - Lille walk off. Pretty childish I think! The Lille coach that ordered the players off should be removed from football full stop and Lille should be penalised heavily (not necessarily thrown out of the competition). It was this coaches actions that was done to intimidate the Ref and subsequently cause the Lille fans to start throwing missiles at the United players. Really, we don't want to see this type of behaviour.
As for Southend loosing - well at least most of the others around them failed to capitalise. But well done QPR, at least you got one point. It was Leeds that needed the three.
As for the game, one Lille goal was controversially disallowed and one United goal was equally controversially allowed.
The disallowed goal was a big, but correct, decision by the Ref. Had the Lille forward (Odemwingie) not pushed the United defender (Vidic), he may not have been able to attack the ball and score. And there was definite contact.
The Giggs free kick was taken too quick for Lille's liking - but the Ref allowed it. Take a look at the clip from behind the ball. As the Ref walks away (and as David Pleat said as a pundit on ITV - "once the Ref backs off, the ball is in play"), you can clearly see a conversation between the Ref and Giggs - and it is at that point that the Ref appears to nod at him. So Giggs takes the free kick while Lille were still building their wall. It is the fault of Lille to firstly, give away a free-kick in a dangerous position and secondly, be unaware of the quick one.
And their reaction to this - Lille walk off. Pretty childish I think! The Lille coach that ordered the players off should be removed from football full stop and Lille should be penalised heavily (not necessarily thrown out of the competition). It was this coaches actions that was done to intimidate the Ref and subsequently cause the Lille fans to start throwing missiles at the United players. Really, we don't want to see this type of behaviour.
As for Southend loosing - well at least most of the others around them failed to capitalise. But well done QPR, at least you got one point. It was Leeds that needed the three.
So neither team has really had the best preparation to this tie; could go either way.
), but we took a decent amount of fans, about 800 or so, especially considering we lost our last away game 5-0 and two seasons ago's game at Elland Road we lost 6-1. One point closer to safety; it should be an exciting end to the season.
