Red Views | One United USA: Manchester United Membership and Supporters Club of America

2021-07-31T09:49:00.056-04:00

RED VIEWS

David Hammons

Five reflections from United's comeback against Chelsea

Manchester United made life hard for themselves again, as they needed to post a dramatic three goal comeback to earn a point in their 3-3 draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge - and here are some of the post-match reactions.

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Brian Torkkola

Clinical United Best Spurs And Chelsea Implodes
What must old ‘Arry be thinking now? Concede eight goals in four halves of football. England. Dominate possession and lose to United yet again. England. What must we do to get a break? England.

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Kyle Diller

Are Anderson's Good Performances Just A Fluke?

Despite securing three points and moving top of the table in the Champions League group, there was plenty to be frustrated about by United’s performance Wednesday, perhaps nothing more so than Anderson’s miserable performance.

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Scott The Red

Time To Replace Brick Wall With Youth?
It’s easy for football fans to get carried away when their team or individual players are doing well. It’s just as easy for fans to lose all faith as soon as a rough patch comes along, forgetting all the superfluous praise being heaped on a week or two before after a fancy bit of football or a great result.

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Interested in becoming an Official One United USA Contributor? dhammons@oneunitedusa.com

Clinical United Best Spurs And Chelsea Implodes

2012-03-04T22:21:00.000-05:00

What must old ‘Arry be thinking now?

Concede eight goals in four halves of football. England. Dominate possession and lose to United yet again. England. What must we do to get a break? England.

You get the picture.

The Tottenham defense looked as distracted as the man most likely to lead Inger-Land into the European Championships. Spurs are in real trouble.

Ah, but must we focus so much attention on the side from North London, when the Red Devils dispatched Spurs with the customary aplomb.

These massive three points were overshadowed by events elsewhere this weekend, with a resurgent Arsenal, Andre Villas-Boas sacked, and a possible return of the Special One to the Premiership.

Thus, here’s a Cliff’s Notes analysis of United’s performance before moving on to the misery at Chelsea.

Solid job all around for United’s back five, especially Jonny Evans, who played flawlessly all afternoon and is a worthy MOTM candidate. Rio was massive as well.

Both Scholes and Giggs looked their age and United’s midfield being outplayed much of this match, while failing to keep possession comfortably until being up 3-0.

De Gea made some excellent saves early on to keep the score line nil-nil.

Rooney looked out-of-form, yet put United into the lead just before half time thanks to a pacy, pernicious corner from Ashley Young, our Man of the Match, who netted two himself, including a Goal of the Week postage stamp to emphatically kill off this match.

Young took up Valencia’s mantle just in time and on his own terms, mostly through his whipped service and ability to drift into pockets of space versus continuing to press the edge like Antonio.

The timing of Young’s excellence couldn’t be better for Sir Alex leading into the two months and change in the season.

Elsewhere in England, much focus is on the downward spiral of Chelsea, as AVB becomes the fifth manager sacked since the departure of the Special One.

And, who didn’t see this one coming million miles away?

When Andre Villas-Boas said he didn’t need the support of the locker room, as long as he had the owner’s backing, everybody knew his days were numbered, which culminated in a club statement that tried fruitlessly to thank the now-former manager:

“Andre Villas-Boas has parted company (kicked out) with Chelsea FC today. The Board would like to record our gratitude (hurl, barf, choke) for his work (crazy, highline football with an old squad) and express our disappointment (cha-ching) that the relationship has ended so early…

“Unfortunately the results and the performances of the team have not been good enough (5th place) and were showing no signs of improving at a key time (lost Champions League) in the season.”

Chelsea age gracelessly much to Red Devil delight.

C’mon, can you ever imagine Terry and Lampard accepting similar roles to those of Giggs or Scholes? (I know, I know – let’s just assume their bodies would hold up.)

Never.

Both players’ massive egos, if anything, appear to inflate over time, which doesn’t match their diminishing pace and production on the pitch.

Which speaks to everything that’s wrong with Stamford Bridge outfit the moment.

Chelsea’s dressing room has a habit of getting managers fired prematurely, as Ferguson hath reminded us on many an occasion, no one player – eh, Beckham – can get bigger than the manager nor the club. Never. All is lost otherwise.

Indeed, another title campaign’s gone, and quite possibly, a Champions League spot may be lost on an expensive, aging side with the advent of financial fair play just around the corner – the precise moment Chelsea can least afford to take a hit to revenue. Oh, the deliciously irony.

As we witness the predictable implosion of a billionaire owner’s plaything, thanks to his own meddling nonetheless, we appreciate newly the meaning of “schadenfreude.”

Giggs Tears Norwich City Apart

2012-02-26T15:53:00.000-05:00

Game 900 is ho-hum affair for United and Giggsy. It’s another run of the mill injury time goal. You knew it’d come, right?

Please.

Some surreal scriptwriter absolutely loves this evergreen twosome. And who wouldn’t, with both players simply oozing class, composure and consistency.

First, it’s quintessential Scholes, who pops up in the box for the millionth time to open United’s account in the 7th minute. At that point, the match seemed like a comfortable walk in the park.

Oh no, that would be contrary to the story and would ruin the fairy tale ending.

You just knew the Canaries would score, given their track record and form, as they created several excellent chances only to be thwarted by a sensational David De Gea, who would have been the MOTM had the score line remained 1-0 United.

From the neutral’s perspective, however, Norwich’s just desserts came in the 83rd minute where Grant Holt delivered the inevitable, a top-class, late goal as they’ve done repeatedly this year.

Now, Sir Alex’s side up the tempo right on command, as we buckle-up for the final seven minutes, plus injury time, of high drama.

After Welbeck missed his wide-open header, you suspected this was the work of the football gods, as if they said, “No, no, son – it’s not your turn” kind of divine intervention.

Then, at full crescendo in our building operatic performance, in the second minute of injury time comes Sir – hint, hint – Ryan Giggs tucking home Young’s marvelous far-post ball with the outside of that magical left boot.

It’s game, set, and match right in front of 1,500 delirious away supporters.

You simply can’t make this stuff up.

How gut-wrenching it must be for both City sides, Norwich and Manchester, to witness this seemingly hidden gear deliver another massive three points

How lucky are we to support United and witness Giggs’ mastery?

Immeasurably fortunate, without question, is the obvious reply.

In hindsight, could this match have ended any other way than for the best ever Premier League player to crown his illustrious career with another match-winning jewel?

Indeed, Giggs will tear you apart again.

Reactions To United’s Victory Over Childish Liverpool

2012-02-11T13:35:00.000-05:00

Well, it’s unfortunate that 90 minutes of excellent Red Devil football will be overshadowed by antics and theatrics before, at half, and after the match – this, our first talking point.

Beforehand, you knew the pantomime villain would be Suarez, without question at Old Trafford, much like Evra at Anfield in weeks prior. You absolutely anticipated that United supporters would give abuse right on queue singing “We know what you are” at the little number seven.

What we didn’t know is that Suarez’ petulance would start before kickoff, as he refused to shake Evra’s hand.

Really? How incredibly stupid are you?

All you had to do is shake hands, not get sent off, and this chapter would be behind you. Now, you’re back on the FA’s radar, and since you’re the only forward that can score for Liverpool, you threaten your club’s chances at holding the seventh spot.

Afterwards, the drama, predictably, continued in the media.

First, an incredulous Sir Alex winds things up:

"I could not believe it, I just could not believe it. He's a disgrace to Liverpool Football Club, that certain player should not be allowed to play for Liverpool again.

“The history that club's got and he does that and in a situation like today could have caused a riot. I was really disappointed in that guy, it was terrible what he did.”

"It created a tension, you've seen the referee didn't know what to do about it. It caught him off guard. It was a terrible start to the game, a terrible atmosphere it created."

Next up, the comical Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish responded: "I think you're bang out of order to blame Luis Suarez for anything that happened here today."

Really? What color is the sky in your world, Cliff? (As in Cliff Clavin from “Cheers”, for the sit-com challenged.)

What’s next, K-k-ken? Are you going to tell us “It's a little known fact that the tan became popular in what is known as the Bronze Age”?

Please.

What we do know is THE feud continues, with Suarez, and Evra, thanks to excessive celebrating, face some possible disciplinary action.

Ah, let’s rest the obvious talking point and return to the REAL stuff: the play on the pitch.

Rarely in this blog do I ever compliment a referee, but today’s one of those days. Phil Dowd did a brilliant job of keeping his cards in his pocket and keeping composure, choosing to talk to players and slow the match at appropriate spots to clam matters.

Once again, we could have witnessed an entirely different result had Dowd gotten wrong Ferdinand’s tackle on Suarez. It’s either clean or a red-card-foul. Rio got it right, an immaculate tackle, but we all know what happened on this ground before – dare I say against a certain match against the barcodes. We do not take proper calls for granted, with the speed of these matches.

It’s no coincidence, then, that things boiled over outside of match minutes but remained relatively restrained within the confines of this massive derby match.

Well done, Dowd.

Next, United’s defence deserves accolades, but still, that unease continues to linger on, after conceding in the 80th minute off another mistake from nothing.

The score did not reflect the run of play and excellent job of defending done by all, and in particular, the two center halves, Rio and Evans, both of whom took turns marking Suarez tightly even when he tracked back for the ball, and later, manned up impressively against both forwards.

Ultimately, though, United faced a nervy final ten minutes after conceding a goal off a set-piece mistake. Once again, this side bossed large stretches of the match and one mistake brought another beaten side back into a match.

It’s one thing to get beaten by excellent play; it’s another to gift goals off mistakes. United’s nervy knees continue to reappear amidst good overall play. This trend is definitely not over, not by a long shot.

Moving on, once again Valencia proved lethal in attacking an opponent, as his white-hot form continues.

So good is Antonio that Fergie confidently placed Giggs wide-left, knowing that the evergreen winger wouldn’t always cover the touch line and would track central much of the afternoon – making it abundantly clear United would focus on the right.

But, it didn’t matter.

Valencia beat Enrique frequently one-to-one, as Liverpool learned quickly to double-team every time Antonio got the ball. Valencia made Stuart Downing look pedestrian, as the number nineteen clearly didn’t feel like defending that deep, that often, which muted his threat going forward for Pool.

It’s another brilliant job by United’s number twenty-five in his attempt at a second consecutive Player of the Month campaign.

And finally, my Man of the Match, Wayne Rooney, who had only scored two goals from nineteen previous matches against his archenemy prior to kickoff, doubled his total in less than 45 minutes of football.

Wazza was brilliant in the hole, as he converted two of three guilt-edged chances, adding the clinical edge for United. Surprisingly, his easiest chance caught him off-guard – so good was Scholes’ dummy that Roo’s first touch was equally as poor as his toe-poke wide from close range. Should have been a hattrick, really, but regardless, he’s finally broken his own personal duck of sorts against the wrong half of Merseyside.

When Fergie wondered out loud how United lost to Liverpool in the FA Cup, the obvious answer was a lack of a finishing touch, with Wazza missing of course. Clearly Rooney’s brings the necessary sharpness to United’s chances around goal.

Mark my words: Rooney looks poised to return to his blistering form, much like what we witnessed prior to last year, especially with the return of a healthy Tom Cleverley, who’s apparently built a telekinetic connection with Welbeck on the training ground these past few weeks.

We all remember Cleverley turning the corner on his mark, making quick-and-decisive touch passes to open up opponents. He’s exactly the type of dimension United need in the center of the park, which also provides the gaffer with a bonus opportunity to rest Giggs and Scholes more with a crowded fixture list ahead.

Thus, as we move on, we know the drama will continue between these clubs, with Dalglish, claiming to have seen “nuth-ing, nuutthhh-ing!!!” in his best Sargent Schultz impression.

Certainly, the FA did see something, while we all await their verdict.

Five reflections from United's comeback against Chelsea

2012-02-05T16:30:00.001-05:00

Rooney slots home 2nd penalty kick of the game

It takes great spirit to comeback away from the depths of defeat, especially away from home. For whatever reason, United don't really seem to click into gear until they are being pushed to brink of the defeat with their backs against the wall. To score three goals against Chelsea in the second half, can certainly spur United on to the title, but they cannot keep putting themselves in this sort of predicament when a draw seems like a win.

Liable left
Now the comeback would not have been necessary if there wasn't for some absolutely terrible defending on the left-hand side of United's defense. The first goal was a combination of Rio Ferdinand and Patrice Evra inability to prevent Sturridge from getting the baseline and clipping his cross across the face of goal, which was unexpectedly turned in by Jonny Evans. The second goal was caused by Evra's slack defending and allowing Torres all day to send a dangerous cross to the far stick, which should've been better dealt with by Rafael. Then the third goal, Evra tripped and earned himself a booking and then Ferdinand inexcusably failed to mark David Luiz who beat him to the near post and scored with an easy header.

Influenced introduction
Thankfully for those two defenders, Sir Alex Ferguson had another aging start to bring on to change the game. In contrasting fashion to what happened at Liverpool, Paul Scholes came on and added a calming influence, even though he misplaced a pass or two, was incredible, and the Reds bossed the battle of the midfield after. Since he has come back into the squad, especially when he's on the field, the entire squad's spirits have seem to lift with his presence and influence.

Debatable decisions
A lot of attention, like there normally is since United always get the benefit of a refereeing decision, will be put on Howard Webb's decisions. Yes, in the end the world's best official awarded the Reds two penalties, but the game could've had a very different outcome if he got the two penalties that he should've awarded in the first half right! On top of that, he avoided making a big, big decision by sending off Gary Cahill on his Chelsea debut, which would have put Chelsea up against with less man against United. This is the second time this season, he's done that, and yet people with ill-advised notions that he's an United fan are as foolish as they come!

Questionable formation
Over the past month, Sir Alex has either gotten his substitutions dead on the money or just dead wrong. Yes, Hernandez scored a goal and Scholes was dynamite, so it was all rainbows and butterflies, right? Wrong. The formation was completely off-balance and, if Chelsea took their chances, there was no chance of a comeback for United. Since it was his first appearance in 2012, Young was getting tired and needed to be replaced, so why not keep the formation as is and bring Park on then? Instead, and when United was going for a goal Welbeck was pushed out wide and then Valencia was pushed back to right-back when Scholes replaced Rafael. It left two players - Ferdinand and Evans - at the back with no cover on the flanks. Same exact thing happened against City but, thankfully, Chelsea weren't as ruthless and Manchester United lost two points on the day instead of three!

Five reactions to United’s Stamford Bridge Comeback

2012-02-05T16:28:00.001-05:00

How many talking points can you have from one match? Certainly this tilt deserves more than the customary number – if only there were enough time to complete it. Thus, here are my top five reactions to the match.

First, there’s great relief in Sir Alex’s men coming back from 3-0 for a 3-3 draw. It’s the sort of epic comeback you’ll remember for decades.

Yet, for the second straight “big” match, including the Pool FA Cup defeat as the other, United controlled play, seemed the better side, and yet poor defending at inopportune moments led to disappointment.

If Fergie wondered “How’d we lose that one?” after Anfield, he must be thinking “How in the world were we down by three?” in the 50th minute.

That’s a great question indeed.

One could argue that United is spoiled, with the Rio and Vidic partnership and Van Der Sar in the nets in our recent past. Our comparison comes from a very high bar, admittedly.

Yet, the game film will highlight how the Blues scored their goals off poor defending, with Sturridge getting around Evra when he’s got inside help, Mata sitting wide freakin’ open, and Sideshow Bob getting ahead of Rio on a set piece. This must improve to win the title.

Second, how does Gary Cahill stay on the park after taking down Welbeck as the last man?

The answer: it’s too early for Webb or the linesman to make that call at Stamford Bridge, given a red card would certainly accompany the penalty. I wholeheartedly disagree with this prevailing tendency, but it’s the reality of how matches like this are refereed in England. We move on.

Third, Chelsea supporters at the pub claimed MOTM honors for Howard Webb for both second half penalties given to United.

Fair enough. On the day it’s very rare indeed that you’re awarded both spot kicks, yet the Red Devils had four decent claims during the match in total. From that perspective and the Cahill-non-call, the two don’t look nearly as egregious. Thus, both are justified in my book.

Fourth, De Gea’s save late-on demonstrate why United have so much belief in the lad. This stop will rank right up there with the top saves of the season. (BTW, did anyone else have a flashback to Barthez at Anfield from season’s past?) Absolutely incredible, as that ball was going in. It’s truly a save that gained the Reds a vital point.

Finally, THE single most important talking point is the manner in which this side kept composure, maintained focus, and demonstrated that incredible spirit we’ve all come to expect from a Ferguson managed side.

The timing and play of the substitutions were spot-on, as Chicharito’s pace changed the match immediately in the 53rd minute, as the Mexican’s constant movement created loads of space in his backwash. This allowed Rooney, Carrick, Giggs, and eventually, Scholes to boss possession. Always remember the rule: Never, ever count out a Sir Alex Ferguson side.

Thus, as we look forward and see several key players return from injury, there’s never a question about United’s heart and desire going forward. The goals will come and attacking play will improve.

Our only question is can this club defend well enough to win the gaffer another one?
That one remains to be seen.

Five Reactions to United's Victory over Stoke

2012-02-01T07:28:00.000-05:00

Who knew it’d be this easy to beat the side sitting eighth in the Premier League?

On a night were United draw level once again with the Middle Eastlands, there’s so much to relish in this abbreviated blog post. Let’s get straight to the goods.

First, father time was brilliant once again in the heart of the Red Devil midfield. What else can you write about the ginger haired half of the evergreen tag-team? Scholes once again absolutely controlled the park along with Carrick. He’s utterly brilliant, United’s new number twenty-two. Now we know why Fergie hasn’t forayed into the transfer market for a central midfielder.

Second, is anyone playing better than Antonio Valencia in the entire Premier League? I’d be shocked if Tony didn’t take home the “Player of the Month” hardware for January. He simply plays a very good, very old-fashioned winger incredibly well. Where would United be without this lad this term? Not top of the league, that’s for sure.

It’ll get real interesting to see Nani, Young, and Park complete for time on the left wing, as the Ecuadorian simply must be the first name Fergie puts on the team sheet these days.

Third, knowing full well I’m repeating the repetitive commentary from our ESPN analysts… Just how bad were Stoke today? You thought they’d be a real handful with their bruising, route one footy, but instead chose to play timid, scared, and lethargic.

United were quite good, but made to look even better by seriously inferior competition, at least on this day. Seriously, how do you reach full time with a 75/25-possession differential? One word: hung-over.

Fourth, yes, yes – we’ve had a Paul Pogba sighting. Given that Ravel Morrison was sold at the deadline to West Ham, our added attention falls on the French youngster, who didn’t disappoint in his seventeen-odd minutes on the pitch. The game didn’t appear too quick for him, as he made a few nifty moves to create space in tight quarters. Hopefully this is just the beginning of a long, accomplished United career.

Fifth, there truly is only one Darron Gibson. On a night where the largest sustained buzz of electricity at Old Trafford came from Mr. 007 himself, as his goal propelled Everton to knock off City 1-0 at Goodison Park, much to every Red Devil’s delight.

How ironic, then, to see the amused glee on the faces of the United faithful as they sang homage to the man they kicked off Twitter in a total of five hours. Thus, it’s only fitting that we pay special thanks to tonight’s Man of the Match, one wearing Toffee Blue, Mr. Darron Gibson.

Four Reactions From United's Loss To Liverpool

2012-01-28T15:36:00.001-05:00

Manchester United were severely punished for not being more clinical in their 2-1 loss to their most-hated rival, Liverpool, as they exited another cup competition prematurely.

Selections

Sir Alex wasted a good chance to win the game

Yes, Sir Alex Ferguson had to select a make-shift line-up because of all of the injuries that have been ravaging the club all season, but the selection was questionable. Away from home, the manager rarely goes with his preferred 4-4-2, and it might have cost United a chance of a good run in the FA Cup. Dimitar Berbatov, who has only played 56 minutes since he scored six goals in three games, was thrown on in a desperation attempt after Liverpool scored the eventual game winner. Yes, Ji-Sung Park scored the goal but, besides that, he offered absolutely nothing to the game and should have been replaced to start the second half. The momentum was certainly with United, so why not build on it and go for broke? Well, Ferguson didn't and United have prematurely exited another competition.

Chances wasted
With a five-man midfield, chances were always be at premium, so when you had one - it needed to be dispatched in the back of the net. United didn't do that. The blame for this will ultimately fall on Danny Welbeck, who was deployed as the only striker, but he never had a consistent level of supply into him. To be fair on him, he's not your typical center forward who holds up the play and gets his teammates involved - Berbatov is. Valencia has been our most creative player over the last two months, but he was never given the opportunity to shine as his teammates decided to play down the left for much of the second half.

Contrasting halves
The saying, "Tale of two halves," never rang so true as it did in this game. The first half, even though they conceded the first goal, United were by and far the best team on the pitch. The possession was very good, as Paul Scholes and Michael Carrick were dynamite at keeping the ball. The Reds started to lose the battle for possession, so what did Ferguson, who had only one midfield option available do? He replaced the former with Javier Hernandez - which made it extremely difficult and put United up against it.

Defensive miscues
A lot of fingers have pointed in the direction of David de Gea for a couple of mistakes, but he shouldn't be blamed for either of the goals. Yes, the ball for the first goal eventually bounced off his head and in, but the marking by the defenders in front of him was nonexistent. The 21-year old goalkeeper was not at his best and clearly low on confidence, which was the reason for some of his dropped crosses and questionable clearances. The second goal, however, had everything to do with Patrice Evra not sticking to his marker, as Kuyt stole in behind him and scored the winner.

United's Wasted Effort at Anfield

2012-01-28T15:34:00.000-05:00

How can such a good performance get wasted so easily, so quickly? Easy: indecisive play defending corners and ball watching on a punt downfield in the final minutes of the match.

How many times have we witnessed United defenders switch off on the most basic elements of defending? Way, way too many times this term, that’s for sure.

Before kickoff, you could almost excuse the Red Devils for not getting a result at Anfield, with the mounting injury problems and the aging midfield. No Anderson, Cleverley, Rooney, Jones, Nani, and the list mounts. You’d worry about United’s aging midfield being able to cover enough ground on this day.

Yet, the midfield of Carrick, Giggs, and Scholes were brilliant – they bossed large portions of the match, one where United deserved the result. Scholesy in particular was marvelous, dictating possession like a master conductor.

And the effort was wasted once again.

What is it about cup competitions with this squad and defending?

So many questions and so few the answers right now.

There will be much talk about De Gea’s performance in goal, with Sir Alex placing the Spaniard between the pipes on the ground where he had arguably his best performance earlier in the season.

But, the gamble backfired, and if anything, brought back more questions about his confidence. United’s keeper didn’t loose the match, but his play unsettled the backline and rewarded Liverpool’s aerial assaults.

You really didn’t see Pool scoring from anything outside a set piece or an obvious gift, such as the pen-ultimate goal. Sir Alex has a full-blown keeper controversy on his hands now, with the relative assurance of Lindegaard and deer-in-the-headlights De Gea.

Quickly, I’d be remiss if I didn’t highlight the wonderful performances today. Sure, Giggs and Carrick played well, but United’s best three players were Park, Valencia, and Scholes.

Valencia’s play is old news, as his prototypical wing play caused its usual menace in this match. Liverpool had no answer for him, at least during the first half. He’s been United’s Man of the Month thus far.

Scholes was absolutely magnificent, as he made United look like Barcelona in possession during this match. So cool and assured, United’s new number twenty-two – it highlights exactly what the Reds have missed in central midfield this term. (I still argue that United are 1-2 world class, central midfielders away from being exactly returning to dominate form.)

Today’s improvised line-up demonstrates precisely what’s possible with a maestro dictating tempo and a gaudy 57% possession stat the result.

And finally, we return our attention to Park, who netted United’s only goal.

Sir Alex asks his number thirteen to play so many roles and he does so with great energy, versatility, and drive. It’s no accident that Park scores on the biggest of stages, as he’s upped his play to match his manager’s belief.

At times, he can be frustrating when he gets outmuscled off the ball, but that’s a fine price to play for his ubiquitous presence on the pitch. The lad’s ability to pop-up in the box unmarked while tracking loads of land defending deserves special merit. He was simply brilliant today, as Fergie asked him to play a vital role in United’s attack and he did so with his usual energy and aplomb.

The only positive – and a stretch at that – is that United have fewer fixtures on the docket now to allow the injured time to heal and get match fit for the rest of the campaign.

It was a big ask of the current squad to knock off City and Pool away in successive fixtures in the FA Cup.

It’s all the more tragic because Ferguson’s men played well enough to pull of this improbable double, only to Anfield ruing a wasted this effort.

United’s Historic Victory Over Arsenal

2012-01-22T23:13:00.000-05:00

Today marks the first live EPL match shown on major network TV in the US, a remarkable development and one that recognizes the growing popularity of the beautiful game, particularly the Premier League, in the States.

Today also may signal the end for one of the most successful managers in the EPL history, as Arsene Wenger’s outdueled by Sir Alex yet again and the pressure mounts in North London.

But before analyzing this match, let me digress about Fox Sports for a moment.

On this lovely day, where you don’t need an expensive cable TV package to watch live football from England, the brain wizards at Fox decide to turn the game’s build-up into NFL-light, with a ridiculous voice-over more fitting for a pre-programmed, classic rock station than a footy match. Even my wife, a non-sporting-type, found the build-up comical in the extreme.

Next, why is Piers Morgan replacing Warren Barton in the commentary chair?

Just because he’s got better name recognition in the US doesn’t merit his inclusion on this set, as he’s a hyper-biased Gunner season ticket holder who whines incessantly about his beloved (?!) club, especially his lobbying for Wenger to get sacked. Not exactly the contribution you’re looking for to grow your audience in this hemisphere.

Yet, as much as it pains me to write this, I totally agree with the former head of Hackers of the – err, excuse me – NEWS of the World.

Wenger’s substitution of Oxlade-Chamberlain – arguably Arsenal’s best player – for Arshavin proved the biggest tactical blunder of the match, with Valencia blowing by the half-hearted Russian to create United’s game-winning goal.

Those boos directed at Wenger, this time, may point the Frenchman toward the exit door, given the reaction of Van Persie to Oxlade-Chamberlain’s substitution, who’ll leave Arsenal in a nanosecond if they fall out of Champions League contention. We may all look back at the losses to Swansea and United as Wenger’s tipping point.

Ah, but enough about the Gunners woes and on to three reactions to the Red Devil’s performance.

First, it’s the same story yet again for Sir Alex’s men, as goes the Red Devil wide play so goes the United attack. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that United were brilliant yet again on the flanks, with North Londoners missing their first- and second-choice full backs and Wenger deploying four center halves across the back.

Repeatedly, United played lovely diagonal balls across the pitch to the left wing, where Nani and an overlapping Evra toyed with Djourou and company mercilessly. THE only thing lacking in the Portuguese’s play was his final ball, which was unable to pick out the correct scoring connection time and again.

Thus, it took an overlapping Giggs to pick out Valencia on the far post with an inch-perfect cross for the Ecuadorian to nod home emphatically to make it one-nil United just before half. Which provides a nice transition to my next point.

Once again, Valencia is my Man of the Match with his goal and assist leading the Reds to victory.

Antonio was wonderful, albeit in a more patient role today, with much of the menace coming down his opposite wing. Credit to the number twenty-five, who held his shape, tracked back, and surged to the far post repeatedly without good service much of the first half. But, when the cross finally came, he pounced on it.

Similarly, when the chance came to run at the inept Arshavin, Valencia took full advantage to bypass the elf-like winger on the simplest of faked crosses to cut inside to the box and create the decisive goal, an absolutely brilliant performance from January’s Player of the Month candidate.

Finally, you could look at the contributions of Carrick, Giggs, Welbeck, and the entire backline, any of which deserve mention in this blog. But, it’s the inclusion of the big Dane in net that warrants a closer look.

I can’t recall Lindegaard making any show stopping saves in this match, yet his assuredness, without Rio or Vidic to calm matters, should not be underestimated.

His command in the air, his distribution, and his willingness to chew out anyone - including Giggs today – that does not close down an opponent demonstrates his complete authority in goal.

United’s young defenders need a strong, vocal keeper to provide an extra measure of confidence that comes from clarity. United’s young defenders need Lindegaard between the pipes at this particular moment.

Thus, here we sit on January 22, 2012, only three points out of first place despite all the injuries and European disappointment.

In the future, we may very well look back on the events of this day as a seminal moment for soccer in the US, United’s 2012 title aspirations, and Arsenal’s eventual slide out of the top four.

And hopefully, it’s Piers Morgan’s final appearance in a soccer commentator’s chair.

Five Reactions to United Leaving Bolton Wondering

2012-01-14T15:12:00.000-05:00

You can never complain about a 3-0 victory, especially off two successive Premier League defeats.

Yet, the score line didn’t accurately reflect the entire shape and form of United’s performance, with the match grinded out in a labored, workman-like fashion.

Here are my five reactions to today’s victory.

First, United dominated possession comfortably but lacked an edge around goal, with Bolton choosing to defend rather than attack.

You’d expect Owen Coyle to learn from Blackburn’s example and have a go at Ferguson’s men, but inexplicably, he left the battering-ram otherwise known as Kevin Davies on the bench and employed 5 midfielders, even late-on with an ideal opportunity to sub off a midfielder and try two strikers for the final 20 minutes down only a goal.

Bolton had some opportunities and space but they were reluctant to commit players forward. On the few occasions the Wanderers caught out United, they misfired horribly in the final third of the pitch, thankfully.

Second, United’s most consistent source of menace was Antonio Valencia, once again, who terrorized Bolton’s defenders all afternoon. His ability to get around the outside of defenders or turn them inside out and deliver immaculate service cannot be underestimated at the moment. The man, fully back from a horrendous ankle injury, is arguably United’s most important and in-form player for several weeks now.

Third, Michael Carrick is class. Pure. And. Simple.

Once again, I can’t recall him getting caught in possession nor leaving a single pass astray. Remarkable. Carrick’s value by now should go without question, as his long-range strike was a fitting jewel to crown his marvelous performance. He’s my co-MOTM with Valencia – both absolutely vital to the Reds success today.

Fourth, he scores goals, that Paul Scholes.

The crowd imploring the ginger-haired-wonder to shoot any time he took possession inside 50 yards from goal brought a nice bit of levity to a largely listless and somewhat, at times, uneasy match.

What a lovely sight to witness the joy on Scholesy’s face again after netting his 151st goal for United, the first since August 2010, which bookend’s Henry’s triumphant return to Arsenal to complete a fitting flashback-trip from father time.

Fifth, with Scholes’ return, that leaves many questions about Ferguson’s midfield. It’s no coincidence that Gibson leaves after going on a bender with Rooney. That move made sense, certainly, with or without a night on the town, which probably expedited matters.

But, you must wonder, what about the lack of minutes for Morrison and Pogba?

Granted, a certain young French midfielder graced the bench today, but he didn’t play, and Morrison’s inability to make the subs list speaks volumes about United’s belief in either signing the lad or his ability to cope with this step up. On either front, it doesn’t bode well for Morrison staying at Old Trafford, despite everything United’s done to protect the troubled lad’s career.

You wonder if both sides are employing hard line tactics, which may fade at the 11th hour, or if in fact the lad thinks he should be playing week in, week out for another EPL club. Time will tell, surly.

Regardless, the Reds sit with City at the top of the league, despite massive injuries, contract drama, transfer rumors, and relatively poor form headed into the most difficult portion of the fixture list.

Let us pray for speedy return to health for the injured, especially Tom Cleverley to bolster the central midfield.

Let us trust in England’s most successful manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, who’s turning in arguably his most impressive managerial feat, given the injuries and drama around the club going back to Rooney’s near-departure last term.

What a joy to follow the world’s most successful manager at his peak. Every single one of us loves Sir Alex Ferguson.

The Good, The Bad And The Victory

2012-01-08T13:53:00.000-05:00

The party atmosphere of the first half quickly turned nervy as United hold on for a 3-2 victory to knockout City in the 3rd round of the FA Cup. This match highlighted practically every single Red Devil strength and weakness all in one match.

First, lets revel in the strengths.

Sir Alex got the tactics spot-on with Rooney dropping back into an attacking midfield position, arguably his best position on the pitch, Smalling at center-half with Jones moving wide right, and Welbeck alone upfront, where his size, pace, and ever-improving first touch causes opponents headaches.

Second, United’s attack from wide areas was sublime in the first half, especially the service provided by Valencia on the right, where Kolarov was beaten like a rented mule.

The single-and-critical pass of the entire match came from Antonio’s inch-perfect cross that Rooney adroitly nodded off the underside of the cross-bar to make it 1-0 on the Red’s first real foray into the blue half of the pitch.

The Valencia/Jones and Evra/Nani combination provide the best option to pull defenses apart for United at the moment.

Third, the Red Devils were lethal in front of goal early with Rooney’s aforementioned header and Welbeck’s volley oozing with class. Once United went up 2-0 City were fortunate to only be down 3-0 at half, as Ferguson’s men could have easily been up by four or more.

At half, the discussion revolved around damage control for City, as nobody really thought they stood a chance of making it a game, given the man-advantage and form of the Reds.

But, up steps United’s weaknesses in Technicolor.

First, the Reds make the cardinal mistake of conceding a goal very early in the second half from a set piece just off the area on United’s left-hand side, which immediately lifts City’s play and provides a glimmer of hope for Mancini’s men.

Scoring in the first, say, 10 minutes of the second half is THE only way back in the match the blue moon; otherwise, this match surly ends by a two-or-more-goal differential to United.

Second, the one goal also brings out shaky nerves from the entire back line, especially from Evra, at fault for the foul on Kolarov’s goal and whose knack for getting pulled out of position has become real Achilles heal for the back line.

Too often either Rio of Lindegaard can be seen screaming at the wayward Frenchman, who seems to need some sort of positional shock-collar to hold shape in these matches, or to borrow Gary Neville’s quip about Sideshow Bob, he sometimes plays like he’s controlled by a 10-year-old using a joystick on a Play Station.

Third, Sir Alex’s lack of depth and form in the midfield hath brought Scholesy out of retirement to provide extra cover, leading to all sorts of questions about finances as well as confidence in the current squad.

What must Anderson and Park be thinking when Scholes enters the match before them in the 59th minute?

What did you think seeing Scholesy wearing an unfamiliar number twenty-two as he takes the pitch for his first action all season?

At first glance, surly, happiness for the Reds to see the man who scores goals, yet a twinge of fear because of his potentially poor form and tackling ability in a cauldron of a match. A HUGE gamble by the gaffer, surly crossed many a mind amidst the joy of seeing the ginger-haired-assassin.

Scholes’ ability to play keep-ball paid dividends in the last ten minutes, but bringing him on with 30+ minutes to play proved too risky, as his turnover ultimately led to City making it 3-2 with 25 now-edgy minutes left in the contest.

Thus, even Ferguson got his substitutions out of order, as you wonder if Anderson had come on first and Scholes second, would United have conceded another goal? We’ll never know, but the risk-reward-ratio seemed out-of-whack even for the most die-hard Sir Alex supporter.

Ultimately, though, United did win a huge match to knockout the title-holding, noisy neighbors after two horrible matches.

Full credit goes to the Reds and Rooney for the victory. The number ten answered his critics on a huge stage and demonstrated why he’s a world-class player, as he willed United into the lead with their first opportunity and emphatically kissed the Red Devil Crest yet again in front of City supporters.

So, United move on to the FA Cup’s fourth round at Anfield after ending City’s bid for silverware – a brilliant, brilliant outcome despite the nervy journey.

Reactions To United's FA Cup Win Against City

2012-01-08T13:46:00.002-05:00

Whenever Manchester United plays a game, especially against Manchester City, there are always some major talking points - and here are four of them from their 3-2 win in the FA Cup.

Scholes' comeback

Reds celebrated a much-need win over City

With fans crying for a player to come in to solve the current problems in the midfield, Sir Alex Ferguson decided to bring in a player who could solve it - and for good value. Nobody thought that this would ever happen, even though most would've welcomed the idea of it. But, to be brutally honest, it really didn't anything in terms of solving the midfield dilemma, if anything it created more of a controversy.

Refereeing decisions
Everyone will be pointing at the sending of Vincent Kompany as the turning point of the Manchester Derby, but it was fully deserved sending off. If he caught Nani, as he intended, then he would have certainly done damage to him, as he was overly forceful with a two-footed lunge. It wouldn't be surprising if Chris Foy rescinds the red card, which will do nothing but create a further controversial divide between the two fans. Now, the referee awarded United a penalty in the first half, and there was no debating it because Kolarov wiped out Danny Welbeck without getting the ball, but there should have been another penalty in the second, which Foy never gave. Valencia, against the same City defender, tore inside the right-hand side of the box and had his feet taken out but neither the referee or his linesman decided to give it, which gave City the confidence to get a second straight after.

Questionable Substitutions
Sir Alex made two substitutions, which completely changed the shape of the team, and killed the effectiveness of the United counterattack. Nani was withdrawn in favor of Scholes, which shifted Ryan Giggs to the left wing, and his lack of pace killed the threat of the counters that shredded City in the first half. Not only did it do that, but Scholes came on to sit in front of the back-four, which Carrick did ever so well in the first half. The second substitute was Anderson coming on for Welbeck, who was outstanding harassing the City defenders, as he challenged for every single ball. Yes, keep the possession

Negative play
Even before those changes, United seemed very content sitting on three-goal lead, which gave City far too much confidence to get something from the game. After the Reds get a lead, they sit back in a defensive shell and allow the other team to attack them - which isn't a good thing considering how vulnerable the back-four is. The point was to have City attack them and catch them on a counter, which all three of the goals came from, but the manager didn't anticipate that City would out play them with 10 men.

MONTH IN REVIEW: Star & Stats For Manchester United

2012-01-02T12:30:00.000-05:00

To say the least, December was a very confusing month for Manchester United, as the month was filled with both positives and negatives.

Who was United's star player in December?

As the world knows by now, the Reds got knocked out of the Champions League; but they made up the five points they trailed to end the month as joint Premier League leaders; and they not only scored their most amount goals in a month, but they also lost two games - both firsts in the 2011/12 season.

Five wins in the Premier League have seen United pull level with City at the top of the standings, although they do still have a five goal difference to make up. Their nine-match unbeaten run in the league came to a screeching halt with the shocking 3-2 loss to Blackburn on the final day of the month, but before then, the Reds were in very good form, domestically.

The injury concerns have gotten worse and worse, and the back-four has been patched up with midfielders sprinkled throughout it. United's captain, Nemanja Vidic, tore his knee ligaments, which will see him miss the rest of the season, but every single defender - except Patrice Evra - missed at least one game in December. That didn't stop the Reds from posting four shutouts in their seven games, three of them with Anders Lindegaard in between the posts.

Offensively, it was a very pleasing month, especially considering how the Reds misfired in both October and November. United notched a season-high 20 goals - two more than both of those months combined. There were nine different goal scorers during December, and it was the first time since September that United had more than two players score more than a goal in a month. Dimitar Berbatov led the way with six goals, followed by Wayne Rooney's four, Nani's three and Phil Jones' two.

Star
It was the first month in awhile that United had a few players to choose from when considering this honor, as Berbatov, Michael Carrick, Lindegaard, Nani and Antonio Valencia all played fantastically well this month, but one stood out the most. The latter of the five has not played all that well this season, but December he showed just how awesome he can be registering a team-high seven assists and scoring his first Premier League goal of the season. He was devastating on the right flank terrorizing opposing defenders, and Valencia also operated as a right-back in the last two games.

Record
GP 7 W 5 D 0 L 2 GF 20 GA 6 GD +14

Results
03 - Aston Villa (PL-A) - W, 0-1 (40,053)
07 - FC Basel (CL-A) - L, 2-1 (36,894)
10 - Wolverhampton Wanderers (PL-H) - W, 4-1 (75,627)
18 - Queens Park Rangers (PL-A) - W, 0-2 (18,033)
21 - Fulham (PL-A) - W, 0-5 (25,700)
26 - Wigan Athletic (PL-H) - W, 5-0 (75,183)
31 - Blackburn Rovers (PL-H) - L, 2-3 (75,146)

Goals
Berbatov - 6
Rooney - 4
Nani - 3
Jones - 2
Carrick - 1
Giggs - 1
Park - 1
Valencia - 1
Welbeck - 1

Assists
Valencia - 7
Nani - 4
Giggs - 2
Rafael - 1
Evra - 1
Carrick - 1
Gibson - 1

Just One of Those Days

2012-01-02T12:27:00.000-05:00

You knew the Reds risked a match where the defensive miscues, like today, could leave the offense with too much to over come, yet you never-ever suspected the disappointment would come against Blackburn at home.

First, Berba gives up a penalty to make it 1-0 Blackburn. Why is Berba marking Samba? Probably it’s our best match-up, given the injuries.

Second, you find the Yak stumbling, bumbling his way to a 2-0 Blackburn lead well against the run of play.

United would draw level, as one thing you can count on from Sir Alex is if it’s not working, he’ll change shape at half time. The substitution of Anderson for Chicharito after the break put Welbeck, Valencia, and Rafael back in their natural positions; no more duplicate runs from Berba, Welbeck, and Hernandez.

Valencia was marvelous on the flank, providing high quality service to get around the edge of the bus parked in front of goal.

With the score line level, you’d still bet large sums that United would win, let alone draw today. The stats point to a relative siege for large stretches of the match for Sir Alex’s men.

But it wasn’t to be, as the ultimate coup de gras finds a feeble De Gea’s clearance gifting Blackburn the lead and victory. Game, set, and match Rovers.

This loss demonstrates how tired the squad look, how desperately they need two healthy center halves and Carrick returned to midfield, and how Fergie now has a full-blown keeper controversy, with Lindegaard’s five clean sheets in five games contrasting sharply with De Gea’s poor performance in this match.

This result guarantees City will sit top of the table at the turn of the year. The Red Devil’s ascent fell one game shy of the 2011 Premier League summit.

United must simply write this one off and use it as motivation in preparation for Newcastle midweek. Get well boys. Cheers.

'Tis The Season

2011-12-26T15:57:00.000-05:00

The United response to the holiday fixture list has been fantastic, with consecutive 5-0 thrashings of Fulham and Wigan inside a week despite the growing list of causalities.

Consider these trends ... Nani scoring on a header while the away supporters work all the way down song sheet into a Georgie Best World at Craven Cottage.

Today, there’s Carrick as a center-half, Valencia at right back, a Darron Gibson sighting in central midfield, plus a hat trick for that the seldom used reserve, Dimitar Berbatov.

Add to the mix Chelsea, Liverpool, and Man City all drawing and dropping two points, and welcome to your own personal Winter Wonderland tied a top of the Premier League.

Perhaps only the most optimistic Red Devils envisioned United level with City before the New Year. Well, here we sit tied at the top of the table only separated by a goal differential reduced from the high teens to five in a month.

Ferguson’s men won eight of their past nine to reach this point, with the only dropped points coming from THAT penalty decision against Ferdinand. One corrected call and United would sit top by two points.

You simply wonder what City must be thinking, as the pressure mounts on the blue half of Manchester.

Consider United’s accomplishment up against the injury list, which includes Anderson, Cleverly, da Silva twins, Ferdinand, Fletcher, Jones, Smalling, and Vidic, with the Captain and Fletcher likely lost for the rest of the campaign.

Pinch me, I must be dreaming, as United will only get better when players start returning from the hospital ward.

Now, let’s think about the team sheet just before kickoff.

If you were the gaffer, would you play Carrick in defense and give a run out for Gibson today? In reality, what other choice did Fergie have?

Maybe play Evra central and give a starting nod to the young Fryars or bring back Rafael a bit too early from injury. Actually, the Carrick call looks more reasonable against the options available, as the Frenchman is way too small to play central.

Wigan can be a dangerous side, as they have skilled-but-inconsistent players that can be easily overrun by truly committed side. Yet, if you give them hope, miraculously they’re capable of playing some entertaining possession-football – a real Doctor Jeckll and Mr. Hyde side.

Thankfully, the Latics were in a giving mood today. Hopefully, Fergie returns the favor and breaks deep into his wine selection to treat Roberto Martinez. Afterall one good deed deserves another.

Dimitar Berbatov: 50 And Not Out - Hopefully

2011-12-26T15:52:00.000-05:00

With just a few days before the January transfer windows open, Dimitar Berbatov made a bold statement to the fans with his very classy goal against Fulham, showing what he can still bring to Manchester United.

Berbatov coolly clips the ball in with a flick

Sporting new stylish hair cut, the Bulgarian made his first substitute appearance, after being out a couple of weeks with a foot injury, and it would be very foolish if Sir Alex Ferguson decided to let him go to Paris Saint-Germain - or any other club for that matter.

Over the next five months, United need to make up at least two points and a massive 10 goal difference if they are to overtake Manchester City in the Premier League standings - and Berbatov can aid that cause tremendously.

Yes, right now both Danny Welbeck and Javier Hernandez are both in front of him to partner Wayne Rooney in the Reds' attack, but there are going to be games during that stretch when Berba's style will be best suited. Many people are quick to forget that the United No. 9 is the reigning Premier League Golden Boot winner and without his contributions, the club simply doesn't have their 19th title.

Berba's cheeky goal will give him the confidence to kick on, and it will also give a nudge to Ferguson of what he has waiting patiently in the wings. He has never spoken out of term, and there's no question that his confidence has dipped, but class always shows through in the end - and he has oodles of it.

Of his six Premier League appearances this season, five of them have come from the substitutes' bench, which for a player of his style isn't easy. Let's face it, he's no Hernandez, so it normally takes him a while to get his body going and mind into the match. Once he gets a few starts under his belt, not in a knockout competition with a bunch of youngsters, the fans will start seeing the best of him.

The soon-to-be 31 year-old has six months remaining on his contract, but the club holds an option to extend for another season, which Sir Alex said he will probably invoke. United fans often make note of the 2009 UEFA Champions League Final would have been different if Darren Fletcher wasn't unduly suspended, but the same can be - and has been - said if Berbatov was included in last year's final.

What is most appreciated about Berbatov is his professionalism over the last 12 months. As, we have seen, modern-day footballers don't have any team ethics or morals - but he does! Being unfairly dropped after carrying the goal scoring burden in the first half of the 2010/11 season, Berba has kept his priorities straight which is making sure that the team is successful, not just him. A lot of people think that his body language gives off a sense of laziness, but he's most certainly not lazy. On top his unbelievable skill and control of the ball and, because of his height, he defends as well as anybody on set-pieces.

Dimitar Berbatov still has a lot to offer Manchester United, and if someone doesn't see that, then they don't appreciate the game of football as it should be played.

Five Reactions To United's 5-0 Win Over Fulham

2011-12-21T20:26:00.002-05:00

Manchester United extended their unbeaten run in the Premier League to eight games, as they cruised to a comfortable 5-0 victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage, but was it their best performance of the season.

Performance Enhancing

Reds had lots to cheer & celebrate at CC

United looked to be finally starting to click through the gears, as they started playing some lovely football - both attack and defending. There wasn't a bad performance by any player in the famous Red shirt, which hasn't been said too often this season. Ryan Giggs and Anders Lindegaard were the only two changes that Sir Alex Ferguson made to his starting XI from the previous two matches, and both of those players helped United not miss a beat against Fulham. The former extended his record of being the only player to have scored in the Premier League season, while the latter has yet to concede a goal in any of his Premier League appearances in 2011/12.

Injury concerns heighten
If you thought that it couldn't get any worse, think again. Not only did Phil Jones go off with a suspected broken cheekbone, but Ashley Young, who replaced him, is out until after the New Year, as well. Jones has been one of the most vital players to the United squad this season, so to lose him for any length of time would be a huge blow to the club - especially if the reports of him being out six weeks is true. Even though he may be on the outside looking in, Young still holds a vital place in the squad, too, because during the busy winter season, he would be able to play into form.

Nani and Valencia's influence
Earlier in the season, Sir Alex said that the creative play for United is not in the center of the park but down the wings - and that was again evident in the win against the Cottagers. In the last few games, Nani and Antonio Valencia have been in blistering form on separate flanks, but against Fulham they showed just how lethal they can be together, as well! Nani registered two assists and also scored a rare headed goal, which gives him five assists and three goals in the last three games. Valencia, who played more than an hour at right-back against Fulham, notched an assist to Dimitar Berbatov, which gives him five, as well.

Taking chances
Over the last three games, United have scored 11 goals, which is showing that they could be getting back to form that had the Premier League shaking in their boots in August. The Reds have been creating the chances, and against Fulham they created 18 more, but it was taking five of their eight shots on target that was most impressive. Ferguson will be best pleased, because the goals were also spread throughout the team, as five players tallied goals. When a team has multiple players getting the confidence of scoring goals - especially three forwards - then the manager has a welcomed selection headache.

Center-back Pairing
Rio Ferdinand, who has been nothing short of outstanding in the last three or four Premier League games, missed the game and is ruled out of the Boxing Day match against Wigan Athletic. However, the way that Chris Smalling and, yes, Jonny Evans played alongside each other was a joy to watch. Yes, it was against Fulham, who are tied for the fifth worse offensive production in the league, but they handled the job at hand, which is all you could ask of them. Smalling and Evans both made timely blocks and cleared the danger Fulham possessed, which always going to be a big ask, especially with the Reds scooting forward every chance they got.

Confidence Restored

2011-12-21T20:11:00.001-05:00

If you ever needed a demonstration how United need to attack, simply re-watch today’s 5-0 thrashing of Fulham.

Fluid movement seemed effortless for the Reds, as United ended up employing four wing players much of the match, with Valencia at right back and Giggs in the center of midfield.

So effective were the flanks that it seemed as if the Cottagers played the morning after a wild Christmas party – looking tired, hung-over and bewildered.

Party on indeed.

Where do you start, with so much to relish? Let’s keep it to the customary five reactions to the match.

First, Carrick and Giggs controlled the match – that is control with a capital “C”.

Both players maintained possession and distributed the ball wonderfully to the wings, which Fulham couldn’t deal with, so they dropped off the ball even further. This provided the dynamic duo even more time over the ball… you get the picture.

As Warren Barton teased, Giggs could have played today with a cigar in one hand, a brandy in another – he simply did what he wanted with grace and ease. Fittingly, Giggs netted the third goal for United just before half off a deflection that brought to the fore that amused-and-delighted grin to the number eleven’s face, that priceless picture we’ve witnessed on so many occasions. All Reds should name their first-born son Ryan, seriously.

Second, the Rooney and Welbeck combination regained their early season mojo, as both strikers netted a goal a piece. Rooney’s 30+-yard strike that kissed off the post was reminiscent of an audacious Ronaldo long-range effort circa 2008 and a definite goal-of-the-week candidate.

This combination works when Welbeck’s touch is “on”, and Dany didn’t disappoint. He maintained possession as well as provided the effort, pace, and length to pressure the ball effectively. Often, Fulham started deep with the long number nineteen and Rooney narrowing as well as directing the possible escape routes out of their defensive half, which led to turnovers and a lop-sided possession statistic in favor of United. Brilliant job, lads.

Third, this match, like so many others, came with injuries – this time to Jones and Young. Jones’ head injury – thanks to an intentional elbow, I’d argue, from Clint Dempsy – merited a yellow, if not a red card from Mark Halsey.

I simply can’t understand how no card was given, as in real time you clearly saw Dempsey leading with and holding his elbow out above his headline upon connection with United’s number four. The only explanation lies in the referee being reluctant to show colors so early in the match. It’s a stone-cold yellow, in my book.

Jones’ injury could be a huge blow because concussions hold their own peculiar and unpredictable spell over their victims. Let us hope that Jones will be back soon, as the Red Devils sorely needs his versatility during the crowded holiday fixture list.

Fourth, Nani’s blistering form continued today, as he tormented Fulham from wide positions, often with either Evra or Valencia overlapping him. You cannot underestimate the importance of Nani’s full-length run down the left flank that created United’s first goal.

Once burned, twice shy became the rule, as Fulham’s fullbacks never recovered from watching the obvious ease with which the Portuguese rounded the defense to provide Welbeck with a side-footer from ten yards out.

Fifth and finally, the past two months have witnessed United pressing too much in the final third of the pitch leading to uncomfortable 1-0 victories and the infamous penalty decision to Newcastle at home.

Reds really needed a match where the goals came easily and freely. This was the match. The score line should restore the player’s confidence in the wide attacking play that was so effective in the early days of the season. When Ferguson’s men get it going down the wing, they’re extremely difficult to stop.

Admittedly, United cannot afford to be so expansive against the highest quality opposition, but you suspect both matches in West London brought back that swagger we’ve all come to expect from a Sir Alex Ferguson side. Just consider Rooney’s superb long-range laser or Berbatov’s delicious back-heal-redirect just in side the far post. Both strikes simply exude class and assurance.

Goals can be contagious with this side, as this match reminds the Reds to relax, play your game, and trust each other. The goals do come, and quite often, in bunches.

----

Back at you after the Wigan match. Cheers.

Five Reactions To United's Victory Over Wolverhampton

2011-12-10T16:07:00.000-05:00

Playing Wolverhampton at home after the massive disappointment midweek provided the perfect tonic for what ails United, with a comfortable 4-1 victory.

Normal service resumed around goal with Rooney and Nani netting two goals apiece, and in truth, it could have been much more lopsided, as Mick McCarthy’s side left too many delicious pockets of space for the Red Devils to exploit.

Here are my five immediate reactions to this victory.

First, United are clearly a club in transition at the moment. All illusions of a seamless evolution from one generation to another disappeared with Red’s Champions League exit this past week.

Simply look at the age and form of the squad at the moment.

You have extreme youth with the de Silvas, De Gea, Jones, Smalling, Welbeck, Cleverly, and Macheda, coupled with aging veterans still playing in Berbatov, Giggs, Owen and Rio, as well as the recently departed Brown, Neville, O’Shea, Scholes, and van der Sar.

With youthful defenders, we’ve witnessed more errors and shots on goal than you’d expect from a Ferguson side thus far this year.

Today’s culprit was Chris Smalling, who repeatedly let Matt Jarvis get around the edge with the same move, which led to the cross that provided Wolves’ only goal.

It’s not so much that he got beat, which happens, it’s that he didn’t adjust to the threat against him.

Reviewing tape, Smalling will be embarrassed by witnessing himself beat repeatedly with so much help provided by the hardworking Valencia. He’ll learn, without question, but his error provided Wolves a huge lifeline early in the second half. Against a different side on a different day, United would not be so lucky.

Second, United desperately need an in-form Nani with the current injury list and lack of execution around goal. Thankfully, the number seventeen hath obliged.

Everyone knows the Portuguese winger created the most goals last term, as he can beat anyone – sometimes two or even three – off the dribble. His ability to get around the outside edge, nutmeg defenders, or cut inside causes defenders nightmares.

In Basel, Nani looked the most likely to score, as he toyed with anyone attempting to cover him, albeit his crosses left teammates wanting.

Today, he opened the Red Devils account with a brilliant jaunt across the top of the box before slotting home his shot just inside the post. This goal loosened up United’s play with Rooney, not coincidentally, netting the second soon afterwards.

Third, welcome back, Rio Ferdinand, as his elegant anticipation and timing returns precisely when United need it most.

We all have questions about his durability and fitness, but with what we’ve seen during the Newcastle, Basel, and Wolves matches, Sir Alex must be greatly encouraged. United need veteran leadership to help cover for and develop the youngsters. Rio is providing that quality at the moment.

Fourth, Phil Jones is a stud. Period.

Certainly, he’s still learning his craft, especially at center half, but just look at the nineteen year old: he’s our preferred central midfield option at the moment, which speaks to his talent and versatility as well as United’s lack of consistency and depth in the center of the park.

Where would the Red Devils be without this lad? I shudder the thought, as he’s filled a gaping whole in the middle of the formation.

Fifth, and most important, this victory restores some confidence around goal, particularly for Rooney, and applies much-needed pressure on City, especially after being knocked out of Champions League.

A loss to Chelsea would summon up anxiety on the Blue Moon, as they have yet to deal with adversity this campaign outside of an unnamed player’s soap opera. Until City win the Premier League, the inevitable questions will surface upon each slip-up.

We may all look back at this very week, where United fell out of European glory, as the turning point for this season and this squad of players.

The price paid for being complacent and having concentration lapses on defensive leave sharp bitterness in Red Devil mouths.

Have the youngsters learned that simply donning the red shirt doesn’t guarantee anything and that you must earn everything against everybody at this level of football?

Have the youth been taught how hard you must work to develop and maintain that elusive form that saw opponents battered early in the season?

We shall all find out soon enough, as today was one baby-step in the right direction.

Five Reactions From United's Win Over Aston Villa

2011-12-03T17:39:00.002-05:00

It certainly wasn't the prettiest of results, but in the end, thanks to Phil Jones' 20th minute goal, Manchester United walked out of Villa Park 1-0 winners, something that has happened since 2007.

Ferdinand helped United post another shutout

1. Ahead of the game, the biggest fear was for United not to pick up anymore injuries, but that didn't happen as both Javier Hernandez and Rio Ferdinand were both forced off with non-contact injuries. Chicharito looked to have suffered a serious injury as his ankle buckle underneath him, but Sir Alex Ferguson has temporarily ruled him out for three to four weeks. In the last two games, the Reds have had five players forced off with injuries - which is never a good sign heading into a congestive fixture list in the winter months.

2. Considering that United have not won at Villa Park since 2007, this can be seen as bonus points come the end of the season. It was by no means a convincing win, and if anything, loads more questions were being raised about the desire to take the chance when it was presented. The problem is that the Reds had a lot of standpoint performances, but also some players who decided to only play in spurts. A lot of criticism has been dished out to United's center midfielders, but a make-shift partnership between Michael Carrick and Phil Jones seemed to be one that the boss should use in more games, at least until the injury jinx subsides.

3. How good is Jones, though? Not only did he score the eventual game-winner with a neat side-footed finish, but he also played lie a natural box-to-box midfielder AND slotted in central defense without a fuss. Not many people thought that he would have gotten the start in the center of the midfield, especially with Darren Fletcher and Ryan Giggs both fit, but Jones did more than enough to prove that he can play there if need be.

4. Ahead of the game, Sir Alex Ferguson blamed himself for Wayne Rooney's scoring woes, and that continued against Villa, as he definitely did not look his normal menacing self. There were definitely some moments of brilliance from him, but those were few and far between - and he looks completely out of his norm up front. Some of his passes, including a perfectly-placed 60-yarder, were very good, but the simple pass, in particular the hesitant pass to Danny Welbeck, should have been better from him.

5. Despite losing a couple of their stars this summer, Villa still has two attacking threats, Darren Bent and Gabriel Agbonlahor who need to be watched and defended straight from the opening kick off to the final whistle - and Nemanja Vidic and Chris Smalling did just that. The way that these two had the right side of the defense on lock down was nothing short of impressive.

Villa Park Dominance Continues

2011-12-03T17:37:00.000-05:00

United extend the unbeaten string at Villa Park to twenty-one matches after a 1-0 victory in a disjointed affair that saw three different players stretchered off the pitch.

Based on this causality list, you’d imagine a tight, no-holds-bar match, but it was quite the contrary.

Seemingly a supernatural curse befell the unfortunate three, as they all went down on at their own accord out of the blue, and you can’t blame the famously immaculate surface at Aston Villa. Sun rises. Sun sets. Villa Park is a velvety carpet. It’s that predictable.

Last match, the Red Devils were simply profligate in front of goal with their many chances.

Today, United bossed possession, yet failed to create as many opportunities in front of goal against a largely uninspired side.

So poor were the Villains, in fact, that they allowed Jones and Carrick to dictate matters to Villa’s three central midfielders. Nobody bothered to track Jones on his forays forward, which led to the game’s only goal in the 20th minute – a brilliant, top-shelf volley off a Nani cross from six yards.

Such was the delight on Jones’ and the managerial staff’s faces, with the number four pointing to his manager immediately after the strike, that you figured the player had a personal wager with the Scot. Smiles all around. United seemed in pole position to pile on the goals.

But again, it was not to be.

United played out their recent script, as the Reds simply oozed control over the match, yet found concentration, execution, or ideas lacking at THE critical moment in attack.

We’ve seen this Groundhog Day adventure before.

Nani dribbling away possession. Valencia getting his crosses blocked. Young looking a shadow of his early season form. Players standing over the ball too long. Rooney frustrated by the inability to pick him out crashing goal-side when someone gets around the edge. Somebody hitting a gilt-edged opportunity wide.

Against Newcastle and now Villa, we’ve witnessed poor focus cost the Reds two goals. Each time, the forward needlessly strayed a yard offside while drooling for the juicy final pass. Today’s culprit was Danny Welbeck.

You know that in the end, the goals will come – it’s inevitable given the quality of the side. In the big picture, the Reds continue to pick up points while not playing their best football. No large worries here.

But in the short-term, let’s hope the final third form doesn’t cost us all too much away at Basel.

Sir Alex’s men put themselves in a position of needing a result on the last day of group play in a weak group. As we’ve seen before, all it takes is one unlucky break for the Red Devils to pay a hefty price.

Let’s hope that Wednesday provides a much-needed cathartic release around goal. As we all know United are way overdue for one.

Five Reactions From United's Draw Against Newcastle

2011-11-26T15:11:00.002-05:00

Manchester United slipped to a completely undeserved 1-1 draw with Newcastle United at Old Trafford, which meant that there were always going to be plenty of reactions from this disappointing result.

Reds were left amazed by penalty decision

1. A lot of people will blame the linesman, John Flynn, for the decision to give the penalty against Rio Ferdinand's clean challenge on Hatem Ben Arfa, but the fact of the matter is the referee, Mike Jones, should have overruled him. The referee had an unobstructed view of the incident. A lot of people will debate that Jones couldn't, or shouldn't, disagree with his linesman who was in a better position, which would've decreased his credibility, but by not getting it right he destroyed both of theirs.

2. Since the Manchester City beat down, a lot of people have openly criticized United for not attacking, but that wasn't the case against Newcastle. The Reds threw everything except the kitchen sink at the Magpies in an attempt to get something from the game, and those same people are saying we are now too careless with the chances - which isn't too far off base. The problem with this criticism is that it's destructive criticism. Yes, they should've converted at least another of their 27 chances, but at least they are now creating them, which is a positive thing.

3. Sir Alex Ferguson has said on a couple of occasions that Manchester United use wingers to be the creative force - and against Newcastle both of them wasted glorious opportunities. Combined, Nani and Ashley Young had around five or six golden chances to get United ahead before the finish line, but each and every time their finishing or final ball went missing - and, consequently, so did that elusive second goal.

4. Javier Hernandez scored another goal, his third goal in four Premier League matches, but the amount of chances he squandered was amazing. He had seven very good chances to score, and only turned one of them into a goal, which for a forward of his quality is not good enough. Allegedly, Hernandez is not a scorer of great goals, but a great goal scorer, so one would think, or hope, that he would score more than just a solitary goal from all of those golden opportunities.

5. With so many injuries and illnesses ravaging the center of the midfield, Michael Carrick has emerged as a very dependable player. Over the last three games, he has either won Man of the Match honors, or competed for it, which a lot of players cannot say the same for United. Even though, he has been playing consistently well and doing his job, Carrick still cannot get a break with the myopic view of some of the fans.

Wasteful or Unlucky?

2011-11-26T15:09:00.000-05:00

All Geordie fans should run to the local corner store and play the lottery immediately. Oh wait, on second thought, they’ve already maxed out their luck today - never mind.

Of course, the initial reactions will focus on the linesman’s gift penalty from a textbook-perfect tackle, poor finishing, and game-of-the-season keeping from the Krul Dutchman.

A closer look, however, reveals something else entirely.

Yes, I agree, Sir Alex, that the match’s outcome was a travesty. However, during the previous run of successive one-nil victories, United rode lady luck both in poor finishing, wasteful possession, and the odd defensive lapse.

Midweek and today we’ve witnessed the extreme cost for being profligate.

Against Benfica, the Reds gifted the Portuguese side an own-goal along with a horrible clearance from De Gea, right after you felt the lad had turned a corner with this type of game-changing error. Either time, had the player simply held his mettle, the pressure at Old Trafford dissipates measurably.

Today, we find the linesman in a giving mood to the barcodes, who hardly deserved a point in the second half, albeit Newcastle did attack when the opportunity presented itself in the first half and for that reason you give them a modicum of credit.

But United blew countless chances, only to score the lone goal from a crazy deflected clearance off Chicharito’s backside. Clinical finishing hath become elusive, as United do not sustain concentration long enough to put inferior sides away by two-plus goals, with something like 10 goals in the last 8 or 9 matches.

That’s simply not good enough. And Fergie knows it.

The inevitable pressure does come, but the lack of end-product leads to bad habits, including players pressing, standing over the ball too long, or trying difficult-if-not impossible balls way too often.

Players seem to lack belief the goals will come. Frustration begets more aggravation in this cycle, such as Nani dribbling through the entire defense only to over-hit his shot or cross, take you pick. Brilliance suddenly leads to a building collective annoyance.

United play best when up-tempo balls to space force defenses to keep up with rapid-fire decision-making, as pace and movement lead to the gaps the Reds exploit, often with tap-ins from lovely passing. Everybody knows this.

Yet, the Red Devils seem to have lost control over this gear, at times, which isn’t characteristic of a Sir Alex Ferguson side. Form and function become elusive at the most inopportune of moments for about nine game running now.

Thus, we find the season on edge, with United needing a result at Basel to advance from an easy Champions League group and the possibility of falling seven points behind City by tomorrow evening.

Sure, United feel rightfully aggrieved to have conceded an unjust penalty, but such a turn hath been brewing for a while. Just add up the number of minutes with a narrow one-goal lead, which is way too long to avoid lady luck’s pendulum swinging the wrong direction. Thus, we find Sir Alex’s tirade to deflect attention from profligacy in front of goal.

United need to rekindle their ruthlessness right quick, otherwise, prospects in Europe and England could evaporate all too quickly. And luck would have absolutely nothing to do with it.

One-Nil To The United

2011-11-05T21:59:00.001-04:00

Is this the dawn of a new era at Old Trafford? One-nil victories and shut up shop football?

Hardly.

On this, the twenty-fifth anniversary of Sir Alex’s reign, you wonder if naming the North Stand after gaffer himself pulled at the superstitious strings within the player ranks, a sign of his eventual retirement.

You’d think so, or more likely, the ghosts of matches-past crept into the Red Devil psyche. Starting with a 4-3-3 and Rooney in a central midfield role for a second straight Premiership match, you could bet Sir Alex wanted stern shape in defense with the top three pushing play forward.

It didn’t happen.

United without two central strikers were too easily defended, as the pocket of space in the backwash of Chicharito’s runs was largely wasted in the formation with Sunderland’s disciplined defense.

Welbeck and Nani didn’t do enough to get around the outside edge of their defenders, leaving the Reds to stand around and hit slow, predictable passes amongst themselves – too often moving laterally or even backwards – and constantly looking for someone else to make decisive runs off the ball.

United became stagnant and disjointed, playing right into Sunderland’s desired tempo. An occasional diagonal ball from Rooney switched play and showed promise only to have the player involved give up possession cheaply.

One suspects this side feels lingering effects from the drubbing, as players so known for their skill and ability to play fast football collectively look uncertain of themselves, and at times, their teammates.

Simply said: the mojo’s gone missing at the moment.

With that said, the Reds nabbed all three points, which at season’s end, will equal the tally from the 8-2 drubbing of Arsenal. Points are points, oh Zen-master – let us never forget that fact.

Thus, let us look at three positives moving forward in the campaign.

First, Rooney played three different positions today and handled all of them with his customary aplomb. The match commentators kept repeating that Wazza’s skills were wasted playing so far removed from the top line. I completely disagree, given the state of the midfield at the moment.

True, Rooney’s best position is in the hole just behind the striker, especially a speedy one such as Chicharito or Welbeck. Given time, the lad is lethal.

However, United’s midfield possess too many injuries or central players out-of-form at the moment, with Carrick and Cleverley coming back from injury and Anderson wildly inconsistent, leaving Fletcher, who himself is gaining form from a long-term spell out, as THE viable option at the moment.

Sure, you can play Park central and utilize his industry, but his slight build can be exploited in the box. Plus, he’s dangerous out wide, where his lovely turn-and-counter attack on left flank proved today.

Sure, you can play Giggs central as well, but admittedly, he doesn’t cover enough ground as one of only two central midfielders.

Thus, until either Carrick or Cleverley return, Ferguson’s completely justified in bringing a measure of composure and creativity to the midfield with Wayne Rooney. This shows the gaffer’s ability to adapt, one to be appreciated not criticized at the moment.

Second, the international break couldn’t come at a better moment for United, buying time for the aforementioned central midfielders to heal, train, and return to form, as well as the other injuries to Rafael, Smalling, and company to mend.

On August 1st, had you known that United would have 26 points from 11 matches and sit second on November 5th, you’d feel the Reds were positioned for the traditional surge in the second half of the season.

After today’s admittedly lack-luster result, United will sit second through the break, as you can always trust a SAF side to gain momentum as the season progresses. No serious worries here.

Last, the much-maligned Michael Carrick’s value should become crystal clear for anyone with remotely high football intelligence. Without him, United lack something.

Yes, I know, when Carrick makes a blunder, such as the costly turnover that led to City’s goal in last season’s FA Cup, that he looks horrible. Yes, he’s not your traditional hard man to shield the back four. Yes, we all remember him – and the rest of the squad for the matter –chasing the game in the Champions League Final.

Yet, upon reflection and to be fair, he possesses incredibly quick and accurate passing ability, the same skill that led to inch-perfect switch to Giggs, who found Rooney for the decisive goal at Stamford Bridge in the Champion’s League last season. Point. Counter-point.

Carrick’s value is in solid positioning and quick distribution from the back, which helps United’s tempo immensely. If you don’t believe me, simply research his passing efficiency against Anderson, for example. The results are shocking.

Without either Cleverly or Carrick, United’s central midfield’s passing lacks an edge.

With both players, it allows Rooney to play in the hole and for rapid transitions to attacking from the wing, a United trademark. Thus, United’s central midfield fortunes are tied to both players improving fitness, which improve by the day now, another good sign.

Thus, on this the twenty-fifth anniversary of Fergie’s reign at United, we honor our favorite Glaswegian, one who’s brought immeasurable joy to our hearts from his glorious attacking football.

We’ll never be found singing “One-nil to the United”, and for that, we can count ourselves blessed.

-----------------------

Back at you after the trip to Swansea City. Cheers.

Are Anderson's Good Performances Just A Fluke?

2011-11-03T21:51:00.001-04:00

There is no doubt that Anderson is capable of moments of brilliance. At the start of this season, partnered with Tom Cleverley in the midfield, Anderson looked class. He was creating chances and even scored a rare goal. Then Kevin Davies put Cleverley on the sidelines for awhile and Anderson’s form dropped off. Actually, it didn’t just drop off; it plummeted, culminating in last night’s shocking display against Otelul Galati. It got me thinking that maybe Anderson’s bad form wasn’t just an occasional fluke that he would snap out of. Maybe his quality performances were the fluke. The possibility that Anderson was nothing more than an average player who occasionally had an outstanding run of form started to sink in.

So I thought back on Anderson’s time at United, all the way back to when I first heard his name, looking for an answer.

I was just stepping off a plane at London Heathrow when I first heard the news about Anderson and Nani back in 2007. As I walked out of the airport to catch a taxi, I grabbed a copy of The Sun to read about United’s two new signings. I have no idea why, but from the very beginning, before even seeing him play, I found myself already liking Anderson. Maybe it was the “cool” factor. He had the awesome dreadlocks and was being hailed as “the next Ronaldinho” by the media. YouTube videos showed he was an enthralling attacking talent, running at defenders with an abundance of flair and scoring. He appeared to be... well, Brazilian. It was hard not to be excited.

Too bad that’s not the player we got. Despite having a brilliant first season, Anderson’s role was being redefined at United. No, that’s not right. He did not have a defined role at United. Sometimes he played deep, as a makeshift enforcer. Other times he would be played further forward. He was essentially used as a midfield utility man, playing whatever role was needed, and he seemed versatile enough to do any job. It became increasingly clear that he wasn’t going to be used as an attacking midfielder like he had been at FC Porto.

Nevertheless, Anderson actually had a good season when you think about it. That first season is when he took the ever popular dump on Cesc Fabregas, providing us with something to quite literally chant about. Anderson also played a sizeable role in the Premier League, making 24 league appearances in a squad that became champions. And, of course, in the Champions League Final he scored a crucial penalty in the shootout against Chelsea as United went on to become champions of Europe. That is the type of debut season that players dream of.

Then came the sophomore slump. That’s not to say Anderson was bad, but he wasn’t particularly good either, and he was not building off the performances of his debut season. His third season was not much better. It was like he had peaked before he even celebrated his 21st birthday. While he was an exciting young player in his first season and did a good job, there was plenty of room for improvement, and he just wasn’t improving. Anderson certainly hadn’t been helped by injuries along the way, and he was in and out of the team as a result. That may have hindered his development, and I continued to believe one good run in the team was all he needed to find consistency. Ultimately, Anderson was more of an average player with the occasional good game than a good player with the occasional poor game.

As fans began to call for an exit, I was one who continued to support Anderson, believing that he would fulfill his potential and become the answer for the growing problem in midfield. It was that damn hair and the fact that he was always smiling; Anderson was just so cool, I couldn’t bring myself to not support the guy.

In the build up to his fourth season, Anderson was involved in that infamous car crash in Portugal. The accident occurred at 7am after leaving a nightclub. It was another setback on his return from an injury the previous season, and I began to question his commitment to the club. Out all night just weeks before the season when he should have been focused on a comeback from injury. I was starting to hope that the “next Ronaldinho” tag that had failed to be fulfilled on the pitch wouldn’t be fulfilled off it.

And then my faith started to pay off. Once Anderson made his return from injury he put together a good run of games and was soon awarded a brand new deal. It looked like Anderson would have a future at United after all. Then he faded again and went quiet for a few months. Toward the end of the season he experienced another resurgence, scoring twice against Schalke in the Champions League and once against Blackpool in the Premier League. Now he was adding goals to his game, something that had eluded him for so long. But still, yet again, Anderson was average for most of the season with a few outstanding performances.

That brings us to this season, and arguably the worst performance in his time at Old Trafford. Anderson was giving away possession and creating very little. This was against a team I hadn’t even heard of until they were drawn in our group. What went wrong last night? Or was there nothing wrong, and that is just Anderson’s standard performance?

Going back on that little adventure through time, it becomes harder to deny the fact that Anderson may just be a decent player and that his dazzling performances are the abnormalities. I am not ready just yet to give up on him, but time is running out. For many it already has. Unless Anderson can play consistently at that exceptional level we’ve occasionally seen him achieve, then it may be time to admit that Anderson is nothing more than average and part ways. I hope that day will not come, but it is becoming a more realistic possibility with every game.

The Ship Steadied

2011-10-29T11:55:00.000-04:00

Manchester United defended a 1-0 lead away at Everton for three huge points to right the Red Devil ship after the loss last week. No coincidence, then, that the man at the helm was none other than Nemanja Vidic.

United played a 4-5-1 with Cleverley, Fletcher, Park, Rooney and Welbeck moving to the midfield and with Chicharito as the lone striker, who bagged his fourth of the season in the 19th minute. Backline included Jones, Evans and Evra partnering the number fifteen.

You felt that United, once up and after customarily going for the jugular for a 5-10 minute spell, would play compact, counter-attacking football to prove – almost to a fault – that they could staunchly hold this margin of victory in the second half.

Inevitably, at some point, Everton would open up in the quest for the equalizer, and indeed, a couple of breaks fell for the Reds. Yet, United proved wasteful with their limited chances, leaving Ferguson to take off the goal-scoring-but-possession-challenged Hernandez for the holding and heading ability of Berba in the 67th minute.

What’s striking about this game was the sheer concentration and communication among Ferguson’s men in the defensive half, in contrast to events of the past several months.

A late non-penalty call by Mark Halsey seemed spot-on upon further review as Magaye Gueye lost his footing in a 50-50 clash with Evra. Had Everton leveled at this point, much of the talk would be about United’s possible demise, and admittedly, my focus would be on lack of United possession in the second half.

Regardless, you can’t take anything away from the Man of the Match performance by Vidic. Rock solid. Clear communication. Never putting in a head or foot in wrong. The Red Devils look a different side with their true captain back in the fold.

Beyond the beloved captain, however, Cleverley demonstrated yet again that his tight one-touch passing improves United’s tempo and led to the ample space for Evra’s cross to Chicharito’s decisive goal.

Without the number twenty-three, or Rooney dropping back to a central role for that matter, United’s midfield seems too similar, with great wide players with some defensive frailties and too many utilitarian runners manning the center of the park.

Cleverley’s ample energy and rhythmic-and-intricate passing wrong foots defenders and improves the quality of United’s runs off the ball, given the mismatches it creates. Quite simply, he becomes the heartbeat in the center sorely missed the last few months.

Thus, his health yet again becomes a great concern, as let’s hope his substitution in the 57th minute proves to be more cautionary than signal another significant injury blow. The Reds can’t afford it at the moment.

Overall, surly, United can and will get better as the year progresses, but don’t be surprised to see more 4-5-1 formations in tricky fixtures, especially away.

After last week’s effort left the Reds clamoring for someone to take charge of the play on the pitch, the man from Serbia heeded the call.

Well done, Nemanja. You’re THE Captain United ever so richly deserve.

Is Wesley Sneijder The Answer? No.

2011-10-26T18:49:00.004-04:00

It was with some relief that Wesley Sneijder’s name faded into the background after the transfer window closed in September, many seemingly focused more on Manchester United’s impressive start to the season. Rightly so, as fans should always put the club’s performance ahead of any paper talk. Those brilliant performances were never going to last forever though, and United slowly let their early season form slip, culminating in the humiliation dealt by Manchester City at Old Trafford on Sunday. Suddenly, the name Sneijder was back in discussion among United fans.

That, however, raises the question – Is Sneijder the hero we need, or is he the hero we want? There is little doubt that midfield is the most worrisome area of the squad, although the defense dilemma is not far behind. Sneijder is a midfielder, yes, but is he THE midfielder we need? While he would certainly be a welcome addition and create a plethora of chances for our wealth of attacking talent to finish, he is not the player that we so desperately need.

Instead, aim to kill two birds with one stone. Jog a few yards back from where Sneijder would play. That is where our focus should be. Back in August and September we were freely scoring, but we were also conceding far too many chances. Fortunately, most of our opposition was not blessed with the finer points of finishing. This cavalier approach was begging for someone to exploit it; enter Manchester City. While our defense has been suspect for much of the season, the midfield has done little to help. Not only do we fail to boss games in the center of the park, but in no way does our midfield shield the defense. The answer to so many of our problems is a world class defensive midfielder.

This is one position where we lack any presence. This was exactly what Owen Hargreaves was bought for back in 2007, but that obviously never worked out and we never replaced him. Michael Carrick is the closest thing we have to a defensive midfielder now, and he is just a makeshift one. He’s solid as a deep-lying playmaker and has proven he can break up the opposition’s play with interceptions, but he’s not the complete package for a deep role. We need someone who has those qualities, but will also give chase and not let an opposing player have a second of rest while on the ball. Someone who is not afraid to go into a bone-crunching tackle to win back possession. Think back to the days of Roy Keane. He looked possessed at times, desperately wanting to win the ball back, and more often than not he did. We’ll never replace Keane, but we can find someone who can play in his role.

Go back in time, back to May 2011. The stage is Wembley... who am I kidding? You already know this story. In the aftermath of that humbling defeat, the name Sneijder was on the tip of everyone’s tongue, but why? Fans seemed so concerned about creating chances, but you need to have possession to create chances, and we lacked possession. Barcelona had free reign of the midfield, passing their way through our team at will. Our problem was not that we weren’t creating chances, but that we didn’t have the damn ball! Not one player in our squad is an authentic defensive midfielder. We don’t have anyone who will endlessly harass the enemy. Imagine what a difference there may have been with just one player whose sole job was to not give Xavi or Iniesta a moment’s rest. Get them nervous; let them know their time on the ball is limited. Make them start second-guessing and misplacing passes. You can’t sit back on them waiting to intercept a wayward pass, because it won’t happen. What we needed that day was someone capable of winning possession and then starting an attack. That player wasn’t on the field that day; we didn’t even have any options to choose from.

Five months later we still lack that player in the squad. Where was the midfield assistance when Mario Balotelli scored the opener on Sunday? Nowhere to be found. Our defense was left exposed. Neither Darren Fletcher nor Anderson is a defensive midfielder, and sure enough neither was there when Balotelli got a glimpse of goal. Both are players who want to get forward, and as much as you try, you can’t get either to play a position that doesn’t come naturally. They’ll never be sound enough from a positional standpoint to perform in that defensive role against the toughest oppositions. United are calling for a player with the discipline to sit back and defend in a holding role. To not only give us a commanding presence in the midfield, but to also provide support for our defense. We should not be getting dominated in the midfield, and we most certainly should not be giving teams so many opportunities to strike.

Right now, the principle concern must be getting someone who can serve as an anchor in midfield. We have attacking players, but we lack a defensive presence. But who? Daniele De Rossi seems to be the popular choice. Yann M’Vila is another name thrown about. Lassana Diarra is yet another. I am not sure exactly which player fits the bill, only that the defensive midfield role needs to be filled. Whoever it is, they need to be top drawer. That’s not to say they must be a big name, hopefully Javier Hernandez taught you a lesson in that regard. Those who don’t have the intangibles of a player like Roy Keane, the burning desire to win the ball and attack, need not apply. Could we still do with Wesley Sneijder? Absolutely. He adds not only the ability to create, but also to score, from midfield, which is something we have been lacking for a few seasons now. However, signing a player like Sneijder should come second to getting the aforementioned defensive midfielder. There is a saying that you should always build from the back. Our midfield should not be the exception.

Can We Afford To Wait On Youth?

2011-10-25T22:14:00.001-04:00

Following a rousing performance from United’s youngsters in the 3-0 victory over Aldershot Town, there are plenty of reasons to anticipate the future of Manchester United. However, can we really wait on the kids to fully establish themselves in the first team? Some fans have suggested this much, saying that our top three prospects are midfielders, and any signings in this area may hinder the youth development.

There is always a certain level of excitement when a youngster makes the breakthrough at Manchester United, rising through the ranks of the academy to play in the first team. These are the players who have followed the footsteps of Bobby Charlton, George Best, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Gary Neville and so many other famous names. We are a club that finds more excitement in watching a rising star from within than welcoming a marquee signing. Case in point, Twitter nearly exploded today when Ravel Morrison came on as a second half substitute. His introduction generated excitement both on and off the pitch. He did everything a United fan could want: running with the ball, picking out a some smart passes, getting involved in the attack, making a few classy flicks in the build up play and tracking back to help in defense. Only a goal would have improved his cameo to cap off an energetic display. It makes sense that fans would prefer to avoid any action that would hold back youngsters with such promise, but is this a luxury we can afford?

Morrison, along with Paul Pogba and Ryan Tunnicliffe have all been tipped to make careers at Manchester United. All three play in midfield, which is the one position that is the most in need of strengthening. Unfortunately, at the age of 18, all three are not yet ready to play at the highest level. In two or three years they may be ready to be fully established first team players, but it is probably too much of an ask for any of them at this stage. While I firmly believe in the famous “If they’re good enough, they’re old enough” quote from Sir Matt Busby, all three of the aforementioned youngsters have plenty of developing left to do and are far from the finished product.

Some fans have suggested that we may hold off on signing a midfielder considering the talent we will have in the next few years. However, there are two major issues with this view. First, and most obvious, despite the unquestionable promise shown by all three in the Reserves, there are no guarantees that any of them will make it at Old Trafford. It was only last season that everyone seemed convinced that Magnus Eikrem would make it to the first team, but before ever making an appearance, he followed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer out the door and has carved out a fine debut season at Molde under Solskjaer. Before him, it was Giuseppe Rossi. For all the success stories of kids going on to become United heroes, there are just as many about those who failed to make the grade. Nothing is certain.

The second issue I take with this view is that any player worthy of representing Manchester United should be capable of overcoming any obstacle put in their way. Even if Sir Alex Ferguson were to go out on New Years Day and sign Wesley Sneijder or any other top midfielder, one would expect a player of United quality to force his way into the squad. If Morrison is as good as we all believe him to be, he wouldn’t be stopped by a world class player in his position. At United, there exists a mentality that challenges are opportunities to prove your strengths, not obstacles to discourage you. Seeing a world class player should serve as motivation, making youngsters push themselves to higher levels, always with eyes on displacing the man in front of them, despite the fact that he may be a big name player. If our youngsters are not capable of this, then they are not capable of playing for United. Signing a new player may delay their breakthrough to the first team, but ultimately they’re better off because of it.

Fergie’s Fledglings did not make it to the first team because there were vacancies that needed to be filled. They all made it in spite of the proven players in front of them, forcing Sir Alex to clear out his established stars to make room his rising stars. This set a precedent – if you’re good enough, you will get your chance. All young players at United should remember that, and not be discouraged that their time has not yet come or that a big name is a roadblock between them and the first team. They must plough right through that roadblock. And when Sir Alex hands them the chance of a lifetime, they damn well better take it! It may be the only one they get. Plenty of United stars have walked this path before, they would do well to not stray from it.

I have been excited for Morrison, Pogba and Tunnicliffe for over a year now, watching every Reserves and U18 game that I to see their capabilities. I genuinely believe that all three are capable of playing for the first team; I have a lot of confidence in them. The last thing I would want is to see their journeys to first team derailed, but our priority must be on the first team. Right now we are lacking a midfield general, and we shouldn’t be waiting for players that might not even make it. We must address this issue first and foremost. Doing so would not be a detriment to those waiting in the wings, but rather a situation that will make them stronger. Focus on the first team and its needs now, and forget about waiting on promising young stars just for a while. In the meantime, the youngsters will do what is required of them and give Sir Alex an awful selection headache when the time is right.

Gutted & Gobsmacked

2011-10-23T13:07:00.000-04:00

Go ahead and repeat after me: “It’s only a game. It’s only a game. It’s only a game.” Yeah, right. Doesn’t help, does it!?

You can’t turn your allegiance on and off like a switch once you’ve been bitten, even in the heart of North America.

Sure, you avoid the constant replay of City goals. Sure, you avoid all the newspaper headlines and water cooler talk lingering into the week, with the local Vikings-Packers rivalry surly to dominate sports discussions on Monday.

But, you can’t escape the worst, I repeat, worst home loss in eighty-plus years. You can’t escape the poor will shown by the Red Devils in this match. You can’t escape that all this happened with the friggin’ money grabbers – um, err – Glazers in attendance to underline a nagging problem – hope the Bears maul the Bucs.

United’s annual debt payments were on full display today, as the missing, world-class midfielders – one creative, one iron fox – cost oodles of dosh. This United club cannot afford to take a £35M roll of the dice, plus hugely inflated wages, on anyone over 25 years of age, unlike City.

It’s also what’s missing at the moment.

We all know Ferguson’s been brilliant at deflecting the real cost of the American’s ownership, until today, where it laid bare naked on the Old Trafford turf.

Ah, but I digress – back to the match at hand.

There’s absolutely zero shame losing to this City squad, which arguably is deeper and stronger than the Red Devils at this moment. The manner of the loss, on the other hand, is something else entirely.

Never-ever give up, should be the motto of any player donning the beloved Red shirt. Unfortunately today, several players did just that.

Patrice Evra showed no ability to rally the squad let alone defend his own flank, no thanks to Rio, a former captain as well, who played his worst game ever for United and justified the Chicago Fire transfer rumor.

We’ve learned in crystal clear, high-def if you can defend wide play, you can bottle this Sir Alex Ferguson side. No central can opener exists.

It’s so difficult to admit, but Mancini, not Fergie, got his tactics spot-on today, relying on Ya-Ya Toure on the right wing – sometimes – and trusting Agüero, Balotelli, and Silva to weave magic menace.

City possessed the edge, not the Reds, attacking effectively with as few as four players.

There’s no doubting now that Red’s defense hath become a weakness, with a revolving door not helping this unit develop anything close to cohesiveness. Add Jonny Evan’s 3-match ban only serving to make the short term even worse.

You could argue that the backline players are too young or too injured. The alchemy is wrong at the moment, as conceding the most shots in the Premier League pointed to real difficulty, not an over-inflated statistic by hopeful shots from distance.

We can take solace from knowing there’s nobody on the planet better at rallying his side than Ferguson.

But this match was in October, at home, and some players actually quit – a historically horrible result, in fact. Something else entirely is troubling my soul now.

Who in this squad will lead things from within the player-ranks?

Only Rooney and Fletcher seemed incensed at the effort and ballooning score. I almost expect someone else to get sent off wearing red, by taking serious aggression to the blues trying to inspire matters. None of that occurred. No capital-H “Hard” tackles. No spit and fury, but simply a look of embarrassed, empty faces.

C’mon lads, Robbo, Keane or Neville are not going to walk-in this locker room anytime soon. You need to figure it out yourselves.

You sense Rooney could be become that player, but you also feel it’s not exactly his time yet, with his flirtations away from Old Trafford lingering with players that lived through that soap opera.

For now, the squad can turn to Sir Alex’s leadership, which was on display immediately after the match.

After admitting it was his “worst ever” loss, he focused the attention elsewhere.

"We'll come back. By January we'll be okay. We usually get the show on the road in the second half of the season and that will have to be the case. We've played all the teams around us and they have all to play each other so the second half of the season is important to us now.

We will react, no question about that. It's a perfect result for us to react to because there is a lot of embarrassment in the dressing room and that will make an impact."

Hope so. Otherwise it could become a long season.

Five Reasons Why Ferguson Didn't Start Rooney & Chicharito

2011-10-16T20:00:00.000-04:00

Sir Alex Ferguson took an enormous gamble by not starting either Wayne Rooney or Javier Hernandez in Manchester United's 1-1 draw against Liverpool, but there were a few reasons for that decision.

Did Fergie have reasons for the line-up against Liverpool?

Right on cue, and like he has done on so many occasions before, Chicharito spared the Gaffer's blushes with a late equalizer against the Scousers, which heightened the questions of his exclusion from the game.

Before the game even kicked off, Ferguson openly admitted that there were reasons why he selected the team he did, as he revealed Rooney's head wasn't right, but there were five other

1. Rightfully, the majority of the supporters are madly in love with the infectiousness of Chicharito's play, but they are completely dismissing the fine form of Danny Welbeck in the process. Through the first eight games of the season, the 20-year old has scored five goals in his first real senior season at United.

2. Another reason why Hernandez may have been left on the bench is that he has scored nine goals from 21 appearances from the substitutes' bench - the highest goals-to-appearance ratio in the club's, even better than Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. In games like this, the young Mexican might be better used from the bench, especially with the formation that needed to be used.

3. There was no question that Liverpool were going to play a 4-5-1, and Sir Alex couldn't risk having his midfield being overran like it was in the previous two matches against the Scousers (FA Cup in January -before Steven Gerrard's red - and then the 3-1 loss at Anfield last March). More proof that this was weighing heavily on his mind, Ferguson finally played Phil Jones in the center midfield with Darren Fletcher, which meant a striker would have to be sacrificed.

4. As you could see by his play when he came on, and because of his three-match ban for England, Rooney was not in the right frame of mind to play against Liverpool. The United No. 10 has never hid his hatred for Liverpool and the opposite is true, as well. For some reason or another, Sir Alex doesn't trust how his best player actions - or reactions for that matter - against either Merseyside rival, Liverpool and Everton.

5. With five games in 14 days, Ferguson is going to be forced to rotate his squad, which was clearly evident that he was doing it against Liverpool. Five of the best players - Dimitar Berbatov, Javier Hernandez, Nani, Wayne Rooney and Nemanja Vidic - from last season were either left completely out of the squad or reduced to a role as a substitute.

As much criticism as he is bound to get, Sir Alex Ferguson had his reasoning as to why he left of Manchester United's starting XI - but, thankfully, they came away from this game with Liverpool with a point.

Mind The Gap

2011-10-15T14:09:00.002-04:00

Looking at the team sheet prior to kickoff, many Manchester United supporters at the pub grumbled about setting up for a point at Anfield.

Welbeck alone upfront?! Jones in a five-man midfield?! It’s surreal to see such quality sitting on the bench, surly. No Anderson, Chicharito, Nani or Rooney.

On one hand, you could argue, a point could be seen as a moral victory, given the Red Devils track record at Liverpool the last three years. Apparently Ferguson believed Rooney’s temperament warranted too much risk to start him.

On the other hand, it seemed overly cautious, or as one of the commentators mentioned that Kevin Keegan said Fergie’s starting eleven was an insult to Pool. Point taken.

Both sides of this argument, however, knew the match would be industrious and intense, yet likely lack any flow or flair.

Rarely does this contest finish nil-nil, but that appeared increasingly possible after a largely uneventful first half, as neither side created much.

You knew this derby could come down to a single mistake, but who could have guessed it’d come from Father Time, as Giggs’ lack of wall discipline allowed the space for Gerrard’s set-piece opener. Ironic that the Welshman moved away from the shot to protect his groin, a fact duly noted across the pub on slow-motion replay.

Now had Ryan held his position and stopped the free kick, would we arrive at exactly the same net-result, with the first nil-nil score line in this derby since the Seventies? Or, would United’s plan work to perfection with a 1-0 Chicharito smash-and-grab job?

We will never know.

As the United supporters departed the pub, most left grumbling about playing for the draw, which typically would provide more satisfaction away at Anfield, especially after going a goal down.

Ah, but every Red Devil knows that City will likely win at home today, as the Blues sit 2-0 up to Villa at home at the time of this posting.

Mind the gap, gentlemen. We’re in for a long ride indeed.

The Reasons Why Javier Hernandez Is Struggling At United

2011-10-11T08:27:00.000-04:00

Since the 2011 UEFA Champions League Final against Barcelona, Javier Hernandez hasn't really looked the same type of devastating player he for the first eight months of Manchester United career.

Chicharito has had a rough start to 2011/12

Yes, Chicharito, as he is more commonly referred as, scored a couple of his typical predatory poacher goals against Bolton Wanderers, but before that and since then, there hasn't been that contagious smile on his face.

After displacing Dimitar Berbatov in the starting XI last season, Hernandez, himself, now faces stiff competition and may not be considered first choice unless there is some sort of improvement, especially with the recent form of Danny Welbeck.

There are a few reasons that might be causing this "sophomore slump," and those are: fatigue, one-dimensional and being far too timid because of strong past of injuries.

Since joining Manchester United in the summer of 2010, Chicharito has not had a proper rest and it could be catching up with him. If he's not playing every week for the Reds, he's jetting off to play for the Mexican national team, and that's usually long, tiresome trip.

In the last 24 months, Hernandez has become a cult hero on both sides of the Atlantic, but he's already an iconic figure in his home country, as he has scored 22 goals in 31 appearances for the Tri-Colors. All but one of those appearances have come in the last two years, and that's a lot of football - almost too much - when you couple it with his 51 matches he's already played at United.

Patience
One of the most frustrating things is that Hernandez is one of the fastest players on the field, but since that terrible day at Wembley Stadium, he hasn't been able to adjust to the defensive adjustments made to play against him.

Center forwards are trained to play off the shoulder of the second-to-last defender to get the advantage with a long ball over the top or a through ball. Hernandez is doing this, but when they're stepping up to catch him in an offside's position, he isn't trying to be one-step ahead of them, mentally.

Because of his ability to win headers in the six-yard box, a lot of people mistakenly think that Chicharito is a much bigger and taller player than he really is. He stands at around 5'8", and the big donkey defenders are becoming much more physical with him to kill off his athletic advantage - and that's may be taking its toll on him, as well.

Contact
Besides Sir Alex Ferguson reacting so quickly to get him signed up before the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Hernandez's size was perhaps the only deterring factor as to why other clubs didn't go in for him before. Last season, the 23-year old was on a strict regiment to build up muscle, which he certainly did, but he, like anybody else, doesn't like to take little knocks and pulls from less skillful defenders.

Since he has rejoined the Reds in late July, after a summer filled with football, Hernandez has suffered three injuries - a concussion and two leg contusions. The former is often a scary injury for a young player, because they are out of football, completely, for a minimum of two weeks and their return is dependent on when the post-concussion types of illnesses end. This, along with the brutal challenges he has faced, could very well make him timid or shy going up for a header, which takes away his "it" factor.

This is more than likely just a minor blip that Javier Hernandez is going through, but he needs to change his approach to make himself less predictable if he wants to keep his place in the starting XI for Manchester United. (Updated: 10/11/11 07.49am)

A Viable Option For United's Creative Midfield Dilemma

2011-10-06T09:14:00.002-04:00

With a lot of noise about the problems in center midfield at Manchester United, and questions about Tom Cleverley's availability, Sir Alex Ferguson does have a few players, who could be deployed in that creative role, if need be.

Nani could shift central, if need be

Two players, Ji-Sung Park and Ryan Giggs, have already assumed that role in the past for the Reds, but there's another attack-minded player, who could very easily slot into that attack-minded position - and nobody has thought to mention it before.

By some of the United players' own admission, Nani is the most skillful player that has ever been at the club, and, with that, he has ability to create things from nothing with either a defense-splitting pass, or add some much-needed quickness through the middle, and, believe it or not, he can also help out, defensively.

People are probably scratching their heads in complete disbelief to ever think that Nani has any sort of steel in their repertoire, which isn't far off, but he has, however, showed that he can over compensate that with his speed and poking the ball away from an opponent. If you re-watch the game against Norwich City, Nani was seen hustling back after he, or one of his teammates, needlessly gave the ball away.

Nani has already been given a free-roaming role by Sir Alex, similar to the one that Cristiano Ronaldo had, by changing wings or popping up through the middle. This is to cause the opposing defense match-up problems and force the defenders to keep notice as to where is at all times, which, in turn, creates more gaps for his fellow teammates to run into.

Nani is a truly gifted two-footed creative player, which is something that makes him so dangerous no matter where he is on the field. Because he wants to influence the outcome of the game, Nani never stops moving, which really makes an easier outlet than one of the more static midfielders for the holding midfielder to find.

You do lose by doing this is Nani beating a full-back with his trickery and speed, but it also opens up a place for Antonio Valencia or Ji-Sung Park to be another attacking threat on the right flank, as well.

If Tom Cleverley isn’t fit enough to play, just imagine Jamie Carragher or Jordan Henderson trying to defend Nani –legally – in Manchester United's next game against Liverpool.

Is United Attacking Mindset Exposing The Defensive Frailties?

2011-10-01T19:03:00.002-04:00

Sir Alex Ferguson is concerned that Manchester United's wide-open attacking style is having an adverse effect on the team's defending, which could be worrisome, especially with all of the injuries.

Was Ferguson singling out Evra?

Over the last couple of years, there has been extra bit of emphasis on keeping a clean sheet, but this season, coupled with some of their emphatic scorelines, it seems as though the Reds would rather attack with reckless abandon than focus on being organized.

Ferguson admitted that he "feared the worst" during the game against FC Basel, because he knew how inept his players played as a team, but it's obvious to see that United is set up to attack and defeat teams 5-3 rather than 1-0 now.

This style of play has greater peaks and troughs, because it can either delight the supporters to no end or frustrate just as much.

Some of the attacking play against Basel was breathtaking, but, contrastingly, the defensive errors made you want to stop breathing. The organization of the back-four was non-existent and ever defender should share the blame, equally. Collectively, there was enough energy, enthusiasm and experience to offset any threat by the Swiss champions, but, for some reason or another, the defense continually let themselves and United down.

"Some our forward play in the first half was absolutely fantastic, but there was always that lax attitude at the back and they were creating chances. We were fortunate not to have lost a couple of goals before half-time. Equally though we could have scored four or five.

We said to the players at half-time you can make this game easy or hard for yourselves. And we made it hard. The attacking instinct in the team meant we got really exposed in midfield and at the back.

There's sometimes a tendency to enjoy that part, particularly at home, but in big game situations you would anticipate better defending and better concentration. Yes, we've been making changes to the back four, too many times maybe at the moment, but nonetheless they can do better than that."

Back in the mid-1990s, Manchester United were well known for their 5-2 or 4-3 score lines, and was a neutralist's idea of how football should be played, but some of the supporters - as well as some of the players - might have a hard time adjusting to it.

Five Things We've Learned From The Victory Over Norwich

2011-10-01T19:02:00.000-04:00

Well, how things have changed since my last post – the 3-1 surreal victory over Chelsea.

United draw with Stoke away, cough up a 2-0 lead to Basel at home for another draw, and appear sub-par, especially on the final ball and across the backline, in today’s victory over an unlucky Norwich City side.

Here are five things we’ve learned this past week.

First, we realize again that form is fleeting, as it comes and goes despite everyone’s best effort – much like the weather.

Sure, form requires dedication, preparation, and effort, all within your control, but it also relies on health and the opportunity to work together, as a unit, to gain that understanding and edge required at the highest level of football – all factors beyond anyone’s control. Form requires both hard work and good fortune.

Which leads to the second point: the revolving injury door hath finally shown some of United’s weaknesses, especially across the backline.

You can look at all the stats you want, whether it’s United conceding the most shots on goal in the Premiership or a decrease in passing accuracy. All of these point directly to the trend, no doubt about it.

But, alas, the sheer number of high-quality chances conceded this term pinpoint the naïveté and lack of cohesion across the backline, with costly turnovers and poor positional play becoming more and more self-evident. The remarkable goal tally hid this fact, early, but now we face it clearly in a tight 2-0 victory.

My third point turns this troublesome-but-understandable trend on it’s ear, as we’ve forgotten how much inexperience is currently playing for United, a real testament to the strong play of the young backline.

Take Phil Jones, for example, who started the year superbly, appearing as a self-assured and strong as any mid-career center half.

However, against Basel, he came back to earth, as he learnt several lessons from a side that attacked with more cunning and creative off-the-ball movement forward from the midfield than your typical EPL side. He looked, at times, befuddled by the movement around him and found himself out of position more than in previous matches. Continental footy requires different positioning, as the education of Mr. Jones continues.

Contrast that midweek adventure against Norwich today, where he learned lessons about positioning himself against high, long-balls to an incredibly strong, well-positioned striker. At times, Jones was brilliant, especially when cutting out crosses when covering for United being outnumbered. At times, he was second-best to Route One balls to exceptionally strong positional play. Despite his fifty-odd top tier matches, he’s still only nineteen years old and learning on the fly.

United’s best backline still includes the names Ferdinand and Vidic first and foremost on the team sheet, which is a testament to the youngsters promise that some of us may have forgotten this simple but undeniable fact.

Fourth, I assert, Sir Alex’s midfield misses Tom Cleverley’s touch in keeping the attack flowing forward. The youngster’s a knack for turning his mark and making short and simple passes that create space for others cannot be underestimated. I’d love to see Anderson’s personal stats with and without Cleverley, as the Brazilian appears at his best with young Tom as a partner cutting through oppositions. When you combine this space with the youngster’s energy, United look different moving forward. It’s great news that he’s not far off from returning from injury.

Last and most important, despite the dip in form, United get points out of all three of the matches this past week. Never ever underestimate this fact. The trademark mastery of getting points when not playing well serves the Red Devils well, as United remain top of the table despite everything thus far, which is more than anyone else can say at this precise moment.

Which leads us to look forward at the difficult fixtures facing United in the month ahead, including Liverpool (a), Otelul Galat (a), City (h), and Everton (a). Three matches away, including some extra Champions League travel prior to the Manchester derby.

Form and health must improve across the squad to remain top of the league and on-course in the Champions League, as we can’t wait for the match on the 15th at Anfield.

Manchester United Transcends Borders

2011-09-16T00:36:00.000-04:00

“It's natural to like the home team. The weirdos are peeps like u who worship teams across seas from a country that hates us!”

It is certainly not rare for such comments to be hurled at Manchester United fans that live beyond the borders of Manchester. This particular comment was sent via Twitter to a United fan living in California. Ignorance colors the judgment of many of those who buy into the “glory hunter” stereotype.

The “natural to like the home team” argument is certainly not new, but when did sports become defined and confined by geographic boundaries? Any number of things can lure one into supporting a particular team. Maybe you support the team your childhood hero played for. Growing up my heroes were David Beckham and Paul Scholes. Of course United was a natural fit. Perhaps you support a team because that is who your family supports, and the bond to family is far greater than the connection you have to wherever you call home. Another reason to fall in love with a team is for the style with which they play the game. For some United fans, the appeal could be the illustrious history, or the unmistakable “never say die” mentality. This is not limited only to the beautiful game though. Some American teams have become household favorites nationwide because they are the “loveable losers.” I’m looking at you Chicago Cubs.

I asked the man who was targeted by that tweet – Ricky (@Vincent_Vega_) – to share his experiences as a Manchester United fan in America and his encounters with those who can never understand the connection he has formed with the club.

“I get comments once a week about going to bed early for 4:45am wake ups for kickoffs. Or planning my month around the United matches weeks ahead. It's hard to try and explain the game to close-minded people who don't care to understand. None of my friends even come close to understanding the sort of passion and love that we have. I get a ‘you are ridiculous’ or a ‘you try too hard to be English’ comment more often than not. And these comments come from ‘friends’…”

I cannot think of anything I would be willing to wake up for at 4:45am, except, of course, Manchester United. The man who tweeted the “home team” argument used the word “worship” to describe Ricky’s relationship with United. Speaking as someone who has had the pleasure of communicating with Ricky regularly about United, “worship” is a fitting word choice. He has devoted himself to the club, hardly ever missing a game and being well versed in the club’s history, including events that occurred long before he was born. Surely with such commitment, his status as a fan cannot be questioned, and yet it is. He is pegged as a weirdo simply because the team he loves is not in his backyard.

So many seem to believe you are only a true fan if you support your home team. This is a nonsense view in the world of sport. But there are those who will ask what led Ricky to a club that was not his home team. Why Manchester United?

“I was watching Spanish TV when the sports show was showing the weekend roundup of the games around Europe. I was in absolute awe when I first saw highlights of a United game and heard the fans singing to the team. Left a HUGE impression watching the crowd cheer and applaud the team’s efforts. Logged on the net afterwards and started researching the team and players and just educated myself. I've known my girlfriend for almost six years now and I still remember all I did the day we met was talk about how much I loved United and what a magical team they are. They've been a part of me for many, many years and nothing will ever change that.”

What about this makes Ricky a “weirdo”? It certainly does not make him a glory hunter, not a single mention of trophies or titles in his answer. I would argue that the weird part is not that Ricky supports United, but rather the dedication he has for United. Not the bad weird, the good weird. Yes, there is a good weird. Unique. For many, sport is an entertaining pastime. Few people allow their club to become a way of life. I am one of those people, and there is no doubt in my mind that Ricky is too. Most of the people you encounter will find that kind of devotion to be weird, no matter what team they choose to support. Even supporting your home team in such a manner would most likely be considered unusual by most.

I have had my own run-ins with those who believe who you support should be determined by where you live. I wrote a column in my campus newspaper after the 2010 World Cup about how those who found a love for soccer that summer need not wait another four years. Using my love for United as an example, I attempted to promote that new soccer fans should find a club they could support that would allow their passion for the game continue to grow. Unfortunately my message was completely lost once readers saw the words “Manchester United.” I am certain I set a new record at The Daily Illini that day for all the hate-mail and nasty comments I received. Some called me a glory hunter. Others suggested I move to England. All were focused on the fact I did not support my local team. My innocent attempt to promote my favorite sport had backfired. I was now the villain, all because I was an American who supported United.

If people knew me, maybe they would be able to understand. Here is a little background. My nearest team is the Chicago Fire, and even then I grew up in a small town two hours away from Chicago, so it’s hardly “local” or “home” for me. The Chicago Fire did not even exist until 1996 when I was 8 years old, and in the early days of Major League Soccer the Fire were not on television enough for me to form a connection from my home two hours away. Honestly, I did not even know the Fire existed until 2002, which is when I first discovered my love for the game. While visiting my aunt in England during the 2002 World Cup, she introduced to soccer, or rather football as she would have called it. She also exposed me to players like Paul Scholes and David Beckham. I left England with the seeds planted, and I quickly grew into an avid Manchester United fan. I was eager to learn about the club and the game in general. It was only then I discovered that there was a team in Chicago, and by then it was too late. There is a quote in Looking For Eric, “You can change your wife, change your politics, change your religion, but never, never can you change you favorite football team.” Home team or not, United was my club, is my club and forever will be my club.

I responded to my critics the following week in another column, and to my surprise I received positive feedback and understanding once people knew the whole story. Like me, Ricky has also had to respond to this abuse.

“I do ignore most people to be honest, especially the people who obviously don't know a thing about football. But every now and then I get pushed too far and talk back. Just last month I met a not so pleasant person. I confronted them while they questioned my loyalty and accused me of just being a Chicharito groupie. I took off my shirt and pointed to my United tattoo and made it clear that I was a United fan long before Javier was even in high school, and I'll be United till I die... I know this wasn't the correct approach, but having ignorant people who don't understand the magic of United and question my loyalty winds me up. Watching United at Old Trafford has been the most special thing to this day I've ever done. Hugged and greeted by locals who gave me nothing but positive comments. England and United don't hate us, not at all. We are all equals in a family that is deeply in love with United, no matter where you are from.”

While these encounters with those who misunderstand can be frustrating, I come away feeling sorry for them. They allow their lives to be controlled by lines on a map. They fail to see that people can find a connection beyond these imaginary lines. Many have closed their minds to the possibility of loving any team that is not their local team, and have stubbornly refused to accept any other point of view, simply dismissing those who oppose them as wrong.

In a recent interview with GQ, United legend Eric Cantona said, “I found leaving Manchester United very, very hard. It was, as I say, like quitting a class A drug.” Although I have admittedly never used drugs and cannot accurately compare the two, I always assumed that United was like a drug. For me, it is a healthy addiction. The natural high that comes when United scores a goal is unlike any other feeling. It’s a feeling I have never been able to replicate outside United, not that I have ever wanted to. Knowing that each goal provides that euphoric feeling keeps every goal special. It is part of what makes United special for me. Not once have I ever questioned that feeling because I live in the United States and not in Manchester. Where I live is irrelevant. How I feel for the club and the loyalty and commitment I show is all that should matter to any sports fan.

If people are too blinded by their own misconceptions to see this, then their view of the world is far too limited, and for that I cannot help but pity them. Ricky and I have both been fortunate to discover Manchester United and be welcomed into the United family. I have developed friendships around the globe with people with whom I share nothing but United, but that’s plenty. It is a very strong bond between fans, and to me that is special. Manchester United is more than a sports team, those devoted to the club understand that. It is a feeling that cannot be described, but one that must be experienced to be fully understood. People are no longer limited to their communities for supporting sports teams. United transcended that and created a worldwide community, one which I am proud to be a part of. The sad thing is that those who quickly dismiss United fans just because they are not from Manchester will never understand that. Unfortunately this close-minded view of being a supporter will forever be something that plagues United fans.

Emergence Of Youth Trumps Marquee Signing

2011-09-02T20:36:00.003-04:00

Thank Cantona! The transfer window has finally come to a close with Manchester United having a very quiet deadline day.

While I am happy to see the end of the transfer window, I have been left disappointment by the behavior of some United supporters immediately after the window slammed shut. I noticed some supporters on Twitter sending abuse to Wesley Sneijder because he had not signed for United. Seriously, if you were one of these people, take a step back and reevaluate your life. Behavior like this gives your fellow supporters a bad reputation and is simply embarrassing for yourself. Leave the bitter feelings for Manchester City fans.

I think Sneijder is a fantastic footballer and would have been a very exciting signing for Manchester United, but I have always found excitement of a marquee signing second to watching a player come through the ranks. As thrilled as I would have been with Sneijder, it will never compare to how excited I will be to watch Tom Cleverley succeed. Should he do it, and I am confident he will, there is no doubt that for me watching Cleverley step up and fill the creative void in midfield will be far more satisfying than having to buy Sneijder to do the same thing.

That is not to say that I did not want a midfielder, as I do believe the squad is a bit light in that position. A midfield enforcer perhaps would have been a nice addition, but I think that would have been more of a luxury then a necessity. This squad is more than capable of winning the Premier League. The aforementioned enforcer is a role often seen as a key position in Europe, but also one Darren Fletcher can play when he returns.

I am not saying that it is acceptable to overlook the squad’s needs in favor of giving inadequate youngsters a chance for sentimental reasons. That is a fool’s game, one Arsene Wenger knows far too well. But it all goes back to the old quote by the great Sir Matt Busby: “If they are good enough, they are old enough.” If Sir Alex Ferguson believes Tom Cleverley and Anderson are good enough to fulfill our midfield needs after the loss of Paul Scholes – a view I tend to share – then what is the point of paying over the odds for another midfielder?

But what makes a player coming through the ranks more exciting? Hopefully you needn’t ask yourself that as a Manchester United fan. Our squad is currently graced with players who have risen through the ranks to become heroes and fan favorites, perhaps none more so than Ryan Giggs. Our history is full of them too, from Paul Scholes and Gary Neville of Fergie’s Fledglings to Sir Bobby Charlton and George Best of the Busby Babes. The excitement of watching a youngster make it at Old Trafford is deeply rooted in the club’s history.

Having watched Cleverley in the Academy and Reserves, and then making the effort to watch him at Wigan, I have now invested a lot in watching the young midfielder’s development. Some people I know have done more than that, watching him during loan spells at Leicester City and Watford. He has been with the club since he was 12 years old, he was brought up with Manchester United in his heart and has risen through the ranks. Watching him grow up and develop into the exciting player he is now has created a special connection with that player. Following Cleverley’s journey for the past few years and now watching him thrive in the first team has provided me with a genuine excitement early this season. On the contrary, what connection do I have to a player like Sneijder? I enjoy watching him play when I have seen the Netherlands in action, but that is where it ends. I would have grown to love him at United I’m sure, but I doubt that would ever match the same love I will have for Cleverley if he goes on to emulate the careers of players like Scholes and Giggs.

The same can be said of Danny Welbeck, after also watching him in the Reserves and then at Sunderland. Manchester born and bred, he wears his love for Manchester United right over his heart. He is one of the few players that can kiss the badge and have me genuinely believe it was out of a sincere passion and love for the club. Following his goal at Tottenham he spoke of his excitement at scoring in front of the Stretford End and you can instantly recognize this is his dream, that he is Manchester United through and through. He has never known any other way. If you love United, he is a dream player to have; someone who loves the club like the fans do, similar to Gary Neville before him.

Of course there are exceptions, perhaps none more so than Eric Cantona because for me he represents Manchester United’s rise to Premier League dominance in the 90s and became something of a talisman for the club. The most recent example has perhaps been Javier Hernandez, due to the excitement of watching him come from obscurity and rise to international acclaim as one of the world’s most potent finishers, all in a matter of months after arriving at Old Trafford.

Ultimately, we had a fantastic transfer window with David de Gea, Ashley Young and Phil Jones, but there are those who feel let down by the lack of a massive superstar like Sneijder. I sincerely believe that some were more consumed by the excitement of a big name than their concern for strengthening midfield. Maybe the marquee signing is what does it for those fans, but the players who were bred to be United and have been here long enough to understand what this club means will almost always get me more enthusiastic. This is why I loved Paul Scholes and Gary Neville, and why I was such a huge Wes Brown fan even when he was not playing. This is why I love Ryan Giggs. This is why Darren Fletcher, Tom Cleverley and Danny Welbeck are among my absolute favorites in this current squad. You can complain about missing out on Wesley Sneijder, after years of watching our youngsters come through the ranks I will happily sit back and enjoy watching new stars complete their accession to the top. That is an excitement a big name will never invoke in me.

FIFA 12 Is Not The Real World

2011-08-31T01:06:00.003-04:00

The end of the transfer window is finally upon us, and while I expect this to be a quiet conclusion for Manchester United, there are those who will inevitably be in an uproar that a certain Dutch footballer has not arrived at Old Trafford.

It has become increasingly difficult to read comments on Manchester United’s Facebook page as of late. Earlier this summer I was reading a post asking for fans to submit questions for a Q&A with Michael Carrick. I was intrigued to see what people were asking, but found myself astonished that the comments were predominately people calling for Carrick to be sold rather than legitimate questions. I am by no means a Carrick fanboy, but the responses certainly disgusted me.

I have never thought of myself as a superior fan at any point in my life, but that does not mean I have not questioned the mentality of some of my fellow fans. After all, what are we if we do not have our opinions? It is shocking to me that we have fans who would belittle one of our own in such a manner. Many of the people attacking Carrick were also typing the name Sneijder, and apparently their caps lock key was broken as they typed it.

Some of United’s fans seem to think that FIFA 12 is somehow representative of reality, although this would be a practice best left to Manchester City. If it was up to some people our first choice XI would look something like this: Casillas, Dani Alves, Vidic, Ferdinand, Evra, Ronaldo, Xavi, Iniesta, Messi, Rooney, Villa. I imagine they would also expect our bench to contain names like Sneijder, Pique, Özil and Kaká. Even worse, I suspect, Cantona forbid, players like Agüero, Tevez and Torres would also be in their teams.

There are few things that being a sports fan requires. The most obvious duty of a fan is, of course, to support your team and its players. It is possible to question a player who has lost their form while still backing them to succeed. That is part of being a fan, we want good performances and we demand good performances. I have never questioned that in a fan, nor have I ever questioned fans believing a new signing is needed to address a perceived weakness. What I do strongly disagree with are those who demand that players like Michael Carrick or Darren Fletcher be sold because they are not a super star or a big name.

I have always believed we should support the players that we have, and not become obsessed focusing on those who play for another club. We are blessed with a fantastic squad right now, with seasoned veterans providing experience and eager youngsters adding energy in abundance. It has been an absolute thrill to watch this team, and even if it is early days there is a great excitement in the air. However, new fan favorites like Tom Cleverley and Danny Welbeck would never get a chance if we were some sort of FIFA 12 all-star team. And don’t even get me started on Javier Hernandez. If we only went for big names, we would have missed out on an absolute gem. Hard to imagine there was once a time some would have preferred Karim Benzema to Hernandez simply because the Frenchman had a higher profile.

There is another fairly simple task required of sports fans – know your team. Following the West Brom game, I saw a comment from someone that was worried about our lack of depth given injuries to Ferdinand and Vidic, and that person mentioned we had Ritchie De Laet and Oliver Gill. If you don’t understand my frustration with this, then please just put a little more effort and time into staying up-to-date with the club. Not knowing what players are currently in our squad is just laziness, simple as that.

In the end we all support the club in our own way and have our own views on what it means to be a fan. I feel most will agree with me, however, that supporting all of our players and knowing our squad are important characteristics for a fan. Others I hope will be swayed by my own opinions.

In order to truly experience pleasure and ecstasy of this club, you have to invest a part of yourself in it. If you are going to be a fan, go all out. Put everything into loving United, and be an absolute fanatic! There is more to this team than winning games and trophies. Get to know all you can about the men who pull on the sacred red shirt, learn about the manager who has made it all possible and never stop yearning for knowledge of the illustrious and emotionally moving history of Manchester United. You might be surprised by how fulfilling it all can be. It is all part of Manchester United. The more you put into to being a fan, the more you get out of it.

Time To Replace Brick Wall With Youth?

2011-08-28T20:52:00.000-04:00

It’s easy for football fans to get carried away when their team or individual players are doing well.

It’s just as easy for fans to lose all faith as soon as a rough patch comes along, forgetting all the superfluous praise being heaped on a week or two before after a fancy bit of football or a great result.

Jonny Evans is one of several United players who this description fits very well. For the two seasons before last, after a £10m offer from Sunderland was rejected, Evans was very impressive when filling in for the injured Nemanja Vidic or Rio Ferdinand. As a 20/21-year-old then, who comes from a family of Reds, he was being hailed by some (including me) as a future captain, whose solid performances, particularly against top opposition, left many of us ranting and raving about what a player he was going to be.

“Sometimes playing against bigger teams is a bit easier,” said Evans. “You are playing against better players and it raises your concentration levels. But I also know there are plenty of things I need to add to my game before I even think about becoming a top-class centre back at United.”

At the end of that season, Evans was given a well deserved new contract which would keep him at the club until he was 25.

“I am delighted to have signed a new contract,” he said. “I’ve supported Manchester United all my life and it’s a great honour to be able to continue to wear the badge of this great club.”

However, last season, Evans struggled when he was given an opportunity in the team, so much so, the inexperienced Smalling was often preferred to him. Too often he didn’t deal with balls in to the box and too often the finger was pointed at him when goals were conceded.

At the end of the season, when it was rumoured that Sunderland were interested in some of our players, plenty of reds claimed they would be happy to see Evans go. We should have kept Pique anyway…

On the opening day of this season, both Vidic and Rio picked up injuries and were subbed off. Smalling and Evans were their replacements, with Phil Jones joining them in the starting line-up for our next game against Spurs. All three of them put in impressive performances and again we get to sing the praises of our players.

Jones and Smalling, England U-21 team mates over the summer, have done nothing but impress during the pre-season and start of the season. Smalling scored against City in the Community Shield whilst Gary Neville has repeatedly claimed Jones looks like a future United captain. For such young lads, they play with composure and confidence beyond their years and are already both very popular amongst our fans.

However, when Vidic and Rio return from their injury, would our fans want these youngsters to keep their places in the team? The manager has today suggested this is a possibility.

“Rio and Nemanja are aware of the abilities of the young players, there is no question about that,” said Ferguson. “When they are both fit, or one of them is, I will have a decision to make.”

Essentially, United need to strike the right balance. Rio’s reoccurring injuries haven’t had a noticeable negative effect on his form and there is no way you could ever leave Vidic, our captain, out of the starting team if he was available. He is the first name on the team sheet. These two are like a brick wall. It’s hard to name many better defensive pairings, not just at United, or in England, or in Europe, but of all time.

Whilst I would to see the likes of Evans, Smalling and Jones in the team as much as possible, I think we need to be wary of getting carried away. By building them up, you’re only increasing the potential to set them up for a fall, and that would be a terrible shame. It’s probably totally impossible but it would be nice to keep them cocooned for as long as possible. Give them the opportunities in the team against easier opposition or in the cups, without throwing them in at the deep end. They’ve got years ahead of them yet, why rush it? Rio doesn’t have long left, in reality, this is probably his last season as a guaranteed starter, so why not make the most of that?

But, as always, Fergie knows best, and either way, this is a nice dilemma to be presented with.

How Manchester United Rated Against Arsenal

2011-08-28T20:37:00.002-04:00

Manchester United absolutely ripped Arsenal apart with an unreal 8-2 victory, which puts them top of the Barclays Premier League standings.

Rooney Was Center Of It All Against Arsenal

Wayne Rooney scored a hat-trick, Ashley Young registered a double, and Danny Welbeck, Nani and Ji-Sung Park also tallied for the Reds as they unraveled their long-standing rival in the latest edition of the North-South Derby.

Was Rooney's treble of goals enough to earn United's Man of the Match, or did someone else do enough and put in a more influential performance?

David de Gea - 9
His superb save on Robin van Persie's first half penalty reset the tone of the match, but David also pulled off three or four of the finest reactionary saves one will see this season.

Chris Smalling - 9
Continuing to play out of his natural position, Chris put in one hell of a performance not only in defense, but also offer an attacking option.

Phil Jones - 8
Showed a combination of tenacity and composure in his defending, which was the main reason why Phil was chosen to start over the fit-again Rio Ferdinand in the center of the United defense.

Jonny Evans - 7
At fault for the penalty in the first half, but, after that, Jonny did show discipline against the Arsenal attackers.

Patrice Evra - 6
Will have to shoulder the blame for the Gunners' first goal, because he was nowhere to be seen, but Patrice more than made up for that by winning a penalty to earn his fellow teammate a hat-trick.

Nani - 6

Made some great runs and scored a very clever chipped goal, but, disappointingly, Nani was more interested in getting his own glory then helping his teammates.

Anderson - 8
Up against two inexperienced midfielders, Anderson was able to have a cake walk in the center of the park, which was personified by his clever scooped pass to break the deadlock.

Tom Cleverley - 7
Nearly added his name to the expanded score sheet, but even without that goal, Tom was unfazed and untroubled throughout the afternoon.

Ashley Young - 9
Scored two of the best goals you might see at Old Trafford this season, but Ashley was also influential in setting up chances for his teammates with his crosses and touches, which earned himself some assists, as well.

Wayne Rooney - 9 (Man of the Match)
Scored two well taken set pieces and a well placed penalty to secure his first treble of goals of the season, but Wayne was also instrumental getting his teammates involved.

Danny Welbeck - 7
Looked lively from the opening kick-off and opened the scoring with an intuitive header, but, unfortunately, Danny's day only last 35 minutes after he pulled up lame clutching his hamstring.

Substitutions
Javier Hernandez - 6
Came on for Welbeck and did well, but Javier is still recovering, and discovering his form after missing out on the preseason.

Ryan Giggs - 7
Came on for a 20 minute cameo and Ryan showed his experience and he was even able to pick up an assist on the day.

Ji-Sung Park - 7
Came off the bench and within two minutes Ji showed his class by scoring his first goal of the season.

Overall - 10
Manchester United put in a sparkling team display against an under-manned Arsenal team, but, take absolutely nothing away, because to score eight goals in Barclays Premier League match does not happen all that often, especially against an alleged title challenger.

Stuffed & Bagged

2011-08-28T16:00:00.000-04:00

Who knew Fox Soccer’s newly touted “Goals on Sunday” program would be encapsulated within a single match.

United were absolutely breathtaking, while Arsenal looked like a shadow of themselves from this past decade.

The big question for Arsenal is “Are you City in disguise?”

Maybe it’s because I count several Arsenal supporters amongst my friends. Maybe I’ve got lower tolerance for human suffering. Or, maybe my rational mind cannot comprehend what’s just happened.

Amidst all the joy with United’s brilliance, there’s at least a twinge of sadness for Arsene Wenger’s Theater of Horrors. Watching Piers Morgan slaughter the nutty professor in the post-game show brings to the fore the real possibility that Wenger’s days could be numbered. After such a loss, nothing’s out of the realm of possibility, including mass defections by around Christmas time.

It’s a pity, as well, because the Arsenal manager has been a colorful character capable of putting together some extremely attractive, attacking sides. You’d be missed, Arsene.

Ah, but Champaign football certainly reigned supreme today at Old Trafford. The only blemish on an otherwise splendid day occurred involved Danny Welbeck injuring his hamstring. Get well, Danny-boy.

Here are five things we’ve learned from this match.

First, Arsenal lack a spine in more ways than one. There’s sooo much wrong with the Gunners at the moment, with key players leaving, poor defending, shabby tactics, and a tight-wad manager, one stubbornly refusing to pay semi-inflated prices for glaring holes in his side.

Despite these massive problems, yet, Arsenal appear to lack THE quality required in the Premiere League: heart. Case in point, after United’s fourth goal, Arshavin can be seen laughing with Rooney. Are you kidding me?! Somebody should deck that elf, many a Gunner must have thought. What certain North London fans wouldn’t give to return to “One-nil to the Arsenal” days.

Second, it’s clear that Sir Alex’s strategy relies more on overall attacking pace, from every angle possible, than on an expensive-and-creative midfield magicians.

Given the form thus far, we’d be utterly shocked to see a certain Inter center-half arrive at Old Trafford by midweek. United could certainly use another world-class center midfielder, but those players remain difficult to land and involve risky sums of cash. Better to give Anderson and Cleverly more time and space to grow and mature right now.

Third, you simply keep repeating it to yourself, don’t you… the average age is 23 years old… they’re just kids… Just look at the class, pace, and hunger within this side. It’s absolutely astounding.

Today’s well-deserved 8-2 score line came against an Arsenal squad sans key players, but a Gunner side nonetheless. This wasn’t QPR after being decimated by injury, for the love of God. No, it’s still THE Arsenal, thank you very much. Impressive by leaps and bounds.

Fourth, Wayne Rooney certainly looks comfortable being THE man on the United squad, one well worth of the prestigious number ten.

Today’s hat trick symbolizes his alpha status within the squad and reminds us all what’s he’s capable of after a largely disappointing year much of the last campaign. Wazza’s recovered his form and hairdo while putting to bed the moniker The Boy Wayne. From today forward, it’s THE Man Wayne, thank you very much indeed.

And finally, albeit based on a small sample size, United and City look equally impressive, both with stunning attaching options and depth within each squad.

Money can’t buy you love or happiness, but it certainly can help build a formidable football side. The primary difference between the blue and red halves of Manchester now comes down to age and philosophy, one where United still hold dear a real psychological advantage over The Middle Eastlands.

There truly is a United “way” of doing things, one where no member of the squad is bigger than the club nor the manager. You will never say that about City’s high-priced, mercenary talent.

Thus, we take delight in knowing our kids are more than all right, especially after a serious taxidermy job done to a major rival.

Color Me Impressed

2011-08-24T09:52:00.003-04:00

Well, well, well listen to the pundits purr about United’s youngsters now when all they too often questioned Sir Alex for relying on too heavily on evergreen twosome for the past two or three campaigns.

After today’s performance, the future couldn’t look brighter, unless Fergie finds his own personal fountain of youth to roll back father time.

Scratch that, I think SAF has found his own age-defying elixir: the task of reshaping this United squad for infinity and beyond.

How cool and confident did Fergie look on the sidelines today – completely at ease watching his new fledglings demonstrate their class right before our eyes.

We all know that United’s youth, at some point, will cost the Red Devils in a tight match somewhere, somehow this season.

But, you’d be hard pressed to find any knowledgeable football fan today without some bit of astonishment at the relentless excellence on display.

In the words of the wonderful Replacement’s song: Color Me Impressed.

What if someone told you last June that United would start Cleverly, De Gea, Evans, Jones, Smalling, and Welbeck at home to Spurs. What score would you have predicted?

Despite Spurs’ dreadful record versus United, especially at Old Trafford, you’d be tempted to think that every dog has it’s day and maybe ‘Arry’s men could scratch out a point away, or perhaps even a victory.

Not a chance. Old United gives way to New United, thank you very much.

Oh, to have been at Old Trafford when Phil Jones, my MOTM, nearly went full field on a marauding run with the ball – you could hear 75,000+ simultaneously gasp and buzz with delight. If my memory serves me correctly, the lad didn’t put a foot in wrong against an extremely gifted Spurs side.

Oh, to have been at Old Trafford when De Gea picked up his first clean sheet, including a drag-back with Van der vart closing in and fouling the lad. Confidence? Certainly. Stupidity? Absolutely. It’s all part of the learning curve for the youngster.

Oh, to have been at Old Trafford when Anderson and Welback picked open the Spurs defense to see Ander-son-son-son score and break out into the electric boogie, Crouchie-style. Brilliant, that is.

But, alas, today’s match was brought to yours truly via TiVo, after work on a beautiful evening in Minneapolis where I sat inside after undergoing the usual media blackout in the afternoon.

As a Red Devil, we’ve come to expect greatness, thanks to Sir Alex Ferguson.

Like you, I’ve been caught up in United’s wonderful diversion from the rest of the world’s cares, one where it never ceases to amaze these many-odd years on how the Red’s relentless success still finds ways to surprise and delight you, much like Mr. Jones’ foray up field earlier this evening or Welbeck’s clever back-heeled pass.

Besides, name another club that can net a £40m sponsorship for their domestic training kit? Yes, training kit, a remarkable bit of business.

Thus, the kids and the global brand will be all right indeed.

Back at you after the Arsenal match. Cheers.

Analyzing United's Narrow Victory Over West Brom

2011-08-16T05:20:00.001-04:00

Even though they made life difficult for themselves, Manchester United battled hard to earn a very good away 2-1 win over West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns.

Young Was Lifted Up After Lifting United

Wayne Rooney scored the opening goal of the match and it look as though United would cruise, but they were pegged back by strike from Shane Long, however, a deflected cross-shot from Ashley Young was turned into the Baggies net to give the Reds all three points.

Unfortunately, the opening day victory for United could have been marred by two very different stories - damaging comments about their young goalkeeper and a growing list of injury concerns - but there were a lot of positives to be taken.

Disappointingly, this time it wasn't just the press trying to rip into a Manchester United player in attempt to kill their career, because there were some so-called United supporters beating them to the verbal punch. David de Gea certainly made a glaring, but very correctable mistake when West Brom scored their goal, but the sort of unjustified criticism shelled at him was despicable, to say the least.

Yes, it was ultimately his error for the goal, but a lot of people also forget that, like winning and losing, you concede and score goals as a team.

Crocked
de Gea's learning curve needs to quickly increase because he has lost the experienced figureheads in front of him as both Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand have suffered injuries that will keep them out of action for two and six weeks, respectively.

That was on top of United supporters learning before that Rafael is expected to be 10 weeks with a dislocated shoulder, and Patrice Evra could be out two weeks, so "the best young center-backs in England" now have their chance to shine and stake claim on a position in the first team.

If this was any other season, fans would have a right to be worried, but Jonny Evans, Phil Jones and Chris Smalling all played very well against West Brom, but they will need to step up even more now that United have lost all of that experience. There should be no question that they will give their best effort to ensure that does not happen, as well.

Youthful
The average age of the projected starting back-five heading into next week's match against Tottenham is 20.8 - de Gea (20), Smalling (21), Jones (19), Evans (23), Fabio (21).

One of the best things to see is that youth has been spread throughout the squad, and on top of de Gea making his first league appearance, Tom Cleverley and Danny Welbeck accomplished the same feat.

Neither Cleverley nor Welbeck enjoyed the same sort of performances they had last weekend against Manchester City, but they showed clear signs that they will be competing for places in the United XI for years to come. The 22-year old midfielder buzzed around the field enjoying the freedom of an attacking role. Once he Cleverley works out the kinks in his short passing game and the timing of his runs, the new No. 23 will be some sort of player for club - and country.

Welbeck, on the other hand, struggled to get on the same page as Rooney and the other attackers and became more obsolete as the game wore on. But there is no questioning the fact that he has the ability and power to unlock defenses with his pace, height and power.

Star
Even though he ended up being the second oldest player on the pitch at the end of the game, Ashley Young turned in a match-winning type of performance on his United debut. The £18 million summer signing from Aston Villa did both things that Sir Alex wanted him to do the goals: link up well with the front line, especially Rooney; and make a very dangerous, darting runs into the penalty area.

What is great about having Nani, Young and a fit-again Antonio Valencia in the same squad is that you are going to get maximum contributions from each. With that being said, it's not shocking that the two Man of the Match performances have come from the former two.

As frustration and nervous as it was, Manchester United won in typical fashion and really does not matter how goals are scored, or points are accumulated, as long as they are - but when they don't we support them, nonetheless.

David de Gea: Patience Crucial For Tomorrow's Star

2011-08-16T02:11:00.004-04:00

It was never going to be an easy task replacing Edwin van der Sar, one of the best of his generation.

Nevertheless, David de Gea accepted that challenge this summer, and that alone says something important about our new goalkeeper. Not many would envy the monumental task of being the successor to van der Sar, but de Gea did not shy away in the face of what will likely be the greatest trial of his career.

Unfortunately, de Gea has not gotten off to the best of starts. Who could blame him? Few would be free of nerves the first time they pulled on the Manchester United goalkeeper shirt. Only two games into his career, de Gea has already taken a considerable amount of criticism. He has now conceded three goals, all of which the blame has been placed on him to some extent. Like sharks, the media and the Anything-But-United brigade have sensed blood in the water and moved to attack. What has disappointed me is that some United fans also turn on our new keeper after only two matches.

We must not forget the situation de Gea now finds himself in. Our new goalkeeper is in a new country where he does not yet speak the language. He is 20 years old playing a position where players often do not peak until they approach their 30’s. Just to put it into perspective, de Gea was born the same year that van der Sar made his professional debut. These are not excuses, these are simply the facts. Any rational fan would take this information into account when watching de Gea.

While many United fans have fortunately continued to show their support for de Gea, some of them have had the audacity to draw comparisons to Massimo Taibi or even suggest that we sell Spaniard. How can people associate him with Taibi, the man who was in goal for a 5-0 defeat to a pre-Abramovich Chelsea side, after only two competitive appearances? Has de Gea done anything near that catastrophic yet? Absolutely not, and regardless, these knee jerk reactions get us nowhere. Imagine if Sir Alex Ferguson sold Nemanja Vidic or Patrice Evra after their less then stellar debuts. Thankfully the gaffer has far more sense than some of our fans. It is one thing to admit that de Gea made an error, but it is something entirely different to suggest he be sold after a couple mistakes.

Why not instead seek insight from a man who has seen enough of de Gea to provide an informed judgment? Guillem Balague, Sky Sports’ La Liga expert, came to the defense of our young keeper today on Twitter:

“People doubting David de Gea? Seriously? No, no, seriously?? Hahahahahahaha... it will be a feast of eaten words at the end of the season”

“I was a goalie when younger (now a poor centre midfielder in 7 a side). De gea not just good. He is extraordinary”

Some fans may be quick to jump to conclusions, but I would prefer to get my insight from a man who has seen him regularly with Atletico Madrid for the past two seasons. There is a reason that de Gea is often regarded as the most promising young goalkeeper in Europe, and that is view generated by people who have seen him play more than twice. It is not just Balague who has seen an extensive amount of de Gea. Our scouts have been hard at work finding van der Sar’s heir in the hope of avoiding the same chaos that existed after Peter Schmeichel left. If you think the club bought de Gea without doing their homework, then think again. ManUtd.com’s Steve Bartram said as much today on Twiter:

“De Gea regularly scouted by MUFC, inc personal viewings by SAF. No question over ability. There will be teething troubles. Have patience.”

At a club like Manchester United, you need players that are willing to face these challenges head on, and de Gea has done exactly that. He has not shied away from his task after errors, instead picking the ball out of the net and getting on with the job. After conceding two questionable goals against Manchester City in the FA Community Shield, de Gea then had an inspired second half while his teammates provided the attacking performance for a come-from-behind victory. Following his error that gave West Bromwich Albion an equalizer this weekend, de Gea made some important saves that allowed United to grind out an opening day win. Reacting to errors in this manner should help to ease any doubts supporters have.

One quality that has always set Manchester United apart from other clubs has been their strong mentality. When the team is in desperate need of a goal at the end of the game, often the players manage to find that crucial goal. That never say die attitude has served the club well during Sir Alex Ferguson’s tenure. This is what I have seen in de Gea these past two games while others have chosen to criticize. While a weaker man would let his head drop, de Gea has not done that. He has instead shown the mental acuity of a United player. Following the two mistakes everyone has focused on, he has gotten back up and done his job and done it well.

This is the same mentality that will make him a better goalkeeper. Instead of letting these mistakes hurt his confidence, he will learn from them. Every mistake is a lesson that will aid his development. Maybe his next mistake will be the result of poor positioning, but the next time he will know exactly where he needs to be. Goalkeeping is a position that requires experience to succeed. The more you play the game, the more you understand. When you get scored on, it teaches you a weakness that you need to work on. van der Sar was not born a phenomenal goalkeeper; he became one, learning from every mistake he made in his youth. Although we cannot yet know for sure if de Gea has that proper mentality, if he is to succeed at Manchester United then he must have that mental toughness. I, for one, believe he has shown signs of having the right mentality. And if he does indeed have it, he will improve from his mistakes and become a star at Manchester United.

Luckily, Sir Alex Ferguson has given de Gea all the assurances that he needs. He has gone on record that de Gea will continue as first choice rather than pulling him in favor of Anders Lindegaard. Putting the Spaniard on the bench may do more harm than good right now. This is a key moment in de Gea’s development, and right now he should be given chances to build a strong connection with his defenders.

While the boss does his job and continues to back de Gea, it is important that United fans do that same. Whoever replaced van der Sar was always doomed to intense scrutiny from those who want to see United fail. The criticisms from rival fans is more than enough, United fans need not join. Every team we play now will have fans that heckle de Gea because they sense a weakness. He needs us now more than ever. Our support should be stronger than our rivals’ criticism. The fools who speak of selling de Gea after one or two games need to have their heads checked. We support Manchester United, and we support the players that represent Manchester United. This is perhaps even more crucial when a player is struggling. Right now de Gea must feel like he has the weight of the world on his shoulders, and we have to show him that we are all in his corner.

There may be a few rough days ahead, but if de Gea can preserve then so can we. When all is said and done, I genuinely believe that de Gea will be hailed as one of the best in the game and become an important part of United’s history. At only 20 years old, he could potentially be our goalkeeper for the next 20 years. Right now it may be hard to see what an asset he could be, but give him some time to settle and ease his nerves. His unquestionable talent will not let the fans down and with his experience growing with every match, de Gea will soon show supporters why Sir Alex and goalkeeping coach Eric Steele have placed such an enormous amount of faith in him. We have a star that is waiting to be born, sometimes it just takes time.

Job Done

2011-08-14T19:32:00.001-04:00

It wasn’t pretty at times, but it’s three points on the road nonetheless. And it all started so well, too, with United clearly bossing play in the first twenty-odd minutes of the match until the moment that will hound the Red Devils new number one.

You just need to keep reminding yourself that it’s early days, yet this feels like a festering issue, one that could possibly derail another Reds keeper.

Watching the match at the pub, THE stat discussed ahead of kickoff was that De Gea allowed the most goals in La Liga from outside the penalty box. Not a good omen. And already, the United faithful feared another keeper draught such as the one that followed Peter Schmeichel.

Yet today’s howler came from well within the box, with the keeper taking the right angle but inexplicably failing to get down on what now-pundit Gary Neville called a “routine save.”

How long can Sir Alex go with De Gea, when clearly today, his mistake and failure to command his air space unnerved his backline?

Normally, you’d give young players time to adjust to their new surroundings. And, all things – er, prices – being equal, it appeared Lindegaard outplayed De Gea during United’s summer tour. Advantage Lindegaard.

Right now, Fergie faces an unenviable dilemma.

Pull the keeper and risk a blow to confidence. Play the keeper and risk more mistakes when he clearly isn’t comfortable with Premier League air space let alone long range efforts on goal.

I’m typically not one to overreact, especially with decisions at the helm of the United ship, but why not start the Dane and let De Gea ease into things more as a Red Devil?

Lindegaard commanded his backline while on tour in the States and appeared in great form. I know De Gea’s an excellent close-range shot stopper. I know De Gea’s is incredibly young, needing time and space to grow.

But should that learning curve come immediately against the likes of Spurs, Arsenal, and Liverpool?

I’d argue: absolutely not.

The English press will be merciless with the lad, as the more he makes mistakes, the more pressure will build on him, his team and his manager. Surly, there will be a new knick-name a la “Calamity James” in the offering soon, with “De Gaffe” the early bookies favorite, to greet the United squad in the papers throughout the campaign, and dare I say, his English career.

Which is an entirely unfortunate talking point, as there was plenty to like in this match.

First, SAF handed the pairing of Anderson and Cleverly starts. Both played well, earning their manager’s confidence, with young Thomas demonstrating maturity beyond his years as well as the wisdom behind his call-up in the England squad this past week. He certainly looks the part.

Second, United’s ability to come out strong and dictate the pace of the match to West Brom impressed, especially given the Red Devils road woes of the last campaign. Without the mistake in goal, you could easily see the Reds running out a 2-0 or 3-0 convincing victory today. The old adage “one goal changes everything” came to fruition, with West Brom gaining a huge lift from drawing level.

Last and most important, Fergie’s men found a way to win, unlike the other Top 6 contenders thus far, despite Rafael and Evra out from the start, plus Rio and Vidic leaving the match early with new injuries.

Newcomer Phil Jones never looked so good in United Red, with Rafael out over two months and Rio gone now for six weeks.

All in all, United find a way to win, or in the words of another new addition, Ashley Young talking to Sky Sports:

"It's the first game of season, we knew it was going to be tough coming to the Hawthorns but we have a never-say-die attitude and work to final whistle, and we got our rewards in the end."

Amazing how quickly Ashley’s already indoctrinated into United’s culture. But, should that really surprise us?

Earlier this week, Sir Bobby Charlton said in a new book '19' all credit for the United’s success lay at the feet of Sir Alex Ferguson.

"The record of 19 League titles goes down purely to Alex Ferguson, it would not have been possible without Alex Ferguson, that's for sure.

He is the epitome of everything that is good about Manchester United and the ethos of this club. He knows the game inside out. The reason everybody performs to their best is that he is in control, not just of his staff and the first team, but the whole of the club, and as a result it operates in unison.

There is no point suggesting anybody else to be manager of Manchester United, there is no one around who can fill his boots. I hope he can carry on for a long time yet.”

Analyzing United's Dramatic Victory Over City

2011-08-08T07:37:00.003-04:00

Manchester United got their 2011/12 season started off on the right foot by stunning their local rival to claim the FA Community Shield title.

The Reds Win Will Inspire Winning Mentality

Two goals against the run of play from Joleon Lescott and Edin Dzeko gave City a shock first half lead, but Chris Smalling and a further two goals from Nani gave the Reds the first bragging rights of the infant season.

Unless you're a delusional bitter Blue, nobody could deny that United were the best team and definitely worthy of winning their record 19th Community Shield title - but really the most impressive thing today was that it was a total team performance.

It's still way too early to determine whether this win could determine how successful United will be or not. But one thing is for certain, Sir Alex Ferguson has a very capable, strong squad of players to choose from.

Youth
After watching City painfully score two suspect goals against pretty much our first-choice back-line, it was a welcomed relief to see a youth begin to dominate their City counterparts as the game wore on.

During one of his press conferences on the Tour 2011, Sir Alex claimed that he has three of the best center-backs in the country with Chris Smalling, Phil Jones and Jonny Evans. A lot of people were scratching their heads seeing Evans being grouped with the other two, but in the curtain raiser of the season against City all three of them impressed everyone, equally.

Some United fans were speaking out against having Smalling deployed at right-back, especially with Rafael, who is clearly the first choice since the club has had a mass exodus of defenders at that position, on the bench. However, all the natural center-back did was make great runs down the wing and he combine ever so well with Nani to terrorize Kolarov and his eventual replacement, Gael Clichy.

When Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic were replaced at halftime, most people would have thought that Smalling would have been shifted into the center of United's defense, but that was not the case and Evans and Jones did one heck of a job showing the elders how to keep out Dzeko and the other City attackers from having a sight at David de Gea's goal.

Support
As everyone knows by now, the young United goalkeeper did not have very good first half, but he atoned for his very correctable errors with two very good reactionary saves in the second. The 20-year old will experience some growing pains along the way, but do not expect Ferguson to have a knee-jerk reaction and replace him after a couple of miscues.

Being introduced into a foreign league at such a young age, de Gea will need some time to settle in and us United supporters need to get behind him so he learns from his mistakes.

Focus
Ahead of the match, there were a couple of players, who were always going to have their performances examined under microscope - and each of them came through with flying colors. Danny Welbeck, Anderson, Tom Cleverley and Nani all had a chance to prove how influential they can be this coming season - and each of them had shouts for Man of the Match honors, as well.

Welbeck was handed a somewhat surprising start ahead of luckless Dimitar Berbatov, but he put in a very determined, enthusiastic display, which will see him heap pressure on everyone else. The 20-year old has just returned from a season-long loan at Sunderland and with that experience Danny looks to be ready to take a leading role.

Anderson, who has been very hit and miss since joining the club a few seasons ago, now has the chance to stake claim on a center midfield role for the club. Against City, the Brazilian continued his form from the last month of the previous season, and added some flair and energy, to boot. His best move of the day was not his shoving match with Dzeko, but a clever flick over the head of Yaya Toure, which made the former Barcelona man look awful silly.

Cleverley came on at halftime for Michael Carrick, who was ruled out through injury and he buzzed around the field like the man he has been said to be replacing. Everyone wanted to see how he would cope against a formidable City midfield and Paul Scholes, himself, would have been proud of the performance Tom put in. He did not score a goal, but his constant move in and around the opponent's penalty area is exactly what the club needs - and will prevent them spending oodles of money on an outsider.

What can be said about Nani's performance that probably has not already been said? Not much, to be honest. The United winger looked like he was wound up and raring to go. What was most impressive is that he put in a typical Ji-Sung Park performance by running at the same pace from the beginning of the game as he did at the end. And yet, he still had the composure at the end of his runs to finish them off with style and class. With the purchase of Ashley Young, who also impressed in his first competitive match for United, and the reemergence of Antonio Valencia, Nani looked to be the odd man out. However, if he continues to play like this throughout the entire season, do not be surprised to see him pick another Players' Player of the Season Award.

This competition has been often seen as a pre-season tune-up for the Champions of England, but Manchester United could use this performance and Manchester City to their advantage as they strive toward No. 20.

Lesson Delivered

2011-08-08T07:32:00.000-04:00

Well, could you write a better script for demoralizing The Middle Eastlands?

What a stunning last-gasp victory for United and punishing defeat for City. Oh the joy in footballing lessons delivered, eh Wazza, when City are made to watch Vidic lift the Community Shield. “Brilliant, that is!”, says The Boy Wayne.

First, let me digress for a moment with a true confession.

I watched the match on tape delay after spending the weekend at a beautiful cabin on a lake in central Minnesota. Our summers are short and we simply couldn’t give up the opportunity to truly get away. Private lake. No motorized boats. Ah, peace and quiet with good friends. And besides, I’ll have to duck-out on future weekends for much more meaningful fixtures during the EPL campaign.

Thus, watching in the evening, knowing the result’s bagged hours ago only adds another strange temptation into the mix, especially when City go ahead 2-0 without playing particularly well.

Part of me wants to fast forward through another repeat of last year’s FA Cup semi-final. Part of me can’t stand to miss a minute, as football hath finally started.

Thank God the Red Devils didn’t try to fast forward their way through this “meaningless” match.

Yes, you can use six subs in the FA Community Shield.

Yes, it’s the pretense to something much bigger and better to come.

Yes, it’s a one-off, "friendly" Cup, if you will.

Yet, it’s City for the love of God, and you just can’t imagine the noisy neighbors gaining any sort of confidence from this game. No way. No how.

Thus, it’s with much delight that I report I caught the match; including watching another page turned in United’s storied history books.

With the substitution of Carrick, Rio, Vidic , and later Evra, the average age of the United squad was reported at 21 or 22 years old. Remarkable. Today’s young squad outplayed the current version, hands down.

And all the more incredible, Tom Cleverly appears to hold part of the answer to United’s central midfield questions.

Today he impressed yet again with abundant energy, purpose, and creativity moving forward, after his very own MOTM performance against Barcelona’s albeit reserves.

Sometimes the best moves in football can be non-transfers, where the manager provides the time and space for youngsters to take the mantle.

Cleverly helped Rooney dictate play in the second half during a real derby match, which make this accomplishment all the more impressive. It’s still early days, but Fergie appears to have caught lightening in a bottle at the most opportune of moments, immediately after Scholes’ retirement, with this lad.

Speaking of electricity, we must give Nani his due, after his two goals clearly and rightly earned him MOTM honors.

Nani’s performance bodes well for the up-coming campaign precisely because he has taken the challenge presented to him by the addition of Ashley Young. No pouting at all from the gerry curled one. Only commitment.

Nani can be as mesmerizing as anyone on the planet out wide with the ball at his feat, but this isn’t new news, as consistency of decision-making robs this player of opportunities.

Yet, step-by-step Nani’s end product progressed noticeably this past campaign and during this summer’s pre-season. It appears he's finally got it, much to our collective relief.

Thus, United appear primed for another Premier League campaign, with a new influx of youth to a title-winning side.

Surly, with youth comes mistakes, but you can really feel the power that rests within this side, as United were quicker, sharper, and more decisive than their blue counterparts.

A gulf in class still exists in Manchester. Consider it a message delivered.

An Outsider's View Of The Manchester Derby

2011-08-03T20:38:00.003-04:00

This weekend Manchester United and Manchester City will meet at Wembley to do battle for the season’s first piece of silverware – the FA Community Shield.

It has been more than three months since the last encounter between these two clubs, but the rivalry has become a talking point once again in the wake of City’s aggressive spending in the transfer market and their success in the FA Cup last season. With City finally earning a piece of silverware, and consequently the 35 Years banner coming down, the Manchester derby looks like it may soon reach a new level of competitiveness. But what does this fixture mean to American fans, or really to any Manchester United fan who is from beyond the borders of Manchester?

Some will say that the significance of this match can never be fully understood by an outsider, and to an extent they may be right. There is something about living side-by-side as neighbors with the blues in Manchester which may provide an understanding that we will never quite grasp. However, as a true Manchester United fan there should be hatred deep within yourself for Manchester City, regardless of geography. Every time we play them pride is on the line, and don’t you ever forget that. No matter where you live, the desire to always be the top team in everything, especially in Manchester, should always reign supreme.

My own experiences with Manchester City led to the development of a very potent hatred for the bitter blues. I have always hated Manchester City; part of my duty as a United fan. They were an annoyance, but our rivalry with them was dwarfed by our rivalry with Liverpool. The gap between the importance of the two closed rapidly upon my arrival at university. In my first year at university I was randomly assigned a diehard Manchester City supporter as my roommate. Perhaps with the exception of that roommate being a scouser, there is no worse fate to befall a United fan than this. The bitterness which spewed from the mouth of my roommate was like dumping gasoline onto a blazing fire; my disdain for City grew wildly into animosity. That is not to say he was a bad guy, because we did become friends, but with regards to what club he supported he was unbearable.

He claimed to support Manchester City as a result of his love for Oasis, which is fair play to him I suppose. His hate for United was initially far more than my own hate for City. I was busy focusing on knocking Liverpool off their perch than to be bothered by a club that never truly posed a threat. He said all the regular bitter garbage you would expect from a City supporter. I wish I had even a penny for every time he claimed we bought our success or that I was a ‘glory hunter’ along with all of my fellow fans. I would’ve had quite the handsome-looking bank balance at the point, but alas all I took from it was a stronger hatred for Manchester City. It was made particularly hard by the fact that City did the double over us that season in 2007/08. As you all know, though, we decided to cast our shadow over them by winning a slightly bigger double. My dear roommate actually got excited that his club had beaten the Premier League and Champions League winners twice that season. I think he might have been sarcastically joking, or at least I hope he was. At the time you would rarely find a City fan in America, and this was my first real encounter with one. At first I thought he was the minority, but every encounter I have had with City fans since then have essentially confirmed that they are all just like this. And simply put, that makes them all unbearable.
That was before the days of the Sheik. That was before the days of Carlos “Judas” Tevez. Back then City was nothing more than a mild nuisance, regularly finishing just shy of relegation. In something of an ironic twist, the following year their fortunes changed as Sheik began pouring his money into the Wastelands. I say ironic because City was now doing the very thing he claimed to hate United for – spending money to buy trophies. The next time I saw him I of course brought up this very point, to which he could only attempt to justify by responding that City had suffered enough and so they now deserved their new-found wealth and any success it would bring them. I decided against bringing up the fact that United had actually earned all their cash and that he was being incredibly hypocritical. After all, he was right, City had suffered a lot, the least I could do is let him enjoy his delusional bliss for one night.

Once the Sheik arrived at the Wastelands, though, City fans transformed from being a nuisance to being insufferable. Perhaps nothing is more symbolic of this time than the infamous “Welcome to Manchester” poster with Carlos Tevez. After years of hating United and everything we stood for they were now trying to become us, armed with all the money of their new-found sugar daddy. They used to claim we bought all our trophies because we could afford to buy some of the world’s star players, a favourite in the City fan’s repertoire of insults against United fans. But now City have been in a class of their own when it comes to spending in the transfer market. Oddly I did not hear any complaints when they won the FA Cup last season. Surely based on their logic they had bought that trophy. Guess not. Another favorite insult of the typical City fan was of course that United’s fanbase was nothing but ‘glory hunters.’ In fact, they still use this one. And while their fans are busy attacking United for these so-called ‘glory hunter,’ their club’s own media department has been busy making a ‘bluffer’s guide’ essentially welcoming any new fans they may have from around the world as a result of their FA Cup triumph and qualification for the Champions League. What is it called when you support a team because of their success? Oh right…

My good friend Matthew Galea is an Australian-born Manchester United supporter and was fortunate enough to be in the crowd at Old Trafford when Wayne Rooney scored THAT goal against our noisy neighbors. To assure I am not alone in my hate for City, I asked Matt to kindly contribute his own thoughts and feelings on the Manchester derby…

Having been fortunate enough to be in Manchester for, and in the build up to, one of the most eagerly anticipated and closely contested derbies that have ever been witnessed in Manchester, I think it is safe to say that as overseas fans we sometime fail to appreciate just how massive this match is. Sure, the rivalry has perhaps increased with City’s billions, but whether City are competing for the big prizes or not, losing to them is never an option. I think the greatest thing that I took away from attending a derby in person, besides witnessing one of Old Trafford’s greatest moments in it’s long, rich history, would probably be the memories of the faces of anguish on the supporters around me when City equalized rather fortuito usly in front of the Stretford End. The game still had some way to go, but just the mere prospect of City scoring one goal against United was unthinkable to those around me. It established in a realer sense than I had ever considered it before; just how important this game is to Manchester United the city’s leading football club, and to the fans who face those who wear blue day in, day out. It was an experience that added a whole new dimension to my support of the club, leaving no doubts in my mind that a match against City is never on to take lightly.

When our beloved Manchester United line up against Manchester City at Wembley this Sunday, it should not be viewed as just another game. The Community Shield is not the most prestigious of trophies, but it certainly provides bragging rights for the start of the season. With Manchester City and their fans constantly talking of the tides turning in Manchester, the Manchester derby may well reach new levels of intensity. We are the top team in Manchester, and they want to be the top team in Manchester. It can never be just another game. This is for pride, although it always has been I suppose. But for the first time in decades City actually have the weapons to challenge us for the title, but no matter how much they spend or how much they win, they will never be Manchester United. They can never match our history or duplicate the romance that comes hand-in-hand with the club. City will always just be a hollow, plastic wannabe who benefited from the sugar daddy who funded their push success.

With all this on the line, it makes this year’s Community Shield more than just a pre-season trophy to kick off the season. This is much more than that. This is symbolic of the war between these two clubs now. Should City win, god forbid, then they will spend the next year claiming the tides of changed. But if we win, then we will reassert that we are the dominant team in Manchester and that City are still just the pretenders. Every player that pulls on the red shirt at Wembley should have that very thought at the forefront of their minds. Players have spoken about learning the history of Manchester United once they have arrived at the club. They know what it means to wear this badge, and I expect them to fight to make sure that there is not a single doubt at full time that Manchester United are still the best club from Manchester.

An Experience Of A Lifetime For United Supporters

2011-08-02T19:18:00.001-04:00

Manchester United has just completed their tiresome 17-day, 5-game pre-season tour of America and it was yet another fulfilled dream for this supporter.

The American Reds Made United Feel At Home

For the manager, the point of these tours is for the players to get back to match-fitness, but for the club, itself, it is about thanking their existing supporters while gaining new ones along the way, which for the most part, they did just that.

There were countless positives to take from the Tour 2011. From publishing the first photo of No. 19 this side of the pond, to mingling with club legends; to chatting with the voice of Old Trafford; to experience a press box first hand; to seeing United completely dismantle their five opponents.

Chaperoning the 2010/11 Barclays Premier League trophy to the Phoenix Landing was the best possible way to kick-off the tour, but to be in close proximity to United legends - Andrew Cole, Paddy Crerand, Dennis Irwin, Gary Neville and Bryan Robson - was a dream the supporters here in the States had the chance to turn into reality. But along with meeting them, the traveling fans also had the chance to hear Alan Keegan's voice without the microphone echoing through the rafters of Old Trafford - and, yes, it sounds just the same!

Those were the organized moments that I sort of anticipated, but there were also the occasional one-off instances where I was left speechless and star-struck. Getting on the elevator to go get some drinks turned out to be an amazing experience as I got to ride with Dimitar Berbatov, Ji-Sung Park and Gabriel Obertan to their respective floors. But even that was overshadowed when I had the chance to be Sir Bobby Charlton bellboy and ride up in the same lift as him (Before he got in, he asked me if I wanted an autograph, which I could only answer by shaking my head no.).

However, the best, and most important, part of the tour was seeing Manchester United live and in person. With the few additions to the squad that Sir Alex Ferguson has added already this summer, the Reds looked in great form cutting through their opposition on their way to dazzling the record-number of fans in each location. In the end, United outclassed each of their opponents, including Barcelona, and captured the 2011 Herbalife Football Challenge trophy. United scored 20 goals and only gave up three in the process.

Impressed
One thing that I was able to see first hand was all of the hard work that was put in by the United staff behind the scenes from their "war room" meetings to ensure that things go off as smoothly as possible and the security to keep the players and manager safe from harm.

On top of what Jonathan Rigby and his efficient marketing team accomplished, our very own membership and supporters group, One United USA, performed a major part in getting their loyal members intimate access to the training sessions. Peter Holland, who founded the Manchester United supporters club back in 1991, and David Herman, who is one of the most vivacious and memorable supporters that you will ever meet, both put forth an admirable, unrecognizable effort helping the club get in touch with their local fans in each of the five cities.

United
The best part is meeting up with supporters, like myself, from all across the country sharing our common bond - Manchester United. The United States is 9.83 million square kilometers - over 40 times the size of its former mother land - which means that our supporters are not in a concentrated area.

These random supporters from the Dallas Reds, Houston Reds and New York Reds all joined forces and produced one of the most memorable atmospheres this side of the Atlantic for a Manchester United match.

The 2011 MLS All-Star Game has normally a boring, corporate feeling to the match, but those big wigs were treated to some great enthusiasm from the 500 or so who sat in section 220. Not many people in that section have been able to sit in the Stretford End at Old Trafford, but the electricity produced from this boisterous bunch of supporters was outstanding.

I will not go as far as saying that we helped the Reds to yet another emphatic multiple goal win over the best that the MLS has to offer, but the noise created was noticed by everyone in the ground, including Sir Alex Ferguson, who gave us a wave during the second half, and we were twice clapped by David Beckham, after chanting, "Fergie! Fergie! Give Us A Wave," and "There's Only One David Beckham!," respectively.

Manchester United has now returned back to where they belong, but these last three weeks, although long, were something that will live with me until I leave this earth.

Perspective Of That Controversial Movie, "United"

2011-07-21T12:28:00.005-04:00

The movie United, which is about the Munich Air Disaster that claimed some of the most promising Manchester United players' live way to early, was always bound to do one of two things, if not both.

Sir Bobby Was Front & Centered Throughout

The producers wanted to not only create awareness to those tragic events that transpired on, or after February 6, 1958, to the millions of people that were not around to experience it, but they also stir up a bit controversy by offending the ones that it personally effected.

Whenever emotion is involved there is no escaping the hard reality that there was always going to be a venomous backlash from some of the families that endured the ultimate pain of losing a loved one, and for that the creators of the film should be ashamed of themselves.

With movies made for television, as this one was for the British Broadcasting Company, people need to remember that this was meant to get people to watch, but this topic, especially to United supporters, is one that never sits easy.

One thing that people need to know before watching this is that this movie was portrayed through somebody else's eyes, not somebody who was actually part of the Busby Babes - and when that happens a lot of the facts and takes on personalities were turned and twisted.

Nobody, not even the producers, can honestly admit that their touch of perception was not present, because the main problem with this film was the depiction of Sir Matt Busby.

It has been very well documented that the BBC is notorious for trying to create animosity between themselves and a manager for Manchester United. The difference lies is that Sir Alex Ferguson was able to stick up and defend the honor of his family, but Sir Matt Busby perished 17 years before this film was televised, so his family had to defend his legacy.

Lacked

Time Stood Still On That Numbing Day

Another disheartening reality about this movie was the fact that it should have been about all of The Busby Babes, instead of just the most notable ones, like Sir Bobby Charlton, Duncan Edwards, Tommy Taylor and Mark Jones.

Eight players - Geoff Bent, Roger Byrne, Eddie Colman, Edwards, Jones, David Pegg, Taylor, and Liam 'Billy' Whelan, who all lost their lives from the events that disastrous day, along with the other 15 people deserved to have their stories told, as well.

This is nothing against Charlton, who became one of - if not the - greatest-ever United player, but it became more about how his career unfolded than that of the ones who perished.

Beneficial
Despite those negative aspects, there were some definitely positive, moving pieces in this film.

The role of Jimmy Murphy, for example, was done quite well, because without his desire, energy and ability, there is no chance that you would be reading this article today. He, like every other assistant manager, has to love his job and he did what many people thought was impossible, raise Manchester United from the ashes of the Munich tragedy.

Because he was overshadowed by Busby and some of the great players at the club during his time, many people often forget how influential Murphy was at United.

The fact that a movie, controversial or not, was done about this juncture of the history of Manchester United can only be beneficial to their own supporters and the less ignorant fans of rival clubs. Because of the self belief that it will make them sound cool to their fellow parts of the Leeds, Liverpool and Manchester City fans will sing about Munich and refer to the club as "Man U," but it is imperative to educate our own to prevent unschooled abuse towards the club that they support - and this movie should give that basis for that.

In closing, there was a line from this movie that every Manchester United fan should remember and hold near and dear to their heart: "It does not matter who the players are, it's about the club!"

Seattle Sounders v. Manchester United - Analysis

2011-07-21T12:28:00.004-04:00

Wow. So I don’t think many of were expecting that.

On Wednesday, July 20, Manchester United ran out 7-0 winners against a Seattle Sounders team that isn’t actually that bad. In fact, they’re really good. Goals from Michael Owen, Mame Biram Diouf, Ji-Sung Park and Gabriel Obertan, along with a second half hat trick from Wayne Rooney just made this talented squad look ordinary.

So aside from the fact that United have found their shooting boots, what else did we learn on Wednesday night? Here are my observations.

STRIKER WAYNE
This past week, Sir Alex Ferguson dispelled the suggestion that myself and many other journalist had raised: That Wayne Rooney could in fact be the ready-made replacement for Paul Scholes. Wayne and Paul, while similar in commitment and ability, were just two very different players, the boss said. But skepticism ran deep, especially when he also said young charges like Danny Welbeck and Kiko Macheda wouldn’t be going on loan again this season. This leaves United overly deep at the striker’s position; one which is difficult to keep players happy.
So on Wednesday night, Rooney took matters into his own hands ... or feet. Netting 3 clinical goals and dummying another for Park, he showed a lethal side to his game that has sorely been missed. The fact that Rooney’s goals, including a fantastic third into the top of the net, were so well struck at this early juncture of the preseason can only mean he’s chomping at the bit to get the 2011/12 season going.
So United will find another midfielder or two to take Scholes’ place. Tom Cleverly gets his shot Saturday in Chicago.

BACK AND FRONT
A second look at the scoresheet tells us two things.
First, when Sir Alex said that new goalkeeper David De Gea would have competition for the No. 1 position, he wasn’t just paying lip-service to Anders Lindegaard and Ben Amos. The pair performed admirably, even in the face of some dodgy backpasses, keeping a cleansheet against Major League Soccer’s second-best offense and arguably its most explosive player in Freddie Montero.
And they weren’t in their easy chairs doing it, either. Seattle pressed from the first whistle and after adjusting the sights on their boots, tested Lindegaard with a series of shots he was able to catch or parry. Amos, meanwhile, has shown in training that he can pull out top-drawer saves, and did exactly that after taking over in the second half. So what’s a manager to do?
"Obviously we have signed David de Gea as the main choice I would imagine," Ferguson said after the game, "but Anders Lindegaard and Ben Amos have probably said to themselves they have an opportunity with Van der Sar retiring. It is an open door for me."
So with De Gea set to start against the Chicago Fire on Saturday, Sir Alex could have a real goalkeeping fight on his hands.
But that’s not the only position up for grabs. With Chicharito on holiday following the CONCACAF Gold Cup and Dimitar Berbatov picking up a knock in training, the gates have opened for other strikers to stake their claim on a senior roster spot. The aforementioned Welbeck should return to the lineup on Saturday following positive stints with Sunderland and the England U21 squad. Mame Biram Diouf did well to gather Nani’s looped pass for his goal, and Michael Owen put away one of two clean chances, just like in New England. Add in Wayne Rooney’s hat trick after being kept off the scoresheet against the Revs, and a real battle starts to develop.
Rooney and Chicharito should be first choice when the season opens at West Brom, but who makes the subs bench? It’s certainly a wonderful problem to have.

FANTASTIC TEST
In reality, Sir Alex couldn’t have asked for more out of United’s test against Seattle. The match was reminiscent of so many away trips to lower-in-the-table teams in the Premier League who have nothing to lose against the Red Devils. So Sigi Schmidt’s side took full advantage and pressured the Reds from the first whistle. This led to several heart-in-mouth moments at the back and at one point, the hosts actually led in shots 6-0 before Owen headed in the opener.
Seattle started like a house on fire and this is exactly the kind of preparation United will need going into the 2011/12 season. The squad weathered the storm from the Sounders, knowing they couldn’t maintain such pressure for 90 minutes, and then picked their moments to attack.

This sign of composure, in the face of a heavy home crowd, bodes well heading into the season. Ashley Young showed why he may already be first choice on the left wing, interchanging flawlessly with Patrice Evra and tracking back when the Frenchman is upfield. Rafael, after a few early lapses, settled well into the game, as did Fabio after coming on in the second half. The United defense simply bided its time, waited for the Sounders players to take themselves out of position, and then struck.

#STAYONYOURFEET
Oh @RioFerdy5. The king of Twitter. If only the World Football Challenge had heard of your catchphrase. Only 2 days after Manchester City lost Yaya Toure in Vancouver, players were having a torrid time staying on their feet in Seattle. In both cases, fresh grass was laid on a surface that’s normally occupied by FieldTurf at the request of the visiting team. The problem with weather in the Pacific Northwest is, of course, that it’s very very wet. So in both cases, the new grass failed to, well, stick.

Freddy Montero was changing his boots early on and both teams built chances when opposing fullbacks couldn’t stay upright. I’m a big advocate of natural grass, but the FieldTurf these facilities normally have is not your father’s astroturf. It drains well, feels natural, and when the fixtures start piling up, is easy to maintain for teams on a limited budget. So to the WFC: Next year, leave the surface alone.

ON TO CHICAGO
With new signings De Gea, Welbeck, and Phil Jones in the mix, the Reds will surely freshen up their squad for Saturday’s match at Soldier Field. Chris Smalling could even partner his U21 counterpart at some point in defense, while Cleverly will no doubt look to score for the second year running in the States.

Ferguson's Strategical Squad Rotation Plan For United

2011-07-16T17:49:00.003-04:00

As predicted back in January, Sir Alex Ferguson is completely restructuring his squad as he prepares for yet another stretch run of success for Manchester United.

The United manager has never been afraid to make wholesale changes to his team to keep the freshness Back in 1995/96, 2003/04 and, now, with 70 years of experience lifted from the club, he looks to beckoning on another.

Ferguson continues to prove that he is a one-off as he has outlasted many of his critics by saying that he and United are washed up, and would take a foolhardy betting man to bet against him from achieving success again.

It looks like the United supporters should thank Wayne Rooney for his part in all of this, because it seems to be him that has unearthed the challenge for Ferguson to complete this squad overhaul.

It does not really matter whether it was him or just a sheer coincidence, because everyone involved with the club - players, fans and coaching staff - should be licking their lips to see another run at glory.

When Ferguson did this the last time, success did not happen overnight and the critics went through a lot of ink with stories that the Gaffer has finally lost the plot. Everyone remembers how hard the 2004/05 was to take, but that showed the fans couple of things.

The fans need to have patience in the Gaffer and trust that he has the best interest of the club at heart and would never do anything to jeopardize the success of Manchester United. During that trying time, the supporters, who trusted the manager and did not jump ship to Chelsea, were rewarded with years loaded with silverware and club triumphs.

After suffering a couple of embarrassing losses to Barcelona in Europe, Sir Alex has seen how far the club has been able to go with the current group of stars, and he has been willing to let some of them go to other clubs.

A lot of other managers have not be able to manage themselves let alone a successful club, but Sir Alex knows that he must make tough decisions to propel the club to the next level. Sometimes the decisions work in his favor and sometimes they don't work out, but he at least has learned from his mistakes and moves on in a positive direction.

Everyone thought that he was absolutely bonkers for giving his infamous Fergie's Fledglings a chance after selling off a core group of players that helped him reached success in the early to mid 1990's.

Paul Ince, Andrei Kanchelskis, Mark Hughes and Steve Bruce all left the club, but with the right players chomping at the bit for their chance, the club immediately picked up right before they left off, and, unfortunately, we live in a different era now with instant success not guaranteed.

So far, Sir Alex has the players in place that can help dramatically with getting the right results to help sustain the success. David de Gea, Phil Jones and Ashley Young are all great signings and each of them will play an instrumental role to make sure that there is not a drop off in the level of performance, but also bring the club to that next level.

Ferguson has surrounded himself with people and players that he knows and trusts, but, just as important, that feel the same way about him, which will give United the best chance of achieving even more success.

Repurposing Resources

2011-07-16T17:39:00.000-04:00

After two summers of sitting on around £80M, the wallet has been opened.

If rumors are to be believed, a fourth summer signing, to follow in the footsteps of Phil Jones (CB), Ashley Young (wing), and David De Gea (GK), is still to come to Old Trafford. If that name happens to be Sneijder (unlikely) or Nasri (no thanks), then United’s spending for 2011 will actually surpass the funds brought in from Cristiano Ronaldo’s sale to Real Madrid.

But I really have to ask ... Is that necessary? With a wealth of talent in several departments, most notably centerback and striker, United could probably field three squads capable of competing well in the Premier League. What’s more, if one were to look at the travelling party for the Summer 2011 tour, you would find 7 players capable of playing up front(Rooney, Berbatov, Owen, Macheda, Diouf, Giggs, Young) and two more (Chicharito, Welbeck, Bébé) on holiday or on loan. No team, not even Real Madrid, needs that many frontmen.

ORGANIZATIONAL EFFICIENCY
Let’s face facts. Businesses around the world are trying to find ways of doing things more efficiently. We’re doing it in my newsroom and, though painful, sometimes it really is for the best. Do better, do more, with less. And in this case, the mantra can actually give more flexibility to those at Old Trafford.
With much of the discussion surrounding who should replace Paul Scholes (not actually possible), the solution is actually within his own squad. And, to quote a famous tune, “He goes by the name of Wayne Rooney.”

Wazza has proven time and again that he possesses the potential to one day match Scholes’ outlandish passing ability. As his confidence grew in 2010/11, he began pinging 50-yard passes so often, he could’ve been mistaken for the Ginger Prince. And, of course, Rooney is more than adept at tracking back into the midfield and even defensive third when necessary. And, partially illustrated by the photo above, he’s shown us that he’s a more mature player than he’s ever been.

So maybe, just maybe, it’s time to repurpose our talisman as the next 15-20 goal midfielder. With games under his belt in the center of the park, Rooney could be a lethal set-up man. Able to drift out-wide, he would compliment the roaming tendencies of Ashley Young. His goal in the Champions League Final proved he has that edge-of-the-box instinct. And with him sending passes into three of the Premier League’s best poachers in Berbatov, Chicharito, and Owen, Fergie could be spoilt for choice.

IS IT A WASTE?
Some, of course, would argue that Rooney’s talents would be wasted in the center of the park. But if we’re using FC Barcelona as our barometer (and that seems to be the one the media has picked), then if anything, it should be reinforcing my point.
As far as I’m concerned, Barça’s best player is not Lionel Messi, but rather Xavi. With an attacker’s mindset, Xavi runs the game, drifts to the top of the box when necessary, and is always looking for the killer ball, be it a shot or a pass. He too could score 30-40 goals in La Liga if he played up front. But Pep Guardiola knows better. Vicente Del Bosque knows better. Xavi, for his work ethic, first touch and eye for the deadly, works best in the team’s engine room.

Wayne Rooney could fill that same role for Manchester United. Just as Xavi takes pride in lifting trophies and setting up Messi, Rooney could one day captain United and be assisting on Chicharito and Danny Welbeck goals for 10 years to come. Scholes could net 20 goals in his hay day. Let’s give Wayne a shot and see if he can do it too.

The Ideal Progression Of A United Starlet

2011-07-04T13:40:00.007-04:00

For as long as I have been a Manchester United fan, one quote has always stood out from the rest. "If they are good enough, they are old enough." – These words were uttered by none other than the great Sir Matt Busby.

Whether it was the tragically unfulfilled potential of Duncan Edwards or the genius of Bobby Charlton, Sir Matt was true to his word. If the players were good enough, they would find themselves picked for the first team. It is a belief that survived with Sir Alex Ferguson, and something we can still see in the squad today. There is no more obvious example than Ryan Giggs, or the recently retired Paul Scholes and Gary Neville. In Tom Cleverley, Danny Welbeck and Kiko Macheda we have three more players that appear likely to get their chance in the first team this season. The message is clear: If you are good enough, you will get you chance at Old Trafford.

Ryan Tunnicliffe is one of the players of tomorrow. Do not be fooled by the introductory quote, I am not of the belief that Tunnicliffe is good enough just yet. However, I do most certainly believe that he has the potential to be good enough and that it is a matter of when, not if. His breakthrough into the first team is definitely approaching, and at the age of 18, Tunnicliffe has time on his side. Fresh off an outstanding season with the Reserves and U18's that saw the young midfielder named the Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year, Tunnicliffe now heads out to Peterborough United to continue his development under the watchful eye of Sir Alex's son, Darren.

So, what makes Tunnicliffe stand out for the first team? Perhaps his tireless work rate is his best attribute. A quality tackler, Tunnicliffe has a constant desire to win the ball back and will chase down his opponent to win back possession. He is a warrior that commands the midfield, much like, dare I say, Roy Keane. Moreover, like the legendary Keane, in the true mold of a box-to-box midfield, Tunnicliffe has become well rounded in all aspects of his game.

Though his tackling does stand out, Tunnicliffe can do it all and is only getting better. He is not a player of flair or creativity, leaving that to his typical midfield partners of Paul Pogba and Ravel Morrison instead. What Tunnicliffe does is simple but effective. He probably will never be a favorite for the highlights reels because what he does is very understated. Tunnicliffe has a decent touch in his locker and is reasonably quick, making him an asset for building an attack and pushing forward with the ball. The kid has intelligence on his side, which has helped him to read the game and act as a playmaker at times. He can pick out and successfully execute a pass, a facet of his game that made massive leaps last season.

Simply put, Tunnicliffe has the unquenchable desire to win that sets youngsters apart at Manchester United. He has not let deficiencies in his game be a roadblock, instead using them as motivation to improve. He will track back to win back possession and seconds later get forward to support the attack. He does whatever needs to be done to win the game, and he does it well. While the brilliance of Morrison and the stunning goals from Pogba have stolen the attention and gotten fans raving, Tunnicliffe has quietly put himself on Sir Alex Ferguson's radar with the simplicity at which he influences the game.

So, what comes next? Like many before him, Tunnicliffe will spend time learning the game from Sir Alex's son. Now too good to waste his talents in the Reserves, he will instead set out to prove his quality in the Championship for the next six months with the Posh. Rather than easing him in with a League One or League Two side, Tunnicliffe will go straight into the Championship; a fantastic test for promising youngsters to prove themselves. It is a great situation for a United starlet to find himself in. If he can prove himself at that level, then there will undoubtedly be a call from Darren to his father to confirm what so many have already said - that Tunnicliffe is destined for the first team of Manchester United. Of course, first he must get himself into the Posh first team and prove himself in England's second tier, but I have the utmost confidence that he will wow all the critics, and most importantly the United staff.

What comes after, I cannot say. It may be an extra few months with Peterborough United. Perhaps United will loan him out to a Premier League side to prove he is ready for the top level. Maybe he will even be called back and get his chance in a few low-profile games for United. Whatever waits beyond his stay with the Posh, one thing remains certain in my eyes - Tunnicliffe has a bright future at the Theatre of Dreams.

For a scouting reports on Tunnicliffe, check out Sky Sports Scout.

Decline? Valencia Replacing Ronaldo, Young Replacing...

2011-06-04T11:36:00.002-04:00

After losing the last real super star from the Premier League, this country’s press circled like vultures with their predictions of what would come of us.

The exit of Bryan Robson, Eric Cantona, David Beckham, Roy Keane, Ruud van Nistelrooy, amongst others, didn’t bring about our decline, but the press were keen to believe that Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure meant that “the decline” had finally begun this time for real.

The idea of “decline” is raised time and again because of Liverpool FC. They dominated English football in the late 70s and throughout the 80s but then fell away once the back pass rule was introduced/Premier League years began. Because they went in to decline, going 21 years now without a league title, the assumption is the same must one day happen to United. Liverpool went in to decline after dominating, so United must too.

Of course, this is flawed logic. Thankfully, as much as reds may grumble on match days, United wielded their marketing muscle, bringing in a global fanbase and the riches that came with it. Liverpool, a far more successful club at the time, missed the boat, and have never caught up.

The introduction of the Glazers has made “a decline” more likely but their presence doesn’t mean we’re certainly doomed to 21+ years of mediocrity.

Regardless, with the £80m transfer money from Ronaldo, the manager went out shopping. Just like Michael Carrick was viewed as a disappointing replacement for Keane, far lower down on the list of options that included the likes of Gattuso, Essien or Ballack, Antonio Valencia was hardly the name on everyone’s lips for the Ronaldo replacement before the deal had been confirmed.

Whilst everyone could see that he, along with Wilson Palacios, was too good for Wigan, there probably weren’t too many United fans who thought he was good enough for our club. The press made lazy comparisons between Ronaldo’s amazing scoring record with Valencia’s. In 89 games with the pie eaters, he had managed just 7 goals, never scoring more than 3 in a season in all competitions. Ouch. Whilst it was clear that we weren’t in the market to find a winger who scored the goals Ronaldo did, mainly because he was The Best Player In The World and often played up front, rather than just on the right, we probably thought we were looking for someone who had shown more promise in front of goal.

Still, we’d seen how Valencia had bombed down our right wing at Old Trafford that season, giving John O’Shea a run for his money, so there was some hope amongst the fanbase. There was nothing but sneers and mockery from the media and rival fans.

At the end of his first season, there wasn’t anyone questioning whether he was a “Manchester United player” or not. You’ll be hard pushed to find many players in Sir Alex’s reign who have had a better début season. Not just fast and keen to take players on, but incredibly strong and useful defensively.

He scored 8 goals and assisted 9 during that season and whilst this wasn’t a replacement for Ronaldo, he helped Rooney become that replacement. The two just seemed to click.

Sadly, Valencia’s second season hasn’t gone as well, only because of the nasty injury he suffered so early on. As he hit the deck against Rangers and was stretchered off, you feared for his season, for his career even. But a few months later, he was back in action, playing well and giving us another option. He came back at a vital time and helped carry us over the finish line for the 19th title.

He didn’t cover himself in glory against Barcelona in the final, I suppose none of our players did, but ahead of kick-off, he was one of the players you knew without any doubt was going to be in the line-up, which is a rarity for any of our midfielders this season.

Can you imagine if in Rome, watching our lads picking up their losers medals, someone told you Ronaldo would be off and Wigan’s Valencia would replace him in our next final in two years time? You’d laugh your arse off. There was no way he was good enough. Shows how much we know.

It looks beyond doubt that Ashley Young will be signing for Manchester United sooner rather than later, and despite him having a bigger name for himself than Valencia did, the general reaction is fairly underwhelming.

In Young’s last four years, he has scored at least 13 goals per season (although some of these are penalties). He had 11 assists this season (only bettered by Fabregas, Drogba and Nani), last season it was 10, the season before that it was 9, and before that, 17. Is that the sign of a player who is failing to reach the standards set in 2008? Or is it a player with bags of ability who has been stuck in an average team?

He isn’t a young lad any more though, turning 26-years-old next month, but that doesn’t mean he has to be the finished article either. Playing with the champions, could that amazing 2007-2008 form be replicated? He’s not short of confidence and with the greatest manager working his magic, could we have someone really special on our hands?
Young wouldn’t be my first choice but he’s not an awful option for us to have. Valencia wasn’t anyone’s first choice either but I imagine he would in the first choice XI for all of us now. If Valencia can step up a gear and make us a better team, there’s no reason why Young can’t too. Watch this space.

A Goodbye To Paul Scholes

2011-06-04T11:27:00.003-04:00

What can I say about Paul Scholes that has not already been said? Everything about the man has been covered in the hours and days since he announced his retirement.

Instead, I have a better question – what could I say about Paul Scholes that would do the man justice? Simply put – nothing.

Yet here I sit trying to collect my thoughts and emotions as I prepare to say farewell to my favorite player. As fans of Manchester United, the greatest club in the world, we are fortunate to be spoiled by a wealth of success and trophies.

While this is most certainly the case, I would argue that we were perhaps gracedwith gifts superior even to that. For 17 years, we had the honor and privilege of watching Paul Scholes play week inand week out. That, without a doubt, is one of the greatest experiences this club has ever provided to its fans; none of his contemporaries could ever match what Paul Scholes gave us. In fact, as all of his fellow professionals have stated time and time again, he is the greatest midfielder of his generation.

I can give no praise that will ever match the words of Zinedine Zidane, Xavi, Sir Bobby Charlton or the countless others who salute our Ginger Prince. To be described as the greatest by some of the sport’s finest stars of past and present is the ultimate endorsement a player could ever receive. However, as an avid fan of Scholes, I simply cannot stand by and watch my favorite player retire without saying goodbye and paying one final tribute to a legend.

My admiration for Scholes was such that I would spend hours talking about him to anyone who would let me. I cannot imagine how annoyed my girlfriend must have gotten with all of my talk of the magic that Scholes produced on the pitch as I forced her to sit through countless videos of the midfield maestro in action. Although she has grown to support United, I imagine the announcement of Scholes’ retirement must come as some relief to her, if only it means that I will mention his name a few less time when we’re together. My appreciation is endless for the brilliance he allowed us to witness.

Of course we will never forget the spectacular goals he scored while wearing the red of United. Although his scoring tally decreased in the later seasons of his career, he certainly made up for lack up quantity with sheer quality. With the wounds still open after defeat to Barcelona, it is Paul Scholes who provides us with our last joyous memory against the Catalan giants. No one can forget his screamer against Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final three seasons ago. The way the ball just fell to him and he took it on the half volley, blasting it past Victor Valdes to send us to the Final. Never have I yelled as loud. Such was my excitement, that neighbors from other floors came to check if I was alright. In more recent times, there was Scholes’ perfectly timed run to head in the winning goal during the Manchester derby two seasons ago. Taking a trip through time, there was his volley against Bradford, which Scholes struck so perfectly off of David Beckham’s pinpoint corner. My favorite, though, came at Villa Park in 2007. As a corner kick was cleared from the box, suddenly from off screen Paul Scholes ran into view and smashed the ball from 25 yards. It was hit with such perfection, that it slammed off the bottom of the cross bar and over the line. If you try to tell me that shot was anything but unstoppable, then I will declare you a liar, for that was as close to perfection as you will ever see. I could go on for ages, but with 150 goals to his name, I simply don’t think I have time to appreciate each and everything single one of them… although I would love to.

While Scholes has certainly produced an entire highlight reel worth of extravagant goals, there was one aspect of his game that made him superior to any other player in the game. And no, I’m not talking about his tackling. There is nothing more majestic about Paul Scholes’ game than his passing. As fellow Manchester United legend Sir Bobby Charlton once proclaimed, “Paul is always so in control and pin-point accurate with his passing — a beautiful player to watch.” He was the complete midfielder in a generation where they were a dying breed, but the one thing that truly set him apart was his ability to pick and execute the perfect pass, a quality which only improved with each new season. Although his goal return slowly diminished with age, those were perhaps the best seasons to watch the maestro in action. With growing experience and improving ability to read the game, his passing became one of the greatest joys to behold in a star-studded Manchester United side. Scholes had the superb vision to pick out a team mate and the technical ability to deliver a pin-point pass. Few players can stake claim to a completion rate on the level of Paul Scholes, not only because he could put the ball where he wanted with relative ease, but also because he had the footballing brain to consistently pick the smart pass. Years from now, it will be this trait the fans still remember above all else. Passing is an art, and Paul Scholes was the Leonardo da Vinci of the football world.

As if his ability on the pitch was not reason enough to love the Ginger Prince, he also endeared himself to fans as the model professional. He was always one to shun the spotlight, as all he wanted to do was simply play the beautiful game. In an age of footballer-cum-celebrities, it was refreshing to see a player like Scholes focus only on the game and his family. It was often said that Scholes routine was simply to wake up, go to training, and then spend time with his wife and kids. Though the most impressive part of Scholes’ history is that he never had an agent. There was no need to try to get more money from the club; never was negotiation or agent tactics an issue. It was once said that when he was ready to sign a new deal, he would simply walk in and put pen to paper. Simple. Along with ability, it is actions like that which will set him apart for years to come.
Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end, and the end came on Tuesday when Scholes announced his retirement at the age of 37. To say I shed a tear is perhaps the understatement of 2011. Luckily, Article 41 of The Bro Code states: “A Bro never cries. Exceptions: Watching Field of Dreams, E.T., or a sports legend retire.” So at least it seems my manhood remains intact, but that does not change the terrible feelings of watching a true legend walk away from the game. In all of my years of watching the beautiful game and supporting United, I have never experienced a season without Scholes. I mean, I was six years old when he made his debut! While the past few days have undoubtedly been emotional, I’m not sure it will fully hit me until next season when Scholes is nowhere to be seen on the team sheet. It is still a very raw and surreal feeling to think of such a thing.

My admiration for Scholes knows no limits. Even now part of me is worried that I have failed to provide a tribute fitting of my one of my greatest heroes. It is somehow devastating to think something written in honor of Scholes would be anything less than perfect. To value a footballer so much that you worry about the quality of a piece they’ll likely never read would seem crazy to most, but for me that simply shows how highly I regard Scholes. He was one of the greatest to ever grace the game, and in my eyes he was a hero.

It has been an honor and a pleasure. To Paul Scholes, thank you for all of your contributions to this illustrious club and most importantly for all of the memories. May you long enjoy you well-earned retirement, and good luck on your new endeavor as a coach. Football will most certainly miss you.

Please Say It Ain't Scholes About Paul

2011-05-31T20:05:00.001-04:00

After witnessing his role being withdrawn over the last half of the season, Paul Scholes did the unthinkable and called it curtains on his unparalleled Manchester United career.

Manchester United Lost Their Mad Genius

The Ginger Prince was never a flashy player who demanded attention, but his charisma with the ball at his foot demanded the respect of players, managers and football fans across the world.

Not only did United lose one of its greatest-ever players, but also football, itself, will never be the same without Scholes spraying his passes around pitches across Europe.

Without him being one of the main figureheads, United may never have realized their dreams of lifting their record setting top-flight title this past season. Still Scholes showed complete humbleness saying, "To have been part of the team that helped the club reach that 19th title is a great privilege."

Because he was never one for the limelight, a lot deserved credit that he deserved will never go his way. However, over the last couple of years, some of the best midfielders to ever play have showered him with the ultimate compliments saying that they would love to have played alongside him. Zinedine Zidane, Xavi Hernandez, who was the best player in the 2011 UEFA Champions League Final, were just a couple of the games finest that have paid tribute to him.

A shy, but very confident family man by nature, Scholes had most Manchester United supporters drooling every time he stroked one of his pinpoint 50-yard passes across the pitch of Old Trafford. He could also strike the ball with ferocity and precision that very few players could even dream of doing, which is why it is safe to say that there will never be another Paul Scholes.

After being one of the shining stars of the infamous "Class of 1992," the red-headed midfielder's pulled the red kit on for the very first time on September 21, 1994 with an appearance against Port Vale in the League Cup.

All he did from there, was to go on and register 676 appearances, which ranks fourth all-time, for one of the world's greatest club. Scholes' 17-year career also saw him score an incredible 150 goals from his central midfield position, which ranks him ninth among the United greats.

With him orchestrating the United engine room with his unmatched creativity and ability to match that, the club achieved 21 trophies. He has received 10 Barclays Premier League winners’ medals, three FA Cup medals, two Football League Cup, two UEFA Champions League medals, an Intercontinental Cup medal, a FIFA Club World Cup Medal and five medals for his participation in the FA Community Shield. However, his strong willed personality has never allowed him to personally accept the UEFA Champions League medal that he collected from the 1999 UEFA Champions League Final, which he missed through suspension.

Unjust
Bookings and suspensions have become something that is often linked with Scholes, because his tackling is a stark contrast of his picture-esque passing game. At the beginning of the 2010/11 season, Arsene Wenger, who is a long-time admirer of Scholes, labeled him as having, "a dark side" to his game. A lot of people mistake his clumsiness for red-mist, because that is the only thing that they can argue for him being a weakness in his overall game.

The reason for this is that Scholesy has accumulated 122 yellow cards in the Premier League and Champions League combined. The 32 cautions he has totaled in Europe are the most of any player, which shows that he is never willing to allow his opponent an advantage of any sort.

That sort of distraction hopefully did not lead to the majestic midfielder's decision, because the pundits who criticized him will only realize his true worth after he is gone. With that said, Scholes has never really cared what anyone, Sir Alex Ferguson, the supporters and his teammates apart, about him and .

What a lot of modern-day players lack is something that Scholes has oozing through him. Along with him being a genius on the field, he has an element of genuineness about him, which certainly factored into his decision. Rather than being just a bit part player and ride on the coattails of the club's success, the Ginger Prince has way too much self-respect and pride to ever even entertain serving that role.

With the recent tasteless allegations of some other very well-respected players, Scholes has to be, without question, the most revered and admired player on and off the field and everyone in football, not just United, will miss his services to the game.

No matter how much this day was anticipated over the last season, May 31 will be a day of morning for the everyone involved with Manchester United - the board, the manager, the players and the supporters - because we will never, ever see another Paul Aaron Scholes.

An Unfortunate Good-Bye

2011-05-31T19:56:00.002-04:00

This is one goodbye I certainly did not want to say.

For some reason I thought I would be able to avoid this even as that inevitable moment grew closer with each passing day, and unfortunately now that goodbye has been made even harder after the events of the weekend. We have known for months that come May we would bid farewell to Edwin van der Sar, who has admirably been the protector of United’s goal for six seasons, but we had all hoped it would be on different circumstances.

I suppose we the fans and van der Sar himself have little room for complaint. He departs from Old Trafford as the No 1 in a season that saw United win the Premier League, and in the process become the most successful team in the history of England. Few would argue that lifting the 19th league title is about as perfect as a goodbye could be for van der Sar; it is a goodbye he has certainly earned after playing in four title winning teams during his six year stay. You certainly cannot complain about seeing him retire as a part of the history of this majestic club. Sadly, the events of last Saturday have soured the goodbye. For a goalkeeper who set the world record for consecutive clean sheets while wearing a United shirt, it is almost surreal that our final memory of van der Sar will be of Barcelona putting three goal past him in the Champions League Final. That is of little fault to him, at least in my eyes, as Barcelona were simply the superior as they put on one of the greatest performances in history. Few would argue that this Barcelona team is on the brink of becoming the best team in history if they aren’t already, but that doesn’t make it any easier to accept that van der Sar’s final game was a loss.

Following the retirement of Peter Schmeichel, it took six seasons for Sir Alex to find the proper fit for our club’s goalkeeper. Finally in 2005 we completed the signing of Edwin van der Sar from Fulham for a reported £2million fee, which is incredible given what the Dutchman has done in the six years since his move. In that time he was named Best European Goalkeeper on three occasions. As I mentioned earlier, he also won four Premier League titles and set the record for the most consecutive clean sheets going 1,311 minutes without conceding. With United he also picked up his second Champions League medal, saving Nicolas Anelka’s penalty to secure victory. Not a bad return from a £2million signing. These six years at United also included three Champions League Final appearances, the last which made for his final appearance to be a devastating goodbye.

It is safe to say that van der Sar had become one of my principal heroes at the club over the past six years. Until this season I had never purchased a goalkeeper shirt, but such was my affection for the man that I bought one to commemorate his final season. It may seem like a small gesture, but to me I think I would have regretted not having a shirt to remember a player I had grown so fond of. It was the least I could do to pay my own special tribute to one of the great heroes to grace this club.
Saying farewell to a hero is never easy, but it makes it even more painful knowing that we have to say goodbye coming fresh off a loss, a fact which is only compounded by the fact that the loss was in a cup final. For someone who has been such phenomenal part of this club and who has provided so much to our success, I wish that he could have lifted that European Cup and leave us with that image forever ingrained in our minds. But sadly that is not how it happened and we cannot alter the past. Hopefully that does not change our memory of van der Sar, and I am confident that we will remember him for all his brilliance and accomplishments. Right now the wound from defeat is still deep, but as it heals and the pain diminishes, we will think of all of the good that van der Sar did. The silverware he lifted, the spectacular saves he made and the honors he amassed. That is how he is best remembered. But for now, I just wish that we could have said goodbye in a different way. That is what van der Sar deserved.

I would simply like to conclude by showing my most sincere gratitude to Edwin van der Sar for all that he has given to Manchester United in the past six years. It has been an absolute pleasure to watch one of the greats and to be able to call him one of our own. While we say goodbye to van der Sar, we also welcome a hero into the history books of our club. Like Schmeichel before him, van der Sar has achieved such success at Old Trafford that his contributions will never be forgotten. He will forever be the man who tended goal when that illustrious 19th title was won, and for that his name will always be remembered. Thank you Edwin, and may you enjoy the retirement that you have most definitely earned. Tot ziens.

Outclassed

2011-05-28T23:11:00.000-04:00

What do you say? What can you say? United lost to the best squad on the planet and, arguably, the strongest ever. Intellectually you get that.

You also can put a Pollyanna spin on things and say it was a good year and that you’re thankful for it. Intellectually you get this too.

But, now, right now in reality, it hurts. It really hurts.

Crashing expectations from a massive cup match is one thing – how many precious European Championships will you experience in your life? You never know.

But crashing expectations from seeing a gaping hole between yourself and the desired destination is something entirely different and unsettling.

Sublime Barca live light-years in front of the competition and appear to have room for another gear in the box, as we consider that Messi’s only 23 years old, for the love of God. We just sit in awe and watch His Maradonnaesqueness.

For United to reach the Catalan’s heights, it requires one or two world-class players outside of the current roster, I attest. We’re talking a minimum of one more Ronaldo, Messi, or more fittingly, Zizu, not some ordinary transfer or well-cultivated talent: something from another galaxy here. Viva Ronaldo indeed.

Admittedly, the Red Devils possess one master-class talent in Rooney as well as a host of brilliant players from Chicharito all the way through to Vidic.

However, the missing components involve, more precisely, pinnacle-caliber midfielder candidates – one to pull the strings, one to boss matters from box to box and shut down tikka-takka football.

Compounding matters include van der Sar’s certain retirement and the inevitable with Giggs’ and Scholes’ soon to come. In my view, this was a rebuilding year with a bonus EPL title and Champions League run.

Yet, none of that matters now in the haze of disappointment, which hangs and lingers all-too-long.

If you’ve ever read any of my blog posts, you surly anticipate and appreciate the predictable solace that will be found in trusting one Sir Alex Ferguson.

While many will debate whether or not Barca are best-of-all-time, US soccer journalists pondered if Mr. Ferguson was the best sports manager of all time. This conversation involved any sport, including baseball, basketball, hockey and American football.

The verdict?

Lombardi? Nope.

Phil Jackson? No way.

SAF is, without a doubt, the best ever. Simply tally the time and trophies. Best ever, bar none.

So, whom else would you want to be tied to on this new mountain climbing expedition? None other than Sir Alexander Chapman Ferguson, that’s who.

Every single one of us loves and trusts our own favorite Glaswegian, especially when he’s got another target on the perch.

--
I’ll be back at you sometime this summer, probably after watching United live in the States and preparing for the 2011-2012 season in earnest. All the best to you during the off-season. Cheers.

How Manchester United Will Beat Barcelona

2011-05-27T18:15:00.002-04:00

Everyone knows that Barcelona are clearly the odds-on favorite to win the 2011 UEFA Champions League Final, but that really is the ideal role for Manchester United to have.

Reds Felt That Sinking Feeling Already

Sir Alex Ferguson has the daunting task of conjuring up a game plan to offset the mesmerizing Catalan attack, but he knows that the solution to that lies within his own team if they are to stun the football world.

One thing that has been apparent to Barca's success over the last couple of seasons is that they have been able to capitalize on other team's mistakes, and that simply means that the Reds must have composure, concentration and patience - which is all easier said than done, though.

The United boss relishes the role of underdog, because that is when his teams have normally played their best football, but he cannot allow emotion get involved in the equation. The reason that this is such key factor to their approach is that a lot of the Reds were apart of the 2009 UEFA Champions League Final that saw them played off the pitch by Barcelona.

However, the season before on their way to the 2008 title, United expertly kept a very similar L'equip blaugrana at bay with a tidy, two-legged semi-final victory. Yes, it took a moment of brilliance and a thunderous strike to provide the difference, but it was the organizational structure that did not let them down then.

There is no question that Ferguson will assign each player an assignment or duty against Barca, but the ultimate hope is that the team will collectively hold up their end up their bargain and help out their fellow teammates. There is no doubting the fact that this is a different Manchester United squad, not just team, that is facing the three-European champions.

Last time, the United game plan was focused completely around Cristiano Ronaldo with the hope of him leading them back to another European triumph. That plan blew up in Ferguson's face when the battle for the ball limited the amount of touches, which ultimately influenced Ronaldo to the role of mere spectator.

Key
Now, there is a different approach, because not only does each player has the ability to turn this match into United's favor, but the team is more well-rounded then it was then. Yes, there is a good chance that Ferguson could send out a line-up with just one, maybe two changes from that game, but there is a different feeling.

It would not be far off to say that the Reds did not show up to play against Barcelona, or even they were just that good, but there is a greater sense of team unity, which leads to those three deciding factors.

What will help, and more than likely be crucial, is scoring the first goal, which certainly played right into Barcelona's hands the last time round. There is no point of playing the, "if that, then this" game of how that game could have been different, and that is something that Sir Alex will stress again to his players.

Depending on which side of the "love / hate" fence you are on with Manchester United will dictate your belief of how they can cope with Barcelona, but Sir Alex Ferguson will make sure that they are not undone again.

Are You Ready For Some Football?

2011-05-27T18:11:00.002-04:00

We’re almost inside t minus 24 hours from the final, the dream match-up. The question you’ve just gotta ask yourself is are you physically, emotionally, and mentally ready for the match?

As a public service, especially to Red Devils Stateside or the Far East, below you’ll find your pre-match checklist.

Read carefully. Get your pen and paper ready for this all-important assessment. Each yes is worth one point; please note the bonus and extra point deductions in parenthesis.

Are you ready for THE FINAL? Find out…
1. Do you have your lucky United jersey (not washed during since the beginning of the knockout rounds = one extra, bonus point), scarf, and jeans worn during past glory ready?

2. Have you over-analyzed United’s tactics and team selection in the privacy of your own thoughts throughout the past week to the point of feelin’ like a gaffer yourself?

3. Do you already know who and where you’re meeting at least 3 hours before kickoff? (Deduct an extra point if you have no plans at all.)

4. Have you already researched a ridiculous, Cliff Clavenesque amount of stats on both teams, including their history in Europe?

5. Do you find yourself completely distracted, unable to work productively today? (Add a bonus point if you avoided scheduling any client appointments today. If you took the pre-match day off as vacation, then add two bonus points.)

6. Do you find yourself fantasizing about someone putting in a Nobby Stiles-like MOTM performance tomorrow? (If you have to ask “Who is Nobby Stiles?” deduct one point.)

7. Have you worried at least a few times today about the “beautiful” Barca turning to its ugly side, diving and gaming all over the place? (If you haven’t thought about it, deduct one extra point.)

8. Have you re-watched any portion of a United Champions League match this past week in anticipation of THE Final? (Add extra points per match for the ’68, ’99, or ’08 finals. Deduct a point for your own well-being if you watched the ’09 Final.)

9. Have you read something from blogs “The Busby Way”, “The Republik of Mancunia”, “Red Rants”, or “The United Religion” within the past 48 hours? (If you’ve read something from all four, add one additional point. If you don’t know any of the four, deduct a point.)

10. Have you dreamed about United since Saturday?

If you score a Spinal Tab eleven or higher, congratulations, as you deserve tickets to the final and to have your “United, wife, kids – in that order” or “Not Arrogant. Just Better” banner autographed by Sir Alex himself!

If you totaled eight or more points, then you’re definitely ready. Your preparation is its own reward here, as everything is lining up for your BIG day. Cheers to you!

If you scored in the range between five and seven, get a hold of yourself man – you’ve got some catching up to do.

If you scored less than five, are you a City fan in disguise?

Here’s to total victory tomorrow. Oh the sweet anticipation. Cheers.

Everything And Nothing

2011-05-22T20:24:00.000-04:00

What a contrast in fortunes playing out at Old Trafford today: Blackpool with everything on the line, while United with nothing outside of professional pride involved here.

Certainly the Red Devils want to keep their unbeaten home record in tact, with a goal for Berba to win the golden boot and an important run-out for Evra, Park, and Fletcher.

All party results aside, surly many a United supporter wouldn’t be overly disappointed with a draw against the Ian Holloway’s men, if it kept the Tangerine dream up for another season.

The Seasiders punched well above their weight to get this far, why not keep them up for another season, or so the reasoning goes, as they’ve shocked the pundits that had them on 10 points for the season.

Which leads me to the strange alchemy of emotions today.

Yes, you want United to win, Berba to score, and even VDS to keep a clean sheet in his final Old Trafford match.

But…

You want Blackpool up, Holloway to entertain next year, and even Charlie Adam to possibly stay in tangerine versus second-fiddle red on Merseyside.

In my heart-of-hearts, no result would make me entirely happy today, nor was I THAT invested in any result, really, which feels surreal given the tension felt by the bottom six or seven clubs headed into this final day.

Contrast the relaxed mode within the Red Devil camp with the tension we’ll all feel straightaway at kickoff next Saturday: we’re truly in the eye of the pre-Champions League Final storm immediately after the final whistle.

Adding a Dadaesque quality today, in Minneapolis, I lost 3-5 minutes of the match due to heavy thunderstorms blocking out the satellite feed right when United scored the equalizer. Our weather matched the tension felt by some an ocean away.

Strange days indeed. Most peculiar momma.

All Lennon quotes aside; tension and excitement are building already, and oh, how much would another Champions League trophy mean?

Four closing in on the Scouse five; VDS exiting stage left at the highest of heights; Sir Alex gaining another European Championship that he so richly deserves, especially after all that hath transpired this year, a rebuilding season spent on top of the league with the opportunity for the most memorable of doubles.

Yet, on this day, when the EPL trophy wears red, white, and black yet again, there’s a subdued quality to the celebrations after a marvelous side fell just short of an epic achievement.

A very, very special side went down today, and this United blogger salutes you, your panache and your industry this season, a Premiership-version of a classic Greek tragedy.

Never did we expect you to come so far. Never did we expect we’d feel the loss when you went down.

Cheers to you, Seasiders.

May your journeys be filled with much wonder and successful EPL aspirations. Spend your parachute payment money wisely. We’d welcome you back in the Premiership any year.

Seven Games That Won Manchester United No. 19

2011-05-20T20:55:00.000-04:00

Over the course of a 38-game Barclays Premier League season, trophies are won - or lost - if they are able to get a result against from a losing position or against one of their main rivals, which Manchester United has had plenty of.

Sir Alex Ferguson Salutes The Supporters

The 2010/11 season though, has been riddled with games that many of the supporters said "how big was that" type of occasions, and each one of them will hold a different type of significance to each.

In chronological order, not rate of importance, here are the seven Premier League matches that led to Manchester United securing their 19th top flight title, which makes them the most successful team in English history.

Remember, this is not to take away from any of the other vital victories or dramatic draws that happened in 2010/11, because one of the points earned are equally as valuable in landing the trophy.

1. Manchester United 2 Wolverhampton 1 (November 6)
Wolves still have a chance of being relegated to the second tier of English football, but that did not stop them from playing United hard all three times they faced each other this season - with each game decided by the odd goal.

However, the pick of the lot was the one played on Sir Alex Ferguson's 24th anniversary, because of the way it characterized the attitude that he has instilled in his players since taking over at Old Trafford.

With United ravaged by injuries and virus, Ji-Sung Park stepped up and scored the opening goal in first half stoppage time, but that was cancelled out by a former youngster, Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, which looked to have given the visitors the unlikeliest of results. However, Park was given that little bit of space that was need to hammer home his second of the match deep into second half injury time.

2. Aston Villa 2 Manchester United 2 (November 13)
Just six days after the Wolverhampton match, United traveled to take on fellow Midlands club, Aston Villa. Over the years, there have been some cracking games for United at Villa Park, and that was relived against the Villains again.

The teams traded a couple of near misses throughout the first half, but the game remained scoreless until the 72nd minute, and then the game burst into life with four goals in the next 13 minutes.

Ashley Young coolly converted a penalty after he was fouled by Wes Brown, and then Marc Albrighton doubled their lead just four minutes later with a simple tap in at the far post. Villa should have put the game to bed with the amount of chances that they created, but they were punished by two United goals - also four minutes apart.

First, Federico Macheda lashed home an unstoppable strike from the top of the area, and then Nemanja Vidic got on the end of Nani's cross at the far post and directed his diving header back across goal and passed a helpless Brad Friedel.

3. Manchester United 1 Arsenal 0 (December 13)
With both of the teams jockeying to be at the top of the table by Christmas, Ferguson knew that it would be another North-South Derby six-pointer.

Arsenal did their best to unsettle United with an uncharacteristic, physical approach to the game, committing an astonishing 17 fouls and picking four yellow cards in the process. On any other day, the Gunners would have finished the match with eight men, but Howard Webb was very lenient towards the end when they were getting even more chippy.

However, that man Park scored his third goal in as many games against the Gunners near the end of the first half to put some daylight between the two teams. The final scoreline, which included a huge penalty miss by Wayne Rooney, was not justified to the way the Reds completely man-handled their opponents.

This game was start of people, other than United supporters, starting to believe that they were real title contenders.

4. West Bromwich Albion 1 Manchester United 2 (January 1)
Just a few weeks later, United had another trip to Greater Birmingham area, as they traveled to the Hawthorns to take on West Brom. The Baggies, to date, are the only team to take points off United at Old Trafford this season, which Sir Alex knew that his team were up against it on the road.

Wayne Rooney gave the Reds the best of beginnings by squeezing his header from the middle of the box in betwen Scott Carson and his right-hand post - which marked the first time he scored from open play in nine months.

That lead only lasted 13 minutes thanks to an out-of-this-world strike from James Morrison that left Tomasz Kuszczak with no chance of saving. That goal inspired Albion to take the game by the scruff of the neck, but they missed their chances - especially when Peter Odemwingie scuffed his penalty wide of the target - which set up the stage for yet another late show for United, and that got that priceless goal when Javier Hernandez headed home Rooney's quickly taken corner.

5. Blackpool 2 Manchester United 3 (January 25)
After having the initial date moved due to a frozen Bloomfield Road pitch, United and Blackpool played out one of the most hotly-contested matches of the season.

Craig Cathcart, another former United youngster, gave the Seasiders the perfect start with a thumping header 15 minutes into the match. That lead was doubled when DJ Campbell headed home another Charlie Adam corner right before halftime, and it looked like they had the Reds on the verge of the first league loss in over nine months.

However, United staged one of the most impressive come-from-behind wins of the season by scoring three goals in 16 minute span. Dimitar Berbatov scored two goals of league-leading 21 goals, which sandwiched a tidy finish from Hernandez that gave the Reds all three away points, which was a certainly rare commodity this season.

6. Manchester United 2 Manchester City 1 (February 12)
Because of the £1b investment, the Manchester Derby has become significant again, and this one needed to be decided by a bit of imagination.

Nani capped off a brilliant five-touch, nine second counterattack that started with Edwin van der Sar inside his own six-yard box and finished in the bottom corner of the City net. As precise as United's goal was, City's equalizer was anything but - pun intended. Their latest big money signing Edin Dzeko struck a shot that ricocheted off David Silva's back side and into the opposite corner that it was destined for.

The game looked to be heading for another draw, but up stepped Rooney to, who began to shed his tarnished reputation, to settle the game with perfectly executed overhead kick to seal the win for United.

That result was desperately needed, because just the week prior, the Reds had their 24-game unbeaten come to a screeching halt against Wolverhampton.

7. Manchester United 2 Chelsea 1 (May 6)
The Reds could have had Chelsea already clear out of the title race, but they failed to capitalize on those opportunities, which set up the "be all, end all match" that would potentially decide the Premier League title at Old Trafford.

United set the tone of the match by scoring their fastest goal of the season as Hernandez scored a goal just 36 seconds into the match and they never looked back. Nemanja Vidic doubled the lead 22 minutes later when he headed the ball in from close range. 22 minutes from time, Frank Lampard scored to give the Blues some hope, but they never came close to scoring an equalizer to set up a tantalizing finish.

The three points put all but extinguished Chelsea's chances of retaining their tainted title that they won last year and put United in prime position to get their trophy back.

Goals
J. Hernandez - 4
J. S. Park - 3
D. Berbatov - 2
N. Vidic - 2
W. Rooney - 2
F. Macheda - 1
Nani - 1

The Journey Of Mixed Emotions Of A Man United Supporter

2011-05-20T20:21:00.000-04:00

It has taken me a few days to compose myself and collect my thoughts after the events of this weekend.

Two of the great journeys in my life concluded in a fitting manner. Not only did Manchester United secure their record 19th league title, but after four years of hard work and borderline alcoholism I successfully graduated from university. As you may expect, this weekend was one of the most intense emotional roller coasters of my life. From Blackburn taking the lead to Wayne Rooney’s title-clinching penalty, from my college commencement to saying goodbye to my closest friends, this past weekend was full of ups and downs. However, although there are many epic tales that I could share from those four years, this is not the story of my now gone college days. I’m writing this now to share a nine-year journey that is far more relevant to those reading this.

This journey begins all the way back in 2002, the same year my love for Manchester United first came to life. That summer I traveled with my family to England to visit my aunt. At the time I was a simple boy from the United States with no interest in soccer, but all of that would change in my two weeks abroad. It is crazy what being in a country full of dedicated soccer fans can do to an outsider. The first time I saw a match, I fell in love with the game and the course of my soccer future was ultimately decided when England played Argentina. Despite it not being my national team, when you’re in a room full of Englishmen watching David Beckham slot home the winning goal from the penalty spot, the excitement is contagious. And so a hero was born, and my parents were forced to go and buy is jersey. A few weeks later the big question arose – how do I continue my interest in soccer beyond the World Cup? My aunt had the answer, directing me to the place I could continue to watch my new hero on a weekly basis – Manchester United.

Becoming a fan in 2002 meant a lot of things. The big one for me was that it was Beckham’s final season at the club; although by the time he departed I had grown to love the club more than the player, and my interests did not join him on his journey to Real Madrid. That was also the same year that Sir Alex Ferguson uttered the words, “My greatest challenge is not what’s happening at the moment, my greatest challenge was knocking Liverpool right off their f*****g perch. And you can print that.” At the time I was still a new fan; I won’t lie and claim that I knew the history of the club, so the quote left me a bit baffled, but it wasn’t long before I understood the significance. At the end of that season, I was provided with the perfect introduction to fandom when United took a step closer to Liverpool’s 18 titles, winning the league for the 15th time. I think having one of my first big Sir Alex moments be that quote made this journey all the more meaningful in my eyes. It was one of my first tastes as a United fan and my brain locked on to those words.
Sadly the next three seasons made the goal seem slightly more distant as Arsenal took the Premier League the following season and then Chelsea twice after that. The dream soon took on a new shape though following another World Cup as England’s public enemy number one became Manchester United’s knight in shining armor. Cristiano Ronaldo rose to become the world’s best as the club entered another period of dominance. Three more Premier League titles and we were sitting right on top of Liverpool’s perch. What a beautiful sight that was, and in the wee hours of the morning here in Illinois I’m sure my neighbors loved the cheers that echoed from my apartment and the loud popping of a champagne bottle. I know my now ex-girlfriend certainly “appreciated” my excitement as she desperately tried to sleep. I couldn’t care less though, because my seven year wait was at an end. There are fans that had been waiting far longer than I had, and I’m not sure how they managed to wait so long, but I commend each and every one of them for the dedication to the club and their patience. Seven years had been long enough.

One little point stopped United from history last season, and I was disappointed of course, but that’s all behind us now. As the final whistle blew at Ewood Park and the champagne started flowing, there was an uncontrollable wave of emotions that overcame me. I have no shame in admitting that the tears flowed along with the champagne, all with a smile on my face the entire time. What that day means for United fans truly can never be put into words. I’ve tried to do so over the past few days while considering what I would write, but every time I come up with something I just don’t think my words can do this accomplishment justice. It is just that big and that special of a moment that it seems to transcend everything else, including, for me, my commencement from university.

And so two of my life’s greatest journeys ended almost simultaneously, but as one chapter ends another one begins. As I move forth into the real world and put university behind me, Manchester United moves forward with new goals and new ambitions. It does not end here. United are only one title above Liverpool, and there is no reason they shouldn’t widen that gap. Now holding the records for both the Premier League and the FA Cup, there is one left to conquer. United’s next great challenge is against Barcelona, and I think it’s about time we started closing the gap on Real Madrid in that particular contest. But for now, let the celebrations continue and the champagne flow. Here’s to Manchester United – Champions of England!

Top Of The Perch

2011-05-14T16:10:00.001-04:00

So, how’s the view treating you? In the immortal words of Billy Crystal as his Saturday Night Life character Fernando Lamas: “You look marvelous”

Indeed, N-n-n-n-n-n-n-nineteen is maarrrrrvelous, daarrrrling.

The inevitable hath come to fruition, but it wasn’t easy and nor should it have been, given the tumult in the EPL this term.

United absolutely followed the season’s narrative with a late, away, and controversial draw in front of the jubilant Red Devil supporters holding up a plethora of 19 and perch-oriented signs.

This year’s title winners will now have the lowest points total in many a year, while teams with 39 points head into the final weekend with relegation still a possibility. As I’ve been writing all year: crazy stuff.

Top-tier English football’s bandwidth hath narrowed noticeably, adding a surreal quality to the to soap opera known as the Premier League.

How fitting then, this of all years, that there’s a FA Cup Final played BETWEEN EPL matches. What on God’s green earth is the FA doing?

Not that a United fan would mind, as the Red Devils’ No 19 takes attention and shine off of City’s accomplishments in London this afternoon.

Yet, even as a Red Devil myself, it’s distasteful and diminishes the FA Cup.

Yes, even as an American, I know about the Champions League Final being at Wembley and that the stadium needs to be cleared the two weeks prior to the event. I got it.

But, all EPL games could have been played tomorrow or a special dispensation could have been granted by EUFA to allow the FA Cup Final on Sunday. (Oh wait, then again there’s that little spat between the FA and EUFA/FIFA – now I get it, I guess.)

With so many strange twists and turns this year, it’s somehow fitting that the blue and red halves of Manchester win silverware on the same day. Not desired, but appropriate to the 2010/2011 Barclays Premier League, surly. (Closed circuit to the Streford End: the new banner should read 43 years – that’s my vote.)

Ah, but who are we to complain. Let’s return to THE tale of the day: The Red Devils’ beloved 19th top-flight title.

This one will be housed right next to the Cantona-delivered title of 1992-1993 in the hearts of the United faithful, each with it’s own special, affectionate charm – one a cathartic release from years of wanting, the other an impressive culmination of Sir Alex’s body of work.

However, there’s way too much conversation about this United squad lacking the trademark dominance and flair, given this is, arguably, Sir Alex Ferguson’s deepest side ever.

Need proof?

Just look at the goal scoring relay race this season, with Berba on fire early, Chicharito netting consistently as a sub, then as a starter, and of course, our very own White Pele finding form after the longest of spells in the football wilderness.

Just look at the revolving door across the backline much of the seasons, as we must not forget how central Chris Smalling, John O’Shea and even Wes Brown were to the squad in specific moments of this year.

What stands out about 2010/2011 are the stark contrasts and strident confidence displayed by our boys in red.

United scored more goals, won more games than anyone else thus far, yet won only half of the away victories compared to last term, where we finished second.

United carried an unbeaten streak deep into this season, yet drew away matches at an alarming rate and you never felt this was a dominant side.

United were on top of the table all year, with a brief exception of a matter of days when City took the lead having played three more games, and again, you never felt it was done and dusted.

Even today’s match provided plenty of contrasts, with the Red Devils maintaining 76% possession, creating plenty of early chances early yet somehow falling behind 1-0, and Tomasz Kuszczak’s nerves never allowing the United faithful a moment of calm, until both sides signed a peace treaty in the waning moments, as keep-ball by either side fulfilled mutual ambitions in the level 1-1 score line.

All drama and contrasts aside, confidence and consistency won Sir Alex’s men the trophy this year.

Self-belief simply drips off a Ferguson-managed side. Each year, they take late points, whether it’s an escape-draw at Villa Park or stunning come-backs at Bloomfield Road or Boleyn Ground, there’s a certain cool assurance about the side. Everyone expects it inside and outside United.

The Guardian’s Paul Wilson summed it up quoting former United keeper Ben Foster.

"United have a winning ethos all of their own," he said.

"That is what they carry on to the pitch and you've got to admire them for it. When they were 2-0 down at Blackpool, I knew for a fact they would come back and win. They have that toughness. It's expected. The manager doesn't tend to sign players if he doesn't see it in them. You don't get that anywhere else, not even at Chelsea.”

Of course you don’t get that anywhere else, silly bird. While the players change, there’s been only one constant at United: Sir Alex Ferguson. The one-off genius has done it again - absolutely amazing, that man.

So, what do you do immediately after winning the 19th top-flight trophy?

No, Disney isn’t an option. You focus the lads attention on the next ambition: Champions League glory.

Here, with three down and three to go, would you ever bet against SAF?

Appropriately, United announced that the Premier League victory parade will be at lunchtime on May 30, conveniently a couple of days after the Champions League Final.

You just gotta love the view from this perch.

Can you imagine the view from Number Six?

Quick Reactions To Victory Over Chelsea

2011-05-09T21:59:00.000-04:00

1. Congratulations lads. The title is not won yet but congratulations for putting us in a position where we need just one point to make it 19. Well done you bloody lovely things, you. You bloody brilliant boys. Well done.

2. As far as starts to football games go, it couldn’t get an awful lot better than that. You’re desperate for a good start to these games but even in your wildest dreams you don’t imagine being 1-0 up with less than a minute played. David Luiz, who was a thorn in our side in the away leg, got caught after good work from Ryan Giggs and Ji-Sung Park set up Chicharito for the winner. The lad is just a born goalscorer. The composure he showed to slot that past Cech so early on in the game was brilliant.

3. Whilst not underestimating what a difference that early goal had on the result, forgive me whilst I overindulge on the praise for Park Ji-Sung, who, despite what Sky Sports said, was the Man of the Match. Time and again he won in the ball in positions you wouldn’t expect any player to. He moved the ball around quickly and didn’t stop running. If Chelsea had a player on the pitch working half as hard as him there might have been a bit of competition in that first half. As it was, he was head and shoulders above everyone and shook up the opposition almost as much as that opening goal.

4. After showing we were capable of controlling the game, it was so important to get that second goal. For some reason, the crowd still seem to get excited when we’re awarded corner, despite being consistently useless. More often than not they go to the first defender. If they make it past the first defender, the goalie will collect or another defender will get it away. We took the corner short though, Ryan Giggs continued to wind back the years to make his man look a dick, and whipped in a lovely cross for Captain Vidic to head home.

5. Being honest, it should have been more than two. Just off the top of my head, there were those powerful shots from distance from Park and Rooney in the first half, both of which forced good saves from Cech. In the second half, Antonio Valencia didn’t well down the right, before Chicharito beat his man and pulled it back for Rooney. He couldn’t get it out from under his feet though and Alex blocked on the line. Not long after, Michael Carrick found Rooney with a good ball and at one point he was one on one with Cech. He was looking for the perfect opening though but delayed, meaning too many players got back. When he got his shot away it was deflected and for a second looped like it was going to loop up over Cech and in to the net, but it went just over for a corner instead. Another chance went begging when Valencia delivered a good ball to Chicharito, but it had too much on it and came at the Mexican too quickly, and his header went over. Obviously it would have been lovely to thrash them 6-1 but I’ll take our three points however we got them.

6. It has to be said, we can’t seem to play a game against Chelsea in the league without potentially match-deciding decisions going against us. John Terry brought Valencia down in the box and didn’t win the ball, but nothing was given. Frank Lampard blocked a Valencia shot with a raised arm in the box but nothing was given. After already being on a yellow card, Ivanovic was guilty of a clear second yellow offence on Rooney. Not only did Webb not send the defender off, he didn’t even speak to him. After previously indicating to Ivanovic he wouldn’t stand for any more bad tackles, he thought it was probably better to pretend that nothing had happened. We got the points, it doesn’t matter, but had Chelsea got the equaliser, would the press still be banging on about Webb being a United fan? Probably.

7. I’m made up our lads had the balls for it. Our home form has been so good and I’m just so happy we took the game to them. Credit to Sir Alex for not trying to mirror Chelsea’s formation and counter-balance their strengths. He picked the team he wanted to play and Chelsea had to dance to our tune. If there were any doubts outside of Manchester that United will be worthy winners, that performance against our closest rivals ensured there could be no doubts come the final whistle. There could still be a twist yet. It wouldn’t be unimaginable to think that United will go to Blackburn and play like shite. But I do fancy us to get at least a point at the weekend so we can get the title wrapped up and shift our focus to Barcelona. Remember, our lads have a place in the starting line-up of a Champions League final to compete for, so if winning the title wasn’t a big enough motivation, the thought of running out at Wembley should be. Again, well done lads, you’ve done us proud.

Sir Alex's Brilliant United Squad Triumphed Over Chelsea

2011-05-08T17:40:00.001-04:00

With pressure of knowing that the title was on the line, Sir Alex Ferguson must have been glowing to see that each one of his Manchester United players put in a performance worthy to be called champions.

Sir Alex Pays Homage To The Supporters

There was no doubting the fact that the Reds were full value for their victory over Chelsea, which even their manager, Carlo Ancelotti, humbly admitted afterward for the third time in as many games.

There were so many amazing displays throughout the match, but the only thing that the Ferguson can even question following the resounding win was how United did not beat the Blues by even more than they did.

The Reds have now beaten Chelsea four out of the five times they faced them, which is sign that the momentum is swinging back in their favor in this newly-formed title challenging rivalry.

The deafening noise and boisterous celebrations that followed the final whistle were heightened by the relief and frustration that this title, which is still not done and dusted, has not already been settled.

Because of last weekend's loss to Arsenal and Chelsea's record at Old Trafford, a lot United supporters were very nervous heading into this match, and it could have really been negated if they just trusted the manager and the United players that were being selected for this massive occasion.

Like it or not, trust is a very finicky thing in any walk of life, and being burnt by the Blues before definitely weighed heavily on each of their minds, but that was quickly put to bed in the opening 36 seconds of the match.

One thing that nobody can ever doubt is the faith that Sir Alex has in his entire squad, and over the last two games none of them have let him down. The Gaffer nearly relied on every member of his 25-man squad - using 21 different players in the last two games.

A couple of those players showed not only the willingness, but versatility to play in different positions as well.

With the reliable John O'Shea succumbing to an injury before halftime, Ferguson had no option but to call on Jonny Evans to fill in at left-back, and the young center-back did not let his manager down. Evans showed composure and ruthlessness on the ball, but he also showed some style and flair in attack. With no natural right-winger in the Blues' team, Evans was afforded the chance to get forward when he was needed, and his slick skill with the ball left his marker for dead, and Wayne Rooney should have applied the finishing touch.

There was a heart-in-mouth moment for Ferguson when three-fourths of the United backline were sprawled out on the Old Trafford pitch needing treatment. Evans was clattered into, Fabio got stomped on and Rio jarred his leg making a clearance, and that is when the worries were diminished.

To inspire his teammates, Ferdinand, who has been plagued with quite a few injuries over the last couple of seasons, leaped to his feet, but that was not all he did. Seeing Evans still down, he walked over and, amazingly, gave him a soft kick in his side to get up and said, "Come on Jonny get up!, you're needed man," which he quickly obliged. And that was the turning point of the match.

Fabio though, was not as lucky, because the young, enthusiastic right-back was forced off to be replaced by Chris Smalling, which meant that the United was back-four was filled with four central defenders. Smalling deployed as an emergency right-back, and the very nimble, young center-back make a darting 40-yard run, which affirmed Ferguson made the right decision with his squad selection.

In the middle of the park, United, despite losing out on the battle of possession, controlled the ball. That was simply down to the fact that four midfielders combining ever so well to win the ball back at crucial times.

Michael Carrick, Ryan Giggs, Ji-Sung Park and Antonio Valencia all threw their hats into the Man of the Match ring, any of them could have claimed it without any complaints. Carrick and Giggs operated mostly through the middle, and they completely outclassed their opposition. Like they have been both doing since coming back from their respective injuries, Valencia and Park have produced terrorizing displays that have helped United become one of the most feared clubs on the counterattack, but they also add tremendous value nullifying other wingers and advancing full-backs.

Even though Manchester United only scored two goals, it was another fantastic display that used members of the entire 25-man squad, which further proves that Sir Alex Ferguson knows best.

Take A Bow, Sir Alex

2011-05-08T17:37:00.000-04:00

So many things running through my mind: Four out of the last five; completely on for the double; and, the beautiful number 19 - Utterly brilliant, brilliant and brilliant!

Today’s fully deserved 2-1 victory makes it virtually impossible for Chelsea’s rent boys to over take United. One point from the final two matches, that’s all that’s required now, with Sir Alex doing a Wayne’s Worldesque bow to the Stretford End after the match.

Surely, the Red Devils will claim the title before anyone kicks off next weekend, with a crazy-early start for supporters in the States.

Cancel the golf or the fishing opener. Rearrange priorities with your families. Next weekend comes the historic 19th title, and with it, a day’s worth of celebrating for every United fan.

And clinching the title next weekend also does wonders for Sir Alex’s men in preparations for the Champions League Final, with ample time and opportunity to reset emotions and focus on the task at hand on May 28th.

Oh, how much we’d all love for VDS to walk-off stage left into retirement with another CL winner’s medal and MOTM performance. He will be critical to any effort against Barcelona, assuredly.

Speaking of the CL, today’s match, I contend, was won last Tuesday when Fergie showed the balls to rotate the squad en mass against Schalke. Everyone who sat looked fresh, inkling Chicharito, Rooney, Park, and the back line, as United took a serious edge straight from kickoff.

We all remember last year when the Red Devils lost to Chelsea straight after being knocked out against Bayern Munich. No such problem this year with a rested squad. The football Gods are shining on us, you sense,

You knew this season the title wouldn’t come easy, as the rest of the EPL has improved measurably over past seasons with everyone near the top four dropping points throughout the season.

You knew this game wouldn’t be easy, as United dominated much of the match, except for select spells in the second half while playing compact, counter attacking footy.

I worried that the old cliché that a 2-0 is the most dangerous lead in all of football had some merit, as conceding Chelsea possession could help them find their rhythm and outmuscle the back line for a goal or two.
Somehow I sensed that the numerous chances that fell to Chicharito and Rooney wouldn’t go in, as if it HAD to go until the final whistle this year with this team and on this ground.

Think back for a moment – back to when Rooney put in his transfer request. Did you ever see this coming?

The most fitting image was the two architects, Rooney and Chicharito, arm-in-arm beaming in front of the Stetford End with the Double very much on after a job well done.

Every single one of us loves Sir Alex Ferguson. Credit the Gov for keeping the team’s energy and emotions intact for this decisive victory, as he told Sky Sports afterward.

"It's fantastic to be the most successful team in the country. The minute we won that first title in 1992 the door opened, and we've been involved in the first two all throughout that period - it's a fantastic achievement.

For the last 17 or 18 years it's been Arsenal and Chelsea as our nearest challengers, and the last few years it's been Chelsea. Arsenal made a great attempt this year but them losing today has finalized it.

We deserve the title and hopefully we'll get that point now.”

Indeed we will. After all, we’re Man United and we take what we want.

And, that includes the number nineteen special, than you very much.

Ferguson Favored Form Over Formation In United's Loss

2011-05-02T21:05:00.002-04:00

Ahead of their match with Arsenal, Sir Alex Ferguson said that a draw would not have been a terrible result for Manchester United, and there performance was indicative of that.

Reds Outnumbered On Numerous Occasions

Aaron Ramsey got the all-important goal for the Gunners in the second half, and the only surprising element from that goal was not that it was a fill-in or midfielder who scored it, but that it took the hosts so long to score.

Ferguson knows all to well that his Arsenal counterpart, Arsene Wenger, loves to deploy a five-man midfield, but the United manager was defiant and did not mirror their formation - and he paid for it.

A lot of talk will be about United losing their fourth match of the season away from Old Trafford, but that form really has nothing to do with it what happen in North London. The formation that Sir Alex selected was not the normal formation he usually goes with against Arsenal, which is a 4-5-1 that has Wayne Rooney harassing the Arsenal defenders.

Instead, Ferguson went with a 4-4-2 keeping Rooney and Javier Hernandez partnered in the attack, and that was the beginning of the disaster, because the battle of the pitch where games are usually won and lost had the Reds at a disadvantage throughout.

Disadvantage
Michael Carrick and Anderson have rarely been partnered in the center of the midfield, and they clearly lacked any sort of understanding and they were severely exposed by being outnumbered three to two. Neither of them were able to get on the ball, and Arsenal were gifted long spells of possession, which led to frustration for United and it built up the Gunners frail confidence.

Cesc Fabregas missed the match through injury, and Ferguson played Anderson for that simple reason. Not only was he left ruing that decision, but he did not have any center midfielders to call upon to help subside the onslaught. Paul Scholes was missing through suspension, Ryan Giggs was being rested, Darren Fletcher is recovering from a long-term virus or Darron Gibson was left out for only a reason that Sir Alex knows, which really left the Reds up against it.

With United needing a goal, Ferguson had no choice but to bring off Carrick, which saw Ji-Sung Park and Wayne Rooney operating in the center of the midfield, which took away from both of them their more affecting positions.

Lost
Hernandez's tremendous athletic ability was canceled out by all of the Gunners in the back-four, which led to him becoming a non-existent factor against them. In fairness to him though, Chicharito was constantly in the minority with Rooney having to drop off deeper to get the ball.

Ferguson saw this, and finally made a change and brought on Dimitar Berbatov in his place, but the Premier League's leading goal scorer never looked like he was going to add to his total. With 21 goals to his name, the Bulgarian had 16 minutes to make an impression, but failed to get more than 10 touches of the ball as his teammates looked for other options rather than go through him. Berbatov should not shoulder any of the blame for this loss, because he was not the only starter or substitute that put in a very lackluster performance. Antonio Valencia and Michael Owen both came on substitutes, and neither of them could energize the Reds to a share of the points. However, the latte

Foy-led
Like what happened in Chelsea's 2-1 win over Tottenham yesterday, there were a further two decisions that could have sent the North-South Derby in either direction.

Chris Foy, who the commentators were saying that United was biased towards United, could have very easily given a penalty to Arsenal in the first half. Theo Walcott teased in a terrific cross towards Robin van Persie, but a wayward arm from Nemanja Vidic got the slightest of touches to deflect out of his path, and United got off the hook.

Well, the Gunners might feel hard done by for their clear penalty shout, but late in the second half they were guilty of getting away with one as well. Owen’s first bit of action saw him slip behind the Arsenal defense, but instead of being able to pounce, Gael Clichy stepped on the back of his leg to prohibit his progress, but, again, Foy was not having any interest in it.

While those decisions equaled themselves out, there was a bit of ridiculousness with his consistency. Meaning that towards the end of the first half, Rooney was booked for a simple foul on Jack Wilshere, and he did not show the same strictness towards Alexandre Song. About to be booked for three needless, consecutive fouls on United players, the Arsenal midfielder, who was one of the best players on the field, raised his arm into the throat of Rooney as he was trying to get the ball to set up the resulting free-kick, which should have seen him go for an early bath.

In the whole scheme of things, those decisions did not dictate the result, Manchester United’s poor sense of urgency and style of play did.

Sucker Punch Missed

2011-05-01T13:57:00.001-04:00

Could it go any other way this season?

With the eventual title-holders earning the honor, whomever that may be, with the fewest points in the past decade, the neutral observer knew it’d go down to the final weekend, even if that meant officials would gift-wrap victory yesterday for the Blues at Stamford Bridge. Not one, mind you, but two non-goals allowed were required to keep Chelsea in the race.

At kickoff, you knew United would frustrate Arsenal by playing compact, counter-attacking football which hath served the Red Devils so well on this ground the past two years. Play tight, force the Gunners wide, and defend – let Wenger’s men become frustrated around goal and lose composure. Surely Sir Alex’s eleven would get their chances against a mentally frail side.

Another good omen involved the appointment of Chris Foy to this match, as United have an unbeaten string running with the Merseyside-born referee going back something like seventeen matches.

And, Foy certainly played his part in evening out the refereeing controversy against the Blues by missing Vidic’s handball-penalty and getting in the way of three Arsenal passes all in the first half. Well done, Mr. Foy. You’ve single handedly sparked even more angst with the conspiracy theorists among the Gunner faithful regardless of the result.

By halftime, Arsenal had the majority of the possession and an additional chance or two created. However, the score line played right into Ferguson’s strategy, with the chance for the decisive goal and opportunity to win the beloved nineteenth title at home against Chelsea.

But, did you really think it would come that easy this year?

This is the United side that, any other year, would be on the outside looking in on the title race, as either Arsenal or Chelsea would be running away with it by now. Historically speaking, we’d be focused only on Champions League Final prospects.

This is the Jekyll-and-Hyde side that wins at home and drops points away. Such a disparity in form confounds football analysts and fans alike.

But did you really think the refs would play such a heavy hand in keeping Chelsea’s hopes alive? Not in your wildest dreams, which could be seen as foreboding omen for United.

The invisible hand of the football Gods, if you believed in them, seems to demand the most soap opera-like of finishes this of all years. Seemingly United’s nineteenth title mustn’t resemble the majority of the other EPL championships won thus far, instead it must come down to the penultimate date of May 22nd.

So, as we prepare for Champions League action on Wednesday and Chelsea’s visit to Old Trafford next weekend, consider this match a sucker-punch missed, one that has connected so many times in the past few years, it’s bound to miss occasionally.

It seems destined to last until the very last moment, with United and Chelsea tied on goal differential.

Besides, how could it go any other way this year?

Arsenal Preview: Reds Are Gunner-ing Towards Title

2011-04-30T09:44:00.002-04:00

Manchester United travels to the Emirates Stadium to take on Arsenal, and this match could decide who will land the 2010/11 Barclays Premier League title.

Evra & Nasri Will Do Battle At The Emirates

The Reds took a ginormous step towards a place in the 2011 UEFA Champions Final with a resounding 2-0 win over Schalke 04, but now Sir Alex Ferguson will turn their focus back to their domestic objective.

The Gunners had their title hopes flattened last weekend when they lost to Bolton 2-1 at the Reebok Stadium, which also ended their 16-game unbeaten run, but Arsene Wenger will remain defiant and think that they still have an outside shot of landing the trophy.

Because of that loss, Arsenal is currently in third place in the league table slipping nine points behind United, and three points behind Chelsea. On top of making up that point disadvantage, the Gunners would also have to overturn their goal difference, which, right now, is at +31 - eight short of United and six off of Chelsea.

Since they lost 2-1 to Birmingham City in the 2011 Carling Cup Final at the end of February, the Gunners have only won twice in their last 10 games - a 5-0 win over Leyton Orient and a 3-1 victory over Blackpool, who look destine for the Championship next season. Not very impressive from Arsenal, despite their manager banging on about that fool's gold unbeaten streak, which has seen them draw five of their last seven Premier League games.

About
The Emirates was once a fortress, but this season, the Gunners have dropped 17 points drawing four, losing three. That is certainly one of the main reasons why the Gunners are nine points adrift, because, at Old Trafford, the Reds have only relinquished two points from 17 games to date.

Next in line to United, Arsenal are the best scoring team in the Premier League with 67 goals for, which 31 of them have come at home, and that is only good for sixth in the league. They will certainly be looking to improve on that total, and might be encouraged since the Red Devils have conceded 23 goals in their 17 games for a 1.35 goals against average.

Robin Van Persie is the club's leading goal scorer with 15 goals in the Premier League - including seven in successive away games, which is a new league record. Samir Nasri, who was recently named to the PFA Team of the Year, is second on the team with 10.

Defensively, Arsenal has only given up 13 goals in their 17 home games, which is good for fifth in the Premier League. It is not the amount of goals that they have conceded, but how and when they have let their opponents score, because it has led to them dropping points at an alarming rate.

Thomas Vermaelen, who is undoubtedly their best defender, has not played since August and his fill-in replacements - Johan Djourou, Laurent Koscielny and Sebastien Squillaci - have all failed to live up to their expectations. That has been coupled with glaring mistakes from their goalkeepers, which has led to Wenger re-signing Jens Lehmann out of retirement.

Previously
This is the third meeting between these two long-standing rivals, and the Reds have snapped up two victories and two shutouts in the North-South Derby.

The latest match, a FA Cup Quarterfinal tie at Old Trafford, saw the Reds outfox the Gunners 2-0. Fabio opened the scoring after a wonderfully worked move in the first half, and just minutes after the break, Wayne Rooney nodded home United's second goal from close range to seal progress for the Reds.

News
With such a comfortable victory in the Champions League, Ferguson was afforded the chance to sub off Ji-Sung Park, Javier Hernandez and Rooney, so it is almost certain that they will all play some part against Arsenal.

That means that, even if he recovers from his slight groin injury, Dimitar Berbatov would still only play a bit part against the Gunners - but that should not be shocking since he has not played a single minute in the two previous matches.

Paul Scholes is serving the final game of a three-match suspension, but Sir Alex could have one of his big-game players back from a long spell on the sidelines as Darren Fletcher played his first game since coming on a late substitute against Liverpool on March 6.

If Manchester United plays like they did against Schalke 04 then they will be very hard defeat, but Arsenal will prove to be arduous opponent - especially considering that losing would all but hand them the Barclays Premier League title.

Treatment
Out: O. Hargreaves (shoulder), P. Scholes (suspension); Questionable: J. O'Shea (hamstring), D. Fletcher (virus), D. Berbatov (groin)

Projected
E. van der Sar; Rafael, R. Ferdinand, N. Vidic, P. Evra; A. Valencia, Anderson, M. Carrick, Nani; J. Hernandez, W. Rooney

Prediction
Arsenal 1 Manchester United 2