Last Saturday was supposed to be a great day for English Football fans. After all, the most anticipated fixture of the season was going to be played at Old Trafford. Manchester United vs Liverpool, the most significant rivalry in English Football. All the post match talks should have been dominated by the analysis of tactics, performances and result. But sadly, Football is the last thing for which this game will be remembered. It was all about the handshake that didn't happen. Why it all came down to this?
About four months ago, after the game between the two clubs at Anfield, Patrice Evra accused Luis Suarez of addressing him using a racist word. The allegation was pretty serious. English FA pride themselves for the way they have stamped out racism from Football. They had to take action. What followed was a series of poor management decisions from the Liverpool camp. I must say that Kenny Dalglish lost a lot of respect in my book for his conduct during the whole episode. It is one thing to support your player but it is a completely different thing altogether to stick by him blindly. We are talking about a player whose profile is littered with controversies throughout his short career. A quick apology would have diffused the tension and put the matter to bed. Instead, Kenny went for 'us vs them' approach. The siege mentality works in your favor at times, as Ferguson and Mourinho would testify, but this matter required a different approach.
Luis Suarez himself admitted that he used the word. His argument was that in his country, Uruguay, that word is used in friendly conversations. But, the problem is that in England it is not. When you are working in a foreign country, a different culture you must understand what is acceptable and what is not. Suarez should have simply said that due to his ignorance he uttered that word and should have apologized for saying it. But, he and Liverpool maintained a stance that he used that word but what is the big deal about it. That left a bad taste. Even more disappointing was the vocal way in which Liverpool went about their business. Manchester United, on the other hand, didn't say a word about this incident in public. Patrice Evra lodged a complaint using proper channels.
An independent tribunal found Suarez guilty and banned him for 8 matches. The length of the ban may have been different if Suarez had apologized for his conduct in the aftermath of the incident. What followed was an even bigger farce. Liverpool players led by Kenny Dalglish wore T-shirts in support of Suarez. Media portrayed them as people who are supporting a racist. I must add that it is harsh to label Suarez a racist. From what I have read, it seems that the word is indeed acceptable in Uruguayan culture. But, in the context it was used, Evra had every right to complain. Suarez and Liverpool's stubbornness in this matter allowed the issue to escalate so much that it went out of their control.
I don't understand why Liverpool supporters call Evra a liar when Suarez himself admitted that he used the word. They booed him in a FA Cup match at Anfield. As a seasoned follower of the Premier League, I understand the boos. Evra got their best player banned. But, why call him a liar? The whole world sees the matter differently. The booing further damaged the reputation of Liverpool's supporters. People see them as supporting is racist which is very harsh but it is something that has been brought upon them by foolish behavior of their management.
Finally the big match arrived. Manchester United vs Liverpool. Suarez's return to the starting lineup after he served his ban. Dalglish said that Suarez would shake the hands of Patrice Evra before the match. But, when the time came, Suarez refused to do it. He finally had the chance to put the matter to bed but he chose not to. It flared up the tensions. There was a scuffle between both sets of players at half time. Evra's celebrations at the end of the match were wrong too, even though I enjoyed them. He had kept quiet during this whole saga. He had kept his dignity during the whole episode when Liverpool supporters called him a liar. It was time to let the emotions come out. As a Manchester United fan, it was the moment of the season for me.
Kenny Dalglish gave a bizarre post patch interview and made a laughing stock out of himself. Sir Alex Ferguson destroyed Luis Suarez's image by calling him a disgrace to Liverpool Football club. It was amusing to see the Manchester United manager reminding Liverpool of their traditions. Liverpool's image was tarnished severely. Their American owners, who had kept quite, had no option but to exercise their power. Suarez and Dalglish both apologized for their actions the next day. Amazingly they didn't apologize to Evra. It is baffling really. Here is a player who used a racist word in a heated exchange. Fine, he didn't use it on purpose. But, he did something which is not acceptable in English culture. He should have said sorry and moved on. It was a PR disaster from Liverpool's point of view. As a Manchester United fan, I loved every word of apology coming from Kenny Dalglish. He must be wondering how times have changed.
Monday, 13 February 2012
Sunday, 20 February 2011
The Rise of Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur. Perennial underachievers of the Premier League. Always under the shadow of their illustrious neighbours Arsenal. Not any more. They are marching in Europe and chasing a Champions League berth once again. It has been a fascinating story.
I've always been impressed by Tottenham's style of play. They are one of the most entertaining sides of recent years. It is partly due to their defensive lapses but mainly due to their attacking philosophy. But, their style didn't reap rewards in the past. They came within touching distance of a Champions League spot in 2006 but crumbled under pressure at the business end of the season. Things went downhill for them after that. When manager Juande Ramos was sacked in 2008-09 season, Tottenham were at the bottom of the table. Enter Harry Redknapp and the transformation began. Some of the discarded players were brought back (though only Defoe has been a success since then) and others started believing in their abilities. A mid table finish was a decent achievement that season after the disastrous start. 2009-10 was the season when Harry started to weave his magic. They finally broke the big four monopoly by capturing a Champions League spot at Liverpool's expense.
But, with Manchester City emerging as a powerful club, Tottenham's stay in the top four was expected to be a short one. That may still happen. But, from what I have seen so far, this Tottenham side will not go down without a fight. They have a very good squad and more importantly the belief that they can win any game against any opposition. The proof: North London derby. A 2-0 scoreline at the Emirates with Arsenal all guns blazing can frighten the best of teams. But, Tottenham are different this season. They made a stunning come back and won at their neighbour's territory after more than a decade. Its not only performances like this that make Tottenham a genuine contender for a European spot but their gritty performances in many other Premier League matches. Have a look at their last Premier League game at the Stadium of Light. Tottenham, playing without Bale, Modric, Van der Vaart and Lennon, fought their way to a 2-1 win against a solid opposition. It shows the strength of their squad. Look at the way Chelsea crumbled once a few first team players got injured.
Its the squad that matters not the first team in a league campaign. That is why Tottenham have a good chance again this season. Their top performers are Gareth Bale, Luka Modric and Rafael Van Der Vaart. Bale has come of age in the last one year or so. His hattrick at the San Siro against the reigning European Champions was certainly the high point of his season. He terrorized World's best right back, Maicon, in both matches against Inter Milan. Modric is the playmaker. If you give me a chance to pick one Premier League player for Manchester United (realistic one), I'd pick him. He is a superb midfielder. Never gives away possession and has great vision. A ready made replacement for Paul Scholes. Van Der Vaart joins the long list of players who have revived their career after leaving Real Madrid. He is Tottenham's top scorer this season and he certainly looks like a bargain in the current transfer market. I think the only area of improvement for Tottenham is up front. They are a top striker away from being a World class squad. I expect this issue to be addressed in the summer.
Tottenham's adventures in the Champions League this season will inspire them to go for it again and I am pretty sure that this team will give it their all to give their fans a taste of European Football once again. I have enjoyed watching Tottenham this season and I wish them well in their pursuit of Champions League Football.
I've always been impressed by Tottenham's style of play. They are one of the most entertaining sides of recent years. It is partly due to their defensive lapses but mainly due to their attacking philosophy. But, their style didn't reap rewards in the past. They came within touching distance of a Champions League spot in 2006 but crumbled under pressure at the business end of the season. Things went downhill for them after that. When manager Juande Ramos was sacked in 2008-09 season, Tottenham were at the bottom of the table. Enter Harry Redknapp and the transformation began. Some of the discarded players were brought back (though only Defoe has been a success since then) and others started believing in their abilities. A mid table finish was a decent achievement that season after the disastrous start. 2009-10 was the season when Harry started to weave his magic. They finally broke the big four monopoly by capturing a Champions League spot at Liverpool's expense.
But, with Manchester City emerging as a powerful club, Tottenham's stay in the top four was expected to be a short one. That may still happen. But, from what I have seen so far, this Tottenham side will not go down without a fight. They have a very good squad and more importantly the belief that they can win any game against any opposition. The proof: North London derby. A 2-0 scoreline at the Emirates with Arsenal all guns blazing can frighten the best of teams. But, Tottenham are different this season. They made a stunning come back and won at their neighbour's territory after more than a decade. Its not only performances like this that make Tottenham a genuine contender for a European spot but their gritty performances in many other Premier League matches. Have a look at their last Premier League game at the Stadium of Light. Tottenham, playing without Bale, Modric, Van der Vaart and Lennon, fought their way to a 2-1 win against a solid opposition. It shows the strength of their squad. Look at the way Chelsea crumbled once a few first team players got injured.
Its the squad that matters not the first team in a league campaign. That is why Tottenham have a good chance again this season. Their top performers are Gareth Bale, Luka Modric and Rafael Van Der Vaart. Bale has come of age in the last one year or so. His hattrick at the San Siro against the reigning European Champions was certainly the high point of his season. He terrorized World's best right back, Maicon, in both matches against Inter Milan. Modric is the playmaker. If you give me a chance to pick one Premier League player for Manchester United (realistic one), I'd pick him. He is a superb midfielder. Never gives away possession and has great vision. A ready made replacement for Paul Scholes. Van Der Vaart joins the long list of players who have revived their career after leaving Real Madrid. He is Tottenham's top scorer this season and he certainly looks like a bargain in the current transfer market. I think the only area of improvement for Tottenham is up front. They are a top striker away from being a World class squad. I expect this issue to be addressed in the summer.
Tottenham's adventures in the Champions League this season will inspire them to go for it again and I am pretty sure that this team will give it their all to give their fans a taste of European Football once again. I have enjoyed watching Tottenham this season and I wish them well in their pursuit of Champions League Football.
Thursday, 30 December 2010
Looking Ahead to 2011
As we enter the new year, it is a good time to look back at what has happened so far in the Premier League. We are midway through the 2010-11 season and what a season it has been so far. The inconsistency of the top sides coupled with the improvement of certain teams has led to a very congested league table. Gone are the days when Manchester United or Chelsea used to walk away with the league. The league has become much more competitive now. Here are the highlights of the season so far:
Impressive Newly Promoted Clubs: Newcastle, West Brom and Blackpool - I have been impressed by the attractive Football played by all three of them. Their position in the league table suggests that you can play attacking Football and still remain clear of the relegation zone. Of course, it can go pear shaped in a matter of weeks but these clubs enjoy the comforts of mid-table at this juncture. Although Newcastle have pressed the self destruct button yet again by sacking Chris Hughton but I think they have enough in the tank to survive in the Premier League. Special mention to Andy Carroll who has been one of the best performers of the season so far. Things will become tougher for these clubs in the coming year with fatigue creeping in and a fixture pileup to deal with, especially in case of Blackpool who have had three of their home games postponed due to bad weather.
From European Contenders to Relegation Candidates: Aston Villa - Aston Villa kicked off their season recovering from the shock caused by Martin O'Neill's sudden departure. And, things have gone from bad to worse for them during the course of the season. People would argue that they are too good to go down and I also think that there a lot of worse teams in the League than Aston Villa. But, anything can happen in Football and Aston Villa certainly are in the dogfight. To be fair to Gerard Houllier, his team has suffered a lot due to injuries. But, there is no excuse for the dire displays week in week out. Aston Villa need the likes of Ashley Young and Gabriel Agbonlahor to stand up and be counted.
Indian Connections: Blackburn Rovers - Finally, Indians have entered the Premier League. In November, Blackburn Rovers became the first Premier League club to be owned by Indian businessmen. Venky's India Ltd bought the Lancashire club for a reported fee of £23 million. But, I have been disappointed with their handling of the club so far. The sacking of Sam Allardyce has left serious question marks over the intentions of the owners. Sam Allardyce's style of Football is not the most attractive to watch but it is effective. And for a club like Blackburn, it is good enough. Why fix something that isn't broke? I initially thought that they might have someone more high profile in their minds but the decision to appoint Steve Kean as the Manager has been puzzling. This decision might come back to haunt Blackburn owners at the end of the season.
The High Fliers: Bolton and Sunderland - The progress made by these two clubs has been fascinating to watch. Owen Coyle has taken only a few months to change hoof ball merchants Bolton into a decent passing side. Mark Davies' recent goal against Blackpool would make Barcelona proud. Like Bolton, Sunderland have progressed superbly under Steve Bruce. Their record against the top sides has been fantastic, with a 3-0 hammering of Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, the highlight of their season. Both, Bolton and Sunderland will be battling for a European berth come the end of the season if they continue to play like they have so far.
A club in free fall: Liverpool - If Rafa Benitez's last season at Liverpool was bad then this season has been a disaster. Many pundits felt that Roy Hodgson was a sensible appointment at the start of the season but he has proved them wrong. There are so many problems at that club, I don't know where to start. Players look disinterested, fans are not backing manager and the manager himself looks out of his depth. Roy Hodgson's press conferences have been embarrassing to watch at times for the Liverpool fans and the team hasn't done enough on the pitch either. They have hit new lows every time I thought things couldn't get any worse. Losses at home against the likes of Blackpool and Wolves haven't gone down well with the fans. There is an argument in Hodgson's support that the squad inherited by Rafa isn't good enough. Yes, it isn't good enough to win the league or even get into the top four. But, they are surely better than their current league position suggests. The poor form of top players like Torres and Gerrard hasn't helped matters. Hodgson is under severe pressure to turn things around but I can't see him continuing for long if things continue like this.
Aiming for the Champions League: Tottenham - I must admit that I have enjoyed watching Tottenham play this season. They are arguably the most entertaining team in the Premier League with their gungho style. Tottenham finished fourth in the Premier League last season and qualified for the Champions League. Their first season amongst the European elite has been terrific so far and everyone associated with Tottenham Hotspur would love to qualify for the competition again. I initially thought that Tottenham will find it hard to replicate their success of last season because of European exertions but it hasn't been the case. The biggest reason is their squad. They have fantastic backup in every department. Against Fulham, they had King and Woodgate out injured and Kaboul suspended. Still, they had two top class center halves, Dawson and Gallas, on the pitch and Bassong on the bench. Alan Hutton got injured during the match. No problem, in came Vedran Corluka. This highlights the kind of options at Harry Redknapp's disposal. Tottenham's midfield is one of the best in the league. Gareth Bale is a favorite to land the Young Player of the Year award due to his wonderful form. Rafael Van Der Vaart is probably the best signing of the season so far and Luka Modric has kept Spurs ticking. They are a striker away from being truly World class. Maybe, they can even challenge for the title if they sign the right players. For now though, they need to aim for the top four.
Lacking Confidence: Chelsea - Who would have thought that we'd be questioning Chelsea's title credentials mid way through the season but their woeful form over the last couple of months have contributed to their fall. Chelsea started the season in stunning form dispatching teams like they did last season. They were scoring goals for fun. Then came the slump. It started with the game at Anfield where they lost 2-0. Two games later they were hammered at home by Sunderland. Chelsea's first choice center backs were injured at that time but a team challenging for the title should have adequate backup. Chelsea's squad is paper thin. The origin of this problem goes back to the summer when they released Ballack, Deco, Carvalho, Joe Cole and Belletti. Although these players were not the first choice in their positions but they added invaluable experience to the squad. Imagine the likes of Ballack and Deco coming in when Lampard was injured. Instead, it was inexperienced Ramires who started and performed badly. The form of top players like Drogba, Essien and Malouda has been poor as well contributing to Chelsea's slump. Now, all the major players are fit but Chelsea are still lacking the belief that they can win. I think Chelsea are desperately in need of fresh faces. January transfer window has arrived just at the right time for Chelsea. Failing to find the right players at this point of time may cost Chelsea the title and even their Champions League spot.
Money Talks: Manchester City - I hate it when clubs just splash the cash and try to 'buy' success. Chelsea started it a few years ago. Manchester City have taken it to another level. This summer was again a busy one at Eastlands. In came David Silva, Yaya Toure, Milner, Boateng, Kolarov and Balotelli. These arrivals have definitely added more quality to the squad. It took some time for the players to gel and Mancini's defensive tactics contributed to a few dropped points. But, now it looks like the team is playing near its potential and they are raking up the wins. Carlos Tevez has been their best player once again. The biggest challenge for Mancini is to keep his overpaid stars' egos in check. Every week there is a new story. Tevez's transfer request, Balotelli's sheninghans, Johnson's moaning etc have kept Mancini on his toes. I must admit that he has done a reasonable job so far. City are close to signing Bosnian hitman Edin Dzeko who would undoubtedly add more quality to their frontline. At this juncture, City look nailed on to finish in the top four because of the quality of their squad. They may even challenge for the title if other top teams continue to be inconsistent.
Coming of Age?: Arsenal - The Arsenal fans must have debated about this over and over again. When will their kids mature? I think the make or break time has come for this crop of players. I don't think Cesc Fabregas will hang around much if Arsenal don't win a major trophy. Are Arsenal good enough to win the league this season? I am uncertain about it. The main problem is their defense. Although Gallas was not a likeable bloke but he was one of their best central defenders. His departure in the summer created a void which has not been filled by the likes of Koscielny and Squillaci. Add to that their goalkeeping woes and Arsenal suddenly look like a very weak defensive outfit. Their attacking side of the game is definitely one of the best in the league. Samir Nasri has been prolific so far and Chamakh has given Arsenal a very good option up front. Consistency is the key for Arsenal. They have a relatively easy run-in in the second half of the season but that doesn't mean anything if they are going to drop points against the likes of Wigan after steamrolling Chelsea. The whole theme about Arsenal is uncertainty and they definitely add an interesting dimension to the title race.
Gunning for Nineteenth: Manchester United - Manchester United are unbeaten in the Premier League so far after 20 matches. But, it hasn't been vintage United. Lots of points have been dropped on the road and lots of late goals have been conceded. Its not that defenders are playing badly. Vidic and Ferdinand have been rock at the back. But, lapses in concentration at crucial times have cost United. Overall, United haven't played great Football but they sit at the top of the league table. I suppose, if the players play to their potential consistently, especially Carrick and Anderson, then United may run away with the league. The squad is definitely there and they have the experience of winning when it matters most. The likes of Nani and Berbatov have been immense. But, Wayne Rooney has let his fans down with his actions both on and off the pitch. He looks like a shadow of the player who scored 34 goals last season. Rooney's lack of form hasn't affected United much because of emergence of Javier Hernandez. The little pea has become a fan favorite in such a short space of time. United usually improve in the second half of the season. Antonio Valencia's return from injury is crucial for United as is Rooney's return to his best. I don't think that this squad is anyway near the best United squads under Sir Alex Ferguson but they are definitely good enough to knock Liverpool off their perch.
Impressive Newly Promoted Clubs: Newcastle, West Brom and Blackpool - I have been impressed by the attractive Football played by all three of them. Their position in the league table suggests that you can play attacking Football and still remain clear of the relegation zone. Of course, it can go pear shaped in a matter of weeks but these clubs enjoy the comforts of mid-table at this juncture. Although Newcastle have pressed the self destruct button yet again by sacking Chris Hughton but I think they have enough in the tank to survive in the Premier League. Special mention to Andy Carroll who has been one of the best performers of the season so far. Things will become tougher for these clubs in the coming year with fatigue creeping in and a fixture pileup to deal with, especially in case of Blackpool who have had three of their home games postponed due to bad weather.
From European Contenders to Relegation Candidates: Aston Villa - Aston Villa kicked off their season recovering from the shock caused by Martin O'Neill's sudden departure. And, things have gone from bad to worse for them during the course of the season. People would argue that they are too good to go down and I also think that there a lot of worse teams in the League than Aston Villa. But, anything can happen in Football and Aston Villa certainly are in the dogfight. To be fair to Gerard Houllier, his team has suffered a lot due to injuries. But, there is no excuse for the dire displays week in week out. Aston Villa need the likes of Ashley Young and Gabriel Agbonlahor to stand up and be counted.
Indian Connections: Blackburn Rovers - Finally, Indians have entered the Premier League. In November, Blackburn Rovers became the first Premier League club to be owned by Indian businessmen. Venky's India Ltd bought the Lancashire club for a reported fee of £23 million. But, I have been disappointed with their handling of the club so far. The sacking of Sam Allardyce has left serious question marks over the intentions of the owners. Sam Allardyce's style of Football is not the most attractive to watch but it is effective. And for a club like Blackburn, it is good enough. Why fix something that isn't broke? I initially thought that they might have someone more high profile in their minds but the decision to appoint Steve Kean as the Manager has been puzzling. This decision might come back to haunt Blackburn owners at the end of the season.
The High Fliers: Bolton and Sunderland - The progress made by these two clubs has been fascinating to watch. Owen Coyle has taken only a few months to change hoof ball merchants Bolton into a decent passing side. Mark Davies' recent goal against Blackpool would make Barcelona proud. Like Bolton, Sunderland have progressed superbly under Steve Bruce. Their record against the top sides has been fantastic, with a 3-0 hammering of Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, the highlight of their season. Both, Bolton and Sunderland will be battling for a European berth come the end of the season if they continue to play like they have so far.
A club in free fall: Liverpool - If Rafa Benitez's last season at Liverpool was bad then this season has been a disaster. Many pundits felt that Roy Hodgson was a sensible appointment at the start of the season but he has proved them wrong. There are so many problems at that club, I don't know where to start. Players look disinterested, fans are not backing manager and the manager himself looks out of his depth. Roy Hodgson's press conferences have been embarrassing to watch at times for the Liverpool fans and the team hasn't done enough on the pitch either. They have hit new lows every time I thought things couldn't get any worse. Losses at home against the likes of Blackpool and Wolves haven't gone down well with the fans. There is an argument in Hodgson's support that the squad inherited by Rafa isn't good enough. Yes, it isn't good enough to win the league or even get into the top four. But, they are surely better than their current league position suggests. The poor form of top players like Torres and Gerrard hasn't helped matters. Hodgson is under severe pressure to turn things around but I can't see him continuing for long if things continue like this.
Aiming for the Champions League: Tottenham - I must admit that I have enjoyed watching Tottenham play this season. They are arguably the most entertaining team in the Premier League with their gungho style. Tottenham finished fourth in the Premier League last season and qualified for the Champions League. Their first season amongst the European elite has been terrific so far and everyone associated with Tottenham Hotspur would love to qualify for the competition again. I initially thought that Tottenham will find it hard to replicate their success of last season because of European exertions but it hasn't been the case. The biggest reason is their squad. They have fantastic backup in every department. Against Fulham, they had King and Woodgate out injured and Kaboul suspended. Still, they had two top class center halves, Dawson and Gallas, on the pitch and Bassong on the bench. Alan Hutton got injured during the match. No problem, in came Vedran Corluka. This highlights the kind of options at Harry Redknapp's disposal. Tottenham's midfield is one of the best in the league. Gareth Bale is a favorite to land the Young Player of the Year award due to his wonderful form. Rafael Van Der Vaart is probably the best signing of the season so far and Luka Modric has kept Spurs ticking. They are a striker away from being truly World class. Maybe, they can even challenge for the title if they sign the right players. For now though, they need to aim for the top four.
Lacking Confidence: Chelsea - Who would have thought that we'd be questioning Chelsea's title credentials mid way through the season but their woeful form over the last couple of months have contributed to their fall. Chelsea started the season in stunning form dispatching teams like they did last season. They were scoring goals for fun. Then came the slump. It started with the game at Anfield where they lost 2-0. Two games later they were hammered at home by Sunderland. Chelsea's first choice center backs were injured at that time but a team challenging for the title should have adequate backup. Chelsea's squad is paper thin. The origin of this problem goes back to the summer when they released Ballack, Deco, Carvalho, Joe Cole and Belletti. Although these players were not the first choice in their positions but they added invaluable experience to the squad. Imagine the likes of Ballack and Deco coming in when Lampard was injured. Instead, it was inexperienced Ramires who started and performed badly. The form of top players like Drogba, Essien and Malouda has been poor as well contributing to Chelsea's slump. Now, all the major players are fit but Chelsea are still lacking the belief that they can win. I think Chelsea are desperately in need of fresh faces. January transfer window has arrived just at the right time for Chelsea. Failing to find the right players at this point of time may cost Chelsea the title and even their Champions League spot.
Money Talks: Manchester City - I hate it when clubs just splash the cash and try to 'buy' success. Chelsea started it a few years ago. Manchester City have taken it to another level. This summer was again a busy one at Eastlands. In came David Silva, Yaya Toure, Milner, Boateng, Kolarov and Balotelli. These arrivals have definitely added more quality to the squad. It took some time for the players to gel and Mancini's defensive tactics contributed to a few dropped points. But, now it looks like the team is playing near its potential and they are raking up the wins. Carlos Tevez has been their best player once again. The biggest challenge for Mancini is to keep his overpaid stars' egos in check. Every week there is a new story. Tevez's transfer request, Balotelli's sheninghans, Johnson's moaning etc have kept Mancini on his toes. I must admit that he has done a reasonable job so far. City are close to signing Bosnian hitman Edin Dzeko who would undoubtedly add more quality to their frontline. At this juncture, City look nailed on to finish in the top four because of the quality of their squad. They may even challenge for the title if other top teams continue to be inconsistent.
Coming of Age?: Arsenal - The Arsenal fans must have debated about this over and over again. When will their kids mature? I think the make or break time has come for this crop of players. I don't think Cesc Fabregas will hang around much if Arsenal don't win a major trophy. Are Arsenal good enough to win the league this season? I am uncertain about it. The main problem is their defense. Although Gallas was not a likeable bloke but he was one of their best central defenders. His departure in the summer created a void which has not been filled by the likes of Koscielny and Squillaci. Add to that their goalkeeping woes and Arsenal suddenly look like a very weak defensive outfit. Their attacking side of the game is definitely one of the best in the league. Samir Nasri has been prolific so far and Chamakh has given Arsenal a very good option up front. Consistency is the key for Arsenal. They have a relatively easy run-in in the second half of the season but that doesn't mean anything if they are going to drop points against the likes of Wigan after steamrolling Chelsea. The whole theme about Arsenal is uncertainty and they definitely add an interesting dimension to the title race.
Gunning for Nineteenth: Manchester United - Manchester United are unbeaten in the Premier League so far after 20 matches. But, it hasn't been vintage United. Lots of points have been dropped on the road and lots of late goals have been conceded. Its not that defenders are playing badly. Vidic and Ferdinand have been rock at the back. But, lapses in concentration at crucial times have cost United. Overall, United haven't played great Football but they sit at the top of the league table. I suppose, if the players play to their potential consistently, especially Carrick and Anderson, then United may run away with the league. The squad is definitely there and they have the experience of winning when it matters most. The likes of Nani and Berbatov have been immense. But, Wayne Rooney has let his fans down with his actions both on and off the pitch. He looks like a shadow of the player who scored 34 goals last season. Rooney's lack of form hasn't affected United much because of emergence of Javier Hernandez. The little pea has become a fan favorite in such a short space of time. United usually improve in the second half of the season. Antonio Valencia's return from injury is crucial for United as is Rooney's return to his best. I don't think that this squad is anyway near the best United squads under Sir Alex Ferguson but they are definitely good enough to knock Liverpool off their perch.
Saturday, 10 April 2010
Aftermath of a Disastrous Week
I don't know how to start this one. Things were looking so good. Manchester United were leading the Premier League and flying in the Champions League. Wayne Rooney was destroying every single team in his way. But, in ten cruel days everything has changed. United are out of the Champions League and toppled by Chelsea in the Premier League. The talisman, Wayne Rooney is injured.
Every single day of the last week, I woke up and thought what if Ribery's free kick didn't take a cruel deflection. What if Vidic's header went in off the crossbar. What if Rafael didn't fall into the Germans' trap. What if Didier Drogba was flagged offside. Nothing can be changed now. Sometimes the Gods want you to win (1999) but sometimes it seems that the whole universe is conspiring against you.
Looking back at the start of the season, I didn't expect much from United. Any team would struggle after losing the best player in the World. But, its a testament to Sir Alex Ferguson's greatness that he raised the fans' expectations without investing much. United's performances this season were better than the mechanical (but efficient) displays of last season.
There were a lot of positives for United in the match against Bayern Munich even though the result was heartbreaking. United gave it their all. The way everyone pressurized the Germans to concede possession in the beginning of the match was great to watch. Young blood was favored over the old guard and they didn't disappoint. Gibson was good, Rafael kept Ribery in his pocket before that unfortunate incident and Nani was fantastic. Incidentally, these players were drafted in for Neville, Scholes and Giggs. The signs are promising.
It is clear that United need to change a few things. The golden oldies will play for one or two seasons only. It would be unrealistic to expect them to play week in and week out. Youngsters like Anderson and Gibson need to stand up and be counted. Others like Nani and Valencia have been absolutely fantastic especially in the second half of the season. With Rooney banging in goals left, right and center all you need is quality service from the midfield. Both Nani and Valencia have provided that. I am particularly impressed by Valencia's contribution this season. Opposition fans mocked him when he was signed to replace Ronaldo. But, I knew right from the beginning that a player like Ronaldo can't be replaced by any other winger in the World. United just changed their style of play to suit Wayne Rooney, with the wingers bombing in crosses and it worked magnificently. Valencia adjusted to United's style of play comfortably unlike a certain Bulgarian. Nani, on the other hand, had a poor start to the season. Fans were calling for his head. But, he came back strongly in the second half of the season. His performances against Arsenal and Bayern Munich were top class and goes to show that he is a big game player. In January it looked like United desperately needed a left winger. But, Nani's resurgence in the second half has wiped off all doubts regarding his potential and United can look to strengthen other areas of the squad.
A goalkeeper is an obvious requirement. Van Der Sar, at 40, is better than most keepers in the World but next season will most probably be his last. Ben Foster royally screwed up his chances this season. So, its seems that United need to dip in the transfer market to get a new keeper. The likes of Neuer, Lloris, Adler and Akinfeev have been linked with United. Sir Alex needs to make sure that post-Schmeichel situation does not arise again.
The biggest disappointments of this season have been Carrick and Berbatov. Carrick looks like a shadow of the player who helped United to win the double a couple of years ago. His performances in some of the biggest matches have been dire. United desperately need creativity in the center of the park. I won't be complaining if United signed one of Gourcuff, Hamsik or David Silva (who can play on the left or behind the striker). Sir Alex will have a tough call to make this summer regarding Carrick's future. Berbatov was expected to step up this season but he failed. He is class player and I have always liked his game. But, he does not fit in United's style of play. Sir Alex preferred limping Rooney over fit Berbatov in crunch Champions League match against Bayern. It goes to show how much the manager trusts his striker. The surprise signing of Mexican striker Javier Hernandez is an indication that Sir Alex wants to strengthen the striking department. But, I am not sure how much impact a young inexperienced striker will make in a foreign league. Then, there are financial constraints as well which explain such a signing.
Off the pitch, the Green and Gold campaign against the Glazers went on in full swing this season. But, it all comes down to Glazers. If they want to keep the club then no protest can stop them. Its really painful to see the owners suck money out the club to repay the debt they took to buy the club. Sadly, that's the way things work in Football these days.
All in all, this was a transitional season for United. There were some memorable moments. Putting the noisy neighbours back in their place, demolition of Arsenal at The Emirates and the destruction of AC Milan stand out as great results. Some players really stepped up. The likes of Valencia, Nani, Fletcher and Rooney were fantastic. Things could have been different if the mid season defensive crisis hadn't occurred. The squad was almost there. A couple of tweaks here and there would make this squad one of the best in Europe again. It is huge summer for Manchester United. A creative midfielder is a must. Goalkeeper and second striker will be needed soon but they are not top priority. The best thing about Football is that there is always a next chance. United fell short this time but this team will rise again. We'll be back stronger and take what belongs to us.
Every single day of the last week, I woke up and thought what if Ribery's free kick didn't take a cruel deflection. What if Vidic's header went in off the crossbar. What if Rafael didn't fall into the Germans' trap. What if Didier Drogba was flagged offside. Nothing can be changed now. Sometimes the Gods want you to win (1999) but sometimes it seems that the whole universe is conspiring against you.
Looking back at the start of the season, I didn't expect much from United. Any team would struggle after losing the best player in the World. But, its a testament to Sir Alex Ferguson's greatness that he raised the fans' expectations without investing much. United's performances this season were better than the mechanical (but efficient) displays of last season.
There were a lot of positives for United in the match against Bayern Munich even though the result was heartbreaking. United gave it their all. The way everyone pressurized the Germans to concede possession in the beginning of the match was great to watch. Young blood was favored over the old guard and they didn't disappoint. Gibson was good, Rafael kept Ribery in his pocket before that unfortunate incident and Nani was fantastic. Incidentally, these players were drafted in for Neville, Scholes and Giggs. The signs are promising.
It is clear that United need to change a few things. The golden oldies will play for one or two seasons only. It would be unrealistic to expect them to play week in and week out. Youngsters like Anderson and Gibson need to stand up and be counted. Others like Nani and Valencia have been absolutely fantastic especially in the second half of the season. With Rooney banging in goals left, right and center all you need is quality service from the midfield. Both Nani and Valencia have provided that. I am particularly impressed by Valencia's contribution this season. Opposition fans mocked him when he was signed to replace Ronaldo. But, I knew right from the beginning that a player like Ronaldo can't be replaced by any other winger in the World. United just changed their style of play to suit Wayne Rooney, with the wingers bombing in crosses and it worked magnificently. Valencia adjusted to United's style of play comfortably unlike a certain Bulgarian. Nani, on the other hand, had a poor start to the season. Fans were calling for his head. But, he came back strongly in the second half of the season. His performances against Arsenal and Bayern Munich were top class and goes to show that he is a big game player. In January it looked like United desperately needed a left winger. But, Nani's resurgence in the second half has wiped off all doubts regarding his potential and United can look to strengthen other areas of the squad.
A goalkeeper is an obvious requirement. Van Der Sar, at 40, is better than most keepers in the World but next season will most probably be his last. Ben Foster royally screwed up his chances this season. So, its seems that United need to dip in the transfer market to get a new keeper. The likes of Neuer, Lloris, Adler and Akinfeev have been linked with United. Sir Alex needs to make sure that post-Schmeichel situation does not arise again.
The biggest disappointments of this season have been Carrick and Berbatov. Carrick looks like a shadow of the player who helped United to win the double a couple of years ago. His performances in some of the biggest matches have been dire. United desperately need creativity in the center of the park. I won't be complaining if United signed one of Gourcuff, Hamsik or David Silva (who can play on the left or behind the striker). Sir Alex will have a tough call to make this summer regarding Carrick's future. Berbatov was expected to step up this season but he failed. He is class player and I have always liked his game. But, he does not fit in United's style of play. Sir Alex preferred limping Rooney over fit Berbatov in crunch Champions League match against Bayern. It goes to show how much the manager trusts his striker. The surprise signing of Mexican striker Javier Hernandez is an indication that Sir Alex wants to strengthen the striking department. But, I am not sure how much impact a young inexperienced striker will make in a foreign league. Then, there are financial constraints as well which explain such a signing.
Off the pitch, the Green and Gold campaign against the Glazers went on in full swing this season. But, it all comes down to Glazers. If they want to keep the club then no protest can stop them. Its really painful to see the owners suck money out the club to repay the debt they took to buy the club. Sadly, that's the way things work in Football these days.
All in all, this was a transitional season for United. There were some memorable moments. Putting the noisy neighbours back in their place, demolition of Arsenal at The Emirates and the destruction of AC Milan stand out as great results. Some players really stepped up. The likes of Valencia, Nani, Fletcher and Rooney were fantastic. Things could have been different if the mid season defensive crisis hadn't occurred. The squad was almost there. A couple of tweaks here and there would make this squad one of the best in Europe again. It is huge summer for Manchester United. A creative midfielder is a must. Goalkeeper and second striker will be needed soon but they are not top priority. The best thing about Football is that there is always a next chance. United fell short this time but this team will rise again. We'll be back stronger and take what belongs to us.
Wednesday, 17 February 2010
A Victory to Savour
2006-07 is one of my favorite seasons, second only to 98-99. Manchester United were written off by majority when Ruud Van Nistelrooy left and Chelsea spent big. But, a young United side played some sensational Football that season. Rooney and Ronaldo stepped up big time. It was great to watch. But, one night left me heartbroken.
Manchester United stormed into the Champions League Semifinals by crushing Roma 7-1. Next up were AC Milan. The game at Old Trafford was one of the best I have ever seen. United, playing without three of the four first choice defenders, were up against Milan having Kaka in full form. But, the man who stole the show was Wayne Rooney who hit a thunderous shot in the dying minutes to win the game for United. I couldn't wait for the away leg. But, United were fighting on three fronts while Milan were alive in only one competition. The league game at Goodison Park just before the second leg was another epic battle. United came from 2-0 down to win 4-2 and effectively clinched the title. But, Milan rested their whole first team that weekend. An exhausted United side were battered by AC Milan. They played great Football that night. That night was the biggest disappointment of an amazing season.
The paths of two clubs crossed again this season. I was really happy with the draw but there was a fear that it may all come down crashing again. It certainly looked that way when Ronaldinho scored an early goal for Milan. United were gifting possession to Milan. They could have been out of sight if Milan had taken their chances. The way United started was reminiscent of the way they did three years ago. Young Rafael and Evans seemed to be intimidated by the atmosphere of San Siro just like Rooney and Ronaldo were, three years ago. But, this time luck was on United's side. AC Milan wasted a host of chances in the first half hour and United made them pay. Paul Scholes scored a fortuitous equalizer and it was all United after that. Wayne Rooney proved why he is one of the most feared strikers in Europe at the moment. His movement was fantastic. He headed two goals in quick succession to take the tie seemingly beyond AC Milan.
But, as I have learnt over the years, Man United don't do things the easy way. A late Milan goal brought the game back to life. It seems to be a miracle now that Milan didn't score more. In the end a sensational 3-2 win for United looks satisfying. But, Milan were there for the taking at 3-1 and United let them off the hook.
United will have to retain possession better at Old Trafford. Vidic's return may prove crucial. Also, Giggsy might return just in time for the game. Although, United are firm favorites now but its not over yet. Don't count your chickens before they are hatched, is what a wise man will say. Anyways, its time to revel in glory after the disappointment suffered three years ago. I am loving it.
Manchester United stormed into the Champions League Semifinals by crushing Roma 7-1. Next up were AC Milan. The game at Old Trafford was one of the best I have ever seen. United, playing without three of the four first choice defenders, were up against Milan having Kaka in full form. But, the man who stole the show was Wayne Rooney who hit a thunderous shot in the dying minutes to win the game for United. I couldn't wait for the away leg. But, United were fighting on three fronts while Milan were alive in only one competition. The league game at Goodison Park just before the second leg was another epic battle. United came from 2-0 down to win 4-2 and effectively clinched the title. But, Milan rested their whole first team that weekend. An exhausted United side were battered by AC Milan. They played great Football that night. That night was the biggest disappointment of an amazing season.
The paths of two clubs crossed again this season. I was really happy with the draw but there was a fear that it may all come down crashing again. It certainly looked that way when Ronaldinho scored an early goal for Milan. United were gifting possession to Milan. They could have been out of sight if Milan had taken their chances. The way United started was reminiscent of the way they did three years ago. Young Rafael and Evans seemed to be intimidated by the atmosphere of San Siro just like Rooney and Ronaldo were, three years ago. But, this time luck was on United's side. AC Milan wasted a host of chances in the first half hour and United made them pay. Paul Scholes scored a fortuitous equalizer and it was all United after that. Wayne Rooney proved why he is one of the most feared strikers in Europe at the moment. His movement was fantastic. He headed two goals in quick succession to take the tie seemingly beyond AC Milan.
But, as I have learnt over the years, Man United don't do things the easy way. A late Milan goal brought the game back to life. It seems to be a miracle now that Milan didn't score more. In the end a sensational 3-2 win for United looks satisfying. But, Milan were there for the taking at 3-1 and United let them off the hook.
United will have to retain possession better at Old Trafford. Vidic's return may prove crucial. Also, Giggsy might return just in time for the game. Although, United are firm favorites now but its not over yet. Don't count your chickens before they are hatched, is what a wise man will say. Anyways, its time to revel in glory after the disappointment suffered three years ago. I am loving it.
Friday, 1 January 2010
A Decade of Dominance
As the decade draws to a close, its time to relive the moments that make me think this is why I love Football. The "noughties" was perhaps the most memorable decade in terms of success for Manchester United. Six Premier titles, one Champions League crown, one FA Cup and a couple of League Cup trophies were won as Sir Alex built his legacy at Old Trafford.
The decade started with United in possession of both domestic and European crown. 1998-99 season was stuff of dreams. It was impossible to replicate that kind of success but Man Utd came very close. The most challenging task for Sir Alex Ferguson was to replace Peter Schmeichel after his departure and it took a long time to find a decent replacement. Apart from the great Dane, the core of the 99 squad was intact and they carried on from where they left. United went on to defend the Premier League crown but were knocked out by Raul inspired Real Madrid in the Champions League.
After failed attempts to find a new goalkeeper, United turned to World Cup winner Fabien Barthez. The eccentric Frenchman provided some stability at the back. He had a very good first season as Man Utd went on to complete the hat trick of domestic titles in 2001. European glory eluded the Reds again. It was Bayern Munich's turn to knock United out on their way to glory, burying the demons of 99 in the process.
Sir Alex Ferguson shocked the World by announcing his retirement plans at the end of 2001-02 season. This decision perhaps destabilized the club. The squad itself was chopped and changed during the course of the season. Rock solid Jaap Stam left the club in controversial circumstances and his replacement was veteran Frenchman Laurent Blanc. The arrival of Dutch maestro Ruud Van Nistelrooy signalled the end of the road for highly successful Cole-Yorke partnership. The transfer of Argentine superstar Juan Sebastian Veron was greeted with joy but this deal proved to be one of the rare mistakes by Sir Alex Ferguson in the transfer market. United ended the season trophy less. It was not how Sir Alex wanted to bid farewell. So, he took a U-turn and dismissed the idea of retirement. This decision spurred United on to achieve greater things in future.
United broke the bank to sign Rio Ferdinand to help the ailing defense at the start of 02-03 season. Ruud Van Nistelrooy enjoyed a sensational season to help United reclaim Premier League glory in dramatic fashion. The season was dominated by headlines of deteriorating relationship between Sir Alex and superstar David Beckham. Beckham inspired United to a sensational 4-3 win over Real Madrid in a game where Brazilian legend Ronaldo scored a hat trick. It was one of the best displays ever by a visiting player at Old Trafford. Despite losing, Real Madrid went through on aggregate and United were left to rebuild the squad again.
High profile players Barthez, Veron and Beckham left Old Trafford in the summer of 2003. In came Portuguese teenager Cristiano Ronaldo who would inspire United to great success in the future. But, he was too inexperienced at that stage. 2003-04 was Arsenal's invincibles' season. This was also the season when Roman Abramovich arrived at Chelsea and turned them into a superpower. United were in the middle of a rebuilding phase and they finished the season in third place. Jose Mourinho announced his arrival on the scene with his Porto side that knocked United out of the Champions League. But, the season ended on a high for United as they beat Millwall to claim the FA Cup.
United spent the next two seasons in the shadow of Jose Mourinho's Chelsea. They saw Chelsea's rise to prominence. It was time to rebuild. Teenage sensation Wayne Rooney joined United in the summer of 04. He scored a hat trick on his debut. The signs were positive but United were not ready to challenge Chelsea at the summit of the League. A trophy less 2004-05 season was followed by a disappointing 05-06 season. United finished at the bottom of their Champions League group. Chelsea proved to be too strong in the Premier League again. But, consolation came in the form of League Cup triumph.
There were some major changes in the squad during the course of the 2005-06 season. Dutch veteran Edwin Van Der Sar joined the Red Devils. He'd go on and become a worthy successor to the Great Dane six years after his departure. In January 06, United swooped for defenders Patrice Evra and Nemanja Vidic. They were bargain buys of the decade. But, all was not well within the club. Skipper Roy Keane was unceremoniously shown the Old Trafford exit door in the middle of the season. Top scorer Van Nistelrooy had a training ground bust up with Ronaldo. Off the pitch, a takeover by American businessman Malcolm Glazor saddled the club with debt and left the supports skeptical about the future of the club. All these factors combined to make United look like a club in the decline.
The summer of 2006 heaped further misery on the club. The young stars of the club, Rooney and Ronaldo, had a spat during the World Cup which saw Rooney sent off. England were knocked out by Portugal and Ronaldo bore the brunt of criticism for his involvement in the sending off. Ronaldo, fearing for his safety, looked set to move on but Sir Alex knew his potential. He convinced the Portuguese to stay at the club. Rooney and Ronaldo moved on from the World Cup incident. But, striker Ruud Van Nistelrooy, who had an incredible scoring record for United, left the club. So, the press was not convinced of United's strength and goalscoring prowess. They were the underdog as Chelsea spent big in the summer again. But, as an old saying goes, write Manchester United off at your own peril.
2006-07 was a sensational season, my favorite after 98-99. Man Utd played some fantastic Football that season. Rooney and Ronaldo were at their best. They were duly supported by ever present Giggs, Scholes and Neville. Ferdinand and Vidic formed a formidable partnership at the back. It was great to see Man Utd beat the odds again under Sir Alex Ferguson. The Premier League trophy came back to Old Trafford. An injury crisis at crunch time of the season left United too weak for an experienced AC Milan team. United were knocked out at the semi final stage. It proved to be a very important experience for the young side and they came back stronger the next season.
2007-08 was all about Cristiano Ronaldo. What a season he had. He scored goals left, right and center to help United retain the Premier League crown and go one better in the Champions League. Everything fell in place at the right time. United became the Champions of England, Champions of Europe and Champions of the World. Ronaldo won all the individual accolades that were there to be won and he deserved it.
Ronaldo spent the summer of 08 flirting with his dream club, Real Madrid but stayed at United in the end. United didn't perform as well as the last two seasons but a watertight defense that broke a long standing clean sheets record, helped United to complete the second League title hat-trick. The youngsters at the club showed their mettle as they claimed League Cup glory. But, United missed out on the Champions league crown by a whisker. They were beaten in the Final by a fantastic Barcelona side.
The summer of 09 started with Ronaldo getting his dream move. He became World's most expensive player ever when Real Madrid paid £80m for his services. Sir Alex was back to the drawing board again. After building so many successful sides in the past, who'd bet against him to pull it off again. This season has been a bit up and down. United have been inconsistent but are only two points away from the summit. Teams like Man City, Tottenham and Aston Villa are looking strong making this season very exciting. This season's Champions League will witness Old Trafford favorite David Beckham's return with AC Milan.
United were written off by experts all over Europe before the season began as the void created by Ronaldo's departure looked too huge to fill. But, as the old saying goes, write United off at your own peril. When a young manager named Alex Ferguson arrived at Old Trafford 23 years ago, he promised to knock Liverpool off their fucking perch. No one believed him. Last year he drew level with Liverpool's record of 18 league crowns. He loves to beat the odds and like him his team are most dangerous when their backs are against the wall. With Sir Alex Ferguson at the helm, I wouldn't bet against this United side achieve even bigger things in the next decade.
The decade started with United in possession of both domestic and European crown. 1998-99 season was stuff of dreams. It was impossible to replicate that kind of success but Man Utd came very close. The most challenging task for Sir Alex Ferguson was to replace Peter Schmeichel after his departure and it took a long time to find a decent replacement. Apart from the great Dane, the core of the 99 squad was intact and they carried on from where they left. United went on to defend the Premier League crown but were knocked out by Raul inspired Real Madrid in the Champions League.
After failed attempts to find a new goalkeeper, United turned to World Cup winner Fabien Barthez. The eccentric Frenchman provided some stability at the back. He had a very good first season as Man Utd went on to complete the hat trick of domestic titles in 2001. European glory eluded the Reds again. It was Bayern Munich's turn to knock United out on their way to glory, burying the demons of 99 in the process.
Sir Alex Ferguson shocked the World by announcing his retirement plans at the end of 2001-02 season. This decision perhaps destabilized the club. The squad itself was chopped and changed during the course of the season. Rock solid Jaap Stam left the club in controversial circumstances and his replacement was veteran Frenchman Laurent Blanc. The arrival of Dutch maestro Ruud Van Nistelrooy signalled the end of the road for highly successful Cole-Yorke partnership. The transfer of Argentine superstar Juan Sebastian Veron was greeted with joy but this deal proved to be one of the rare mistakes by Sir Alex Ferguson in the transfer market. United ended the season trophy less. It was not how Sir Alex wanted to bid farewell. So, he took a U-turn and dismissed the idea of retirement. This decision spurred United on to achieve greater things in future.
United broke the bank to sign Rio Ferdinand to help the ailing defense at the start of 02-03 season. Ruud Van Nistelrooy enjoyed a sensational season to help United reclaim Premier League glory in dramatic fashion. The season was dominated by headlines of deteriorating relationship between Sir Alex and superstar David Beckham. Beckham inspired United to a sensational 4-3 win over Real Madrid in a game where Brazilian legend Ronaldo scored a hat trick. It was one of the best displays ever by a visiting player at Old Trafford. Despite losing, Real Madrid went through on aggregate and United were left to rebuild the squad again.
High profile players Barthez, Veron and Beckham left Old Trafford in the summer of 2003. In came Portuguese teenager Cristiano Ronaldo who would inspire United to great success in the future. But, he was too inexperienced at that stage. 2003-04 was Arsenal's invincibles' season. This was also the season when Roman Abramovich arrived at Chelsea and turned them into a superpower. United were in the middle of a rebuilding phase and they finished the season in third place. Jose Mourinho announced his arrival on the scene with his Porto side that knocked United out of the Champions League. But, the season ended on a high for United as they beat Millwall to claim the FA Cup.
United spent the next two seasons in the shadow of Jose Mourinho's Chelsea. They saw Chelsea's rise to prominence. It was time to rebuild. Teenage sensation Wayne Rooney joined United in the summer of 04. He scored a hat trick on his debut. The signs were positive but United were not ready to challenge Chelsea at the summit of the League. A trophy less 2004-05 season was followed by a disappointing 05-06 season. United finished at the bottom of their Champions League group. Chelsea proved to be too strong in the Premier League again. But, consolation came in the form of League Cup triumph.
There were some major changes in the squad during the course of the 2005-06 season. Dutch veteran Edwin Van Der Sar joined the Red Devils. He'd go on and become a worthy successor to the Great Dane six years after his departure. In January 06, United swooped for defenders Patrice Evra and Nemanja Vidic. They were bargain buys of the decade. But, all was not well within the club. Skipper Roy Keane was unceremoniously shown the Old Trafford exit door in the middle of the season. Top scorer Van Nistelrooy had a training ground bust up with Ronaldo. Off the pitch, a takeover by American businessman Malcolm Glazor saddled the club with debt and left the supports skeptical about the future of the club. All these factors combined to make United look like a club in the decline.
The summer of 2006 heaped further misery on the club. The young stars of the club, Rooney and Ronaldo, had a spat during the World Cup which saw Rooney sent off. England were knocked out by Portugal and Ronaldo bore the brunt of criticism for his involvement in the sending off. Ronaldo, fearing for his safety, looked set to move on but Sir Alex knew his potential. He convinced the Portuguese to stay at the club. Rooney and Ronaldo moved on from the World Cup incident. But, striker Ruud Van Nistelrooy, who had an incredible scoring record for United, left the club. So, the press was not convinced of United's strength and goalscoring prowess. They were the underdog as Chelsea spent big in the summer again. But, as an old saying goes, write Manchester United off at your own peril.
2006-07 was a sensational season, my favorite after 98-99. Man Utd played some fantastic Football that season. Rooney and Ronaldo were at their best. They were duly supported by ever present Giggs, Scholes and Neville. Ferdinand and Vidic formed a formidable partnership at the back. It was great to see Man Utd beat the odds again under Sir Alex Ferguson. The Premier League trophy came back to Old Trafford. An injury crisis at crunch time of the season left United too weak for an experienced AC Milan team. United were knocked out at the semi final stage. It proved to be a very important experience for the young side and they came back stronger the next season.
2007-08 was all about Cristiano Ronaldo. What a season he had. He scored goals left, right and center to help United retain the Premier League crown and go one better in the Champions League. Everything fell in place at the right time. United became the Champions of England, Champions of Europe and Champions of the World. Ronaldo won all the individual accolades that were there to be won and he deserved it.
Ronaldo spent the summer of 08 flirting with his dream club, Real Madrid but stayed at United in the end. United didn't perform as well as the last two seasons but a watertight defense that broke a long standing clean sheets record, helped United to complete the second League title hat-trick. The youngsters at the club showed their mettle as they claimed League Cup glory. But, United missed out on the Champions league crown by a whisker. They were beaten in the Final by a fantastic Barcelona side.
The summer of 09 started with Ronaldo getting his dream move. He became World's most expensive player ever when Real Madrid paid £80m for his services. Sir Alex was back to the drawing board again. After building so many successful sides in the past, who'd bet against him to pull it off again. This season has been a bit up and down. United have been inconsistent but are only two points away from the summit. Teams like Man City, Tottenham and Aston Villa are looking strong making this season very exciting. This season's Champions League will witness Old Trafford favorite David Beckham's return with AC Milan.
United were written off by experts all over Europe before the season began as the void created by Ronaldo's departure looked too huge to fill. But, as the old saying goes, write United off at your own peril. When a young manager named Alex Ferguson arrived at Old Trafford 23 years ago, he promised to knock Liverpool off their fucking perch. No one believed him. Last year he drew level with Liverpool's record of 18 league crowns. He loves to beat the odds and like him his team are most dangerous when their backs are against the wall. With Sir Alex Ferguson at the helm, I wouldn't bet against this United side achieve even bigger things in the next decade.
Tuesday, 18 August 2009
Roll on the Footie
Summers are so boring without Football. Two and a half months of torturous wait has finally come to an end. Barclays Premier League has kicked off. The teams have changed quite a lot in the transfer window. The "Big Four" were relatively quiet in the transfer market as compared to the top Spanish clubs. Will the balance of power shift too? Time will tell.
Here are my predictions for the new season-
1. Wolverhampton Wanderers: Wolves won the Championship last term and played attractive Football. They are a club with rich history. So, its great to have them back in the Premiership. Their key player is Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, a former Manchester United youth player. He was Championship's top scorer in the last couple of seasons. Wolves will bank on him to carry his wonderful form to the Premiership.
2. Birmingham City: Birmingham earned promotion by playing organized Football. They weren't pretty but were effective. Expect them to park the bus in front of goal to grind out results.
3. Burnley: Burnley's story has been a fairytale. They had an amazing Carling Cup run last term. They proved to be a nemesis for London's Premier League clubs. They knocked out Fulham, Chelsea and Arsenal on their way to the Semi finals where they nearly knocked out Tottenham. Their performance in the League was superb as well which got them to 5th spot in the table. They knocked out Reading and Sheffield United in the Playoffs to book a Premier League berth. I expect Turf Moor to host many memorable clashes this season. This is one team I'll be following with a lot of interest.
4. Hull City: Hull had a dream start to their debut Premier League season but it ended in a nightmare. They won only one of their last 22 league games. The points accumulated at the start of the season saved them from relegation. Things don't look too bright for them this term either. Phil Brown has been unable to convince many of his transfer targets to join him at the KC Stadium. The likes of Michael Owen, Fraizer Campbell and Bobby Zamora have snubbed them. A shock deal for Real Madrid starlet Alvaro Negredo may well be in the pipeline. Even if the deal materializes, Hull City will remain a top relegation candidate.
5. Portsmouth: Those days seem decades away when Pompey were winning the FA Cup and had top quality players like Defoe, Crouch and Johnson in their ranks. Throw in, lack of transfer activity, ownership issues and lack of discipline among players, in the mix and you have a top contender for relegation. Harry Redknapp left the club last season and his successor Tony Adams was sacked. Paul Hart then guided the club to safety and the club has stuck with him. But, he faces a mammoth task to keep the club in the Premiership. They look particularly light weight up front after selling Peter Crouch. Top players like David James and Niko Kranjcar will have to play a massive role to keep the club in the Premiership.
6. Stoke City: Football purists criticized Tony Pulis' approach last season. They were physical in their approach and Rory Delap's long throws were not the prettiest route to goal. But, it has to be said that it was effective. In the end, Stoke got a respectable mid table position. They haven't done much in the transfer market but they have kept majority of their squad together. They will employ the same approach this season: physical, well organized and hard to beat. Add to that, the wonderful atmosphere at Britannia Stadium and I think they'll stay up again.
7. Wigan Athletic: Wigan have undergone a lot of changes over the last seven months. Steve Bruce, who did a magnificent job with them, left the club to join Sunderland. Wigan lost two influential players in January: Wilson Palacios and Emile Heskey. Luis Valencia left the club in July to join Manchester United. Amr Zaki's loan wasn't extended due to disciplinary issues. Now, Wigan have a new look to their line-up. Their new manager, Roberto Martinez, has no experience of managing a Premier League club although he is widely regarded as one of the brightest young managers. He had a wonderful spell at Swansea and Wigan fans will be hoping for the same when he picks up the reins at the DW Stadium.
I expect the above 7 clubs to be trapped in relegation dogfight. The likes of Hull City, Portsmouth and the newly promoted sides are looking highly vulnerable.
8. Sunderland: The English Football's yoyo club is finally enjoying an extended run in the Premier League. Sunderland have money and they have appointed a good manager, Steve Bruce. Sunderland opted not to sign Djibril Cisse after his loan spell expired. But, they have brought in Darren Bent and Fraizer Campbell. Although Bent has been criticized a lot but he scores goals. Then, Bruce may pull a rabbit out of the hat by using his contacts in South America to unearth some promising young players as he did with Wigan. Combining all factors, a mid table place seems to be a safe bet as far as Sunderland are concerned.
9. Bolton Wanderers: Bolton's decent showing last season was largely due to excellent performances by Kevin Davies and Matt Taylor. Bolton won't change their style of play. It may not be pleasing to the eye but it has served them well. The hoof ball merchants should secure a mid table berth again.
10. Fulham: When Roy Hodgson arrived at Fulham in 2007-08, they were in shambles. They were a top contender for relegation. But, Hodgson miraculously guided them to safety. His hard work reaped benefits last term when a well organised Fulham side booked a place in the UEFA Europa League. The key to their performance was their defense and in particular Brede Hangeland. If Fulham hold onto him then they have a wonderful chance of securing a respectable position in the table. A big concern for Hodgson must be the lack of goals. The likes of Andy Johnson and Bobby Zamora need to step up. I think it'll be very difficult for them to repeat last season's heroics simply because their squad isn't big enough to cope up with the pressure of playing in multiple competitions. It happened with Portsmouth last season and it may happen with Fulham this time.
11. Blackburn Rovers: Last season, Blackburn appointed inexperienced Paul Ince as their manager. But, he failed and Blackburn were left fighting relegation. Experienced campaigner Sam Allardyce arrived and guided the club to safety. Although Big Sam's teams play physical and dull Football but his methods have been very effective. He guided a mediocre Bolton side to UEFA Cup qualification a few years ago. I expect more of the same at Blackburn. Blackburn have lost their best striker, Roque Santa Cruz, to Man City. But, his last season was blighted by injuries. Blackburn coped well in his absence. They have brought in promising Chelsea youngster Franco Di Santo on loan and are linked with Real Madrid's Alvaro Negredo. It'll be a massive coup if Blackburn pull off the deal. I'd expect them to finish near 10th spot in the table.
12. West Ham United: Gianfranco Zola and Steve Clarke did a wonderful job at West Ham last season after starting off in a shaky manner. West Ham have a lot of good players in their side like Robert Green, Matthew Upson, Carlton Cole, Scott Parker and Dean Ashton (if fit). They have kept the core of their squad together this summer. If these players play to their potential then West Ham have a wonderful chance of qualifying for the Europa League.
13. Aston Villa: Aston Villa had a golden opportunity to break the Big Four monopoly last season but they blew it when it mattered. Martin O'Neill took a gamble to rest his big guns for a UEFA Cup clash. It backfired and Villa got knocked out of the competition. After that Villa's season got worse after each and every game. Wins became hard to come by and Villa eventually surrendered the fourth spot to Arsenal. Villa's rock in defense Martin Laursen had to retire this summer because of injury problems while Gareth Barry raised a few eyebrows by moving to Man City instead of Liverpool. Villa's attack looks great though with the likes of Carew, Agbonlahor, Young, Heskey, Milner and new signing Stewart Downing, in their ranks. Still, I feel that last season was their best chance to get to the Champions League and they may not get another chance as Man City and Tottenham are looking stronger.
14. Everton: I am amazed to see the progress Everton have made under David Moyes. He has a small budget to operate under while his competitors splash the cash around. Even under tight financial constraints, Moyes achieved 5th spot in the table and took his team to the FA Cup final last season. Those feats will be difficult to achieve this season as their rivals Man City and Tottenham are looking stronger. Everton have been badly hit by injuries as well. Key players Arteta, Jagielka and Yakubu are out. But this is not the end of Everton's problems. Their best defender Joleon Lescott is being pursued by Man City and it seems that the cash rich club will get their man in the end. So, responsibility falls on the shoulders of Tim Cahill and Marouane Fellaini to guide the team through this difficult period. It won't be easy for Everton to defy the odds this time but they have done it before and they can do it again.
15. Manchester City: Cash fuelled Manchester City have invested heavily in the transfer market. They, along with Real Madrid, have contributed to the inflation in the transfer market. Man City became the richest club in the World last year when Abu Dhabi United Group purchased the club. They had little time to do something in the transfer market but pulled off a stunning coup by signing Robinho from Real Madrid. This year they had full transfer window to invest and they have invested heavily. Roque Santa Cruz, Carlos Tevez, Emmanuel Adebayor, Gareth Barry and Kolo Toure have all arrived while some want-away players have left. All the new arrivals are proven Premier League players. Add Robinho and Stephen Ireland to the likes of Adebayor, Tevez and Santa Cruz and you have, perhaps, the best attacking unit in the Premier League, on paper. But, the big question is, will these players gel quickly enough to allow City to break into the top four? I don't think so. Football is a funny game. You may have 11 best players out on the pitch but they need to play as a team. I think City may break into the top four after one or two seasons but this time they'll be left fighting for a UEFA Europa League spot. A major reason is the lack of defensive options at Hughes' disposal. City leaked in goals last season and need to strengthen the back four. This is exactly why Hughes was so desperate to get Terry. He failed to lure the England captain and has turned his attentions to Everton's Joleon Lescott. Another problem that confronts Mark Hughes is that there are too many strikers at the club. He'll have to keep everyone happy which is easier said than done. There is huge pressure on Mark Hughes to succeed otherwise he may find himself searching for a new job. Having said that, it is possible that their big guns click at the right time to gatecrash the Big Four party. Manchester City will provide a totally new dimension to this season. Can money buy success? This question will be answered soon.
16. Tottenham Hotspur: No transfer window is complete without frantic transfer activity at White Hart Lane. This window has been a bit different though. Although Spurs were linked with the likes of Huntelaar and Vieira but they couldn't bring them in. Still, Spurs are a formidable team on paper. Their defense doesn't look too bad with Woodgate, King, Corluka and new boy Bassong in the squad. They have a good midfield. The pace of Lennon, the strength of Palacios and the vision of Modric complement each other perfectly. Add four top class strikers, Defoe, Keane, Pavlyuchenko and new signing Peter Crouch, to the mix and you get a squad that can go the distance in the Premier League. Spurs had a good squad on paper for many years and they spent heavily too but couldn't force their way into the top four. Defensive errors, managerial instability, inconsistency etc have been the reasons for their downfall in the past. But now they have an experienced manager, Harry Redknapp, who almost took them to Europe from bottom place in the table last season. They have a settled squad too and lack of transfers may prove to be a boon for them. I think Spurs will be the one of the main contenders for that elusive fourth spot in the table.
17. Arsenal: Arsenal is a big club but they have had four consecutive trophyless years. Their fans are getting impatient. Last year, Arsenal were out of the title race by Christmas. They reached the latter stages of cup competitions but couldn't force the issue when they came up against the top sides. Arsene Wenger's decision to sell Toure and Adebayor to rivals Man City hasn't helped the situation. It seems that all is not well in the Arsenal boardroom. It is quite clear that Wenger doesn't have the money to buy big players. I think he is doing a fantastic job with his current players. He has brought in Thomas Vermaelen to toughen up the defense which has been Arsenal's biggest weakness for the last 3-4 years. Arsenal's squad looks so thin that a couple of injuries to key players might end their title dreams but if they keep themselves injury free then they have one of the best attacking units. Van Persie, Arshavin, Fabregas, Walcott and Nasri are names that any manager would love to have in his squad. The return of Eduardo and Rosicky is like a couple of new signings. Many people have tipped Arsenal to crash out of the top four but I think that they can even challenge for the title if key players remain fit.
18. Liverpool: The way Liverpool ended their last season was simply phenomenal. Not only Gerrard and Torres but the likes of Alonso, Kuyt and Benayoun were magnificent. It has given Liverpool fans the belief that they can bring the Premier League trophy to Anfield. But, Liverpool have lost a key player, Xabi Alonso, to Real Madrid. He was the creative force in the midfield last season and allowed Gerrard the freedom to attack. The likes of Lucas and Mascherano lack Alonso's qualities. Liverpool have brought in Alberto Aquilani from Roma to compensate for Alonso's loss. Although he is a talented lad but he is unproven and has a poor fitness record. It'll be interesting to see how he performs in a more physical league. Another new signing is Glen Johnson who is a promising right back. To make way for him, Alvaro Arbeloa has been shipped to Real Madrid. I think Liverpool lack a decent backup for Torres. Voronin hasn't set the World alight with his performances and N'Gog is unproven. The fitness of Gerrard and Torres will be a key to Liverpool's chances of winning the Premier League. But, I think last season was Liverpool's best chance to win the league and they may not get another chance this time because their squad is not big enough to go the distance.
19. Chelsea: Chelsea are the only Big Four club who haven't lost key players in the transfer window which makes them people's favourite to lift the title. Zhirkov and Sturridge are welcome additions to the squad. Although, the personnel on the pitch will be the same but Abramovich's revolving door policy has meant that Carlo Ancelotti will be Chelsea's 5th manager in three years. It'll be interesting to see how quickly Ancelotti adapts to the Premier League and how quickly Chelsea adapt to his diamond formation. Pre-season signs have been positive. The usual suspects, Lampard, Terry and Drogba will be pivotal for Chelsea's chances this season. Chelsea's biggest problem is their ageing squad. Most of their key players are on the wrong side of thirty. It'll be interesting to see if these players have the legs to grind out results week in and week out. I think they'll be United's biggest challengers for the Premier League crown.
20. Manchester United: The Champions, Manchester United usually enter a competition as favorites. But, it's different this time. The best player in the World, Cristiano Ronaldo, has been transferred to Real Madrid. Another important player Carlos Tevez has switched to the blue half of Manchester. That makes United the underdogs for a change but it will be a big mistake to write United off. After all, we are talking about a club that has won three back to back Premier League titles, a club that appeared in two consecutive Champions League finals, a club that is managed by arguably the best manager of all time. Ronaldo's transfer left United with 80m to spend which Sir Alex chose not to. It is an inflated market and the wise man thought that he won't get value for money this time. He brought in young and promising players like Antonio Valencia and Gabriel Obertan along with free agent Michael Owen. The shock capture of Owen may prove to be a masterstroke by Fergie as the England striker is a proven goal scorer. The other new boy, Antonio Valencia, is a proven Premier League player. He will be looked upon as Ronaldo's replacement. But, I think it is impossible for one player to replace Ronaldo. The whole team will have to step up to replace Ronaldo. Wayne Rooney will be the focal point of United's attacks while Dimitar Berbatov needs justify his price tag. Then, there are young strikers like Macheda and Welbeck who were wonderful last season and can only improve. It'll be interesting to see how much time youngsters like Gibson, Tosic, Obertan, Petrucci and January arrivals Ljajic and Diouf get on the pitch. These players can only benefit from the presence of Giggs, Scholes and Neville on the training ground. It is a big season for Ben Foster as well who may finally get an extended run in the first team. The strongest aspect of United's game last season was defense. If the likes of Vidic, Ferdinand, Van Der Sar and Evra remain fit at crucial times this season then United can expect more silverware. I think United have the experience and a big enough squad to finally knock Liverpool off their perch. It'll be an unbelievable achievement for the legendary manager who is, perhaps, building his last squad at Manchester United.
Predicted league table
1. Manchester United
2. Chelsea
3. Liverpool
4. Arsenal
5. Tottenham Hotspur
6. Manchester City
7. Everton
8. Aston Villa
9. West Ham
10. Blackburn Rovers
11. Fulham
12. Sunderland
13. Bolton Wanderers
14. Stoke City
15. Wigan Athletic
16. Birmingham City
17. Hull City
18. Wolverhampton Wanderers
19. Portsmouth
20. Burnley
Here are my predictions for the new season-
1. Wolverhampton Wanderers: Wolves won the Championship last term and played attractive Football. They are a club with rich history. So, its great to have them back in the Premiership. Their key player is Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, a former Manchester United youth player. He was Championship's top scorer in the last couple of seasons. Wolves will bank on him to carry his wonderful form to the Premiership.
2. Birmingham City: Birmingham earned promotion by playing organized Football. They weren't pretty but were effective. Expect them to park the bus in front of goal to grind out results.
3. Burnley: Burnley's story has been a fairytale. They had an amazing Carling Cup run last term. They proved to be a nemesis for London's Premier League clubs. They knocked out Fulham, Chelsea and Arsenal on their way to the Semi finals where they nearly knocked out Tottenham. Their performance in the League was superb as well which got them to 5th spot in the table. They knocked out Reading and Sheffield United in the Playoffs to book a Premier League berth. I expect Turf Moor to host many memorable clashes this season. This is one team I'll be following with a lot of interest.
4. Hull City: Hull had a dream start to their debut Premier League season but it ended in a nightmare. They won only one of their last 22 league games. The points accumulated at the start of the season saved them from relegation. Things don't look too bright for them this term either. Phil Brown has been unable to convince many of his transfer targets to join him at the KC Stadium. The likes of Michael Owen, Fraizer Campbell and Bobby Zamora have snubbed them. A shock deal for Real Madrid starlet Alvaro Negredo may well be in the pipeline. Even if the deal materializes, Hull City will remain a top relegation candidate.
5. Portsmouth: Those days seem decades away when Pompey were winning the FA Cup and had top quality players like Defoe, Crouch and Johnson in their ranks. Throw in, lack of transfer activity, ownership issues and lack of discipline among players, in the mix and you have a top contender for relegation. Harry Redknapp left the club last season and his successor Tony Adams was sacked. Paul Hart then guided the club to safety and the club has stuck with him. But, he faces a mammoth task to keep the club in the Premiership. They look particularly light weight up front after selling Peter Crouch. Top players like David James and Niko Kranjcar will have to play a massive role to keep the club in the Premiership.
6. Stoke City: Football purists criticized Tony Pulis' approach last season. They were physical in their approach and Rory Delap's long throws were not the prettiest route to goal. But, it has to be said that it was effective. In the end, Stoke got a respectable mid table position. They haven't done much in the transfer market but they have kept majority of their squad together. They will employ the same approach this season: physical, well organized and hard to beat. Add to that, the wonderful atmosphere at Britannia Stadium and I think they'll stay up again.
7. Wigan Athletic: Wigan have undergone a lot of changes over the last seven months. Steve Bruce, who did a magnificent job with them, left the club to join Sunderland. Wigan lost two influential players in January: Wilson Palacios and Emile Heskey. Luis Valencia left the club in July to join Manchester United. Amr Zaki's loan wasn't extended due to disciplinary issues. Now, Wigan have a new look to their line-up. Their new manager, Roberto Martinez, has no experience of managing a Premier League club although he is widely regarded as one of the brightest young managers. He had a wonderful spell at Swansea and Wigan fans will be hoping for the same when he picks up the reins at the DW Stadium.
I expect the above 7 clubs to be trapped in relegation dogfight. The likes of Hull City, Portsmouth and the newly promoted sides are looking highly vulnerable.
8. Sunderland: The English Football's yoyo club is finally enjoying an extended run in the Premier League. Sunderland have money and they have appointed a good manager, Steve Bruce. Sunderland opted not to sign Djibril Cisse after his loan spell expired. But, they have brought in Darren Bent and Fraizer Campbell. Although Bent has been criticized a lot but he scores goals. Then, Bruce may pull a rabbit out of the hat by using his contacts in South America to unearth some promising young players as he did with Wigan. Combining all factors, a mid table place seems to be a safe bet as far as Sunderland are concerned.
9. Bolton Wanderers: Bolton's decent showing last season was largely due to excellent performances by Kevin Davies and Matt Taylor. Bolton won't change their style of play. It may not be pleasing to the eye but it has served them well. The hoof ball merchants should secure a mid table berth again.
10. Fulham: When Roy Hodgson arrived at Fulham in 2007-08, they were in shambles. They were a top contender for relegation. But, Hodgson miraculously guided them to safety. His hard work reaped benefits last term when a well organised Fulham side booked a place in the UEFA Europa League. The key to their performance was their defense and in particular Brede Hangeland. If Fulham hold onto him then they have a wonderful chance of securing a respectable position in the table. A big concern for Hodgson must be the lack of goals. The likes of Andy Johnson and Bobby Zamora need to step up. I think it'll be very difficult for them to repeat last season's heroics simply because their squad isn't big enough to cope up with the pressure of playing in multiple competitions. It happened with Portsmouth last season and it may happen with Fulham this time.
11. Blackburn Rovers: Last season, Blackburn appointed inexperienced Paul Ince as their manager. But, he failed and Blackburn were left fighting relegation. Experienced campaigner Sam Allardyce arrived and guided the club to safety. Although Big Sam's teams play physical and dull Football but his methods have been very effective. He guided a mediocre Bolton side to UEFA Cup qualification a few years ago. I expect more of the same at Blackburn. Blackburn have lost their best striker, Roque Santa Cruz, to Man City. But, his last season was blighted by injuries. Blackburn coped well in his absence. They have brought in promising Chelsea youngster Franco Di Santo on loan and are linked with Real Madrid's Alvaro Negredo. It'll be a massive coup if Blackburn pull off the deal. I'd expect them to finish near 10th spot in the table.
12. West Ham United: Gianfranco Zola and Steve Clarke did a wonderful job at West Ham last season after starting off in a shaky manner. West Ham have a lot of good players in their side like Robert Green, Matthew Upson, Carlton Cole, Scott Parker and Dean Ashton (if fit). They have kept the core of their squad together this summer. If these players play to their potential then West Ham have a wonderful chance of qualifying for the Europa League.
13. Aston Villa: Aston Villa had a golden opportunity to break the Big Four monopoly last season but they blew it when it mattered. Martin O'Neill took a gamble to rest his big guns for a UEFA Cup clash. It backfired and Villa got knocked out of the competition. After that Villa's season got worse after each and every game. Wins became hard to come by and Villa eventually surrendered the fourth spot to Arsenal. Villa's rock in defense Martin Laursen had to retire this summer because of injury problems while Gareth Barry raised a few eyebrows by moving to Man City instead of Liverpool. Villa's attack looks great though with the likes of Carew, Agbonlahor, Young, Heskey, Milner and new signing Stewart Downing, in their ranks. Still, I feel that last season was their best chance to get to the Champions League and they may not get another chance as Man City and Tottenham are looking stronger.
14. Everton: I am amazed to see the progress Everton have made under David Moyes. He has a small budget to operate under while his competitors splash the cash around. Even under tight financial constraints, Moyes achieved 5th spot in the table and took his team to the FA Cup final last season. Those feats will be difficult to achieve this season as their rivals Man City and Tottenham are looking stronger. Everton have been badly hit by injuries as well. Key players Arteta, Jagielka and Yakubu are out. But this is not the end of Everton's problems. Their best defender Joleon Lescott is being pursued by Man City and it seems that the cash rich club will get their man in the end. So, responsibility falls on the shoulders of Tim Cahill and Marouane Fellaini to guide the team through this difficult period. It won't be easy for Everton to defy the odds this time but they have done it before and they can do it again.
15. Manchester City: Cash fuelled Manchester City have invested heavily in the transfer market. They, along with Real Madrid, have contributed to the inflation in the transfer market. Man City became the richest club in the World last year when Abu Dhabi United Group purchased the club. They had little time to do something in the transfer market but pulled off a stunning coup by signing Robinho from Real Madrid. This year they had full transfer window to invest and they have invested heavily. Roque Santa Cruz, Carlos Tevez, Emmanuel Adebayor, Gareth Barry and Kolo Toure have all arrived while some want-away players have left. All the new arrivals are proven Premier League players. Add Robinho and Stephen Ireland to the likes of Adebayor, Tevez and Santa Cruz and you have, perhaps, the best attacking unit in the Premier League, on paper. But, the big question is, will these players gel quickly enough to allow City to break into the top four? I don't think so. Football is a funny game. You may have 11 best players out on the pitch but they need to play as a team. I think City may break into the top four after one or two seasons but this time they'll be left fighting for a UEFA Europa League spot. A major reason is the lack of defensive options at Hughes' disposal. City leaked in goals last season and need to strengthen the back four. This is exactly why Hughes was so desperate to get Terry. He failed to lure the England captain and has turned his attentions to Everton's Joleon Lescott. Another problem that confronts Mark Hughes is that there are too many strikers at the club. He'll have to keep everyone happy which is easier said than done. There is huge pressure on Mark Hughes to succeed otherwise he may find himself searching for a new job. Having said that, it is possible that their big guns click at the right time to gatecrash the Big Four party. Manchester City will provide a totally new dimension to this season. Can money buy success? This question will be answered soon.
16. Tottenham Hotspur: No transfer window is complete without frantic transfer activity at White Hart Lane. This window has been a bit different though. Although Spurs were linked with the likes of Huntelaar and Vieira but they couldn't bring them in. Still, Spurs are a formidable team on paper. Their defense doesn't look too bad with Woodgate, King, Corluka and new boy Bassong in the squad. They have a good midfield. The pace of Lennon, the strength of Palacios and the vision of Modric complement each other perfectly. Add four top class strikers, Defoe, Keane, Pavlyuchenko and new signing Peter Crouch, to the mix and you get a squad that can go the distance in the Premier League. Spurs had a good squad on paper for many years and they spent heavily too but couldn't force their way into the top four. Defensive errors, managerial instability, inconsistency etc have been the reasons for their downfall in the past. But now they have an experienced manager, Harry Redknapp, who almost took them to Europe from bottom place in the table last season. They have a settled squad too and lack of transfers may prove to be a boon for them. I think Spurs will be the one of the main contenders for that elusive fourth spot in the table.
17. Arsenal: Arsenal is a big club but they have had four consecutive trophyless years. Their fans are getting impatient. Last year, Arsenal were out of the title race by Christmas. They reached the latter stages of cup competitions but couldn't force the issue when they came up against the top sides. Arsene Wenger's decision to sell Toure and Adebayor to rivals Man City hasn't helped the situation. It seems that all is not well in the Arsenal boardroom. It is quite clear that Wenger doesn't have the money to buy big players. I think he is doing a fantastic job with his current players. He has brought in Thomas Vermaelen to toughen up the defense which has been Arsenal's biggest weakness for the last 3-4 years. Arsenal's squad looks so thin that a couple of injuries to key players might end their title dreams but if they keep themselves injury free then they have one of the best attacking units. Van Persie, Arshavin, Fabregas, Walcott and Nasri are names that any manager would love to have in his squad. The return of Eduardo and Rosicky is like a couple of new signings. Many people have tipped Arsenal to crash out of the top four but I think that they can even challenge for the title if key players remain fit.
18. Liverpool: The way Liverpool ended their last season was simply phenomenal. Not only Gerrard and Torres but the likes of Alonso, Kuyt and Benayoun were magnificent. It has given Liverpool fans the belief that they can bring the Premier League trophy to Anfield. But, Liverpool have lost a key player, Xabi Alonso, to Real Madrid. He was the creative force in the midfield last season and allowed Gerrard the freedom to attack. The likes of Lucas and Mascherano lack Alonso's qualities. Liverpool have brought in Alberto Aquilani from Roma to compensate for Alonso's loss. Although he is a talented lad but he is unproven and has a poor fitness record. It'll be interesting to see how he performs in a more physical league. Another new signing is Glen Johnson who is a promising right back. To make way for him, Alvaro Arbeloa has been shipped to Real Madrid. I think Liverpool lack a decent backup for Torres. Voronin hasn't set the World alight with his performances and N'Gog is unproven. The fitness of Gerrard and Torres will be a key to Liverpool's chances of winning the Premier League. But, I think last season was Liverpool's best chance to win the league and they may not get another chance this time because their squad is not big enough to go the distance.
19. Chelsea: Chelsea are the only Big Four club who haven't lost key players in the transfer window which makes them people's favourite to lift the title. Zhirkov and Sturridge are welcome additions to the squad. Although, the personnel on the pitch will be the same but Abramovich's revolving door policy has meant that Carlo Ancelotti will be Chelsea's 5th manager in three years. It'll be interesting to see how quickly Ancelotti adapts to the Premier League and how quickly Chelsea adapt to his diamond formation. Pre-season signs have been positive. The usual suspects, Lampard, Terry and Drogba will be pivotal for Chelsea's chances this season. Chelsea's biggest problem is their ageing squad. Most of their key players are on the wrong side of thirty. It'll be interesting to see if these players have the legs to grind out results week in and week out. I think they'll be United's biggest challengers for the Premier League crown.
20. Manchester United: The Champions, Manchester United usually enter a competition as favorites. But, it's different this time. The best player in the World, Cristiano Ronaldo, has been transferred to Real Madrid. Another important player Carlos Tevez has switched to the blue half of Manchester. That makes United the underdogs for a change but it will be a big mistake to write United off. After all, we are talking about a club that has won three back to back Premier League titles, a club that appeared in two consecutive Champions League finals, a club that is managed by arguably the best manager of all time. Ronaldo's transfer left United with 80m to spend which Sir Alex chose not to. It is an inflated market and the wise man thought that he won't get value for money this time. He brought in young and promising players like Antonio Valencia and Gabriel Obertan along with free agent Michael Owen. The shock capture of Owen may prove to be a masterstroke by Fergie as the England striker is a proven goal scorer. The other new boy, Antonio Valencia, is a proven Premier League player. He will be looked upon as Ronaldo's replacement. But, I think it is impossible for one player to replace Ronaldo. The whole team will have to step up to replace Ronaldo. Wayne Rooney will be the focal point of United's attacks while Dimitar Berbatov needs justify his price tag. Then, there are young strikers like Macheda and Welbeck who were wonderful last season and can only improve. It'll be interesting to see how much time youngsters like Gibson, Tosic, Obertan, Petrucci and January arrivals Ljajic and Diouf get on the pitch. These players can only benefit from the presence of Giggs, Scholes and Neville on the training ground. It is a big season for Ben Foster as well who may finally get an extended run in the first team. The strongest aspect of United's game last season was defense. If the likes of Vidic, Ferdinand, Van Der Sar and Evra remain fit at crucial times this season then United can expect more silverware. I think United have the experience and a big enough squad to finally knock Liverpool off their perch. It'll be an unbelievable achievement for the legendary manager who is, perhaps, building his last squad at Manchester United.
Predicted league table
1. Manchester United
2. Chelsea
3. Liverpool
4. Arsenal
5. Tottenham Hotspur
6. Manchester City
7. Everton
8. Aston Villa
9. West Ham
10. Blackburn Rovers
11. Fulham
12. Sunderland
13. Bolton Wanderers
14. Stoke City
15. Wigan Athletic
16. Birmingham City
17. Hull City
18. Wolverhampton Wanderers
19. Portsmouth
20. Burnley
Monday, 29 June 2009
Shades of '95
As the news of Cristiano Ronaldo's imminent departure sunk in, Carlos Tevez refused to tie his future to the Champions of England. United couldn't have had a worse start to the transfer window. Two of the most crucial players have left the Theater of Dreams creating a huge void for Sir Alex to fill. It is a situation United have been familiar with.
In the summer of 95, United let Mark Hughes, Paul Ince and Andrei Kanchelskis leave Old Trafford much to the dismay of the fans. These were three very important members of the squad. But, Sir Alex knew that time had come to look to the future. He didn't spend big which again agitated the fans. Instead, he used this situation as an opportunity to give academy players their big break. Alan Hansen famously said, "You'll never win anything with kids". But, the players rewarded their Manager's faith by proving everyone wrong. Gary Neville, Phil Neville, Nicky Butt, Paul Scholes and David Beckham went on to become Old Trafford legends and won everything with United.
Today Manchester United find themselves in a similar situation. Two of the most influential members of the squad have left. Fans are demanding fresh faces. Renowned superstars like David Villa, Karim Benzema, Franck Ribery, David Silva and Sergio Aguero have been linked with a move to Old Trafford. But, Manchester United haven't bought anyone. The money generated from Ronaldo's departure may be used to wipe off a significant amount of debt that United have been operating under. It seems that Luis Valencia will join the Red Devils in the next few days. He is a good winger who'll create a lot of chances for the strikers. It'll be up to Rooney and Berbatov to step up and take those chances. Then there are youngsters like Welbeck, Macheda, Tosic, Fabio, Possebon and Petrucci who have developed really well under the watchful eyes of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Evans and Rafael got a lot of chances with the first team last season and they were absolutely magnificent. Another youngster Adem Ljajic will join United in January. I have heard a lot of positive things about him. So, its not as bad as it looks. Sir Alex may have lost two of his superstars but he has a whole bunch of future stars waiting in the wings. This is the beginning of a new era at Old Trafford and this time too United won't buy superstars, they'll make them.
In the summer of 95, United let Mark Hughes, Paul Ince and Andrei Kanchelskis leave Old Trafford much to the dismay of the fans. These were three very important members of the squad. But, Sir Alex knew that time had come to look to the future. He didn't spend big which again agitated the fans. Instead, he used this situation as an opportunity to give academy players their big break. Alan Hansen famously said, "You'll never win anything with kids". But, the players rewarded their Manager's faith by proving everyone wrong. Gary Neville, Phil Neville, Nicky Butt, Paul Scholes and David Beckham went on to become Old Trafford legends and won everything with United.
Today Manchester United find themselves in a similar situation. Two of the most influential members of the squad have left. Fans are demanding fresh faces. Renowned superstars like David Villa, Karim Benzema, Franck Ribery, David Silva and Sergio Aguero have been linked with a move to Old Trafford. But, Manchester United haven't bought anyone. The money generated from Ronaldo's departure may be used to wipe off a significant amount of debt that United have been operating under. It seems that Luis Valencia will join the Red Devils in the next few days. He is a good winger who'll create a lot of chances for the strikers. It'll be up to Rooney and Berbatov to step up and take those chances. Then there are youngsters like Welbeck, Macheda, Tosic, Fabio, Possebon and Petrucci who have developed really well under the watchful eyes of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Evans and Rafael got a lot of chances with the first team last season and they were absolutely magnificent. Another youngster Adem Ljajic will join United in January. I have heard a lot of positive things about him. So, its not as bad as it looks. Sir Alex may have lost two of his superstars but he has a whole bunch of future stars waiting in the wings. This is the beginning of a new era at Old Trafford and this time too United won't buy superstars, they'll make them.
Wednesday, 17 June 2009
Viva Ronaldo
In the summer of 2003, United's superstar David Beckham joined Real Madrid. Sir Alex bought an unknown 18 year old as his replacement and gave him the famous no 7 jersey. This kid had talent but sometimes frustrated his own team mates by trying win the game on his own. Passing was not on top of his priority list. Then he had a bust up with his striking partner at 2006 FIFA World Cup. He was made the scapegoat of England's demise in yet another World Cup. He feared for his safety in England but Sir Alex convinced him to continue his career at Old Trafford. The fans welcomed him back but he was targeted in the away fixtures. The booing and whistling made him stronger and more determined to prove his critics wrong. He scored 23 goals in a campaign which brought back the Premier League title to Old Trafford. He followed it up with an unbelievable return of 42 goals in his next season. United retained the Premier League crown and went on to win the Champions League. He won all the personal accolades for his majestic performances. The kid had matured now. He couldn't follow the dream season with similar success partly because of an injury and partly beacuse of the immense weight of expectations. But, he still ended up as United's top scorer with 26 goals and was instrumental in United equalling Liverpool's record of 18 League titles. United reached another Champions League Final but fell at the last hurdle. This lad looked like the only player who was trying to win the game for United. He finally decided to move to his dream club after 6 years of unbelievable success at Old Trafford.
Many fans say that he is not loyal to the club that made him what he is today. But, I believe that his contribution towards United's recent success evens everything out. United were there for him in his darkest hours and he rewarded United with a bag full of trophies. He had 6 wonderful years at the Theater of Dreams. He was one of the best players ever to have donned the Red shirt. I won't wish him luck simply because I hate the club he is moving to but I'd thank him for what he has done for Manchester United in the last six years. I say it one last time:
Viva Ronaldo,
Viva Ronaldo,
Running Down the Wing,
Hear United Sing,
Viva Ronaldo.
Many fans say that he is not loyal to the club that made him what he is today. But, I believe that his contribution towards United's recent success evens everything out. United were there for him in his darkest hours and he rewarded United with a bag full of trophies. He had 6 wonderful years at the Theater of Dreams. He was one of the best players ever to have donned the Red shirt. I won't wish him luck simply because I hate the club he is moving to but I'd thank him for what he has done for Manchester United in the last six years. I say it one last time:
Viva Ronaldo,
Viva Ronaldo,
Running Down the Wing,
Hear United Sing,
Viva Ronaldo.
Sunday, 17 May 2009
Quotes of the Season
Finally, Manchester United equalled Liverpool's long standing record of 18 League titles. It was an incredible campaign. Lets look back at some memorable quotes from some special people (courtesy manutd.com):
“The gaffer insists on good defending, but sometimes there's not much defending to do."
Jonny Evans shows his stargazing powers following the 3-0 win over Celtic in October. The Reds would soon embark on a British league-record 1,311-minute shutout
“It’s scary. You spend all week discussing tactics, but when a team is that good, you can’t do anything about it.”
Blackburn boss Paul Ince reflects on losing 2-0 at home to United in October
“Berbatov's play for the second goal was absolutely magnificent. You'd pay double the money to watch that."
Sir Alex marvels at the Bulgarian’s stupendous touchline wizardry against West Ham in October
“Once the prayer mats have been left in the dressing-room, it’ll be a case of defending in numbers, stubbornness, organisation, discipline and a lot of luck.”
Stoke’s Ricardo Fuller gives us the lowdown on Stoke City’s prep in November. United won 5-0
“I’ve been doodling on my pad, trying to see how I can fit all these players in. People ask me what I consider to be my best side, and the short answer is that I don’t have one.”
Sir Alex's oft-experienced selection headache ruins Christmas
“When you're in the tunnel and you hear on the speakers: ‘Please welcome the champions of England, the champions of Europe and the champions of the world...’ you believe that you're going to crush anybody that's in your way. I get goose bumps every time I walk out at Old Trafford.”
Dimitar Berbatov gets the sweetest chill in January
“He has a wonderful velvet touch; the ball goes stone dead when he gets it. In the midst of all the mayhem it's wonder to see."
Sir Alex lauds Paul Scholes on his 600th appearance for the Reds in April
“I probably wouldn’t have believed them if they’d said I’d play one game for United or score one goal. Numbers don’t really matter. I’ve just been lucky to play for a great club that happens to be my local club.”
Typical understatement from Scholes himself in April
“I don’t know about playing as well as I have done, that’s for other people to judge.”
And the jury was in favour. Ryan Giggs, shortly before being named PFA Player of the Year, for the first time, February
“Everyone thinks the money will make the job easier for Mark Hughes, but I don't."
Paddy Crerand looks into his crystal ball as the curtain opens on the new campaign
“At United, you learn from the best."
Kiko Macheda in November. His first examination at senior level was passed with flying colours five months down the line as his red arrow pierced Villa hearts.
“Scoring in front of the Stretford End is a dream for every boy from Manchester.”
Danny Welbeck reflects on his first United goal against Stoke in November
“Yes, we take terrible risks, but there's always a chance we'll win the match."
Sir Alex sums up the essence of Manchester United after the 3-2 win over Villa in April
“I did not think I would reach this level so quickly. But I always believed in my talent.”
The last word from Cristiano Ronaldo on his FIFA World Player of the Year award, November.
“The gaffer insists on good defending, but sometimes there's not much defending to do."
Jonny Evans shows his stargazing powers following the 3-0 win over Celtic in October. The Reds would soon embark on a British league-record 1,311-minute shutout
“It’s scary. You spend all week discussing tactics, but when a team is that good, you can’t do anything about it.”
Blackburn boss Paul Ince reflects on losing 2-0 at home to United in October
“Berbatov's play for the second goal was absolutely magnificent. You'd pay double the money to watch that."
Sir Alex marvels at the Bulgarian’s stupendous touchline wizardry against West Ham in October
“Once the prayer mats have been left in the dressing-room, it’ll be a case of defending in numbers, stubbornness, organisation, discipline and a lot of luck.”
Stoke’s Ricardo Fuller gives us the lowdown on Stoke City’s prep in November. United won 5-0
“I’ve been doodling on my pad, trying to see how I can fit all these players in. People ask me what I consider to be my best side, and the short answer is that I don’t have one.”
Sir Alex's oft-experienced selection headache ruins Christmas
“When you're in the tunnel and you hear on the speakers: ‘Please welcome the champions of England, the champions of Europe and the champions of the world...’ you believe that you're going to crush anybody that's in your way. I get goose bumps every time I walk out at Old Trafford.”
Dimitar Berbatov gets the sweetest chill in January
“He has a wonderful velvet touch; the ball goes stone dead when he gets it. In the midst of all the mayhem it's wonder to see."
Sir Alex lauds Paul Scholes on his 600th appearance for the Reds in April
“I probably wouldn’t have believed them if they’d said I’d play one game for United or score one goal. Numbers don’t really matter. I’ve just been lucky to play for a great club that happens to be my local club.”
Typical understatement from Scholes himself in April
“I don’t know about playing as well as I have done, that’s for other people to judge.”
And the jury was in favour. Ryan Giggs, shortly before being named PFA Player of the Year, for the first time, February
“Everyone thinks the money will make the job easier for Mark Hughes, but I don't."
Paddy Crerand looks into his crystal ball as the curtain opens on the new campaign
“At United, you learn from the best."
Kiko Macheda in November. His first examination at senior level was passed with flying colours five months down the line as his red arrow pierced Villa hearts.
“Scoring in front of the Stretford End is a dream for every boy from Manchester.”
Danny Welbeck reflects on his first United goal against Stoke in November
“Yes, we take terrible risks, but there's always a chance we'll win the match."
Sir Alex sums up the essence of Manchester United after the 3-2 win over Villa in April
“I did not think I would reach this level so quickly. But I always believed in my talent.”
The last word from Cristiano Ronaldo on his FIFA World Player of the Year award, November.
Tuesday, 28 April 2009
Believe
It was just another Saturday night. Nothing to do. But, an important Football game to look forward to. The squeaky bum time has arrived. Every game is like a cup final. Every win, every loss changes the whole picture dramatically. Manchester United were cruising towards yet another Premier League title in March with ten points advantage over Liverpool. But, I have learned over the years that Man United love to do things the hard way. This season is no different. Two consecutive losses meant that the lead was slashed to one point with a game in hand. Everyone had one question in mind: Will Manchester United make a come back?
The answer is - Yes. A sensational win against Aston Villa was followed by victories over Sunderland and Portsmouth. Liverpool's dramatic draw against Arsenal gave United some breathing space. As United prepared to entertain a rejuvenated Tottenham side, the news of Liverpool's win over Hull City filtered through Old Trafford. The onus was on United to wrest the top spot back from Liverpool's grasp.
The match started slowly. Both teams were playing safe, trying to settle down. Pacy Aaron Lennon has always troubled Patrice Evra so it was a surprise to me that Sir Alex opted for Nani instead of Park who is better defensively. Lennon was having another great game against Evra. It was his move that drew first blood. A seemingly harmless cross fell right between Vidic and Ferdinand and Darren Bent out muscled Ferdinand to stab the ball home. Unexpectedly, the advantage was doubled when United couldn't deal with another cross from the same side and Luka Modric bundled the ball in.
Here I was, sitting at my 'lucky' seat, shell shocked. The 'lucky' seat has won me many games but it seemed that the luck finally ran out. To add salt to the wounds, everyone around me was enjoying the proceedings. I have a strange feeling. Whenever my team is in a precarious position, people around me seem to enjoy every bit of it. I had the same feeling during last year's IPL and Saturday's match further strengthened my belief.
Then, I remembered last season. A huge mosaic showing 'BELIEVE' used to appear at Old Trafford during Champions League matches. It really fired me up every time I saw it. I had only seven letters in my mind now: Believe.
The second half began. Carlos Tevez came out in place of Nani. It marked a rare occasion when United's 'Fab Four' were out on the pitch. Slowly things started to fall back in place. The passing improved. The hunger to win the game was clearly visible in United's game. But, Tottenham's defense was stubborn. It required a lucky break to get the first goal. Carrick was brought down in the box by Tottenham's goalkeeper Gomes and Howard Webb pointed straight to the spot. Replay showed that keeper got the ball too as he took out Carrick but the referee had given his verdict.
Cristiano Ronaldo stepped up to take the penalty. I closed my eyes. Even Ronaldo, knowing the importance of the penalty, closed his eyes for a moment and then calmly slotted the ball past Gomes. The great escape had begun. Wayne Rooney, who had been a live wire on the pitch, beat Gomes at his near post to equalize. Then, he delivered a great cross which was duly headed home by Ronaldo. In ten freaking minutes the tables had turned. Tottenham couldn't believe what was happening. Their misery was compounded when Rooney and Berbatov added to the scoreline. I loved the look on the face of all who were enjoying 15 minutes ago. They left the room even before the match ended.
United's display reminded me again of the meaning of the word believe. You may be down and out. The World may be laughing at you. Don't bother one bit. Just believe in your abilities. You will always find a way out.
The answer is - Yes. A sensational win against Aston Villa was followed by victories over Sunderland and Portsmouth. Liverpool's dramatic draw against Arsenal gave United some breathing space. As United prepared to entertain a rejuvenated Tottenham side, the news of Liverpool's win over Hull City filtered through Old Trafford. The onus was on United to wrest the top spot back from Liverpool's grasp.
The match started slowly. Both teams were playing safe, trying to settle down. Pacy Aaron Lennon has always troubled Patrice Evra so it was a surprise to me that Sir Alex opted for Nani instead of Park who is better defensively. Lennon was having another great game against Evra. It was his move that drew first blood. A seemingly harmless cross fell right between Vidic and Ferdinand and Darren Bent out muscled Ferdinand to stab the ball home. Unexpectedly, the advantage was doubled when United couldn't deal with another cross from the same side and Luka Modric bundled the ball in.
Here I was, sitting at my 'lucky' seat, shell shocked. The 'lucky' seat has won me many games but it seemed that the luck finally ran out. To add salt to the wounds, everyone around me was enjoying the proceedings. I have a strange feeling. Whenever my team is in a precarious position, people around me seem to enjoy every bit of it. I had the same feeling during last year's IPL and Saturday's match further strengthened my belief.
Then, I remembered last season. A huge mosaic showing 'BELIEVE' used to appear at Old Trafford during Champions League matches. It really fired me up every time I saw it. I had only seven letters in my mind now: Believe.
The second half began. Carlos Tevez came out in place of Nani. It marked a rare occasion when United's 'Fab Four' were out on the pitch. Slowly things started to fall back in place. The passing improved. The hunger to win the game was clearly visible in United's game. But, Tottenham's defense was stubborn. It required a lucky break to get the first goal. Carrick was brought down in the box by Tottenham's goalkeeper Gomes and Howard Webb pointed straight to the spot. Replay showed that keeper got the ball too as he took out Carrick but the referee had given his verdict.
Cristiano Ronaldo stepped up to take the penalty. I closed my eyes. Even Ronaldo, knowing the importance of the penalty, closed his eyes for a moment and then calmly slotted the ball past Gomes. The great escape had begun. Wayne Rooney, who had been a live wire on the pitch, beat Gomes at his near post to equalize. Then, he delivered a great cross which was duly headed home by Ronaldo. In ten freaking minutes the tables had turned. Tottenham couldn't believe what was happening. Their misery was compounded when Rooney and Berbatov added to the scoreline. I loved the look on the face of all who were enjoying 15 minutes ago. They left the room even before the match ended.
United's display reminded me again of the meaning of the word believe. You may be down and out. The World may be laughing at you. Don't bother one bit. Just believe in your abilities. You will always find a way out.
Monday, 6 April 2009
A Star is Born
It was simply magical. A seventeen year old boy, virtually unknown outside Old Trafford, roared his way into Premier League football with a sensational goal in perhaps the most important game of the season for Manchester United. Federico Macheda: If you don't know this name, make a note of it now because you'll hear a lot about him in the future.
The build up to the game wasn't ideal. Manchester United had lost the last two games in demoralizing fashion. The impregnable defense suddenly started to look vulnerable. To add to the woes Vidic, Scholes and Rooney were suspended for this game because of their recent sending offs. When I thought, it can't get worse for Manchester United, it did. Rio Ferdinand picked up an injury on International duty while Dimitar Berbatov failed to recover from his ankle injury. This left United desperately short in numbers at the back and up front. Skipper Gary Neville made a come back after a three months lay off. He was joined at the back by young Jonny Evans. Carlos Tevez was the only recognized striker left (until Kiko Macheda came on) but he had travelled from high altitude of Bolivia and was clearly fatigued. To add salt to the wounds, Liverpool scored a last gasp winner at Craven Cottage on Saturday to pull clear at the top of the table although United had two games in hand.
Aston Villa had problems of their own. After leading Arsenal for most of the season, they went through a slump which left them trailing the Gunners by three points. But, unlike United, they had all their big guns fit for this game. The likes of Carew, Agbonlahor and Young were up against a patched up defense. It looked like a mismatch on paper.
The game didn't start too well for Manchester United. Aston Villa enjoyed possession in the early stages of the match. Carew's header was cleared off the line by Fletcher. United needed some luck to break Villa's defense and they got their chance when a mix up between James Milner and Brad Freidel resulted in Freidel handling a back pass. This gave United a free kick inside the penalty area. Cristiano Ronaldo stepped up and blasted the free kick past a crowd of Aston Villa players into the back of the net. But, even the opening goal failed to spur United. Aston Villa kept on pressing and soon got their equalizer through John Carew who easily out-jumped Neville to head past Edwin Van Der Sar. Half time arrived with the score 1-1.
Same pattern was followed in the second half. Aston Villa were playing some impressive football. They got their reward when Agbonlahor got ahead of the defense to give Aston Villa the lead. With time running out, the hopes of rescuing something from this game started to diminish. Then, Sir Alex made an interesting move. On came Italian starlet Federico Macheda in place of unimpressive Nani. I had heard a lot about him after his goals for the Reserves but this was the first time I was watching him play live.
As United had to play catch up, Aston Villa went defensive to hold on to their lead. Wave after wave of United attack was met by a wall of Villa defenders. United badly needed some inspiration from one of the few experienced heads left on the field. Cristiano Ronaldo, the World Player of the Year, rose to the occasion. His left foot shot from just outside the penalty area found the narrowest of gaps left by the huge frame of Brad Freidel in Aston Villa's goal. United suddenly got the belief to go on and they stamped their authority over the game. Sir Alex threw another teenager Danny Welbeck on the pitch in search of a winning goal. He was denied by Freidel's heroics in dying moments of the game. Five minutes were added on for injuries and stoppages. The announcement was met by a huge roar from Old Trafford crowd. Then came the big moment for the young man. He received a pass from Ryan Giggs inside the box. He had Luke Young for company but a wonderful first touch meant that Young could only watch as Macheda curled a magnificent shot past diving Brad Freidel. It was a moment of magic from the young Italian. It doesn't happen often when Ronaldo's fantastic efforts are overshadowed by a teenager's goal but last night was something special.
The win means that United moved back to the top of the table with a game in hand. Most importantly, United won the game from a position of no hope. The manner of victory will give the squad a massive lift for the upcoming fixtures. It was fascinating to see Macheda and Welbeck lead the line for United in such a massive game. It is heartening to see youngsters like Macheda, Welbeck, Evans, Rafael etc come through the ranks. They certainly are at the right club under the right manager who is not afraid to give them their big break. It is a tradition at Manchester United to groom young players and make them superstars. After seeing last night's performance, I am sure that the tradition will continue.
It is because of games like this, I love Football. It is because of games like this, I love Manchester United.
The build up to the game wasn't ideal. Manchester United had lost the last two games in demoralizing fashion. The impregnable defense suddenly started to look vulnerable. To add to the woes Vidic, Scholes and Rooney were suspended for this game because of their recent sending offs. When I thought, it can't get worse for Manchester United, it did. Rio Ferdinand picked up an injury on International duty while Dimitar Berbatov failed to recover from his ankle injury. This left United desperately short in numbers at the back and up front. Skipper Gary Neville made a come back after a three months lay off. He was joined at the back by young Jonny Evans. Carlos Tevez was the only recognized striker left (until Kiko Macheda came on) but he had travelled from high altitude of Bolivia and was clearly fatigued. To add salt to the wounds, Liverpool scored a last gasp winner at Craven Cottage on Saturday to pull clear at the top of the table although United had two games in hand.
Aston Villa had problems of their own. After leading Arsenal for most of the season, they went through a slump which left them trailing the Gunners by three points. But, unlike United, they had all their big guns fit for this game. The likes of Carew, Agbonlahor and Young were up against a patched up defense. It looked like a mismatch on paper.
The game didn't start too well for Manchester United. Aston Villa enjoyed possession in the early stages of the match. Carew's header was cleared off the line by Fletcher. United needed some luck to break Villa's defense and they got their chance when a mix up between James Milner and Brad Freidel resulted in Freidel handling a back pass. This gave United a free kick inside the penalty area. Cristiano Ronaldo stepped up and blasted the free kick past a crowd of Aston Villa players into the back of the net. But, even the opening goal failed to spur United. Aston Villa kept on pressing and soon got their equalizer through John Carew who easily out-jumped Neville to head past Edwin Van Der Sar. Half time arrived with the score 1-1.
Same pattern was followed in the second half. Aston Villa were playing some impressive football. They got their reward when Agbonlahor got ahead of the defense to give Aston Villa the lead. With time running out, the hopes of rescuing something from this game started to diminish. Then, Sir Alex made an interesting move. On came Italian starlet Federico Macheda in place of unimpressive Nani. I had heard a lot about him after his goals for the Reserves but this was the first time I was watching him play live.
As United had to play catch up, Aston Villa went defensive to hold on to their lead. Wave after wave of United attack was met by a wall of Villa defenders. United badly needed some inspiration from one of the few experienced heads left on the field. Cristiano Ronaldo, the World Player of the Year, rose to the occasion. His left foot shot from just outside the penalty area found the narrowest of gaps left by the huge frame of Brad Freidel in Aston Villa's goal. United suddenly got the belief to go on and they stamped their authority over the game. Sir Alex threw another teenager Danny Welbeck on the pitch in search of a winning goal. He was denied by Freidel's heroics in dying moments of the game. Five minutes were added on for injuries and stoppages. The announcement was met by a huge roar from Old Trafford crowd. Then came the big moment for the young man. He received a pass from Ryan Giggs inside the box. He had Luke Young for company but a wonderful first touch meant that Young could only watch as Macheda curled a magnificent shot past diving Brad Freidel. It was a moment of magic from the young Italian. It doesn't happen often when Ronaldo's fantastic efforts are overshadowed by a teenager's goal but last night was something special.
The win means that United moved back to the top of the table with a game in hand. Most importantly, United won the game from a position of no hope. The manner of victory will give the squad a massive lift for the upcoming fixtures. It was fascinating to see Macheda and Welbeck lead the line for United in such a massive game. It is heartening to see youngsters like Macheda, Welbeck, Evans, Rafael etc come through the ranks. They certainly are at the right club under the right manager who is not afraid to give them their big break. It is a tradition at Manchester United to groom young players and make them superstars. After seeing last night's performance, I am sure that the tradition will continue.
It is because of games like this, I love Football. It is because of games like this, I love Manchester United.
Thursday, 19 March 2009
A Weekend to Forget
I was desperate to spill out a lot of stuff after going through Saturday's nightmare and there is no better place to do it than this blog. When Ronaldo scored that penalty, I thought Liverpool's title challenge will be buried at Old Trafford. But, then the unthinkable happened. Liverpool got back in it and eventually managed to breach the watertight defense not once or twice but four times.
After witnessing United play some uninspiring football in some of the previous games as well, I sensed a loss might be coming. Unfortunately, it came against a fierce rival who are challenging for the league title as well.
In the midweek, United defeated Mourinho's Internazionale despite a sub-standard performance but luck finally ran out on Saturday. I have never seen players like Scholes as sloppy as he was against Inter or Vidic as poor as he was against Liverpool. But, it proves one thing only that these guys are humans after all and they too can make mistakes. It is wrong to blame the players because they are the reason for Manchester United's success so far this season. You just cannot expect to win each and every game no matter how good you are. That brings us to another point. For the last few weeks, all the pundits across England were tipping United for an unprecedented Quintuple winning everything that was there to be won. Although, Sir Alex played down the speculation but I think it got into players' head. They needed to come back down to Earth and that result on Saturday will serve the purpose.
As far as the last game is concerned, Liverpool surely deserved to win but not because they were exceptional or played some free flowing football. It is because United gifted them the game with some uncharacteristic mistakes. Credit to them for accepting those gifts. It was a repeat of the previous meeting between the two sides when United threw the game away after taking the lead at Anfield.
This defeat will surely wipe off any complacency that may have been there in players' minds. I expect them to come out all guns blazing in the next fixture at Craven Cottage. The important thing is that its still United's title to lose. Four points gap and a game in hand gives United the advantage over Liverpool and Chelsea. A victory over Internazionale in the midweek meant that United joined the other three English sides in the Champions League Quarter Finals. The draw for the Quarter Finals will be made tomorrow. I am praying that United draw Liverpool and knock them out. That will be a dream come true.
After witnessing United play some uninspiring football in some of the previous games as well, I sensed a loss might be coming. Unfortunately, it came against a fierce rival who are challenging for the league title as well.
In the midweek, United defeated Mourinho's Internazionale despite a sub-standard performance but luck finally ran out on Saturday. I have never seen players like Scholes as sloppy as he was against Inter or Vidic as poor as he was against Liverpool. But, it proves one thing only that these guys are humans after all and they too can make mistakes. It is wrong to blame the players because they are the reason for Manchester United's success so far this season. You just cannot expect to win each and every game no matter how good you are. That brings us to another point. For the last few weeks, all the pundits across England were tipping United for an unprecedented Quintuple winning everything that was there to be won. Although, Sir Alex played down the speculation but I think it got into players' head. They needed to come back down to Earth and that result on Saturday will serve the purpose.
As far as the last game is concerned, Liverpool surely deserved to win but not because they were exceptional or played some free flowing football. It is because United gifted them the game with some uncharacteristic mistakes. Credit to them for accepting those gifts. It was a repeat of the previous meeting between the two sides when United threw the game away after taking the lead at Anfield.
This defeat will surely wipe off any complacency that may have been there in players' minds. I expect them to come out all guns blazing in the next fixture at Craven Cottage. The important thing is that its still United's title to lose. Four points gap and a game in hand gives United the advantage over Liverpool and Chelsea. A victory over Internazionale in the midweek meant that United joined the other three English sides in the Champions League Quarter Finals. The draw for the Quarter Finals will be made tomorrow. I am praying that United draw Liverpool and knock them out. That will be a dream come true.
Monday, 23 February 2009
The Season So Far
When I woke up on 22nd May 2008 I pinched myself to be sure that last night wasn't a dream. Manchester United were indeed crowned the Champions of Europe on a dramatic night in Moscow. I could barely watch the proceedings after Cristiano Ronaldo missed his spot kick in the penalty shoot out. Edwin Van Der Sar came close to saving two Chelsea penalties but it wasn't to be. But then John Terry slipped, I had a feeling that trophy is in touching distance. Ryan Giggs, making a record 759th appearance for United, calmly struck his penalty and then the long awaited moment followed. Nicolas Anelka, former Arsenal, Liverpool and Man City player, saw his penalty saved by the big Dutchman and ecstasy followed. I don't remember what crazy things I did to celebrate the victory but surely that night will remain etched in my memory forever. The victory took a long time to sink in but when it eventually did, I thought, what next? Winning a trophy is hard but to keep it is even harder. Also, no team has successfully defended the Champions League since the format changed in 1992.
The dream season was followed by intense speculation of Ronaldo leaving for Real Madrid but he stayed at Old Trafford to give himself a better chance of winning more silverware. United completed the high profile signing of Dimitar Berbatov to bolster the already lethal attacking line. There were departures as well in the form of Louis Saha, Mikael Silvestre and Gerard Pique but the team looked strong to start the defence of the Premier League and the Champions League.
As always, United were slow to start and their cause was not helped by injuries and a strange fixture list. United had to face all the top teams away from home in the first half of the season. A draw at Old Trafford in the first game of the season was followed by loss in the European Super Cup final and a loss at Anfield. A draw at high flying Chelsea was considered as a good result but United had a lot of catch up to do so early in the season. Then, Ronaldo returned from injury and provided momentum along with Wayne Rooney to kick start a series of good results.
In Europe, United were put in a tricky group with Villarreal, Celtic and Aalborg. Good form at Old Trafford carried United through to the knockout stages of the competition without much fuss.
Sir Alex likes to give young players a run in the first team in the Carling Cup to give them some experience. This strategy backfired in the last two seasons as United were knocked out by Championship sides. But, this time the youngsters grabbed their chance. Players like Rafael, Danny Welbeck, Darron Gibson, Rodrigo Possebon, Nani and Anderson improved with every game and took the team to the final of the Carling Cup.
In December, United had to travel to Japan to take part in the FIFA World Club Championship. It was expected that hectic schedule and travelling will take its toll on the players and United, who were already trailing Liverpool and Chelsea, will fall apart. The tournament in Japan brought the first piece of silverware this season for United and they earned the right to be called the World Champions. This proved to be a huge morale booster for the players and their fortunes changed after coming back to England.
Liverpool and Chelsea failed to take advantage of United's absence as they dropped points. A resurgent United put together a string of 1-0 wins and more importantly solid defensive performances that were absent at the start of the season. There were injuries to key defenders like Ferdinand, Evra and Brown at this point but Nemanja Vidic held the defence together along with Edwin Van Der Sar. As a result, United put together an amazing string of 14 consecutive Premier League clean sheets that saw them smash plenty of records. As United blossomed, Liverpool and Chelsea faltered. Chelsea were demolished at Old Trafford and Anfield while Liverpool drew too many home games to hand the advantage to Man United. Chelsea sacked Scolari, their manager, after a series of poor results.
Yesterday's draw against Man City left Liverpool 7 points adrift of Man United while Chelsea lie third in the table trailing United by 10 points. Arsenal haven't been involved in the title race at all and they are struggling to break into the top four due to their inconsistency. Aston Villa have been superb this season and are looking set to break the Big Four monopoly.
United have progressed to the quarter final of FA Cup after beating Southampton, Tottenham and Derby County. With the Red Devils marching on all fronts, talks of improbable quintuple have surfaced in the tabloids. I think it is a bit early to speculate what will happen in the next three months and we'll get a clear picture at the end of March. The Carling Cup is only one game away and United have established an healthy lead at the top of the Premier League table. But the two other trophies are a long way away. The most difficult of the lot is the Champions League. United have a big test coming up against Internazionale, the Champions of Italy, with Mourinho factor adding spice to the intriguing tie. It is make or break time with big games coming thick and fast.
Come May, we'll know how United progressed after a dream season. The signs have been positive. The squad was pushed to the limits in January but the players came out with flying colours and are still in contention for all the trophies. The way old warhorses Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes have performed in recent months goes to show that they still have the hunger and desire to win trophies even now. Ryan Giggs has been deployed in the central midfield this season which has proved to be an ace from Sir Alex. Giggs has been one of most influential players in the United side so far and his display against Chelsea, when he overshadowed Lampard and Ballack, was majestic. Scholes has been running the show single-handedly as well in recent weeks. The defense has been watertight with Vidic at his best. He certainly is in the running for Player of the Year award. Van Der Sar, Rio Ferdinand and Patrice Evra have played their part in the amazing run of successive clean sheets. Captain Neville returned from a major injury this season and his presence in the side is inspiring. The emergence of Rafael and Johnny Evans has been wonderful to watch and it seems that United's future is secured with quality young players. Carrick and Fletcher have cemented their positions in the squad in the absence of Owen Hargreaves. It was always going to be difficult for Cristiano Ronaldo to replicate the success of last season and it certainly has been the case. But, the Portuguese winger is still United's top scorer this season. Wayne Rooney has been scoring tap ins for a change and Carlos Tevez still possesses the knack of scoring crucial goals. Dimitar Berbatov was slow to start his United career but he has gelled in really well now. He has scored and created many crucial goals for United in the last couple of months. Nani, Anderson, Park, O'Shea, Gibson, Welbeck, Fabio and Brown have done their job and this United side looks set to break a few more records before May.
There will be a lot of twists and turns before the season comes to an end. But, with the squad that United have, it is safe to say that United will add a few more trophies to their bulging trophy cabinet. It has been a wonderful experience to watch golden oldies performing at their best at one hand and youngsters not showing any sign of pressure at the other. These surely are exciting times at Old Trafford. Winning the quintuple seems next to impossible but if anyone can do it Manchester United can do it.
The dream season was followed by intense speculation of Ronaldo leaving for Real Madrid but he stayed at Old Trafford to give himself a better chance of winning more silverware. United completed the high profile signing of Dimitar Berbatov to bolster the already lethal attacking line. There were departures as well in the form of Louis Saha, Mikael Silvestre and Gerard Pique but the team looked strong to start the defence of the Premier League and the Champions League.
As always, United were slow to start and their cause was not helped by injuries and a strange fixture list. United had to face all the top teams away from home in the first half of the season. A draw at Old Trafford in the first game of the season was followed by loss in the European Super Cup final and a loss at Anfield. A draw at high flying Chelsea was considered as a good result but United had a lot of catch up to do so early in the season. Then, Ronaldo returned from injury and provided momentum along with Wayne Rooney to kick start a series of good results.
In Europe, United were put in a tricky group with Villarreal, Celtic and Aalborg. Good form at Old Trafford carried United through to the knockout stages of the competition without much fuss.
Sir Alex likes to give young players a run in the first team in the Carling Cup to give them some experience. This strategy backfired in the last two seasons as United were knocked out by Championship sides. But, this time the youngsters grabbed their chance. Players like Rafael, Danny Welbeck, Darron Gibson, Rodrigo Possebon, Nani and Anderson improved with every game and took the team to the final of the Carling Cup.
In December, United had to travel to Japan to take part in the FIFA World Club Championship. It was expected that hectic schedule and travelling will take its toll on the players and United, who were already trailing Liverpool and Chelsea, will fall apart. The tournament in Japan brought the first piece of silverware this season for United and they earned the right to be called the World Champions. This proved to be a huge morale booster for the players and their fortunes changed after coming back to England.
Liverpool and Chelsea failed to take advantage of United's absence as they dropped points. A resurgent United put together a string of 1-0 wins and more importantly solid defensive performances that were absent at the start of the season. There were injuries to key defenders like Ferdinand, Evra and Brown at this point but Nemanja Vidic held the defence together along with Edwin Van Der Sar. As a result, United put together an amazing string of 14 consecutive Premier League clean sheets that saw them smash plenty of records. As United blossomed, Liverpool and Chelsea faltered. Chelsea were demolished at Old Trafford and Anfield while Liverpool drew too many home games to hand the advantage to Man United. Chelsea sacked Scolari, their manager, after a series of poor results.
Yesterday's draw against Man City left Liverpool 7 points adrift of Man United while Chelsea lie third in the table trailing United by 10 points. Arsenal haven't been involved in the title race at all and they are struggling to break into the top four due to their inconsistency. Aston Villa have been superb this season and are looking set to break the Big Four monopoly.
United have progressed to the quarter final of FA Cup after beating Southampton, Tottenham and Derby County. With the Red Devils marching on all fronts, talks of improbable quintuple have surfaced in the tabloids. I think it is a bit early to speculate what will happen in the next three months and we'll get a clear picture at the end of March. The Carling Cup is only one game away and United have established an healthy lead at the top of the Premier League table. But the two other trophies are a long way away. The most difficult of the lot is the Champions League. United have a big test coming up against Internazionale, the Champions of Italy, with Mourinho factor adding spice to the intriguing tie. It is make or break time with big games coming thick and fast.
Come May, we'll know how United progressed after a dream season. The signs have been positive. The squad was pushed to the limits in January but the players came out with flying colours and are still in contention for all the trophies. The way old warhorses Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes have performed in recent months goes to show that they still have the hunger and desire to win trophies even now. Ryan Giggs has been deployed in the central midfield this season which has proved to be an ace from Sir Alex. Giggs has been one of most influential players in the United side so far and his display against Chelsea, when he overshadowed Lampard and Ballack, was majestic. Scholes has been running the show single-handedly as well in recent weeks. The defense has been watertight with Vidic at his best. He certainly is in the running for Player of the Year award. Van Der Sar, Rio Ferdinand and Patrice Evra have played their part in the amazing run of successive clean sheets. Captain Neville returned from a major injury this season and his presence in the side is inspiring. The emergence of Rafael and Johnny Evans has been wonderful to watch and it seems that United's future is secured with quality young players. Carrick and Fletcher have cemented their positions in the squad in the absence of Owen Hargreaves. It was always going to be difficult for Cristiano Ronaldo to replicate the success of last season and it certainly has been the case. But, the Portuguese winger is still United's top scorer this season. Wayne Rooney has been scoring tap ins for a change and Carlos Tevez still possesses the knack of scoring crucial goals. Dimitar Berbatov was slow to start his United career but he has gelled in really well now. He has scored and created many crucial goals for United in the last couple of months. Nani, Anderson, Park, O'Shea, Gibson, Welbeck, Fabio and Brown have done their job and this United side looks set to break a few more records before May.
There will be a lot of twists and turns before the season comes to an end. But, with the squad that United have, it is safe to say that United will add a few more trophies to their bulging trophy cabinet. It has been a wonderful experience to watch golden oldies performing at their best at one hand and youngsters not showing any sign of pressure at the other. These surely are exciting times at Old Trafford. Winning the quintuple seems next to impossible but if anyone can do it Manchester United can do it.
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