For much of this season, Man United has done battle not just against the other 19 teams in the league but against the shadow of more fantasy predecessor United teams.
For the better part of the first half of the season, a lot of the talk was about how the team continuously surrendered winning positions, a trait so unlike past Man United conquering teams. The team was said to lack any fluidity in their play and for a side that has for the most part of the modern Premier League era boasted the best away record, United never looked like winning away from Old Trafford.
At the turn of the second half of the season, talk gradually begun to switch to United’s unbeaten run and whether the club stood a chance of emulating Arsenal’s invincibles (2003 – 2004, in a season that had already proved to be the most unpredictable ever. After a club record equaling 29 games unbeaten, United finally lost a game, interestingly to then bottom of the table Wolves! United renowned for their bounce back ability, in accordance with tradition returned to spectacularly beat local rivals Man City in what will be one of the major highlights of the season because of Rooney’s spectacular volley.
As United fans were starting to believe that Sir Alex would somehow marshal his squad of average stars to the title, March descended with defeat by Chelsea followed by a timid display and loss at Liverpool. The critics were soon circling again as this United team had again departed from tradition by losing back to back games!
United traditionally turn on the style in the second half of the season and Chelsea’s winter slump also gave them encouragement. As United steadily surpassed its challengers to lead the table, talk swung to “Man United is only top because everybody else has been poor and inconsistent!”
United’s disappointing away record of 5 wins all season may stand out as the worst for a league champion since Liverpool in the 1976/77 season, but they compensated for this with one of the most formidable home records in Europe with 17 wins and 1 draw from 18 games!
While much of the criticism labeled against United was justified for much of the first half of the season, bar the odd game, United’s displays have since been very impressive. A couple of memorable come from behind away wins at Blackpool and West Ham showed United’s trademark never say die spirit. In fact, the best displays of the season for me will go to Liverpool for the Anfield game against United and then to United for the Old Trafford title decider against Chelsea.
For a side often labeled boring, it is surprising that after 36 rounds, United led the scoring charts with 73 goals, 6 more than nearest challengers Arsenal, and 22 more than Tottenham which is generally considered to be a very attacking side. This is an average of more than 2 goals per game!
Granted, United lack Ronaldo’s flair, Beckham’s curlers, the telepathic Keane - Butt - Scholes midfield, the terrifying Cole – Yorke strike force or the decisive game changing bench of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Teddy Sheringham. However, Rooney - Berbatov had some breath taking combinations upfront most notably during the thumping of Blackburn at Old Trafford, Carrick and Scholes in separate moments demonstrated a master class range of passing, Chicharito delivered Ruud van Nistelrooy’s poacher’s instinct, Captain Vidic was as commanding as Steve Bruce, Nani for the most part delivered his own share of wing wizardry and Edwin van der Sar was as impressive in goal as the great Peter Schmeichel.
United’s experience of 4 Premier League titles in 5 seasons, the work rate and intelligence of Park Ji- Sung and the return of the consistently excellent Antonio Valencia were grossly underestimated.
It was argued that if Ferguson could win the title with his current crop, he would have won it more easily with any of the top four squads. Of course the Ferguson factor cannot be over emphasized! His record of 12 Premier Leagues, 5 FA Cups, 4 League Cups, 2 Champions Leagues, 1 UEFA Super Cup, 1 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, 1 Intercontinental Cup and 1 FIFA Club World Cup is only the stuff of true legend.
The biggest asset that this United boast, is that they are so easily underestimated. The trashing choruses that have been ringing across England and Europe will have only helped to spur on the team to disprove critics. With 3 Champions League finals in 4 seasons, this crop could actually claim the most successful era in the club’s illustrious history! Big cheers especially to the legendary Giggs whose decision making was the difference in the big games, Michael Owen who in finally winning the one club medal to elude him will be vindicated for moving to the old enemy and the retiring van der Sar who at 40 years old was yet again the best keeper in the league! To Sir Alex, as he has demonstrated a true management master class by playing to the strengths of the individuals in his team and using the saga surrounding the Rooney attempted move to inspire “pay the fans back” performances. Fergie’s bow to the fans at Old Trafford after defeating Chelsea last weekend was so well earned!
I see your assessment is in better form than the Devils away from Trafford. Not the best looking season I would agree but the top flight of English football was odd all the way around this year.
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