Advantage Chelsea but title is still Manchester United’s to lose
The stench of defeat is unbearable, as is the joyous celebration of the the non-Man Utd football family. We love to build up teams and then knock them down, and as far as the mob is concerned it’s time for United to be knocked down.
Since yesterday a lot has been said (hardly in praise of United, hardly in criticism of Chelsea) about what happened (during and after the game) at Stamford Bridge. Personally I would have preferred a repeat of last year in terms of team selection - send out the reserve squad and give your first-teamers a day off. Throw the fucking game and focus on winning the league on goal difference and having your players fresh for Barcelona.
Kudos to Ferguson for not giving into such edgy tactics. He rested Ronaldo and Tevez - two players who have played 32 games each in the league (29 starts), but he played everyone else that he could. He gambled with Vidic, and the brave / stupid Serbian put his head in danger, got kneed in the mouth in the process, lost a tooth that ripped through his lip, lost enough blood to make a professional football in his prime dizzy for a good 15 minutes, and had to be taken off.
Along with Rooney, both are slight doubts for the Barcelona game although knowing Ferguson he’ll give them every chance to get fit and ready for Tuesday night. Again, Vidic probably deserves a rest and so does Rooney but United don’t have a 3rd leading striker, and while that didn’t matter as much last season, it sure as hell is hurting this time around.
Overall, Chelsea outfought Manchester United and were the better side at the end of 90 minutes. If that rugby tackle on Ronaldo had been given as a penalty things might have been different but that’s symptomatic of a general problem with football and taking referees to task on every single decision isn’t worth it anymore. Shame on SAF for going on a whinge and while he’s doing this to protect his players from excessive criticism it’s not a classy thing to do and after doing this for over 20 years, he should know better.
There were a few other key incidents that deserve special mention.
First, Rooney’s goal - finally boy wonder scores against Chelsea and hopefully it’s a sign of things to come.
Then there was that on-pitch argument between Drogba and Ballack. Now I’m not that blinkered as to cast aside a on-pitch squabble between two senior members of the team as a ’staged event’ but I’m surprised nevertheless that this incident hasn’t received more coverage. It’s the sort of stuff that can lead to handbags (and if it had been a training ground thing without the pressure to get on with the match, who knows?) and for the event to get almost zero coverage is bad journalism from the MSM.
Instead, we’re focusing on the fact that Rio kicked a ball in anger and because of that his England captaincy is in danger. What bollocks. The man apologised immediately and that should be the end of the matter, but it gets coverage for no good reason. He didn’t piss in a cup in public, did he (then again, he didn’t piss in a cup at all, which is an easy thing to throw at him when something goes awry)?
And we’re focusing on the post-match scuffle between United’s subs (mainly Patrice Evra) and the Chelsea groundstaff (mainly just one big guy), which is great because they have such captivating photos for it. There’s one where Evra launches into a run only to be stopped immediately by the stewards, and then there’s one where the Chelsea ground staff member is swinging a punch at Evra, and there are a couple more where Evra is tumbling over, possibly because of how he’s being pulled away by the security in the midst of the scuffle.
It’s obvious, watching the photos, that either Evra or the guy running over swinging a punch said something provocative. While I hope it’s not our own man he’s just as likely to have started the war of words. What I don’t get is why someone in the ground staff would get this worked up over the visiting team’s subs not getting off the pitch in time - if this had been at Old Trafford I would have gone on and on about lack of respect shown to guests, but I guess that doesn’t happen in football, eh?
And finally, there’s no reason to fault the tactics or team selection. The players were tired, United are dealing with a tight schedule and of the 3 players who could physically match Chelsea in midfield (or at least give it a shot), one is 19 yrs old, the other is the 5th choice midfielder and returning from injury and the 3rd has now played 2 games at right back because of injuries to Nemanja Vidic. Blaming the team selection is myopic - the team gave it their best shot and it didn’t come off. We weren’t good enough, and while that’s hard to stomach, that’s the only real reason.
United welcome Barcelona on Tuesday, Chelsea welcome Liverpool on Wednesday. 50-50 on both matches, although both Chelsea and Barcelona have the advantage (the former with the away goal and the latter with the rested players and home clean sheet). After that it’s West Ham at home and Wigan away for Manchester United and Newcastle United away and Bolton at home for Chelsea. The league could be wrapped up by Monday night (Chelsea play Newcastle then), so fingers crossed.
This is no time to panic - as long as United can get a result against Barcelona they will still have everything to play for and the advantage in terms of goal difference. We can slip, of course, but I think that slip has come and is now hopefully gone. The title, at the very least, is United’s to lose.
Oh, and if there was ever a sport that drove a man to drinking, football is it.
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Discussion - 21 Responses
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Not bad, not bad
Nice article but I have one comment about Ferdinand, how can you say his captaincy is not in danger, did you not see how he had to be held back by about 6 people from going after Mikel, that is not an England captain behavior.
Let Chelsea enjoy the result. There may yet be a reckoning to come in Moscow, if the Football Gods will it. Then, Chelsea will see a different United. One bent on attacking them for a change.
Against Chelsea, attack is the best form of defence. You must beat them in midfield.
Roll on Tuesday night. Then we’ll see whether this United team is really a great team in the making, or one which simply flatters to deceive in the really big end-of-season games. The shackles and the tactical fog which has confused them will be off. They know the task. It’s win or bust.
If United score first, they must go for a second. It’d be too dangerous to sit back and try to hang on to a one goal lead.
I’m backing this United team.
Good article. And certainly, Frank, I will enjoy the result
About Rio: I had read from several places that he had actually kicked the steward in the shin, and not a ball that had hit the steward. Apparently, he was attempting to vent his frustration on the side wall and missed.
While I think one childish display is silly to get worked up over, the fact of the matter is if this was Terry engaging in this behaviour, he would be hounded by the media, whereas Rio may escape some of its pressures a little more easily. And certainly, I can say with confidence, that Terry would not have engaged in this type of behaviour.
I believe you have to blame our win on Ferguson. He was outwitted by Grant on the day, and not playing Ronaldo nor Tevez is pethetically inexcusable. Granted, Tuesday is a huge game, as was the amount of rest time for both teams, including United, but Ferguson is a hypocrite for slagging the date of the match, when we had to face Wigan on a Monday and travel to Merseyside to take on Everton on a Thursday. Though the match should have never been this weekend, Ferguson had a prime chance to ruin our home record AND lock up the league this weekend and failed to take advantage. I, of course, hope that comes back to bite him in the ass rather quickly.
A great match all around…certainly got my heart pumping!
England leagues are always heart stopping!
“If this had been at Old Trafford I would have gone on and on about lack of respect shown to guests”
- I find that extremely hard to believe.
Matt - I see you’re not giving me the benefit of the doubt. Damn, you broke my heart
What really screwed things for SAF was the result against Blackburn. A win there would have put the league to bed. I think he’d always intended to play a more or less second string side against Chelsea and rest up 5 or 6 guys for explosion that is going to take place against Barcelona at Old Trafford.
In the end he was caught between the two stools, gambled and lost. That’s fine. Let’s move on. If United can’t beat WHU at home and Wigan away to win the title, then clearly they don’t deserve to win the title. I can live with that.
Similarly, if they can’t beat Barcelona at Old Trafford to make a Champions League final, then clearly they are not as good as they and we think they are.
At the start of the season had it been put to any United fan that you can beat Barcelona and make the Champions League final and beat WHU at home and Wigan away to take the EPL, would they have taken that? Would they hell!
Of course, I want United to win. But I’m also genuinely curious to see just how good this United side are. Will they fulfil the promise, justify the hype or be found wanting in the ultimate analysis. It is not a question of hope, or blind faith in your team; it is a question of their quality. We shall see.
Similarly, if they can’t beat Barcelona at Old Trafford to make a Champions League final, then clearly they are not as good as they and we think they are.
Of course, they’re NOT as good as we think they are, because we often confuse potential with current ability (Hargo, Carrick, Nani, Anderson, Rooney, Tevez).
We hedged our bets. I would have preferred we played a second-string team so we were fresh for Barcelona OR played a full strength team so that we had the chance to virtually guarantee the title and use the momentum to take on Barcelona.
Instead we rested a few key players and played for the draw using negative tactics. Now we are in real danger of coming away with nothing this season.
I am worried about Rooney….he looked tired most of the match and hobbled off. We need a fit Rooney more than anything against Barcelona.
Vidic is an iron man but all those knocks must have taken something out of him and I just hope he is back to his imperious best against Barcelona.
Similarly Hargreaves isn’t supposed to be playing this many games with his dodgy knee and I just hope he is also fit for Barca.
@ Ahmed
Being a Chelsea fan I know that Mikel can sometimes be a twat but I don’t think that excuses Ferdinan’s behavior. To me Terry acted much more like an England captain then he did.
Ahmed and co will always exhibit double standards when it comes to man u players losing it in the pitch. as much i will very much applaud this piece of article i think rio behaviour was as disgraceful as gallas’ earlier in the season. if gallas frustration as exhibited was despicable rio’s was even more embarrassing. and if gallas has behaved in a way unbecoming of a captain and does not deserve to be a captain by the same token rio has also shown how incapable he is becoming the next england captain not to mention captaining the man united team, he was an absolute disgrace, i don’t care how provoking Mikel antics were, Rio’s behaviour is unacceptable 4 a captain who is suppose to set good example and with capello watching i think he has just kissed goodbye to the english captaincy.
Well put Rocky.
Few things worth mentioning. The Rooney goal was PURE luck & the Ronaldo incident, that was no penalty. He was whining as usual so the ref didn’t bother.
Speaking of drinking… 10 scotch & dry’s while watching this match in a bar full of Red & Blue fans was fun
“And finally, there’s no reason to fault the tactics or team selection. The players were tired, United are dealing with a tight schedule”
And Chelsea isn’t ????
If United looses the Premier, it’s because of the lack of depth in the squad.
And because Grant hasn’t realise that Makelele doesn’t have the legs to play too many games in a row. He should put Essien in his place and put Belletti or Ferreira on the right…
Raed - your parents must be so proud of you.
Tuga - Actually, if United lose the league it’s because the squad as a whole wasn’t good enough to win it. And yes, Chelsea have a tight schedule as well, I was answering the criticism thrown Fergie’s way by United fans.
Interesting developments on the post-match row.
And we’re STILL not talking about Drogba - Ballack
It amazes me how people see football matches as black and white. “Ferguson outwitted by Grant”, what’s that all about? Grant couldn’t outwit anything. It was one of those you-win-some-you-lose-some games. There’s a fine line between winning and losing. Fergie gambled and it didn’t quite pay off. The game could easily have ended 1-1 or 2-2 and everyone would be talking about Fergie’s great tactics. It was one of those games where you need everyone at their best. And luck plays it’s part. Having to use a sub after 10 mins, Rooney coming off injured, 3 days since the Barca game and 3 more to Barca again. Why couldn’t we play Barca on both Wednesdays or both Tuesdays? On a game so finely matched these things matter. If Riise hadn’t scored the OG last week we might have seen Grant resting one or two on Saturday for the CL game on Tuesday, sorry Wednesday. If Ronaldo had scored his penalty, he might have started against Chelsea.
In the end it couldn’t have been much worse with a Rooney and Vidic injured on top of the loss. So, I can forgive Fergie. His record for two decades shows that he usually gambles well. He rested Ronaldo against Arsenal in the cup and we won 4-0.
Who said Rooney’s goal was luck? If our defence makes a mistake we are crap; if the opposition makes a mistake we are lucky. We can’t win! But didn’t he bury it well, clearly when he was in pain? World Class!!
Will Man Utd show they are a great team when we play Barca? No, I think we will see a great team in a couple of years. Giggs & Scholes are not what they were and Nani & Anderson (and Rooney, Tevez and Ronaldo) are still on their way up. In 2 years times (assuming Foster progresses as expected) everyone except Rio will be under 30 and the most influencial players will be about 25, just reaching their peak. I’m looking forward to it…..
What else can I say? Ferdinand and Terry. You can bet that if Man Utd had just taken the lead, John Terry would be just as bad and Rio would be the calming influence. I have never seen a more mouthy, complaining player as Terry, and that includes Rooney.
Finally, why is it on football boards that people don’t know how to spell “lose”. Listen carefully, (that includes you at the back, Tuga) the opposite of “win” is “lose”. The opposite of “tight” is “loose”.
Rant over.
Oh by the way, did you see the Drogba/Ballack argument. All is not well in the Chelsea camp.
@ Ahmed i agree that the Drogba and Ballack incident is a disgrace they are players who need to set example 4 others so if u ask me that is unacceptable as well good point. and 4 Mikel atimes he 4gets he is playing football not rugby, and unless he realise that he will be gradually killing his carrier. i think like arsenal earlier man united players are gasing out and with that comes the high possibility of injury. at this stage of the season the team whose star players are well rested and mentality fresh and play very well with a high level of concentration and focus will win the cl, as for the league it is still advantage man united atleast on goals difference i still see them winning it baring any dramatic twist of events we just have 2 wait and see
Ahmed:
Don’t be so quick to write off United as not being “as good as we think they”. You may yet be surprised.