Whichever way the 2011 UEFA Champions League final goes, both of these teams will be remembered as dynasties.

Manchester United are playing their third Champions League final in four years, an astonishing testament to consistency and excellence in a competition more often ruled by luck and fate. Domestically, United wrapped up a record 19th first division title this week, eclipsing the long-held record of rivals Liverpool. Since the Premier League’s inception in 1992, Manchester United have won 12 titles; the Red Devils have won more EPL titles than all the other teams combined. Ryan Giggs has more EPL medals than the majority of English clubs have in their entire history.

It’s an astonishing and unprecedented level of dominance which shows no sign of letting up under Sir Alex Ferguson. But still Man Utd still enters the final slightly less fancied than Barcelona, who won 2-0 when the teams met in the 2009 final in Rome.

Besides that Champions League win, the crowning achievement of a flabbergasting six trophies picked up in Pep Guardiola’s inaugural campaign as a head coach, Barcelona has yet to NOT win a La Liga season under Guardiola. Additionally, those three consecutive domestic titles came at a time when Real Madrid assembled the most expensive team in football history. Johan Cruyff took twice as long as Guardiola to win 11 medals, only two more than Guardiola has already, and Cruyff’s side was dubbed the Dream Team. What, then, are we witnessing now?

But Guardiola, prematurely graying and with a faulty back, knows that he will not last in management as long as the immortal Ferguson has. The time to stake out history and further the dynasty is right now, in this game, as opposed to Arsene Wenger’s and Liverpool’s perpetual promises of Next Year.

Revenge, history, dynasties, and two damn fine football teams: This match easily promises to be one of the greats, one of the few that fall under the list of essential viewing for any and all football fans.

Zac Lee Rigg will live blog throughout the match. Make sure to sign up below for a reminder 24 hours before the game, and join along for insight and color during the game.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Edwin Van der Sar will walk off into the sunset. Paul Scholes looks set to join him. Gary Neville, that great Scouse-o-phobe, has already departed. Only the indomitable Ryan Giggs may remain from Fergie’s Fledglings. Fittingly, he will outlast his compatriots as he helped usher them in.

There’s no mistaking the air of rebirth that has surrounded Manchester United since their 2008 Champions’ League triumph in Moscow. Sir Alex Ferguson, though still relying heavily on his ageing marshals, has attempted to usher in a new age at Old Trafford behind academy products and “value” signings: the mysterious Bebe, Darron Gibson, Javier Hernandez and the Da Silva twins lead United’s reinforcements. As in war, there are questions if the new meat is ready for the grinder. Hernandez has been an unqualified success in his first year, Chris Smalling has shown signs of becoming a top-class defender while on the flip-side Bebe’s profile apparently remains higher than his talent level.

As this is Van der Sar’s last season and it’s looking increasingly likely that Grand Old Man Scholes will join him, there seem to be many opportunities awaiting the Red Imps. Considering it’s certain Tomasz Kuszczak will leave United at season’s end and others seem set to follow him out the door, if only for the sake of squad depth there will be significant turnover in the red half of Manchester this summer.  Unless Tom Cleverley is the second coming of Ryan Giggs, Ferguson must part with the pounds to make sure he ends his reign as he should: on top of the League.

Sir Alex’s reticence to spend big since the departure of The Varnished One has been attributed often to his failure to find “value” in the market. Even considering this, he spent an alleged 25 million last summer on Chicharito, Bebe and Smalling. By buying young, he couldn’t (or elected not to) take part in either the Mesut Ozil or Rafael Van der Vaart sweepstakes, two cut-price moves which could have helped United immeasurably not just this year, but in future seasons. Both could fill the position in which Man Utd are popularly thought to need the most help: an heir to Scholes (Editor’s Note: To be fair, Ozil is on the record as having preferred a move to Spain / Real Madrid than England. VDV still boggles the mind though).

A similar minimum sum will have to be spent this offseason – if only to replenish what squad depth appears to be exiting Old Trafford, stage right, this summer. Indeed, there’s reason to think that filling the hole between United’s posts will cost that much itself. The Imps will be abetted by the return of Federico Macheda and Tom Cleverley from loan, which should further reinforce reputed problem areas, but question marks still remain over that pair’s ability to consistently impact the Premiership and Champions’ League. The greatest question mark remains now who Ferguson will select to inherit Edwin Van der Sar’s mantle as the Next Great United Keeper – Atletico’s David De Gea, Schalke’s Manuel Neuer (who is more or less certain to go to Bayern Munich) and Ajax’s Maarten Stekelenburg or another, less-touted suspect.

Just as with Arsene Wenger, it would be foolish to assume Ferguson would simply walk away from three years of building for the future. He is nothing if not sure of himself and has been very complimentary of both Smalling and Chicharito. But Sir Alex Ferguson is also nothing if not pragmatic and if he feels that certain players need “moving on”, his recent statements suggest he’s still willing to do so in order to ensure United’s continued strength.

The guess is here that after – probably – winning his nineteenth top-flight title, it would gall the Scot to let the club fall down the standings behind the hated Citizens, Blues, Gunners and Reds. Even guessing United lose only Van der Sar, Scholes and two other squad members – say Owen and Hargreaves – then purchases will have to be made to replenish the squad depth, no matter if the replacement comes from within (Gibson? Cleverley? Lindegaard? Anderson?) or outside (Steven Defour? Douglas Costa? Marek Hamsik?).

Sir Alex Ferguson’s too proud and competitive a man to not go out while at – or very near – the top. And if he wants to lead United to championship number twenty or beyond, then he’ll have to balance development with his chequebook. 2011 promises to be one of the more interesting summer breaks in recent history at Old Trafford.

For more analysis and opinions, shoot across to Matthew Wood‘s blog, Balanced Sports.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

It was a coming together of two world powers, so to speak. An England side that seems to have lost their way took on a France side that seems to be finding theirs. Both were still in the process of trying to blot out the same caustic memory of a depressing World Cup.

Since June’s heartbreak, both countries have undergone changes in their own right. France brought a new manager on board, suspended the squad’s trouble-makers and have set their eyes unflinchingly on a new era. England have kept their manager, but have since done some reshuffling in terms of the playing staff, whether forcibly or out of sheer want.

The friendly between England and France, although a spectacle in its own right, gave a bit of a progress report. Given France’s display, Laurent Blanc can be pleased with his side and their progress. Fresh talent is coming to the fore, previously shun stars are shining once again and the country as a unit is well on its way to reclaiming the reputation it once had. For Fabio Capello and England, however, there is still much work to do. But, where does one start?

Fitness and injuries seem to be the scapegoats these days, but are they plausible excuses? Looking at France once again, their best players were either injured or suspended. Their team, with a few exceptions, consisted of players who failed to make the World Cup squad. Yet, Laurent Blanc examined his options and put out a team that has been impressing of late. Young players like Yann M’Vila are getting their chance and taking it well. Laurent Blanc has shown faith and confidence in his crop of players and they in turn are rewarding his faith in them.

On the other hand, Fabio Capello seems like a manager who is still somewhat unsure of the options he has at his disposal and how to get the best out of them. He put out an “experimental side” to play against France, yet there were several notable absentees who were deserving of at least a call-up. West Ham’s Scott Parker has been in tremendous form for his club, but he was ignored and not for the first time. Everton’s Leighton Baines has been nothing short of brilliant for his club and he seemed to be a shoo in, especially given the fact that Ashley Cole pulled out of the squad. However, he too was ignored in favor of Aston Villa’s Stephen Warnock and Arsenal’s Kieran Gibbs. Wolves winger, Matthew Jarvis, has also been performing well for his club and he was expected to be rewarded with a call-up. Again however, the player was ignored. Players like Ashley Young and Micah Richards (both made the squad this time) have also hardly been given the time of day by Capello.

Not only is there a problem with the non-selection of players, but there are some concerns with who he selects and how selected players are used. We know Phil Jagielka to be a Center Back for Everton, but he was deployed at Right Back versus France and struggled in the first half. James Milner is a versatile player, but he rose to prominence when he was moved in from the wing and into a central midfield position at Aston Villa. Yet, he was deployed on the left side of midfield, where Ashley Young has been so impressive for Aston Villa. Theo Walcott has a serious problem with crossing, yet he was deployed on the right wing and offered nothing in the first half. Gareth Barry is a favorite of Capello’s, but up to now, I can’t see why. He lacks pace and often struggles to keep up with the game. The same can be said of him versus France.

All of that made Steven Gerrard have to carry the weight of the team on his shoulders. England’s best chances came because of him. Because Gerrard was the lone, meaningful influence in midfield, Andy Carroll, although he played well, had little to work with on his own up front. These are problems that had a telling impact on both the team’s performance and the final result of the game.

That said, how can Capello fix things? He can simply call up players who deserve to be called up and use them in a way that he can get the best out of them. He has to understand each player’s attributes and use them to better the team. There’s no harm in experimenting, but there has to be some sense to it. He also has to approach games in a positive way. That doesn’t necessarily mean dropping a defensive midfielder. Whether 4-4-2, 4-2-3-1 or otherwise, his players must show attacking endeavor and defensive stability- both of which were lacking against France. Finally, no one player must be relied upon. England can still be a decent squad even without Lampard, Terry and Rooney. It’s up to Capello to prove that.

France are showing that it is not impossible to comeback from a bad experience. With some deeper thought by Fabio Capello concerning player selection, positioning and tactics, England can redeem themselves too.

Here’s what England’s lineup should look like, fitness permitting- (4-2-2-2)- Hart- Johnson, Ferdinand, Terry, Cole- Parker, Huddlestone- Gerrard, Wilshere- Rooney, Carroll.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Wayne Rooney may have signed a new five-year deal at Manchester United, but that was all based on the reassurance of the club moving forward and bringing new, world class players into the team. Now, manager Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed he will not be signing anyone in the January transfer window.

Speaking to The People, Ferguson revealed that having a player like Antonio Valencia return from the horrific break and dislocation of his left ankle will be just as effective as the purchase of a new player:

“We won’t be buying in January, definitely not. If you want someone to play in Europe, you are limited right away in January.

“There are hundreds of players cup-tied for Europe. By January we will have five months left of the season. I will have Antonio Valencia back hopefully towards the end of February which is a new player coming back.”

Owen Hargreaves is another looking to return to action for United soon, after just one appearance in twenty months due to multiple injuries. And with that, Ferguson see’s no reason to bring in new players:

“If Owen Hargreaves were to get back, that is another new player coming back. So in that respect with the squad I’ve got, I don’t see any reason for us to buy anyone.

“There has always been money to spend but it’s not necessarily the case that there will be more transfer activity by us than usual in the summer.

“We will buy what we need to buy. We know what we need. There is always this issue if Van der Sar, Scholes, Giggs or Neville were to retire.

“But we’ve had that situation for the last two or three years. We are well ahead of that. We know exactly what we have to do with that.”

In the past few months United have been linked with talent such as Wesley Sneijder, Lassana Diarra, Gareth Bale and Bastian Schweinsteiger. Whether anything will eventually materialize though, is a completely different thing.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Once more, it’s a tale of Manchester United shooting themselves in the foot. Such talent oozing from the walls of Old Trafford, but thus far this season, United have failed to produce the desired results on the road. United are uncharacteristically chucking goals (and points) left and right and that worrying trend shows no sign of abating, given the result at Bolton.

Despite Chelsea’s loss over in the blue half of Manchester, they have proven themselves as the team to beat and if United are to recapture the League title, then they are going to have to sharpen their attack and shore up their leaky defence. Fortunately, there are tactics that would see both goals realized.

Sir Alex Ferguson has fancied the 4-4-2 setup thus far this season and why not? It’s tried and tested and has come through for him on an infinite number of occasions. However, in light of the problem at hand- that is, the matter of needlessly conceding goals- I recommend a slight change in system. That change would add stability to the team both going forward and when on the back foot.

A 4-2-3-1 best personifies my theory. Depending on United’s lineup, that shape can change to a 4-2-2-2, a 4-4-1-1 or even a 4-3-3 during games. Therefore, United would be flexible and even adaptive. Now, how would the team be organized?

Starting at the back, it would be wrong of me to pinpoint any one defender and say that he is not good at what he does. The reason for conceding as many goals as they have comes down to the making of needless errors. That said, although O’Shea and Evans are decent defenders, I feel that they have been a little suspect at the back of late.

Hopefully, a fit Rio Ferdinand will reunite with Nemanja Vidic and help cut down on the amount of errors made at the back. I’d like to see more of Smalling as well. I think of him as an English Pique. He is solid at the back and poses a genuine threat at set-pieces. He also has decent technical skill, unlike the average central defender. He also enjoys venturing forward looking for a decent pass to make. He certainly has a bright future ahead of him.

As for Right Back, Rafael and Wes Brown should be given an opportunity. Neville, when fit, does a good job as well. At Left Back, Evra is still trying to shake off the after-effects of the French debacle. Given time as well as the fact that he is one of the club’s most consistent players, I fully expect him to recapture his best form. Fabio lies in wait though.

As for holding midfield, Darren Fletcher certainly has to be in there. He lacks presence in my opinion, but his incredible work ethic and energetic approach to the game makes him ideal for this role. He is good in the tackle most times and can play the odd, decent pass up the field. His ideal partner in holding midfield is Owen Hargreaves, but I’m sure I don’t need to say anymore on that subject.

With Hargo out, I recommend that Darron Gibson be positioned there. I honestly don’t see Gibson as an Attacking Midfielder given he isn’t all that creative with the ball, unless he’s lashing it from 30 odd yards. I think he can be molded into a decent holding midfielder and of course, he can still test the ‘keeper when he makes the odd run from deep midfield.

I’m aware of Scholes’ incredible inability to tackle after all these years, but I’d use him as a partner for Fletcher as well. However, unlike Fletcher and Gibson, he won’t be there to tackle, he’d be there to help retain possession and to spray the ball around the field. He’s done that very well thus far this season, gaining plaudits from his manager, team-mates and others as a result.

Needless to say, Nani would occupy the right-hand side of attacking midfield. He is a growing influence on games and is finally fulfilling his true potential. The evergreen Giggs would occupy the left primarily, but given his recent injury, I expect that Park Ji-Sung would see more pitch time. Gabriel Obertan and Bebe can also play on the left-side of attacking midfield.

There are two decent options at Ferguson’s disposal when it comes to positioning someone “in the hole”. A newly fit Anderson can definitely play that role, while Wayne Rooney has looked accomplished there as well. Both players are able to drop back in order to provide support to the holding midfielders and would drive forward to provide quality service for the in-form Dimitar Berbatov, who in my opinion should be the lone striker up top, despite Owen staking an impressive claim of late.

I know that not many people would agree with dropping Rooney back, but taking him away from the focal point of the attack for the time being would take some of the huge pressure off of him so that he can rediscover his best form. His creative instinct is also phenomenal and would be brought to the fore in this role as opposed to him being and feeling pressured to score if he were up top. He impressed when he played a deeper role for England recently and I think that he would shine in a similar role for United. It is definitely worth shot in my opinion.

Given my recommendations, here is what I think United’s lineup should be (given the present fitness of players) – (4-2-3-1):

The season isn’t over yet. Hopefully, Manchester United can get up, dust themselves off and show the other 19 teams in the league their awesome might.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Sir Alex Ferguson spent a good year to secure the signature of Canadian born Englishman Owen Hargreaves, after a very impressive World Cup where he was voted best English player at the tournament.

He even throw away a chance to sign Villarreal midfielder Marco Senna who just a year later would be the focal point in Spain’s European Championship win, just to sign the bustling and energetic midfielder.

GREAT BUSINESS

Signing the midfielder in May 2007 looked to be great business, and it proved to be as Owen was a key member in United’s victorious 2007/2008 campaign which would see them not only retain their Premier League crown, but also see them bring back the European Cup after nine years of frustration after the momentous win in Barcelona in 1999.

Owen started and scored in the penalty shootout against Chelsea in the Champions League final, also scoring pivotal goals in victories against Arsenal and Fulham.

DISASTER

Going into the 2008/2009 campaign yet again Owen would be one of United key players in the quest of retaining their trophies at home and abroad.

However, in November 2008 Owen who had been having constant troubles with his knee, was forced to have an operation and in the process was sidelined for the rest of the 08/09 season. Going into the 2009/10 season, Ferguson speculated a return for Owen by October, which was then delayed to January, which eventually turned out to be a brief 30 seconds cameo in the 1-0 defeat of Sunderland in May 2010.

Fans were looking forward to seeing Owen back in action in the 2010/11 season. However, disaster struck again when it was announced Owen knee had flared up again, which led to him staying in the USA, to be treated by Dr. Richard Steadman who had treated the midfielder when he had surgery in 2008.

NEW REGULATIONS

With the new Premier League ruling that clubs can only use a 25-man-squad for the Premiership season, it is fair to say Sir Alex has a big decision to make!

If he chooses to leave out Hargreaves, it might eradicate any spirit the 29-year-old might have. If he decides to put Owen in the squad, then in turn could be a waste of a spot if he fails to recover before January.

Should Fergie put Owen in the squad? Or does he leave him out and sign Steven Defour? Skysports.com had published that Manchester United still have a big interest in the Belgium play-maker.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Manchester United have enjoyed a successful pre-season, putting in some good performances and scoring plenty of goals. I’m not for one moment suggesting that because we got a result against the MLS All Stars we’re going to breeze the Premier League, but over the past month we’ve been given a real taste of what could be to come this season.

The reason why we didn’t win the league last season was the injuries at the back. All teams have injuries which they have to deal with, but there’s not a lot you can do when nine players from your defense are all out at one time. With Van der Sar also missing for months, the players that did play in defense, whether that be Fletcher, Carrick, De Laet, Park or anyone else, didn’t have the calming and authoritative influence Edwin brings. Feel free to check the statistics comparing our injuries with Chelsea’s before tutting and rolling your eyes.

This season, as we have done in our recent title wins, we will be relying on a sturdy defense. Rafael and Jonny Evans should make the transition to first XI, filling in for the aging and injury prone Rio/Neville/Wes. Vidic’s long term commitment comes as a massive boost and there’s not a central defender in the world I’d swap him for.

Patrice Evra will come back from the shambles of a World Cup more inspired than ever to do well for us. The likes of Chris Smalling and Fabio should get opportunities, particularly if we do have a repeat of injuries, with John O’Shea filling in as ever.

The area we may struggle this season is midfield, particularly with the long term injuries to Anderson and Owen Hargreaves. Nani really started coming in to his own last season, with important goals against Arsenal, Bayern Munich and Tottenham Hotspur. This really could be his season to shine, particularly with the hysteria over Cristiano Ronaldo’s exit now a thing of the past, with him being able to become his own player.

Then we have Antonio Valencia down the other wing, with him a year further in to his United career, more settled and more confident. Only 5 players assisted more goals than Nani last season, only 10 players more than Valencia, and I imagine they will be even more impressive this season.

Park Ji-Sung is another player who will rotate with these two, particularly when we play a 5 man midfield for the big away games and Europe. Gabriel Obertan would also like to add to appearances from last season, but you imagine that will mostly be from the bench.

Finally, only 4 players assisted more goals than Ryan Giggs in the Premiership last season, showing that our veteran midfielder has still got it. I wonder, particularly given our short comings in the center of the park, whether Giggs will primarily be used as a central midfielder.

Darren Fletcher has gone from strength to strength over the past few seasons and it is his dynamism that we will again be relying upon. At times, he grabbed our players by the scruff of the neck and dragged them through matches, similarly to Keano in the past, and him being fit and on form is vital.

Towards the end of last season he started to look a bit burnt out, which is why we need the load to be shared better. You would like to think Anderson would come back at the end of September raring to go, but big questions have been raised about his attitude over the past year and his future with the club could be touch and go.

Owen Hargreaves is the only other player in this same mold, and again, you have to wonder whether he’ll ever play for us again, seriously. So in terms of that combative central midfielder, we’re struggling.

We’re left with Carrick, Scholes, Gibson and possibly Tom Cleverley as our remaining possibilities for the center. There are some fans that Carrick never won over but I’d argue he had a good three first seasons at the club. He has a good eye for the pass and can keep possession well.

However, last season was pretty woeful for the former Spurs man and I’d argue he was probably our worst performer over the course of the season. It was rare that he had a truly dreadful game but more often than not he didn’t contribute anything, or, enough at least. The ball would come to him, he’d pass it five yards to the right, to the left or backwards.

He wasn’t changing the course of the game, he was just letting it pass him by, and that was really disappointing. I like him, I think he’s capable and I hope his self-confidence can return this season. He had a good game against Chelsea in the Charity Shield and was looking forward instead of back when on the ball, so hopefully that is a positive starting point for where the rest of his season will go.

Given how sparse we are in the center of the park, his ability to raise his game could make or break our season.

Paul Scholes is a cut above and even at 35-years-old, can totally dictate the pace and domination of a game. On Sunday, with the best two teams in the country coming face to face, he was the best player on the park by a mile. Last season he scored in two derby days, against AC Milan, as well as winning goals against Wolves and Besiktas in Europe.

The only drawback is we can’t play him every game, given his age, and we don’t have anyone else like him or as good at what he does. We’ve seen Fletch showing his creative side more and more, but we can’t solely rely on him to tick all the boxes for midfield duties.

Then we’ve got the likes of Tom Cleverley and Darron Gibson. Cleverley enjoyed a good pre-season and got a great goal to his name. Ferguson previously claimed the midfielder would be sent out on loan, but changed his mind after a few pre-season games, suggesting he would be staying with the club. He was named Watford’s Player of the Season last year and definitely has a lot of potential. He’s only 20 and should be a starter in the League Cup and could get sub appearances in the ‘easier’ games.

The jury is still out on Gibson. He has a great shot on him, which makes you want to give him the benefit of the doubt, but his all round game is lacking. We shouldn’t forget he scored against Bayern Munich in the European Cup quarters, showing he doesn’t shirk away from the big occasions, and at only 22, the fact that he’s getting a few goals to his name from midfield in his first real season playing in the first team is pretty impressive.

Remember what Fletch was like at 22 (05-06 season) in comparison to now before giving Gibbo too much of a hard time.

Now on to our attack, which has the most exciting prospects for us to talk about, with Rooney, Berbatov, Chicharito and Owen the closest thing to a strike-force 4 since Yorke, Cole, Ole and Teddy. All the pressure was on Rooney last season in Ronaldo’s absence and thankfully he delivered.

Whilst other players did contribute to the goals there’s no denying that like with Ron in the years before, Rooney was our main man. Ideally next season we won’t be relying on Rooney so heavily, with the pressure for goals shared more evenly amongst our other strikers.

According to Opta, Berbatov created more goal scoring opportunities per game than any other striker in the league last season, whilst in terms of goals and assists, Berbatov contributed to 22% of our goals last season. Berbatov splits the camp and people aren’t going to change their minds on him just because I gush over him, but I think he’s a cut above and I’m looking forward to what he has to offer next season.

I think he might work more effectively with Javier Hernandez, young Chicharito, who could run on to Berbatov’s balls past the back four all day long. Whilst we shouldn’t get carried away, it’s really hard not to, after seeing these snapshots of him. At 22, scoring in a World Cup, against Argentina and France no less, is pretty impressive.

Then to go on to score in every pre-season game he played, including against Chelsea in the Community Shield, only heightens the expectation for this lad. He really does have the potential to be amazing and I’m trying to think when the last time I was this excited over a player was.

Then we’ve got Owen, who should get similar game time to last season, with his playing time mainly coming from starts in the Cup competitions and sub appearances in the league. He scored a 96th minute winner against our local rivals, a hattrick against the German champions in Europe and a goal in our 2-1 win over Villa in the League Cup final.

To think we got that for free on a pay by play contract is pretty good going. All he needs to do now is score against Liverpool and lift the Premiership trophy and I couldn’t be happier!

So, all in all, I will start this season like I do every season, with the belief that Manchester United will be champions. I still think we’re some way from our strongest team but we have enough there to be title winners. Chelsea bettered us by one point last season and I think that we’ve strengthened our team better than they have.

Our hopes depend upon Rooney, Nani, Fletcher and Berbatov playing as well as we expect them to, on top of an organised and disciplined defense. Roll on Monday night!

This article is written by Scott, who writes on the popular Manchester United blog, The Republik of Mancunia.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

Manchester United Get Off to a Flying Start

Last season’s domestic double winners, Chelsea, took on Manchester United in their annual pre-season friendly.  Some call it “The Community Shield.”  I prefer to call it “the gigantic piece of metal that Roy Keane once raised over his head without cracking a smile.”  Then again, aren’t many things that can make Roy crack a smile.

Other than Mick McCarthy collecting unemployment, Alf writhing in pain on the pitch, and the cadaver of Patrick Vieira lumbering around in midfield for Manchester City, of course.

As for the game – check out the highlights here:

Chelsea 0-1 Man Utd. (Valencia 41’) – Rooney did what the Germans did to John Terry, namely take advantage of Terry’s lack of pace and sudden inability to judge long passes, sliding a perfect cross past a bored-looking Ashley Cole to Valencia, who easily beat Hilario for the opener.

Chelsea 0-2 Man Utd. (Hernandez 76’) – Chicarito immediately endeared himself to the United fans by scoring the second.  Valencia got in past an indifferent Cole and then found an unmarked Hernandez at the far post.  Hernandez’s strike was clumsy, so much that the ball actually caromed off his head but managed to settle into the back of the net.  Count that as a headed goal!

Chelsea 1-2 Man Utd. (Kalou 83’) – United’s late-game defensive lapses continue as Chelsea get on the board behind Kalou, who easily puts in the rebound from Sturridge’s shot past Van der Sar.  United’s defense went to sleep there, and that’s something they’ll have to address if they want to win the league this year.

Chelsea 1-3 Man Utd. (Berbatov 90’+2) – Chelsea plays a high-line in their own half to try and win the ball back and counter-attack, but Berbatov gets in behind the defense and chips it over a charging Hilario for the clincher.  Great goal from Berbatov and a good boost for him, as he heads into what could be a make-or-break year for him at Old Trafford.

You can’t take too much from one game, especially one played before the start of the season.  However, both teams have some major concerns on their hands – especially on defense.  Terry continued his horrendous form from South Africa and Cole looks like he’s mentally checked out of England.  As for United, their tendency to fall asleep on defense late in games once again reared its ugly head.  Still, it was a thrilling match and should give United some much-needed confidence as they try to win back Premiership.

Fabregas is Overjoyed That He’s Staying at Arsenal

You know those terrorist propaganda videos where they put one of their prisoners on camera and force him to read a statement repudiating their country and touting the wonders of captors?

That’s what Cesc Fabregas must have felt like when he pledged to stay at Arsenal this season.

In a statement that was devoid of any kind of sentiment or joy, Fabregas begrudgingly conceded that he would spend his 2010-2011 season at the Emirates rather than at the Nou Camp, backing up Xavi and Iniesta, or playing out of position on the wing.  Unlike Fernando Torres’ ode to the greatness of Liverpool(even though he, supposedly, also wanted to go to Barcelona), Stevie G’s latest declaration of dedication, or even Luis Fabiano’s “I wasn’t really looking to leave Sevilla, even though I begged Manchester United and AC Milan to come get me during the World Cup” about-face, Fabregas sounded very much like someone with a gun to his head.  Just take a look at some of these quotes:

I am a professional and I fully understand that it is Arsenal’s prerogative not to sell me. I owe a lot to the club, manager and fans and I’ll respect their decision and will now concentrate on the season ahead with Arsenal.

I cannot deny that joining a club like Barcelona was not an attractive move for me. This was the club where I learned my football, it is my home town where my friends and family are and a club where I have always dreamed of playing. There are not many players in the world who would not want to play for Barcelona.

I look forward to giving my best to Arsenal this season.  And by “my best” I mean approximately 60% because I don’t want to risk hurting myself and scuttling my dream move to Barcelona next season, which let’s face it, we all know is going to happen.  Nevertheless, 60% of me is better than 100% of many of the jokers on this team.  I’m not going to name names, but E. Eboue and N. Bendtner are horrible, M. Almunia and L. Fabianski couldn’t stop shots from my grandma, and R. van Persie is so brittle, he makes raw eggs look like steel.

I made one of those quotes up.  I’m sure you can guess which one.

So, if there’s anything we learned from the Cristiano Ronaldo saga, it’s that this deal will probably get done in January, it’ll be kept quiet until the end of the summer, and Fabregas will get his “dream move” next June with Arsenal netting a hefty profit.

England’s World Cup Flops Dropped From the Team

All the flops not named Rooney, Terry, Gerrard, Lampard, Milner, and Barry, of course.

It’ll be interesting to see some of the new blood and what they might have to offer as England embarks on qualifying for their first European championships since 2004.  Phil Jagielka was one of the top defenders in the Premiership before he blew out his knee late in the 2008-2009 season, while Walcott, Wilshire, Gibbs, and Adam Johnson represent the hopes of the next generation of English footballers.  Gabby Agbonlahor, however, continues to be on the outside looking in.  Same with Joey “I’m as Good as Anyone in England” Barton.

It’ll also be interesting to see which of the World Cup castoffs gets recalled once the qualifiers get under way.  I think Carrick and Joe Cole could get themselves back into the picture with strong club campaigns, and I don’t think we’ve seen the last of Robert Green.  Just kidding on that last one.  He’ll never wear England colors again.

And Now for Something Completely Different

A lot has been made of the new “Homegrown Quota” rule for the Premiership this season.  In short, every team must name a squad of 25 players, at least of 8 whom must be have played for an English or Welsh club for three years before their 21st birthday.  In other words, they have to be English.

At least that’s the subtext of this rule.  The stated intention of the policy is to help the English national team by forcing teams to focus on developing young English players while reining in the out-of-control spending by certain teams in the top flight.  “It will encourage youth development and the promotion of young players,” said Premier League chief Richard Scudamore in 2009. “We think it will give clubs an extra incentive to invest in youth. We think that one of the benefits will be that it will help the England team.”

The rule, which was agreed to in 2009, and its stated goals have broad support throughout the EPL.  Sir Alex Ferguson backs the rule policy, as does Wayne Rooney and former Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Not surprisingly, Arsene Wenger is not a fan of the rule.

However, there hasn’t been much talk about its legality, especially in light of FIFA’s recently scrapped “6+5″ Rule. According to the European Commission,the rule violated EU labor laws prohibiting the free movement of workers and any discrimination of laborers due to nationality within the European Union. The Bosman ruling was clear that athletes count as workers and clubs can not restrict their movement once their contracts are up. Additionally, Bosman held that foreign-based quotas are illegal under EU labor law.

So, how is the EPL’s homegrown rule legal? Well, according to David Geey, an attorney with UK firm Field Fisher Waterhouse, since the law regulates age and service time with a club, not nationality, it should be able to pass muster. After all, Cesc Fabregas counts as a “homegrown” player for Arsenal because he’s been registered with an English or Welsh club (the Gunners) for at least 3 years when he was between the ages of 15 and 21. Meanwhile, Owen Hargreaves would not count as a “homegrown” player for Manchester United because he came up through the Bayern Munich system.

But don’t feel too bad for Sir Alex Ferguson. Nani and Anderson both became eligible this summer, while Federico Macheda, the Da Silva twins, and forgotten man Rodrigo Possebon all become eligible for “homegrown” status next year.

It’ll be interesting to see how other teams react to this new rule. They aren’t supposed to stockpile foreigners, but could teams do what United did and start signing players like Macheda and stashing them away in the academy or in the reserves for three years until they’re ready to assume “homegrown” status? Moreover, teams with established pipelines to South America or Africa, such as United and Chelsea, should be able to continue plucking foreign prospects, knowing that they can keep them off the main roster for a few years while they develop. Meanwhile, smaller clubs like West Ham, Fulham, and even Everton will have to think twice before spending big bucks bringing over a youngster from outside the English or Welsh FA.

So in other words, expect much of the same.

Quick Hits:

Paul Robinson Snubs Capello and Quits England. I hear Capello’s reaction was: “Can I get that in writing?” In Italian, of course.

Wes Brown, too. Guess he got sick of warming Capello’s bench. Now he’ll go back to warming Sir Alex’s.

Mourinho Gives Up on Ashley Cole. Female team officials, hair dressers, and topless models with cell phones in Madrid rejoice.

German ace Mesut Ozil, blah blah blah. Anyone else sick of this yet?

Finally, you have to check out this penalty from Ezekiel Calvacante of the Spanish U-19 team. That’s right, Spain has plenty of young talent in the pipelines. Maybe that’s why England is desperate to go with the homegrown quota rule.

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

The new ‘home-grown’ ruling instigated by the Premier League for this coming season will see all twenty top-flight clubs having to register a 25-man squad list of eligible senior players (including eight players who have spent at least three seasons at an English or Welsh club before they turned 21, those under 21 do not count) in a bid to cut down on sides cluttering their rosters with foreign ‘talent’.

The selections must be submitted online to the Premier League by 5pm on the day following the close of each transfer window (i.e. 1st September and 3rd February for the 2010/11 season) and many clubs are already feeling the pinch of the new sanctions – thanks, largely, by being faced with having to gamble over the inclusion of players with long-standing injury problems.

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has already bemoaned the plight of defender Jonathan Woodgate, who has been sidelined since his plasticine groin pinged during Spurs’ 9-1 demolishing of Wigan in November of last year.

Woodgate has since been flitting between America and Australia to receive various treatments and surgeries in a bid to aid his latest period of convalescence but to no avail, with Redknapp admitting that the 30-year-old centre-back is still ‘nowhere near’ to being able to kick a ball and that he is therefore likely to miss out on the impending cut;

“It must be really hard for him because he is nowhere near kicking a ball. He has been out for a year and he still has a long way to go. It would be impossible to put him in my 25 at the moment.

If he does not start playing before the start of the season, he has got no chance. You cannot have somebody in who is never going to play, who is not going to be fit. We will see how we go in January, but he is a long way off now.”

Woodgate made just three appearances in the Spurs first string last season, and is still some way short of amassing 250 senior starts in a career that has spanned almost twelve years – which makes for ominously sparse reading when you consider that he now faces missing out on at least another four months of prospective playing time.

Man Utd's Anderson and Owen Hargreaves

Manchester United are facing similar dilemmas over the inclusions of midfield pair Owen Hargreaves and Anderson, who have both been out of action for considerable periods of time.

Along with his Tottenham counterpart Redknapp, United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has also aired his concerns over the effects the ‘homegrown’ rule may have on his squad selection policy;

“It does give me a problem, but I have just got to wait as long as I can. I have to make a decision at some point of course and it depends on when I think those players can come back.

Most of the squad is formulated in my mind, but one or two [Hargreaves and Anderson] I still have to make decisions on.”

Hargreaves has made the paltry sum of 38 appearances for United since joining from Bayern Munich in 2007 and has now missed almost two full season’s worth of football due to a crippling double-knee tendinitis problem.

The former England international had been showing promising signs during his pre-season recuperation but then suffered another heart-breaking setback in his continual fight against the inevitable, after once again breaking down in training three weeks ago.

Anderson is not expected to resume training until September after rupturing a cruciate ligament in United’s win over West Ham in February, and is therefore likely to get the nod ahead of Hargreaves, who is now so far from making a comeback that the club have decided not to put a schedule on his latest attempt to return to fitness in a bid to alleviate (or at least dissipate) any detrimental external pressure.

However, the fact remains that long-term cases such as Hargreaves and Woodgate will now be staring over the precipice of their careers on a semi-annual basis thanks to the Premier League’s new ruling.

Does it not seem that, whereas before players were given the respite of being able to look forward whilst undergoing treatment, the new ‘homegrown statute’ serves to cast a more pessimistic perspective on the tribulations of players who struggle with long-term or persistent injury woes (think Andy Johnson of Fulham, Chris Kirkland of Wigan, potentially even players like Arsenal’s Robin Van Persie and Liverpool’s Fernando Torres) by introducing ‘cut-off’ points that could potentially signal the end of many-a-Premier League career?

From Soccerlens.com - Football News

It is with some distain, if not total consternation, that I observe the clichéd comments of the media, rival fans, and (most of all) my fellow Manchester United fans in relation to the ‘old guard’ at Old Trafford!

I could paraphrase an endless list of comments across an endless list of articles and blog contributions but let me quote a comment by the BBC’s chief sports writer, Phil McNulty, in his review of the season this week:

“once again we have to ask how much more Ferguson can dredge out of the old reliables such as Gary Neville, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes.”

And the replies to such observations arrive quick and fast, many suggesting that it will be impossible for Utd to replace Neville, Scholes and Giggs when the time comes.

It’s just about then that I pour myself a glass of wine, take a deep draught, and again wonder whether I live in a different parallel universe to the rest.

But before I get into the meat of my point let me first set some background. Sir Alex Ferguson can be accused of many things but lack of loyalty is not one of them, and when it comes to loyalty he’s totally black and white. Loyalty has always been a two-way street for Ferguson (no argument with that)…….you cross him at your peril…..a lesson learnt the hard way by the likes of McGrath, Sharpe, Stam, Beckham, Van Nistelrooy and even Keane over the years. You’re either in or you’re out with Sir Alex and there are no half measures.

At times he has taken on the world in support of a player (Cantona) and been richly rewarded in return, and for those ‘less troublesome’ souls who have devoted an entire career to the cause Fergie’s loyalty and support is absolute.

The question is whether this is a vice or a virtue, or, more poignantly, when does that virtue actually become a vice?

The last time I soul searched on this issue was in the 2005/6 season. United were heading for a 3rd successive year without the title and Keane was very much in decline. Club captain, but hampered by injury and age, I wondered whether Fergie would ever bite the bullet and move on. In the end, Roy did the honourable thing and spat the dummy, making his departure on his own terms and for the greater good of all. Don’t get me wrong, Keane was one of the all time greats to grace the Old Trafford pitch but he had the nous to call time… at the right time (just)… which is typical of the pragmatist that Keane is.

Everyone moved on, Fergie re-shuffled and 3 titles in a row landed on his doorstep. Carrick arrived amidst a wave of controversy over his fee and, while he is no Roy Keane and never will be, he provided a piece of the jigsaw that once again provided Ferguson and his team with a relatively settled “middle 4”. It was the catalyst (along with the emergence of Ronaldo as a major force) for further decorating one of the most impressive CVs in football management history, and three years of plenty followed.

Now, football commentators and fans are a fickle bunch, none more so than this one, who change their minds daily (never mind weekly or even monthly). As Fergie’s team mounted an assault on six trophies last season, somewhere around the New Year the scribes were suggesting that they would succeed on all fronts and questioning whether this was the ‘great man’s’ best ever squad.

But a season on from all of that, with Ronaldo now departed and Utd failing to win the title for a 4th time (by just a single point), decline is on the agenda, the squad needs major investment (according to many) and the imminent departure of the ‘old guard’ is a major worry!

All of which brings me back to my main point. Let me preface this by acknowledging that as the 3 most decorated players in the history of the Premier League, Neville, Scholes and Giggs, are true legends of the game and will rightfully take their place in the ‘hall of fame’….never to be forgotten!

But time and tide waits on no man and right now, if not for some time now…..if I may be sacrilegious…can I suggest that they are (have been) more of a liability than an asset?

To support this claim I must firstly return to my musings at the start of the season just finished. My greatest wish was that Fergie would somehow ‘find’ a settled midfield unit….get to the point where Utd had a recognised ‘best’ central four. To that end my hope was that Anderson would be given the chance to claim the AM role, that Nani would finally emerge and that Hargreaves would return from injury.

But most of all I wished that Ferguson would forsake his endless rotation of 8 or 9 midfield players with the inevitable consequence of lack of continuity and the lack of team understanding that that brings with it. And to support my aspiration, it went without saying that Scholes and Giggs should be given a back seat……left to lend their experience in the dressing room to the younger players, to come off the bench occasionally, and to play a part in some of the cup competitions.

Utd kicked-off the season against Birmingham and followed that up with the away trip to Burnley…and Sir Alex changed his entire ‘middle’ 4 for the Burnley game (in fact he rotated 5 of the front 6). I instantly knew the game was up and resigned myself to another season of ‘guess the line-up’, knowing in my heart that no team ever achieves greatness with a question mark over what is it’s best 11 (or at least best 14).

Giggs started 20 PL games for Utd last season, Scholes 24 and Neville 15. Not huge numbers but that’s exactly the point. Too much a case of players on the way out not being left out and players who should be brought through not being left in!

Let me address Gary Neville first. Absent for the best part of 2 seasons through injury, Gary probably played more games than he would have this season due to injuries to others. While truly awful in some of his early season performances, in fairness, he put in some decent shifts in the 2nd half and deserves credit for that.

But let’s be crystal clear on this one. Neville is now 4th choice RB at Old Trafford, behind Rafael, Brown and O’Shea. If he walked out the door tomorrow it wouldn’t cause the slightest blip on the future achievement of the club……so let’s lay that one to rest. He’s long since been replaced. Next!

The case of Giggs and Scholes is more complicated, but only relatively so. The two had contrasting seasons. Giggs had some good performances in the first half of the season but, for my money, was mostly missing in the 2nd half. For Scholes it was the reverse, he seemed to come to life from January on. But even given that, there’s still a problem to my mind and it’s this. For every decent game Giggs and Scholes have, they have one average one and one poor one. You just can’t rely on that, it’s a crap shoot, and you better believe that it comes at a cost!

A good example is Liverpool away last season. Fergie selected a midfield of Carrick, Scholes, Giggs and Valencia. A ‘backs to the wall’ game for Liverpool and a guaranteed battle! I saw the line-up and winced, and so it proved. They just don’t have the legs for a high tempo battle anymore.

But the main problem is Ferguson’s insistence on including them so often. It retards the emergence of the next generation, Anderson in particular; it possibly undermines the confidence of players like Carrick, whose form collapsed in the latter part of the season and it definitely undermines any chance of getting to a point of having a settled midfield unit which, to my mind at least, is fundamental to creating any great team.

So when, by degree, I learnt that all three in question had signed 1 year extensions to their contracts I was far from happy. I’m not suggesting that they shouldn’t have been given those extensions, far from it. Let them continue to influence the younger players, bring some experience to the bench and play in some cup games …….exactly my prescription for last season.

But I just know that Fergie won’t approach it this way. He’ll continue to overplay this trio of aging greats; continue to undermine the game time and by extension the confidence of others, and continue to over rotate and detract from any possibility of Utd establishing a quality midfield unit.

So what would I do? Assuming Hargreaves can get back to his former level, I’d have Hargreaves, Fletcher, Anderson and one quality CM purchase, along with Nani and Valencia, as my ‘midfield 6’. By that I mean 4 or 5 (depending on formation) from this 6 as the regular starters.

I’d sell Carrick and have Park, Gibson, Oberton and the emerging Cleverly as the back-up, but only to be used sparingly in the event of injury or to occasionally rest someone (unless of course they impress so much that they can’t be ignored). After that Giggs and Scholes would get a look in, which would mean not very much at all. The “2nd string”, including Giggs and Scholes, to be given game time in the CC and FA Cup.

I understand the criticisms of Utd’s midfield quality in recent times but remain unconvinced that it is down to lack of good players. I’m convinced that it has as much to do with lack of continuity and failure to establish a regular starting line-up. Yes, I know it’s a squad game now and you can’t get anywhere without depth……but there’s a balance between squad depth and not having a first choice (‘best’) team and for two seasons now that balance has been missing from United.

Neville, Scholes and Giggs have long since been replaced at Old Trafford. They owe us nothing more and we owe them a huge debt of gratitude.

But please Fergie, spare us the death by a thousand cuts! I’ve bled enough already and I can’t face another season with more of the same.

It’s time to move on……time to get the balance back…… and time to get a best 11 again!

From Soccerlens.com - Football News