Yesterday, I wrote of my immense frustration upon hearing that plans to show United’s European Cup final on the big screens had been cancelled, following the scenes of violence involving Rangers fans. The Scottish fans travelled to Manchester to watch their UEFA Cup Final which was being held at the Council House. After a technical hitch with the screen in Piccadilly Gardens, the Rangers fans kicked off.
It’s Friday night. A takeaway and early doors at the local followed by semi-drunk dreams of the weekend’s game. That has been my weekly routine for the past eight or nine months. Once the weekend’s game was played, I’d spend the following week reading up on team news, thinking about the latest injury, contemplating the missed opportunities and the goals that were scored, then focussing on the next fixture.
At the start of every season I seem to forget immediately what the two months preceding were like. A bit of Wimbledon to keep you going, maybe catch the athletics in the Olympics, then there’s a World Cup or European Championship to bide your time, but essentially, nothing fills the gap left by the football season ending.
1. Transfer rumours
The transfer stories you brush off during the season suddenly become the height of interest when you don’t have a match to look forward to. Whether it’s some unknown player from South America or a big named star from the continent, I find myself hooked on buying in to the latest player we’re tipped to sign. Search his videos on YouTube, read about him on Wiki, take a glance over his scoring/defensive record.
2. Pre-season friendlies
A trip to Peterborough isn’t something you’d necessarily consider viable during the season, but when it’s over, making the journey seems like a sound bet. Hire a mini-bus, pack it full with the lads, and head on down. I found myself watching United vs Inter Milan at the beginning of August last season, desperate to catch any action of the lads after a summer without. It seems as though I wasn’t the only one, with another 73,737 fans feeling the same way, giving us a record attendance for a friendly match.
Anyone fancy a trip to Aberdeen in July?
3. Portugal
At least this summer isn’t completely barren as far as football goes, with Euro 2008 taking place. Disappointing that we won’t get to watch the likes of Rooney, Ferdinand, Hargreaves and Carrick in action, after the England team embarrassingly failed to quality. However, it time to get your Portugal flags ordered off eBay, learn their national anthem, and get yourself down to a pub. Viva Ronaldooooo.
This Friday feels depressing. At least we have the small matter of the Champions League final to carry us through. But next Friday? Maybe we’ll just have to spend it celebrating the Double…
Scanning a few headlines this morning, it would appear as though Cristiano Ronaldo is ready for a summer transfer to Real Madrid. Despite news story after news story filled with quotes from Ronaldo claiming he is happy at the club, an interview with Sky Sports News today seems to confirm that Ronaldo is looking for a summer move away from the club, with Real Madrid being the destination.
The Independent: “Ronaldo opens door to Real as he ponders United future”
Daily Mail: “Ronaldo’s bombshell - I don’t know whether I’ll stay at United”
The Sun: “RonalGO - United Shock As Cris Hints At Summer Move”
The Guardian: “Ronaldo leaves door open for Madrid”
Football365 published the story, quoting Ronaldo as saying: “I am happy here but let’s see what happens after the Champions League final. I am feeling calm here. I’m happy but in the future I don’t know. I know Real Madrid like how I play and I know that other teams in Spain like my game as well, so that’s good. It is good to know that other clubs are interested in you. I have said millions of times that I would love to play in Spain.”
But what part of the story is being left out here?
You would have thought with 100,000 Scots descending upon Manchester that I wouldn’t have been entirely oblivious to the fact the UEFA Cup Final was being held at the Wastelands this week.
The difference between the Champions League and UEFA Cup are certainly highlighted by choice of venue for the finals. The 2003 CL final was held at Old Trafford, with Milan beating Juventus to be crowned Champions. A mere five years later, the other European Cup competition final is held in Manchester, but this time at the sky blue 47,000 seater stadium owned by the council. What a kick in the teeth.
Big screens around Manchester showed the final between Rangers and Zenit St Petersburg, however, disaster struck when the one in Piccadilly Gardens broke. Over 20,000 fans stood in the centre of town, awaiting kick off, when the reality sunk in that the screen wasn’t working. 11,000 fans took the advice to bus it to the velodrome on the East side of town, whilst the remaining 10,000 poured out of the gardens to try and find a pub or bar where they could see a television screen. Of course, all the pubs in the nearby area were already packed, which lead to frustrated fans kicking off.
15 police officers were attacked, with 1 needed to spend the night in hospital for surgery. Ambulance crews needed escorts to travel in to the city centre to respond to calls, of which there were 2000 between 7pm and 7am.
This night of mayhem from the Rangers fans has had disastrous effects on United fans hoping to watch their team in the City centre next week.
Ryan Giggs has possibly endured his worst season, in terms of form, in his 17 years of the club, which can be expected considering he turned 34 this year. He has come under fierce criticism from some sections of the support, with Giggsy tired legs not able to cut it on too many occasions. The man who used to rip defences to shreds and struggled more and more to keep possession, which eventually lead to him starting just 13 of United’s final 28 games of the season.
However, last Sunday, Giggs scored the goal which certainly felt like the one that clinched us the title, his 10th. A great run in to the box coupled with a cool finish resulted in United taking a 2-0 lead over Wigan, which ensured us Premiership victory. Giggs had suffered similar criticism from the fans in the lead up to our FA Cup semi-final replay against Arsenal, where he scored that goal to put us through to the final.
Giggs has recently spoken honestly about his feelings on the European Cup final, acknowledging that he may not even feature in what could become yet another part of United’s great history.
Manchester United have been incredibly solid defensively this season, claiming an incredible 21 clean sheets out of the 38 league games, as well as conceding just 22 goals. Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic have had a lot to say in that defensive record, both showing themselves as some of the best, if not the best, centre backs in Europe.
Vidic’s fearless nature, sticking his head or leg in to any dangerous situation to make sure the ball is cleared, has seen him pick up several injuries this season. During this time, Wes Brown, who has been filling in for an injured Gary Neville all season, has been moved to the middle, with the versatile Owen Hargreaves playing the full back role.
Gerard Pique has been overlooked for the majority of the season though, after returning from his loan spell last season. His costly error against Bolton at the Reebok earlier in the season saw us lose all three points to our failing neighbours, who sadly avoided relegation (although I will thank them for their late goal at Stamford Bridge which saw United escape becoming a statistic of a club winning the league on goal difference).
Pique did however get a few successful Champions League games under his belt this season though, scoring two goals in his three appearances in the competition, as well as defending solidly. He made a good show of himself for 90 minutes in our recent league victory over Arsenal, as well as making another 9 appearances for us in the league and League Cup.
Ahead of United’s crucial clash with Barcelona at the Nou Camp there was talk of Gerard Pique filling in for Vidic, however, Fergie spoke quickly to dispel these rumours. The manager believed it would be too much for the defender to return to his former club, who he still has much affection for, in such a vital game.
Today, reports in Spain suggest that Pique is ready for a move back to La Liga, with the deal supposedly going through after the European Cup final.
Five words which make any United fan beam. “…and Solskjaer has won it.” Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is the man who “put the ball in the German’s net” and who gave us the greatest memory we have as United fans. United were a goal down when the injury time board was held up, showing just three minutes, but when the final whistle went, we were ready to get our hands on the European Cup. That moment was absolutely priceless. Nothing will ever rival that moment for me, but Solskjaer believes that our current team certainly has the ability to rival and surpass all that was achieved by our 1999 squad.
He has today spoken out about his hope for United’s future, claiming he believes we now have the potential to go on not only to win this European Cup, but several more over the coming years. When looking at the players we had back then, Roy Keane, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and David Beckham all in their prime, as well as the likes of Jaap Stam, Peter Schmeichel, Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole, it was hard to imagine a better side.
However, as Ferguson has said several times this season, our current squad is the best we’ve ever had. The likes of Anderson, Nani, Carlos Tevez and Louis Saha are likely to take a place on the bench, which was held by Jonathan Greening, David May and Phil Neville back in ‘99. We have the strength in depth Fergie has craved throughout his years as United manager, and there is real belief that this is the team to win the third European Cup we have been longing for since our victory 9 years ago.
Rio Ferdinand has penned a 5-year-deal with United today, which should see him spend the rest of his career at the club. A complete change around in attitude and performance has seen Rio go from an unpopular man to one of the fans’ better liked players.
After Ronaldo, he is has been our best player this season, putting in solid performances against some of the best attacking players in the World. Fernando Torres, who has had an incredible debut season in the Premiership, was AWOL in both games against United this season, courtesy of Rio’s superb defending. Barcelona, with the talent of Messi, Eto’o and Henry, couldn’t score a goal over two legs, and Van der Sar had little to do in either match.
With Gary Neville out injured all season and Ryan Giggs playing in fewer matches towards the close of the season, Rio Ferdinand has donned our captain’s armband on numerous occasions. His capabilities as a leader were noted by new England manager Fabio Capello, who made our defender captain in an international friendly against France.
Sir Alex Ferguson has today praised Ferdinand’s maturity, claiming he has become a great leader and captain at United.
All United fans can happily acknowledge that Chelsea have surprised us this season in taking the title to the final day of the season. Whilst we have watched our team play the superior football, Chelsea racked up the points on a weekly basis, and were there to take advantage when we dropped silly points. Draws against Boro and Blackburn in the final month of the season could have cost us, but fortunately, we won when it mattered, which eventually saw us claiming the title by two points.
However today, Grant has blasted the referees in this country, claiming they have handed us points on too many occasions, namely the Chelsea game at Old Trafford earlier this season, his first game in charge of the blues.
“I think in our game against Manchester United at Old Trafford, the referee (Mike Dean) influenced the result for sure. We know that,” he rambled. “I think the red card for Mikel John Obi in that game should not have been a red card.”
I will forgive him for seeing the game through blue tinted specs, as I know all too well how biased I am capable of being. But Grant has certainly seemed to have forgotten some key moments in that 2-0 victory at Old Trafford.
1. Joe Cole vs Patrice Evra
17 minutes played. Evra bursts in to the Chelsea box only to be brought down by Joe Cole. As the last man, Cole should have been sent off and a penalty for United should have been awarded.
BBC: The home side were denied a penalty when a sliding Joe Cole appeared to make contact with Evra ahead of getting a touch on the ball
The Independent: Mike Dean failed to award a penalty to Manchester United for Joe Cole’s crude challenge on Patrice Evra on 17 minutes.
2. John Terry and the red card
After John Obi Mikel had been somewhat harshly sent off, John Terry took hold of Dean’s red card as it was shown. I certainly would complain if a United player was sent off in similar circumstances, particularly in such an important game, as a yellow card would have been a fairer decision. However, Mikel did go in with his studs, so a sending off wasn’t an entirely ridiculous decision (as United fans will remember Ronaldo being shown a red card on derby day for going in to a challenge showing his studs, despite not making any contact with the player). Regardless, that doesn’t warrant the Chelsea captain trying to take the red card out of the referee’s hand. No yellow card was given to Terry. When considering Wayne Rooney has been shown a second yellow for just sarcastically applauding a referee’s poor decision in the past, it takes the piss that Terry received no punishment for this.
3. Joe Cole vs Cristiano Ronaldo
73 minutes played. As Ronaldo bombs down the wing, Joe Cole slides in, making no attempt to go for the ball.
BBC: Joe Cole was fortunate to stay on the pitch for a lunge at Cristiano Ronaldo as Chelsea hoped to snatch an equaliser.
4. Chelsea’s Shots on Target0. Chelsea didn’t force Van der Sar in to making one save and managed just three shots that went off target. The worst, most heavily influenced referee in the World couldn’t have denied Chelsea getting a result at Old Trafford that day, as they did it all by themselves. How can a team that doesn’t have a single shot on target over a period of 90 minutes claim they were hard done by because of the referee?
Whilst Grant can complain about the Mikel sending off, there is no denying that Joe Cole made challenges worthy of 2 red cards but was shown just 1 yellow card and was allowed to stay on the field. There is no denying that the first of these challenges should have resulted in a United penalty with just 20 minutes played.
Bias in unavoidable when you’re heavily involved in a football club, but we should all try to avoid bias when it puts us in a position of looking bitter and deluded. Avram Grant should take note.
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