Last April, when Richardson put us 1-0 up after a few minutes against Middlesbrough, I thought it was going to be plain sailing. However we let Boro back in, Viduka scoring right before half time, and we then lacked creativity and motivation to put us back in front. After leading the table all season, we were just five games away from the climax, and now we were going to throw it away?
Chelsea had Newcastle to play, which would bring them to within one point of us if they won. With a trip to Stamford Bridge still on the agenda for United, our bottle was really starting to be tested.
Just a week later we were at Goodison Park, after dramatically beating AC Milan at Old Trafford during the week. We’d been handed a lifeline, thanks to Chelsea 0-0 at St James Park, and now was our chance to really show that we meant business. Chelsea were playing Bolton at home at the same time, the easier of the two fixtures, but as long as we did our job, it shouldn’t matter who they were playing.
To find ourselves 2-0 down after 50 minutes was pretty heartbreaking. The fans would have been right to feel as though the Boro game should have taught the lads a lesson, and they’d come out all guns blazing against Everton. What was happening to our team?
The Chelsea vs Bolton game was being shown on a small telly in the next room, and despite Bolton taking the lead, Chelsea were now 2-1 ahead. Gutted. Had we really come this far just to chuck it all away now?
Four minutes later, Kevin Davies made it 2-2 at Stamford Bridge, but that mattered little to us, still 2-0 down. However, with less than half an hour to play, something incredible started to take place. John O’Shea, the most accurate goalscorer in the league last season (tee hee), started the comeback, making the most of a goalkeeping error. 7 minutes later, Phil Neville scored and own goal and was gutted (honest). Another ten minutes later, Rooney finished brilliantly, keeping his head to put us 3-2 ahead. Then just to finish the day, Chris Eagles, who’d been on the field for less than five minutes, scored a brilliant goal. Three points for United, one point for Chelsea, and the title was almost certainly ours.
United beat City a week later whilst Chelsea drew their third game in a row against Arsenal and the title was officially ours. We’d been tested in the remaining weeks of the season but we didn’t bottle it. We held our nerve and claimed the title we deserved.
This season, we find ourselves in very different circumstances. We haven’t lead the pack for any considerable amount of time and we just don’t seem to be clicking. Arsenal aren’t playing devastating football either, but they’re picking up the points, which is something we are struggling with at present.
Following the Spurs game, where we were handed a ‘get out of jail free card’ courtesy to Tevez’s last kick of the game goal, I felt this would have been great motivation for United. Our players must have been sure we were going to lose to Spurs, were all aware of how much that hurt, but managed to pick up a point anyway. We should have been taught the lesson without having the pay the full price for it. Roll on derby day and the Babes memorial where we can get our season back on track, right?
For some reason, whatever reason, United didn’t learn their lesson at White Hart Lane, and played some truly awful football on Sunday against City. In contrast, Arsenal picked up a further three points yesterday, taking them five points clear at the top.
Today, Sir Alex Ferguson has commented on our current predicament. “It was an important weekend for Arsenal with ourselves and Chelsea dropping points,” he said. “But as I said some weeks ago, some points will be dropped by all the teams and there’s a long way to go. It’s getting interesting now. It’s going to be a really good tight finish, something which the spectators and the neutrals will be enthralled by. But we know the job we’ve got to do, with Arsenal still to come to us and they’ve got to go to Chelsea. I said at the start of the season that I thought it would go down to the wire.”
United were in a much more favourable position last season but they had the ability and the nerve to claim the title, whilst Chelsea let it slip away from them. This season, who’ll have the bottle to become Champions, Arsenal or United?
Man Utd News 24/7
I think we do have the bottle, but it is dependant on many things.
Firstly, I am sure we will drop a few points, so Arsenal (and Chelsea) need to too.
Secondly, Ferguson has got to sort himself out. There is a time and a place for playing the old guard of Giggs and Scholes, and I definitely want to see them playing quite regularly, but he needs to realise when it isn’t working. For now, the team needs a bit of bite- go with the Anderson/ Hargreaves that worked so well earlier in the season- that should be our starting point at least. Anderson and Hargreaves play fast paced football, and though Scholes can be sublime, he is not the sort of player to drag the team up and get them playing fast IN THE WAY HE IS PLAYING ATM- ie wayy too deep. If this is because he does nont feel fit enough to play where we love him, further up the filed, popping up around the box and getting goals, then there is not much point to him in a central midfeild stacked with talent. As for Giggs and Nani, I think they need to be alternating- as neither is brilliant, both can be an impact sub.
Thirdly, key players need to remain fit. For me, this includes most of the team; for example the difference between Evra and O’Shea was for all to see on Sunday. Rooney is the main man though, with Ronaldo coming a close second.
We can definitely do it! I think we’ll only get a draw at the Bridge, but if we beat Arsenal and the Scousers, hope Arsenal lose to Chelsea, and drop less of the other points than them (since I’m sure all teams will) then we’re there. If Sunday was not a MAJOR kick up the arse for all of them, well, erm, it better be!
If we can claw this back It really would be a big achievement. It’s fair to say we have to win every one of our games to win the race to the title, Arsenal are 5 points in front, they have to lose 5 points without us losing any for a start, then comes the bit where we have to take the lead.. it’s looking unlikely but it is of course possible.
Also, every supporter who moans about the likes of Giggs and Scholes seriously needs to remember the amount of times this season and last season, players like those have played in tough games and helped win them. We always find ourselves moaning about them when we lose but if we won against City nobody would mention Giggs should have not played, or Scholes is too rusty..
My belief is players like Fletcher would have been better on the right than Nani if Ronny was playing up front. Everyone dislikes the guy (not me) but he definately has the steel to get through a derby without backing down.
Oh and Carrick has scored a goal.. Woo!
http://therepublikofmancunia.com/ferguson-rips-larse/
Are you still Laughing?
Tom F, I’m not whining about Giggs and Scholes, I just think that it’s time we stopped letting sentimental memories of them playing blinders cloud our judgement.
If we look at this season, comparing Nani and Giggs, proportionally to time spent on field Nani has provided us with more assists, and goals. He also injects pace into our game. However, he does give the ball away, and sometimes it’s nice to have a cool head of experience like Giggs. Which is why I said they should alternate- depending on the game/ circumstances.
In terms of the Scholes situation, he has done far less wrong than Giggs this season, however he faces stiffer competition for his position. He came back from injury and was superb against Spurs and Pompey, but in the two matches since then he has really, really dipped. This is, I think, because when the team isn’t playing particularly well, Scholes in his deep lying position is pretty ineffectual, because he can play long searching balls all he likes, but he is utterly dependent on runs being made, gaps being opened up. If Scholes is willing to start playing higher up the field again, keep him there. If he isn’t fit enough, remember that we have worthy deputies- Anderson and Hargreaves proved an incredibly effective partnership in Scholes’ absence.
Scott, I don’t know if you’ve written an article about this already, but this old guard/ new guard debate is really something that’s splitting United fans- what d’you think?
Raymondo – you’re setting yourself up for a BIG fall if you’re going to start bragging in February!
In answer to your question, do I still find it funny that your team were so happy to draw at home to my team? Yes.
I dont think its to do with bottle.We showed that last season we had it.Its more to do with carrying passengers,munich this and that and basically not seeing the BEST team out each and every week.Arsenal are not resting.They play their best team everyweek.Arsenal play people on form,which we are not doing.Tom F, Giggs is not the same player he once was.Its expected though,hes 34.But now hes hurting the team.Someone mentioned that Nani loses the ball.Giggs has lost the ball more times than anyone this season.Scholes still can play but not giggs.His game was based on pace.overlooking the striker situation will also hurt us greatly.
You are discounting the massive effect Henrik Larsson had on your team the last season. At that point United were marginally ahead of Chelsea, but he contributed to some key victories in the period. Unfortunately, you dont have someone to turn on that magic this time around. If Ronaldo or Rooney have a bad game, there is no one to really lift you. You are also missing Neville’s leadership. So no I dont believe United have the capacity to overtake the gunners this time around unless the gunners implode.
PG – Hate to piss all over your argument, but United were not “marginally” ahead of Chelsea before Larsson played. Our 2-2 draw against Newcastle on New Years Day followed by Chelsea 0-0 draw against Aston Villa the following day left us 6 points clear the week before Larsson’s debut.
I agree Larsson definitely had a positive effect on United, across the three competitions. Was he specifically responsible for us winning the league? 7 league matches and 1 league goal? I personally don’t think so.
Generally I am not concerned about bottle as much as distractions to the team and lack of fluidity in our passing game at pace especially in attacking in droves. This as well as the resultant spread of goals it gives, being absent in large parts this season in consistency, is what is costing us.
Bottle time is in April onwards. If it is just dependant on plain nerves, we will be better than them.
PG – I have to say, to point out the fact that we are missing Neville’s leadership is a point which is true but not with much importance as we were without him since March last year and still made it to a Cup final, Euro semi’s and won the league, so I would imagine we’d cope without him again, like we have for a year.
United haven’t stayed top of the league for 2 years so everyone seems to be making the assumption the race is all over. It is Arsenals to lose sure, but we will all hope for that to happen.