Before a game had even been played this season, Chelsea were tipped as favourites to win the league, despite our Premiership and Champions League double in May, which saw us beat Chelsea to the prize on both occasions.
As the season has gone on, this prediction has seemingly been confirmed with Chelsea six points clear of United at the top. However, with a game in hand and much trickier fixtures on the way, the rent boys’ dominance isn’t as impressive as the press might make out.
Sir Alex Ferguson has today spoken about Chelsea’s status as favourites, giving his own explanation as to why that might be.
Whilst already facing two of the remaining other top three teams away from home already, the fixtures don’t seem to get any easier. Before Christmas, we’ve got a trip to Arsenal, meaning we’ll have played all of the top teams away from Old Trafford, whilst some of the Chelsea won’t have faced even one of the top sides away, as well as going to Wastelands to face The Richest Team In The World (TM).
The World Championship we are set to play in following our European Cup win also adds to the strain, meaning we go two weeks without a Premiership game, only to travel for an away fixture three days after returning from Japan.
“It’s interesting the bookies make Chelsea favourites for the title,” Ferguson said. “I think the reason for that is that we’ve got the World Championship, when we’re away for 10 days. Coming back from that is a test for us. We’re back on December 23 and play Stoke on Boxing Day. That’s where the title will be decided for us — how we handle that.”
The benefit United have is our toughest games of the season will already be out of the way by that point. Of the current top ten teams, Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal, Aston Villa, City, Portsmouth and Blackburn all have to come to Old Trafford from January onwards.
To be honest though, I don’t think the bookies are weighing the World Championship in to their decision at all. Their logic is fairly basic, and flawed, in that with a new manager and Deco, Chelsea will improve on last season’s efforts, therefore will make up the two points they were lacking on us then. Of course, this doesn’t take in to consideration any improvements for United.
We’ve picked up 14 points from our first 7 games, exactly the same as last season, however last season we hadn’t faced Chelsea and Liverpool away in those games. We’ve already improved and with the number of young players in our squad, all a year more experienced now, it would be mad to rule out significant improvement in our team.
Ferguson has also reflected on the season so far, claiming we are now back to normal and well on our way.
“The start of the season was always going to be difficult,” he said. “We had players who hadn’t really had a pre-season. But, as I said, after the Chelsea game I was certain we were on the right track. That game went away from us simply because our legs went away from us. Neville, Hargreaves, Berbatov, Ronaldo — they were all really playing their first game of the season. I felt then that in two or three weeks we’d be back to normal, and I think we are.”
Will this be the toughest season yet? Quite possibly. But I still am entirely confident our trophy is staying put.
Chelsea are favourites for title because they are the best. They have a tremendous squad and most of their first XI would walk into the United, Liverpool or Arsenal teams. How many can you think of in the opposite direction? Maybe 2 or 3.
For me they have been the best over last 4 years. If it were not for injuries to Cech and Terry over last 2 years there is no doubt Chelsea would have been League Champions. They are so strong and talented.
They’re formidable even without long term injured Drogba, Ballack, Essien and Carvalho. Add in likes of Ashley Cole, Joe Cole, Deco and Terry who have also missed games you began to understand that if Scolari can get it right they could more than thump anyone home and away.
Privately Ferguson will wonder what will it take for the bookies to make United favourites?
Matthew you are an idiot. We are the best because the trophies in the cabinet prove that. If there was one player who I would take from Chelsea to United (that thought would only be for a millisecond) then it would be Cech, but we have Foster ready to come through. So in all honesty, I wouldn’t swap our players for any of the Chelsea players. Please don’t use injuries as an excuse for the failiure to win anything last season, because we had players out for large periods of last season, most notably our captain. ‘Thump anyone home and away’, is that why Chelsea were lucky to snatch a draw against United last month? Jog on mate.
” Of course this doesn’t take into consideration any improvements from united”
That is true but it does take into account united getting worse. Riverdance has disappeared completely so far this season ( even Madrid no longer want him). I feared that you would take the £70 mil for him and really push on, another mistake from SAF. I think the old boy is losing his touch and should retire.
Seeing as Chelsea are just a bunch of old has beens c SAF it must make it seem all the worse.
Happy days!
Pete – like I already said, we’ve already improved this season on last year. We’ve got exactly the same points as this time last season, yet we’ve already played 2 of the top remaining top 3 clubs away from home. At this time last season, the only top 4 side we’d played was Chelsea at home.
Maybe you’re the only person in this country who hasn’t noticed Wayne Rooney picking up the slack from Ronaldo.
Which ever d case, Chelsea is winning d league. Be it as it may Scolari guys ‘re superb with d mixture of xperience & strength
umm cech of two years ago, yes he would walk in over VdS. Now, i’d say thats a push.
evra over a.cole any day of the week
vidic over terry easily
rio and carlvalho, thats actually a close one i think. lets go with a push
brown and bowsingwa, i guess the portuguese would edge this one, but only just. and for 18 mil, you’re having a laugh
So no, Mathew, you fucking idiot, all chelski players would not walk into a United side.
The only Chelsea player that would get in our team is Essien. Maybe Joe Cole. Maybe.
And where Ronaldo has apparently dropped in form, Rooney and Berbatov have been there to grab the headlines.
How are Chelsea favourites? They are from London. Duh…
Comparing players to another is always an issue, cos fans will always prefer their team players than the other team. saying Chelsea players are better than United is not the case who among them is worth winning ballon’dor or world football award, for united having fantastic players last season and winning all trouphies, does not give them a edge over the blues because of the form phill boys are in and the experience of bitter past they will not want to repeat. May 09 WILL JUDGE
Scolari has taken “the shackles off” the RentBoyz. They are playing with more flair and scoring more goals. They have the best goal-difference in the EPL.
Last year, with TheMoaner in charge, the RentBoyz were defensive and tried to grind out 1-nil victories but actually ended up with a large number of draws. Grant made no difference to that scenario.
So, when crunch time came in the spring, Chel$ki were behind in BOTH points and goal-difference. Superior goal difference was like having another point for UTD.
Down the back stretch, what SAF has famously called “squeaky bum time”, the extra point loomed ever-larger. Even being gifted a victory at Stamford Bridge by an utterly ridiculous hand-ball charged against Michael Carrick, the RentBoyz were still look up at the defending champions who held that key trump card.
For me, therefore, what Scolari has done is nothing more than “homework”. He saw – or was told – that it was imperative to get his guys firing and scoring so that this time they can hold the trump card. And, so far it’s working.
I hate to say it but – just for tomorrow – “Go Souserers, Go.”
Guys,
United and Chelsea will challenge for the title, with Arsenal definately having a say. But please take your red tinted glasses off, Evra for Cole and Bosingwa just against f*cking Brown LOFL.
Two good teams, who will fight it down to the wire!
The thing is, Chelsea would have won had they not messed up at Wigan or Tottenham, both fixtures they should have won. Then there’s the Man U fixture earlier in the season – Mikel controversially sent off, Chelsea with a new manager 24 hours before the game, all of this was crucial. You won the league in this style, more Chelsea losing it than you dominating. And remember, Chelsea had their favourite manager to date run out the club and replaced by Avram F****ing Grant a man who’s barely managed before. Despite this, the only reason you won the premiership was due to Chelsea’s inablity to pick up easy points at the end of the season and the only reason you won the champions league was some dodgy boots Terry was wearing. He had already sold VDS the wrong way. More reasons? Chelsea have a stronger squad. They now have a manager who can match SAF in terms of tactical nous and who, to boot, is a non-incendary person who has started to make the rest of the premiership like chelsea by being humble, intelligent and playing a very attractive brand of football.
Man U’s first team : VDS, Evra, Vidic, Ferdinand, Brown, Ronaldo, Scholes, Carrick, Giggs, Rooney, Berbatov
Personally, I would make that better by changing:
Cech, A.Cole, Carvalho, Terry (C), Bosingwa, Ronaldo, Ballack, Lampard, Deco, Rooney, Drogba
Cech, no question. A.Cole is a dubious one. Evra on last seasons form was a lot better but Cashley now is reborn into the player he was at arsenal. Carvalho is better than Vidic, no question about that. Terry or Ferdinand? Capello made that decision for us thanks and so did UEFA by making him defender of the tournament. Bosingwa – best in the prem. Ballack – German Captain, 3 fastest player at the euros, ran the furthest, and the classiest player to watch by some distance. Lampard – Prems best midfielder no no question here. Also UEFA’s best midfielder last season. Drogba’s in because on form, when he’s not on the floor basically, he’s a handful and would work better than Berba with Rooney and he’s big, strong, fast and has good run timing and vision.
Matthew,
Chelsea are favourites for title because they are the best. They have a tremendous squad and most of their first XI would walk into the United, Liverpool or Arsenal teams. How many can you think of in the opposite direction? Maybe 2 or 3.
you say that first.then you say this… If it were not for injuries to Cech and Terry over last 2 years there is no doubt Chelsea would have been League Champions.
so u have a squad full of players who would walk into united or arsenals team,but yet for missing only two players,u havent won the league for 2 years.thats very logical…..logic talking here