EPL Week 37: Manchester United Win The Title At Home
May 18th 2009 02:26
And so it ends. An uneventful scoreless draw against Arsenal at Old Trafford was enough for Manchester United to retain their title as Premiership Champions with one game left in the season. The title is United's third Premier League crown in a row and its' 18th in club history, tying Liverpool's record for the most titles. They also broke Liverpool's record of 11 titles in 18 seasons with 11 titles in 17 seasons – an amazing feat in the football world. Now, Sir Alex Ferguson's troops will try to go for a second Champions League trophy in two years next week to complete the 2008-2009 year in spectacular fashion.
Despite the invincible aura surrounding this year's Red Devils, the road to the title hasn't been easy. After a difficult start to the season where they struggled to score against middle to top-of-the-table opposition, the finally got into a groove after winning the Club World Cup in Japan. Indeed, after that competition, they went on to win eleven consecutive games, breaking the record in clean-sheets by going 15 games without conceding a goal. Unfortunaty, their poor record against the Big Four (one win, two draws, and five losses including a 4-1 thrashing at hands of Liverpool two months ago) put a bit of a damper on their title hopes with Liverpool refusing to let go of the top spot. Rio Ferdinand's back problems in the month of April led to a couple of close calls against Aston Villa and Sunderland where United managed to grab late goals to escape with the wins. They finally concluded the season on a high with a five-game winning streak including a masterful performance against Tottenham in the final week of April. Through it all, several players have come to shine while others haven't fared as well as expected. Here are the standouts of the 2008-2009 season.
Revelations:
- Rafael Da Silva: The young Brazilian fullback came out of nowhere to steal Wes Brown and Gary Neville's job at the right back. His technical ability has allowed him to play on a star-studded team without looking out of place while his pace has helped to develop a two-way game similar to Patrice Evra without hampering too much on his defensive. His inexperience and eagerness to tackle has sometimes put his team in a difficult situation but there is no doubt that he will develop into an excellent right-back.
- Frederiko Macheda: This young man only played a couple of games with the first team but he made the most of his experience by scoring crucial goals in important moments. His size and technical will definitely help him in the future and with United legend Solskjaer coaching the reserves, United fans know that this kid is in good hands.
- Danny Welbeck: Similarly to Macheda, Welbeck hasn't played much in the Premier League but was Ferguson's striker of choice in the FA Cup and the Carling Cup. Speed and creativity are his main assets.
Honorable mention: Jonny Evans
Bright stars:
- Ryan Giggs: The veteran midfielder was voted Player of the Year by his peers and there is no one in the league who deserves it more than him. From a speedy left-winger with mad skills, Giggs has turned into a calming presence on the pitch and a the kind of substitute that will either slow the game down if United is in the lead or find the magic pass or make an amazing run to get the game-winning goal. Since his legs are longer what they used to be, Giggs has become much more of a tactical player, relying on an excellent vision of the game to find a breakthrough.
- Darren Fletcher: I never really liked Fletcher but you have to give credit where credit is due. Although he doesn't have as much talent as his teammates, his hard work in midfield justified his role as a starter in the Champions League.
- Wayne Rooney: This striker never ceases to amaze me. I don't think you'll find a player more dedicated to the concept of 'team' than Wayne Rooney. His willingness to play as a wide player and cover opposing wingers has helped United in several occasions and there's no telling how good he will get.
Honorable mentions: Cristiano Ronaldo, Carlos Tevez, Patrice Evra, Michael Carrick.
Deceptions:
- Nani: If there is one useless player on the United squad, it's surely Nani. Although he shined in a couple of games in the Carling Cup, the winger is too much of a defensive liability to play in important games. Furthermore, his skill-set and 'footballing brain' haven't seem to evolve enough to cover his deficiencies.
- Gary Neville: Since Neville is one of United's longest-serving player, I understand Ferguson's need to keep him around. Unfortunately the game has become to fast for Neville's aging legs and he is often beaten on one-on-ones making him a liability in Manchester's own end. Perhaps it is time to hang the boots up.
Despite the invincible aura surrounding this year's Red Devils, the road to the title hasn't been easy. After a difficult start to the season where they struggled to score against middle to top-of-the-table opposition, the finally got into a groove after winning the Club World Cup in Japan. Indeed, after that competition, they went on to win eleven consecutive games, breaking the record in clean-sheets by going 15 games without conceding a goal. Unfortunaty, their poor record against the Big Four (one win, two draws, and five losses including a 4-1 thrashing at hands of Liverpool two months ago) put a bit of a damper on their title hopes with Liverpool refusing to let go of the top spot. Rio Ferdinand's back problems in the month of April led to a couple of close calls against Aston Villa and Sunderland where United managed to grab late goals to escape with the wins. They finally concluded the season on a high with a five-game winning streak including a masterful performance against Tottenham in the final week of April. Through it all, several players have come to shine while others haven't fared as well as expected. Here are the standouts of the 2008-2009 season.
Revelations:
- Rafael Da Silva: The young Brazilian fullback came out of nowhere to steal Wes Brown and Gary Neville's job at the right back. His technical ability has allowed him to play on a star-studded team without looking out of place while his pace has helped to develop a two-way game similar to Patrice Evra without hampering too much on his defensive. His inexperience and eagerness to tackle has sometimes put his team in a difficult situation but there is no doubt that he will develop into an excellent right-back.
- Frederiko Macheda: This young man only played a couple of games with the first team but he made the most of his experience by scoring crucial goals in important moments. His size and technical will definitely help him in the future and with United legend Solskjaer coaching the reserves, United fans know that this kid is in good hands.
- Danny Welbeck: Similarly to Macheda, Welbeck hasn't played much in the Premier League but was Ferguson's striker of choice in the FA Cup and the Carling Cup. Speed and creativity are his main assets.
Honorable mention: Jonny Evans
Bright stars:
- Ryan Giggs: The veteran midfielder was voted Player of the Year by his peers and there is no one in the league who deserves it more than him. From a speedy left-winger with mad skills, Giggs has turned into a calming presence on the pitch and a the kind of substitute that will either slow the game down if United is in the lead or find the magic pass or make an amazing run to get the game-winning goal. Since his legs are longer what they used to be, Giggs has become much more of a tactical player, relying on an excellent vision of the game to find a breakthrough.
- Darren Fletcher: I never really liked Fletcher but you have to give credit where credit is due. Although he doesn't have as much talent as his teammates, his hard work in midfield justified his role as a starter in the Champions League.
- Wayne Rooney: This striker never ceases to amaze me. I don't think you'll find a player more dedicated to the concept of 'team' than Wayne Rooney. His willingness to play as a wide player and cover opposing wingers has helped United in several occasions and there's no telling how good he will get.
Honorable mentions: Cristiano Ronaldo, Carlos Tevez, Patrice Evra, Michael Carrick.
Deceptions:
- Nani: If there is one useless player on the United squad, it's surely Nani. Although he shined in a couple of games in the Carling Cup, the winger is too much of a defensive liability to play in important games. Furthermore, his skill-set and 'footballing brain' haven't seem to evolve enough to cover his deficiencies.
- Gary Neville: Since Neville is one of United's longest-serving player, I understand Ferguson's need to keep him around. Unfortunately the game has become to fast for Neville's aging legs and he is often beaten on one-on-ones making him a liability in Manchester's own end. Perhaps it is time to hang the boots up.
| 46 |
| Vote |
Add Comments
Read More
