The 19 Moments, Matches & Players Which Defined our Season

After sealing title number 19, the seemingly distant dream which has finally become a reality, everyone connected to the club is feeling extremely proud of what the manager and his troops have achieved. The league was always my priority this season, knocking those scousers off their perch always remained target number one and anything else I see as a bonus. I still maintain that stance and reiterate that beating Barcelona in the Final would be one massive bonus but I truly do not expect it. If we win, we have beaten the best team in the world and if we lose, we have lost to the best team in the world. It’s a win-win situation.

Winning the league this time round has been about consistency. I am the first to admit we have lacked the “fantasy” of previous United teams, but all the criticism that has been directed at the team has surely been proven wrong. More than any other season, it has been a team effort, with everyone contributing throughout the season rather than relying on one player. Say what you want, blame the poor opposition and title rivals, blame the luck or blame the refs, but Fergie and his Red Army have come up trumps and people should pay their dues. As Giggsy so eloquently put it in response to a reporter’s question over the quality within the team: “We’ve won the Premier League & are in the Final of the Champions League – we’re a rubbish team”.

Interestingly, on the day we won the league:

•          14 May à 14/5  = 14 + 5 = 19
•      19^th week of the year
•           19 Points Ahead of Liverpool at the time 

It was meant to be: 

Here are SOME of The 19 Moments, Matches & Players Which Defined Our Season

The Defining Moments:

1. Rooney turns his life around

I’m not going to return to the contract saga but I’m certainly not going to forget it just yet either. Football fans have the shortest memories and most have already forgiven Wayne for his ludicrous antics a few months ago. After questioning the club’s ambitions, disrespecting his team mates, manager and fans, everyone seems to love him again. This is just a reminder of the appalling actions with which he surrounded himself – both form and personal activities. But he seems to have his confidence back and has performed admirably in the last 3 months.

Yes, we needed him

    2. Valencia’s timely return

Like a new signing, the timely return of Antonio has been unbelievable for both himself and the club. No one could have envisioned him performing as well as he has in the amount of time since his return to first team action. Simply stated, he has been nothing short of superb, working hard for the team and popping up with some crucial goals and assists.

Well done and much respect

    3. Park and O’Shea

Not an exact moment in the season, but rather an overall appreciation. Let me say what I’ve been saying for a long time - whoever thinks Park & O’Shea shouldn’t be in the team doesn’t know football. These 2 members of the squad in particular have showed their worth, time and time again. They will always have their critics and yes, Sheasy might be a tad slow and Park limited in skill, but boy do they make up for it in many other areas. Their experience, work rates and ability to perform in the big games have played a large factor in our successful season.

Learn the game and appreciate the squad

The Matches:

    4. Liverpool 3-2 Berba hat trick & bicycle

Any game against the scousers is big, and this one was going well. Berbatov made it 2 nil with a sublime bicycle kick, by controlling the ball with his one leg and finishing with the other, which went off the bar and in. We then let it slip giving away a reckless penalty from Evans followed by Gerrard who scored a free kick which went through the wall. But Berba popped up to score the winner with a glancing header and claimed his hat trick.

Berbaflop? I think not

    5. Man City 2-1 Rooney Bicycle

It was a massive game, with lots of hype surrounding the fixture due to City’s possible title charge by winning the derby. It was an entertaining game which was won by the definite goal of the season, a superb bicycle kick from Rooney. I believe it was the moment which really turned his season around, giving him the confidence to go from strength to strength and find his form, which he did.

The Noisy Neighbours wouldn’t be challenging for the league this season

    6. Everton 1-0 Hernandez header

We were struggling. Distin & Jagielka were immense, having the games of their lives. We needed some inspiration. So who better to save the day than the signing of the season? Valencia provided the cross from the right wing and with the help of a slightly deflected cross, the ball looped up high, over the defenders and Chicharito rose highest to bury the ball into the back of the net with a pinpoint the header, giving us the 3 points we desperately needed.

A huge moment in the title race

    7. Chelsea 2-1 Chicharito 36 second goal

A game which was ultimately as big as it could get. A league game which had the bearings of a final. Whoever wins could put one hand on the trophy. It was United who started the stronger and after just 36 seconds we were 1-0 up after Park played a great through ball and Chicha duly converted. Vidic put us 2-0 up but they pulled one back in the 2^nd half through Lampard. Of course we had to do it the hard way and it was a nervy last few minutes, but we got over the line and finished the job off at Blackburn the following week.

Champions Performance

The Issues:

    8. Stark contrast between our Home & Away form

This is the only true “downer” of our successful campaign. I wonder where we have gone wrong away from home and why we seem to be 2 different teams when playing at different venues? At home we have dropped just 2 points all season, ruthless in all facets of the game and confident to take on anyone. Yet on our travels we looked completely useless at times, struggling to offer any kind of resistance and lacking the ability to break down opposition defences. I’m not sure how it happened this way but it’s something that needs to improve next season. That said, I’m sure Fergie will figure it out by next season.

Fortress OT

    9. Midfield

This has been a very sensitive issue this season, with many people claiming it as our only weakness in an otherwise solid outfit. I do tend to agree, however at the back end of the season, with all our players fit and in form; it seems to have been a slightly different story. I do believe we need to strengthen and find that match winning midfielder, a box to box attacking player who can complement the team. *Cough* Sniejder/Modric *Cough*.  At the moment, our strongest pairing is Giggs and Carrick, who seem destined to start at Wembley. Had it not been for our brilliant defensive unit and the emerging partnership between Rooney & Chicharito, as well as Berba’s goals, our midfield could have been found out a lot more.

Summer Transfer Window.

The Players:

    10. Nani

Over the past year he has completely changed everything about himself and one could call him a truly revolutionized player. His form particularly in the first half of the season, when Rooney was nowhere to be seen, was simply sublime. His confidence, skills and finishing have been on top form and of course his overall team contribution, in terms of both attack and defence, has elevated him and his game to another level. Recently crowned Players Player of the Year at the United Awards evening.

Transformation

    11. Vidic

My personal selection for player of the year, Vidic has lead the team by true example and shown what an incredible player he is. A rock in the heart of the defence, he takes no prisoners and protects our goals with everything he has. Without his guidance, power and truly world class defending, we would never be in the position we are in. His presence in the team cannot be understated and his qualities as both a leader and footballer can be admired.

SerbianSteel

    12. Ed

How we all wish he could continue playing, and just imagine if he was only 30 now! He is certainly playing as one in their early 30’s. Everyone in the team just feels a lot more calm and composed when he is between the sticks and I hope Fergie has chosen his replacement wisely. He will most certainly be missed. Edwin, Van Der Sar. Edwin, Edwin Van Der Sar!

Experience

    13. Chicharito

What an incredible signing for our club. There are no enough words which can truly express how much I love this kid! His composure in front of goals, his work ethic, his talent, his speed and his general attitude towards his work and the club are just exemplary. Chicha, the Little Pea, will be scoring many more crucial goals for United for many years to come.

Signing of the Season

    14. Giggs

With 12 titles now under his belt, Ryan Giggs has been tearing not only the opposition apart for years, but the Premier League seems to have become his playground. The veteran is playing the type of football many dream of in their early 20’s. His composure on the ball, the ability to see the pass and even his tackling continues to deliver. Not to mention his pinpoint crosses.

Evolutionary

    15. Carrick

What a pleasantly strong end to the season for Mickey C. I’ve been defending him for ages, sometimes unwarranted, but his return to form when it mattered most is just great to see. His partnership with Giggs in the middle of the park seems to be our best combination and will most likely start in the Champs League Final. His long distance passing range seems to have returned and his ability to protect the back four with crucial interceptions has been vital to the team’s success.

Welcome Back!

    16. Berbatov

Finally, another one I have been defending since his arrival has decided to show his value to the club. Berbatov was the league’s top scorer with 20 goals (not 21, the dubious goals panel changed one of his goals to an own goal and Tevez recently grabbed a brace against Stoke) and has continued to show the classy attributes for which the fans should love him for. Without a doubt he has showed up this season but unfortunately, the unbelievable form of Rooney & Chicharito over the past few months has limited his starting possibilities, but Berba has not complained or thrown his toys out of his cot like almost every other footballer would, he has remained a true example of a professional, a team players and one who genuinely loves United.

Touch

    17. Rooney

After the most disgraceful year, both on the field and off it, Rooney has finally come to the party when it mattered most. Think back to what he said about the club not being able fulfil his ambitions. Have you ever heard anything more fucking laughable than that?! It’s ironic to think that it was he who scored the penalty which gave us league title #19. With Barcelona currently waiting for us in the Champs League Final, one must think how he could have been thinking such ludicrous thoughts and he obviously didn’t have a clue about what he was talking about. I still haven’t quite forgiven him, but he is on the road to salvation. A quite brilliant return to form over the past 3 months he endeared him back into the United Faithful and we really have needed him to step up and find some form. I do hope he continues scoring goals and winning us games for many years to come.

What?! Fucking What?! What?!

    18. The Da Silva’s

They will both receive a winner’s medal which genuinely warms my heart. The twins have both shown their qualities, which are very similar. Both have pace, attacking ability and a hunger to succeed, as well as that slightly reckless characteristic to dive in – but Fergie will shape that over the years to come. First it was Rafael, again, solidifying his spot at RB with a number of brilliant performances against some strong opposition. And more recently, it has been Fabio’s turn in the limelight, getting the nod ahead of his brother for a few big games. Fabio passed 10 appearances and I’m delighted for him! They are our future fullbacks and we should be extremely excited about it!

Viva Da Silvas

    19. Smalling

Everyone thought it would take awhile for him to get settled, that United lacked depth at the back and if Rio got injured we would struggle. Well, I can categorically state that the above words we fully proved to be incorrect and this youngster showed his worth in some of the toughest of games at a time when the team really needed him. One for the future, Smalling models his game on Rio’s and is obviously learning from him every day. Encouraging signs!

 2^nd best signing of the season

Lastly, and certainly not least, a person who doesn’t fit into the list because he wrote the damn thing! 

Take a bow:

Sir Alex Ferguson.

The man who has made all of this possible, the Generalissimo of the club – Fergie is the heart and soul of the club. There will never be enough words to accurately justify just how much he has done for the club and the impact he has made on our history. I doubt there will ever be a manager able to top his time spent at one club and the achievements which have come with it. His passion and commitment to the cause is the reason the players have accomplished what they have and he is the source of their motivation. This is his house and hopefully will be for a long time yet.

God

I dub this Manchester United team – “The Consistent Grinders”

For Those Who Have Always BEL19VED

“Are you watching, are you watching, are you watching Merseyside??!!”

The morning after the day before! What a game, what a performance and what a huge result which all but finalised United as the most successful team in England with title number 19 a single point away! Knocking them off the perch, who would have thought? Sir Alex Ferguson has done it again, proved the doubters wrong and come up with the goods. We always do it the hard way, after last week’s loss against Arsenal meant the magnitude of this game was undoubtedly as big as it could get. But we showed up this time round and when it mattered most.

Chances

We bossed the game, particularly in the first half, with 2-1 providing an extremely flattering scoreline for the visitors. It was that magical signing of the season, Chicharito, and my self-dubbed “Saviour” who ensured United would gain early momentum with another clinical finish after just 36 seconds. A through ball from the brilliant Park ensured Hernandez was clear on goal and he duly took his chance. 20 goals this season, could you ask for more from this young Mexican? Simply sublime.

We kept the pressure on for large periods in the first half, with them offering little resistance. Rooney had a long range effort saved by Cech and our relentless attacks and domination continued. The second goal came on 26 minutes, when the ever-green (Sir) Ryan Giggs crossed a magnificent ball onto the head of our Serbian enforcer, Nemanja Vidic, who converted with his head. It should be noted that his overall contribution to United, not only this season, has been nothing short of immense. Leading by example, working hard for the team, winning just about every ball that goes comes into the box and popping up with the odd goals are just some of the unbelievable qualities he offers the team. Alongside Nani, Vidic could be our player of the season.

Overall, we could, or should have scored at least 4 goals. Chicharito and Rooney both could have had a hat trick, with chances being missed by both players. After Chelsea pulled one back, it made for a nervy final 15 minutes but we stood tall and saw the game through. A performance of champions, we stood up and were counted.

The Ref

When Howard Webb was appointed to officiate the game, everyone from the Chelsea supporters to the scousers were up in arms about it. Well let me categorically state that we DID NOT get the decisions today and if we had lost or drawn the game, I guarantee that Fergie and the players would have made a bigger noise about it. Im highlighting a couple of crucial decisions which we DID NOT get and all you Webb & United haters should take note.

• Ivanovic red card

After diving in on Rooney, Ivanovic rightly received a caution for the challenge in the first half. He then committed another couple of fouls after which the referee clearly stated quite vocally and with his hand movements: “NO MORE”. So when he cynically challenged Rooney again, he should have received his 2^nd yellow card. Like Luiz at the Bridge, the ref failed to produce it.

• Lampard penalty

It was a clear penalty. Lampard’s hand was raised high above his body and the ball clearly hit his hand. A blatant penalty. But I’m sure no one is thinking about that now are they?

• General control

However, even though some potentially big decisions did not go our way, I thought he controlled the game well, kept the flow and luckily we won the game so there will be no consequences of his wrong decisions. I have merely highlighted the incidents to remind those pathetic supporters out there that there is no bias for United and to please stop worrying about us and rather focus on their own teams.

Impact

The impact of the win is obvious, with us needing 1 point from our final two games to officially secure the precious number 19! In our 4 meetings with Chelsea this year, we’ve won when it matters most. The long term psychological damage will also keep on lingering, ever since that amazing night in Moscow, we have most times had the upper hand of our opponents.

“We’ve got our trophy back”

The Next 2 Games

I don’t care where we lift the trophy, as long as we do! And if Ewood Park is the destination then so be it. I’m sure Fergie still won’t take Blackburn lightly and play a strong, but slightly changed side. Key players like Rio, Rooney and Park could be given a rest. I think Rafael, Smalling, Scholes, Ando, Nani & Berba will all start against Blackburn. We have the squad depth and quality to see off our near neighbours and hopefully end the day as champions.

As for our final game against Blackpool, with the Champions League Final in mind and the league hopefully already secured, Fergie will surely play a “weakened” team against the Seasiders. This could cause massive problems and we will surely have their survival opponents moaning about it. Personally, as we did against Hull 2 years ago, our youngsters or so called “weaker” team will most likely beat them, even though I’d like to see them stay up.

Barcelona

What must Pep be thinking now? After seeing us destroy Schalke with a “weakened” team last week and thoroughly outplaying Chelsea with our “stronger” team, who will Fergie select to try and beat the Catalan giants? I would play the exact team from last night, except include Evra for Fabio. After yesterdays win, everyone connected to United must have a lot more belief that we can give Barca a game and show up for the big occasion!

For those of you who have BEL19VED, It’s almost there! 

Post-Weekend Perspective

After a truly shocking weekend of results for United, I find myself feeling extremely nervous and uneasy every time I think about what the week holds. This time next week, we will know if whether we have made the Champions League Final and if that precious number 19 league title is in our grasp. I’ve had some time to cool down and review our situation, and I can conclude that all United fans need not panic, we should feel confident about the future and with everything still very much in our own hands, I believe the positive result will come. It has definitely created an extremely exciting end to the season (more so for the neutrals).

It started off on Saturday, with Chelsea claiming the most unjust result in a really long time. Having offered very little throughout the first half, and with Spurs leading 1-0 through a sublime Sandro cracker, Lampard’s shot from fully 30 yards out was spilled by the inconsistent Gomes. As the ball rolled towards the line, Gomes managed to react quickly enough to stop the whole ball from crossing the line. The linesman, 20 yards behind play and without a clear view of the ball, guessed that it had crossed the line due to crowd pressure and the goal was given. How can he give it when he knows he is not sure and cannot see?! It makes me sick. Then they grabbed the winner in the 86^th minute after Drogba’s screwed shot fell into Kalou’s path – who was offside and that goal also stood. These kinds of unacceptable decisions seem to happen when it matters most and in turn costs clubs millions of pounds. Goal-line technology needs to be implemented as soon as possible.

Then on Sunday, in a game where a point would have done enough to take the pressure off for the Chelsea clash, we failed to show up. Reminiscent of the 2009 Champions League Final against Barcelona (a potential 2011 final), we just offered nothing and let their midfield boss us around. It’s so disappointing, especially after one of our greatest European nights in a long time; we showed no attacking threat, no control and seemed to be content to play for the draw. As Fergie said, we only started playing when they scored. But why were we not attacking them from the beginning, like we have done in the past, which has seen us claim some great victories?

Tonight, we will surely see Barcelona hold off Madrid to book their place in the final. The best thing we can hope for tonight is to see Dani Alves and Sergio Busquets booked, which would mean they miss the Final, as they are both on yellow cards. I’m also sure we will follow suite tomorrow, and even with a changed team, should have enough to see off the threat posed by the Germans.

However, Sunday is what it all comes down to. The previous 35 games do not matter. It’s all about our situation right now, which is still in our hands. A draw is enough, and I would gladly take that result right now. Thinking back to the way the league has twisted and turned, after Chelsea’s blistering start to the campaign, surely we would have taken the position we currently find ourselves in? But then I think, they were fighting for 4^th place a couple of months ago and we were cruising towards the title. We have also held top spot for longer than both Chelsea and Arsenal, that’s 21 weeks in total.  I take slight comfort that this game is being played at Old Trafford, even though that made no difference last year, when Drogba was a mile offside yet the goal stood. Not this time round and I really hope that a refereeing decision does not decide the outcome of this all important clash.

Thank God last Sunday was not the league decider and luckily we have another shot at redemption. It’s time to stand up and be counted. This is what football is about. When do United ever do things the easy way? Now is our time, this is our title to lose and I truly hope to be writing this time next week at the prospect of claiming our second Double in 3 years. BEL19VE.