Sorry Rafa, better luck next year.
Thank you Wenger, you made my day.
Well done Manchester United.
Champions again for the 3rd time in a row; and 18th time in the League’s history.
Two guys and a girl..
When watching Manchester United matches..
One has to support the other team although he is a United Fan..
One is forbidden from wearing United shirt when watching the matches..
They must watch in threes, never in pair, at the same place
EVERYTIME…
and Manchester United always WIN
….I was talking about me, my ex-housemate, Giri and our neighbour/classmate/squasy buddy, Steven. We stopped doing that since Giri and I moved out of Abadi Indah.
No wonder they kept losing and drawing…sigh..
It's good to have you back, Gazza
The new Barclays’ Premier League season started the way it ended (and started) last season, with Manchester United winning the trophy at stake through penalty shoot-out thanks to Edwin van der Sar’s heroics (and chokers from the opposing team). Once again, the FA Charity Shield is won by the reigning BPL Champions, Man United.
Man Utd fans would be happy with the performance of the team yesterday as they played well against last season’s FA Cup champions without many of their first-team players. The back-four was as solid as ever, and it is entertaining to see Patrice Evra and Gary Neville bombarding down the flanks. Darren Fletcher and Luis Nani both showed us that Cristiano Ronaldo would not be missed if he was ever to leave the team this, or next season. Paul Scholes has not lost his magical touch despite ageing one year, and John O’Shea vindicated his inclusion in the first team.
One major source of concern would be the striker department. Despite all their hardwork and creative plays, Carlos Tevez and Ryan Giggs are not natural finishers. Wayne Rooney, who was unfit to play yesterday, is more suitable to play off a goal poacher, and I do not think the team can depend on Ronaldo emulating his goal-machine performance last season. Louis Saha is reliable when not injured, but they don’t call “Mr. Glass” for nothing. Frazier Campbell has earned the praise of Sir Alex Ferguson, but he is still unproven.
A few names have been mentioned to fill in that gap, and none too prominent than the prolific Bulgarian, Dimitar Berbatov. He has proven himself in the Premier League, and he would no doubt ease in to the team. Tottenham Hotspurs, understandably, is reluctant to let him go, considering that they have just sold Robbie Keane to Liverpool. However, we may get to see Berbatov in the famous Red shirt come the kick-off if United match the asking price, and if Spurs sign a new striker,
If the Berbatov deal does not go through, I reckon that Ferguson should sign Roque Santa Cruz. Like Berbatov, he has proven his pedigree in the English league. Plus, he is much younger, and comes at a cheaper price. Paul Ince would however be hard-pressed to sell off his star striker, as he plots the descend of Blackburn Rovers to the top four of the league.
The most shocking news may be that Ferguson is considering signing Thierry Henry. If the deal materialises, the manager can no doubt bring the best out of the aging French striker, just like he did with Henrik Larsson a couple of seasons ago. However, it would be unlikely that Henry will agree to the move. He is a Gunner through and through. Asking him to move to Old Trafford would be like asking David Beckham to move to Liverpool.
There is another mouth-watering option available for Ferguson, Klass-Jan Huntelaar. The player himself has not ruled out a move to Premier League. Considering Ajax Amsterdam’s tendency to sell off their star players (such as Wesley Sneijder, Rafael Van der Vaart, Ryan Babel and Dennis Bergkamp), this deal may likely go through if Ferguson is in for it.
The transfer window is moving agonisingly near to closing to Man United fans, as the team has not made any new major signings. Ferguson has hinted that he would be signing someone possibly this week. Who would it be?
A tribute to a true legend.
A salute to a loyal servant of Man United
386 appearances; 238 goals; 6 Premier League champions’ medals; 2 FA Cup winners’ medals; 1 UEFA Champions League title.
The original “Baby-Faced Assassin”. The legendary United’s super-sub.
There is only one 20LEgend; Ole Gunnar Solksjaer.
We will miss you.
I could have had a heart attack yesterday. I think my blood pressure was at all time high at 200/180 mmHg as Chelsea and Manchester battle it out to be crowned the Kings of Europe. After 90 minutes of missed chances where United dominated the first half and Chelsea the second half, both teams were inseparable at 1-1 score (Ronaldo for United and Lampard for Chelsea). Extra time could not settle the game as the only drama was Didier Drogba’s sending off for slapping Nemanja Vidic and John Terry’s “spitting in disguise” incident. (watched the video, he did not do it. sorry Terry)
Then, came the penalties. How ironic it is for Cristiano Ronaldo, United’s player of the year, to miss the penalty that could have lost the team the trophy. John Terry then had the chance to give Chelsea its first Champions League trophy by slotting in his penalty, but how twisted can football be, when he slipped and hit the ball away from goal. Both teams scored their following two penalties, and then, a moment of heroics by Edwin Van de Sar as he palmed away Nicolas Anelka’s shot. Game over for Chelsea. Manchester United crowned the Kings of Europe for the second time in nine years, fifty years after the tragic death of eight of the legendary Busby Babes in the Munich disaster and fourty years after they won their first European cron. What a fitting tribute to them.
A couple of afterthoughts:
- The pitch in Luzhniki Stadium was horrible especially with the rain. I lost count of the times the players have slipped.
- I hope…..Avram Grant would not blame Drogba’s sending off four minutes from end of extra time as the cause of their loss 
. Oh and please do not suggest for second leg play off for Champions League Finals that end in draw.
- I kinda suspect that Ronaldo may miss his penalty just to spice things up and make the match seems a little dramatic
- This is the second Champions League title for is Edwin Van der Sar (won it in Ajax), Owen Hargreaves (in Bayern Munich), Wes Brown (Manchester United) and Ryan Giggs (Manchester United). Unfortunately for Michael Ballack (previously Bayern Munich) and Ashley Cole (previously Arsenal) , this is their second Champions League Final lost.
- What’s in store for both teams next season in the Champions League? It will be hard for Chelsea to reach this stage of the season again if the news on the exodus of their players are true. As for Manchester United? Well, I expect the crux of the team to remain with the obvious exception of Louis Saha (and maybe Silvestre). It will be hard to retain the Champions League title, but I expect and hope that United is capable of it.
- Back in 1998/99 season, United won the treble of EPL title, Champions League and FA Cup. I would call this year a “Treble Season” as well; EPL title, Champions League and FA Community Shield . And it’s such a coincidence that in three of those competition, Chelsea had to play second fiddle.
*updates: Henk Ten Cate (Chelsea Asst. Coach) and Petr Cech (Chelsea’s goalkeeper) was reported as saying that Chelsea should have won and deserved to win as they were the better side. Obviously it’s not entirely spot on, but yet again…it does not matter isn’t it?
*Cristiano Ronaldo was reported by Marca, a Spanish newspaper that he has agreed terms with Real Madrid. I hope he does not betray the club that has given him so much and dragged him out of vilification after the 2006 World Cup. Ronaldo to Real Madrid will be acceptable by the fans a couple of years from now, but not now.
Moscow is looming.. But it would not do much harm to strip down and celebrate now wouldn’t it? :D
There you have it guys, the 2007/2008 Barclays English Premier League Champion, the one and only, Manchester United. I would here, take a ten-minute break from my revision to recount the team’s assent to the top of the league after their worst ever start to the season since 1998/99.
Two draws and one loss against unfancied opponents in their first three games was hardly reflective of a reigning champion. But United fans scoffed off suggestions that the season may not be United’s as they were reminded that the last time they started so badly, the team won the treble of Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League in 98/99.
The season really started for United when they scrapped to a 1-0 win over Tottentham Hostpurs, and how ironic is it that it was Luis Nani, Spurs’ target in the pre-season transfers window, who scored the amazing goal. Here comes the acrobatic back flip. Game on.
The following month saw the team winning three out of their four League with similiar scoreline of 1-0, safe for the decisive 2-0 win over Chelsea The attacking flair was there, but a good last touch was missing from the team, they were a shadow of themselves compared to last season. The defence needed to step up, and they did.
In October 2007, the Ronaldo-Rooney-Tevez axis started to work. The team scored four goals in each of their four games (three in the EPL and one in the Champions League). Welcome back, beautiful football.
Other than two minor blips against Arsenal and Tottenham, the team won their games convincingly all till April 2008 (including a 6-0 and a 5-1 wins against Newcastle home and away).
However, as everyone was concentrating on the Man United-Arsenal duel, little did people realise that Chelsea was slowly ascending to the top two half of the table. All of a sudden, Arsenal was no longer a threat, and Chelsea was just three points behind.
Then the Chelsea game in Stamford Bridge. We were cursing, heck we were. Was it a penalty? Hell no! The ball was still in active play heading to inside the penalty area. There was no inteference of play. Guessed the team was plain unlucky. The title race became all exciting then as Chelsea levelled on points with United ahead on superior goal difference with two games remaining.
Both teams won their next game. It was going down to the wire, with United away at Wigan, and Chelsea at home to Bolton. The title was United’s to lose.
Both Wigan and Bolton, having guaranteed safety from relegation, have nothing to play for. But Chelsea decided to start palying the mind games, by pleading Steve Bruce (a United legend and now Wigan’s manager) to play fairly and not to favour United. A normally arrogant Chelseas who brushed their opponnets aside, all of the sudden was showering Wigan with praises, saying how good the team is. Strangely, no one was saying anything about Bolton, until Sir Alex spoke up; and Avram Grant responded by stating how disrespectful Sir Alex was to Bolton for speaking up. *cough*cough*
Yes. Chelsea was relying on Steve Bruce, Emile Heskey, and JJB Stadium’s infamous horrible pitch to win them the title. Avram Grant even went on to suggest that there should be a play-off to decide who’s the champs if two teams were to finish level on points in the future. And they keep on harping on how United will only be winning on goal difference if they were to win the EPL.
How incorrect as it turns out. United overcame a stubborn Wigan side to secure a 2-0 win. Honestly, it wasn’t the firm United side that we have all came to know. Most of the time when they were 1-0 up after Cristiano Ronaldo’s penalty, there was always a minute chance of Wigan equalising. Then, came No. 11, Ryan Giggs.
It took just one excellent pass from Wayne Rooney, and Giggs, slipped into the middle of Wigan’s defence stealthly, picked up the ball, and put it pass Chris Kirkland. How befitting it was for a United legend, who was making his 758th appearance equalling Sir Bobby Charlton’s all-time record to score the goal that effectively hands United the trophy. At Stamford Bridge, meanwhile, a heart-broken Chelsea choked when it mattered the most as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Bolton in their stronghold. Title no. 10 for Sir Alex and Giggs. Title no. 17 for Manchester United.
I think what Ronaldo (United’s and EPL’s Player of the Season) said during the after-match interview sums it all. When asked about his contribution, he attributed the team’s victory to his team mates: Edwin Van de Sar, Tomasz Kuszczak, Ben Foster, Wes Brown, Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic, Patrice Evra, Mikael Silvestre, John O’Shea, Gerard Pique, Cristiano Ronaldo, Darren Flectcher, Michael Carrick Anderson, Luis Nani, Park Ji-Sung, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Owen Hargreaves, Carlos Tevez and Wayne Rooney. And for me, one unsung hero, the team’s captain, Gary Neville, who has been injured whole season, but no doubt playing a part in pushing and supporting the team.
What’s next for the team? Many have said that Sir Alex will retire if the team wins the Champions League. I hope he doesn’t. I would like to see him eclipsing Liverpool’s collection of 18 titles. 
"子貢問曰、有一言、而可以終身行之者乎。子曰、其恕乎、己所 不欲、勿施於人。
"never impose on others what you would not choose for yourself"
Analects XV.24
