Racist Referees and Dodgy Decisions - Chelsea 2-3 Manchester United
After a pulsating game of football finished 3-2 to Manchester United, it is with great sorrow and regret that I write this knowing that a game of such flair and passion will be overshadowed by several incidents, including a remarkable claim that referee Mark Clattenburg used a racial slur towards a Chelsea player. Well well well, where do I start? Two red cards, objects hurled at players, an offside winner, a steward in hospital, managers going at each other and of course, a racist referee.
Let's start with the football incidents. I'm not talking about Robin van Persie's superb finish, David De Gea's world class save from Fernando Torres or Juan Mata's delightful free kick just before half time - No, instead I find myself drawn to the first sending off, when Branislav Ivanovic was dismissed for clipping Ashley Young's heels as he raced through on goal. Now, following the letter of the law, Ivanovic was correctly sent off. He impeded Young's run on goal and stopped a clear goal-scoring opportunity. However, Ashley Young went down very easily. At the point when his heel was clipped, it was the one in the air, not the one on the ground. Surely he could have remained on his feet? Probably, but as we all know - nowadays fast, skilful wingers are the main culprits to hit the deck under minimal or zero contact. Also, Ivanovic clearly pulls his body and legs back as he runs across Ashley Young - a clear attempt to avoid what inevitably happened. As I continue onto the second sending off, I think back to that delightful sixty minutes where each team had eleven men, and after an opening half hour dominated by the away side, Chelsea showed true grit and incredible character to claw themselves back into the game.
But as I look at today's back pages - I don't see what I want to. I don't see headlines or articles screaming about how well van Persie took his goal, and I don't see headlines describing how Antonio Valencia returned to the United line up to absolutely terrorise the best left back in the world, no; what I see is reports on how Clattenburgs career is over and video technology is needed in football. Fernando Torres. Even now, he is not the same player that arrived from sunny Madrid to Merseyside several years ago and I very much doubt the Spaniard will ever reach those heights again. Having said that, I think that he showed ingenuity and lightning quick feet to nutmeg Jonny Evans and sprint past him - only to fling himself to the ground like he'd been hit by a bullet. Clattenburg produced the red card for the Chelsea frontman, but it was clear from the look on Jonny Evans face that the United defender had his doubts. As soon as Torres hit the Stamford Bridge grass, Evans spread his arms and stared fearfully at Clattenburg - almost accepting that he was going to get a second yellow. But as the referee walked past Evans and over to Torres, Evans appeared as shocked and confused as the rest of us. Torres received a second yellow, and admittedly it was very harsh. However, the Spanish frontman should, in my view, have been dismissed at the end of the first half for a ninja-style kick to Tom Cleverley's stomach. Credit to the United midfielder however, because he got straight up and shook Torres' hand. Right, on to the winning goal. There isn't much to write about here - Javier Hernandez came back from an offside position and the linesman didn't spot it. Even Hernandez himself replied 'Probably' when asked if he felt he was lucky not to have been judged offside.
This is where I feel video technology would improve the game. The speed and movement with which Hernandez retreated from his offside position to turn in Rafael's mishit shot was simply too much for the human eye to handle. In my opinion, a rugby style video referee would do the game no harm for dubious decisions like the ones I have described above - however the dinosaur UEFA President Michel Platini feels it will take away the spirit of football. The aftermath of the goal was shocking. Images of Michael Carrick lifting pieces of broken seats off of the pitch truly surprised me. Chelsea fans near the celebrating United fans decided that hurling objects and broken seats at them was a good way to vent frustration. What they failed to realise was that some of those objects hit a Chelsea steward, who required hospital treatment after the game.
On the touchlines, Sir Alex Ferguson and Roberto Di Matteo had a go at each other as well, with the fourth official having to step between the two managers to prevent anything more than just words being exchanged. However aside from all of these incidents, the claims that Mark Clattenburg was racist towards John Obi Mikel sticks out like a steak in a salad. Players abusing players has been around for years, but for an official to do it is absolutely incredible. If these accusations turn out to be true, then Mr. Clattenburg may enjoy a very early retirement. Who can blame Jason Roberts and Rio Ferdinand? Racism is becoming a prominent and almost common occurrence in the game - and one that needs to be eradicated. Now.
By Sam Braik (@SamBraik96)
Let's start with the football incidents. I'm not talking about Robin van Persie's superb finish, David De Gea's world class save from Fernando Torres or Juan Mata's delightful free kick just before half time - No, instead I find myself drawn to the first sending off, when Branislav Ivanovic was dismissed for clipping Ashley Young's heels as he raced through on goal. Now, following the letter of the law, Ivanovic was correctly sent off. He impeded Young's run on goal and stopped a clear goal-scoring opportunity. However, Ashley Young went down very easily. At the point when his heel was clipped, it was the one in the air, not the one on the ground. Surely he could have remained on his feet? Probably, but as we all know - nowadays fast, skilful wingers are the main culprits to hit the deck under minimal or zero contact. Also, Ivanovic clearly pulls his body and legs back as he runs across Ashley Young - a clear attempt to avoid what inevitably happened. As I continue onto the second sending off, I think back to that delightful sixty minutes where each team had eleven men, and after an opening half hour dominated by the away side, Chelsea showed true grit and incredible character to claw themselves back into the game.
But as I look at today's back pages - I don't see what I want to. I don't see headlines or articles screaming about how well van Persie took his goal, and I don't see headlines describing how Antonio Valencia returned to the United line up to absolutely terrorise the best left back in the world, no; what I see is reports on how Clattenburgs career is over and video technology is needed in football. Fernando Torres. Even now, he is not the same player that arrived from sunny Madrid to Merseyside several years ago and I very much doubt the Spaniard will ever reach those heights again. Having said that, I think that he showed ingenuity and lightning quick feet to nutmeg Jonny Evans and sprint past him - only to fling himself to the ground like he'd been hit by a bullet. Clattenburg produced the red card for the Chelsea frontman, but it was clear from the look on Jonny Evans face that the United defender had his doubts. As soon as Torres hit the Stamford Bridge grass, Evans spread his arms and stared fearfully at Clattenburg - almost accepting that he was going to get a second yellow. But as the referee walked past Evans and over to Torres, Evans appeared as shocked and confused as the rest of us. Torres received a second yellow, and admittedly it was very harsh. However, the Spanish frontman should, in my view, have been dismissed at the end of the first half for a ninja-style kick to Tom Cleverley's stomach. Credit to the United midfielder however, because he got straight up and shook Torres' hand. Right, on to the winning goal. There isn't much to write about here - Javier Hernandez came back from an offside position and the linesman didn't spot it. Even Hernandez himself replied 'Probably' when asked if he felt he was lucky not to have been judged offside.
This is where I feel video technology would improve the game. The speed and movement with which Hernandez retreated from his offside position to turn in Rafael's mishit shot was simply too much for the human eye to handle. In my opinion, a rugby style video referee would do the game no harm for dubious decisions like the ones I have described above - however the dinosaur UEFA President Michel Platini feels it will take away the spirit of football. The aftermath of the goal was shocking. Images of Michael Carrick lifting pieces of broken seats off of the pitch truly surprised me. Chelsea fans near the celebrating United fans decided that hurling objects and broken seats at them was a good way to vent frustration. What they failed to realise was that some of those objects hit a Chelsea steward, who required hospital treatment after the game.
On the touchlines, Sir Alex Ferguson and Roberto Di Matteo had a go at each other as well, with the fourth official having to step between the two managers to prevent anything more than just words being exchanged. However aside from all of these incidents, the claims that Mark Clattenburg was racist towards John Obi Mikel sticks out like a steak in a salad. Players abusing players has been around for years, but for an official to do it is absolutely incredible. If these accusations turn out to be true, then Mr. Clattenburg may enjoy a very early retirement. Who can blame Jason Roberts and Rio Ferdinand? Racism is becoming a prominent and almost common occurrence in the game - and one that needs to be eradicated. Now.
By Sam Braik (@SamBraik96)
Robin Van Perfect?
Possibly the biggest upset of the transfer window this summer was the sale of Van Persie to Manchester United. Not only did Arsenal weaken their own team, but they also strengthened their rivals. It was a well-known fact that he would leave with only a year left on his contract, however it was only late on into the saga that United seemed the likely destination. The main concerns from a United perspective were his fitness and if he could possibly be as much of a sensation as he was last season. Although it may take time for him to fully integrate into the team, we are only three games into the league and he has already found his feet with 4 goals.
The move to United may be perfect for him and the team. Not only does it give Rooney a real threat, it also gives the opposition a horrible head ache. In the seasons past, if Rooney had a bad game or was cut off successfully by the opposition United would struggle significantly. This was the same for Arsenal with Van Persie. However, with the combination of Van Persie and Rooney the focus for the opposition will be split. That being said we have not yet seen if the combination will work due to Rooney’s injury. Van Persie may excel even more at United due to the delivery from the wings that he lacked at Arsenal. At Arsenal he was never short of opportunities to score, however at United the focus is on scoring goals rather than the perfect goals. With Kagawa’s link-up and the likes of Valencia, Nani and Young sending in crosses Van Persie could potentially improve on his goal tally from last year. He gives United a maturity upfront that the likes of Welbeck should feed on. His technique and finishing skills make him the consistent goal scorer that United need.
Rooney has of course scored many goals for United, but Van Persie is a better goal scorer. And in these next few weeks Van Persie’s fitness levels will increase and his understanding with his new team mates will improve. When Rooney comes back from his injury he will need to up his game as Robin will be the main front man, with Kagawa looking like the new playmaker of the team. Rooney’s injury may be a blessing due to his fitness problems, if he works hard he could potentially do a Tevez and come back a new man. Robin wanting trophies and United trying to take back the title, Van Persie to United should be perfect.
By Sean McNeill (@Sean_Mc_Neill)
The move to United may be perfect for him and the team. Not only does it give Rooney a real threat, it also gives the opposition a horrible head ache. In the seasons past, if Rooney had a bad game or was cut off successfully by the opposition United would struggle significantly. This was the same for Arsenal with Van Persie. However, with the combination of Van Persie and Rooney the focus for the opposition will be split. That being said we have not yet seen if the combination will work due to Rooney’s injury. Van Persie may excel even more at United due to the delivery from the wings that he lacked at Arsenal. At Arsenal he was never short of opportunities to score, however at United the focus is on scoring goals rather than the perfect goals. With Kagawa’s link-up and the likes of Valencia, Nani and Young sending in crosses Van Persie could potentially improve on his goal tally from last year. He gives United a maturity upfront that the likes of Welbeck should feed on. His technique and finishing skills make him the consistent goal scorer that United need.
Rooney has of course scored many goals for United, but Van Persie is a better goal scorer. And in these next few weeks Van Persie’s fitness levels will increase and his understanding with his new team mates will improve. When Rooney comes back from his injury he will need to up his game as Robin will be the main front man, with Kagawa looking like the new playmaker of the team. Rooney’s injury may be a blessing due to his fitness problems, if he works hard he could potentially do a Tevez and come back a new man. Robin wanting trophies and United trying to take back the title, Van Persie to United should be perfect.
By Sean McNeill (@Sean_Mc_Neill)
RVP - To buy or not to buy? Fergie's dilemma.
As I sit down to write this blog entry there was only one real topic on my mind, the Robin Van Persie transfer saga. The RVP stories have been building for a number of months now with the British media widely tipping the dutch striker to move on to pastures new and some made the prediction long before the season had even ended. Robin will no doubt put his decision not to sign a contract extension down to lack of ambition within the club to progress (brings back memories of Rooney a couple of years back). He clearly feels that Arsenal have let too many of their stars go in recent years without really bringing in the marquee signings to replace them and Arsenal's seven seasons without a trophy have convinced him he needs to move on to win silverware and lets be honest, silverware helps a player be remembered for years to come.
The big news for me however with the saga was finding out that Fergie had confirmed that Manchester United had made a bid for Van Persie. Immediately I started to see two very distinct views on the idea. One side were extremely excited (understandably as RVP scored 30 league goals last campaign) and the other side where a lot more realistic in their views, understanding that having Van Persie and Rooney at the club would mean that Danny Welbeck and Javier Hernandez would be fighting almost to be the chosen sub at the club. One fan said to me that he would love to see a Rooney - Van Persie partnership upfront and new signing Shinji Kagawa playing behind them. As exciting as that may sound I personally don't think its the best way forward for United. The saying "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" springs to mind. Fair enough City beat United to the league, but for all he superstars they bought, they only managed to do it on goal difference. The style United had last season worked fine, Rooney played some sensational football in his free role and Danny Welbeck exploded onto the scene big time although Sir Alex recently said that he wants Welbeck to score closer to 20 goals rather than the 9 he managed last season but he is certainly capable.
Welbeck has the potential to be a star for club and country in the coming years and Manchester United MUST hold on to his services, not buying RVP, who honestly, I don't even think suits the United system that well would be a huge sign of faith in the ability and importance of Hernandez but especially Welbeck, and hopefully Danny would pledge his future to United and get on with growing and reaching his full potential. United could do well to further strengthen their midfield with Lucas Moura looking possible and the defence could be beefed up if the Leighton Baines rumours are to be believed, Fergie did say that he would be bringing at least one more player in this transfer window and one of the latter would, in my opinion, be more beneficial in the long term to United, especially considering Van Persie will be 29 when the season kicks off again.
However, maybe I'm being too negative here. As a Manchester United fan I must admit, the sight of Robin Van Persie banging in 25 goals in a United shirt alongside a similar tally from Rooney sends streaks of happiness through my body and it should do for any fan of the club. Robin virtually carried the Arsenal team at times last season and apart from Alex Song, there wasn't exactly an abundance of creative talent in the side. It is indeed a scary thought when you think about what he could be capable of with Scholes, Rooney, Valencia, Nani etc linking up with him and launching crosses in at him.
Finally however, its back down to earth. Robin has had his fair share of injury problems and I seriously don't think 3 or 4 years of top form RVP with the injury risks is better for United than the possibility of 10 years of Danny Welbeck. Signing Van Persie will make the current contract negotiations much more difficult as Welbeck may feel that he won't get the necessary playing time. RVP then probably doesn't belong at Old Trafford, but boy would it make for an interesting headline.
By Ryan McDowell (@dowelly_)
The big news for me however with the saga was finding out that Fergie had confirmed that Manchester United had made a bid for Van Persie. Immediately I started to see two very distinct views on the idea. One side were extremely excited (understandably as RVP scored 30 league goals last campaign) and the other side where a lot more realistic in their views, understanding that having Van Persie and Rooney at the club would mean that Danny Welbeck and Javier Hernandez would be fighting almost to be the chosen sub at the club. One fan said to me that he would love to see a Rooney - Van Persie partnership upfront and new signing Shinji Kagawa playing behind them. As exciting as that may sound I personally don't think its the best way forward for United. The saying "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" springs to mind. Fair enough City beat United to the league, but for all he superstars they bought, they only managed to do it on goal difference. The style United had last season worked fine, Rooney played some sensational football in his free role and Danny Welbeck exploded onto the scene big time although Sir Alex recently said that he wants Welbeck to score closer to 20 goals rather than the 9 he managed last season but he is certainly capable.
Welbeck has the potential to be a star for club and country in the coming years and Manchester United MUST hold on to his services, not buying RVP, who honestly, I don't even think suits the United system that well would be a huge sign of faith in the ability and importance of Hernandez but especially Welbeck, and hopefully Danny would pledge his future to United and get on with growing and reaching his full potential. United could do well to further strengthen their midfield with Lucas Moura looking possible and the defence could be beefed up if the Leighton Baines rumours are to be believed, Fergie did say that he would be bringing at least one more player in this transfer window and one of the latter would, in my opinion, be more beneficial in the long term to United, especially considering Van Persie will be 29 when the season kicks off again.
However, maybe I'm being too negative here. As a Manchester United fan I must admit, the sight of Robin Van Persie banging in 25 goals in a United shirt alongside a similar tally from Rooney sends streaks of happiness through my body and it should do for any fan of the club. Robin virtually carried the Arsenal team at times last season and apart from Alex Song, there wasn't exactly an abundance of creative talent in the side. It is indeed a scary thought when you think about what he could be capable of with Scholes, Rooney, Valencia, Nani etc linking up with him and launching crosses in at him.
Finally however, its back down to earth. Robin has had his fair share of injury problems and I seriously don't think 3 or 4 years of top form RVP with the injury risks is better for United than the possibility of 10 years of Danny Welbeck. Signing Van Persie will make the current contract negotiations much more difficult as Welbeck may feel that he won't get the necessary playing time. RVP then probably doesn't belong at Old Trafford, but boy would it make for an interesting headline.
By Ryan McDowell (@dowelly_)
Manchester United – 20 on the horizon, or just the Blue Moon?
In a summer famed for its superheroes, both at the box office and at the Olympic Park, it seems fitting that two old foes are locked tight at the top of the domestic tree. Due to a superior goal difference and a stunning twist of fate in May, for the first time in 44 years, Manchester United go into the new season with the blue side of Manchester reigning supreme. That year, United were crown the first English champions of Europe, and the city of Manchester clambered to the very top of the domestic and European footballing ladder.
Fast forward to 2012, and the Manchester clubs are again domestic kings, but City are an altogether more ferocious beast. Wealthy owners and a seemingly endless amount of resources, there are murmurings that they are ready to knock United ‘off their perch.’ There is a sky blue momentum surging through the Premier League, and they are hungry for more. But a wounded beast is one still to be feared, and United are exactly that.
So the big question, where does this leave the Red Devils? If Sergio Aguero hadn’t score that late, late injury time winner against QPR in May, Sir Alex’s team would still be milking the plaudits of a 20th domestic title, and a staggering 13th Premier League championship in 20 years. And this is what will hurt United, the club with a proud tradition of a strong championship finish, didn’t finish well enough.
City didn’t win the title against QPR. They didn’t even win it when Vincent Kompany crashed his header past David De Gea at the Etihad. It was United who lost the title on April 22nd, when Nikola Jelavic and Stephen Pienaar scored late goals at Old Trafford to draw 4-4, a blow from which United never recovered. For a club with the unprecedented knack of winning big games with late goals, they tasted their own medicine, and it was a sour pill to swallow.
Looking forward to the 2012/2013 campaign, Sir Alex’s boys will be predator, intent on inflicting revenge. They’ll want just one thing, ‘their trophy back’. A traditionally early foray into the transfer market brought about the early acquisition of Shinji Kagawa from German double winners Borussia Dortmund. This has definitely whetted the appetite of United fans, a player so cool on the ball, threading the ball through the eye of a needle and with a knack of finding the net. This is also a player that had a better goal to game ratio, as well as a superior assist count than a certain Mr. E. Hazard, now residing in West London. The argument that the Bundesliga is stronger than Ligue 1 is an interesting one, but only time will tell if Kagawa or Hazard is the better value.
One thing for sure is that Kagawa was a huge success at the Westfalenstadion, and after two trophy-laden seasons, £17m may seem like shrewd business. The creative flair player United fan have been crying out for, a player reminiscent of a young Paul Scholes, possibly relieving the pressure on the original, still reluctant to re-enter retirement, and fellow veteran Ryan Giggs, both will need to manage their bodies more carefully than ever before.
The only other signing of note at the time of writing is Crewe youngster Nick Powell, an England Under-19 international, who helped Alexandra seal promotion to League 1 with a stunning star turn at Wembley. Luckily for Sir Alex, the deal was done before the playoffs, and any other potential destinations for the promising youngster were snuffed out.
This deal is definitely one for the future, a versatile player who sees himself as a central midfielder, but is just as capable up top and everywhere in between. Powell has certainly made an impression on the squad, and hopefully he will progress onto further success at Old Trafford, a very exciting prospect indeed.
The revolving door as left some members of the squad seeking alternative employment, with Michael Owen’s injury plagued 3 year stay being ended, with his fitness again failing him when he made impacts on the first team. Tomasz Kuszczak has also left the club, but was 4th choice by last season. Park Ji-Sung has move on to QPR, which surprised United fans somewhat, often seen as an important cog in Champions League ties. Fabio Da Silva has followed him to Loftus Road, albeit on a temporary deal. Precocious youngster Paul Pogba has jumped ship to Juventus, and fellow fringe player Richie De Laet has also moved on.
United though are keeping themselves busy in the transfer window, with potential deals for Brazilian wonderkid Lucas Moura and the highly publicised bid for Arsenal skipper Robin van Persie in the offing, as well as rumours of Leighton Baines leaving Everton for Manchester, there a some more twists and turns left this summer. Fans are crying out for an enforcer in the midfield, but if Darren Fletcher can recover from his chronic bowel condition, that will feel like a new signing in itself. Having skipper Nemanja Vidic back after a cruciate ligament injury will give United’s defence the balance and venom it lacked at times last year.
The onus is on players such as Valencia, the latest United number 7, and Rooney to continue the fine form they showed last year. Some squad players must step up and show what they bring to the squad this year, such as Anderson, Evans, Macheda, Cleverley and Berbatov, good players plagued by injury and inconsistency. Consistent form is the key, and players such as Carrick, Nani, Evra, Jones and Hernandez all had patchy spells in the form department, but improved and need to keep improving in pre-season. The key for United is to hit the ground running, state their intentions from the off and show that they are in business for the whole season.
Can United win the title? Well you’d be a fool to bet against them, as always. With a few more signings and a blistering start, United will be serious contenders. This summer may have belonged to the Dark Knight Rises, but I hope United’s very own Red Knight will Rise to the occasion and lead his troops to that 20th championship, eclipsing that Blue Moon for at least another year.
By Rhys Hopkins (@RHops10)
Fast forward to 2012, and the Manchester clubs are again domestic kings, but City are an altogether more ferocious beast. Wealthy owners and a seemingly endless amount of resources, there are murmurings that they are ready to knock United ‘off their perch.’ There is a sky blue momentum surging through the Premier League, and they are hungry for more. But a wounded beast is one still to be feared, and United are exactly that.
So the big question, where does this leave the Red Devils? If Sergio Aguero hadn’t score that late, late injury time winner against QPR in May, Sir Alex’s team would still be milking the plaudits of a 20th domestic title, and a staggering 13th Premier League championship in 20 years. And this is what will hurt United, the club with a proud tradition of a strong championship finish, didn’t finish well enough.
City didn’t win the title against QPR. They didn’t even win it when Vincent Kompany crashed his header past David De Gea at the Etihad. It was United who lost the title on April 22nd, when Nikola Jelavic and Stephen Pienaar scored late goals at Old Trafford to draw 4-4, a blow from which United never recovered. For a club with the unprecedented knack of winning big games with late goals, they tasted their own medicine, and it was a sour pill to swallow.
Looking forward to the 2012/2013 campaign, Sir Alex’s boys will be predator, intent on inflicting revenge. They’ll want just one thing, ‘their trophy back’. A traditionally early foray into the transfer market brought about the early acquisition of Shinji Kagawa from German double winners Borussia Dortmund. This has definitely whetted the appetite of United fans, a player so cool on the ball, threading the ball through the eye of a needle and with a knack of finding the net. This is also a player that had a better goal to game ratio, as well as a superior assist count than a certain Mr. E. Hazard, now residing in West London. The argument that the Bundesliga is stronger than Ligue 1 is an interesting one, but only time will tell if Kagawa or Hazard is the better value.
One thing for sure is that Kagawa was a huge success at the Westfalenstadion, and after two trophy-laden seasons, £17m may seem like shrewd business. The creative flair player United fan have been crying out for, a player reminiscent of a young Paul Scholes, possibly relieving the pressure on the original, still reluctant to re-enter retirement, and fellow veteran Ryan Giggs, both will need to manage their bodies more carefully than ever before.
The only other signing of note at the time of writing is Crewe youngster Nick Powell, an England Under-19 international, who helped Alexandra seal promotion to League 1 with a stunning star turn at Wembley. Luckily for Sir Alex, the deal was done before the playoffs, and any other potential destinations for the promising youngster were snuffed out.
This deal is definitely one for the future, a versatile player who sees himself as a central midfielder, but is just as capable up top and everywhere in between. Powell has certainly made an impression on the squad, and hopefully he will progress onto further success at Old Trafford, a very exciting prospect indeed.
The revolving door as left some members of the squad seeking alternative employment, with Michael Owen’s injury plagued 3 year stay being ended, with his fitness again failing him when he made impacts on the first team. Tomasz Kuszczak has also left the club, but was 4th choice by last season. Park Ji-Sung has move on to QPR, which surprised United fans somewhat, often seen as an important cog in Champions League ties. Fabio Da Silva has followed him to Loftus Road, albeit on a temporary deal. Precocious youngster Paul Pogba has jumped ship to Juventus, and fellow fringe player Richie De Laet has also moved on.
United though are keeping themselves busy in the transfer window, with potential deals for Brazilian wonderkid Lucas Moura and the highly publicised bid for Arsenal skipper Robin van Persie in the offing, as well as rumours of Leighton Baines leaving Everton for Manchester, there a some more twists and turns left this summer. Fans are crying out for an enforcer in the midfield, but if Darren Fletcher can recover from his chronic bowel condition, that will feel like a new signing in itself. Having skipper Nemanja Vidic back after a cruciate ligament injury will give United’s defence the balance and venom it lacked at times last year.
The onus is on players such as Valencia, the latest United number 7, and Rooney to continue the fine form they showed last year. Some squad players must step up and show what they bring to the squad this year, such as Anderson, Evans, Macheda, Cleverley and Berbatov, good players plagued by injury and inconsistency. Consistent form is the key, and players such as Carrick, Nani, Evra, Jones and Hernandez all had patchy spells in the form department, but improved and need to keep improving in pre-season. The key for United is to hit the ground running, state their intentions from the off and show that they are in business for the whole season.
Can United win the title? Well you’d be a fool to bet against them, as always. With a few more signings and a blistering start, United will be serious contenders. This summer may have belonged to the Dark Knight Rises, but I hope United’s very own Red Knight will Rise to the occasion and lead his troops to that 20th championship, eclipsing that Blue Moon for at least another year.
By Rhys Hopkins (@RHops10)
Wayne Rooney should leave Manchester United
Wayne Rooney should leave Manchester United and sign for Real Madrid. Not only this, but he should do it for his International career; he should enable himself to become the player he potentially can - the player England so desperately need and want.
To the people who know me, I am a big advocate of Wayne Rooney and certainly as a football fan who doesn’t support one of the Big Four, one of his largest supporters. I am also a big supporter of Sir Alex Ferguson and believe, beyond no doubt, that he is the best manager in the world today. Yet for all the admiration, I don’t believe Old Trafford will help Wayne Rooney develop into the player that can really make the difference on the International stage.
When he left Everton, Rooney needed a manager like Sir Alex. He needed the mental support, and the father figure he so often describes. The talent has always been obvious but it was the temperament that let him down, yet it appears now that such trends seem to have switched. Whilst Wayne Rooney has been arguably the best forward in the Premier League in recent years, he has failed to perform in an England shirt; a claim backed up by a disappointing show at Euro 2012.
Former team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo was a great player at Manchester United, but at Real Madrid he has become one of the best. I firmly believe that should Wayne Rooney follow in his footsteps he too could share such praise. Spanish football is on the rise. It is arguably already at the top and is continuing to grow with the record breaking national team winning Euro 2012 despite taking to the field on several occasions without a recognised striker.
La Liga is now the place to play professional football, and it is the Premier League, and English coaches looking to the European mainland for answers. It wasn’t always the case. I am not sure I can put my finger on the exact reasons as to why this switch has occurred but it is hard to deny that it has happened and should be something Wayne Rooney takes into consideration should he want to take his career to the next level.
Wayne Rooney is a brilliant player, but to be the best, he must play with the best and play against the best. He can no longer do that in England. He can no longer do that at Manchester United. Move to Real Madrid Rooney, develop, and return to Wembley every couple of months. Maybe then, and only then, can we look forward to a summer in Brazil. I fear for English football, and should Wayne Rooney want to go down in history, fear that his future lies elsewhere.
By Frazer Lloyd-Davies (@FrazerLloyd)
To the people who know me, I am a big advocate of Wayne Rooney and certainly as a football fan who doesn’t support one of the Big Four, one of his largest supporters. I am also a big supporter of Sir Alex Ferguson and believe, beyond no doubt, that he is the best manager in the world today. Yet for all the admiration, I don’t believe Old Trafford will help Wayne Rooney develop into the player that can really make the difference on the International stage.
When he left Everton, Rooney needed a manager like Sir Alex. He needed the mental support, and the father figure he so often describes. The talent has always been obvious but it was the temperament that let him down, yet it appears now that such trends seem to have switched. Whilst Wayne Rooney has been arguably the best forward in the Premier League in recent years, he has failed to perform in an England shirt; a claim backed up by a disappointing show at Euro 2012.
Former team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo was a great player at Manchester United, but at Real Madrid he has become one of the best. I firmly believe that should Wayne Rooney follow in his footsteps he too could share such praise. Spanish football is on the rise. It is arguably already at the top and is continuing to grow with the record breaking national team winning Euro 2012 despite taking to the field on several occasions without a recognised striker.
La Liga is now the place to play professional football, and it is the Premier League, and English coaches looking to the European mainland for answers. It wasn’t always the case. I am not sure I can put my finger on the exact reasons as to why this switch has occurred but it is hard to deny that it has happened and should be something Wayne Rooney takes into consideration should he want to take his career to the next level.
Wayne Rooney is a brilliant player, but to be the best, he must play with the best and play against the best. He can no longer do that in England. He can no longer do that at Manchester United. Move to Real Madrid Rooney, develop, and return to Wembley every couple of months. Maybe then, and only then, can we look forward to a summer in Brazil. I fear for English football, and should Wayne Rooney want to go down in history, fear that his future lies elsewhere.
By Frazer Lloyd-Davies (@FrazerLloyd)