UK Football

Sure, there are other matches this weekend, but the one that matters most is Sunday’s fixture, Chelsea v Manchester United.  Chelsea, a team in form, but also at about the same spot where they began to sputter last season.  United, a team struggling to find their form, but who doesn’t know the danger of writing off the Red Devils by now?

For me the match comes down to some key battles.  The first and most prominent in my mind of course, United’s defense.  All reports indicate that Vidic will be available for the match, and that means the Serb is going to have to have a great match if United stand a chance.  The only time United can play their best is when Vidic is a rock in that defense. 

But if United can’t organize, and they haven’t been able to for some time, Drogba and Anelka are going to expose them horribly.  Evra takes too many chances, Drogba will relish the space he’ll leave by attacking too frequently.  Who do you partner Vidic with?  Brown is more of a physical presence, whereas Evans is more solid but definitely slower.

The biggest threat to Chelsea is going to be the midfield battles, and set pieces.  Chelsea have been punished on numerous occasions from set pieces this season, and that will continue if they can’t organize.  Especially with Fletcher available for United.  If anyone can score from a set piece in a big game, it’s Darren Fletcher. 

I’m still not sold on Ancelotti’s diamond formation, and Chelsea have paid the price when it hasn’t worked effectively against some of the ‘lesser’ teams.  Lampard just looks clueless in the middle with the new system, and Ballack and Deco are inconsistent battlers.  Essien will always win balls for you when the other team attacks, but he isn’t much of an attacker himself.  If Fergie is smart and plays Fletcher and Anderson to favor pace over experience, Chelsea could have their hands full.

But from open play John Terry has been an absolute rock this season, and their only real defensive worry is Petr Cech himself.  I’ve never seen a goalkeeper chase balls that he has no business going after as much as Cech this season.  In fact I recall a certain Villa goal that Cech was responsible for, helping hand Chelsea their second loss of the year. 

But let’s face it, he’s not going to have as much work to do now Ronaldo has left United.  Valencia just isn’t the sort of player you can count on to take on defenders and make plays.  United have plenty of good hard workers, but not enough playmakers.  That’s going to hurt them when Chelsea’s solid defending kicks into full force.

My verdict, Cheslea will edge United out 1-0 or 2-1 if things get hectic.  United just haven’t replaced the goals yet, and Fergie will play Berbatov when he should be playing Owen.  Owen would be a constant threat and would force Chelsea to hold a lower defensive line.  Berbatov is too slow for Chelsea’s defenders to worry.  This is a match made for Owen, but he won’t feature, and United will lose for that. 

Never leave Old Trafford before the whistle blows.  That has to be the rally cry after United’s breathtaking late display to secure qualification to the final 16 in the UEFA Champions League.  CSKA Moscow had a brilliant display, going to Old Trafford determined to get results, and three times on the night they wouldn’t be denied.

But more so than United’s heroic comeback, inspired by newfound father Rooney, who only just became a father the night before,  United’s defensive shortcomings were on full display.  Remember, the next match for the defending Premiership champs is at Stamford Bridge, against in form Chelsea.  If there is one thing Chelsea have shown this year, it’s that they can score goals.

Chelsea have an incredible, and uncanny ability to score, sometimes at will, against any opposition.  United have shown that despite having a squad rich with talent, some days they can’t score a goal to save their lives.  They’ve struggled to get on the score sheet against lesser clubs, even from the comfort of Old Trafford.

Stamford Bridge pummels the most confident opposition, and I’m betting the midfield battles will be very different, given that there will be no Owen Hargreaves present this year.  United’s defense really needs to be assessed, because nobody looked confident against CSKA, or Blackburn for that matter.  Even the usually spectacular Van Der Sar looked off the pace.   

Something needs to change here, or United need to try some different tactics if they are to have any hopes of avoiding three losses this early in the season.  A good start on tactics changes might be giving Obertan more opportunities now that he’s healthy.  When United went down 3-1 and the instant change was always going to be Rooney, Macheda was converted into a left winger.

Sure Obertan has some issues with calming his nerves, as evidenced by a few of his touches in all three of his first team appearances.  But that will calm, and he’ll settle in, but United don’t have a better left wing option.  Nani keeps turning in awful performance after awful performance, and while Giggs has been a revelation, he just doesn’t carry winger pace anymore.  

David Beckham has practically announced his interest in rejoining the English Premier League, and I think that’s the best thing for him and his career.  Especially considering his hopes to keep his place in the England squad.  Let’s face the facts, MLS is far below the quality of football that you would want a world class athlete to be playing to keep them sharp for the biggest sporting tournament in the world.  So no surprise Beckham wants to get himself back to the top football league in the world to keep himself fit and sharp.  But where does he go?

My wish is to see Beckham wearing Manchester United red again.  United need a creative midfielder and David Beckham is one of the most creative midfielders to have ever played the game.  Not to mention he’s already a living United legend.  Becks arrival could help ease the pain of Ronaldo’s loss in ways that Michael Owen and Antonio Valencia have failed to do as yet. 

Too bad Sir Alex Ferguson will never be able to get over their falling out.  So rather it looks as though United fans will have to look forward to their living legend playing against them twice a year for the rest of his career.  

Manchester United are poised to make a shock move for former Newcastle Striker Michael Owen.  Owen decided not to renew his contract with the club, which ran out in June, after the Toon Army was relegated from the Premier League.  Now apparently Sir Alex Ferguson figures that he can find a use for Owen, and United are willing to make an offer for the former Liverpool striker, and are likely to enjoy the fact that Owen will come as a free transfer.

So far it’s hard to tell whether Owen’s injury problems through the last few years will be bothersome, should he complete the move to Old Trafford, but Ferguson will have one hell of a late substitute striker with Michael Owen.  Obviously he’s not going to play 90 minutes every time at his age, or with his injury problems.  But you could do far, far worse than having Michael Owen as an ace up your sleeve ready to be unleashed at any time. 

Manchester United are essentially begging UEFA to overturn the horrid red card decision that went against Darren Fletcher on Tuesday night.  Technically United have no medium in which to challenge a decision made by a referee concerning a red card, as according to UEFA rules the only way you can dispute a red card is in a case of mistaken identity, where the wrong player is sent off.  So despite the million replays that UEFA and the match official have seen at this point, showing Darren Fletcher clearly winning the ball before touching Cesc Fabregas, it looks like the Scot will have to sit out the Final.

And that’s an absolute travesty, considering what the Champions League is supposed to stand for.   Darren Fletcher never should have been shown a red card, Fabregas shouldn’t have been awarded a penalty, and United should have the right to dispute that point.  I understand UEFA’s stance, as it provides the referee respect knowing that all decisions made by him are absolutely final.  But this is exactly what Sir Alex Ferguson called the event after the match, “a tragedy”. 

Fletcher is the most improved United player this season, by far, and his dominance in midfield all season during United’s Champions League campaigns has been second to none.  If UEFA doesn’t allow a man who has played by the rules, and done it exceptionally well, and that has earned his spot in the Final as much as any other United player, I will lose all faith in their ability to govern European football.

Give Darren Fletcher his honor back, don’t punish him for a brilliant, and legal, physical tackle because your referee made a mistake.  

18 years in the making, but finally getting the reward he so desperately deserved, Ryan Giggs has been crowned the Professional Footballer’s Association’s award for Premier League Player Of The Year.  And if not for this season, surely Giggs deserved it for a career that’s been nothing short of legendary.  Ryan Giggs has been an absolute standout quality midfielder from the first day he took United’s pitch way back on March the 2nd 1991 against Everton. 

Not to mention United wouldn’t have acquired a good portion of silverware that they have done without Giggs’ quick feet and pacey attacking runs, one standout being the Welshman single handedly eliminating Arsenal in the ‘99 FA Cup Semi-final replay with one of the most spectacular goals in the history of football.  

I understand he’s only got 12 starts this season, and I understand Giggs isn’t the player with the best statistics on the list this year, but you have to look beyond that to why Giggs is still a prominent feature in United’s first team.  Giggs lifts the squad when he takes the pitch, inspiring many a late victory, and for United to concentrate, string passes together and become the dominant force for which they have the ability.  Ryan Giggs is a legend, a living still playing legend who will feature for United once again next season at the age of 36 and perhaps even beyond.

And to anybody that would say Ryan Giggs doesn’t deserve the PFA award, Giggsy has 10 League titles, 2 Champions League titles, 4 FA Cups, 2 League Cups, 6 Community Shields, 1 UEFA Super Cup, and a FIFA Club World Cup that say otherwise.  And if United win the League this year the record books really need to change the arrangement of the records for most English League titles to: Manchester United 18, Liverpool 18, Arsenal 13, Ryan Giggs 11.  

Federico Macheda is becoming a miraculous hero for Manchester United.  First the 17 year old, in his first appearance ever in Manchester United’s first team, tips United past Aston Villa to win 3-2 in the second minute of extra time.  And then, as if that wasn’t enough to begin his United legacy, Macheda makes his second appearance in United’s first team today, and within four minutes of him entering the match, the brilliant youngster puts United ahead 2-1 for the win over Sunderland with a lucky left footed strike.

I just can’t wait to see into Macheda’s future, to see if we are actually seeing the beginnings of something special.  Or if this is just a lucky 17 year old that will level out into an average at best player in the next few years.  

Well more controversy over wonderkid Federico Macheda today, as his former club Lazio are complaining to everybody who will listen about Manchester United’s tactics concerning purchasing young players.  And I believe the term Lazio used for United’s tactics was to say that the club from Manchester were turning football into a ‘cattle market’, as reported by The Times.  Where I say Lazio should blame Italy’s regulations regarding young footballers for Macheda’s departure, not Manchester United for scouting the lad’s talent and taking their opportunity to sign him.

Blame the country’s labor laws, not the clubs that aren’t bound by them.  

If you haven’t yet  heard about Federico Macheda’s wonder goal for Manchester United yesterday, then first watch the above video, and then you should probably proceed to curse yourself for having missed one of the most thrilling finishes to  premiership match in years.  Federico Macheda, the seventeen year old striker, playing in his first match in the first team, pulled off an absolute stunner to send Manchester United back to the top of the Premiership table, in the 2nd minute of stoppage time.  Unbelievable.

Either Macheda will be all of that, or we’re just hyping him up an awful lot, and really the Italian just had a lucky strike that will never be replicated.  

photo: de:User:Lokomotive74

Lots of interesting transfer gossip going around the league today, perhaps the most interesting of which, the reported interest Manchester United has shown in Bayern Munich star Franck Ribery.  Apparently Sir Alex is preparing a bid for the French superstar, and I have to say seeing what Ferguson would make out of France’s finest midfielder would be more than intriguing.  Ribery would be a fantastic addition to the United squad, especially given his attacking nature, and also considering United don’t really have a central mid that can put real attacking pressure on defenders.

And finally, apparently Spurs are prepared to part with David Bentley, likely because of the England mans lackluster performances and overall failure to find form.  With Manchester City’s Mark Hughes reportedly taking the biggest interest, Bentley may have a chance to recreate the excellence he found at Blackburn under Hughes.  Although I sincerely doubt Bentley will find much of a career resurgence at any other club, Mark Hughes seems the only one who’s been ever able to get a decent showing out of the lad.