Andrew MacdougallThe Story So Far (LINK)
April 22nd 2008 06:47
The Story So Far
In what has been the most entertaining - and nail biting - title race for years, Manchester United have taken the reigns and look set to win their 10th Premier League title under Sir Alex Ferguson. Their scintilating brand of attacking football has lit up not just the Premier League but the UEFA Champions League too, while Cristiano Ronaldo has emerged as the most exciting talent in world football today.
But the opening month of the season offered no clues as to the visual feast that was to come. Draws against Reading and Portsmouth (the latter seeing Ronaldo sent off for head butting an opponent), followed by defeat to bitter rivals Manchester City meant that this was Ferguson's worst start to a Premier League season. Questons were being asked of his summer signings - Nani, Anderson, Tevez and Hargreaves - and whether it was time for the boss to stand down. This wasn't helped by uninspiring 1-0 victories over Tottenham Hotspur, Sunderland and Everton, with none of the goals coming from Ronaldo. His tally so far of 38 goals seemed a long way off, but he broke his duck in the next game, another 1-0 win, this time against his former club Sporting Lisbon of Portugal, in United's opening Champions League game.
Given their start to the season, you would have forgiven fans for being less than optimistic going into their next EPL game against Chelsea - who were minus the newly departed Jose Mourinho. United, however, turned in an extremely professional performance and ran out 2-0 winners with goals from new signing Carlos Tevez and a Louis Saha penalty.
That proved the catalyst for both United's surge to another title and Ronaldo's incredible goal haul, with the Portuguese scoring 10 goals in the next 8 games, which included 4 successive 4 goal hauls for the team against Wigan, Aston Villa, Dynamo Kiev and Middlesborough resepecitvely.
They would hit 4 against Dynamo Kiev for a second time in November but that was soon followed by a second league defeat of the season, away to Bolton Wanderers. After successfully negotiating their Champions League group undefeated, United racked up victories against Liverpool, Everton and Sunderland, before another shock defeat, away to West Ham United in December, which saw the home team come from behind in the last 13 minutes to snatch victory, after Ronaldo had missed a penalty.
United went undefeated until February, a run which included an astonishing 6-0 victory over Newcastle United, with Ronaldo hitting his first career hat trick and all the goals coming in the second half.
Again, defeat was to their neighbours Manchester City, in a game which saw both teams don kits with no sponsor or markings, as a respect to those who died in the Munich air disaster, 50 years previously.
The taste of defeat didn't last long though, as in the FA Cup 5th round tie at Old Trafford, they demolished Arsenal 4-0.
And so, with only one more defeat - in the next round of the Cup at home to Portsmouth - Manchester United look destined to reclaim their Premier League crown, as further resounding victories against Liverpool and Aston Villa have shown. Their latest victory, 2-1 at home to Arsenal demonstrated that they are not only fascinating to watch, but they also know how to win a game when their backs are heavily against the wall. Arsenal deserved one, if not all three points, but came away empty handed. United then showed their resilience against a determined Blackburn Rovers by grabbing an equaliser two minutes from thew end of the game.
Chelsea are right on United's coat tails and a meeting between the two teams in London on 26th April may prove decisive. However, you sense it is United's season. Certainly Cristiano Ronaldo deserves to be lifting the trophy come May 11th. His displays have been mesmerising, and his goal tally of 38 (and counting), for an attacking midfielder, simply defying belief. Yet Manchester United are not a one man team. Rooney again has been a joy to behold, the new signings that were questioned at the beginning of the season have proved extremely effective, and the central defensive partnership of Ferdinand and Vidic has proved to be the most effective in the League.
Anderson deserves special praise. The 19 year old signing from Porto would have been expected to struggle in his first season but he has established himself in the midfield and has outplayed, out-thought and out muscled some of the Premier League's more established – and better paid - stars.
A Champions League semi final against Barcelona makes for a mouth watering prospect, with many fans and pundits expecting United to go on to lift the famous trophy in Moscow on May 21st.
That remains to be seen, but if United can capture both titles in the next month, they will undoubtedly go into the record books as the most entertaining team the Premier League has ever seen.
In what has been the most entertaining - and nail biting - title race for years, Manchester United have taken the reigns and look set to win their 10th Premier League title under Sir Alex Ferguson. Their scintilating brand of attacking football has lit up not just the Premier League but the UEFA Champions League too, while Cristiano Ronaldo has emerged as the most exciting talent in world football today.
But the opening month of the season offered no clues as to the visual feast that was to come. Draws against Reading and Portsmouth (the latter seeing Ronaldo sent off for head butting an opponent), followed by defeat to bitter rivals Manchester City meant that this was Ferguson's worst start to a Premier League season. Questons were being asked of his summer signings - Nani, Anderson, Tevez and Hargreaves - and whether it was time for the boss to stand down. This wasn't helped by uninspiring 1-0 victories over Tottenham Hotspur, Sunderland and Everton, with none of the goals coming from Ronaldo. His tally so far of 38 goals seemed a long way off, but he broke his duck in the next game, another 1-0 win, this time against his former club Sporting Lisbon of Portugal, in United's opening Champions League game.
Given their start to the season, you would have forgiven fans for being less than optimistic going into their next EPL game against Chelsea - who were minus the newly departed Jose Mourinho. United, however, turned in an extremely professional performance and ran out 2-0 winners with goals from new signing Carlos Tevez and a Louis Saha penalty.
That proved the catalyst for both United's surge to another title and Ronaldo's incredible goal haul, with the Portuguese scoring 10 goals in the next 8 games, which included 4 successive 4 goal hauls for the team against Wigan, Aston Villa, Dynamo Kiev and Middlesborough resepecitvely.
They would hit 4 against Dynamo Kiev for a second time in November but that was soon followed by a second league defeat of the season, away to Bolton Wanderers. After successfully negotiating their Champions League group undefeated, United racked up victories against Liverpool, Everton and Sunderland, before another shock defeat, away to West Ham United in December, which saw the home team come from behind in the last 13 minutes to snatch victory, after Ronaldo had missed a penalty.
United went undefeated until February, a run which included an astonishing 6-0 victory over Newcastle United, with Ronaldo hitting his first career hat trick and all the goals coming in the second half.
Again, defeat was to their neighbours Manchester City, in a game which saw both teams don kits with no sponsor or markings, as a respect to those who died in the Munich air disaster, 50 years previously.
The taste of defeat didn't last long though, as in the FA Cup 5th round tie at Old Trafford, they demolished Arsenal 4-0.
And so, with only one more defeat - in the next round of the Cup at home to Portsmouth - Manchester United look destined to reclaim their Premier League crown, as further resounding victories against Liverpool and Aston Villa have shown. Their latest victory, 2-1 at home to Arsenal demonstrated that they are not only fascinating to watch, but they also know how to win a game when their backs are heavily against the wall. Arsenal deserved one, if not all three points, but came away empty handed. United then showed their resilience against a determined Blackburn Rovers by grabbing an equaliser two minutes from thew end of the game.
Chelsea are right on United's coat tails and a meeting between the two teams in London on 26th April may prove decisive. However, you sense it is United's season. Certainly Cristiano Ronaldo deserves to be lifting the trophy come May 11th. His displays have been mesmerising, and his goal tally of 38 (and counting), for an attacking midfielder, simply defying belief. Yet Manchester United are not a one man team. Rooney again has been a joy to behold, the new signings that were questioned at the beginning of the season have proved extremely effective, and the central defensive partnership of Ferdinand and Vidic has proved to be the most effective in the League.
Anderson deserves special praise. The 19 year old signing from Porto would have been expected to struggle in his first season but he has established himself in the midfield and has outplayed, out-thought and out muscled some of the Premier League's more established – and better paid - stars.
A Champions League semi final against Barcelona makes for a mouth watering prospect, with many fans and pundits expecting United to go on to lift the famous trophy in Moscow on May 21st.
That remains to be seen, but if United can capture both titles in the next month, they will undoubtedly go into the record books as the most entertaining team the Premier League has ever seen.
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