Love them or hate them, the writing is all over the wall now, the celebration parties are underway. Of course I’m talking about Manchester United who were crowned as champions of the English Premiership for the third time in a row once again today. Although they didn’t start the season with a bang as most of us expected them to, but they showed true resilience and when it mattered most they came tops by winning those important fixtures.
This is exactly what separated them from the rest. While Liverpool had a great start to the season and if I remember very well they ended the first half of the season as log leaders and commentators rightfully tipped them for the title, but when it mattered most, the Reds dropped vital points against somewhat beatable opposition. Basically Liverpool had a roller coaster type of a season and the many draws they played cost them what could have been their first title in many many years. Maybe next season will be their season.
Liverpool weren’t the only title challengers, Chelsea tried very hard to challenge for the title but it was really too little too late for the Blues who had a rough time under Filipe Scolari, the Brazilian coach who just couldn’t get the ball rolling after taking over from Avram Grant at the beginning of the season. The arrival of Russian National team coach Guus Hiddink brought about the change Chelsea had longed for and saved them from what could have been a disastrous season. He (Hiddink) worked very well on the Blues back line while managing to bag very important points through 1 – 0 score lines. One has to really commend the outgoing Dutchman for the work he’s done since arriving at Chelsea, for example, he’s helped players like Didier Drogba regain their confidence; in fact Drogba scored more goals in the 3 Premiership matches the Dutch mentor was in charge of than he did during the whole Scolari era. Even though the Blues missed out on the UEFA Champions League and Premiership titles respectively, they have a chance to salvage some silverware when they take on Everton in the FA Cup final on the 30th of May 2009 at the Wembley Stadium. This match will not be an easy one for the Blues as Everton are on fire and deservedly knocked out Manchester United to advance to the finals.
Arsenal, who really struggled throughout the season, had a chance to crash Man United’s party, but the Gunners once again displayed good football with no real results or goals for that matter at the end of the day. Not that it would have made much of a difference if Arsenal won this afternoon, but it would have meant that Man United would have had to wait till the last day of the league to fight for the title; which would have really been interesting; interesting because it would have presented a test of character for Sir Ferguson’s troops who in the past have always managed to come out tops under pressure.
With all that said, Man United won the title and I must honestly concede that they deserved it, so Congrats to the Red Devils and let the party begin!
Till later…
May 16th, 2009 at 11:02 pm
Sadly for us Liverpool fans United deserved the title in the end – all credit to them. They showed they had the bottle to win games when it counted. The late winner against Villa, the 2nd half mauling of Spurs, and today’s rather defensive yet measured display against Arsenal, shows that they have the squad and mentality to go all the way.
I was sad to see the other big two, Arsenal & Chelsea, peform poorly against United when it counted. But they only have themselves to blame, as the league table shows. Liverpool easliy showed everyone how to beat them in their own backyard. Strangely the others didn’t take note.
Till next season. A few anxious months wait for all of us until the EPL dawns on us again. I can’t wait. Liverpool will take it next season (I must have said that for the last five yeaes now) with a few astute signings here and there. In Rafa I trust!
Yours in blogging
The Real Footie Analyst
May 16th, 2009 at 11:10 pm
@Footie Analyst,
That is my hope as well, you see Liverpool aren’t the only one’s who’ve been coming short when it comes to winning the big, Arsenal haven’t won a Cup since 2005, now being a Gunner that I am, I must say that we’ve crumbled every time we played against any of the big four and I hope this changes next year, even players are appealing for experienced blood at the Emirates, Arshavin was quoted saying we need experience.
My fear however is that Arsenal might loose one or two of the most important players during the off season break.. and Wenger is not a very big spender as we know him…
May 16th, 2009 at 11:31 pm
Well it’s hard to say but I guess United deserved the title. Liverpool came close but thanks to luck on United’s side(two Marcheda goals) and all the unnecessary draws we suffered we only have ourselves to blame. Chelsea fell apart midway though the season while Arsenal were never really in it imo.
Congrats to the Mancs,enjoy it, until next season.
May 16th, 2009 at 11:39 pm
I reckon if Guus joined Chelsea at beginning of the season, we would be talking a different story, he’s record speaks for him, agree?
May 16th, 2009 at 11:51 pm
Guus is good and a wise old head. Like Fergie he knows best when it comes to getting the best out of enigmatic players i.e. Drogba. I don’t rate him in terms of tactically challenging for a league title. He’s master in cups and competions though.
Rafa is a tactician, and it showed when we mauled United 4-1. If only Rafa could motivate his team like Fergie does then we would see some of them playing like they had crackers up their asses!
May 16th, 2009 at 11:54 pm
To be honest I dont think Cheslea has been all that special under Guus calvin. He’s a good manager though and with Roma’s support he could build a legacy at Chelsea. He’s all about building teams that are very difficult to beat. Remember what he did with Korea, PSV and Russia.
May 17th, 2009 at 12:00 am
@footie analyst
Well with Guus leaving, Chelsea will be weaker then, I understand well when you compare the two coaches tactically, Rafa is a great manager and would do well with less mind games
but with Sir Alex still at the helm of the Red Devils, they might just win it, I see the only challengers being yourselves, given u don’t play unnecessary draws again Hull, Stoke, Wigan etc…
May 17th, 2009 at 12:02 am
@Ash,
The reason i think he did well is because he was able to get them the points they so needed without conceding a lot of goals, their defense was at one point unbreakable, remember those times they won by a goal to nil, they had been conceding goals week in week out with Scolari, but he changed that…
May 17th, 2009 at 12:11 am
@ Calvin.
I think the key game that gave them that advantge was our 2 nil loss to Middlesborough…we let them off the hook.
May 17th, 2009 at 12:15 am
@Footie Analyst,
Definitely that, and those draws, they really killed your chances…
May 17th, 2009 at 12:21 am
I blame the draws Craig. You can expect to win the League when you draw 7 of your home games. Only when it appeared that it was too late did we started throwing caution to the wind and started playing free flowing attacking football.
May 17th, 2009 at 12:25 am
Agreed I pulled half of my hair watching trying to score goals when the away team parked their bus in front of the goals. AARRRGGHHH
May 17th, 2009 at 12:32 am
Damn do I hate it when away teams park a friggin bus in front of goal, but it makes sense when you trying to survive relegation. remember the draws came in the second half of the league, those teams were fighting for survival, nothing mattered more than that for them, unfortunately you guys paid the prize…
May 18th, 2009 at 9:17 am
Well i am still hung up on the celebrations, and there will be more to come, when we beart Barca in the Champions leagure. So there will be more parting going on ……
Go Man United we are Champs.b No one can touch us!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1111
May 18th, 2009 at 9:36 am
Well, being a Man United fan this for me has been one of the toughest season of EPL. but again Sir Alex and his boys have been able to deliver when it mattered most. they went to the Club World Cup struggling in the EPL but when they came back they did what they needed to do to win the title. for me they won the title during that period. The other teams were not able to rise to the occasion. now all that is left is the Rome final and we close the season with smiles. and I think Man United can learn a thing or two from Chelsea on how to play Barca.
May 18th, 2009 at 9:42 am
@Maque(G.T)
i guess we’ll have to wait and see about that, even though I have a firm belief that Barca will struggle on the day, we don’t know what will transpire, but we’ll see…
May 18th, 2009 at 9:48 am
@Rana, I;m not being biased or anything, Chelsea were really unlucky to concede a goal that late in the game.