Manchester United defeated Wigan 2-0 to win their second consecutive Premier League title. The brace flowed fittingly for this season. The young generation won it, with Cristiano Ronaldo deftly slotting in a penalty. The older generation sealed it with Ryan Giggs, in his record-tying 750th appearance for United, touching in a through-ball from Rooney.
The final tally gives Man U a two point advantage, but their discrepancy from the competition was far greater. They beat out Arsenal at scoring goals (80-74) and beat out Chelsea at keeping them out (22-26). Though they won the title at Wigan, they really won it at home, compiling a ruthless record of 17-1-1 at Old Trafford and outscoring their opponents 47-7.
With tummy rumblings semi-mollified after a healthy dose of pepto-bismol, Arsenal and Chelsea fans would admit for a day, that perhaps United were the better club this season. And maybe, for a day, Gary Neville running out to celebrate with the lads in a crisp, white tracksuit can be ignored.
Pundits are pushing Ferguson to fly out on a high note, but with the squad he has still developing why not wait for the fruition?
As an Arsenal fan, I do admit that United have been the best team this season. However, Lets just look at the circumstances surrounding Chelsea Football Club.
- They lost quite possibly the best/most loved manager in their history.-
-A close to unknown manager took over and has never fully gotten the support of the fans or the media
-Played for long stretches of the season without their captain and starting central defender(John Terry), starting midfielder(Frank Lampard), First choice goalkeeper(Petr Cech) and at times even second choice(Carlo Cudicini) and starting centre forward(Didier Drogba)
-Lets also factor in the fact that they lost 4 players to the African cup of nations ( I know it didnt seem to affect them at the time, but think about fatigue)
Now, lets imagine Manchester United playing for some stretch of the season without their keeper-Van der Sar, defender-Vidic/Ferdinand, midfielder-Ronaldo, Forward- Wayne Rooney.
Can any of us, then see United even fighting for the title? I certainly dont.
Again, I’m not taking anything away from the Mancs, just want to say that Chelsea have done an admirable job by just fighting till the very end.
Hmmm, United intergrated 3 new players into the side, Rooney missed 10 league games, Vidic missed 7, Van Der Sar 7, Ferdinand 6.
United also had the millstone of The 50th Anniversary of the Munich disaster to deal with and the inevitable moving on of the old guard in using Giggs and Scholes more sparingly this season.
You make Chelsea out to have no squad. Terry was missing, so they had Alex. Lampard was missing so they had Ballack, They had 2 games without either Cech or Cudicini playing, winning both of them and they bought Anelka to cover for Drogbas absence.
On top of bringing Ben Haim, Moulada, Belletti,Pizarro and Sidwell to cover for those missing 4 players on top of the normal squad. Chelsea didn’t win the league because they made some tactical errors along the way. ( Also see v Barnsley in the FA Cup, Spurs in the League Cup and Manchester United in next weeks Champions League final.)
To say Manchester United only won it because of the problems at Chelsea is disingenious. What was Chelsea’s problem the year before? A World Cup hangover? The best side won the league, no doubt.
man.U without C.Ronaldo is Empty and failure. They won Epl becoz of C.Ronaldo is definatly in form and the best.. BLUES FOR LIFE. FROM A DIE FAN OF CHELSEA IN NIGERIA AFRICA.
ManU watch out next season
Bolton’s strike in stoppage time was so sweet. It killed all those articles that Chelsea apologists were halfway done writing about the injustice of the goal differential as tie breaker. Or even worse – the need for a playoff system. It shut the whingers up, thank God (or SAF, your choice).
Celsea r rubish they scraped a lot of wins united dropped cheap points this season. united were by far the best team its a new era of dominence chelsea r old news and a nothing club
I never said that Man U won it only because of Chelsea’s problems, I was just giving them some credit. But obviously, all the glory hunting Manchester United fans have never given credit to any other team in their life.
And thank god, some experts agree with me..
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=534134&root=england&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab1pos2&cc=5901
Don't really know what people find in Man.U.