Everyone's favorite formerly German-based Canadian-born Englishman, Owen Hargreaves, was singled out for praise by the legendary Eric Cantona last night as United beat Roma 1-0 to advance to the semi-finals. Hargreaves was everywhere, steaming into scoring positions early on and bending some beautiful crosses in from the right side. The man is industrious, intelligent, quick, and versatile; I would love to see him bombing down the wing as an adventurous right back.
Park and Tevez were also tireless, and it warms the heart of this United supporter to see that kind of determined spirit coursing through the side. This dogged mentality and work rate seems to be contagious, sparking both beautiful team movement going forward and relentless pressure defensively. This in turn fosters the creativity and confidence that has been evident in recent United performances.
Last night, Carrick was not only pulling strings with his sublime passing but also tracking back to execute delicate and precise sliding tackles to dispossess Roma players. Young Anderson regularly embodies this wonderful duality - combative in defense and always looking for the killer pass to release a teammate going forward - and Wayne Rooney is yet another example of United industry.
But special credit must be given to the old man at the helm, the one known as Fergalicious. Somehow he manages this deep squad with an uncanny wisdom - he never gets accused of frivolous rotation and rarely do you hear reports of disgruntled players unhappy with lack of first team opportunities. The purple-faced Scot has done an incredible job of using the embarrassment of riches at his disposal to challenge on all fronts this season. Team selection has been fraught with surprises and uncertainty but the team always ends up looking strong and cohesive.
The most crucial encounters of the season lie ahead, but United is well-equipped to rise to the occasion...
2 days ago
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5 comments:
I find the lack of infighting especially annoying. Take the example of Arsenal reserve keeper Jens Lehmann attacking his manager and the starting keeper - this is an element that United has been lacking.
After Arsenal made it to the Champions League final, Reyes wanted to quit the team because he didn't get to start. Lassana Diarra jumped ship after half a season. These are the sort of internal problems that are so common with big teams with big squads. Hopefully problems of this sort will soon plague United.
What, exactly, is the "hair dryer treatment"?
ferguson screaming in your face from such close range that it resembles the blast of hot air from a hair dryer.
It is very difficult to keep the peace in a big squad of highly talented players. It is to SAF's credit that he can keep all these egos in check. I think that is a skill that Arsene Wenger lacks.
No. 4 should be key in the locking down the double.
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