United just keep rolling on

At this time of year the one thing we all seem used to and need is familiarity and the feeling of expectation being met. Whether it is that pair of socks from a relative or a sibling rolling in drunk after Christmas celebrations, we are all accustomed to it and expect it somewhat. In terms of football it has become almost guaranteed that we find Manchester United approaching their peak at the midway point of the Premier League season.

Since United began to dominate domestic football almost two decades ago it is now commonly accepted that the side get better as the season continues. After a sluggish autumn period for the reigning champions they sit joint top of the English Premier League with their new title challenges Manchester City. Although we are still yet to reach the halfway stage it appears that the title battle will be between the two teams from Manchester.

Although United dominate rich lists and are not exactly short on funds it is clear that the club are not as affluent as they once were. There have been less big money purchases in recent seasons as Ferguson continues to buy promising young players. When compared with their City rivals United almost appear to be frugal in comparison but yet find themselves level at the summit of the Premier League.

The start of the season had promised much after a scintillating pre-season had prompted comparisons with Barcelona. Some of the one touch football between the attacking players was extremely good and it appeared that Ferguson had once again constructed a side that would compete for all major honours. However, the club then failed to qualify for the knock out stages of the Champions League for the first time since 2005 and suffered the humiliation of losing 6-1 to Manchester City at Old Trafford. It appeared the early season praise had been very premature.

There appear to be several holes in the current Manchester United squad that needed to be addressed. The lack of a quality central midfield is the main element missing; Michael Carrick has not been good enough for a long time and despite some sporadic displays of promise his consistency at United has not been good enough for many years. The fact that after a handful of games United fans were missing Tom Cleverly showed how ineffective their engine room has been for the last few seasons. There has also been no real improvement from Anderson who has stagnated at the club since his early promise. The Champions League final last season demonstrated that United need to find someone to protect the back four and then someone to begin their attacks; playing Rooney in there a few weeks ago highlighted their shortage in that position.

Another huge problem is the injury to Nemanja Vidic who will now miss the remainder of the season. His partner Rio Ferdinand lacks the authority and composure he used to have and his body simply doesn’t look capable of surviving until May. There have however been huge positives in the emergence of Phil Jones and Chris Smalling who will surely be the future pairing once the current set move on.

These facts allied with City’s dominant displays appeared to suggest that United may have lost their status as the country’s leading club. However, if you doubt Ferguson he has a habit of coming back and proving you wrong again. Their recent run now sees them level on points with City and approaching their historically best part of the season. I for one thought it was City’s to lose a month or so ago but with United now level few would back against them. The experience and know how to win the league simply cannot be bought and Ferguson has that in abundance. It is still December and there are far more twists and turns to come but it is beginning to look a little ominous for Roberto Mancini and his side and I am sure they are thinking that too.

United need a central midfielder

Although I am loath to criticise Sir Alex Ferguson, especially after celebrating 25 years at Manchester United, I am going to do so. The current United side seriously lack a decent central midfielder and they need to find one if they are to win major titles in the next couple of years.

It seems strange criticising United after the world and his wife waxed lyrical over the side at the start of the season; ‘Fergie does it again’ read most of the headlines. However, it could be a false dawn if they don’t improve in this area. Yesterday, United ended up having to deploy their most potent striker, Wayne Rooney, in midfield because the other squad members are not hitting the heights required.

Currently Sir Alex has the following first team players to select in central midfield: Anderson, Michael Carrick, Tom Cleverly, Darren Fletcher and Ryan Giggs. Those options are not good enough when compared to Barcelona who possess: Sergio Busquets, Cesc Fabregas, Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta, Seydou Keita and Thiago. The comparative midfields of last seasons Champions League finalists could not be more of a contrast; one is blessed with some of the best players in the world and the other is distinctly average.

The time has come to make Anderson a squad player and leave him out of big games. Two years ago he looked like he would be dominating the United midfield for the foreseeable future but he is simply too inconsistent. In an ideal midfield you need a player who is going to be consistently rated at seven out of ten. Whilst the Brazilian is capable of producing eight/nine of ten performances he then follows it up with a three in the following game which is simply not good enough.

I am not even going to comment on Michael Carrick as everyone has seen him play recently and must surely have no future at the club! There is no doubt that Tom Cleverly will be a good central midfielder but he is two to three years away from being able to go toe to toe with a Bastian Schweinsteiger or Xavi Hernandez. Darren Fletcher is the closest United have to a consistent central midfielder but does he really have the ability to take United forward? I don’t think so.

One player I feel United should be seriously considering is Javi Martinez of Athletic Bilbao, although he would not come cheap. The Basque midfielder captained the Spanish Under 21s to glory this summer in Denmark, and looked quite simply outstanding. Although he is still only 23 years old he has been a first team regular for five years at Bilbao. He is blessed with an incredible technique, like many of his countryman, and has very good positional sense. It would be beneficial to United to have a good ball playing defensive midfielder to begin their attacks and to sure up their defence.

There have been some quite staggering stats about the number of shots United have conceded so far this season and a fair amount of this must be down to their lack of a holding player to screen the back four. There is no doubt that United will be competing for the major honours this season but with their rivals improving by the year they need to strengthen their midfield. However, who am I to criticise Sir Alex and his methods, he hasn’t done too badly.

Vidic proves to be irreplaceable

There are very few players who have proved to be irreplaceable at Manchester United over the years but Nemanja Vidic is certainly one. Since getting injured in his club’s opening Premier League game of the season his presence has been sorely missed and it was again highlighted at Anfield this weekend.

The colossal Serbian defender has established himself as the best defender in the country and has been instrumental in United’s recent success. His no nonsense style of defending has earned plaudits from every corner of the football world over the last few years. Although United certainly have strength in depth at centre back it is their captain who gives them the assuredness at the back that is required of a side competing for major honours.

With the increasingly unreliable Rio Ferdinand seemingly destined for a premature retirement due to continual injury the manager Sir Alex Ferguson has added Phil Jones and Chris Smalling to bolster his options. With these two England internationals learning from Ferdinand and Vidic the belief is that they will develop into top class centre backs. However, both are still someway short of being able to look after United’s defensive duties against some of the best sides in Europe. The return to form of Jonny Evans has certainly helped but the absence of Vidic is very noticeable.

Although we are still at an early stage in the season it has been alarming to see the amount of pressure United have had to endure against inferior opposition. The doubts surrounding their new goalkeeper David de Gea have certainly added to the surprising stat that they have conceded the most shots in the entire league thus far this season. However, it is the lack of pressure being applied by the centre backs that have contributed hugely to this. Rio Ferdinand is no longer able to move effectively round the pitch on a consistent basis. Jonny Evans, the mainstay so far, needs continuity in a partner to help him develop into a commanding presence. Jones and Smalling have both impressed in some games but need more time to hone their defensive qualities.

During the Champions League final last May Barcelona exposed the fact that United desperately need a solid defensive midfielder to shield their back four and this has still not been properly addressed. It is an essential position in the modern game and when playing against sides who can retain possession in the final third it is essential. On Saturday Liverpool were able to keep the ball in dangerous places far too easily and it should have cost them the game. A run from Charlie Adam took him straight through the middle of the United midfield and then straight at Ferdinand. The England defender brought him down for the free kick which lead to the goal; the reigning champions had not learnt from the first half when Adam had done exactly the same before Suarez was denied by De Gea.

Most centre backs are not fantastically quick and rely on good positioning rather than speed. Vidic is a prime example of this; it is his blocking and physical attributes that make him such a good defender. Similar to many of the top defenders over the last few decades, Cannavaro, Nesta, Puyol, Thuram etc he does live on the edge of the law. Most top defenders always skirt on the line of foul play; tugging shirts, holding shirts and sometimes even out right fouling to stop their opponent; the black arts of defending basically.

There have been rumblings for a couple of years now that Mrs Vidic is not happy in Manchester and would like to relocate. Whilst Ferguson has strengthened his defensive options it is something he can ill afford to do on current evidence. The Serb was integral in United’s success last season and has been sorely missed already this season. It seems foolhardy to use the term irreplaceable for a side as successful as United but Vidic is as close as they come.

Welbeck can benefit from Rooney’s ill-discipline

The fact that England have qualified for the European Championship 2012 has been completely overshadowed by Wayne Rooney’s ill-discipline. The 25 year old got himself sent off against Montenegro on Friday and now faces a ban which will impact massively on England’s chances.

However you wish to put it England now face an uphill struggle without easily their most talented player. The national manager Fabio Capello has already confirmed that he will not feature in the coming friendly against Spain as he now has to find a suitable replacement, and fast. This however, is the real dilemma – who is good enough to lead the line successfully? Darren Bent, Andy Carroll, Peter Crouch, Jermain Defoe, Daniel Sturridge, Danny Welbeck or Bobby Zamora, none of whom would strike fear into a top side in Europe at present.

In all fairness Crouch and Defoe have had enough chances at this level and have failed almost every time. And yes, although Crouch boasts an impressive scoring rate at International level (22 goals in 42 appearances) he has scored almost all of them against second rate opposition. Meanwhile Defoe has 15 goals in 46 appearances but lacks the ability to test the best defences. He has been a good Premier League player but has always seemed out of his depth at the highest level.

The other important factor is that Rooney contributes so much more to the side than simply holding the line and scoring goals. His work rate and teamwork is fantastic when he is on form and in modern day football it is essential to defend from the front. With Manchester United re-affirming their status as the best club side in the country his confidence and experience will also be missed.

This surely then leaves a straight shootout between Bent, Carroll, Sturridge, Welbeck and Zamora. It is thought that Capello is a big fan of Zamora but he would need to be integrated quickly and although he has definitely improved in recent years he remains a decent player, but nothing special. Darren Bent would certainly fit some of the requirements; he is probably the best natural finisher of all the options available and has the pace to worry International defenders. However, he has only scored four times in 11 appearances in a career that began five years ago. He appears to be one of those players that struggles to make the step up, although if he got more minutes his confidence may increase.

It comes down now to the remaining three, all of whom are relatively inexperienced at this level; although this can be beneficial in major tournaments on occasions. All would need to have impressive seasons to force their way into the team and in Carroll’s case he would need to improve his overall game for Capello to trust him. I certainly feel that Sturridge looked impressive in the Under 21s and if he can get more games for Chelsea he could certainly do a job. However, in the recent trip to Old Trafford to face Manchester United he looked a little out of his depth, but more exposure would help to eradicate that.

It certainly seems at the moment that Capello’s best option could be Danny Welbeck. Although I am not entirely convinced by the United forward he certainly seems to have the self-belief and confidence to fill Rooney’s shoes. He has been spoken about very highly by Sir Alex Ferguson for years and there aren’t many players he has been wrong about over the years. He is good in the air and has good technique; but the most important thing is that he is playing at Manchester United. Here he will have been exposed to big games, difficult atmospheres and will have a winning mentality which are pre-requisites in my opinion to succeed at the highest level.

Much will depend on how this season pans out for Welbeck but at the moment he would be my tip for the Euros. A good, and successful season for United maybe exactly what England need.

Chelsea evolving under Villas-Boas

It looks like being the start of an exciting new era at Chelsea this season under new manager Andre Villas-Boas. Although the team has by no means been unsuccessful they finally appear to be breaking away from the Mourinho mould that has remained, four years after he departed.

The spine of the side still remains from Mourinho’s days; Cech, Terry, Lampard and Drogba are all still there and remain part of the club’s furniture. However, the new Portuguese manager has come in with the intention of changing their style of play and making them a more progressive side. He has moved well thus far in the transfer window by adding good, technically gifted players such as Juan Mata who has been one of the buys of the season so far.

It is not as if Chelsea were failing with the old style but previous managers had certainly failed to move away from Mourinho’s tried and trusted methods. The previous manager Carlo Ancelotti attempted to do so last season and it was not a successful move. One issue that remains is that there are still several members of the squad who carry far too much sway within the dressing room and within the media. It is no coincidence that these players were the ‘Special Ones’ most trusted lieutenants.

By adding Mata, Meireles and Romeu, Villas-Boas has made his intentions relatively clear; he wants Chelsea to become a more possession based side rather than the direct style that has suited them over recent years. It is also a move necessary to get the best out of Fernando Torres who is already looking like a £50 million striker since Mata has been added to the side. Finally, there is a player who has the vision to find him on a regular basis and aid the Spaniard in his rehabilitation. The Chelsea performance in the second half at Old Trafford against Manchester United confirmed that it is a three way battle for the Premier League title this season.

Speculation has been rife recently regarding Frank Lampard’s Chelsea future and he has responded in emphatic style by scoring four goals in a week. It is not that Lampard is surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge; it is simply that he cannot play every game at his age and also the side are more efficient and pacey without him. A midfield three that boasts Malouda, Meireles and Ramires is a dynamic and athletic trio which allows AVB to play the style he desires more frequently. Once Romeu is adjusted to the league he will play in front of the back four and will begin play faster than the current options; he is a good and tidy player who has come through the infamous La Masia training academy.

With Torres looking almost back to his best this Chelsea side will push both Manchester clubs close this season. With Ferguson blooding a lot of youngsters and with Mancini looking incapable of having a Plan B it is Chelsea who could emerge as winners this season. Villas-Boas has already shown he is capable of changing the system and looks to have good plans in place for certain opposition. He is an incredibly impressive young manager and considering his recent success it would be foolish to back against him.

Young’s confidence ensures promising start

The transfer of Ashley Young to Manchester United this summer is one that I found particularly strange. Sure, he had looked promising since his move to Aston Villa from Watford in 2007 but to me he lacked the drive to kick on at England’s most successful club. How wrong I was. He has begun his career at United brilliantly and he has managed to replicate his form at International level.

Clearly a very talented youngster it was Martin O’Neill who took the initial gamble when he signed him from Watford for £8 million plus ad-ons. He certainly seemed like a promising talent who had everything required to go on and become a very good player. However, after the Villa saga begun brightly his career had begun to slide in the midlands last year where he struggled to find consistent form.

I had raised eyebrows when United finally completed a deal for him this summer as I had never seen him look dominant in a game against better opposition. To use a cricketing phrase he seemed ‘like a flat track bully’ who would murder the poor sides but then struggled against better opponents. His performance against United in a two all draw could have persuaded Ferguson that he would be an ideal addition to his front line this season.

He tends to operate on the left hand side where he can drift in on his right foot and hurt the opposing defenders (and goalkeepers, as we saw against Arsenal last weekend). It appeared to be particularly harsh on Nani who had his best season for United and was indeed left out of the Champions League final. It remains to be seen whether these two will develop a good understanding and enable United to play with a flexible front three as they did when they had Ronaldo, Rooney and Tevez.

The understanding he has developed with Wayne Rooney is probably what has aided his transition into the England and United side seamlessly. Good players are always able to play with others effortlessly and the understanding is already clear to see. These days Rooney tends to play a little deeper for United and with both having a good range of passing they are able to tease and worry defenders almost at ease. In his three games in the Premier League he already has two goals and four assists which will have delighted his new manager.

Although we are only at the beginning of September Young is already establishing himself as a key player at United and is starting to show his class on the International stage. At 26 years old he should be approaching the prime of his career and Ferguson could well have pulled off another transfer coup in securing his services. The United squad is well set up to dominate for many years to come and Young looks like he will be central to that success.

Nani up to the challenge

Sometimes in life you have to ask yourself what more can I do? Manchester United’s attacking midfielder Nani must have been asking this question on a daily basis since last seasons Champions League final. Having enjoyed his most productive season ever at Old Trafford he was benched for the showpiece final against Barcelona and then had to watch on as United added Ashley Young to their ranks this summer.

However, what all champions do is rise up and make sure that they cannot be forgotten next time. Although the Community Shield is still in theory a pre-season friendly the Portuguese player has laid down a marker for the coming season. His two goals were taken wonderfully well and showed the character and confidence of this young man.

It has not always been plain sailing for the former Sporting CP player who begins his fifth season at United this year. He struggled in his first few seasons when his fellow countryman Cristiano Ronaldo was stealing the headlines. His consistency has been the biggest criticism; a player who can look a world beater one minute and distinctly average the next will always concern a man such as Sir Alex Ferguson. Last season however he begun to shake that tag and started to deliver on a consistent basis.

He ended the season with 10 goals and 14 assists and in this writers opinion should have been Player of the Season. After making it to the Champions League final everybody assumed he would start against Barcelona; however, Antonio Valencia was selected and ended up having an incredibly disappointing game. Nothing was said over his disappointment but being left out must have hurt the 24 year old.

The summer started and United went out and did their business very early. One of the players they brought in was Ashley Young, who has been bought to contest Nani’s starting role this year. The first time he has been asked to stand up was this afternoon at Wembley and he answered any doubters in emphatic style by scoring two goals.

Although the season starts next weekend the one lesson that must be taken from today’s game is that Nani means business again. He has overcome several obstacles in the last few months which will only make his desire to succeed even stronger. I am no Nostradamus but it looks like Nani is going to have another fantastic season.

Barcelona run riot at Wembley

The Champions League final on Saturday night ended up being one of the most convincing victories in recent memory; Barcelona dispatched Manchester United effortlessly to win their fourth European Cup. It was a phenomenal display from the Spanish side who must surely now be regarded as the greatest club side in football history.

In an almost instant replay of the final in 2009 United began in dominant fashion whilst Barcelona eased their way into the game slowly. However, after threatening a couple of times the Catalan giants went ahead through Pedro after some wonderful work by Xavi. The diminutive midfield maestro pulled the strings for the entire game; he completed 141 passes from a possible 148 which is staggering. When you consider that United’s two central midfielders contributed 56 passes from a possible 70 it begins to tell the story.

Although United did score before half-time the result was not in doubt. The ease with which Barca picked off United would have been horrible to watch for Ferguson. His team could simply not live with their counterparts and humiliation was not too far away. Much of the blame must lie with Ferguson who believed that Carrick and Giggs could halt the opposing midfield.

After beating Schalke in the semi-final you cannot blame him entirely for feeling that it was possible; however, the difference in quality of the opposition had changed dramatically. The need for a top class enforcer in front of the back four has never been so abundantly obvious.

The class with which Barcelona went about their business was awesome to see and in all honesty I don’t feel they got out of third gear – they simply didn’t have to. When you consider the fact that this team could be together for another two or three years it is frightening. Much of the credit must go to Pep Guardiola who has masterminded this dominance in recent years.

He is an incredible man who knows the club intimately and was also a member of the 1992 squad. He played and offered guidance to a young Xavi when he first came through the youth set up and has been instrumental in bringing Messi into the middle where he can really hurt opposing defences. Having signed another one year deal earlier in the season he will be desperate to win another Champions League trophy next season before he moves onto pastures new.

It was a wonderful final and a great advertisement for how football can be played. There is too much emphasis on the physical side of the game in England and that was clear to see. The most crucial elements are technique and skill which enables Barcelona to play their sublime style of football. I, like most other football fans hope this continues for many years to come.

Champions League Final preview – Manchester United

Tomorrow night will be Manchester United’s third appearance out of a possible four Champions League finals. It is a remarkable record for a club who this season have become England’s most successful club side. The final will also give the club a chance to win their fourth European Cup.

The overwhelming feeling in the media this season has been that this United side is not as strong as some of its predecessors. There is definitely a case for this argument but the side has also not really been pushed to its limit domestically. In Europe they have been sublime which was highlighted against Schalke in the semi-final when they fielded a second string side. They have conceded four goals in the competition but have only scored 18.

It has been an incredible season for Sir Alex Ferguson who has once again demonstrated why he is regarded so highly. This side is not the most free flowing and attack orientated as some of his former sides but is resolute and efficient. They have struggled to play their best football at points this season but have remained extremely difficult to beat as their home form suggested; they dropped two points at home all year in the Premier League.

The final will be a close encounter and very tricky to predict. There is no doubt in my mind that Ferguson has been preparing for this ever since the final whistle in Rome two years ago, The defeat hurt many of the senior player, coaching staff and in particularly Ferguson. He felt that his players had failed to carry out his on field tactics which lead to a comfortable victory for Barcelona.

I feel they must attack the Spanish side if they are to be successful. Their form has improved as the season has gone on and their attacking threat is more potent now than at any other point. If they sit back too much they will be picked off eventually and it is unlikely the manager will let that happen. The sides that have had the most success against Barca this season are the ones who have attacked them. I would imagine that Ferguson has spoken with Mourinho several times with regards to tactics. The Portuguese manager countered Barca’s passing by hitting them very quickly and effectively on the break. With Hernandez, Park, Rooney and Valencia likely to feature I would imagine this is how United will play.

It should be a great final; they are the two best sides in Europe and Wembley should be a fitting venue for the final.

Champions League Final preview – Barcelona

This Saturday will see Barcelona return to Wembley for the first time since winning their first European Cup triumph in 1992. It seems unbelievable that it took a club of the stature of Barcelona until 1992 to win Europe’s most prestigious prize. Since then they have won two further titles and go into Saturday’s game as favourites for the crown.

I can remember watching the game back in 1992. I watched it with my Dad who was explaining to me that Barcelona had never won the tournament etc. I can picture the moment when Koeman’s free-kick went in and won them the trophy. It began a fascination with the club that has grown since that moment.

The current Barcelona team are the best in the world currently and there is certainly an argument to suggest they maybe the best club side ever. They have the best player in the world and boast the three Ballon d’Or finalists this season in Iniesta, Messi and Xavi.

However, this side is a tired one and one that do look vulnerable. The rest they have enjoyed over the last fortnight could prove crucial in deciding the final. Against Real Madrid in the semi-final they looked jaded and some of their crucial players were a little out of form. They can be got at and I think it is imperative that United attack Barca rather than defending deep as Madrid did.

The side certainly boasts enough experience having reached two of the last three finals. Their manager Pep Guardiola is one of the best up and coming managers in the world and one thing is guaranteed; Barca will not change their playing style. The pitch at Wembley seems to have improved which will certainly suit their preferred method of attack. It is crucial that David Villa regains form as United have look seemingly impenetrable in this seasons competition.

I am sure that the Barcelona coaching staff will have told them to target Rio Ferdinand. For me he is the weak link in the back four; not because of his ability but his lack of mobility is a real problem. After watching him against Blackburn a fortnight ago the man cannot live with pace and against Messi and Villa he will need it.

After the unnecessary furore surrounding their semi-finals with Real I hope we see the football match everyone hopes to see. They are currently the best two sides in Europe, if not the world but Ferguson is sure to have spoken with his friend Mourinho about shutting out the likes of Iniesta, Messi, Pedro, Villa and Xavi. The little Argentian wonder kid has already scored 11 goals in 12 games in this season’s tournament and is only one goal away from breaking van Nistelrooy’s record.

It should be a showpiece final for all football fans to enjoy. Let us hope it lives up to it.

United set to spend big this summer

This summer looks set to be one of the most active in recent memory as the top sides look to consolidate and prepare for next season. With Manchester City having finally won a trophy and qualifying for the Champions League they will definitely bring in some expensive stars. Meanwhile, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and Spurs will also be spending big.

There are some key re-enforcement’s needed at United next season due to retirement. The goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar is set to hang up his boots which will leave a huge hole in the United defence. Since his move from Fulham in 2005 he has been phenomenal; having already played at Ajax and Juventus his career was considered over when he went to Fulham but he has now become one of the stand out keepers in world football.

There has been much speculation surrounding David de Gea, the Athletico Madrid keeper. Although only 20 he has been identified as the successor and few would be surprised to see him turn up at Old Trafford this summer. He maybe young but has impressed Sir Alex Ferguson’s scouts on many occasions. After making some errors in replacing Peter Schmeichel he will not make the same mistake again.

Elsewhere midfield is certainly an area they are lacking in. There is no secret in Ferguson’s admiration for Wesley Sneijder of Inter Milan who the press certainly feel will be brought in this summer. The creativity from central midfield is not what it was at United and this is probably the biggest signing. Whoever it is will have to replace Paul Scholes which will certainly not be an easy task.

One player who I feel maybe a United player next season however is Andre Ayew who plays for Marseille. He was one of the few players Ferguson spoke of very highly this season and has had a good season domestically and in Europe.

Having won the Premier League and possibly the Champions League United are in an incredibly strong position this summer. Whilst they have won trophies this year there remains a feeling that this side need something more. With Ferguson still in charge there is no doubt that the squad will be strengthened. It looks set to be an intriguing summer.

Manchester United vs Chelsea for the title

This Sundays encounter at Old Trafford will decide who lifts the Premier League title this season. With three points separating the two sides and goal difference level a win for either side should be enough to win the trophy. After meeting in the Champions League quarter-final, this will be their 4^th encounter of the season.

After starting the season so strongly Chelsea broke down in November and dropped as low as 5^th in the table at one point. The shock sacking of Ray Wilkins appeared to have some effect as Ancelotti also began to change the formation and personnel of the side with disastrous results. The introductions of Fernando Torres and David Luiz have highlighted the need for some new blood; many of the senior players are the wrong side of 30 and need to be replaced in the not too distant future.

However, in the last nine games Chelsea have only dropped two points and indeed beat United at Stamford Bridge in March. They have gone back to the tried and tested formula of having Drogba up front with Anelka and Malouda either side of him.

Meanwhile, United have qualified for their third Champions League final in four years and looked odds on for the Premier League title. However, after losing to Arsenal at the Emirates and drawing to Newcastle the title is going to the wire. It has been far from a vintage United side this season but they have ground out results when struggling and have started to look better in recent weeks. This lack of quality could certainly be attributed to their injury hit squad that has had several key players out at similar times.

Much of the credit must go to Sir Alex Ferguson who has proved what a phenomenal manager he really is. I genuinely believe that if he wins the Premiership and Champions League this season it will be his finest achievement; and that’s saying something!

There is not much of a difference between the sides. Both have players who are capable of winning the game in an instance. However, these games have a habit of being very cagey affairs so I cannot see much free flowing football being on display. The winner of the game should go onto lift the title, but in this season of uncertainties nothing can be taken for granted. Let us just hope Super Sunday lives up to its billing, just once.

United surely have one hand on the trophy

After Manchester United’s 1-0 win over Everton at Old Trafford this afternoon the Premier League title is now surely within touching distance. They are now 9 points clear with 4 games remaining; surely the title is now theirs.

It has been one of the strangest seasons in living memory with the top sides continually dropping points. The title race has ended up going to the wire when it could and probably should have been decided many weeks ago. There have been more anomalies this season that any of the recent ones put together. Every time the title has looked over surprise results have been thrown up which has given their rivals more hope.

United now face Arsenal at the Emirates and Chelsea at home knowing that they require seven more points to lift the title. It could even be won at the Emirates (depending on other results) next weekend where Arsenal are on a horrible run. It will see United being crowned League champions for the 19^th time which will take them ahead of Liverpool and make them the most successful English club.

It is an incredible achievement for the club and most of the credit must go to Sir Alex Ferguson who has yet again proved what an incredible manager he is. It is by no means a great side he has this year but he has made them very difficult to beat. He must also take credit for the buy of the season – Javier Hernandez. He has now scored 19 goals in all competitions and looks set to be a United hero for many years to come.

Manchester United vs Chelsea – a review

It is Manchester United who are through to the semi-finals after a 2-1 victory at Old Trafford last night which gave them a 3-1 aggregate win over Chelsea. It was by no means a classic encounter but United fans will not care one bit.

The Chelsea manager had threatened to spring a surprise on United but instead opted to start with Torres as the lone striker with Lampard playing in a slightly advanced role behind the Spaniard. It did not work and although they created several chances early on it was United who went into the lead just before half-time.

Once again it was the sublime Ryan Giggs who opened up the Chelsea defence to supply the final ball to Javier Hernandez. The young Mexican now has 18 goals in his first season in English football which is a truly remarkable effort. However, all the credit should go to the Welsh wizard who was yet again the best player on the pitch. Deployed in central midfield he is able to manoeuvre the ball around far better than any of his younger team-mates.

The second half brought much puffing and panting from Chelsea who had replaced the much maligned Torres with Drogba at half-time. The Ivorian striker clearly thought it was him against the world as he continued to run blindly into a wall of United defenders. However, with 13 minutes remaining he scored to set up a potentially crucial last 10 minutes.

When you first start playing football you are taught and advised that the most dangerous time for a side is just after they have scored. Sure enough United kicked off and scored almost instantly, the game was over, the tie was over and Chelsea were beaten.

Their ‘obsession’ as Ferguson called it is over and several of the Chelsea team should not be playing next year. They need a complete overhaul if they are to seriously challenge for major honours next season. Most of the side have played in the 4-3-3 formation but playing Torres on his own up front and hammering long balls up to him is never going to be rewarded. They have to get some creative players in to liven them up, everything last night was too one paced, too predictable and simply not good enough.

Meanwhile United advance to the semi-finals where they look likely to face Schalke. It is not a great United side we are seeing at the moment, similarly to Chelsea they need more creative players and they have to address the fact that Giggs may still be their best and most influential player. They are incredibly well organised and tough to beat as they always are under Ferguson.

It is concerning for football though that such an average team could be on the verge of a treble; fortunately for football fans Barcelona remain in the tournament.

Capello losing his grip on England job

The farcical re-appointment of John Terry as England captain suggests that Fabio Capello has finally lost control of the job. Whilst I believe that he is the right candidate to lead the side the manner of Rio Ferdinand’s demotion leaves a sour taste and one that will surely affect the team.

Initially it appeared that Terry would only be captain for the Wales game but the Italian then revealed that he would take over permanently. Admittedly with Ferdinand and Gerrard out the Chelsea captain was the natural choice, but after being humiliated by Capello when he was stripped of the captaincy why return it now?

Whatever your feelings are about Terry as a human being it should be remembered that he is a very good captain. He has lead Chelsea fantastically for the last few years and his form has returned after a shaky few months. The whole Wayne Bridge incident was blown massively out of proportion and should never have resulted in him being demoted. The appointment of Ferdinand as captain was ludicrous considering his injury history; even Sir Alex Ferguson appointed Nemanja Vidic as Manchester United captain this season.

Surely when you have 11 international players the choice of captain should not be this overplayed. Terry has been re-appointed, Capello is losing the plot, let us just get on with the football.

Chelsea back in the title race

After the emphatic win at Stamford Bridge on Sunday against Manchester City Chelsea are now very much back in the title race. It appeared so unlikely after their horrendous form around Christmas when they found themselves facing the possibility of not finishing in the top 4. Since beating Manchester United at the Bridge at the start of this month their confidence has returned.

The season had started so promisingly and it appeared that nobody would be able to stop the reigning league champions. Defeat at Anfield in November rocked them and their confidence; their form then deteriorated so dramatically that Ancelotti’s job was under scrutiny. It shows what a fickle world football is when you win the domestic double in your first season and then face the sack the following – madness.

The additions of Luiz and Torres look good, although the later has still failed to open his Chelsea account. His movement in recent weeks has been that of old but his desperation to score seems to be making his job that much harder at the current moment.

The London side have been drawn against Manchester United in the Champions League which will be a fascinating tie. The Chelsea manager holds the upper hand over Ferguson with the United boss only beating his Italian counterpart on 3 occasions in the past. Both games will be enthralling and with them set to play at Old Trafford in the Premier League the title could go to the wire.

Ferguson gets it wrong twice in a week

It is incredibly difficult to criticise Sir Alex Ferguson, after all, he is probably the best manager there has ever been- but I am going to. In the games against Chelsea and Liverpool this week he has got things wrong which have resulted in them losing their grip on the Premier League title.

This season’s United side is not a vintage team; to be fair it is probably one of the worst Ferguson has managed during his tenure at the club. They are resolute and hard working but lack the creativity and ability of previous teams. One thing he has done brilliantly though is make them resolute and hard to beat. In normal circumstances both domestically and in Europe he lines up 4-5-1 which allows them to strangle the midfield and hit sides on the break.

For some reason against Chelsea and Liverpool he has opted to play 4-4-2 away from home with Paul Scholes as one of the central midfielders. Now Paul Scholes has been one of the best central midfielders for the last decade but no longer has the speed to play as one of a two man partnership. Earlier in the season against Arsenal and Liverpool they employed the 4-5-1 formation which enables Scholes to use all his wizardry while his colleagues Fletcher and Carrick patrol the centre of the pitch. In turn this also frees up Nani and Rooney who are then able to roam in support of Berbatov.

At Anfield this afternoon and at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday we have seen United playing in a game where they have had no foothold in midfield. This has resulted in Rooney becoming more and more subdued and in the end today consigned to the left wing after Nani’s injury. It must have delighted Kenny Dalglish to see Rooney patrolling the touch line; 30 yards from where he needed to be to hurt Liverpool.

The title is by no means lost after this week but they have let the chasing pack catch them. They now face a tough trip to the Emirates in May followed by the return of Chelsea in order to win the Premier League. Whilst this is certainly not beyond Manchester United they must go back to doing what they do best, they certainly haven’t done that this week.