Paul Scholes - True Legend

When I started watching football, United’s midfield read: Giggs, Scholes, Keane, Beckham! Each was more lovable than the other, but in terms of technical ability, Scholesy stood head and shoulders above the others.

Today, after an incredible 676 appearances, this one club man has decided it is time for him to hang up his boots. Sad day! Almost feels like someone’s dead.

The praise and adulation he received from some of the greatest names in the game is testament to his ability and performance. Just like we can never replace Roy Keane, we can never replace Scholesy.

Edgar Davids: “I’m not the best, Paul Scholes is.”

Edgar Davids: “Every one of us (midfielders) is just trying to become as good as him. Everyone can learn from Paul Scholes.”

Alan Shearer: “If you ask footballers to pick out the player they most admire, so many of them will pick Paul Scholes. He can tackle, and his passing and shooting is of the highest level. He’s the most consistent and naturally gifted player we’ve had for a long, long time.”

Glenn Hoddle: “There isn’t a player of his mould anywhere else in the world.”

Terry Venables: “He’s the best one- or two-touch passer in the country. He sees the game unlike any other player.”

Eidur Gudjohnsen: “I’m more an admirer of Paul Scholes than I am of Ronaldo. Ronaldo is a fantastic player, but he has 10 other great players around him every week…Scholes is one of the most complete footballers I’ve ever seen. His one-touch play is phenomenal. Whenever I have played against him, I never felt I could get close to him.”

Tony Adams: “I really rate Paul Scholes, because he hasn’t got the high profile of many of the Manchester United players, he doesn’t get too much attention, but he is one very good player. He is an intelligent player, he works hard and he scores some great goals. He is not flamboyant and is a quiet lad off the pitch but he is a tremendous asset to Manchester United and to England. He has already got my vote as player of the year.”

Cesc Fabregas: “He is the one whose level I aspire to. He is the best player in the Premier League.”

Patrick Vieira: “The player in the Premiership I admire most? Easy – Scholes.”

Thierry Henry: “I can’t understand why Scholes has never won the player of the year award. He should have won it long ago. Maybe it’s because he doesn’t seek the limelight like some of the other ’stars’.”

Zinedine Zidane: “My toughest opponent? Scholes of Manchester. He is the complete midfielder.”

Sam Allardyce: “There is not a better midfield player in the world.”

Kevin Keegan: “What United have got that Chelsea haven’t is Paul Scholes. I think he is different to anything else in English football.”

Marcello Lippi: “Paul Scholes would have been one of my first choices for putting together a great team – that goes to show how highly I have always rated him. Scholes is a player I have always liked, because he combines great talent and technical ability with mobility, determination and a superb shot. He is an all-round midfielder who possesses character and quality in abundance. In my opinion, he’s been one of the most important players for United under Sir Alex.”

Ray Wilkins: “I’m saddened because I think we as spectators, not only in this country but right throughout Europe and the rest of the World, will be missing one hell of a footballer.”

Gordon Strachan: “Paul Scholes has been the best England midfield player for 30-odd years. You’d probably have to go back to Bobby Charlton to find someone who could do as much as Scholes. When the ball arrives at his feet he could tell you where every player on that pitch is at that moment. His awareness is superb.”

Veron while at Chelsea being asked in an interview who’s the best English player: “Paul Scholes.”

Peter Schmeichel: “People say he is a great player, but you have to define what a great player is. For me, it is a player who has a bottom level that means his worst performance is not noticed. If he is having a bad game, a team-mate might feel Paul Scholes is not quite on his game, but a spectator wouldn’t notice. Scholes, of all the players I have played with, has the highest bottom level. His reading of the game is unsurpassed. He has an eye for a pass, for what the play or the game needs at that precise moment, that I have never seen anyone else have. He controls and distributes the play and the game better than anyone I have ever seen.”

Peter Schmeichel: “Still the best player in that United midfield.”

Laurent Blanc: “Scholes is the best English player. Intelligence, technique, strength… all the attributes are there. At Manchester United I saw what he could do on the training field. Phew!”

Michael Carrick: “Paul Scholes is just fantastic. When you play alongside him, you realize what a special talent he is.”

Michael Carrick: “He is a legend and he’s going to be remembered for a long time. Just to play alongside him and learn from him has been an absolute pleasure. I think he is a footballer’s footballer; he has been at this level for so long. As long as he is part of us we always feel we have a chance. We appreciate the way he goes about his business. I have never met a character like Scholesy; certainly not someone who is that good.”

Park Ji Sung when asked by the club’s official home page which United player he would like to see in the red shirt of the Taeguk Warriors: “It has to be Paul Scholes.”

David Beckham said that, among his teammates at Real Madrid, which included Zinedine Zidane, Raúl, Ronaldo, Luís Figo and Roberto Carlos, Scholes was the most admired opponent: “He’s always one of those people others talk about. Even playing at Real Madrid, the players always say to me ‘what’s he like’? They respect him as a footballer, and to have that respect from some of those players is great.”

Brian Kidd: “Paul Scholes had the best football brain I’d ever seen in a kid. Let’s face it. Paul Scholes is in a class of its own.”

Rio Ferdinand: “I can honestly say Paul is the best player in the England squad. For me he is the complete player.”

Rio Ferdinand: “For me, it’s Paul Scholes. He’ll do ridiculous things in training like say, “You see that tree over there?” – it’ll be 40 yards away – “I’m going to hit it”. And he’ll do it. Everyone at the club considers him the best.”

Phil Neville: “Paul, for me, is the best player in the England team. It worries teams. Speak to any other international team and they will single Paul out as England’s key player. For me, he doesn’t get the full credit that he deserves. He is a world-class player and deserves to be up there with the likes of Zidane and Figo.”

Gary Neville: “I wouldn’t swap Paul Scholes for anybody. He is quite simply the most complete footballer I have ever played with. He is the best.”

Gary Neville: “Paul Scholes is the best player I’ve ever played with. There’s talent in every part of his game.”

Steve Bruce: “He’s the best player in Britain in my opinion and he has to get himself fit just before we are due to play at Old Trafford. I cannot pay Paul a bigger compliment than to say that he’s the most complete footballer in the country. The best bar none.”

George Best: “To be honest I think England have lost their best player. Certainly he’s the most consistent and naturally gifted player we’ve had for a long, long time.”

Sir Bobby Charlton: “I am sorry for England because they don’t have any player like him. You can talk about others but there is no one else like him. He is the best technical player England has without any question. He could have had a lot more caps if he had carried on. And if I was the manager he would have ended up with more than I did – easy”

Sir Bobby Charlton: “He’s always so in control and pinpoint accurate with his passing – a beautiful player to watch.”

Sir Bobby Charlton: “Paul Scholes is my favourite player. He epitomizes the spirit of Manchester United and everything that is good about football.”

Sir Alex Ferguson: “Very few players can do that, but Scholes is one of them – and I knew he was one of them. That’s why, without question, I think Paul Scholes is the best player in England. He’s got the best skills, the best brain. No one can match him.”

Sir Alex Ferguson: “He has an awareness of what’s happening around him on the edge of the box which is better than most players. As a kid he always had a knack of arriving in the penalty area just at the right time, but he’s proving just as effective from outside the box because he’s using his experience in the right way. It doesn’t matter who I am thinking about bringing into my midfield, Paul Scholes will be included, as he would in any side in the world.”

Sir Alex Ferguson: Sir Alex Ferguson gave evidence in court on behalf of one of his former trainees and listened to the prosecution barrister’s list of United’s top players.

“You’ve missed Paul Scholes – and he’s my best player,” Ferguson chided her.

Zinedine Zidane: “Scholes is undoubtedly the best midfielder of his generation.”

Roy Keane: “An amazingly gifted player who remained an unaffected human being.”

We’ll miss you Ginger Ninja. Your tackles and your thunderbolts. And your on-the-toe 60 yard crossfield passes.

Thanks for all the good memories Scholesy!

Going to Wembley

Subhro from bluefievre.blogspot.com interviewed me ahead of our big game against the Catalans.

Blue4ever: First and foremost, congrats for winning the league this season. The big match at the Wembley is just a few days away. Did you really think, at the start of the season that you would be here?

GiggsIsGod: Thanks a lot!

Honestly, no. I thought Barcelona and Real Madrid were better sides and favorites to win this year. Little did I know that we were going to avoid the two until the finals! But, after putting in some fine performances, especially in the knock out stages, I think United deserve to be here.

Blue4ever: Let’s not forget you face the mighty Barcelona at the Wembley. Are they the best team on the planet regardless of the result on Saturday?

GiggsIsGod: I think so. Barcelona definitely play the most attractive football and their passing is truly orgasmic. But, they play in a league where there is freedom to express themselves. I am not sure if their style of play will work in a defensively stronger league like the English League. Barcelona’s away record in the Champions League is an indicator of how difficult life is outside of Spain.

Blue4ever: They are still the favourites, aren’t they?

GiggsIsGod: Yes, they are. Over the past 3 seasons, they have consistently dominated matches against top European teams. The quality of football on display in the 5 nil El Classico showed why many people consider this to be the best club side ever.

But, here’s something you might have overlooked. English clubs have vanquished Spanish foes in European finals in ‘71, ‘81, ‘91 and ‘01. Chelsea beat Madrid in the Cup Winners’ Cup in 71, Liverpool beat Madrid in the European Cup in 81, United beat Barca in the Cup Winners’ Cup in 91 and Liverpool beat Alaves in the Uefa Cup in 2001. What do they say about history? Who, in their right mind, would now consider Barca favourites!

Blue4ever: What memories do you have of the final in Rome?

GiggsIsGod: I remember being very confident about United winning that game and becoming the first team in history to successfully defend the Champions League. Abidal and Dani Alves were suspended and Iniesta was expected to not recover in time for the game. Unfortunately, he did recover and boy did he make an impact!

Ronaldo's shoot at sight approach, Vidic making a rare but costly mistake, Xavi and Iniesta running rings around our midfield, cursing the ref who had wrongly sent Darren Fletcher off in the semis, Messi’s gliding header, going to sleep around the 80th minute with the hope that my friend will come screaming that United have leveled the score, are some of the memories from a hugely forgettable night. By far, the most depressing night for me as a United fan.

Blue4ever: What do you think will be the changes from that matchup, tactically?

GiggsIsGod: At Rome, everyone expected United to be cautious and Barca to go for the kill. United were far from that and started the more positive of the two. United started the game on high tempo and Ronaldo alone had 3 to 4 shots on goal inside the first 10 minutes.

This time around I think Fergie will go with a safety first approach. Win the ball early and keep possession of the ball without being too adventurous in the first half. With an array of attacking talent on the bench, go for the kill in the second half.

Blue4ever: Do you think that the best way to play Barca is to lie deep and play on the counter, like how you did en route Moscow in the semis?

GiggsIsGod: Arsenal tried it at the Camp Nou and I thought they were defending quite comfortably until that momentary lapse in concentration late in the first half. One mistake, one opportunity was all it took Barcelona to punish them. This approach requires supreme concentration & hard work and being clinical with the few opportunities that are created. Ideal, if you have a team of eleven Ji-Sung Parks.

I think United, with some good ball winners in Fletcher, Park and Valencia, will try to press hard and get the ball back rather than sit deep and defend the final ball.

Blue4ever: How do you expect the game to pan out? What would be your preferred starting line-up?

GiggsIsGod: Fletcher played the full 90 minutes against Blackpool and now stands a very real chance of getting into the starting 11. Which means Chicharito will be left on the bench. That and the Right Back slot are the only selection decisions to make for Sir Alex. Rest of the team picks itself.

van der Sar, Rafael-Rio-Vidic-Evra, Valencia-Fletcher-Giggs-Carrick-Park, Rooney

Blue4ever: Are you wary of the refs? Do you think, given the track record Barca has had, that they could well and truly decide this match too?

GiggsIsGod: Not too worried about it actually. Barca’s playacting is much publicized now. I just hope the ref takes that into account before sending one of our players off for breathing heavily on Busquets.

Blue4ever: Where do you think the chink in the Barca armour lies? Which position do you think you can exploit most effectively?

GiggsIsGod: I don’t see any particular weakness in this side. But, I think Guardiola tinkers a lot with his defence. Although Puyol at RB & Yaya Toure at CB kept a clean sheet in Rome, I find the idea of playing a midfielder (Mascherano/Busquets) alongside Pique, instead of a backup CB and playing Puyol on the flanks, ridiculous. If he decides to try something cute in this final, it may well be his undoing.

And I don’t know what Busquets does. Not a ball winner, not a creative player. What does he do? I hope this is the game he got exposed.

Blue4ever: Would the fans be an advantage given that you are playing on home soil? At least technically you are!

GiggsIsGod: Manchester’s proximity to the venue implies more United fans buying open tickets. That and the familiarity with the venue are, if not huge, definite factors in United’s favour.

The atmosphere at Old Trafford during Barcelona’s visit in the semi finals was the best I have witnessed. Hoping that the fans will create a special atmosphere for the special occasion.

Blue4ever: What has been your moment to remember this season?

GiggsIsGod: Berba’s and Rooney’s overhead kicks, Chicharito’s backwards header, the performance against Schalke in the first leg of the semi finals, comebacks against Blackpool and West Ham are some of the great moments to remember this season by.

But the moment of the season came 36 seconds into the potential title decider against Chelsea. The moment we knew No. 19 was ours. Sir Alex bowed down to the fans at the end of the game. Fantastic day!

Blue4ever: And the one to forget?

GiggsIsGod: The Wayne Rooney drama. He embarrassed the club and infuriated the fans earlier in the season with his contract negotiations. He has been since trying desperately to win over the fans again. Scoring the winner at Wembley will be the ultimate act of redemption. And he will be aware of it!

Blue4ever: The one player you are most wary of in that Barca lineup.

GiggsIsGod: Lionel Messi.

Blue4ever: The one player who’s gonna do it for United this Saturday.

GiggsIsGod: Wayne Rooney.

Blue4ever: Finally, your predictions for the night?

GiggsIsGod: The players have repeatedly talked about how the defeat at Rome still haunts them. The sheer will to win to make the difference this time.

United to score in the second half and win 1 nil.

Blue4ever: Thanks for the time and all the luck for Saturday.

GiggsIsGod: Pleasure. Thanks!

Click here for the Barcelona perspective.

Arsenal: From Quadruple to Nonetuple!

19!

After Chelsea's catastrophic collapse and until the final month of the season, it looked like United will be fighting it out with Arsenal for the title. But, Arsenal being Arsenal, wilted under pressure and now look like, as one blogger put it, finishing fourth in a two horse race.

A summary of Arsenal's 2010-11 season and more with Vikas.

Rajesh: A season that promised much for Arsenal has ended on an utterly disappointing note. Where did it all go wrong?

Vikas: Carling cup final. The team showcased it brittleness to a large extent. After that, we have won just three games – Leyton Orient, Blackpool and United. I also think a double injury to our goalkeepers which led to us getting back Almunia never helped the confidence of the defense and it was all downhill from there.

R: 6 years now without a trophy for Arsenal. How much longer before the board runs out of patience? Do you think it is time for Wenger to call it quits?

V: 6 years is a long time for a club like Arsenal. The frustrating part is that we have not been like Liverpool – miles away from even winning a coffee cup. We have been too close too many times in these six years. That’s why it has hurt the Arsenal fans more.

Having said all that, there are a few things that need to be put in perspective

• Making transition into a new ground has been disastrous for many a club in the past. It helps the club in the long run, but hurts a lot in the short term. It is like taking a huge loan to buy a home. We curse ourselves for the first few years- compromise on a few vacations, a few other indulgences etc. But it would always turn out the right thing to do.
• The problem with the old board (after Dein left), was that it was never amongst the most ambitious ones. It was too happy for being able to play in Champions League. The takeover will instill more ambition and I am very much pro the takeover. I also feel that this board might just make Arsene a little more accountable some time sooner.

Personally, I think, we are too close to ask Arsene to call it quits. And whenever Arsene does quit, he would go upstairs into a director of football role, which I think he might be much better at, considering the vision he has in everything he does. And, finally I do not know many people whom I would want replacing Arsene. Everyone in football seems to love a sack. But they know not what to replace. For Gods’ sake, a club like West Ham is struggling to find a right manager.

R: Chelsea and United, in the last decade, built their success on a strong back 3 – Cech, Carvalho & Terry for Chelsea, van der Sar, Ferdinand & Vidic for United. Don’t you find it annoying that these are the 3 positions where Arsenal lacks real quality?

V: It is frustrating but it is important to recognize what the strength of each team is. I know Barcelona have a worse back 3 than even us. But that does not count for much, does it. Arsenal will always concede more than United and Chelsea. And it’s more down to the difference in playing styles. I think the back 3 is not as bad as the media makes them out to be, if we don’t consider Almunia and Squillaci.

But the frustrating part is conceding in set pieces which are more than anyone in the league. It is an honestly embarrassing stat. And set pieces are something down to the training ground rather than just the back three.

R: Title No. 19 for United. Deserving winners?

V: United were the worst losers and hence finished top. None of the clubs have looked vintage by any standards. I guess Ferguson deserved the title more than United.

R: Jack Wilshere has had a terrific season and is now a vital player in the Arsenal midfield. Apart from his emergence, what other positives would you take away from this campaign?

V: There have been a few bright spots this campaign. Chamakh, in the first half of the season, was unbelievably good. Wilshere is a first teamer and has looked a real terrier all the time. This would seem ironical, but I think the emergence of Szescesny, Djourou and Koscielny has been very positive. One of the latter two seem good enough to me to pair Vermaelen as our first choice.

R: Player of this season’s Premier League? For Arsenal?

V: For Arsenal, Jack Wilshere. Premier League is a tough one. But I may go with Scott Parker. West Ham is one of the other clubs I have always liked. And to play as motivated as he does for an insipid manager like Grant was unbelievable. It tells me more of the season too, that, there are too many people who have been outstanding for three to four months, but not lasted the marathon.

R: Wenger has been promised significant transfer funds according to various reports. Do you think he is going to make some big money signings or is it going to be another unknown gem from Burkina Faso? More importantly, can Arsenal hold on to Fabregas (and Nasri)?

V: Fabregas and Nasri won’t go. I think Cesc is a smart guy and realizes he won’t be picked ahead of Xavi. So when the latter retires he would walk into the team. I think Arsene will buy this year. There will be a quirky buy here and there. But I expect some big name players to come through.

R: Relegation battle tonight. Who are your favourites to go down?

V: I think Wigan might stay up at the expense of the other two. I sincerely hope Birmingham are relegated. A team which has five strikers and players like Hleb and score lesser goals than Wolves do not deserve to be in the Premier League.

R: Predictions for next season? Obviously, it is Liverpool’s year! But, do you think Man City under Mancini can mount a challenge? Spurs? (Ha!)

V: Man City will not win but will be the spoilers, I guess. Chelsea will have some rebuilding to do but you never know if Hiddink comes through. I think it might be down to United and Arsenal. Liverpool have to change a lot of players. Probably if Kenny still plays as he does now, a year or so from now. Spurs will spend a gazillion pounds, buy six players, sell five players, beat a few big team and finish a valiant sixth. Harry will blame the Europa League for his poor performance and say he needs three players to finish in top four in January. He will buy the three and run the club to bankruptcy soon. His last two clubs filed for bankruptcy – Southampton and Portsmouth.

R: Finally, it’s the Champions League Final in six days’ time! Who are you cheering for, rather, cheering against? Do you think this United side has it in them to beat, arguably, the greatest club side ever?

V: I think Barca will win this one. A couple of years ago, I would have cheered Barca. They were my second favourite team, once upon a time. I still can’t get my heart to cheer against Barca. But this time I will be a downright neutral on this one.

R: I hope you are proved wrong! Thank you so much for your time!

Follow Vikas on Twitter.

Chelsea vs Manchester United: Let's bring down the London Bridge!

Ahead of tonight's game, I was interviewed by Chelsea's No.1 Fan Super Super Subhro. If you would like to have some banter with the Russians, jump over to his blog.

Blue4ever:Would you take a point right now from this game at the Bridge?

GiggsisGod: We have been reminded plenty of times in the build up to the game about how United have not won at the Bridge since 2002. Sir Alex certainly will not be proud of that record and will be going for a win. Moreover, for probably the first time in the Abramovich era, Chelsea look beatable at home. A draw is the least I would expect.Anyway, the league leader should not be happy with a point against a team competing for a place in the Europa League, right?

Blue4ever: Hmmm, we shall wait and see about that now. Why do you think you haven’t been able to leave South-West London with more than a point, at best, for so many years now?

GiggsisGod: Abramovich’s millions made you a very formidable side. Mourinho made Stamford Bridge a fortress. Hell, he still has that unbeaten league record at home! Last season, appalling refereeing cost us three points. Considering you beat us to the league title by one point, you should consider giving Martin Atkinson a league winner’s medal.

Blue4ever:Tactically, how do you see the match panning out?

GiggsisGod: As has been the case with Chelsea-United games over the years, it’s going to be intense yet unenterprising. United will look to dominate possession and slow tempo down in the first half to silence the crowds. You will see more attacking intent in the second half. Chelsea know United players shit in their pants when Torres has the ball, so Ancelotti will have a simple message to his players – “Get the ball to Fernando”. Of late, both Chelsea and United have been suspect against crosses. So, both teams will view set pieces as the best goal scoring opportunity. And clumsy Ramires tackling will go unpunished throughout the game.

Blue4ever:Starting dilemma? Who starts for you? 4-5-1? I suspect Park would have started, but his injury might pave a way for 2 strikers as well.

GiggsisGod: It’s definitely going to be a 4-5-1 with 3 in the middle. Carrick, Fletcher and Scholes in central midfield; Nani and Giggs in the wings. Van der Sar, O’Shea, Smalling, Vidic and Evra will retain their positions in defence. It will be a tossup between Berbatov and Rooney for the lone striker slot. Although he had an outstanding game against Wigan, Fergie’s emphasis on 3 in central midfield will rule out a place in the starting 11 for Chicharito. Fergie picked Rooney ahead of Berba against Arsenal and City and that trend is likely to continue. Personally, I would pick Berbatov for two reasons. First, even though Rooney has been getting plenty of Fantasy Premier League points, he has been fairly ugly to watch (yes, his football too). Second, Berbatov is the effing top scorer of the league. If you don’t play him in important games, it’s not going to please him. It shows the manager doesn’t trust him enough and that’s not going to help his confidence. I was hoping for a one match ban for Rooney so that Fergie doesn’t have this selection dilemma. Screw the FA!

Blue4ever:What’s with Rooney? Should he be playing at all in this game?

GiggsisGod: If you are talking about Rooney escaping the ban, it was a sensible decision and for once, the FA have not made an example out of our players. I’ll direct you to this blog to see the number of instances where the FA have treated United unfairly.He doesn’t deserve a spot in the starting 11 for the kind of form he is in though. Berba and Chicho have done much better than him. But, do remember, we have to sell him this summer. His market value goes down if we don’t play him often. So…

Blue4ever: Well, the blog does list instances, and yet at the most opportune times, one can't deny that the referees have favored United. You get some, you lose some. Moving on, SAF has a knack for making superstars, and it looks like Nani is next on that list. Any guesses who could be the one after that, since we really do not follow the United reserves.

GiggsisGod: Anderson, Chicharito and Macheda all have the potential. 18-years-old Ravel Morrison is tipped to be the next big superstar. With his off field antics, he is also tipped to bring the best out of Sir Alex’s man management skills.

Blue4ever:Guy to watch out for: Chelsea

GiggsisGod: Torres. He has always troubled United. Vidic, probably the best defender in the world, looks uncharacteristically shaky against this Scouser. I think Torres has had a good season overall; his goals tally don’t paint the real picture.

Blue4ever:Guy to watch out for: United

GiggsisGod: Nani. He has had an outstanding season. Cashley will repent after the game that he should have done his homework on Nani instead of indulging in shooting people’s legs.And it’s the eve of Sir Ryan’s 20^th anniversary in top flight football. So watch out for Giggs dribbling past Fat Frank, nutmegging “Tiny Tears, Captain Leader Legend” John Terry, and chipping Cech to win the game in stoppage time.

Blue4ever: Looks like Arsenal is the biggest threat to you guys. What can you say about their loss at Wembley, and more bad news seemingly on the way with a Van Persie injury?

GiggsisGod: Arsene Wenger admitted his players were “devastated” after the Carling Cup final loss. This will further weaken the confidence of the already mentally fragile Arsenal players. Van Persie’s injury is reported to be a minor one and he will be out for only a couple of weeks. In these two weeks, they play Barcelona in the Champions League, a league game, Leyton Orient in the FA cup and if they win, a trip to Old Trafford next weekend. So, the van Persie injury is not going to hurt them much. ;)With respect to the league title, it is United’s to lose. It is going to be a massive 4 days for us. If we stay ahead of Arsenal by the end of this week, we’ll be league champions for a record 19th time.

Blue4ever: Predictions?

GiggsisGod: 1 nil to United. Chicharito to come on as a second half substitute to score the winner.

Disagree with me on something? Post your abuses below.

Comeback

It’s been a long time since we have had some activity here on this blog. The last time an article was written here, Chelsea were top of the table. That long! Now, with the hope that Chelsea continue the slump and That Night In Moscow doesn't, we restart on the eve of our trip to Marseille, the first leg of this UEFA Champions League Round of 16 tie.

Today, I’ll be previewing the game, among other stuff, with our regulars here, Ikam and Kunal (jusrooit).

Rajesh: Hello Ikam, Hello Kunal!

With United and Arsenal ahead of the 3^rd placed team, City, by 8 and 4 points respectively (with one game in hand each), it’s effectively a two-horse race now. Arsenal have relatively easier fixtures, but the experience our players have in actually ‘knowing how to win titles’ makes me feel confident that we’ll have No. 19, come May. Do you think the league fixture at the Emirates will decide the winner? And do you think Chelsea, City or Spurs can still spring a surprise?

Kunal: I see Chelsea concentrating on Champions league now, Spurs are doing pathetically away. It wouldn't surprise me if Liverpool finishes 4th. Emirates has recently been a favourite for united, we win that fixture and I see 19.

Ikampreet: I think City are done for this season. They had their chance at OT and they blew it. They will be fighting for the 2 remaining CL places amongst the 3 of them. More than the Emirates, I feel it'll be the upcoming fixtures at Stamford Bridge and Anfield that'll decide the title. Liverpool are on the rise and Chelsea are formidable opponents any day. We will need 1 win out of those 2 to win the title. And these fixtures come in the middle of 2 CL knockout legs, so these would be ones to make our season. We could render the Emirates game irrelevant if we get good results there. Though, if Arsenal continue their sizzling form, we would be in for a thriller in London.

Kunal: All is true, but Arsenal is known for blowing up things when it’s looking good for them. On the other hand United are known to rise up towards the end of season. 19!

Ikampreet: Yes. Arsenal are known for that but we are banking more on that rather than our form. Because our form scares me, we can do anything any day and are not dependable. Our season was blown in a matter of 7 days last year against Munich and Chelsea and I don't rule something like that out this season. I am a pessimist.

Kunal: Those 7 days started with Bayern and then Rooney’s injury happened. He has never got back since then.

Rajesh: Surprised to see both of you talk about Liverpool when the theme is about the League title. I can already see tabloids go on and on about how next season will be Liverpool’s. A good spanking is what I expect at Anfield. Kunal, you make an interesting point. “Arsenal is known for blowing up things when it’s looking good for them”. They are now in with a real chance in all four competitions. I was actually excited when I read that we’ll be facing them in the next round of the FA cup tie (that is, if they beat Leyton Orient) because it gives us a chance to deliver a psychological blow. If you remember, the 4-0 drubbing in the same competition in 2008 led to a string of poor results and they were out of the title race by March. Are you excited that we have drawn them or would you have preferred a weaker team?

Ikampreet: I love the fact that we have drawn them and that is in no small part due to the fact that it takes place in Manchester. It makes for a very exciting tie. I don't think it would be a psychological blow unless we completely blank them like in 2008. It would another to look forward to and I don't link it to the title race and neither, I expect, would Arsene Wenger. Or SAF.

Kunal: I will prefer Leyton. Not because they are an easy team but because they will overcome Arsenal to play us. On a serious note, with Chelsea, Spurs, Pool already out, I would prefer playing Arsenal at this stage especially at OT. Wenger can again blame the pitch.

Rajesh: Haha! For all their good football, Arsenal have usually come a cropper against the top teams. What did you make of their result against Barcelona? What made the difference that night?

Ikampreet: This season, they comprehensively beat Chelsea at home, took a draw at pool away, beat City and lost to Spurs. I would say that is a good record. It will be the performance against the other teams that will determine who wins, since the difference between the top 5-6 and others has decreased.

Kunal: All the post match reports say Wenger was superb with the strategy. I differ; they were a disaster in the first half. So up the line, time and again Barca was slipping through the defense, just could convert only 1. The match could have been over at half time. First 10 minutes, they didn't let Barca pass but you can't play with that energy throughout, Barca did pass and did get the better of them. I guess Kieta was a wrong move, made them more defensive and Arsenal got lucky on the breaks. I don't intend to undermine Arsenal here, but they didn't play like a team worthy of beating Barca. Song should have been shown a second yellow; Messi's goal was not offside. As they say - Shit Happens!

Ikampreet: Against Barcelona, Arsenal decided to beat Barca at their own game but with a few changes. They held a high line and pressed a lot. It was risky and had Barca taken their chances, it could have been all over. Arsenal's change was to move the ball quickly to the front 3 rather than patient build-up Barca-style. Yeah, and Keita was a defensive move at the same time as Wenger took off Song. Wilshere and Fabregas were brilliant. Fabregas for that brilliant chip for RVP's attempt early in the game and his through ball for Nasri during the build up for the second goal.

Kunal: Wilshere, just 18, has the right attitude, played brilliantly that night, bright prospect for England.

Rajesh: Yes, I thought the Villa substitution turned suicidal. He was the only forward player showing some urgency. Barca never looked liked scoring after he left the pitch. But, Barca didn’t deserve to win it either for their performance in the second half. Completely agree about Wilshere. Not sure about Fabregas though. Wilshere was ready to take on Xavi and that augurs well for Arsenal since mental fragility has been the usual complaint against this team. Fabregas and Messi were good, but far from their best.

Ikampreet: Messi, I thought was the best player for Barca that night.

Kunal: Fab lost the ball at quite a few occasions with that in mind he didn't create enough for his stature.

Rajesh: Fabregas, Wilshere and Nasri. What a midfield! And that brings us to the topic we can discuss all night. The central midfield at United! Fletcher and Carrick have not been up to their best and Scholes is probably in his last season, we are desperate for a new signing. But, I would still want Fergie to persist with Anderson, Gibson and Cleverley for another season before making any big money signings. Do you think they are good enough to do the job? If not, who do u fancy joining us this summer?

Kunal: When was the last time we saw a through ball from midfield and a goal? I think our strikers badly miss supply from midfield; our play always comes from the wings. Fletcher and Carrick are the hard working souls but not good enough to break down defenses. Somehow I don't see a United player in Gibson, he can't pass the ball, good only with his shots. Anderson has shown a recent spark, does good running with the ball, but that final ball is often missing. With Scholes gone I think we need someone who can control the game, and I don't see that in Fletch, Carrick, Ando or Gibson. I would love to see someone like Modric or Sneijder play behind Rooney & Berba.

Ikampreet: You know I am not a fan of some of the names you mentioned there. I feel that Scholes can be played only in a 3 man midfield to cover for him in terms of running or against teams who lack pace. Since we have been moving more and more towards playing 2 strikers, it is getting harder to see Scholes get many games other than as a substitute. Fletcher has been full of energy as always but has not had a good touch since eternity. Carrick, who for some time seemed to have found his form of old, has quite regrettably returned to his error prone self and can't be depended on for creative purposes. I won't even speak about Gibson. No, I will. He has never seemed nearly good enough to be a United player. No vision or creativity. Neither the legs to offset the lack of those qualities. We need a new midfield maestro. I would go for even Charlie Adam.

Kunal: Charlie Adams, Rodwell are realistically possible considering Modric, Sneider would be over priced.

Rajesh: To be fair to Carrick, his role has been to protect the two central defenders all of this season. He has hardly ventured into the final third. I think he is a victim of the new system Fergie is playing where the two wingers cut in (instead of running till the byline and cross like in usual 4-4-2s) and the fullbacks overlap. That still doesn’t explain is erratic passing though.

Ikampreet: I can't be fair to Carrick. He still has to pass well wherever he plays. He doesn't do that. And a bit of forward passing never hurt anyone except when Carrick does it.

Rajesh: Anyway he is automatic choice for tonight's game with Fletcher and Scholes in midfield. We are seriously hurt in the left wing with Park, Giggs & Valencia all out injured. It was a wonderful opportunity for Obertan to do well against Crawley Town and grab that vacant spot. Both Obertan and Bebe were poor, so Fergie might be forced to play something like a 4-4-2 tonight. Do u think we have a different option?

Kunal: 4-4-2 in an away match in Champions league? I don't think so. Rooney playing on the left, Fletch making daring runs.

Ikampreet: I bet on a 4-4-2 since Fergie has shown an inclination to start with Rooney and Berba.

Kunal: Who do you expect to play on the left?

Rajesh: Fletcher. Not like the usual winger though. He played in that position last season at the San Siro versus Milan in the first leg.

Ikampreet: Rooney on the left would not be conducive for anything other than a 0-0. And I don't have much confidence on the defence to keep a clean sheet. Outscore them, I say.

Rajesh: I’ll go for the same defence as in the City game. O’Shea, Smalling, Vidic and Evra

Kunal: I haven't seen Marseille play much, other than Fifa 11. And there it’s always Gignac who scores, good he is injured tonight!

Ikampreet: I saw them play against Pool and Chelsea and they have a very good player in Velbuena. Small, quick and deceptive. Gignac is their main striker but is injured. So are 2 more of their strikers. They will have a make shift front line. They try to move the ball quickly from back to front and like the game to be open. Not the best passers and lose possession a lot.

Rajesh: "Like the game to be open"! Good! Let’s hope we are not too defensive tonight. Our usual trend is to control possession and silence the crowd in the first half and go for the kill in the second. Given Marseille's injury problems, I am hoping for a 1 nil in our favour. What do you think should be our approach tonight?

Kunal: Given our injury problems I think we should be cautious, especially with attack coming from only 1 wing. Evra has a big job to today. 1-0 in our favour.

Ikampreet: Possession has been our downfall many a time. We start knocking the ball around and forget to create anything. Go into a kind of stupor. We have needed to inject a bit of pace into the game some times this season and that has not happened. The opposition can sting exactly during these times. Besides, our set piece delivery and defending has been atrocious and I fear the corners more than anything. 1-1.

Rajesh: Quite strangely, unlike in the league, we have done well in away games in Europe. We won all our away games at the group stage. In fact, we had as many wins in three Champions League group stage away matches as we’ve had in four times as many away matches in the Premier League. Let’s hope for a repeat tonight! Come on, you Reds!

Thanks Ikam and Kunal for your thoughts. Looking forward to doing this more often.

Some Fergie Worship, Some Rooney Bashing and a Little Preview

Sir Alex Ferguson returns to his hometown for the Champions League encounter against Rangers, the club he grew up supporting. The turning point of Sir Alex’s playing career is said to be his hat trick against Rangers while he was a part time footballer with minnows St. Johnstone. The result came at a time when he was complaining about lack of playing time and was contemplating emigration to Canada to take up a position he had been offered in toolmaking, which was then a great trade. Had he taken up the job, no professional football à no managerial career à no Manchester United! And no That Night In Moscow. So, thank god for that hat trick! He became a professional footballer the following season and later realized his dream of playing for Rangers. In the two seasons with his boyhood club, he had an incredible return of 25 goals from 41 appearances.

Having had such strong connections with the club, one would have expected him to grab the opportunity of managing Rangers with both hands and legs. But, according to Alex McLeish,

"Alex declined the chance to manage Rangers – but that was only for one reason. Even then he had this big vision of going to England and managing Manchester United. Rangers weren't the only club he declined at that time. There was Arsenal and Tottenham too. In my opinion, the boss was waiting for one club and one club only – United. The rest is history."

If only every player valued the club as much as him.

“Sir Alex still has a soft spot for Rangers after all these years. He loves walking into Ibrox and being inside.”

So, Sir Alex still has a soft spot for the club. Maybe he will want them to win tonight? He has confirmed that Rooney will start today.

That brings us to Rooney’s farcical, clearly scripted interview with MUTV. He claims that, “I’ve always made people aware that I want to be at this club”. Does he honestly believe that we’ll still buy this shit? And he also declares that his “long-term future is at Manchester United”. It’s not in his control anymore, is it? And despite audible jeers from the crowd on his return against Wigan, he says, “Overall I thought the reception was brilliant”. Bizarre! By the way, where is the fucking apology?

Walter Smith, in his second spell now with Rangers, was assistant to Sir Alex twice; with Scotland during the 1986 World Cup and a short spell with United towards the end of the 2003-04 season. Sir Alex commented on Smith, saying, “There are few people in the game with his experience, knowledge and technical ability.” Smith will take on his former boss’s side with one eye on the Valencia-Bursaspor game. Rangers have to beat United to stay in the competition if Valencia beat Bursaspor at home. United, though, need only a point to qualify to the knock out stages. Rangers will be looking up to their star striker Kenny Miller to do the job for them. Miller is in sensational form with 18 goals from 14 games in the SPL this season. He scored his second hat trick of the season on Saturday and should be quite a handful to United’s young defenders.

United are without first team regulars Rio, Vida and Fletch. Smalling and Evans will play in the centre of defence alongside Rafael and Evra. I would have gone with a three man midfield had Fletch been in the squad. Since Gibson is unavailable and Anderson is coming back after a month, Fergie may be forced to play a 4-4-2 with Chicharito partnering Rooney up front; Giggs and Nani in the wings. But, Fergie hardly leaves Park out of European games, so it could be a 4-3-3 with Park featuring in the narrow midfield and Chicharito playing wide. I wish Fergie starts Giggsy though. Can’t wait to see him in action again!

Expected Lineups

Rangers(4-5-1): McGregor; Weir, Broadfoot, Foster, Whittaker; McCulloch, Davis, Fleck, Lafferty, Naismith; Miller

United (4-4-2): Vandy; Rafael, Smalling, Evans, Evra; Nani, Scholes, Carrick, Giggs; Chicharito, Rooney

Form

Rangers: DLWLWW

United: WWWDDW

Prediction

Rooney not to score in United’s 2-1 win

Preview: Rooney v the fans

We are unbeaten for some 20 odd games since the loss to Chelsea at Old Trafford last season. Does it really matter if you go without winning the away games and consequently, lose the title? We might set a new record but it would be the most worthless if our game play stays the same. The Villa game was a new low by any standards let alone United’s. So many of our players were so horrific that I cannot even begin to fathom how they got to where they are. Evra was the worst of the lot and did absolutely no backtracking when Albrighton managed to get past him in off-the-ball incidents. Berbatov seems to be in a place where strikers go when they are low in confidence, extremely irritable (his usual self), frustrated and frustrating in equal measure. Missed an absolute peach of a chance early in the game which he never looked like scoring. Hernandez started diving and giving away fouls when he did not get his way. I like both of them but only when they were gone did we make something of a match of it. Expect both of them to start the Wigan game but don’t be surprised if Macheda gets a chance by dropping one of them. He was the catalyst for us in the late charge at Aston Villa. Scholes should be back and partner Fletcher in the centre of midfield. Rafael is out with a dead leg (happens a lot with United players) and Brown should be on the right of defence. Rest of the back 4 should be the same as the one in Villa. Nani and Obertan could start on the wings given that Park was one of the main culprits in the last game and was barely moving.

Expected Starting line-up: Van Der Sar, Evra, Vidic, Ferdinand, Brown, Nani, Scholes, Fletcher, Obertan, Berbatov, Hernandez

Wigan are again stuck in the pack of teams fighting to stay out of relegation places. Under Martinez, they have oscillated from the sublime to comical football. On one hand, they are thrashed by 6-0, 8-0, 9-1 scorelines and on the other, they have the ability to eke to results like 1-0 at White Hart Lane. Against United, they have conceded 35 and scored just 4 and have lost each of their fixtures. Roberto Martinez believes that they can spring a surprise despite all that has previously happened. Teams that have been positive against us this season have reaped the rewards and Wigan will look to do the same. They have the pace in N’Zogbia, Rodallega and Moses upfront and the steel in Gomez, Diame and Thomas in midfield but rarely do they not concede.

Expected Starting line-up: Habsi, Alcarez, Caldwell, Stam, Gohouri, Thomas, Gomez, Diame, Moses, Rodallega, N’Zogbia

Player to watch (Manchester United): Nani in the scorching form that he has been in this season, could rip apart Wigan and moments of brilliance are expected.

Player to watch (Wigan Athletic): N’Zogbia can harass Evra big time especially when the latter seems disinterested in playing and one brilliant move could be our undoing.

Form Guide (Manchester United): DDWWWD

Form Guide (Wigan Athletic): WDLLDD

Rooney is back and his appearance as a substitute would give us an indicator if he has been forgiven by the fans (I know our blog owner will boo him in the privacy of his home forever). This is the match we know could be the return of the free scoring United and if this is not then nothing could ever be. Chelsea have luckily slipped up and we are still in the hunt for the title but Arsenal are looking ever more dangerous and are the dark horses. So, we have to up the ante now. I expect this is the game that we do and I predict a good win for us.

Prediction: 3-0