ALEX FERGUSON GOES FOUR IT
United boss already playing mind games in bid for Pemier League record
WITH one team already dismissed as cheeky upstarts, Sir Alex Ferguson is winding up for another memorable season.
"That's City innit - a small club with a small mentality," he spluttered, unable to disguise his contempt for the other half.
Manchester United's manager put City in their place, cuffed aside in classic Fergie fashion in response to the controversial billboard of Carlos Tevez.
The former United striker was sent down the road with a flea in his ear. Others will soon be in the firing line.
At 67, Ferguson shows no sign of slowing down, emerging from his summer bolthole in the south of France to choose his targets carefully. After City, he will pick them off one by one.
He is already eyeballing Rafa Benitez, aware that Liverpool have re-armed and are ready to renew hostilities.
"I don't have an issue with Benitez," claimed Fergie, a glint in his eye as he contemplated taking him out before the season has even started.
He is keeping his powder dry, waiting for the post-Ronaldo era to kick in before taking pot-shots.
There is such needle between two fierce competitors, already fired up as they consider what is at stake for the biggest clubs in English football.
Black
Fergie has given up on Arsene Wenger, no longer considered a rival in the title race after breaking up the Invincibles of 2004. It is only a matter of time before Carlo Ancelotti gets up his nose, though Chelsea's latest manager is keeping quiet for now as he settles in to Stamford Bridge.
There will be the traditional old pals' act for Blackburn's Sam Allardyce, Tottenham's Harry Redknapp and Hull's Phil Brown, ushered into the manager's at Old Trafford office for a glass of red after another United victory. That will be easy street for Ferguson's team. But the black hole of Barcelona remains off limits, still unbearable for the most successful manager in United's history.
Images of Lionel Messi's outrageous header in Rome are traded off by the celebrations that followed another Premier League title.
That was three in a row. Now they want a record fourth and a momentous 19th league title.
Ferguson makes no bones about the significance of winning the Premier League again this season, the chance to topple Liverpool once and for all. It means that much to Ferguson.
His players know the importance, already instructed that the Premier League is the priority under pressure from a resurgent Liverpool.
To do it they will alter their attacking philosophy, encouraging United's midfielders to provide the goals that will bring the team more glory.
They will miss that bantam Ronaldo, the World Player of the Year with the Wow Factor whenever the ball was at his feet. Preening and posturing is a thing of the past for United, with a workmanlike ethic being introduced to Fergie's Fifth Generation side.
They will miss that sprinkling of stardust out on the wing, the destructive element capable of the most outrageous match-winning moments. Never loved, much admired.
Instead they worshipped Tevez, draped in an Argentinian flag as United celebrated their third successive league title after a 0-0 draw against Arsenal.
Tevez was in tune with the supporters on the terraces, sucked into the Stretford End by his sheer endeavour and enthusiasm.
It was never the same for Ronaldo, boldly announcing to TV cameras that "the end of the season is Cristiano time" as he walked off the field following their 2-1 victory at Wigan.
Now the towering figure of Ronaldo, the flat-track bully who lost the fire in his belly at the Champions League final, is a footnote in United's history.
The showboating will stop and the United roadshow rolls on.
Ferguson will turn to Wayne Rooney, thrust up front after a season isolated on the left wing, to carry them over the finishing line.
Rooney scored 17 times last season, a decent return from a player teasing his way in from the touchline.
There will be added responsibility in the role he craves, drawing the best out of Michael Owen, Dimitar Berbatov and Federico Macheda.
Ferguson's 4-4-2 formation, a noticeable departure from recent seasons, was tested on the pre-season tour of Asia, designed with Owen's goalscoring instincts in mind.
He wants his new-look team to attack from the wings, to provide ammunition in the same way as Kaka once routinely crossed for the onrushing figure of Andriy Shevchenko at AC Milan.
They will provide the crosses and Anderson, Owen Hargreaves, Michael Carrick, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs will provide the shield in the centre of midfield.
Anderson, exceptional in both legs of the Champions League semi-final against Arsenal, yet a massive disappointment in the final, has yet to score in a competitive match for United. That needs to be addressed, as does the reluctance of Carrick to take games by the scruff of the neck.
Giggs, the PFA Player of the Year, and Scholes show no sign of slowing.
Undoubtedly United will play a more patient game this season, unlikely to match the 119 goals racked up by one of the most flexible teams in recent memory.
Defensively they remain solid, with Edwin van der Sar - "one of the best keepers the game has ever seen," according to Ferguson - still a commanding presence.
Rio Ferdinand's reading of the game is unrivalled and Nemanja Vidic still one of the most formidable defenders in the Premier League.
It will be tight, but defeat in the Champions League final last May should not overshadow this team's achievements. After all, they are still world champions.
BIG HOPE: To cope with the loss of world player of the year Cristiano Ronaldo and secure a fourth consecutive Premier League title, which would be a record AND put them one clear of the joint record of 18 league titles they currently share with their bitter rivals Liverpool. Dimitar Berbatov and Wayne Rooney will have to really shine.
KEY IN: Antonio Valencia (Wigan, £18m)
KEY OUT: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid, £80m)
This article has 18 comments
u can talk any things against united! facts: united won 3 times in a row champion of england! 2 times in row champion league finalist! Biggest club in the world with inch perfect balances! May God Bless MAN U all the way,...
By tr3_s4n. Posted August 11 2009 at 7:25 AM.
Manchester united is always UNITED!
By assad. Posted August 4 2009 at 1:18 PM.
utd should either ribery , or silva . ronaldo n tevez gone , doesnt matter , valencia n nani will surely do well on the wings .park,obertan,giggs will get equal chances on the wings .
carrick n fletch in midfield are solid , anderson n scholes (midf), rooney n owen upfront can b deadly , berba can do the magic at times with macheda chippin in .
By devil marley. Posted August 2 2009 at 9:02 PM.
Fergie knew Ronaldo was going and spent a season planning which is why Berbatov was given time to fit in at Tevez'z expense. Tevez was great with Ronaldo and Rooney but lacked the touch and creativity to juatify the coming price tag. For now Ronaldo is irreplacable and United's financial structure means they must build a new star and compensate for now with solid team work. Could be the year Carrick and Fletcher move up the leaderboard.
By danny o. Posted August 2 2009 at 7:02 PM.
Fergie knew Ronaldo was going and spent a season planning which is why Berbatov was given time to fit in at Tevez'z expense. Tevez was great with Ronaldo and Rooney but lacked the touch and creativity to juatify the coming price tag. For now Ronaldo is irreplacable and United's financial structure means they must build a new star and compensate for now with solid team work. Could be the year Carrick and Fletcher move up the leaderboard.
By danny o. Posted August 2 2009 at 7:00 PM.
poor poor United! No top 3 finish for you this season
1. Liverpool
2. Chelsea
3. Arsenal
4. Manchester (not United! for crying out loud!) City
Y N W A!!!!!
By brian. Posted August 2 2009 at 6:42 PM.
tevez was well overated, just because he chased the ball down the fickle fans thought this made him a great player, wrong, hes a striker and only scored 4 goals last year, michael owen has scored more in pre season alone.as for ronaldo, we will miss him but hes not irreplacable plus fergie should boot anyone whose not proud to be part of mufc. anyway, watch a new look utd dominate in the prem this season, but euros are out of reach i think
By rob. Posted August 2 2009 at 5:54 PM.
the glazers should sack fergie and build a new tesco on old trafford and the players can work in tesco
By patsy. Posted August 2 2009 at 5:19 PM.
Fergie has not finished in the market, it is clear he knows we need a top flight striker, maybe Michael Owen will be a sensation but the stakes are high, we need electric pace.
Midfield? Yep one more.. if we had not taken on risk on an old 'un in Owen (not years but body) then I would not have been saddened to see Patrick Vierra for one last swan song! but Mr R from Munich will do the trick.
Hate to sound a bitter red but I would hate to be one of the city players who are second, third or even fourth choice to take the big money!
OK, Ok, I guess I am a bitter red, I can see that poster from my condo!
Just put a bet on us to win the leage by 5 points, but Europe, I don't think so.
By Jim. Posted August 2 2009 at 3:51 PM.
United need to sign another midfielder, more skilful and more dominant than the ones they now have in midfield. It was in midfield that Barcelona beat them in the Euro final ... & beat them decisively. Utd should buy Silva from Valencia, or some equally good midfield who can control a game. Scoles & Giggs, great though they were in their prime, are now beginning to be over-the-hill, as far as a 90-minute game is concerned. Strengthen the midfield, Alex, there is no guarantee that Hargreaves will be as good now as he once was, even if he makes a recovery from all those injuries.
By Hugh McFadden. Posted August 2 2009 at 3:08 PM.
That first XI, second XI had a couple of mistakes in it, but this is the news of the world so i suppose they can be forgiven. Giggs is a central midfielder now, Sir Alex has said it himself, so you won't see him on the left again and I don't think Gary Neville is first choice right back anymore either. I think the there will be more rotation in the GK position this year aswell.
By Adam. Posted August 2 2009 at 2:21 PM.
Very disappointed that we have lost Tevez and Ronaldo,especially Ronaldo.If cristiano had stayed we could have won 5 or 6 titles on the trot.However it is far from doom and gloom.Sir Alex might have produced a masterstroke with owen and valencia is very underated[he should produce more assists with his crossing]and also watch out for kiko macheda .Remember the one constant in 19 years of great successhas been Sir Alex. Doyley,Wales
By A Doyle. Posted August 2 2009 at 2:03 PM.
TEVEZ and RONALDO was loved.Remember M.U. won titles before them and will win ofter them.Trust in SAF.
By lee. Posted August 2 2009 at 12:40 PM.
ha ha fed up and sue get a life u mug
By mufc. Posted August 2 2009 at 10:39 AM.
Tevez was loved,not any more.He wouldnt go to Liverpool "OUT OF RESPECT FOR UTD FANS" and ends up across the city with the others..........I think our respect for him is gone forever, he is only in it for the money
By callowbluebelldublin. Posted August 2 2009 at 10:06 AM.
i love manu very muck,but their need more goals fr everyone to be top again
By kirk. Posted August 2 2009 at 9:56 AM.
Players who are useless to MU this coming season are Giggs,Scholes.Gary N and John Oshea. Fergi should play them in the reserved team and get the
youngsters to improve their talent by playing them
regularly.With the money in hand Fergi should think of getting a world class right back and a striker.
By ManU. Posted August 2 2009 at 2:20 AM.
Tevez was loved LAST SEASON. Since he got a contract, declined it after all his moaning after wanting one, and went to city, he is loathed by the majority of the United supporters.
Ronaldo was not a flat track bully either unless you call scoring against AS Roma, Lyon, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool and that fantastic performance in the 2nd leg champions league semi final, a flat track bully.
Nor did he ever say 'the end of the season is cristiano time' after we beat Wigan 2-1. I would retract that quote if I was you, because this is the 2nd ronaldo quote you have made up and you know sooner or player, players get fed up and sue
By spencer,Salford. Posted August 1 2009 at 11:31 PM.