what exactly do u yearn for more n how exactly are u gonna do it?
Man Utd were only 3 points ahead, albeit w a much superior goal difference, n this was a potential 6-pointer. w only 2 matches left after this, this match could decide e title. it is tt close, if Fergie hasnt realised. so it is a big match, even if it is stuck btwn e two legs of e Champions' League semi-final. n Fergie seemed to not have realised tt e opponents Chelsea are in a similar position. they have tt front to fight as well in afew days, against Liverpool. both teams r in this shit together lah, please. so we're at e business end of e season. n it's e time when real men stand up n be counted. players live for n thrive in this. tts e difference btwn e two teams this time.
Chelsea, without regards for e comin fixtures, understand tt all their top players have to feature now. they fielded their strongest team (unless u consider Florent Malouda first-team), w e exception of a stricken Frank Lampard (n yes without such a key player, no offence to e Lampard family, United still did not capitalise). with Stamford Bridge, e formidable Bridge, unbeaten in 100 matches since February 2004, as e setting, Man Utd did e inexplicable. Phenomenon Cristiano Ronaldo, together with Patrice Evra and Carlos Tevez, were rested. those 3 can already be considered e main reasons for United's amazing season. what were Mikael Silvestre, Darren Fletcher and Nani doin in e line-up?
Chelsea looked snarling in defence, powerful n efficient in midfield w Michael Essien and Jon Obi Mikel holdin forte, n inspired in attack. Man Utd went for a sole striker n played like its offence was havin a try-out in training. Nani was so bad he was almost detrimental to United. Wayne Rooney has v much shown this season tt he cannot single-handedly win a game for United without e support of his star colleagues like Ronaldo and Tevez. so u let him lead e line alone? Fletcher, whom i like, was given a run-out, but against e illustrious Chelsea midfield? oh come on.
i guess Fergie brought club captain Ryan Giggs back to control e game for us in e absence of players like Ronaldo and Paul Scholes. but Giggs is seriously declinin n this match he was always a yard short n a second slower, n failed to make any meaningful impact. these few weeks him n Scholes have really deteriorated a lot, to an extent tt i haven before seen, n im startin to believe their time is almost up. u see this isnt prejudgment. ive followed e club for 12 years n these two are e icons of this generation. they've performed at such high levels for more than a decade tt many times there were hints of decline. critics wait to catch em off-form n say tt they're burnt out. but they came back stronger. this time age has really played its part.
they have reinvented emselves over e years. Scholes was more known for his late bursts into e area, threat from e midfield hole, n blistering shots from far. as he aged n became slower to contribute w goals, he concentrated on his other weapon - passing. forgive me for being a Scholes diehard fan, but watch him, i dare say his range of passing n passing abilities are one of, if not e best in e world. as years passed, he fell back abit deeper to collect e ball, to have a bigger impact on matches in terms of controllin e tempo. this magnified his game-reading skills.
Giggs' main weapons in his heyday (n there are afew actually) were a dribbling style combined w speed n change of pace, plus a mean crossing ability. he reminded ppl of e legendary George Best, n tts a scary thought in itself. ppl could not handle Best, n they cldnt handle Giggs as well. but thing is, Giggs' dribbling is largely effective only when he's comin fast at u. v different school of dribbling from masters like Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldinho, or even Joe Cole. he aged, n he got slower. he could no longer burn fullbacks. so he reinvented himself. for his heyday #2, he went higher up e wing, so he did not have to run as far to take on defenders. he depended more on delivering good crosses now. it reduced his dynamism, but to complete this heyday #2, he utilised fully another weapon of his - an amazing ball control. this aspect distinguishes Giggs from many other professionals in e English league. he has great understanding of e ball n can make it stick to him naturally. he's slower, so he cant keep holdin e ball anymore, so he shall use his ball control to e fullest n play others on. he became a focal point for most of Man Utd's lightning-quick attacks, integrating his vision n passing into e moves. so u have a player tactically n technically gifted. n Giggs has e added advantage as he struck fear into opponents. they know even if they can catch him or stop him, what he can do w a ball can still settle games. this coincided w him movin more infield, becomin more involved in plays. heyday #3 is even more high-profile than #2, n is e period stretchin into present day. this was when he has reached a certain level of maturity n experience, n could affect outcomes of matches by simply being on e field. this coincided w him being made captain of United and Wales. w tt ball control, vision, n game-reading skills, plus a more centralised position, he now hold extensive influence in matches. he sometimes can even impose this on match officials, who respect him for his accolades n discipline in an illustrious career.
but like i mentioned earlier, Scholes and Giggs have really aged n i dont believe they can go on for v long more. Giggs will want to break Sir Bobby Charlton's appearance record, but Scholes may be contemplatin retirement.
e central defensive partnership was first choice, if tt was any consolation. but when Nemanja Vidic left e field before even e quarter-hour mark, Wes Brown slotted inside n Owen Hargreaves filled rightback, n it was Barcelona again. just tt this time at leftback was e inferior Silvestre. suddenly e team looked weak.
w 25mins still remainin, against e late-late-show team of England, Fergie committed e amateur mistake of going in retreat, bringin in John O'Shea for e outstandin Anderson. n let e powerful opponents come at em. Fergie really should know better. this was Stamford Bridge n as such a reputable club we should have gone at em. maybe he was encouraged by what happened at Nou Camp. he seemed especially proud of tt, while fans didnt.
Chelsea were not afraid n threw on Nicolas Anelka, Andriy Shevchenko, n almost Juliano Belletti to pile on e pressure offensively. so away team went reverse n home team went forward. no contest. when barrage n barrage of attacks on United's goal seemed futile n Drogba, Anelka n Cole especially quiet, it took a dubious penalty to confirm tt Chelsea always score at home.
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