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At the beginning of the season I predicted that Wayne Rooney would have to run his socks off for Manchester United to retain the Premier League title.
missed Chelsea game
Unfortunately he wasn’t able to hobble, much less run, to save United from going down 1-2 at home to Chelsea on April 3, 2010.
United haven’t lost the title yet as Chelsea still have tough away games which they cannot afford to lose.
still stuggling
But it’s certainly an uphill struggle for the Red Devils who have been plagued by injuries all season and have now, at the time when we need him most, have to do without the club’s top scorer.
The club’s two centre backs, Vidic and Ferdinand have hardly started a game together all season.
injuries galore
For most of the 32 matches played so far we have had to manage with makeshift combinations in the defence with even Michael Carrick and Fletcher playing at centre back on occasion.
Also the midfield duo of Scholes and Giggs are aging.
getting older
They are the only remnant of the youth team which heroically won the Premier League in 1993. It looks certain that Sir Alex will have to begin to build a new squad from next season. Scholes didn’t last through the Chelsea game and Giggs, for all his magic, cannot cheat Father Time for much longer.
Brazilian
Fergusson has already bought the two Brazilian twins to give defensive cover - but it will still be a few years before they fully discover their potential. He’s bringing in Smalling from Fulham next season - but it’s in attack that we’ve failed to damage opponents this season.
His purchase in the summer have not really helped fulfil that.
partnership
Valencia makes an excellent partnership with Rooney and his crosses have set up many of Rooney’s headed goals.
Obertan has vanished without trace and, as for Michael Owen, I’ll just repeat what I said at the start of the season ‘Injury Prone’.
United need a good attacking midfielder for 2011-2012. But given the financial state of the club under the Glazers, it’s unlikely we’ll be able to afford one.
In case some think I’m writing an obituary for a dismal season, I still predict that we are strong enough to go all the way for the title.
Frankly, I think it is better that Bayern pushed us out on Wednesday.
The Champions League is a distraction ( although a lucrative one) and we will, as Sir Alex predicted, chase the season right down to the wire. We’re United! We Never Give Up! Coach Potato.
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