Manchester United faces were wreathed in smiles as they finished
the Premier League season at Old Trafford just as they had hoped -
as champions.
Crowned the previous weekend and treated to a guard of honour by
deposed champions Chelsea in midweek, United could afford to lose
1-0 to West Ham United on Sunday and still have manager Alex
Ferguson describe it "a fantastic occasion."
The result, which secured West Ham's survival, was only United's
fifth defeat in a season which they ended with 89 points, six more
than second-placed Chelsea.
As an added bonus, United were widely credited with having
played the best football - an accolade never given in the same
measure to Chelsea last term.
Portugal winger Cristiano Ronaldo, who started as a hate figure
for many after his World Cup spat with United teammate Wayne
Rooney, was the architect of both the results and the swashbuckling
style.
From the trademark step-overs that terrorised defenders to the
finishing which has brought him 23 goals in all competitions,
Ronaldo's improvement since 2006 has been a revelation.
Many doubted he would even stay at United after his protests in
England's World Cup quarterfinal defeat by Portugal were seen as
contributing to Rooney's red card for stamping.
Instead, he has had his best season yet, earning three
Footballer of the Year awards, a championship medal and the chance
of FA Cup glory in Saturday's final with Chelsea at Wembley.
His rapport with Rooney, the subject of pre-season prophecies of
daggers drawn at United's Carrington training ground, was an
unqualified success.
Rooney's matching 23 goals were another very big part of
United's season, along with the less glamorous but no less
important contribution from the defenders.
Defensive key
The defence marshalled by Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic helped
win the title - and it was the same depleted department that lost
it for Chelsea.
That the Blues even had a chance was down to Ivory Coast striker
Didier Drogba, who finished as the Premier League's top scorer with
20 goals and has scored 32 in total.
His efforts did much to offset the loss of long-term injury
victim Joe Cole, the often-sidelined Arjen Robben and the minimal
impact of 30-million-pound newcomer Andriy Shevchenko.
The problems surfaced mid-season as a long-term injury to
goalkeeper Petr Cech, who suffered a fractured skull, and back
surgery for skipper John Terry.
"Everybody knows at the moment Chelsea cannot defend. I am the
first person to know that," coach Jose Mourinho said after a 2-2
home derby draw with Fulham on Dec 30.
"I need the best goalkeeper in the world back. I need the best
central defender in the world back."
The absences exposed a pre-season gamble of letting William
Gallas go to Arsenal in a cash-swap for Ashley Cole and selling
fellow centre half Robert Huth to Middlesbrough.
Differing opinions
They also led to a difference of opinion between Mourinho and
Chelsea's billionaire owner Roman Abramovich, who was not ready to
recruit in the January transfer window.
That has led to prolonged speculation over Mourinho's future at
the club, despite a League Cup final win over Arsenal and
Saturday's date with United.
Outside the two-horse title race, Liverpool and Arsenal both
paid the price for slow starts.
Liverpool, with a Champions League final against AC Milan on May
23 in Athens, won only four of their opening 10 games and their
attack was never on a par with United or Chelsea.
Just one of their players, Dutchman Dirk Kuyt, was in the
leading 21 league scorers for the season - with 12 goals.
Arsenal's ambitions suffered a double whammy.
The move to the Emirates Stadium proved a handicap on the pitch
while the loss of talismanic striker Thierry Henry and Dutch
forward Robin van Persie to long-term injuries were even worse.
Further back, Tottenham Hotspur, Everton and Bolton Wanderers
booked UEFA Cup places for next season, when Watford, Charlton
Athletic and Sheffield United will be in the second division.
(China Daily via Agencies May 15, 2007)
