David Moyes is back with Real Sociedad, but can he be successful at a top club in Europe?

David Moyes with the club scarf of Real Sociedad during his unveiling as manager

Redemption is one of those mesmerising story arcs that draws viewers into the travails of an embattled protagonist. From being given the cold shoulder and left out to dry in public, left to fend off the relentless stream of admonishment, to making it back to the top and into the warmer confines of a secure job, it is a story that never gets old and one that the masses just love to see. None truer than in sport.

“We were lucky in that a name such as David’s, one that had previously been out of bounds for our club, ended up joining us and I think he has brought some good things with him.”

The ‘David’ in question isn’t the biblical one who ended up slaying the giant Philistine warrior Goliath, but rather David Moyes who got chewed out and left in managerial purgatory by a goliath of a club in Manchester, England after an infamous 10 months at its helm.

The quote above is from Loren, the sporting director of Real Sociedad, Moyes’ new club, in a recent interview with Spanish newspaper Marca.

Here’s more of what Loren had to say: “He has made the team more solid, more consistent, and you can see that with what he has done so far. I think we are seeing a team that is getting better all the time.”

What a difference a year can make. From being subjected to signs of ‘Moyes Out’ at every corner, including the one in the sky in a seven-foot high lettering at the tail of an airplane, ol’ ‘Moyseh’ is currently wallowing in the fresh Basque country air and the praises coming his way for his work since taking over as manager of the club in early November.

David Moyes (centre) celebrates a goal scored by his Sociedad team

The smiles are back for Moyes, back in a job as manager of a football club, in a top European league. Not only is he back in a job, but he’s got back some of what he’d lost in copious amounts through much of the 2013-14 season - respect.

The unmitigated disaster that was Moyes’ time in charge of Manchester United in 2013-14 led to him being shown the door even before the season could conclude, with Ryan Giggs taking over for the four remaining league games.

United finished seventh that season, missing out on the UEFA Champions League and Europa League spots. It was for the first time since 1995 when Manchester United were not participating in the Champions League and had finished outside the top three for the first time ever in the Premier League history.

At Sociedad, since taking over, he’s reeled the club in from a precariously positioned nineteenth to 10 places higher at ninth with wins over Barcelona and Sevilla to show for. This after being consigned much of the blame (deserved or otherwise) for having torn asunder two decades of dominance instituted at Old Trafford.

Now going back about his business in his own silent, subtle way, he is far away from the position where his managerial worthiness would be questioned. He is also away from the glaring lights and blaring voices that surround the biggest of clubs, and instead is in a place he’s been comfortable with throughout his managerial career.

Which brings us to asking whether Moyes is destined for success, but only at a mid-table club?

Solidity, organization, discipline and a siege mentality

David Moyes (right) is congratulated by Barcelona’s Lionel Messi after Sociedad beat them 1-0

It is, of course, not in any way a belittling of his standing as a coach, but purely a theory that Moyes’ abilities best mesh with clubs in certain situations, such as the likes of Everton and Sociedad. Clubs that aren’t small in absolute terms, but from a relative standpoint; clubs that are clearly out of the title picture yet have a job at hand to finish just below the top four with constraints on resources and funds.

When you think of Moyes, a few words automatically run through your head – solid, organized, emphasis on discipline and defence – traits that all his sides, barring United, you could associate with. A David Moyes team is generally set up to be hard to beat; that’s primary.

To draw a parallel to some of the most famous British battles in history, you can just picture Moyes being the duke who oversaw a backs-to-the-wall job in defending an enemy siege against a fortress or the baron, who with a vastly outnumbered army, did a brilliant job of holding off the opposition’s offensive until reinforcements arrived.

Real Sociedad’s record this season pre and post-Moyes

Sociedad’s win against Barcelona (1-0) was done by being compact, stifling Luis Enrique’s side of space and cutting off passing channels. In the meantime, they knocked in a goal and were content to soak up pressure.

It isn’t like Moyes is offensively challenged, but when put in charge of bigger clubs, where the mantra is, more often than not, to take the attack to the opposition from the start and never back down, especially against the lower sides, he is bound to struggle.

That brand of flowing, attacking football hasn’t been something that he’d shown plenty of earlier and that clearly affected his reign in Manchester. Making matters worse was the fact that the man who’d just departed had set in motion a style of attacking play consistent for well over 15 years, and to break out of that mould was just too hard.

A steady, long-term guy

“The coach has said on numerous occasions that he is combining the work he is doing this season with a view to next year”, Loren also said about his manager.

It’s something that Everton chairman Bill Kenwright mentioned time and time again about Moyes; that he was a long-term guy, one who liked to build teams slowly and gradually. At a bigger club like United, the pressure to deliver was so much more immediate, fuelled by the dominant success the club had enjoyed in the English game for much of two decades.

He also had to be so much more active and quicker in his dealings in the transfer market. At the same time, the level of players being scouted was much higher than what he was used to at Everton.

David Moyes’ managerial record at his four clubs

When the quality of players being scouted differs, the parameters that one looks out for while grading these players also need to change. It was here that Moyes failed to make that adjustment and found himself backed into a corner, especially with the United side he inherited needing a few tweaks.

An accompanying aspect with the added attention and pressure of being at a big club is that your methods and ways get dissected, examined, re-examined almost on a daily basis and there’s no shortage of people telling you how to do your job. Just ask Carlo Ancelotti, who can’t buy a break despite having delivered the La Decima last season and a quite brilliant first half of the season.

At Sociedad, a club already in the doldrums when he arrived, he’s had the time required to get his philosophy and ideas going, away from the spotlight and the constant critique.

Where there’s success there are egos

Many of Manchester United’s senior players such as Robin van Persie (far left) and Rio Ferdinand (far right) were said to be at loggerheads with Moyes during his tenure 

The average elite league footballer today has an ego. Players who’ve won silverware have bigger ones. Players who’ve had titles equivalent to the number of years in some players’ careers have egos the size of hot air balloons. Not just do they believe that they’re better than what they actually are, some even believe they’re the best in the world, no matter what – case in point, Joey Barton.

A common sighting in the papers through Moyes’ United reign was on the nature of his relationships with his senior players. Every so often you would read about either Rio Ferdinand or Robin van Persie or Ryan Giggs or _____ (fill blank with any other senior United figure of the time) not seeing eye-to-eye with the manager and reportedly looking to undermine his authority.

While a lot of it was rumour mongering, it wouldn’t exactly be a surprise if indeed somebody confirmed it to be true. Star players are like that and Moyes would have experienced a huge difference in the way he needed to manage a player.

Carlos Vela, Xabi Prieto and Inigo Martinez are players more suited to Moyes’ personnel ways, like Tim Cahill, Leon Osman and Phil Jagielka and unlike van Persie, Giggs and Ferdinand.

So can Moyes never succeed at a big club?

For now he would definitely be an odd fit at a big club. For the reasons discussed above and the added pressure that comes with the big job, it would serve to be a mismatch. That said, there’s time for him to grow.

He’s so far been a mid-table manager who’s good, but not great. Unlike say, a Brendan Rodgers, whose teams have showed consistent attacking wherewithal and an ability to cause an upset or two, Moyes’ teams regularly had trouble beating the top sides. Even in their best seasons, Everton inevitably came up short against the big four of Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United.

Will Moyes make it to the big league and be successful?

His call-up to Old Trafford came a little too soon for his own good, it was too fast-tracked. As such the sudden change in environment made it unforgiving, hostile even.

A more gradual climb up the ladder with stints at clubs like Sevilla or Villareal in Spain or Tottenham Hotspur in England up front would prepare him better for any future job at the top of the tree as well as provide him time to expand his arsenal in the attacking side of the game.

For now though, Moyes remains the perfect hand-in-glove fit for teams such as Real Sociedad and Everton, teams that are big in absolute terms, but where success year-on-year is measured relatively. 

Why Christmas brings no cheer to players and clubs in the Premier League

Even Jesus Christ can’t seem to get Premier League players and managers a break

The snow’s falling down, kids are enjoying their holidays, offices take an extended break and homes swell with festive cheer and celebration as Europe looks forward to Christmas and the impending New Year. Footballers too get a break, to put their feet up a bit and get some rest and relaxation while also getting time to spend with family and friends. After all, when the rest of the world’s celebrating, why shouldn’t they?

However, Diego Costa, Filipe Luis, Alexis Sanchez, Angel di Maria and the rest of the players in England’s top flight – are not sharing the same sentiments as they find themselves embroiled in the yearly rigmarole that is the ‘bonus’ fixture pile-up that the Premier League is associated with usually at this point in the season.

Unlike during their time in Spain in the last few years, the above quartet is not going to be enjoying a winter break this time around. A cluster of games are the presents that the league throws up to its teams, and their players and managers, who must curse their luck when they look at what their pals in the other leagues are up to.

It’s been a long-running debate on whether the Football Association (FA) should cease with this annual fixture congestion in keeping with what Spain, Germany, Italy and the rest of Europe’s top leagues do in order to aid English teams in the long run.

So far though, it hasn’t cut any slack with the powers to be as profit, viewership and cash, continue to ensure that players will be in their team strips four times in a span of 10 days between December 26 and January 5.

The rest of Europe

In contrast, the winter break is on after this weekend’s round of matches in the other leagues. The La Liga will resume on January 3rd, the Serie A on January 5th and the Ligue 1 on January 7th. That’s 14 days off for those teams at the minimum. The Bundesliga is even better, and reopens only on January 30th, resulting in a month of rest and recuperation for the likes of Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund.

Of course, Germany has only 18 teams and as a result has 40 matches lesser in its calendar, due to which they can afford a whole month off. But the other three big leagues have the same number of teams as the Premier League and get 14 days off. Ironically, despite that, the La Liga, Bundesliga, Ligue 1 and Premier League all conclude on the weekend of May 23/24; Serie A closes a week later.

So, the situation in England is great for television, great for some sections of fans who do enjoy the added football during the holidays, but how about the players and what effect does it have in the longer run, say for teams in the UEFA Champions League?

English teams in the Champions League knockout rounds

One trend that has been observed on an almost annual basis is that teams from the other leagues seem to almost fare better in the Champions League than those from England. Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund seem to be able to find another gear as the competition moves into March and April.

Last year Manchester City, the eventual champions, were eliminated in the first knockout round by Barcelona, Arsenal likewise by Bayern Munich. Chelsea got to the semi-finals before being beaten by Atletico Madrid.

Last year’s Chelsea are in fact a classic case; they were going well in the Premier League and looking likely for a title run until their resources got stretched with a deep run in Europe. Manchester City benefited from having a deeper squad as well as bowing out early, allowing them to fully concentrate on the league.

This explains how they became champions last year despite being top of the table for a mere 14 days. And Liverpool had no distractions from the get go, a challenge they could not cope with this year, not being able to get past the group stage even.

The top three teams in England over the past five seasons (based on how they finished that season)

Looking at how the top English teams (in reference to order of finish that season) have gone in Europe in the last five years, it doesn’t make for good reading.

Of the eventual champions, Manchester United went the furthest in 2010-11 finishing runners-up to Barcelona. No runner-up has gone beyond the quarter-finals and likewise for the third-best team. The top Spanish and German teams are however, constantly making the quarters and the semis in Europe’s premier club competition.

Last year, it was an all-Spanish affair in the final and the year before that, an all-German one. Each of the top three Spanish teams last year made the quarter-finals while two German teams did. Chelsea were England’s only representative.

You might say that those stats merely state the obvious, which is that the Premier League isn’t ‘the best in the world’ as those ‘pundits’ would have you believe and that the players in Spain and Germany are so much better than the ones in England. While that isn’t entirely a faulty line of debate, all players, including the very best ones, need their rest and time to recuperate and when viewed in that context a 14-day period of no competitive action is gold dust.

Chelsea may be amongst the best in Europe this term, but the lack of time off could hurt them when they take on Europe’s big boys.

World Cup exertions

Like those layers of cake that you get around Christmas when you step into feasts, certain footballers this year had to deal with the exertions of playing at the quadrennial showpiece before returning to their clubs.

It wasn’t for no reason that players such as Eden Hazard, Robin van Persie and Pablo Zabaleta took some time to get going this season. Also, players associated with the Brazil team, the World Cup hosts, seem to suffering from a serious dip in form after their underwhelming campaign that ended in a humiliating exit at the hands of eventual winners Germany.

Fernandinho is a prime example of a player whose form has dipped this year over last season, while Oscar and Willian looked to be carrying a hangover for some time as well.
What would really irk the players is that even during such years, there is no exception made by the FA.

Is there any respite?

The fact that the Premier League is an extremely profitable money-spinning offering now probably means that the end to this hectic schedule is nowhere in sight in the near future. When Premier Leagues can charge upto £600 for children to become mascots, you know that its money over anything else.

Also, the fact that as a product it is being lapped up by audiences outside of England who are in fact the main drivers of television revenue probably means that the Christmas festivities for the players will continue to remain on the pitch.

Louis van Gaal is the latest manager to criticize the Christmas scheduling

As Louis van Gaal said recently critiquing this, "I am not happy - but I cannot change it - because I don't think it is good for the players that they play within two days of a (previous) match - two matches in two days.”

"In December it shall be like that. We also have family. I have a wife and kids, and grandchildren, and I cannot see them this Christmas. But I want to work in the Premier League, so I have to adapt, and I shall adapt. But I don't think it is good. It is not good for the players, nor for the family."

Perhaps it’s about time ‘the best league in the world’ lent a caring ear to its primary stakeholders in order to further the interests of its clubs in the long run and not just its coffers.

Astute planning and squad selection take Germany and Netherlands to the World Cup semi-finals again

And then there were four.

Two European and two South American teams have made it into the final four of the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Going into the final week of action, it is the hosts Brazil, their fierce rivals Argentina and European powerhouses Germany and the Netherlands who are still left standing with a chance to compete for the top prize.

For two of them in particular, the Germans and the Dutch, it is a repeat of what they managed to do at the last edition in South Africa. They have managed to make the semis at the World Cup finals for two successive editions now; quite an achievement.

As far as Germany are concerned, Die Mannschaft are the most consistent national team in football. Forget back-to-back semis, this is the fourth consecutive time that Germany have made it to the final four since the 2002 edition in Korea-Japan. The Germans don’t do upsets, they don’t do group stage eliminations, they don’t do hype. They just methodically go about conducting their business and get to the final week of competitions going down only to the eventual champion in most cases. Their presence in the latter stages is almost a given.

For the Dutch, after the disappointment of not qualifying in 2002 and the fractious exit in 2006 at the hands of Portugal, it marks a welcome return to a place where Dutch football believes it truly belongs – the journey from being merely a pretender to now being a contender.

In an earlier piece, I’d written about some of the mistakes that the other two semi-finalists from South Africa – Spain and Uruguay – were guilty of having made in their preparation for this year’s World Cup. Germany and the Netherlands are a good example of teams that have moved in the opposite direction and actually taken a progressive view to the tournament, thereby finding themselves rewarded with a semi-final spot yet again.

Spain and Uruguay were guilty of relying a little too heavily on the same squad that earned them success back in 2010. Trouble was, some of those players were no longer at their peak and had slowed down over the years. As a result, players in form and performing well at club level were overlooked in favour of the established names. Spain may have brought in new players into the squad, but the starting eleven bore few changes to the core from the 2010 World Cup. The defending champions also failed to address their defensive woes and were forced to pay a heavy price.

Uruguay too relied too heavily on the old guard and that in turn increased their dependence on Luis Suarez. They suffered from a severe lack of mobility in their play, and their defeat in the opener actually forced Coach Oscar Tabarez’s hand to give the newer guys a run.

Germany’s squad is more mature now

One might argue that Germany have much the same players, just like Spain. True, but there is one key difference; Germany’s core is now actually in their prime. From the time of the 2008 Euros and the 2010 World Cup, these players are more mature and more experienced and have all tasted plenty of success playing for their respective clubs. Captain Philip Lahm and midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger are now the seasoned pros in the setup with a wealth of experience behind them.

Germany have made it to their fourth consecutive World Cup semi-final

And while the squad might look the same, Joachim Loew has made minor tweaks in personnel as well as tactics. The Germans don’t ever single out one man to be the key guy in the team; it is almost always a team effort. Four years ago, this was Mesut Ӧzil’s team, but it no longer is. Toni Kroos has taken over that mantle now and with Thomas Müller playing up front, there is more dynamism in this German side.

Germany’s defence isn’t the greatest either, not when you have Jerome Boateng and Per Mertesacker playing together, or Holger Badstuber. As shown from Mertesacker’s improved performances at Arsenal, he needs a partner who is quick on the ground. And Germany have plugged that gap with Mats Hummels now in the mix. Germany look a more solid team with any combination of Boateng or Mertesacker with Hummels.

For the Dutch, it’s out with the old and in with the new

There’s never been any doubt about the talent in the Dutch ranks, but there was always that sense of disappointment about how they could never get their act together to win a major tournament. It has been a tumultuous journey for the Dutchmen the last four years from the highs of reaching the final in South Africa in 2010 to the lows of losing all three matches and being eliminated in the group stages of Euro 2012.

Since then, with Louis Van Gaal back in his second stint as Netherlands manager, the Dutch have begun the climb out of those dark hallways. They were the first team to qualify for the World Cup from Europe, scoring prolifically and without losing a single game. They too have learnt from past endeavours and changed elements of the team that cost them dear at recent tournaments.

They culled the entire defensive line; not one member from the defensive unit that went to South Africa has travelled to Brazil, and only Ron Vlaar survives from the squad that was dumped out acrimoniously at the Euros. In their places are young defenders picked out from the Dutch Eredivisie, confident in their stride, emboldened by success enjoyed domestically.

It’s back-to-back semi-finals for the Oranje.

Only five veteran players have been retained by Van Gaal – Robin van Persie (now the captain), Arjen Robben, Wesley Sneijder, Nigel De Jong and Dirk Kuyt.

The attacking trio of van Persie, Robben and Sneijder combine to make one of the top offensive threats going forward. In fact, barring Sneijder, the other two members of that trio have actually gotten better since the last World Cup and have enjoyed much success playing for their clubs; Van Gaal has made absolutely the right call to retain them to provide this otherwise young team with some veteran leadership. And while Sneijder’s stock may not have improved like the others, he is still one of the best midfielders in the world in delivering killer passes and from dead ball situations.

Dirk Kuyt is an absolute professional, and hence is a great footballer to have in the squad. To add, his versatility (he can play wing-back, full-back, midfield, winger, forward) gives the Dutch team options. De Jong provides the steel in midfield and is still a great asset to have for his ability to break up play and retrieve the football from the opposition.

And the young players chosen in the squad, extensively from the Eredivisie, have provided some much needed freshness and have come into the tournament on the backs of extremely successful seasons. Van Gaal has picked exclusively from the top two sides in the Dutch league last season – Ajax and Feyenoord – and PSV who finished fourth.

Goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen, defenders Daley Blind and Joel Veltman were all part of Ajax’s title winning team. Defenders Bruno Martins Indi, Stefan de Vrij, Daryl Janmaat and Terence Kongolo and midifielder Jordy Clasie formed a part of Feyenoord’s fine team that finished second. And forward Memphis Depay and midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum were chosen from PSV. The reliance on players from the local Dutch league who have played with and against their teammates has brought in that familiarity and has helped the team work better as a team.

And the importance of confidence cannot be overstated; Van Gaal has picked winners in his squad. With winning comes mental toughness and fortitude and these young Dutch youngsters displayed that in spades in tight games against Chile, Mexico and Costa Rica in the lead up to the semi-finals.

South American obstacles in the way

Germany and the Netherlands now have South American opposition standing in their way, two favourites nonetheless, in Brazil and Argentina respectively. It is not only a clash of continents, but also a clash of styles. Traditionally even the best of South American teams have come undone when they’ve gone up against strong European teams who outsmart them tactically and rely on their organization and strong game plan to counter the flair of the South Americans.

Just ask Argentina who were thumped by Germany in 2010 and edged out in 2006 before that. Ask Brazil who were outwitted in 2010 by the Dutch and in 2006 by France. The two teams will have a point to prove over the next two days.

However, the Germans and the Dutch are well equipped to cope with them as always. The familiarity of the local conditions and home support will be one huge advantage for the South Americans, but you can bet on the two European teams to provide more than just a stern challenge. If Brazil and Argentina are to have that dream final on Sunday at the Maracana they will have to overcome their stiffest tests of the tournament so far, for they are going up against two of the most well drilled sides in this year’s tournament.

All the preparations for crazy parties on the beaches in anticipation of a Brazil-Argentina clash should be put on hold for there is a very real possibility that the meeting of arch-rivals in the final could just be between two European neighbours instead of two South American ones.

MANCHESTER UNITED: 2012-13 SEASON REVIEW

2011-12 saw Manchester United lose their league title to cross-town rivals Manchester City on goal difference. In one of the most dramatic endings ever to a Premier League season, United had completed a 1-0 win away at Sunderland and on the verge of celebration when news trickled in of Sergio Aguero’s 94^th minute winner at the Etihad. Sir Alex Ferguson promised to the footballing world that his side would never ever lose the title again in such circumstances.

In the season promo, Ferguson addressed the fans asking them to gear up for the new season and assured three things –

1. “A possible heart attack”

2. “Incredible excitement till the last minutes of the game”

3. “We’re going to win the Championship back”

And his team delivered on all 3!

TRANSFER MARKET

The first battle in the war to reclaim the title came in the transfer market where United went out and bought goals in the form of a £24 million deal that saw Robin Van Persie trade London for Manchester, the red of Arsenal for the red of United. Ferguson and Edwin Van der Sar’s convincing and the “little boy” inside him eventually saw Van Persie reach Old Trafford.

Shinji Kagawa was signed from Borussia Dortmund, the Japanese attacking midfielder had been a mainstay of the Dortmund side for a few years. Alexander Buttner came in from Vitesse Arnhem as the back-up left back and youngsters midfielder Nick Powell and striker Angelo Henriquez were signed from Crewe Alexandra and Universidad de Chile respectively.

For all the talk about RvP, it was Brazilian sensation Lucas Moura and Belgian starlet Eden Hazard that United went after early and were engrossed in for much of the transfer window. They were to lose both battles after Moura signed for PSG and Hazard went to Chelsea. It wasn't until late July that the Van Persie rumors actually picked up pace. 

Dimitar Berbatov ended his troubled stay at Old Trafford with a move to Fulham, veteran Park Ji Sung also moved to London with QPR. French midfielder Paul Pogba though was the one that got away from United when he left on a free transfer to Juventus citing lack of playing opportunities under Ferguson.

PREMIER LEAGUE

Manchester United clinched the title when they beat Aston Villa 3-0 at home courtesy of Robin Van Persie’s 2^nd hat-trick of the season on April 22. Van Persie continued from where he left off last season; the Dutchman was simply irrepressible early on ensuring Man United got off the blocks quickly. Defensive frailties made for a somewhat tentative start but once that came together, the Red Devils went on a fantastic run where they lost just 1 game in 6 months between October and March effectively sealing the title.

Man United won 25 of their first 30 games, leaving room for some leisure in the final stretch. 

One of the features of United’s campaign that was truly remarkable this season was the number of points that they salvaged from losing positions – a league best 29 points followed by Tottenham who were second best with 23. Though Van Persie bagged 26 goals, United were in no way a one man team - the league champions had 20 different goal-scorers this season, a new record. United full backs Patrice Evra and Rafael also had vastly improved seasons. Evra was back to his attacking best, though still defensively suspect, and Rafael's game too improved vastly. It helped United account for the failings of its wingers.

UEFA Champions League

Pitted with Galatasaray, SC Braga and CFR Cluj, a 100% return in their first 4 games saw United clinch qualification early. In the round of 16, Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United went face to face with Jose Mourinho and Real Madrid. After coming away from the Bernabeu with a 1-1 draw, there was to be heartbreak for United in the home leg. Leading 1-0 on the night and 2-1 on aggregate, Nani was shown a straight red by Turkish referee Cuneyt Cakir for an innocuous looking challenge on Alvaro Arbeloa, an incident that turned the game on its head and saw Real overturn the deficit to win 2-1 on the night and progress. The tie also coincided with Van Persie’s drought period of the season and he missed 2 very good chances at the Bernabeu that could very well have killed the tie after the 1^st leg.

FA Cup and Carling Cup

Chelsea beat Man United 1-0 in a 5^th round replay thanks to a spectacular goal from Demba Ba. The Blues had earned a rematch after fighting back to draw 2-2 in the original fixture at Old Trafford. The result concluded the most disappointing week of the season for United after they went out of the Champions League at the hands of Real Madrid just a few days earlier.

League Cup duty was handed over to the backup players. After getting past Newcastle, it was Chelsea once again that ended their campaign in yet another cup competition. United went down 4-3 after extra time in a thoroughly entertaining game at Stamford Bridge.

TOP PERFORMERS

Robin Van Persie

The Dutchman’s arrival at Old Trafford transformed the club. His goals aside, his presence lifted the morale of the entire team getting them to raise their levels as well. Ferguson even compared his impact to that of Eric Cantona when he arrived on the scene in 1994. 30 goals for the season, 26 of them in the league which gave him the Golden Boot and 15 assists to boot meant Man United after a really long time had a superstar in their ranks especially as Wayne Rooney’s star had been on the wane in recent seasons.

Michael Carrick

Underrated and under-appreciated when United play well, admonished when they do badly, Michael Carrick had one of his best seasons ever at Old Trafford. He had a hand in all things good that the club did as he dictated the tempo of the games from his deep lying midfield role. Criticized in recent seasons for merely passing the ball sideways and not releasing the ball quick enough, Carrick did precisely all of those as his forward passing was a joy to watch. The spike in Carrick’s form can be attributed to the presence of Van Persie and the huge goal threat that he carried.

David De Gea/Rio Ferdinand

Close one, but David De Gea and Rio Ferdinand both deserve a share of the honors  This was a break-out season for De Gea, panned for not being physically up to it for the Premier League, the Spaniard had a wonderful season between the sticks. He was always a superb shot-stopper and made countless saves to help United through some turbulent patches in games. He also improved at set pieces and has cut out the errors firmly grasping the No.1 keeper’s role; easily the best keeper of the season in the league. He had a shots to save ratio of 77% and made just 1 error leading to goal.

Rio Ferdinand provided a measure of calmness and solidity at the back for United. With Nemanja Vidic hampered by injury, Rio along with Jonny Evans were the first choice centre-backs for much of the season. Ferdinand has lost the electric pace which he possessed when younger, but his reading of the game is second to none. In the big match situations, he stood up to the test for United. A key reason why Ferguson likes to keep him in the line-up is because he’s a ball-playing defender. His ability to initiate attacks form defence with the cross-ball up field to the wingers or to the forward are exemplary and were on full display this season. Evans too had a fantastic season but Rio made 28 appearances over Evans’ 23.

WORST PERFORMERS

The Wingers – Nani, Ashley Young, Antonio Valencia

The biggest disappointments were United’s 3 wingers. Ranging from average to absolutely abysmal, this was one of the worst showings ever in that department. The 3 of them put together accounted for just 2 goals and 14 assists. The quantitative stats aside, they also displayed a visible lack of creativity and failed to provide any significant cutting edge. Rafael’s and Patrice Evra’s increased contributions as overlapping full-backs bear testimony to this.

NEW SIGNING WHO SHONE THE BRIGHTEST

Robin Van Persie – By a country mile!

NEW SIGNING WHOSE BEST IS YET TO COME

Shinji Kagawa – The Japanese international featured prominently early on before suffering an injury that kept him out for a major part of the season. Once he returned, he put in some sensational performances towards the end that showed glimpses of his exceptional talent. Jürgen Klopp in a recent interview said he was sad at how Kagawa had been only a bit-part player this season playing out of position on the left. Kagawa likes to play in the hole behind the main striker and that’s where he is at his best, creating and scoring goals. Ferguson lavished praise on Kagawa saying that he would form a key cog of the team in years to come and the departure of Wayne Rooney, if it does happen, may just leave the canvas open for Kagawa to leave his mark.

AND THE CURTAINS FELL ON

Paul Scholes

Typically passed by under the radar thanks to Sir Alex’s retirement, the Ginger Prince said farewell for a second time, this time you reckon for good. After coming out of retirement to answer the club’s SOS last season, Scholes felt comfortable in moving on this season convinced that the next batch of players are ready to take over. A superb professional who never admired the limelight, but one of the most loved and respected players around by both fans and peers.

Sir Alex Ferguson

He finally said goodbye. As ‘#ThankYouSirAlex’ did the rounds on Twitter following the announcement of his retirement, Manchester United and football fans alike were grappling with the magnanimity of the situation. A 26 year reign drew to a close in a way that only Fergie could conjure up – a 20^th league title snatched back from rivals Man City and a final masterstroke in the signing of Van Persie in the summer that handed his side the advantage.

If Cantona’s arrival heralded the beginning of the Ferguson’s era of dominance, Van Persie marked the final chapter.

VERDICT

The 2012-13 batch was definitely a whole lot better than the team that won the league in 2010-11, however this was one of Ferguson’s more functional rather than flamboyant teams. It was a team centred around the passing ability of Michael Carrick and the brilliance up front of Van Persie. As such it was well suited to the daily rigors of the Premier League and they managed to grind out results on a consistent basis.

Ferguson, 26 years in the job knew the formula to success in the league and managed to produce just that by adding some quality to a very industrious team. David Moyes will have to improve the squad with some fresh influx of world-class talent along with a clear out of players who have received more than their fair share of opportunities to build on this, especially for if greater success is to be achieved in Europe.

United's Twin Sparks who have set up a 20th Domestic league title

After a disappointing derby loss to Manchester City at Old Trafford, Manchester United rebounded with a 2-0 win over Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium. Despite holding a comfortable lead at the top of the table, it was imperative that United suffered no more setbacks on their way to a 20th league title, to try and wrap this one up at the earliest. And they got the 3 points that they were looking for against a Stoke side that looked average, courtesy of a goal a piece from Michael Carrick and Robin Van Persie. Van Persie scored with a penalty, breaking a goalless drought lasting 10 competitive games.

In a way, it was fitting that the goals came from these 2 United players. About Van Persie, there isn't much left to say than what has already been said. His spectacular form in the early part of the campaign meant that United got off the blocks quicker than anyone else and managed to put enough distance between themselves and the chasing pack. The goals may have dried up for the Dutchman in the past month and a half, but it has come with the league title pretty much in the cabinet and hence has not hurt them much in the league. You could argue perhaps that a UEFA Champions League quarterfinal berth and an FA Cup semi-final spot went up in smoke along with his form.

However, discounting all of that, Van Persie still has been the player who has had the highest impact this season and he is favorite to win the PFA Player of the Year award. 20 goals in the Premier League, the latest being the spot kick he took at Stoke, along with 8 assists implying that he has contributed to 28 goals for United. Of those 20 goals, 11 of them have come away from home, it is little doubt that United are the best away team of the season with 38 points to their name from 16 games. City and Tottenham Hotspur are a distant second with 29 points having played the same number of games. "He nearly killed me! He forgets I'm 71. It was a great celebration as it brought the emotion of the players and the fans together. We really did celebrate that.", remarked Sir Alex Ferguson after Van Persie ran to the touchline to embrace Ferguson having scored from the spot.

Another area where the Dutchman's contribution has been significant is set pieces. 20 goals have been scored from set pieces this season by Ferguson's team and Van Persie's quality of delivery goes a long way in explaining that stat. Of course, all the factual evidence apart, his arrival from Arsenal just gave the team a huge lift and had a domino effect on the other players' performances, much like Eric Cantona did a few decades ago. One of those players has been Michael Carrick.

Carrick is a consummate professional, a player who goes about his work with minimal fuss. Calmness personified, his passing ability and interceptions carry an air of languid elegance about them. He is a player who is much appreciated by the manager and his fellow colleagues, but maligned by the fans. His role in the centre of that midfield has been vital for United. Much criticized over the past two seasons for being slow on the ball and not doing anything much with the football beyond passing it sideways, the resurgence of Carrick this season has been a shot in the arm for Ferguson. The stats will show 4 assists and 1 goal to his credit, but what the stats will not show is the impact of his forward passing this season.

Carrick averages 75 passes a game with an exceptional pass completion rate of 88%. Amongst peers who play in his position, there is none better in the league; Cazorla averages 65 passes per game with an 87% accuracy while Steven Gerrard also sees lesser of the ball averaging 66 passes per game at 85% accuracy. Across Europe, Bastian Schweinsteiger's influence for Bayern Munich is at a comparable level with the Bayern vice-captain averaging 72 passes a game at 87% accuracy. Carrick though is bettered by only 1 individual, and this should come as no surprise, Xavi who on average makes 98 passes per game with a pass completion rate of 95%.

The other major feature of Carrick's play this season has been his quick release of the ball forward to the likes of Van Persie and Rooney where in previous seasons he has been guilty of holding on to the ball for too long. A grand reason for that has been the presence of Van Persie, an out-and-out goalscorer, someone of the type not seen in recent United teams since the departure of one Cristiano Ronaldo. In fact, Carrick had 2 magnificent seasons for United after his switch from Tottenham in the summer of 2006. He had Paul Scholes for company back then and the two forged a formidable partnership. He suffered a dip in form from the 2009 season onwards which sort of coincides with the period that saw the departure of plenty of attacking talent from United in the form of Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez.

Ferguson has also been wise to note that Carrick's productivity goes up markedly when partnered with a young and energetic midfield partner who can provide the legs; that's where Tom Cleverley and Anderson have played an important role this season. Cleverley and Anderson have allowed Carrick to operate from a little deeper and also offer him some protection when he is on the ball.

2012-13 has seen Manchester United return to the top of pile in the English Premier League, a return driven by two veteran players. Van Persie's power-packed offense fueled by the steady and enduring supply from the midfield led by Michael Carrick have helped overcome the pain of losing the title last season on goal difference. But, another top goal-scorer (questions remain over Rooney) to tide over lean patches for the Dutchman and a combative midfielder to assist Carrick are necessary if United are to replicate their success in Europe. Van Persie donned the No.20 jersey mentioning that he intended to deliver a 20th league crown to Old Trafford and he's delivered on that promise. Along with Michael Carrick, the two of them have been the twin sparks in United's engine that has put the Red Devils on course to reclaiming the title from rivals City.

What the Statistics say about the two Manchester Clubs' season

The Mancunian derby tonight pitches 1 and 2 in the Barclays Premier League against each other. Manchester United hold a 15 point lead over their 'Noisy Neighbors' from across town and the title looks to be heading to Old Trafford for a 20th time. Looking at the stats for the teams provides a fair reflection of their season so far.

Along with Arsenal, Manchester United and Manchester City are the only 3 teams to have not lost a game in which they have taken the lead. It goes to show that both sides have been good front-runners and seldom relinquish a position of strength. But, the problem for City has been the high number of draws that they have racked up. The Sky Blues have drawn 8 games accounting for 16 dropped points, perhaps the biggest difference between the 2 teams. United in contrast have only drawn 2 and also one fewer game in the Loss column with 3 in comparison to City's 4.

Last year, City's title winning campaign had a lot to do with how tight their defence was marshaled by the excellent Vincent Kompany. They had the best defence last year and are once again the best this year with 14 clean sheets and have conceded just 26 goals. The problem though for them has been scoring goals and the drop in production from their main striker Sergio Aguero has been one of the reasons. The Argentine who scored the decisive game winning goal into injury time on the last day to clinch the title for City is averaging a goal every 178 minutes. The corresponding figure for last year was 113 minutes, which translates to a goal every 2 hours; that's pretty much a goal a game at the very least. Add to that Mario Balotelli's lackluster season which saw him being sold and lesser goals from key midfielders David Silva and Yaya Toure and you can see why City have had trouble finding the back of the net. So while their 1st in goals conceded, their goals tally of 55 is only 5th best in the league.

United meanwhile have the 2nd in defence and 1st in attack, a nice 1-2 combo to have. In the early part of the season the Red Devils were very, very shaky at the back and were conceding goals almost every game. That they managed to win more games than lose in that period was down to their attacking prowess that got them out of jail many a time. It would have been impossible for them to sustain their title challenge at that rate and Sir Alex Ferguson, aware of the problem at hand has got that back-line working a lot more efficiently since. They have the second best defence having conceded only 31 goals and also 11 clean sheets, another department where they have been bettered only by their neighbors. They are top dogs in scoring with 70 goals which translates to a goal difference of +39 a +10 differential over 2nd placed City.

Robin Van Persie's blistering start to the season was instrumental in propelling United in that early period where they struggled defensively. But, the Dutchman has hit a lean patch and has drawn blanks in his last 9 competitive appearances for Man United. This despite being on the field for 549 minutes in that stretch, close to 70% of the total playing time and no less than 24 shots on goal. Perhaps, it is no coincidence that his drop in form has been accompanied with United getting dumped out of the UEFA Champions League and the FA Cup. Van Persie did have some really good chances that he failed to put away against both Real Madrid in the Champions League as well as Chelsea in the FA Cup.

Manchester United have scored the most goals in the opening half hour with 27 out of their 70 coming in the first 30 minutes of play. One thing that Ferguson would have stressed on after losing out on goal difference last year would have been to score as many as possible. The purchase of Van Persie came about with that in mind and the early goal has been a feature of their play. It puts the opponent on the back-foot and forces them to come at United. Inviting the opposition onto them works in their favor as they can then pick them out making use of the available spaces. City are at the other end of the spectrum having scored the most goals (28) in the last half hour of the game. Roberto Mancini's men many times this season have been forced to come from behind and have had to chase the game. This stat reinforces that theme to a good extent. Even in their last meeting against United at the Etihad, they had to fight out of a 0-2 hole.

Finally, perhaps in true testament to vintage United sides of old, the 2012-13 crop have salvaged 27 points from losing situations. Everton have been the second best team here.

The arrival of Van Persie at Old Trafford coupled with the the injury ridden struggles of Aguero and Kompany have been decisive in determining the destination of the Premier League title. Mancini and City would have also have to take some flak for not bringing in adequate personnel in key areas to support the likes of Silva and Toure. Ferguson has also displayed better tactical acumen and has managed to get the best out of his squad with smart player rotations allowing for rest to key cogs.

And that's where the title was won and lost !!!

Real Madrid vs Manchester United: UEFA Champions League Round of 16 Preview

It Is THE tie of the 1^st Knock out round of the UEFA Champions League. Real Madrid versus Manchester United is always a special occasion and this year’s match-up is no different. The Red Devils are 3^rd in UEFA’s Club Co-efficient while Los Blancos are 4^th. It is not only a clash between 2 of the best sides in Club football but also a clash of two of the Best Managers around in Jose Mourinho & Sir Alex Ferguson.

United this season have been a club rejuvenated by the arrival of the ‘Flying Dutchman’ Robin van Persie from Arsenal. Though a little shaky at the back, going forward they have been magnificent with Van Persie the key cog in a fearsome attacking line-up complimented beautifully by Wayne Rooney, Javier Hernandez & Danny Welbeck.  They have scored an impressive 81 goals in all competitions with Van Persie accounting for 23 of them. They are 12 points clear of rivals Manchester City in the league and look set to claim their 20^th League title. Patrice Evra’s welcome return to form along with the maturity in right back Rafael’s play has been a huge part of United’s success this season, but the biggest difference has been Michael Carrick driving the play from midfield in the company of young Tom Cleverley and the lethal finishing up front from Van Persie, Rooney & co. They finished top of a relatively easy Group H with 12 points and though they lost 2 games, it was when Sir Alex fielded weakened sides.

Real Madrid on the other hand finished 2^nd in their Group with 11 points in what was the tournament’s Group of Death featuring champions of 4 major European leagues – Borussia Dortmund, Manchester City, Ajax – along with Los Blancos. Madrid have also been prolific in front of goal with 93 goals to their credit with Ronaldo scoring 36. However their season has been plagued by inconsistent form which has seen their title defence in La Liga fall by the wayside as they sit 3^rd 16 points adrift of leaders Barcelona. Amid reports of dressing room unrest and a fallout between Mourinho and some of the senior Spanish stars at the Bernabeu, Madrid aiming for the ‘Decima’, their 10^th European crown have done well in the Champions League where Ronaldo is the joint leading goal scorer with 6 goals and Mesut Ozil, Angel di Maria & Karim Benzema are joint third in the Assists section with 3 assists each.

The 2 managers also share a special relationship, one that started off with them being fierce rivals but later becoming very good buddies off the field with each holding the other in high esteem. Mourinho has even been tipped to be one of the successors to Sir Alex’s reign at Old Trafford when he eventually calls it a day.

For both teams, the strength lies in attack with their defences not exactly exuding confidence through the season though United with all 4 central defenders fully fit & keeper De Gea  in good form and Evra & Rafael’s improvement this season have an edge over Real in that part of the field. United will have to cut the supply from the likes of Xabi Alonso & Luka Modric in the Real midfield to Ronaldo & Ozil up front and Ferguson may well opt for a 5 man midfield for precisely this reason playing Carrick, Cleverley & Phil Jones in a central midfield flanked by the tireless Antonio Valencia on the right and Rooney dropping back on the left with Van Persie up top. Madrid’s ploy would be simple, to move the ball quickly and get it to their forwards  before United can set their defence and would not mind playing on the counter even though they’d be at home at the Santiago Bernabeu. Recent matches between the two have gone Madrid’s way with Real beating United in both 2000 and 2003 in the Quarterfinals stage.

It promises to be a fascinating encounter, filled with the intrigue of how that 1 man – Ronaldo – will fare against his former club, and how the Real backline will cope with the likes of United’s Rated ‘R’ attack of Rooney & Robin. As Mourinho stated recently – “The world is waiting for Real Madrid vs Manchester United”.