The old phrase, 'so far, so good' applies to United right now. It's not to say that we've had the perfect season--not yet anyway but that given that some wrote us off after selling two of our best players including the best player in the world at the time, and given the injury crisis we've had this season, we're still the best placed team to win the league and are in the last eight of the Champions League.
For what its worth, this post provides a means of going through the most crucial seven days of our season unscathed.
Domestically, we've got Bolton away in the EPL late on Saturday, three days later, its a trip to Munich and the climax (hopefully not anticlimax) will be an early kick off against a well rested Chelsea side in a top of the table collision at OT.
Granted, none of the games is less significant that the other. Come to think of it, three points at Bolton (which prima facie appears the easiest) could psychologically make the Chelsea game easier. In a way, the foundations of that ame will be laid at the Reebok Stadium.
There is talk about the manager resting players ahead of Munich and also given that Rooney has pain in his knee but I think its bullocks!
I mean we have a team that is accustomed to playing at least twice a week. That ought to mean that the past two weeks are rare occurrence at this football club considering that we've not had any midweek football since we beat AC Milan at home.
That we played 68 games last season with more or less the same number of players and largely the same squad should help you put this into perspective.
Wayne Rooney can only be excused from the Bolton game if he's injured. It shouldn't be in the name of resting for Bayern. I mean we've got two legs to deal with Bayern whilst a slip up on Saturday might be the difference between being champions and making history or not.
Having said that, I feel that whichever side the manager picks for Bolton, it should be able to do a job. the Reebok stadium is however not one of those places you'd like your team to visit right now. Bolton have a new manager with a style that might surprise those who haven't watched them lately whilst they have only leaked one goal in six at home. Add that stat to the fact that we lost 1-0 there 2 seasons ago and then won 1-0 there last season courtesy of a last minute Berba winner and you know ho close this game could be.
We play after our rivals play so there is that extra pressure that will be on us to win. That we are fresh from a major win in the league last week makes failure on Saturday all the more unacceptable.
We travel to Germany(wishing for Owen now) for the second time this season in the CL--this time to Munich. It's an away game so we'll only be looking for the away goal and to put ourselves in a good position for the home leg. (Not too much to ask for really, but a repeat of what we did at the San Siro is always welcome).
The Easter weekend finds us at home in a potentially season defining game against Chelsea at noon on Saturday. The importance of this fixture can't really be blogged right now so I'll leave it for then.
Winning all three games is by no means unachievable for United--in fact, this squad can! Difficult a task it is but the rewards are worth the sweat. This could be the week that United sow whatever we are to harvest in May because whichever way you look at it, all three results affect our progress in the title race at home and in Europe.
The league has been voted by the fans as the most wanted trophy this season and I couldn't agree more. It sucks to be European Champions and yet you are not the best team in your country. It means that the Bolton game should be treated with the respect it deserves. Any mistake could undo all the hard work put in this season. Hopefully, the manager will grill this into the lads.
Labels: MANCHESTER UNITED
