Grace in defeat is something we should all show, sometimes you were just beaten by the better man/team and last season if you believe what you read, Chelsea were the better team.
They swept aside every team that stood before them including us twice as well as showing a ruthlessness that saw them finish the season having scored 103 goals.
Makes them sound dominant doesn’t it? But when you look at the fact we finished just a single point behind them a different picture emerges. Like I said grace in defeat is important and one aspect of this is not making excuses so let’s not confuse explaining with excuse making.
Our defence has been shaky this season, nothing ground breaking about this statement as we’ve all seen 9 goals we’ve conceded in 7 games but when Rio Ferdinand returned against Valencia last week there was a new mettle to our backline that had been lacking and we saw this again on Saturday at the stadium of light against Sunderland thus it is no coincidence we picked up two clean sheets.
I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who heard the stat that against Sunderland Rio was playing just his 44th games of United’s last 105 since December 2008 with just 21 of those games coming last season in an injury hit campaign. It’s undeniable our defensive absences last season cost us massively and the difference Rio has made in just two games this season shows how influential he is to our team and how much he was missed amongst others.
We have always made a point of having a strong defence, in my opinion it’s the basis for winning anything. In 07/08 we conceeded just 22 goals, in 08/09 it was 24 but last season (even though we still conceded the least goals in the league) the figure rose to 28. Rio played in just 2 of our 7 defeats last season including the game against Liverpool where he clearly was unfit so you can see the correlation between our performances with and without him.
Beyond last season and stats, you can see it with your own eyes the difference he makes on the field. We look that bit more assured and the feeling of foreboding that was present when an opponent attacked in his absence has dissipated. Veteran goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar has noticed this, hailing his performances since his return in the press,
“It is nice when you get experienced players back. He did really well and has been working so hard to regain his fitness.”
Of course no man is an island onto himself and Rio’s defensive partner, Nemanja Vidic is also part of the reason we have looked better but this can also be put down to the fact that he has Rio beside him, remember the game on Saturday was only the 10th time the two had played together in United’s last 51 games.
With Rio back and part of our central defensive pair we can look to a more certain future, it is a partnership that has won silverware before and it appears that it could be the basis for us winning silverware this year too.
stop complaining so much!
I am not too much into stats, but can confidently say that Arsenal have been without their spine (Vermaelen – Cesc – RVP) in almost all their games last season!
One or the other was always missing,,,,and thats just ignoring the fact that we lost so many other payers durung the course of the season including but not limited to nasri, arshavin, rosicky, song, clichy, diaby, bendtner, ramsey, gallas…etc etc!!
you lose one player and you soo bitter?? wth??
Welcome (always nice to hear from other fans) I am no bitter or complaining like I said complaining is often confused with explaining.
I understand you had injuries too but it was to a key player perhaps once at a time, try going without your whole back line bar the left back.
Our situation was so bad midfielders had to drop back into defence but I suspect you already know this…
we were sooooo badd off that silvestre had to play at the back…as a full back at times!!!God the horror it was!!
i would surely take any midfielders dropping back to defend rather than that man!!
and i am sure there was a period of around 3 weeks when clichy, gallas and vermaelen were all out,,it was just sagna there!
jay gooner- i dont recall arsenal, or any other team for that matter playin prem and cl games with midfielders making up three qwuarters of a back four. ive never seen a defensive crisis like it, have you. if so, where and when?!
as i stated earlier, i am not a guy good with the stats,,,and my memory aint the best!!
i am just stating that you cannot complain sssooo much for losing just one player through injury..as per the article..
otherwise i am pretty sure i have watched arsenal play in games with maybe one or two starters!!
Lets take an example of whats been happening for the past 4 – 5 games…
Arsenal been without either of cesc, vermaelen and RvP
now imagine if united were without rooney, scholes and ferdinand..how much would you complain??
or that russian team without drogshit, fat frank and terry!!
and liverpool wothout,,,,erm,,,forget liverpool…let them fight for relegation!! 😉 😀
Jay gooner
learn to spell mate ( what’s all this sooooo business, have you got the DT’s on the keyboard) and stick to websites of your own club.
we’re not interested in you or your “entertainers” so go to another site, Knob
Jay Gooner, I see your point, but Chudi makes a better case for Ferdinand being more vital than you can with Vermaalen. Is Arsenal’s winning percentage really that much stronger when he’s playing? I’m sure they’re better, but you simply can’t compare it United’s loss of Ferdinand. It also relates not only to Ferdinand himself, but the unique understanding he has with Vidic. Clearly Arsenal currently don’t have a renown and formidable partnership duo as no one around is aware of it and Gallas would not be a Spur.
On another note, Rio’s gotta retire from England and salvage as many seasons he can.