Manchester United’s most significant moments in 2010
As the year draws to end I would like to reflect on the last 12 months from a fan as well as club point of view.
There have been many highs and lows but that’s all part and parcel of being a football and Manchester United fan but in drafting up the list, it is clear to see this year has been one to test the blood pressure.
Feel free to leave your suggestions in the comments.
So click the pic and join me on my run down of the year.
Losing 1-0 to Leeds in the FA Cup
This was probably our lowest moment as we were humbled at home to rivals Leeds. Leeds at the time were a League One side and we were expected to beat them but anything can happen in a derby and Leeds went on to pull the upset of the competition against a toothless United team.
The performance against Hull in January
As United hammered Hull 4-0 on January 23rd there were two things that immediately stood out. Wayne Rooney having scored all 4 had been on fire whilst it appeared some rather decent player had come in and played under Nani’s name.
Playing on the right, Nani looked a player reborn as he seemed to do everything right. Many of us hoped this was the player that Sir Alex had spent £17m finally stamping his authority on United and luckily up until now he has remained in such good form. Rooney on the other hand is a different story!
Carling Cup Semi Final against Man City
Having already played out one of, if not the game of the season in September against City, this Carling Cup semi final promised fireworks. Tevez had done his best to stoke up the flames and the fact we were in the way of City finally breaking their 34 year trophy less run made it even more spicy.
Both games were exciting and having beaten us 2-1 at Eastlands it took a last gasp Rooney goal to put City back in their place. We would go on to win the competition whilst City are still splashing the cash to solve their little problem.
The AC Milan Champions League ties
These games were massive and finally offered us the chance to gain a measure of revenge against a side that seemed to love getting the better of us. We went behind early in the San Siro but Scholes and Rooney saved the day and back at Old Trafford we had a field day battering them 4-0. The result exorcised some demons as well wiped the 7-2.
Just as interesting as the score was the return of David Beckham. He showed he still had a bit in the tank and at the final whistle provided the perfect photo by donning a Green & Gold scarf.
Rooney injures his ankle against Bayern Munich
Pretty much the point where our season went wrong, Wayne Rooney had been on fire up to this point and had gotten us off to a flier in the Allianz Arena but as the game turned things went from bad to worse as Rooney did his ankle and we lost the game (and eventually the tie).
Rooney would miss the crunch match with Chelsea but was rushed back, apparantly too early, and he failed to recapture his hot form prior to the ankle injury for the rest of the season.
The draw with Blackburn
A terribly frustrating afternoon and the moment for me that we lost the title. Losing to Burnley at the start of the season was bad but the manner in which Blackburn held us was a bitter pill to swallow especially as Chelsea didn’t exactly go on a marauding run to claim the title.
In Rooney’s injury enforced absence it was left to Berbatov to lead the line and he unfortunately wasn’t able to get the job done although it would have been some story had ‘Mr Manchester United’, Gary Neville put his chance in!
The Ozil saga
The Ozil saga was as funny as it was gut wrenching. Rumours of him being sighted in Manchester Airport as well as clandestine meetings with Werder Bremen officials at Craven Cottage all proved false though as he put us out of our misery and ended up signing with Real Madrid as it had been his dream all of 2 weeks prior!
The Rise of Hernandez
If we missed out on Ozil then Javier Hernandez went some way to making it better. Signed in April, the Mexican shone at the World Cup and carried it on in a United shirt grabbing goals galore including one against us for his old club Chivas!
He has got off to a great start to his United career and is much loved by fans who have taken to his bubbly persona and at just 22 has many more, including his best, years ahead of him.
The Wayne Rooney saga
Whilst it was evident something was up with Wayne Rooney I personally put it down to injury so when he dropped the bombshell that he wanted to leave United and questioned the club’s ambition I was gobsmacked to say the least.
The whole incident showed both the ugly and beautiful face of football as Rooney received death threats and had masked men turn up outside his house whilst the club rallied round to defend it’s history and traditions as well as declare we were as good as ever. The real star of the whole thing was Sir Alex who handled the matter as well as himself with style and grace. There was no fiery outburst like many had expected rather he kept cool and eventually won as Rooney changed his mind and decided to stay.
Since then Rooney has gone on an intensive training course and whilst not amongst the goals yet has looked extremely sharp. Funnily Man City decided to try and replicate the situation with Carlos Tevez and again came off looking second rate!
Beating Blackburn 7-1
After all the talk of United having played poorly, United sparked to life and handed out the thrashing that they had been threatening to for a long time. Berbatov’s 5 goals were the talk of the town but Rooney pulled the strings and a resurgent Anderson also shone as everything seemed to click.
Ole leaves United
Having spent the majority of his career here and becoming loved by everyone that came into contact with him, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer decided to call time on his near 15 year spell at Manchester United.
The reserve team manager accepted a managerial role at his hometown club Molde much to the dismay of all at the club.
The reserves sent him off in fitting style though with a 5-1 hammering of Newcastle.
Sir Alex breaks Sir Matt’s record as the club’s longest serving manager
Whilst the occasion was meant to be marked with a tie against Chelsea (which on their showing against Arsenal would have seen us win) due to the ‘adverse weather’ we weren’t afforded to chance to celebrate the momentous occasion in style.
Sir Alex is the reason- simple as.
No player can compare to the impact Sir Alex has had and his influence was readily available for all to see in his part in the Wayne Rooney saga.
It will be a tough act to follow Sir Alex when he finally decides to call it a day and I don’t envy the man who will eventually fill the role.