PREDICTING THE EPL 2012 WINNER

This just had to happen, isn’t it? The Premier League has officially become a two horse title race now. Soccer purists should have certainly seen this coming. By now everyone knows it, I know it, you know it, supporters of certain London based clubs also know it .With Spurs, Chelsea, Newcastle United and Arsenal fighting it out for the Champions League spot and Liverpool looking like a shadow of their former selves, nothing can possibly stop the silverware from ending up in Manchester. But to which part of Manchester? And do they really deserve it? Amidst all the talk as to who is the hungrier of the two teams and the affinity that Balotelli has for controversies, it has to be noted that both the teams have blown hot and cold time and again for most part of the season. Both of them have been total shit in Europe with City being a tad unlucky. This is certainly not what you expect from the table toppers of arguably the most difficult (read hyped) league in the world.

City for the most part of this campaign have read like a blueprint of how to win the league ripped straight from Sir Alex Ferguson’s handbook:

Play badly and win. When was the last time City were really good? Their 3-0 win at Stoke was a good result without a good performance, so you probably have to go back to the 5-1 against Norwich City ages ago to find a match when they truly played like the best team in the country.

DEFENSIVE CRISIS??

DISGUSTING!!!! The pathetic and dispirited performance of Manchester United at St.James Park was downright embarrassing. Spineless, toothless could be some of the words that you can use to describe the abject display of last night.

Quite frankly how Demba Ba was allowed all the pleasure in the world to win those headers time and time again is something I will never be able to fathom.Ba was simply magnificent. He dropped deep to win headers and won them effortlessly, Rio Ferdinand and all his experience came to a naught as he could not even make his presence felt on the pitch physically. The sight of him first trying to go with Ba when he dropped deep and then trying to trod back after he had won the ball and brought his teammates into play will give him nightmares; His positional discipline can be questioned; his failure to shore up the defense and marshal the younger lads was another low point in an abject performance.

QPR TRIP AND EUROPA LEAGUE DRAW

It’s a trip to London this weekend as we head to Loftus Road to face a QPR side that have been solid at home. They are a very English side in the sense that they have a strong discipline and work ethic about them; they are very sound at the back and attack from the flanks with good wingers. 

Jamie Mackie made a comment that they will get into our faces in the game, well I don't want to make much sense from what the lad says, you can get into our faces as much as you want but at the end of the day you need to get the ball into the net to end up with something to show on the table and I don't think that will happen after the kind of resilient form we have shown away from home. Those classic defensive displays in grinding out 1-0 victories have made for a very impressive away column reading and it has already crossed the mark of last year. Well you already know that after the kind of woeful way we played away from home last season on our travels.

REALLY, RED NEV??

I had been waiting all week if there would be a decent article this week from someone who really talks sense to come up with some sort of an convincing explanation about the demise of Manchester United in the UEFA Champions league. I had been waiting for a Gary Neville column or even some comments by Paul Scholes saying something that made sense about the demise, but out came nothing. These so called Red lads are Fergie worshipers and love their manager more than they do Manchester United, otherwise there would not have been a mum on their lips when the club crashed out of the UCL in midweek.

A SEASON DEFINING WEEK AHEAD

It was a decent performance away from home at Villa Park, a place that we had not won for the past two seasons. Well if you look at our woeful away form from last season than endless stats of these type will pop up and we will keep them away for some other day as of now.

Victory was thoroughly well deserved after a solid performance defensively, Carrick is looking like a decent player again as he knew he had the reliable Phil Jones by his side who did all of the running for him. It was his trademark performance as he sat back, made interceptions and dictated the flow of the play to his liking. With each passing week its now turning into some sort of a habit to praise Jones as the lad keeps surprising me time and time again. No one had expected  him to play the no.of games he has at this point of the season but with injuries to players at crucial junctures and his versatality has prevented Sir Alex from a selection headache. It was a well taken goal by the lad who finally opened his account in the against column for the club.

CLASS OF 2011 - HOMECOMING

After the hammering handed out to Newcastle in the 1-1 draw at the weekend we are back in action tonight with a Carling Cup quarter final at home to Ipswich Town and from the looks of it it wil be a young side containing the class of 2011 who won the FA Youth Cup last May .The likes of Ravel Morrison, Larnell Cole, Paul Pogba, Ezekiel Fryers are all expected to play some part in the game tonight. The game being played at home wil be an advantage for the young side as they will be playing in an familiar environment rather than daunting Portman Road had the tie been the other way around.

Wembley Showdown : Battle Of Manchester : Preview

Almost 2 months of no competitive football would have been driving the fans crazy, and  with the season already having begun in some parts of Europe the English fans would be hungry for football, if not exciting football.  The game tomorrow, The Community Shield, the curtain raiser for EPL season 2011/12  is certain to draw a great deal of interest as the season is about to begin . The fact that it's being played  by two bitter rivals, Manchester United and Manchester City, a derby and the chance to thump the opposition to the ground is an incentive which will certainly make the start to the season all the more interesting.

It was only in May 2011 that United last played a game at Wembley where they lost the Champions League to Barcelona whereas City will have happy memories of their last outing on this ground where they defeated Stoke to end their title drought and win the FA cup. It is hence imperative that City would want to continue on their winning run whereas United would wish to wash away their Wembley wounds. One team with a successful history against another piling up it's armoury with exquisite players from around the world, the game between the red and blue half of Manchester will be Battle Royale. The bad blood between the two teams from last season is threatening to spill over into this season which is wonderful for the neutrals if they are guaranteed an exciting 90 minutes.

The retirement of Edwin Van der Sar and Paul Scholes and the sale of John OShea, Wes Brown have made a dent in United's chance of running away to glory this season. Through the arrival of Phil Jones, David De Gea and Ashley Young, Sir Alex has tried to up the ante , but the ammo is gonna run out sooner rather than later if there will not be further additions to the squad. On the other hand "the noisy neighbours" as City are called by the United fans, have strengthened their squad with the arrival of a few big names. With the availability of a host of players in the squad who could win a game with their individual brilliance the arrival of Aguero and Clichy has definitely given them an upper edge over their rivals.

With last season's FA cup triumph, and also the elimination of United in the semis, City did more than end their 35-year old drought. They announced their arrival on the big stage with a warning to all other clubs. 19 League titles might be far away for the Citizens to catch up, however the game tomorrow might just decide who is the new number one in  Manchester for the time being. The Community Shield may not be worth a penny, but  you can be certain that Sunday's match will be one clash United and City wouldn't want to lose.

War at Wembley

The final at Wembley is one which has a past courtesy the two teams. Both Barcelona and Manchester United played each other at this very stage 2 years back in Rome and at that time it was the Catalan Giants who shoved away Ferguson's men to win the title. This time around though Manchester United look prepared to take on Barcelona not wanting Barca to be their nemesis once again.

To be gifted is one thing and to actually use that gift is another thing and Barcelona surely are doing that having the most gifted players in the team. Barca under Pep  are as strong as a team can be and are just one step away from being labelled  as one of  "The best teams ever". Their 'taka taka' football has mesmerized everyone even their enemies. They have been despised off the field but on the field you would be left in awe. Manchester United on the other hand have one of the most mediocre teams they could ever have. Having said this I would not take away any credit away from them, for the way they have stepped onto the field this season always brimming with confidence and always hungry for more success. A lot of this could be attributed to Sir Alex's 'winning mentality' which surely is gonna be ManU's 12th man against Barca. If they do manage to win the title it would be sweet revenge for their defeat in 2009 though they wouldn't want to admit it. Also it would enhance their reputation as being one of Europe's best teams a tag which they have always strived to maintain.

The verbal sparring between the respective camps of Manchester United and Barcelona has largely been complimentary but no less illuminating than the sniping that marred the latter's semi-final with Real Madrid. Some of my favorites are here..

Nemanja Vidic - "There should be some respect for us. Barcelona are favourites for this game. We are fine with that. They are a good team and play some good football. But we not a club that has won nothing over the years. We are Manchester United."

Pep Guardiola - " I admire them. Manchester United are a fantastic rival, but they have an advantage because two years ago we beat them. You can't be favourites against Manchester United anyway - they are a great team. They sold Cristaino (Ronaldo) and they are still winning."

Rio Ferdinand - "Revenge is not the right word, but I do have regrets about the 2009 final defeat to Barcelona. I was gutted, devastated by the end of that game. Nobody likes to lose a cup final but it was one of the worst feelings I have ever had in my career. We just didn't perform  as we should have done last time. This time we have to give a better account of ourselves."

Pep Guardiola - " I hope  that they (the players) feel it could be their last Champions League final. In 1992 we thought  that we would never play  a European  Cup final again. I want my players to feel the same. We cannot waste this opputunity."

A comparison I would like to make is between AC Milan vs Liverpool and now Barcelona vs Man United.

2005 - Istanbul - Liverpool came back from 3 goals down to win on penalties.

2007 - Athens - AC Milan win the final 2-1 against Liverpool

2009 - Rome - Barcelona beat Man United 2-0

2011 - Wembley - ?

Is this a sign of a Manchester United victory or will Barcelona reclaim their crown they lost to Inter Milan last year. The whole world is waiting, the whole world is watching.

EPL: Survival Sunday

With the premier league title already won, all eyes would be on the fight for 3rd and 5th spot and most importantly the spots in the dropzone. Only one game left, the battle is no doubt hotting up and the teams are feeling the heat and so are their managers.

3rd place is direct entry into Champions league and Manchester City are the news boys in this game. Arsenal with already a barren run wouldn't want to miss out on this consolation prize. However City at the Reebok Stadium would try to strengthen their chances by winning against Bolton which would add to their FA cup title.

Tottenham would have wanted to reclaim 4th spot and once again prove that they aren't one timers in Europe. However a defeat to Manchester City washed away those dreams. 5th place would have been guaranteed if not for Liverpool's resurgence under Kenny Dalglish. A home game for Spurs is a boon and 5th spot is in their hands except if they wish to gift it to Pool for their outstanding comeback this season.

5 Teams..Only 3 Survive..

A spot in the relegation zone is always dreaded and there are not less than 5 teams who are trying to avoid ending up there. Blackburn, Blackpool, Wolves, Birmingham City and Wigan will try to give their all for an extended stay in the Premier League. Staying up is important not only in terms of playing against better teams and a chance to fight to be the best in England but also what comes along, which include a bunch of incentives like sponsorship and income from television rights. Better placed the team is at the end of the season better are the chances of increasing the income is what drives clubs to fight for a place in the Premier league. Lets see which team has a better chance of surviving tomorrow.

Blackburn Rovers:

v Wolves (A).. Since winning the title in 1995 Blackburn's fortunes have been on the decline. They have been relegated once in 1999 and tomorrow they face Wolves who themselves are fighting relegation. Against a team which has the motive of staying up and also has had a decent last 6 games scoring 8 of the available 18 points,  it's gonna be a tough one. Steve Kean has a big job at hand and only a win will keep his head from rolling..

My prediction: Blackburn 2 -1 Wolves

Wolverhampton Wanderers:

v Blackburn (H).. A home game is an advantage, but 8 points in their last 6 against Blackburn's 6 points in the same number of games will surely add as an added boost.  However even with 2 points more than their previous campaign they find themselves still with a chance of going down. Mick McCarthy will consider himself unlucky if  that does happen and a sack will be awaiting him.

My prediction: Wolves 1 - 2  Blackburn

Blackpool:

v Manchester United (A).. Do I need to mention that Blackpool will be playing their last game against the Champions of this season. Blackpool would be happy that Manchester United have already secured the title, else it would have been only destination for them, back to the championship. With a relaxed oppostion Blackpool should try to get their points, however even after resting a lot of players Manchester United will be far too strong for them. I see them going only one way, going down.

My prediction: Manchester United 3 - 1 Blackpool

Birmingham City:

v Tottenham Hotspur (A).. Birmingham's last few games have been disastrous with one draw and 4 losses in their last  5 and Tottenham would be in no mood to do them any favours tomorrow after having lost their Champions League spot and now with Europa league qualification spot on the line. However Spurs have been scratchy lately and this cannot have come at a better time for Birmingham who had a good campaign last year just like Blackburn but now are trying to save their skins. Relegation is not new to them but hopefully for them they can scrape through tomorrow.

My prediction: Tottenham 2 - 2 Birmingham

Wigan Athletic:

v Stoke City (A).. Wigan were tipped to be relegated even before West Ham but a few games with character has given them a chance of staying up.. For Wigan survival sunday began on 15th May when they faced West Ham who went up 2-0 in the first half. But just like Wigan of the recent, a show of courage got them back not only in the game but also in the survival race sending West Ham to the championship. On 22nd May it's gonna be a full circle for them if manage to survive at Stoke. Of late they have managed to hold on and I don't see any reason why they can't do it tomorrow.

My Prediction: Stoke City 0 - 1 Wigan

Final day always has it's share of drama and I don't expect that to lessen one bit tomorrow. The excitement is building up and for a few teams the whole season is down to tomorrow, down to one final game. It's make or break time. Special mention about Martin Skrtel(Liverpool) and Leighton Baines(Everton) who have played every minute of this Premier league season and are expected to play the full 90min on Sunday. Speaks volume of their strength, both physical and mental.

38 games, 9 months, 1 Premier League title ends on Sunday. It's time to say Adios to this season with the wait for next already having begun...

Arsenal score against ManU keeping Chelsea's title hopes alive..

If there was one match most watched last weekend in the English Premier League it was Arsenal vs Manchester United ,not only for the old rivalry but also because this game would have decided if the title would go to Old Trafford for the 19th time or would it go down the wire possibly giving Chelsea a chance to fight for it and probably Arsenal to end their silverware drought. And it surely didn't disappoint fans of ManU's foes as Arsenal scored a lone goal to keep everyone's hopes alive.

Before the game ManU were brimming with confidence of an away win at Schalke in the Champions League and a win at the Emirates would have made their life easy for the rest of the season. However Arsene Wenger did have other plans. Despite Fabregas missing out due to injury Arsenal had a very good half despite not having anything to show on the scoresheet. A clear case of handball by Vidic in the box was missed by the referee which otherwise would have been a penalty and a big chance to mount pressure on the Red Devils. And they didn't have to wait for long in the 2nd half as an edge of the box finish from Aaron Ramsey ensured that Arsenal were up front and it stayed so thus ensuring that ManU wouldn't run away with the title. However close to the end a penalty appeal was turned down by referee Chris Foy as Owen went down after slight contact from Clichy. The ref would have surely not given this one to make up for the one he missed in the first half. A penalty at this stage to Manchester United would have caused a furore and further repurcussions were avoided except for the blabbering SAF who always will take on referees when results go against his side.

Besides Arsenal and ManU why was this game so important to Chelsea? What did they expect from Arsenal? Well, Chelsea after enduring a disastrous mid season found their way back claiming 25 points from the last 27, the most by any premier league team and for them to be in the title hunt it was important that Arsenal beat Manchester United so as to reach the peak of a mountain they had created for themselves. Arsenal did the job for them and tomorrow they need to continue the good work they have been doing since beating ManU on March 1st. It's not gonna be easy as ManU come off a wonderful mid week win over Schalke in the Champions League and also importantly having most of their players rested for that game. Though the game should be decided by the nature of play by 22 players on the pitch recently there have been accusations of games being decided due to desicions made by referees which certainly shouldn't be how a season should be remembered. Chelsea had their share of luck in the game against Tottenham where thier goals have been credited to errors by referees prompting Sir Alex to say that Chelsea title hopes are rested To negate all these the FA has appointed 39 yr old Howard Webb who officaiated the final of the world cup who is considered the best among english refs. He does have his share of controversies though which include not sending off Nigel de Jong for a Karate style tackle on Xabi Alonso in the final of the world cup and also a controversial penalty awarded to ManU against Liverpool in the 3rd round of the FA cup which ultimately was the only goal of the game. Irrespective of all this hoping to witness a cracker of a game and personally praying for a chelsea win. The wait does seem long, doesn't it... ;)

SQUEAKY BLUE TIME

Chelsea visit Old Trafford this Sunday and will provide a much sterner test than the one posed by Schalke last night, who were quite frankly made to look every bit the 10th best team in Bundesliga by a rampaging Man Utd side, who have been nothing short of sensational in Europe this season.

Promised land beckons for the team that emerges victorious this weekend at Old Trafford with a draw doing no good to Chelsea's renewed title credentials. Its Chelsea's stunning form of late since last March, when they turned a 1-0 deficit at half time against United into a 2-1 win by the final whistle that has rather made what would have been a casual stroll to the title into a nervy one. A run of results that have made the Red Devils look nervously over their shoulders since the last few weeks. The relentless march of the Blues went largely unnoticed as very few considered them a serious threat to United, as they had been swept aside with consummate ease over the two legs in the CL quarters over a month ago. But that tells only half the story as Chelsea who have been raking up wins, United on the other hand kept on drawing or loosing games at crucial stages to leave the door open, annihilation at Anfield, failure to score at St.James Park, allowed Chelsea to creep back into the reckoning, and not to mention the spiritless performance at Emirates last weekend when United sprang into life only in the final ten minutes by the time it was too late.

The outcome of the game will go a long way in deciding whether the title heads north to Old Trafford or stays in West London for another year. An unbeaten streak is at stake , a run that began 13 months ago when this very same Chelsea side took the title to London by the virtue of an offside Drogba winner. Chelsea will be much better equipped to damage United with David Luiz back into the line-up, a noticeable absentee the last time these two sides met.

A fitting titanic battle to decide who wears the premiership crown between the two best teams in England. Dont go expecting for some playacting, petty fouls, dives and bust-ups on the field and the chances are you will come back entertained.

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AND WHILE WE ARE AT IT,

Gooners might be a happy lot this week, a change in ownership has not bought about a change in working of the club which was the very thing they had been dreading when Stan Kroenke bought the Club last month. Wenger still thinks he has a title winning squad at his disposal and is ready to sign new kids this summer and yes like always to beat the competition from fellow rivals Arsenal have decided to hike ticket prices again to make them the most expensive team to watch in the entire Britain.

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What a job King Kenny has been doing at Anfield since January. He has breathed new life into the players, Dirk Kuyt has started scoring again rather than whipping crosses from outside the box, Lucas has started to look a cross of Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano and has been the engine of the team. Suarez has been one of the signings of the season, Carragher inspirational and he should be the next in line to take over the reigns when Kenny leaves the dugout, but that discussion is for a different age altogether. The Reds have started playing beautiful football again which was not seen for the best part of the last decade. All hail King Kenny for making Anfield a happy place to be, two to three astute signings and they could be challenging for the title rightly so next season, a summer of optimism awaits. Good Times ahead.

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Roman Abramovich would be a fool to sack Ancelotti in the summer after this brilliant run of form. It clearly shows that the team is united, right behind their manager and ready to work their socks off for him. Enough of meddling Roman, be patient and you could well be buying a ticket for the showdown in Munich this time next May, Don't forget to sign some cheques this summer though.

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Chelsea vs Tottenham - Luck favours the brave..

Did the ball completely cross over the line or not? It did not..

At the end of 90 minutes at Stamford Bridge Harry Redknapp's statement that he was "amazed" by the lack of technology surely wouldn't come as surprise as Tottenham lost to Chelsea by 2 controversial goals after going one up in the earlier part of the game , courtesy a stunning strike by Sandro. Full time 2-1 and a happy ending for Terry on his 500th game for Chelsea.

Chelsea and Tottenham both came into this game knowing that only a win would fulfill their ambition of being in the title race and the Champions league 4th spot respectively. But it was Chelsea who started brightly with more shots on target than Spurs. Drogba's freekick rattled the crossbar which did make Harry Redknapp's men nervous but they eased their nerves with a unstoppable strike from Sandro into the top left of Chelsea's net. What a moment it was for this young man who scored his first goal and what great timing, when his team needed it the most. Carlo Ancelloti needed his men to fire all cylinders post this goal and Chelsea kept attacking although Drogba did look out of place playing wide on the flanks. And indeed they got one just before half time, although controversial when Frank Lampard had a crack from a range which went to Gomes but as it is with him, he spilled it right between his legs, but seemed to have done enough by clawing it away from the line, and the referee Andre Marriner rightly didn't give the goal the first time but the linesman Mike Cairns "guessed" it was a goal when he was in no position to even see it and the referee was left with no choice but to give it to Chelsea. There were protests from the Spurs players but the goal stood and Chelsea would have taken it however it came.

Second half was as interesting as the first one. Chelsea had their chances as did Spurs with Redknapp and Ancelloti making changes but the ball did not seem to find the net. There was a penalty shout for Chelsea when Kaboul seemd to take down Malouda but the referee might have wanted to level things for the mistake in the 1st half. And the scoreline stood at 1-1 till it was 2 minutes of regular play as Lampard spun the ball to Drogba whose shot was completely off target. Luckily for Chelsea Kalou was in the right postion to put the ball in the back of the net and also go into double digit league goals in a season for Chelsea for the first time.  For all the excitement , super-sub Kalou was shade offside and it did add up to the controversy at fulltime compounding Tottenham's misery which might cost them a place in the Champions league next season.

Time and again the use of 'goal-line technology' has been debated and the man whose strike once again brought up this topic would have have felt a sense of relief to be on the happier side of the controversy. Frank Lampard was denied a goal when his wonder-strike went miles over the line in the game between England vs Germany at the pre quarters stage at World Cup 2010 in South Africa, This time though the goal was credited to him and did help Chelsea's cause in being on Manchester United's tail for the premier league title. The highly contentious goal wouldn't have arised if not from a howler from Gomes who has done this time and again, most recently against Real Madrid in the 2nd leg of the Champions League Quarters. For all the good work he does , he is recognised for the mistakes he commits and Tottenham surely would need to get rid of Gomes' mistakes or Gomes' himself if they have to compete for the top spot. A howler by Gomes and total blunder by the linesman Mike Cairns helped Chelsea equalize and another mistake by linesman Martin Yerby helped Chelsea earn 3 points from a game which they largely dominated. A bad day for the referee the credit of which should go to both his assistants.

Ancelloti admitted that his side enjoyed two huge strokes of good fortune and has said "Title is our destiny". And with Arsenal doing Chelsea a huge favour by beating Manchester United, it's upto Chelsea to do themselves some good when they travel to Old Trafford next week. It would surely be the most awaited game as 3 points to Chelsea would pip them to the top , a scene unimaginable 2 months ago and 3 points to ManU would seal a record 19th premier league title for them. May 8th is when most of the questions would be answered. Till then it's a long wait!!!

And also I need to pat my back for getting yesterday's prediction right, which I do most of the time.. ;)

Can Chelsea get rid of their Blues??

21 May 2008 somewhere around 22:00 BST : Terry line's up to take a penalty against Edwin van der Sar. The moment all Chelsea fans were praying a long time. The time when the European Championship was only one kick away from Stamford Bridge. Terry lost his footing when planting his standing foot by the ball, and, even though Edwin van der Sar was sent the wrong way, Terry's mis-hit effort hit the outside of the right post and went wide, sending the trophy from London to Manchester.

12 April 2011 at 19:45 BST : Chelsea are in no better position. The earlier one was a finale and this is a two leg affair and Chelsea are already one step behind courtesy Wayne Rooney ' The Wonder Kid'. And it's no easy job for Chelsea to go to Old Trafford and not only erase the deficit but also go one step ahead and win it if they are to fulfill their dream of winning an European Championship.

 

My Chelsea team for tomorrow's game

Chelsea, after having a horrendous mid season are looking like they are getting back on track. But to be fair and honest they are no where near the lightning form they showed at the beginning of the season. They struggled to find the back of the net in the 1st leg at Stamford Bridge and they need to work real hard if they are to score a goal against the likes of Vidic, Ferdianand and Evra. They have already done that by winning against Manchester United after going a goal down in the first half in the Premier League. And doing it would be sweet revenge for that loss in Moscow 3 years ago only if Chelsea can go ahead and win the final.

One step at a time though, it's a $50million question for Carlo Ancelloti. Should he start with Fernando Torres? And the answer should be NO. Torres hasn't been even close to the form he was when he left Liverpool and playing him would be no less than ending your dreams. Drogba's physical presence should be there right throughout the game as it lifts's the whole team and also gives the opposition jitters of having to stand against him. The rest of the squad select themselves, unless Carlo Ancelloti decides to surprise everyone.

This seemingly is the only game  among others where the final result is not yet decided. Can this game live up to the built up expectations? Can Chelsea go a step ahead in fulfilling their dream or will it be another sour season? Will we see Carlo Ancelloti as Chelsea's manager next season or will it be a new man incharge? Tomorrow's game might answer most of the unanswered questions.

Shaktar Donetsk have been the surprise package in Europe but surely their dream has to end here. Barcelona massacred them at Nou Camp by scoring 5 on the night and the lone 'away goal' may not be of any help to Shaktar. Barcelona have 90 minutes to ease their way in to the semis while Shaktar have 90 minutes to overcome a 5-1 deficit the chances of which are 'very small'. Guardiola must have been trying to be very modest when he said "the tie is not already won". It's a David vs Goliath situation but Barca are in no mood to do any favours to 'David'. How many more will Barcelona score or do we have a twist in the tale? I don't believe so. It's time waiting to proclaim the winners. Till then ENJOY RESPONSIBLY...

What Goes Around, Comes Back Around

30th March 2010

Its business end of the season , yes the squeaky bum time is on and Manchester United are roaring on all the fronts with gusto. Its a chilly night in the Allianz Arena as United are trying to close out the game to take a 1-1 scoreline with them to Old Trafford. Man of the moment Wayne Rooney has the ball, and he gets robbed off it, as he goes down in pain Bayern launch an attack which results in a winner, meanwhile Rooney rolls on the floor in agony as he badly damages his ankle, getting injured at possibly the worst part of the season, when his side needed him the most, a side that he had been carrying all along by himself for most of the season. The rest as we say is history as United lost to a wonder goal from Robben in the return leg and then an offside Didier Drogba goal won Chelsea the title at Old Trafford. Dreams were shattered as first United and then England folded up in the presence of a shadow of a player that Wayne had been before that fateful night.

2nd April 2011

Upton Park, a resurgent West Ham capitalize on the uncharacteristic errors of the United defence as they race into a 2 goal lead. Come second half, Sir Alex pulls of a master stroke, as he switches Giggs to left back, brings on Hernandez and the revival begins. Rooney starts seeing much more of the ball as he scores a hat-trick in 14 mins to drag back United into the title race and it proves crucial as Arsenal surrender meekly to Blackburn at the Emirates.

6th April 2011

United produce a masterful display at Stamford Bridge to beat Chelsea for the first time in 9 years with a Rooney goal. With the ball at his feet there were gasps in the crowd as they very well knew that the player that had been caged since 30 March 2010 had been unleashed. He was all over the park, tracking back to cover his full backs,defending corners, forming a midfield triangle with Carrick and Giggs when united did not have the ball, picking his teammates with pin point cross field trademark passes. He was instrumental in the win.

United have been nothing short of electric lately with as their talisman has roared back into form at precisely the right moment when his side need him the most. United were doing with the goals of the skillful Berbatov in the first half of the season, Hernanadez had been scoring the winners at crucial moments but a fit and firing Rooney is a completely different player altogether. And when he roars back into form and plays like this you really stand up and take notice. With a strong backline and now a resurgent midfield with Rooney playing in his favored position behind the striker in a 4-2-3-1 things are looking quite bright. This side in this kind of form can stand up against any team right now, United have been steadily shifting gears and are in the top one right now as they chase their treble dream , Wembley awaits, quite how many finals they end up playing in, will define their season.

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AND WHILE WE ARE AT IT

Daily mail is running a vociferous campaign against disgraceful behavior towards the referees and have played a pivotal role in awarding of the punishment to Wayne Rooney for his verbal f-word tirade in front of the camera. Then quite possibly how do they explain that they are not encouraging debating the decisions taken by a ref during a game by allowing Graham Poll to write a column in which he judges the correctness of the pivotal decisions that the refs take over the weekend is something very difficult to understand

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This Barca side don't quite seem as invincible as the world makes them out to be, certainly not without influential skipper Puyol marshalling the defence line at the back. With him injured there is a wave of optimism sweeping through the Bernabeu as his Specialness eagerly awaits the upcoming ElClasico s with a scent of revenge.

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The comparison between the on-field demeanors of Dhoni and Rooney is preposterous to say the least. The adrenalin rush that you get while playing football is unparalleled to one you get while playing cricket. Emotions running high, fans screaming, the abuses being hurled from the touchline, the immense pressure and it gets to you on a bad day and thats what led to the f-word outburst in front of the camera. The atmosphere that a derby game at Anfield generates when Manchester United come visiting is unparalleled to anything in this world.

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