Well it was billed as not just the biggest game of this season but the biggest game in the 20 years the premiership has existed. As such with these over hyped and billed encounters the game could've been played down the local park and still the most exiciting aspect would've been a dog running across the field.
You're always concerned when the most interesting aspect of 90 minutes was between the two chaps on the sideline doing sock-puppet impressions without the socks. Fergie pulled out his famous hairdryer treated against his opposite number and fair play the flowing grey headed one he gave as good as he got!
Quack, quack, quack!
Truth is all managers in almost every game will be bashing the poor fourth officials ear to a pulp, I'm sure that's why they rotate the referees...gives their ears time to recover. We all love a good touchline tussel between the suited or tracksuited gaffers its up there with a referee falling over or Arsene Wenger's post match analysis.
The season decider on Monday night wasn't decided on refereeing decsions that were or weren't given, nor did it decide the season itself. Fergie is undoubtably the most sucessful manager in the history of the premier league, but tactically he doesn't have the strength of others. Yes he's a great motivator and manager of players and excels at gaining the best out of troubled geniuses and erractic personalities. Nobody can dispute the number of talented and spirited teams he's assembled, the trophy cabinent is testament to that.
But unlike others, in big games (like Monday) he gets in wrong and then doesn't adapt quick enough. Guardiola out thought him in 2 seperate European finals, Mancini twice in the league this season and even 'the special one' had the wood over Fergie in his Chelsea days.
There's no need for me to go into it all, suffice to say they deserved to lose the game and perhaps the title too. Champions are determined over the course of the entire season and with both Manchester clubs on the same number or points, win, draws and losses you can even ignore the far superior goal difference. Look deeper; 4 matches between the two clubs, City dominated both league fixtures and despite United's two wins in cup competitions they were still out played in one half in both of those matches.
If you can honestly only say that you played better for 2 out of 8 halves then you don't deserve to win anything and they probably shouldn't...end of!
Enough of the top, let's look at the bottom. Wolves are already gone and logic would suggest that Blackburn despite Steve Kean's persistant optimism will follow suit. So who fills the last relegation slot? QPR's fixture list doesn't bode well with City away on the final day, Bolton need to get at least 4 points from their last 3 games to give themselves a chance. Wigan have taken 30 matches to realise they're the best team in the league and look fairly safe now.
Above all of this lot are Villa, probably the most drab team going at the moment which is no surprise given the man at the helm has as many creative thoughts as Emile Heskey (who funnily is still a key player too). McLeish was already an unpopular choice having crossed the midlands divide from Birmingham City last year, he'll be run out of town if Villa go down too.
Don't look down Eck!
Finally after an exhaustive (not really) search England have a new manager and it's Harry...Roy Hogdson?
Nothing like the FA to throw us all a curve ball from time to time is it. Old Woy has been round the block a few times and is at the very least a very honest operator who builds no fuss teams out of the resources he has...very English really.
Seeing as though everyone wanted an English manager anyway then I can't see what they're all so surprised about? Besides who bettter to take over a misfiring, rag tag bunch of internationals that nobody expects much out of this summer...perfect choice isn't it? Perhaps the FA figured they'd pick someone with a slight speech impediment so that the transition from Capello doesn't confuse the poor players.
'Roy...the job's yours!'
Whatever the reason the outcome is the same, 4 year deal and about a fortnight to work out a squad for the summer Euro's. Basically Woy's on a hiding to nothing, nobody expects England to do any good so in theory he can just pick a team and let them play...oh and Roy, that doesn't mean you can pick Zamora!
Till next time sportsfans!
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