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10 reasons why Man United are the best

Over a year ago Sir Alex Ferguson predicted that he would need up to three years to catch Chelsea at the top of the Premiership. Yet after just one season Manchester United have not only caught the Blues, but overtaken them. Here’s why it happened so quickly…

by Greg Varkonyi on 11 May 2007

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Commenting on the insurmountable lead Chelsea held in the Premiership, the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson said early in 2006: "We are unable to instantly reach the type of harmony in each position that Chelsea possess. We have a young team that should get to that level in two to three years.’’

The Manchester United manager probably won’t lose any sleep about being dead wrong with his prediction, as his team have gone on to win the league title just one season later. How have they achieved this? Here are 10 reasons:

1. Cristiano Ronaldo
At 22, he is getting better and better - and has become probably every non-United fan‘s favourite villain. The guy is known by fans to be a total jerk, as displayed in Portugal’s World Cup clash against England. Yet with all those character flaws you cannot deny his immense talent. He showed flashes of it before this season, but a lack of consistency and an abundance of selfishness prevented him flourishing to the full. This season was his coming-out party as he turned on the Player of the Year magic.

2. Edwin van der Sar
One of the top five keepers in the world today. Tall and lanky with cat-like reflexes, he takes it as a personal insult if somebody tries to get the ball into ‘his’ net. Van der Sar has saved a bunch of points for United. To win the league, a team need a few lucky breaks; with him around, you need a lot less of those.

3. Sir Alex Ferguson
Think it is a coincidence he has been around for so many of United’s successes? Sir Alex is the premier manager in English football - even fans of rival clubs agree on his brilliance. He has already won with seasoned veterans, with a depleted talent pool and now he has shown he can win with a mostly young and inexperienced team.

4. Ryan Giggs
Did I say young and inexperienced? Well the team needed veterans like Giggs and Paul Scholes to make it work. They added the leadership and the know-how that was missing from their talented, yet inexperienced, team-mates. Giggs was especially crucial; he has an aura of invincibility about him that carries over to his mates. Whilst Ronaldo provided the spark and the show, the Welshman was the team’s true leader and stabilising force.

5. Defence
Without Mikael Silvestre and Wes Brown, the defence seemed to be a work in progress as the season began. All in all, the team that consider themselves frontrunners for attacking football developed a heck of a defensive unit at the same time. Rio Ferdinand has many critics yet despite all the questions, he did anchor the defence of the Premiership-winning team.

6. Attacking football
Chelsea build on solid defence followed by quick strikes on goal. United were all about applying pressure by attacking, attacking and then attacking again. The thought behind this style is that constant pressure on the opposition defence is bound to create a mistake which can then be exploited. Of course it helps to have players like Ronaldo and Scholes, who are genetically coded to attacking the goal.

7. Less competition
Imagine what would have happened had Arsenal, Liverpool and a few surprise teams challenged for the top spot more vigorously. United had an easier time of it because it was mainly a two-horse race. Liverpool focused mainly on the Champions League with all other competitions getting secondary status. Arsenal had a transitional season as their top star, Thierry Henry, continually went AWOL. United just had to take care of business and watch Chelsea in the rear-view mirror.

8. Luck
No fan will ever admit it, but every title-winning team use their fair share of luck to get to the top. United caught a couple of lucky breaks during the season. Questionable last-second free kicks, a goal disallowed for an offside that wasn’t, timely injuries to opponents - these all attribute to a league title. United, like every champion side before them, probably benefited from a few of these events.

9. Versatile collection of strikers
United had an enormous advantage compared to Chelsea and all the other contenders. Their collection of strikers is a mixed bunch, ranging from Wayne Rooney’s aggressive play to Louis Saha’s finesse. All of which makes preparing for a game against United tougher than ever. Add the fact that on many occasions Scholes and Ronaldo were used as forwards more than midfielders and you truly have a versatile bunch who are hard to read.

10. Chemistry
In United States sport, chemistry is the magic word to describe that certain ‘je ne sais quoi’ that makes a team stand out from the rest. Say what you want about the Andriy Shevchenko signing, it certainly messed with Chelsea’s chemistry early on in the season - especially since Sheva was unable to retain the role of the messiah as he struggled to score. United, meanwhile, clicked perfectly. Even though many were afraid of the Rooney-Ronaldo pairing being combustible, in the end it all worked out well.

Have Manchester United really overtaken Chelsea - or will the Blues regain their crown next season? Leave a comment below or, better still, write an article for Sportingo.

Comments (11)

by Wilson W on May 11, 2007

1. Mourinho will learn and get better, meaner and not repeat the same silly mistakes this season; 2. Liverpool fans will want it more than a UCL Cup; 3. Defenders will learn how to stop Ronaldo; 4. Still no replacement for Keane in sight – which cost them in Milan; 5. Luck is a ruthless mistress and may desert Alex and go back to Jose; 6. Everton will not be as stupid again; 7. Injuries occurring earlier in the season; 8. Giggs and Scholes may run out of steam; 9. No pressure on Rio to improve; 10. The Arsenal boys will be 1 year older.

by Liam on May 11, 2007

United really are the best just look at the Milan away game once again. My mother who is 84 asked me did i see the game.I said yes Mam what did you think.Her answer was, Men against Boys, need i say more.

by Red Dutch on May 11, 2007

Top 10 Reasons why Utd will not win it again next season 1. Mourinho will learn and get better, meaner and not repeat the same silly mistakes this season; 2. Liverpool fans will want it more than a UCL Cup; 3. Defenders will learn how to stop Ronaldo; 4. Still no replacement for Keane in sight – which cost them in Milan; 5. Luck is a ruthless mistress and may desert Alex and go back to Jose; 6. Everton will not be as stupid again; 7. Injuries occurring earlier in the season; 8. Giggs and Scholes may run out of steam; 9. No pressure on Rio to improve; 10. The Arsenal boys will be 1 year older. okay . Let's take these comments one by one. 1. Mourinho may not even be at Chelsea next season and there is no guarrantee that he can knit his individuals into a viable unit particularly if he has to bring in fresh blood. 2. Liverpool fans may well be smarting from a defeat in The CL and who is to say tht they will perform any better next seaso

by Dez on May 11, 2007

So much has been written about Ronaldo but the true reason United were so good this season was a brilliant contribution by Scholes who had one of his best-ever campaigns. Without him we are just not a cohesive force, and I just don't see how we are going to ever replace him. Other players may take the limelight but Scholes is pure magic.

by mohammed tajudeen busari on May 12, 2007

Any other clubs should forget it because united has come to stay and this is a warning to all premiership clubs we have just started because 2007/2008 season is going to be better for united.

by Joel Cairo on May 12, 2007

MU is a great team, no doubt, with a lot of depth and a good system, and an emerging superstar. Maybe next year this will be enough to beat Arsenal. But the game demands on the Big 4 and the pressures of four competitions simultaneously tells me that luck has a lot to do with it, too. ManU didn't really have a slump this year; the other three did. They had injuries, but fewer certainly than Arsenal or Chelsea among key players (Henry and Van Pirsie both had higher G A points per game rates than the R Boys.) And perhaps dropping out early in the League Cup was a blessing in disguise. ManU's biggest worry should be when Scholes and Giggs can no longer cut it. In the end, luck has so much to do with it -- would they be champions if Sweden didn't have a winter break? Maybe not. It was a close-won thing, and next year it will be closer.

by hazera on May 12, 2007

Man united r da best n always will be

by Alex Buckenham on May 17, 2007

We dropped 6 pts to Arsenal, sure that's bad but onthe other hand we dropped 6 pts but still won the title with something to spare.

by Alex Buckenham on May 17, 2007

Why is it that Chelsea and now Arsenal bang on about injuries, stop whining, start playing. The players we had out injured had more talent than both of these pseudo-big boys. The only reason no-one noticed our injury crisis is we kept winning regardless. Champion spirit I believe.