Is Roman right about Carlo?
YOU KNEW IT. I knew it. We all knew it. The Manchester United team sheet yesterday was no surprise. Save for Patrice Evra being ruled out through injury, Alex Ferguson went with the same side and system that has proven so successful in the recent meetings between the league leaders and champions.
Carlo Ancelotti must have suspected Ferguson would go for the tried and trusted yet he had no answer. The Italian did dispense with Fernando Torres and kept his fulcrum in John Obi Mikel but besides that he offered nothing that might surprise United. He cannot be held accountable for David Luiz failing to get a foot on Ji-Sung Park’s through ball for the opener but he must be held accountable for failing to put pressure on Ryan Giggs and Michael Carrick at the heart of United’s midfield.
In all probability, Carlo and his eyebrow will head for pastures new in the summer and that remains harsh on a man who delivered the double in his first year and fought the valiant fight in his second. But all the sympathy he receives on Fleet Street should not immunise him from criticism.
Roman Abramovich has made mistakes off the pitch but Ancelotti has made some costly ones on it.
Mick moves out of the basement
The look of sheer relief on Mick McCarthy’s face at full time said it all. Wolves’ 3-1 win over West Brom yesterday lifted them out of the relegation zone and put their Premier League destiny back in their own hands.
McCarthy has always blurred the lines between capable manager and underachieving one. But should he keep Wolves up again this year then his status will be a little clearer.
Rossoneri reign supreme
It has been seven years since AC Milan won the Scudetto in Italy. That is an eternity for Italy’s premier team.
They sealed this year’s title with a 0-0 draw away to Roma on Saturday night. It was a poor game notable only for a niggling duel between Francesco Totti and Mark Van Bommel but Milan won’t care.
It has been a title built on a front two of Zlatan Ibrahamovic and Robinho, and cemented by the centre-half pairing of the superb Thiago Silva and the timeless Alessandro Nesta. Those two started 19 games together and conceded just eight goals.
Anyone who watched Milan’s toothless performance against Spurs in the Champions League might question just how strong a force they can be in next year’s competition but rest assured, the Rossoneri will spend and will return to dine at the top table of European football.
Sahin signing – a shift for Jose?
It was business as usual in Germany this weekend.
Bayern defied everyone who frankly didn’t support Bayern by thrashing St Pauli 8-1 on Saturday and thus confirming their place in next season’s Champions League. The champions Broussia Dortmund lost 2-0 to Werder Bremen as news broke that star midfielder Nuri Sahin was on his way to Real Madrid.
It seems a strange move for Real. They are more than adequately stacked at the heart of their midfield but perhaps the four clasicos have left an indelible mark on Jose Mourinho.
Sahin is silk to the Pepe steel, the creative yin to Diarra’s stopper yang. Real have always been a proactive team. Should Mourinho embrace this and still lose he will be forgiven. Continue to go negative and lose and Real will toss him away like they do to so many managers.
Weekend cult hero: Zlatan Ibrahamovic
Where do you stand then? A guy who cannot buy a goal in the knockout stages of the Champions League or a striker who has been integral to five consecutive championship wins?
“Ibra” is baffling. Capable of going from the sublime to the ridiculous in one move. But how could such an enigmatic talent be a central part to so many title winning teams? As ever with Zlatan, we are left with more questions than answers.
He has had many memorable moments but I’ve gone for that flying backheel for Sweden. He did nothing else in that game I’m sure.
