2009 - Another Treble?

Wednesday 26th May, 1999...

A date forever etched in footballing and particularly Red Devils' folklore. The date when Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United capped off a fantastic season with winning the UEFA Champions League final at the Nou Camp in Barcelona. 10 years hence, a much changed side with the same manager at the helm is looking to repeat that performance come 27th May at the Stadio Olympico in Rome.

Yes there are a few differences. As opposed to '99 Man Utd are not in the finals of the FA cup having been knocked out on penalties by Everton. Yet in turn they have won the Carling Cup this time keeping the possibility of the treble alive. With the Red Devil's on top of the Barclay's Premier League by 3 points and with a game in hand on old rivals and 2nd placed Liverpool, and with just 4 games left in the season for Liverpool, the league title looks set to be staying at Old Trafford for the 3rd year in succession.

With a 1-0 lead heading into the second leg of the Champions League semis against bitter rivals Arsenal, Man Utd should be able to get the job done in a weeks time at the Emirates stadium. After all the rich mix of experience and youth, individual talent and great squad players and the overall depth of the squad should come through against the young Gunners. If they do reach the final at Rome, a mouth watering tie against free-flowing Barcelona or Guus Hiddink's tactically astute Chelsea will be in store.

Yet after a season of early dominance on all fronts which prompted realistic hopes of a quintuple (including the FA Cup and the World Club Championship which they won in December) United have lost their game a bit over the last month. Conceding 15 goals in 9 games is hardly a catastrophe. But for a team that had gone on a record run without conceding a goal for 13 straight games just before this, the contrast makes for a bit of a worry. The fact is that without the central defensive pairing of Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic, United have looked a bit shaky at the back. This was evident when without Rio, United conceded two goals to F.C.Porto in the first leg of their quarterfinals at Old Trafford. But with Ferdinand back in the squad for the second leg they held on to a comfortable cleansheet at the Dragao stadium in Porto.

Can United be halted en-route the treble?

I don't see it happening but it is possible. In the BPL if Liverpool pick up 12 points from their remaining matches and manage to hang on to a better goal difference than United, the Red Devils will have to pick up 10 from their remaining 5 matches to win the league. These 5 matches include 2 against Middlesborough and Hull both of whom are fighting for survival in the top league of English football. These two teams will definitely not be lacking in motivation. The added danger is that United have to travel to both these clubs. Middlesborough at the Riverside is capable of upsetting any teams applecart. A last day match against Hull at the K.C. stadium with Hull needing to win to stay up, might provide anything. It would be wise to remember that Hull went to Old Trafford and scored 3 goals only to loose narrowly 4-3. Memories of when struggling Leeds United cost Arsenal the title back in 2002 come back to mind!

The last 5 games for United also include 2 big games against local rivals Manchester City and Arsenal. The 5th game is against former Red Devil Steve Bruce's Wigan Athletic who have done quite well in the league this year. Picking up 10 points from these 5 games? Should be possible with United's depth in squad. Wins away at 'Borough and Hull will be crucial. Wigan away again should not be a difficult proposition except for the fact that 3 days before they play City and 3 days later take on Arsenal. If the Red Devils' can continue to fight off attrition as well as they have done this season then the league title should be bagged easily.

The Champions League scene sees United up 1-0 against Arsenal after the first leg. Arsenal can easily overturn this deficit at the Emirates in front of their fans. United have never won at the Emirates yet. United should be looking to score early on in that game or otherwise there might be an upset on the cards.

If they do make it to the finals, they'l most likely meet Chelsea for the second time running. Chelsea went to the Nou Camp and just like United in exactly the same position last year, they held Barcelona to a 0-0 draw. Now it remains to be seen if Lampard or Ballack can step up and be Chelsea's Paul Scholes in the second leg at Stamford Bridge. But from a footballing purist's point of view I would love it if Barca made it through to face United; another meeting of arguably the 2 best and most consistent teams in Europe at the moment.

My take on results:

Middlesborough (A) 2nd May: 0-2 win
Arsenal (A) (CL) 5th May: 1-1 draw (United win on aggregate 2-1)
Man City (H) 10th May: 3-1 win
Wigan (A) 13th May: 0-2 win
Arsenal (H) 16th May: 2-1 win
Hull (A) 24th May: 3-0 win

Barca/Chelsea (Rome) 27th May:

Well how about this scenario...

Barcelona lead Man U 1-0 till the 87th minute. On comes super-subs Carlos Alessandro Tevez and Fredrico 'Kiko' Macheda. Tevez scores to equalize and then Macheda turns in a Ryan Giggs corner in injury time to do the treble (not counting the club world cup of course) for United 10 years on since '99! :D

As Ferguson said before the game in Porto, United are good at being the 'first' to do something. They were the first to win the EPL, land a treble, first English team to win at Porto and so on... It is only fitting that they'll be the first team to retain the Champions League!

- BiBinhio