Posts Tagged ‘manchester united’
Team of the year: Wayne Rooney rules roost
January 1st, 2010 | 
Author: Manchester United were crowned Premier League champions in May, but have just one player to show for their success as we compile the definitive team of 2009.
There is no room for the mercurial talents of Robin van Persie (7.02) and the rejuvenated Didier Drogba (6.91) in our side as Wayne Rooney and Fernando Torres form our indomitable frontline.
Equally, Frank Lampard (6.79) is edged out of the midfield with Cesc Fabregas and Steven Gerrard occupying the two central berths, flanked by wing wizards Andrei Arshavin and Aaron Lennon.
Ashley Cole and Glen Johnson are the two full-backs after consistent displays for Chelsea and, in the right-back’s case, Liverpool and formerly Portsmouth.
Brede Hangeland and Joleon Lescott form a slightly surprising centre-back pairing, with no room for either of United’s first-choice partnership of Nemanja Vidic (6.32) and Rio Ferdinand (5.93).
How it works
We take marks out of 10 awarded to Premier League players from a selection of six national newspapers – The Sun, Daily Star, Daily Mirror, Daily Mail, The Times and the Guardian – then create an average. The top player in each position is rewarded with a spot in our team of the year for 2009.
2009 Team of the Year
Goalkeeper: Shay Given (Manchester City) – 6.89
Right back: Glen Johnson (Liverpool) – 6.73
Centre back: Brede Hangeland (Fulham) – 6.61
Centre back: John Terry (Chelsea) – 6.75
Left back: Ashley Cole (Chelsea) – 6.51
Right midfield: Aaron Lennon (Tottenham) – 6.89
Centre midfield: Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) – 7.03
Centre midfield: Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal) – 6.98
Left midfield: Andrei Arshavin (Arsenal) – 7.05
Centre forward: Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) – 7.15
Centre forward: Fernando Torres (Liverpool) – 7.05
Owen nets hat-trick for United
Michael Owen gave injury-ravaged Manchester United a 3-1 victory over Wolfsburg at the Volkswagon Arena as they topped Champions League Group B.
Owen gave United the lead a minute before half-time with a clinical headed finish from close-range to leave the German champions under the cosh as they battled for second spot in the group.
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Bosnian Edin Dzeko hit back for the hosts with an instinctive finish in the 56th minute as his powerful header levelled the match up at 1-1, and the hosts sensed their opportunity.
Armin Veh's side contrived to squander numerous clear-cut opportunities, but it was Owen who showed the required composure as he netted his second with a close-range finish in the 83rd minute.
Wolfsburg midfielder Sascha Riether missed a golden chance to equalise in stoppage time, but United broke at pace through Owen, who coolly dinked his shot over the diving Diego Benaglio to seal his hat-trick.
Having already made the knockout stages, United's mission in Germany was simply to draw to finish top in their group, but their cause was not helped with 15 players missing.
United were forced to field a makeshift side with Michael Carrick, Ji-Sung Park and Darren Fletcher in defence, but the visitors battled valiantly to frustrate Wolfsburg, with only Dzeko troubling the frantically-assembled back-four.
Despite a shoddy surface which was not remotely conducive to passing football, both sides attempted to stroke the ball, with the German champions seeking valuable points to keep them in the hunt for the group's second spot.
Wolfsburg will feel aggrieved after Carrick brought down Makoto Hasebe in the United box with a clumsy challenge in the 13th minute, but the Dutch referee handed the visitors a reprieve as he awarded a corner.
The German side proceeded to squander two glorious headed opportunities in the first half, as Andrea Barzagli inexplicably headed wide in the 18th minute and, moments later, Misimovic planted his effort wide after meeting Marcel Schafer's cross, unmarked from close range.
It was hard work for the visitors on the turgid surface, but the pacey Danny Welbeck thought he had capped a fine move after a slick exchange from Paul Scholes and Darren Gibson on the half hour as he slotted in smartly, only to look up in dismay to see the offside flag.
With third-placed CSKA Moscow leading at half-time it was crucial the Germans got back into the game and 10 minutes into the second-half that is exactly what they did. United defended stoutly to stifle Dzeko, with the one exception being the Bosnian's free header to level the scores after Schafer picked the striker out in space.
But Owen was on hand to make it two with an opportunist strike after stunning work from substitute Gabriel Obertan, who jinked mesmerically between three Wolfsburg defenders to provide the striker with the simplest of finishes.
Owen's third was an individual effort as he broke down the left, then cut inside and across Ricardo Costa, before a delightful dink over the onrushing Benaglio to clinch victory for United and compound Wolfsburg's frustration.
As a result of the victory, United are now unbeaten in their last 15 Champions League away games and have won the last five, while Wolfsburg are usurped by CSKA Moscow, who clinch second spot.
Ferguson will have been delighted with the application of his players, but will now have to turn his attention to the ensuing selection headache in the lead-up to his side's Premier League clash with Aston Villa at the weekend.
Gibson double downs Spurs
Darron Gibson scored twice as Manchester United booked their place in the semi-finals of the Carling Cup with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Tottenham.
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The Republic of Ireland international put the disappointment of failing to qualify for the World Cup behind him with two fantastic first-half finishes to end Tottenham's involvement in the competition.
The midfielder fired low past Spurs keeper Heurelho Gomes after 16 minutes before doubling their tally with a beautiful curled effort from 25 yards six minutes before the break.
Spurs had chances of their own with Jermain Defoe guilty of wasting a gilt-edged opportunity in the first half.
But despite being second best for much of the encounter United held on comfortably for the win.
United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, as promised, kept faith with the youngsters who had fallen to defeat in the Champions League just six days earlier against Besiktas and after the early exchanges it looked as if a similar result could be on the cards.
Spurs looked the more composed in possession and threatening on the attack, while United chased shadows in the rain at Old Trafford.
Defoe fired in a rasping drive from outside the area that Tomasz Kuszczak, preferred to Ben Foster, did well to save low to his right, while Aaron Lennon and Gareth Bale were causing all sorts of problems for Gary Neville down the Tottenham left.
But while Spurs were unable to deliver the killer blow that their possession merited, United clinically put them to the sword.
Gibson opened the scoring after 16 minutes with a stinging low drive from outside the area that nestled in the bottom left-hand corner with Spurs keeper Gomes well beaten.
At the other end chances came and went. Defoe, the five-goal hero against Wigan in the Premier League, shot straight at United defender Ritchie De Laet from six yards after being picked out by a pin-point cross from Bale, while Robbie Keane was twice tackled by Nemanja Vidic as he looked to pull the trigger.
Park ji-sung failed to connect with a cross from the left when he was unmarked on the edge of the six-yard box before Gibson doubled United's lead with an exquisite curler.
Gibson received the ball from Danny Welbeck 25 yards from goal before bending it into the top corner.
Spurs continued to pile on the pressure after the break as United struggled to maintain possession.
David Bentley had two chances to drag Spurs back into the game after the re-start, drawing a good save from Kuszczak with a side-footed finish after being picked out in the area by Bale before heading another cross from the Welshman wide of target.
But the Spurs threat gradually waned as United got a grip on the ball in midfield and Tottenham's hunger ebbed away.
The visitors brought on Peter Crouch in an effort to add another dimension to their play, but the striker was given little but scraps and long balls into the box to feed on.
Substitute Federico Macheda found the side netting in stoppage time with a low drive from outside the area as United ended the game in the ascendency.
Ferguson's side join Aston Villa in the semi-finals after Martin O'Neill's men beat Portsmouth 4-2 at Fratton Park.