Changing Lanes

The 4 years at R were memorable for a lot of reasons. Not least because after the slump of 2001-2006, United finally got their act together and silverware was the norm of the day again. Had United won last season, the term ‘Wonder Years’ would have taken a new meaning altogether. And that is why this summer has been so much the longer. Its still pretty hard to digest that there won’t be any Azad Bhawan to be our very own Stretford End and that there won’t be people around to hug when I am watching the Champs League alone in the middle of the night and United score. But then maybe, just maybe, it was slated to be when Scholes jumped 17 seconds from time and the UG TV room erupted with shouts of victory and probably the upcoming season won’t have such nerve wracking moments.
So, it was yesterday when after a long long time, I was finally able to sit down and watch a completed United game courtesy the newly installed net connection at our place. And yet again it struck me how Kaka, Dela, Muruth, Gulate and Bihari were conspicuous by their absence. Again during Convo perhaps!
The game in itself was anything but a drab friendly. It of course helps, when the opposition is just there to make up the numbers and on the other side are players ready to put in their final acts before the manger decides which compartment to put them in for atleast the first half of the season. So, it was pretty encouraging to see that almost everyone impressed. Smalling committed a few glaring errors allowing players through when a simple minded approach would have eased the pressure.
It was a pleasant surprise indeed to see Rooney being as sharp as he was, after what was certainly a disastrous world cup. Though having gloryboys for team-mates did indeed go a long way in his personal debacle in South Africa. It would be a tad too overoptimistic to draw definitive conclusions from a pre-season friendly, and Carrick getting injured was definitely not a sight worth seeing. If that thing keeps him out for a couple of months, that could be curtains on his career for us. Nani, also looked sharp for someone making a comeback from injury and was on the ball quite often. Park produced a peach of a finish and looked quite at home in that left flank. And then of course, there was Chicharito. Neutrals might of course take you a little less seriously if you are a 22 year old with a nickname at the back of your jersey, but its pretty hard not to be excited about this fella’s prospect. From whatever he has shown this far, he looks a complete package and all the adulation heaped upon him seems well deserved.
So, Chelsea have lost three pre season friendlies in a row an dof course you can add 1 to the average age of their squad which won the league last season. Liverpool are in such big trouble, even the most loyal of fans would think that a top 4 finish would be what survival will be for West ‘Yoyo’ Brom. The surge surprise this season could come from Arsenal, if, as expected, they keep Cesc. Citeh meanwhile, keep up their role of Ernst Stavro Blofeld and hilariously keep reiterating that “World Domination” is what they look for.
Last season wasn’t probably as good as it eventually looked. And by good, I mean the race which we managed to take to the last day. We were exposed at our weakest worst when Fletch and Carrick played at centre back and we were annihilated by Fulham and lost, albeit a bit unluckily to Villa at home. This season, though will a new ball game altogether and although there might not be group huddles to celebrate the victories this particular season, it would be nice to be reminded of them time and again.