A RED RED WORLD

For any Manchester United fan, it has been such a demanding week. Trust me, in a week United was trounced by Boro 4-1, than the controvesial interview with Captain Keano on MUTV which was not even televised, a shock defeat in the Champions League by Little Lille and, just to make it such a memorable week, a 1-0 win over reigning champion, Chelski..oooppss.....Chelsea i mean. The loyalty of all United fan was really challenge during that week. Would the "glory chaser" fans finally just jump the wagon and say how they have been supporting Chelski all their life or the real Manchurians stand united and be counted.
I have been supporting United for almost 15 years now, and i must admit, never had my loyalty to United been tested as hard as this few weeks. But as fan also, i must admit the performance the team was giving the past weeks are not something we as United fan can be proud of. The two games that we lost. i have to stand up and agree that we deserve to loose and we deserve the result we got. It was as if the gaffer have actually field the pitch with the United U-17 players instead of the senior squad. I have never watch United play as bad as that since the 6-3 lost to Southampton (it is because of the grey jersey i tell you, i still believe that).
The team i saw on the field that day look as if they were lost. As if they were ask to go to the pitch without any directions, coaching or a football brain but the most important thing i think we lost in that two games were the passion of winning like the United past teams. When i saw the two games, i was almost in tears because i was thinking that the United i know is no more. The players were not even trying to play. Balls given away, head were down and United only way to goal was long balls where we were once so proud of our passing games.
During that week, i received lots of "congratulation" or i dare say condolonces -from sms, phone calls, e-mails- after that two games. Asking me to change my red blood for a blue one, advising me not to live in past success and history, United is great no more, even giving me a 2 goal advantage for the game between United and Chelsea on the weekend.............................MANCHESTER UNITED 1 CHELSKI 0.............................. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHA
United great no more? United are Dead? United is no challenge for Chelski? We beat them....suddenly no sms? no phone calls? no e-mails? no congratulations?? Weird.....hmmmm
Got that one out of the system. Now i can write...hehehe. As i was saying, united performance during the weekend before the international friendly was nothing to shout about. Two losses against two teams, sorry for both set of fans, which were not rated highly is a major blow to a club as massive as United. A 4-1 drubbing and a 1-0 lost to a relatively unknown French club are something to worry about. Have United actually lost their supremacy, the fear factor we once own? And the lost came before one of the biggest game yet, against Chelski( they are not Chelsea to me, sorry) is not good for the players or even the fans confidence.
In the two games we lost, fans of United were actually trying to search and think...what happen with our beloved Red Devils? Losing is bad enough but losing without fighting, without playing and without a decent shot at goal is embrassing.
In the Boro match, we actually lost the match after Mendieta scored that amazing goal. Truly a magical goal but someone should have closed him down before he even had any view or chance to shoot. Sorry Park, you were at fault. The 2nd goal, Rio was busy looking for his extra 20,000 pound (rumour heard of him earning 120,000/week) and just let Hasselbaink score. The penalty, well, Richardson just happen to like the jersey, he can't wait for the end of the game. The 4th....i was trying to find a way for me to go to The Carrington to get a trial with United. 4-1 was the final result. It was usually always the other way around...hmmmm
The Lille game...hmmm....it was all a blur to me except for the goal and also Ruud ball hitting the upright....other moment was a blur because i was busy wiping tears from my eyes..........well amost.
How did i felt during the few days leading to United game against the yet to be beaten Chelski? I have not done that for years and years, admiting to a Liverpool fan(u know who u r) that we might lost the game. Me, a guy who would go into a fight when United lost or draw, admiting we might loose to a Liverpool fan......so u know in what state of mind i was in. The papers were not helping..."BYE BYE FERGIE"..."IS IT THE END?"....United was in the news for the loses, for Captain Keano comments, unharmony in the changing rooms.....never never this happen before....
What a game it turn out to be. A match of 2 half....1st half-United, 2nd half-Chelski. United that i knew, that i supported, came back. The passion, the heart, Manchester United..........we are back.We defeated Chelski. Each and everyone on the field that day, wearing red or blue, showed to the world why football is the world's greatest game. All the good - Skills, Passion, Heart- and the bad-bad tackles, cheats, anger- all were showcase for the world to see (well, i think the world was watching). The neutral would have enjoyed the match, United fans in seven heaven and Chelski fans crying their eye red.
Fletcher scored the goal (said to be one of the players cristised by Keano). A lucky goal maybe but that goal was the goal that reminded everyone what United are made of. That goal gave United fans something to cheer their lungs out. Smith was wonderful, wearing his heart on the sleeves, Edwin is still the major buy of the season for United. His amazing blank point save from Lampard won United the match too. Rooney, he worked his socked off and well, Rio have actually put aside his bags of money aside to actually do what he is suppose to do, stop people from scoring.

That match have silenced all the critics. That match reminded people that Manchester United has not died and are not gonna let people walk over us just like Liverpool let others since the 90's. In fact, Chelski winning the league last season and show of supremacy in the English game help United. How? We have actually get rid of all the glory chasers when they join the Chelski bandwagon. Now, true United fans will stand by the team and push our team ahead.
This weekend, Charlton is next. Can United continue or just did what they did last year, end Arsenal winning streak to 49 and lost to Portsmouth the next week. Well, we just have to see and wait what happen. No matter what, win, lost or draw, you can read my reaction next week.