Sporting Thoughts
The Manchester United revival has gone decidedly pear-shaped thanks to defeats inflicted by Liverpool and Middlesborough. One thing at least is clear; the hot streak of a single Dutch striker will not be enough to win them the league.
Their defence remains decidedly dodgy: 34 goals conceded already this season - the fifth worst defensive record in the division. Although they remain top, Alex Ferguson's term have been flattered by a run of easy fixtures; the flip-side of this coin is that they face the most difficult run-in of any of the championship contenders.
April will see United visit Elland Road and Stamford Bridge, and Arsenal will visit Old Trafford in between; all tough fixtures. For all their occasional brilliance, this United team is deeply flawed, and if they win the title this season it will be due to the failings of their rivals.
Despite their hard fought victory against United last week, Liverpool will not win the Premiership this season. At the moment they are not so much a team as a defence plus Michael Owen. They are more dependant on the little striker than any junkie: as demonstrated last Sunday against Arsenal, in front of goal, his impotence is Liverpool's impotence.
Under the guidance of Phil "Pinocchio" Thompson, Liverpool have metamorphosed from one of the most exciting teams in Europe last year (the UEFA Cup Final, anybody!) into possibly the dullest and most defensive. He appears incapable of changing a game around - something Houllier excelled at, and not only does he play with his midfielders tucked in, these days Gerrard and Hammann rarely venture beyond the half-way line.
Thanks to the much-celebrated criminal delinquency of his players O'Leary's Leeds have of late, had their name dragged through the proverbial mud. I still have absolutely no doubt that in another life, Danny Mills was some sort of felon (a highwayman or armed robber perhaps), Bowyer a hired thug, and Alan Smith a serial killer. Nevertheless, so long as enough of them remain on the pitch, they are a very capable team: Rio Ferdinand captains the best defence in England, their midfield is industrious, while Fowler and Viduka have struck up a formidable partnership in attack.
At the same point last year Leeds were tenth - their subsequent spring form took them up to fourth. A similar run of form this season would make them favourites for the title. Their season could be decided by their next run of fixtures notably Wednesday's game away to Chelsea, followed by Liverpool at home on February 3rd.
This leaves Arsenal. As an attacking force, they remain fearsome - second only, perhaps to United. Henry is a player of considerable brilliance, Pires one of the best wide men in the division, and Ljungberg is such a good finisher he makes up for the shortcomings of Kanu and Wiltord in that area. The chant "boring, boring Arsenal" can well and truly be laid to rest, as Arsenal have scored in every match this season, and yet had failed to win a single match one-nil before Sunday's Cup tie. And if Mr Wenger's men can avoid the red cards and bookings that continually blight them, they might yet make the most convincing challenge to United. Then again, there is always Newcastle.
31st Jan 2002