Manchester United will be driven to win the Premier League this season by the shocking last-minute failure in 2011/12.
The players felt the loss every bit as much as the fans; they will have been sad, frustrated, disappointed and probably above all angry with themselves. With a few matches to go it was United's trophy to lose...and they did.
For all the credit that goes to City for their first title in 40 years or so, they didn't win it. Manchester United lost it. Like they lost a game against Tottenham a couple of weeks ago that they should have won. And against Everton.
It is easy to say that every team is hungry for success. Who, for example, could argue with Steven Gerrard being hungry when, in an illustrious career as one of England's best-ever midfield players, he has never won the Premier League.
It must hurt even more when he remembers that he turned down the chance to join United. Was it because no player transfers directly between the teams? Was it because he couldn't leave Liverpool? Or was it because he honestly thought it was only a matter of time before the Scousers prevailed?
And what about Arsenal? They have not won a trophy of any kind for seven years, nor the Premier League for eight. In the previous seven years they won 11 trophies.
Or even Chelsea? They may have won seven Cups and three EPL titles since Abramovich took over but have only won the latter once in the last six years. He has spent big to try and re-establish them as top dogs in England and Europe.
Drive and determination
For those outside Old Trafford it is sometimes hard to comprehend how strong is the drive and determination to prevail. As a group of players, the core is bigger and has been together longer than any of United's contenders.
It's not just that they remember what it was like to lose on that final day, in those final two minutes, last season. And how much it hurts. It's also that most of them know what it's like to win a Premier League title, over and over.
And don't even start to believe that there is any complacency. Sir Alex is the most passionate and driven of the whole bunch of them. He's not just a winner and fiercely determined. He hates losing and that transmits itself to all the players at every level.
Why would Robin van Persie, who has won nothing at Arsenal, choose United over City? Because he knows that if he comes to Old Trafford, he will win things. He knows that he will play with better players. He knows that he himself will become an even better player. Scary!
Manchester United are renowned for their strength in the second half of the season. As a team they are at their best when the chips are down. How many times this season have they already come back from conceding the first goal to win?
Ever since the resurgence of Chelsea and the arrival of Mansour's City, Sir Alex's preoccupation has been to get a good start to the season because he knows that after January he will have the fittest squad and the most experienced in depth because of his rotation policy.
By January he will have several young players busting a gut to displace their senior counterparts and desperate to win their first trophy. And the seniors will be desperate to add to their haul.
So why will Manchester United win the Premier League this season?
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar