As Berbatov strode around Man United HQ in the small hours, sleeping Wayne Rooney was probably having a great dream about a bubblegum goat. Unfortunately, he will have awoken this morning to a nightmare as two sad truths set in: a. the amazing goat wasn’t real, and b. Berbatov’s arrival at Old Trafford means his prime spot in the team has been taken.
Ferguson has been shifting Rooney around for ages, often squeezing him into the team with all the grace of a tot jamming a square peg into a round hole,
Yes, the deal isn’t quite done yet, but Man United always get their man - Tevez, Hargreaves, Carrick, Rooney, Ferdinand, Kleberson… to name just six. In fact, Berbatov eventually packing up his smokes and venturing up north has never really been in doubt, and in a chilling moment of honesty, Sir Alex even admitted to watching the Bulgarian from afar for the last seven long years. This is a love affair that was always going to happen. It’s their destiny.
Yet, patient or not, Ferguson is making a big mistake. Berbatov is a brilliant player, that’s never been in doubt, but how could the red-nosed Scot possibly squeeze him into the first team without ruffling feathers and obliterating egos? Has greed finally got the better of him?
Cynics suggest that Drogba is capable of cheating on purpose
Now, obviously The Spoiler has no fixed opinion on anything - being more of an open ear rather than a judgmental yammering gob - but the whisper in the undergrowth is that Drogba might have got himself sent of on purpose to avoid taking the dreaded fifth penalty. An interesting theory, and not completely out of the question.
As absolutely everyone knows, before the biggest match of the season, the battle begins in the press. We like to call it The Battle of the Brains. Already Chelsea and Man United have been trading blows like furious tots in a street fight.
Rooney on Drogba: Sometimes it seems as if his head is not there, but when he is playing at his best he is an unbelievable player.
Vidic on Drogba: Sometimes he goes in very strong, and sometimes he pretends he is very weak. He plays with your mind and tries to make you think about the next tackle. He can pretend he fell down to win a penalty, but referees know that. The Champions League final is a big game and I’m sure the ref will know his job.
The Manchester Utd masterplan relies on another six points
Those who weren’t distracted by female steward kickings and groundsmen brawls on Saturday may have noticed that Sir Alex left Tevez and Ronaldo out of the starting line up, and played the cautious negative play that we were all treated to at the Nou Camp. It’s fair to rest some players for the Champions League games, but Fergie’s nonchalance at this stage of the title race could prove very costly.
So, were his cocky tactics a wise decision in light of United’s run in, or will it prove to be his undoing when West Ham or Wigan spoil the party?
