Back on track as Goose laying down the law
It was never going to be a walkover and we still have a team which is rediscovering itself after nearly six months of attempted new tactics, changed training and an alternative managerial style.
Steve Bruce did his team a disservice by his embarrassing whine about the two Chelsea goals. They were good goals, he should accept that Wigan were beaten by only a very slightly better side and should congratulate his players for making such a close game of it.
Lampard is the most visibly revitalised player under Hiddink as we once again see him marauding up through the park and either bursting into the penalty box or shooting from distance — something that was rare under Scolari. Not far behind Lamps, Drogba too seems to have rediscovered his mojo, but you wonder for how long?
He splits opinion like no other player in our recent history.
His petulance, mood swings, inappropriate interviews, mixed performances have all contributed to my lukewarm thoughts of him — and I’d say at least half of our support feels the same. The more pragmatic Blues have accepted he is what he is. But even these fans don’t necessarily love him.
Part of Drogba’s petulance I think is down to the fact that we refuse to accept him unconditionally for all his (many) flaws. But Chelsea fans are not like that. They would more readily accept and take to their hearts an average player who gives body and soul in every game — like Joey Jones for example, than a truly gifted player who picks and chooses when to play.
Marseille accepted Drogba unconditionally and the love affair between them never ended. It would not surprise me to see him finish his career there. That said, in a recent interview he admitted he has made mistakes and perhaps we are seeing the beginnings of a maturity that has previously escaped him.
If it’s another false dawn we will have to accept him in the same way United fans have accepted the revolting aspects of Rooney and Ronaldo — though I imagine the swearing, diving, and kicking is easier to take as the effort and will to win is not compromised by the darker sides of their personalities.
As for Hiddink, he is obviously doing something right as players are speaking of confidence and the winning mentality once again. I like the stern and serious manner he adopts in post-match interviews and it’s good to hear him speak his mind rather than regurgitating clichés which tell us nothing at all. He’s even got his own song: “We’ll take a drink, a drink, a drink to Guus Hiddink, Hiddink, Hiddink” — no mean feat in three games.
Most of us can concede that the league has gone, but I don’t subscribe to the commonly repeated assertion that this United team is one of the best, if not the best in their history. They are where they are thanks to decent results and hard work but also sadly because Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea have made a pig’s ear of the season. The Scousers put on a small show of defiance, but that lasted only as long as it took Rafa to lose the plot, and Wenger has not even managed to get Arsenal a convincing place among the also-rans.
Our issues have been well-publicised and one can’t help to wonder what could have been had we put the right man in the job in August. But now is not the time to look back. There is a sense that the worst is behind us; Essien and Carvalho are playing for the reserves and the squad is beginning to look stronger and more balanced. We have almost 5,500 Blues travelling up to Coventry this weekend, and then we have just enough time to get back, pack a bag and head for Turin. The next 10 days could be the defining period in our season and perhaps Goose’s future. Players, manager, supporters all have their part to play and for the first time since the early stages of the season, all are united. Let’s go for it and give the Mancs an uncomfortable ride to the end of the season. It would be wrong not to.
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