United must make changes

ALEX FERGUSON has admitted changes will have to be made if Manchester United are to balance respect with honours on the Champions League stage.

As the inquest began into Arsenal's stunning Premiership capitulation, Ferguson spent mere moments celebrating his eighth league title success before pledging to increase United's European Cup haul.

The message for the star names he has moulded into kings of England once again is clear winning at home just isn't considered good enough.

Ferguson will search for the defensive experience required to stop the rampaging Real Madrid forwards running through his team as they did on two separate occasions last month and also look for the creative cunning which can unlock the meanest defences.

"We have to address the issue of the European Cup, because it is not good enough for a side like ours to have only won it twice," said the United chief.

"Our form at times has been terrific and we have not had the best of luck but we must demand more of ourselves.

"We've got some young defenders who've got to improve. We don't have the same level of experience as Juventus and Real Madrid.

"They will improve, but we need it to develop and get to a level where we can win the European Cup again.

"I also feel we need to add something to the party in terms of cunning and those little nuances you get in European football that we have sometimes let ourselves down with.

"It's not about ability and certainly not ambition, it's just those little things that make a difference."

Rio Ferdinand and Juan Sebastian Veron would do well to pay heed to those comments, as, at a cost of almost £60 million, they are the attributes they were supposed to bring to the Old Trafford squad.

While both look safe for now, Ferguson has proved plenty of times in the past that he is not scared of confronting players with big reputations. Jaap Stam is still bleating about his treatment at the hands of the fiery Scotsman and Fabien Barthez's position does not look too secure, even though he has spent most of the season standing behind the tightest defence in the league.

The blinkered manner in which Ferguson has embraced his latest triumph should also provide comfort to United's legion of fans, who can relax in the summer safe in the knowledge that their club is still being handled by a man for whom second best is not acceptable.

Arsenal might point to Villa Park and Bolton as the places where their title slipped away, but the real answer lies in Ferguson's decision to reverse his intention to retire 18 months ago.

Faced with a mountain of injuries, a humiliating defeat at Maine Road and an eight-point deficit to make up in the final two months of the season, there is no-one else who could have approached the task with such determination and resolve.

"Making that decision not to retire is probably the best I have ever made," admitted Ferguson. "The minute I decided to pick up the tools again, I got something back. I started thinking of the future and planning ahead and I have really enjoyed it."

Which is bad news for Ferguson's rivals, notably a crestfallen Arsene Wenger, whose 'over-confidence' was exposed by the United boss, who knew his team would eventually emerge victorious when Arsenal were beaten at Blackburn hours after his own side had won a scrappy contest at Aston Villa.

"I knew we had a great chance after that because I felt they would drop points," he said.

"Once you start to stumble it gets in your mind and there is nothing you can do about it.

"It will be a big disappointment to them, because the title appeared to be in their grasp for a long time.

"But the battle's over now and we expect them to be challengers again next year."

What can also be expected next year are more goals from United's lethal striker, Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Ferguson's judgement in the transfer market might be questioned in relation to Ferdinand, Veron and the five goalkeepers who have tried to replace Peter Schmeichel, but not the value of the free-scoring Dutchman.

With 43 goals this season alone, the 26-year-old has proved to be an £18.5 million bargain and, after ignoring fitness concerns to sign him just 12 months after a career-threatening cruciate knee ligament injury, even Ferguson cannot believe just how good the former PSV man has become.

"Without question, Ruud's form has been the deciding factor," said Ferguson of a player who has scored in each of United's last nine games, netting 14 goals in the process.

"I knew he was going to become a great player, but I must say I didn't know quite how good he was going to become.

"He has surprised me almost every week."