NIKE MANCHESTER UNITED 2012/13 HOME KIT
Nike have released the new Manchester United home kit inspired by the city’s industrious past this season. The 2012-13 shirt will feature the iconic gingham check that hailed from Manchester’s famous cotton mills.
Manchester United Football club’s success has been founded on the traditional values of respect and hard work. Those values are what made Manchester the city it is and from the mid 18th century the cotton mills there were prolific in the industry. From those mills came the gingham fabric, an iconic check that like Manchester United is famous around the world and is now – for the first time – used on a Manchester United home shirt.
The tonal gingham in traditional and iconic red gives the home shirt a bold new look. The black v-neck collar gives the shirt a contemporary look. The inner back neck graphic on the shirt reads, ‘Forged in Industry, Striving for Glory’; paying tribute to the cities industrial past but also the club’s hard-working ethos.
The outer neck graphic is the iconic devil symbol so synonymous around the world with Manchester United whilst a diagonal hatched graphic on the white shorts is a subtle link to the gingham used on the shirt.
The socks are black with a red detail on the top and a white devil icon. They offer a new and innovative design featuring an updated cotton footbed offering the support and comfort enjoyed by professionals to all that wear them.
Whilst the kit combines modern sport and youth style to give the club an iconic new look, Nike’s innovation gives the team our most technologically advanced kit to aid athlete comfort and performance.
The new home kit is made from Nike’s ground-breaking recycled polyester, making it Nike’s most environmentally friendly kit ever produced. Each kit (shirt and shorts) is made using up to thirteen recycled plastic water bottles. This innovative manufacturing process reduces energy consumption by up to 30% compared to manufacturing traditional polyester. Since 2010 Nike has used an estimated 1115 million recycled plastic bottles to create its high performance kits.
The kits are made out of 23% lighter fabric with 20% stronger knit structure than Nike’s previous kits and feature Nike Dri-FIT technology to wick moisture away from athletes to help keep them cool and dry on-pitch.
Kits have bonded re-enforced t-bar junctions that support critical seams on the shirt and shorts and inner welded seams with a flat finish construction to improve comfort and performance. Temperature regulation is helped by ventilation zones, consisting of a series of tiny laser cut holes from the under arms to the waistband, allowing air to circulate to keep players comfortable.
Nike Pro Combat base-layers are used by athletes to compliment playing kits to further improve comfort and increase protection from injury. Whilst fans and players can enjoy the Nike’s Manchester United Sportswear collection off the pitch, inspired by the club’s heritage.
DANNY WELBECK FEATURES IN NIKE MANCHESTER UNITED SPORTSWEAR COLLECTION
The “new master” of Old Trafford Danny Welbeck, of Manchester United and England, showcases the new NIKE Sportswear collection designed and inspired by his club side.
Danny as an eight-year-old had been training at Manchester City and dreaming of one day being a pro. City decided to skip on signing Danny just before Christmas. In the New Year Welbeck senior passed on the news but Danny didn’t seem fazed. “Dad took me to one side,” recalls Welbeck thirteen years later. “He had this concerned look on his face and told me that City had called before Christmas and wouldn’t be having me back. I was like, why didn’t you just tell me dad, it’s not a problem.”
With a shrug of the shoulders, the youngster simply went back to playing and got on with doing what came naturally. “I carried on at my club Fletcher Moss, scored a load more goals and soon I was at Manchester United.” He pauses and grins. “I never looked back.”
It’s not a cocky grin, far from it. Welbeck is a softly spoken, polite young man. He is a credit to his family and his club but behind the niceties is a strong athlete, equipped with an inner steel and self-confidence that makes playing for Manchester United and England feel normal.
Being a fan and part of the set-up at United from such a young age means Welbeck is well versed on the club’s long held ethos that always celebrates and embraces youthful vigor. If you are a good enough, you are old enough. “You know that the boss and the club are keen to give youth its chance and that gives the lads such a lift,” says Welbeck.
“It goes back to the Busby Babes who did their stuff in the 1950’s and that history is ingrained in the place. When you sign your scholarship you are taken around the club, you visit the museum, you are taught about the history and the young lads benefit from knowing what the place is about.”
“I grew up idolising the class of 1992; the guys I came through the ranks with took great inspiration from them. To suddenly be there sharing a pitch and a dressing-room with some of them is incredible.”
It didn’t take long for Welbeck’s elder first team colleagues to realise that their new young striker was there to do more than just meet his heroes. In 2008, coming on as a sub against Stoke at Old Trafford in the 63rd minute, it took only twenty minutes before he played a one-two forty yards from goal, carried the ball forward and unleashed an exocet of a shot into the top corner in front of the Stretford End. How did that feel? “Indescribable”.
Another thing Welbeck finds it hard to shed light on is the moment as a boy that he realised he was actually very good at his sport, the instant he realised that moments like that first goal at Old Trafford would be common place. “I was just into playing football, I wanted to play. I loved it. I guess I did get the ball and just run through everyone sometimes and score, but it just felt normal.”
Welbeck’s brother Chris, who is accompanying him on the shoot, is able to shed some light on the moment he knew that his sibling was extra special. “It was an FA Youth Cup semi-final against Arsenal in 2007. Danny was two years younger than most of the others and the team were losing at Old Trafford. Danny stepped up, made one and scored the winner. I sat in the stands and thought, he’s going to do this, he’s going to go all the way.”
For Welbeck, those skills would have to be matched by patience as his Manager chose to first send him on loan in early 2010, where he suffered injury, before sending him away again, this time further afield to the North-East where he spent the entire 2010-11 season.
That’s where that inner steel came once again to the fore. Some youngsters might have taken two stints out on loan as a sign they weren’t rated or wanted. Not Welbeck. “I took it as a positive. If you go away feeling down, you won’t do well so I got on with it and felt I did well. Last season was great for me. I got loads of Premier League experience and it felt good.”
“I had never been away from mum and dad, and there I am miles away from home, in a new city and I had to fend for myself. I learnt to cook and clean. I guess you could say I grew up. My cooking wasn’t that good at first but soon it got OK. Having said that I am back home now and it’s back to mum’s cooking!”
That ‘glass half-full’ outlook on life has served him well. He’s back in the United team as an integral part of an exciting, young squad but is also interesting the England manager who will be pleased to have fresh, positive players around a new squad; players unscathed by the perceived failures of the past.
Welbeck is certainly excited by his first steps into the international arena. “The youth is getting its chance and quality players are showing themselves to be up to it. I don’t think this crop will look back, and it is so exciting to be a part of it.” But isn’t he worried that like those before him, a new set of talented players will be burdened by such hyperbole as the previous ‘Golden Generation’?
“There are always expectations and you have to deal with them. Don’t focus on them, just play your normal game and feel at home.”
Wise words but Welbeck is quick to point out that his success so far means very little and that he is a young man still learning his trade. He is keen to adapt, to get better and be every bit the modern striker. “I don’t want to be a static centre-forward who just sniffs out goals in the six-yard box. I see the game moving on, I need to have movement, be a player who can stretch defences.”
“I like to be mobile. I have played on the wing so I like to drift and make space for my teammates. I don’t want to just score goals, I want to create chances for my team and hopefully I am. I can drop off, move wide, link up.”
Literally thinking outside the box has to be a help to a young striker who everyday works with some of the finest goal getters in the game. “Shooting practice is quality. Every ball is in the corner and as one of the young players you want to match that and prove you belong.”
And what of his manager? Once a striker. Does he still know where the goal is? “The boss doesn’t join in anymore but he’s always telling us what a great goalscorer he was.” If Welbeck has anything to do with it, you sense that the Manager will soon be telling everyone what a great goalscorer he has too.
BOOT SPOTTING: EVRA SWITCHES TO TIEMPOS
Last night Manchester United played their second preseason fixture on their tour in the United States. The game against the Seattle Sounders proved to not much more than target practice for the United forwards as Fergie’s men put 7 past a hapless Sounders side.
We did notice United’s French fullback Patrice Evra wearing he recently released Nike Tiempo Legend IV Elite boots. Evra has been a T90 wearer for most of his United career but we first got a heads up that change was coming when Evra appeared in some of Nike’s PR images for the new Manchester United away kit in Tiempos. It isn’t the biggest surprise as Evra has often opted for the leather versions of the T90 in anyway. Evra joins fellow Tiempo wearer Park Ji-Sung in the new Elite boots and we wonder who else may be making a switch.
NIKE MANCHESTER UNITED 2011/12 AWAY KIT
This season Manchester United will play in a striking blue and black away kit, inspired by the blue kits worn in several of their most famous victories, including the 1948 FA Cup final and the 1968 European Cup final.
The new away shirt consists of a royal blue body and sleeves with hoops made of small midnight navy blue and black stripes. There are exactly eleven stripes in each hoop to represent each member of the United team. The pattern of the shirt is modelled on a previous United away shirt, which consisted of red and white hoops and was worn for seven seasons between 1932 and 1939. It was also briefly adopted as their home shirt for the last two months of the 1933-34 season.
While the history and tradition of the club is present in the shirt design, the new away kit is made from Nike’s ground-breaking recycled polyester – which for the first time includes both the shirt and shorts. Each complete kit is made up of up to thirteen reclaimed plastic water bottles. This new manufacturing process reduces energy consumption by up to 30% compared to manufacturing traditional polyester and saves nearly 100 million plastic water bottles from being dumped at landfill sites.
The away shorts are entirely black except for the same hoop from the shirt consisting of eleven midnight navy blue and black stripes being featured at the bottom of the back of each leg. The new away socks are black with a small white devil from the club crest on the calf and a royal blue band at the top.
The lightweight kits (13% lighter than previous versions) actively regulate the players’ body temperatures on the pitch to keep them dry and cool at all times through use of Nike Dri-FIT technology. This technology draws sweat away from the player’s body through the material where it can evaporate. Temperature regulation is helped by ventilation zones, consisting of hundreds of tiny laser cut holes from the under arms to the waistband, allowing air to circulate to keep players dry, cool and comfortable. For the first time the club crest on the front of the shirt is heat transferred, making it even lighter and crucially allowing this area to now be ventilated as well.
The shirt has a new aerodynamic fit this season, now slimmer and more athletic, providing 17% more stretch than the Manchester United shirt of two years ago. While a bonded hem offers a streamlined look that reduces irritation caused by chafing.
To complement the new match day kit Nike has launched a unique Manchester United line of training and lifestyle clothing for both players and fans to wear on and off the pitch.
The kit and extended line are now available for purchase.
We were a little surprised to see the above PR image. United’s French full-back Patrice Evra has been a T90 Laser wearer for years but is in a pair of the Tiempo Legend IV Elite boots for the new PR campaign.
NIKE MANCHESTER UNITED HOME KIT 2011/12
Nike have unveiled Manchester United’s new home kit inspired by the traditional red, white and black club colours infused with a distinctive pattern iconic in club history.
The body of the shirt is traditional red with a white crafted crew neck collar and central black stripe to replicate the design of the club’s iconic bar scarf, which has previously appeared on the shirts of legendary United sides of the past, including the 1977 and 1985 FA Cup winners, and on the back of the 2008 Champions League and Barclays Premier League winners.
The retro bar scarf is an instantly recognisable Manchester United pattern, held aloft by fans and players in times of both celebration and remembrance.
Inside the front of the shirt, on the back of the club crest, is the phrase ‘Relentless’, which perfectly captures United’s pursuit of success and drive to consistently win the greatest trophies in club football.
While the history and tradition of the club is present in the shirt design, the new home kit is made from Nike’s ground-breaking recycled polyester – which for the first time includes both the shirt and shorts.
Each complete kit is made up of up to thirteen reclaimed plastic water bottles. This new manufacturing process reduces energy consumption by up to 30% compared to manufacturing traditional polyester and saves nearly 100 million plastic water bottles from being dumped at landfill sites.
On the back of the shirt below the neck is a small devil from the club crest, while inside the neck reads ‘Manchester United.’ The home shorts this season are entirely white except for a small woven tab on the hem, which also features the black and white stripe from the United bar scarf. The new home socks are black with a small white devil from the club crest on the calf and a red, white and black striped band at the top. For the first time the club crest on the front of the shirt is heat transferred, making it even lighter and crucially allowing this area to now be ventilated as well.
The light weight kits (13% lighter than previous versions) actively regulate the players’ body temperatures on the pitch to keep them dry and cool at all times through use of Nike Dri-FIT technology. This technology draws sweat away from the player’s body through the material where it can evaporate. Temperature regulation is helped by ventilation zones, consisting of hundreds of tiny laser cut holes from the under arms to the waistband, allowing air to circulate to keep players dry, cool and comfortable. The shirt has a new aerodynamic fit this season, now slimmer and more athletic, providing 17% more stretch than the Manchester United shirt of two years ago. While a bonded hem offers a streamlined look that reduces irritation caused by chafing.
To compliment the new match day kit Nike has launched a unique Manchester United line of training and lifestyle clothing for both players and fans to wear on and off the pitch.
“As players, we get excited when we see the new kit. It’s a great feeling to wear it.” – Wayne Rooney
“It’s just a great buzz to pull on the shirt. I feel very privileged to be able to wear it.” – Michael Carrick
“When I wear the shirt I feel like I have the club’s history on my back. That’s why I always give 100 per cent whenever I play in the shirt.” – Patrice Evra
The kit and extended line is available for pre-order from 24 May 2011
THE FA COMMUNITY SHIELD
Chelsea and Manchester United will face each other for the second successive year in the 88th FA Community Shield, the annual Premier League curtain raiser. The two teams also competed against each other in the 2007 match. Manchester United have won the trophy a record 15 times (albeit 4 of those were shared victories). Chelsea, who are the current holders, will look to add to their 4 wins.
In 2007, Manchester United won on penalties while Chelsea managed to turn that result around last season winning 4-1 on penalties. Most expect these two sides to be the Premier League title contenders again this season so it is interesting to look at their pre-season form as we try to decide on who, if either, has the momentum.
Chelsea’s pre-season has been slightly disappointing by their standards, The Blues have lost to Ajax, Eintracht Frankfurt and Hamburg. They did secure a 1-0 win over Crystal Palace however. Manchester United on the other hand have recorded good wins over Celtic, Philadelphia Union, the MLS All-Stars and a League of Ireland XI who they beat 7-1. United did suffer losses to Kansas City Wizards and C.D. Guadalajara.
Having said all that… Pre-season form doesn’t always tell you very much as managers are giving new signings and young players plenty of game time. And let’s not forget that many of the World Cup players have only just rejoined the squads after missing most of those games. So perhaps both sides come into this clash with a ‘clean slate’ and will be looking to stomp some authority on the other.
Community Shield’s are seldom ‘classics’ but don’t be fooled into thinking they are meaningless. One thing both managers will be very keen to avoid is injuries to key players. And this is where the Wembley pitch may come into the equation. Many players have fallen foul of the poor surface at the home of the FA. The field’s thick, heavy grass and uneven surface is a disaster waiting to happen. Fingers crossed we don’t lose a Rooney or Lampard for a month because of a questionable tackle or a caught stud.
At the end of the day it is not so much about lifting the shield but more about bragging rights for the fans, a boost of confidence for the up-coming campaign and an opportunity to raise funds for various charities throughout England.
NIKE MANCHESTER UNITED AWAY KIT
We recently profiled the new Manchester United home kit and provided you with a glimpse of their away kit. Now we can share more images of the new Nike kit that Manchester United will wear on the road this season. Manchester United’s new away kit returns to the club’s traditional away colours of white and black, which have been worn throughout their history, and are the preference of United’s manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
The new away shirt possesses the same distinctive features as the home version, but has a white body and a round-neck collar. On both sleeves of the shirt is a bold splash of colour in the form of a black and red graphic divided by a jagged white chevron, which gives the shirt an intimidating and warrior-style appearance.
The away shorts this season are black with a white stripe containing black and red half chevrons on each side, with the Red Devil from the club crest at the bottom of the right side. The new home socks are white with a black top and a red ergonomic chevron on the back of each calf.
MANCHESTER UNITED 2010/11 HOME AND AWAY KIT BY NIKE
Innovative Kit Design Maximizes Performance Benefits and
Reduces Environmental Impact with Recycled Fabric
It has been a bit of a wait for the new Manchester United kit to be launched here in South African. The wait has been worth it and we are pleased that it is now over. The launch of the new Manchester United club kits showcase a new design approach intended to maximize performance while minimizing environmental impact. The kits highlight Manchester United’s unique heritage with traditional graphics, while incorporating lightweight design and recycled fabric.
The new kits reflect the design innovation and premium detailing demanded by football’s elite players. A combination of renewable fabric sourcing, new design aesthetic and numerous nods to Manchester United’s rich history set a new standard for the club uniforms.
For the first time in the club’s history, the new shirts are made entirely from recycled polyester, with each shirt directly produced from up to eight plastic water bottles found at waste disposal sites in Japan and Taiwan. The bottles are thoroughly cleaned, reduced to tiny flakes, melted into a yarn and spun for kit fabrication. This new manufacturing process reduces energy consumption by up to 30% compared to manufacturing traditional polyester.
With the new manufacturing process, Nike has saved nearly 13 million plastic water bottles, a total of around 254,000 kg of polyester waste that can take up to 500 years to naturally decompose. Every recycled bottle used to make these kits laid from top to bottom would cover over 3,000 kilometers, or 29 football pitches.
The kits allow players to maintain their optimum body temperature and perform at their peak on the pitch by helping keep them dry and cool. The new Nike Dri-FIT fabric, 13% lighter than previous kits, helps to quickly evaporate moisture by drawing it to the surface to enhance breathability by up to 7% more than previous versions. The innovative ventilation zones along each side of the jersey, below the waistband and near the base of the spine on the shorts, significantly increases air penetration to keep players cooler.
“We’re continually evolving our kit design for the world’s elite clubs and the new Manchester United unveil is a proud moment for Nike,” said Phil Dickinson, Nike Global Football Creative Director. “The Club’s deep tradition perfectly complements our innovative design and manufacturing process.”
The jersey’s new dynamic fit and double knit structure gives it a sleeker appearance, while offering 10% more stretch than the last Manchester United jersey. The jersey silhouette follows the body’s natural contours for maximum movement and airflow.
This season Manchester United will return to playing in a red shirt with a traditional white collar, an evocative combination worn by the greatest sides in the club’s history; the Busby Babes, the holy trinity of Law, Best and Charlton, and the 1999 Treble winners.
The body of the shirt is red with a white polo-neck collar, while on both shoulders is a white stripe consisting of red and black half chevrons, and on the left sleeve is a Red Devil from the club crest. On the back of the shirt below the neck is ‘MUFC’ while across most of the back is an engineered mesh of perforated holes in the shape of a shattered chevron, which is designed to cool the spine.
The chevron, replicating the pattern United wore on their shirts when Old Trafford was first opened exactly 100 years ago, is featured prominently on the torso of last year’s home shirt and has been retained and subtly integrated in to this kit. There is also a thin black stripe on the hem, and a spilt on each side to give the shirt a more fashionable appearance, while also being more forgiving for players on the pitch.
Inside the shirt, on the back of the club crest, is a graphic that reads ‘Believe’, the simple and inspiring message behind two of United’s greatest triumphs of the modern era. In 1999 United ran newspaper advertisements with the message ‘Believe’ on the morning of United’s victory over in Barcelona, and two years ago in Moscow the same message was displayed on cards held up by United fans before their victory over in the final.
The home shorts this season are white with a black stripe containing white and red half chevrons on each side, with the Red Devil from the club crest on the bottom of the right side. The new home socks are black with a red top and a white ergonomic chevron on the back of each calf.
GOAL KEEPER HOME AND AWAY KIT
AWAY KIT
Manchester United’s new away kit also returns to the club’s traditional away colors of white and black, which have been worn throughout their history, and are the preference of the United manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
The new away shirt possesses the same distinctive features as the home version, but has a white body and a round-neck collar. On both sleeves of the shirt is a bold splash of color in the form of a black and red graphic divided by a jagged white chevron, which gives the shirt an intimidating and warrior-style appearance.
The away shorts this season are black with a white stripe containing black and red half chevrons on each side, with the Red Devil from the club crest at the bottom of the right side. The new home socks are white with a black top and a red ergonomic chevron on the back of each calf.
ORLANDO PIRATES AMONGST TOP TWENTY GLOBAL TEAMS FOR MUPC FINALS
Orlando Pirates’ youth squad ready to take on international teams at annual Manchester United Premier Cup Global Finals
Manchester, United Kingdom, is preparing to welcome some of the most talented young footballers on the planet for the World Finals of the Manchester United Premier Cup. Over 9,400 teams started on the journey last summer, to reach the final stages of a competition which will see the top twenty under-15 teams battle for the title of the MUPC Champions of the World from 4 – 7 August.
The under-15 Orlando Pirates squad will depart on Saturday to represent South Africa at the most prestigious under-15 tournament in the world. The squad has been going through their paces at Nike’s new Football Training Centre in Soweto, ensuring that they are in optimum shape ahead of the tournament.
Orlando Pirates have vast experience at MUPC, and in this world championship year, are particularly determined to improve on previous results. “We have developed specialized training sessions with a different technical focus for each player. Although we hope to improve on our previous performances, our main concern in Manchester will be to reduce the pressure on our young players to succeed,” said Augusto Palacios, under-15 Coach, Orlando Pirates.
Originally founded by Nike in 1993, Premier Cup was taken to new heights ten years later when Manchester United added their name to the tournament where youngsters – from grassroots teams to some of the biggest names in football – meet in the ultimate test of their abilities, their passion and their desire to win in the Manchester United Premier Cup.
Over a million youngsters have enjoyed the MUPC experience to date, many going on to become global superstars. No fewer than 25 tournament “old boys” were called up to represent their country in South Africa- including an incredible SIX players in Spain’s championship-winning side, namely Torres, Fábregas, Piqué, “Xavi” Hernández, Iker Casillas and winning goal-scorer Andrés Iniesta.
Iniesta was Tournament MVP and also scored the winning ‘golden goal” in 1999 as FC Barcelona lifted their first Premier Cup World Trophy: “Premier Cup is a “dream come true” for young footballers. Such an intense level of competition is a great opportunity to test and improve your abilities against some of the best young players in the world. You should take pride in your performance and work hard for your team – every second of every match.”
“Obviously I wish the team from Barcelona all the best – but to every young footballer travelling to Manchester: Give it your all and make the most of this opportunity to pursue your dreams – your future starts here!”
FC Barcelona was the first team to lift the trophy for a second time. Brazil’s 2000 Premier Cup World Champions Internaçional may be looking to secure a 2nd World Finals trophy for their cabinet. FC Porto won the inaugural edition back in 1994 before the tournament went global in 1997 and have since only reached 2nd place, but are on a winning streak after beating FC Barcelona in this year’s tournament in Bilbao whilst six times World Finalists Paris Saint-Germain are determined to improve on their best finish to date, second place in 2005.
2009 Runners-up SV Werder Bremen battled their way through three penalty shoot-outs in Germany’s MUPC Finals in Berlin to qualify for Manchester. In the light of last year’s defeat by Sao Paulo, Coach Marco Grote cites South American teams as the most dangerous.
Host team Manchester United’s best showing to date was when they reached the final at Old Trafford back in 2004, only to lose out to local rivals Manchester City. This year’s UK qualifiers are Newcastle United, at the final stages for the first time this year, alongside Italian qualifiers Torino FC who secured their place after beating FC Juventus in a thrilling 4-2 final encounter.
Colo Colo will represent Chile for the fourth time in Manchester and aim for a top ten finish.
Turkish football Academy Bucaspor were surprise winners of the European Qualification tournament in Denmark.
Other teams qualifying for Manchester for the first time this year include Pachuca FC from Mexico, Japan’s Kyoto Sanga FC, Sutherland Sharks FC from Australia, India’s Shillong Lajong FC and Malaysian team MSS Kedah.
China’s Changchun Yatai FC narrowly won their place in Manchester with skilful displays throughout their national tournament; whilst three times Korean MUPC Champions Ulsan Hyundai Middle School cruised into this year’s World Finals with a stunning 4-1 final match.
Another team with a long journey to Manchester is the Right to Dream Academy from Ghana. Academy Manager Andy Farrant hopes the team can improve on previous 5th & 3rd place finishes, but admits: “As always in tournament conditions, the draw will be crucial. We just hope our boys perform at their best, it’s impossible to ask for any more than that. If their best can take us all the way to the final, then we will be delighted of course, but if not, we can still be satisfied that we gave it our all, and that the boys could do no more in their pursuit of victory.”
DID TORRES DIG HIS (LIVERPOOL’S) OWN GRAVE? THE HOT HEAD VS THE COOL HEAD
There are very few match ups in football that are played with such passion, intensity and fire as the Liverpool v Manchester United derby. Last Saturday was the 21st of March 2010 and Manchester United played host to their Merseyside neighbours at Old Trafford. Liverpool have come away with three wins out of their last three meetings with Sir Alex Ferguson’s United. However Liverpool’s frustration has been growing over the years as they have watched United (under Sir Alex), catch, equal and now possibly even surpass their record number of League titles. 18 is the number they now find themselves tied on and that certainly won’t be improved upon by Liverpool this season. United, on the other hand have a great chance of becoming the all time leading title winning club in England. Liverpool are stuck in a battle (an uphill one) to secure a place in the Champions League next season – something they will need to do in order to retain their service of stars such as Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres. Both players are winners. They want to win. No. They need to win. Losing is not a disappointment; it is a disease they avoid at any cost. All this came to a climax last Saturday.
Fernando Torres (still not fully match fit) found himself in acres of space and slotted home a brilliant header to give Liverpool the lead at Old Trafford. His joy was short-lived however as Mascherano brought down Valencia in the box to concede (an obvious) penalty. Any team will contest a penalty decision and so it was with Liverpool. Torres’ frustration boiled over and what resulted was an intriguing series of events. Torres, who was standing on the penalty spot swung his leg widely and removed a chunk of green from the spot. Was it cheating? Some will say he could have been carded for ‘unsportsmanlike conduct’. Whether or not he deserved a card isn’t all that important. Nor is it important whether or not he was deliberately trying to ‘cheat’. Rooney’s penalty wasn’t the best but in the end he did slot it home as Reina’s parry only helped it back into the England hitman’s path. The significance of the ‘hacked’ piece of turf may just have had great impact on the game in the second half. With the score poised at 2-1 (advantage United), Gerrard received a ball on the right flank and whipped it across the box towards Torres. The Spaniard got an unlucky bobble and the ball went spiraling off his shin. After studying the reply over and over, I am pretty convinced that the ball bounced up off the very divot dug up earlier by the striker. Poetic justice? Maybe it served him right. I’m not saying that Liverpool deserved to score, nor that United won because of fate. What I am saying however is that maybe, just maybe Torres dug his own grave. The striker would normally have buried that shot. Instead his side left empty handed and face finishing as low as 7th.
Rooney points to the spot after Torres took out his frustration.
Last night Manchester City, in their efforts to secure a win that would promote them to pole sitters in the race for 4th , allowed themselves to be out-thought, out-played and out- ‘cooled’ by Eveton. What do I mean by ‘out -cooled’? The title race and the battle for 4th are incredibly tight – possibly the tightest ever! The winners will be the team that can hold their nerve. Cool heads – that is what is needed. When the pressure is on and you need to be cool, the result can depend on who has the ‘bottle’ and who gets ‘bottled’. Torres showed a lack of ‘coolness’ when he had his little tantrum. It may have come back to bite him… United have won the League for the last three years in a row, not because they are the best squad, but because they are the ‘kings of cool’. When a cool head is needed, United have one. Even Rooney, the ‘perennial hothead’ is showing great maturity (and showed it with his reaction to Torres’ poor gardening skills). The old saying (at Wenger): ‘You can’t win trophies with boys’ is truer then ever. With Chelsea, United and Arsenal all in with a shot at the title, while Villa, Man City, Spurs and Liverpool all could go to Europe next year, the test of ‘coolness’ is on. Spurs have shown before that they can’t take the heat, but that was a long time ago and with a very different squad. Now that test (and pressure) is on. Torres lacked composure. Who else will kick the proverbial penalty spot and see the title ball bounce unluckily off their expensively-assembled-squad boot and watch their glorious chance of glory loop agonizingly over the goal mouth of success? Keep your nerve, have a cool head and you will reap the reward of not seeing your lack of self control coming back to bite you in the bum… à la Torres!