F365 Opinion

It was an unchampion performance, but United are worthy champions...

* As Sir Alex Ferguson remarked a few weeks ago following the visit of Arsenal to Old Trafford, "We always do things the hard way at this club." By playing so conservatively, Manchester United made this weekend's victory parade a nervy struggle in which only the width of a post saved them from calamity. It was difficult to determine whether their conservatism was the product of Arsenal's superiority of possession or whether it produced that superiority, but a striking feature of the game was the difference from three weeks ago when a full-pelt United successfully hounded the Londoners out of their rhythm. The shame, from a neutral's outlook, was that the post repelled Fabregas' shot because it would have been fascinating to see ManYoo's response.

* This was United's day but an important one nonetheless for Arsenal. Stripped of their dignity by United and Chelsea over the previous ten days, they needed a (albeit partial) restoration of credibility at Old Trafford. Not only did their supporters require reason for hope, but so did their players. Robin van Persie is temperamental, ambitious and intelligent. With his long-term future in the balance, that's a dangerous combination from Arsenal's perspective and the hope that he will sign a new contract could ill-afford another humiliation.

* Implemented properly, squad rotation works. United have won the title without a recognisable first-choice 11, let alone a settled line-up. This season, just three players - Edwin van der Sar, Nemanjic Vidic and Cristiano Ronaldo - have started in 30 or more of United's league games. Ten years ago, in United's title-winning season of 1998/99, that figure stood at six, rising to nine once substitute appearances are added to starts. It's maybe premature to laud Sir Alex as the master of rotation, but he is, without doubt, the master of the art of evolving to ensure his management still suits the present.

* Substitutions at Old Trafford are becoming games within a game. Last week, Ronaldo's strop dominated post-derby reviews, and this weekend Carlos Tevez's reaction has almost overshadowed title-collecting proceedings (and actually did so, if you judge such matters by what topic dominates the back pages). For that reason alone, Ferguson must have regretted removing Tevez. The Argentine's response was so prolonged, so ostentatious, that it felt as if he were advertising his availability as much as actually saying farewell in an act of humility.

* Ryan Giggs boasts almost as many title medals as he does league starts this season.

* United would have beaten Arsenal last month at OT with comfort to spare had the linesman given the attacking side the benefit of the doubt and they would have won 1-0 this Saturday if a similar attitude from flag-carrying officialdom had been adopted. Their inability to judge matters accurately and err on the side of the attacking side continues to blight the game.

* It mattered not this weekend but it ought also to be highlighted that Mike Dean blew up for full-time before the signalled three minutes of injury time had elapsed even after United took around a minute to take a goal-kick while Anderson replaced Wayne Rooney. The reason why this tedious practice of time-wasting - and time-wasting in general - continues to flourish is because referees like Dean make it an effective ploy.

* The jury is out on Bacary Sagna. Next year will be interesting in revealing whether he over-performed last season or has under-performed this. It's been said before but deserves repeating: His crossing is spectacularly bad.

* According to the only lengthy account published to date of his meeting with shareholders on Thursday, Arsene Wenger justified his exclusion of Andrei Arshavin from the FA Cup semi-final on the grounds that 'He knew the team would have to face United without him and wanted to show them that they could be winners.' There, in microcosm, is Wenger's flaw brutally exposed: the refusal to manage for the present for the prioritisation of the future. Time's up, Arsene, because the time is now.

* Arshavin is a difference maker. In his 13 starts for the club, Arsenal are unbeaten. In the eight matches that he has missed since making his debut, Arsenal have won just two and lost five.

* Regardless of Wenger's announcement that the striker was injured, the absence of Emmanuel Adebayor will only heighten speculation that he'll leave Arsenal this summer. Also worth dwelling on is Wenger's post-match explanation for his choice of partner for Kolo Toure: "Silvestre had a groin problem, I also wanted to see Alex Song at the back." Even if you believe that Silvestre's performances justify his place in the Arsenal squad, his injury record this season - we've lost count of how many niggles he has suffered in recent weeks - argues trenchantly against retention. A cover player who cannot provide cover just adds up to a crisis.

* The second interesting aspect of Wenger's remark is the obvious conclusion that he is considering using Song in defence next season. It's been hinted before, with Wenger on record as doubting Song has the stamina to be a midfielder. However, Song is too small to address Arsenal's repeated failing under the high ball and is the only defensively-minded midfielder at the club. If Wenger does decide to move him to the back, not only will he still need to buy two defenders this summer but he'll have to acquire two midfielders rather than one.

* All eyes now on the team Ferguson selects at Hull next weekend. The memory is still vivid of United losing at home to West Ham two years ago when Ferguson rested a host of 'regulars' for the imminent cup final and Sheffield United were relegated instead. But Hull should not count their chickens just yet. As Ferguson reputedly told Neil Warnock in an apologetic phone call, "We battered them, Neil. We had 25 shots." No matter its exact composition, the United team that turns out at the KC next Sunday will still be the favourites to win the game.

* If they don't prevail, and Hull avoid the drop, then questions will inevitably be asked about Ferguson's respect for the integrity of the league. He's unlikely to be perturbed, but, if he were, he could point to the victory of a full-strength United on the south coast in May 2005 a few days before the FA Cup final that resulted in Southampton's demotion as proof of his respect. Or he could re-direct questions to the Premier League for scheduling the final round of games for Sunday, and not Saturday, leaving United less than 72 hours to re-focus on the Champions League final before football goes into hibernation for two months. Last season, despite the proximity of the season-end to the start of Euro 2008, the conclusion of the domestic season occurred a full ten days before the Champions League final.

* The hypocrisy isn't just staggering, it's disgraceful. Two years ago, Sir Alex Ferguson complained of the "terrible abuse" he had to endure at the Emirates in a 2-2 draw with Arsenal. "But I'm sure that Arsenal, with their CCTV cameras, will have picked it up," he added. Arsenal subsequently conducted an internal inquiry that, according to The Daily Telegraph, found 'the fans were chanting only "Taggart'' at the Glaswegian', but nonetheless 'tightened security around the away dug-out and introduced an "ejection squad'''. Compare and contrast the response of Arsenal to the apparent absence of any action being taken by officials and stewards at Old Trafford despite the loud-and-clear evidence of their fans making the ultimate accusation against Wenger whenever he dares to leave his seat in the dug-out. Even if their sing-song is a disgrace, and it's been going on for five years, the real scandal is that - as far as we are aware - nothing is being done or has been done to prevent its repeat. As Sir Alex observed when he was the subject of far-less-serious abuse, CCTV must be available for recourse against the culprits. What does it require for United to take action? A writ from Wenger against which they would have no defence?

* Thankfully, nobody counts just how many conclusions are actually made.

Pete Gill