In North London the world witnessed a master class performance by Manchester United to shove away Arsenal and book a place in a consecutive final, a feat never achieved since 1997. It was a game that was over in the first 11 minutes when a mistake and a brilliant free kick did it for United and Arsenal needing 4 goals to go through.
Now, I won't say that this tie had the same electric feel as past United-Arsenal ties, when they were hustling for the Premiership. It seems that the days are past when Arsenal played with the likes of Henry, Pires, Viera and company against a feisty United team led by Keane. Arséne Wenger is a great coach, but he might have taken it too literally when someone said that he needs a youthful team. His team is nowhere the team Sir Alex played at the emirates. van Persie was back, but he is as fragile as a delicate flower. A small hit and he is out. Fabregas was nowhere and Adebayor, well he is like having nothing.
Ronaldo gave a superb performance, reiterating why he is the best in the world, and send United to the final to be the fist team since 1990 to defend their title. But who would they play?
The answer lies with Barcelona. A team who failed to score at home since, ironically, Manchester United visited them last season in the semis. A away goal would do the trick, and it did. And at the expense of Chelsea.
I never liked Chelsea, well, since the day Roman splashed a large wad of cash and they were picking up players like fallen apples. And even with a billion-dollar team, they have not achieved the success many have assumed they would. Ballack, a man who seems to have followed the trail of Sterlings to Stamford Bridge, Drogba, a man no one knew and wish still don't know, Essien, a player not wanting to return to his country to play in the national side, Mikel, who thwarted United's call to go to the cash filled Chelsea and so many others. But last night's game brought out the devils in the Blues. The match started as a football game, but surely ended like a wrestling match. With his call for a handball falling on deaf ears, Ballack decided to crowd the referee into giving a decision he was sure wasn't there to be given because it happened right in front of him. Drogba even got a yellow card for almost attacking the referee and then swearing at the camera.
Drogba my friend, there have been some astonishing acts from you with a little dive here and a little one there, but this trumps it all. And Anelka, who must have learned something from his compatriot Viera got entangled in his own feet and fell and then saw Abidal get a red card for doing nothing. And even then, Chelsea cry foul and say that decisions didn't go their way. Fifteen minutes to add another goal against 10 men with a firing attack was all they needed. Yet when the game ended dashing their hopes for another chance at glory, all they could do was blame someone from UEFA who did not want another all-English final.
I love conspiracies and this is one of them, but really, do you really want to blame someone else, when you know you had every opportunity to get the result and you didn't. Mop it up and look into your own selves and come up with an answer.
Anyways, conspiracies might be a topic for another post. Right now, I look to Rome and United take on Barcelona (a match sure to be dubbed as Ronaldo v Messi, we'll see).
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