REVIEW OF THE NOUGHTIES: 2003/2004
2003/04.
Even after last season’s brilliant push for the title, Ferguson felt change was necessary at Old Trafford. After mammoth amounts of speculation (lasting pretty much the entire second half of the previous season…remind you of a more recent situation?) DB7 left for Real in the summer for a hurried and, some suggest, meagre £25million. However, this not only left us with a cheeky bit of loot, but a gaping void on the right (…wow, eerily similar to the summer gone by…). So, on the back of a formidable display against us in a pre-season friendly, Sir Alex signs 18 year old Cristiano Ronaldo from Sporting Lisbon at the demand of his players for just under £13million.
With regards to on-field performances, this was rather poor in relation to our other more impressive seasons this decade. Not only did we fail to retain our title, but Arsenal stepped up the challenge to go unbeaten all season; and Chelsea’s improved performances and entirely new side (with a little help from Russia) saw us drop to 3rd. Shit in the league and probably worse in Europe – dramatically losing out to Mourinho’s Porto in the Quarters – however we did win a spot of silverware for our efforts. Our decent Cup run saw us beat City (4-2) and Arsenals ‘untouchables’ in the semis (1-0) en-route to the final vs. plucky Milwall. Of course we won (!!), with a convincing 3-0 victory and another utterly impressive display from goal-scorer Ronaldo. Although the odd question mark was still labelled over his ability to complete that capable, final ball to match his creativity and flare, he had a truly striking first season; one that he was clearly able to build on and, more importantly, learn from in order to develop into a world beater.
…in other news, Abramovich buys Chelsea, Ranieri splashes £200mill (then consequently gets sacked – the beginning of a continuing managerial saga for them), and in doing so, no one respects them ever again. £15million of that was spent of Seba Veron, as Sir Alex finally succumbed to the fact that this world class midfielder just didn’t work at United. Interestingly he spends almost the entire season injured, making a grand total of 7 appearances. Clever Fergie.
Also, we bring in Louis Saha from Fulham in January – who’s 2 United auditions (scoring 2 on the first day of the 01/02 season and in Fulham’s 3-1 win in October of this season) both went swimmingly. It was suggested that the 1-0 defeat at Molineux on the 17th January ignited the £13million move for Saha. He becomes a United player on the 23rd.
ALSO, Rio is banned for forgetting to take a drugs test. His last game was ironically our most humiliating league defeat of the season at Molineux (see 'best to forget' below). The beginning of the end of our season.
Players In.
Howard
Bellion
Djemba-Djemba
Kleberson
Ronaldo
Saha
Top 4:
Arsenal – 90
Chelsea – 79
United – 75
Liverpool – 58
Bottom 4:
Everton – 39
--------------------------------
Leicester City – 33
Leeds United – 33
Wolves – 33
Player. (??) Ronaldo maybe? Impressive and overtly promising in his debut season? Or Ruud, with yet another illustrious goalscoring season (30 scored in total)? Or even Louis? Although he only came in in January, Saha managed 7 goals in his 10 appearances. To be honest, I just don't think anyone was that impressive this season to qualify for 'player of the year'.
Goal.
Forlan vs. Rangers (CL). The one-time joke of the Premiership (even I bought a t-shirt after his first goal saying ‘I saw Forlan score!’) scored in the fourth consecutive game, however this incredible volley marked his best ever goal for United. Keano's at home to Portsmouth (sorry, couldn't find a video) in the League was also pretty special. Roy's goals became more meaningful in this, the end of his United career (scoring only 3 this season), however, regardless of the 'collectors item' attached to his goals, this left footed curler from the edge of the box has to go up there as one of his best ever.
Remembered for?
Ronaldo’s debut: 16th August 2003. All the pre-talk before our opening game of the season against Bolton was our new, unknown no.7 and how he would step in to Beckham’s shoes. Unfair yet inevitable was this immediate comparisson; however as he ran onto the Old Trafford turf for the first time, the world was in true awe of this little gem and took serious note about the player that was emerging. Never before has a 30 minute substitute appearance been so pivotal, so influential, and so talked about. He not only dazzled, he made a huge impact on a rather drab encounter; creating a goal and winning a penalty. 1-0 before he came on…4-0 after. A legend was truly born that day.
4-3 at Goodison Park. The game of the season. 3-0 up and completely cruising at half-time, Everton came back to level it; yet Ronaldo’s incredible cross – showing for perhaps the first time all season his developing, maturing game goes beyond stopovers – is nodded in by Van Nisterlrooy in the last minute to secure a 4-3 win.
Best to forget…
United 0-0 Arsenal. My worst, most upsetting game of the decade for the way those disgraceful c**ts treated us at home. To make it worse they went unbeaten all season…how different things might have been had Ruud converted that last minute penalty.
Further heartbreak in Europe as Porto dumped us out. After a 2-1 defeat in Portugal, we were able to find the performance capable of seeing us through; after it looked as though Scholes’s solitary goal – and Fortune’s away goal in the first leg – was enough for us to qualify. On the 90th minute, McCarthy's soft, saveable free-kick causes Howard unesecary trouble, as he ends up palming out into the path of Costinha, who slots it home. Porto through, Howard’s United carreer all but over and Mourinho’s eternally vilified at Old Trafford after his touchline theatrics.
Even after last season’s brilliant push for the title, Ferguson felt change was necessary at Old Trafford. After mammoth amounts of speculation (lasting pretty much the entire second half of the previous season…remind you of a more recent situation?) DB7 left for Real in the summer for a hurried and, some suggest, meagre £25million. However, this not only left us with a cheeky bit of loot, but a gaping void on the right (…wow, eerily similar to the summer gone by…). So, on the back of a formidable display against us in a pre-season friendly, Sir Alex signs 18 year old Cristiano Ronaldo from Sporting Lisbon at the demand of his players for just under £13million.
With regards to on-field performances, this was rather poor in relation to our other more impressive seasons this decade. Not only did we fail to retain our title, but Arsenal stepped up the challenge to go unbeaten all season; and Chelsea’s improved performances and entirely new side (with a little help from Russia) saw us drop to 3rd. Shit in the league and probably worse in Europe – dramatically losing out to Mourinho’s Porto in the Quarters – however we did win a spot of silverware for our efforts. Our decent Cup run saw us beat City (4-2) and Arsenals ‘untouchables’ in the semis (1-0) en-route to the final vs. plucky Milwall. Of course we won (!!), with a convincing 3-0 victory and another utterly impressive display from goal-scorer Ronaldo. Although the odd question mark was still labelled over his ability to complete that capable, final ball to match his creativity and flare, he had a truly striking first season; one that he was clearly able to build on and, more importantly, learn from in order to develop into a world beater.
…in other news, Abramovich buys Chelsea, Ranieri splashes £200mill (then consequently gets sacked – the beginning of a continuing managerial saga for them), and in doing so, no one respects them ever again. £15million of that was spent of Seba Veron, as Sir Alex finally succumbed to the fact that this world class midfielder just didn’t work at United. Interestingly he spends almost the entire season injured, making a grand total of 7 appearances. Clever Fergie.
Also, we bring in Louis Saha from Fulham in January – who’s 2 United auditions (scoring 2 on the first day of the 01/02 season and in Fulham’s 3-1 win in October of this season) both went swimmingly. It was suggested that the 1-0 defeat at Molineux on the 17th January ignited the £13million move for Saha. He becomes a United player on the 23rd.ALSO, Rio is banned for forgetting to take a drugs test. His last game was ironically our most humiliating league defeat of the season at Molineux (see 'best to forget' below). The beginning of the end of our season.
Players In.
Howard
Bellion
Djemba-Djemba
Kleberson
Ronaldo
Saha
Top 4:
Arsenal – 90
Chelsea – 79United – 75
Liverpool – 58
Bottom 4:
Everton – 39
--------------------------------
Leicester City – 33
Leeds United – 33
Wolves – 33
Player. (??) Ronaldo maybe? Impressive and overtly promising in his debut season? Or Ruud, with yet another illustrious goalscoring season (30 scored in total)? Or even Louis? Although he only came in in January, Saha managed 7 goals in his 10 appearances. To be honest, I just don't think anyone was that impressive this season to qualify for 'player of the year'.
Goal.
Forlan vs. Rangers (CL). The one-time joke of the Premiership (even I bought a t-shirt after his first goal saying ‘I saw Forlan score!’) scored in the fourth consecutive game, however this incredible volley marked his best ever goal for United. Keano's at home to Portsmouth (sorry, couldn't find a video) in the League was also pretty special. Roy's goals became more meaningful in this, the end of his United career (scoring only 3 this season), however, regardless of the 'collectors item' attached to his goals, this left footed curler from the edge of the box has to go up there as one of his best ever.
Remembered for?
Ronaldo’s debut: 16th August 2003. All the pre-talk before our opening game of the season against Bolton was our new, unknown no.7 and how he would step in to Beckham’s shoes. Unfair yet inevitable was this immediate comparisson; however as he ran onto the Old Trafford turf for the first time, the world was in true awe of this little gem and took serious note about the player that was emerging. Never before has a 30 minute substitute appearance been so pivotal, so influential, and so talked about. He not only dazzled, he made a huge impact on a rather drab encounter; creating a goal and winning a penalty. 1-0 before he came on…4-0 after. A legend was truly born that day.
4-3 at Goodison Park. The game of the season. 3-0 up and completely cruising at half-time, Everton came back to level it; yet Ronaldo’s incredible cross – showing for perhaps the first time all season his developing, maturing game goes beyond stopovers – is nodded in by Van Nisterlrooy in the last minute to secure a 4-3 win.
Best to forget…
United 0-0 Arsenal. My worst, most upsetting game of the decade for the way those disgraceful c**ts treated us at home. To make it worse they went unbeaten all season…how different things might have been had Ruud converted that last minute penalty.
Further heartbreak in Europe as Porto dumped us out. After a 2-1 defeat in Portugal, we were able to find the performance capable of seeing us through; after it looked as though Scholes’s solitary goal – and Fortune’s away goal in the first leg – was enough for us to qualify. On the 90th minute, McCarthy's soft, saveable free-kick causes Howard unesecary trouble, as he ends up palming out into the path of Costinha, who slots it home. Porto through, Howard’s United carreer all but over and Mourinho’s eternally vilified at Old Trafford after his touchline theatrics.
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