'Following the Trawler...' Interview Part IV: Stretford-End.com

My fourth interview in my five part series is with the awesome United blog Stretford-End.com...

1. So,
assuming you thought United would win the title comfortably before the
Wolves defeat, have your feelings changed at all following that defeat?

It's important to point
out that it's dangerous to assume anything until the whistle goes and mathematically
a team is crowned champions. What's true is that United are in the best
position - better to lead the pack than chase!

As Fergie's said for some time, every team
including United will drop points. The Wolves defeat was disappointing but other
results could have been worse that weekend. It was Fletcher who said before the
Wolves game that he wouldn't care if we lost to Wolves and beat City rather
than drawing both - it's the points that matter...less so the number in the 'L'
column.

Very simply, we're still top and still in the best
position - but it could only take two games for that to change. It's ok to be
confident but they'll be twists and turns to come!

2. In
general what have you made of United this season - a season where they have
played consistently average football yet have stayed at the top of the league
for months?

The home form has been the
best in years. There has been a lot of entertainment and tactically, Fergie has
often been as good as ever. The game against Arsenal for example was a
United-supporting tactician's dream. 

As a squad, every player has offered something -
it's just been rare that many players have been in form at the same time. The
press and media reaction to United has been unfair though - if United haven't
been good then everyone else has to have been worse. Like it or not but the
team who are top and who end the season top (that may not be us) are there
because they're consistently the best. 

It's true that in other seasons United have been
better but then again the league seems to be so much stronger this year. The
disappointing thing has been the away form - we've dropped unnecessary points
but also gained some we shouldn't have. As it is, we should be content because
we're top, if United win the
league no Red will be moaning that we've not always played as well as we should
have. 

3. On that
note, what do you think has contributed to the falling standards at the top?
Why have none of the teams at the top maintained strong, winning form?

Have the standards
dropped? Or have teams outside the top 4/5 places improved? I'd say the latter.
It's true that bar United few teams have been on winning runs - but then again
there is almost no game now that is a "banker". 

The money associated with performance in the top
flight means that teams in general are only going to get stronger as they sign
better players. Wealthy investors will continue to invest in the league and the
clubs so they days of an obvious top few teams may be over for a while (the new
financial rules that will come in soon may though have some say). 

4. Who has
stood out for you this season and why?

For United, the most
consistent performers have been Rafael, Vidic and Nani (probably Edwin too).
Berbatov has been the other man to reach very high levels of performance but
not as regularly as the players mentioned before. I think a case can be made
for most players in the squad though - in patches just about all the main
players have been good or had a positive impact. If Rio had stayed fit all season
he'd have to be considered as one of the best too. 

Away from United...Modric and van der Vaart (above) at
Spurs have been very good; Tevez has scored a load of goals - as did Tim Cahill
pre-Asian Cup and Andy Carroll pre-injury. At Arsenal, Robin van Persie (when
fit) and Nasri have both been excellent. Leighton Baines, Kevin Nolan and Roger
Johnson are probably the surprise names!

5. Nearly
four months on from the Rooney going/staying saga, with the run-in gathering
momentum yet Wazza's contribution in terms of goals not, what are your feelings
towards the player? Have the fans forgiven and forgotten?

Very simply, Rooney has
played 17 league games, scored 5 goals and assisted a further 10 - his
contribution has been to 15 goals in 17 league games - something we should be
delighted with, especially as his overall form hasn't been as good as past
years.

Forgiving and forgetting...well he made an error
and whether we want to believe him or not, he apologised and committed to the
club. Contracts of course can mean very little these days but he's a United
player and every time he steps out onto the pitch the fans should be behind
him. His goal against City will for some fans have been the first
time they’ve truly cheered him since the debacle, hopefully it’s the start of
patching up a relationship. The reality is, many United fans would still rather
have Rooney than see him go off to a rival.

6.
Ignoring how the teams below us fair, United cannot afford anymore slip-ups
with SAF saying about 30points in the next 13 games should win it. Marking a W,
L or D next to each game, how do you think United will do in the remaining
fixtures?

Wigan (a) W 

Chelsea (a) D 

Liverpool (a) L 

Bolton (h) W 

West Ham (a) W 

Fulham (h) W 

Newcastle (a) D 

Everton (h) W 

Arsenal (a) D 

Chelsea (h) W 

Blackburn (a) W 

Blackpool (h) W