Fearsome United

Heroes. Every single last one of them. Do not for a second underestimate the significance of this result. United are in only the fourth European Cup final of the club's history and what is more, we are there with a bit of swagger too.

Welcome back Cristiano Ronaldo, with this guy and Rooney in such blistering form I shouldn't imagine anybody wants to play us right now. Having lived so much of my life watching United not get this far, to be in a second final, in such quick succession, is simply dizzying.

Thankfully, the men on the pitch had no trouble keeping their heads. I have a tremendous amount of respect for the way Arsenal go about their football but they were embarrassingly limp. With the gritted-teeth exception of Steven Gerrard, the game seems to lack real characters at the moment.

Arsenal’s heads dropped as soon as the first goal went in and I couldn’t help but think this didn’t happen in the days of Tony Adams or Patrick Vieira. Certainly, Ronaldo was unplayable but Arsenal’s lack of fight left United pretty much untested.

It is truly awful for Fletcher. The guy has been outstanding for the last two years and with Hargreaves still injured I would have expected him to start the final. Find a bookmaker who offers odds on Anderson being in the starting 11 in Rome and take him up on the offer.

Compare Fletch’s reaction to that of the Chelsea players at their final whistle. Then look up the word dignity in a dictionary. I am sorry Chelsea fans, but if you cannot protect a lead against ten men then you don’t deserve to win. Conspiracy my pint glass.

After our month of doom I have stopped tearing my hair out and the team are striding confidently once more. I struggle to remember a time when United have been so consistently impressive across the board. When Ferguson said this was his best ever assembled squad eyebrows raised. More fool you now. We go marching on.

Thoughts on the Ribery bid:

In recent weeks it has emerged in the press that United have held talks with Kaka and lodged an official bid for one kersquillion pounds to buy Frank Ribery. Personally, I don’t buy it. Usually our transfer dealings have a whiff of subtlety about them and in my opinion, the Old Trafford hierarchy are trying to force the hand of one Mr. Cristiano Ronaldo.

After last Saturday’s clasico the boy wonder must surely know that the current Real Madrid team are rather pants. He should win more trophies with United but has made no secret of his desire to leave. I think Ferguson has had enough of last summer’s speculation and is getting his own version of it in early. The result, pleasingly, seems to be to motivate the player.

Whatever you say about Ronaldo the guy can respond positively to adversity and he can sure as hell play. At the moment he is majestic. If we want to sell him to Madrid they will, I am sure, pay the sum we ask for. Now it is simply a question of who blinks first. Good luck Cristiano, it is a matter of record that Ferguson has not blinked since 1987.