It's all in the mind games
Tue May 13 11:18AM
At the conclusion of Manchester United's victory over Wigan that sealed the club's 17th English title, Alex Ferguson said the following:
"This will give us a tremendous lift [for the Champions League final]. I remember when we lost the title on the last day in 1995 and had a FA Cup final to play how deflated the players were. It would be hard to pick them up from this if they'd lost today."
The moment you heard that, there could only be one thought: he never stops, does he? There was English football's most decorated manager, a knight of the realm, a man who has achieved everything in the game and still he was looking forward to the next challenge. Those words weren't a casual aside. They weren't a passing observation on the state of the game. They were a direct and penetrating assault on the condition of his rivals for the Champions League final, Chelsea. The aim was to insert a psychological barb, do his bit to undermine Chelsea morale by pointing to the scenes of relaxed, uninhibited celebration going on behind him. This is what winners do, he was saying. Losers have to regroup, lift themselves, mentally re-focus. And that, he wanted to suggest, is hard.
Ferguson has achieved all he has achieved by never missing a trick. His attention to detail is extraordinary. For him, there is no such thing as a down moment, no such thing as a point of relaxation. Every second is filled with working out ways to propel his team forwards.
That is what Avram Grant is up against: Alex Ferguson, a man who has not only been there, done that, but has designed the t-shirt and wrote the logo on the front. Of course, being a wise man, Grant will have tried to ensure that the Chelsea players were not listening to a word his rival was saying. He will have told them that they had done brilliantly to achieve all they had, that given the position they were in back in November, with half their senior players crocked, they had no right to be competing to the last. He would have reminded them that in one-off games they have the edge over their Mancunian rivals. And, now it has reached the denouement, the Champions League is but a one-off. He will have been working as hard as Ferguson, preparing his boys for the challenge.
Thus have the battle lines been drawn. Prepare yourself over the coming week for a relentless barrage of mind games. It will be fun. But the question is, who do you think will come out on top next Wednesday? More to the point, do you think Fergie's brand of mental disintegration - as the Aussie cricket captain Steve Waugh once described sporting mind games - can really have any effect on the outcome? Or is it ultimately down simply to the relative merits of 22 players?
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IM this storylast season, it was the same old story. many felt chelsea would have low morale after losing the league to united. if united were that confident, why were they so cagey in the FA cup final. they appeared scared to attack and the only good chance chelsea got, they took. this time, moscow will not be a neutral ground because chelsea's largest fan base is in russia so they will be more fired up. if chelsea score an early goal it will demoralize united instead.
From yohanna4riel on Tue May 13 03:51PMIt was a shame that Chelsea drew their last match. Otherwise they could have said that Man Utd only won on goal difference! I still think Chelsea can win this final if Terry & Drogba are 100% fit and play their absolute best.
From don.wheeler on Tue May 13 04:24PMLast seasons final was along time ago, Man utd are alot stronger this season, whereas Chelsea haven’t got any stronger. If we'd have fielded a full strength team at Stanford bridge earlier in the season I think the outcome would have be alot different. as for the idea that it wont be a neutral ground, how many Russians do you think are going to be in that stadium, im guessing there wont be alot!!
From craig862003 on Tue May 13 04:38PMLast seasons final was along time ago, Man utd are alot stronger this season, whereas Chelsea haven’t got any stronger. If we'd have fielded a full strength team at Stanford bridge earlier in the season I think the outcome would have be alot different. as for the idea that it wont be a neutral ground, how many Russians do you think are going to be in that stadium, im guessing there wont be alot!!
From craig862003 on Tue May 13 04:38PMI believe that Man United will come out on top but Chelsea has the cracker team to do the job in Moscow.Man United's frontline is the best in Europe now, so because of those @#$% Rooney,Tevez,Nani and wonder boy Ronaldo,the sky will be their limit in Moscow,until that day,we will see.
From lt5555 on Tue May 13 04:41PM2-0 to Man Utd. It's a definate. Chelsea struggled with a 2nd rate Man U team at Chelsea, when Fergie lets out all the big guns Chelsea are gonna frail. They've already shown they can't deal with Ronaldo and Tevez, Vidic and Rio aren't letting any of you through, not even Drogba - so it's pretty much a done deal.
As long a Roman doesn't have snipers on the roof, poisoned dinners\waters etc i'm all ready celebrating! Champeeeoooooooni, champeoooooni!From mpilks on Tue May 13 04:42PMHi mpilks,
I'm glad you said that about Roman - because he has your identity now!From don.wheeler on Tue May 13 04:51PMWhen did Chelsea ever show they couldn't deal with Ronaldo and Tevez? I think Asley Cole has done as good a job of keeping Ronaldo quiet as anyone - in fact better than anyone. Terry will keep Tevez in his pocket with room for his weekly paypacket to spare. As for Rooney - wasn't that gifted goal he scored agaisnt us the first one he has got against Chelsea? Also, Carvalho and terry scored better than Vidic and Ferdinand in the newspaper ratings throughout the season - see the yahoo team of the season - so it will be tight at both ends. Truthfully, I think its too close to call but the odds are on a repeat of last year's FA Cup Final, rather than the goal-fest some people seem to be expecting.
From michelangeloindeed on Tue May 13 05:00PMYou make me laugh, chelsea have done a very good job of keeping up with united, fair shout to them even though, they are the anti-christ of the beautiful game. But your second best defender isn't going to be fully fit despite what he says, and your only striker is an overated theatrical waste of space, and we all know ronaldo dives i hate it but at least he keeps amazing people with majestic performances and not just relying on the one good season he's had in three years. But rant aside it's going to be an very close but epic battle between the two best teams in the BEST LEAGUE in the world.
From turner393 on Tue May 13 07:32PMI laugh when i hear about Man United on final against Fc Chelsea.Those of you who talk about Man U,as if they are unbeatable,watchout!this champions league final will prove again how poor Man U re when playing against Chelsea.They cant match Chelsea.It,s a walkover game for chelsea.Up chelsea!!
From onobus2000 on Tue May 13 08:01PMIts a coin toss folks. Experience in buckets in Chelsea, a class spine in the team. MU on the other hand if they perform will not be beaten. I reckon if there is an early goal there will be 5 goals - a bloodbath of goals. As a MU fan I'm praying for a Red Square, but hats off to avram for pulling the blues together this season. It could be blue label vodka flowing but even that is better than mersey urine.
From ronanjmaher on Tue May 13 08:13PMDont forget so soon what we did to you last FA Cup final.Man U re very lucky to have Sir Alex Ferguson,for more than 20 years,the most respected Man in the game,in England.If not,i do not see what Man U,command in the field of play.How can u compare yourself with Chelsea,we pass through alots of difficulties this season,still we match Man u to the last day,thank God we were still what no body believe.We did it without our special man Jose,was that not great?The Big @#$% today re Chelsea fans,so if you want to be with us before the final,better do now!before it too late.You re all welcome to our house of Cash money.Big @#$% forever.
From onobus2000 on Tue May 13 08:23PMYes glory hunters form an orderly queue towards Stamford Bridge.
People who have some idea of loyalty form a mob or two whilst we march to Moscow.
From alayup on Tue May 13 08:51PMtoo close to call. but i wish chelsea all the best. and if it is mu that win i am happy because both teams are the nucleus of football now around the globe.
From johnmoah on Tue May 13 09:09PMalayup - yes, I became a Chelsea glory hunter in the early sixties. nothing to do with them being my local team or living around the corner from their training ground. I just thought - if i stick with this lot long enough, one day someone will buy them up and put some money in and give manu (world's richest club) a run for thir money. You jokers make me laugh - or is it puke?
From michelangeloindeed on Tue May 13 11:45PMhave or most of you people ever been to match in your life.its allright gobbing off .not missed a home match at chelsea since 1979 but can,t afford to go to moscow some rich twat will take my place but will be quiet in the ground not singing just like a dummy
From eatruscott on Wed May 14 10:05AMAH HA, Michelangelo, you are moonlighting I see!!
Curiosity got the better of me today, so I came on here to have a peek.
Fergie is the master of mind games, but I don't see Avram Grant being bothered by anything that he may throw up. I know there are not many Chelsea fans that like Grant, but I find him dignified, even if a touch boring. He has helped get Chelsea this far, so credit to the man. Hope the CL final is a great spetacle for us neutrals.
From barny1158 on Wed May 14 10:18AMOOOPs apologies for spelling mistake, should be 'spectacle,' fingers slipped.
Presumptious Man U fans, you have won the PL but the match against Chelsea will be a different prospect I think. Won't be a stroll in the park as some of you seem to think.....and no I am not a Chelsea fan in case you were wondering...From barny1158 on Wed May 14 11:13AMThere's a big bias in the way English journalists report on English football; you find that their heart is always for Man U. They make snide remarks abou Chelsea players and managers that you begin to wonder what wrong Chelsea has done to English football. Even this essay by Jim White is slanted to celebrate Man U nad its coach. But it's too early to celebrate...People shoiuld wait until after May 21. Chris
From agulanna3 on Wed May 14 11:42AMThe biggest thing to happen to English football in terms of coaching(the only sir)will unleash Rooney and tevez to mesmerise Calvainho and Terry if he is fit with Ronaldo supporting from behind.unlike the fa cup final last year it will be all attacking,all firing this time.trust vidic and Rio to be impregnable at the real.for we hammers the jollification has started.
From chief_oppong on Wed May 14 12:02PMFirst up, I am one of the poor old Derby fans that have supported the rams throughour season of destruction, I hope MU takes the trophy next week, not because of some embittered hatred of a Chelsea side that no matter how much they spend still seem to produce grey, functional,workhorse football with little flair or creativity (but that is a good reason) no, I agree with fergie that a team of their standing and history should have won this trophy six or seven times,they play the way a nuetral can get behind and root for. For one day only I,ll be behind a team in red that actualy wins football matches.
From patrickhendry on Wed May 14 12:41PMi don't know any genuine man utd fans who think the game will be a cake walk - chelsea are indis@#$%bly hard to beat - if a little dull - but i reckon the reds deserve it - they've beaten lyon, roma, barcelona whereas chelsea - olympiacos, fenebahce, liverpool??? ok chelsea they have every right to be there but they've hardly conquered giants of europe!!
From bingoman49 on Wed May 14 01:13PMMU fans,don't be so confident.Anything can happen in Mascow.Chelsea proved that MU had lost 7 times to them before...
From drjimi_12 on Wed May 14 04:44PMI have no doubt it will be a tough battle between two great teams. I think anyone who knows anything about football will agree that both teams are almost inseperable in terms of style, determination, ambition and sheer talent. However, as with all truly great teams of the past there is always one individual who makes the difference, Pele, Maradonna, Cruyff. So tell me this....How many Christiano Ronaldo's do Chelsea have.........?
Exactly!
From kevaustin1980 on Wed May 14 05:24PMI am so fed up with all this Man U This Man U that,
why does everybody think the light shines out of there *~~ and they are know different than any other team they can be beaten the evidence shows when they are up against it they hound the referee on every descision and the manager just throws his toys out of the play pen not very sporting from a so called proffesional football team I think its about time a team like chelsea dish out one of the most humiliating defeat seen on the pitch they can do it its not impossible another thing it would be far better to win the european title than just the british title come on the chelsea its your time to leave Man Utd scared for life.I am aware most people hate chelsea I dont know why but thats show the world its not all about Manchester Utd.Eddy XIV
From edward.wheeler3 on Thu May 15 09:44AMchelsea has brought corruption into english football since the russian mafia arrived [abromavich]
From w.price22 on Thu May 15 11:29AMPeople that wrote comments on this article are mostly idiot. MIND YOU, i said MOST, like the first ten comments(where i stop reading thereafter) are totally biased comment especially from the MAN U fans. Amazed me alot how people that don't understand stuffs about football actually "supports" a team. They practically just wanna match the crowd and that's what MOST man u fans are all about. In fact, that is what chelsea seems to be attracting nowadays. Look at MOST of the chelsea supporters in a match, they are those rich people that know nothing about football that went and "support" chelsea. Guess that's the price you have to pay to be a "big" club.
p/s - Keep your so "no knowledge" ego into your pockets for those man u fans i'm referring to. This game is going to be a close one. But i doubt its gonna be 1-0 game. The team that conceded the first goal will go all out and that won't be the only goal.
From disturbedyang on Thu May 15 12:02PMI just want to add that I,m chelsea born and bred and I live in suffolk and I ,m not of the well off types that many chelsea are labelled with It makes me very angry the way people put us down because of the russian connection I could.nt less about that stuff why oh why do people go on about it after all it should be about the football and the history etc etc ....Another thing most people nowadays get all there information from the newspapers which can over sensulise stories I agree with the last comment that everything is about Manchester United its getting so repetative they are not the only team out there with a history and Fans that are loyal and are born yards from there home ground mostlike myself, united fans I know were not born anywere near manchester and havent even been there thats what real support should be about it used to be many years ago.
From edward.wheeler3 on Thu May 15 12:20PMI think Man Uniteds problem will be that they are going into this final with this attitude that we are unstoppable well its this way of thinking that is going to be ther un-doing its always the case when we play them chelsea and a few other teams in the premiership know how to dent there egoes and finish them off ,this final is a big ocassion and nerves a going to play a big part but being over confident is not they way to go into a game of this size its not a saturday afternoon fixture this is for the champions of european club football......
Chelsea 3 Man United 2From edward.wheeler3 on Thu May 15 12:33PMNo doubt it'll be a close match. Im a Man U fan, (and yes i do live near Manchester before you go on about it). Chelsea have done well to come back into the title race this season, but still couldt quite take it to the wire. Champions League final will be very very close, probs 2 -1 either way. The first team to score will win this one. United have had the hardest route to the final, so we really do deserve to win, but everyone will need to play at 110% as theres no room for error now.
From man_united10 on Thu May 15 03:49PM
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Jim White
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