Premier League / Feizal Rahman / 31 May 2009 / 1 Comments

Manchester United were outclassed in every area of the pitch in their Champions League Final defeat to Barcelona and Feizal Rahman knows who he blames.

It took only 10 minutes for Wednesday night's 'dream' Champions League final against Barcelona to turn into a nightmare for Manchester United.

The attacking starting line-up was a clear signal of intent and, predictably, United went for the jugular straight from the kick-off. Yet the initial aggression proved fruitless and a perfectly timed counter-punch from the Spanish campeons left the English champions reeling. Dazed and confused, the United players lost all sense of purpose and were subjected to one of the most one-sided finals in Champions League history. For this, manager Sir Alex Ferguson must take the blame.

Appearing to become a victim of his own side's hype, Ferguson paid no heed to the threat of Barcelona - a team that has scored 104 goals in 37 league games and boasts arguably the world's most prodigious talent in Lionel Messi and two brilliant members of Spain's Euro 2008 winning ensemble, Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta. Without the suspended workhorse Darren Fletcher, the 35-year-old Ryan Giggs was drafted in alongside Anderson and Michael Carrick , leaving the United midfield featherweight. Believing that his men could simply roll over any team in the world, Ferguson's was the most naively composed team of any Champions League final.

United overestimated their own destructive force in light of their semi-final routing of Arsenal, as if facile victory over a team who - in terms of points - finished closer to sixth place than third in the Premier League would be any sort of precursor to what awaited them in the final. As Barca stroked the ball around midfield with an eon of time and a light year of space, the dumbfounded Ferguson remained too arrogant to take the required action and instead replaced midfielder Anderson with striker Carlos Tevez.

When the industrious Ji Sung Park was later substituted for the languid Dimitar Berbatov, it was clear the United manager had lost it completely and a formation that bordered on 4-1-5 inevitably led to Barca's knockout second goal.

With his defenders looking shaky, his midfielders totally beleaguered and his attackers impotent, there were no excuses for the Manchester United manager after the game and he will have to reassess the true ability of his squad if they are to make next season as much of a success as they have this one. The signs, however, have been there over the past three months. Dominated in midfield by Liverpool during their 4-1 defeat at Old Trafford in March, with Nemanja Vidic exposed against a top class striker in Fernando Torres, it was evident that when faced with a strongly-equipped opponent, United are vulnerable.

Arguably, it has been only the inability of their peers to put away weaker opponents that has allowed United to win a hat-trick of Premier League titles ([2.7] to make it four in a row in 2010). In six matches against their top four rivals this season, the champions were only able to win once - at home to Chelsea, then managed by the hapless Felipe Scolari. Failing to take note of the prudent tactics of the Brazilian's successor, Guus Hiddink - which allowed Chelsea to frustrate Barcelona in their semi-final - Ferguson failed his team and also English football with a performance that was an embarrassing reminder of the days when English clubs naively went up against continental opponents with only brute force to counter superior technical ability.

Wednesday's defeat throws up a number of questions about the future of Manchester United. Can the likes of Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Gary Neville and Edwin Van der Sar perform for another season at the highest level? Will Ronaldo and Tevez still be plying their trade at the Theatre of Dreams next year or will the lure of the lucre lead them to pastures new?

Florentino Perez (unbackable in the next Real Madrid President market) has stepped up his media seduction of Ronaldo ([1.73] to remain a Manchester United player beyond 3rd September 2009) in an attempt to finally take him to the Bernabeu. The sale of the forward would allow Ferguson the funds to bring in at least one other blue chip name but the Portuguese has been so crucial to United's success over the last three seasons that his loss would have greater consequences than when players of similar stature have previously left Old Trafford.

Liverpool ([4.1] to win 2009/10 Premier League) are sure to strengthen in the summer and with Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres fit for a whole campaign, they can be expected to surpass the 86 point they accumulated this season.

Chelsea (also [4.1] to win title next season) may suffer again with yet further upheaval in the dugout but being the footballing behemoth that they are, will still have enough to stay in the mix. Should Arsene Wenger finally plug the gaping holes in his squad with required steel and experience then Arsenal ([9.4] to be English champions next year) may be the surprise package of next season. Like Barcelona, the Gunner are capable of playing any team off the park on their day.

Appearances can be deceptive. It had looked liked Sir Alex Ferguson had constructed yet another all-conquering team but just 90 minutes of football has left many re-evaluating the current Manchester United squad. Nobody will be looking harder at the players than Ferguson himself.