Season Review: Manchester United

Last updated : 02 June 2009 By Pete Shaw

How did your season go? Did United finish where you expected them to?
Where we hoped we might, that's for sure. The season went brilliantly. Of course there is disappointment with the European Cup Final - it was just one game and hurdle too many, but we had to contend with a trip to Japan and a lengthy season and managed to fend off our deepest rivals on Merseyside and reach their 18 titles. It's a great feeling.

Who was United's player of the year?
Vidic, until that strange Liverpool display, and he struggled in the Final too. But they were his only two bad games really, just high profile so people will put a tick against him when they shouldn't.

Though Wayne Rooney had a disappointing Final, he has excelled and improved all season - he's getting there, and many Utd fans would now like to see him get there by being played up front directly rather than out wide.

Who were the best players you saw play against United?
Torres. Wish we'd got him.

What did you make of Hull City?
I like the way you handled the season. I know it was a sticky patch near the end and you must have felt as nervous as when a Man City fan is asked to name when they last won a trophy but I feel you got some fair press praise when you were doing well, and as they like to do, when you've done well, they like to have a pop when things aren't going well.

I'm not sure how you and your fans view Phil Brown's reaction at Man City, but Premiership football is a learning curve and it will have done you the power of good for next season. Brown may now have his critics as they've turned on him (they turn on everyone to sell some papers), but from a distance he's good value and his singalong was out of tune but good to watch.

Fair play to you, don't let the critics blur what was a quite fantastic feat in that you and Stoke stayed up when everyone was writing you off, and it's two of the supposed big boys in the Championship (Boro and Newcastle) next season. Saying that, in this league you always have to move quickly, and a squad good enough to stay up last season might not be the squad to do it again next. The key is buying good quality, cheap players who won't let you down. Good luck with it all, it was a great story to follow.

Where do you need to strengthen this summer?
All depends on whether the Ronaldo and Tevez circuses are leaving town or not. If the former goes, we'll have to change a lot. If it's the latter, as expected, then hopefully we can find a guaranteed 25-goals-a-season stirker, but they are not so easy to find these days.

Right back as well as Gary Nev isn't the young gazelle he once was!

Who'll be on their way out?
As before, sure Tevez has burnt his bridges and his contract, and owners in the background always had a fishy smell to it so it's come back to bite us. That might not be a bad thing in terms of never doing deals with third parties again.

Ronaldo - every year we hear the same, about his dream move. I don't doubt we'll not see him in a Utd shirt when he's nearing his 30s but he'd be mad to join a Madrid side in such transition at the moment. But money can talk.

We shall see - it all just makes us appreciate the lifers at Utd like Scholes, Nev and Giggs that much more.

United's best 11 of the season?
Hmm. If Fergie didn't know, how can I! The team I'd like to have seen the most though:

Van der Sar
Rafael Vidic Ferdinand Evra
Carrick Hargreaves
Ronaldo Tevez Berbatov Rooney

Pete Shaw writes for Red News