Collision

There hasn't been much silence lately,

there have been voices.

The lines haven't been too crooked lately,

the lines were flat.

The ground hasn't been shaken,

the ground steady as it may seems.

Wondering why others were wondering

what were simply clear to eyes, ears, ..and mindmaze.

There wasn't much to be done, but

telling.. with wonder..

The mouth said 'shut it up', the tiger said 'let it go'

The voices weary of seeking for words lately,

the voices long to be silenced.

Out of luck, in white?

Wembley, May 29th, 2011. UEFA Champions League Final.

Final score: Barcelona 3 - Manchester United 1. I wished for the result to have been the other way around.

Learning items for United:

• 4-4-2 didn't seem to work against Barca. Their midfield domination was exceptional. Might have worked better with a 4-5-1?
• I said this on twitter and am gonna say this again. Evra was not left enough, and Carrick was not breaker enough. Wonder why Evra has to bother ran around to cover the central defense, and left his territory unguarded? I thought Carrick was supposed to be a defensive midfielder, can't remember if he did any tackle tho. It's clear, United needs a bloody breaker, Keano-alike-midfielder, for next season. Otherwise, we're done.
• Chicharito was too small for such a huge match. He's got a great season at the Premier League yes, but starter at final? We could all tell he was dead nervous there. Rooney needs a bigger partner for next season's glory.
• The one and only rule to win a match in football is to control ball possession. Once you've lost it for most of the game, you'll lose. 61% (Barca) to 39% (United), doesn't seem like a balanced match, at all.
• It's about time to get new young players, give them chance to play along with the seniors. We gotta rebuild first and second teams with equal quality just like we had in 1999. I'm excited to welcome back Tom Cleverley and Danny Wellbeck for the new season. Wellbeck did really well at Sunderland this season. Also, more matches for Da Silva bros, Smalling, Gibson, and perhaps some promoted lads from reserves team.

Hope to see them in Munich next year. Better, Stronger, United.

United

Simple, short, meaningful word: "United" means the world to me.

This blog should've been posted here since two weeks back, before United's victory against Chelsea (May 8th), and finally sealed our 19th Premier League title the week after (last night, that is).

What happened back then, I rally-watched BBC's "Sir Bobby Charlton: Football Icon" and "United", both released this year, successfully got me all teary, as both centered the stories on 1958's Munich tragedy. Sir Bobby Charlton was a living survivor then, a living legend now, to have taken part in the successful Busby Babes team when winning the 1968 Champions League title, and 2 years earlier, in Sir Alf Ramsey's first World Cup title for England.

No particular idea why BBC decided to release both films this year. Munich tragedy's 50th anniversary was 3 years ago (2008), and Sir Bobby's 70th birthday was on the year before. Nothing special this year (2 weeks back), except the fact that we were on top of the league and, if managed to get 4 points from 3 remaining games, will secure another Premier League title, 19th that is, a record breaking number in English football history. Plus, we've set a place in Champions League final against Barcelona.

There's this fear, two weeks back, that we may about to have the most disastrous season ever, if losing to Chelsea at Old Trafford on May 8th, followed by unfortunate match series afterwards, and end up title-less by the end of this season.

Yet here's what the films reminded me of: that we have gone through, probably, the darkest days in club's history, losing 8 first team players in Munich disaster. And a decade later, the long rebuilt team ruled Europe. So losing a title, or two, is simply not the end of everything. Thank God it's not happening, though :)

"Sir Bobby Charlton: Football Icon" and "United" sure have once again captured my emotional attachment with the club. It's not just about the football games I watch every single week. It's about long history, football heritage, human story told through the most beautiful game on earth. This, is why I love United. This, is why I believe. Now bring on May 28th!