Monday, May 14, 2012
Mancini relives crazy season finale
decisive win over QPR as an estimated 100,000 fans lined the streets
to witness the victory parade.
City are celebrating their first league title in 44 years after a
dramatic last-gasp 3-2 victory over 10-man QPR at the Etihad Stadium
on Sunday.
Members of the victorious squad were invited to a private reception at
Manchester town hall in the afternoon before taking to a stage to
greet a huge crowd in the city's Albert Square.
Controversial striker Mario Balotelli was the only notable absentee
but he had been expected to report back to Italy for medical checks
after being named in his country's provisional squad for Euro 2012.
A large media gathering was also present as manager Roberto Mancini
and a number of players were invited to address the fans before being
driven around town.
Responding to big cheers, Mancini said: "I think we should be proud of
these players because they did everything for you (the fans) - they
wanted to win this championship for you."
City's title success will go down as one of the most dramatic in
history, coming only on goal difference afterEdin Dzeko and Sergio
Aguero struck in injury time to see off battling QPR.
Mancini, wearing his trademark clubscarf, said: "We had the best and
worst five minutes in our lives.
"I think it was an incredible moment after we scored the third goal,
but before it was very hard."
Midfielder Gareth Barry said: "Days like this are why we came to City
and it's just fantastic.
"Our fans have always been amazing and they're showing it here today.
I've got memories I'll treasure for the rest of my career."
Goalkeeper Joe Hart said: "It was anincredible day but the support
we've seen here on the streets today almost matches it.
"The fans are brilliant and that they think so much of me means
everything. They know this is my club and the only place I want to
be."
Fans had started to gather outside the town hall from mid-afternoon
and were treated to big-screen replays of the title-winning goals plus
other notable games throughout the season.
City greats Mike Summerbee and Tony Book, members of the club's last
champion side in 1968, spoke tofans along with comedian Jason Manford
and actor Warren Clarke, both celebrity fans.
There was also music and other entertainment while blue and white
paper streamers were shot into the air in a spectacular display before
the players boarded the bus.
Summerbee, who was involved in the trophy presentation party after
City's title-clinching win, said: "The people out here think so much
of the club, these are proper supporters.
"This is what Manchester City is like.It is all about them, they are
fabulous supporters and I am a supporter now myself."
City's arch-enemies Manchester United had been moments away from
winning their 20th league titlewhen Aguero scored in that sensational
finale.
Summerbee said: "It was an amazing day, you couldn't write the script,
but I thought we were going to win all the way through. I kept the
faith."
Also present at the parade was former midfielder Patrick Vieira, who
is now the club's football development executive following his
retirement last year.
Vieira said: "I still can't believe it - losing 2-1 with five minutes
to go, it's unbelievable.
"All credit to the players for keepingbelieving in it."
Rooney: United will be back
crushing Premier League title disappointment.
For a few precious seconds following the final whistle at Sunderland,
United thought they had retained their crown and secured a 20th league
championship, only for their dreams to be dashed by Sergio Aguero's
stoppage-time winner for Manchester City.
It left United on 89 points, but condemned to runners-up spot on goal
difference. Already Rooney is looking ahead to next season and the
chance to reclaim the title.
"Yesterday [Sunday] was a difficult day for everyone. One minute you
think we have won the title, then we haven't, which was
heartbreaking," the 26-year-old told MUTV at the annual
ManchesterUnited Player of the Year awards.
"That is how it goes sometimes. We have to believe in ourselves.
"We have to look forward to next season and hopefully we can win some
trophies next season. I am sure we will be back. We all believe in
ourselves."
Rooney has no doubt where it all went wrong for the Red Devils as they
tossed away an eight-point lead with just six games remaining.
"The biggest disappointment was the Everton game," he said.
"To be 4-2 up, with 10 minutes to goand to lose that lead is disappointing.
"But there are a lot of young playersin the team. That is only going
to benefit them. They will learn from that."
That view was shared by central defender Rio Ferdinand.
"Yesterday [Sunday] was a crazy day of emotions," he said.
"I thought we had almost bagged it but then the impossible happened.
"We have to dust ourselves down and make sure we are in the right frame of mind.
"We have experienced players in the squad. We all have to learn and be
stronger. You have to be together during the good times and the bad."
Sir Alex Ferguson later took to the stage to confirm Antonio Valencia
had won the Players' Player of the Year award.
In fact, it proved to be a superb night on a personal front for
Valencia, who was also crowned fans' Player of the Year, in addition
to the goal of the season for his effort at Blackburn last month.
Premier League Team of the Week
to beat Queens Park Rangers to win the title and break Manchester
United hearts.
United had thought that Wayne Rooney's solitary strike against
Sunderland was enough to retain their crown until news filtered
through the Stadium of Light about City's last gasp win.
Elsewhere, Arsenal and Tottenham secured third and fourth respectively
in the league with winson the final day of the season and QPR avoided
relegation despite losing to City.
Bolton Wanderers could only draw with Stoke and as a result they drop
down to the npower Championship next season.
Other notable results on Sunday which are reflected in our Team of the
Week include wins for Wigan, Everton and Norwich.
We've gone with a 4-3-3 formation.
GK: Brad Friedel (Tottenham)
Tottenham needed to win on the final day of the season to confirm a
top-four finish regardless of results elsewhere and they did exactly
that with a 2-0 win over Fulham on Sunday. Two superb stops from
goalkeeper Brad Friedel when the result was still in the balance with
Spurs 1-0 up helped his team seal the win.
Friedel reacted brilliantly to first stop John Arne Riise and then
later again to prevent Moussa Dembele from equalising. Only a Chelsea
win now in Munich will prevent Spurs from playing in the Champions
League next season.
RB: Emerson Boyce (Wigan)
Wigan versus Wolves was the probably the game of the weekend which
nobody cared about too muchas the home side had already secured
Premier League safety while the visitors were already relegated.
Well, for those who missed it you missed out on an outstanding
performance from Wigan defender Emerson Boyce. He scored twice -
hissecond goal was a peach too - to secure a 3-2 win over Wolves.
Incredibly, this was Wigan's seventhwin from their last nine Premier
League games.
LB: Gareth Bale (Tottenham)
Barcelona full-back Daniel Alves sees Gareth Bale as the perfect
left-back for an attack minded teamand on Sunday the Welshman slotted
into the role perfectly for Tottenham as they beat Fulham 2-0 to end
the season in fourth.
CB: Johnny Heitinga (Everton)
Everton's newly crowned Player of the Season Johnny Heitinga wrapped
up his campaign with a dominating display against Newcastle United.
The Toon are the Premier League's overachievers this season but they
were brought downto earth by Heitinga who helped guide Everton to a
3-1 win on Sunday night.
Everton finish the season in seventh,one place above Merseyside rivals
Liverpool.
CB: Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal)
We were toying with the idea of putting John Terry in the final
centre-back slot for our season-ending Team of the Week XI. In the end
we went for Arsenal's Laurent Koscielny who capped off a satisfactory
second season at the club with an impressive display against West
Brom.
Fired up and determined to give their manager Roy Hodgson a win inhis
last game in charge, the Baggies made things very uncomfortable for
the Gunners. It is no stretch of the truth to say that without some of
the stunning last-ditch tackles madeby Koscielny during the game, the
end result would have spelled defeat for Arsenal. Instead, it was the
visitors who won 3-2 to guarantee themselves Champions League football
next season.
CMD: Yaya Toure (Manchester City)
Yaya Toure has finished the season in unstoppable form. In fact, the
only thing which has been able to throw him off-course slightly is a
calf injury he sustained during Manchester City's most dramatic 3-2
win against QPR on Sunday. Playing through the pain barrier, he still
managed to set up the opening goalfor City and they eventually went
onto win the title albeit after almost throwing it away when Toure was
no longer on the pitch.
CMR: Jamie Mackie (QPR)
QPR midfielder Jamie Mackie almostwrote himself into Manchester United
folklore after he finished off a fine move with a header to give the
Rs the second half 2-1 lead against Manchester City on Sunday. As the
clock ticked down it seemed like Mackie's goal would hand United the
title but in the end it wasn't to be as City hit back with two goals
in stoppage time for victory. Not that Mackie will care toomuch about
that, because QPR avoided relegation as Bolton could only get a draw
at Stoke on the finalday of the season.
CML: James Morrison (West Brom)
West Brom midfielder James Morrison's star shone the brightest at The
Hawthorns on Sunday despite the team going down 3-2 to Arsenal. As the
score-line suggests, there was plenty of goal-mouth action in the game
with Morrison the chief architect for a majority of the chances the
home side had.
He set up both goals for the Baggies on the night.
ST: Simeon Jackson (Norwich)
A great season in the Premier League for Norwich was punctuatedby
Canaries striker Simeon Jackson'sfantastic all-around play in their
2-0win over a sorry looking Aston Villa team. Jackson got the ball
rolling towards victory by winning the free-kick which led to Grant
Holt's opener. He then wrapped up the season ending win by punishing
Carlos Cuellar's error with a goal of his own.
ST: Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)
For the longest time it looked as though Wayne Rooney's solitary
strike against Sunderland would be enough to allow Manchester United
to steal the title right from under the nose of Manchester City. It
didn'thappen in the end as City also won their remaining game but
Rooney can look back on this season with a lot of pride - only Robin
van Persie has scored more goals than him this season and there has
also been a marked improvement in Rooney's disciplinary record for
United this campaign.
ST: Sergio Aguero (Manchester City)
There's no other way to say it. Sergio Aguero won Manchester City the
title singlehandedly on Sunday with a goal in stoppage time to
givethem the three points they needed against QPR to guarantee trophy
glory. We suppose this late drama could only be described as a fitting
way to end what has been an incredible Premier League season - one in
which Aguero has certainly left his mark on.
Dishonourable Mention: Joey Barton(QPR)
Sir Alex Ferguson wanted to see 'something stupid' at the Etihad on
Sunday and QPR skipper Joey Bartondelivered in his own unique and
brutish fashion. The controversial midfielder was red carded after
elbowing Carlos Tevez; he then proceeded to knee Sergio Aguero, an
incident which sparked a mass confrontation between both sets of
players.
Barton later revealed that he was trying to get a City player sent off
as well shortly after he had received his marching orders. Something
which sheds some light on his behaviour but which won't stop us from
criticising him here.
Muangthong edge ahead in Thailand
Premier League after recording a hard-fought 2-1 win over Army United
on Sunday.
The Twin Qilins started the game at the SCG very well and carved open
plenty of chances early on, with strike duo Datsakorn Thonglao and
Teerasil Dangda guilty of missing a number of clear-cut opportunities.
And the hosts' profligacy came back to haunt them right after the
break when Bjorn Lindemann open the scoring for Army.
However, Muangthong hit back six minutes later through Piyaphon
Bantao, before Teerasil made amends for his earlier misses by netting
a late winner to steal all three points for his side.
Elsewhere, Chonburi moved up to fourth after Nurul Sriyankem's
87th-minute strike helped them beat Wuachon United 1-0, while Pattaya
United and Osotspa Saraburi played out a 0-0 draw at the Nongprue
Municipality Football Field.
On Saturday, BEC Tero Sasana moved up to second after Cleiton Silva
fired in a hat-trick in their 3-0 win over Bangkok Glass , while Samut
Songkhram remained stuck at the foot of the table after losing 3-2 to
Chainat FC .
Diego Costa scored an 88th-minute winner to help TOT beat struggling
TTM Chiangmai 1-0, Police United were held to a 1-1 draw by BBCU , and
Chiangrai United edged Esan United 2-1 in an even encounter.
Sunday's Thai Premier League Results
Muangthong United 2-1 Army United
Pattaya United 0-0 Osotspa Saraburi
Chonburi 1-0 Wuachon United
Saturday, May 12, 2012
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