Premier League 
/ Ralph Ellis / 14 March 2011 / Leave a Comment 
Wayne Rooney hasn't been at his best this season but is finding some form whilst Sir Aex Ferguson knows all about winning ugly when necessary
"On days when the ‘A’ game doesn’t come together, teams who win trophies have the ability to find a ‘B’ game, or even a ‘C+’ performance, that somehow drags out a result. United have had that gritty quality for two decades now under Ferguson and all the time he’s there it won’t change."
Manchester United haven't been at their best nor have they played great football this season but they're still on for a treble because somehow they keep on winning. Ralph Ellis tells us about who can win ugly and who can't.
You've probably already heard the joke about Manchester United chasing "The Terrible." All the letters of "Treble" are in there but not quite together.
Many a true word spoken in jest, as that's pretty much summed up the season for Sir Alex Ferguson's side. First they put together the Barclays Premier League's longest unbeaten run, then got in pole position to reach the Champions League quarter-final, and now have booked a Wembley FA Cup semi-final date. Yet even the most myopic of Manchester watchers would tell you they've hardly ever hit their peak of flowing football.
On days when the 'A' game doesn't come together, teams who win trophies have the ability to find a 'B' game, or even a 'C+' performance, that somehow drags out a result. United have had that gritty quality for two decades now under Ferguson and all the time he's there it won't change.
In fact there's an argument that their most glorious campaign of 1999 was also a "Terrible" season. We all remember them somehow scrambling across the line in the Champions League final with two goals in the last minute, but they'd only won the domestic title because Arsenal blew it by losing at Leeds two games from the end of the season. As far as the FA Cup went, they should have been out at the semi-final stage when Dennis Bergkamp missed a penalty towards the end of the 90 minutes before Ryan Giggs popped up with 'that goal'.
Somehow they still got the results, and that is imprinted on the culture at Old Trafford. Wayne Rooney isn't playing well by anybody's standards, let alone his own, at the moment. But he still came up with his sixth goal in nine games to seal Saturday's 2-0 win over Arsenal. If you followed my tip back in September to lay him at [4.0] to be top English goalscorer in the Premier League it might just be time to back him at [8.0] and turn the market green. On seven goals, four behind joint leaders Andy Carroll and Darren Bent, there's the danger he'll get on a roll.
Arsenal, just as in 1999, seem to have the opposite ability - to play wonderfully but still get beaten. It's why I can't see them staying the Premier League pace now, even though their fixture list looks kind. You can lay them at [3.25] for the title, or if you really think the season could crumble away, at [1.5] for a top two finish.
It's a constant criticism of Wenger that his teams won't adapt when needed. Even during injury-time at Barcelona, when a goal would still have put them through, they had a free kick on the half way line but instead of sending everybody forward and gambling with a long ball into the box they took it short and lost possession.
They could have learned a thing or two from Bolton's 3-2 win at Birmingham. Owen Coyle has changed the style with great success to play far more football this year. But when it mattered on a potato patch pitch, they weren't afraid to go long for the head of Kevin Davies, who set up Lee Chung-Yong's late winner. The Trotters are an interesting bet at [7.0] to win the Cup, and at [6.0] to hang on to their current sixth place too.
I'm sure Arsene Wenger wouldn't think he needs any management lessons from Tony Pulis; the two have squabbled for the last few seasons. But in the matter of winning by hook or crook, he could certainly take some. At home, with Rory Delap chucking in those long throws and Robert Huth clambering to win set piece headers, Pulis's Stoke team also find ways to win games. They did it again against West Ham to book their place at Wembley with a 2-1 win. Hammers, and don't forget they were bottom on Christmas day, are currently [2.54] to be relegated, but ought to be odds-on as I'm not sure they too know how to scramble results from big games.
Manchester City keep reminding us that they are a work in progress, albeit a very expensive work. They needed a late Micah Richards header for the only goal against Reading that booked their semi-final place. That was at least a small sign that they are learning the art of winning when not performing - but it will take more than that to justify the current price of [1.39] a top four finish.
Incidentally on Betfair Multiples, a £10 bet on Manchester United landing all three trophies would pay out £404.20. Suddenly it doesn't sound like a "Terrible" after all!
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