Best and Worst of 2009: Manchester United

SOCCER: MAY 16 Barclays Premier League - Manchester United v Arsenal

Best moment:  For a title winning side, there were very few moments that truly sparkle in memory.  Berbatov had a few amazing touches where he pulled a ball out of the sky and created a goal.  CRon's Champions League goals were stunning.  But for sheer drama and improbability there was nothing that compared to Federico Macheda's match-winning goal against Aston Villa.  It isn't over-stating it to say that it saved their season after loses to Liverpool and, improbably, Fulham.  And to have come from a teenage striker on his debut... it couldn't have been written any better.

Best Transfer:  I think we're going to have to give SAF the benefit of the doubt on this one.  Zoran Tosic, depending on the slant of the story you are reading, is either one for the future or an established Serbian international.  Maybe he really is both.  And with Giggs likely to be an increasingly bit part player (and a winger in memory only), Nani failing to impress, and CRon's future seemingly at center-forward, Tosic will be needed on the left wing.  It is interesting, however, that when ManU played the kids in the FA Cup semi-final and then on the final day of the season, Tosic wasn't involved.  So this could become the worst transfer.  Only time will tell.

Biggest disappointment (injury):  He wasn't missed much during the season, but much ink was spilt over Owen Hargreaves after ManU couldn't get the ball off Barca's midfield in the Champions League Final.

Biggest disappointment (non-injury):  While the end of the season seemed to be all about the will-he-won't-he, Tevez's season really didn't live up to the hype.  Never able to play regularly, his knack for scoring important goals which not deserting him, wasn't as pronounced this season.  And even worse, when he was called upon to start, and should have been a fantasy sure-thing, he never came through.

Biggest disappointment (non-injury):  part two of this award would have to go to the other disappearing striker, Dimitar Berbatov.  He wasn't even a starter at the season's end with CRon prefered at center forward.  30 million is a lot to spend on a back up and with Macheda and Wellbeck joining CRon (and seemingly not Rooney) in vying for one or maybe two forward spots it does make one wonder how SAF will square this particular circle.

Best start:  Darren Fletcher.  With CRon on the sidelines for the opening of the season, ManU stumbled into four points from their first two matches thanks to goals from Fletcher.  It was never going to last - either their struggles or his goal scoring - but at the time it was vital.

Best finish:  It was stop/start for much of the season, but when it counted CRon showed that he was a player for the big stage.

Worst tackler: Paul Scholes. 

Biggest Achilles heel:  Vidic has been exposed against strikers with pace.  Now, granted Torres is no ordinary player but look what happened to Senderos. Drogba single-handedly ruined his career.

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