The Theater of Nightmares...

       
         So, you all had a great weekend then? The weather was lovely, wasn't it? Many of us might've had a nice picnic. Or did you catch any new movie over the weekend? There were quite a few on TV this week, too. Watching "Just Dance" can be a great experience too, to relax. What else? Anything nice on TV? No, I have talked about that already. The weather? Nope, I've been through that as well.
   

          Okay, can't beat around the bushes any longer now. All of us saw what happened at Old Trafford this Sunday. It wasn't Chelsea's first defeat of the season that got the headlines, nor United's rolling juggernaut despite a less than commanding performance. The only thing the world media is talking about now, is THAT moment from Fernando Torres. As the commentator rightly said, you wouldn't wish that on anyone.Seriously. Not even on Emmanuel Adebayor. You can defend, saying all great players have crazy misses sometimes, but for someone who was finally finding some confidence after a marathon break, you just pray the miss doesn't prove to be catastrophic.

One didn't really want to look at Torres's face after that miss ! "Shattered" is the only word there...

                   Talking generally about the game, it was far more open than expected. With a bit better finishing from both sides, it could easily have been 6-5, or better,6-7! But, the Torres miss overshadowed rest of the game so much, that no one even talked about both of first two United goals being offside. Yes, United were the better team in the end, but can you imagine the same silence on refereeing standards, had Fergie's team been on the receiving end ? AVB knew that his team were just as much to blame though, as it was really a lesson from the Red Devils in finishing games off. Chelsea were creating dozens of chances in first half, and still United incredibly led 3-0 at half-time, with 3 shots on target. That's called ruthlessness. They aren't the 19-time Champions for nothing.

        But, what for me was one of the biggest decisions of the match, which can have a massive impact on Chelsea's season went almost unnoticed. Lampard, the legendary 20-goals-a-season-from-midfield Frank Lampard was substituted at half-time by Villas Boas for Anelka, a decision that paid dividends in just about 30 seconds! Had it been any of the former Chelsea managers still in the Blue's dugout, Torres or Sturridge would come off to make way for Anelka. AVB made his statement right there. No one is safe at Chelsea anymore without performing. And unlike most of his predecessors, he really means that. That's why Roman Abramovich took the massive gamble on this relatively inexperienced guy from Portugal. There are radical changes happening around at Stamford Bridge.In Game-play. In discipline. And most importantly, in the personnel. Earlier, no one would even dream if Resting (!) Terry and Lampard in the opening game of the Champions League. No one would start Daniel Sturridge against Manchester United in favour of Anelka or Malouda. Villas Boas is bold and fearless, there are distinct similarities with Mourinho there. The delicious  unpredictability in substitutions is back. The team that looked jaded and tired for much of last season, looks suddenly revitalised now.They are hungry, they are pacey, and they want to win. They might be 5 points off the pace already, but write Chelsea off at your own peril.

              Meanwhile, giving due credit to the devils, they were indeed magnificent. They may not have dominated the game, but when on a roll, Fergie's men are as merciless as a Genghis-khan or a Tamerlane.  Chelsea did threaten with a comeback. But even after Rooney doing his own version of the "Moscow-miss" and Berbatov showing his own prowess at missing chances-one-can't-miss, United ran out deserved, if not comfortable winners. 15 points, 21 goals, a goal difference of +17, all this from just 5 games, this United team are going to need some stopping from romping to another title.

Even with a Moscow-like miss, Rooney is far ahead of competition in this year's EPL!

                                       

         Just a word to all those Chelsea fans lashing out at Torres though, AVB is building something big here. And even if you find it hard to believe, Fernando Torres is the man much, much likely to lead his charge, rather than a Didier Drogba or a Nicolas Anelka, and at least for the time being, even Daniel Sturridge. The entire league is being sliced open like never before. Get ready for the ride with your seat-belts, for it's going to be far more bumpy and unpredictable than you can ever imagine!