A few seconds, just for a few fleeting seconds, I thought that a dream was about to come true at Upton Park last Saturday. Manchester United had somehow come back from two goals down to lead 4-2 with a few minutes remaining and Nani was getting prepared to come on as a late substitute. My mind suddenly went back to the sixties with images of George Best, Brian Kidd, Bobby Charlton, Denis Law and John Aston terrorising opposition defences with a frightening array of fire power. It was never going to happen again I thought. Imagine Antonio Valencia on the right, Chicharito and Wayne Rooney in the middle, Nani on the left and Dimitar Berbatov sitting just behind them – as Charlton used to do all those years ago. The icing on the cake was Ryan Giggs coming forward from his totally foreign left full back position in the second half! This was the stuff that dreams are made of and only Sir Alex Ferguson could have the vision to even contemplate it.
But it was not to be! After completing his sensational 15 minute, second half hat trick which could prove pivotal in earning United their much yearned for record breaking title, it was Rooney who came off for the introduction of Nani, leaving my long held dream tantalisingly close but not quite realised.
Is it still possible for it to happen before the season come to its conclusion? Of course it is, many tough challenges lie ahead for United and Ferguson has shown once again that he has complete faith in what his squad is capable of doing – and he has not been let down when it mattered.
My 50 year old dream may not be practical in this day and age, reality says that it’s unlikely to happen but if it ever does, it can only be Sir Alex and Manchester United who will be able to turn back the clock at what has after all become known as The Theatre of Dreams.
Can you see such an attacking formation by United before the end of the season?
