Champions League Final 2011: Was Manchester United's Season a Disappointment?

It is the morning after the night before, and unless Sir Alex Ferguson and his Manchester United team have been tormented by nightmares of marauding Barcelona players, they will be waking up this Sunday to the realisation they were once more the victims of Pep Guardiola's "New Dream Team."

Manchester United's 3-1 loss at the feet of typically well-crafted and well-taken goals by Pedro, Lionel Messi and David Villa was not quite the overwhelming defeat they suffered in Rome two years ago. Wayne Rooney summoned a terrific equaliser that suggested his team were capable of getting at their opponents and, prior to Barca taking the lead through Messi's goal, United were working hard to make a game of it.

The near-constant pressure and at times hypnotic blending of movement and passing patterns wore the Red Devils out, allowing the brief lapse of concentration that left Messi free for that second goal, and making it difficult for them to gain any substantial foothold back into the game.

Barcelona highlighted the deficiencies of the current Man United side, and in scintillating fashion once more set the bar for all of European football to reach for. But while the new champions of England will be feeling disappointed today, this defeat should not sully what has been a good season for the club.

Much discussion about the campaign has revolved around whether this is a "vintage" United side, comparing it to the treble winners of 1999 and the Cristiano Ronaldo led three-peaters of just a few years ago.

Such comparisons are naturally tempting for those of us who love talking football, but they are not entirely pertinent. What is more valuable is to rate United's overall performance in the context of the current climate of English and European football.

In one of the most exciting and (relatively) unpredictable seasons since the Premier League's inception, Manchester United must be given credit for their consistency in winning back the title.

While the 2010 champions Chelsea lost form amidst the uncertainty surrounding the sacking of Carlo Ancelotti's assistant manager Ray Wilkins, Ferguson made sure his side weathered a storm of their own in the potentially damaging furor arising from Wayne Rooney's transfer request in October.

United's better handling of an uncertain period was ultimately a crucial factor in the nine-point lead they finished with ahead of second place Chelsea. But so as to reinforce their superiority this season, they dispatched their London rivals with some aplomb in a convincing 2-1 victory in April.

In the aftermath of their schooling by Barcelona, it also easy to forget the signs of potential shown by United, that Alex Ferguson once more could be about to build another of his great sides.

Rooney, Park Ji-Sung, Antonio Valencia, Nemanja Vidic and Nani all reiterated their value and quality, especially during the run-in of the Premier League and Champions League. Fabio Da Silva, Johnny Evans and Chris Smalling all highlighted their respective credentials for augmenting an already strong defence. Arguably most notably was the emergence of Javier Hernandez as a legitimate new goal threat for the club.

While they look now for a new goalkeeper and some central midfield talent capable of competing with the likes of Barcelona's Xavi and Andrés Iniesta, this should not diminish the value of the contributions made by the newly retired Edwin Van Der Sar and the potential last hurrahs of Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes.

Overall you would have to view 2010/11 as a successful transitional season. They moved ahead of northwest rivals Liverpool for the most English championships won (19 to 18). At home they proved they were the best this time around, and bar the presence of Barcelona (and perhaps Real Madrid), showed they were also so in Europe.

Alex Ferguson will realise his Spanish rivals will only likely get better, and that in the emerging Manchester City they have a new threat amongst the traditional challengers to deal with in the Premier League. But the signs are there his club too have much to look forward too as well.