Forever Young: Ryan Giggs hits 100 in style

Ryan Giggs has been rolling back the years lately

Ryan Giggs turned 36 on Sunday to the plaudits of Sir Alex Ferguson and his peers but you would never have guessed as Giggs is still yet to act his age. The hair may be thinner and greying but there is plenty of life in his legs as he marked the occasion with his 100^th Premier League goal, after his first against Nottingham Forest in 1992.

The Welsh wizard has been going through a purple patch of late and lead to him being awarded the PFA player of the year at the end of last season and he has carried on where he left off last season with even more impressive displays ala yesterday where after a poor first half by his own high standards he came alive in the second much to the delight of Sir Alex Ferguson, United’s away support and more importantly his team mates.

The game was wide open as the teams went in for the half time break. United had been poor and if not for a brilliant performance from Tomasz Kuszczak they could have been down but the second half was a different story.

Ryan Giggs assumed the play maker role and all roads lead to him as he pulled the strings for a comprehensive United victory. His weighted pass to Wayne Rooney begged to be touched in and Rooney obliged as he never broke stride, stroking the ball past David James. Then Giggs found himself up against Frederic Piquionne outside the box and after slack play by the French man, Giggs found no qualms in picking his pocket and breaking into the Pompey box. Piquionne now fully flustered, as so many people before him had been when facing Giggs along the wing hauled Giggs to the floor handing United another penalty. Rooney again was on point from 12 yards out and completed his hat trick but not even that could up stage the Welsh man as he still found time to caress  a free kick past Asmir Begovic to cap off a sumptuous performance.

At the end of the game, Sir Alex Ferguson claimed,

“Ryan is exceptional, a rarity, he will play for two years yet.”

And if he can perform at this level, why not? He has been a constant threat for United and along with Darren Fletcher one of their better performers this season. His assists this season have been invaluable especially against Stoke where he came on and changed the game setting up both John O’Shea and Dimitar Berbatov and Man City where his assists set United on their way to a 4-3 victory.

The evergreen Giggs has been rolling back the years and although he cannot fly up and down the left wing like he used to, he has adapted his game to be just as effective. If he does have two more years left in his legs like Fergie thinks, then United are in for a treat as he proves the old adage, form is temporary class is permanent.