Despite becoming England captain, Rio Ferdinand endured a frustrating 2009/10...
Story of the season: "The day after a game I would waddle into the club like a duck, bent over like an old hunchback,” Rio admitted when describing the back injury which ravaged his campaign. The manner with which Fernando Torres brushed aside the defender's attentions at Anfield in October prompted a moment of clarity: "We made a decision to rest it completely before I could return to the team." In his first game back, Rio’s off-the-ball clash with Hull's Craig Fagan yielded a three-game ban, subsequently extended to four for what the FA deemed a frivolous appeal. Finally back for March’s hard-fought win at Wolves, Rio reprised his partnership with Nemanja Vidic and turned in a string of typically unflustered performances as the season wound to a close. There was another late injury scare when he tweaked a groin muscle and dislocated a finger in the goalless draw at Blackburn, but Rio’s determination to play on demonstrated his unerring commitment to the cause.
Finest moment: Ferdinand and Vidic shouldered plenty of flak after three successive defeats to Liverpool between 2008 and 2009. Although Fernando Torres escaped the entire defence’s attentions to open the scoring at Old Trafford in March, the manner with which Rio snuffed out the visitors’ threat throughout the game exorcised some lingering demons. Sadly no goals for the lofty defender to celebrate, although he did come close with a superb hooked volley at home to Fulham.
What’s in store? Rio will be intent on attaining and retaining full fitness ahead of next season, especially with the ever-improving Jonny Evans pushing for further involvement and new signing Chris Smalling arriving from Fulham.
ManUtd.Com
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