FERGUSON: I`M RARING TO GO

Sir Alex Ferguson is sick of the phoney war. The Manchester United boss wants the proper action to begin right now.

United head into Sunday's Community Shield tussle against old rivals Chelsea with Ferguson convinced the Premier League champions are even better equipped for an assault on silverware than they were 12 months ago.

The arrivals of Owen Hargreaves, Nani and Anderson - plus the impending capture of Carlos Tevez and the return from loan of youngsters such as Jonny Evans, Danny Simpson and Chris Eagles - leave Ferguson in confident mood heading into the new campaign.

As the sternest test of their entire summer schedule, United should get some idea of how far they have progressed at Wembley this weekend.

But, as he approaches his 12th Community Shield, and the end of his 21st pre-season, Ferguson cannot help but wish he could wind the clock forward to the August 12 meeting with Reading.

"I have had too many pre-seasons to think this is exciting," he said.

"We all know it is essential to have a good preparation but I just want to get started right now.

"We have a new team, and, including Tevez, we have made four good acquisitions. It is difficult to say how we compare with everyone else but there is no doubt we expect to be better."

There has been no sense of relaxation at United this summer, despite the afterglow of a ninth Premier League title.

There is some satisfaction though, not just at the triumph itself, which ended a four-year drought, but the manner in which it was achieved.

"The name of the game at this club is winning," said Ferguson.

"But while we want winning teams, we also want entertaining teams. Getting the championship last season was a fantastic effort but we did it in the right way, which just made it even more satisfying."

Ferguson has noted the strengthening that has gone on at Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal this summer.

Yet he also sees major improvement in Tottenham and Newcastle, where the Scot is certain old mate Sam Allardyce will have a major impact, as well as Everton.

"It could be quite an interesting league," he confirmed.

However, in Ferguson's mind, interesting does not necessarily mean more competitive as history suggests, come January and February, two of the contenders will have forged their way clear.

"You can never expect anything other than a tough competition but every year, by January, usually two or three teams have broken away," he said.

"On paper, it looks as though it will be a great league. History suggests otherwise."

Although Anderson and Owen Hargreaves are due to make friendly appearances before Sunday, neither will be involved against Chelsea.

Skipper Gary Neville is injured, along with Paul Scholes, Louis Saha and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, leaving Ferguson to stick with roughly the same side that began Wednesday's friendly defeat to Inter Milan.

Ferguson has not specifically said so, but it appears obvious he sees the major threat to his side's championship crown coming from Stamford Bridge, especially as Jose Mourinho has reinforced his own squad to cover the absences of four key men, including Didier Drogba, to the African Nations Cup.

"You don't want to lose your best players at any time but we are all aware the African Nations Cup is there, which is probably why Chelsea have bought players like Steve Sidwell, Tal Ben Haim and David Pizarro, who will be around in January," observed Ferguson.

"They have a big, strong squad and we don't expect much change from them."

Sunday's clash represents a re-match of the FA Cup Final, a game which was supposed to herald a bright era at the new Wembley but instead turned into the dampest of damp squibs as two weary sides failed to raise a gallop between them.

Drogba's late extra-time goal settled the tie in Chelsea's favour but Ferguson expects better this weekend, even if he refuses to get too worked up about the actual result.

"It will be a better game than the FA Cup Final," he said.

"There was tiredness in both teams that day and I certainly could not get any more out of my players.

"It is always difficult to assess the importance of this match because we have to use it as a stepping stone for next week.

"Nevertheless, I don't think you can avoid the fact it will be competitive. That is bound to happen when you are playing against a team you expect to be competing with for top honours."

Taken from =football365=