Archive for April, 2008

Manchester United 1 Barcelona 0

Published by
Paul
at April 30, 2008 in Reviews. 1 Comment

Manchester United 1 (Scholes 14) Barcelona 0

Paul Scholes fired a dream goal to send Manchester United back to the Champions League final for the first time since 1999.  The Ginger Prince already has his name on the teamsheet for the final as Fergie has said he will definately play after missing out on the Treble winning victory of that season.

After the first leg ended goalless, Scholes’s strike put United in the lead, but left the match on a tightrope of tension.  For the next 15 minutes after the goal, which was started by a mistake by Zambrotta, Barcelona fell apart, wayward passes and poor shooting.  The Old Trafford crowd, up for the game, sensed another goal would end the game, but it never came.

Instead Barcelona came back into the game through Deco and Messi.  The little Argentine was a real threat and Barcelona started to have more controlled possession.  From that point onwards, the game rose and rose in tension until the final whistle.  Only then could the players and fans relax and the celebration was more a release of the tension than them thinking they were going to win the trophy.

Now United will face either Chelsea or Liverpool, an all English final for the first time ever.

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Scholes has done it

Published by
Paul
at April 29, 2008 in Champions League. 0 Comments

Scholes!!!!!!!!  The Ginger Prince saved that screamer for us all season.

Flipping ‘eck.  That was about as tense is it has ever got.   Say what you like about 0-0 away draws, but if you are defending a 1-0 lead at home in the 2nd leg, it makes it the most tense thing ever, ever!  It was the 90’s all over again.

And the last thing you need in injury time is for Silvestre to come on.   More tomorrow when I’m coherent!

All English final, eh?  Liverpool or Chelsea.   Bring ‘em on.  And their groundstaff.

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Chelsea 2 Manchester United 1

Published by
Paul
at April 28, 2008 in Reviews. 1 Comment

We’re in a bit of trouble, largely of our own doing.  People who laugh at Rafa Benitez for rotating his team too much can now look at Sir Alex Ferguson and smirk quite a bit.  What was that team that was put out?  I can understand the logic, the gamble if you will.  Fergie must have thought that given that even if we lose the title is in our own hands, it was worth resting Ronaldo and playing Fletcher and Silvestre.

Three out of the first four 1st choice defenders was probably a good move, but it was let down, firstly by Wes Brown giving the ball away in the first minute setting the tone for the rest of the half.  Then, the unfortunate loss of Vidic, providing that actually he isn’t a machine and does bleed if you knee him in the face hard enough.  He didn’t look pretty beforehand.

The goal was inevitable.  But then Chelsea decided that they’d do their own bit of imploding, gifting Rooney a goal and then fighting like children over freekicks.  I thought they were going to give us the title, but it turned the other way again.  It probably was a penalty.  Carrick had time to move his hand, I think.

So, we lose 2-1 and now need to win against West Ham and Wigan.  West Ham should be a win.  They are a bogey side, but usually at Upton Park.  Last season we lost at home, but West Ham needed the points and we didn’t care.  We should have and we could have sent them down.  We’d have more likely won away to the team they replaced, Sheffield United and have three more points and the league in the bag.

Congrats to Ronaldo for winning a meaningless personal award.  It will look very annoying if he can’t put a league winners medal next to it.

But it is the Champions League next.  Too close to call and likely to be another tense night.  No live blogging this time, I need to concentrate more on the game and not the laptop.  Come on you Reds.

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Title decider Chelsea preview

Published by
Paul
at April 25, 2008 in Chelsea. 2 Comments

It comes down to this game at Stamford Bridge, 12:45 BST to decide the title, more or less.  A win and the title is our (except not mathematically), a draw and we need one more victory to be sure.  A defeat would not be good news, but unless we lose 20-0, the title would still be in our hands, but we’d have to beat West Ham at home and Wigan away.

At this point, it is pointless trying to predict or demand the team that should play.  Fergie is the expert at winning close run ins.  Can you remember any season where United haven’t won the league when they have been in the position to do so with less than 3 games to play?  Except for 1995.  Because that doesn’t count.  Because of Eric Cantona and that Crystal Palace fan.  If Ronaldo had attacked a fan in February and been banned we wouldn’t be close to winning the league this season.

Let’s just say no other team deserves to win the league this season.  Arsenal fell away badly and blew it after doing so well early on.  Chelsea are no where near as strong this season and are hanging onto our coat tales this season, instead of pushing us over the line.  I think we’ll prove that tomorrow lunchtime and get the three points.

I sort of think that was the plan in Barcelona.  The performance was defensive, and we played well within ourselves, but made sure we were still in the contest.  We are still very fresh for Chelsea.  Fergie even took off Rooney, probably to rest him for this match.  Tevez started on Wednesday because he won’t be starting tomorrow.  Anderson will be.  I’m not sure about Giggs.  Will Fergie go for the experience, or send in Nani to try to blow a hole on the slower legs of the Chelsea rightback.  Ashley Cole is quick, so is Carvalho.  Terry and Ferreira are not.

Let’s see.  I’m going for a 2-1 win (Ronaldo and Rooney).

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Live - Barcelona 0 Manchester United 0

Published by
Paul
at April 23, 2008 in Live. 12 Comments

Barcelona 0 Manchester United 0

Live blog of the first leg of the Champions League Semi-Final.

Full Time That’s it 0-0.  Job done, I suppose, but it could have been oh so different if Ronaldo hadn’t missed that penalty in the first few minutes.

21:30 I don’t like 0-0 away draws in the Champions League. But I like them better than losing 1-0. So fingers crossed as we go into injury time.

21:27 If there is going to be a last minute own goal by a ginger bloke, it will be Paul Scholes. Or Wes Brown. Van der Sar does a dive for the cameras save from a tame Henry free kick.

21:25 Ryan Giggs comes on for Tevez. The commentator says that it means he has played in all the United semi-finals. Surely Giggs is not old enough to have played in the ‘68 semi finals?

21:22 Henry nearly does something. A fearsome strike that swerves but Van der Sar is equal to.

21:18 Nani plays a great pass to Ronaldo, who puts it back to Park. Park fails to find Tevez. Why is he still on the pitch ?

21:16 Henry has been called into action, for Deco. I’m a bit nervous that he’ll do something, but apparently he has been strictly average this season.

21:15 Nani on for … Rooney ? I’ve not seen Park or Tevez this second half. You know you’ll get good industry from Rooney, why sub him? Save him for the bigger game against Chelsea Saturday ?

21:11 A few years ago I saw a Barcelona v Real Madrid match that had so much skill at such pace and such quality, I thought English teams would never be able to match them. Luckily, that time has past. Barcelona have been strictly average tonight. The trouble is, United haven’t been any good either.

21:07 Not much going on in this game. Fergie has switched and Rooney has just gone up front, I think

21:02 Barcelona freekick from the exact same spot that Bayern Munich scored from in the 99 final. This time it goes over the bar. Messi is off for the on form Bojan

20:55 Just realised Messi is playing. He aint done nothing son, which probably means that he’ll score now.

20:53 Big chance for United. Corner falls to Carrick on the edge of the area. He does brilliantly to beat his man, then sends the ball into the side nettings as well.

20:50 Big chance for Barca. Brown gives the ball away and suddenly it is 2 on 1. Rio covers well and possibly would have given away a penalty but Eto-o stays on his feet but fails to find his colleague with the cross. Big let off. Minutes later Eto’o is in again and hits the side netting.

20:48 Long ranger from Zambrotta but Van der Sar saves easily. Another corner.

20:47 The second half is under way.

Half Time 0-0

20:28 Counter attack and Marquez brings down Ronaldo on the edge of the area. Marquez picks up a booking and misses the 2nd leg. Ronaldo’s freekick is weirdly un-Ronaldo like. At attempted curler that was slow and wide.

20:27 Rio does great against Eto’o and calmly defends a good pass through.

20:24 Not much is actually happening now. It would be better if Barcelona played at more pace allowing United to counter attack. Got to say United are starting to look comfortable again. The ref gives virtually every freekick going which doesn’t help the flow of the game.

20:17 Zambrotta goes down like Tevez put a chainsaw through his neck, but the reality was that there was a slight brush with the arm. Eto’o is starting to have come deep to get the ball. He does get a shot in but Brown blocks and it falls easily for Van Der Sar.

20:15 Great pass from Ronaldo put Rooney into space down the right. He puts the cross in but Park cannot get his header towards goal. Where was Tevez in that attack?

20:13 ooooh, now that should have been a penalty. Mistake by Nesta and Ronaldo was shoved off the ball in the box my Marquez.

20:12 Actually, United have settled into usual defensive away mode, all but Ronaldo behind the ball and Barcelona have passed it around a lot but not done too much with it. Not seen Scholes yet and Tevez hasn’t managed to control it yet.

20:05 Van Der Sar has his first save to make as a long range freekick bounces just in front of him. United are not playing well at all. The formation has me puzzled and I wonder if the Vidic injury has thrown all the plans into chaos. Why Rooney on the right? Surely the obvious option was for Anderson instead of Tevez.

20:00 United need to get a grip on the game. Barcelona are having far too much of the ball and it has lifted the crowd. Utd still seem shocked by the penalty miss.

19:58 Marquez took a freekick right on the edge of the Utd area. Straight at the wall. Why am I having 4-0 1994 flashbacks?

19:57 Huge cock up from Van Der Sar as his miskicked clearance went straight to Barca leaving them 3-2 and a big chance went begging.

19:55 Dangerous pull back from Eto, just went behind two Barca players and found a white shirt. Whistles ensue as United have some possession.

19:53 Three corners in a row for Barcelona. Eventually Ronaldo clears.

19:51 Still coming to grips with the fact we could have been 1-0 up. But that would have been too easy. So far United have broken up each Barcelona attack in midfield until Rooney lost the ball on the right and Evra had to put the cross behind for a corner.

19:48 We would have been gifted a lead as it was a dodgy penalty. A hand ball from a corner. Do we think Ronaldo is not a big game player ?

19:47 Ronaldo misses penalty. Over the bar. 0-0

19:46 PENALTY!!!! Hand ball.

19:45 Game on

19:42 Sky has Rooney on the right and Ronaldo up front with Tevez. Got to be a big gamble playing Deco. I remember Fergie gambling on Van Nistelrooy coming back for a QF against Milan and it failed.

19:40 Team News No Vidic, Hargreaves at RB again, Giggs on the bench and Park gets the nod over Nani. Most interestingly Tevez starts so this is 4-4-2 away in Europe?

Cut and pasted from the Guardian website

Barcelona start with Deco for the first time in two months, a fair old gamble given Messi has played roughly 16 seconds in the last month or so: Valdes, Zambrotta, Marquez, Milito, Abidal, Xavi, Toure Yaya, Deco, Messi, Eto’o, Iniesta.
Subs: Pinto, Gudjohnsen, Henry, Sylvinho, Giovanni, Thuram, Bojan.

No Vidic for Manchester United after he was taken to hospital with a stomach complaint last night: Van der Sar, Hargreaves, Ferdinand, Brown, Evra, Ronaldo, Carrick, Scholes, Park, Rooney, Tevez.
Subs: Kuszczak, Anderson, Giggs, Nani, Pique, O’Shea, Silvestre.

Referee: Massimo Busacca (Switzerland)

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