Archive for the 'Champions League' Category Page 2 of 6

Lyon 1 Manchester United 1

Published by
Paul
at February 21, 2008 in Champions League and Reviews. 2 Comments

Lyon 1 (Benzema 54) Manchester United 1 (Tevez 87)

Carlos Tevez rescued United from an away defeat as they take a vital away goal advantage to the 2nd leg. Both teams started with a 4-5-1 formation that canceled each other out. Lyon broke through with a great individual goal from Benzema whilst United leveled once they changed formation to 4-4-2 showing that they had a greater strength in depth. Tevez Scores

There was a tough first half as both midfields fought and and battled with few chances for either team. Hargreaves and Anderson allowed Scholes to progress further forward and a beautiful through ball from Giggs put him into the box in a throwback to 10 years ago. Giggs created an even better chance for Rooney who was put through one on one with the keeper, only for Coupet to save well. Meanwhile, United’s back four were pressed but coped with the Lyon attack.

United started the second half strongly with much possession only for Benzema to create a goal. With 4 United players around him, he was able to find the gap and place the ball into net off the post. United were visibly shaken by this and Ferguson showed his squad had the numbers and ability to change games for him. The increasingly tired and ineffective Scholes and Giggs were replaced by Nani and Tevez. Hargreaves was later replaced by Carrick.

The effect was notably as United went to 4-4-2 and Rooney had a companion to play with again and nearly scored as they showed their telepathic understanding one touch to create a chance. Increasingly Lyon were pegged back and they attempted to change the game by removing Juninho for a more defence minded player and Benzema for the Brazilian Fred.

In the end it was the latter substitution that had the most effect, but for the worst. As United pressured late in the game, they won a corner. Initially cleared, the ball then fell to Carrick in the area who fired the ball goalward only for it to hit Fred. It was cleared again, only to Nani on the wing. He flighted a perfect cross into the box but there were no United players on the end of it. However, it bounced again off Fred, this time off his heal and straight into the path of Tevez. Tevez couldn’t miss from three yards out and the game was level.

United take a vital away goal into the home game at Old Trafford and any win or a 0-0 will see them through.

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Review: Roma 1 Manchester United 1

Published by
Paul
at December 13, 2007 in Champions League, Manchester United and Reviews. 1 Comment

Lots of passing around the back four and central midfielders without any pressure or meaningful forward passing. Yup, another training exercise/champions league group match. With all the places in the group sorted out before kickoff, there was little point playing the game, except to give some of the younger players a run around. Wayne Rooney must have been really bored out there for 70 minutes.

Pique scored again for United, his second Champions League appearance and his second goal. Not bad for a defender. Mind you, if Roma had bothered to mark him he would have had a harder task than an open goal from 6 yards out. Roma equalised after 70 minutes with a very well taken goal from Mancini with Kuszczak had no chance with.

It it interesting to see this reserve type side develop. A few years ago, the youngsters were not close to the quality required, but tonight nearly all of them had a good game and if the first team wasn’t playing so well, some would be getting a regular game. It is no surprise that Wes Brown is playing so well with Danny Simpson waiting for him to make a mistake and take his place.

It was hard to pay 100% attention to the game, so I kept an eye on Rangers, who fell over and dropped out 3-0 to Lyon. At only 1-0 with about five minutes to go, they hit the bar. So close. Arsenal won, but still finished second. Can we draw either Arsenal or Liverpool in the 2nd Round? Would be a very interesting game.

Very bad news related to tonights game were the five United fans in hospital from stab wounds.  Another very bad footballing incident in Italy.  Will UEFA take action?

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Preview of Roma game, Captain Rooney, Giggs and Neville

Published by
Paul
at December 12, 2007 in Champions League, Manchester United and Previews. 0 Comments

It’s hardly worth playing this game let alone reviewing it. Both teams have qualified, United have won the group, and are sending a team of reserves plus Wayne Rooney as captain. Roma out for revenge still, apparently. It would be very bad for them to lose to our reserves.

Speaking of Wayne, Republic of Mancunia has a thoughtful piece on Rooney as a future captain of United. Whilst I wouldn’t go so far to say it is obvious, but if at the time there wasn’t a clear player of captain material (would Cantona have been made captain if Keane had been 5 years older?) then I’d say go for it. Fergie has to pick the best man for the job at the time it becomes available. Whilst Gary Neville’s injury situation is far from ideal and a little worrying (but he is back in training again), I think he’ll be back and playing for another couple of seasons. Maybe he’ll hand over the right back slot to Danny Simpson and the captain’s armband to Rooney.

I rather like this interview with Gary Neville, reproduced by Red Devils of Old Trafford.

When I stop playing, I’d love just to travel round Europe watching United with my mates. What’s better than watching your team play football and having a few drinks and something to eat after? Criticising them if they lose, jumping around hysterically if they win.

Finally, Ryan Giggs has gone and collected an OBE, for services to football. Now that Ryan Giggs has scored a hundred league goals for United, it has got people looking back to the past for former heros. Sky Sports has got a list of United’s 100 Club, reproduced below.

PLAYER LEAGUE GOALS
Bobby Charlton 199
Jack Rowley 182
Denis Law 171
Dennis Viollet 171
Joe Spence 158
George Best 137
Stan Pearson 127
Mark Hughes 120
David Herd 114
Tommy Taylor 112

Looking at the Holy Trinity there, I’m wondering if the current next generation Fab Three will make that list. Carlos has a long long way to go, but Rooney has 45 league goals for United (60 in total) and Ronaldo is one behind on 44. Considering their ages, you’d have to thing that should they stay at United for long enough, they will be on that list. Ronaldo’s strike rate is staggering (1 goal every 3.2 league games) for a winger. Compare to Ryan Giggs who scores at 1 goal every 5 games and is no slouch.

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Review: Manchester United 2 Sporting 1

Published by
Paul
at November 28, 2007 in Champions League, Manchester United and Reviews. 2 Comments

Manchester United 2 (Tevez 61, Ronaldo 90+2) Sporting 1 (Abel 22)

Christiano Ronaldo scored a late freekick to win the game for United and give them 5 wins out of 5 and win their group in the Champions League.

However at half time with Sporting leading 1-0 it looked anything like another comfortable home night in Europe. Sporting had dominated United’s midfield and Saha, up front on his own, had done very little to suggest United don’t need to spend in the January transfer window. The fact that Sporting’s goal was something of a fluke (a cross that swerved into the net but should have been saved) was offset by Sporting’s claim that a 2nd goal was wrongly disallowed for offside.

Fergie wasted little time in making changes, removing the ineffective Fletcher and Nani with Tevez and Giggs. United looked a much better team. Those fans who think Ryan’s time is up should watch this 2nd half performance closely. One moment stood out. Giggs played a clever ball in field to Evra but it was intercepted. Rather than hold his head in his hands, or look annoyed, he simply worked back and won the ball back. Then he showed some incredible skill to beat two players and setup another attack. Fantastic.

United’s equaliser was more fortuitous than Sporting’s goal. After good work in the box from Saha, Ronaldo had a shot that was going wide before it hit the back of Had’s legs and (possibly) coming off Tevez’s legs and into the net. The replays didn’t show conclusive proof of who got the last touch, but I’ll let the Argentine have the goal.

Without Fletcher getting in their way, Anderson and Carrick were having a better game, but Louis Saha’s poor form continued and he was replaced by Owen Hargreaves. Hargreaves nearly scored with his first touch but the keeper was having a good game.

United’s winner came in injury time when we were awarded a rather soft freekick. Ronaldo stepped up and it was one of those that went towards the goal. There was so much swerve on it, that even on the third replay I thought it was going to go towards the other corner. When he gets them right, Ronaldo’s freekicks are special.

Special mentions to two of the defenders. Nemanja Vidic for taking a full blown body charge without blinking, just getting up and running back into position. I swear the guy is not human. And Patrice Evra for having another great game. Strong tackling and fast in attack. A perfect modern fullback. Do you even think about that Argentine bloke that we used to have? However, I can do without the dive that got him booked.

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Sporting Preview: Champions league Group: Match Day 5

Published by
Paul
at November 26, 2007 in Champions League, Manchester United and Previews. 0 Comments

Resting Ronaldo so he could face his former club seems a very silly way to drop 3 vital league points, but this is what it looks like Fergie has done.

Whilst the official line was that Ronaldo had a thigh strain, it is odd that he is now fit enough to face Sporting. Without Rooney, Ronaldo is a must play as Tevez doesn’t appear to be a match winner yet (given his form at West Ham I’m hoping for a January blitz) and Louis Saha is desparately short of form and fitness.

Ferguson took a gamble on not playing him, and it failed. Shame we didn’t play them when Sammy Lee was still in charge, but then that was why he was sacked. Looks like the international break has done us no favours this time. This one defeat to Bolton won’t break our season, but it can throw us out of our groove and eventually out of the race.

Sporting still have a chance of qualifying so we can’t just throw in a team of youngsters but we’d be in a lot of trouble if Ronaldo joined the injury list because of this game.

Sir Alex has been charged with misconduct by the FA, and rightly so. I don’t suppose any fine or ban will have any effect on the old man, but if he wasn’t charged the stories of “one rule for Fergie, one rule for the rest” will be perpetuated.

The stupidest sacking of the season has swiftly followed the most obvious. Billy Davies was never going to keep Derby up and it now looks like he was sacked for winning the play-offs. You have to look at the example Watford set. Promoted by the playoffs, relegated last season, didn’t sack Adrian Boothroyd and are now top of the Championship by 5 points with a stronger side. Derby have probably set themselves back 3 seasons.

Finally, it appears that Garth Crooks has a sense of humour. He has put Patrice Evra and Kevin Davies together in his team of the week. One would hope that Davies would try to concentrate on scoring goals instead of kicking his own full back. However, his strike rate this season (1 goal in 15 games) compared to his disciplinary record (5 yellows in 15) would suggest otherwise. What is the point of a striker who gets banned as often as he scores?

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