UEFA Champions League (Week 4) - Will contain spoilers

cournioni

Ruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuddddddddddddd!


That is all.

impr0v

PORNAPSTER wrote:

Ruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuddddddddddddd!

Gifted three goals, one offside, one penalty, one gift-wrapped with bow included. As the man above said, flattering. Nice to see the united fans applaud Poborsky.

eirebhoy wrote:

I doubt anyone would be saying this if it was ManU/Arsenal/Liverpool/Chelsea playing.

Hence the word 'especially'.

A Dub in Glasgo wrote:

I am pretty sure the Barcelona game was on Sky so you could have tuned in there.

It was only on Xtra.

I know it's highly unlikely that they would show anything other than the British teams, but occasionally it would nice to see the quality of football decide the choice of game rather than the ratings.

Memnoch

United played some good attacking football but as has been pointed out the score line was a bit flattering.

However if they wanna win against the big teams they will need to improve their defence and probably also their mid field.

I doubt teams like milan or Barca will be gifting them easy goals, such as the backpass to RVN for the first. or the defender not clearing the ball for the 3rd. The 4th goal was offside as has also been pointed out.

The penalty i'm unsure of in terms that on paper it was definately a penalty. TBH u can't really complain because there WAS contact in the box. Though it did look a bit contrived. Still i think on balance the ref's decision was a fair one.

The thing that should be worrisome for United fans is that they missed a lot of good chances from open play. If you want to beat the top teams you need to convert those. As you will only get one or two of them against the top teams. Because, as I said before, the top teams will probably not be gifting you goals as easily.

Without those serious mistakes the scoreline would have been 1-1.

talla

Have to agree with a lot of whats been said about Uniteds performance. Overall I though they were average and the scoreline did flatter them. Sparta's goal was a nice move but it exposed what still is Ferdinands biggest failing, lack of concentration, he just switches off every now and again and United will be punised in Europe time after time until he sorts that out. And it was great to see Poborsky getting a standing ovation when he was sent off(you could see it meant a lot to him), its moments like that people forget when they slag off Uniteds supporters( anyone remembers Ronaldo's standing ovation when he was he destroyed United with his hatrick at Old Trafford).

cournioni

impr0v wrote:

Gifted three goals, one offside, one penalty, one gift-wrapped with bow included. As the man above said, flattering. Nice to see the united fans applaud Poborsky.

Doesn't matter, he took them all well.

Sure they were gift wrapped, but the first one wasn't easy. The keeper could have easily got to that. He finished it well.

The second was a penalty, it was a good penalty, sent the keeper the wrong way. Someone had to take it.

The third one was a well taken goal, from the tv footage I didn't think he could score with the angle and the way he was facing. It was a well taken goal, regardless of the poor defending.

The fourth was offside, but he was still there in the right place at the right time to tap it in. The offside is the linesmans problem not Ruud's.

You have to say, four goals at that level is excellent. Even though Sparta are a terrible side defensively. But you can only beat what is put in front of you.

The Rooster

Liverpool were decent without being brilliant. I thought Baros worked very hard all night and played well. Luis Garica was brutal, losing the ball or giving it away at least 90% of the time. Riise's passing was also terrible, but work rate was high and he battled well. Kewell was better Garcia, but only marginally.

Biscan was excellent in the first half and solid in the second. Hamann was anonymous in the first half, but was excellent in the last 20 minutes when it was getting a bit "backs to the wall". A much better performance by Hyypia than recently, though DLC played into his hands (or head!). Josemi was ok but is often "trying" to play opponents onside - I'd prefer Finnan at 2. I dont think Kirkland is as goos as the English press sometimes make him out to be - definitely unproven - but he's better than Dudek.

Traore was man of the match. Superb display! Astonishingly

A Dub in Glasgo

impr0v wrote:

It was only on Xtra.

I know it's highly unlikely that they would show anything other than the British teams, but occasionally it would nice to see the quality of football decide the choice of game rather than the ratings.

Come back to us the next time a Liverpool game is on and call for a higher quality alternative

The Rooster

Quote from the Irish Times report on the DLC-Liverpool game:

DLC have only managed to score against one side - Irish part-timers Shelbourne in their last 7 European fixtures

:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

The Rooster

Brown and Rio were appaling at centre back and Neville was awful at RB.

Keane and Scholes cannot play as a central midfield pair in Europe. Keane just hasnt got the legs to cover for Scholes any more.

What would Dunphy have said about Rooney, if he'd actually played well??

United could well win the Champions League this season - if the team clicks they could be unstoppable. But the need to find the right blend and formation. To my mind that has to be the 4-2-3-1 formation. Ronaldo, Rooney and Giggs behind the Horse (assuming Giggs regains his form again). Keane and Neville (or preferably O'6 but I dont think thats goina happen) protecting the back 4. Questionmarks over whether either Brown or Silvestre are up to being top level centre halfs, so maybe Heinze would be the best solution to play beside Ferdinand.

Memnoch

PORNAPSTER wrote:

Doesn't matter, he took them all well.

Sure they were gift wrapped, but the first one wasn't easy. The keeper could have easily got to that. He finished it well.

The second was a penalty, it was a good penalty, sent the keeper the wrong way. Someone had to take it.

The third one was a well taken goal, from the tv footage I didn't think he could score with the angle and the way he was facing. It was a well taken goal, regardless of the poor defending.

The fourth was offside, but he was still there in the right place at the right time to tap it in. The offside is the linesmans problem not Ruud's.

You have to say, four goals at that level is excellent. Even though Sparta are a terrible side defensively. But you can only beat what is put in front of you.

i agree with you about the first goal, he still had to finish it. There are strikers who will miss those kind of opportunities, but tbh if you miss at that level you shouldn't be playing. Still yes he deserves credit for the ball being back of the net. However no matter what you cannot ignore that the goal was a gift, one he won't be recieving from the likes of milan or barca nor chelsea

A penalty is a penalty, you are EXPECTED to score. Still as you said it was a decent penalty at the end the ball was in the net and not over the crossbar, and he didn't give the mad stare Henry did a couple of days ago.

The third goal was again defender stupidity. Yes it was a good finish, and again many a striker may have botched the chance. He really does deserve a lotta credit for this one. But as goals go it was comparitevly easy since the chance was because of the defenders stupidity.

The fourth goal doesn't count. Right place right time is BS if you are offside. Which he WAS. Is the linesman to be faulted? certainly yes, that doesn't however mean that Ruud deserves credit for something that he was clearly off side on. YOu may as well start giving people credit for diving, sure as long as the ref don't see it who cares?

Still overall Ruud HAS demonstrated that he is good at FINISHING, which is what you want in a striker. The problem is that in the big games he will probably not get chances like he had in this one. And the problem for Man U is that the didn't score of the chances that they themselves created. Which was the reason they lost to portsmouth.

ButcherOfNog

The Rooster wrote:

United could well win the Champions League this season - if the team clicks they could be unstoppable

stop being silly please, UTD will only click when they sort out the midfield, Keane is past his best, Scholes is out of form, Giggs is Giggs. Ronaldo is "Son of Giggs". The 2nd string midfielders are just not up to the job, not good enough to be UTD players in my opinion.

eirebhoy

ButcherOfNog wrote:

Keane is past his best

Keane was partnered with a holding midfielder for the whole of his career because his role was box to box. He's now a holding midfielder himself and probably one of the best in the world. He doesn't need young legs to play that position and people should really forgot about the old Keane. They need the next best thing to "the old Keane" and they'll have as good a midfield as ever.

Jivin Turkey

eirebhoy wrote:

Keane was partnered with a holding midfielder for the whole of his career because his role was box to box.

Scholes has been Keanes midfield partner for the best part of 7 years. His career at United only began 3 years before that. Scholes is not a "holding" midfielder. Keane has also always been Irelands "holding" midfield player.

eirebhoy

Jivin Turkey wrote:

Scholes has been Keanes midfield partner for the best part of 7 years.

Shít, you're right sorry.

Keane has also always been Irelands "holding" midfield player.

I don't think so anyway. Kinsella was the holding midfielder for the WC2002 qualifiers. Its only recently that Keane has played the holding role for Ireland.

Anyway, he has completely changed his game and it doesn't really matter if he's past it or not as he doesn't need the legs to play his new role for Ireland and United. Which is all I meant.

smemon

was at old trafford last night, great game.

utd looked vulnerable in defence but were clinical in finishing, thanks to van the man. keano, miller were quiet without doing much wrong if you know what i mean, maybe thats a good thing.

ronaldo is a genius, simple as that. he's young, can only get better and dare i say it is in the same bracket as THE no.7 for utd - cantona.

Chucky the tree

The Rooster wrote:

United could well win the Champions League this season - if the team clicks they could be unstoppable..

haha, this should really be in the humour section.


On liverpools performance, only caught the hightlisghts. Didnt look great, Baros should of scored in the first minute. Also depor should of had a goal when a freekick was knocked in and from about 2 inches away from the goaline a depor player missed the ball. kirkland was also knocked out in the incident and wasnt replaced strangly enough.

Good win i suppose, we really should qualify from this position.

Chucky the tree

smemon wrote:

ronaldo is a genius, simple as that. he's young, can only get better and dare i say it is in the same bracket as THE no.7 for utd - cantona.

another humour related post

ronaldo doesnt have the vision or finishing ability to come close to cantona.

cournioni

Chucky the tree wrote:

haha, this should really be in the humour section.

Why?

10 goals from your opening two home games isn't bad considering United haven't played well in either of the matches. If they do click imagine what they could score! Yes Fenerbache and Sparta aren't the strongest teams in the CL by a long shot. But you can only beat what is put in front of you.

I myself think that United have as good a chance as any of the top clubs of winning the CL this year. And I wouldn't put it past United pulling it off.

Chucky the tree

PORNAPSTER wrote:

Why?

10 goals from your opening two home games isn't bad considering United haven't played well in either of the matches. If they do click imagine what they could score! Yes Fenerbache and Sparta aren't the strongest teams in the CL by a long shot. But you can only beat what is put in front of you.

I myself think that United have as good a chance as any of the top clubs of winning the CL this year. And I wouldn't put it past United pulling it off.

there defence has been poor, cant see them doing well against barca for example. Their group is a joke infairness. The teams in it are average premiership teams if not worse. YOu cant just judge them on their champions league performance, also their league performance, and going by both, i really cant see them winning it. They would of been alot better off in a tougher group.

A Dub in Glasgo

From what I have seen, Man United will struggle to get to the Semi-Finals. Barcelona are playing the best football in Europe and I think they have a much stronger chance of winning the CL than Man United

cournioni

Yes, Barca are playing the best football. But in football, you can peak too soon which Barca have done. Do you really expect Barca to keep up those performances all year? United have started slowly and are working their way up to the standard Barca are at now and they are still beating teams even though they have played poorly.

Playing poorly and still winning could be a blessing in disguise for United because they have yet to play well. And they will play well, have no doubts about that, and when they do they will be unbeatable.

kida

There are probably about 8 teams who can win the champions league. There is very little between the top teams.
United
Chelsea(much as I hate to admit it)
Barcelona
Madrid
Juve
Milan

Current form(once you quaify from the group of course) has no bearing on it. Who would have said last year Porto would have won it.

To say United can win it is logical, regardless of the defense, current form etc. To say they can't win it is a load of crap.

Form is temporary Class is permanent.

Makaveli

PORNAPSTER wrote:

Yes, Barca are playing the best football. But in football, you can peak too soon which Barca have done. Do you really expect Barca to keep up those performances all year?

Barcelona have been playing like this since Feburary.
It's not just this season, the team has gelled really well, and they haven't peaked yet. There is alot more in them.
Honestly I can see Barcelona playing this well for most of the season provided they don't get anymore long term injuries, and they have been hit very hard by them. 3 players out with cruciate ligament damage, two of them being holding midfielders. Despite this, they've only lost 1 game this season, away to Milan where they were really unlucky to come away without a point.

cournioni

Makaveli wrote:

Barcelona have been playing like this since Feburary.
It's not just this season, the team has gelled really well, and they haven't peaked yet. There is alot more in them.
Honestly I can see Barcelona playing this well for most of the season provided they don't get anymore long term injuries, and they have been hit very hard by them. 3 players out with cruciate ligament damage, two of them being holding midfielders. Despite this, they've only lost 1 game this season, away to Milan where they were really unlucky to come away without a point.

When you think about it, United have only lost 2 games this season and were unlucky against Chelsea in one of them. So in fairness, the champions league really is between 8 or 9 teams in it.

Slash/ED

kida wrote:

There are probably about 8 teams who can win the champions league. There is very little between the top teams.
United
Chelsea(much as I hate to admit it)
Barcelona
Madrid
Juve
Milan

Add Inter to that list, I'd be suprised if United won it really, they're not up there with the other teams on that list.

Though Porto did show anything can happen.

Gangsta

PORNAPSTER wrote:

Playing poorly and still winning could be a blessing in disguise for United because they have yet to play well. And they will play well, have no doubts about that, and when they do they will be unbeatable.

no they won't, loads of teams can beat them. chelsea,inter,milan,barca,valencia, juve....

total bias

Jivin Turkey

kida wrote:

There are probably about 8 teams who can win the champions league. There is very little between the top teams.
United
Chelsea(much as I hate to admit it)
Barcelona
Madrid
Juve
Milan

To say United can win it is logical, regardless of the defense, current form etc. To say they can't win it is a load of crap.

Form is temporary Class is permanent.

It is also a load of crap to believe that all these teams can win it, and then believe that Arsenal cant (/awaits Arsenal never perform in Europe rants).

PHB

I think Chelsea can't win it, no heart yet, too defensive, lacks the world class attack needed, won't last againist the likes of Barca and Milan.

Madrid could easily win it, they might just one day go, hmm, I think i'll win it, and walk through everyone

Barca are the hot picks obviously, which is nice to see Ronaldinho = the slicks!

Juve maybe, I wouldn't expect them to as they tend to choke on the upper levels, could though.

Milan, we've seen what they can do.

Arsenal could do it, but I wouldn't expect them to either.
Campbell can defend on his own, but they don't score easily enough in europe since teams don't give them any space and will foul them in a second if they think they should, so their pace matters less.


Don't forget Monaco

Man Utd will of course win it

smemon

barcelona aren't world beaters, theres some passengers in their squad and they lack shape. they play excellent football, brilliant to watch, probably the best in the world at the minute but they lack consistency.

this season theyve been superb in both league and champs league but their a 'nearly side'. like the spanish national side. always amongst the favourites but never really win when they need to win. we'll see what their made of in the knock out stages.

Makaveli

Can you please give examples of said passengers?
How are they lacking in consistency? If you mean over the years then yes, you're right they haven't won anything in 6, if you mean at the moment you're quite wrong.
How can you say they are a nearly side? It's pretty much a new team, how can you comment on them like that?

smemon

Makaveli wrote:

Can you please give examples of said passengers?
How are they lacking in consistency? If you mean over the years then yes, you're right they haven't won anything in 6, if you mean at the moment you're quite wrong.
How can you say they are a nearly side? It's pretty much a new team, how can you comment on them like that?

van bronkhorst, poor player and not champions league standard. deco, fanboy that goes missing when the heat is on, plus one of the biggest cheats in the game at the minute.

their lack of trophies over the past while is also what im going on, (probably unfairly) plus their displays in the past and failures in league especially.

it is a new exciting side as you say, but not enough steel or tactical knowhow for me to challenge the big defensive guns over 2 legs. put it this way, like madrid, their too attacking and if they dont score will more than likely loose.

Makaveli

van Bronckhorst has actually been doing a good job in left back this season. He covers well and isn't afraid to go forward. Considering Silvinho is probably the first choice left back and he's been out injured for over a month Gio has been a good replacement.
They've only conceeded 5 goals in 10 games in the league, 3 in the CL.

Deco has worked his ass off in midfield along Xavi this season. He continually chases people down and gives them no space. He has a good understanding with Xavi, they know if one goes forward the other stays back, and it works well.
Past performances for Porto and Portugal I'd agree with you on him being a dirty cheater, but if you've actually watched him this season you'd have seen he has barely dived at all. He gets fouled an awful lot and is then accused of diving just because of the reputation he has built up. I dunno, I guess Rijkaard had words with him over his diving antics. My only problem with him is that he gives away stupid frees and often gets himself booked for petulant tackles.

Real Madrid have done okay in the past with their score more than the other team and we'll win method of play. The difference between Real Madrid and Barcelona is Barcelona actually have a decent defence and conceed a lot less.