Porto (2) V Man United (2) CL Match Thread

Headshot

Elonex wrote: »

PHB already said it so have a go at him instead.

never saw his posts

ill go looking

Roll on Arsenal, which will be a very tough tough tough tough game.

spoilers PHB

i expected better from you

eclectichoney

keane2097 wrote: »

Jamie Redknapp - "It literally explodes off his foot"

Why do people ever say literally? Clearly the word has become meaningless in the modern English language.

Redknapp *constantly* says the word literally. I mean he literally says it every three words. Literally.

Liam O

Headshot wrote: »

liam O liam O liam O

*shakes head*

spoilers ffs

apologies, didn't realise it was such a sensitive thing

Well done united, good european away performance tonight.

Hopefully yis take your eye off the league for a game or two

Headshot

Liam O wrote: »

apologies, didn't realise it was such a sensitive thing

no bother

3 Dollar Bill

Great to see Vida & Rio reunited, rock solid tonight

Don't know why Fergie brought on Nani though, surely Tevez would of been the better option. Rooney was immense.

Ronaldo played with the right attitude tonight, what a goal, great all round performance.

Mitch Connor

i didn't realise the Arsenal league game was last of the season. don't know why i didn't think it was, thought it was a lot sooner.

Insect Overlord

Mitch Connor wrote: »

i didn't realise the Arsenal league game was last of the season. don't know why i didn't think it was, thought it was a lot sooner.

I thought it was the second last game?

Headshot

An File wrote: »

I thought it was the second last game?

yes your right File

mitch did a Mr Alan

Elonex

It is the second last.

redout

An File wrote: »

I thought it was the second last game?

it is.

redout

Hope to god we dont get another Man Utd v Chelsea final should we get there.

I will be absolutely pissed with that to be honest.

Headshot

redout wrote: »

Hope to god we dont get another Man Utd v Chelsea final should we get there.

I will be absolutely pissed with that to be honest.

why we can see terry win the cup for us again

ShooterSF

Headshot wrote: »

why we can see terry win the cup for us again

I'd like that. Fergie could present him a pre-match hanky just in case.

Spud83

I think it was a good solid performance for 60 minutes.

Not great by any means, but its a small step to regainging form. The clean sheet will hopefully give confidence to the rest of the team. Unless Brown gets back to fitness back I would like to see the back four kept the same for the rest of the season (bar maybe Rafeal at RB for the FA Cup). We need stability back there.

In midfield I think Carrick and Anderson done a great job. Yes Anderson was lose on position a couple of times but Scholes, and Fletcher have both been gulity of that lately. Anderson and Carrick worked well together tonight and I think that partnership should be used for a few games in a row and see how it works out.

Rooney put in a good shift on the wing but I hate seeing him there.

Ronaldo was decent. Good attitude from him tonight and if we could see that week in and week out at least until the end of the season United would be much better off. Needs to do it on the wing though.

Giggs was meh for me. Didn't do a whole lot that I recall but put in a shift I Suppose.

As for Berbatov well I have said my piece about him enough this season, but I'll say my thoughts on tonight and let other people argue. I'm half drunk and not arsed really arguing it tonight. It was no surpirse to me that after he came off we started feeling the pressure and I'll explain why.

1) Nani was his replacement in the team.
2) Giggs/Ronaldo was his reaplcement in the formation.
3) Nobody holds the ball up and makes it stick up front at United like he does. A lot of it goes unseen as its done around the half way line or just past it. Not near enough to be a danger and not far back enough to be defending. However he is nearly always availble to take the ball off defenders and then bring the ball forward. He will hold the ball long enough for the defenders and midfielders to get up 10-15 yards. He then rarely loses possesion bringing midfielders into play and relieveing the pressure of the defense and allowing us to keep the ball. It was no surprise to me that after he came off we found it very hard to relieve pressure and keep the ball. the defense or midfields had to keep chiping balls up top that were just being eaten up by the Porto defense and then more pressure being put on a our defense.

Racing Flat

Great win, Utd. Another semi-final. Not bad at all. Well done.

Mitch Connor

Headshot wrote: »

yes your right File

mitch did a Mr Alan

Elonex wrote: »

It is the second last.

I blame the official site.... it had arsenal listed as the last team we face, on page 4 of the fixtures... didn't realise there was a 5th page (stoopid having a 5th page for one game...)

JerryHandbag

Good result but man that 2nd half was hard to watch. I agree with Giles and Dunphy, why risk an equaliser with that defensive hanging on for the whistle kind of attitude? Porto were a shadow of the team that appeared at OT and were there for the taking imo. Still the result is the main thing.

Great performances from Rio, Vidic, Ronaldo, Rooney....one of Andersons better games I thought. Carricks confidence seems to be shot, Evra isnt the same player either, at least defensively. And if only Berbatov had the work rate of Tevez......Berbatevez? Can we combine them perhaps?

Daysha

Great win by the team tonight. I'll be honest I think we had a hope in hell in pulling it off but fair play to them.

Btw, who else thought Ronaldo was superb tonight? Even with his goal aside, he help the play up well when needed and always looked in control. A lot less moaning and groaning too which was great to see.

Hopefully it'll be back the Ronaldo of old.

PHB

Ronnie played very well.

I can't see how anyone would want a Barca United final in terms of winning the thing, we've a much better shot of beating Chelsea than beating Barca. I'd say us vs. Chelsea is about 55-45 imo once we get back to full strength, Barca is at best for us a 50-50 the way they are playing, probably worse.

Quint

Daysha wrote: »

Hopefully it'll be back the Ronaldo of old.

A few dives and a goal, looks like he's back;)

Insect Overlord

Quint wrote: »

A few dives and a goal, looks like he's back;)

I don't think he went down easily even once tonight, now that somebody's brought it up.

Daysha

PHB wrote: »

I can't see how anyone would want a Barca United final in terms of winning the thing, we've a much better shot of beating Chelsea than beating Barca. I'd say us vs. Chelsea is about 55-45 imo once we get back to full strength, Barca is at best for us a 50-50 the way they are playing, probably worse.

I think it's more to do with I wouldn't actually mind seeing Barcelona win it. Along with ourselves they've been far and away the best team in Europe this season and been playing some amazing football. If they beat us fair and square in a final, then fair enough, they deserve it.

But the prospect of losing a CL final to Chelsea just makes my stomach turn.

Jazzy

a cold boring game. didnt enjoy that at all.
good result for utd. amazing goal. not much in their performance though. just a steady effective job, no statements of intent at all. dont think they are out of their slump quite yet (performance wise), on the way tho

Daysha

I had money on Giggs to score tonight actually, but not like this!



Edit: It's Anderson's expression that makes it tbh.

MIN2511

Match was quite boring, the was a lot of pressure on VDS.

Arsenal at the semi final would be really tough

ShiverinEskimo

It'll be an epic tie against Arsenal - they always produce thrilling matches in the league/cup so this should be absolutely epic. Both managers will want to attack and there'll be none of that cautious crap that's employed against european opposition.

Can't wait.

patmac

Daysha wrote: »

I had money on Giggs to score tonight actually, but not like this!



Edit: It's Anderson's expression that makes it tbh.

What's Anderson doing with his right hand:eek::p

PHB

ShiverinEskimo wrote: »

It'll be an epic tie against Arsenal - they always produce thrilling matches in the league/cup so this should be absolutely epic. Both managers will want to attack and there'll be none of that cautious crap that's employed against european opposition.

Can't wait.

lol.
Have you met Fergie in Europe?

ShiverinEskimo

You think Wenger is going to sit back and play for an away goal against Man United?

These two teams don't know how to play cautious against each other. Both managers will want to attack.

dubmick

anyone watch this game on Sky Sports HD last night? I didn't think the picture quality was as good as usual

ShiverinEskimo

It depends on the quality of the cameras installed in the ground. May have been a SD picture upscaled to HD.

Nalz

Viva Ronaldo Viva Ronaldo Running down the wing. Hear United sing. Viva Ronaldo

Viva Ronaldo Viva Ronaldo Running down the wing. Hear United sing. Viva Ronaldo

Viva Ronaldo Viva Ronaldo Running down the wing. Hear United sing. Viva Ronaldo

Viva Ronaldo Viva Ronaldo Running down the wing. Hear United sing. Viva Ronaldo

Viva Ronaldo Viva Ronaldo Running down the wing. Hear United sing. Viva Ronaldo

Viva Ronaldo Viva Ronaldo Running down the wing. Hear United sing. Viva Ronaldo

Pro. F

Not a great performance last night. The first half was good but we should have held onto the ball in the second half to kill off the game - we would have given ourselves a chance of another goal if we had done. But we are definitely improving. Over the last three games (Porto, Sunderland, Porto) I reckon we've been better each time.

Rio and Vidic got it sorted last night, they dealt with plenty of crosses into the box, that was great to see.

Rooney as usual put in a great shift even though out of position.

I thought Anderson brought some much needed energy to our midfield. He was a bit hit and miss in possession but hopefully he gets some games now and can sharpen up. He carried Carrick I thought.

I thought Giggs had a great game. Some really nice touches and passes.

Berbatov held up the ball really well as usual and didn't do much else.

As for Ronaldo I don't think he has been playing badly recently. He just needs the rest of the team to do their jobs - like they did in the first half last night - then he can top it off with goals of the season, like that one. When the team controls the ball he scores.

Anyway, roll on Arsenal. Hopefully we get two cracking games.

Mitch Connor

I really think Rooney, last night, was absolutely amazing. Right mid is obviously not his perfered position, but he was brilliant for is there last night. He tracked their left backs runs all night and defended brilliant, staying on his feet when he should, not diving in, showing great positioning. His workrate was fantastic - he just kept going for the 90. On top of that, he was dangerous in possession every time, and attacked with real purpose and intent when he got the chance. I really don't think anyone could have asked for any more from him. I almost had a heart attack when he was limping round after the tackle towards the end of the first half.

On Ronaldo, i'll admit first off that his performance last night was aided massively by the selfless efforts of Rooney. However, I think that is one of the best games I have ever seen Ronaldo play. He defended when he should, he didn't moan constantly and wasn't diving around the place. All things we should be able to say of him all the time I suppose. However, he was also strong and intelligent in possession, his dribbles came off for him, he didn't waste the ball, and on top of that scored (imo) the best goal of his pro career.

I also thing Anderson and O'Shea should be applauded for their performances last night. O'Shea defended well, got tight quickly, and didn't waste a single pass all night. Anderson, wasted a good few passes, but his running, energy, commitment and defensive work were brilliant and gave us a real edge in midfield, his best performance of the season imo, passing apart.

Headshot

Mitch Connor wrote: »

I really think Rooney, last night, was absolutely amazing. Right mid is obviously not his perfered position, but he was brilliant for is there last night. He tracked their left backs runs all night and defended brilliant, staying on his feet when he should, not diving in, showing great positioning. His workrate was fantastic - he just kept going for the 90. On top of that, he was dangerous in possession every time, and attacked with real purpose and intent when he got the chance. I really don't think anyone could have asked for any more from him. I almost had a heart attack when he was limping round after the tackle towards the end of the first half.

On Ronaldo, i'll admit first off that his performance last night was aided massively by the selfless efforts of Rooney. However, I think that is one of the best games I have ever seen Ronaldo play. He defended when he should, he didn't moan constantly and wasn't diving around the place. All things we should be able to say of him all the time I suppose. However, he was also strong and intelligent in possession, his dribbles came off for him, he didn't waste the ball, and on top of that scored (imo) the best goal of his pro career.

I also thing Anderson and O'Shea should be applauded for their performances last night. O'Shea defended well, got tight quickly, and didn't waste a single pass all night. Anderson, wasted a good few passes, but his running, energy, commitment and defensive work were brilliant and gave us a real edge in midfield, his best performance of the season imo, passing apart.

totally agree mitch

what makes his performance better for me is that he's just back from injury.Great to have him back at this critical part of the season