Manchester United vs Olympique de Marseille / Tuesday 15-03-11 7:45pm

Rob113

I reckon rooney will be back lashing in the goals soon. His game has improved massively in the last 3/4 weeks and I'd have him in as one of the first nmes on the teamsheet again which is something I wouldn't have said earlier in the season. Still not in top form though but getting closer every week. Valencia has looked good in his 2 games also. Looking forward to seeing Park back playing too.

Peyton Manning

I this partnership

parker kent

Rob113 wrote: »

I reckon rooney will be back lashing in the goals soon. His game has improved massively in the last 3/4 weeks and I'd have him in as one of the first nmes on the teamsheet again which is something I wouldn't have said earlier in the season. Still not in top form though but getting closer every week. Valencia has looked good in his 2 games also. Looking forward to seeing Park back playing too.

He IS lashing in the goals! Look at his last 8 or 9 games for evidence.

killwill

I realise Scholes tired again after 70 odd mins but he was immense tonight again.

Eathrin

Tom_Brady wrote: »

I this partnership

I agree, I see pace, creativity and plenty of goals in this partnership.

Hank Scorpio

McClaren really is a muppet

nkay1985

Just watching the highlights of the Bayern vs Inter game, I'd have been a lot more worried about Bayern than Inter. Don't think United will be worried about playing anyone in particular. Obviously would rather not play Barca and Real are very strong at times but they've still got to get through too.

MisterAnarchy

Mitch Connor wrote: »

In all honesty, Brown should be experienced and forcefull enough to have fulfilled that role beside Smalling, and helped him more tonight.

They were both rubbish, but I would blame Brown more so for that.

Brown was a timebomb waiting to go off.The minute I saw his name on the teamsheet I feared the worst.
He has always had a knack of making a massive clanger in big matches ,he has appalling concentration and bad judgement .He almost cost Utd the tie.

yabadabado

nuxxx wrote: »

McClaren really is a muppet

+1
he talks in Bullet points.

JerryHandbag

nuxxx wrote: »

McClaren really is a muppet

Did he say something in particular, or are you just commenting on general muppet-ness :pac:

d22ontour

nkay1985 wrote: »

Don't think United will be worried about playing anyone in particular.

Why not though ? We have been terrible for most of our away games this season and were a bit fortunate tonight with the chances we gave away.

nkay1985

d22ontour wrote: »

Why not though ? We have been terrible for most of our away games this season and were a bit fortunate tonight with the chances we gave away.

I just think there's a certain assurance that comes with having been there and done it before. With Valencia and Nani back and hopefully Vidic back sooner rather than later, the side will be a lot more solid and have more of an attacking threat. Rooney's also looking better than I've seen him in a long time. Chicarito looks a goal threat whenever he plays.

With the teams left, I'd just fancy United to beat them over two legs. Barca would worry me a bit however if we didn't have a full strength defence just because of the sheer amount of possession they control.

Headshot

nkay1985 wrote: »

I just think there's a certain assurance that comes with having been there and done it before. With Valencia and Nani back and hopefully Vidic back sooner rather than later, the side will be a lot more solid and have more of an attacking threat. Rooney's also looking better than I've seen him in a long time. Chicarito looks a goal threat whenever he plays.

With the teams left, I'd just fancy United to beat them over two legs. Barca would worry me a bit however if we didn't have a full strength defence just because of the sheer amount of possession they control.

It will always and always come back to the CM. Besides Scholes we are very poor in that position at the moment and majoirty of the teams left in the CL would have a very good chance against us imo

nkay1985

Headshot wrote: »

It will always and always come back to the CM. Besides Scholes we are very poor in that position at the moment and majoirty of the teams left in the CL would have a very good chance against us imo

Yeah I agree that it's a massive problem but would be happy enough against the majority of teams if we had Fletcher at 100% and Scholes able to play 60 minutes at his high level. We'd still be over run a fair bit but if Vidic was behind that centre midfield (and certainly if Rio was back too) I wouldn't feel too bad.

Headshot

nkay1985 wrote: »

Yeah I agree that it's a massive problem but would be happy enough against the majority of teams if we had Fletcher at 100% and Scholes able to play 60 minutes at his high level. We'd still be over run a fair bit but if Vidic was behind that centre midfield (and certainly if Rio was back too) I wouldn't feel too bad.

Ya but the bad thing is Fletch has been far from his last season performance. Not to be relied on imo, infact most utd fans (including myself) have been asking for him to be dropped.

nkay1985

Headshot wrote: »

Ya but the bad thing is Fletch has been far from his last season performance. Not to be relied on imo, infact most utd fans (including myself) have been asking for him to be dropped.

Oh yeah he's been a shadow of what he can be but we'd still need him in there IMO. Be more comfortable with a less than perfect Fletcher in a big European game than Carrick for instance.

Mitch Connor

MisterAnarchy wrote: »

Brown was a timebomb waiting to go off.The minute I saw his name on the teamsheet I feared the worst.
He has always had a knack of making a massive clanger in big matches ,he has appalling concentration and bad judgement .He almost cost Utd the tie.

I can't let all this Brown bashing go past without defending him at all though.

1 game sticks out in my mind to be honest.

Home game vs Barcelona in 07/08. The guy was an absolute beast. I seem to remember him putting in a series of top quality performances for us that season, at CB and, more regularly, RB.

I do think he was very poor last night, but we have to remember he has had very, very little football this season, for whatever reason. It is not easy to simply come in to a side and perform to expectations, he would have some amount of rustiness to his game so there has to be some understanding given to his performance last night and vs Liverpool. If he had featured a bit more regularly this season, I think we would not have seen the same rubbish vs Liverpool or Marseille.

Last night was only his 4 appearance of the calendar year, one of those coming as a sub in the second half vs Southampton.

All season he has only made 10 starts, in all competitions - we can't expect players to be on form, especially in defence where positioning and partnerships are so important, with so little playing time.

PHB

He has never regained his form from the 07/08 season, where he was immense and a key part of the double win.

He needs game time to get back to his best, but ultimately, sadly, we need to focus on the future, with Smalling, Evans, Rafael all needing time too.

Nalz

Was at the game, seriously hard comments on our two centre backs. I know there was one or two cock ups that maybe migtent have happened had VIDIC been there, but wirds like rubbish are way too strong.

Evra wast himself again by his high standards. Most of their play came down their right flank.

Gigs was average and Scholes tired. Carrick had an ok first half.

Can't fault the two boys up top

Mitch Connor

PHB wrote: »

He has never regained his form from the 07/08 season, where he was immense and a key part of the double win.

He needs game time to get back to his best, but ultimately, sadly, we need to focus on the future, with Smalling, Evans, Rafael all needing time too.

Yeah, certainly, simply pointing out that his poor performances in the last couple of games isn't because he is simply a poor player - he has it in him to be a very very good player, just lack of game time (and especially at CB with a young and inexperienced partner) was going to cause him, and us, a lot of problems.

TacT

Good job given the injuries list. Gwan chico, c'mon roo! Schalke for the quarters please?

CorkMan

TacT wrote: »

Good job given the injuries list. Gwan chico, c'mon roo! Schalke for the quarters please?

Don't think Schalke are another Copenhagen. They knocked out a good Valencia side decisively, a Valencia side 3rd in La Liga. Plus they have Raúl who can change the game any minute.

Mitch Connor

CorkMan wrote: »

Don't think Schalke are another Copenhagen. They knocked out a good Valencia side decisively, a Valencia side 3rd in La Liga. Plus they have Raúl who can change the game any minute.

I'd prefer Schalke rather than Barcelona or Madrid to be honest.

Also, would give Fergie a chance to run a good rule over Neuer;)

TacT

CorkMan wrote: »

Don't think Schalke are another Copenhagen. They knocked out a good Valencia side decisively, a Valencia side 3rd in La Liga. Plus they have Raúl who can change the game any minute.

looks like the easiest of tough competition left in there to me