Another embarrassment and bar the last twenty mintes United were really trying to pull that game around, whilst i don't think that was the strongest team we could have played, i reckon Fergie thought it might be strong enough. So what lessons are to be learnt from this tie, never mind being not far behind Barca we would be struggling to be on the same level as the seventh placed team in La Liga. What i saw last night was that United, as against Barca couldn't live with a team that pressed us us as hard the Spaniards do high up the pitch, we can just never find a rhyhm against it. It does seem a super human level peak of fitness to keep up mind, but it exposed our slow paced game which i mentioned on Sunday.
Maybe we are at a similar moment when the premier league's pace and power started to dominate the champions league, this time with the Spanish adding that to their superior technique. Whatever it's hard to see a premier league club, never mind United lifting a champions league trophy over the next few years if we don't find an answer. Of course United and Chelsea have the double disadvantage of having ageing key players. Last night showed once again that Ferdinand really is in the twilight of his game. I love Ryan Giggs and he wasn't as bad as some last night, but he really shouldn't be starting in games against the likes of Barca and Bilbao at this stage of his career. I'm not blaming Park for the defeat, but once again as against Barca what did he bring to the table last night. It's not as if work rate is any better than those around him. He really is looking like another player whose best days are behind him. I have a feeling that Fergie knows this, he hasn't really played much this season. But i suppose "commercial" reasons will keep him at the club.
As for the game Bilbao made a strong start as expected but United managed to live with them just about. We could have done without giving away such a soft goal, although i suppose we were fortunate to not have already conceded after Bilbao had hit the post and managed to make a right horlicks of the follow up chance. United responded with their best spell of the game and as we went in at half time i seriously thought they had ran out of steam and United might have a chance in the second half.
Oh dear i got that well and truly wrong, they came out and absolutely murdered us and if they had taken their chances the scoreline would have been a far more sorry affair. The run for the full back where he beat three men only to put it wide was like fantasy football. They are some team that is for sure, i'd like to think they would keep hold of their players for a couple of years and earn that champions league spot so we can see how they would fair in that competition, that would be fascinating. Needless to say they are on a completely different level to anything we have played in the champions league over the last couple of seasons aside from Barcelona. I had the misfortune to see part of Inter's second leg against Marseille earlier in the week and that was indesribably poor.
There weren't any real plus points to take from the game apart from maybe Rooney's effort and goal and the experience that some of the younger players will hopefully take from the game. I suppose Cleverley getting through 90 minutes was pleasing though this game came a bit earlt for him so i will not be judging him on this showing. At one point last night i was thinking well at least City are going to suffer an ever sorrier exit from the competition with the undoubted pressure that would have heaped on the club. But i suppose that late fight back will have given them a little lift, another moral victory, they're still going to end the season trophyless mind.
Fergie won't be feeling sorry for himself, and is looking forward to Sunday's game at Molineux. As Tim Rich says, there will be no picking and choosing now for either Manchester club. There won't be much room for tinkering with the squad either, apart from Sunday it must be best team available gets picked, which will probably put some noses out of joint.
Fergie is impressed by the hardest work rate of any team in Europe wo can't half play a bit as well and thinks and hopes that they go on to win the trophy.
We have got the FA Youth cup semi final ist leg tie against Chelski at Old trafford tonight to take our mind of last night. I'm not sure what to expect tonight, results wise, but if we see them play the style of football we saw against Swansae and Charlton i can't ask for any more. I was as excited at that performance at Swansea as i have been of anything we have seen from the first team this season and that includes that blistering start. The passing, movement, first touch and as important as any of that the speed they perform all that is what you hope that some of these youngsters can eventually transfer into the first team one day.
Larry Elliott discusses why Greg Smith was right about Goldman Sachs, i suppose it shouldn't really come as much of shock that tory boy David Cameron should go out of his way to meet with the boss of the great vampire squid. And some people think he is serious about financial reform.
Maybe we are at a similar moment when the premier league's pace and power started to dominate the champions league, this time with the Spanish adding that to their superior technique. Whatever it's hard to see a premier league club, never mind United lifting a champions league trophy over the next few years if we don't find an answer. Of course United and Chelsea have the double disadvantage of having ageing key players. Last night showed once again that Ferdinand really is in the twilight of his game. I love Ryan Giggs and he wasn't as bad as some last night, but he really shouldn't be starting in games against the likes of Barca and Bilbao at this stage of his career. I'm not blaming Park for the defeat, but once again as against Barca what did he bring to the table last night. It's not as if work rate is any better than those around him. He really is looking like another player whose best days are behind him. I have a feeling that Fergie knows this, he hasn't really played much this season. But i suppose "commercial" reasons will keep him at the club.
As for the game Bilbao made a strong start as expected but United managed to live with them just about. We could have done without giving away such a soft goal, although i suppose we were fortunate to not have already conceded after Bilbao had hit the post and managed to make a right horlicks of the follow up chance. United responded with their best spell of the game and as we went in at half time i seriously thought they had ran out of steam and United might have a chance in the second half.
Oh dear i got that well and truly wrong, they came out and absolutely murdered us and if they had taken their chances the scoreline would have been a far more sorry affair. The run for the full back where he beat three men only to put it wide was like fantasy football. They are some team that is for sure, i'd like to think they would keep hold of their players for a couple of years and earn that champions league spot so we can see how they would fair in that competition, that would be fascinating. Needless to say they are on a completely different level to anything we have played in the champions league over the last couple of seasons aside from Barcelona. I had the misfortune to see part of Inter's second leg against Marseille earlier in the week and that was indesribably poor.
There weren't any real plus points to take from the game apart from maybe Rooney's effort and goal and the experience that some of the younger players will hopefully take from the game. I suppose Cleverley getting through 90 minutes was pleasing though this game came a bit earlt for him so i will not be judging him on this showing. At one point last night i was thinking well at least City are going to suffer an ever sorrier exit from the competition with the undoubted pressure that would have heaped on the club. But i suppose that late fight back will have given them a little lift, another moral victory, they're still going to end the season trophyless mind.
Fergie won't be feeling sorry for himself, and is looking forward to Sunday's game at Molineux. As Tim Rich says, there will be no picking and choosing now for either Manchester club. There won't be much room for tinkering with the squad either, apart from Sunday it must be best team available gets picked, which will probably put some noses out of joint.
Fergie is impressed by the hardest work rate of any team in Europe wo can't half play a bit as well and thinks and hopes that they go on to win the trophy.
We have got the FA Youth cup semi final ist leg tie against Chelski at Old trafford tonight to take our mind of last night. I'm not sure what to expect tonight, results wise, but if we see them play the style of football we saw against Swansae and Charlton i can't ask for any more. I was as excited at that performance at Swansea as i have been of anything we have seen from the first team this season and that includes that blistering start. The passing, movement, first touch and as important as any of that the speed they perform all that is what you hope that some of these youngsters can eventually transfer into the first team one day.
Larry Elliott discusses why Greg Smith was right about Goldman Sachs, i suppose it shouldn't really come as much of shock that tory boy David Cameron should go out of his way to meet with the boss of the great vampire squid. And some people think he is serious about financial reform.
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