I would have gladly taken this result before kick off, and to be honest it was a fair result, but we had a couple of great chances during the latter stages of the second half. I just hope we don't end up ruing them when the tie is over.
The starting line up wasn't far off what i suspect Fergie would regard as his strongest when coming up against opponents of this calibre. The only surprise, maybe, being the omission of Cleverley for Jones. Defensively the former Blackburn man more than justified his selection, he was superb in that respect. It was a pity his distribution wasn't as good as it could have been, and from that perspective we did miss Cleverley. But we were away from home against a top side with one of the best two players on the planet, that try and blow opponents away during the first half hour, so i have no arguments with the inclusion of Jones. I think the Mail gave him 5/10 this morning, he was better than that.
I thought Fergie would go with Kagawa playing furthest forward, of our three in midfield, with the instructions to try and get beyond Van Perise when he could, and that's what United tried to do. He managed to get forward three or four times before we got that all important away goal, but the ball never really bounced for him. I have to admit though, he was the one selection Fergie probably got wrong. It's not really happened for the Japanese international at United so far, next season will be a big season for him. In retrospect it may have been better to have played either Cleverley or Rooney there, either would have had more influence on the game and given us a better share of the ball in the first half, easing the pressure on our back line.
United started reasonably comfortably, but it didn't take long for Real and Ronaldo to show that we were in for a tough battle. At the other end, United threatened to break a shaky looking real rearguard without creating a clear cut chance. The first decisive action of the night was De Gea's magnificent save of the night, as he got a slight touch that diverted Contraeo's shot onto the post and away from goal. That set the tone for the Spanish keeper's night, that was comfortably his finest display in a United shirt.
United weren't sitting back though, and after forcing a corner, the United man, loads seem to love to dismiss as not United standard went part of the way to showing just why they are so, so wrong as he headed home a corner to give us the lead. Fergie must rate Danny Welbeck, he seems to start all the really big games now, and he doesn't let the gaffer down, does he, he was easily the pick of that front three last night. Real Madrid know all about him now. Back Madrid came and when Ronaldo targeted Evra at the back post, we could guess how that would turn out. No blame attached to the Frenchman though, the leap and head from our former number seven was world class.
The home side really turned up the gas during the last quarter of an hour the first half and United were only just holding out at times, but due to great goalkeeping and solid defensive team work United go through to the interval all square.
Fergie tweaked his tactics in the second half playing Welbeck through the middle with Kagawa wide. It became a more even contest after that and though Real still managed to create chances, and forced De Gea into a few more great saves, it became a more even contest. We created some stellar chances as the half wore on though, Welbeck had another chance and late on Giggs chose to have a touch when he should have shot first time. The two best chances though fell to Van Persie, i can't fault him too much on his effort that hit the bar, though he felt he should have scored that one. The effort that he chested down only to miss hit, that was stopped on the line, though, he had to score that, didn't he. I had read a Spanish journalist accuse the Dutchman of bottling it on the big occasion before the match, i hope he puts that to bed during the second leg at Old trafford.
The big plus of the night had to be the performance of our younger lads, De Gea, Evans, Jones and Welbeck all showed they belong at this level. I couldn't really understand why anybody was surprised that Evans started ahead of Vidic. Not only was Vidic never going to play anayway, he still hasn't played back to back games since coming back from injury, Evans is surely our only definite starter at centre half nowadays as Vidic and Rio get further into their thirties. It was a pity that Rafael's form dipped in the first half, but i thought he managed to turn it around in the second half
Fergie was right to not go overboard about the result and the away goal, the second leg will probably be as tense and tight as this one. I expect us to sit back and try and play them on the counter at Old trafford, knowing that they are the ones that will have to try and force the game. So i can't see it being a game for the feint hearted. Who knows it may turn into one of those unmissable European nights where Old trafford wakes up and revisits some of its glory nights, here's hoping.
The starting line up wasn't far off what i suspect Fergie would regard as his strongest when coming up against opponents of this calibre. The only surprise, maybe, being the omission of Cleverley for Jones. Defensively the former Blackburn man more than justified his selection, he was superb in that respect. It was a pity his distribution wasn't as good as it could have been, and from that perspective we did miss Cleverley. But we were away from home against a top side with one of the best two players on the planet, that try and blow opponents away during the first half hour, so i have no arguments with the inclusion of Jones. I think the Mail gave him 5/10 this morning, he was better than that.
I thought Fergie would go with Kagawa playing furthest forward, of our three in midfield, with the instructions to try and get beyond Van Perise when he could, and that's what United tried to do. He managed to get forward three or four times before we got that all important away goal, but the ball never really bounced for him. I have to admit though, he was the one selection Fergie probably got wrong. It's not really happened for the Japanese international at United so far, next season will be a big season for him. In retrospect it may have been better to have played either Cleverley or Rooney there, either would have had more influence on the game and given us a better share of the ball in the first half, easing the pressure on our back line.
United started reasonably comfortably, but it didn't take long for Real and Ronaldo to show that we were in for a tough battle. At the other end, United threatened to break a shaky looking real rearguard without creating a clear cut chance. The first decisive action of the night was De Gea's magnificent save of the night, as he got a slight touch that diverted Contraeo's shot onto the post and away from goal. That set the tone for the Spanish keeper's night, that was comfortably his finest display in a United shirt.
United weren't sitting back though, and after forcing a corner, the United man, loads seem to love to dismiss as not United standard went part of the way to showing just why they are so, so wrong as he headed home a corner to give us the lead. Fergie must rate Danny Welbeck, he seems to start all the really big games now, and he doesn't let the gaffer down, does he, he was easily the pick of that front three last night. Real Madrid know all about him now. Back Madrid came and when Ronaldo targeted Evra at the back post, we could guess how that would turn out. No blame attached to the Frenchman though, the leap and head from our former number seven was world class.
The home side really turned up the gas during the last quarter of an hour the first half and United were only just holding out at times, but due to great goalkeeping and solid defensive team work United go through to the interval all square.
Fergie tweaked his tactics in the second half playing Welbeck through the middle with Kagawa wide. It became a more even contest after that and though Real still managed to create chances, and forced De Gea into a few more great saves, it became a more even contest. We created some stellar chances as the half wore on though, Welbeck had another chance and late on Giggs chose to have a touch when he should have shot first time. The two best chances though fell to Van Persie, i can't fault him too much on his effort that hit the bar, though he felt he should have scored that one. The effort that he chested down only to miss hit, that was stopped on the line, though, he had to score that, didn't he. I had read a Spanish journalist accuse the Dutchman of bottling it on the big occasion before the match, i hope he puts that to bed during the second leg at Old trafford.
The big plus of the night had to be the performance of our younger lads, De Gea, Evans, Jones and Welbeck all showed they belong at this level. I couldn't really understand why anybody was surprised that Evans started ahead of Vidic. Not only was Vidic never going to play anayway, he still hasn't played back to back games since coming back from injury, Evans is surely our only definite starter at centre half nowadays as Vidic and Rio get further into their thirties. It was a pity that Rafael's form dipped in the first half, but i thought he managed to turn it around in the second half
Fergie was right to not go overboard about the result and the away goal, the second leg will probably be as tense and tight as this one. I expect us to sit back and try and play them on the counter at Old trafford, knowing that they are the ones that will have to try and force the game. So i can't see it being a game for the feint hearted. Who knows it may turn into one of those unmissable European nights where Old trafford wakes up and revisits some of its glory nights, here's hoping.
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