Champions League - Last Sixteen - 2007/2008

[KingPaulV]

when somebody will try to play football in our stadium?

We did! remember 0-1 on Dec 23rd could have been 1-3 easily too....



also, I would be uterly shocked if Man U play like this at Old trafford....I think they actually came for a result and gambled their normal style of play for the result and they got it. Honestly, any team that tried to get into a trade off with Barca might score two or three but will probably get two or three on their own net as well, and seeing as this is a two legged affair they came to get the best result to play at O'Trafford...we will see

 

[ShearerM4]

Absolutely spot on tbh.

 

[Help?]

Sounds like the two of them are pretty bitter. Ronaldo is all hype and nothing except his 38 goals? Sorry, Matt, but i disagree with you on this one. Those guys sounded like all they were doing is looking for reasons to bash Ronaldo and since he did more diving today than all season, they finally got their reasons to release their feelings.


The whole team was absolute **** today. And yet these guys blame everything on Ronaldo, cause he dived like 5 times and got fouled like 10 times? Sounds to me like they were out to get Ronaldo and didn't care about anything else. Had the team actually performed, maybe then Ronaldo wouldn't be waving at his own players pissed off because at such a big stage in such an important game they make Sunday League passes look amazing. I'd be pissed off too, hell, if Roy Keane was playing there, i bet he would give a damn good slap in the face to some of his players, would those guys slag him off too. That's right, Ronaldo failed to perform on big stage, even though its an 11 man game and Ronaldo actually looked like the only one trying to attack, keep the ball rather than hoof it into some unknown space and try to take shots (plus that one Carrick shot, which was absolutely horrible from like 5 yards out). Do they think Messi would have been able to run around with the ball like he did today, had Barcelona been dominated by United rather than the other way around? I'm pretty sure that if it was United with 66% possession, then Ronaldo would have been all over there because off all the defending and support that the team would give him and Messi would be the one diving around trying to win fouls or keep the ball by dribbling due to complete lack of support.

I'm pretty tired of people just talking about Ronaldo like he is the whole team, when United win, its an amazing Ronaldo performance, when they lose, its a **** Ronaldo performance so blame him. How can he be the best player in the world when he played so badly in that game. Sure, Scholes was all nice and humble on the pitch, but that's because he is the quietest guy in the team, he never even got a yellow for arguing, like ever. I'd rather have somebody like Ronaldo that would fight for the ball and try to keep it, rather than somebody that would get the ball, look around and see nobody moving, so just kick it downfield in hope of something happening. In my opinion, Ronaldo was the best United player today and don't tell me about our amazing defence. It was far from good, all they did was boot that ball out every opportunity they got.

Let me repeat my words, if they think Ronaldo is a "disgracefull" player for waving at his teammates who were giving away the ball like its a Christmas present, then what would they call Roy Keane after he would have given them a mouthfull that Eminem would be proud off?


They need to get their heads out of their asses and start watching football, rather than Ronaldo. And last time i checked, the best player in the world was supposed to be someone that plays with the ball better than anybody, not someone that acts like they are from UNICEF, those go for Noble Peace Prize award.

 

[Zakov]

Absolutely spot on tbh.

massive debate there, to be honest most of the points they were making was valid, and I know the fanboys will jump all over those geezers but they were speaking their minds and some of their opinions were facts based on what i've seen in the match.

Its true, Ronaldo has yet to perform to his highest potential in the crucial games, and although i would disagree that he's a disgrace(i just think he was physically outmuscled for most of the match apart from Marquez's obstruction)......but he did moan a whole lot, and even for me, seeing Drogba or Robben(in the past) with their antics did annoy me aplenty and I wouldn't want to see them doing that........but its up to the Man Utd fans to defend him or not on this matter, its their player, whether they like his antics or not is not our problem.........
But if Ronaldo is going to be the great player people say he is, he needs to to turn it on against Barca in the 2nd leg or us(although I would prefer if he didnt, hehe )..........

cheers

 

[Help?]

massive debate there, to be honest most of the points they were making was valid, and I know the fanboys will jump all over those geezers but they were speaking their minds and some of their opinions were facts based on what i've seen in the match.

Its true, Ronaldo has yet to perform to his highest potential in the crucial games, and although i would disagree that he's a disgrace(i just think he was physically outmuscled for most of the match apart from Marquez's obstruction)......but he did moan a whole lot, and even for me, seeing Drogba or Robben(in the past) with their antics did annoy me aplenty and I wouldn't want to see them doing that........but its up to the Man Utd fans to defend him or not on this matter, its their player, whether they like his antics or not is not our problem.........
But if Ronaldo is going to be the great player people say he is, he needs to to turn it on against Barca in the 2nd leg or us(although I would prefer if he didnt, hehe )..........

cheers

You got a valid points man. My problem with them is that they based the facts solely on this one game and maybe a bit of Arsenal. There are over 40 games in a season, you can't make a conclusion on one game. Like i said, the whole team didn't help Ronaldo with their lack of support and passes that went god knows where. I was gonna trash the TV after seeing some of those giveaways. How can you perform well, when your team is playing so badly. Ferguson saying how it was all well-worked and mature performance to get a "marvelous chance" is just a cover-up to create an illusion that he had it under control. He didn't have anything under control and we were lucky that Barcelona can't score. The tactic was messed up and all over the place today, he went with 2 strikers and yet played 4-5-1? or was it 5-5-0 or 7-3-0 or 7-2-1, i couldn't even figure out what was going on there.

 

[nexthenry14]

Liverpool vs Chelsea was a very boring game. I was expecting a lot more from the game today although it was entertaining. On Ronaldo he is a good player but it seems like every time he is in a big game he does not perform. IMO I think he is more worried about looking better than the superstar on the other team. For example last year vs Milan it seemed like he was more worried about performing better than kaka than Man utd winning. I just hope it will not be an all english final because the game will not be that great. Arsenal is the only team in england that actually plays nice football no matter what the circumstance is.

 

[Sevillista]

What did Ronaldo do in this match or the Milan one to try to "look better than the superstar on the other team." Barcelona controlled the match today, end of story. There wasn't much for Ronaldo to do, aside from the PK.

 

[newbie original]

Getting into the specifics, Ronaldo's falling down seems to be resulting from his style of play. He's very "fleet-footed" so to speak. He relies heavily on speed (and those tricks) but that causes him to have to move quickly and sort of take almost half/suttter steps......it's like at times he's caught between two moves. When not under pressure, he can fly down the field and doesn't have to speed up his transition between moves. When under pressure, he still tries it and at times is not able to pull it off, resuling in him losing control and balance, and he falls over quickly(when challenged) and it looks like diving. It maybe the case that he goes down easily at times but I don't think that it is always true. Furthermore, if he really is diving (and getting away with it), where the hell is the referee bashing? The referee should book him or else he too should be subject to criticism.

I can see him silencing the critics on Tuesday.

....Those guys sounded like all they were doing is looking for reasons to bash Ronaldo and since he did more diving today than all season, they finally got their reasons to release their feelings.....

Well said!

 

[pede54]

Liverpool vs Chelsea was a very boring game. I was expecting a lot more from the game today although it was entertaining. On Ronaldo he is a good player but it seems like every time he is in a big game he does not perform. IMO I think he is more worried about looking better than the superstar on the other team. For example last year vs Milan it seemed like he was more worried about performing better than kaka than Man utd winning. I just hope it will not be an all english final because the game will not be that great. Arsenal is the only team in england that actually plays nice football no matter what the circumstance is.

and what are they going to win this year again?.....Absolutely NOTHING.:biggrin:

Anyway a performance like that is very hard to take for a fan. The result aint bad though is it? OK an away goal would have been nice, but you never had the good fortune as we did on Tuesday. The game at OT will be very different. I wouldn't expect Ronaldo to perform any better on the night, but the team as a whole will. So good luck.

 

[Vedran-10]

I don't understand why United played like that. They have an amazing attack and everyone knows that in an away match it's always more important to score a crucial away goal than to keep a clean sheet. Not conceding is important if you're the host. Very disappointing from United, and I would say lucky for us. I never thought Ferguson could be such a coward with the players he has.

I think this result favours us. If we score at OT (and it was always going to be mandatory for us to score an away goal if we want to qualify), we have a good chance. If someone had offered me 0-0 before the game, I would have signed it without thinking twice.

The key was not to concede, and we managed it.

Now, let Messi, Deco and Henry get in better shape for the second leg, and hope Titi and Eto'o shine.

We're still in with a shot and I think that's what every Cule wanted

VISCA EL BARCA!!

 

[Payaah]

I don't understand why United played like that. They have an amazing attack and everyone knows that in an away match it's always more important to score a crucial away goal than to keep a clean sheet. Not conceding is important if you're the host. Very disappointing from United, and I would say lucky for us. I never thought Ferguson could be such a coward with the players he has.

I doubt United planned to come and play that defensive. Its just that the players didnt turn up especially Rooney, Tevez and Park thats pretty much the whole attack. Ronaldo cant do everything on his own.

 

[teccomin]

This week's UCL and UEFA Cup freakishly similar...

Liverpool 1 - 1 Chelsea (Kuyt, Riise (OG))
Bayern 1 - 1 Zenit (Ribery, Lucio (OG))

Other 2 games ended 0-0

 

[newbie original]

Well, it appears that Mr. Benitez has "cautioned" refs over Didier Drogba's "antics", going so far as to say that he has collected clips of them over the years, during Liverpool-Chelsea games.

He may just have run out of ways to counter Chelsea and so is going for a low blow...because that's really what this is! He needs to be realistic.....Torres, and some of our other players, are no different and quite frankly should just focus on our team rather than getting into a finger pointing game, because they can point them right back at us.

LINK: http://sports.setanta.com/en/Sport/...ts/great-britain-locale/sport-space/football/

 

[pede54]

Yeah you are right, it's just rubbish and it shows how desperate Rafa has become. As you say, we could easily point to Gerrard and accuse him of being a lot worse. I could understand him coming out with this crap when Jose was at Chelsea, because they despised each other. This really is stooping low, and Rafa has simply made himself look very small.

I don't know who is more full of sh1t these days, Benitez or ol' red nose himself.

 

[paolo-fcb]

Guys, I can only say for ManU-Barca and blues-reds win the best; I love english football so can't support nobody tomorrow, today best wishes for ManU fans but I got my brother who lives in Barcelona, calle Aragon, close to "Glories", he's fan of Barca so I've to be neutral, I like Barca too ja but always win the best, there'r 4 great teams in the semifinals and sure we'll see a great great final in Moskow, so:
let's go red devils, let's go blues, let's go the reds, let's go barca!

 

[adedawson]

I don't understand why United played like that. They have an amazing attack and everyone knows that in an away match it's always more important to score a crucial away goal than to keep a clean sheet. Not conceding is important if you're the host. Very disappointing from United, and I would say lucky for us. I never thought Ferguson could be such a coward with the players he has.

Aye I been wondering the same thing and I'm a Man U fan. I try to be non bias and anyone on this forum who knows me, knows that fact. The point I'm trying to make, my next comment isn't me trying to make excuses but thinking of a logical reason too the tactic.

Anyway my theory is, it was due too the state of the English league at the moment. Its so close. We ended up losing to Chelsea anyway but I think the tactic might of been due to it being easier to get a draw then slog out a win away. You have to put in the extra effort to get a win at the Nou Camp potentially shattering our players for Chelsea.

Now were at home, with crowd support, no travelling, no games vs Chelsea, Arsenal or Liverpool in 3 days time. Now the players can use that extra bit of energy to win such games along the with benefits of it being at home.

I've got butterfly's in my stomach now, I'm far from confident of a home win. I can see this going both ways. I just hope Man united play like they have been playing all season rather then the last few games. "If" everything gels, we can get the win. If the last couple of games is any reflection on our performance at the moment i'm worried, but take solace in the fact that certain tactics were chosen for a pupose, i.e. this game.

I hope by the end of this game we will be talking about how SAF is a tactical genius but it wouldn't be the first time he's done the wrong thing. He's only human.

Another worry would be having Rooney and Vidic out on injury "again" this season. Those guys having some really bad luck. I think its really effecting Rooney Goal scoring form too. Hope they get better soon.

Anyway, i'll be giving the team as much support as I can shouting at my TV screen hope they can pull it off.

 

[adedawson]

adedawson - your sig looks beautiful

but tonight we will celebrate

Cheers

I hope I'll be the one celebrating I'll tell you one thing though, no matter which way it goes, lets hope its not another 0-0 or 1-0 bore fest. . Were supposed to be the top 4 teams in Europe. Lets try play like it, don't want a repeat performance of the last game.

 

[rony31]

what a ******* hit by Scholes. seriously Man Utd's first attack of the game and that happens.

 

[garlei]

get in!!!! great strike by Scholes. Lets turn up the heat and score another in the first half!

 

[garlei]

Wes Brown looks lost when marking Messi...
if Evra keeps bombing up...