Got away with it tonight

[redevil2]

We get nervous because we as fans dont know the inside scoop, we dont know whos been doing well in training or what teams going out there. I am sure SAF told the team that played tonight that they would be playing weeks in advance to ensure they were in the right frame of mind. At their level of top European football they shouldnt be getting nervous as they should have prepaired for it, while i'll accept you will be nervous because of the whole away goals rule you should try and concentrate on your job and not the other teams.

Stakes are high all the time at a club like United thats why only certain players make it for us. Im not having a go at any of our players tonight but if you're telling me the reason we were below our best tonight was only down to nerves and not having a foothold on the midfield battle tonight i would suggest that we pay our players FAR too much

I did say it's more strategic than nerve though!

To be honest, if our opposition is RM tonight, we would easily pass 5 or 6 goals over them. Inter is not playing well but they are not a shitty team like Real. So it depends on the opposition, right? I do not believe that in proper game (when no bloody away goal is in effect) our midfield tonight would have held better. So strategy plays a more important part.

 

[Wibble]

We contyrolled large parts of the game but we did get sloppy and it could well have costs us. Who knows how the dynamic of the game could have changed if Inter had equalised? It certainly felt pretty uncomfortable for about ten minutes at the end of the 1st half.

That said Scholes still had an 88% pass completion rate after those loose passes, abeit loose passes that could have cost us.

Not our best but I do suspect that we were only in second gear for most of the second half.

 

[Legend16]

Of course not! Are you that naive thinking that Internet is for real? Hey you really need to grow up!

ok tell you what. you go girl. there's some grown up discussion going on over on some other threads. I'll be there for the rest of the evening

 

[redevil2]

Its very difficult to accept that anyone believes we were at our best tonight. and patently ludicrous to see people getting so defensive and considering it an attack on the players to say we were below par. I mean SAF was saying the same things. that we gave it away cheaply, over elaborated, tried to be too fancy etc etc. But it was not an attack on the players. Just a reflection of what we saw. what wrong with that? seriously

You have to be either blind or dumb to say that! Where did I say We were playing our best?? Read post 85, here:

But who says we were at our best tonight??? We weren't yet we won 2-0. We were hardly scared at any stage even!

We were not playing our best, but does that mean we were lucky and been getting away with things though? Far from it! In fact we were winning quite comfortably tonight if truth to be told!!! We were rather unlucky in the first leg though if you do remember!

Fans like you and the OP are hard to please. The glass is half full, not half empty you know!!

 

[CR#7]

everyone is so fecking excited saying we didn't play our best we fecking won two nil relax inter is no joke i'd like to see how others would of done with our draw was a great fecking result bring on then next O.T. is the place to be we got the result

 

[Bread]

gotta be honest i thought we performed relativley very well, yes it was no roma but still a great performance considering who we were playing.

scholes didnt have his best day, and at time seemed quite scared to shoot, particually from places he usually would have had a pop from.

 

[fatboy]

I always thought that barring a disaster, we were always going to win it. Inter, along with rest of the Italian teams, are not quite what they used to be. Mourinho knows this was well. He was only hyping up his own team hoping to throw us off.

Honestly, the only threat to the English teams will come from Barca.

 

[Laphroaig]

So what are you feckers on about, we were far superior.

 

[Suedesi]

Fergie got away with it today. For the first time this season I think he got his team selection wrong as in the first half in particular the team was unbalanced. Giggs these days is at his most effective as a roaming midfielder with no particular defensive duties, which would have been fine in the first half if Wayne Rooney had gone wide left and covered when Inter were on the attack. However, for whatever reason there was no covering midfielder in the first half and therefore much of Inter's attacking play came down that channel. Whether that was because Giggs was cutting in or that Rooney wasn't tracking back it is hard to say. I personally think it was the former because in the second half it was evident that Fergie had said to Rooney that he should stay wide & as a result Inter's threat down that side wasn't as great.

That isn't a slight on Giggs' first half performance as he was one of United's better player in that period. I think that given his recent form he should be allowed licence to roam, but then you need to station a player on the left hand side which they didn't do in the first half. The absence of a player on the left not only caused problems defensively but also meant that when United tried to start play from midfield they were too lopsided, a problem that became more pronounced after Inter, having caught on to United's attempts to get the ball to Ronaldo as early as possible squeezed up, shifted their defence to their left (knowing there was no midfielder on United's left) and so the clever balls of the first 15 minutes to Ronaldo became increasingly hopeful and unsuccessful.

Personally I think that United's best performances this season have been when they have had an identifiable shape, stretched teams either side and caused problems to the opposition by having interchangeable wide players - and when they play Tevez, interchangeable front players too. I'd be incredibly surprised if Ferguson was to play that team again in a big European game, not to mention include both Giggs and Scholes together. I was really surprised that Park didn't start tonight, given how well he has played recently and also given the fact that he retains his position and ensures that United have a cohesive shape. If United play as haphazardly as they did in the first half, giving the ball away cheaply and allowing acres of space down one side of the pitch then a team like Barcelona will destroy them.

Spot on.

 

[beardsleybob]

op is talking shit

oshea and berba should have scored.

4-2

oh shit, then its 4-4 on away goals and we go out!

Ya but thats after extra time. If we had won 4-2 at fulltime away goals wouldnt have mattered

Idiot

 

[Laphroaig]

Spot on.

Well you're fecking stupid then

 

[beardsleybob]

Well you're fecking stupid then

tbf now it was a mistake to play Giggs and Scholes together. It's more suited to a video game

 

[Laphroaig]

So you're right and Sir Alex Ferguson was wrong. Obviosuly.

"Fergie got away with it today." ... Seriously?

 

[beardsleybob]

So you're right and Sir Alex Ferguson was wrong. Obviosuly.

"Fergie got away with it today." ... Seriously?

licking SAF's testicles just a little too much

 

[Laphroaig]

Nice one.

 

[Beckham007]

For the first time in my life I was begging for SAF to take Paul Scholes off.

Probably his worst performance in a red shirt.

I was hoping he would come off at HT and be replaced by Park who would allow Giggsy to come inside.

Berba should not have been there either, and I really feel for Tevez who I would not blame if he left.

 

[Beckham007]

Spot on.

x 2

 

[Name Changed]

We were woeful last night and we were very lucky that Inter's main chances went to Ibrahimovic.

Were very lucky.

I thought the team selection was very poor. Fletcher was missed big time.

 

[beardsleybob]

We were woeful last night and we were very lucky that Inter's main chances went to Ibrahimovic.

Were very lucky.

I thought the team selection was very poor. Fletcher was missed big time.

Never thought I'd hear that without laughter afterwards. But he has improved fair dues to him

 

[MG]

We were woeful last night and we were very lucky that Inter's main chances went to Ibrahimovic.

Were very lucky.

I thought the team selection was very poor. Fletcher was missed big time.

Hmm, wouldn't go that far. A lot of sloppy passes and giving the ball away but we weren't that bad. Inter were worse, I thought.

Yes, the game was not up to our usual standard but because that standard is so high these days (), it's difficult to always hit those heights.

We did enough to win over the two legs and deserved to go through.

 

[Name Changed]

Hmm, wouldn't go that far. A lot of sloppy passes and giving the ball away but we weren't that bad. Inter were worse, I thought.

Yes, the game was not up to our usual standard but because that standard is so high these days (), it's difficult to always hit those heights.

We did enough to win over the two legs and deserved to go through.

We did but we were so sloppy. We were lucky Inter can't finish chances or we'd be out. We could and should have hammered them in both legs.

I agree with you though. Woeful was too harsh a word.

 

[MG]

We did but we were so sloppy. We were lucky Inter can't finish chances or we'd be out. We could and should have hammered them in both legs.

I agree with you though. Woeful was too harsh a word.

Agreed. We should have won at least 2-0 at the San Siro, and then at Old Trafford we were too nervous and sloppy.

 

[beardsleybob]

Agreed. We should have won at least 2-0 at the San Siro, and then at Old Trafford we were too nervous and sloppy.

strange how they were nervous at home and so were we.

 

[MG]

strange how they were nervous at home and so were we.

Yeah, that's interesting. I think it has something to do with the pressure and worry about conceding with the away goal rule, and also the added pressure of being favourites when you play at home.

We had no need to be nervous though given our brilliant display at the San Siro and our record at Old Trafford, especially our defensive record. Oh, and the fact that we're European Champions.

Next round we could do with getting rid of the nerves, we have the ability to win this competition and all the players know it. Or, at least, they should.

 

[ERICSAGOD]

I wonder how special ''The Special One'' is feeling this morning . . . cnut!

 

[Wibble]

For the first time in my life I was begging for SAF to take Paul Scholes off.

Probably his worst performance in a red shirt.

That is total rubbish. He misplaced a few passes which could have been costsly but otherwise didn't have a bad game.

 

[beardsleybob]

That is total rubbish. He misplaced a few passes which could have been costsly but otherwise didn't have a bad game.

I didn't see enough of the game to rate any players, but youre the 1st person I've heard that said he didn't have a shocker

 

[MG]

I didn't see enough of the game to rate any players, but youre the 1st person I've heard that said he didn't have a shocker

For Paul Scholes, it was a shocker. Simply because he sets himself such high standards, and we all know how fantastically well he can play and pass.

For most players to misplace a few important passes in an otherwise average game means a poor game, for Scholes (who is usually the most accurate passer probably in the world), it's a 'mare. Since when does he usually misplace more than 1 pass a game?

 

[beardsleybob]

For Paul Scholes, it was a shocker. Simply because he sets himself such high standards, and we all know how fantastically well he can play and pass.

For most players to misplace a few important passes in an otherwise average game means a poor game, for Scholes (who is usually the most accurate passer probably in the world), it's a 'mare. Since when does he usually misplace more than 1 pass a game?

Yes but on a really important night, where a player was required to step forward and be counted, Scholes didn't produce. Only natural for people to be annoyed, seeing as he's dependable

 

[MG]

Yes but on a really important night, where a player was required to step forward and be counted, Scholes didn't produce. Only natural for people to be annoyed, seeing as he's dependable

I know. Don't get me wrong I was disappointed with him last night.

 

[Bearded but no genius]

For the first time in my life I was begging for SAF to take Paul Scholes off.

Probably his worst performance in a red shirt.

I was hoping he would come off at HT and be replaced by Park who would allow Giggsy to come inside.

Berba should not have been there either, and I really feel for Tevez who I would not blame if he left.

Did you ever find out our squad numbers so you could buy your Zoran Tosic shirt?

 

[Bearded but no genius]

Yes but on a really important night, where a player was required to step forward and be counted, Scholes didn't produce. Only natural for people to be annoyed, seeing as he's dependable

You just said you didn't see the game.

How can you know how natural it is for people, or how he was?

 

[Wibble]

I didn't see enough of the game to rate any players, but youre the 1st person I've heard that said he didn't have a shocker

Probably because people overeact. There were about 2 badly misplaced passes all games and one of thise could have been costly. He still had a pass completion rate of over 90% I believe. Not his best of course but hardly a shocker.

 

[beardsleybob]

You just said you didn't see the game.

How can you know how natural it is for people, or how he was?

Well i know its natural for me to expect him to play well, and to be disappointed when he doesn't perform. And from peoples opinions on the Caf I have realized he was under par last night

 

[CnutOfAllCnuts]

Some very strange, over-the-top reactions and views on here....

We didn't play particualrly well, no. Nor did we play poorly. We did enough to win the game, and were in control of the game from kick-off. They had a few chances, we had a few chances.

We were sloppy in parts of the first half, dunno why, but vastly improved on that in the second half.

 

[Drifter]

After the first goal the team got nervous.Probably was thinking to much on not conceding.But it wasn't that bad as some on here would have you believe.

 

[Bearded but no genius]

Well i know its natural for me to expect him to play well, and to be disappointed when he doesn't perform. And from peoples opinions on the Caf I have realized he was under par last night

Watch the game when you can and you'll see that a lot of this is very ott.

We got the job done, barring a bit of sloppiness towards the end of the first half.

But at 1-0 4 minutes in we never did come out of 1st gear, and with the second goal coming 4 minutes into the second half, that clinched the fact that it became an exercise in getting through not in playing balls-to-the-wall thrill-a-minute end-to-end football. To have done the latter would have been massively counterproductive and naive.

Of course Inter had chances - they are the runaway leaders and twice champions of the second hardest league in Europe.

The way some are reacting it is like we squeaked past Panathinaikos with a dubious stoppage time penalty last night.

We didn't. We comfortably won 2-0 against the Italian Champions, with no need to even get our proper game flowing.

 

[FranklyVulgar]

Good game, United did deserve it no doubt however Inter managed to turn up and make it a cracking game. They were unlucky and at times played the better football but if any team switches off against United they will be punished.

Inters downfall was Viera in the first half and Muntari in the 2nd.

 

[anver]

Feel for Tevez. He has given his all in the games he's played. And yet, he does not get a chance. As someone said earlier, wont blame him if he leaves.

 

[dev1l]

Over the two legs we were the better team by some distance but they missed plenty of decent chances tonight. I was surprised by the team selection and we failed to be competent at the one thing the team seemed to be designed for: keeping hold of the ball.

I suppose you could say that both O'Shea and Berbatov had excellent chances that the keeper saved tonight.

I think we need to think more carefully about team selection.

Spot on. over two legs United definitely deserved it.

As for the chances, my impression is that the media focused too much on Inter's two posts, almost completely forgetting JOS chance.

In the middle I had the impression that Carrick was tightly marked. Scholes seemed to have a bit more room but wasn't at his best. Viera showed again that he is a bottler

Also , I got the impression that some people expected that at this stage and against such teams, we would get the "walkover" we got against Fulham last Saturday.