Vidic

[MadDogg]

This is all true. My point stands though. For whatever reason, Rio ended up the closest United player to the ball when Crouch scored. He still got out-jumped though.

It's all moot though. Crouch will always win some headers in the box over 90 minutes. No matter who's supposed to be marking him.

Crouch is always going to win some headers. The key is to put him under enough pressure and physical competition that he can't actually do anything with it. That's what Vidic does so well.

Now obviously we can't expect Jones (or anyone else) to be as good as Vidic at aerial battles, but we can certainly recognise he did quite poorly for that goal and let Crouch go in uncontested.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Crouch got a run on him. It happens.

It's the nature of a discussion forum like this that every single goal conceded is the subject of forensic anaylsis, with guilty parties sought and blame carefully apportioned. Not sure there'a much point to it myself.

We had a bunch of defensive injuries and our makeshift back four generally played quite well. Etherington delivers a good corner and Crouch is freakishly tall. No great surprise he got on the end of something and scored.

 

[RonaldoVII]

Watch the goal again. Rio was even closer to Crouch than Jones. He still got beaten.

There wasn't a content between Rio and Crouch for the goal. You can't expect someone to challenge when the attacker is in front of them attacking a set piece.
Like others, I do find it odd that Jones was marking him at set pieces and not Ferdinand.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

There wasn't a content between Rio and Crouch for the goal. You can't expect someone to challenge when the attacker is in front of them attacking a set piece.
Like others, I do find it odd that Jones was marking him at set pieces and not Ferdinand.

Rio was jumping for the same ball as Crouch and was the closest United player to getting his head on the ball. Look at the photos of the goal. Jones wasn't even off the ground. Crouch got the run on him. This happens. Not all headers are won by the defender supposed to be marking the nearest striker to the ball. That's all I'm saying.

 

[Vinay]

For the kind of delivery Etherington got in and the kind of run Crouch got in too, I feel that the only way of defending this situation would have been a zonal marking. Man on man marking was always going to be a lost battle in that situation with the accuracy of the delivery coupled with the timing of Crouch's run.

It was just a brilliant corner. Zonal marking in this situation might have been our only way out of this situation...

 

[Donut]

He played today and missed an important penalty which cost Serbia 2nd spot. He'll probably be pretty demoralized, so a red card against Liverpool beckons.

 

[RonaldoVII]

Was a shit penalty. God knows why he took it.

 

[FlawlessThaw]

Fair play, misses the play-offs and has the summer off. Good stuff.

 

[Cutch]

What the hell is Vidic doin taking their penalties

 

[vuc]

Retired from the NT.

Tragic, on one hand I can't blame him because our FA is so corrupt.

On the other, I think he is a fecking pussy.

 

[Sam]

Retired from the NT.

Tragic, on one hand I can't blame him because our FA is so corrupt.

On the other, I think he is a fecking pussy.

 

[Olly Gunnar Solskjær]

Everybody remember this moment. vuc... just called Vidic... a fecking pussy.

 

[Sam]

Everybody remember this moment. vuc... just called Vidic... a fecking pussy.

My mouth literally (yes jamie) opened when I just read his comment!

 

[vuc]

I'm shocked and devastated by this result tonight and throughout the campaign.

Stankovic has retired tonight (one legend) and now Vidic? He would have been the next captain, and should have been leading us to qualification for the WC.

 

[ArmchairCritic]

Retired from the NT.

Tragic, on one hand I can't blame him because our FA is so corrupt.

On the other, I think he is a fecking pussy.

Say wha'?

 

[Moonwalker]

On the other, I think he is a fecking pussy.

 

[Makki]

Retired from the NT.

Tragic, on one hand I can't blame him because our FA is so corrupt.

On the other, I think he is a fecking pussy.

 

[Donut]

Why is he retiring? He's only what, 30? And after a missed penalty as important as this. Doesn't sound like Vidic.

 

[vuc]

Why is he retiring? He's only what, 30? And after a missed penalty as important as this. Doesn't sound like Vidic.

We'll have to wait for his statement.

There are two ways of looking at it.

1) He feels responsible for the miss, and he wants to step down along with Stankovic to let the young blood move in.

2 He is fed up with the Serbian FA's corruption and the state of management within the NT. Useless players have been getting called up during this campaign, Lukovic and Lazovic have already quit the NT.

Let's wait and see what he says.

 

[Sarni]

Thing is, even with a 1-1 draw they would have been out. They needed a win because it's apparently head-to-head that counts first and they had a 3-1 defeat at home and 1-1 draw away from home against Estonia.

 

[vuc]

Just read that he says he won't ever play another Euro Campaign again, but nowhere did he rule out the WC. Could just be Serbian media playing retarded.

 

[ArmchairCritic]

Apart from his penalty miss how did he perform Vuc? Do you reckon he's ready for the Scousers on Saturday?

 

[vuc]

Serbian reporters asked Vidic if he will withdraw from the NT.

Vidic said, if you are already pulling me by the tongue then yes.

Looks heat of the moment, we find out more another time.

 

[vuc]

Apart from his penalty miss how did he perform Vuc? Do you reckon he's ready for the Scousers on Saturday?

He didn't have loads to do, and didn't make any mistakes. I think he will be ready.

 

[Black Adder]

Vuc your supporters have great chance to finally stop the corruption within NT now that you've missed EC and there's no result to hide behind.

As for Vidic nice to see him match fit, although don't realise why he took the penalty kick?

 

[ArmchairCritic]

He didn't have loads to do, and didn't make any mistakes. I think he will be ready.

Cheers vuc, I doubt he'd retire from the National Team at this age especially in light of the events that just transpired, it's just not in his character. Maybe he'll retire after the World Cup but not now. It just sounds like he was annoyed with the journalists.

 

[vuc]

Vuc your supporters have great chance to finally stop the corruption within NT now that you've missed EC and there's no result to hide behind.

As for Vidic nice to see him match fit, although don't realise why he took the penalty kick?

The best thing to come out of this disaster of a campaign will be to get rid of the FA. They tried to do it rioting in Genoa, and it didn't happen.

But surely this awful campaign, the poor choices made by the coach, the useless players called up, the lack of fan support, the withdrawal of key NT players will surely mean the end.

Not gonna hold my breath though, because the way things are in Serbia at the moment, what can you expect of a football NT.

 

[krazyrobus]

I'm just glad he is back playing,welcome back!

 

[Neutral]

Still trying to figure out why he took the penalty...weird.

 

[Hans Moleman]

 

[Mihajlovic]

Still trying to figure out why he took the penalty...weird.

Hard to tell at the moment, apparently the coach decided it before the game, which if true is in itself quite a statement (coach is a useless twat, the rest of the team are useless twats, no one else stepped up).

Fact is our domestic league is a joke and our players are average or below average. Gone are the days when we had top players who were kicking ass in some of the best European clubs, Real, Milan, etc.

 

[Neutral]

Hard to tell at the moment, apparently the coach decided it before the game, which if true is in itself quite a statement (coach is a useless twat, the rest of the team are useless twats, no one else stepped up).

Fact is our domestic league is a joke and our players are average or below average. Gone are the days when we had top players who were kicking ass in some of the best European clubs, Real, Milan, etc.

Stankovic, Kolarov - two names in that starting lineup that immediately spring to mind as players I'd rather see taking a penalty than our very own Vida. Hell even Krasic, who had only been on for about 7-8 minutes at that stage.

 

[Rado_N]

what a dreadful penalty

Glad he's got a match under his belt though, I'll be a lot more comfortable with him back in the defence on Saturday.

 

[Brophs]

I reckon rather than retiring could he have been making the point that he'll never play in Euro qualifiers again as he's going to be too old next time they come around?

 

[Eyepopper]

30s about right for retirement from international football in my book.

 

[Sarni]

Hard to tell at the moment, apparently the coach decided it before the game, which if true is in itself quite a statement (coach is a useless twat, the rest of the team are useless twats, no one else stepped up).

Fact is our domestic league is a joke and our players are average or below average. Gone are the days when we had top players who were kicking ass in some of the best European clubs, Real, Milan, etc.

I think you should pay attention to Radovic from Legia Warsaw. He has been their best player for like five years now and never got a look in your national side. I know he isn't even close to the likes of Krasic, Stankovic or even our very own Tosic but he should be good enough to deserve a chance.

 

[Moonwalker]

I think you should pay attention to Radovic from Legia Warsaw. He has been their best player for like five years now and never got a look in your national side. I know he isn't even close to the likes of Krasic, Stankovic or even our very own Tosic but he should be good enough to deserve a chance.

I doubt the current coach watches the Serbian league, never mind Poland.

Not that he'd have much to see in the former, mind.

The media reaction in Serbia has been hilarious. The match commentator in particular, has to be on suicide watch for the next couple of days. You'd think Brazil finished last in their qualifying group, or Barcelona got relegated or something.

But yeah, Vidic is fit, and we won't be seeing any Tosic clips an threads bumped, so those are the positives.

 

[MPTutd]

Great news him retiring from internationals. More rest and readiness for United.

 

[towcester_red]

at that penalty

 

[apotheosis]

30s about right for retirement from international football in my book.

I agree with that, especially if you are planning to ply your trade in the physically demanding EPL for the next few seasons!