From the Back Pages: 9/15/2010 CL EDITION!
by CPC on Sep 15, 2010 6:53 AM BST
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I have no clue what the hell I saw for 90+ minutes today. I trust Sir Alex....he's more than earned that trust...but I'm not sure exactly what he was telling the team today. On several occasions, 8 or 9 Rangers were either in the box or within 5 yards of it. You HAVE to try and spread them out and the only way to do it is to shorten the field and play deep down the wings. United never did that in the first 80 minutes or so, opting to kick the ball into the box 30 or 40 yards from the end line. As Sweet science said, they looked lethargic at times, especially when they were in possession for long stretches. Andy Gray even suggested letting Rangers penetrate with their counter attack a little more to stretch them out a bit. I'm not sure I'd go that far, but I know this:
After the 85th minute, when there was more of a sense of urgency, Giggs kept taking the ball down the left to the corner flag...and did you notice the chances United had? Rio and Smalling moved up as well, forcing Rangers to only clear the ball, as they were TOO close together to begin a real counter attack. That was the only time all game that the corner got exploited that much.
I don't generally do player ratings, but I'll tell you who impressed me: Fabio. When Gers were in possession, they kept working our left side and Fabio was consistently the pest he needed to be. Sure, I wasn't happy with some of his crosses or his decisions when he was over the ball, but those skills will come with time. Playing hard-nosed defense is what's gonna get him playing time.
Darron Gibson was also moderately impressive. He has a presence over the ball and has unbelievable power with good precision from distance. Yeah, he reminds me of Scholes, only without the red hair. This kid is already doing good things for Ireland...and I think he's "the one" that will be able to take over for Scholes when he leaves.
Who pissed me off? Everybody else. Overall it was a very boring game, with very little creativity on either side of the ball. Rangers efforts on goal were hopeful at best, leaving Rio, Smalling and Kuszczak virtually unchallenged. You can probably add Wes Brown to that list, as much as they worked the left.
Yeah, we only got a point, but while SAF seemingly treated this match like a Carling Cup tie, the bright spots are still bright and I think we're close to making a good run.
Enjoy the links...they're after the jump:
START OUT WITH THE MATCH REPORTS:
SIR ALEX DEFENDS HIS LINEUP:
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ANTONIO VALENCIA'S BAD BREAK:
- ManUtd.com: Prognosis negative
- Sky Sports: Ferguson fears for Valencia
- The BBC: Man United's Antonio Valencia to miss rest of season
- ESPN.co.uk: Horrific Valencia injury overshadows lacklustre draw
- Fox Soccer: VIDEO: Valencia's injury
- Fox Soccer: Valencia's season may be over
- The Telegraph: Antonio Valencia out for the season with broken ankle and Horror injuries make you wince NOT for the faint of heart!
- The Sun: Valencia in horror break
- The Guardian: Antonio Valencia's season over as Rangers hold Manchester United
GENERAL SQUAD NEWS:
- ManUtd.com: Smalling delight at Euro debut
- Sky Sports: Ferdinand pleased to be back
- Sky Sports: Rooney fails to inspire United
- Manchester Evening News: Rooney fails to provide spark
- Fox Soccer: Rangers hold United to goalless draw
- The Telegraph: Walter Smith's battlers restore Scottish pride
- The Telegraph: Old Trafford night of tedium shows why the Champions League has to change
- The Daily Mail: Agony! Cruel break for Valencia as gambler Fergie drops Euro clanger in Rangers stalemate
- The Daily Mail: Fergie's flops hit the wall as Reds are held in Champions League opener
OPINION:
- The Sun: Steven Howard: Roo were better off staying in bed
- The Daily Mail: Fergie talked of 'great Old Trafford nights' - this wasn't one of them
- The Daily Mail: Stifling European night at Old Trafford with such a sorry twist
- The Guardian: Why groaning about Darren Fletcher no longer holds water
- The United Religion: United 0 Rangers 0: A Dour Draw
RANGERS:
- The Guardian: Rangers veteran David Weir stands out in Champions League clash
- Sky Sports: Smith alright on the night
- UEFA: Emery enchanted by Valencia's tyros
- Sky Sports: Bursaspor brought down to earth
- Yahoo!: Valencia crush debutants Bursaspor 4-0
- AFP: Valencia cruise past new boys Bursaspor
- UEFA: Twente push champions Inter to the limit
- Sky Sports: Inter denied by Twente
- Yahoo!: Inter struggle to draw
- AFP: Barcelona hit five as Champions League group phase begins
- Reuters UK: Inter's Pandev suffers serious looking knee injury
- UEFA: Bremen bounce back to check Tottenham
- Sky Sports: Werder fightback denies Spurs
- The BBC: Harry Redknapp frustrated by Champions League draw
- Yahoo!: Bremen teach Spurs harsh lesson with comeback
- The Guardian: Tottenham held to a draw by Werder Bremen after taking a two-goal lead
- The Independent: Slipshod Spurs throw away a golden start to life in Europe
- The Sun: Harry: We blew glory chance
- UEFA: Bastos goal helps Lyon past Schalke
- Sky Sports: Lyon helped to winning start
- Yahoo!: Lyon defeat 10-man Schalke
- UEFA: Benfica break Hapoel resistance in Lisbon
- Sky Sports: Benfica off and running
- Ha'aretz: Ignored, outscored
- Yahoo!: Sleepy Benfica find form in win over Hapoel
- UEFA: Guardiola dazzled by Barcelona brilliance
- Sky Sports: Five-star Barca fire warning
- ESPN: Guardiola: That's as good as we get
- Irish Times: Messi's Barca brace restores order
- UEFA: Solbakken delights at clinical Copenhagen
- Sky Sports: Fairytale start for Copenhagen
- Yahoo!: N'Doye strike gives Copenhagen win over Rubin
OTHER CHAMPIONS LEAGUE NEWS:
- The Sun: Ron tips Real run in Europe
- The Daily Mail: Arsene Wenger: English giants must rule Europe again on the long road to Wembley
LIVERPOOL LINKS ALREADY!
- The Sun: Let's Tor 'em apart again
- The Daily Mail: Fernando Torres: THAT 4-1 win at Old Trafford reignited my Liverpool career
- The Guardian: Fernando Torres: Liverpool want to beat Manchester United for our fans
GLAZER NEWS:
- The Guardian: Glazer family's Tampa Bay austerity bodes ill for Manchester United
OTHER NEWS:
- The Daily Mail: Under the hammer! England hero Nobby Stiles sells off World Cup medal and other memorabilia for family I can only hope that the FA is amongst the bidders so these treasures can be seen by everyone a the National Football Museum or whatever the end up calling it.
- The Guardian: Nobby Stiles to sell 1966 World Cup winner's medal
- The Daily Mail: Craig Bellamy 'coin attack' case thrown out of Manchester court
- SB Nation: Barcelona Cruises, Inter Milan and Manchester United stumble
- We Ain't Got No History (Chelsea): Premier League points leaders: week four
- 7500 to Holte (Aston Villa): Streams of Consciousness
This FanPost represents the view of the member who posts it and does not necessarily reflect the views of The Busby Babe or SB Nation.
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Do you think Fergie wouldn’t mind seeing Rangers advance along with United? I’m not accusing him of deliberately going easy on a Scottish team but I think the relative softness of the group removed any urgency from this first game.
Los Angeles is like Manchester. There is a red team that wins championships and a blue team that doesn't.
Ultimately, whatever the team is, the players have to play like it’s important – even if the manager doesn’t really think so (which I think he does).
I'm having a hard time seeing
the logic in putting out a decent squad that got you 3 goals on Saturday on the shelf with:
1. 4 players that have little or no Champion’s League experience (Hernandez, Gibson, Smalling, Fabio)
2. Rio making a comeback from an injury
3. The “captain” not even dressed and in the stands with the other “captains” (save for Giggs and Ferdinand)
Look, I know it’s United and we have the depth do this stuff, but for the first game in group stage? He either underestimated Rangers strength or figures we can get our “10 points” elsewhere.
That decent squad also threw away 2 points
by conceding 3 as well. And 2 of them late. Fergie was giving guys a game against weaker opposition and resting some key guys for Liverpool. He does this sort of thing ALL the time. The only time it’s an issue and people want to bitch about it is 2 or 3 times a season when it doesn’t work out. But that’s not Fergie’s fault it’s the players on the pitch for not producing. Remember we should have scored at least one when Rooney and Hernandez were basically 2 against 1 in the Rangers box and Rooney fucked it up. You can’t let that happen.
"We love them, We mourn for them, Unlucky boys of Red" - Morrissey
"Giggs gets past Viera, past Dixon, who comes back at him, it's a wonderful run from GIGGS!!!" - Martin Tyler
"He's got a man deep..wait, no that IS Mandeep!!" - Don Taylor
by Section 312 on Sep 15, 2010 6:53 PM BST up reply actions
Gibbo was only alright. Yeah he was a threat but too many people think of Scholesy once someone starts honing in the long range shots. In terms of dictating play Gibson is so far down the pecking order.
I agree that Gibson is down the pecking order
but Scholes was too when he was 22. Gibson isn’t ready to be the middie of choice for SAF yet, no doubt, but he plays in a few more games that matters and gains that experience….he might be.
His passing is NO where near
the level of Scholes and I doubt it ever gets there.
"We love them, We mourn for them, Unlucky boys of Red" - Morrissey
"Giggs gets past Viera, past Dixon, who comes back at him, it's a wonderful run from GIGGS!!!" - Martin Tyler
"He's got a man deep..wait, no that IS Mandeep!!" - Don Taylor
by Section 312 on Sep 15, 2010 6:54 PM BST up reply actions
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