What the fuck? Wasn't the other semi meant to be the boring one?
Okay, 0-0 isn't a bad result but United missed a real opportunity here, and I'm not talking about the penalty. The fact Barca had so much possession but hardy threaten van der Sar shows how under par they were.
I couldn't make any sense of United's formation. Okay, they were unlucky with Vidic dropping out, but all over the pitch players were out of position: mids as strikers, strikers as mids, mids as defenders. With Hargreaves not in midfield there was no coherent defending, with every midfielder running around desperately to get the ball. As a result they had so little possession that when they finally got the ball they felt compelled to force things: Tevez running with the ball down cul-de-sacs, Carrick trying to play a wonder pass. Above all, United's passing, with the notable exception of Scholes, was atrocious; Park, Tevez and Ronaldo seemed to having their own private bad passing competition.
Thankfully for them Barca also used the ball poorly, always playing at a snail's pace, enabling ManU to get players behind the ball. Messi shone at times but United were able to crowd him out, any space his runs created was left unexploited due to Barca's lack of movement.
Obviously United can live with the result, but a 0-0 is never a bad result for the home team either. Barca will go to Old Trafford knowing a ManU goal makes little difference; they have to score.
Surely the return game can't be as bad. As the missus said last night, 'I miss the old days when you forced me to watch cricket...'
The feet apart, the staggered run-up, the ball in the net: Cristiano Ronaldo from the penalty spot is just about the surest bet Manchester United have and, with three minutes played last night, the executioner was ready to strike...
Barca fail to capitalise on Ronaldo's miss of the season
Inexplicably at the Nou Camp last night, Sir Alex Ferguson picked a team seemingly designed to showcase Barcelona’s attacking talents
Ferguson gives Messi licence to showcase the tricks of his trade
After all the talk of Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Lionel Messi, it was a man who loathes the limelight, Paul Scholes, who stole the show here in this magnificent Catalan theatre. After a master-class in the use of the ball, Scholes received the ultimate compliment - Thierry Henry asked for his shirt
Ronaldo fails to apply gloss for United
It’s hard to remember Wayne Rooney, Carlos Tévez and Park Ji Sung being so poor in attack — but that was almost part of the plan
Analysis: Tony Cascarino
1 comment:
Come on, now. It wasn't that bad. I thought it was a fairly entertaining match.
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