The old Man Utd Thread

[Chooch]

Inter have come out much stronger here.

[Gabzy]

Only Jose could get that kind of reaction to a half-time team talk. Well, him and Ferguson. We need to stay tight at the back.

[Gabzy]

Jesus... why isn't Rooney on yet? He'd be perfect to bring on now. Evans and Rio have been excellent, but our finishing is really disappointing.

[fatbob]

Was a good game, a draw was fair in the end, although i'm dissapointed we didn't score, given the way we played and the chances we had.

[Majora]

I think we would all have taken 0-0 before the game given our defensive worries but it's hard not to feel disappointed that we didn't get a goal. That said, I didn't see too much from Inter to make me feel that a defence bolstered by Vidic and hopefully O'Shea-less at Old Trafford would give us too many worries.

I would definitely have brought Rooney on 15 minutes earlier though, I thought Berbatov was quite disappointing.

[fatbob]

I dunno, I thought Berbatov was pretty decent today, in his own way that nobody seems to notice. Seeing the replay of that Ronaldo cross across the box agains shows Berbatov was basically rugby tackled, definate penalty.

[fatbob]

Also, with reguards to Rooney coming on, SAF was basically waiting for Morinho to make the first tactical change so he could counter if need be. But yeah, you have to think if he had some more time he might have nabbed one.

[Majora]

Yeah I saw that replay and Berbatov was definitely rugby-tackled but I just found him a bit ponderous tonight. When Rooney came on it looked like he could have made a real impact had he been given longer.

[Gabzy]

I don't think Berba was getting the service to be honest, every ball played to him seemed to be too far or too short. He did as much as he could was my thinking on it. But Rooney should have been on 10 minutes earlier and given a chance to harry and hassle them around a bit more at the back.

Nevertheless, I would have been happy with 0-0 before the game. It just seems like a wasted opportunity in retrospect, given the way we played in the first half particularly.

[Trigg]

0-0 is a good result all told I guess, disappointed we didn't get a goal in that first half. Giggs' chance and Ronaldo header being the two best chances.

Thought Giggs was bloody brilliant in the first half, found space in between the back four and midfield and pulled the strings along with Carrick who's getting the maturity and confidence to control the midfield in big games. Ronaldo was a constant threat and you could see Inter were a tad scared of him. Evra just owned our left side. He's like a one man defending/attacking show. He must be fecked after every game he plays. He seems to be sprinting all the time.

Second half we weren't as good, and I thought Giggs looked tired in the latter stages so I'd have liked to have seen Rooney earlier for him I think. Rooney and Berbatov will cause them problems back at OT if they start together I'm sure of it.

Our full backs caused them problems as they play a very narrow 4 in midfield as well as our fullbacks pinning theirs back for the majority of the game.

Very much looking forward to the return leg.

[DC Lemon]

Had last night's game been at Old Trafford, it could have ended up like the Roma game. Mourinho did a great job at half-time but VDS could have still been playing on his DS throughout the second half.

I feared the worst from this tie right up until kick off, now I expect an easy second leg. In spite of failing to score, I've never seen a United side so at home and confident in the San Siro.

[fatbob]

As much as anything we can take away from last night, the re-inforcement that O'Shea and Fletcher are both truely useful memebers of the team now for the last year or so, especially on nights like that.

Finally its hard to think of anything major to deride about them. We need these sort of players.

I think they both played very well last night, Fletcher in particular.

[JLR]

Fletcher was very good last night. He can frustrate at times, but it was really ncie to see him moving forward into an advanced position, only for Inter to regain possession and see fletch turn and bomb straight back to cover. No, oh ffs moment, just turn and run back.

[oli]

Fletcher was very good last night. He can frustrate at times, but it was really ncie to see him moving forward into an advanced position, only for Inter to regain possession and see fletch turn and bomb straight back to cover. No, oh ffs moment, just turn and run back.

He's looking more and more like the player that we bought Hargreaves to be.

[Trigg]

He's looking more and more like the player that we bought Hargreaves to be.

Don't write him off just yet!

I'm hoping we get a fit Hargreaves next season, then we can see what he's capable of.

[phresh]

A fit Hargreves is more likely to replace Park on the wing based on his performances last year. Park was brilliant yesterday until he got near the box, he really does lack some end product.

Overall i'm happy with last night, although our performance probably warranted a goal in the first half. And to think people were worried about our defense, even when they bought on Corboda our guys still looked stronger at the back.

[fatbob]

A fit Hargreves is more likely to replace Park on the wing based on his performances last year.

Realy?

Hargreaves is always best when he is bossing the centre of the field, making takles and annoying the opposition, much like Fletcher is as oli says.

Park was excellent yesterday, he was a prime example of how fit we looked in comparrison to Inter, even Giggs was outrunning people. We were running rings round them with reguards to speed and stamina.

As you say, Park realy needs to work on his finishing, and getting into finishing positions a bit more assertively, he definately become stronger over the last year, and hes a lot more difficult to hastle off the ball, a big critisism of him before.

I like Park

[phresh]

I like him too, but his shot/final ball just isn't good enough, or at least isn't as good as the skill he uses to get near the box in the first place. I thought Hargreave's performances on the right last year were excellent, plus he is superb at free kicks around the edge of the box.

[Gabzy]

Park just doesn't seem to have the quality unfortunately, as much as I love seeing his energy on the pitch. For all his hard work, he always produces a disappointing end result.

I would just like to see a fit Hargreaves. Don't care where he plays.

[fatbob]

I think Park does have the quality.... watching him play shows that in spades, minor shotcomings aside; he isn't perfect (in the disscussed areas) but then no players are perfect, and when you have Giggs and then Ronaldo to compare him with, its being mega harsh on him to say he doesn't have the quality.

If he becomes better at shooting and creating chances in the box, while continues to work on his physical strength then he will be a brilliant player. Hes certainly a better contribution to the team as the moment than someone like Nani and whenever he plays you never feel like he has made no impact on the game.

[Majora]

I'd rather have Park play than Nani too. Park plays for the team while Nani largely plays for himself and his contributions are often negligible. He scores a few really nice goals per season but often goes missing for matches at a time or runs into dead-ends all the time. Park does lack a bit of quality around the box which is a shame because I think he's actually a very intelligent player, it's just that his final ball or shot is lacking.

[barkbat]

O'Shea played really well last night, as did Evra, who is just so bloody solid its amazing. Fletcher is a different player to two years ago - I remember the days of hiding my head everytime he got the ball.

Thought Park gave 100% but is just too weak to hold the ball and looks doubtful to ever have the confidence to score goals. He should be sold.

Thought Berbatov was worringly slow in the final third - he seems to assume he can take two or three defenders on before a strike and in Europe that just aint the case. Not enough interplay between him and the other forward players, and feet of glue. I'd keep him for the premiership and play Rooney and Tevez first for champions league.

[ckny]

Berbatov was fantastic last night. He could've done with Rooney alongside him to chase down every ball and make the necessary runs, but he was brilliant nonetheless.

[kamaran]

O'Shea played really well last night, as did Evra, who is just so bloody solid its amazing. Fletcher is a different player to two years ago - I remember the days of hiding my head everytime he got the ball.

Thought Park gave 100% but is just too weak to hold the ball and looks doubtful to ever have the confidence to score goals. He should be sold.

No way, Park is a fantastic player who is just lacking some confidence in front of goal, his work rate, ability to get UP and DOWN the flank and contribution to the team are second to none. Nani on the other hand

[phresh]

I don't think Park is too weak to hold the ball, he's certainly no worse than any of our other wingers at it. Like I said before it's just his end product that needs developing.

[barkbat]

Park is very fast and light on his feet, and he puts the work in, always zipping about.

But he has no upper body strength. If he isn't clean away and makes contact with any defender, 9 times out of 10 he will be disposessed - muscled off the ball. In a dead ball situation he falls quicker than Saha. Combine this with a clear inability to find enough composure to hit the target and... well... I just don't think he reaches the very high standards required.

I think hes a great person though, and his work rate is exceptional. He's just too weak. And if he bulks up some, he slows down, and he loses the one asset he has above anyone else in the squad.

[fatbob]

Like I said though, hes realy got better in terms of strength, even compared to this time last year. And at the end of the day, he isn't a striker, even Giggs was rubbish in front of goal last night, and park has scored as many if not more than him in the last couple of years.

Hes obviously more than worth his place, as SAF keeps using him in big games.

[Trigg]

O'Shea played really well last night, as did Evra, who is just so bloody solid its amazing. Fletcher is a different player to two years ago - I remember the days of hiding my head everytime he got the ball.

Thought Park gave 100% but is just too weak to hold the ball and looks doubtful to ever have the confidence to score goals. He should be sold.

Thought Berbatov was worringly slow in the final third - he seems to assume he can take two or three defenders on before a strike and in Europe that just aint the case. Not enough interplay between him and the other forward players, and feet of glue. I'd keep him for the premiership and play Rooney and Tevez first for champions league.

O'Shea and Every were very good, O'Shea more for his defensive work and Evra for his all round game. He's bloody brilliant! I watched on a cooking show on MUTV last night and he just seems a really funny, nice chap. Comes across really well even though he's the best left back in the world.

I can understand peoples frustrations with Park, he does on occasions lack a bit of end product but he is a winger and they are notoriously hit and miss. Problem is, he's been compared to the likes of Ronaldo and Giggs amongst the Utd fans I think. What he does bring is balance to the team, in the big games he gives us some security when defending. Not to mention he's an intelligent footballer who'll help attack when needed.

[dizogg]

I watched on a cooking show on MUTV last night

[fatbob]

O'Shea and Every were very good, O'Shea more for his defensive work and Evra for his all round game. He's bloody brilliant! I watched on a cooking show on MUTV last night and he just seems a really funny, nice chap. Comes across really well even though he's the best left back in the world.

I can understand peoples frustrations with Park, he does on occasions lack a bit of end product but he is a winger and they are notoriously hit and miss. Problem is, he's been compared to the likes of Ronaldo and Giggs amongst the Utd fans I think. What he does bring is balance to the team, in the big games he gives us some security when defending. Not to mention he's an intelligent footballer who'll help attack when needed.

You have MUTV?!

Oh man..

Is the cooking show a bit like Come Dine With Me with Pat Evra?