Man U vs. Portio

[kserra]

Watched the game...great ending...the rest was just OK...

But while watching, the camera focused in on a Man U player not dressed...he had corn rows and an earing...they mentioned something about him not taking a drug test?

Now, I don't follow the events of the EPL much at all...just like watching the games...so if someone can tell me who this guy is and what happened, it'd be much appreciated...

Also, first time I ever saw Louis Saha...didn't have much impact...I'd rate him a 6 for the match...

Kevin

[Desnudo]

Rio Ferdinand. He didn't show up for a drug test and is out for the rest of the season on suspension. It's hard to rate the Man U forwards since they basically played all out defense after they scored. I thought Porto could have put a couple away earlier if their players had shown a little more flair and imagination. That long ball game really sucked to watch.

[Calis]

I'm guessing that would be Rio Ferdinand.

He had some issue where he was told to go take a drug test and didn't show up.

Edit: I'm too slow. What I get for double checking my info. ;)

[Calis]

I didn't get to watch it. Anyone care to give a brief overview?

Did Silvestre end up playing? Did they play Keane in the back again?

[McSweeny]

great game i thought, very physical and lots of fun to watch. Great ending considering i didn't care who won and wanted a good game

[Desnudo]

Man U up 1-0 after a nice cross into the middle in the 32nd minute. Things looked bleak for Porto until the 90th minute when they get a free kick about 20 yards out. Kick bounces off Howard's hands and straight onto the foot of a Porto player who puts it away. Porto then withstands an insane amount of extra time (nearly five minutes) and a furious Man U. rush to walk away the winner on aggregate.

[Calis]

Wow, really didn't expect ManUtd to drop this one as well.

Killer for them. They've already lost out on the League title barring a miracle, and I think Arsenal learned it's lesson last year on that, and now this. Not to mention the fact they have to meet up with Arsenal in the FA Cup. Shaping up to be a very sour year for them. I can't say I'm unhappy about it either.

[GoldenEagle]

Man Utd score another that was called back. It was a blown call.

[Desnudo]

Also, Ronaldo got stretchered off a few minutes after coming on as a sub. To add insult to injury he got a yellow for diving while writhing around on the ground.

[KevinNU7]

So ManU sat back the whole match hoping to bring it to PKs, that's dumb

[Calis]

So ManU sat back the whole match hoping to bring it to PKs, that's dumb

Correct me if I'm wrong, but they'd of won at 1-0 correct. Wasn't the first leg 2-1 away?

[Desnudo]

In ties, the team that scores the most away goals wins. So they stood to win until Porto got lucky in the last minute of regulation.

[kserra]

Keane did not play I believe...

The announcers mentioned the fact that Portio was not used to playing Longball...odd that they would go with this style if they were that unfamiliar...until their goal in the 90th minute, it really didn't look like they had the horses to get it done...

Not sure if Howard could have done better on the free kick...tough play with the goal post looming as he moved across for the kick...

It was curious that Portio had two attackers on the rebound while only one Man U defender was back...don't know what the other guys were doing...but it seemed to be a painful loss for them...

Kevin

[Calis]

Oh that's right. Keane was suspended wasn't he after the last match. Completely forgot about that.

[kserra]

Also, Ronaldo got stretchered off a few minutes after coming on as a sub. To add insult to injury he got a yellow for diving while writhing around on the ground.

Sounds like his reputation as a faker came back to haunt him...

Does the EPL review the game tapes and punish players found to be faking injuries? Granted Ronaldo was hurt on the play...but if he's been found to fake in the past...well, we all know about the boy who cried wolf...

Kevin

[Desnudo]

Sounds like his reputation as a faker came back to haunt him...

Does the EPL review the game tapes and punish players found to be faking injuries? Granted Ronaldo was hurt on the play...but if he's been found to fake in the past...well, we all know about the boy who cried wolf...

Kevin

It would be FIFA that reviewed it I believe since it's CL not EPL. The announcer was clucking about it actually being a foul, but I think he needs to clear his glasses. The replay looked to me like he pulled his quad while doing the tripple lindy without being breathed on by the defender. Just deserts I think you could say. My one real irritant watching soccer is all the diving that goes on. I think it really looks low class and cheap.

[BreizhManu]

Also, Ronaldo got stretchered off a few minutes after coming on as a sub. To add insult to injury he got a yellow for diving while writhing around on the ground.

Cristiano Ronaldo not just Ronaldo (his full name being Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro)

It would be FIFA that reviewed it I believe since it's CL not EPL.

UEFA not FIFA

It was curious that Portio had two attackers on the rebound while only one Man U defender was back...

Porto not Portio

[BreizhManu]

Dola, else can't comment on the game since I didn't watch it :)

But I'm happy with Man Utd being out (and I'm happy the Juve got eliminated too).

[Ryan S]

Also, Ronaldo got stretchered off a few minutes after coming on as a sub. To add insult to injury he got a yellow for diving while writhing around on the ground.I hate seeing players being booked for diving. The referees more often than not get it wrong.

A few years ago, I remember seeing a player get sent off for diving in an international (I think it was in the Copa America). The replay showed that the player had been victim of a shocking foul, and thanks to the referees incompetence his team was down to 10 men.

[GoldenEagle]

BreizhManu - I always though you were a Man Utd fan becuase of your handle!

[cthomer5000]

Man Utd score another that was called back. It was a blown call.
It was even reviewed in detail on SportsCenter... definitely a blown call... and one that almost certainly ended up being the difference. Tough way to go.

[bhlloy]

hahahahaha - United deserved to lose for being so negative. Porto were there for the taking and they didn't kill them off and that's the cardinal sin in any sport. One of the worst European games between 2 sides that should be much better. Don't understand why Ronaldo didn't start instead of Fletcher, Ferguson really seems to have lost the plot with team selection recently.

Oh, and your boy Howard messed up big time. Tip it OVER the bar... he's a quality keeper but very prone to mental errors.

[Crapshoot]

great game- I was screaming out loud when Porto scored. Poor Tim Howard- the MAn U defense was to blame for that- Costinha jumped out and Wes Brown stood their as a mute.

[GoldenEagle]

Oh, and your boy Howard messed up big time. Tip it OVER the bar... he's a quality keeper but very prone to mental errors.
That ball was impossible to tip over the goal. He di good to get to it. If anything he should have parryed the ball out more to the side. His defense left him dry there.

[Mac Howard]

>hahahahaha - United deserved to lose for being so negative. Porto were there for the taking and they didn't kill them off and that's the cardinal sin in any sport.

I don't share your amusement but I certainly share your analysis. Since moving into his 60s Alex Ferguson has become very conservative and negative - time after time this season the team has gone ahead only to drop into a defensive mode of play to hold on for the match. When Ferdinand was in the back four that proved to be successful though very unimpressive but with the weakness now in defence it's suicidal and what happened here was predictable.

>Don't understand why Ronaldo didn't start instead of Fletcher, Ferguson really seems to have lost the plot with team selection recently.

Fear! Ronaldo can't defend.

There's no cohesion in a midfield that at times seems to have been picked randomly. Two defensive midfielders (Butt and Djemba Djemba), an inconsistent rookie midfielder (Fletcher) and Scholes - normally the playmaker in central midfield - playing with his back to goal as support striker. Only Giggs in a five man midfield played a regular role.

Utd always needed 3 goals to win this - there was no way this defence was going to hold out - and he went out with 2 defensive midfielers and a lone striker. I'm beginning to agree with those who say it's time for Alex to collect the pension!

>Oh, and your boy Howard messed up big time. Tip it OVER the bar... he's a quality keeper but very prone to mental errors.

Bad mistake by Howard - if you can't hold it you put it round/over for a corner or punch it out. You do not palm it out into the centre of the box for advancing opposition strikers to pounce on. He's good but he still has a lot to learn.

[Crapshoot]

>hahahahaha - United deserved to lose for being so negative. Porto were there for the taking and they didn't kill them off and that's the cardinal sin in any sport.

I don't share your amusement but I certainly share your analysis. Since moving into his 60s Alex Ferguson has become very conservative and negative - time after time this season the team has gone ahead only to drop into a defensive mode of play to hold on for the match. When Ferdinand was in the back four that proved to be successful though very unimpressive but with the weakness now in defence it's suicidal and what happened here was predictable.

>Don't understand why Ronaldo didn't start instead of Fletcher, Ferguson really seems to have lost the plot with team selection recently.

Fear! Ronaldo can't defend.

There's no cohesion in a midfield that at times seems to have been picked randomly. Two defensive midfielders (Butt and Djemba Djemba), an inconsistent rookie midfielder (Fletcher) and Scholes - normally the playmaker in central midfield - playing with his back to goal as support striker. Only Giggs in a five man midfield played a regular role.

Utd always needed 3 goals to win this - there was no way this defence was going to hold out - and he went out with 2 defensive midfielers and a lone striker. I'm beginning to agree with those who say it's time for Alex to collect the pension!

>Oh, and your boy Howard messed up big time. Tip it OVER the bar... he's a quality keeper but very prone to mental errors.

Bad mistake by Howard - if you can't hold it you put it round/over for a corner or punch it out. You do not palm it out into the centre of the box for advancing opposition strikers to pounce on. He's good but he still has a lot to learn.

I agree with you to some extent Mac- I think the midfield selection was strange, as was the idea to put Fletcher out as a right-winger who kept cutting back in. I think Ronaldo out there early on might have streched the defense better. Also, I have no clue why Saha/Solasjker/Forlan was left out in favor of Scholes playing as a back to goal striker- crazy stuff. I might have dropped Scholes into Djemba-Djemba's role, and put Solasker up front- you have a midfielder who can actually move with the ball, rather than clatter anyone near it. I do disagree about Howard- I would fault Wes Brown and co for that goal, since there's no way Costinha should have gotten their that quickly.

[terpkristin]

I noticed that BriezhManu clarified which Ronaldo was injured in the ManU match.

For whatever it's worth, Brazilian Ronaldo on Real was apparently also injured within the last few days, tore a muscle in his thigh and is out for a couple weeks. What sucks for Real is that they face Bayern Munich now without Ronaldo and Roberto Carlos, who has a 2 game suspension. Granted, I still pick Real to win.

Oh and I think I saw this somewhere in the thread, but Keane was out due to his red card for running over the Portico GK in leg 1.

~tk

[Desnudo]

It was even reviewed in detail on SportsCenter... definitely a blown call... and one that almost certainly ended up being the difference. Tough way to go.

Yeah, but that would have only meant overtime and possibly penalties, not a guaranteed win.

[Desnudo]

I hate seeing players being booked for diving. The referees more often than not get it wrong.

A few years ago, I remember seeing a player get sent off for diving in an international (I think it was in the Copa America). The replay showed that the player had been victim of a shocking foul, and thanks to the referees incompetence his team was down to 10 men.

I love it that they get booked. Most times I see players get booked for diving it's so damn obvious that the ref has no choice but to flag them. I wish they'd review every match and fine the sissy weasels for diving even if it wasn't picked up in the game.

[Mac Howard]

>I do disagree about Howard- I would fault Wes Brown and co for that goal, since there's no way Costinha should have gotten their that quickly.

The defenders are in the wall and have to turn and chase while the attackers are ready to pounce on the loose ball immediately. Utd's goal in the first leg was the same - a Scholes shot, spilled by Baia and knocked in by Fortune.

The 'keeper has either to catch it or put it out of harms way. The attackers are far better placed to take advantage - even if a defender gets there he's facing his own goal and in danger of scoring an own goal. A 'keeper must not knock the ball in that space between the goal and the wall - it should have been punched away or turned behind for a corner.

Some commentators are calling it a "howler" by Howard - we mustn't let him off the hook just because he's an American or a namesake :)

[Desnudo]

Bad mistake by Howard - if you can't hold it you put it round/over for a corner or punch it out. You do not palm it out into the centre of the box for advancing opposition strikers to pounce on. He's good but he still has a lot to learn.

From the replay it looked to me like if he tried to punch it or push it out to the side, there was a very good chance that the ball would spin off his hands and into the net. He was fully extended when the ball hit his hands. That's not to say he couldn't have played it better, but it was a tough ball and someone should have been marking that guy coming in.

[Mac Howard]

[QUOTE someone should have been marking that guy coming in.[/QUOTE]


You have 6 or 7 players in the wall and so only have 3 or 4 available for marking. The opposition have 10 players available to attack the ball. The opposition are facing the right way, the defence the wrong. Even if the defender gets there first he's in trouble. The advantage is with the attacking team all along the line.

The last thing you want is the ball coming back into play.

I certainly criticise Phil Neville for giving away an totally unnecessary freekick in a crucial position with a minute or so to go.

[Desnudo]

Yes, but...that guy ran straight to where Tim Howard was. In a straight line. He was easily the closest to the keeper. The nearest red jersey was in the stands behind the net. Maybe Wes Brown was scatching his back on the corner pole.

[Crapshoot]

From the replay it looked to me like if he tried to punch it or push it out to the side, there was a very good chance that the ball would spin off his hands and into the net. He was fully extended when the ball hit his hands. That's not to say he couldn't have played it better, but it was a tough ball and someone should have been marking that guy coming in.


Exactly- to me, when I was watching, it didn't look like he hit it flush, as much as he dived and directing it would have let into his goal.Maybe Im wrong Mac- I'll have a look at the replay again./..

[Sharpieman]

According to Soccernet.com ESPN2 will be carrying another UEFA game on the 24th and also on the 31st ESPN2 will carry USA vs. Poland

[Sharpieman]

Dola, I guess I was wrong about them carrying a game every tuesday...

[Mac Howard]

I was talking generally about these just-outside-the-box freekicks above so I decided to look at this particular situation in detail - the match was at 3 in the morning here and I taped it. I've just played it about 15 times and also stepped frame by frame through the goal :)

As the freekick was taken there were 8 Utd players in the wall. There were just two defenders, Brown and O'Shea free to mix it with the attackers in the case of a rebound. They were both to the right (from Porto's view) and level with the wall about a yard inside the penalty box.

As the ball was struck there were 5 Porto players already sprinting past the wall. Brown and O'Shea by contrast were facing across holding the line with the wall. Brown was looking at 4 players moving inside the wall - one out left, one just to the left of the wall, one breaking from the wall and one just in front of him and to the right of the wall (all as seen from Porto's viewpoint). The player just to the left of the wall moved too early and was offside as the ball was struck but would probably have been considered "not interfering with play" (though he clearly would be causing Brown some concern). The goal, in fact was scored by the fifth attacker who came from behind him. By the time he realises the danger he's a good two yards behind the scorer.

O'Shea, if anyone, was to be blamed. He would see the player who scored, as well as the other four, and didn't react quickly enough. In fact he didn't react at all. I doubt very much if he had he could have prevented the goal scorer from getting there first - he had to turn and accelerate while the attacker was already sprinting towards goal as O'Shea was turning.

When you see the goal from behind the goal it looks like Howard was trying to catch the ball and misjudged the speed of it. It seemed to catch him by surprise and he flapped at it as it arrived earlier than he'd anticipated. He should have just pushed it around the post. He was well behind it, wasn't at full stretch and should have played safe. But he grasped at it, never looked like holding it and it bounced out directly to the incoming Porto attacker who half-volleyed it home. Howard made a great effort to get to it, bouncing himself of the goalpost to spring across the goal but was too late.

I don't blame Brown at all. He was looking at 4 attackers free in the box and it was the 5th who came from behind him who scored. He made an attempt to get there but was far too late. O'Shea could certainly have done more but I don't think, short of baulking the player, he could have prevented the goal. At best he could have caused the scorer to rush his shot and maybe caused him to mishit it.

Howard misjudged it. It should never have come back into play like that. At best such a situation is 50-50, with 5 attackers to 2 defenders it's a disaster.

[Desnudo]

Well we can analyze it to death, I feel Howard could have played it better, but it was a very tough ball to deal with. I still think trying to push it around the post likely would have stuck it in the net due to the way the ball was spinning. In any case the New York Yankees, err Man U. are out, and the underdogs move on. Can't say I'm unhappy about it.

[daedalus]

This was one of the few times I've rooted against a team. Normally, I root for one or the other team to win or just watch a game with neutral feeling. I'm just sick and tired of Ferguson playing his "mind game". I mean, damn, he's a good manager with loads of talents, there's no need for trickery. Just play the damn game and beat the other team instead of resorting to that BS.

[Crapshoot]

Same here. I used to root for Man U, because I thought they played good football and were a team I really did like - today, I actively rooted for Porto and Morinho, their manager- in particular..

[BreizhManu]

BreizhManu - I always though you were a Man Utd fan becuase of your handle!

Manu is because my first name is Manuel :)

[Marc Vaughan]

I don't share your amusement but I certainly share your analysis. Since moving into his 60s Alex Ferguson has become very conservative and negative - time after time this season the team has gone ahead only to drop into a defensive mode of play to hold on for the match. When Ferdinand was in the back four that proved to be successful though very unimpressive but with the weakness now in defence it's suicidal and what happened here was predictable.
I agree - I am amazed they took that approach, especially in a situation where a score draw meant they would go out ...

Man Utd were weakened due to suspensions, but I think if they'd taken the game to the opposition they would definitely have gone through ... as it is my wife's a very happy lady (she's a Man City fan).

>Don't understand why Ronaldo didn't start instead of Fletcher, Ferguson really seems to have lost the plot with team selection recently.
I quite rate Fletcher personally and think in time he will become a very good player, however putting him into such a crucial tie ahead of more experienced players wasn't advised inho.

European Cup football is played in a very different manner to football at the domestic league level and players not familiar with the differences tend to struggle initially in these sort of games (especially if they're young and inexperienced).

IMHO playing Ronaldo from the start and taking a slightly more attacking style of play would have made Porto more conservative in their tactics and actually helped prevent Man Utd from leaking goals imho.

I'm beginning to agree with those who say it's time for Alex to collect the pension!
I'm personally hoping that he stays on for a couple more seasons - to further dismantle the team :D

I think he's definitely having trouble with integrating new players into the team and has shown a definite lack of patience/judgement with new signings in recent seasons (there have been some notable successes, but several high profile players Veron etc. haven't worked out, often simply because of how they've been utilised in the team imho).

I'm also quite surprised at how volatile he appears recently, for instance he was visibly wound up by the Porto manager during the recent ties - which is doubly surprising when you consider how well he has manipulated rival managers in the past (consider what happened when Kevin Keegan was managing Newcastle).

Bad mistake by Howard - if you can't hold it you put it round/over for a corner or punch it out. You do not palm it out into the centre of the box for advancing opposition strikers to pounce on. He's good but he still has a lot to learn.
I agree - he's still incredibly young considering the level he's playing at though and if he continues to learn then he'll be a true great in the future ....

[Mac Howard]

>I'm also quite surprised at how volatile he appears recently,

I can't believe that he wasn't seriously affected by the legal dispute with Magnier. There was a potential 100 million pounds in that - that's an awful lot for an individual from the wrong side of the tracks to shrug off and get on with the game. With M&M the largest shareholder in Utd and using that to pressurise the board during his contract negotiations then he just wasn't able to escape the pressure.

But from the moment he took on Veron he's been moving away from the attacking Utd style to a 5 man midfield style finally moving to a setup with two defensive midfielders. With Saha joining Utd it looked as if he would move back to 4-4-2 but he lost Ferdinand at the same time and suddenly the defence needed protecting and it was back to the two defensive mids.

With little more to lose this season I hope that he takes the opportunity to bed in a 4-4-2 formation with a midfield of Keane, Giggs, Scholes and Ronaldo for the rest of the season. But there seems to be such a negativity about him these days (he seems to think this is "sophisticated" football but he's no Wenger) that I have little faith that he will cease to pick random midfields :rolleyes:

[Mac Howard]

>Same here. I used to root for Man U, because I thought they played good football and were a team I really did like

I think there are more and more people like this and that Alex is losing a lot of the goodwill that the club has around the world. They're popular not just because they succeeded but because they did so playing exciting, entertaining football.

But that has slowly disappeared over the last couple of years and I don't recall a single game this season where Utd have played attacking football for 90 minutes (perhaps at home to Rangers). Time and time again they have taken a lead and then closed the game down even at Old Trafford against inferior teams. Even during the earlier successful part of the season it was percentage football they played - against Everton they were three up at halt time and were so in charge it could have been six. But then Alex warned the team at half time that they had to be careful of an Everton comeback and came out and started play cautiously and defend deep - such an inferiority complex approach against a team that was on a long run of defeats and clearly was being outplayed.

[bhlloy]

Take the rose coloured specs off - Howard is a good keeper but that was a horrible mistake. Anyone who has ever played or coached goalie knows that the ball goes out of play every time, never back into the field of play. It was a weakish struck free kick and he's six foot freakin' five - he had all the time in the world to get to it. 99% of goalies tip that over the bar and take the corner. He had no business at all pushing it forward, especially as he had 2 Porto players and no red shirts in front of him. If you can't tip it over or around at least deflect it away from the goal.

[Desnudo]

Take the rose coloured specs off - Howard is a good keeper but that was a horrible mistake. Anyone who has ever played or coached goalie knows that the ball goes out of play every time, never back into the field of play. It was a weakish struck free kick and he's six foot freakin' five - he had all the time in the world to get to it. 99% of goalies tip that over the bar and take the corner. He had no business at all pushing it forward, especially as he had 2 Porto players and no red shirts in front of him. If you can't tip it over or around at least deflect it away from the goal.

Chill out, the game is over, let's move on.

[Desnudo]

I quite rate Fletcher personally and think in time he will become a very good player, however putting him into such a crucial tie ahead of more experienced players wasn't advised inho.


Is this possible insight into who one of the uber FM youngsters is going to be? :)

[McSweeny]

i dunno... i thought Fletcher played pretty well. I did think that O'Shea had a poor game except for his brilliant assist. He was constantly letting Porto get behind him. And i'm also convinced that missing Keane was a huge blow for ManU.

still a great game to watch considering i didn't care who won. I was actually hoping ManU would come back and knock another one in and force extra time and possibly penalties

[Crapshoot]

>Same here. I used to root for Man U, because I thought they played good football and were a team I really did like

I think there are more and more people like this and that Alex is losing a lot of the goodwill that the club has around the world. They're popular not just because they succeeded but because they did so playing exciting, entertaining football.

But that has slowly disappeared over the last couple of years and I don't recall a single game this season where Utd have played attacking football for 90 minutes (perhaps at home to Rangers). Time and time again they have taken a lead and then closed the game down even at Old Trafford against inferior teams. Even during the earlier successful part of the season it was percentage football they played - against Everton they were three up at halt time and were so in charge it could have been six. But then Alex warned the team at half time that they had to be careful of an Everton comeback and came out and started play cautiously and defend deep - such an inferiority complex approach against a team that was on a long run of defeats and clearly was being outplayed.

Mac, my grandmother and 10 of her friends could play attacking football against Rangers... :D

I think your general point is valid though- part of the appeal of someone like Real Madrid to me now, is that its a breathtaking display of talent doing what talent does best- play good, attacking football. Does this mean that I don't scream bloody murder at Perez for buying a defender- no; but it does mean that when I watch them play, Im not likely to see a game that has been displaced from the Serie A- they will attack and pass and generally entertain- win or lose. And to some extent, we should appluad them for that.

[Mac Howard]

>Mac, my grandmother and 10 of her friends could play attacking football against Rangers

Email Alex with their details, will you :D

Much of Utd's wealth comes from their reputation in the rest of the world. They have significant commercial operations from the USA to China. But I think they're in danger of seeing those fans leak away to clubs like Real Madrid. Hell even Arsenal :(

The loyal fans will stay but they can't assume the "glory hunters" will.

[Crapshoot]

>Mac, my grandmother and 10 of her friends could play attacking football against Rangers

Email Alex with their details, will you :D

Much of Utd's wealth comes from their reputation in the rest of the world. They have significant commercial operations from the USA to China. But I think they're in danger of seeing those fans leak away to clubs like Real Madrid. Hell even Arsenal :(

The loyal fans will stay but they can't assume the "glory hunters" will.

Haha. I am, having grown up in India/Ethiopia- not a fan of a specific team, as much as football at large- initially, Man U was the only team I knew. I still root desperately for Leeds , in great deal due to Alan Smith and co- but its a shame what happened to that team. If I had to pick one team I was actually a fan of above all else (and excluding Leeds/Valencia)- it would be Ajax- I have the requisite hatred for PSV... :D

[daedalus]

I can't believe that he wasn't seriously affected by the legal dispute with Magnier. There was a potential 100 million pounds in that - that's an awful lot for an individual from the wrong side of the tracks to shrug off and get on with the game. With M&M the largest shareholder in Utd and using that to pressurise the board during his contract negotiations then he just wasn't able to escape the pressure.Definitely. But even beyond the money, too, he was being attacked personally by the M&M group on a number of fronts. I'm not a big fan of Ferguson but I don't think it was handled was very fair.But from the moment he took on Veron he's been moving away from the attacking Utd style to a 5 man midfield style finally moving to a setup with two defensive midfielders. With Saha joining Utd it looked as if he would move back to 4-4-2 but he lost Ferdinand at the same time and suddenly the defence needed protecting and it was back to the two defensive mids.Out of curiosity, why do you feel that Ferguson switched to the 5 man midfield-style? I mean, it's not very frequent that an older, successful manager switches style. At least not without being forced to by personnel (ie, Don Shula switching to a pass-oriented offense because of the personnel he had later on). Is it just an attempt to incorporate Veron into the lineup or did he have other reasons for switching to it?

By the way, how much do you feel that Queiroz's departure to Real Madrid hurt Manchester United this season?

Incidently, I'm really unthrilled that Arsenal drew Manchester United for the FA Cup semifinal game. With the Rock of Gibraltar thing resolved, I think Ferguson will be more at peace and able to go back to how he was. Plus, I don't think being out of Champion's League will sit well with guys like Scholes and Keane and I think they'll be incredibly dangerous for the rest of the season.

[OldGiants]

I taped the game and watched it last night, after avoiding ESPN for 24 hours (no Stuart Scott--hmmm, I should do that more often).

My thoughts that haven't been expressed elsewhere are:

1) When Scholes scored and the linesman waved it off, I figured that would cost them the game. Its rare that kind of bad call doesn't change the outcome of a big game in any sport.

2) I thought the overall officiating was biased in favor of Porto. Plenty of mention above of Ronaldo's diving, but in the first half Porto's 19 yr-old Brazilian Carlos Alberto went down more often than an Ipanema whore without ever drawing a verbal warning. Just about every 50-50 ball resulted in a foul call on Man U.

3) Hasn't Sir Alex had a few months to buy a central defender? That Beckham money could have been put to more intelligent use than bringing in Louis Saha, a fine player but a striker. This poor choice is where Ferguson screwed up.

[OldGiants]

Daedulus wrote:

Out of curiosity, why do you feel that Ferguson switched to the 5 man midfield-style?

I read last year that Ferguson said he needed to play 4-5-1 in Champions League and 4-4-2 in Premiership because European-style play required him to go that way if Man U was to win in Champ League. He felt he could do that with Ruud Van N as a lone striker.