Hi folks,
Hope you enjoyed the game last night.
Happy or not? Imo a pretty fair result but it wouldnt surprise me if some of you felt slightly hard done by. It was a very even contest and the scales could've tipped either way. We might have had more overall attempts, but on the whole yours were the more clear cut chances. De Gea made 2 or 3 excellent saves, but in the main your defence prevented us getting too many clear shots, while you were a perpetual threat on the counter.
Round 1 Fergie
I watched the game down the pub and wasn't able to scrutinise the finer points of the game or how the midfield battle unravelled, but imo the game panned out much more according Fergie's plan than Jose's. He set you up to get an away goal and get it as soon as possible and the risk paid off. As a result we saw a much more open first half than I'd anticipated. Both goals were very well taken. Ramos took the blame for the marking for your goal, but Welbeck's movement was great and he connected a beautiful header.
In the second half you looked very comfortable when you sat back more, exposing one of the problems all of us madridistas are aware of: that our midfield isn't everything it's made out to be in the creative sense. Sitting deep minimises the chances of Alonso playing long balls into space, so if you focus on snuffing out Özil's final ball we're a far less dangerous side. From that point of view I felt it was a mistake to take Benzema off, as he operates much better tight spaces than Higuaín, but all credit to you for keeping us in check. Unsurprisingly, you had the better chances in that period.
Top performers
From where I sat the standout performers were Welbeck and De Gea. On our side, props to Alonso's defensive shift - more so as it emerged after the game that he played through a groin injury. I said yesterday that we'd need someone other than Ronaldo to step up to the plate in attack, and no one of them really did, apart from Di María, who seemed to run out of steam, ideas or both in the second. Despite the goal, you kept Ronaldo relatively quiet going by his own standards.
This was always going to be a game for De Gea to show off the strongest part of his game, and he didn't let you down. Hopefully the media will keep on knocking him until he makes it back to Spain.
Welbeck
Without a doubt the the surprise package for most madridistas. The people down the pub were well impressed. I just saw there's an article about his coming of age last night (haven't read it yet but I will soon). I think people should try not to get ahead of themselves too much. Sure, enjoy the moment, it was a big European night away at the Bernabéu, but imo it's the later stages of the comp where the cream truly rises to the top. It might just be me, but did anyone else feel he lost his way slightly after the controversial Varane challenge? Given enough time and experience situations like that shouldn't faze him, but imo it was an indication that he's still a bit green. Nevertheless it was a great performance and all credit to him - he's certainly put himself on the map in Spain.
In all, I enjoyed the game and look forward to the unravelling of the plot at Old Trafford. You played a good game and head back home with a good and well-deserved result, but fat lady and all that.
Well played from a madridista
posted on 14/2/13
I'll also feel sad when Puyol retires. Completely different reasons, but a giant in my eyes too.
posted on 14/2/13
the strangest decision for me was the ref awarding the corner and then not letting United take it. I would actually like that to be investigated as it just makes no sense. If time is up then you blow the final whistle - you don't award a corner. Having given the corner, the clock must surely stop until the corner is taken and the ball is back in play? Very, very strange. As others have said, I have never seen this before at any level of the game.
Anyway, I have more sympathy for the ref with the Evra incident. My first thought was that Evra dived. It was only the side angle which clearly showed he was pushed in the back. The ref's assistant swas to blame for not seeing/calling that (but we all know those guys do feck all anyway).
I don't believe Real deserved a pen and for me that wasn't even a controversial incident.
A draw was a fair result overall but I am still shocked that RVP of all people missed that sitter in the second half. He did the hard part and then fluffed the easy bit on his stronger foot.
Also, when the ball fell to Giggs late on, I don't know why on Earth he did not shoot first time. With all his experience he should have known better. That was a bad mistake.
Rooney was shockingly bad imo despite earning an assist for Welbeck's goal. On at least 3 occasions we lost possession and Real broke with the ball due to Rooney's bad touch. This week MUTV were asking United fans whether they would rather have Roo or Ronaldo. It's embarrassing to me that any United fan could even mention the two players in the same breath let alone compare them.
I agree that Welbeck had a good game but I think United's back five deserve most of the credit. De Gea and Rio were absolutely immense. Roy Hodgson must have been embarrassed by how well Rio played on the biggest stage. He was composed, read everything, won everything in the air, played the ball out of defence well and got stuck in when he needed to.
Jose's sour grapes about United's defensive tactics was hilarious (the same tactics that he has built his career on...) but I agree with Jose that the second leg is 50-50. I think United's away goal does not provide any advantage - it was absolutely essential that United scored because I believe that Real will score at least one at OT. A scoreline of 2-2 is not hard to imagine at all...
It's set up nicely for a very tense and exciting second leg!
posted on 14/2/13
Spain legend.
On Xavi though I actually think it might allow Real more of a chance to outplay Barca in the classicos, if they can sort their own midfield.
Much is made of the Messi/Ronaldo stand offs in the classicos, but the majority of the time I watch them it is Xavi that is really making the biggest difference.
posted on 14/2/13
Jose's sour grapes about United's defensive tactics was hilarious (the same tactics that he has built his career on...)
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His attempts to deflect any kind of blame away from himself have become so boring and predictable that I could almost write them for him as soon as the final whistle blows. I just don't listen any more.
posted on 14/2/13
Ferdinand being unable to get in the England squad is a disgrace.
posted on 14/2/13
just saw this and only wanted to comment on a great article
posted on 14/2/13
I remember Wimbledon scoring a similar goal to that Zico one you linked...
I think it was in the FA cup against some lower league side, game went to a replay as the ref blew the whistle as the corner was mid air..
Which is even worse than blowing before the corner is taken...
posted on 14/2/13
I think it was in the FA cup against some lower league side, game went to a replay as the ref blew the whistle as the corner was mid air..
Which is even worse than blowing before the corner is taken...
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I disagree that it is worse (though it's still pretty dumb).
One could argue that a fast corner whipped in with pace might just have been worth taking if there were (say) 5 seconds left onthe clock. I know I'm splitting hairs but I think it is far worse to not even allow the corner to be taken because that suggests that there was no time left whatsoever, in which case he should have blown the final whistle instead of awarding the corner.
posted on 14/2/13
Thanks GPA, very kind of you.
I know I'm splitting hairs but...
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As long as you realise that...
posted on 21/2/13
I know i am late but smashing article Senor.