Inter - Man Utd (24 Feb 09)

[Alessandro]

Also why doesnt Adriano take free kicks anymore? Maicon is so god damn poor at it.

Generally the guy never shoots anymore... Against ManU, they knew he's only good with his left so they shut it down straight away.

 

[Jimmy]

Adriano should get smacked in the head for attempting to win a penalty, rather than just head the damn ball, and it would have been a goal. It was so clear, and I don't understand why he tried to win a penalty instead. Sigh...

... but even if Adriano tried to fake a penalty, that was nothing compared to Man Utd's antics throughout the game. Premier League and the entire continent of the Brittish Isles, pat themselves on the back for not being divers and look down upon Italy and Serie A. Pffff! The amount of dives that players like Ronaldo (Okay, we knew he was a diver already) and Carrick was pathetic to see...

... but not as pathetic as seeing the referee giving a free-kick on every single one of them. I thought a Spanish referee that is famous for whistling too often would work in our favour. But kudos to Man Utd to play more 'Italian' than we did.

I was mostly worried to see Maicon playing like a damn sissy. It might have been Mourinho's instructions for him to play completely non-Maicon, but we lost our biggest offensive threat. Let's hope Mourinho at least unleash him at Old Trafford, because we need his runs on that flank.

0-0 is an okay result. We didn't concede an away goal which to me is priority number one. And we can't go to Old Trafford and try to bring him a scoreless game AKA Villarreal.

Let's hope that the second half showed signs of our team feeling less intimidated and Mourinho realising some of his mistakes, such as playing Rivas who's barely played all season, in such an important match.

 

[mike_inter]

Nice to see that most of you here admit mr.Special’s tragic mistakes…I say that because when I do so, I’m described as a “hater”…

Seems this guy is not that Special after all..

 

[shahz_nerazzurri]

There is just something missing from this game. A classic Italy-England game in CL, what can be missing?

Three Manchester United fans are in hospital after they were violently attacked following the 0-0 draw with Inter at San Siro in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

La Gazzetta Dello Sport claims the three United fans suffered minor injuries and they were treated by the emergency services. They were taken to a nearby hospital to have further treatment.

The extent of the fans’ injuries remains unknown and the police have not arrested anyone in connection with the incident, although they have launched an investigation into what happened.

The trouble took place in the area surrounding the famous stadium. Earlier in the night, prior to kick-off, a large number of United fans went on the rampage in Milan's city centre and reports suggested that they had tried to cause trouble with locals.

Although there were minor incidents pre- and post-match, the game was not affected as the teams fought out a 0-0 draw.

The Red Devils will be hoping to do better at Old Trafford after missing a great chance to do the damage in Milan.

 

[Handoyo]

Nice post Jimster. Would love if you elaborate it further.

 

[NimAraya]

I was reading it at the same time at goal.com!

 

[Jimmy Page]

I dont get why Ibra is being so critizised, sure hes first half wasnt the best but I thought it was okaj. In the second half he was alot better. I know this is a common excuse but he didnt have much to work with, espacilly in the first half. Here in Sweden he has recived alot of hard words for hes play. Ibra is a great player and I think he did a pretty good job, but you cant just expect that he will dominate against a team like United, very few players have been able to do that, Ronaldinio and Zidane is the only two players the I can think of, and Zlatan is not up with those two and will saddly never be.

 

[CafeCordoba]

Let's hope that the second half showed signs of our team feeling less intimidated and Mourinho realising some of his mistakes, such as playing Rivas who's barely played all season, in such an important match.

It was because Manu let Inter play, they just rested. In the next leg, it will be chaos in our half right from the start. And they won't stop until they score. I'm pretty sure this will be the case. The tempo difference in England and Italy is so huge. Manu is used to play in higher tempo so they can push forward for the whole 90 minutes because the 2nd leg is the most important match for them at the moment (they can slip a bit in the EPL so they can put all their energy to this match).

We need a miracle performance from our defensive department (JC, defence, lower midfield) if we want to go through. And we have to score, we won't hold Manu scoreless in Old Trafford for 120 minutes.

 

[Nyall]

It was because Manu let Inter play, they just rested. In the next leg, it will be chaos in our half right from the start. And they won't stop until they score. I'm pretty sure this will be the case. The tempo difference in England and Italy is so huge. Manu is used to play in higher tempo so they can push forward for the whole 90 minutes because the 2nd leg is the most important match for them at the moment (they can slip a bit in the EPL so they can put all their energy to this match).

We need a miracle performance from our defensive department (JC, defence, lower midfield) if we want to go through. And we have to score, we won't hold Manu scoreless in Old Trafford for 120 minutes.

Man Utd. can't play at that quick tempo for 90 minutes. They've never done it in the games I've seen of them. They usually play to score then counter attack. They didn't let us into the game. We forced our way in and don't think otherwise.

Also for all you guys giving Jose shit for not calling up Mancini. WTF? This guy has done nothing and would have simply wasted a perfectly good spot on the field. At least Balotelli and Cruz tried to get into the game. Mancini would have stayed on the wing and done nothing.

 

[NimAraya]

Also for all you guys giving Jose shit for not calling up Mancini. WTF? This guy has done nothing and would have simply wasted a perfectly good spot on the field. At least Balotelli and Cruz tried to get into the game. Mancini would have stayed on the wing and done nothing.

You can say that when he get half the chances Stankovic and Muntari gets. He even didn't play as half as the time they played so don't try to justify it.

 

[Ziyad]

The result is not the end of the world.I was just disappointed because the atmosphere at the stadium was soo great that the boys couldnt get anything going..

I mean not a single decent shot to test their goalie while they did it time after time against us..

Random thoughts as i sit in the airport here on the way back..

Chivu-Fantastic,very smart which is something we need at the back.
JC- True Saviour
Santon-one for the future

The rest-psycholigically damaged goods from years of abuse,especially when asked to go forward.

The ref and the linesman were atrocious.ManUtd got every damn thing going their way.I swear to you that i saw the ball go out after it touched Giggs,and Stan was going after it but elected to let it go and get a throw in instead RIGHT INFRONT OF THE LINESMAN and still it went the other way...Thats just one example.

We can still win this one if we come out firing from the start like we did in the second half.We just need a decent midfielder to rely on.How long have we been saying that for???

Mourinhio-Two major mistake yesterday was not starting Cordoba.I mean how do you expect Rivas to do well when u havent started him in ages for two games in a row.BIG MISTAKE.

Second he should have brought Viera.Love him or hate him he does well in these big games and actually takes the initiative and leadership sometimes.He was needed yesterday especially with Muntari looking shaky (lots of running but still shaky).IMHO Mou should have probably taken off Adri earlier when he realized he wasnt in form,not effort wise or finishing.

 

[Azzkikr]

Then why were you happy that he'd take over Mancio's job??? Please explain

I cant predict the future.

I thought Mourinho could bring us something and make us step up in quality to join the elite club in europe.

I was wrong.

 

[szasza02]

I was wrong.

you might be wrong this time too. So I suggest you wait at least a couple of weeks with your final jugdement on the team's current coach.

 

[tritolone]

I watched the game again right now, without the great tension

Manchester came here to defend and counter-attack. They had at least 8 players behind the ball at anytime. If they played like this in serie a, they couldnt do shit because the ref's criteria is soooo much different. They were protected like fucking polar-bears. 90% of their chances came from running into our defenders/midfielders and diving!!

Meanwhile, our play was tormented with unnecessary technical mistakes like passes behind the player, Muntari's inability to stop the ball, letting them steal the ball from behind, Rivas ''defending'', Adriano's shooting... I think our players aren't technically inferior, but it's a lack of confidence. We went into the game too scared and we progressed during the game, when we shook off the pressure and gained some confidence. This was very obvious in the start of the sceond half, when Cordoba entered and gave the whole team more confidence because they couldn't attack too much due to Rivas horror-show.

I really hope we can start the return match where we finished this one. They won't want to risk going to over-time or even penalties, so they will have to attack us, leaving spaces for counters. I hope Fergie will put Rooney in instead of Park, because he did so much work in their midfield, they won't be able to compensate. With the return of Samuel, I think we'll be able to soak the pressure and attack them from wings or with long balls.

Anyways I'm overthinking this one

FORZA INTER

 

[rockball]

Don't remember where but I read or heard somewhere that Manu would prefer penalties since they have better penalty takers than us. I don't disagree with that. The only thing we have is a better keeper.

But with the current scoreline, they won't risk it since a single goal for us would make things difficult for them. They would come out strongly in the second leg. Rooney would feature and would be a threat.

 

[classexa]

I watched the game again right now, without the great tension

Manchester came here to defend and counter-attack. They had at least 8 players behind the ball at anytime. If they played like this in serie a, they couldnt do shit because the ref's criteria is soooo much different. They were protected like fucking polar-bears. 90% of their chances came from running into our defenders/midfielders and diving!!

Meanwhile, our play was tormented with unnecessary technical mistakes like passes behind the player, Muntari's inability to stop the ball, letting them steal the ball from behind, Rivas ''defending'', Adriano's shooting... I think our players aren't technically inferior, but it's a lack of confidence. We went into the game too scared and we progressed during the game, when we shook off the pressure and gained some confidence. This was very obvious in the start of the sceond half, when Cordoba entered and gave the whole team more confidence because they couldn't attack too much due to Rivas horror-show.

I really hope we can start the return match where we finished this one. They won't want to risk going to over-time or even penalties, so they will have to attack us, leaving spaces for counters. I hope Fergie will put Rooney in instead of Park, because he did so much work in their midfield, they won't be able to compensate. With the return of Samuel, I think we'll be able to soak the pressure and attack them from wings or with long balls.

Anyways I'm overthinking this one

FORZA INTER

Good post And I don't understand the people giving Ibra shit. He was good and did what he could. 0-0 isn't that bad.

At O.T, they won't play with 5 midfielders and that will open it up more for us

 

[ataturk5]

Still hope

Well i was willing you to win bigtime last night, tbh i was shocked at inter in the first half.BUT you have to look at the positives,you wont play that badly again,no away goal for the manc bastards being another obvious one. the ref did give them the vast majority of the 50/50 decisions,but there "was" some stupid needless freekicks given away by inter around the box, WHY did inter play so narrow in the first half? all it done was allow them all the time and space on the ball they needed,i was suprised JM played that way,WHY dont adriano and ibra move around? they were static,especially first half,at least in the second half you showed some fight and appetite for the game and had a bit of belief,can someone tell me whats wrong with figo? coming back from injury? unfit? past it? because if he was available and fit then surely he could have been given 30 minutes on the pitch to put some decent crosses in? or am i thinking of the figo of old? just wondering,thats all,be gratefull for an answer. anyway lets hope JM has learnt some lessons in the first half that you can take into the away leg,IF he has then theres still a decent chance for you. IF the rest of the players put the same amount of effort in that cambiasso did you might have got the win.

 

[ataturk5]

Thank you! Finally a post that makes sense! You people need to stop listening to that idiotic Asslicker and start using some common sense.

Manchester United played without Vidic and came to the San Siro to DEFEND! We were without Samuel and did not CONCEDE!! I don't care where the fuck we play but with Sammy and Chivu/Cafe we still have a great defense! And with JC we can be godlike!

If we scored 1 fucking goal at OT and they will need 2!

listen kiddo,i FUCKING DESPISE man utd,but how you make out they went to inter to defend is bizarre! blame it on JM,all week the newspapers in the uk said inter would play narrow and the mancs would exploit the space on the touchline/wide areas, what happened? if every sports writer in the uk could see that happening how come the special one couldnt? anyway,you still have a chance,hopefully JM has seen the way to go in the second half of the game,but ffs, i hope he tells ibra and adriano they are allowed to move about!and i also hope you get figo and viera in the side for the return leg,anyway.....good luck

 

[Il Muro]

Don't remember where but I read or heard somewhere that Manu would prefer penalties since they have better penalty takers than us. I don't disagree with that. The only thing we have is a better keeper.

But with the current scoreline, they won't risk it since a single goal for us would make things difficult for them. They would come out strongly in the second leg. Rooney would feature and would be a threat.

Just wondering, who do you think would be our penalty takers?

Ibra, Adriano, Cruz, Stankovic, Chivu?

 

[shahz_nerazzurri]

Ref gave them quite a lot. All 50-50 challenges, all the dives, Chivu yellow card, Ibra offside, when he was one on one with the keeper, and Evra not getting a card for a blatant handball denying a cross. I have seen red cards given for that.

Figo didnt play, because he is old and way past it. We could have used him in the last few minutes for his crosses, but Mourinho had other ideas.

Why did we play so narrow? We dont have the players to go wide. We only had Quaresma and Mancini, and both of them were sucking. Player like Quaresma never would work in SERIEA, but I think he could have done much more against English opposition, stupidity really to sell him. A.Mancini was not even on the bench. Dont know why. Mourinho seems hell bent on playing our all the midfieders with same characterstic.

Hope he learned form his mistakes and does better in the second leg. Wont count on it.

Cant really wish you good luck today. Actually I hope my man Dossena makes a coupe of mistakes and gifts Robben two goals. .
Go Dossena, make Sharon proud.