I watched the last 20 minutes of this today - enjoyable enough spell but much as I’m not a Liverpool fan I have a particular loathing for Man United at the moment so was very disappointed to see them win.
Just some thoughts on the 20 minutes I saw:
Alonso played one superb pass for Pennant in a very crowded area. Anyone can pick a pass crossfield to an overlapping full back that looks spectacular but picking up the angle and pace of Pennant’s run and then weighting the pass perfectly was wonderful execution.
Crouch should have attacked that chance with his head
Finnan and Gerrard were both caught on their heels for the goal. Gerrard didn’t follow O’Shea’s run and Finnan just stood and watched. You can’t wait to react in the box you have to anticipate problems and opportunities. It says a lot for Finnan’s attitude recently that John O’Shea out-enthused him.
A particular gripe of mine for years is the criticism continental goalkeepers get for punching the ball. They’re encouraged to catch or parry in England (and Scotland) and it’s a dreadful tactic. If Bonner had punched the ball instead of trying to catch or parry shots that he wasn’t comfortable with, we might have progressed further in two world cups. Likewise Rab Douglas parried shots against Porto in the UEFA Cup final that would have been easily cleared by closing his fist. It might look more spectacular but it’s also more effective and more aggressive. It’s hard to passively punch the ball so it helps in decisiveness. Obviously the point from today was Reina reacting to Ronaldo’s free kick. If you’re intending to parry it two things happen: 1. You wait for the ball more than you would if you were intending to punch (meaning there’s less assertiveness and more chances to be beaten to the ball). 2. more importantly when you do make contact with the ball it stays in a dangerous area. A fist on that ball and it was travelling out for a throw-in.
Was wondering whether to post my thoughts on this in the Liverpool or Man United thread so thank you for being decisive and setting up a new thread for me. I’ll use similar bullet points as you:
ManU started brightly enough but their passing, especially the final ball, was well off. Rooney, in particular, was having a stinker.
Liverpool grew in confidence as the first half progressed and were the better side up to half time.
After half time Liverpool came quickly out of the blocks and had 3 good chances in the first 5 minutes. Their dominance came about largely through Gerrard playing more infield and getting a 3 v 2 situation in the centre of the park.
Ferguson immediately responded by bringing Giggs inside also, sending Rooney wide right and switching Ronaldo to the left leaving Larsson up front on his own.
However, United continued to defend extremely deep leaving Larsson isolated up front and their ambition, from about the 55th minute onwards, suggested they were more than happy to settle for a point.
This is where Benitez baffles me. How can a manager who is so tactically astute and spot on in Europe be so inept in the domestic league?
United are sitting back on the edge of their box, Liverpool have had a series of close shaves since the half time interval and with them being at home and with nothing to lose in the league (we all know they’ll come 3rd or 4th) I simp[ly could not understand why he didn’t go for it.
It was crying out for Crouch to be brought on in tandem with Bellamy and Kuyt so they could ahve a real go at United in a 4-3-3 formation. Instead he brought on Aurelio for Gonzales first which was a nothing substitution. Then he decided to bring Pennant on after about 65 minutes but incredibly he sacrificed Bellamy, who was working the channels well all game and gave Vidic a really uncomfortable game.
All the time United were sitting on the edge of their box leaving it very difficult to play through them and it obvious the correct move was to bring on Crouch so they vary their lines of attack, float balls up to him, get crosses in, look for knock downs and flick ons etc.
But he waited until the 78th minute to do this which was ridiculous imo.
Andy Gray is a fooking dick.
Scholes totally deserved to get sent off and it’s pretty pathetic that both Redknapp and Platt didn’t have the balls to say this.
As I watched the game unfold and with United rocking (somewhat) having had Scholes sent off I thought if Pool score here this could really hurt their title challenge.
Crouch is grand at playing cushioned headers and doing knock downs with his head but he’s brutal at attacking the ball with his head and getting power on his headers so I can understand why he brought the ball down. Hoewever, I agreed with Platt when he said that at this level most goals are one touch finishes, like a header, and when he took the touch it gave Van Der Sar the time to set himself for the shot. Great save all the same though.
After overcoming that scare I thought it’d be typical if United go up and get a winner when their performance and ambition to attack barely deserved a draw.
When O’Shea scored I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. It was hilarious though.
Agree with most of what Bandage has said. Few points of my own:
I really hate Paul Scholes. For years he has gotten away with the tag of being unassuming when he is one of the dirtiest players in the Premiership. Delighted to see him go
Redknapp justified Crouch not heading the ball by saying that he knows him personally and he doesnt head the ball. What a fool!
poor decision of Rafa to take off Bellamy who was destroying Vidic. And bringing on Pennant? He simply is not up to it - not ability wise but mental wise. Stick Crouch in there.
Sissoko was terrible. He possesses an inability to pass the ball or shoot which is kind of important for a footballer. He does break the play up well but thats no good if he loses the ball again
Still don’t think Bellamy was offside for the disallowed goal and Giggs wasn’t fouled for the free kick for the goal. Immaterial I know
Good comment Rock on the punching by the keeper and excellent example with Bonner. However I dont think Reina could really do anything for the goal. Poor play by the defenders to let O’Shea go free. Very frustrating to see keepers (Dudek in particular) punch when there is no one near him
Re Benetiz I think that it is strange that he seems to do well in Europe and obviously off the pace in the Premiership. But I have always said that the quality of a trqam is judged on the League form and Liverpool simply are not good enough
Ferguson gave a good interview at the end where he said that Liverpool deserved to win. Still hate the fucker though
What about his kick at Kevin Kilbane couple of years ago against Everton? He hides behind this ‘inability to tackle’ - 1. He is a dirty tackler as his swipes at Alonso showed yesterday 2. If he cannot tackle then surley that takes a lot away from his game as a midfielder but I forgot that Scholes is one of the most underrated players in the Premiership and is so unassuming
Was too pissed off about this yesterday to come on here but I’ve calmed down sufficiently today. While I still prefer to see United win the league than Chelsea, I still hate being beaten by them more than any other team. Yesterday hurt and texts from Man United supporting mates didn’t help.
Reina was at fault for the goal. He wasn’t trying to parry nor punch the ball - he fumbled it.
I accept that Finnan was on his heels for the goal but thought he was excellent other than that (and giving the free away in the first place). It was a definite free Farmer. Rock - what has been wrong with Finnan’s attitude?
Thought Crouch did very well with his chance and couldn’t really fault him for it. He would not have scored with a header so the better option was to take the ball down which he did with aplomb. It was an excellent save by an excellent keeper.
I was glad Ferguson had the good grace to acknowledge United were very lucky and that he had no complaints with Scholes’ sending off.
I am similarly baffled by Rafa. Wouldn’t call the Aurelio substitution a nothing one because imo Gonzalez has been absolutely muck. Still have yet to see him skin a full-back. But bringing on Pennat for Bellamy was daft as the latter was destroying Vidic.
There was a disgusting dive by Larsson at one stage.
Saha had a decent shout for a penalty.
Neville should have been sent off for the professional foul on Pennant.
I agree that Gonzales was poor enough but my point was that bringing Aurelio on in place of him was a nothing substitution. What’s Aurelio done this season? Even if they didn’t want to go with 3 up front they should have moved Bellamy to the wing and brought on Crouch. In either case Crouch needed to be the first substitution made.
Neville took a lad down on the half-way line. It was hardly a sending off and he wasn’t the last man.
I accept that Finnan was on his heels for the goal but thought he was excellent other than that (and giving the free away in the first place). It was a definite free Farmer. Rock - what has been wrong with Finnan’s attitude?
I’m not 100% sure why I wrote that in the first place because I’ve seen feck all of him this season. I think I’m still pissed off with him over Cyprus but I’ve just checked back and I gave him a 4/10 that night which was better than most.
I was, but I got bored of it quickly once I had made my point. Unlike some, I don’t like repeating the same boring bullshit over and over and over. I find new ways of being boring instead.
Think you may have taken @ChocolateMice up wrong there pal, I was discrediting @Mullach_Ide twee stat about the famed Man u academy and how it was a load of shite.
But you are indeed correct about not going to league of Ireland games. Well, not many anyway.