Red Rants |
- United need a miracle
- Guardiola: “Big clubs don’t tolerate losers”
- Is Giggs being forced out of United?
- Old Trafford’s top 5 Champions League quarter finals
| Posted: 01 Apr 2014 02:46 AM PDT
Such heroics are not likely to be needed tonight, when the German and European champions face United in what is arguably the most unbalanced of the four quarter finals and will likely prove to be the Reds’ last Champions League at Old Trafford for who knows how long.
United can’t and won’t win tonight. That has been the general consensus since the teams were drawn against each other two weeks ago and so it’s rather ironic that the man who’s tied his colours at the mast of defeatism since replacing Sir Alex Ferguson is also the only man who’s feeling bullish about tonight. David Moyes has boldly claimed that United don’t fear their German counterparts, despite the fact that Bayern are widely regarded as the best team in Europe and despite the fact they’re managed by one of the best managers of the modern era. Perhaps Moyes has decided to finally replace defeatism with defiance, perhaps he knows his future has already been decided and wants to go down swinging or maybe his lack of experience at this level has altered his perception. This, make no mistake, is a huge game for United. One from which they’re not expected to get anything out of, bar a dignified defeat to earn a couple of consolatory headlines in tomorrow’s paper, for the gulf in quality between the two sides is astounding. In fact, one’d have to go back all the way to Barcelona in 1994 and Juventus in 1996 to find the last time United were so far behind their opponents in a European tie. Bayern have been mesmerising in the last two seasons and even though, under Pep Guardiola, their game is slightly less direct than it was under Jupp Heynckes they didn’t even have to get out of third gear to suffocate Arsenal at the Emirates – not to mention the footballing lesson they taught the Quadruplers earlier this season – and even without Dante and Thiago, they remain a formidable side. Furthermore, history book don’t make for comfortable reading either. United might have won the most important fixture between the two sides, but were twice knocked out at this stage of the competitions by the Germans. Bayern have an attacking football philosophy embodied into their players, two of the best wingers in the world and a plethora of quality midfielders that should be deemed illegal at this level. In short, they have everything United do not possess and the thought of Chris Smalling and Alex Buttner fronting Franck Ribery and Arjen Robbem doesn’t bear thinking about. Against Liverpool and Manchester City, United paid the highest price for their tentative approach and given that there’s as much chances of Moyes tactically outwitting Guardiola than there are of Tom Cleverley becoming a better player than Mario Gotze, United might as well go down fighting. Wayne Rooney is certain of a starting spot, as should Danny Welbeck, who has a knack for scoring in big games and whose work rate could be extremely handy tonight. Behind them, one between Januzaj and Kagawa must start, for Bayern will be without their two regular centre-backs and United must cling onto every glimmer of hope tonight. The midfield blanket remains agonisingly too short. A three-man midfield of Fellaini, Carrick and Giggs would offer more ideas but deprive United of some much needed speed, while a two-man midfield with Valencia or Young alongside Welbeck and Januzaj could turn Fellaini’s night into an absolute nightmare. Tonight is the sort of night we’d have nervously relished under Fergie, while we’ve come to dread these occasions under Moyes. We could prove everybody wrong or we could be on the receiving end of another atrocious hiding but, realistically, if we’re still in the tie after tonight then we’ll have done well. One thing is sure, it won’t be pretty. Buckle up. Probable starting XI:
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| Guardiola: “Big clubs don’t tolerate losers” Posted: 01 Apr 2014 12:05 AM PDT
The difference between United and Bayern Munich couldn’t be more evident. The former have endured a tumultuous season after Moyes replaced Sir Alex Ferguson and the Champions League is virtually the only thing they’ve got left to play for, while the latter have already clinched the Bundesliga title and aim to become the first club to retain the Champions League under the tutelage of the former Barca manager, who replaced Jupp Heynckes last summer.
Ahead of tonight’s clash, Guardiola was asked whether Sir Alex Ferguson was to blame for leaving a squad in need of strengthening to David Moyes, but the Catalan’s reply was unequivocal: big clubs demand winning managers. “In the big clubs when you don’t win, always you are in trouble. You have to look forward and win games. Here, in Spain, in Italy, you have to win in the big clubs,” said the Bayern manager. “In the big clubs that happens. It happens in Bayern Munich. Last year they won everything and we try to maintain that level and we did it at least in the local competition. Manchester United in the last 10-15 years have dominated the Premier League and Europe too, arriving in many finals. “Football is special. Sometimes many, many things happen that it’s difficult to understand. I don’t know how Sir Alex Ferguson can have a bad influence on this club. I think it’s completely opposite. This club was the best club in England thanks to him. He reorganised the club and put the club on another level in this country. “Before it was Liverpool. I’m happy Liverpool are coming back because they are playing awesome and they deserve to be there. It’s good for the Champions League next season. But I am pretty sure Alex Ferguson was the most important person in this club’s history, at least in the last half-century.” “What happens, good things or bad things to all the coaches around the world,” he continued. “No one can have the secrets to eternal success. No one can win titles without big players and I was lucky throughout my career to have big, big players. “I have a lot of respect for my colleagues and, when Manchester United decided to take David Moyes, it is because they are able to do it. Sometimes you need a little more time. The decisions of Manchester United are always right. They know he is a good coach and did a good job at Everton.” It’d be easy to be swayed by the Catalan’s charm and diplomacy, but the truth is that here there’s a manager conscious of facing an incredibly difficult job and perfectly comfortable with it, while Moyes has always looked haunted by the prospect of replacing Fergie. And that, unfortunately for United, has been translated on the pitch since August.
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| Is Giggs being forced out of United? Posted: 31 Mar 2014 08:49 AM PDT
Rumours of Giggs growing increasingly disillusioned with Moyes’ methods and approach to training have been widely reported over the last couple of weeks, with the Welshman so unimpressed by his manager’s tactics and training drills that he has, allegedly, stopped attending coaches meeting as “Moyes doesn’t f*****g listen anyway”.
Giggs has been used very sparely this season, with his start against Olympiakos two weeks ago being his first appearance in 12 games. On the night Giggs was comfortably United’s best player on the pitch, but when asked why he hadn’t selected him more often, Moyes replied that he was planning to phase the veteran out and couldn’t therefore afford to hand him a regular starting spot in the team. With David Moyes increasingly under pressure after a dismal inaugural campaign at Old Trafford, many Reds have made clear that they’d love to see Giggs in charge – albeit temporarily – should Moyes be relieved of his duties but, ahead of tomorrow’s crucial Champions League quarter final against Bayern Munich, Giggsy has admitted he could instead leave the club at the end of the season. “I don’t know where that’s come from,” said Giggs when asked if there was a rift between him and Moyes. “Yes, the relationship’s good. Of course you want to play all the time, but there’s obviously no problem with the manager.” When asked if he’d like to succeed David Moyes in the Old Trafford dugout, United’s press officer prevented Giggsy from replying, but the United number 11 was clear when asked if this could be his last European campaign. “I don’t know. At the end of the season I’ll stock and see what I want to do.” Losing Giggs would be an incredible blow for the team and the club as a whole. The sort of self-inflicted wound United do not need at this moment in time. |
| Old Trafford’s top 5 Champions League quarter finals Posted: 31 Mar 2014 07:31 AM PDT
Quite how long we’ll have to wait to see United playing in Europe’s elite competition at home is anybody’s guess but it’s perhaps fitting that United will bid farewell to the Champions League by hosting Bayern Munich, the current champions of Europe who are aiming to become the first side to retain the trophy. We might wave goodbye to the European Cup over the next 10 days, so here’s a list of the top 5 five Champions League quarter finals Old Trafford has seen.
5) Manchester United vs Real Madrid 2-3 (2-3 on aggregate), 19th April 2000 Having secured a creditable 0-0 in Madrid, United’s bid to become the first side to defend the Champions League in its current format came to an abrupt halt when Real Madrid visited Old Trafford. Mark Bosnich, who had been excellent in the first leg at the Bernabeu, was out injured and his replacement, Raymond Van der Gouw, could only watch on horrified as Roy Keane scored his only own goal for United with the game barely 20 minutes old. Needing two goals to progress the Reds poured forward – there was a time, in a different era, when United held no qualms about going toe-to-toe with the likes of Real Madrid – but their commitment going forward left them dangerously exposed at the back, as well as all but out of the competition after Raul’s quick-fire brace at the beginning of the second half – one inspired by THAT backheel flick from Fernando Redondo. David Beckham scored one of his best goals in a red shirt and Paul Scholes added a late penalty, but a second memorable comeback in less than 12 months was not to be and United bowed out of the competition, while Real would go on to lift the trophy in Paris. 4) Manchester United vs Real Madrid 4-3 (5-6 on aggregate), 23rd April 2003 Up until this season, this was the only other occasion when United came face to face with the defending champions at this stage of the competition. Three years on since their previous meeting, United and Madrid were sides at the polar opposites of the scale – the Reds entering a critical phase of their post-Treble decline in Europe, while Madrid’s Galacticos era was in full swing. Ruud Van Nistelrooy’s goal at the Bernabeu had offered United a small glimmer of hope to cling on to ahead of the return leg, but dreams of a famous comeback were dashed within five minutes, as Ronaldo slotted home Real Madrid’s first. Van Nistelrooy responded just before halftime, but Ronaldo completed his hat-trick with two more goals in nine second half minutes, either side of an Ivan Helguera own-goal. David Beckham, whose eyebrow scar – caused by a flying boot Fergie had sweetly struck in the aftermath of an FA Cup defeat against Arsenal – had by then become more important to the media than his on-pitch contribution replaced Juan Sebastian Veron and netted twice, before departing the pitch deep at the final whistle deep in talks with Roberto Carlos and Zinedine Zidane. United’s adventure in the Champions League was over, Becks’ adventure with Real Madrid, meanwhile, had just begun. 3) Manchester United vs Porto 4-0 (4-0 on aggregate), 5th March 1997 United marked their first appearance in the quarter finals of the European Cup in 29 years by putting Porto to the sword, as they produced arguably their best European performance of the Eric Cantona era. One which, unfortunately, wasn’t replicated in the semifinals that season, nor the following one. As if to show that his tombola approach wasn’t a luxury he only indulged to in the latter stage of his career, Fergie deployed a midfield trio of David Beckham, Ronny Johnsen and Ryan Giggs, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Eric and Andy Cole up-front. The result was mesmerising, as United tore the Portuguese to ribbons, May opening the score with 20 minutes gone, before Eric added a second before halftime. Ryan Giggs and Andy Cole completed the rout in the second half, thus depriving the second leg of any real meanings. Not that the traveling Reds minded too much, as they spent a couple of Superbock-lubrified days in Portugal. 2) Manchester United vs Roma 7-1 (8-3 on aggregate), 10th April 2007 After a couple of season in the wilderness of European football, United were again a force to be reckoned with, as Fergie’s plans to clinch a second European Cup in a decade were coming of age. Though such plans won’t be fulfilled until 12 months later, United’s thrashing of Roma announced their return in Europe’s elite, much as their first Premier League title after three seasons sent out a strong signal of intent to their rivals. Arriving into the second leg trailing 2-1 on aggregate and without the suspended Paul Scholes, United were out of of the blocks in a flash and produced the sort of relentless, flawless, swashbuckling football that had characterised the majority of their season – and which would, in fact, characterise their next two campaigns too. Michael Carrick, Alan Smith and Wayne Rooney netted in 19 breathtaking first half minutes and by the time Cristiano Ronaldo scored his first goal in the competition – let that sink in for a second – the tie, much like Roma themselves, was dead and buried. Ronaldo and Carrick were on the scoresheet again in the second half, before Daniele de Rossi produced a fantastic finish for his side’s only goal and Patrice Evra added United’s seventh. 1) Manchester United vs Inter Milan 2-0 (3-1 on aggregate), 3rd March 1999 Progressing through a group containing Bayern Munich and Barcelona – which alone provided enough memorable moments to fill a book - was no easy feat, but United were rewarded with a quarter final showdown against an Inter Milan containing Ronaldo, Roberto Baggio, Ivan Zamorano and Pablo Simeone. In a season during the which the unexpected and extraordinary regularly seemed to become routine, the first leg of United’s clash against Inter Milan didn’t disappoint. Dwight Yorke put United in front with just seven minutes played, pouncing for the umpteenth time that season on a David Beckham’s cross delivered with the usual surgical precision, before United squandered opportunities to increase their lead during a momentous first half. With seconds remaining before half-time, Beckham and Yorke combined yet again to put United two in front, before Peter Schmeichel took centre stage, defying the law of physics to keep out an Ivan Zamorano’s header and ensured United kept a valuable clean sheet ahead of the return leg. United would concede at the San Siro, but Paul Scholes’ goal ensured it did not matter one bit.
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