Champions League Thread (the dawn of time - 2014)

[P Squared]

Buttner simply has to start over Evra in the second leg.

Agree there, Rafael shouldnt start either. I'd like the back 4 to stay as it is, Vidic/Ferdinand 's lack of pace won't be exposed if we sit so deep. Its against teams with a more direct approach(Liverpool, City) that they shouldnt start.

 

[thedon5]

Glory Glory Man United!

Wish I could've seen the game, but well played to Man Utd. Same to Atletico, good to see Diego at his best for Atletico.

 

[KBC]

Buttner is underplayed, like Kagawa. He isn't a no-nonsense-always-blast-to-row-z type of player. Moyes' instructions if you will. He offers quite a lot going forward, because at Vitesse he played regularly as a winger/inside forward. He was solid in defence for the game time he's got so far, more in the second half when he made quite a few interceptions off Robben and won the ball back. Bayern targeted him obviously and he was prone in few occasions but overall it was a decent effort from him.

But I'm not sure he will start ahead of Evra in Munich, but there should be a hint about that in the upcoming Newcastle game.

For the love of united get Chicharito to start ahead of welbeck. He did well, nothing to take away from him, despite the saving grace that had him in the first XI, his pace, he cost United with his finishing.

 

[StinkyBoHoon]

fellaini though really is an absolute donkey. most of the match was him randomly running about, his possession was rubbish too.

I feel like a complete tool for ever thinking he was a good signing.

 

[War]

I actually think if welbeck could sort his head out he'd be an absolutely gun forward, he has pace, presence, quick feet and control, the problem with him is he thinks in terms of the highlights reel and not in effective football.

he's not direct enough in his decision making but he has the ability to get himself in to positions to make decisions.

also, it's funny how the timing of an incident can effect how dramatic it is, the disallowed goal* in the first three minutes was one of the most rubbish decisions I've seen. high feet for taking the ball off a player who was stooping down and it hadn't even made his head AND he played the bottom of the ball? I've watched it again on youtube and his foot is barely above his waist.

*it's arguable he wouldn't have scored seeing as the whistle did go and who knows who heard it, whether the bayern players had stopped or even welbeck had only been able to lash the ball into the net because he wasn't under any pressure.

Ye for sure, if Welbeck sorts out his finishing - he is dangerous player in the making. He could either become another Sturridge or Darren Bent. But he is way off ATM, so shouldn't go to the W Cup.

Agreed on the disallowed goal, very soft from the ref no doubt.

 

[War]

Like Arsenal, injuries have so messed up Dortmund this season @ home & in Europe. No Gundagon, Subotic, Blaskowski (spell) out for so long, Gotze & Lewandowksi poached by Bayern.

We might never see that exciting Dortmund off last season again, which is disappointing.

 

[Haarithan]

High boots almost always result in a free kick. Welbeck did just that, and Bayern stopped playing as well (Neuer didn't even bother saving it, despite being perfectly positioned to make the save), so the ref imo made the right call. Bigger controversy was Valencia staying on the pitch while Schweinsteiger was harshly sent off.

 

[KBC]

The ball ricocheted on to Valencia from the defender before he barged into him. It's arguable how the ref based his decision on it, maybe because valencia went for the ball and had a lucky contact on the ball might have saved him. It's a 50-50 for me, he could've be sent off. If it was in the PL; he'd be sent off.

Valencia can be a wreck defensively. It's something Moyes has to work out with him and also Fellaini. oh how the magic of the hair dryer would set them straight.

 

[thedon5]

The donkey at his finest.

 

[StinkyBoHoon]

haha, yes don, me and my mate were laughing at that. it was the jonty rhodes version of kicking the ball out of play, instead of booting it you run it the whole way yourself.

 

[Sulaiman7]

For a second I thought he would keep running.

 

[StinkyBoHoon]

High boots almost always result in a free kick. Welbeck did just that, and Bayern stopped playing as well (Neuer didn't even bother saving it, despite being perfectly positioned to make the save), so the ref imo made the right call. Bigger controversy was Valencia staying on the pitch while Schweinsteiger was harshly sent off.

bit of the liverpool-tinted-eyes in that one haarithan, maybe valencia was lucky, but schweinsteiger's was definitely worse given that he was tackling from behind, that's been a booking in europe for decades.

not sure I've seen that many high feet decisions given for a foot over waist height, still think it was pretty damn soft and if it happens in the 80th minute I reckon it's the back page on every newspaper.

 

[Haarithan]

Schweinsteiger took the ball before Rooney made an absolute meal of the tackle... The sending off was as soft as they come, has nothing to do with me supporting Liverpool.

 

[Ohm]

45 minutes and two Germans in great form.

Official yeah! Official yeah! Official yeah!

 

[Sulaiman7]

Official yeah! Official yeah! Official yeah!

It's Fish! For fishes' sake.