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In depth analysis of THE game & our team

989 Views 13 Replies 6 Participants Last post by  pool_till_I_die, 
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Manchester United 2-3 Real Madrid CF

Beckham_________________Keane(OG)
Scholes(P)______________Raul x 2

A great game from OUR team. We won deservedly. Overall a very good game at old Trafford. When the game started I had a lot of fears I admit, I was worried that we wouldn't be able to game at all, that it would be a wave of Manchester attacks and so on. BUT after 5 minutes I knew this game was ours for the taking, we were controlling play, I was amazed with the poise and inteligence of our players. Everyone was calm, the ball was just being passed around, no problemo. Even after we got that lucky goal I felt we were handling it well. MU had some dangerous situations, but besides that we had the advantage, I don't know how? when they threatend so did we :) At the break I was just praying for it to stay like it did, I mean not the score, but the level of play, I was hoping we could keep controlling the game. Then came THOSE 3 minutes. What Raul did was so obvious, i mean I knew it was gonna happen, yet when he actually did, I was shocked :) Simply shocked. The Keane messes up a clar chance and Redondo brakes down the left. OK if someone would have said in that moment that we're gonna score I rreally wouldn't have known how!? We all know the rest, simply ingenious. Redondo is back and I acknowledge it fully. Just one thing I wanted to point out though. When Redondo made THAT move, did anyone notice Raul's reaction? MU's defense was dumbfounded, Morientes didn't reall know what to do, but Raul just stromed into the penalty area, literally like a sprinter! he took off some 30 meters form goal and a second later, there he was to tap it in. Absolutely ingenious. After that the game was settled. Bex pulled of a great move, but that's where it should've ended. Macca in my opinion played a good game, nothing to spectacular, but that penalty was really absurd. What was he thinking about. I think he just wanted to make himslef "visable" to much :) Too bad. Then came the final whistle, great. We're goin' to Paris...


GK: Casillas-another outstanding game. Had a lot of help from...

Defense: All in all our defense has played great lately. I must say Campo has been my absolute anti-favorite for the past years, but he is doing great lately! Wonderful stuff with Karanka! I really don't know if Hierro should return. Remember we have yet to lose a game when this pair plays at the back. It's something to think about... Salgado was very good as always, but Giggs was by far the most dangerous player in MU's team. I really had some heartattacks when he had the ball. Roberto arlos simply outplayed Bex once again. To say SpiceMan is the second best player in the world is just pathetic. A great goal, but nevertheless he was non-existant on the field.

Midfield: Redondo outsatnding. The man. Keane was no one compared to the Argentinian. I'm glad Red is doin't the stuff. BUT.. has anyone noticed Ivan Helguera? He is doing great and I think it should stay this way. Even if Guti recovers Ivan should play alongiside Redondo, they are doing great together, I'm very happy. IMO our wingers had a weaker day, still good though. Savio and Macca showed nothing to glamorous, but they were still better then Irwin, Neville or Bexy.

Attack: Raul is ingenious. Look at the goal, nothing else has to be said. Morientes played a good game, but he unlike Raul had the role os a Center forward,which turned out the worst on the night. Playing on the counter like we did, he rarley had an opportunity, but still he could've scored once or twice. the man who really pissed me off was Anelka. He came on in the 70th and instaed of running his fat ass off, he just kept jogging around the field. There was this one moment that absolutely infuriated me. The ball was passed back to van der Gouw(poor guy) and up comes Raul flying toward him (80th minute) and Anelka just looks at this. I am sick and tired of this. I'm pretty sure Raul needs a break, because he has been workiong so hard lately. And yet this Nicola$ fellow once agin shows a complete lack of everything. I am so dissapointed, I keep believing in him, but even I will lose my temper... :(

So all in all i have one thing to say: WE SHOULD NOT CHANGE A TEAM THAT KEEPS WINNING! Never! Helguera should stay! It seems he is the missing link in the midfield, i hope del bosque has realized this.


What are yalls opinions?

I say:
Casillas
Salgado
Karanka
Ivan Campo
Roberto Carlos
McManaman
Redondo
Ivan Helguera (Guti sometimes)
Savio
Raul
Morientes

HALA MADRID! :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)
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I was dissapointed with Mori and have been so for the last few matches. It seems that he is still short of match fitness. Still I know that he is too good a player to play bad for too long.

I know that I am Macca's biggest fan but do you realise how fit this guy is. He relieves the pressure off the defence by making 70 yard dribbles out of defence in the 80th minute. He also set up Raul's goal and showed good touches.
Savio, I agree also dissapoints since his come back. Again I feel that it is an effect of the injury and he will come through.
Cassilas - I told you that I had worries about his handling and this was proved in the Man U match. the saves he made more than made up for it and his one on one ability, as I have said before is first rate.
Campo & Karanka - o.k I suppose. we still need to strenthen. (S.O.S to Hierro). Remember 2 goals were conceded and loads of channces created.
Roberto Carlos - What a game. He was up and down mre than a prostitutes knickers and is as fit as Macca.
Salgado - I'm sorry but he needs to defend - Giggs skinned him too much.
Raulllll - the best striker in the world right now. Don't even think about arguing.
Redondo - Has played very well in the past three matches and that skill - OH MY GOD.
Helguardo _ I'm sure he played but was anonymouus.

Above all Real were reat and I hope that we go all the way.
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Labas, do you really mean what you're saying?
I can understand you being happy that Real advanced to the semis, but you sound like the way Madrid played against MU is the dream come true. I think they are far from that. They did the best they could, and that's a very positive thing. But how can you praise the defence and be satisfyed with them? Even on the day when ManU were out of form and absolutely didn't know what they're doing they still were able to slice Real's defence in pieces at times. How many one-on-ones they had? Yeah, Real's defending wasn't as sh**y as was ManUre's but wasn't far from that either. I just wonder if Keane, Cole, Becks and Ole-Gune would not miss the chances they normally score would you still be as happy? Also you said that Giggs was dangerous, when was the last time you saw MU before the Real games? This guy's been outstanding this season, but in this game he was as liability as their defence. Instead of terrorising and toying with the opposition dawn the flanks as he did against Fiorentina, he found himself messing things up between York and Cole in the center.

Conclusion: That was a hard fought victory, and now Real have a real chance of going all the way because Bayern are struggling at the moment, Valencia are not the side who deserve to lift the Cup, and Barca are similar to MU (great offencive power, but very vulnerable in the back). However if they play the same defenders(that you gloryfied so much)next season, I'd not bet a penny on them getting past the first round.
Guys, I don't want to spoil your party, but the home game against Barca was the only one where Real players performed as a solid team.
And that's simply not good enough to sit and say gow great we are. If you easily forget the games against Munich, and then Kiev and Rosenborg where Real were only a goal away from elimination, and will not improve on that, then the tragedy will always be waiting around the corner.
How many of you feel this is the back four Real should stick with?
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No, no you got me wrong! I never said that this is the defense we should stay with for next season. Of course we need improvement in this department, but looking at the rest of our season, what can we do? Do we play hierro or not? I know it's difficult to say, but del bosque will have to. And abut MU's chances, I think they were mostly half-chances. The only 100% sitter they got was when Keane blazed it over the bar and still it wasn't all that easy of a shot. I was happy with the way we played, I mean it would've ended 3-1! if it had not been for poor old Macca! 1 goal at Old Trafford i very good indeed. About Helguera being anonymous - I think that's his job! He was very good in defense and helped our midfiled when we needed it most... And Savio wasn't allt hat dissapointing, he didn't get a chance in this game to show something, but to say he's beed bad since the injury is a bit too much...
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Savio is on bad form when compared with how he played when he first broke in to the side after his transfer. The last 3 league games he has not been a threat - pure and simple. I like the guy but am pointing out that he is not on his best form.

mori is really worrying me. He shows flashes of brilliance and I know he will come through, but please let it be soon.
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I hope Casillas will mature fast. He was great in the game vs ManU, but from what I've seen (those Real Madrid games shown on TV on weekends) he's still rather inconsistent...nervous at times. I watched some of those Madrid's games with a ManU fan who kept saying 'gosh, don't you have a more qualified goalkeeper other than this clumsy one?'. Though he was soo conceited to give such comment (esp. comparing with ManU goalkeepers) he had a point there. So I hope Casillas will continue to maintain his good form!
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Listen, if you want my opinion, Helguera is becoming one of our most basic players right now.
I don't think that when Guti comes back he'll threaten his position in the team. Here's why :
Helguera is currently playing a totally different role from Guti. He's become the basic defendant midfielder, right ahead of the central defenders, a role Keane kind of has in Manchester. Guti is a more offensive - organiser midfield player. I think when Guti comes back he'll have to compete with Macca and Savio for a starting position (only 2 of them will be starting).

I am starting to question Morientes' game. If his bad form continues, he'll face serious competition from Anelka (imagine!). About next year, I've heard that Diego Tristan has signed, but until he's tested in Real as well, I don't think it's wise to sell Anelka (there are rumors of his moving to PSG).
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This was precisely my point on Helguera. He plays along with Redondo as a DM, and therefore we have more support for our backfour. Karanka and Campo have had good support from the defensive Ivan and Fernando. that's what brought us the victory at Old Trafford IMO. I really don't know what happened at Santiago bernabeu, but it's starting to become a policy of ours, losing easy games and pulling of incredible ones :) :( Anyway, i don't think Guti will have all that big of a problem back in the squad if Savio keeps up his form and since he's del Bosque's favorite, I'm pretty sure we'll be sein' him around... But it is something to think about...
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Macca made a mistake,why you all speak so bad for him?
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Not bad, but just plain stupid. He leopardized the game unnecessarily. just think, if Manure would score two in the end like last year! hehe Macca would be DEAD ;)
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Though we're still talking about this match is kinda outdate, but here is a wonderful match analysis that I wanna share with you guys: http://www.matchanalysis.com/articles/uefa_champions_1.shtml
PS, don't be so severe to Macca, one stupid mistake plus entire good performance, he wroth being praised...
Helguera, I will use more time to observe him before making a decision.
Guti, though I want him to stay in Real forever as Sanchz and Hierro...(and maybe Rual and Mori)...but I still think he is not good enough.
Yup, I am so worried about Mori now, not only the competition from all side, but also I want him to do more things for Real...But I will always believe that he is the best choice for us...
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Although I agree Mori is going through a drout, it's a bit too much to say he might be leaving! Come on, everyone has their weaker points - too bad it came fro Fernando just ahead of EURO 2000 :( I still think he and Raul should be the partnership in Holland and a couple of bad games shouldn't change that...
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I'm Macca's biggest fan but the tackle he did was stupid but also, in the end meant nothing. He had a cracking game in attack but also in defence. I was mad that he didn't scar Keane as he had the chance. My view is if you are going to give away a penalty you should hurt someone. Seriously though, I think he got carried away.
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