Man Utd Thread:

[snoopdog]

it wasnt a sening off and united were well in control before this happened. Madrid were not technically better.
I have 2 points to make. 1 is why did Fergie not start Rooney, Why is Rooney continuously sacraficed in his best position. We started a guy who cant score, i do not see the hype around welbeck, yes he is all energy but he does nothing with the ball most of his passes go astray he is useless in front of goal. If Rooney had played both games regardless of the wrong sending off united would have come through.
Secondly when nani went off why didnt Fergie make changes straight away, Replace Giggs and Wellbeck with Kagawa and Evans. Evans to shore up defence, Kagawa to provide fresh legs in midfield. It was actually pointless bringing rooney on when we conceded the 2 goals the damage was done yet you then put faith in the guy you didnt have the common sense to start with.
Im not surprised Sir Alex you are distraught not only are you as much a maker in last nights downfall but you have probably now lost one of our best players. I couldnt blame Wayne for leaving now when Danny Longlegs gets the nod ahead of him. God help us if welbeck is the future as a striker at old trafford.
Although an injustice was done last night we werent good enough to win it.
Concentrate on wrapping up league and get heads right in time for the FA cup against chelsea lets make it a memorable season with a double. At theend of the day the title was always the target at the beginning of August.

[EC Unique]

When Rooney was looking out and then made a U turn I think he started the end of his Utd career . Utd got him signed on a long contract and now hold all the cards. He will be sold for big money in the summer and will not be to another PL team. His massive wages will be off the books paving the way for a big signing...

As for lastnight, well we could debate all night about the red but it is over now. PL to be won so lets move on.

[laoislad]

I see some Utd fan in England phoned the police and asked them to arrest the ref 

Police are urging people to think before they dial after a football fan, so disgusted with the referee's decision to send-off a player in last night's Champions League clash, rang 999.

The 18-year-old Manchester United supporter was watching the second-leg tie against Real Madrid from his home in a village near Bingham at around 9.20pm last night (Tuesday 5 March 2013) when he made the call.

He felt the moment Reds winger Nani was controversially dismissed for a high challenge was a crime and so decided to call police.

He later apologised for his actions, claiming to have been caught up in the excitement.

There were 6,933 recorded hoax calls to Nottinghamshire Police in 2012, with calls increasing during holiday periods, and especially in August. This amounted to around 2% of all reported incidents.

Control Room Chief Inspector Ted Antill said: "While this recent example may be amusing, it illustrates the sort of insincere calls we have to deal with on a daily basis in the Control Room.

"They waste our time and they direct us away from genuine victims of crime, particularly if we dispatch officers out to something that turns out to be a bogus report.

"I would ask people to think before picking up the phone for emergency services. I would also advise parents to ensure your children are aware that prank calls and the reporting of made-up crimes is a crime in itself.

"There may be people out there in real trouble who need our help and they have to wait because we are tied up with calls like this one, reporting a referee from the television.

"It's no joke. In this case, the man realised his bad judgement and apologised and we decided not to pursue it further. But we can and we do prosecute people for wasting police time and making false reports."

Only call 999 in an emergency, if a crime is in progress or life is at risk. Otherwise, for police or crime-related queries call 101. To make an anonymous report you can also call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

[The Worker]

Bit of a meltdown in here today 

[magpie seanie]

Thought this was interesting enough. 50/50 decisions both of them IMO, another day a ref could have reversed the decisions. Good to have a read of the actual laws.



FIFA Law 12: "Reckless" means that the player has acted with complete disregard of the danger to, or consequences for, his opponent. A player who plays in a reckless manner shall be cautioned.

This seems to sum up fairly well the two incidents above. Both Diego López and Nani were trying to win the ball but both of them went in without considering the consequences for their opponent. Nani caught Alvaro Arbeloa with his studs, Diego López punched Nemanja Vidic in the head with both fists.
Nani got sent off and López wasn't even booked

FIFA Law 12: "Using excessive force" means that the player has far exceeded the necessary use of force and is in danger of injuring his opponent. A player who uses excessive force shall be sent off.
Whilst both Nani and López were in danger of injuring an opponent, neither of them used excessive force.

FIFA Law 12: If a player plays in a dangerous manner in a "normal" challenge, the referee should not take any disciplinary action. If the action is made with obvious risk of injury the referee should caution the player. If a player denies an obvious goal-scoring opportunity in a dangerous manner the referee should send off the player.

Again, the Laws of the game would suggest that at worst, Nani should have been booked.

According to those rules both challenges were reckless. Mourinho had his doubts if Real Madrid could win the match at 11 v 11 to be honest it's hard to know the game was evenly poised that could have went either way.

Correct. Clearly neither were sending off offenses. The one on Vidic was a penalty though, without doubt.

[Gold]

Watch the video again - after Nani fails to withdraw his foot in time (reasonable), he then connects with Arbeloa (reasonable) but then his leg extends kicking out - driving into Arbeloa's side. He didn't mean to clatter him initially but he made sure that he got as much out of him as he could once he had no alternative.

Bang on Gallsman

And why the f**k was that wee cheating rat Nani feigning injury afterwards?? Why werent pundits talking about that?

Keane was right

[Declan]

Well is the leak re Rooney Fergie's way of telling him to shape up or you're gone?

Would Colleen like Paris/London? 

[Billys Boots]

I think Rooney would bloom the further from Blighty he managed to find himself - his career to-date has been a catalogue of unfulfilled promise. 

[thewobbler]

I think Rooney would bloom the further from Blighty he managed to find himself - his career to-date has been a catalogue of unfulfilled promise.

Yep, just umpteen medals and a goal every other game. Some unfulfilment right there.

Some people have amazingly high standards/expectations. I'm not saying Rooney has achieved everything he can in the game, but you'd have to go a long way back in time to find an English centre forward who has achieved as much in the game as he has.

[norabeag]

I think Rooney would bloom the further from Blighty he managed to find himself - his career to-date has been a catalogue of unfulfilled promise.

Yep, just umpteen medals and a goal every other game. Some unfulfilment right there.

Some people have amazingly high standards/expectations. I'm not saying Rooney has achieved everything he can in the game, but you'd have to go a long way back in time to find an English centre forward who has achieved as much in the game as he has.

Spot on Wobbler but looking forward there is always John Jo Shelvey!

[deiseach]

I think Rooney would bloom the further from Blighty he managed to find himself - his career to-date has been a catalogue of unfulfilled promise.

Yep, just umpteen medals and a goal every other game. Some unfulfilment right there.

Some people have amazingly high standards/expectations. I'm not saying Rooney has achieved everything he can in the game, but you'd have to go a long way back in time to find an English centre forward who has achieved as much in the game as he has.

And he'll always have the respect and affection of the supporters of his boyhood club.

[ballinaman]

Rooney out - Ronnie in?

http://www.joe.ie/football/football-news/it-seems-ryan-giggs-gave-his-1000th-match-shirt-to-cristiano-ronaldo-0035107-1

Think Ferguson is gone at the end of this season BTW.

[Canalman]

Had this discussion in the pub recently as to whether Rooney was carrying weight or not. Divided opinion .................. very hard to say imho  . Compared to other premiership players and Match of the Day presenters ( with exceptions)  possibly yes. Personally think he is there or there abouts right for his physique.

[magpie seanie]

Had this discussion in the pub recently as to whether Rooney was carrying weight or not. Divided opinion .................. very hard to say imho  . Compared to other premiership players and Match of the Day presenters ( with exceptions)  possibly yes. Personally think he is there or there abouts right for his physique.

His major weakness is speed off the mark and lack of quick feet. He has everything else practically but I can see why he was left out the other night.

[NAG1]

Had this discussion in the pub recently as to whether Rooney was carrying weight or not. Divided opinion .................. very hard to say imho  . Compared to other premiership players and Match of the Day presenters ( with exceptions)  possibly yes. Personally think he is there or there abouts right for his physique.

His major weakness is speed off the mark and lack of quick feet. He has everything else practically but I can see why he was left out the other night.

I would have thought it was a straightforward call, RVP to play as a loan striker with Wellbeck in for sheer pace against Alonso. Then to play 4 recognised mid fielders instead of squeezing Rooney in on the LHS. The tactic seemed to be to go for pace to get Alonso and Arbeloa, was working a treat too. In a squad game there are going to be tactical games when changes are made. Rooney has not played a true CF for a while and neither does he have the electric pace that AF wanted against Alonso so I dont think it was a massive decision to make.