Owen Hargreaves declared United’s goalless draw with Barcelona in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final was a job well done.
The makeshift right-back revealed that containing Barca’s potent attack was always the main priority at the Nou Camp and believes the Reds now have the upper hand going into Tuesday’s second leg.
He told MUTV: “I think we’d have taken a 0-0 before the game. Defensively I thought we were strong and didn’t allow Barcelona any clear chances.
“They had a lot of possession and kept the ball well, but they didn’t really penetrate us and that was the strategy going into the game.”
Hargreaves refused to blame Cristiano Ronaldo for missing an early penalty which could have changed the nature of the tie entirely.
“You’re not going to score them all,” he said. “He’s scored more than he’s missed and I think maybe he changed his mind at the last moment. It probably would have changed the flow of the game had we scored, but it’s fine.”
Ronaldo had another strong penalty appeal waved away by referee Massimo Busacca later in the first half when Barca defender Rafael Marquez appeared to obstruct the winger as he bore down on goal.
Hargreaves added: “It looked like a penalty but after the referee had given one penalty, it would have been brave for him to give another and a red card.”
Read more...
Custom Search
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Carrick: Now we'll attack
Michael Carrick was satisfied with United's goalless draw against Barcelona, but admitted the Reds will adopt a more attacking mentality in next week's Champions League semi-final decider at Old Trafford.
Sir Alex Ferguson's side successfully adopted a conservative approach in the Nou Camp en route to a goalless draw. With Barca due in Manchester next Tuesday, Carrick admits he and his colleagues are intent on reaching the final in Moscow.
"We looked very solid as a team and put in a very good performance defensively," he told MUTV. "In a perfect world we would like to score, but it’s not to be. It’s not the end of the world, a draw’s not a bad result for us.
"We could have nicked it. Cristiano’s had a penalty, there’s been a couple of decent opportunities – I had one myself that might have gone in. On a different day we might be sitting here with a victory."
The Catalans rarely posed a serious threat to United's stout defence, but fleeting glimpses of their attacking prowess have reinforced Carrick's belief that the Reds can't go too gung-ho in pursuit of victory at Old Trafford.
"We know now that if we can win next week at home, we go through," he said. "It’s a different game at a different place, so we’ll be looking to attack more – that’s for sure. But we’re not going to do that in a stupid way.
"They’ve got some world class players. They’re not a side you can take lightly, and we’re all aware of that. We know the threats that they possess and it’s going to probably be another tight affair. Hopefully we’ll come out on top."
Read more...
Sir Alex Ferguson's side successfully adopted a conservative approach in the Nou Camp en route to a goalless draw. With Barca due in Manchester next Tuesday, Carrick admits he and his colleagues are intent on reaching the final in Moscow.
"We looked very solid as a team and put in a very good performance defensively," he told MUTV. "In a perfect world we would like to score, but it’s not to be. It’s not the end of the world, a draw’s not a bad result for us.
"We could have nicked it. Cristiano’s had a penalty, there’s been a couple of decent opportunities – I had one myself that might have gone in. On a different day we might be sitting here with a victory."
The Catalans rarely posed a serious threat to United's stout defence, but fleeting glimpses of their attacking prowess have reinforced Carrick's belief that the Reds can't go too gung-ho in pursuit of victory at Old Trafford.
"We know now that if we can win next week at home, we go through," he said. "It’s a different game at a different place, so we’ll be looking to attack more – that’s for sure. But we’re not going to do that in a stupid way.
"They’ve got some world class players. They’re not a side you can take lightly, and we’re all aware of that. We know the threats that they possess and it’s going to probably be another tight affair. Hopefully we’ll come out on top."
Read more...
Eto'o: We're favourites now
Samuel Eto'o insists Barcelona have one foot in the Champions League final after last night's 0-0 draw with Manchester United. Cristiano Ronaldo's second-minute penalty miss meant United left the Nou Camp without a vital away goal. And Cameroon hitman Eto'o believes Barca are now the clear favourites to progress. He said: "I really think that if we go to Manchester and play like this then there is absolutely no reason why we shouldn't go through. It's not an easy task to be the home side when you have drawn 0-0 away from home in the first leg of a knockout tie."
The Sun Read more...
The Sun Read more...
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Vida doubtful for Blues
Sir Alex Ferguson has confirmed that Nemanja Vidic is a major doubt for Saturday's Premier League showdown at Chelsea.
The Serbian defender missed Wednesday night's draw in Barcelona with a stomach bug and, although he is on the road to recovery, Sir Alex is not hopeful of having Vidic available at Stamford Bridge.
"I think he’s doubtful, but we’ll do our best," the United manager told Sky Sports.
"He’s back at the hotel, he’s taking plenty of fluids, he had a bit of soup this afternoon for the first time in 36 hours – that’s promising, I suppose.
"Let’s hope we can get him there on Saturday morning – we’ve only got 72 hours to do that, but he’ll want to have a go. He’ll be desperate to play and if we do get him, it’ll be a bonus to us."
Wes Brown deputised in central defence against the Catalans, with Owen Hargreaves excelling as a makeshift right-back.
With Gerard Pique, John O'Shea, Gary Neville and Mikael Silvestre all fit, however, Sir Alex has no shortage of options if he opts to shuffle his pack.
Read more...
The Serbian defender missed Wednesday night's draw in Barcelona with a stomach bug and, although he is on the road to recovery, Sir Alex is not hopeful of having Vidic available at Stamford Bridge.
"I think he’s doubtful, but we’ll do our best," the United manager told Sky Sports.
"He’s back at the hotel, he’s taking plenty of fluids, he had a bit of soup this afternoon for the first time in 36 hours – that’s promising, I suppose.
"Let’s hope we can get him there on Saturday morning – we’ve only got 72 hours to do that, but he’ll want to have a go. He’ll be desperate to play and if we do get him, it’ll be a bonus to us."
Wes Brown deputised in central defence against the Catalans, with Owen Hargreaves excelling as a makeshift right-back.
With Gerard Pique, John O'Shea, Gary Neville and Mikael Silvestre all fit, however, Sir Alex has no shortage of options if he opts to shuffle his pack.
Read more...
Solid display pleases boss
Sir Alex Ferguson believes United have a “marvellous chance” of reaching the Champions League final after their workmanlike performance against Barcelona.
Barca enjoyed plenty of possession at the Nou Camp without creating many clear-cut opportunities and, although United offered little in attack themselves, Ferguson was satisfied with the defensive display.
“It was a professional performance,” the Reds boss told Sky Sports. “Our concentration in defending the space was very good and, although they had a lot of play on the edge of our box, they didn’t have many chances.
“On the negative side, we should have done better with our possession. We had opportunities to counter-attack and gave the ball away too easily.
“But going back to Old Trafford for the second leg, 0-0 gives us a marvellous chance.”
United’s night could have been even better had Cristiano Ronaldo converted a second-minute penalty. The Reds’ top scorer surprisingly put his spot-kick wide of Victor Valdes’ left-hand post, but Ferguson was quick to defend the winger.
“I would have backed him to score,” he said. “He’s a bit unlucky – maybe it came a bit too early in the match. It was disappointing but nonetheless, he was fantastic for us tonight.
Ferguson reserved special praise for Paul Scholes, who made his 100th Champions League appearance.
“I thought he was one of our best players,” he said. “His reading of the play outside the box was terrific, his interceptions were marvellous and he was the one player on our team who didn’t give it away.”
The United boss insisted it was no surprise that Barcelona enjoyed long periods of possession on their home ground, but he is determined for the Reds to up the ante in Tuesday’s second leg.
He said: “You have to admire the style of their game. They always get an extra player in midfield, no matter what you do, so possession was always going to be in their favour on their own ground.
“At Old Trafford we want to reverse that to make sure they don’t get that kind of possession. I think we’ll impose ourselves much better in the second leg.”
Read more...
Barca enjoyed plenty of possession at the Nou Camp without creating many clear-cut opportunities and, although United offered little in attack themselves, Ferguson was satisfied with the defensive display.
“It was a professional performance,” the Reds boss told Sky Sports. “Our concentration in defending the space was very good and, although they had a lot of play on the edge of our box, they didn’t have many chances.
“On the negative side, we should have done better with our possession. We had opportunities to counter-attack and gave the ball away too easily.
“But going back to Old Trafford for the second leg, 0-0 gives us a marvellous chance.”
United’s night could have been even better had Cristiano Ronaldo converted a second-minute penalty. The Reds’ top scorer surprisingly put his spot-kick wide of Victor Valdes’ left-hand post, but Ferguson was quick to defend the winger.
“I would have backed him to score,” he said. “He’s a bit unlucky – maybe it came a bit too early in the match. It was disappointing but nonetheless, he was fantastic for us tonight.
Ferguson reserved special praise for Paul Scholes, who made his 100th Champions League appearance.
“I thought he was one of our best players,” he said. “His reading of the play outside the box was terrific, his interceptions were marvellous and he was the one player on our team who didn’t give it away.”
The United boss insisted it was no surprise that Barcelona enjoyed long periods of possession on their home ground, but he is determined for the Reds to up the ante in Tuesday’s second leg.
He said: “You have to admire the style of their game. They always get an extra player in midfield, no matter what you do, so possession was always going to be in their favour on their own ground.
“At Old Trafford we want to reverse that to make sure they don’t get that kind of possession. I think we’ll impose ourselves much better in the second leg.”
Read more...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
