Manchester United vs. Benfica

That was an entertaining half. Nani, Carrick and Berbs the best players so far.
 
Me too. In all seriousness though this season our ball retention has been poor whenever Cleverley hasn't been on the pitch. Fletcher and Carrick are looking like their old selves though, long may it continue.

Carrick, yes, Fletcher not so much.
 
Good first half of football there.

Carrick is effectively being left as a free man by Benfica, who are concentrating their pressing on our full backs mainly. It's worked OK for them but with Carrick getting on the ball more later in the second half, they might need to rethink things a little.

Evra was caught out positionally (again) for their goal. Young has struggled for long periods but is coming good. Berba has barely touched the ball but has shown at times that he can lead the line as well as drop deeper. Nani has been poor overall again.

The game is there for the taking by both teams. Hopefully we can kick on.
 
Does anyone here feel Nani always get over-confident as soon as he does something awesome.
 
Hard to put the blame on Berbatov if that was what you're doing. We were sloppy with little movement. The last 15-20 we started moving it quicker and as a result Berbatov(essentially playing as a lone forward) was able to get into the game.

Wasn't blaming Berba, he got the goal! I just thought we were playing with 10 men up to then...:smirk:
 
A stream please. mine crashed with a minute to go to HT. thanks.
 
Insane tweet just been posted on BBC live text by 'JCoupe94'.

I agree about our CM issues, but this game we've been ok aside from the start and Carrick in particular has done well. Madness.
 
Win and we're through

Draw and we have a final against Basle next month, draw ok there

Lose and we must beat Basle.
 
We really need to play Vidic every match we can, don't we? He doesn't play one game and we look shambolic at the back.
 
To a large extent I think the way we're playing now reflects the fact we haven't gotten over the City result. Like Arsenal after they lost to us 8-2 the confidence when we're defending isn't there. We look vulnerable. Not because the players aren't good but because their morale isn't. We need to really go out there and beat someone big like Arsenal beat Chelsea to get our groove back. Hopefully it'll come tonight. Certainly there were points in the last 10 minutes before half time when we were really turning the screw and if we can just put a few in tonight I'm sure we'll return to our true selves.
 
Insane tweet just been posted on BBC live text by 'JCoupe94'.

I agree about our CM issues, but this game we've been ok aside from the start and Carrick in particular has done well. Madness.

Some really stupid fans out there. The guy claims our midfield is being torn apart, if that's the case, how in the world would Sneijder help that?

Been really impressed with Carrick too tonight. Hope he keeps it going in the 2nd half.
 
Do you reckon we'll take the Europa League seriously, or use it to give the kids some European experience?
 
We really need to play Vidic every match we can, don't we? He doesn't play one game and we look shambolic at the back.

Not like Benfica are a better team than what we've faced since Vidic has come back anyway. It's definitely not that.
 
Carrick and Fletcher are never a good combo in the middle.
 
DO we only have that one game against Basel next month left in this group? Freaking hell when did we play Galati at home
 
No we're not. We have left our best striker (who I may add has been used as a CM of late) out of the game and put Berbatov up front who in 20mins hasn't had a touch and if he get's one chance I wouldn't imagine him to put it away.

Our midfield tonight consists of 3 players who are savagely off form. The most spritely player so far is Nani and he is fecking up 5 yard passes. Going out of the CL really isn't the worst thing in the world. Bayern, Madrid, Barca. They are the teams that would humiliate us.

Say what you will, just my opinion.

Ok, you're a spastics!