Manchester United vs. Benfica

If we win or draw in Basle we finish 2nd as Benfica surely will beat Otelul.

Real, Barca or Bayern possible in that case, hopefully we can get a dream tie against any of them.
 
Does anyone else think none of the players realised that 2-2 meant no result in Basle would make us top the group if Benfica beat Otelul (which they invariably will)?
 
I'm sorry but feck being positive. We will most likely finish 2nd in the shittest group of them all.

Barca, Bayern or Real. The odds of getting one of them is pretty high especially if Arse and Chelsea top their groups as expected.
 
Poor in the first third of the game, excellent between our first and second goal, and decent after their second goal. Our best home game in the CL this season but some cheap mistakes cost us the win.
 
Annoying that we didn't win tonight but some inexperienced players making some mistakes cost us. On the bright side once the team got settled the attacking performance was good. Carrick and Fletch played well as did Nani and Young. Berba grew in to the game. These players finding some form is a bonus.
 
sammsky1 said:
Judging from tonight Benfica will murder Galuti.

We are going to have to do it the hard way this year in the CL.

Stiil, you have to meet the big teams at some point so may as well be 2nd round.

I'm not counting us as very serious contenders this years in CL any way given this is a new side,so wont be a huge tragedy for me if we are knocked out early ..... City cannot be allowed to win the PL. Simple as that.
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Agree with this. PL is priority but looks like City are heading out as well but atleast they'll be in the Europa if they don't make it through..
 
We'll qualify.
Not really bothered.
Played some nice football. Carrick looked really good.
 
wr8_utd said:
It's utterly and completely woeful and embarrassing that we're going to finish 2nd or not qualify at all from a group of Benfica, Basel and Galati. Absolutely pathetic.
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True but its not like we've been battered or massively outplayed in the games just that we've been pissing about with the starting lineup and making a few silly mistakes. The reasons we are second in the group, and a close second, is the prioritising for the PL fixtures we had. Should have got a few wins on the board before doing that IMO.

Benfica tonight scored two via an own goal which wasn't even a shot and a scramble in the six yard box. Whereas we has them under pressure loads on the box but had no options but crossing really.
 
This has been a classically Liverpool performance in the Champions League this season. It's so bloody frustrating.
 
That'sHernandez said:
They're a goal behind us and I don't see Galati rolling over for them. We can still finish first yet.
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Yeah perhaps. Galati have proven tougher than everyone thought I think.

I'm not feeling overly optimistic though, and I think I agree with those saying 1st in the group would flatter us. We've been poor in all our group games by our usual standards, even the victories.

I don't know what's gone wrong recently, but I really want us to resolve it and put in a good performance. We need a good, solid victory to get our confidence and rhythm back. Not these stuttered performances which don't hold up against better sides.
 
Ole's_toe_poke said:
I'm sorry but feck being positive. We will most likely finish 2nd in the shittest group of them all.

Barca, Bayern or Real. The odds of getting one of them is pretty high especially if Arse and Chelsea top their groups as expected.
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The way we played was definitely refreshing, but the way we defended was equally frightening. Problem is, no matter what positive spin we put on the performance, we've really messed up this group big time. If we make it through, we're most likely going to play a tough team and given the form we've shown of late, I don't really fancy our chances.
 
Other than a good 10 minute spell either side of half time it was another mediocre to average performance.
Poor passing, poor play from our wingers who either can't beat a man at all at the moment or just can't cross the ball.
Defensively without Vidic it's like a train wreck, Rio has lost all sense of organisation and Paddy goes awol over and over again.
Phil Jones is 19 and learning, can't level blame at him, De Gea has been looking solid lately so it's a shame he had that feck up.
Ashley Young is Ashley Young ................... Meh, at least we'll never see him in that position again.
 
We're gonna have to do it the hard way this year. Part of me is confident we'l draw Madrid. Its been a long time coming.
 
togg said:
I agree...I mean look we aren't going to win it this season with this team. So, as Fergie said, Barca have set the standard...might as well let the team just how far we are behind in the next round...and move on from there!!
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No. Anyone but Barca. Another hammering will be unbearable. This great club doesn't need it and these players could get a huge jolt.
 
amolbhatia100 said:
The way we played was definitely refreshing, but the way we defended was equally frightening. Problem is, no matter what positive spin we put on the performance, we've really messed up this group big time. If we make it through, we're most likely going to play a tough team and given the form we've shown of late, I don't really fancy our chances.
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We were brilliant from the 30th minute until Aimar scored. After Aimar's goal we almost forgot how to play. We really can't defend without Vidic and it's frightening.
 
The_Midfielder said:
Why cant we win in Basel? If we win in Basel arent we top of the group even if Benfica win?
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GD doesn't count. Head to head does. Benfica will remain ahead on away goals in a head to head against us.

Our only hope is to win and hope a bunch of bin men can take points from Benfica.
 
The way we've played in this CL group, forgive me for being a tad scared and unusually pessimistic. We're playing Basel at their ground, a team who came to OT and put 3 goals past us.
 
Agent Red said:
Yeah perhaps. Galati have proven tougher than everyone thought I think.

I'm not feeling overly optimistic though, and I think I agree with those saying 1st in the group would flatter us. We've been poor in all our group games by our usual standards, even the victories.

I don't know what's gone wrong recently, but I really want us to resolve it and put in a good performance. We need a good, solid victory to get our confidence and rhythm back. Not these stuttered performances which don't hold up against better sides.
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It's as though they all started off on the same page at the start of the seasons but some of the players read faster than others and now we don't know our heads from our arses. We keep trying to play through the middle but we just don't have the players to do that and our exceptionally good wingers go to waste, I really don't understand it.
 
Red Dreams said:
key is to qualify.

we will do that.

not tooconcerned who we get.

we struggled to qualify in 99 too.

silly mistakes cost us today.

thought we did play well overall.

..and this Young's first game back.

stay positive lads.
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I thought we were good for a 20min period post break, but that's it. I think the younger players are costing us due to a lack of experience...whereas VDS, Rio and Vidic didn't make many mistakes last season.
 
Spoony Youngblood said:
I thought we were good for a 20min period post break, but that's it. I think the younger players are costing us due to a lack of experience...whereas VDS, Rio and Vidic didn't make many mistakes last season.
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Rio hasn't got long left as first choice, his slowing pace is starting to show.
 
Agent Red said:
I don't know what's gone wrong recently, but I really want us to resolve it and put in a good performance. We need a good, solid victory to get our confidence and rhythm back. Not these stuttered performances which don't hold up against better sides.
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I thought tonight was a good performance in some ways and quite enjoyed the game. The last 5 games or so have been awful from us, to the point where England v Sweden was the best game I'd watched (who I support) in that time and its not often England play better than us. :lol:

At least tonight we had something about us and showed we wanted it. We lost out because Benfica worked really hard and put the walls up and all subs tactically fitted into want they wanted, a draw. Some sloppiness and bad fortune is what cost us tonight (aside from silly rotation early on in the group).
 
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