Champions League: A Chaotic Draw in Türkiye

Manchester United traveled to Türkiye last Wednesday for the penultimate match in their Champions League group stage campaign for a match against Galatasaray at Rams Park in Istanbul. It was a positively terrifying atmosphere, with the home support in full throat before, during, and after the match. Foreign clubs can and often do struggle in such a hostile atmosphere, which makes Turkish clubs very difficult to beat when they are at home. United needed 3 points to resuscitate a fairly dead European campaign, while Galatasaray also needed a victory to cement their claim on second place in the group.

The Red Devils got off to a flying start, getting two goals in the opening 20 minutes. Winger Alejandro Garnacho carried on his good form from the weekend and got the first with a high finish from close range, followed by midfielder Bruno Fernandes seven minutes later. Bruno picked up the ball on the left wing outside the box, then took a touch or two before unleashing a screamer of a shot from 20 yards out that Galatasaray keeper Fernando Muslera could do nothing about. The raucous crowd in Istanbul, while still loud, was the quietest it had been all evening.

The Cimbom were undeterred though. Bruno needlessly gave away a free kick in a dangerous area around the 28 minute mark, and United were punished for that recklessness by winger/forward Hakim Ziyech. He hit a low free-kick along the ground that went under the United wall and wrong-footed keeper Andre Onana. Well struck by Ziyech, but Onana likely should have done better to get down and make the save. It was 2-1 at the end of the first 45 minutes though, and United had done well to not concede another before halftime.

Midfielder Scott McTominay got a third goal for United on 55 minutes, and it was the result of well-executed build up from the back by United. After playing the ball through the middle of the pitch, winger Antony dos Santos found right back Aaron Wan-Bissaka on an overlapping run to his right. AWB delivered a beautiful cross into the box that fell right at the feet of the sliding McTominay. He turned the ball in from close range, and restored United’s two goal cushion. 3-1!

Again though, Galatasaray proved they have a great resilience about them. They won another free kick in a dangerous area just 7 minutes after the McTominay goal, similar to the position they had at the opposite end in the first half. Ziyech stepped up to take the free kick again, and he forced Onana to dive to his right to try and make the save. Unfortunately for Onana, the ball somehow ricocheted off his hand backwards and into the net. Ziyech wheeled away in celebration as Rams Park erupted, but this goal was down to Onana completely misjudging the shot and failing to keep it out. It was a pretty bad howler from him, and it continued United’s unfortunate trend of goalkeeping errors leading to opposition goals in the Champions League. More on Onana below.

The home side were galvanized by the mistake, and suddenly started playing with a lot more confidence. They got their equalizer on 71 minutes when winger Kerem Aktürkoğlu buried a fine shot past Onana from just inside the penalty area. He was found by an excellent pass over the top from Ziyech, with the United defense undone. United were guilty of poor marking on this goal, and they perhaps could have done more to stop the build-up from the back. But take nothing away from Ziyech and Aktürkoğlu. It was a goal of quality, and probably deserved from a neutral point of view.

The match ended 3-3, although many in Istanbul would have felt that Galatasaray were the better side and likely should have had a 4th if not for VAR overturning a penalty against United. The home side were particularly better in the second half. I hate to pin this result on one man because football is team sport, but Onana really let the side down in this match. There’s no getting around it. The first goal likely should have been saved, and the second one definitely should have been saved. The defense has really cost us in this group stage campaign. We have conceded 14 goals in these 5 matches, several of which were the fault of Onana. You can’t reasonably pin all the blame on him, but this was a guy that was touted for his ability to play in the Champions League. He was very good for Inter Milan in this tournament last year, helping them to reach the final. But for whatever reason this year, he has not done well. The defense doesn’t help him sometimes, but other times it’s very unclear what Onana is doing between the sticks. That said, he has been very good domestically this season. He is one of the better keepers in the Premier League, but for some reason his play drops significantly in Europe. Despite the bad match today, I still believe in Onana for a variety of reasons and I am sure he will improve.

The draw leaves United’s hopes for qualification to the knockout stages hanging by the proverbial thread. They are rock bottom of Group A on 4 points. They not only need to defeat Bayern Munich at Old Trafford in the final game, they then have to hope for a draw between FC Copenhagen and Galatasaray. Any other result in that match will see the Danish or Turkish side qualify in lieu of United. If United finish third in the group they would qualify for the Europa League, but I personally do not want us to have to participate in that tournament this year. The last thing we need would be more fixtures in far away countries that would most likely end up being meaningless. We need to either crash out completely in 4th, or hope that fortune favors us and we finish 2nd. The Premier League and FA Cup are way more important to me personally this year than the Europa League. My prediction for that final match day? United beats Bayern, but it ultimately doesn’t matter because Galatasaray is going to beat Copenhagen and clinch 2nd place. United will end up in the Europa League thanks to finishing 3rd, much to my would-be chagrin.

Taken as a one-off, this wasn’t a bad result. 3-3 in Istanbul is usually nothing to be ashamed of. But what bothers me the most about this match is that United blew a 2 goal lead twice! They were up 2-0 and then again at 3-1, and at this level of professional football that should be a victory. The good quality goal for Galatasaray to make it 3-3 never should have been anything more than a consolation goal. This team clearly still has issues with mental toughness and resiliency. There have been several occasions both in Europe and domestically where United have blown leads this season, and manager Erik ten Hag needs to sort that out immediately. To be fair, United have seen out their fair share of close victories this season as well, but they seem to crumble when resiliency is needed the most. This current iteration/generation of United players need to learn how to consistently win games, and that will only come with more time and practice at it. They do seem to be getting better about managing leads, but this match was a stark reminder that there is still a ways to go.

United face another difficult test in their next match, a trip to St. James’ Park to play Newcastle on December 2nd in the Prem. This will be a tough match, but also a great opportunity for United to build on their away win at Everton last weekend.

Glazers Out!

Champions League: VAR at the Center of A Controversial Defeat in Denmark

Manchester United traveled to Denmark last Wednesday for a Champions League group stage match against FC Copenhagen at Parken. This was a replay of the match a fortnight ago which United won 1-0 at Old Trafford. The Red Devils needed a victory to get out of 3rd place in the group and help secure progression to the knockout stages.

A full match summary would easily be close to 3000 words given it’s chaotic nature, so I am not going to fully summarize this one. United scored the first two goals via striker Rasmus Højlund, who continued his fine form in the Champions League this season. He hasn’t shown up in the domestic league yet, but he’s been on fire in the Champions League. The game changed however when forward Marcus Rashford was controversially sent off on 42 minutes. The Red Devils showed some signs of mental weakness yet again, and Copenhagen got two goals in quick succession before halftime. More on the decision to send off Rashford (and other suspect referee/VAR decisions) below.

Despite the lads collapsing a little bit at the end of the first half, United took the lead again on 69 minutes when midfielder Bruno Fernandes converted a penalty to give them a 3-2 lead. Unfortunately though, Copenhagen scored again in the 83rd minute to level the score, and then got a winner on 87 minutes. Playing with ten men for over a half probably got to the team towards the end, which may explain the collapse. It was a devastating blow to United’s hopes of moving on to the knockout rounds. They are bottom of Group A with a daunting trip to Turkey to play Galatasaray next, and then they host group leaders Bayern Munich at Old Trafford in the final group game. Needless to say, I am not optimistic.

Now, a couple of things before I dive into the refereeing decisions – there’s no excuse for this team to concede two goals just before half time. Can’t have it. This team is still mentally fragile, and that is something manager Erik ten Hag must work on. The tactics weren’t terrible in this match and United were not aided by the officials, but the defending simply has to improve.

That said, VAR is making this sport unwatchable. It seems like in every match that’s played, there’s at least one controversial decision made by a VAR official that affects the outcome of the match. Rashford’s red card was – simply put – not a red card until the referee was alerted to review it by the VAR official. United’s penalty to give them the lead was also (candidly) not a penalty. And it’s not just United that are getting screwed by VAR, even though it seems like VAR has been overtly harsh on us this season. Mikel Arteta and Jurgen Klopp, managers of Arsenal and Liverpool respectively, have both been publicly critical of this particular instant replay system in recent weeks. Arsenal had a goal given against them against Newcastle that should not have been given due to a foul, which even the Premier League officiating council has since admitted was the wrong decision. There’s a just a laundry list of incidents that have caused a mountain of controversy this season, and the problem is present in all different competitions.

If the goal of VAR was to reduce the controversy of the game and ensure that correct decisions are made, then VAR and the application thereof has failed spectacularly. There’s no clarity in what the standard of proof is, and subjectivity is reigning supreme when subjectivity was supposed to be eliminated altogether. No one knows what a “clear error” is, and no one seems to know how far back VAR officials are looking when it comes to confirming or negating a given referee’s decision.

Perhaps the biggest issue with VAR however is that it has taken the excitement of scoring a goal out of the game. It used to be that as soon as the ball hit the back of the net you could wheel away and celebrate, but not anymore. VAR has made everyone stop and pause. VAR makes everyone wait. You can score, but then you have to wait for the VAR check to happen before you can really celebrate. The unsteady application of the review system has made everyone, particularly United fans, extremely cynical. When Bruno scored the winner last weekend against Fulham, I expected the VAR official to go and find some random rule or incident that would have disallowed the goal. Further, these reviews often take as long as 4 or 5 minutes, which totally kills the momentum and flow of a match. It’s much more difficult to enjoy football with the way VAR is currently done, and that’s going to lead to fewer spectators, which in turn will lead to less money coming in.

It behooves the Prem and other domestic leagues to review their VAR rules and when it is supposed to be applied. There also needs to be a clear standard of proof as to when a referee’s decision should be overturned or confirmed. This problem must be fixed in order to make the sport watchable again. Instant replay is a good idea in general, but of course the actual replays are not the issue. It’s the human application and interpretation of what the replays show. These inconsistencies must be fixed by the powers that be.

As far as United goes, I think they should throw in the towel on Europe this season. I don’t want us in the Europa League, as it will only detract from the remaining domestic campaign. Center back Jonny Evans was also injured at the end of the first half, which makes our back line even thinner than it already was. Well done to Højlund and left back Diogo Dalot for having good matches, but the collective mental collapse after Rashford’s red card was unacceptable. Bad decisions are going to happen with or without VAR, and professional players should be able to cope with that mentally.

United play newly-promoted Luton Town at Old Trafford on Saturday in the Premier League. Last but not least – this is my 350th post on this blog. Thank you all so very much for reading! I hope I have been able to spur your interest in this fantastic sport.

Glazers Out!

Champions League – A Narrow and Nervous Win Over Copenhagen

Manchester United played host to Danish champions FC Copenhagen earlier today at Old Trafford in the Champions League. This was a match between the bottom two teams in Group A, with Copenhagen in third on 1 point and United dead last with zero. The Champions League is the most prestigious club competition in world football, and United are a team that need to be consistently making deep runs in this tournament. That’s the goal, at least. Today, the Red Devils and manager Erik ten Hag just needed three points to pick themselves up off the mat and get back into contention in the group. Only the top two teams from each group advance to the knockout rounds, and United would have a monumental task of getting into those top two spots if they lost today. The same can be said for Copenhagen, who have only been marginally better than United so far in the group.

The match got underway after the laying of a wreath in the center circle and moment’s silence in honor of Sir Bobby Charlton, and it was immaculately observed by both sets of fans. It’s always jarring when 75,000+ people previously being loud suddenly go completely quiet, but it’s the least that can be done for a man of Charlton’s stature. A classy move by the away fans as well to sing his name before the match started.

As has been the case many times this season, the opposition dominated the first half. They struck the left hand post of keeper Andre Onana’s goal around 15 minutes in or so, with the rebound fortunately going out of play. Copenhagen were simply the better side, and they were likely instructed by manager Jacob Neestrup to try and find the early goal. He would have known that United are a mentally fragile side, and that a goal in the opening 20 minutes or so would likely go a long way to getting a good result for his team. United were able to maintain some possession as the half wore on, but it was fairly harmless possession in the sense that we weren’t really doing anything with the ball aside from passing it along the back line. The attack was rather static, and I don’t recall too many real chances for the home side in the opening half. After 45 minutes it was 0-0, a score that suited Copenhagen perfectly well. United would need to find a winner though to keep qualification realistic.

Midfielder Christian Eriksen was brought on at halftime, and the play from United generally improved. Eriksen is very composed on the ball and always knows what pass to play in order to keep possession, which is precisely why he was brought on. United were creating more half-chances here and there, but the final pass or shot would always be just slightly off. Copenhagen weren’t as potent going forward generally speaking, but they still looked very lively when breaking on the counter-attack. The clock was on their side, as well. Every minute that ticked by was one minute closer to them getting a positive result away from home.

The opening goal in this match came on 72 minutes, and it was none other than the much-maligned center back Harry Maguire who delivered it. A cross into the box from a corner by midfielder Bruno Fernandes was only half-cleared by the Copenhagen defense, and the ball was recycled out to Eriksen on the right wing. He delivered a high and arcing cross of his own back into the box, and it found the head of Maguire. He had beaten his marker to get in behind the defense, and he stooped down low to get his head to the ball. The headerhit the ground first, but then bounced up and over Copenhagen keeper Kamil Grabara for 1-0. Maguire wheeled away in celebration, and got a rousing reception from the Stretford End. There was a quick VAR check for offside, but Maguire was deemed to be onside and the goal stood. What a huge goal, both for Maguire and United! He’s put some real shifts in this season, and today was his best. He finally used that massive head of his to it’s full potential. 1-0 to United!

The drama only escalated from there though. Copenhagen struggled to create clear chances in the final 15 minutes or so, but they were temporarily rescued by the referee when they were awarded a penalty in the dying seconds of stoppage time. Midfielder Scott McTominay attempted to clear a bouncing ball with a high boot, and the ref deemed it to be dangerous play. A little soft if you ask me, but I have seen penalties given for less. Forward Jordan Larsson (son of former United striker Henrik Larsson) stepped up to take the penalty. There was a little bit of gamesmanship on this penalty as well. Substitute United winger Alejandro Garnacho (who had missed a clear chance on a breakaway earlier in the match) was seen scuffing up the penalty spot with the bottom of his cleat while several other players were all crowded around the referee to argue the decision. This has become a fairly common practice in world football in recent years, but it can only be done if the referee is distracted and not paying attention.

Still, Larsson had a chance to ruin United’s evening and largely ruin their hopes for qualification if he could bury the penalty. He stepped up and struck it cleanly, only to see Onana beat away the shot with his trailing hand as he dived to the left. The ball bounced away out of play, and the referee blew his whistle immediately afterwards! He had done it! Onana saved the penalty, and United were victorious. Onana was mobbed by his teammates both on the field and on the bench, and it was a massive moment for him personally as well. He’s been guilty of some absolute howlers this season, so for him to make that save was nothing short of monumental. It will be great for his confidence going forward!

Speaking of going forward, the match today felt like the start of something for the club. It wasn’t pretty, but it was a massive three points and huge for the confidences of Maguire and Onana. The Red Devils must capitalize on this momentum, now. Everyone will be feeling very positive about today, and rightfully so. But it means nothing if they come out against Manchester City on Sunday and are flat and tepid again. The players need to believe in themselves. If Maguire and Onana can overcome their frankly poor starts to the season and play like they did today, anyone can.

Self-belief and confidence are important, but so are tactics. I was again unimpressed with the first half display from the team, as I have been many times this season. I know there are a lot of injuries right now, but that does not excuse the poor play from attackers like Bruno, Marcus Rashford, Antony dos Santos, and others. There’s just no creativity on the ball going forward. No one moves around, no one makes runs, and the finishing has been very bad even when they do get the ball into a good position. ETH needs to re-think whatever it is he is telling the players to do, because it isn’t working. We were again saved by moments of individual brilliance today, and that is an unsustainable plan. It’s mind-boggling, because ETH’s tactics and substitutions were so brilliant last season. Have opposing teams figured us out? Is it an issue with effort on the part of the players? Is the plan not being effectively communicated to the team? One can only wonder. I still like ETH’s subs and adjustments for the most part, but the tactical plan at the outset of many matches this season, including this one, leaves a lot to be desired.

United are now third in Group A, just one point off second-place Galatasaray. The matches do not get any easier from here on out for United, though. They have to play away in Denmark and Türkiye still, with the final match of the group having them play host to Bayern Munich. The next two matches in this group will be vital to United qualifying for the second round. Meanwhile, as mentioned above, United have the daunting task of playing City at Old Trafford next Sunday in the Manchester Derby. Any positive result from that match would be welcomed. City are not as good as they were last year, but they still have more than enough firepower to cause United problems.

Glory Glory Man United! Glazers Out!

Manchester United – Showing Signs of Life, Or Is This A False Dawn?

The past two matches have been better for the Red Devils, even if the results are decidedly mixed. They lost 4-3 against Bayern Munich in the Champions League, but have followed that up with a much-needed away win against Burnley in the Premier League.

Losing to Bayern in Germany is usually nothing to be ashamed of, although it was a little embarrassing to be down 3-1 at halftime. Keeper Andre Onana had an absolute howler, which clearly affected his confidence. It would have been only 2-1 though if not for a dubious (at best) penalty awarded to the German side, which striker Harry Kane buried with ease. United were much better in the second half though, and had a legitimate shout at a 3-3 draw thanks to late goals from midfielder Casemiro. Munich perhaps took their foot off the gas pedal a little, but again I felt a 3-3 draw was the result that best reflected this game. It’s never fun to lose, but there was improvement from the lads, and that was a slim silver lining.

But improvement means nothing if you don’t win, and I think the players took that to heart in this match against newly-promoted Burnley at Turf Moor. They won 1-0 today against the Clarets, thanks to a stunning volley from midfielder and club captain Bruno Fernandes on the stroke of halftime. 35 year-old center back Jonny Evans (making his first start for United since 2014) played an excellent aerial ball over the top to Bruno, who had drifted into the box in space. There was a Burnley defender close to him, but his first-time strike of the ball was extremely clean. Burnley keeper James Trafford (what a name!) could do nothing about it as it flew past him and into the far corner of the goal. Evans also had a headed goal disallowed by VAR before setting up Bruno for a goal that would end up being the winner. What a match from the Northern Irishman!

The back four was extremely shaky today, and it was only due to some poor finishing from Burnley that United weren’t down earlier in the half. Again, the second half from United was much better than the first. They defended well, and Burnley looked completely out of ideas for long spells of the second half. Burnley have struggled scoring goals so far this season, which means that United should be keeping them out, and they did. Three points and a clean sheet away from Old Trafford was just the medicine that United needed to begin treating the sickness that’s been ailing the club in recent weeks. A good match also from midfielder Hannibal Mejbri, who needs to be starting for this team due to his work rate and willingness to make strong challenges on the ball. Forward Marcus Rashford and striker Rasmus Højlund showed some signs of chemistry, but they still clearly need more playing time together before they fully click. A clean sheet was good for the confidence of Onana as well.

So while there are signs of improvement, this team is still not playing as well as it could be. The injury issues are still a problem, and they were compounded today by a hamstring injury to new signing Serge Reguilon. That’s three left backs all injured now, in the opening 7 weeks of the season. I would call it rotten luck, but questions need to be asked of United’s medical staff given how often muscle injuries are a problem for us. Fortunately, center back Raphael Varane appears to be on his way back to full fitness, and midfielder Sofyan Amrabat can play as an emergency left back when needed. The attitude and fighting spirit was better from everyone today, but these injuries continue to be a problem. If United can keep grinding out results while the best players recover, they may be alright this season. Here’s to hoping that our squad players step up to the best of their abilities.

So yes, improvement – but the results must be sustained before the pressure begins to really let off. United have back-to-back fixtures against Crystal Palace up next. Both are at Old Trafford luckily, with the first match being in the League Cup and the second in the Prem. I am not super bothered about the League Cup this year since we won it last year, so hopefully it’s a chance to rest the star players. The Prem match, for me, needs to be given a lot more importance by manager Erik ten Hag.

Glory Glory Man United! Glazers Out!

Champions League Final: Manchester City Outlast Inter Milan to Win the European Cup and the Treble

The biggest match in club football each season was played earlier today at Ataturk Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey, and it featured English champions Manchester City versus Italian giants Internazionale Milan. All of the intrigue pre-match was focused on manager Pep Guardiola and City, as they had an opportunity to do something done only once before in English football – winning the Treble (Premier League, FA Cup, and CL/European Cup). City have come agonizingly close to winning Europe’s biggest competition in previous seasons, only to fall short in the final or semifinals. Inter and manager Simone Inzaghi for their part were looking to play spoiler and bring home their first European Cup since 2010. City were heavy favorites coming into the match given how well they have played this season, but there was a bit of a head-scratcher pre-match when Guardiola elected to tinker with his line-up and switch to a back-3 in defense instead of the usual back-4. Guardiola has a reputation for trying to out-think his opponents in final matches, and it has bitten him in the behind before.

It was warm and humid in Istanbul at kick off, and the teams spent the first few minutes feeling each other out. City winger Bernardo Silva had a good chance 8 minutes in when he dribbled into space in the box and lashed a shot wide of the far post. Inter’s defense solidified a bit after that, and City found it hard to create good chances. They didn’t get their next real opportunity until just past the 30 minute mark, when all-world striker Erling Haaland turned his defender and got a shot on goal. The angle was tight however, and Inter keeper André Onana was able to parry it away with his leg. Inter were getting the ball forward decently well themselves, but there was a lack of sharpness from them on the final pass. Too often they were shooting from distance instead of passing.

City were dealt a blow on 36 minutes when star midfielder Kevin de Bruyne was forced off through injury, and a lot of the action stopped too due to his substitution. It was unfortunate for him and a big loss for City, as there are times when de Bruyne is unplayable in the middle of the park. Was this their curse rearing it’s ugly head again? De Bruyne was replaced by midfielder/winger Phil Foden without further tactical adjustment from Guardiola. There weren’t many goal-mouth chances after that though, and it was 0-0 at halftime. Inzaghi was likely the happier of the two managers at the break, as his back-3 defenders Matteo Darmian, Francesco Acerbi, and Alessandro Bastoni had all done very well.

The second half started similar to the first – lots of possession in midfield for both sides but few chances created. Inter striker Lautaro Martinez was put through on goal by a wayward City back-pass, but City keeper Ederson was able to cover and clear the danger. City began another push for a goal shortly after that error though, and they were rewarded for their endeavors on 68 minutes. Center back Manuel Akanji brought the ball towards the edge of the box before slipping a pass through to Silva, although the angle of the ball took him wide to the right of the goal. He hit a cut-back cross towards the middle, but it hit an Inter defender and bounced into space inside the box. City’s defensive midfielder Rodri was on hand to pounce on it, and he side-footed a shot through the bodies in front of him. It was hit low and with a bit of power, and it settled neatly into the corner of the Inter net. Onana had no chance, and City celebrated wildly. The big Spaniard Rodri is not a goal-scorer normally, but he showed great technique with his finish from about 16 yards out.

Inter almost got an immediate response on 71 minutes when wingback Federico Dimarco saw his header hit the cross bar. It bounced right back to him after that, but his second attempt at a header was accidently blocked by substitute Inter striker Romelu Lukaku. Incredibly bad luck for the two of them there. Foden then almost sealed the trophy a few minutes after that with a lovely turn on the edge of the area that put him through on goal. His shot was a little rushed though and he didn’t get power or placement on it, and Onana was able to make a cat-like save down low. Milan then got another brilliant chance for an equalizer, only for the headed effort from Lukaku to be miraculously saved by Ederson from a scant five yards out. Replays showed that this was again nothing but dumb luck for City. Ederson completely missed the ball with his hands, but his left leg just so happened to be in the way and the ball went out for a corner. How it didn’t go in for Lukaku, I will never know.

Ederson was required to make one final save from a header after a corner deep into stoppage time, but that was the final action of the match. The whistle blew after 5+ minutes of stoppage time and City won their first European Cup in their history. They were probably the better team on the day, so from a pure footballing standpoint no one claim that they stole it or got outplayed. Congratulations to the individual players, particularly their English ones (Foden, winger Jack Grealish, and center back John Stones). The fact that they can lose a player like de Bruyne in the first half and not really miss him shows just how loaded with talent this team is.

But how did they accumulate all this talent? How did City assemble such a dominant roster? Well they have a ton of money for one, as they are owned by the government of Kuwait, a small but oil-rich nation in the Middle East. They have spent billions of pounds on this team, and the European Cup is the biggest reward possible for that investment. Many big clubs in England and across Europe have a ton of money though, so it’s not really their financial value I take issue with.

For me, there will always be an asterisk next to this trophy and every other trophy won by this current iteration of Manchester City. They are currently under investigation by the English FA and UEFA for 115 separate violations of the Financial Fair Play laws, meaning that it’s possible (even likely) they broke numerous rules on buying and paying their various players. No one dressed in sky blue will care about that today, but it is something worth considering for the neutral. The Premier League must punish City for these violations, otherwise it sends the message that whoever has the most money is going to win the big trophies. That might be fine for other sports, but such blatant rule violations from a nation-state backed club are an affront to the traditions of the game. However, City are just as good in the legal department as they are on the pitch. They have an army of lawyers that will fight these charges and allegations, and it’s possible that they may get away with committing these violations unpenalized. The various governing bodies of European football really need to look at their Financial Fair Play rules and actually enforce them with points deductions and the taking away of trophies if they want to prevent this sort of thing from happening. They can’t just fine a club and expect behavior to change. Issuing a fine to a club like City is laughable. They’ll just pay it and then carry on doing what they were doing!

So not a classic match in terms of drama, but still a decent game of football to end the season on. Inter fought until the bitter end. Credit to Guardiola and his players, but that is where the credit stops. And no matter how many Trebles City win, Manchester United will always be the first one to do it. We also did it without the backing of an oil state, and mostly with academy players!

Premier League: United Flatten Chelsea and Qualify for the Champions League!

Manchester United played host to London side Chelsea FC in the penultimate match of the Premier League season earlier today at Old Trafford. United and manager Erik ten Hag knew they needed just one point from this match in order to finish in the top-4 and qualify for the Champions League next season. Contrarily, Chelsea and interim manager Frank Lampard came into the match with very little to play for. It has been an absolutely dismal season by their illustrious standards, as they find themselves in the bottom of half of the table and floundering in 12th place. Lampard fielded an exceptionally young side for this match, probably in an attempt to get some of the younger players experienced going into next year. Given that United have been nearly unbeatable at the Theatre of Dreams this season, most expected the Red Devils to get the result needed and seal the last available CL spot.

The first half was an odd one, but nevertheless overall positive for United. They got the first goal just 6 minutes in, thanks to a well-placed header from midfielder Casemiro. United won a free kick on the left wing, which was played into the box by fellow midfielder Christian Eriksen. No one was near Casemiro when he got his head to it, and after a quick VAR check for offside the goal was permitted to stand. Chelsea keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga had no chance. It wasn’t a technically complicated goal, just poor marking by the Chelsea defense and a good quality ball over the top by Eriksen. Casemiro has now scored in consecutive matches, while also rediscovering some of his magnificent form in his role as a defensive midfielder from earlier in the season.

Chelsea dominated the next 30-35 minutes after that though. They created a litany of chances, but I have to sit back and laugh at their comically poor finishing during this period of the match. Several players missed gilt-edged chances, including winger Mykhailo Mudryk and striker Kai Havertz. Chelsea were doing extremely well to get the ball forward and at getting it into dangerous areas, but they really should have finished some of their chances. They were doing everything right in terms of opening up the United defense, but they couldn’t hit the back of the net to save their lives! This period of play was a microcosm of Chelsea’s awful season: good play in the build-up and chance creation, but atrocious finishing. There was another concern for United when winger Antony dos Santos went down injured after a fairly innocuous-looking challenge, and he was stretchered off and replaced by striker Marcus Rashford. Well wishes to Antony on a speedy recovery.

The Blues’ misery was further compounded however deep in first half stoppage time. Casemiro brought the ball forward and played a sensational no-look, chipped pass out to his right and into the feet of winger Jadon Sancho. Sancho was in a bit of space and looked like he might shoot, but he wisely played it across to the unmarked striker Anthony Martial who tapped in for 2-0 with Kepa stranded. An excellent passing move that was truly against the run of play! Well done to Casemiro and Martial, but special credit to Sancho for making the right decision. He has consistently had struggles with making the right decision at the right time this season, as he usually dawdles on the ball and the chance goes begging. This time though he got it exactly right! 2-0 United at half time, with Chelsea likely demoralized given their opportunities to score.

The second half was much more dominant from United. Midfielder Bruno Fernandes went close first, striking the angle of the crossbar/post after center back Victor Lindelof did well to win the ball high up the pitch. Chelsea were not strong on the ball, but they did well to keep United from scoring again for about 30 minutes or so. However, United did get the decisive 3rd goal on 73 minutes from the penalty spot. Bruno was dancing on the left side of the penalty box, and he beat Chelsea right back Wesley Fofana with a nutmeg. Fofana then stuck a leg out though and tripped Bruno, and of course Bruno went down as if he’d been shot. Referee Stuart Atwell pointed to the spot, and there wasn’t much complaining from the Chelsea players. Bruno stepped up and sent Kepa the wrong way with a low finish to his right. 3-0, and United were now confidently on their way to the top-4!

They weren’t finished however! Just 5 minutes later, Fofana played a ball across his own box that was wayward, and it allowed Bruno to pounce on the ball. He crossed it back towards Rashford in the center of the area, and his touch took it past the last Chelsea defender. Kepa did well to stick out his left leg and save the initial shot, but the rebound fell straight to Rashford. He took it around Kepa with ease and had a tap-in from about a yard out. 4-0! Utter domination in the second half and a thorough beat down of a (usually) competitive rival. A special shoutout to Rashford on scoring his 30th goal in all competitions this season! He is the first United player with a 30 goal season since Robin Van Persie exactly ten years ago.

Chelsea got a consolation goal on 89 minutes from forward João Félix after a fine run and finish which ruined keeper David De Gea’s clean sheet, but it was nothing more than a consolation. This was United’s day through and through. Realistically they could have have had 5 or 6 goals today. Substitute winger Alejandro Garnacho struck the crossbar late on, and substitute midfielder Scott McTominay had a close-range effort saved by Kepa in stoppage time. Atwell blew his whistle shortly after that and United were through to the Champions League next season!

United also moved into 3rd place for the time being, two points ahead of 4th placed Newcastle. There is still one match to play for all teams on Sunday, but the heavy lifting has now been done. 5th-placed Liverpool can no longer mathematically catch them, and the Scousers can look forward to spending their Thursday nights playing in the Europa League next season. It would be nice if United beat Fulham in their remaining match next Sunday to lock up 3rd place, but 3rd vs. 4th matters little in this context. Top-4 was the goal for ETH and the lads at the beginning of the season, and they’ve locked it up with a match to spare. The club can look forward to the revenue generated from these European matches, along with being more easily able to attract top-level talent in the summer. Given how this season started for United with consecutive losses, to be where we are is nothing short of a magnificent achievement for this manager and group of players.

United’s final match of the season is not until June 3rd when they play in the FA Cup Final against Manchester City at Wembley. Due to the importance of the fixture, it will be interesting to see how ETH manages the last Prem game on Sunday. Fulham have naught to play for similar to United, so will he rest all of his usual starters? Will he keep them out there to continue momentum? Either way, the match against City will be extraordinarily difficult. United and Inter Milan are the only two clubs standing between them and the Treble.

I will do a match report for Fulham and the FA Cup Final, and I think I will do another post about the prospective sale of the club early on in the close season. This season is already much, much better than the last one though. Thank you, Mr. Erik ten Hag and his coaching staff!

Glory Glory Man United! Glazers Out!

World Cup Quarterfinals: Croatia and Argentina Progress on a Wild Day

Now more than ever we must remember that FIFA is a corrupt cartel and Qatar is exploiting that greed for their own benefit.

On the pitch, it was an absolutely brilliant day. Both matches went to extra time, and both matches went to penalties! Days like today are what make the World Cup so special.

Brazil vs. Croatia

This was the early match of the day, and it got underway at a rather slow pace in the opening 20 minutes or so. Neither team was really willing to take the risk of sending men forward. Each team had half-chances, but at half time it was 0-0 and unfortunately a little on the tepid side of things.

Brazil kicked into gear a little more after the resumption of play, and they began to display the talent they have in attack. Keeper Dominik Livaković was called into action early and often, with his save from a deflected clearance on 46 minutes where he effectively did the splits to keep the ball out among the highlights. Striker Neymar was then denied from close range by a last-ditch block. Livaković then denied Neymar again with a save from close range at a tight angle on 55 minutes. Attacking midfielder Lucas Paqueta was also denied from close range by Livaković just 10 minutes later. Every time Brazil came close to scoring, it seemed like the big keeper was always in the way. Croatia would have the occasional spell of possession here and there, but they failed to register a shot on goal in the opening 90 minutes. They have their Dynamo Zagreb-based keeper to thank for getting them through that very one-sided second half. He made a stunning 8 saves in 90 minutes.

At 0-0 though an additional 30 minutes would be needed to sort out the winner. Croatia got the first half-chance but saw a shot blazed over the bar from a good position. Brazil then forged themselves ahead on 105+1 minutes thanks to a brilliant team goal orchestrated by Neymar. He played a quick succession of 1-2 passes with two Brazilian teammates very rapidly, all while continuing a run forward into the box. The touch passes in the build-up were sublime. Neymar almost lost possession right at the end from a Croatian tackle less than 5 yards from goal, but the ball fell to him again. He took a touch to get around the onrushing Livaković, and then blasted it into the roof of the net! It was s spectacular passing move, and it saw Neymar equal the scoring record of the legendary Pelé, both of whom have now scored 77 goals for Brazil. An amazing goal and amazing achievement from an amazing player that was worthy of being the match winner!

But someone forgot to ask Croatia how they felt about that. Interestingly, despite be 1-0 to the good, Brazil kept sending men forward. I know attack is their philosophy and scoring goals is something they take very seriously, but it was curious that they were leaving themselves exposed at the back to such a high degree. Croatia noticed the tactic as well, and they got their equalizer on 117 minutes on a classic counter-attack. The ball was brought forward through midfield rather easily, as Brazil had four men still standing in Croatia’s box. It was played out to the left to winger Mislav Oršić, who dribbled the ball into the box before playing a cross along the ground just inside Brazil’s 18 yard box. Brazil then failed to pick up the late run of striker Bruno Petković. He was mostly unmarked and hit the ball first time, seeming to hit the ball into the ground slightly. It took an awkward bounce and settled into the corner of the goal, with the diving keeper Alisson beaten. It took Croatia 117 minutes to get a shot on target, but they scored with their very first one! It was absolute bedlam inside the stadium. The Brazilians were in shock.

The final whistle blew without too many further incidents, as both teams were utterly spent. A penalty shootout would decide this one. Going into it I was concerned about Brazil’s mentality, having had the game won and then conceding so late. You have to think it affected them, as they lost 4-2 in the shootout. Livakovic further cemented his national hero status with a save, and another penalty from Brazil came back off the post to seal it for Croatia. For their part, Croatia’s penalties were all very good. All of them hit with power and placement, just like they probably practiced them. These Croatians are stone cold assassins! Incredibly strong team mentality.

This will go down as an upset in the history books, and Brazil will be a nation in mourning for at least a week. This was a prime opportunity for them to win the whole tournament, given all the talent they have. They had the match won, but overly aggressive tactics and tired legs let Croatia back into it. All credit to the Croatians for showing resolve and determination. And how about the story of two Dinamo Zagreb players being heroes on the day? Given that this team has players in England, Spain, and Italy, I think it’s great that the men who effectively won the match for them still play in Croatia. Livaković will be tempted by lucrative offers from the bigger leagues very soon though, no doubt.

Croatia in the semifinals of the World Cup for the second straight tournament! Underestimate this lot at your own peril.

Netherlands vs. Argentina

It was going to be hard for this match to top the dramatics of the first one, but it did.

This match was also somewhat tepid for the opening 30 minutes or so, with both teams making runs at the opposite defenses, but nothing really came of them. Both defenses were holding firm. The match sprung to life on 35 minutes though when the Argentines went ahead via right back Nahuel Molina. I don’t want to bury the lede though, as this goal was crafted purely by the genius of attacking midfielder Lionel Messi. He is the greatest player of all time for a variety of reasons, and everyone knows about his dribbling and goal-scoring abilities. But today he displayed a tactical and positional awareness not possessed by many others in this sport. He was moving with the ball in midfield running kind of diagonally towards the Dutch goal, about 45 yards away from it. He – somehow – spotted the run of Molina into the area, after which he played one of the best passes I have ever seen directly into his feet. Molina took a touch and beat the onrushing Dutch keeper Andries Noppert to the ball and slotted it home for 1-0. Good composure on the finish for sure, but Messi didn’t even look up for the pass! His head was down the whole time! He just seemed to know that Molina was there, and he pulled off a minor miracle to get the ball through the sea of legs in between the two of them. Simply sublime from Messi the magician. It was 1-0 at halftime and the Albiceleste were good value for their lead.

The second half quickly began trending in favor of Argentina as well. They were simply the more confident side now that they had a lead. They more or less controlled the game while the Dutch were limited to half-chances on counter-attacks. Argentina got their second goal from the penalty spot thanks to Messi, after Dutch wingback Denzel Dumfries was adjudged to have fouled left back Marcos Acuña on the very edge of the box. The contact was light, but it was there and of course Acuña went down like he’d been punched in the face. The ref pointed to the spot, and Messi dispatched it rather simply. At 2-0 on 73 minutes, it felt as if the South Americans were in cruise control for the quarterfinals.

But Dutch manager Louis Van Gaal knew a change was needed, and he had been making subs throughout to try and conjure up a goal. But the wily old manager had a few more tricks up his sleeve. He brought on striker Wout Weghorst, a 6’6” giant of a man, and Van Gaal told him to play as a forward destroyer. His job was to simply outjump the diminutive Argentine center backs and knock the ball down to teammates in the penalty box. It was a roll of the dice but 2-0 down the Dutch had nothing to lose. They began to throw men forward in large numbers, and it payed off on 83 minutes when Weghorst found the back of the net himself with a flicked header! The cross from the right was a good one, and Weghorst showed great technique to use the muscles in his neck to flick the ball into the far corner past keeper Emilio Martinez. It was poor marking from Argentina, but game on nevertheless!

Now this is where the match started getting out of hand. It had been a physical match, and Spanish referee Mateu Lahoz had been doling out the yellow cards left and right. The physical nature of the match had led to some tempers flaring over the course of the game, but things really kicked off when midfielder Leandro Paredes cleared the ball forcefully and directly into the Dutch bench. The Dutch substitute players and coaching staff stormed the field, and it seemed like we were about to have a massive brawl on our hands. There was some pushing and shoving, but cooler heads prevailed and several more players were shown yellow cards. What was odd though was the lack of a red for Paredes. Lahoz really should not have left him on the pitch. There were also some very questionable tackles put in by players already on yellow cards, none of which were enforced by Lahoz. Overall, he really did a poor job with this match. His only saving grace is that he got so many things wrong for both teams that they almost cancelled each other out. Paredes really should have been off the pitch, though.

I tell you all of this because it led to a whopping 10 minutes of stoppage time at the end of the 90, and the Dutch got their equalizer right as that 10 minutes was expiring. It came from a well-worked set piece, and it is the closest thing you will ever see to a buzzer beater in this sport. The Dutch won a free kick just outside the Argentine penalty area, and it was taken by midfielder Teun Koopmeiners. Everyone expected him to shoot due to the advantageous position of the ball, but he instead played a short pass forward into the feet of Weghorst, who had positioned himself next to the wall of Argentine defenders. He took a touch and used his size to hold off his marker before slotting home from about 7 yards out past a bewildered Martinez in goal. Ecstasy for the Dutch, agony for Argentina. Just like their South American counterparts earlier, they had the match won but let the opposition back in it. The goal was scored at the 101 minute mark! And it took a fair bit of…let’s say gumption and gall to attempt something like that at this stage. Van “Gall”, as it were. Credit to Van Gaal and his players for being prepared for the situation. The whistle blew shortly after the re-start and we were headed to extra time!

The first 15 minutes of it was uneventful, aside from each manager making substitutions in the event of penalties. Argentina crafted some half-chances in the second half of extra time, but this match was always heading to penalties. And what a shoot-out it was! Argentina went ahead 3-1, but then the Dutch managed to tie it up at 3-3. The Dutch then missed again however, and then striker Lautaro Martinez buried home the 4th and winning penalty for his side. Heart attack after heart attack in both these matches. A sad day for the Dutch, but their team is mostly pretty young still and they will be even stronger for having gone through this. But ultimately it was Messi’s day, and his last World Cup marches on.

Semifinals: Argentina vs. Croatia – Tuesday December 13th, 11 AM PST

Real Madrid Crowned Champions of Europe in Paris

The Super Bowl of Europe happened today, and it featured two giants of the game in Liverpool FC and Real Madrid CF at the Stade de France in a rematch of the 2018 final. Liverpool were looking to add a 7th European Cup to their trophy cabinet and take some revenge from losing that 2018 final, while Madrid were looking to win it for an amazing 14th time. It was a lovely evening in Paris weather-wise, although the match was marred by ineptitude from UEFA and stadium officials who couldn’t figure out how to get fans in the queues into their seats. The delay of about 36 minutes probably impacted the match one way or another, and for UEFA to blame it on fans arriving late was nothing but comical. It is positive that there were no major issues with violence, but seeing fans tear gassed and maced just for trying to get in when they had a ticket to do so is a disgrace.

A lot of the pre-match talk centered on how each team would play the game from a tactical perspective, and it was agreed by most of the talking heads on television that Liverpool would probably be the more adventurous and attacking side, while Madrid would try to hold on as best they could and try to steal a goal when the chance presented itself. There was also concern from a Liverpool perspective about fatigue and injuries, given that they have played a whopping 63 games this season and also had to play their starters more frequently in the past few weeks than Madrid did.

And indeed, the first 40 minutes or so carried the theme of Liverpool domination with the Madridistas doing just enough to keep them out. All-world forwards Sadio Mané and Mohamed Salah had good chances to take the lead, but the massive Belgian goalkeeper between the posts for Los Blancos had other ideas. Thibaut Courtois produced several fine saves in the first half that kept Liverpool at arm’s length while the Madrid forwards were struggling to get on the ball and create chances.

Some major controversy came just before halftime though, when Madrid striker Karim Benzema put the ball in the back of the net from about 6 yards out after Liverpool failed to properly clear the ball. Benzema appeared to have scored a good goal, but it was ruled out for offside. After a lengthy VAR check, it was determined that Benzema was offside. It is true that he was in an offside position, as there was only one man between him the goal when the ball rolled to him. However, Benzema’s position wasn’t the issue. The key question was whether or not the ball to him came from a deliberate move by a Liverpool player. Replays showed the ball ricocheting to Benzema after a collision of Liverpool defenders in the box, and the VAR official determined that ricochet to be unintentional. The goal was ruled out, despite some serious dissention from the public and the match pundits. The first 45 minutes then finished 0-0 without further incident.

The second half kind of went much like the first as things got back underway. Madrid grew into the game a little bit, but it was still mostly Liverpool asking all the questions. That changed on 59 minutes when Real drew first blood, with the help of a bit of good fortune. Madrid winger Federico Valverde was allowed to run into the box by the Liverpool defense, and he fired what appeared to be a shot towards the goal low and powerful along the ground. His shot went wide though, but luckily it went straight into the path of young Brazilian forward/winger Vinicius Jr. Vinicius had beaten his marker and was open at the far post, and he simply re-directed Valverde’s driven shot into the goal, with Liverpool keeper Alisson unable to do anything about it. Seemingly from nothing, Madrid were ahead 1-0. Liverpool right back Trent Alexander-Arnold can probably be apportioned a good deal of fault, as he was the one caught out of position and napping when Vinicius darted past him. Such is the risk of playing TAA at right back – he is an excellent attacking player but can suffer from defensive lapses at very inopportune moments.

Liverpool kept at it though, with wave after wave of red attacks repeatedly crashing against a white wall of Madrid defenders. Courtois continued his domination from the first half well into the second as well. It must be said that even though Madrid defended well today, Liverpool probably should have done better with some of the chances they had. Salah in particular was guilty of missing some shots that he would normally put away, most glaringly when he had a breakaway down the right side but couldn’t get the ball past Courtois at the near post. It was a tense and nervy final 30 minutes, but Liverpool ultimately could not fashion an equalizer. The final whistle blew and Madrid won 1-0.

From a neutral perspective it was a good final, but it does feel like Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp played directly into the hands of Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti’s tactics. Madrid midfielder Casemiro was given the liberty to drop back into defense when needed, which created a back-5 for Madrid that was incredibly difficult to break down. It seemed like the Scousers were relying on winger/forward Luis Diaz to win his battles with Madrid right back Dani Carvajal and create chances from the left wing, but Diaz (and his eventual replacement Diogo Jota) were pocketed by Carvajal the whole evening. Combine that with a goalkeeping masterclass from Courtois, and you get a team that was very difficult to score against.

Congrats to Real Madrid on winning their record 14th European Cup and completing a Double, as they had already won La Liga this season. A case could be made for Carvajal to be Man of the Match, but realistically it has to go to Courtois. He made an incredible nine (9) saves today, the most in a CL Final since 2003-04. Without him, Madrid probably lose this match. A big day from the bulky Belgian!

Gonna take a second to laugh at Liverpool too. Yes they had a much better season than Man United so I can’t laugh too hard, but there is an element of schadenfreude in seeing them lose. A month ago the Scousers were singing songs about winning the Quadruple, only for them to finish the season with two domestic cup trophies. They lost to Madrid today and couldn’t wrestle the Premier League title away from Man City, which is funny to anyone who hates them. I guess sometimes you do have to walk alone.

Only one club football match left now, the Championship Playoff final at Wembley tomorrow between Nottingham Forest and Huddersfield Town. Very much hoping Forest can win and secure promotion to the Prem. After that is done though, the club season is over and all attention turns to the UEFA Nations League, with England set to play four matches during the month of June. There will be posts for all those matches of course, and I still will be addressing the situation with the World Cup in Qatar coming this fall/early winter.

High Drama on the Premier League Final Day

Going into the final matchday of the Premier League season, there were plenty of important positions in the league table to be decided. First and foremost among them were who would win the Premier League title. Mathematically, only Liverpool or Manchester City could win it. City were ahead by a point, meaning that Liverpool had to get a better result against Wolverhampton Wanderers than City in their match against Aston Villa. In a coincidental twist, former Liverpool captain and King Scouser himself Steven Gerrard could help his old club win the title today as manager of Aston Villa. There was also a final Champions League place to be decided between Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur, and the final relegation spot hadn’t been decided either. Leeds United were looking to stay up at the expense of Burnley.

Tottenham ended up shellacking Norwich, with striker Son Heung-min solidifying his position as the Golden Boot winner, earned by scoring the most goals in a Premier League season. Arsenal did win as well, but it didn’t matter as they had to better the result from Tottenham. Tottenham will be in the Champions League next season, with Arsenal in the Europa League. Leeds were also able to snatch a late winner in their match, relegating Burnley to the Championship after their loss to Newcastle. Man United supporters would have preferred Leeds to go down given the bitter rivalry between the clubs, but United are in no position to gloat. Their largely inconsequential match against Crystal Palace ended 1-0 in favor of Palace, with new manager Erik ten Hag in attendance. United did end up qualifying for the Europa Conference League next season, which no one is really thrilled about given it’s the least important European tournament. It almost would have been better to have no European football next season. Ten Hag’s facial expressions in the stands during the match tell the whole story – he knows he’s got a mountain of work to do.

But the highest of the high drama was centered on the title race. It’s always thrilling when it comes down to the final matchday of the season, and today was no exception. City conceded two goals to Aston Villa, while Liverpool were held to a 1-1 score line for most of their match. Had Liverpool scored at that moment (around the 65 minute mark in both matches) they would have been in the driver’s seat for the title. But never count out City’s talent. They scored three goals in 5 minutes to take a 3-2 lead over Villa, with German midfielder Ilkay Gundogan being the main spark in the attack. Liverpool then went ahead against Wolves via Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson, but City were able to hold on to the ball effectively and Villa never got another sniff of the goal. With both clubs getting a win, City won the title by precisely 1 point. Not the narrowest margin of all time, but it certainly does not get much tighter than that.

City’s title-clinching win means that Liverpool will not be the first English club to win the Quadruple (all four major trophies in the same season), and that is important because Liverpool fans would have been insufferable had they done so. No one in the red half of Manchester wants City to win the Prem, but at this point they are the lesser of two evils. I’d rather see the trophy at the bottom of the North Sea than in the hands of the Scousers. Congrats to manager Pep Guardiola and City, I suppose.

But today was great stuff. The Premier League always brings the drama, and it’s great for the growth of the English game on a world-wide scale. We have a title winner, all European places decided, and three teams have been relegated. The final issue to be decided (domestically at least) is which three teams will be promoted to replace the relegated Norwich, Watford, and Burnley. We know that Fulham and Bournemouth will be two of the teams promoted, but on May 29 the playoff final between Huddersfield Town and Nottingham Forest will determine that coveted third promotion spot. Whoever wins will not only earn the prestige of playing in the Prem, but also close to £150 million in TV revenue for the club.

Liverpool also have one more match to play, the Champions League final against Real Madrid in Paris on May 28. Should be a tasty match, given the attacking talents and their respective European pedigrees. On that day, all United supporters will be Madridistas for about 2 hours or so. I will have posts both for that match and the playoff final!

United Crash Out of Champions League

Manchester United played host to Spanish side Atletico Madrid earlier today at Old Trafford, in the 2nd leg of their Round of 16 tie in the Champions League. United were in with a decent shout to win this tie thanks to Anthony Elanga’s late equalizer in Spain three weeks ago in the first leg, but it truly was finely poised. Atletico are an experienced side in the CL, and their tactics are a reflection of their colorful manager, Diego Simeone. In previous seasons, United would have had a larger advantage coming into this tie. The previously-observed away goals rule would have given United the edge thanks to their goal in Spain, and they could have played for a 0-0 draw with Atletico forced to attack. This season however, UEFA (in its infinite wisdom) has done away with the away goals rule. Their goal seems to be to force more extra time and possibly penalty scenarios, probably because it will allow UEFA to squeeze even more ad money out of their cash cow.

Anyway, the match started brightly for United. They looked to be full of energy and confidence on the ball, and Atletico seemed to be a little unsure of themselves. The first half hour for United was by far their best spell of the game. Brazilian midfielder Fred was playing extremely well, causing all kinds of problems for Atletico with all his flicks and tricks in advanced positions. United were denied one of their best chances all match when Elanga attempted to tap-in a fast cross from point blank range, only to be unluckily denied by the face of Atletico keeper Jan Oblak. Nine times out of ten, Elanga scores on this chance. Oblak’s head was just in the right place at the right time, and his face kept the ball out. Ouch for Oblak, but they were lucky to not be behind early on.

Atletico grew into the match after the half hour mark though, and they started seeing a lot more of the ball. A warning shot was fired at United when Atletico had the ball in the net via forward Joao Felix, but it was correctly called back for offside. United’s back four were torn apart fairly easily though, and there was much more tension around the ground all of a sudden. Atletico did find the all-important first goal on 41 minutes, when a cross over the top from striker Antoine Griezmann found left back Renan Lodi unmarked at the back post. He had a free header, and he buried it past United keeper David De Gea. Atletico players all ran around to celebrate, but the United players were arguing with Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic that the goal should be ruled out for fouls in the buildup. The replays did appear to show fouls on both Elanga and Fred in the build-up to their goal, but curiously the goal was allowed to stand. United’s back four were ripped apart too easily though, with center back Harry Maguire at the center of the action for the wrong reasons yet again. Atletico went into the halftime break with a lead, and you could tell the United players were feeling deflated.

The second half did not bring much improvement for United. Atletico are a side that are well-drilled defensively, and soaking up pressure while clearing crosses is their favorite thing to do. Atletico are also well-versed in the art of shithousery, and it was on full display today. They start time wasting during free kicks, throw ins, and corners. They pretend to be injured for longer than is necessary. They start talking shit and messing with the heads of the opposition. All of these tactics might come across as gamesmanship or outright cheating, but it’s an art form perfected by Simeone when he was a player (ask David Beckham) and he has instilled it into his players.

Shithousery tactics are incredibly effective when the referee allows a team to get away with all of that, as Vincic did today. My regular readers know that I am not normally one to blame the referee in a losing effort. At the professional level, a team can always overcome poor officiating in most situations by simply playing better than they had been playing. But today this referee was absolutely horrific. Atrocious, terrible, and downright bad. His decision making and frankly up odd behavior got worse as the match went on. Blatant foul after blatant foul wasn’t called, and it allowed Atletico to do what they do best – frustrate and annoy the opposition into submission. When a foul was called, he failed to administer yellow cards when needed. There was even a moment where he appeared to be simply watching the match instead of officiating it – when the ball went out of play behind United’s goal and he didn’t call it. He also oddly booked United’s technical director Darren Fletcher shortly after missing the ball going out of play, and sprinted 40 yards across the field to deliver the booking to the United coach. Why? Unclear.

Perhaps most frustrating however was when United had the ball in a good attacking area, only for Vincic to stop play due to an ankle injury on an Atletico player. He is not required to stop play at all there, and most referees will let play go on in that scenario. More egregiously, United right back Diogo Dalot went down after a clear blow to the head from an Atletico player, and Vincic failed to 1) call a foul and 2) stop the match for treatment. Dalot was on the ground, holding his head. The ref is required by player safety rules to stop play for head injuries, and it was obvious Dalot had suffered one. What on earth was this referee doing officiating in the knockout rounds of the CL? The occasion looked way too big for him and his odd calls/behavior are indicative of that.

Center back Raphael Varane had United’s best chance of the half, when his header from an Alex Telles free kick was saved by Oblak. Varane got good contact with the ball and the shot was on target, but Oblak got a strong left hand up and palmed it away. Rangnick tried bringing on the likes of Paul Pogba, Marcus Rashford, Nemanja Matic, and Juan Mata to try and find an equalizer, but no one was really able to contribute. Rashford in particular was once again poor. It gives me no pleasure to slag off England players like Rashford and Maguire, but a spade must be called a spade. Rashford lost possession numerous times, and his crosses into the box were easily blocked by his marker on most occasions. I don’t know what’s wrong with the both of them, to be honest. They were both great last season, had a good Euros tournament and a good start to this season, but somewhere along the way they both seem to have lost confidence in their game. Confidence is so important at this level. The opposition can smell self-doubt from a mile away. You have to believe in yourself, or no one else will. It should be noted that star forward Cristiano Ronaldo was largely missing from the proceedings today as well. I don’t recall a single instance where he was on the ball in a forward/attacking position.

Anyway, United are out of the CL cuz of a lack of creativity, Atletico shithousery, and an absolutely shambolic display of refereeing. United were knocked out of the League Cup early, they are out of the FA Cup, they have no chance of winning the Premier League (and face a stern challenge to finish top-4), and now the CL is gone. It’s going to be another trophy-less season in the red half of Manchester, and that is a dour thought indeed. The players we have don’t try consistently, the manager’s tactics are coming into question along with his lack of adaptability, and we seem to be in need of yet another clearing out/rebuild. Whoever United bring in as permanent manager, he will have a mountain of work to do.