Oh that was good. Best game of football I've seen in ages. Besides which this
is easily Utd's best pre-season tour for years -- the games have enough to them
to make it worthwhile as a footballing exercise, as well as the usual marketing
trip. The team is playing so well besides although I'm hoping they haven't
peaked too early -- will a good start mean a flat midseason run? Hope not.
Utd's starting lineup (4-4-1-1):
Tim Howard
Phil Rio JO'S Quinton
OGS Keane JSV Giggs
Scholes
RVN
Later subs: Bellion came on for RVN; Forlan for Scholes; Pugh for a limping
Quinton; Fletcher for JSV; Phil was also taken off injured and replaced by
Butty -- so Keane dropped back to centrehalf and JO'S to right fullback and
finally Ole got cramp after scoring his goal and was replaced by Richardson.
First half featured some superb play from Utd and they were cutting Juve apart
and carving out more chances. Veron and Scholes in particular were linking up
and a goal looked like coming at any time. However the half's only goal came
form a supoib (note my NY accent) Giggsy freekick from just outside the box.
Both Ryan and JSV lined up over it but Giggsy curled it left footed, over the
only guy in the four-man wall not to jump, and into the near top corner past a
scrmbling Buffon. Who needs Beckman? We don't... ;) Davids was their best
player by far and the only real threat (wonder how much it'd cost to prise him
away from Juve?)
Second half was much the same until Juve made 6 subs at once (they'd almost
stopped running altogther on the pitch by then) after Utd grabbed their third
through Ruud. After that Juve fought their way back into it with Nedved in
particular causing Utd all sorts of problems through his running and eventually
they scored. Game got really stretched at this point as was end to end stuff.
Great game to watch with both sides looking likely. Quinton and Phil both went
off with strains. Ole scored a fourth to kill off the Juve revival and the
game was fairly even till the final whistle.
Goals:
1-0 - Giggs with a left footed freekick after Veron got dropped.
2-0 - Ole took it in and drew both their central defenders before laying it off
for Scholes with a shot from the middle of the area.
3-0 - The wondergoal; Veron takes it towards the corner of the penalty area
before quickly flicking it up and in a loop for Ruud to chest down and hammer
past the keeper. I'm going to wear out the tape re-watching this one.
3-1 - Nedved in a neat little interplay on the edge of the box gets it back in
a tight spot and culring it past little Timmy Howard.
4-1 - Diego get the ball on the right and splays it all the way across the
field straight to Ole who stretches out and pokes it past the keeper 9injuring
himself in the process).
Notes: Attendance was 79,000 at Giants Stadium. Fans were awesome and very
noisy (cops appeared amused by the noise levels at least). Fergie was
interviewed after the match the reckoned it was the spongy pitch causing the
strains and cramp. Who was the Fox Sport commentator who looked like a mafia
don? -- he seemed to be a major Juve fan.
Player comments:
Tim Howard: oh he's bound to remember this debut... several excellent reflex
saves including a few where he had to scramble on a second attempt. Looked
very positive and very very confident in goal. Has the Schmikes-like imposing
presence when 1v1. Also has a continental style tendency to bat the ball away
rather than catch it which isn't so good but who can complain. Assuming
Fabien's now surplus to requirement Utd's got a hell of a job keeping howard,
Carroll and Ricardo happy. All three have looked very good on this tour. Tim's
got the nod so far becuase he's had more to do in this game.
Phil Nev: solid as ever in defence, including some really huge rattling
tackles. Looked good going forward and linked up well enough with Ole to
terrorise their left side constantly.
Rio: very solid and commanding. Shades of Jaap and Pally rolled into one.
Never caught out of position, never gets caught ball watching and is always
moving.
John O'Shea: also very very good. Both central defenders weren't letting much
through and were pushing up a lot in the first half. Obviously they thought
they had the pace on the Juve forwards.
Quinton: poor guy -- played out of position yet again and much the same could
be said for his general play for most of the first half. Eventually he
realised he was faster than their winger and played him out fo the game
though. Danny Pugh when he came on looked far more solid positionally.
Quinton looked a different player going forward though although he didn't seem
to link up with Giggsy as well as the play Utd were putitng otgether on the
right.
Danny Pugh: another prospect who's looking good. His positional play was much
better than Quinton's needless to say and kept track of their replacement
winger a lot better.
Ole Solksjaer: another excellent game out wide. He really is making that
position his own now. Great move to beat a few players and lay the ball off
for Scholes's goal.
Roy Keane: ran around and caused them hell (as usual). Held the midfield very
well in front of the central defenders. Linked well with Veron and the
fullbacks too. Looked just as comfy when back in the defence.
Juan Seba Veron: I can only remember one badly misplaced pass all game,
otherwise he literally ran the midfield for Utd and had a field day when
linking up with Scholes or the wingers. The main reason JSV (and Forlan) play
better in Europe might be the way opposing players make their challenges; in
Britain it's the ball they go for first whereas overseas it's the player; and
so long as they're focusing on trying to knock him about and not the ball JSV
looks far more comfortable. His passing in general was so good: quick and to
the point -- he offers Utd a huge extra dimension whengoing forward. Despite
his talent not really being the final ball (most of his work involves putting
the guy away to deliver the final ball) the pass for Ruud's goal was out of
this world. Utd's MOTM for my mind given the way he controlled the game for
us. Once he was subbed it was really noticeable how much it let Juve get back
in the game.
Darren Fletcher: where's the hell he come from? For a young kid he looked
absolutely awesome in playing pretty much the same kind of game as JSV did when
passing forward or defending. Couldn't exert the same kind of grip on the game
as Veron of course, but he played really well and very maturely (easy to see
why he's Fergie's fav of the new crop). Wonder if he'll keep the number 7
shirt? Great vision in the centre of midfield besides. Very impressive kid.
Nicky Butt: ran around and caused them hell (just like usual). Blew a huge
shot wide which most people will forget about becuase of Diego's later miss...
has the wonderful ability to get into a game and link with the team no matter
when he manages to get on the pitch.
Ryan Giggs: not in the game as much as the others although it was fun watching
Juve panic whenever he got the ball and ran at goal. They really are so
frightened of him in Italy for a reason that seems to pass most premiership
clubs by. Great freekick, easily as good as anything Beckman ever produced.
Paul Scholes: with Veron was Utd's standout performer - the way they can run a
game between them is amazing. Scholesy has the short passing game up front to
complement the raking passes from behind and everything is in motion when it
clicks. Hit the side netting and a post, besides scoring off Ole's good work.
Ruud: the man is a god. Start your worship here (someone hold Ethel and Terry
back). After an hour of dispiritedly running into Montero time and time again
he still opened them up often with this running and passing; plus took the best
goal I've seen since... forever. Chested down Veron's flicked lob and blasted
it top corner instantly. *wibble*
Diego Forlan: obviously on a confidence high after his two goals last game.
Despite replacing Scholes in the pocket role he picked up where RVN left off
and terrorised their defence. Must never forget that magnificent sweeping
humungous pass for Ole's goal, but I just can't get my head past *that* miss...
�100 says the lads won't let him forget it in the dressing room either. :)
Carbon copy chance of his first at Liverpool last year with their replacement
keeper spilling it just like Dudek did... only he put it wide from a better
angle and only 2 yards out... Peter Hargreaves's great grandmother could have
scored that one... Terry Dale's cat could have scored that one... Ed's
opinions could have scored that one. Sausageman's beer gut ... nah...
Keiran Richarson: busy busy busy seems to be his watchword. All energy all the
time. Doesn't link well with the team yet but that might be through coming up
from the youth ranks -- he doesn't know how the game works at this level yet
but there's enough evidence to suggest he can make the grade.
David Bellion: not quite the finished product yet. Some lovely passes and his
pace is excellent but he runs himself into trouble using it. Like Richardson
needs time to learn the way Utd play.
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