Vidic out for the first leg against Inter.

Unbelievable... this is why the World Club Cup is such a joke. Not only does it mean we have to fly to the other side of the world to play more games (at an already busy time of the year in terms of fixtures) and risk injuries, but if we pick up suspensions, we get punished! For something we'd choose not to even play in!

Seriously, that pisses me off, and Vidic out is a massive loss away against Inter.

Oh... I was just coming in here to write that, lol.


Yeah, he's a big loss and I'm a bit scared for us tomorrow night. To make things worse, I think Evans, Rafael and O'Shea are out too (horrible deja-vu here, against AC Milan two years ago where our defence was decimated?).

Mourinho, tactically, will test us more than anyone this season... and the Ibrahimovic/Adriano partnership is maybe the second best strikeforce in the world at the moment, so it will be very tough. We need to go there and attack, simple as that, because if we start sitting back waiting to get them back to OT we could be punished.

The good thing for us, is that I can't see us NOT scoring, so even if it's 2-1 to Inter, we can hopefully beat them at home to win the tie.


1-1 is my biased/hopeful prediction, but 2-1 Inter is more likely.

Wish I'd read this last night.

Anyways, even with a weaker side Inter do not have a Kaka who can torment weaker players. Ibra is good, but his work-rate is not at the same level as his natural talent so he'll never be truly world-class.

This leads me to your second point - Adriano/Ibra 2nd best strike force in the world? Nooooooooooo. Not even close. The Italian league is just so weak just now Inter have been able to just cruise along and win, they don't do what Barca do and totally anhillate teams.

I assume most of this post will not be news to you as you watch the game. Ronaldo looks in the mood. Adriano and Ibra look like they'd rater be elsewhere.

In other news Juninho scored a free-kick for Lyon, an absolute belter. That man's dead-ball ability is frightening.

How are Man U not ahead after that 1st half. I've not seen an Italian team dominated in their own stadium like that for years.

Julio Cesar.

That really should not have been a 0-0 game!


Don't like not scoring an away goal, but at least we know we just have to beat them, plain and simple, at OT.

In fairness, I have never seen a team play so well in a 0-0 tie.

Ronaldo will have some nightmares.

The more I think about it, the more I hate that we didn't score... I have a bad feeling about this tie. ****ing Mourinho running up and down the line at OT in the 90th minute again? Oh God, please no!

Such a great performance by Liverpool, different class.

Chelsea on the up and up, with Hiddink at the moment.


And what the hell did Bayern Munich do with Sporting Lisbon?? I love the Champions League, just hope we don't disappoint tomorrow night.

I wasn't awake to follow the game while it was on, so I was sure you were being sarcastic and Liverpool got slaughtered or something.

But what an excellent surprise! Probably too late to even pressure Man U, but let's put together a run and make it close.

Yes! What a game!

I was in the computer lab and the kid next to me was watching a live stream of this game on his computer. Needless to say, I got no work done.

thats the best I have ever seen Liverpool play. it could have been 10-0. Casillas actually played pretty well for a guy who gave up 4 goals.

3-0 to United tonight (Rooney x2 and Vidic)... we don't let Liverpool upstage us.

First ever double post.

i got a funny feeling about inter tonight - its the mourinho factor, without him i think they would be a 6/1 dog to progress at old trafford but with him in there that price just falls to like 11/8 imo. probably the toughest game of the season for united right here.

Great start for United; great corner by Giggs, great header by Vidic. Exactly what they needed; put Inter behind the 8-ball at OT.

there was no way Man U was losing that game. The Premier League is in a different class this year (with the exception of Barcelona of course who could easily win the Champions League as well).

Give them to United in the next round, we'll sort them out. They might be too much for the other English clubs and I'd still like all 4 of us to get to the semis, if possible.

No wonder Mourinho was so gracious, instead of taking his anger out on the press as usual he had already let it out on a fan

Draw is done.

Liverpool v Chelsea - really? How many times?!
Barcelona v Bayern Munich

Man Utd v Porto
Arsenal v Villareal

So the hoped for Barca v MU final is a possibility!

this is easily one of the best draws we could've gotten. We avoid chelsea, the scum, and barca and we get porto at home and have been able to handle the arse for the past couple of years. Villareal could be tricky if they make it through the arse, but this is a great way for us to get through to the final. Now we just need to do the business on the pitch and hopefully a sparkling night of football will happen between us and Barca in Rome in may

Yeah, Man. U got pretty much the best draw they could have hoped for.

Really nasty draw for Liverpool.

I actually think the Bayern/Barca match-up should be quite good and is maybe the most interesting draw.

I think Man U and Arsenal got the draws they were looking for.

The other side of the draw is the stuff of nightmares. Despite their impressive win against Madrid I can't help feel that Liverpool will stick 10 behind the ball against Chelsea and hope that Torres or Gerard can find something special in between.

Phew!

Waiting on James to take the bait from the muff thread....


Seriously though, how bad have MU been tonight? Porto obviously aren't a great side these days but they look like world-beaters!

And of course as I type that Tevez scores. Totally unjust.

EDIT: Oh.

Our form has been awful in recent weeks... starting with the 2nd leg against Inter we've been generally poor, looked tired and/or out of ideas at times. To retake the lead after going behind and then conceding, at Old Trafford, is very un-Manchester United like, but unsurprising really considering recent events.


Make no mistake, there's a massive danger of us going out this round. I still put us favourites, purely based on the fact that if we regain the form we know we're capable of, then we're simply too much for them... but if we play like we have been, we're in danger. We need to improve QUICKLY, otherwise we're undoing all the great work we've done since October/November.



*edit - I'm still really looking forward to both ties tomorrow. Barca/Bayern and Liverpool/Chelsea should be very interesting matches!

Liverpools defence has been awesome tonight! I suppose they can now concentrate on the Premier League.

as much as I hated yesterday, I'm loving today

we get Rio back for the away leg, put the pressure on Porto, make it through and enjoy the fact that the scum are out of the competition. beautiful

Can't believe it, I had to go to a dinner tonight... then I check the results and there's all sorts of crazy scorelines going on.


What the hell happened to Liverpool? (bahahhahaha!!!) And Bayern?? I need to get some highlights from somewhere.

Try that 101greatgoals site slapstick posted in the premier league thread.

Also, Chelsea were pretty good and deserved their win, but Liverpool's marking at corners is atrocious.

Bayern were torn apart by Barca's ridiculous front 3. They shipped 5 to Wolfsburg at the weekend so it's not a complete surprise. They were missing Lucio and Van Buyten and Lahm was only fit for the bench.

Henry was like Henry of 2001-6 just scary good. And Messi is the best player in the world ainec.

way to lay an egg, Liverpool. Ugly. How do you own Chelsea all year and then get trounced at home? sigh.

Maybe there is something to the thought that Man U/Pool's Premier League race has somehow made them both lose focus in the Champions League. Man U looked AWFUL against Porto and, if anything, Liverpool looked worse against Chelsea.

Really?


Can they?





Chelsea 0-1 Liverpool

That free kick was outrageous

COULD THEY??


Chelsea 0-2 Liverpool



*edit - Alonso will obviously be my deputy penalty taker in the draft after that

i dont particularly like either of these teams but i would love if liverpool could score a last minute winner - sadly stevie g isnt in the squad so i just cant see a 3rd

yeah that was a pretty cool free kick

nice break on that penalty. this would be gratifying.

OMFG Reina , what a howler!

can't believe he didn't stop that one.

<-----------stunned face.

That doesn't change much, imo.

It could almost give a second kick up the arse to Liverpool.

Wow, what a strike.

omg wat

WOW X 50

I'm not a Liverpool fan but I was rooting for them when they went 4-3 up

Haha, yeah.. really weird but I kind of found myself rooting for them too when they got 2 goals back. Very weird.


What a match though!

match starts in 15 for Manchester United. Should be a good one; hopefully Man U can play better defense today. My prediction: 2-1 ManU

Man Utd v Barcelona final... looking forward to it!

arsenal will beat united in both the champs league and fa cup. two teams heading in different direction. the only compliment i can give to united right now is that they are finding a way to win despite playing badly - sign of a good team i guess they say...

ManU was sure playing prevent in the last 20 mins or so.

I'm happy to bet you they don't.