Manchester United v FC Copenhagen, 17/10/06, champions league group stage.
Manchester United V FC Copenhagen
Van de Sar
O’SHea Brown Vidic Evra
Fletcher Carrick Scholes
Ronaldo
Saha Rooney
(4-3-1-2)
With Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville succumbing to injuries during the warm up, Ferguson was forced to reshuffle his pack with only minutes to spare before kick-off. Christiano Ronaldo was moved to the left wing, with Darren Fletcher coming into the starting XI to replace Giggs, slotting into the right midfield position vacated by the Portuguese. The dependable Wes Brown was inserted into the centre of defence, with John O’Shea deputizing for the veteran Gary Neville, at right back. With the lack of experience and natural leaders, the United manager picked Wayne Rooney as captain. Of course he could have chosen the wily, erudite figure of Edwin Van De Sar, but Rooney has already, even at his tender age, proved beyond any doubt that he is the perfect team-player, combining unquenchable spirit with dangerous desire for victory; an incandescent example to his team-mates.
WayneRooney, raised by Tyson and Winnie Mandela…
1T:> Within seconds of the whistle, Rooney played an intelligent first time pass through the defence which Saha collected, 20 yards from goal, with only the keeper to beat, but the fleet footed striker’s shot was weak and predictable; easily saved by Christensen. The Frenchman should have scored but can be forgiven for needing more than half a minute to get into the match! And it was the profligate Saha again who could and perhaps should have scored twice in the subsequent first quarter of this match, flashing a shot across goal and then bringing a scrambler down on the deck before hitting the ball a few feet wide of the far post. Before the weak replacement for Van Nistelroy, fluffed yet another opportunity, the Copenhagen striker, Allback, was allowed to turn on the edge of the United 18 yard area, before despatching a useful drive towards the goal which was comfortably saved by the giant elf, Van de Sar. Rooney was looking lively and his distribution was the finest of all the players on the pitch and were it not for Saha’s shameful lack of finishing, the stand-in captain would have had two assists to his name before half time. Despite the Danes making a real game of it, when Carrick cracked one in from range I was getting the feeling that it was merely as matter of time before United made the breakthrough that their approach play deserved. In the 39th minute, the quiet of late, ginger ninja Scholes, was given room to shape and shoot from 25 yards out, beating the impressive Christensen with a perfect strike wide of the keeper’s despairing hands to put the Reds 1-0 up. There was time before the ref halted play for the break, for Ronaldo to go close with a deft header across the face of goal which epitomized the pattern of play that was set to continue as the match wore on…
HT
Louis Saha- An inadequate replacement for the departed Van Nistelroy
2T:>Straight from the restart Rooney beat the keeper to a well timed through-pass, nipping the ball over the stopper’s head, only to be thwarted at the last by the hulk of a recovering giant Copenhagen centre-back who with a 3 ft height advantage over Wayne, managed to steer the loose ball to the apparent safety of a corner. However, the resulting set piece found it’s way, rather fortuitously, to the standing leg of ace poacher, John O’Shea, before nestling in the net for 2-0 United. As the half wore on the Danes became more ragged, none more so than their keeper, Christensen, who took out Scholes with a perfectly timed, savage, two footed lunge on 58’ only to smile with glee after seeing the ref wave play on when anyone with even a rudimentary understanding of the game’s rules could see it was a penalty! A couple of minutes later Sir Alex brought on the bullish Alan Smith for Carrick and Ole Gunne Solsjkaer for the ineffective Saha, but neither were to make a meaningful mark on the game. There was a small glimmer of hope for the Danes when Hutchison wriggled free of his marker on 65’ but his shot from just inside the box, was weak and easily saved by the United Dutch-man between the sticks. The previously merit worthy Christensen lost his smile and soured his reputation when fumbling Kieran Richardson’s shot from range in the 83rd minute; his error allowing the ball to trickle through his tame attempt at a save, and into the unguarded net for 3-0 United.
FT Manchester United 3- 0 Copenhagen
it is always heartening for the United faithful to see such warm solidarity- Ole Gunne Saltshaker with x boyfriend and current team mate, Chrissy Ronaldo
9 points from the opening three matches has pretty much secured qualification to the second round for Ferguson and his young charges but this was by far a vintage display. I would like to say ‘on another day Saha would have scored a hatrick’ but as I seem to be repeating this line every time I see him play, I am gradually concluding that he either lacks confidence or class. One can say that what he lacks of his predecessors finishing abilities he makes up for with electrifying pace, but what use is speed when you need 5 gilt-edged chances to score one goal? Thankfully for England and Man U supporters, Rooney is looking increasingly like his world class self of old, and even when he missed a couple of chances, the cheeky grin on his face and Zidane-esque passing maneuvers were enough to ease any treasonous concerns of his demeanor and foot-balling magnificence.
John O’Shea is a definite weak link in the team as is Darren Fletcher. Both players lacking the quality needed to compete with the stronger outfits in this competition. Vidic impressed with robust, intelligent tackling and useful distribution from the back, while Carrick in front of him in the anchor man position again through lack of bite forced Scholes to play more as a defensive midfielder than a forward-foraging central player. But I must admit that the 18m pound purchase from Totenham was second only to Rooney in terms of passing and technical guile.
Yes, the match was won, comfortably in terms of possession and goals but O’Shea’s strike was a freak occurrence and Richardson’s long range pea roller would have been saved by a keeper possessing even a infant’s judgement of trajectory. There were many chances for Luis Saha and his strike partner, Rooney, was unlucky not to score himself. But on a night when Ronaldo failed to shine more than a 15 watt carbon saving light bulb, Man united didn’t look like winners-elect of the champions league. I am sure that against superior opposition they would have struggled.
Player ratings
Van De Sar– Didn’t have much to do but what he had to do he did rather well:7
Brown– Competent and uncompromising as usual. A solid :7.
Evra– Showing promise and poise. Useful going forward: 7
O’Shea-Strong as an ox, clever as a newborn British Friesian. Despite the goal: 5.
Carrick– Useful on the ball, but poor without it. A typical 6.
Scholes– Crowned a good defensive showing with explosive blast from range: 7
Fletcher– Huffed, puffed and harried the opposition but bereft of talent: 6
Ronaldo– Looked interested but out of sorts. Dazzling footwork but depressing distribution : 5.
Rooney– The finest player on the field. Almost scored a couple and set up two brilliant chances for Saha. Led by example from beginning to end: 8.5
Saha– Woefully unable to capitalize on numerous openings in front of goal. Showed eagerness but no quality:5
Subs:
Smith- Good to see him back in action after a lengthy lay-off. Still regaining match sharpness: 6
Solsjkaer– Not quite his former self. Yet. But looked dangerous in the final third: 6.5
Richardson– Didn’t have enough time to excite the crowd though he did manage to score his side’s third when the Copenhagen keeper made a real hash of the diminutive winger’s long range, slow paced, pass towards goal.6.5.
John O’Shea-footballer or cow?
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