Manchester United in the Europa League is, sadly, not something we see that often these days, but after crashing out of the Champions League early this season, Alex Ferguson's team have ended up in this season's competition. Last night, United were deservedly beaten 3-2 by a superior Athletic Bilbao team, and Liverpool legend Steve Nicol believes the score could've been a lot worse for United.
Summarising the game for ESPN, Nicol took great delight in sticking the knife into United's performance. He scathed:
"Man United made the Basel game [2-1 defeat] look like a wondrous performance.
"From start to finish, United were awful. How it finished 3-2 is beyond me; they shold've been 3-0 down at half time.
"They got two goals from absolutely nothing, and certainly didn't deserve them. It could've been six or seven; it could've been another Man City at home".
Having watched the game, I was hoping that Bilbao would stick five or six past United, but unfortunately, it wasn't to be.
I totally agree with Nicol: Bilbao were on a completely different level, and one-time Liverpool target Fernando Llorente showed just why he's so coveted across Europe.
It's so frustrating watching a player like Llorente, then suddenly remembering that Liverpool have Andy Carroll instead. The Spain international is everything a big, tall striker should be: strong, skillful and quick; with great technique; prodigious hold-up play, and a keen eye for goal.
Liverpool football club's interest in Athletic Bilbao striker Fernando Llorente is an open secret, with the Spanish striker confirming last year that representatives from Anfield 'came to Bilbao' to negotiate a possible transfer.
Alas, Llorente recently insisted that he was 'very focused' at Bilbao, and insisted that he would stay there for another few years.
In any event, if Llorente does well at Euro 2012, his price will probably double, which will mean Liverpool will have no chance of signing him anyway.
Jaimie Kanwar
Summarising the game for ESPN, Nicol took great delight in sticking the knife into United's performance. He scathed:
"Man United made the Basel game [2-1 defeat] look like a wondrous performance.
"From start to finish, United were awful. How it finished 3-2 is beyond me; they shold've been 3-0 down at half time.
"They got two goals from absolutely nothing, and certainly didn't deserve them. It could've been six or seven; it could've been another Man City at home".
Having watched the game, I was hoping that Bilbao would stick five or six past United, but unfortunately, it wasn't to be.
I totally agree with Nicol: Bilbao were on a completely different level, and one-time Liverpool target Fernando Llorente showed just why he's so coveted across Europe.
It's so frustrating watching a player like Llorente, then suddenly remembering that Liverpool have Andy Carroll instead. The Spain international is everything a big, tall striker should be: strong, skillful and quick; with great technique; prodigious hold-up play, and a keen eye for goal.
Liverpool football club's interest in Athletic Bilbao striker Fernando Llorente is an open secret, with the Spanish striker confirming last year that representatives from Anfield 'came to Bilbao' to negotiate a possible transfer.
Alas, Llorente recently insisted that he was 'very focused' at Bilbao, and insisted that he would stay there for another few years.
In any event, if Llorente does well at Euro 2012, his price will probably double, which will mean Liverpool will have no chance of signing him anyway.
Jaimie Kanwar
YES ! you did it ! You managed to speak about Andy Carroll while the subjetc of the article had nothing to do with him !
ReplyDeleteActually, you're wrong. The article is about Llorente and Carroll, and the differences between them. The United part is a means to an end.
ReplyDeleteOk and this affects LFC how...?
ReplyDeleteTbf, the same statistical analysis could be applied to Man Utd last night that the straw clutchers have applied to our team this season - Athletic looked the more vibrant and vivacious team, but Man U did have a number of chances nevertheless.
ReplyDeleteAthletic were very good, but to call Man Utd's performance "awful" would be stretching it greatly, and leave no room to describe some of the truly woeful performances that are actually put on on a weekly basis.
Bilbao are a quality side. Anyone would know that if they watched the Barca-Bilbao game. Pressed them so well. I shudder to think what they would do to us. I am a Liverpool fan but also a football fan, so I am glad to see Bielsa doing well in Europe. His tactics aren't the easiest to implement as seen with Argentina at the WC but he has made it happen at Bilbao.
ReplyDeleteGot four very good attacking players in Llorente, Susaeta, Muniain and Herrera. The latter is just brilliant technically, as good as anyone around, apart from Messi. Martinez has juggled the holding role and the sweeper role so so well and seamlessly this season. Iraola has been the revelation for me, as he has stepped up to a really good level. I thought he was a solid player in early years but he has been fantastic as the wing back and you know what, not much difference between him and Alves now, in my view. I'd take their front four over ours that is for sure. For all of Suarez' dribbling in and around the box, there isn't much beyond that.
United are always a threat on the counter, regardless of who the opposition is, as that is a attacking weapon they will always have. But this season, defensively as a team, they find it very hard if opposition plays direct (Demba Ba, Ameobi, Llorente, even Carroll in the FA Cup with the long balls to him) and presses their midfield (Newcastle, Spurs, Bilbao, etc). Their midfield as a unit does a rubbish job of protecting their defence these days. Credit to Bilbao for taking full advantage of that with their pressing, movement and using Llorente's physique.
ReplyDeleteIrt Carroll & Llorente, what's done is done. Now we just have to hope for the best that our man is given some proper coaching about how to get himself into goalscoring positions, his teammates are taught how to get crosses beyond the full back and into the box and Carroll can emulate Drogba for us.
ReplyDeleteI don't like traditional target-men as a Plan A, but Carroll needs to accept that he isn't Ibrahimovic, stop drifting around the pitch trying little flicks and focus on doing damage in and around the box
Obsessed with United much?
ReplyDeleteSays the United fan on a Liverpool website
ReplyDeleteYes, I think that anyone saying that Man Utd were awful are underestimating how good this team is and how good they could be. And how far behind the Premier League is getting nowadays. Good to see an ex Liverpool reserve, in San Jose, being on the winning side also. He left us and now plays for a far superior team, go figure! Wasn't good enough for us, but did a decent job against Hernandez and Rooney last night, how do some managers get so much out of players? We rarely manage it with youngsters and, now, it seems that we have found some but let them go before they had a chance. Will be interesting to see if it happens many more times in future, I suspect that it might, as we hardly ever give youngsters a run in the team.
ReplyDeleteI think that this team, Bilbao, will turn into one of the very best in Europe, and Challenge strongly in Spain, over the next 2 or 3 years, if they can be kept together. They belong amongst the elite as well, for the way they run the club and the amount of passion displayed by their supporters. They've not always had it easy in that part of Spain, and they are football mad, so no one more deserves a team that will do them proud.
Llorente or Carroll? I don't mind Carroll as much as most, but for 10 million more than this guy?
I'm a Liverpool fan and all I can say is that I'm glad they didn't come to Anfield last night as we don't have that knack of staying in a game/tie when playing badly. We'd have suffered a home defeat by at least a 2 goal margin. Let's not kid ourselves. Bilbao were excellent and would have given any team a decent game on the night.
ReplyDeleteTheir problem is that they won't perform that well and Utd that badly in the return leg which will mean business as usual for Utd.
Yes, the difference between them is one of the reasons the Bilbao side look so dangerous and, often, we don't. When the Bilbao midfield come up to support, Llorente has still managed to hold onto the ball. Stick Carroll in that position and the ball would have been lost, the opposition will be on the counter and the midfield will have to do a 180 to turn and support the defence. I thought his display was fantastic last night. Augurs well for Spain as well, with Villa injured, they have a striker who could bring an extra dimension to their game, as if they need one.
ReplyDeleteStill fancy the Germans or French for the Euros though!
i honestly think they are a better team than Man Utd and are very much on the way up.
ReplyDeletePutting Man U to one side for a moment I'm just ELATED that Carra is back in our side. 4th is surely nailed on now.
ReplyDeleteCoates with all that height positional play, power and speed isn't quite ready yet...........
Yet United could easily have won and looked toward the end of the game to be the most likely to score. More often than not they would feel hard done by what with a contoversial 3rd and an offside 2nd but I doubt they would begrudge Bilbao the win as they deserved it.
ReplyDeletecarra was arguably at fault last wknd for arsenal goals?
ReplyDeletehis legs have gone.
yes, that's a strange one, isn't it? Young player of the tournament at the copa america last summer. Very odd. Couldn't see Wenger leaving out a player of that potential for a defender past his prime.
ReplyDeleteThey have a knack, like all winning teams do, of making the most of their opportunities and keeping the opposition out. It's quite simple, really. They did it at Tottenham last week. A similar performance by us and we lose there 2-0 or 3-0. All this talk about shots on target, outplaying the opposition, etc, etc, is all a smokescreen, the best teams perform in the areas that matter, in front of both goals.
ReplyDeleteSorry but I'm not sad to see Man Utd in the Europa league, and why would you be sad Jaimie?
ReplyDeleteerm, me thinks you need to read it again and once more for good measure, as to Jaimie's feelings on the Mancs being in Europa League.
ReplyDeleteyea that's all good, but my point is against all the statements talking like it should've been 6-7 nil. It is possible to thoroughly outplay a team and concede little to no chances, but it certainly didn't happen on this occassion.
ReplyDeleteIt was kind of like our game against Swansea - the opposition looked a lot brighter with the ball, but by no means did they completely shut us down and thoroughly dominate at both ends of the pitch.
But the mancs were 'awful' though, by their standards.
ReplyDeleteApart from Hernandez chance in second half, what else did they have in terms of proper chances
For them, that is 'awful'
Actually, I'm sad to see them in Europe at all.
ReplyDeleteAwful would describe their performance (and starting lineup) against us. Last night they came up against a team that played better football, but still had quite a few chances to score themselves.
ReplyDeleteEven saying 'awful by their standards' is a stretch, because they have been underwhelming more often than not from what I've seen...
Lets hoped he has a dreadful Euro competition then!!
ReplyDeletecouldnt resist could ya
ReplyDeleteCould VERY easily have been 6-1 had it not been for De Gea.
ReplyDeleteI think wed stand toe to toe with Bilbao.
ReplyDeleteWhat chances? Apart from Hernandez chance in the second half, when for some reason he decided to come back in to his left foot, there was no other proper chance they created. Giggs had a half chance in the first half maybe but certainly not a 'proper chance'.
ReplyDeleteThey were 'awful' by the standards expected of them and the standards they expect of themselves. Hence, why people view their performances this season as poor, as its not the standards expected of them.
'starting line up'. Bemused. As they have played better this season when they have Ferdinand (in the last few months anyway), Scholes, Carrick and Welbeck. Hernandez has been dire this season, despite the goals, Jones and Giggs are a horrendous two-man central midfield pairing, up there with Gerrard-Adam. Those were the players they started against us in their league win. That is not even taking into account Valencia and Nani. Against us in the FA Cup, they dominated us in the first half, despite the lack of chances. The performance and the team chosen against was awful against Bilbao and much worse than what they showed against us. Baffling and bemusing to suggest the opposite, especially with the team selection as its blatantly obvious how horrendous Jones and Giggs are in a two-man central midfield. Odd.
Hehe. Funny guy.
ReplyDeleteDe Gea saved their ass from some serious abuse that night
ReplyDeleteIf the Salford Hoofers pox their way through the 2nd leg in Bilbao they will no doubt see their customary dodgy penalty as money well spent
ReplyDeleteWhy would you asume that Athletic Bilbao will underperform in the return leg given its the level they have consistantly shown all season.
ReplyDeleteEven messi talks about playing for their manager, Bielsa one day which is clearly tribute to a fellow countryman doing wel in Spain.
This performance was no fluke, they are wel capable of stepping up especially if you compare how both sides have fared against Barcelona.
The truth is as much as the EPL is held as the beacon of world football, standards have been dropping in much the same way Italian teams fel from the pinnacle of football to now only having 3 champions league spots.
You only need to look at how laboured English sides have been in European football bar maybe Stoke who gave a good acount of themselves especially since they were heavily unfancied.
It could be argued the current top 4 is a step down fro the previous quartet that included liverpool, arsenal,chelsea and united that had good runs and wld meet in the latter runs of the champions league.
By carra's standard ...he performed oh sorry under-performed in the last game because he did everything that was expected of him except put the ball in the back of his own net or give a penalty away by hugging and pulling some1 down or the famous handball
ReplyDeleteDid you even consider the fact that we've played Man U multiple times this season, and so I might be referring to the weakest lineup that they sent out against us?? Giggs and Jones may not be an ideal partnership in central midfield, but it's definitely better than a partnership of Jones and the ghost of Darren Fletcher that came to Anfield. And would you really rather come up against an attack of Jones, Fletcher, Young, Giggs, Park & Welbeck than Jones, Giggs, Young, Park, Rooney & Hernandez??
ReplyDeleteEverybody immediately forgets at the end of every season, but over the years Man U have regularly been regarded as underwhelming and pulling out improbable results. And they get away with their poor performances because they typically have a few proven matchwinners in the final third that can snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Against Bilbao they had Rooney, Hernandez and Young in that role. Against us, they started with Young alone as a proven matchwinner. And got 2 shots on target throughout the entire game. btw, Hernandez has been "dire" this season? I assume that this must be on the same sliding scale where Man U's performance on Thursday equals an "awful" one. If he has been dire, and Man U's Thursday night performance "awful" though, I hate to imagine what you must have endured following us over recent years!
Why is everybody so shocked when goalkeepers make saves??? If not De Gea, it is VERY likely that another keeper would've made the same saves
ReplyDeleteMan Utd has a deeply flawed squad especially the midfield , it just gets bypassed .I just happened to see the match to see how the Bilbao perform and I just couldn't believe what was going on
ReplyDeleteexactly - I know that Man U are our rivals and all, but the hyperbole is just over the top. Goalkeepers are paid to save shots, and we've seen evidence many times this season that most keepers are capable of pulling off such saves that De Gea performed on Thursday. And likewise match-winners are (typically) paid the big bucks for their ability to convert even half chances.
ReplyDeleteWhich is why I didn't join the bleating about our lack of fortune against Arsenal either...
its such a shame that the llorente and gomes bids were unsuccessful and we ended up with Donkey Kong. How different things could be if we had a big forward who actually contributed to the side.
ReplyDeleteLiverpool and United have different standards to each other. One club sadly hasn't won a league title in decades and is fighting for 4th, whilst the other has sadly been a dominant force in recent times, as well as reaching CL final just last season, and expected to mount a title challenge. So don't know why on you are brigning in us, when they are on a another level in terms of standards in recent times. I was referring to the two latter games against us, not the first game because they haven't got Fletcher available any more! Bloody hell. Urgh. Odd, very odd again. With all due respect, I give up with you as most of it I disagree with as per usual in relation to this article, as I think most of what you have said is absolute nonsense. Even the United fans I know say Carrick, Nani, Ferdinand, Welbeck, Scholes and Valencia are the players they would start with, when it comes to playing first XI, along with Rooney, Evans, Rafael/Smalling and Evra. I never said that didn't include Rooney, even for some weird reason you think I did. Agree to disagree.
ReplyDeleteBrilliant shot stopper but glad he can't catch.
ReplyDeleteYes, yes, everything those Mancs do sensationalised, absolutely everything, nothing to do with the fact that we hate to give them praise when they deserve it.
ReplyDeleteYet, its ok for us to say how all the opposition keepers have put in great shot-stopping performances against us, just because we can't score and excuse our saviour Suarez form in front of goal, like Vorm, Ruddy, etc but god forbid, if a Everton or United keeper does well eh.
Pathetich, absolutely pathetic.
I give up.
Check the article again mate - there's nothing about standards at all, whether relative or not. Just a simple argument that Man U were awful against Bilbao. Which I disagreed with.
ReplyDeleteYou brought in performances relative to expectations. Again, I disagreed, with the argument that Man U have frequently turned in lesser performances, even while picking up better results. Including a game against us this season. If you choose to ignore those poor performances and pretend that Man U always play well, or that the 1-1 game against us didn't happen, then that's up to you mate.
You've never seen me going on about opposition keepers or our 'bad luck' in failing to turn possession into wins.
ReplyDeleteAnd it's not me over sensationalising things here in acting like Man U get wiped across the floor by Bilbao.
Stop acting like a muppet and creating your own arguments to go against. Or at least stop doing it against my name. Cheers.