leggo:
cleverley retweeted it.. lol at the swipe at Ando

coogar:

tell us how figo was barca's best player in year 2000 when rivaldo was the reigning world player of the year.

Oghos1: Giggs. 92% pass completion. Upon all d long balls he attempted. I knew he was good but he shocked d hell outa me 2day.

Leverkusen are not a bad side. Far from it. They just got their tactics and strategies horribly wrong today.

They played right into moyes' hands. Blame it on their coach's relative inexperience.

They played a very narrow 4 3 3. Once united contained their strikers.( Sidney sam's absence made it even easier). D midfield was no problem.

Giggs n jones + kagawa and occasionally rooney shut down the midfield. It was basically a 4 v 3 situation.

And rooneys workrate ensured he could track back and still join d attack with ease.

The fact that emre can, a mid fielder was played as left back didn't help either. It was costly. His lack of defensive awareness cost them d 1st goal. He was completely unaware of valencia's presence and even docked, thinking rooney's cross would go out for a goal kick

And once they came all out, playing the risky defensive highline in d process, it went from bad to worse cuz they were outnumbered in midfield.

chic2pimp:

Yes Rivaldo was the reigning world player of the year and yes he was their best player in 1999 . However Figo won the Ballon D'or in the calendar year being discussed here(shoulda won the FIFA Award too). So Yes He was infact Barca's best player in the year 2000.

coogar:

rivaldo won the award in december 1999, figo joined madrid in july 2000. how then is figo their best player before he left barca?

chrisley024:
We should not forget to hail Evans for d@ blocked shot in d early minute of 1st half. Could have changed d tone of d game

chic2pimp:
Jan 1999- Dec 1999 -> Rivaldo Team's Best Player

Jan 2000 - July 2000 -> Figo Team's Best Player(Performed the better of the two in the second Half of the season)

Purist: Moyes:
"Sometimes Wayne might need to play up front and Shinji will play behind. We have to make sure we have alternatives if Wayne or Robin [van Persie] are injured. Shinji was excellent tonight but he's also good on the left."

I guess this means we'll keep seeing Kagawa on the left than in the hole.

coogar:

so rivaldo was the best player in august 99 till dec '99 whilst figo was the best from jan 2000 till may 2000?

how did you work out figo was the best when rivaldo had 5 months & figo had 5 months. let it be also known zidane won FIFA world player in 2000 whilst figo only got the ballon d'or.

coogar:
even in this period, rivaldo was beasting it. he scored 10 CL goals. scored 3 against porto & twice against chelsea in the 5-1 game @ nou camp.

chic2pimp:
The year in the discussion here is not 1999 however. It's 2000

The First five Rivaldo was the better player, the latter Five Figo was. Let it also be known Zizou winning that award was a farce. Figo was without a shadow of doubt the Best player in the world in 2000.

Don't let Goals alone fool u. Take the game at Nou Camp for example Figo was just as if not more impressive on the night.

And you really shouldn't be comparing the goal scoring output of a second striker to that of a traditional winger. The second striker will always win.

Still stand by my statement of Figo having the better Year in 2000

chamotex:

Giggs is old but can still produce a moment of magic.
Only thing is he would struggle in a game with a fast tempo...Leverkusen didn't play like that.
As much as I don't want him in the team...the other retards are not doing any better.
Class is permanent.

aManFromMars:

coded guy:

I think Anderson is very fit and I was impressed with his cameo. I mean apart from the chance he missed he looked comfortable and mobile in that middle.

I hope Moyes gives him more chances.

There were several stand-out performances in Manchester United’s unusually comfortable hammering of Bayer Leverkusen.

Wayne Rooney with his trio of assists; Jonny Evans with his imperious defensive display and goal; the bounding wide duo of Antonio Valencia and Nani; the hitherto ostracised Shinji Kagawa, freed from the shackles of the left and allowed to roam in his preferred position.

It was an excellent team display, the best United have mustered under David Moyes, with much of the improvement down to a shift in formation resulting from Robin van Persie’s injury: Rooney adopted his central striker’s position, with Kagawa excelling behind and Nani relishing an opportunity that has been strangely absent this season.

But the most significant display was arguably that of Ryan Giggs.

While none of his actions were particularly eye-catching before that delightful assist for Nani’s goal, Giggs’ showing of energy, discipline and leadership was quite astounding for a man about to turn 40.

In two days’ time Giggs will be of an age when most outfield players are either long retired, or knocking about at a far lower level than Europe’s premier club competition; he will be of an age where most of us struggle to get up and down a five-a-side pitch let alone the sizeable BayArena.

The Welshman’s age is often raised when United’s more callow personnel come unstuck under pressure. His poise and calm is lacking among younger team-mates at key moments, a problem seen more frequently this season than in the Fergie era.



To read the full article - http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/blogs/pitchside-europe/giggsy-doing-himself-011208072.html

afrodoc: If you want to look at it historically more teams from England have won the European Cup/UCL than German teams. I think the score is 12 to 7 titles and 5 to 3 different clubs both in favour of EPL.

If you want to check more recently e.g last 10yrs 3 different EPL teams Man Utd, Chelsea and Liverpool have all had MULTIPLE appearances in the final with each winning it once. Last 10 years the score is 3 titles to 1 in favour of the EPL with and its 3 DIFFERENT CLUBS ( showing you the depth)

Even Arsenal our little brother has been to the final.

Right now Bayern Munich is obviously the best team in Europe but the German league lacks depth in quality

...even the Bayer centre-half was asking how Giggsy keeps playing so well at his age!"

BinghiNya: tv25 AND WR10 know how to do it. Flawless victory, kagawa was top draw, apart from a rio initial slip which was tidied up by evans, the defence was okay. Giggs did his best but we shouldnt get carried away, nani did well, this is what he should be doing but he is never consistent. Moyes will come good.

elampiro:

Nani's display is the best we have had from the left side all season. Our 18 years should be used as an 18 years- scantily. I will suggest we keep using Nani there for now. That position has been one of our weakest, if we have find a solution, then we should keep it rolling with the believe we settled that position. But as you said he has to be consistent. Nani's ability is always there but the execution.

One thing, Phil Jones is improving in every aspect of his midfield game. He doesn't keep his tackles late, he passes well, he drives with the ball down some yards, he covers well for the CBs. He made life easy for Giggs and those behind him. To me, Jones should play in our midfield in big games until the rest improve on their ball winning skills or we buy a very good midfielder.

Oghos1: if we keep playing nani on the left, what happens to kagawa when rvp n rooney are fit?

Oghos1: if we keep playing nani on the left, what happens to kagawa when rvp n rooney are fit?

Oghos1: if we keep playing nani on the left, what happens to kagawa when rvp n rooney are fit?

coogar:

rooney should go left when RVP returns. let nani & valencia slug it out on the right. competition brings out the best in wingers. kagawa should be the player in the hole - we have been class each time he's played there.

Purist: Moyes:

"Sometimes Wayne might need to play up front and Shinji will play behind. We have to make sure we have alternatives if Wayne or Robin [van Persie] are injured. Shinji was excellent tonight but he's also good on the left."

I guess this means we'll keep seeing Kagawa on the left than in the hole.

coogar:

i have told you moyes' tongue is permanently buried up rooney's arsë. with tonight's performance, kagawa should forever be the man in the hole. rooney/RVP should fight for the arrowhead or rooney should go left.

superstar1: What formation can actually accommodate Rvp Rooney and Kagawa, with Kagawa playing in the hole, his most natural position?


Less tinker with formations a little bit.

superstar1: What formation can actually accommodate Rvp Rooney and Kagawa, with Kagawa playing in the hole, his most natural position?


Less tinker with formations a little bit.

coogar:

to accommodate the 3 of them, we have to sacrifice a defender(liverpool) or sacrifice width(diamond formation)

3-4-1-2

---smalling--jones--evans---
valencia--fellaini--carrick--nani
--------shinji kagawa---------
----van persie--rooney-----