MANCHESTER UNITED Edwin van der Sar: His last game and he is probably glad he doesn't have to face Barcelona again. Excellent stop to deny Xavi. 7. Fabio (off 68): The odd rash moment but generally looked after his flank pretty well. Hurt his hamstring. 7. Rio Ferdinand: On the stretch a couple of times and not quite as eye-catching as his partner but a decent effort. 7. Nemanja Vidic: Captain's performance from the Serbian, who produced tackle after tackle close to his own penalty area to try and keep Barcelona out. 8. Patrice Evra: Hardly any chance to counter and all-too often caught out of position. 5. Antonio Valencia: Did not get behind Barcelona's defence often enough for his manager's liking. Got stuck in but not enough. 5. Ryan Giggs: The Welshman found the task of tracking Barcelona's midfield too much. Quality pass for the goal but overall a disappointment. 5. Michael Carrick (off 77): Far better than 2009, kept calm within the maelstrom. But how can you influence things when you hardly ever get the ball? 6. Park Ji-sung: Set the tone for his team with a number of early tackles. Typically industrious effort but was not close enough to Messi when he delivered the killer blow. 7. Wayne Rooney: Due a big performance on the big stage and delivered with a brilliant goal. Obviously frustrated at the end but not his fault. 8. Javier Hernandez: Chased and chased but no real chance to make a mark. 5. Nani (on 68): Nightmare start for the Portugal winger, who cost his side any chance before he had a chance to do anything. 5. Paul Scholes (on 77): Helped United gain more possession as Barca sat back but the game was lost. 6. Source
Giggs was not on the money tonight, whatever the off field antics atm with him, in terms of top class football I think that he is over.
Edwin van der Sar: 8 Only thing between barca and a cricket score. Fabio: 7 (off 68): Played well but i appreciated it if he could make 90 minuets at some point. Rio Ferdinand: 7 Decent. Nothing spectacular but did his job. Nemanja Vidic: 9 Brillaint all game. Some vital last second tackles, But with so many barca chances even the vest defense could not keep them out. Patrice Evra 5: Agree fully with the article here Antonio Valencia: 4 Never really looked a threat. Ryan Giggs: 6 The assist alone saves him from a 5 Michael Carrick: 6 Has improved a lot recently and cannot be blamed this time out. Park Ji-sung: 6 The only man who really seemed to put barca under pressure and was the key to our good start. Faded after that. Wayne Rooney:8. Nothing he could have done. Played to the best of his ability and scored a goal with the only chance he got. Javier Hernandez: 4 Barca never looked like giving him the chance he needed and he did not get service, but so many times the move broke down when he got the ball. Wasting possestion through either a poor pass or being caught offside. again. I did not rate the substitutes as the game was over before they came on. Overall i don't think we played particularly badly. It was just a show of how brilliant barca are.
This was his worst game in a year, its incredibly reactionary to say his time is up after one bad performance against the best team in the world.
It hurts me to say this, but after watching Vidic last night I think he may be one of the best defenders I've ever seen. Ferdinand, on the other hand, looked lost.
I feel sorry for Carrick, as well as trying to reduce the space that Messi works in he also had to compete with Xavi and Iniesta. There is no player in the world who can come out top when in that position.
IMO in terms of top European football I think it is over for him, I still think in the PL he can be a good player
Hit the nail right on the head there. Ultimately the United player ratings don't matter, the only ratings that mattered were: Xavi: 10 Iniesta: 9 Messi: 10 When those three are firing it doesn't matter how well the opposition plays, there's not a team in the world that will beat them.
Valencia did nothing but commit fouls. berbatov should of started without doubt, he has the ability to hold the ball up allowing our wingers to get forward. That was vital last night but it did not happen. nani made a big mistake when he came on but he wasnt the only one. Overall he was decent when he came on, the only player in our side to go past barcelona players and where valencia was losing the ball nani battled to get it back. Sad to say but fergie got it wrong big time. Hernandez should of been nowhere near the starting 11.
I stated something similar before the game. Along the lines of starting an inexperienced Valencia is surely a wrong decision, and the outcome turned out to be the same. 400 million viewers, and Hernandez prays in the middle of the pitch? Yes, he started alongside Carrick in the center.
Fergie should have never started with Hernandez, and went for a 5 man mid instead. Didn't even notice Hernandez apart from the offsides,
i heard that during the second half ferguson approached the referee and asked him for a ball - when the referee told him there was already a ball on the pitch ferguson replied "yes but barcelona are playing with that one"
