Manchester United played remarkably well for the first half hour and took a 3-0 lead.
Then Olic pulled a goal back for 3-1 at half time.
Second half, Bayern came out and played with a different intent and Rafael got a second yellow card for pulling Ribery’s shoulder and arm. Two silly moments, two yellow cards. The impetuousity of youth.
That cost United the game because they had to play the next 40 minutes with 10 men and without Rooney, who went off after 54 with O’Shea coming on. Rooney couldn’t run and should have been replaced much sooner. If Rooney had been fit and on the field, those 40 minutes with ten men would not have been such a siege.
This has to be said : The decision to play those 40 minutes in their own penalty area was suicidal.
Defending the box for forty minutes is a stretch with 11 men, let alone 10.
In 74, Ribery floated a perfect deep corner and the most dangerous forward in the Bundesliga was left totally unmarked on the edge of the box. Robben was standing still with no red shirt within 12 yards of him and his deadly left foot volleyed the dropping ball into the bottom corner for 3-2.
That made it 4-4 on aggregate and United went out on away goals.
Impetuous youth, bad marking. Even with ten men, you mark Robben AND put a man on the post
Sir Alex said the German players got Rafael sent off and, amazingly, said that it that is was “typical Germans.” Uefa should fine him.
In truth, Rafael got Rafael sent off. I felt sorry for the lad, who does too many rash things. Also felt sorry for Nani, who played superbly and scored excellent goals.
The second leg was nothing like the game I expected. Indeed, with Rooney a surprise starter, the team news made a mockery of all attempts to write a helpful preview.
Fergie picked a young side which started in vibrant, positive form.
Amazingly, Rooney looked quite fit and laid off a slick ball to Darron Gibson, who took one touch and fired into the nearside bottom corner from 20 yards. Keeper Butt’s view was obscured by giant defender Daniel van Buyten.
Valencia cross, Nani flicked in for 2-0. And when Valencia crossed again, Nani swept a hard sidefoot shot under the crossbar from 14 yards to make it 3-0.
United fans were thinking : We’re brilliant tonight, we’re destroying them !
Then the stocky Olic was left one-on-one with Carrick, who decided to let the ball go through to his keeper. Olic muscled him out of it and scored. Carrick does that too often. He should be told : Deal with the ball, don’t wrestle the man!
Then Rafael got his deserved red card, the siege followed, and at certain moments it seemed that Edwin van der Sar was playing well enough to keep Bayern out.
But a crucial goal was conceded to a gifted player who was given a free hit by the ten United players who remained. How can you give Robben, of all people, that much space to see the ball and balance himself?
I like goals from set-pieces which have been rehearsed like that. It’s a good way of scoring. Shame Arsenal don’t rehearse that sort of thing. Wenger makes a point of NOT practising such free-kicks. He puts himself above such mundane and unspontaneous practices.
Rooney has a had a great season but United have had an average season. It will be bizarre if they win the title
ARSENAL’S CHAMAKH scored a fine opportunist goal for Bordeaux.
A left wing corner, flicked on, hit a defender, the Moroccan striker volleyed in a sharp chance from 8 yards.
But Lyon went through to play Bayern, having won the first leg 3-1. Having beaten Real Madrid, a better side than Bayern, Lyon go to the Allianz on Wednesday April 20. I think Lyon will mark Robben at corners.
Sky pundit Glenn Hoddle said Chamakh will be a good player for Arsenal.
How quickly will Chamakh settle into the Premier League? Don’t know. But he’s joining a French club and that should help him.
He’s got to be better than the appalling Wiltord, who was billed as the new Ian Wright but didn’t make it as a central striker. Wiltord played wide in a fantastic team, so he scored goals, as anybody would in that team.
LESSON OF THE WEEK ? Player power.
Rooney told Ferguson he was fit. He played.
Fabregas and Gallas told Wenger they were fit. Both played.