RedsUnite: a man utd blog

It’s match day. This evening we face Lyon in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16. Thus, it is time to check in with Fergie and his lads to see how United are feeling today.

Evra’s Take

United seem to be a confident bunch coming off the heels of Saturday’s victory over Arsenal, but Patrice Evra advises that we do not discount the abilities of Lyon, stressing the need to “respect our opponents.” Referencing a victory over Real Madrid he experienced while at Monaco, Evra stated:

“It’s a bit like Monaco’s situation against Real Madrid, when everybody was tipping them to win. That seriously annoyed us and we ended up beating them, so it just goes to show that you need total respect for your opponents or you could get a nasty surprise.”

“Just because we put a beautiful performance in against Arsenal last weekend doesn’t mean that it’s going to be the same against Lyon. They have won their championship for the last six years on the run, they’re in the last 16 so clearly they’re a major team.”

“We must show them serious respect. We don’t want to fall into the trap of not respecting them and end up struggling to qualify. But, at such a big club like United, with Sir Alex at the helm, it’s very difficult to actually lose concentration.”

Did he just say it’s easy to lose concentration with Sir Alex at the helm? I’m going to ignore that and assume that something was lost in translation. Surely the gaffer wouldn’t be thrilled with that observation taken literally, but I know what he meant by it and I agree fully.

With a squad as talented as United concentration is always of paramount importance. We have shown a blatant lack of enthusiasm at times this year, displaying a penchant for slow starts–see our 6-0 victory over Newcastle in which we scored zero first half goals. We know that on paper, and 9 times out of 10 on the pitch, we are the better side. We seldom enter matches with clubs featuring an equivalent level of talent and that is a gift and a curse. It shows itself as a curse when we, as Evra alluded to, underestimate opponents and lose concentration. Tonight’s match being the first leg of the knockout round should provide all the motivation United needs to come out focused, however.

Giggs’ Milestone Appearance

One of the stories of today’s match is Ryan Giggs’ 100th Champions League appearance tonight. Quite an achievement, especially with all coming wearing a United kit. He will join fellow football legends Raul, Roberto Carlos, Paolo Maldini, David Beckham, Oliver Kahn, Luis Figo and Clarence Seedorf in this illustrious club. This accomplishment speaks volumes of Ryan Giggs professionalism, excellence and longevity. Ferguson lauded the Wales legend, stating:

“There are only a few players who will reach that milestone in European football. It’s because of his ability, his longevity, how he prepares himself to have a good lifestyle, and obviously being at a successful club. For me, Ryan has been an absolute model in his time with us.”

While there may only be a few players to reach this milestone, Giggs will have some company shortly. Paul Scholes’ appearance tonight will be his 98th, equaling that of Gary Neville. If Neville can return to fitness, his presence along with Giggs and Scholes in this exclusive club is a testament to their generation of United players, United itself and the tremendous success Sir Alex has achieved during his tenure at the club. Congrats to all.

View From Lyon

From Lyon’s perspective, Juninho has made the argument that all the pressure is on United. The Brazilian had this to say:

“Against a team like United, it is necessary to pay perfectly. The Lyon squad is calm. I believe the pressure is on United to progress to the quarter-finals. United are a super team with players of enormous names but our chances are alive. Nobody should discard a Lyon surprise.”

I agree with him. I’m already on record having stated that being eliminated from the Champions League by Lyon would be a complete disgrace for this United side. Anything less than elimination in the semifinals would be seen as a regression from last years form and, therefore, a disappointment. We certainly don’t need Juninho to tell us that we carry the burden of pressure. That’s what being Manchester United is all about.

Insights from Gerard Houllier

Former Lyon and Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier fancies Lyon’s chances. The Frenchman has stated his belief that United will face a tough test when they travel to Lyon, citing:

“Lyon are strong at home. They are not as good away from home as they were before but they are strong in front of their own fans. United will have to be careful though because Lyon have a very good offensive quality. In attack they are powerful. I won’t say where the main dangers come from because I will be betraying the French but United will have done their homework and they will know they have to be good defensively.”

He also provided his insights into United’s recent form and tactics:

“Offensively, United are very, very good. Against Arsenal it was a very high performance. You could say Arsenal were not at the office and things like that but I think United made Arsenal poor. That’s the difference.”
“I liked the system Sir Alex Ferguson played on Sunday. It is a system I like with three players in the midfield forming a triangle. It gives the team a good balance but you cannot do that all the time because sometimes you have Carlos Tevez and Wayne Rooney. When you have two forwards it has to change. But when you think United rested the likes of Tevez, Ronaldo, Giggs, Scholes and Hargreaves against Arsenal yet still produced that kind of performance Lyon will know they are in for a tough time.”

Houllier also mentions his belief that Ronaldo is in a waning period. He offers some interesting insights:

“Today, he is only at 80 percent. I feel he is lacking a little physical freshness. It’s not surprising to see him experiencing a drop. We will see his real level at the end of March.

“He loves to take the ball from the halfway line and going towards goal with the help of a team-mate. His running is impressive. He is a star for the team because his football is efficient. He contented himself to be a spectacular player for a long period. His charisma only comes from his efficiency. He is not a born scorer. He became one thanks to his dribbling skills that offer him interesting shot angles. Compared to his debuts, he made his game simpler, focusing himself on the main thing: creating chances to score for himself. He can score from everywhere.”

Good insights, Frenchie.

Well that’s it for today’s quote dump. Cutting and pasting all your United needs. Best of luck to the squad tonight. Us Americans will be out of luck today, as ESPN has picked up the Arsenal v Milan match. Hope all of you enjoy it, however.

Blog Report

• Lyon v Manchester United Preview (A Kick In The Grass)
• FA vs United: Why Arsenal Players Escaped Punishment (Republik of Mancunia)
• Lyon v Man Utd Preview (Red Rants)