Olympiakos Piraeus v Manchester United - Official Match Thread

I can't be the only one who is getting more and more frustrated with Seba. Fantastic in Europe again but lackluster against Fulham.
I know the arguments that he gets more time on the ball in Europe, but the way he plays is a lot of one touch passes so his movement should be quick enough for the Premiership. I'm starting to wonder whether its a mental thing. Maybe he feels uptight when he plays in the League but he is able to relax in the CL.
I don't know.

Also i know Diego had a hard task playing upfront on his own but it really is getting to crunch time. He's been getting the minutes and still doesn't look like a player who was top scorer in Argentina 2 years running.
 
Originally posted by JSV:
<strong>What feckin time do you call this???

It's a feckin disgrace. Kickoff is in an hours time and you're still here setting up the feckin match thread.

Useless little turd.</strong><hr></blockquote>

<img src="graemlins/lol.gif" border="0" alt="[Laugh Out Loud]" /> <img src="graemlins/lol.gif" border="0" alt="[Laugh Out Loud]" /> and the rest of that little row
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Originally posted by Raoul:
<strong>The squads against Haifa on Tuesday should look something like this imo.

Ricardo
G. Nev
Wes
O'Shea
Silvestre
Chadwick
Keano
Veron
Richardson
Scholes
Diego</strong><hr></blockquote>
I like the look of that team, although I would put Phil in one of the full-back spots. Quinton and Diego must be in with a shout as well. Would love to see Richie and Maddy get some action. ;)
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what about superstar Maysie for the Haifa (Nicosia) game. Fergie will avoid the trip for as many as he can. <img src="graemlins/devil.gif" border="0" alt="[Devil]" />
<img src="graemlins/smirk.gif" border="0" alt="[Smirk]" />
 
oh come on you people...

Olympiakos weren't playing football until they got their 2 goals.. Seba and the lads were playing against headless sticks out there..

Even the scholes goal came because their keeper couldn't hold on to one single ball tonight.. he should be sold immediately if they still wanna reach the secord round.

We're lucky to get a win against a dead man walking team..you call that good display? we should have finished them up since the first half.. if Olympiakos had played the way they did during the 5 mins they scored 2 goals we would have lost the game!

The defence was crap.. Seba could keep the ball and played coz Olympiakos weren't there to play football.. If it was some other team we would have seen Seba falling on his knees and be substituted in the 60th minute again. The greece team was a big disgrace to football and you call our win a good one?

Give me a break. Wake up people.
 
Originally posted by RUnited:
<strong>oh come on you people...

Olympiakos weren't playing football until they got their 2 goals.. Seba and the lads were playing against headless sticks out there..

Even the scholes goal came because their keeper couldn't hold on to one single ball tonight.. he should be sold immediately if they still wanna reach the secord round.

We're lucky to get a win against a dead man walking team..you call that good display? we should have finished them up since the first half.. if Olympiakos had played the way they did during the 5 mins they scored 2 goals we would have lost the game!

The defence was crap.. the midfield could keep the ball coz Olympiakos weren't there to play football.. The greece team was a big disgrace to football and you call our win a good one?

Give me a break. Wake up people.</strong><hr></blockquote>Did not watch the game, so i can't comment much, but if what you said was true, then, it would be nothing to cheer about, but then again, 4/4 wins...

:p
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its true that the opposition were REALLY bad, particularly their keeper who couldnt catch a cold. However, you can only beat whats put in front of you..
 
Positive aspects of the game

1 Veron is A WORLD CLASS PLAYER who is swiftly returning to his best.
2 We have qualified

Negative
1 The defense still needs to improve
2 Blanc is not leading well the defense
3 O Shea has still lot to learn
4 Scholes is most dangerous as an attacking midfielder and not as a forward ( he only grew dangerous from outside the box)
5 Forlan is not Manutd's level

My ratings

Barthez 7 Had no fault in the goals
G Neville 6.5 A quiet yet solid game
O shea 6 Had some fault in the 1st goal
Blanc 6 Scored a wonder goal, yet had been caught out of pace, and should have lead the defense better
Silvestre 6.5 A quiet game but not short of class
P Neville 5.5 not incisive in his out of position role
Beckham 7 Hard working and determinating
Veron 8 A wonderful game and a wonderful goal
Scholes 9 Manutd's best player. Always dangerous with his long throws
Giggs 7 Played well yet relied too much on the spectacular
Forlan 5.5 contributed well but one shot on target is simply not enough.
 
My Haifa game's team

Ricardo
Brown
OShea
May
Tierney
Chadwick
Stewart
Fortune
Richardson
Forlan
Scholes(captian)
Scholes
 
There are not 2 scholes in my formation( though i would prefare than having forlan)

it was just a misprint
 
Originally posted by devilish:
<strong>There are not 2 scholes in my formation( though i would prefare than having forlan)

</strong><hr></blockquote>


So why include Forlan in your team then????
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Originally posted by Livvie20:
<strong>


So why include Forlan in your team then????</strong><hr></blockquote>

it's a consensus that we want "forlone" to play better football.. the only way to do this is to keep playing him wherever possible.. Ole is a proven man for United so he doesn't need to play in these reserves game.

Scholes still has to get used to playing in the hole so i see him playing in all the unncessary games as well. This includes Veron.

O'Shea still has much to prove so he should also play whenever and whereever possible - even on the right back to try out all his capabilities.
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Originally posted by devilish:
<strong>
Scholes 9 Manutd's best player. Always dangerous with his long throws
</strong><hr></blockquote>


????????????????????
Do you mean shots?

Best striker of the ball I've ever seen!
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With an assured qualification in hand our main targets are

1 Avoid injuries and yellow cards
2 Give space and experience to those players who rarely play

We suffer from strenght of depth and I would take this occassion to rest much of the team and give some match fitness to Wes and May

Scholes is the most experienced player from the lot. Its either him or May
 
Originally posted by devilish:
<strong>My Haifa game's team

Ricardo
Brown
OShea
May
Tierney
Chadwick
Stewart
Fortune
Richardson
Forlan
Scholes(captian)
Scholes</strong><hr></blockquote>

should include Veron in there.. he needs to keep playing to get back to his best.
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Maybe you are right but I will play either Scholes or Veron. I prefared Scholes

1 Scholes is more hardworking and can play in the forward line

2 Veron is more injury prone and i would protect him . Its not an important game soo we can afford
 
Originally posted by RUnited:
<strong>

it's a consensus that we want "forlone" to play better football.. the only way to do this is to keep playing him wherever possible.. Ole is a proven man for United so he doesn't need to play in these reserves game.

</strong><hr></blockquote>

:rolleyes: I wasn't asking why you weren't including Ole. Just why you put Forlan in after saying he wasn't United quality.

I would also use Forlan next week, though I would hope to use one of the reserve strikers with him to see what the potential there is.
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AT the mom we have only OGS and RVN as proven strikers.

Why risking them in a game in which Manutd can afford to lose points??

I think its wiser to rest them and avoid any yellow cards rather than playing them

And btw I think that Forlan is not up to quality but personally I would like him to succeed at OT.
 
Originally posted by devilish:
<strong>AT the mom we have only OGS and RVN as proven strikers.

Why risking them in a game in which Manutd can afford to lose points??

</strong><hr></blockquote>


Where have I said we should????????
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I included Forlan

1 not to risk RVN and OGS
a) hes the only stiker we have apart the above two
 
Originally posted by devilish:
<strong>I included Forlan

1 not to risk RVN and OGS
</strong><hr></blockquote>


:confused: I know. We've established this already.

I agreed with you. But I said I would try out a reserve striker with Forlan.
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Originally posted by Livvie20:
<strong>


:confused: I know. We've established this already.

I agreed with you. But I said I would try out a reserve striker with Forlan.</strong><hr></blockquote>

you two are amusing.. hahaha..

it appears Devillish thinks we only actually have RVN, OGS and Forlan as striker...

I agree with you livvie, it'll be nice to see the potential there should we play with another reserve striker..
but then if my prediction of what SAF is thinking is correct, then it's pretty much settled that he will go for 4-4-1-1 until they start playing well

he's forcing it a bit hard, but if it does get things going then it'll be good.
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Originally posted by RUnited:
<strong>

you two are amusing.. hahaha..

it appears Devillish thinks we only actually have RVN, OGS and Forlan as striker...

I agree with you livvie, it'll be nice to see the potential there should we play with another reserve striker..
but then if my prediction of what SAF is thinking is correct, then it's pretty much settled that he will go for 4-4-1-1 until they start playing well

he's forcing it a bit hard, but if it does get things going then it'll be good.</strong><hr></blockquote>


If he really insist on 4-4-1-1 then let it be that. But at least, put Giggs in the hole instead of Scholes. The arguments are:
1. Scholes in the hole didn't work for 99% of time
2. Giggs in the hole may work sometimes, judging from the trial in last season.
3. Giggs running speed is decreasing obviously, so he must change his game anyway.
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1st when I was talking about having only three stikers and playing Forlan I was talking about the next championsleague tie.

2nd Apart from Danny Webber I dont see any valid competitors for Forlan,OGS and RVN ( UNLESS OF COARSE YOU MOVE SHOLES AND GIGGS OUT OF POSTION)
Yes there is also Nardiello, but dont you see him as too young for the task? I would loan him for a season or 2 to a minor team hopefully abroad instead of playing him.

3rd Giggs lacking of pace? comeon its ridiculous. He still 29 yrs and at the peak of his carrier

4th Neither Giggs nor Scholes should be playing up front. Giggs is a winger and you are ruining his fast overlaps on the wing when you playing him upfront. Scholes major asset is to infiltrate inside the defense and score those breath taking goals ( majorly coming out the box). And you ruin it by playing him upfront.
 
Originally posted by uranushk1:
<strong>


If he really insist on 4-4-1-1 then let it be that. But at least, put Giggs in the hole instead of Scholes. The arguments are:
1. Scholes in the hole didn't work for 99% of time
2. Giggs in the hole may work sometimes, judging from the trial in last season.
3. Giggs running speed is decreasing obviously, so he must change his game anyway.</strong><hr></blockquote>

but there will be so many problems that follow, namely:

1. how do we deal with Scholes? Replace Veron with him? Then how do we deal with Veron?

2. How do we deal with the left wing? Even if giggs is pushed into the center all the time there's assurance that the left wing is always reliable.. with him in center we have no assurances.. i don't want to see rotations between richardson and fortune all season long while either scholes or veron is on the bench.

3. Giggs will have to change his game eventually, that's probably why Fergie insists on 4-4-1-1 because it redurces the running of giggs. But we still need his runs whenever possible because they're simply magical when effective. Moving him into center creates lack of creativity because there will no longer be magical runs... that's going to take so much more away from the game...

Anything else anyone else wants to add?
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I disagree with you My new friend Van Veron.

Forlan should run,run, RUUUUUUUUUNN back to Uruguay and never return to OT :p <img src="graemlins/lol.gif" border="0" alt="[Laugh Out Loud]" />
 
Originally posted by Van Veron:
<strong>About this Forlan guy...

Maybe there's a chance he could run less and play more football?

Just an idea.</strong><hr></blockquote>

I'd agree with that too. He often runs all over the place but achieves nothing. He must get tired, which might go some way to explaining his ineffectiveness in front of goal. All the running creates the illusion of hard work - well it is hard work, but is generally unproductive. He needs to stay nearer the goal and leave the donkey work to others.

He flatters to deceive by his willingness to run all over the shop.
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Originally posted by Livvie20:
<strong>

I'd agree with that too. He often runs all over the place but achieves nothing. He must get tired, which might go some way to explaining his ineffectiveness in front of goal. All the running creates the illusion of hard work - well it is hard work, but is generally unproductive. He needs to stay nearer the goal and leave the donkey work to others.

He flatters to deceive by his willingness to run all over the shop.</strong><hr></blockquote>


i think his overall game is quite good.. he lacks Ole or Ruuds edge upfront(thats whenever he ventures into the box)... which due to a lack of confindence.IMO
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