United crush Roma, Liverpool ease past PSV
Manchester United 8 - 3 Roma (on aggregate)
Comprehensive wins for Liverpool and Manchester United along with composed performances by Chelsea and Milan have ensured progression for the quartet to the final four.
United's emphatic win at Old Trafford annihilated whatever advantage Roma had built up in the first leg. Now on, Alexander Doni will probably always move a little to his left after he was beaten on that side five times by United. Given that Roma's centre backs forgot all their positioning and were generally calamitous in their marking, the additional two goals will add further pain to the Roma custodian's memories of this encounter.
One was expecting a home win that built on the away goal. When United scored first you sensed that win might be secured with a degree of comfort not previously imagined. However, once Michael Carrick scored off a quite brilliantly taken shot from just outside the area, the floodgates opened and the ensuing deluge all but swept Roma away.
At the end of it all Roma didn't play that badly, United simply played really well. Whereas most of Roma's shots were off target, even their only goal being an optimistic one-timed volley from De Rossi, almost all of United's shots were bang on the money. An eighth goal was narrowly missed when United hit the post.
Ronaldo's running with the ball, Alan Smith's and Wayne Rooney's running off it and United's long passing onto the wings stretched Roma's rearguard every which way. With both Phillipe Mexes and Christian Chivu completely clueless as to where they should stand, whom to mark and which avenue to cut out, it was left to David Pizzaro and Daniele De Rossi to track back and cut the angles and space out. With the latter two more devoted to game upfield and seemingly unable to prevent the ball from being sprayed diagonally sideways and then back in, there was way too much space just in front of the area. Balls crossed in from the flanks were left to fall to United players running in to tap them home. No one was closed down when they found themselves with the ball just outside the box.
Luciano Spaletti is a brave man, going for the jugular in the away leg, yet in retrospect defending deeper and having his twin midfield anchors protect the back four would have seemed saner and safer. Without taking anything away from the comprehensive United performance, you have to say though that most of their strikes were very opportunistic. Basically all of United's attempted shots went in, every flick on found its way to the right place or person and every cross was met at the right time by a a runner with the right amount of space. Not that this should take anything away from the performance but United should remember that days like this, when just about everything goes your way, do not come regularly. Carrick may try more shots from distance in the future and will fancy going for the top right corner more often, but I doubt he will score many more like that. Even Smith must have been astounded at his good fortune when the ball not only found its way to him, after some typically slack defending from Roma, but his first time shot left Doni rooted. For Roma, nothing came off. After a bright start in which they narrowly missed the far post with some long range drives, and other than Francesco Totti's close control and back pass, everything failed. Even Doni's strike was a lucky, first time, volley that I'm sure he doubted would go in. But on a night in which almost every optimistic strike happened to find the back of the net, it duly obliged.
Still, United showed that for all your technique, skill and artistry, the basics of the game, if done well, will serve you immeasurably even on the grandest stage. Their running was dedicated and their passing simple. Other than Ronaldo who threatened to singlehandedly take Roma apart, no one really displayed individual brilliance. But off every attack, there were runners accelerating into avenues and0 balls was always played into space. And whenever United got a chance, they decided to shoot.
On this performance, United should be the most feared team left in Europe. No one will want to visit Old Trafford now.
Liverpool 4 - 0 PSV (on aggregate)
Liverpool had done most of the hard work in the away leg and barring a miracle were set to go through after the home leg. Peter Crouch ensured that his recent purple patch continued and scored the game-winner but there was little really to write home about.
PSV were decimated by injuries themselves and came out to limit the damage. Phillip Cocu and Jefferson Farfan were the only players on the Dutch side who threatened to score a goal. Watching the body language of both teams you sensed PSV knew they had no chance and Liverpool ensured they did just enough to keep PSV at bay.
Jermaine Pennant sparkled on the right wing and his constant harrying of Carlos Salcido will go a long way towards convincing his biggest critics that he indeed does have a future at a top club. If Pennant does go on to win the Champions' League this year, it will be vindication for his supporters after indiscipline and a lack of focus and motivation threatened to derail his early career.
For all his juggling and rotation Rafa Benitez has instilled a defensive solidity to this Liverpool side. Now that they are coming together on the opposite side of the pitch, their play is more balanced and structured. Balls are quickly played out of defence and onto the wings or a runner moving towards the middle. They are clinical without being spectacular and while keeping things simple have managed to add a degree of poise to their style. However their approach often takes time. Against teams with more effort and discipline (read next opponents Chelsea) it may run aground.
Despite their lead, it took debutant Dirk Marcellis' dismissal to finally breach PSV's net. In fact throughout this tie PSV have not tried as hard as they could have (or should have) and the onus has been completely on Liverpool to find a way through. Whereas being 4-0 up on aggregate should have given Liverpool license to attack more freely, Rafa's approach has meant they will simply lock down and grind away till the end. Liverpool may have rested best players in Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher while pacey threat Craig Bellamy may have hobbled off with an injury early, but they should still have won with greater aplomb.
No matter, they are arguably one of the toughest sides to beat in a knockout tie and thoroughly deserved their progression against a very poor PSV. The latter should really question their approach. 4 years ago Deportivo La Coruna lost a first leg 4 - 1 to Milan and then triumphed 4 - 0 in the reverse to go through in the Champions' League. Although a 3 goal win in this fixture was unlikely it was not impossible. The defeatism emanating from the Dutch camp was disgusting and on this performance purely denigrating to the Champions' League. Top competition demands total effort, no matter the situation, the professional approach demands nothing less. How fitting then that there is only one remaining domestic champion left.
Comprehensive wins for Liverpool and Manchester United along with composed performances by Chelsea and Milan have ensured progression for the quartet to the final four.
United's emphatic win at Old Trafford annihilated whatever advantage Roma had built up in the first leg. Now on, Alexander Doni will probably always move a little to his left after he was beaten on that side five times by United. Given that Roma's centre backs forgot all their positioning and were generally calamitous in their marking, the additional two goals will add further pain to the Roma custodian's memories of this encounter.
One was expecting a home win that built on the away goal. When United scored first you sensed that win might be secured with a degree of comfort not previously imagined. However, once Michael Carrick scored off a quite brilliantly taken shot from just outside the area, the floodgates opened and the ensuing deluge all but swept Roma away.
At the end of it all Roma didn't play that badly, United simply played really well. Whereas most of Roma's shots were off target, even their only goal being an optimistic one-timed volley from De Rossi, almost all of United's shots were bang on the money. An eighth goal was narrowly missed when United hit the post.
Ronaldo's running with the ball, Alan Smith's and Wayne Rooney's running off it and United's long passing onto the wings stretched Roma's rearguard every which way. With both Phillipe Mexes and Christian Chivu completely clueless as to where they should stand, whom to mark and which avenue to cut out, it was left to David Pizzaro and Daniele De Rossi to track back and cut the angles and space out. With the latter two more devoted to game upfield and seemingly unable to prevent the ball from being sprayed diagonally sideways and then back in, there was way too much space just in front of the area. Balls crossed in from the flanks were left to fall to United players running in to tap them home. No one was closed down when they found themselves with the ball just outside the box.
Luciano Spaletti is a brave man, going for the jugular in the away leg, yet in retrospect defending deeper and having his twin midfield anchors protect the back four would have seemed saner and safer. Without taking anything away from the comprehensive United performance, you have to say though that most of their strikes were very opportunistic. Basically all of United's attempted shots went in, every flick on found its way to the right place or person and every cross was met at the right time by a a runner with the right amount of space. Not that this should take anything away from the performance but United should remember that days like this, when just about everything goes your way, do not come regularly. Carrick may try more shots from distance in the future and will fancy going for the top right corner more often, but I doubt he will score many more like that. Even Smith must have been astounded at his good fortune when the ball not only found its way to him, after some typically slack defending from Roma, but his first time shot left Doni rooted. For Roma, nothing came off. After a bright start in which they narrowly missed the far post with some long range drives, and other than Francesco Totti's close control and back pass, everything failed. Even Doni's strike was a lucky, first time, volley that I'm sure he doubted would go in. But on a night in which almost every optimistic strike happened to find the back of the net, it duly obliged.
Still, United showed that for all your technique, skill and artistry, the basics of the game, if done well, will serve you immeasurably even on the grandest stage. Their running was dedicated and their passing simple. Other than Ronaldo who threatened to singlehandedly take Roma apart, no one really displayed individual brilliance. But off every attack, there were runners accelerating into avenues and0 balls was always played into space. And whenever United got a chance, they decided to shoot.
On this performance, United should be the most feared team left in Europe. No one will want to visit Old Trafford now.
Liverpool 4 - 0 PSV (on aggregate)
Liverpool had done most of the hard work in the away leg and barring a miracle were set to go through after the home leg. Peter Crouch ensured that his recent purple patch continued and scored the game-winner but there was little really to write home about.
PSV were decimated by injuries themselves and came out to limit the damage. Phillip Cocu and Jefferson Farfan were the only players on the Dutch side who threatened to score a goal. Watching the body language of both teams you sensed PSV knew they had no chance and Liverpool ensured they did just enough to keep PSV at bay.
Jermaine Pennant sparkled on the right wing and his constant harrying of Carlos Salcido will go a long way towards convincing his biggest critics that he indeed does have a future at a top club. If Pennant does go on to win the Champions' League this year, it will be vindication for his supporters after indiscipline and a lack of focus and motivation threatened to derail his early career.
For all his juggling and rotation Rafa Benitez has instilled a defensive solidity to this Liverpool side. Now that they are coming together on the opposite side of the pitch, their play is more balanced and structured. Balls are quickly played out of defence and onto the wings or a runner moving towards the middle. They are clinical without being spectacular and while keeping things simple have managed to add a degree of poise to their style. However their approach often takes time. Against teams with more effort and discipline (read next opponents Chelsea) it may run aground.
Despite their lead, it took debutant Dirk Marcellis' dismissal to finally breach PSV's net. In fact throughout this tie PSV have not tried as hard as they could have (or should have) and the onus has been completely on Liverpool to find a way through. Whereas being 4-0 up on aggregate should have given Liverpool license to attack more freely, Rafa's approach has meant they will simply lock down and grind away till the end. Liverpool may have rested best players in Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher while pacey threat Craig Bellamy may have hobbled off with an injury early, but they should still have won with greater aplomb.
No matter, they are arguably one of the toughest sides to beat in a knockout tie and thoroughly deserved their progression against a very poor PSV. The latter should really question their approach. 4 years ago Deportivo La Coruna lost a first leg 4 - 1 to Milan and then triumphed 4 - 0 in the reverse to go through in the Champions' League. Although a 3 goal win in this fixture was unlikely it was not impossible. The defeatism emanating from the Dutch camp was disgusting and on this performance purely denigrating to the Champions' League. Top competition demands total effort, no matter the situation, the professional approach demands nothing less. How fitting then that there is only one remaining domestic champion left.
Labels: Liverpool, Manchester United, PSV, Roma, UEFA Champions' League 2006-07
posted by Arjun Datta @ 4/11/2007 09:19:00 PM
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