Champions League Group Stages

First topic message reminder :

The draw is tonight and we could have some potentially crazy strong groups, Manchester City have a 50% chance of being in the same group as Bayern Munich or Barcelona.

What is the tie everybody wants to see in the group stages?

Rooney has been looking the best he has ever looked recently. Shame he is in such a dung team!!!!

A much improved performance, not quite the final ball we needed but on another night could have been four or five. Kagawa, Rooney and Giggs all linked up well.

Benfica got a farcical scrappy goal from a corner that should have been a goal kick. As a betting man I couldn't give a monkeys. Then they get a stonewall penalty turned down in stoppage time meaning I was one measly goal short of £80. Thanks ref!

United winners and in complete control, without ever killing the game off - although they had a luxury of chances in which to do so. Rooney awe-inspiring, playing the opposition on his own at times, but without the goal that his performance deserved. Kagawa showed some nice touches for United in linking up with the front two. Valencia's crossing was poor..again. Giggs is just a machine; he was assured, committed, and in control - two decades and counting at the top of his sport is just remarkable.

Sociedad a very poor side. Reminded me of a bottom-half Premier League team. Never put United under serious pressure, even towards the end. Another tick in the box for why the PL is better than La Liga - depth. Most PL teams would beat Sociedad.

A word on the referee - shambolic. Inconsistent, picky, far, far too many cards (although that changed in the second half). Someone will also need to enlighten me as to how the player that booted Hernandez in the face wasn't sent off, when Nani was for much less than that.

Three wins for English Premier League clubs this week in the Champions League - only German clubs matched that I believe?

On a more darker note, I hear there was racist chanting in the earlier CSKA Moscow-Man City game. Scary to think, as well as damaging to the sport of football, that there will be a World Cup held in a place where racism is so prevalent in just over 4 and a half years time. Not to mention Russia's questionable views on freedom of speech, and homosexuality.

Olly wrote:Zlatan Ibrahimovic you are ridiculous

He just oozes class. Makes the most difficult things in football look effortless. My favourite player.

what he did to england at the start of the year and then this.

Starting to want sweden to get past portugal and if he shows up they may just do it!

NickisBHAFC wrote:Rooney has been looking the best he has ever looked recently. Shame he is in such a dung team!!!!

really don't understand this, everybody tonight has been creaming in their pants about him saying he's in the form of his life, well he was rubbish against Southampton, WBA and shaktar so where this supposed brilliant form then. seems like everybody wants to hype him up. compare him to zlatan there's someone you can cream in your pants about on current form. rooneys has been nowhere near that

dont get me wrong he played well tonight, but missed two sitters and hit a post! the best players in there best form would have bagged a few against that poor sociedad team

I creamed my pants at Torres last night and then cried myself to sleep with ice cream after remembering how he'll probably ruin it within the next 10 days.

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me! Fool me thrice, it's too unbearable!!!

I enjoyed seeing a couple United fans moaning about Giggs playing then watching Giggs purr all night long.

Basically, put RVP for Hernandez and it should work much the same, but with a better player.

he has played much better in the past- but he is playing very well again.. And he is putting them in 8/10 at the moment, so its great signs for rooney, as he only used to put them in 2 in 10 for the last couple of years anyway

im a united fan and while i'll admit i dont particular like rooney i would like nothing more than rooney firing on all cylinders for the sake of the team.

the fact remains i just listed uniteds last 3 games in which rooney was poor in all of them, yet im being told his current form is amazing?

I have seen about 10 united games this season, and he played well in all. 

this is a great spell of form for him.. the first 6 games he shone out like he was the only decent player in a league 2 side! played well in all the euro games, and the england games as well

To be fair, its hard to play well when everyone else is playing bad. Especially when his role is as much about supplying as finishing.

ive seen every united game this season and would have to disagree with you

chelsea- he ran around but provided absolutely nothing going forward
palace- we struggled to break 10 men down, scored a free kick that was about it
city- again scored a free kick that was about it, although he was hardly on his own there
WBA- cross went in and did nothing else
Southampton- extremely poor

thats 5 games i think he wasnt great other than offering a at threat free kicks. he didnt play against liverpool, came off the bench against swansea and played well against leverkusen and sociedad.

he'll do well to have played well in all ten seeing though he's only started in 7

Dolphin Ziggler wrote:To be fair, its hard to play well when everyone else is playing bad. Especially when his role is as much about supplying as finishing.

i agree with this, but why then if rooneys been on form has rvp had no service whatsoever?

compelling and rich wrote:ive seen every united game this season and would have to disagree with you

chelsea- he ran around but provided absolutely nothing going forward
palace- we struggled to break 10 men down, scored a free kick that was about it
city- again scored a free kick that was about it, although he was hardly on his own there
WBA- cross went in and did nothing else
Southampton- extremely poor

thats 5 games i think he wasnt great other than offering a at threat free kicks. he didnt play against liverpool, came off the bench against swansea and played well against leverkusen and sociedad.

he'll do well to have played well in all ten seeing though he's only started in 7

I have to disagree

compelling and rich wrote:

Dolphin Ziggler wrote:To be fair, its hard to play well when everyone else is playing bad. Especially when his role is as much about supplying as finishing.

i agree with this, but why then if rooneys been on form has rvp had no service whatsoever?

RVP has been shocking

mystiroakey wrote:

compelling and rich wrote:ive seen every united game this season and would have to disagree with you

chelsea- he ran around but provided absolutely nothing going forward
palace- we struggled to break 10 men down, scored a free kick that was about it
city- again scored a free kick that was about it, although he was hardly on his own there
WBA- cross went in and did nothing else
Southampton- extremely poor

thats 5 games i think he wasnt great other than offering a at threat free kicks. he didnt play against liverpool, came off the bench against swansea and played well against leverkusen and sociedad.

he'll do well to have played well in all ten seeing though he's only started in 7

I have to disagree

perhaps you get impressed seeing a free kick go in, but rooneys game has so much more than that

compelling and rich wrote:

mystiroakey wrote:

compelling and rich wrote:ive seen every united game this season and would have to disagree with you

chelsea- he ran around but provided absolutely nothing going forward
palace- we struggled to break 10 men down, scored a free kick that was about it
city- again scored a free kick that was about it, although he was hardly on his own there
WBA- cross went in and did nothing else
Southampton- extremely poor

thats 5 games i think he wasnt great other than offering a at threat free kicks. he didnt play against liverpool, came off the bench against swansea and played well against leverkusen and sociedad.

he'll do well to have played well in all ten seeing though he's only started in 7

I have to disagree

perhaps you get impressed seeing a free kick go in, but rooneys game has so much more than that

tbh thats clearly your problem. Rooneys game isn't just about finishing and supplying( i didn't even remember the free kicks- probably because one was during the palace game and that game is a blot on my mind because we were robbed blind!!)- Its so much more, he ticks the game along , he can slow it down and speed it up. He has been the only player at Man u to provide any threat whatsoever(bar the wonder kid in that one game)- Maybe you need to watch him more closely.

mystiroakey wrote:

compelling and rich wrote:

Dolphin Ziggler wrote:To be fair, its hard to play well when everyone else is playing bad. Especially when his role is as much about supplying as finishing.

i agree with this, but why then if rooneys been on form has rvp had no service whatsoever?

RVP has been shocking

if you have been watching us as much as you claim you would clearly see that rvp has been asked to lead the line, something which will need a certain amount of service to be effective. he might as well been stood up front doing nothing with the amount of service he has received. rooneys been deeper with plenty more opportunity to influence the game

compelling and rich wrote:

mystiroakey wrote:

compelling and rich wrote:

Dolphin Ziggler wrote:To be fair, its hard to play well when everyone else is playing bad. Especially when his role is as much about supplying as finishing.

i agree with this, but why then if rooneys been on form has rvp had no service whatsoever?

RVP has been shocking

if you have been watching us as much as you claim you would clearly see that rvp has been asked to lead the line, something which will need a certain amount of service to be effective. he might as well been stood up front doing nothing with the amount of service he has received. rooneys been deeper with plenty more opportunity to influence the game

So you are saying that RVP has been let down by rooney.

Wow. RVP has been slow, he has looked glum, he has been flat footed basically.. He hasn't found enough significant spaces!

When you watch games do you allways pick up on every little mistake rooney does or something?

Like you said you dont like him. Is this why you can't see what everyone else can?

mystiroakey wrote:

compelling and rich wrote:

mystiroakey wrote:

compelling and rich wrote:ive seen every united game this season and would have to disagree with you

chelsea- he ran around but provided absolutely nothing going forward
palace- we struggled to break 10 men down, scored a free kick that was about it
city- again scored a free kick that was about it, although he was hardly on his own there
WBA- cross went in and did nothing else
Southampton- extremely poor

thats 5 games i think he wasnt great other than offering a at threat free kicks. he didnt play against liverpool, came off the bench against swansea and played well against leverkusen and sociedad.

he'll do well to have played well in all ten seeing though he's only started in 7

I have to disagree

perhaps you get impressed seeing a free kick go in, but rooneys game has so much more than that

tbh thats clearly your problem. Rooneys game isn't just about finishing and supplying( i didn't even remember the free kicks- probably because one was during the palace game and that game is a blot on my mind because we were robbed blind!!)- Its so much more, he ticks the game along , he can slow it down and speed it up. He has been the only player at Man u to provide any threat whatsoever(by the wonder kid in that one game)- Maybe you need to watch him more closely.

he hasnt scored a goal from open play in the league, clearly not offering that much of a threat

compelling and rich wrote:

mystiroakey wrote:

compelling and rich wrote:

mystiroakey wrote:

compelling and rich wrote:ive seen every united game this season and would have to disagree with you

chelsea- he ran around but provided absolutely nothing going forward
palace- we struggled to break 10 men down, scored a free kick that was about it
city- again scored a free kick that was about it, although he was hardly on his own there
WBA- cross went in and did nothing else
Southampton- extremely poor

thats 5 games i think he wasnt great other than offering a at threat free kicks. he didnt play against liverpool, came off the bench against swansea and played well against leverkusen and sociedad.

he'll do well to have played well in all ten seeing though he's only started in 7

I have to disagree

perhaps you get impressed seeing a free kick go in, but rooneys game has so much more than that

tbh thats clearly your problem. Rooneys game isn't just about finishing and supplying( i didn't even remember the free kicks- probably because one was during the palace game and that game is a blot on my mind because we were robbed blind!!)- Its so much more, he ticks the game along , he can slow it down and speed it up. He has been the only player at Man u to provide any threat whatsoever(by the wonder kid in that one game)- Maybe you need to watch him more closely.

he hasnt scored a goal from open play in the league, clearly not offering that much of a threat

Rooney has been playing deep so far.. BUt he has done it well, just a shame every other player has looked so disinterested- the play and build up has been so slow, bar rooneys contributions

However tonight was totally different.

No big hair or rvp playing, brought in Kawga and Giggs and you looked so much better..

mystiroakey wrote:

compelling and rich wrote:

mystiroakey wrote:

compelling and rich wrote:

Dolphin Ziggler wrote:To be fair, its hard to play well when everyone else is playing bad. Especially when his role is as much about supplying as finishing.

i agree with this, but why then if rooneys been on form has rvp had no service whatsoever?

RVP has been shocking

if you have been watching us as much as you claim you would clearly see that rvp has been asked to lead the line, something which will need a certain amount of service to be effective. he might as well been stood up front doing nothing with the amount of service he has received. rooneys been deeper with plenty more opportunity to influence the game

So you are saying that RVP has been let down by rooney.

Wow. RVP has been slow, he has looked glum, he has been flat footed basically.. He hasn't found enough significant spaces!

When you watch games do you allways pick up on every little mistake rooney does or something?

Like you said you dont like him. Is this why you can't see what everyone else can?

not just rooney no the whole midfield had provided nothing for rvp, you said rvp has been shocking but the role he's playing he reliant on what other players provide. hes clearly not playing his best but do feel for rvp a bit at the moment

i dont pick on rooney no, i clearly have already stated he played well tonight. i do remember fully how he played ALL game and not simply forget how he played because he had scored a free kick

compelling and rich wrote:

mystiroakey wrote:

compelling and rich wrote:

mystiroakey wrote:

compelling and rich wrote:

Dolphin Ziggler wrote:To be fair, its hard to play well when everyone else is playing bad. Especially when his role is as much about supplying as finishing.

i agree with this, but why then if rooneys been on form has rvp had no service whatsoever?

RVP has been shocking

if you have been watching us as much as you claim you would clearly see that rvp has been asked to lead the line, something which will need a certain amount of service to be effective. he might as well been stood up front doing nothing with the amount of service he has received. rooneys been deeper with plenty more opportunity to influence the game

So you are saying that RVP has been let down by rooney.

Wow. RVP has been slow, he has looked glum, he has been flat footed basically.. He hasn't found enough significant spaces!

When you watch games do you allways pick up on every little mistake rooney does or something?

Like you said you dont like him. Is this why you can't see what everyone else can?

not just rooney no the whole midfield had provided nothing for rvp, you said rvp has been shocking but the role he's playing he reliant on what other players provide. hes clearly not playing his best but do feel for rvp a bit at the moment

i dont pick on rooney no, i clearly have already stated he played well tonight. i do remember fully how he played ALL game and not simply forget how he played because he had scored a free kick

its funny you should mention the free kicks, because that is all you seem to actually remember!

getting lectured by a palace fan about united, perhaps you have lower expectations of what top class players should be capable of 

i only remember free kicks but rooneys played well in 10 games this year even though he hasn't played ten games  

By the way dont feel sorry for RVP, its clear he is just down at the moment, maybe its due to Fergie going not much new investment(bar the worst buy of the season) and he feels the team he left has a better future and a better manager.

He can make things happen out of nothing. 

when we talk about rooney playing well, that isn't like talking about Zlatan or RVP or ronaldo playing well. 

The Latter 3 are world class- rooney is possible world squad class. We dont expect as much.. Maybe many United fans do, because when he burst on the scene he played so well especially in europe.. But since then its been 1 good game in 5 - 2 average and 2 poor(bar a couple of seasons anyway)

For me he hasn't had a poor game, and if you are are an attacking player and dont have the best all round game but score the important goals(the two he scored for england were so important) you have influenced the game in the best way possible.  Yes if you score late and the team is already 2 nil up- no pressure, but scoring the first or second goals are so important and deserve recognition.

compelling and rich wrote:getting lectured by a palace fan about united, perhaps you have lower expectations of what top class players should be capable of 

i only remember free kicks but rooneys played well in 10 games this year even though he hasn't played ten games  

compelling you need to calm yourself down, this is a discussion not a lecture. If you only want a man u perspective on things i suggest you leave this forum and go to a manu u only one

I really liked the look of kagawa tonight. Annoyingly though we already know he'll be back on the bench against stoke on saturday

compelling and rich wrote:getting lectured by a palace fan about united, perhaps you have lower expectations of what top class players should be capable of 

i only remember free kicks but rooneys played well in 10 games this year even though he hasn't played ten games  

He's played 7 league, 2 CL and a league cup game.
Or to count them up...
10 games.

(And one friendly)

i was actually including england games as well. but anyway it doesn't really matter for my money he has been consistently good and he certainly wasn't last season!

The consistency level is back and its about time IMO

And the stats speak for themselves that he's in much better form.
11 games, 5 goals, 6 assists.

mystiroakey wrote:By the way dont feel sorry for RVP, its clear he is just down at the moment, maybe its due to Fergie going not much new investment(bar the worst buy of the season) and he feels the team he left has a better future and a better manager.

He can make things happen out of nothing. 

when we talk about rooney playing well, that isn't like talking about Zlatan or RVP or ronaldo playing well. 

The Latter 3 are world class- rooney is possible world squad class. We dont expect as much.. Maybe many United fans do, because when he burst on the scene he played so well especially in europe.. But since then its been 1 good game in 5 - 2 average and 2 poor(bar a couple of seasons anyway)

For me he hasn't had a poor game, and if you are are an attacking player and dont have the best all round game but score the important goals(the two he scored for england were so important) you have influenced the game in the best way possible.  Yes if you score late and the team is already 2 nil up- no pressure, but scoring the first or second goals are so important and deserve recognition.

I heard plenty of the media describe him as world class, but its not like the british press to get over exicted about a english player

I was taking about united, his form for england has been better than that of united. Not sure he's scored when its most important. He scored a consolation in the defeat to city, crossed it in against the defeat to wba and scored a free kick when we were a man up and a goal against palace. The game was over soon as that red was given

I will admit that the palace game has been scrubbed out of my memory.. They have all season. Its a self defence mechanism to keep me sane!

Hero wrote:And the stats speak for themselves that he's in much better form.
11 games, 5 goals, 6 assists.

Two Champions league games he's played well and are bump up in his stats. His 3 in the league goals have been all free kicks. Suggesting he's not offering that much attacking threat other than set pieces

Wayne Rooney has been United's best player so far this season by a distance. He was certainly MOTM tonight.

Hero wrote:

compelling and rich wrote:getting lectured by a palace fan about united, perhaps you have lower expectations of what top class players should be capable of 

i only remember free kicks but rooneys played well in 10 games this year even though he hasn't played ten games  

He's played 7 league, 2 CL and a league cup game.
Or to count them up...
10 games.

(And one friendly)

i wasn't really counting a twenty min run out of the bench against swansea when the game was over, certainly stretching it to say he's played 10 full games then

Tbh if i was moyes i would stick with kawaga as he has a good close control and a good pass. The only worry is how will his physical presence stack up.

But play the players that played well last game, If the squad players play well and RVP is sidelined he will push to get his form back and united will once again be a good shout for a top 4!

He managed two assists in those 29 minutes.

Duty281 wrote:Wayne Rooney has been United's best player so far this season by a distance. He was certainly MOTM tonight.

hardly hard! januzaj is probably not far behind him and has only started a couple of games. being united best player this season doesn't necessary mean you have played that well because for me theres been hardly anyone who has played well. de gea has probably been the most consistent performer so far, tells its own story!

compelling and rich wrote:

Hero wrote:

compelling and rich wrote:getting lectured by a palace fan about united, perhaps you have lower expectations of what top class players should be capable of 

i only remember free kicks but rooneys played well in 10 games this year even though he hasn't played ten games  

He's played 7 league, 2 CL and a league cup game.
Or to count them up...
10 games.

(And one friendly)

i wasn't really counting a twenty min run out of the bench against swansea when the game was over, certainly stretching it to say he's played 10 full games then

I admit I haven't watched ten united games with him playing!! It is probably more like 6 and the rest on highlights , but anyway my point still stands.. He is in better form than he has been for ages. And possibly united's best player so far

I'd actually have Evra as the best player so far that's played more a couple of games (so Januzaj doesn't count) but Rooney isn't far behind.

I just had a look at rvp's stats..

6 goals in 3 games for holland!!

probably reinforces my opinion that not many have been great hero that i dont think evra has been that great. still looks like he's in switching off mode defending a lot this season and has wasted a lot when going forward

mystiroakey wrote:I just had a look at rvp's stats..

6 goals in 3 games for holland!!

better form than rooney    

i jest before anyone takes me seriously

compelling and rich wrote:

mystiroakey wrote:I just had a look at rvp's stats..

6 goals in 3 games for holland!!

better form than rooney    

i jest before anyone takes me seriously

well he has scored plenty of goals this season. 

the thing about playing someone like rvp is that even when he doesn't play well he could allways pop up and score. Problem is that seems like a luxury player that united cant afford at the moment!

mystiroakey wrote:

compelling and rich wrote:

mystiroakey wrote:I just had a look at rvp's stats..

6 goals in 3 games for holland!!

better form than rooney    

i jest before anyone takes me seriously

well he has scored plenty of goals this season. 

the thing about playing someone like rvp is that even when he doesn't play well he could allways pop up and score. Problem is that seems like a luxury player that united cant afford at the moment!

Did that a lot last season, very quite then would pop up and score something out of nothing. I think we can afford it if we can start feeding him better. His form for holland shows he can still put it away

you can afford him if you stop losing!!

To be fair strikers just used to be strikers, That job seems to have become obsolete these days.. BUt RVP is so much more anyway

compelling and rich wrote:

Hero wrote:And the stats speak for themselves that he's in much better form.
11 games, 5 goals, 6 assists.

Two Champions league games he's played well and are bump up in his stats. His 3 in the league goals have been all free kicks. Suggesting he's not offering that much attacking threat other than set pieces

So when RVP doesn't score it's Rooneys fault for not providing the service but when Rooney isn't scoring from open play its he who is to blame?

I think most can see Wayne is in good form