CL ~ FC Schalke 0 - 2 Manchester United - Apr 26
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On a side note,
United remain on course to be the first club in Champions League history not to concede a goal away from home in an entire campaign.
Well, if you discount the final... They have already done it.
And
Ryan Giggs, 37 — is now the oldest Champions League goalscorer...
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Originally posted by zocoss:
Neuer may be a good keeper and he had a good performance last night. But it's one of those days when a keeper suddenly makes a few very good saves type...
Personally I don't think he is a great keeper, but a good one though. He have let in quite a few soft shots too recently and one was even more crazy like the Ben Foster kind where he came out and the ball bounced over his head and went in.
Neuer had a good performance right up to 70 mins no doubt... But then again, the 2 goals that when pass him were rather easy too wasn't it? For me, I think the Ajax keeper could be better than him, but that's not to say he is lousy. He is indeed rather good too but could be another Ben Foster, though not that terrible but you know what I mean... On his day he is very good, but not on his day, soft ones can also beat him kind...
Maybe his performance comes from the inspiration to get Schalke to the finals... Or maybe an interview for Fergie to come and get him ?
I think MUFC needs a consistent GK, not one that blows hot/cold, not saying the great Dane or even EDS have had no off days/nights also.
Ajax keeper may be better in that sense, but given in a different league, it may be hard to compare apple to apple.
there aren't too many good quality keepers out there and I think given arsenal or etc may be shopping for one, they won't come cheap.
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he is a notch above ben foster, thats for sure. i still dunno and cant understand an average english goalie can be hyped up as one with potential. his kicking still sucks. his stop stopping is no different from other average goalie like paul robinson etc. since david seaman retired, england doesnt have a decent goalie. Joe Hart is just an above average goalie, not world class or one who potential to be world class.
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this match united totally dominated from start to finish. somemore its away match in germany. if not for Neur, schalke would be beaten by at least 6 goals or more if not for wayward finishing and superlative saves from Neur.
if united do not do anything silly in the second leg, like an early sending off or conceded an early goal, united should be firmly in the seat to qualify for the finals.
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Patrice Evra knows at first hand the damage complacency could do to Manchester United's bid to reach the Champions League final.
Only a heavy defeat to Schalke at Old Trafford next week can end their hopes of playing in a third final in four years after their 2-0 win over the German side in Gelsenkirchen on Tuesday night.
It seems highly unlikely yet Evra knows the improbable can sometimes turn out to be possible, as his own career shows.
"In football you never know," said the France defender.
"I remember playing for Monaco in the 2004 quarter-final and we played in the Bernabeu against Real Madrid and lost 4-2.
"Real thought they were going into the semi-final. They thought they were there already. But in the second leg we won 3-1 and went through."
Evra believes that tie provides a valuable lesson and will ensure his team-mates do not get too far ahead of themselves and start dreaming of a Wembley date with either a Real Madrid side containing United old boy Cristiano Ronaldo or Barcelona, who gave them a footballing lesson during the 2009 final in Rome.
"We have to be as professional next week as we were on Tuesday night and keep going," said Evra.
"We have to win at Old Trafford. But I must say if we don't go through to the final now then it would be a disaster for Man United."
Providing United retain the same mentality, Evra is certain they will make it.
Certainly, there was little evidence last night of a team capable of going to Old Trafford and making a game of it, even if the 5-2 win at Inter Milan in the previous round shows what Schalke at capable of.
"We just have to do our job," said Evra.
"We are very near to the final now but we have to complete the task we have started.
"I am not surprised we did well and the game was one-sided because we showed Schalke so much respect. We respected them a lot.
"Before the game we just said we play the semi-final and that it didn't matter who our opponents were.
"That was important in playing the way we did."
Goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar, meanwhile, believes it would have taken a third goal to ensure there was no need for a second leg.
Even with a two-goal cushion, most observers cannot envisage United failing to reach their third Champions League final in four years.
But despite the one-sided nature of Tuesday night's game and a scoreline that points only one way, Van der Sar is refusing to take anything for granted.
"Probably people think we are at Wembley now but we cannot take anything for granted," said the veteran Dutchman.
"Yes we played great but there is no celebrating in our dressing room because it is only half-time.
"If we had scored a third goal that would have made the second game unnecessary but we have to focus on Arsenal on Sunday now."
Van der Sar will be appearing in a record 14th Champions League semi-final next week as he enters the final weeks of a stellar career.
He will do so as an integral part of a defence which managed to complete its entire away programme without conceding a goal.
Not that the former Ajax man wanted to take too much of the credit.
"Our clean sheet record is all right," he shrugged.
"The midfield played well. It is good to be behind those players."
Van der Sar was appreciative of the performance of Manuel Neuer, who has been touted as a potential replacement for the Dutchman.
It now appears Neuer is bound for Bayern Munich instead but Van der Sar said: "Neuer played really well.
"I haven't seen a lot of him because I don't get to see much of German football on TV but, according to all the reports, it is nothing new."
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I think this result give United a chance to rest important players in the 2nd leg and give them time to rest for the Chelsea match...
Players like Vidic or Rio, Park, Nani, Evra, Carrick or Scholes should be rested as their Chelsea game is something like 90 hrs away... Not saying to get complacent but they must rotate the players and get them well and ready for Chelsea as that match could be the title deciding match.
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united may win the title this weekend, supposing united win arsenal and spurs beat chelsea on saturday, game over. the chelsea game may be immaterial by then.
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Well, it all sounds very nice but I doubt this would be the case... United beating Arsenal away and Chelsea losing at home all in the same weekend... lol.
But if it happens, I will of course be delighted... : )
I do think they will have to do it themselves against Chelsea... Cos losing that could seriously be a problem.
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As much as Neuer's individual performance was shaky the past two meetings, it just goes to show how much keepers rely on the efficiency of defenders to keeps goals out.
Neuer, as an individual, is a good keeper, he makes some great saves, probably cannot keep every shot out, makes mistakes, who doesn't. But for him to do his job right, he needs defenders he can count on. (to cut angles down, intercept etc.)