Manchester United vs. Real Madrid: The Twitter Fallout

Prior to kick off yesterday there was nervous energy and uncontrollable excitement felt by Manchester and Madrid fans alike. The first leg saw Manchester go into the Bernabeu and grab a precious away goal while coming out with a draw, a positive result to say the least. After a two week respite from Champions League competition, the stage now shifted to Old Trafford as the eyes of the football world descended upon the “Theatre of Dreams”.

As the match inched closer to starting Twitter came to life as seemingly everyone had something to say on the contest. It started with the usual score and lineup predictions (none of which were right) but took an unexpected twist as Sir Alex Ferguson did the unthinkable, he dropped one of Manchester’s favourite sons, Wayne Rooney. While many supporters preached loyalty with their #InFergieWeTrust tweets, many (myself included) couldn’t believe the omission. To drop the co-highest paid player (RVP is on similar wages) and arguably the clubs best player was a move reminiscent of the David Beckham, Ruud Van Nistelrooy, and to a lesser degree Dimitar Berbatov benching’s. All three of those players found themselves leaving United shortly after being left out of the starting XI (Berbatov got a reduced role before leaving), and now speculation of Rooney’s possible departure is rampant.

We all know what happened in the match so I’ll abstain from providing any real summary other than this; the first sixty minutes went to plan for United as they grabbed the first goal and thoroughly frustrated Madrid. Danny Welbeck’s man marking of Xabi Alonso was an unexpected tactic that was a masterstroke as it kept Madrid from establishing any real attacking threat. With Alonso not pulling the strings a victory looked well within United’s grasp; that was until referee Cuneyt Cakir did the unthinkable and sent of Nani for an unintentional high boot (that hit Arbeloa’s arm). A dangerous play that warranted yellow, but nowhere near vicious or dangerous enough to be given a red. That decision swung momentum in Madrid’s favour and they mercilessly attacked a shocked United. Below is a compilation of tweets from managers, players, journalists, pundits, and twitter users on the main storylines from the match.  

Wayne Rooney on the bench

Colleen Rooney (@ColleenRoo): Can’t believe @WayneRooney isn’t starting tonight!!!

Piers Morgan (@PiersMorgan): Sorry, but picking an old man (Giggs) and a 2nd-rate striker (Nani) over Shrek @WayneRooney is a shocking, suicidal decision by Sir Alex.

Jose Mourinho: "Sir Alex Ferguson has won the right (to pick his team) over the years. Every decision is correct and every decision should never have a question mark in front. He's the best, he's the top, he's created an incredible history. You (reporter) are nobody, I am nobody, to put a question mark in front. His team was very well-organised. The defence was fantastic and I think he did a great job."

Mike Phelan: “The decision was tactical, in that dressing room everyone was fit. Big decisions had to be made; tonight we had the balance just right.”

Me (@InOnGoal): People saying Rooney will come on and do a job is ridiculous, you can't leave out your best player and depend on him as a supersub #mufc

Me (@InOnGoal): Wow no Rooney, this is a massive decision that could have an impact beyond this match. Rumuors have been swirling of another possible rift! ---The links to PSG and Real Madrid will only get louder

Michael Owen: "For Rooney not to start it's got to be a big worry for him. It's the biggest game of the season and the manager has not included him"

The Red Card

Mike Phelan: “The decision… was amazing. But we had to carry on. In a game of this magnitude, with the whole world watching, we feel very disappointed."

“We all saw and witnessed a decision that seemed very harsh. We had a massive audience around the world with people watching in how many countries I do not know, and everybody will be sitting there wondering what happened. A great performance was marred by one decision."

“We felt the ball was in the air, the player was watching the ball. Yes, there was contact, but that's the nature of football and to get a red card seems unbelievable."

Jose Mourinho: “Playing with one man down for such a long period is going to change a lot in the game."

Michael Owen (@TheMichaelOwen): Disappointing that a game of that size was decided by a refereeing decision. Can understand why he sent him off but got to say it was harsh.

Gary Neville (@GNev2): Nani is a player who regularly tries to control a pass like this over his shoulder and its never a red card! Changed the whole game! Poor ref

Richard Keys (@tSKeysandGray): Difficult for @gnev2 to be objective at a time like this. Was Nani endangering the well being of an opponent? Yes. Therefore it's a red card

Matt Le Tisser (@MattLetiss7): Some dim people on today who dont understand that nani was trying to control the ball and not making a challenge/planting studs in ribs

Dietmar Hamann (@DietmarHamann): If Nani jumps in like that in a crowded area then its a different story,Arbeloa made up a lot of ground.If that's a red then good night.

Vincent Kompany (@VincentKompany): Never a red card.

Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker): Unbelievably harsh red. Rotten decision.

Joseph Barton (@Joey7Barton): Red card for that is a joke!

Kevin-Prince Boateng (@KPBOfficial): How can u give a red for that??? Is he serious…??? That’s sad killing a big game like that…#ManUvRealM

Tim Cahill (@Tim_Cahill): @rioferdy5 feel for u and the boys tonight mate. That 1 decision destroyed the game. I was enjoying the game up until then..... #harsh

Edwin Van Der Sar (@vdsar1970): Disbelieve at this score and decisions #manrea What do you guys think of the red card?

The Tactician (@ManToManMarking): Cannot complain particularly. Ruined the game, yes, sadly. However, it was a good decision in the most part.

Me (@InOnGoal): Of course Ramos is the first one in the refs ear…An unintentional high boot, that was barely a yellow

Me (@InOnGoal): “Doesn't make it ok. If it happens once that’s too much. Incompetence shouldn’t be justified by more incompetence” ß-------- In response to people saying Manchester United has gotten the call before

Paddy Crerand: "Roy Keane was in a minority of one. Not one person said it was a red card except Roy Nobody else thinks it was a sending off apart from him. Does Keane want to be noticed? Or is he envious or jealous? Has he got the needle with Manchester United because of what happened to him here? Why are we talking about Roy Keane? What about the other 99.9 per cent of people who said it wasn’t as sending off? Let me tell you… I played for Manchester United. I played in a European Cup final. Roy didn’t.”

Roy Keane (@RoyMKeane16): Nani's tackle was a clear red - no arguments.

Roy Keane: “I think the referee has actually made the right call, everyone’s upset about it and it’s slightly unlucky, but it’s dangerous play. Whether he meant it or not is irrelevant. It’s dangerous play – it’s a red card. Whether he meant it or not doesn’t matter.”

An excerpt from the Dailymail.co.uk

But now it can be revealed just how fond the Insurance agent is of waving cards around after it emerged the 36-year-old has not refereed a single game without booking someone all year. He has shown an incredible 36 yellow cards and three reds in just eight club games since mid-January. Only on Saturday, in his last domestic game before travelling to Manchester, Cakir showed six yellow cards in a game between Akhisar Beledi and Elazigspor in Turkey. A week earlier, meanwhile, he booked five players and sent one off in Gaziantepspor’s win over Bursaspor. Turkish journalist Fatih Ozkan confirmed that Cakir has caused controversy in his home country. 'He was one of the best in recent years but after he was assigned to European games, he lost his concentration in the Turkish leagues,' he said.

A Final Thought

"Independent of the [referee’s] decision, the best team lost. We didn't play well. We didn't deserve to win.” --- Jose Mourinho

I am not sure whether or not I believe the best team lost, but I do feel as though Madrid would have struggled to break down United twice if Nani was not sent off. What’s done is done and although this loss stings, it is important to pick up the pieces and look toward the future. A bright future that could still see United win the double. I wish Madrid luck as they continue on in the competition as they handled the incident (Sergio Ramos notwithstanding) with class.

Thank you for reading, if you have any comments please feel free to leave a comment or contact me on twitter @inongoal.

My 2nd Leg Starting Lineup

Sir Alex Ferguson is known as many things, but predictable is not one of them. Week in and week out he changes his bench and starting eleven more than any other manager in the premier league. His refusal to routinely employ the same starting eleven is due to a combination of things; injuries, form, unpredictability, and squad depth. Although this may not be seen as a vintage United side, the quality of depth at each position is staggering. Given his coy nature it is near impossible to correctly pick what his lineup will be for a certain match, but here are my thoughts on what he will do for the second leg against Spanish juggernauts Real Madrid.

 

GK: At this point David De Gea has made himself an automatic selection. He has always shown loads of ability, but his play over the past 2 months has been spectacular. If he plays at the same level as he did in the first leg United will be tough to beat.

DEF: Given their performances this season and lack of a real challenge at their positions, Rafael and Evra locked up the outside back positions. Centre-back is slightly more difficult as the competition for spots is much closer. Given the fact that Nemanja Vidic played against Norwich it is unlikely he will be ready to face Madrid. Rio Ferdinand has been a rock at the back this year and has paired well with Johnny Evans in the past.

MID: For me (and SAF) Michael Carrick has made himself the first name on the teamsheet every week. His work often goes unnoticed by some, but he has continued to elevate his play this campaign and is one of the most consistent players in the Premier League. Ideally, Phil Jones would be paired with Carrick as he was in the first leg, but injury concerns have left him doubtful to participate in the encounter. I have a nagging suspicion that he will, but likely in a reserve role. That leaves young Tom Cleverley as the next best option. He is full of running and bright enough going forward to do a job in a game of this magnitude. Out wide Nani has earned himself the starting role with his recent string of brilliance. Opposite him should be Danny Welbeck who was excellent in the first meeting. His energy and pace gave Madrid problems throughout.

FWD: Technically, Wayne Rooney will be in a CAM position but for the purposes of this piece he will be considered a forward. His work-rate is contagious and will be called upon in this match. With Madrid's lethal counter-attack Rooney will find himself playing a lot of defence yet again. Naturally Robin Van Persie will be the focal piece up top and the main goal threat. He showed in Madrid that his hold up play and ability to track back and receive the ball is another strong part of his game. If United sit back and defend look for the Dutchman to play deeper than normal.

Prediction - In a tight encounter that sees both teams score I think that... you will have to check back Monday to see the prediction.

Ronaldo vs. Messi

Messi vs. Ronaldo

Every generation of football is littered with all sorts of players, some unforgettable, others not so much. Over the past decade (roughly) we, football fans, have been treated to the brilliance of two of these unforgettable players. Both with the ability to change a game and divide the local pub on who they think is better. Naturally, we’re talking Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Barcelona’s Lionel Messi. The obsession over proving who is the superior player knows no bounds as there is even a site (MessivsRonaldo.net) dedicated to their every footballing endeavor. A quick scan over their rating system and they came to the conclusion that Messi scored a 69/80 and Ronaldo a 67/80 when taking into account 8 different factors (Goalscoring, Physicality…). This slight edge to Messi is starting to become the more popular view, especially as Ronaldo has never really endeared himself to as many fans with some of his actions.

           For Cristiano Ronaldo his career really began to take flight when his side Sporting Clube de Portugal took on Manchester United. The players from United came off the pitch that day so in awe of what they had witnessed that they urged manager Sir Alex Ferguson to sign him (Ronaldo) immediately. Shortly thereafter Ronaldo did indeed switch to Manchester United for a fee of £12.24 million, and his career began to skyrocket. It didn’t take long for the young Ronaldo to make his impression as he helped United win the FA Cup in his second season there. From that point on the awards came almost as quickly as the goals. In 2007, Ronaldo won all four PFA and FWA awards and scored 26 goals for club and country .The following season he won the prestigious Ballon D’or trophy (best player in the world) and scored a massive 31 premier league goals and 9 Champions League goals. At this point he had taken the crown as the best player in the world, and was just beginning to enter his prime.

After another successful season at United Ronaldo felt it was time to fulfill his childhood dream and play for the Spanish Giants, Real Madrid. A record fee was agreed to £80 million and he was on his way to begin the next chapter. From the moment he arrived in Madrid he immediately endeared himself to the clubs supporters with an excellent return of 26 goals in 28 games, but this was just the tip of the iceberg. Over the next two seasons Ronaldo netted an amazing 86 goals in just 69 games, while also chipping in 22 assists. This type of production was matched by only one other man, Lionel Messi.

Contrary to Ronaldo’s movements from club to club, Messi has grown up in the Barcelona system. After spending over 3 years playing for various junior teams Messi was finally handed his debut against Porto in a friendly at the age of 16. The following season then manager Frank Rijkaard handed him his league debut, becoming Barcelona’s third youngest ever debutant. After a trouble patch with a muscle tear in his right thigh, Messi finally became a first team regular in the 2006/2007 season. During that season Messi began to live up to his “New Maradona” label as he netted a hat-trick in one of Barcelona’s biggest matches, El Clasico.

The 2007/2008 season was huge for Messi as he became a household name by finishing third in the Ballon D’or voting and second for the FIFA Young Player of the Year Award. In 2009 Messi won his first (of 4) Ballon D’or trophies by the biggest margin in the history of the award, and was widely recognized as either the best or second best player in the world. Since the 2009 season Messi has scored an astonishing 150 goals in only 120 La Liga games, and recently broke the all-time record for goals scored in a calendar year with 91.

Now let’s take a look at how these two compared statistically over the past 3 years:

Season: 2012-2013	Cristiano Ronaldo	Lionel Messi
La Liga Matches	23	23
Goals	24	35
Assists	4	9
Shots on Target	74	61
Fouls committed	19	10
Fouls suffered	52	56
Yellow cards	5	1

Season: 2011-2012	Cristiano Ronaldo	Lionel Messi
La Liga Matches	37	36
Goals	46	50
Assists	12	15
Shots on Target	102	99
Fouls commited	32	27
Fouls suffered	95	78
Yellow cards	4	6

Season: 2010-2011	Cristiano Ronaldo	Lionel Messi
La Liga matches	38	38
Goals	40	31
Assists	10	18
Shots on Target	104	80
Passes	1045	1927
Balls recovered	42	51
Balls lost	391	358
Offsides	16	18
Fouls commited	24	22
Fouls suffered	88	57
Yellow cards	2	3

Clearly, Messi is having the better season this year both by individual and team standards, but the last two seasons prior have been razor close. An argument can be made that Messi creates more chances for his teammates, but that is often countered with the fact that two of his teammates (Xavi, Iniesta) are routinely nominated for the Ballon D’or as well. So as the statistics don’t offer up much to separate these two fantastic players, here are my thoughts.

Physicality – The edge here goes to Ronaldo although it is a lot closer than everyone thinks. Yes Ronaldo has been blessed with excellent pace and the ability to jump better than most, but Messi is also lightning fast and has an extremely low center of gravity. This allows for the ball to stick to his feet while dribbling, thus making it very difficult to nick the ball from him. Score – Ronaldo (10) Messi (9)

Instincts – Also known as the mental aspect of the game, this is equally important as the physical side. Both players have world-class awareness that ensures they know what is going on around them at all times, which makes their movement without the ball critical. They see runs and passes before others which lead to better goal scoring opportunities. The difference here is minimal but the edge does go to Messi. Score – Ronaldo (9.5) Messi (10)

Goal Scoring – Not much to say here that isn’t blatantly obvious. Records have been falling left and right recently with both players racking up goals at an incredible rate (over 1 goal a game!). Score – Ronaldo (10) Messi (10)

Skill & Technique – This category was by far the hardest to score as both players offer such a different blend of skills. For Messi it’s incredibly quick movements and changes of direction that trouble defenders, while Ronaldo is widely regarded as the best “flair” player in the game. His mix of step-overs and drag-backs are a sight to see. As far as effectiveness is concerned Messi is able to accomplish more with less (actions), but Ronaldo is right there with him in terms of tricking the opposition. Score – Ronaldo (10) Messi (10)

Passing – On first thought one would immediately assume this category belongs firmly to Messi, but upon further review Ronaldo is a deceptively good passer. Messi is the more willing passer and incorporates teammates at a much higher rate, but many of those passes are less than ten yards. Messi’s passing acumen isn’t on full display until he gets around the box, which is when his one-touch play is flawless. Ronaldo is viewed as a selfish player that could stand to pass more, however that couldn’t be further from the truth. What stands out about his passing is the precision in which he delivers the ball. Despite not amassing the pass totals of his counterpart Ronaldo almost always delivers the perfect ball (or cross), and more importantly it’s on time. Score – Ronaldo (9) Messi (9.5)

Defensive Interest – Since both players are often very high up the pitch neither is required to track back regularly and do a job defensively. Their physical and mental prowess means they usually win the ball back and make tackles at a very high rate while not committing fouls.  Score – Ronaldo (7.5) Messi (8.5)

Level of Competition – This is usually the argument made when someone is choosing Ronaldo as the best. He has proven that he can be great while dealing with adversity that Messi has yet to come across on a consistent basis. During his (Ronaldo) time in the Premier League he had to battle week in and week out against the physical style of play in English Football. Not only did Ronaldo handle the physical rigors, he excelled.  Conversely, Messi has spent his entire club career playing in La Liga, a league suited for his and Barcelona’s style of play. Teams aren’t allowed to get physical or play as aggressively as in England which makes Messi’s job easier considering his frame. The question will always remain as to whether he could hold up and play at the same level in the Premier League. I think not. He would still be a top player but in my estimation the production would go down. Score – Ronaldo (10) Messi (8)

Total - Ronaldo (66) Messi (65)

Conclusion – The ratings tally up for a one point victory for Ronaldo, but honestly it is so close that a draw may be fairer (nobody likes a draw though). For me it came down to my belief that Messi has greatly benefited from the system that he plays in, a system catered around his skill set. Yes, Ronaldo is the main beneficiary of Madrid’s setup as well, but he has also thrived in another system (at Manchester United). As the saying goes, “Until Messi does it at a cold night in Stoke” people will always wonder how well his greatness would translate in other places. On a more serious note, both are phenomenal athletes that make our sport of Football that much better. Being able to watch these two on a consistent basis is a treat and something that we will remember decades after they retire. Maybe in five years this will have a more definitive answer, but until then just sit back and enjoy each one while you still can.

If you agree or disagree please feel free to leave a comment stating what you think. Or hit me up on twitter @inongoal if you’d like. Thanks for reading!