"Our defense performed fantastically, it can be said to be unparalleled." Ferguson said sincerely after Manchester United defeated Arsenal 1-0 at home.
The Arsenal has been very hot recently, scoring 11 goals in the past 4 games, which has greatly broken the embarrassing record of two goals scored away from Old Trafford since 1984.
However, the steel defense led by Vidic did not allow the opponent to succeed. The Manchester United captain proved with his dominant performance that the battle for the "world's No. 1 central defender" is by no means a one-man show by Pique.
Facing Chamakh, who is known as "Europe's No. 1 aerial dominator", Vidic took full advantage of his heading advantage. Arsenal's arrowhead did not take any advantage in aerial work throughout the game.
Although Ferdinand was the player mainly responsible for marking Chamark in this campaign, the most threatening shot for the "Manufacturer" was resolved by Vidic.
In the 56th minute, Nasri passed Ferdinand and then shot diagonally from the left side of the penalty area. Van der Sar missed the ball and Chamakh got a chance to shoot an empty goal from the edge of the small penalty area. However, Vidic, who was guarding the middle just now, suddenly shot horizontally.
out, starting from Chamark
He made a flying tackle with his feet at the same time, blocking the ball from the baseline, heroically destroying Arsenal's closest chance to score in the game. Considering that Manchester United only won by one goal in the end, Vidic's key block was
Blocking is absolutely as important as a goal.
Opta's post-match statistics show that Vidic's performance in this campaign was extremely efficient, with 5 clearances and 1 tackle, but only one foul.
"Sky Sports" commented after the game that Vidic was the defensive rock next to Ferdinand. In the fan ratings one hour after the game, Vidic scored the second-highest score of 7.6 points in the game, second only to the goal hero.
Li Yu.
In fact, Vidic's mediocre performance at the beginning of the season was largely due to the absence of his old partner Ferdinand. If not for injuries, the golden combination of Vidic and Ferdinand would still be the most stable defensive duo in the Premier League.
In the 12 games they played at the same time this season, Manchester United only scored 8 goals by opponents, conceded only 0.67 goals per game, and kept opponents clean in 6 games. With Ferdinand's return from injury, Manchester United has returned from injury.
Vidic, who received strong support, has recovered rapidly. In the best European team in October and November selected by ems, Vidic was once again shortlisted. He is the only one in Europe who can rival Messi.
If Barcelona's overall strength has helped Pique temporarily sit on the throne of "the world's best central defender", then Vidic's strong return has made it impossible for the old Old Trafford player to deserve his title.
A single family.
However, as the saying goes, a big tree attracts attention, and Vidic's outstanding performance has made him a popular figure in the transfer market again.
Manchester City, who are preparing to continue spending big money during the winter transfer period, are also eyeing their rivals in the same city. Manchester City's management evaluates Vidic as "the best and most stable central defender in the Premier League" and plans to lure him with double his weekly salary.
Vidic joins.
You know, Vidic, who just renewed his contract with the team for four years this summer, has a weekly salary of up to 90,000 pounds, second only to Rooney and Ferdinand in Manchester United. Manchester City's offer is not unattractive. However, from the perspective of personal development
Look, Manchester United currently has excellent records in both the league and the Champions League, and has great momentum to restore the "Red Devils Dynasty". Vidic has no reason to leave the stage that helped him grow into a world-class superstar.
The Manchester United captain said before this game: "If we can win the next two key games (against Arsenal and Chelsea respectively), we will gain a huge advantage in the standings and compete for the championship.
We're in a very good position. I think it's our most crucial game so far this season, especially as you get into this part of December and it's a time when some teams stand out and that's why this game is so
Important reason, not to mention Arsenal is still our old rival."
Now, Vidic's goal has been halfway accomplished. Next, Manchester United will visit Stamford Bridge to challenge another direct competitor for the championship-Chelsea.
By then, if the Red Devils can continue their undefeated streak in the league and even defeat opponents who have been mediocre recently, then regaining the league title will be just around the corner. Faced with such an opportunity, what reason does Vidic have to leave Old Trafford? You know
At the age of 29, for a central defender, his peak period has just arrived, and Vidic has every chance to lead the team to start another "Triple Crown" era.
A battle at the top of the Premier League that was not as exciting as expected. Manchester United set a new record in the club's history (132 years) and extended its unbeaten record in the top league to 16 games. The real skill of the strong confrontation is reflected in: proper tactics and defense.
Excellent and there are always key people stepping up.
In the past 11 games between Arsenal and their main title rivals Manchester United and Chelsea, they only scored 1 draw, 10 losses, and conceded 5 goals and 23 goals. They still cannot overcome this difficulty.
In the clash between the home champion and the away champion of the Premier League, Manchester United had 4 wins and 1 draw in the previous 5 consecutive games. The wily Ferguson still used Li Yu, who scored five goals in the last league game, in the starting lineup, and insisted on the way he has dealt with the Gunners in recent years.
The effective 451 formation allowed Rooney to switch to a shadow forward role, not pursuing the spectacle and adopting a cautious counterattack style even at home.
Although the ball possession rate was not as good as their opponents, Manchester United still got more scoring opportunities: Rooney missed a penalty kick, another shot was not powerful enough, Anderson and Nani each wasted a good opportunity in the penalty area. It can be seen that this tactical arrangement can be effective
Limit the gunmen's ground combat and find gaps in the opponent's defense.
To be fair, among the midfielders, none of their players' performance is outstanding, but they all worked very hard to compress the space for Arsenal to perform, and achieved "their failure to perform well also made the opponent worse!".
The overall performance of the defense in this game can be called the best of the season. Rafael, who is relatively inexperienced, has gradually matured and did not allow the opponent's most dangerous Nasri to have any opportunities on this side.
Evra was at ease, assisting in place and returning to defense in time.
The two central defenders cooperated very well. Vidic had an absolute advantage in trying to get the high-altitude ball and "blocked" the Gunners' "manufacturer" Chamakh. Even if goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar failed to block the ball, he was still able to make up for it in time.
Defeat the opponent's most threatening attack in the entire game.
Ferdinand is experienced and has a strong sense of position, and his coverage is in place, which is his masterpiece this season. At the beginning of the season, he lost points after taking the lead, and the coaching staff paid close attention to defense to great effect. In the past three rounds, he was only defeated by the opponent once.
Scored a goal, conceding only one goal in 6 group matches in the Champions League.
There are two "gunners' nemesis" in Manchester United. Rooney scored twice in his career in key battles that broke Arsenal's 30-game unbeaten streak and 49-game unbeaten streak. Last season, he "double-killed" his opponents at home and away with one goal each.
.
The team's only regret in this game is that he failed to achieve the "three consecutive penalty kills" this season, but he performed well in ball control and organization in sports battles. Li Yu broke through Arsenal's goal for the fifth time.
He has scored against the Gunners in three starts. Frequently scoring goals in such peak battles reflects his excellent psychological quality and good game reading ability. His follow-up time into the penalty area is accurate and his shooting skills are comprehensive.
For Arsenal, Wenger's suggestion after the game that the poor quality of the turf affected the performance of the team's characteristics was just an excuse.
In horizontal comparison, compared with the famous "old man's defense" after he took office and the midfield and backfield personnel he had in the "Invincible Season", the gap is too big now.
This is the fundamental reason why they have been unable to win over against Manchester United and Chelsea in recent years. The offensive effect was not ideal and the defensive pressure resistance was insufficient, which led to a complete defeat. In the past 8 visits to Old Trafford, they were defeated for the fifth time.
The penalty was not accidental, it was similar to the away defeat against Chelsea at the beginning of the season.
The "professor" should also summarize how to crack the opponent's defensive counterattack tactics in the future, and not always fall under the same "threshold".
Polish goalkeeper Szczesny, who played in the Premier League for the first time in this game, overcame the nervousness at the beginning of the game and has already delivered a relatively qualified answer. Koscielny and Squillac went all out and made no mistakes. Unfortunately, Klich
The point established the opponent's breakthrough point, and Nani made him busy parrying, which was quite embarrassing.
The goal he conceded was an unintentional assist from Nani at his feet, and he was unlucky to be awarded a penalty kick in the second half.
As the only hero still in the team in the 2003-04 season (Fasciano only played in three League Cup games that season), he is already declining. Gibbs has a "glass foot" and this position needs to be strengthened in the future. After the first 17 rounds
Arsenal have lost 5 games and are two points behind Manchester United with one more game. The difficulty of competing for the title is increasing again.
But the Gunners now have a very well-organized midfield and frontcourt staff. The return of Fabregas and Robin van Persie is expected to increase their offensive firepower. They can only try to regain momentum at home to prepare for fierce battles with Stoke City and Chelsea. At the same time, they hope that the Blues can break Manchester United on Sunday.
's undefeated record complicates the situation.
But before that, the Premier League giants have to wait for the knockout group draw of another event.
Before the knockout draw, which second-tier team does Barcelona coach Guardiola not want to play against?
The answer is not the Milan duo, but Marseille and Lyon. The defending Ligue 1 champions are even ahead.
"Although they are not particularly strong, I don't like to meet them," Guardiola said. After the draw was announced, the "dislike" in Guardiola's mouth came to Ferguson first. Sir Alex would really have a headache like this
Opponent? According to Su
The character of the Granite, no matter which league champion his opponent is, he will always serve with a sword when he arrives at Old Trafford. The goal of the Red Devils is the trophy. In the face of Manchester United's ambition, the Ligue 1 champion is at best a stumbling block on the road to winning the championship.
That’s all.
Even so, after the draw, Ferguson still showed cautious optimism. In an interview with Manchester United's official website, he said: "Marseille is very capable at home, especially the atmosphere at home and the incredible support of the fans. In the past 2 to 3 years
They've changed a lot in the middle of the year and I think the game will be close."
At the same time, in an interview, Ferguson also revealed that as early as the draw preview, Manchester United's opponent was already Marseille: "Everyone thought that we might encounter a team from Milan, because we have been in the past few years.
We have met many times in the knockout rounds. But we were drawn into Marseille during the rehearsal of the draw, and it turned out to be like this."
Ferguson specifically talked about Marseille defender Heinze and looked forward to his former general returning to Old Trafford to play: "I would be very happy to see him again."
On the other hand, Ferguson also recalled that in the 1999-2000 season, Manchester United lost to Marseille away from home in the Champions League group stage. That defeat allowed Manchester United to maintain an unbeaten record of 19 European games for three years. French Ligue 1 champion
It seems that they are not strong, but in the 2007-08 Champions League group stage and this season's Champions League group stage, they defeated Liverpool in the away game and Chelsea at home respectively. Ferguson will pay the same price if he underestimates the enemy.
price.
Marseille is the only French Ligue 1 team to have won the European Champions League so far. Although the team's championship that season was confirmed by UEFA to be obtained through match-fixing, their trophy was not taken away. The memory of the Champions League is very important to Marseille.
both sweet and sweet
And pain. Deschamps, the current coach of Marseille, is a legendary star of the former Serie A old lady Juventus. He won the 1998 Hercules Cup and the 2002 European Championship with the French national team. Speaking of the French and Ferguson
There is quite a connection between them.
In the 2003-04 season, Porto led by Mourinho and Monaco led by Deschamps met in the Champions League final. At that time, Monaco eliminated Real Madrid in the semi-finals. According to British media reports at the time, the final victory between the two coaches
The player will replace Ranieri's position at Chelsea. As a result, the Frenchman lost to Mourinho, which not only made the latter a legend in the British Isles, but also missed the opportunity to compete with Ferguson.
After Benitez left Liverpool, Deschamps was rumored to be the closest coach to the Red Army. After Hodgson moved to Anfield, the Frenchman once again passed Sir Alex Ferguson. The collision after this draw
Opportunity, I don’t know if it can be considered as compensation for the repeated missed opportunities for dialogue between the two famous coaches.
Besides, Li Yu faces his mentor again, which is also a good point to watch.
In terms of European bookmakers, Ferguson's team is obviously more optimistic.
Before and after the draw results were announced, Manchester United's odds of winning the Champions League with William Hill increased from 1 to 9 to 1 to 8, while Marseille instantly fell from 1 to 101 to 1 to 126. The two teams were in the eyes of bookmakers.
The difference in strength is evident.
The defending champion of Ligue 1 is currently only fifth in the league standings. The competition for the Ligue 1 title this season is even more fierce than the Premier League. If the Red Devils visit the Villodomi Stadium on February 23 next year, they may be defeated by the Premier League.
League opponents involve energy, then
Marseille's life will not be much easier by then. Three weeks later, on March 15, Ferguson will be waiting for Deschamps to visit at Old Trafford. Even if the Frenchman tries his best, he may be able to block the Red Devils at 8
The probability of being outside the strong gate is also very slim.
Manchester, located in northwest England, and Marseille, located in southeastern France, are less than 1,300 kilometers apart in a straight line. Traveling will not be the primary difficulty faced by players from both teams.
In contrast, Manchester United plays first away and then home, and has already taken the lead in the schedule. In the extremely fierce competition in the Premier League this season, this is good news for the Red Devils in terms of saving energy.
It is worth mentioning that Chelsea and Arsenal, who are currently locked in a fierce battle with Manchester United in the Premier League standings, have Drogba and Nasri, the two core players in the team, bearing the brand of "Made in Marseille".
If the Ligue 1 giants hadn't sent such strong men to Manchester United's competitors, Ferguson's life would have been much easier now. For Manchester United, if it could logically defeat its opponents, it would be considered "revenge" in disguise.
The draw for the top 16 of the Champions League was announced. Manchester United faced Marseille, Real Madrid met Lyon, and Chelsea, who drew Copenhagen, got the top draw. Arsenal responded to Wenger's words before the game and got Barcelona, the "lower draw."
Other games left people with more suspense...
Just like last season's confrontation, the two teams have similar playing styles, but Barcelona's personal ability and coordination ability are stronger than Arsenal. Last season, Barcelona defeated Arsenal 2-2 at home and 4-1 at home, which gave them obvious advantages.
Judging from the status of the two teams this season, although Arsenal has added Chamakh and Squillaci, the team's condition is average. It is still unknown when Squillaci, the pillar of the defense, will return and his condition after his comeback.
Barcelona's new lineup was successfully integrated quickly within a few months. In fact, Arsenal's failure against Barcelona last season was due to their unwillingness to give up their previous style and use shrinking defense like Mourinho did.
By waiting for an opportunity to counterattack against Barcelona, if they learn lessons and change their approach, Arsenal may still have some chances, but will the idealistic Wenger make such a change?
Chelsea vs Copenhagen This game won't be as easy as it looks.
On the one hand, Chelsea has never recovered after Wilkins was fired by Abramovich. This does not seem to be a problem that can be solved by Ancelotti dismissing get out of class or not. In the next three months, Abramovich will
How to appease the team is still a question.
On the other hand, Copenhagen's combat effectiveness is by no means as bad as imagined. In the group stage, Copenhagen drew 1-1 at home with Barcelona. Since mid-October, Barcelona has 12 wins and 1 draw in the league and Champions League. That is the only draw.
It's an away game against me
Benhagen. However, Copenhagen is in the league intermission before playing Chelsea, so how to adjust its status is a problem. Between Chelsea and Copenhagen, Chelsea is definitely more likely to win, but if there is an upset in one of the 8 games, this game is
The only chance.
Tottenham vs AC Milan Judging from William Hill’s odds, Tottenham are slightly favored.
This season, this team's performance in the Champions League is indeed very eye-catching, but in terms of technical characteristics, AC Milan, which has better defense, may be more suitable for the knockout rounds.
Of course, AC Milan has been eliminated before the finals four times in the past eight years, three of which were based on home and then away schedules, and this time it was also home and then away. This is AC Milan's disadvantage.
In addition, judging from the attitude of AC Milan, the main battlefield this season is also Serie A, which is currently 6 points ahead. Even Cassano, the choice introduced in the winter, did not take into account the Champions League (Cassano had played in the previous
He has passed the Champions League qualifying round and therefore cannot represent AC Milan in the Champions League). Taken together, any outcome of this game is possible, and it is not surprising who will be eliminated.
Among the four teams in the Premier League that still have the Champions League, Manchester United and Chelsea are good picks, and Tottenham is considered the winner. After all, AC Milan no longer has the best lineup, and only the miserable Arsenal continues its bad luck in the Champions League knockout rounds.
