We're going to Moscow....
....with a minor stop at the Nou Camp on the way! Bring on Barca!
There's something seriously wrong with me! I haven't been able to stop smiling like an idiot since the 80th minute of the game. More accurately, since Gary Neville set foot on the pitch!
Yes, he's finally back! It was so awesome to see him on the pitch again, I nearly cried! And the huge round of applause he got, not to mention the crowd cheering his every single touch. And the loud and clear sound of "Gary Neville's a Red" that rang around the stadium. Oh god, we've missed you so much Gaz! 13 months!!! Can you believe that? 13 months since he last played for us. Wow!
Also, how great is it that Rio immediately handed over the armband to him? And how authoritatively he took it? We missed you, captain!
In all that excitement, it is easy to forget that there was a game going on too! A rather interesting game too. Especially considering the team selection, or more particularly those that weren't playing. No Cris, no Wayne, no Scholesy, no Pat, no Vida. And despite all that, we managed to play some of the best football I've seen all season! It's so wonderful to see the other guys, the so-called squad players, step up and ensure that our philosophy to entertain does not change! I thought everyone out there was brilliant!
None more so than my Owen!! I was totally squealing over him tonight! My man of the match, without a shadow of a doubt!
He was so brilliant, particularly in the first 20 mins. He was everywhere! One minute he'd be making a tackle in our half, the next he'd be taking on the goal keeper at the other end! And those crosses, wow! Even Becks would have been proud of them! Where were you hiding all these days, Owen? I know, it was probably a lack of fitness. But today he showed exactly what he can do when fully fit and given a license to attack. The very definition of a box-to-box midfielder. He played in the Stevie G role, and did it to perfection. In fact, he was a bit too good at it, Carlos Quieroz had to tell him to calm down and sit back a little because Roma were starting to attack. I wish he hadn't, I was really enjoying watching him play. Wow, I never thought I'd say that! I'm really sorry for being so quick to judge him, now I feel really foolish. Sorry
shandoras, you tried to tell me he was this good, I just didn't believe it until today! I'm incredibly glad we have him!
Another one who was brilliant was Ji Sung Park. This little guy is vastly underrated by so many people. I loved the effort he put in tonight. Poor baby, he was absolutely exhausted towards the end, even the commentators mentioned it. He's so cute, I wanted to go hug him each time he'd get knocked over by those brutes.
Rio. Now that 's a mystery. I don't know why Fergie started him, it was obvious that he was in a lot of pain, especially towards the end of the first half. The commentators said that he had three stitches put in his foot at half time. If it was so dire, why not sub him? I just hope that this doesn't worsen the injury.
That penalty was never a penalty. It was so obvious that Mancini had dived. I think it was poetic justice that De Rossi missed it so spectacularly. I was a bit nervous then, because up till then we had dominated the game without scoring. To go a goal down at that stage would have made things really tough. But, as they say, justice is always done! :)
Both of them got a wonderful rest! Of course Wazza came on for the last 20 mins, but I doubt it caused him any strain. We were cruising at that stage. I would love to know what they are plotting!
So, a very easy game in the end. All thanks to the hard work we did in Rome, of course. I must say I feel a lot more confident about our ability to cope with injuries, now that Gaz is back. Also, Mikey Silvestre put in 90 mins, and did all right considering that this was his first game since September.
I don't want to jinx anything, but I must say, things are looking quite good at the moment. Once Vida and Rio are fully fit, everything will be absolutely perfect!
There's something seriously wrong with me! I haven't been able to stop smiling like an idiot since the 80th minute of the game. More accurately, since Gary Neville set foot on the pitch!
Yes, he's finally back! It was so awesome to see him on the pitch again, I nearly cried! And the huge round of applause he got, not to mention the crowd cheering his every single touch. And the loud and clear sound of "Gary Neville's a Red" that rang around the stadium. Oh god, we've missed you so much Gaz! 13 months!!! Can you believe that? 13 months since he last played for us. Wow!
Also, how great is it that Rio immediately handed over the armband to him? And how authoritatively he took it? We missed you, captain!
In all that excitement, it is easy to forget that there was a game going on too! A rather interesting game too. Especially considering the team selection, or more particularly those that weren't playing. No Cris, no Wayne, no Scholesy, no Pat, no Vida. And despite all that, we managed to play some of the best football I've seen all season! It's so wonderful to see the other guys, the so-called squad players, step up and ensure that our philosophy to entertain does not change! I thought everyone out there was brilliant!
None more so than my Owen!! I was totally squealing over him tonight! My man of the match, without a shadow of a doubt!
He was so brilliant, particularly in the first 20 mins. He was everywhere! One minute he'd be making a tackle in our half, the next he'd be taking on the goal keeper at the other end! And those crosses, wow! Even Becks would have been proud of them! Where were you hiding all these days, Owen? I know, it was probably a lack of fitness. But today he showed exactly what he can do when fully fit and given a license to attack. The very definition of a box-to-box midfielder. He played in the Stevie G role, and did it to perfection. In fact, he was a bit too good at it, Carlos Quieroz had to tell him to calm down and sit back a little because Roma were starting to attack. I wish he hadn't, I was really enjoying watching him play. Wow, I never thought I'd say that! I'm really sorry for being so quick to judge him, now I feel really foolish. Sorry
shandoras, you tried to tell me he was this good, I just didn't believe it until today! I'm incredibly glad we have him!
Another one who was brilliant was Ji Sung Park. This little guy is vastly underrated by so many people. I loved the effort he put in tonight. Poor baby, he was absolutely exhausted towards the end, even the commentators mentioned it. He's so cute, I wanted to go hug him each time he'd get knocked over by those brutes.
Rio. Now that 's a mystery. I don't know why Fergie started him, it was obvious that he was in a lot of pain, especially towards the end of the first half. The commentators said that he had three stitches put in his foot at half time. If it was so dire, why not sub him? I just hope that this doesn't worsen the injury.
That penalty was never a penalty. It was so obvious that Mancini had dived. I think it was poetic justice that De Rossi missed it so spectacularly. I was a bit nervous then, because up till then we had dominated the game without scoring. To go a goal down at that stage would have made things really tough. But, as they say, justice is always done! :)
Both of them got a wonderful rest! Of course Wazza came on for the last 20 mins, but I doubt it caused him any strain. We were cruising at that stage. I would love to know what they are plotting!
So, a very easy game in the end. All thanks to the hard work we did in Rome, of course. I must say I feel a lot more confident about our ability to cope with injuries, now that Gaz is back. Also, Mikey Silvestre put in 90 mins, and did all right considering that this was his first game since September.
I don't want to jinx anything, but I must say, things are looking quite good at the moment. Once Vida and Rio are fully fit, everything will be absolutely perfect!