I’m sure I wasn’t alone in groaning upon hearing that Gary Neville would be marking Ronaldinho last night. Rafael had a hard enough time in the first leg and he’s fast, whilst Neville struggled to keep up with the Wolves players at the weekend.
However, I was happy to be proven wrong, with Neville doing enough defensively to keep AC Milan quiet. Whilst speed is never going to be his strength, physically he put them under a lot of pressure and actually had a fairly decent game.
Whilst his crossing was pretty dreadful at times, he delivered the most important cross of the game, when providing Wayne Rooney with the opportunity to head home to make it 1-0 after 13 minutes.
Sir Alex Ferguson has sung Neville’s praises for his ability to come back after so long out injured and still do a job for us.
“He’s a remarkable man,” Ferguson said. “When you’ve been out of the game for a year and half it’s not easy to come back and play every week at the age of 34 and now 35. He succeeded because of his will to succeed and that’s really what Gary Neville is all about.”
Man Utd News 24/7
Red Nev!
Gary Neville: 35 and still better than any other English right back in the country right now. Form is temporary, class is permanent.
LEGEND.
had Ronnie in his pocket the entire time.
He should go to SA as number 1 choice if Wes cannot make it
Glen Johnson is a scouse scum who cannot defend to save his life
@United4eva yeap i said almost the same thing also last night. He is easily still the best right back of Premier League, and for England. The second best is easily Wes Brown. Only then comes Bosingwa and John OShea, then Rafael Da Silva.
erm am i being bias here? sorry about that hahahaha.
i absolutely groaned on hearing nev starting, thot ronaldinho might end up exposing his frailties. am i glad i was proven wrong. nev has been one of our better crossers since becks left and ystdays pinpoint cross for rooney was worthy of a becks delivery. the most surprising part was that though he was against ronaldinho, he kept running down the right flank and knowing ronaldinhos inability to defend, found time and space to deliver that cross leading to our goal.what can i, Red Nev=Utd Legend
Maybe it was just me, but I was actually pleased to see Gary Neville’s name on the team sheet. Granted he has been indifferent over the last couple of seasons having struggled with injury, but people seem to forget what a top class defender he is.
And that is the key word – defender. There is a tendency to rate a full back these days on their ability to bomb down the wings in attack, but first and foremost they should be there to nulify any attacks down their wing from the opposition.
Rafael (and Fabio as well) I’m sure have great futures in front of them, but have a hell of a lot to learn. Is it only me who has their heart in their mouth when he goes flying into a tackle, or bombing down the wing then having to run like mad to get back and defend.
The amount of free kicks he gives away in dangerous areas is worrying. Granted, he wins some great tackles, but I’d be much happier if he learnt to stay on his feet and not dive in so much.
As I say, great potential, but for me has a long way to go to fill Gary Neville’s boots, and Wes Brown’s for that matter.
Red Nev’s performance was really good, what he lacked in ability he made up in work rate and passion.
Fergie got his tactics spot on.
Nev had dinho in his pocket and it was a proud moment
I’m glad that those golden generation still plays such a big part. I remember at the start of the seasons, some fans feel they are becoming a burden on the club and i urge with them. I’m glad to see them play well and Becks back at the club for the first time.
interestingly,SAF says the key of this victory is Park not Rooney.but all the english media just ignore it since rooney and beckham is english and Park is Korean..just a thought.
SUPER NEV!
He was great last night. Loved the little digs at Ronaldinho. In his head, every time he got the ball he must have been expecting Super Nev to be snapping at his heels. That’s gotta affect you.
Long live Super Nev.
saw his name in the starting line up and i admit i tore him a new asshole, said all kinds of shit about him. But i’m tire of being proven wrong buy UNited players. he played very well so well in fact i was disappointed to see him come of for young rafael.
After the game i made a promise to my self not to call for the head of any UNited players, i guess he’ll retire when he’s ready.
Thanks Nev, you were immense
The Red Nev had Bugs Bunny in his back pocket, Neville for England?
Am I the only person who wasn’t worried then?
If Ronaldinho was playing his best, and I mean his best from his prime, then it doesn’t matter who you try to mark him with. So that wasn’t an issue for me that Neville might not be our best option because it was up to Ronaldinho if he was going to let himself be defended against or not. And donkeychops bottled it.
Meanwhile in attack, Neville can cross very well and sure, he’s not fast, but given time and space on the ball (as we all knew he would be because Ronaldinho thinks tracking back is what you do when you’ve lost your car keys) he’s a really good player going forward. His crossing is usually brilliant so I was disappointed that he only got the one assist, but he was a good pick in that position anyway.
Neville was great, and exceeded our expectations; charging down the right he was given lots of space, on account of Goofy’s lack of defensive genes. He looked so at ease with himself, great to see.
Also very happy to see our 1st choice defense working together again – if we can field VdS, Nev, Rio, Vidic and Evra for most of the run-in, I’m quite sure we’ll put the lid back on like we did last season. Remember the defence we fielded in the last game against Fulham?
The manager deserves a lot of credit for the genius of fielding hungry running terriers to rip up Milan’s midfield. Park, Fletcher, and even Nani won lots of balls, and their one-touch passing and moves were speedy and free flowing.
Hats off. This was truly a classic game. And Becks showing class when he came on, just added to the joy of it all.
Rafael is a useless defender though and that’s why Neville got picked. No surprise to me and no surprise that Neville played well either.
Doghouse – No mate my old man was worried, he was moaning like fuck. I said experience counts in these games and I was right. Top performance by Gaz.
brett1985 – Oh come on mate, bit harsh that although I do agree to an extent! Gonna be a real talent though, his crossing when he came on was top drawer. Good to see Evans is fit again. Did anyone else notice the fact that Rio seemed to be limping a bit towards the end?
If Meeelan had the Ronaldinho of four/five years ago – you know, the buck-toothed wonder who was a stone lighter – then this would have been a dangerous choice. BUT ‘dinho is a huge shadow-of-his-former-self; his ball skills haven’t diminished but his speed has – and he’s still a showboat, not a team player. So, it wasn’t a big ask for RedNev to stand up to him.
And, like a few of you have mentioned, RedNev is STILL the best crosser on the team – better than Nani, Valencia, Giggs, Park, Evra, O’Shea, Wesley Brown, or the Da Silva twins. HIs ball to WayneRooney for the first goal was absolutely perfect – hard, flat trajectory, and cleared the front-defender, too.
By the way, how shit is Huntelaar ?
denton – hello mate. VERY.
denton davey
Huntelaar is very shit indeed. that first touch in the first half and the open goal headed miss. shocking. not that he was going to get anything out of Rio and Nemanja. apparently Vida isnt commited to United. bollocks.
Gary Neville. LEGEND.
did anyone see the way Nev looked at Rooney after his first goal. undying love for him. nearly scored a screamer too.
Hi, Like Gary says himself that he loves this club so much. I´m not always his greatest fan but its quite clear the guy would die for the shirt if he had to. Top professional i believe.
Denton, as far as Huntelaar is concerned i agree, hes not playing at all well, but I just believe his confidence has been totally shot since he passed through that shit hole that is Real Madrid. It´s a shame ´cause he was a very good prospect when with Ajax.
COME ON YOU MIGHTY REDS UNITED UNITED UNITED
LUHG
Gary Neville is a Red
Is a Red
Is a Red
Gary Neville is a Red
He Hates Scousers!
i think this was Nev’s best game for a long time, definitely worthy of another year contract.
My reaction was exactly the same as yours Scott but once again SAF proved he’ll make the right call between youth and experince according to the situation we’re facing.
Still sinking in that we stuffed the 4-0!!
LU – IFIT
This was a Champange night of Football in fact I am still punch drunk on the effect.
The cross as Scott rightly points out straight to the Bonce of Wayne was vintage Nev, just magnifico.
All in a great night and on the French theme merci Lyon and Bon nuit to the Puddle in Lille this evening.
Well one can wish right just to complete a sensational 24 hours.
True Red
he’s done it well.
absolutely legend
Not just last night but in the past few games he has been superb and the way he is playing now he deserves to start every cruical game. Legend.
LEGEND!
King Eric you weren’t to know but last week someone was insisting to me that Rafael had Ronaldinho in his back pocket in the San Siro. Low and behold Neville plays. In the end, bluntly, Rafael can’t defend and he is not going to be picked against dangerous opponents. He is a good player but has a lot to learn and that is why we will not be seeing him in key fixtures unless Brown and Neville are unavailable.
I’d say the other great crossers on our team are strangely, central players – Hargo and Gibson. Fletcher can usually put a decent one in too.
Valencia is pretty erratic but he gets in so many good positions that he can afford to be
I fucking loved the way that RedNev got stuck into the goofy toothed one every time he had the ball…..certainly got Cappello thinking know…..go go go Red nev…!!