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LIVE BLOG: Olympiacos vs United

February 25, 2014

Jonathan Shrager

Follow @JonathanShrager on Twitter.

CONFIRMED LINE-UP: Olympiakos vs United

PICTURE: Carrick’s wife has a pop at Keane on Twitter

319 Comments

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temitopeaden February 25, 2014

Olympiacos will will either make it hard for us to score by defending tightly with their whole team or just stiffen their team up and reduce their attackers for the 2nd leg which will make it hard for us but the thing is we also have to start taking shots from outside the box-Carrick,fellaini,cleverly,fletcher all don't shoot. There was a change in the team when kagawa and we'll beck came on and I wonder how kagawa hasn't been playing as he came on with drive.Welbeck also added energy. The thing is that the midfield combo of Carrick and cleverly doesn't work out. But kudos to olympiacos for taking the game to us and not holding back.they did well pressing our midfield and also pressing Smalling as it was clear he wasn't having a good day

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samuel - united WE stand February 25, 2014

Moyes picks the players, moyes decides the tactical system, moyes is there to motivate these players and set them in the right mentality, moyes is charged with identifying the right players and bringing them in and he has FAILED massively in every sense.

He continues to pick the horrible players who in a way are affecting the performances of others, he continues to choose terrible tactical systems which is stifling quality players, his mentality is restrictive and conservative which breeds no confidence at all..

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Chris Joseph February 25, 2014

Once the team sheet was read out I knew we were going to loose. This exact 11 players(except maybe Vidic) have played in other games this season and have been really poor. The blame lies with the manager who picked the side that has not performed for him once this season.

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Redfrog February 25, 2014

Hope Scott will write something about this debacle. I would really like to know what he is thinking about Moyes, in his constructive way of course.

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WeAreUnitedd February 25, 2014

@LoneStarRed7

the Olympiakos manager was smart, he put 2 midfielders to press Carrick and Cleverley and one was the third defensive one

contrast to ours 442, we played clevz and carrick as a flat 2 with no-one coming for the ball, when Kagawa came in to do that role, what did players do besides Rooney, the crossed tha ball and not played down to him

My worry is that if we play Rooney and RVP as 2 up or Rooney as an all round player, we lack 1 player in that midfield, not to mention our midfield is one of the worst I've seen.
Any of the Olympiacos midfielders would have done a better job

THIS game was STRAIGHT UP a mistake from Moyes,

He should have started the same fucking team as against CP, because at least those players do tend to play in the holes

WHOEVER bashes Nani from now on, will get my bashing, AT LEAST Nani would provide technique and keep the ball, while Valencia stops and quickly passes it and Young crosses after his cross and another cross.

I AM LOSING MY COOL

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TopRed123 February 25, 2014

Yes, who would ever have thought that the fantastic four of Moyes, Round, P.Neville, and the last guy who looks like a sex offender would struggle to manage and coach Manchester United?

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Redfrog February 25, 2014

@Chris Joseph. I was the same, just look at my first comment !

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m09538061 February 25, 2014

Moyes just said a few minutes ago at the 'Presser'..
"I didn't see that level of performance coming".
In other words he under estimated them.

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Gary Mitrovic February 25, 2014

Xyth x, damn right the players should be fined. The players should as a whole collectively pay for the travelling United fans trip or give a weeks away to a deserving charity. Both even! Rooney's weekly wage alone more than covers all the travelling United fans expenseses. Absolute shit performance! Not one single positive in 90 minutes.

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OhioRed February 25, 2014

My suggestion is not to take any United game seriously until Moyes is FIRED. We all know what happens with a Moyes team, so why are we acting surprised we lost

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LoneStarRed7 February 25, 2014

@WeAreUnited

You are correct. Kagawa was the ONLY bringing the ball through with touch.

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Mirainashe February 25, 2014

I'm not sure what to make of this anymore. I'm glad I went to bed as soon as I saw the line up. These days if I see Young in the team I usually need to be very bored to bother watching. If I see Young AND Valencia I certainly won't watch that match. If I see Young,Valencia AND Cleverely I completely switch off and pretend United is not playing that day. But here is the thing. Why in this world under the sun are there STILL Moyes apologists and sympathizers? Are you people serious? Is this just stubbornness and pride? You just don't want to admit the blatantly obvious. MOYES IS TOTALLY AND UTTERLY AND ABSOLUTELY NOT MANCHESTER UNITED FC MATERIAL. There are very few better and polite ways to put it. Bayern Munich will not even hire him to assist the goalkeeper coach in their academy. Real Madrid will never hire him in any capacity for all eternity. Chelsea,Arsenal,Barcelona or even freakin Tottenham Hotspur would never have hired him. There are probably 30 better managers and coaches in Britain alone. Yet there are people that are ever supporting him with ABSOLUTELY ZERO merit. Even the opening of his mouth is a cataclysmic disaster and the joke of the whole town. Surely anyone with a reasoning mind and is mentally in good health can see,smell and hear that we have an irretrievably incompetent man at the helm. Champions League is gone for next season,in case there were highly delusional people amongst us holding up any hope. But here is a dose of reality. MUFC will NOT make this season's top 8. Forget it. Be at peace with it and thank you very much to all the #MOYESIN douchebags with their heart wrenching banner. Everton,Liverpool,Spurs,Southampton will all finish above United and there will be a Wild card that will take it's chances to sneak past United in the last matches. Only Armageddon will save United this season.

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Zana February 25, 2014

@NBI
For the "acid test"its an idiom for gold stand still when poured with nitric acid while others metals will melt down.as for Moyes, not sure why we should take other clubs talking as logical.our tradition says it all, we give managers time.I am not saying I 'm supporting the guy but right now after everything is spoilt already its not wise to sack a manager.there is a slim hope in progressing to quarterfinal and very very slim hope of 4th place.let us stick to the principles and wait unitl the end of the season.it may sound blind but sometimes we need to be patient to the utmost level, that is called loyalty.am sure things will go better next season with or without Moyes

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Gary Mitrovic February 25, 2014

Redfrog, you can see what Scott thinks on his twitter account pal. He's in one of those two stages of either crying or laughing and it seems he's choosing to laugh tonight.

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Zana February 25, 2014

Good night folks, I know everyone is sad.but try not to get angry and sleep with grudge.relax everyone.

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Gary Mitrovic February 25, 2014

What the hell was that interview all about with Carrick?! Moyes was obviously too angry to speak and sent one of the senior players and he sent bloody Carrick. He was bloody speechless and looked like he didn't want to be there. We're in absolute turmoil. The season is in fucking tatters.

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LoneStarRed7 February 25, 2014

@WeAreUnited

Correct. We need at least TWO quality midfield players(to augment Carrick, Fletcher) in the summer who can connect defense to attack. Against better (or better prepared )teams , that weakness of our has and continues to be exploited!

@09538061

Regarding Moyes' comment. He is being painfully honest. His naivete (lack of tactical nous) is apparent for us all to see if we choose to.

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NBI Red 21 February 25, 2014

@ LoneStarRed - Moyes is the only idiot who plays 442 away in the CL with zero experience instead of a more cautious 451. He never drops RVP or Rooney when fit and cannot see playing them both weakens in certain games as we need more strength in the middle. We beat BL playing 451. We were easily outplayed in MF and at no point did Moyes respond to that. With a MF 3 of Carrick, Cleverly - if he has to play - and Kagawa we could have at least held our own in MF and created chances. It was too easy for Olympiakos, as Rene said, no creativity and predictable, that's Moyes United.

@ Tannor - welcom:

You asked:-
1. What football philosophy does he subscribe to? (united use wing play and even girls know that) -

Moyes philosophy is to try not to lose and to consider a draw lucky against big teams the idea is to "get out alive". Tactics and technical side of the game don't matter. It's all about fitness. Balls are just a distraction as is complicated attacking play. Keep it simple and lump it if in doubt. Keep playing percentage football, luck will turn and you will win things. Also never play the same team twice and never play players in their best positions. Never ever drop big players even if its not working for the team because luck can change. Also try to sell all bloody foreigners with their flary pant styles.

2. What style of play is he trying to implement at the moment?
I ask not because I claim to be some expert on football knowledge but because I have failed to notice anything of that sort in united’s play since Mr Moyes took over from SAF.

The important think for Moyes is not have a style, style is for losers and Moyes is a winner. He is very smart, He read in a book, someones autobiography that United like wingers and he has stuck to 442 like a religion because he is a man who understands traditions. So forget style. The important this is 442. Forget opponents. Just stick to 442. Being outplayed? Fuck it man, more 442! And as fans still sing for him at OT and away matches he knows they love it, yes they do, so simple to win love of fans, 442!!!

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TopRed123 February 25, 2014

Just one question left to ask: What the fuck was Ferguson thinking?

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LoneStarRed7 February 25, 2014

For the record.....I say keep Moyes at least until summer and bring in some real brains for his backroom.

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Redfrog February 25, 2014

@Gary. Thanks mate. I'm a bit like him lately. Tonight I'm going to cry...

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TopRed123 February 25, 2014

Gary Mitrovic:
Carrick did not place any blame on the players either. Think the players are growing tired of the shit Moyes tries to feed them.

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King Rooney February 25, 2014

Moyes is so flawed but i do feel sorry him genuinely. However you can’t defend what he did tonight.

United played brilliantly at the weekend. Everything was right apart from Smalling against Palace but there is no Rafa so we can’t do much there and all Moyes needed to do was keep the same team and just switch the cup tied Mata with Kagawa.

What did he do? CHANGE EVERYTHING. It was pathetic, 3 of the shittest biggest wastes of space on this planet in Cleverley, Young and Valencia all HAD to start just because they didn’t last week, PATHETIC, BACKWARDS LOGIC.

Moyes is showing me he just doesn’t quite get it, but i feel sorry in the sense that everything is on him however he just doesn’t have any quality in midfield and in some other areas but the problem is also he can play lineups that work (like Palace) so he chooses to change everything.

I’m not sure if i can trust this man with alot of money in the summer only to end up with brain retardation Baines.

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samuel - united WE stand February 25, 2014

Gary - sums up moyes demeanour, he just looks an abject and clueless at this level. You want to be positive but I have no optimism.

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King Rooney February 25, 2014

Although Carrick is pretty shit european level player he held back a lot of inner feelings about the way the club is run in that interview, very interesting.

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NBI Red 21 February 25, 2014

@ m09538061

Moyes just said a few minutes ago at the ‘Presser’..
“I didn’t see that level of performance coming”.
In other words he under estimated them.

- spot on. But add this. When Moyes did see the level of performance he was not able to react to it. Clueless.

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trevor knightsmith February 25, 2014

It is so depressing it is almost laughable .

My favourite quote of the night.

" Surely to God Fergie could do a better job than Moyes, and by that I mean Fergie from the Black Eyed Peas ! "

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LoneStarRed7 February 25, 2014

@NBI

I am officially announcing a new clothing line called..wait for it.....442. Rio will be my marketing guru and Moyes will be my creative genius.

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RepeatOf99 February 25, 2014

I know I shouldn't be anymore.... but i'm gutted!

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LoneStarRed7 February 25, 2014

@ trevor knightsmith

Brilliant. Thank You for that. It still only hurts when i breathe.

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Gary Mitrovic February 25, 2014

@topred123 & Samuel, yes Carricks interview wasn't all that different from Moyes' post match interviews this season. Why did he not send Rooney seeing as he's going to be new club captain and his here for the long term. Carrick has never been good in front of the cameras. When asked is it the players that need to take responsibility he said something like "well you're looking for me to blame someone" either that is very telling that Carrick chose not to take the pressure of Moyes or he really is as lost for words as the rest of us. Keane was absolutely right to lay into them after that performance. Moyes should take his fair share of the blame as well. Shit starting line up to begin with. We all bloody knew it.

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NBI Red 21 February 25, 2014

If Moyes sent on Carrick as he did not want to speak then he is a fucking coward loser. Send your Round asswhole or someone or have the balls to step up yourself you dick.

@ Gary - why should Moyes be angry, he gets paid millions for this shit! And he gets support! He is entirely at fault yet he always finds excuses. He is an idiot on and off the pitch.

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James Smith February 25, 2014

Anybody else have the feeling that the current pro Moyes brigade will most likely have been the same clueless lot that were calling for Martin O'Neill to follow Fergie last time around? Christ, even he was more qualified - at least he'd won something.

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samuel - united WE stand February 25, 2014

King rooney - For once, moyes took a positive step forward. He played rooney, van-persie, januzaj and mata in a system that enabled them to showcase their technical quality and to be fair, united weren't great vs palace but at least it showed a glimmer of hope that moyes might just understand what it takes at this level but then he reverted to the poor system that's been on show along with picking the WRONG players... It is baffling really

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LoneStarRed7 February 25, 2014

@ NBI Red
Indeed! Why not a member of the coaching staff?

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TopRed123 February 25, 2014

Gary:
Yeah, but surely that is as clear an indication as we are going to get that the players have no faith in Moyes? The template answer to that question is that players have to take the blame etc. etc. Not anymore. I guess you can only take so much shit as a player too.

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NBI Red 21 February 25, 2014

@ Gary - spot on! Look at the comments, everyone knew the line up and tactics 442 was poor when we saw it. I still thought we could do it but deary me, were out tactics shit.

Moyes says he underestimated Olymipiakos, what a stupid thing to publicly say. Does that mean he also underestimated Stoke and Fulham and every other team that has beat us e.g. Everton. Does he actually get anything about football? A smart manager like Pep would never have been as arrogantly stupid as Moyes and his complete inability to adjust during a match is beyond belief, he is so fucking slow and useless at responding to events on the pitch you want to just kick his ass.

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Gary Mitrovic February 25, 2014

I've been one of Moyes harshest critics so no need to convince me. His team selection was shite and we could all see it. Young and Valencia are just not good enough and that's not their fault. They shouldn't have been on the pitch. I saw no urgency or players shouting at each other. No leaders on the pitch what so ever. Moyes, Round and Neville clearly don't have the dressing room. We all know Moyes never deserved the job, but how long will he have it. I just can't see us sacking him what so ever this summer.

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NBI Red 21 February 25, 2014

@ samuel - the Palace win is not a big hoo ha, it's Palace. Moyes got too much credit for that. Quality players can disguise to some extent a managers limitations and that is what the players did against Palace. Moyes is still shit. He just gets lucky that United have some top players to bail him out and that sometimes in his endless rotation it kind of works for a reason he cannot understand.

Moyes has never had a squad this big, he cannot handle the size or rotation sensibly. He just does not know what to do.

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united till i die February 25, 2014

I got nothing to add to what's already been said today. I can handle losing games but for us to play with so little passion and pride really fucking hurts. Every person on the playing/coaching staff at the club needs to be held accountable. Everyone loves to quote SAFs final speech when he said for the fans to support the new manager but SAF also said it was up to the players to maintain the standards that have been set and wear the man utd jersey with pride. It's a complete shambles from top to bottom.

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NBI Red 21 February 25, 2014

@ Gary - Valenicia may no longer be the player he was, but he is a better RB than Smalling, why not play him there is Rafael is injured and spare us seeing Smalling, a decent CD, lumbering up the right wing.

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NBI Red 21 February 25, 2014

Players cannot maintain standards when they are being told to forget those standards and learn the new standards of Moyes & Round. The manager sets standards. What can the players do tell him to f-off we are not doing it that way.

We have already heard that players are concerned at the lack of work in the final 3rd and this is clearly where we have the most problem. If players are being re-trained to forget the old way of playing and buy into Moyes way they cannot maintain standards that no longer apply.

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samuel - united WE stand February 25, 2014

Gary - moyes bottled it and ran away from taking responsibility by sticking michael carrick up to the camera. We all know carrick is a cool and calm character, he isn't one to bark and all that really but moyes, I have no words for the man anymore.. He has continiously makes the same errors every weekend, every single match.. This is the biggest issue with moyes and hence why i'm not convinced... We all knew fergie leaving would leave a hole and a drop.might occur but not to this terrible extent...

All he needed to do tonight was replace mata with kagawa... rooney januzaj van persie.. That was all he needed to do and he fucked it all up..

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Redfrog February 25, 2014

I didn't see the post match reaction from Moyes. But saying "I wasn't expecting this kind of performance" is really pathetic. What does that means ? It is the champions league. As a manager you have to warn your players about overconfidence, but the man is literally saying he has no clue even to fire players, and lets no speak about tactics or selections. Anyway what can we expect from a man who "doesn't know how to win" or who is always "trying" but never doing? From A man who is "trying" instead of doing it you cannot expect them get results as the only thing they want to get is time. Do you want give him another year seriously ?
Then sending Carrick instead of going to interview is beyond being a coward...he just let his players going to fire instead of him. When you are the captain of a ship you are the man responsible for everything. I had issues about Moyes as he is not protecting the players. It is crystal clear now. Would you fight for a guy who doesn't fight for you ? Well, and I'am not speaking about tactics.
Moyes just want a confortable place. He was protecting himself at Everton wanting to make everyone believe that he did everything possible but that it was a small club. Now he is hiding behind players who have won everything and is trying to put the blame on them. It is not gonna work here as everyone expects results. And "expecting" is not the same thing as "trying".

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Rukky E. Atebefia February 26, 2014

Tick tock for moyes. #inevitable , any person thinks it's down the players needs to go for some evaluation, this same line up murdered teams last season. If you have got poor players remember you the boss and make the right call

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NBI Red 21 February 26, 2014

RedCafe - a site that was very pro Moyes generally and quite cool headed has put up a poll an so far 89.9% of United fans voting want Moyes to go. They had a poll up before and it was even stevensish.

http://www.redcafe.net/threads/moyes-has-to-go.385470/

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The_red_devils February 26, 2014

@NBI
he was not talking about underestimating olympiakos, what he said was- 'It was a really poor performance, i didn't see that performance coming(from united).....but yes its his job to make the team play better.

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KevlarD February 26, 2014

"It's the worst we've played in Europe, that's for sure. A really poor performance tonight. We never got going from the start and we didn't deserve anything because of the way we played tonight.

"We just never really got to grips with things. To a man, you could hardly pick anyone out, we just didn't perform. We came into the game in good form, a good mind set, but we didn't show that tonight. There is the second game to come and Old Trafford has seen some great nights in the past - I'm looking forward to hopefully seeing another one."

"I take responsibility, it's my team and I'll always front it up. We didn't play well tonight and we have to play better. We can do. The one good thing is that there is the second game to go. The players are hurting as well. They know how they performed. But there is a team here, that won't change, and we'll stick together. There is the second game to come and Old Trafford has seen some great nights in the past - I'm looking forward to hopefully seeing another one."

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KevlarD February 26, 2014

Moyes press conference highlights from Sky

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Only 1 Utd February 26, 2014

"We came into the game in good form", did we heck come into the game in good form.Moyes seems to think one win vs cyrstal palace can count as good form. Such small-time mentality