VIEW: United vs Bayern Munich. 3-2

Good.

First-Half.
At times in the opening 45 minutes, we played amongst our best, most creative
football of the season. The speed at which we came firing, and the level of
determination we showed so early on, was electric and highlighted by the fact
we were 2-0 up after 7 minutes. Gibson’s goal showed after only 2 minutes that Ferguson’s changes from the Chelsea defeat – including, of course, the
surprising inclusion of Rooney – were nothing short of genius. Rooney’s delicate flick
fell perfectly into the path of Gibson, another who’s inclusion in the starting XI was deemed potentially dubious, who simply picked his spot and rammed it home majestically.
Nani as well, starting ahead of Park, was as instrumental as he has been in
recent months and thoroughly deserved his goal.

All 3
goals. All our goals were well worked and perfectly executed. Such a shame that our
utter dominance in the first half was almost completely undone, and made to
appear so much less significant, after their 43rd goal.

Rooney
standing in the tunnel. I simply refused to believe the noises before the game
with the image of Rooney plastered-up and on crutches only hitting the press 8
days ago. So the moment that he appeared, standing firm and chest puffed out,
was just magic. You just knew that this warrior of a player, above all, wanted
to play and help his team reach the semi’s; regardless of what anyone might
have advised him over the past week.

Bad.

Olic’s 92nd
goal in Munich.
More crucial than we ever realised.

Rafael. A
strange one, this. We have seen him shown signs of immaturity, inexperience and
moderate petulance a couple of times this season, so his sending off after 50
minutes in a way didn’t come as a surprise. The manner of it though, as Sir Alex has expressed in the most Fergie way possible, was a tad hard to swallow. Whether
he should or shouldn’t have been sent off, and whether Bayern were being ‘typically
German’ and did their best to have him sent off, the result of the dismissal
was quite clearly detrimental. Facing this battling Bayern side with 10 men for
40 minutes was a ridiculous feat that we so nearly pulled off.

In fact, both
United’s right backs. Neville’s idiotic handball in the first-leg that led to
Ribery’s equaliser, then Rafael’s sending off yesterday. One’s an experienced legend
and the other a talented youngster, yet both have shown strong insufficiencies and
inabilities to compete at the top this season.

...what a cruel, cruel game...