Comments on: The Rebirth of Catenaccio, Or: Manchester United’s Tactics in Europe http://www.mcalcio.com/the-rebirth-of-catenaccio-or-manchester-uniteds-tactics-in-europe/ Serie A & World Soccer News Fri, 22 Aug 2008 03:34:02 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: realmadrid_rocks http://www.mcalcio.com/the-rebirth-of-catenaccio-or-manchester-uniteds-tactics-in-europe/#comment-2511 realmadrid_rocks Fri, 25 Apr 2008 23:51:04 +0000 http://www.mcalcio.com/?p=2208#comment-2511 Very nice article.good work. I would like to say,agreed that Manchester United had defensive tactics(which paid off) but its also important to note here that Barcelona hasn't been great attacking this season either.In the last 5games,Barcelona have scored 3 and conceded 3(including wins against Schalke 04) and had a goal less game against Espanyol at home,which also had many chances for the Catalans. It would be stupid to expect United to adopt the same policy of all out defense at Old Trafford.Manchester United are great at home,unstoppable as their record already states both in the Premiership and in the Champions League. Very nice article.good work.
I would like to say,agreed that Manchester United had defensive tactics(which paid off) but its also important to note here that Barcelona hasn’t been great attacking this season either.In the last 5games,Barcelona have scored 3 and conceded 3(including wins against Schalke 04) and had a goal less game against Espanyol at home,which also had many chances for the Catalans.
It would be stupid to expect United to adopt the same policy of all out defense at Old Trafford.Manchester United are great at home,unstoppable as their record already states both in the Premiership and in the Champions League.

]]> By: Anthony http://www.mcalcio.com/the-rebirth-of-catenaccio-or-manchester-uniteds-tactics-in-europe/#comment-2503 Anthony Fri, 25 Apr 2008 22:24:35 +0000 http://www.mcalcio.com/?p=2208#comment-2503 Btw guys, don't forget that even though Barca are 2nd or 3rd in la liga at the moment, the line-up they have (not that any respecting football fan could lol). Remember THAT Ronaldo hat-trick at OT a few years back? What a classic couple of games those two were, I must find them on DVD, like that cricket one dayer between SA and Aus in 2006! Classic stuff. Btw guys, don’t forget that even though Barca are 2nd or 3rd in la liga at the moment, the line-up they have (not that any respecting football fan could lol).

Remember THAT Ronaldo hat-trick at OT a few years back? What a classic couple of games those two were, I must find them on DVD, like that cricket one dayer between SA and Aus in 2006! Classic stuff.

]]> By: Anthony http://www.mcalcio.com/the-rebirth-of-catenaccio-or-manchester-uniteds-tactics-in-europe/#comment-2502 Anthony Fri, 25 Apr 2008 22:23:51 +0000 http://www.mcalcio.com/?p=2208#comment-2502 Ian, Fair enough, thanks for pointing that out. The games do ring a bell, 4-2 in Kiev wasn't it and 1-0 in Sporting, can't forget Ronaldo. It's probably a bit of a long running stigma the commentators associate with United that's engrained in my head, to be honest. I'm not a Utd fan myself but I suppose that's a fair call, just remembered another game at Benfica last term when Saha scored haha how messed up was that analysis!! Ian,

Fair enough, thanks for pointing that out. The games do ring a bell, 4-2 in Kiev wasn’t it and 1-0 in Sporting, can’t forget Ronaldo.

It’s probably a bit of a long running stigma the commentators associate with United that’s engrained in my head, to be honest. I’m not a Utd fan myself but I suppose that’s a fair call, just remembered another game at Benfica last term when Saha scored haha how messed up was that analysis!!

]]> By: Fateh http://www.mcalcio.com/the-rebirth-of-catenaccio-or-manchester-uniteds-tactics-in-europe/#comment-2500 Fateh Fri, 25 Apr 2008 15:19:23 +0000 http://www.mcalcio.com/?p=2208#comment-2500 Hmmm...Well..initially i was dissapointed and frustrated at seeing Barcelona with so much possesion..but after a while i realised that they weren't getting anywhere with it. To be frank barca never realy looked like scoring..their best chance was blasted wide by eto'o and even that would have taken a special finish to beat van der saar from that angle..whereas man united had a missed penalty..2 penalties that should have been given but werent..and a chance where carrick could have crosse for a host of red shirts that were unmarked...the bottomline..manu were too good defensively even for barca's awesome attacking force.. But isn't this a mark of a great team?A defensive fortress with lethal counter attacking ability on one day and the leading exponents of beautiful football on another(are they?this q will be answered tuesday) That said...there was some slack passing..indeed we needlessly gave possesion away in many areas.. which was pretty frustrating great artile though Hmmm…Well..initially i was dissapointed and frustrated at seeing Barcelona with so much possesion..but after a while i realised that they weren’t getting anywhere with it. To be frank barca never realy looked like scoring..their best chance was blasted wide by eto’o and even that would have taken a special finish to beat van der saar from that angle..whereas man united had a missed penalty..2 penalties that should have been given but werent..and a chance where carrick could have crosse for a host of red shirts that were unmarked…the bottomline..manu were too good defensively even for barca’s awesome attacking force..
But isn’t this a mark of a great team?A defensive fortress with lethal counter attacking ability on one day and the leading exponents of beautiful football on another(are they?this q will be answered tuesday)
That said…there was some slack passing..indeed we needlessly gave possesion away in many areas.. which was pretty frustrating
great artile though

]]> By: colver john http://www.mcalcio.com/the-rebirth-of-catenaccio-or-manchester-uniteds-tactics-in-europe/#comment-2499 colver john Fri, 25 Apr 2008 11:30:05 +0000 http://www.mcalcio.com/?p=2208#comment-2499 I do not think the tactics were not bad. If we had passed with a bit more fluency and if Tevez had provided better support to Ronaldo we could have gotten something out ofo the game. After all we did have a penalty, and Carrick really should have got an assist if he hadn't gone for glory. We also had a bunch of free kicks and corners and usually we are good from set pieces. I believe the tactics were also influenced by Barca's formation. Usually they play wide but we shut out the wings cramping their style so they had to mess about in the centre of the field. Sure we were a bit lucky. But we are now in the position where all we have to do is win on our home ground. If Man U cannot do that, then they do not deserve to go through. I am not sure how Ferguson will play at old trafford. I think 4-4-2 is most likely as 4-3-3 will leave us exposed on the wings. Rooney and Ronaldo will play up top and Hargreaves will play on the right and probably Park again on the left (although i would not mind seeing Anderson playing there). It is going to be pretty impossible to leave Scholes out on the back of his performance at Nou Camp and he does not play that great with Anderson so probably it will be Carrick again. I do not think the tactics were not bad. If we had passed with a bit more fluency and if Tevez had provided better support to Ronaldo we could have gotten something out ofo the game. After all we did have a penalty, and Carrick really should have got an assist if he hadn’t gone for glory. We also had a bunch of free kicks and corners and usually we are good from set pieces.

I believe the tactics were also influenced by Barca’s formation. Usually they play wide but we shut out the wings cramping their style so they had to mess about in the centre of the field.

Sure we were a bit lucky. But we are now in the position where all we have to do is win on our home ground. If Man U cannot do that, then they do not deserve to go through.

I am not sure how Ferguson will play at old trafford. I think 4-4-2 is most likely as 4-3-3 will leave us exposed on the wings. Rooney and Ronaldo will play up top and Hargreaves will play on the right and probably Park again on the left (although i would not mind seeing Anderson playing there). It is going to be pretty impossible to leave Scholes out on the back of his performance at Nou Camp and he does not play that great with Anderson so probably it will be Carrick again.

]]> By: Ahmed Bilal http://www.mcalcio.com/the-rebirth-of-catenaccio-or-manchester-uniteds-tactics-in-europe/#comment-2498 Ahmed Bilal Fri, 25 Apr 2008 11:21:25 +0000 http://www.mcalcio.com/?p=2208#comment-2498 It's important to dissociate what we 'want' to happen versus what 'will' happen. Now to want United to go gung-ho on Barca's ass is fine, but no one wants a repeat of the Milan performance either. United, as I discussed <a href="http://redrants.com/barcelona-0-0-manchester-united-much-better-than-last-season/" rel="nofollow">here</a>, are different from Liverpool (long-ball hustlers) and Arsenal (sit on the ball a lot). We have our strategies honed against the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal but Barcelona are still foreign territory. Perhaps if we had a different style of playing (and / or if we had a tall center-forward to play off on), the Barca game would have been different. As things stand, Fergie bet on playing the counter. It almost came off twice (1 missed penalty and 1 possible penalty that didn't get called, but no complaints on either). On the other hand, this United side now know that they can hold their own against the best Barcelona had to offer under difficult circumstances. Catenaccio worked, but even if it hadn't worked wishing for something that our team is not capable of is not fair on the manager and the players. Oh, and, good stuff Marco :) It’s important to dissociate what we ‘want’ to happen versus what ‘will’ happen.

Now to want United to go gung-ho on Barca’s ass is fine, but no one wants a repeat of the Milan performance either. United, as I discussed here, are different from Liverpool (long-ball hustlers) and Arsenal (sit on the ball a lot). We have our strategies honed against the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal but Barcelona are still foreign territory. Perhaps if we had a different style of playing (and / or if we had a tall center-forward to play off on), the Barca game would have been different.

As things stand, Fergie bet on playing the counter. It almost came off twice (1 missed penalty and 1 possible penalty that didn’t get called, but no complaints on either). On the other hand, this United side now know that they can hold their own against the best Barcelona had to offer under difficult circumstances.

Catenaccio worked, but even if it hadn’t worked wishing for something that our team is not capable of is not fair on the manager and the players.

Oh, and, good stuff Marco :)

]]> By: Neeke http://www.mcalcio.com/the-rebirth-of-catenaccio-or-manchester-uniteds-tactics-in-europe/#comment-2497 Neeke Fri, 25 Apr 2008 11:11:07 +0000 http://www.mcalcio.com/?p=2208#comment-2497 MANCHESTER UNITED RULZ... RED DEVILS will CRUSH BARCELONA... MANCHESTER UNITED RULZ…

RED DEVILS will CRUSH BARCELONA…

]]> By: Ian http://www.mcalcio.com/the-rebirth-of-catenaccio-or-manchester-uniteds-tactics-in-europe/#comment-2496 Ian Fri, 25 Apr 2008 09:49:13 +0000 http://www.mcalcio.com/?p=2208#comment-2496 Anthony, we also beat Sporting and Dynamo Kiev away this season. We drew with Roma in the group stage away with a weakened team with nothing to play for. In fact, Milan last year was the last time we lost away in Europe. In the 6 away games this season we have drawn 3 and won 3, and of course won all the home games. Anthony, we also beat Sporting and Dynamo Kiev away this season. We drew with Roma in the group stage away with a weakened team with nothing to play for. In fact, Milan last year was the last time we lost away in Europe. In the 6 away games this season we have drawn 3 and won 3, and of course won all the home games.

]]> By: USA - Arsenal http://www.mcalcio.com/the-rebirth-of-catenaccio-or-manchester-uniteds-tactics-in-europe/#comment-2495 USA - Arsenal Fri, 25 Apr 2008 05:43:42 +0000 http://www.mcalcio.com/?p=2208#comment-2495 wow wow amazing ima use this on fifa gotta respect the italians Juventus Milan Inter all dont over attack play great defensive counter attacking football also maintaining possesion also da forzza azzuri with 4 world cups under there belts wow wow amazing ima use this on fifa gotta respect the
italians Juventus Milan Inter all dont over attack play great defensive counter attacking football also maintaining possesion also da forzza azzuri with 4 world cups under there belts

]]> By: Tripp http://www.mcalcio.com/the-rebirth-of-catenaccio-or-manchester-uniteds-tactics-in-europe/#comment-2494 Tripp Fri, 25 Apr 2008 04:34:14 +0000 http://www.mcalcio.com/?p=2208#comment-2494 Barca have the advantage in that they're not playing for a league title as well and facing their competitor away in between the tie matches. Barca have the advantage in that they’re not playing for a league title as well and facing their competitor away in between the tie matches.

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