: Wed Feb 25, 2009 12:58 pm  

'Today, Skybet have slashed the odds on Rafa not being in charge at the start of the 2009/10 season to a lowly 2/5, while William Hill have suspended their ‘next manager to go’ market following an influx of punts on the kettle-headed Spaniard.'

: Wed Feb 25, 2009 1:14 pm  

The Penguin wrote:

Thought he had a decent game personally. Missed a blatant foul on Muntari early on in the second half but apart from that no complaints.

How awful were Inter first half? As an interisti I was embarrassed. Mourinho has, as I've suspected, not corrected the failings of Inter under Mancini. They looked very shaky, particularly at the back, to begin with. Lord knows why Mourinho started with the error-prone Rivas over the much more experienced Cordoba at centre-back. Thought the young lad Santon was excellent (I've seen him a few times now and been impressed each time) but yet again Ibrahimovic and Adriano failed to turn up when it mattered.

Can't see Man U losing at Old Trafford, much as I would love another Mourinho run down the touchline.

I can't see Utd losing at home but a 1-1 draw would be enough for Inter. Utd will dominate the game at OT and if they score an early goal then Inter have to come out and play, then I would fancy Utd to score again, the longer it stays 0-0 then harder it gets for Utd as I don't think Inter will play anything other than a defensive game.

: Wed Feb 25, 2009 1:32 pm  

PAUL M wrote:

I can't see Utd losing at home but a 1-1 draw would be enough for Inter. Utd will dominate the game at OT and if they score an early goal then Inter have to come out and play, then I would fancy Utd to score again, the longer it stays 0-0 then harder it gets for Utd as I don't think Inter will play anything other than a defensive game.

I agree - absolute knife edge. If United take a lead and don't build on it, it will be a similar experience to the Barcelona game last year (with some of the tension removed because there's not a final at the end of it). Can't wait.

Turning to the Benitez rumours, I doubt he'll go. He's playing a dangerous game but he has to - it's madness that he has his discretion fettered in this way and if he gives in, he's relatively powerless moving forward. Also, it will signal a warning to anybody replacing him although I appreciate that Liverpool are still a big draw to almost every manager going.

: Wed Feb 25, 2009 1:48 pm  

PAUL M wrote:

Utd were excellent last night and completely dominated Inter, just hope the lack of an away goal does not cost us.

You were the better team but you didn't completely dominate.

I thought the ref had a decent game. He was fair, I thought.

I thought Cambiasso was the best player on the pitch. Absolutely superb.

Muntari was utter garbage, but then I have never been a fan. Vastly overrated.

: Wed Feb 25, 2009 1:51 pm  

Enfield Exile wrote:

Muntari was utter garbage, but then I have never been a fan. Vastly overrated.

Absolutely dreadful wasn't he.

Inter are stacked these days with incredibly one-footed players, they make Chelsea look two-dimensional - Muntari, Adriano, Chivu, Maicon...

: Wed Feb 25, 2009 1:51 pm  

Enfield Exile wrote:

You were the better team but you didn't completely dominate.

I thought the ref had a decent game. He was fair, I thought.

I thought Cambiasso was the best player on the pitch. Absolutely superb.

Muntari was utter garbage, but then I have never been a fan. Vastly overrated.

I would say the only time we never dominated would have been the 15 mins just after halftime. If we don't go through it will be our own faults as we should have scored in the first half.

Cambiasso was Inter's best player by a distance.

: Wed Feb 25, 2009 1:52 pm  

PAUL M wrote:

I would say the only time we never dominated would have been the 15 mins just after halftime. If we don't go through it will be our own faults as we should have scored in the first half.

Cambiasso was Inter's best player by a distance.

thought the keeper had a good game, though got lucky with the final free kick.

: Wed Feb 25, 2009 1:54 pm  

Enfield Exile wrote:

You were the better team but you didn't completely dominate.

I thought the ref had a decent game. He was fair, I thought.

I thought Cambiasso was the best player on the pitch. Absolutely superb.

Muntari was utter garbage, but then I have never been a fan. Vastly overrated.

Spot on.

Cambiasso was outstanding from start to finish, him and Cesar were the best players last night. Cordoba certainly sured things up for them in the 2nd half. I thought Evans was superb for United too.

I can't understand how Italy won the world cup. We're told that England are garbage because not enough English players get the chance to play at the the highest level because we bring over those nasty and greedy foreigners, yet the italian champions have only one italian player? Strange.

: Wed Feb 25, 2009 1:55 pm  

The Penguin wrote:

Thought he had a decent game personally. Missed a blatant foul on Muntari early on in the second half but apart from that no complaints.

How awful were Inter first half? As an interisti I was embarrassed. Mourinho has, as I've suspected, not corrected the failings of Inter under Mancini. They looked very shaky, particularly at the back, to begin with. Lord knows why Mourinho started with the error-prone Rivas over the much more experienced Cordoba at centre-back. Thought the young lad Santon was excellent (I've seen him a few times now and been impressed each time) but yet again Ibrahimovic and Adriano failed to turn up when it mattered.

Can't see Man U losing at Old Trafford, much as I would love another Mourinho run down the touchline.

I just don't know how that game finished 0-0. United battered them particularly in the first half. The tie should've been put to bed by now. Although, I suspect United will have no problem in the 2nd leg. I can't see Inter scoring whatsoever.

: Wed Feb 25, 2009 1:58 pm  

RedTez wrote:

I can't understand how Italy won the world cup. We're told that England are garbage because not enough English players get the chance to play at the the highest level because we bring over those nasty and greedy foreigners, yet the italian champions have only one italian player? Strange.

Italian clubs have excellent acadamies, this is almost universally acknowledged. Italy won the '06 world cup playing a particularly pragmatic brand of football based on a very sure-footed defence. IMO, That was Argentina's world cup to lose and they spectacularly blew it.

There's no denying that recent evidence suggests the Premiership is stronger than Serie A but the Italian national team succeeds through being greater than the sum of its parts. England in recent years have proved the opposite.

Although, ITV don't help themselves. Jon Champion correctly identified Inter as having one Italian player but then said 'and only one other European' - err, no, Jon - there's Chivu, Stankovic and Ibrahimovic - I make that three. Do your research you buffoon.