http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2002390000-2007200580,00.html
MUFC fans read this and it paints a good picture.
MUCH has been made of Manchester Uniteds disastrous away form in
the Champions League over the last three seasons.
This came to a head with the sound 3-0 thrashing administered by AC
Milan at the San Siro on Wednesday.
Their record since a 2-1 win at Dinamo Bucharest in the third
qualifying round of the 2004-2005 season reads: P14, W3, D3,
L8.
But it has been going on for far longer than that.
Since they beat Bayern Munich at the Nou Camp in 1999, the
on-the-road stats are: P49, W16, D12, L21.
Even when they reached the quarter-final in 2002-2003, they still
managed to lose five of their eight away games.
Two seasons earlier, they won just one out of seven outside Old
Trafford.
Meanwhile, they have been almost invincible at home.
Ask United fans the reason for this conundrum and they say Alex
Ferguson and his team give home sides far too much respect.
This, then, will come from the manager.
While Ferguson will rightly receive massive plaudits when his side
finally nail down this seasons title, there can be little argument
he has lost his way in the Champions League.
Just two semi-final appearances in eight seasons is bad enough.
Even more damning, they have won only three knockout-stage ties
since 1999 two of them this season.
Had any other manager of a top European side had this on his
CV he would have been sacked long ago.
Its all very well producing sides that are cavalier and score
bundles of goals on their own ground but they have to be far more
tactically astute in more challenging settings.
Milan boss Carlo Ancelotti hit the nail on the head when he said
before the game at Old Trafford: No disrespect to United but
everyone knows the way they play.
With United, there is no plan B.
And if it is going to be all-singing, all-dancing, all-out attack
then United need both a holding midfield player and some imposing
central defenders.
Their last accomplished pairing was Jaap Stam and Ronny Johnsen and
even that was limited to when Johnsen was fit.
Then Ferguson suddenly offloaded Stam.
A variety of reasons was given but the Dutchman was still good
enough to be playing for AC Milan in the Champions League final
four seasons later.
Since then there have been a variety of players filling in
Laurent Blanc, David May, Wes Brown, Henning Berg and John OShea
among them.
Now United feel they have found the perfect combination in Rio
Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic.
In the Premiership, perhaps. In Europe, the jury is still very much
out.
PAIN IN THE RAIN ... United's Rooney is dejected at the San
Siro
PAIN IN THE RAIN ... United's Rooney is dejected at the San
Siro
While Milan can still produce their most impressive result of the
season without Paolo Maldini, United have lost at FC Copenhagen
(with Ferdinand/Silvestre), Celtic (Ferdinand/Vidic), Roma
(Ferdinand/Brown) and now AC (Vidic/Brown).
In previous years, United were at their best when Nicky Butt was
shoring things up in front of the back four and Roy Keane charging
forward. It wasnt faultless but
it still allowed the touch players to perform.
Butts record post-99 was P17, W8, D4, L5 with three of those
defeats coming in the quarter-finals.
Now, though, United are losing at places you could never imagine in
the old days Lille and Copenhagen chief among them.
So the likely arrival of Owen Hargreaves in the summer will be a
welcome addition to the staff.
Ferguson often claims that Uniteds European defeats have been down
to fractions. Not on Wednesday, though.
On drawing Milan for the second time in three seasons, he made a
big point of saying both Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo were
not ready for it two years ago.
This week, sadly, they looked further away than ever. That goes for
the manager as well.
And it illustrates my point perfectly.
