Copy from![]() |
Electronic Telegraph
|
![]() |
![]() |
United make sure everything goes according to game-plan
By Henry Winter in Monte Carlo | |
External Links
|
Monaco (0) 0 Manchester Utd (0) 0 PLAYING with great discipline, both tactically and temperamentally, Manchester United executed Alex Ferguson's game-plan to perfection here in the Stade Louis II last night. A match of little technical merit but a hugely pleasing scoreline will have intensified United's love affair with the European Cup. Their supporters, who outsang their supine hosts, will certainly believe this is their year. For the return leg of this quarter-final, on March 18, United should have Ryan Giggs and Gary Pallister back from injury. Giggs's pace, his ability to provide penetration and extra attacking dimension, was much missed against the French. But this was a performance in which defence mattered most and Ronny Johnsen, in particular, ensured that Pallister's absence was not noticed. Exemplified by Johnsen, United showed their maturity throughout. They stayed on their feet when attempting to intercept, jockeying rather than diving in, so ensuring that none of them were booked and that Monaco rarely had free-kicks to exploit. The differing rhythms and demands of European football had swiftly manifested themselves. Monaco sought to frustrate United with two man-markers, Martin Djetou and Muhamed Konjic, trailing Teddy Sheringham and Andy Cole respectively. Frank Dumas swept intelligently, always alive to the possibility of catching United offside, a frequent occurrence in an uninspiring first period shaded by Jean Tigana's nimble hosts. While Ferguson's defenders and midfielders were happy to play the ball out quickly, often in very direct fashion, Monaco built with an element of elegance. The excellent Belgian left-back, Philippe Leonard, often supplemented attacks, even testing Peter Schmeichel's reflexes after 25 minutes. Neatly set up by John Collins, a thoughtful presence in central midfield, Leonard imparted so much swerve into his 20-yarder that Schmeichel did well to readjust and push the ball clear. Schmeichel's goal was under intermittent pressure. The United captain had already been indebted to Denis Irwin's marvellously executed interception on Collins, who had slipped through into United's box, danger trailing in his wake. The tension grew. Monaco, with Leonard exuding class, kept hinting at real potency, particularly when they moved the ball down the left. Their crosses generally lacked a target, though Sylvain Legwinski should have done better than head tamely wide, following another excellent Leonard delivery. Leonard, tall and composed, proved the key performer of the first half. He tracked David Beckham, stymying the young Englishman's attacking intentions, and still created time and space to send in some curling crosses. When Johnsen, perhaps deceived by the pitch's uneven bounce, misjudged another Leonard pass just before half-time, Thierry Henry was presented with an outstanding opportunity. The French international slipped on the unsympathetic surface and was unable to place his shot past Schmeichel, who made a smothering stop. As gutsily as United were playing, as eagerly as they closed down Monaco moves, their football cried out for Giggs, a creative catalyst, a sorcerer to hold on to the ball or carry it deep into opposing territory. How they missed the pacy Welshman, such a useful outlet for Schmeichel's throws. When United's keeper did look to launch the ball forward, it was normally through long kicks rather than the thrown delivery out wide. And when these long balls dropped, Sheringham and Cole often found themselves outjumped by Djetou, Konjic and Dumas. As the first half grew to a dispiriting close, it was difficult to see who could trigger one of those famous counter-attacks. United's hordes of supporters did not seem perturbed by the first-half sterility. Thousands of them sang their support, making it more of a home game for United. They had come not only from England, but Holland and Marseille too, their banners declaring the wide appeal of United. Their songs, lauding United generations of past and present vintage, seemed to lift Ferguson's players in their occasional surges towards Fabien Barthez's goal. Cole's pace was soon witnessed, though the offside flag continued to frustrate. Just after the hour mark, as the noise continued to flow freely from the visiting contingent, United almost scored. Gary Neville's long throw, such a useful weapon, flew unchecked towards Nicky Butt, who had timed his run with Bryan Robson-style efficiency. Butt met the ball well enough but Barthez, reacting acrobatically, tipped the danger over. United's own defence was holding firm, suffocating any moves that looked like gathering momentum. Tigana had to make a change. The anonymous Ikpeba was withdrawn in favour of the tall Croatian, Robert Spehar. Yet Johnsen, in particular, and Henning Berg proved personifications of obduracy, repelling any ball that entered their vicinity. When Spehar did get free, Schmeichel dealt with the header. __________________________________________________________ AS Monaco (0) 0 Man Utd (0) 0 AS Monaco: Barthez, Djetou, Dumas, Collins, Benarbia (Carnot 75), Henry (Lefevre 78), Legwinsky, Leonard, Sagnol, Konjic, Ikpeba Nosa (Spehar 62). Subs Not Used: Porato, Pignol, Da Costa, Cristanval. Man Utd: Schmeichel, G. Neville, Irwin (McClair 66), Johnsen, Beckham, Butt, Cole, Sheringham, P. Neville, Scholes, Berg. Subs Not Used: Van Der Gouw, May, Clegg, Solskjaer, Thornley, Casper. Att: 15,000 Ref: Manuel Diaz Vega (Spain). Bayer Leverkusen (1) 1 Real Madrid (0) 1 Bayern Munich (0) 0 Borussia Dortmund (0) 0 Juventus (0) 1 Dinamo Kiev (0) 1 __________________________________________________________ March 5 1998 FOOTBALL English champions play safe in Monaco to gain upper hand FROM OLIVER HOLT, FOOTBALL CORRESPONDENT IN MONACO AS Monaco ...0 Manchester United ...0 SOME of the Manchester United supporters visited the Monte Carlo casino yesterday before they strolled down to the Stade Louis II. Most of them kept their hands in their pockets as they watched the high rollers lose their chips at the roulette table. When they reached the stadium and the match began, they soon discovered that their team had learnt the same lessons. After a highly pragmatic, restrictive performance here, which leaves them firm favourites to progress to the semi-finals of the European Cup when they entertain AS Monaco in the second leg at Old Trafford in a fortnight, United left here glowing with the same sort of satisfaction that infuses someone who has left a gambling den without placing a bet. They did not take any chances and they hardly created any. It was a dour, disciplined goalless draw, full of prosaic virtues that have been lost for much of this season amid their breathtaking creative brilliance. The end product was the important thing and Alex Ferguson, the United manager, knows that not only had his club preserved its unbeaten record against French opposition, but also that their great quest for European glory is still very much alive. On a pitch that had been described before the game as "a potato patch" and which had actually been painted green in parts to try to disguise the deep gouges, United had one shot on target in the first half and managed to restrict their hosts to a couple of wayward headers. The second half was not much better in terms of entertainment and the task is far from complete, but Ferguson was still satisfied with the result. "We sacrificed what we normally do best because it was that kind of game," he said. "We played without risk, but there will be plenty of that when they come to Old Trafford. It is a good result for us, because it was a game in which I was not prepared to take chances. We could not trust the surface and, as it is, we have still got eight players suffering from calf injuries because the pitch was so hard. "I was satisfied with our concentration and I thought we defended very well. If I was really overcritical, I could say I was disappointed that we did not create more, but a lot of my direction tonight was to make sure we didn't make any silly mistakes and we achieved that. We restricted them to a couple of half-chances, but we didn't really feel we could be any more adventurous. We would love to have got an away goal but, still, it was a good night for us." In front of a 15,000 capacity crowd, where the home contingent's genteel applause was drowned out by the raucous cheers of the visiting supporters, United snuffed out Monaco's much-vaunted attacking threat and ensured that what little spirit there was among the home support was soon stifled. Gary Neville, in particular, negated the threat of Thierry Henry, the competition's leading scorer, on United's right and Berg and Johnsen did not allow Ikpeba, the African footballer of the year, any chance to display his skills. Both forwards were substituted in the second half. After Irwin had forced Barthez, the Monaco and France goalkeeper, into one early save with his feet when he volleyed his poor punched clearance back towards goal, it was Legwinsky who posed what little threat the home side offered. Irwin stopped a mazy run by Collins midway through the half and then, in the 25th minute, Schmeichel had to scramble across his goal to beat away a swerving shot from Legwinsky. The Monaco midfield player then glanced the resulting corner towards goal and, with Schmeichel rooted to the spot, Irwin hacked the ball off the line. Seven minutes before half-time, Monaco, who were without their leading striker, David Trezeguet, because of injury, wasted a clear chance. Leonard curled in a cross from the left that swung away from Schmeichel as he tried to come to claim it and left him in no man's land. Legwinsky rose unchallenged eight yards out, but mistimed his jump and glanced his header wide when firmer contact would have surely led to a goal. Four minutes later, United had another escape. This time, an uneven bounce off the poor surface caught Johnsen by surprise and his weak header fell at the feet of Henry. He tried to poke it past Schmeichel, but the United goalkeeper shovelled it out and it was cleared by Gary Neville. The second half began in the same unedifying vein, although United gradually assumed a greater degree of control. After 62 minutes, they fashioned their best chance when a long throw from Gary Neville was allowed to bounce in the area and was then headed goalwards by Butt. It would have looped under the bar, but Barthez tipped it acrobatically over for a corner. Carnot, a substitute for the disappointing Benarbia, failed to get any power on a free header 13 minutes from the end, and even when Schmeichel was penalised for time-wasting two minutes later, Phil Neville charged down the resulting free kick. That was the last throw of the dice for Monaco, but then it was not a night for gamblers. AS MONACO (4-3-1-2): F Barthez - W Sagnol, F Dumas, M Konjic, P Leonard - M Djetou, J Collins, S Legwinsky - A Benarbia (sub: S Carnot, 75min) - T Henry, V Ikpeba (sub: R Spehar, 60). MANCHESTER UNITED (4-4-1-1): P Schmeichel - G Neville, H Berg, R Johnsen, D Irwin (sub: B McClair, 65) - D Beckham, P Neville, P Scholes, N Butt - E Sheringham - A Cole. Referee: M Diaz Vega (Spain). Copyright 1998 Times Newspapers Limited. __________________________________________________________ Sturdy United keep home fires burning David Lacey on a satisfactory evening's work in Monte Carlo Thursday March 5, 1998 A dreadnought from Manchester last night upstaged the luxury yachts and floating gin palaces which take up most of the moorings around these parts. Wearing their roundhead look, indulging in few attacking luxuries but giving little away in defence, Manchester United easily frustrated Monaco's attempts to gain a commanding lead in the opening leg of their Champions League quarter-final. For United last night was not an occasion for gambling; not even here, where the casino rules. To bring the first half of the exercise to a successful conclusion United needed to watch, wait and avoid taking risks. A policy of containment and carefully-timed counterattacks had served them well at Chelsea at the weekend. Thus it was no surprise to find Alex Ferguson keeping faith with the pattern and personnel which had produced a narrow though comfortable victory at Stamford Bridge. Phil Neville, Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt again mounted guard in midfield while behind them Henning Berg continued the Norwegian centre-back partnership with Ronny Johnsen necessitated by Gary Pallister's back injury. The knee injury which had kept David Trezeguet out of the Monaco attack lessened the threat to United through the middle but from the outset the speed of Victor Ikpeba and Thierry Henry threatened to turn their defence on the flanks. Monaco employed a tight-marking sweeper system which used Franck Dumas as libero while Muhamed Konjic and Martin Djetou shackled themselves to Andy Cole and Teddy Sheringham respectively. In this sort of match the sudden break from midfield can be of considerable value and the first glimpse of an opening at either end came when Willy Sagnol burst through the heart of United's cover and neatly side-stepped Berg before dragging his shot wide. With Manchester United content to preserve the status quo, attacking only in dribs and drabs, and Monaco finding it so hard to achieve a movement of serious penetration, the game began to pall as a spectacle. It briefly sprang to life after 25 minutes when Philippe Leonard met a square pass from Collins with a swerving shot that Schmeichel turned wide. From the corner Irwin cleared Sylvain Legwinski's header from the far post, and the prosaic pattern of the game was resumed. For United, nevertheless, everything was going to plan. Patience was their prime virtue and there was always the possibility, once Monaco started to pause for breath, of snatching a goal on the break even without the injured Ryan Giggs. Towards half-time Monaco managed to raise the tempo of their game sufficiently to put some sort of pressure on United's defence, and at last they posed a danger in the air. Leonard's cross from the left found Legwinski rising above Johnsen and Berg but fortunately for the English champions the ball skimmed his head and sailed away to safety. There was an even more anxious moment for Manchester United three minutes before the interval when Johnsen's misheaded attempt at a clearance allowed the ball to fall to Henry in front of goal. A less awkward bounce and Monaco might have the lead but Henry could only achieve a flicked shot with the outside of a foot that Schmeichel saved comfortably. In the second half Monaco redoubled their efforts to get round the back of United on the wings, which was where their only realistic hope of breaking the opposition down lay. But even when they did create space near the byline their centres were still erratic. The 63rd minute brought the novelty of a save by Fabien Barthez as United came close to scoring for the first time in the game. As Gary Neville's long throw-in from the right dropped into the penalty area the defenders were drawn towards Sheringham. He did not get a touch but his presence meant that Butt was unmarked and his header, after the ball had bounced steeply, was tipped over the bar by Barthez. The moment did nothing to dispel the noisy optimism of Manchester United's supporters, whose presence at one end of the ground saved the evening from becoming a wake. Monaco (1-4-3-2): Barthez; Dumas; Sagnol, Konjic, Djetou, Leonard; Legwinski, Benarbia, Collins; Ikpeba, Henry. Manchester United (4-4-2): Schmeichel; G Neville, Johnsen, Berg, Irwin; Beckham, P Neville, Scholes, Butt; Cole, Sheringham. Referee: M Diaz Vega (Spain). Guardian ______________________________________________________________________ United drain glamour from Monaco By Paul Hayward Thursday March 5, 1998 In theory a trip to Monaco should be a glamorous affair but for Manchester United last night it was about as much fun as a wet weekend in Margate. In the casino down the road they would have laid long odds-on it being this sort of match: not extravagant theatre, more like millionaires' chess. The mission was never to lay on football worthy of the setting. It was about seeing through a brief to shut AS Monaco out. As England found against Chile recently, football at this level is largely about coping with alien and difficult styles. The fun has been stored in the bank for Old Trafford where the Monaco players, who are used to playing in front of 5,000 souls, will feel the noise of some 55,000 United zealots. Monaco are a team of daring and fleet-footed counter-attackers, of high-speed burglars. They presented the very problem that British sides have struggled to overcome throughout the decade. It is a style uncommon in Britain but standard currency across Europe, where teams allow opponents to advance into their half, pinch the ball back around the edge of their penalty area and then launch rapid counter-incursions along the flanks. The ruling Grimaldi family have assembled the staff to make it work. In the front line Victor Ikpeba and Thierry Henry are muscular, quick and elusive. These two are ably supported through the middle by Ali Benariba and John Collins, a compatriot of Ferguson's intent on breaking a fellow Scotsman's dreams. It was this skilfully-employed unit which forced United to drag players behind the ball and confine their first-half attacks to long, flat balls to Teddy Sheringham and Andy Cole. United may have met better sides but none so grandly appointed. Lads in floppy Oasis hats played football on the quayside and tried to avoid hitting the million-pound yachts and Mercs. In the high-rises above them were the apartments of tax-exiled Formula One drivers. Hundreds travelled without tickets and had to be content with watching the match on a giant screen behind the main stand. Visitors to Monaco's two club shops would not be sure whether to buy a pennant or order a strawberry Mivvi. They share the dimensions of ice cream kiosks and the shop assistants lean through the hatches like cornet salesmen. Back at Old Trafford clients of the mega-stores require shopping trolleys and sensible shoes. But the real reckoning is reached not in shops but on the pitch. The lesson was that from here on every last step of United's European adventure will be an ordeal. Normally one feels sympathy for small clubs with bad facilities and poor support. Wimbledon, for instance. But the French champions and royal playthings? Not a hope. Amazingly for a stadium that holds only 15,000, large spots of yellow seats remained unoccupied. On a rough pitch laid on top of a car park the ball bobbled infuriatingly and turned what should have been an examination of technical prowess into a test of concentration. Presumably the surface was better when Glenn Hoddle played here. After half-time United attempted to exert more pressure on their weakly supported opponents. This suggested a disinclination to keep absorbing Monaco's assaults without reply. It also revealed United's ferocious native spirit. In all they do there is an affecting hunger for the ball and a willingness to submerge individual preferences beneath the needs of the team. It would distress United's ambitious workaholics to go out to such a synthetically created (though tactically fine) team. It was strange how the menace of Monaco became ever-more inflated as the week progressed. As an antidote Alex Ferguson need only have pointed out that their adversaries had lost eight of their 27 league games and so were hardly unconquerable. The truth is that only once in a generation does a team glide invincibly to the European Cup. The Milan team who destroyed Barcelona was probably the last. The end of the group stage brings eight footballing leviathans into combat and produces tight encounters of the sort we saw last night. In European football sophistication comes in many forms. It can be about doing the negative well. For United it was about getting the hell out of Monaco with hope still intact. Guardian __________________________________________________________ United and Monaco disappoint in poor contest MONACO, March 4 (AFP) - Manchester United's goalless draw with Monaco here on Wednesday was more like an amateur contest than the quarter-finals, first leg of the European Cup. Much had been expected of Alex Ferguson's side which, although without Ryan Giggs, Gary Pallister and Roy Keane, were keen to keep up their record of never having lost to a French club. Monaco, who reached the quarter-finals after winning all three home matches in their group, dominated the match, but neither side impressed. Manchester must surely now be favourites to go through from the March 18 second leg to reach the stage they lost to Borussia Dortmund in last season's competition. Scotland midfielder John Collins recovered from a foot injury for Monaco, while Franck Dumas was back after a knee problem. But David Trezeguet, second top scorer in France, was still sidelined by a knee problem. United, as expected, started with the same 11 which finished at Chelsea on Saturday. Willy Sagnol created the first opening after three minutes when he dribbled through the United defence only to drag his shot wide. Monaco made the better start and Thierry Henry shot wide before Victor Ikpeba hooked a speculative effort over the bar. United mustered their first assault on the home goal from a Phil Neville throw-in, which Fabien Barthez could only punch as far as Denis Irwin, but the Monaco goalkeeper saved his shot at his feet. United were having trouble getting out of their own half and after 13 minutes, Martin Djetou robbed Terry Sheringham and found Ali Benarbia, who was fouled just outside the visitors' box. Benarbia's curled free kick was easily headed away by Paul Scholes in the United wall. United had voiced concern over the state of the Monaco pitch before the match but Jean Tigana's side had no problem moving the ball about. David Beckham looked hard at the referee's assistant when he flagged for offside after the United midfielder had released Cole with a lovely through-ball after 17 minutes. For all Monaco's possession they had still to force Peter Schmeichel into a save, but that changed in the 25th minute when Sagnol hit a 20-yard effort which the United goalkeeper touched round his near post. Benarbia released Sagnol down the right two minutes after the restart and his dangerous cross was cut out by Berg, although referee Manuel Diaz Vega had already blown for offside. Johnsen was forced to concede a corner from Henry's cross a minute later when he beat Ikpeba to the ball. Henry then skipped past Scholes and Beckham before releasing Djetou, who was in a promising position on the left but wasted the opportunity with a poor cross which went behind the goal. United's travelling support, which far exceeded the 2,000 tickets they had been allocated, drowned out their Monaco counterparts for virtually all the match. Ferguson's side were content to frustrate Monaco, but after 63 minutes Nicky Butt went close to giving them the lead. Sheringham dummied Gary Neville's long throw and Butt's header was turned over the crossbar by Fabien Barthez. Brian McClair came on for Irwin and the Scot slotted into midfield, with Phil Neville dropping back to left back. Monaco were on top the last few minutes of the match but Tigana's men barely threatened to actually beat Schmeichel. __________________________________________________________ MANCHESTER UNITED PLAYER RATINGS By David Anderson, PA Sport Peter Schmeichel: Did everything asked of him and in particular made a fine save from Willy Sagnol in the first half. 8 Gary Neville: Spent much of the game penned at right-back but caused problems with his long throw-ins. 6 Denis Irwin: The ever-dependable Irishman made several telling tackles and clearances before he was replaced by Brian McClair. 8 Ronny Johnsen: Was a pillar in defence alongside fellow Norwegian Henning Berg. 7 David Beckham: Came out second best in his duel with John Collins and could not get his passing game going. 6 Nicky Butt: Spent most of the game defending and almost gave United victory with a great header. 7 Andy Cole: Forced to feed off scraps but made a nuisance of himself whenever he could. 7 Teddy Sheringham: Had to come deep to find the ball but played his part like everyone else. 6 Phil Neville: Made his presence felt with some crunching tackles in the second half. 7 Paul Scholes: Had to curtail his attacking instincts and play a more defensive role for United. 6 Henning Berg: Solid at the back and made a couple of vital interventions. 7 Subs: Brian McClair. Slotted into midfield and frustrated Monaco. 6 © PA Sporting Life _____________________________________________________________ WE HAD TO PLAY SAFE, ADMITS FERGIE Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson blasted the Stade Louis II pitch in Monaco after his weary side hobbled away from their Champions' League ordeal. While United's measured performance deservedly gave them a goalless draw in Monaco that takes them half way to a place in the last four it was not without cost. Denis Irwin, Teddy Sheringham, David Beckham and Gary Neville were among eight members of Ferguson's side who suffered calf problems. And the United boss, while pleased with the control and discipline of his men, had no doubts where the responsibility lay. "It was a really bad surface and that's which we've ended up with so many injuries," said Ferguson. "It was really hard to play on which made the ball bounce really badly and our players just aren't used to that sort of pitch. "Denis is definitely out for the game at Sheffield Wednesday this weekend and most of the others have got problems too." Even so Ferguson had to be happy with the way his men had neutralised the threat of pacy Monaco front pair Victor Ikpeba and Thierry Henry. Peter Schmeichel, playing in his 50th European tie, was rarely troubled, superbly protected by the United back line. And even if United did not offer too much going forward themselves, Ferguson was more than willing to accept the way things had done. "It's a good result for us," he said. "With the pitch that bad it couldn't be trusted and I wasn't prepared to take any chances. "It meant we didn't play our normal way but I was satisfied with the concentration we showed and the discipline as well. "We had to sacrifice a bit of the normal way we do things but it was that kind of game. "If I was going to be over-critical I could say that we didn't really create much but what we were looking at tonight was making sure we didn't do anything stupid." It was clear that United have learned the lessons of their Euro-failures of the recent past and Ferguson himself conceded: "We could have been more adventurous but in the past we have probably been naive by trying to go out and win away from home. "We didn't do that tonight and it gives us a good chance of going through on the second leg although we know that they've got pace up front and we'll have to handle that at Old Trafford." Ferguson's players were equally upset with the surface, just eight inches of soil laid above a car park. Norwegian Ronny Johnsen explained: "It's hard to say what was wrong with it - because just about everything was. "It was hard, lively, slippery and it made it really hard to concentrate on your game properly." Monaco coach Jean Tigana suggested that despite the blank his team's chances had actually improved as a result. "Before the game I thought it was 55-45 in United's favour but now it's 50-50," said the former France midfielder. "United were compact and organised and I wasn't surprised at the way they played at all. "But away from home, on a better pitch, we should be able to create more chances. "We always feel we play better away from home where we can use our pace and I am still very confident about the return leg." © PA Sporting Life _____________________________________________________________ FERGIE'S PITCH ANGER By Martin Lipton, PA Sport Chief Soccer Writer Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson blasted the Stade Louis II pitch in Monaco after his weary side hobbled away from their Champions' League ordeal. While United's measured performance deservedly gave them a goalless draw in Monaco that takes them half way to a place in the last four it was not without cost. Denis Irwin, Teddy Sheringham, David Beckham and Gary Neville were among eight members of Ferguson's side who suffered calf problems. And the United boss, while pleased with the control and discipline of his men, had no doubts where the responsibility lay. ``It was a really bad surface and that's which we've ended up with so many injuries,'' said Ferguson. ``It was really hard to play on which made the ball bounce really badly and our players just aren't used to that sort of pitch. ``Denis is definitely out for the game at Sheffield Wednesday this weekend and most of the others have got problems too.'' Even so Ferguson had to be happy with the way his men had neutralised the threat of pacy Monaco front pair Victor Ikpeba and Thierry Henry. Peter Schmeichel, playing in his 50th European tie, was rarely troubled, superbly protected by the United back line. And even if United did not offer too much going forward themselves, Ferguson was more than willing to accept the way things had done. ``It's a good result for us,'' he said. ``With the pitch that bad it couldn't be trusted and I wasn't prepared to take any chances. ``It meant we didn't play our normal way but I was satisfied with the concentration we showed and the discipline as well. ``We had to sacrifice a bit of the normal way we do things but it was that kind of game. ``If I was going to be over-critical I could say that we didn't really create much but what we were looking at tonight was making sure we didn't do anything stupid.'' It was clear that United have learned the lessons of their Euro-failures of the recent past and Ferguson himself conceded: ``We could have been more adventurous but in the past we have probably been naive by trying to go out and win away from home. ``We didn't do that tonight and it gives us a good chance of going through on the second leg although we know that they've got pace up front and we'll have to handle that at Old Trafford.'' Ferguson's players were equally upset with the surface, just eight inches of soil laid above a car park. Norwegian Ronny Johnsen explained: ``It's hard to say what was wrong with it - because just about everything was. ``It was hard, lively, slippery and it made it really hard to concentrate on your game properly.'' Monaco coach Jean Tigana suggested that despite the blank his team's chances had actually improved as a result. ``Before the game I thought it was 55-45 in United's favour but now it's 50-50,'' said the former France midfielder. ``United were compact and organised and I wasn't surprised at the way they played at all. ``But away from home, on a better pitch, we should be able to create more chances. ``We always feel we play better away from home where we can use our pace and I am still very confident about the return leg.'' © PA Sporting Life _____________________________________________________________ |
![]() |
[main] [top scorers] [league results/table] [match reports]
[archive] [gallery] [united faq] [links] [sign my guestbook]
© Copyright Telegraph Group Limited 1998.
Telegraph Group Limited endeavours to ensure that the information is
correct but does not accept any liability for error or omission.
Users are permitted to copy some material for their personal use, but may
not republish any substantial part of the data either on another website or
as part of any commercial service without the prior written permission of
Telegraph Group Limited.
Note : At times, reports are taken from Reuters and FA Carling Net. |
|
Today's edition of Electronic
Telegraph...![]() |
![]() |