Related News
Clueless United returns home to face the music
Print Edition
Manchester United returned to England yesterday to be greeted by the type of headlines not associated with the club since it was relegated from the old First Division almost 40 years ago.
Its woeful display in a 0-2 defeat by Olympiakos Piraeus in the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie has left it on the brink of elimination from the only competition the team can still win this season.
The Daily Mail back page screamed: “Humiliated!” while The Daily Telegraph described it as “Clueless, Aimless and Hopeless”. The Guardian front page said it had a “mountain to climb” while the Daily Mirror described the team as “Greek Clods”.
“Manchester United’s disastrous season was lying in ruins last night after they were humiliated in Athens” said The Sun.
Manager David Moyes and his players were roundly criticized not just for the defeat but for the manner in which they lost.
Henry Winter of the Telegraph said: “This was a horrible, aimless, passionless performance from Manchester United.
“This was a display riddled with errors from the players and the manager, David Moyes.
“United were too cautious in design, clueless in possession and too generous with space, seemingly inviting Olympiakos to score. Beware Greeks exploiting gifts.”
BBC pundit Robbie Savage, who began his career at United, questioned the team spirit and desire, describing the performance as “pathetic”.
“The defeat in Greece was a new low for David Moyes’s team.
“Yes, the Greek champions are doing well domestically — they are 20 points clear at the top of their league and have not lost any of their 26 games — but Manchester United should not be losing 2-0 there.
“Were United lacking leadership, fight, team spirit? I’d say they lacked all three.”
United had its setbacks during Alex Ferguson’s 27 years in charge but the negatives have far outweighed the positives since Moyes took over from his fellow Scot this season.
Although this was the Red Devils first Champions League defeat this season, the performance was typical of the poor displays that have left them 15 points behind Premier League leader Chelsea and likely to finish in their lowest position since 1991 when they were sixth.
The only United player to escape the opprobrium was Serbia defender Nemanja Vidic, who is leaving at the end of the season and may not be the only one heading out of Old Trafford.
Borussia Dortmund, meanwhile, is poised for the Champions League’s quarterfinals after Robert Lewandowski scored twice in Tuesday’s 4-2 win at Zenit St Petersburg in their last 16, first-leg clash.
Dortmund raced into a 2-0 lead after only five minutes at Zenit’s Petrovsky Stadium as Henrikh Mkhitaryan, then Marco Reus scored to leave the Russians reeling.
The hosts pulled two goals back after the break as midfielder Oleg Shatov scored, then Brazil’s Hulk converted a penalty.
On both occasions Dortmund gave the perfect response, with Lewandowski scoring just seconds later, as the Germans took a commanding lead home for the second leg on March 19.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
