Dec 21
Liga de Quito v Manchester United, Club World Cup Final Match Thread
Manchester United take on Liga de Quito at the Yokohama International Stadium in 3 hours to play the Club World Cup final.
You like it, you don’t like it, it doesn’t matter anymore because in 5 hours or so we’ll either be World Champions (and the first British club to win the title) or the laughing stock of England because mark my words, while everyone puts down this competition, the moment United slip up we’re going to get pilloried with jibes of ‘you couldn’t beat the Mexicans’ and what not.
Quito’s coach has called us ‘the best team in England’, which I find partially offensive considering that we are by all rights the best team in the world, at least on the basis of last season.
Ferguson thinks Quito will be much stronger defensively than our previous opponents, and despite the goal-scoring frenzy last time around we’ll need to step our game up a couple of notches or else we’ll get a nasty surprise.
SAF:
“I’m very pleased that we’re in the final, but we will be facing a stern test, as Liga de Quito are very strong defensively.
My assistant Mick Phelan and I saw a video of their semi-final against Pachuca and also had them watched by a scout. Quito are a typically South American side – solid at the back and dangerous in front of goal.
It will certainly be anything but an easy match, it is the final of the Club World Cup so you can’t expect an easy ride.”
Ronaldo wants to win everything as well – you’d think he’s won enough, but good for him and good for United if he’s still motivated to win more titles:
“I really want to win this trophy after the year I have had. Not just for me, but for United. No other British team has won it and we want to be the first to do that.
And I believe it will give us extra motivation to win the Champions League and Premier League again.”
I don’t think it gives us any extra motivation but if we’re in it, we might as well go on and give it a fair shot at winning. Plus with Liverpool failing last time around, it would be great to go one step further than them.
Berbatov is set to start on the bench, Fletcher, Carrick, Rooney, Park and Rafael are all set to start.
Predictions: 2-1 to Manchester United. We’re certain to concede given the circumstances but we should be able to put at least 2 goals past Quito.
Meanwhile back in England Arsenal take on Liverpool at the Emirates today while Chelsea take on Everton at Goodison Park tomorrow night. Let’s hope that Arsenal and Everton can take points off Pool and Chelsea and don’t leave us with too big of a mountain to climb when we get back.
Over to you.
Related items from Red Rants:
- Manchester United Make History As World Champions
- Mourinho’s Inter, Liga de Quito and proof that Berbatov can be happy
- Man Utd v Spurs match thread
- Manchester United vs Arsenal – UEFA Champions League semi-final Live Blog!
- United on Top of the league, for now
Tags: Game Preview
December 21st, 2008 at 10:24
I think you said the right words. They are better defensivly(wouldnt surprise me, who isnt) than Osaka, probably taller too.
They are from Equador, and they have some Brazilian and Argentinian players. They are a good side and unless I am terribly wrong, tehy won the latinamerican CL last season. But can they beat us? Of cource they can! But will they beat us? Probably not. Football is a game of small margins, a game can be lost from a deflected shot from 40 yards, a tap in from a rebound, a counter attack or maybe a free-kick. We have lost to teams before, teams that are smaller than us, and we have had problems breaking down teams, especially this season. Sorry for sounding a little negative, but something good will come. The FIFA Club World Cup doesnt mean a lot to me. But it would be nice to go into Christmas eva and day knowing that United won the last game you saw them play before you open the presents. Christmas is not the same if you have the feeling of United losing a final just some days before Santa arrives. You get what I mean? That is why, while this tournament doesnt meen the world to me, this game is. Besides, it is a chance to win a big trophy. A world cup is not something you win everyday. I hope our team is up for it, because this will be a really hard game. LDQ are really up for it, they are playing the WORLDS best team! But with our quality we should beat them. Hoepfully our lads are up for the game, mentally and physicly, because this tournament may decide our season. After the Zenit game, all of our players seemed down and not motivated. Seemed sad more than anything. And they didnt win in 3 games after that. We cannot risk that happening. While the supporters doesnt look at this game as anythign else than a chance to scream “Champions of the world”, the players will want to win this game. That is what decides what is different between a big side and a small side. The hunger to win, either its a training match, a PL match or a CL final. They will always want to win. And we have the best players. That means they will all want to win. I hope they do… Team prediction:
VDS
Rafael Evans Vdic Evra
Ronaldo Fletcher Carrick Park
Rooney Tevez
score prediction: 2-0 to United. Then we can by all means say that we are the Champions of the World!
COME ON YOU REDS!!!
December 21st, 2008 at 10:36
Here is live stream from final
December 21st, 2008 at 10:42
Team news?
December 21st, 2008 at 11:11
Good to see anderson and carrick in midfield..thats possibly our strongest side this season
December 21st, 2008 at 11:15
GK: Van Der Sar
RB: Rafael
CB: Rio
CB: Vidic
LB: Evra
RW: Ronaldo
CM: Carrick
CM: Anderson
LM: Park
ST: Rooney
ST: Tevez
Subs: PIG, Amos, Neville, Evans, Oshea, Fletcher, Gibson, Scholes, Giggs, Nani, Welbeck, Berbatov
December 21st, 2008 at 12:02
Carrick and Anderson are clearly our best CM pairing
December 21st, 2008 at 12:08
If you can’t watch it, live blog: http://therepublikofmancunia.com/live-blog-united-vs-ldu-quito/
December 21st, 2008 at 12:13
good link here.password 5000 english commentry
http://livefooty.doctor-serv.com/sun21.12/Quito_ManUtd3.html
December 21st, 2008 at 12:24
How the fook can we miss so many chances?!
Ronaldo has been exellent, so has Andy and Carrick, but Rooney has missed at least 3 sitters. I usually say that on a regular day Wazza would have scored at least 1 goal, but speaking for this season this looks exactly like a “regular” day. Anderson and Carricks passes have been amazing. Andy reminds me of a quarterback, spraying passes all over the place and givin long range passes that are inch-presise. The pass where Rooney lobbed the goalkeeper was one of the passes of the season. Fell perfect for him, but if he had just controlled it low under the goalie we would have scored at least 1 goal. Ronaldos tricks are entertaining and today, unlike other games this season, he creates lots of chances. If Park hadnt had stumps as legs, he would have scored on the chance in added time. In games when we create chances like this we should, I repeat SHOULD, score at least 3 goals. Rooneys movement is exellent, best Ive seen since Solskjaer, but his finishing stinks! Sort it out son…
United to win 2-0.
December 21st, 2008 at 12:33
park is useless in the final third
December 21st, 2008 at 12:36
TOTALY useless wee cunt park. i just cant see him ever actualy producing anything!!
why isnt nani being played just to get him some game time…?who knows
December 21st, 2008 at 12:40
What the fuck is wrong with vidic that was dumb
December 21st, 2008 at 12:41
hmmmmmm
December 21st, 2008 at 12:57
Why on earth do we play Park?
December 21st, 2008 at 12:59
Manucho, i was honestly sayin the exact thing.
why the fuck is he on the pitch???? is he gona make a goal? is he gonna score??
December 21st, 2008 at 13:02
Ahhh pace is too fucking slow…park is worthless
December 21st, 2008 at 13:02
The boy wonder!rooney is the man!
December 21st, 2008 at 13:03
Roooooooooooooooney!!!!!!!
December 21st, 2008 at 13:04
great strike son
December 21st, 2008 at 13:04
really shud make some subs keep everyone fit, they look tired out there
December 21st, 2008 at 13:08
World club champions with 10 men. Stop moaning you fickle people!
December 21st, 2008 at 13:10
Are this lot City in disguise?
December 21st, 2008 at 13:18
VDS….What a legend
December 21st, 2008 at 13:19
Van de saar is really brilliant…top class…38?
December 21st, 2008 at 13:23
World champss!
December 21st, 2008 at 13:31
World Champions, fantastic!
Great strike by Rooney, he’s the joint record top scorer in the competitions long history with 3 goals
December 21st, 2008 at 13:32
after all the moaning us fans can do, its another trophy in sir alex fergusons cabinet fair play to the man, he is getting a bit senile, but he just keeps winning
December 21st, 2008 at 13:32
So we are not gonna have Vidic playing for next 3 CL games!!!
Quite a big price. What a strange moment of madness from the Hardman. Inter wud be mighty pleased today!
December 21st, 2008 at 13:45
@jos: 3 games, thats a bit extreme, i swear the punishment is only one
December 21st, 2008 at 13:47
@Mr.Muhozi: dont u get banned for 3 games for a straight red?
December 21st, 2008 at 13:54
To quote the Wayne Rooney puppet from “I`m on Setanta Sports”: “Big in Japan, tonight! Big in Japan, alright! Big in Japan!”
He was awsome today. Even though he missed sitters, he made something out of nothing most times. I just couldnt see him miss on his goal, it was a typical Wayne Rooney goal. I am looking forward to the rest of the season, this trophy will do the team good. Nice trophy btw… 
Champions of England!
Champions of Europe!
Champions of the World!
We rule the earth! We can finally say, without any hesitation, that we are the best team in teh world! Like we didnt know that, but now no-one can tell us we are wrong. UNITED!!! UNITED!!! UNITED!!! CHAMPIONS!!!
December 21st, 2008 at 13:55
@jos: thats in domestic games, i´m not too sure for continental in intercontinental, maybe all he misses is the next club world cup game
December 21st, 2008 at 14:02
@Mr.Muhozi: He will miss the Inter games. A straight red card is 3 games out, in every competition. I am not 100%sure, but I think it is like that.
December 21st, 2008 at 14:08
@Mr.Muhozi: He’ll miss next 3 games in any/all UEFA/FIFA competitions! So that rules him out for CL games!
Hopefully we’ll have Brown back by then.
December 21st, 2008 at 14:09
surely not red devil? that would be nightmare
great celebrations from the lads, love seeing them all jubilant like that! sad bastard…..!
December 21st, 2008 at 14:10
@RedDevilEddy: i´m not too sure about that, a straight red card in domestic games results in 3 games being missed, but intercontinental and continental games the rules is different, lemme search good ol´wikipedia
p.s im in sweden i know you are from norway but sweden is close enough
December 21st, 2008 at 14:41
Just a quick point on the vidic red card and possible ban, i could have sworn that kaladze got a red for AC last year in the same tournament and he didnt get a ban of any kind in europe or domestic. Oh well i guess because its us they will give us the bad punishments. Im pretty sure it was kaladze and he never got any kind of ban but if any1 can back up this then please tell me.
December 21st, 2008 at 14:42
@Mr.Muhozi: Kva e de du seie?
December 21st, 2008 at 14:53
this is sort of a treble isnt it?
December 21st, 2008 at 14:57
@dan(u-ol): It is. Now, so far this season:
3rd in Premier League with 2 games less played.
Champions League 1/8 finals.
Charity Shield winners.
Carling Cup semi-final.
FA Cup vs Southampton.
FIFA Club World Cup winners.
Lost UEFA super cup to Zenit.
Still, we are/have won in 6 out of the 7 competitions we are in this season. That aint too bad. Cheer up lads, its going to be another great season.
December 21st, 2008 at 14:59
|……………! !………………|
……..|_Anderson_|
……..|……..8……..|
……..|……………|
……..|____! !____|©
December 21st, 2008 at 15:41
@Matthew: Some guys on 5live says he has to get a ban on a confederate level, so its likely to be a one- match ban against Inter
.@Man-U-cho: You honestly think he didn’t offer ANYTHING at all today???
December 21st, 2008 at 16:00
The commentators said it was a one match ban which might be extended if he was found guilty of violent conduct.
I watched the celebrations and the lads really looked delighted, even Ronaldo! He can rest assured he wouldn’t win a trophy like this with Real Madrid. Even if it is an exhibition tournament we shouldn’t devalue it because to get there you have to beat the best teams in Europe. Fergie has won the equivalent of this competition twice in less than ten years. Not many bosses can say that!
I feel this trophy may kick the boys into gear and realise they have to step up if they want to win it again next year. I think the euphoria of winning will give us the momentum we need to beat Stoke in spite of the jet lag and then be adjusted in time for the game after that.
Oh and Eddy we are fourth in the Premier League. Villa pushed us down to fourth place.
December 21st, 2008 at 16:03
@Rd: Well, we are champions mate, i would have loved to see Nani instead but I guess in Fergie we should always trust
.
December 21st, 2008 at 16:04
what if man city got relegated the richest club in the 2nd tier!!!
world champions now lets push on for the premiership i think liverpool will lose today and chelsea will draw tomorrow night so that will put on us level pegging should we win the games in hand i feel that season will be a very successful, also carrick and andy has got to be are central midfield partnership….
December 21st, 2008 at 16:23
@RedDevilEddy: Yeah Bro, and most of it by playing boring shite football
. We should be ok against Inter Milan, we’ll put their supporters to sleep with our newfound football this season 
. Nevertheless well done on todays win, even though we should have been 3-0 up by half time. Ron assist and Rooney goal, hope this continues. It will do me if they can repeat it in Milan.
December 21st, 2008 at 16:34
Look I’m not getting into the debate about whether Nemanja should have got red or not, I think he should – and there aint no bigger Vidic fan than me
. But I would like to comment on United’s disciplinary problems and unruly, unbecoming behaviour this season. Tev, Ronnie, Tooney, Nani, Vidic etc, all dishing it out in frustration. What is happening with Fergie, he would have stamped on this at one time?. It will hinder our PL and CL endeavour if our on field behaviour isn’t sorted out. We can’t afford to lose our players for vital games, like Vid against Inter 
.
December 21st, 2008 at 16:46
Rooney goal and other videos from this match you can watch here.
Glory, glory Man United!
December 21st, 2008 at 17:55
Arsenal 1-1 Liverpool HT…Cant help to say this…great game of football!!!…but i think Fabregas injured his knee ligament just before half time (he walks the same way i did when i had mine)..he could be out for rest of the game and may be rest of season…
December 21st, 2008 at 18:05
Great, we won this thing. I am happy not because it’s big thing, but because I believe it will help our confidence. Haven’t seen the game so can’t say anything, but I am happy that Andy started and that even with 10 men we won. Seems to me that we were very wasteful in front of goals again, but need to see the game.
December 21st, 2008 at 18:28
@Craig Mc: When you are the champions, headhunters come out of the dark to chop you down. Players can take only so much abuse before they retaliate. The lack of discipline just speaks loudly of the poor officiating and bloody cynical lenience that is being allowed against our boys. Every time they take two steps with the ball in the attacking zone, they are hacked down mercilessly. I’m surprised they haven’t retaliated more to be honest. Stupid of them to do so, but pain and the heat of the moment can bring the worst out in all of us. You can’t coach that out of a player because then you would also be quashing their passion as well. Now my defense of them does not count when it comes like brain draining moments like Nani’s red card at the end of last season. That was just selfish stupidity as he retaliated over nothing. Sorry about the Nani bash their Bro. As far as I’m concerned Ronaldo should pack a firearm for the kind of abuse he receives every game.
December 21st, 2008 at 18:41
Well what did I say was going to happen in Tokyo? I said that United would be the better team by far and that they should win by 3-0 or 4-0 but that in the end, they would win it 1-0. I’d like to say that yet again the Grognard got it right but I have to say that United created enough quality chances that they should have won the game 4-1 or 5-1. Rooney and company were constantly making a meal of quality chances but some credit must go to LDU’s keeper who had a great game. Yes EVDS also made som great long range saves but lets face it, other than their keeper and the very impressive Alejando Monsa, LDU were just what I claimed they were yesterday. A shit side with delusions of grandeur. They were not in the same league with United and the only reason the game was close was their diabolical and cynical fouls of our key players and their ten men behind the ball approach which hung on well beyond what they should have.
Monsa had some nice long range shots and he looks to be the kind of player that is very useful offensively, but he was surrounded by a bunch of hacks with limited skills that could not match us or even outplay us when we went down to ten men. Honest to God, I just don’t get why we are so poor at finishing this season?
Incredibly frustrated by the fact that we have to struggle to beat every team that plays ten men behind the ball and that plays the game physically.
As for performances, nobody really stands out for me. Anderson, Rafael, Carrick and Ronaldo all played well and I’d include Rooney in that if he hadn’t missed so many opportunities. EVDS was very good in both games even though we were far superior to both the teams we played, we still gave them the odd half chance from long range and he did have to make some big saves.
Anyway, very happy that we are now officially Champions of the world. Another feather in our cap and yet another trophy to display at OT. Now hopefully we won’t be punished too much from the jet lag and the trip and have this trip hurt our title chances. Only time will tell.
December 21st, 2008 at 19:38
[...] Note: You can read the full match report by the excellent Tom Clark, or follow the discussion in the match thread. [...]
December 21st, 2008 at 20:15
@Grognard: Grog Bro, there’s NEVER any excuse for retaliation, not when it means we lose players for more important games. The elbow by Vid was so not necessary, it wasn’t as you say in the FINAL THIRD. Now we lose him for a much more important game – feckin pathetic mate. Would you rather we win the CL game with Inter, ot this dinky wink so called World Championship game. I would rather tan the arses of inter.
December 21st, 2008 at 20:17
ps – Mourinho is laughing his arse off today, and who the feck can blame him?.
December 21st, 2008 at 20:27
@Craig Mc: I’m not condoning it. I just understand where it’s coming from. This team feels persecuted on the pitch. They never get the right calls from the refs and they are always hacked down, their shirts pulled etc. After a while you snap. It’s not right what Vidic did but somebody has to stop the initial act that forced his hand. Hell LDU had five yellows in the game when they should have had ten. Other than Monsa, nobody on their side came to play football. They were a disgrace.
December 21st, 2008 at 20:33
Also, when you invite a team to travel thousands of miles and go through Hell in terms of sleep deprivation, jet lag and the such, why then are red cards carried over to important matches in the future? How is that fair? Did Barca, Chelsea or Bayern have to play in this useless little tournament (aka a major bloody inconvenience)? No, So why should any red card against us benefit Inter or any other club we were to face in the future. This was nothing more than an elaborate exhibition match stuck in the middle of our schedule and now we get punished for playing in it in more ways than one. Fuck FIFA and fuck their little marketing ploy. United’s only concern is the Prem and the Champions League. Instead we have to fly to Japan, endure fatigue and possible injury all to satisfy the marketing brass of FIFA. Like I said earlier, FUCK them.
December 21st, 2008 at 21:53
@Grognard: Grog, if Barca, Chelsea or Bayern didn’t have to play in this tournament, then what is wrong with the United board, that we agree to play?. What are we little YES men then. Are we less than Barca, Bayern, Chelsea – if so question whether we are as great as we think we are/ If Chelsea, Bayern and Barca said no, what the feck did we agree for?. Money, money, money, are we that hard up –
.
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:43
@Grognard: Chelsea, Barca and Bayern didn’t win the Champions league last season. That’s the ONLY way to be in the tournament. I’m also fairly certain we don’t have a choice in the matter. The 2000 scenario was an entirely different competition and that we did have a choice in (we’d already played Palermos I believe to be ‘Intercontinental Champions’). Liverpool played in this a couple of years ago and lost yet there was no talk of it at all by the press, but they aren’t exactly a massive club…..
No one can excuse what Vidic did, but on the same note, their defenders made countless bad challenges after they all, including the goalkeeper, received yellow cards and didn’t get the marching orders.
We played a tidy game against a decent team, outplayed them massively and Rooney scored on the big stage again. Not bad for a meaningless game.
Champions of England. Champions of Europe. Masters of the Universe
December 22nd, 2008 at 19:36
@Craig Mc: You are missing the point mate. Those clubs you mention didn’t win the CL, we did so therefore, we are obligated to play. The fact that they don’t have to play gives them an advantage over us in this year’s Cl because I fear we will be suffering jet ag fatigue for quite a while. Truthfully, though, the matchup against Inter is so far away we will be over the symptoms by then. I do expect it to cause us problem over the next two to three weeks in the EPL though. We play easy teams but if we tire in the second half, one of these teams or more could steal points off us. The lads will have to dig down and find that extra gear and dose of adrenaline to conquer the fatigue. I’ll have faith but I am worried. Hell we were having a hard time scoring before the jet lag.
December 22nd, 2008 at 19:41
@Traverse: You know the Vidic red card has had too much made of it just like Rooney’s stomping incident against Aalborg. Rooney did not intentionally stomp the guy as he was off balance due to his challenge. Vidic did shove the player poorly using his elbow but he did not really elbow the player in the classic fashion. The ass hole did his greatest thespian imitation and made it look like he was just shot. The referee just jumped the gun too soon without taking a few seconds to think it over. I would have given him yellow for a shove and that’s all. Yet another case of United players getting the wrong end of the judicial stick while others run rampant onus trying to cripple our best players. Where is the justice in all that?
December 22nd, 2008 at 19:43
@Traverse: Hold on pal, we have yet to play FC Mars or AC Pluto. I think they will have a say about who are the Masters of the Universe, or at least the galaxy.
I hear both team are very good in the air while one is a very good team in cold weather and the other in hot weather and high altitudes. 