MotM Porto April 15[R]

[Father Ted]

Vote for your Man of the Match!

[Bronaldo]

The best defender in the world

[pourfood]

I'd like to vote for Rooney or Ferdinand, but my vote goes to Christiano.

[Dark Savante]

Straight toss up between the three R's, but I've gotta go with Rio for this one because his steadying of the ship is undeniable and it's our first clean sheet and semi-competent performance in what feels like forever.

Ask me again in ten mins and I'd probably go for one of the other R's; they were all immense.

[Joelzinho]

How can you guys pick Rio in this instance. He was solid, but nothing huge. He actually had more then a few lapses, that should have cost United the game.

2 terrible oppertunities in marking Mariano on crosses, and another at the end of the game which SHOULD have been finished by Farias.

Ronaldo needs to be given credit, he literally won the game. Remember a 0 - 0doesn't do Manchester United any good. They needed to score.

[benni...]

If Rio wasnt playing we might have conceded goals.

[Vermont Red]

If Ferdinand was Portuguese I bet Joel would have voted for him.

[Joelzinho]

If Rio wasnt playing we might have conceded goals.

Yes, but my point being is that United were somewhat fortunate not to concede those goals on account of Rio's play. Especially on the Farias header towards the end of the game, where Rio completely mis judged the ball, and Farias was left with a clear header...but of course he fudged it up.

If Ferdinand was Portuguese I bet Joel would have voted for him.

I would have still voted for Ronaldo. He is more, how do you say, "show pony".

[Vermont Red]

What if Ferdinand had a cheesy mustache?

[Joelzinho]

What if Ferdinand had a cheesy mustache?

I shave on a rather consistent basis now. I only bring it back if the girl wants the "special service".

[Invincible]

I shave on a rather consistent basis now. I only bring it back if the girl wants the "special service".

You shaved your 'stache???! You might as well have been castrated man. A 'stache is the pinnacle of manliness.

[Dark Savante]

How can you guys pick Rio in this instance. He was solid, but nothing huge. He actually had more then a few lapses, that should have cost United the game.

2 terrible oppertunities in marking Mariano on crosses, and another at the end of the game which SHOULD have been finished by Farias.

Ronaldo needs to be given credit, he literally won the game. Remember a 0 - 0doesn't do Manchester United any good. They needed to score.
You're looking at it from the POV of someone not paying attention to what's going on with the team at the moment.

We have been very shakey and nervous as a team. The cohesion in midfield and defence was at its lowest ebb all season - it has been a case of how many we will concede in each game in Rio's absence.

He comes back and everything is different, the backline look competent, the keeper grows a pair, Carrick performs like he should and our overall confidence goes up, plus we kept a clean sheet and had very few moments of genuine worry.

You mention some things that Rio got wrong, but the things he got right far, far outweigh them. Plus he is not match fit and comes into the biggest game of the season to date? That's the measure of the player he is for us.

You say Ronaldo's contribution should be acknowledged, but by not voting for him, it doesnt mean it hasn't, it just means Rio's job was that little bit more vital.

I reckon we would have found a way to score even if Ronaldo hadn't hit that strike - I definitely think we would have conceded if Rio had not been on the pitch and that Carrick would have been poor again. That's why Rio's got my vote.

[JAKE SPEED]

He comes back and everything is different, the backline look competent, the keeper grows a pair,


Just a slight quibble here. I think that VDS has actually been very solid regardless of who has been in the backline for the last 2 months. I think he's been better this year than he was last year.