Ferguson praises Nani ahead of Benfica

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has praised Nani’s contribution this season.

As his side prepare to welcome Benfica to Old Trafford in the UEFA Champions League match on Tuesday, Ferguson praised Nani’s playmaking ability and his role in creating chances for United.

The Portuguese midfielder has four assists in the Premier League so far this season.

“I think he’s always had that potential,” Ferguson said.

“I think whenever someone comes to the club from abroad some take to it quickly, and some gradually grow into the club. I think Nani is one of those.”

“Even Christano (Ronaldo) took two or three years just to get the maturity in his game. That’s what we’re seeing in Nani now.”

If you look at the stats, his goals have been fine, but his assists are very high. So he’s progressing really well.”

Benfica share a historical tie with United. They were United’s opponents when the Red Devils won their first European Cup, the predecessor to the Champions League, at Wembley in 1968.

Nani also has added motivation to beat Benfica. He played for their great rivals Sporting for two seasons before joining United in 2007.

United and Benfica are tied at the top of group C on eight points, and a win for either team on Tuesday would put them in a strong position with one group game remaining.

“You hope you do finish top,” Ferguson said.

“You mentioned several big teams we would avoid, but the main thing is having the second leg back at Old Trafford. Which is a big advantage.”

“So it’s always been our aim to finish top. It’s not always been the case, we’ve finished second several times.”

“The quality of the teams at that stage doesn’t make a big difference, but it can make a little difference. I think the main advantage in my mind is to have the second leg at Old Trafford.”

Ferguson did not underestimate the ability of their Portuguese rivals.

“It’s a big game tomorrow, it’s a real European game considering the history of Benfica themselves.”

“We’ve had a number of great games in the past that I can remember. One that I remember is the game with them which we lost 2-1 in Portugal.”

“The performance in the first game I thought we did really well, possession-wise it was good, we deserved the result until the last 15 minutes when they threatened quite a bit.”

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Three points the aim for Ferguson

Sir Alex Ferguson says that Manchester United are treating their midweek Champions League clash with Otelul Galati as a must-win encounter.

The Red Devils shaded the Romanian club in the reverse fixture 2-0 a fortnight ago thanks to two Wayne Rooney penalties, but Ferguson is not taking Wednesday’s clash at Old Trafford lightly.

“We have to win on Wednesday, without doubt,” Ferguson told United’s official website.

“We’re at home and I expect us to win and, if we do that, (qualification) is in our hands when we play Benfica at home.”

“We’ll hopefully win our game and, when we play Benfica at home, it’ll be the decider in our section.”

United sit in second place in the Group C standings, two points behind leaders Benfica who play Basel in the other fixture.

And Ferguson is not content with merely qualifying for the knockout stages, underlining the importance of winning the group to avoid some of Europe’s biggest clubs in the next round.

“It’s always better to finish first than second,” Ferguson said.

“After getting the first result against Galati and then playing them again at home, we’ll hopefully go into the Benfica game with eight points. That will be an important match.”

View the original article here

Three points the aim for Ferguson

Sir Alex Ferguson says that Manchester United are treating their midweek Champions League clash with Otelul Galati as a must-win encounter.

The Red Devils shaded the Romanian club in the reverse fixture 2-0 a fortnight ago thanks to two Wayne Rooney penalties, but Ferguson is not taking Wednesday’s clash at Old Trafford lightly.

“We have to win on Wednesday, without doubt,” Ferguson told United’s official website.

“We’re at home and I expect us to win and, if we do that, (qualification) is in our hands when we play Benfica at home.”

“We’ll hopefully win our game and, when we play Benfica at home, it’ll be the decider in our section.”

United sit in second place in the Group C standings, two points behind leaders Benfica who play Basel in the other fixture.

And Ferguson is not content with merely qualifying for the knockout stages, underlining the importance of winning the group to avoid some of Europe’s biggest clubs in the next round.

“It’s always better to finish first than second,” Ferguson said.

“After getting the first result against Galati and then playing them again at home, we’ll hopefully go into the Benfica game with eight points. That will be an important match.”

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Ferguson content, Hughes critical

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson was not left overly impressed with his players despite their 2-0 win over Fulham 2-0 on Saturday.

Dimitar Berbatov and Antonio Valencia both found the back of the net in the first half as last year’s English Premier League runners-up extended their lead atop the table to 10 points.

But despite the routine victory, Ferguson bemoaned his side’s failure to score more goals.

“We’ve got an important win,” Ferguson told Sky Sports.

“At this time of the season that?s the name of the game, (but) we didn’t play well. The players found it a sticky and hot day and we were a bit wasteful with our possession of the ball in the second half.”

“We had great opportunities to add to the goals, of course, but we didn’t take them and then you’re left to sort of hang on a little bit towards the end. We’ve got through an important win with six games left and we carry on.”

“We were lackadaisical today, took chances with the possession at times and tried to be too clever at other times. They got off with it today but they wouldn?t have gotten off with it in another game.”

But while Ferguson was critical of his side’s overall performance, the efforts of attacker Nani drew praise from the Scottish manager.

“Nani, in the first half in particular, did very well,” Ferguson said.

“(He) created a lot of chances today for us. His pace worried them all the time. Some of the stuff (we played) in the first half was very good.”

Fulham manager Mark Hughes cut a disappointed figure after the game, labelling the goals as ‘poor’ and claiming his side played into their opponents’ hands.

“It was a poor goal to concede, the first one, even thought it was offside. We shouldn’t have allowed that situation,” Hughes said.

“We needed to get back into the game quickly but we conceded another poor goal from a comedy of errors and 2-0 down is very difficult for us.”

“We played into United’s hands to be perfectly honest. From their point of view, they could get men behind the ball and they just played counter-attack so it was really difficult for us to break them down and we didn’t have enough ability to ask questions of them.”

Sat 9 April, 2011

Ferguson content, Hughes critical

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson was not left overly impressed with his players despite their 2-0 win over Fulham 2-0 on Saturday.

Dimitar Berbatov and Antonio Valencia both found the back of the net in the first half as last year’s English Premier League runners-up extended their lead atop the table to 10 points.

But despite the routine victory, Ferguson bemoaned his side’s failure to score more goals.

“We’ve got an important win,” Ferguson told Sky Sports.

“At this time of the season that?s the name of the game, (but) we didn’t play well. The players found it a sticky and hot day and we were a bit wasteful with our possession of the ball in the second half.”

“We had great opportunities to add to the goals, of course, but we didn’t take them and then you’re left to sort of hang on a little bit towards the end. We’ve got through an important win with six games left and we carry on.”

“We were lackadaisical today, took chances with the possession at times and tried to be too clever at other times. They got off with it today but they wouldn?t have gotten off with it in another game.”

But while Ferguson was critical of his side’s overall performance, the efforts of attacker Nani drew praise from the Scottish manager.

“Nani, in the first half in particular, did very well,” Ferguson said.

“(He) created a lot of chances today for us. His pace worried them all the time. Some of the stuff (we played) in the first half was very good.”

Fulham manager Mark Hughes cut a disappointed figure after the game, labelling the goals as ‘poor’ and claiming his side played into their opponents’ hands.

“It was a poor goal to concede, the first one, even thought it was offside. We shouldn’t have allowed that situation,” Hughes said.

“We needed to get back into the game quickly but we conceded another poor goal from a comedy of errors and 2-0 down is very difficult for us.”

“We played into United’s hands to be perfectly honest. From their point of view, they could get men behind the ball and they just played counter-attack so it was really difficult for us to break them down and we didn’t have enough ability to ask questions of them.”

Sat 9 April, 2011

Ferguson denies Chelsea penalty protests

Sir Alex Ferguson has scoffed at Chelsea’s claims for a late penalty in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final.

United defender Patrice Evra appeared to drag Ramires to the turf inside the box in second-half injury time, but referee Alberto Undiano Mallenco waved away the Chelsea’s penalty pleas in front of their home fans at Stamford Bridge.

Ferguson’s men held on for a 1-0 lead, with Wayne Rooney’s 24th-minute strike all that separated the two sides at the final whistle on Wednesday.

Ferguson said he believed Brazil midfielder Ramires, who arrived from Benfica last August, was guilty of an opportunistic tumble.

“It looked as if the boy made the most it,” Ferguson said. “I haven’t seen the replay yet but it’s a break, the first we have had here for seven years.”

The Scot emphasised the importance of the result, which sees the Red Devils head into the return leg at Old Trafford next Tuesday with a handy away-goal advantage.

“I thought our players were great. Keeping a clean sheet was important.”

“Wayne Rooney was in tremendous form and has given us a really great opportunity to get to the semi-final. He was excellent. He got a lot of abuse tonight, late tackles, but got up and played.”

“We have got an advantage but the biggest advantage we have got is Old Trafford. I am banking on that.”

Thu 7 April, 2011

Ferguson denies Chelsea penalty protests

Sir Alex Ferguson has scoffed at Chelsea’s claims for a late penalty in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final.

United defender Patrice Evra appeared to drag Ramires to the turf inside the box in second-half injury time, but referee Alberto Undiano Mallenco waved away the Chelsea’s penalty pleas in front of their home fans at Stamford Bridge.

Ferguson’s men held on for a 1-0 lead, with Wayne Rooney’s 24th-minute strike all that separated the two sides at the final whistle on Wednesday.

Ferguson said he believed Brazil midfielder Ramires, who arrived from Benfica last August, was guilty of an opportunistic tumble.

“It looked as if the boy made the most it,” Ferguson said. “I haven’t seen the replay yet but it’s a break, the first we have had here for seven years.”

The Scot emphasised the importance of the result, which sees the Red Devils head into the return leg at Old Trafford next Tuesday with a handy away-goal advantage.

“I thought our players were great. Keeping a clean sheet was important.”

“Wayne Rooney was in tremendous form and has given us a really great opportunity to get to the semi-final. He was excellent. He got a lot of abuse tonight, late tackles, but got up and played.”

“We have got an advantage but the biggest advantage we have got is Old Trafford. I am banking on that.”

Thu 7 April, 2011

Ferguson slams Premier League on referees

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has hit out at Premier League Chief Executive Richard Scudamore ahead of Saturday’s trip to West Ham.

Scudamore has accused managers of not showing enough respect to officials and Ferguson is currently serving a five-match FA touchline for criticising referee Martin Atkinson following his side’s defeat at Chelsea.

“Richard Scudamore has not got a lot to do, has he? He’s trying to elevate the Premier League and fine, good – that’s his job. I don’t think managers disrespect referees,” Ferguson said on Friday.

“I got done for what I considered a fair comment but he didn’t, he gave me a five-match ban. That’s fine, but that doesn’t say we don’t respect referees.”

“It’s a difficult job, we all know that, you wouldn’t referee a game would you? But I think Richard is jumping off a high diving board here without thinking about it.”

With just eight games remaining the Premier League title race is still wide open.

United lead the way but Arsenal, Chelsea and even Tottenham are still in with a chance of lifting the trophy in May, according to Ferguson.

“With eight games to go you can’t exclude anyone. Arsenal, ourselves, Chelsea and Tottenham – you can’t exclude anyone,” he said.

“Whoever becomes the most consistent will win this league, I can guarantee that. We want to be consistent, we hope we will be and if we are, we have a good chance.”

“We are involved in three competitions which is great. The difference between now and 1999

Ferguson slams Premier League on referees

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has hit out at Premier League Chief Executive Richard Scudamore ahead of Saturday’s trip to West Ham.

Scudamore has accused managers of not showing enough respect to officials and Ferguson is currently serving a five-match FA touchline for criticising referee Martin Atkinson following his side’s defeat at Chelsea.

“Richard Scudamore has not got a lot to do, has he? He’s trying to elevate the Premier League and fine, good – that’s his job. I don’t think managers disrespect referees,” Ferguson said on Friday.

“I got done for what I considered a fair comment but he didn’t, he gave me a five-match ban. That’s fine, but that doesn’t say we don’t respect referees.”

“It’s a difficult job, we all know that, you wouldn’t referee a game would you? But I think Richard is jumping off a high diving board here without thinking about it.”

With just eight games remaining the Premier League title race is still wide open.

United lead the way but Arsenal, Chelsea and even Tottenham are still in with a chance of lifting the trophy in May, according to Ferguson.

“With eight games to go you can’t exclude anyone. Arsenal, ourselves, Chelsea and Tottenham – you can’t exclude anyone,” he said.

“Whoever becomes the most consistent will win this league, I can guarantee that. We want to be consistent, we hope we will be and if we are, we have a good chance.”

“We are involved in three competitions which is great. The difference between now and 1999

Top Ten Premier League WAGS, 20 Worst Man United Players of Ferguson Era, Mario Balotelli May Be Insane, Five Best Premier League Wide-Men, Top Ten Goals of the Week and Much Much More

Caption Competition #2: Sir Alex Ferguson Makes a Phone Call

20 comments by Mad Dog and Glory on March 19th, 2011

Serving a touchline ban does of course have it’s drawbacks for the Old Trafford boss but it also thankfully creates an image that is just dying for a caption competition, so here it is. Let’s be having you. Try to avoid to much in the way of obscenity as our moderation hamster is easily offended.

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Sir Alex Ferguson To Be In The Dugout For Crunch Arsenal Game As He Will Not Appeal Touchline Ban

2 comments by Jack Atchinson on March 17th, 2011

Old Trafford boss accepts FA punishment to be available for Emirates tie but will still miss Wembley showdown.

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Ferguson hails Hernandez heroics

Sir Alex Ferguson hailed Mexican ace Javier Hernandez as ‘unbelievable’ following Manchester United’s 2-1 win over Marseille on Tuesday.

Hernandez produced a goal in either half at Old Trafford, ensuring United dumped the French champions out of the Champions League 2-1 on aggregate and advanced to the quarter-finals.

The 22-year-old, who received a dream ticket to the Premier League from Mexican outfit Guadalajara last year, linked up with Wayne Rooney in the first instance, and Ferguson praised the growing awareness between the strike pair.

“It has developed very well,” Ferguson told Sky Sports.

“Where Wayne has been playing in the last couple of games, he is a real threat to teams because he has got such power and speed with the ball.”

“And, of course, Hernandez is unbelievable, his movement. Did you see his movement for the (opening) goal?”

“He has made three different types of run – in, out, in, out – and the boy has just got goals in him.”

Marseille’s only score of the match came from an own goal by United defender Wes Brown, but the visitors never looked out of the tie.

Ferguson admitted his men had been ‘nervy’ against the French side, blaming their at-times flustered display on hamstring injuries to John O’Shea and Rafael.

“It was nervy because we kept having players taken off with injuries and it shook the balance of the team in a big way,” Ferguson said.

“I thought we were quite comfortable, and then O’Shea is off, and then Da Silva (Rafael) is off.”

“We had made a substitution, which was a killer because we could have brought (Darron) Gibson on to give us a bit more height.”

“The problem tonight was always going to be height. Marseille’s set-piece play, of course, was very good and it caused us a lot of problems.”

Marseille boss Didier Deschamps was critical of his side’s poor finishing at Old Trafford, with Andre-Pierre Gignac and Souleymane Diawara missing the best of a clutch of chances.

Asked if he felt Marseille would have qualified for the last eight had they made more of their opportunities, Deschamps told Sky Sports: “I am sure.”

“I have got young players and it was difficult at Old Trafford but after that my players did well and we had opportunities, good occasions, but we didn’t score and then to be 2-0 down it was more complicated for us.”

“I think the players, and me as well, felt it was possible because Manchester United were not really fit physically.”

Tue 15 March, 2011

Ferguson, United blank media

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson could face another charge after refusing to speak to the media on Sunday.

Ferguson refused to front up to a pre-planned media conference after his side slumped to a 3-1 loss to Liverpool at Anfield in United’s second English Premier League loss in five days,

Ferguson had commitments with television broadcaster SkySports, radio station TalkSPORT and the club’s own television station MUTV but – just two days after cancelling his pre-match news conference on Friday – did not fulfil his media commitments again.

Assistant Mike Phelan – a regular stand-in for Ferguson – was also a no-show.

If any of the media organisations expecting interviews complain to the Premier League, they will be forced to act and could hit Ferguson with another charge.

The manager’s silence comes in the same week as the 60-year-old was slapped with a charge of improper conduct from the Football Association after he slammed referee Martin Atkinson in the aftermath of Tuesday’s 2-1 defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Ferguson is appealing that charge but, if he fails, a stint on the sidelines is expected due to a suspended two-match ban imposed on him for comments he made about referee Mike Wiley’s fitness in 2009.

The only reaction to come from the club after Sunday’s defeat was via a club spokeswoman and defender Rio Ferdinand.

The spokeswoman confirmed in a statement on the club’s website that Portuguese midfielder Nani had suffered a ‘very deep gash’ in his left leg after a challenge from Liverpool’s Jamie Carragher on the stroke of half-time.

Ferdinand, who missed the match through a calf injury, admitted his side were second best in the fiery encounter at Anfield.

“Bad result today no excuses,” Ferdinand posted on his account on social networking website, Twitter.

Mon 7 March, 2011

Ferguson, United blank media

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson could face another charge after refusing to speak to the media on Sunday.

Ferguson refused to front up to a pre-planned media conference after his side slumped to a 3-1 loss to Liverpool at Anfield in United’s second English Premier League loss in five days,

Ferguson had commitments with television broadcaster SkySports, radio station TalkSPORT and the club’s own television station MUTV but – just two days after cancelling his pre-match news conference on Friday – did not fulfil his media commitments again.

Assistant Mike Phelan – a regular stand-in for Ferguson – was also a no-show.

If any of the media organisations expecting interviews complain to the Premier League, they will be forced to act and could hit Ferguson with another charge.

The manager’s silence comes in the same week as the 60-year-old was slapped with a charge of improper conduct from the Football Association after he slammed referee Martin Atkinson in the aftermath of Tuesday’s 2-1 defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Ferguson is appealing that charge but, if he fails, a stint on the sidelines is expected due to a suspended two-match ban imposed on him for comments he made about referee Mike Wiley’s fitness in 2009.

The only reaction to come from the club after Sunday’s defeat was via a club spokeswoman and defender Rio Ferdinand.

The spokeswoman confirmed in a statement on the club’s website that Portuguese midfielder Nani had suffered a ‘very deep gash’ in his left leg after a challenge from Liverpool’s Jamie Carragher on the stroke of half-time.

Ferdinand, who missed the match through a calf injury, admitted his side were second best in the fiery encounter at Anfield.

“Bad result today no excuses,” Ferdinand posted on his account on social networking website, Twitter.

Mon 7 March, 2011

Sir Alex Ferguson To Appeal FA Charge

7 comments by Jack Atchinson on March 4th, 2011

Old Trafford boss faces touchline ban if found guilty.

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Ferguson to face FA charge

The Football Association have charged Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson with improper conduct on Thursday.

Ferguson was quoted by club channel MUTV as stating he ‘feared the worst’ when he saw referee Martin Atkinson was to take charge for United’s English Premier League clash with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday, before commenting that his side failed to get ‘a fair referee or a strong referee anyway’.

The comments were fuelled by Atkinson’s decision not to send off Chelsea’s David Luiz, despite the Brazilian seeming to trip United striker Wayne Rooney while on a yellow card.

To rub salt in United’s wounds, the central referee later gave captain Nemanja Vidic his marching orders in second-half injury time, ruling the centre-back out of his side’s trip to Liverpool on Sunday.

The 69-year-old Ferguson looks likely to face a two-game touchline ban when his case is heard next week, with the ban delayed given the FA regards such a case as ‘non-standard’.

The Scot’s two-game ban is likely given he served two of a suspended four-match ban last season for comments regarding referee Alan Wiley’s fitness.

The delay in enforcing the punishment means Ferguson will be allowed in the technical area at Anfield.

Thu 3 March, 2011

Advantage United, says Ferguson

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson believes the advantage lies with his side after the draw with Marseille in their Champions League tie.

Ferguson admitted the 0-0 stalemate at Stade Velodrome in Wednesday’s first leg was far from entertaining, but the Scot said knowledge that a win at OId Trafford in the second leg on March 15 would guarantee progress to the last eight was comforting.

“The result is fine, I think it was a fair result,” Ferguson said.

“I don’t think Marseille presented any great problems to us in an attacking sense, they only had one strike on goal.”

Ferguson heaped praise on defensive pair Chris Smalling and Nemanja Vidic for quelling the French club on their own turf, allowing them no time or space to construct forward thrusts.

“I thought our two centre-backs were very good. In the first half both teams cancelled each other out. Nothing really happened in the match and I don’t think it was a good match to watch,” he said.

Marseille manager Didier Deschamps agreed with Ferguson that United had the upper hand heading to Old Trafford.

“I am very happy with my players because they have done their best tonight as Manchester United showed what a good team they are,” Deschamps said.

“Maybe we will have an opportunity to score in the second leg. It is not a bad result for us but it is a good one for United.”

Marseille’s defence was able to limit the influence of English Premier League leading goalscorer Dimitar Berbatov, and Deschamps said the clean sheet was one aim of their encounter.

“It was very important we didn’t concede a goal and we did that. It was a tough, hard game because Manchester United are a good team. It was not easy. We had a very good time in the second half for 20 or 25 minutes but we didn’t find a goal,” he said.

“At the end it was more difficult because United changed their system to 4-4-2 and we were behind the ball a lot. They had some players missing but those who came in were excellent. It shows what a high level they are at.”

Thu 24 February, 2011

Advantage United, says Ferguson

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson believes the advantage lies with his side after the draw with Marseille in their Champions League tie.

Ferguson admitted the 0-0 stalemate at Stade Velodrome in Wednesday’s first leg was far from entertaining, but the Scot said knowledge that a win at OId Trafford in the second leg on March 15 would guarantee progress to the last eight was comforting.

“The result is fine, I think it was a fair result,” Ferguson said.

“I don’t think Marseille presented any great problems to us in an attacking sense, they only had one strike on goal.”

Ferguson heaped praise on defensive pair Chris Smalling and Nemanja Vidic for quelling the French club on their own turf, allowing them no time or space to construct forward thrusts.

“I thought our two centre-backs were very good. In the first half both teams cancelled each other out. Nothing really happened in the match and I don’t think it was a good match to watch,” he said.

Marseille manager Didier Deschamps agreed with Ferguson that United had the upper hand heading to Old Trafford.

“I am very happy with my players because they have done their best tonight as Manchester United showed what a good team they are,” Deschamps said.

“Maybe we will have an opportunity to score in the second leg. It is not a bad result for us but it is a good one for United.”

Marseille’s defence was able to limit the influence of English Premier League leading goalscorer Dimitar Berbatov, and Deschamps said the clean sheet was one aim of their encounter.

“It was very important we didn’t concede a goal and we did that. It was a tough, hard game because Manchester United are a good team. It was not easy. We had a very good time in the second half for 20 or 25 minutes but we didn’t find a goal,” he said.

“At the end it was more difficult because United changed their system to 4-4-2 and we were behind the ball a lot. They had some players missing but those who came in were excellent. It shows what a high level they are at.”

Thu 24 February, 2011

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Comments Off by Mad Dog and Glory on February 24th, 2011

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