http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/mar/09/match.portsmouth
Harry's plot silences theatre of dreams
FA Cup Quarter-Final Manchester United 0 Portsmouth 1
Muntari (pen) 78
by Paul Wilson at Old Trafford, The Observer, Sunday March 9 2008
Never mind Sir Alex Ferguson staying on for another three or four years. His blood pressure will not stand another three or four months of this, and he might just have seen his best chance of another Treble disappear over the horizon as well.
The United manager was on his feet practically the whole game, turning various shades of purple at perceived refereeing injustices and ultimately at his own team's inability to convert pressure and chances into goals. As Portsmouth barely had a shot until the late penalty that put them into the semi-finals this must rank as one of the greatest of FA Cup shocks. Pompey have not won at Old Trafford in over half a century. You could get 10-1 odds on an away win for Harry Redknapp's team and some of us did. It was never a safe bet though, even with United down to 10 men with Rio Ferdinand in goal.
To say Portsmouth rode their luck would be understating the case by the length of the Manchester Ship Canal. United were denied a clear penalty in the first half, saw two certain goals blocked by astonishing interventions from defenders on the line, not to mention the Patrice Evra shot that David James touched on to a post, and had enough close-range opportunities to win a dozen cup ties. Portsmouth came with a simple plan - not to concede early and to frustrate their opponents for as long as possible - and ended up shattering Ferguson's sunny optimism.
'Of course we rode our luck, we were up against a fantastic side,' Redknapp acknowledged. 'United are different class, we came here six weeks ago and got slaughtered. It was the draw no one wanted and Alex didn't exactly rest anyone either, it was pretty much the full monty we were up against. When I saw the teamsheet I must admit I was stuck for words. I usually tell the lads they are the best in the world, but I'm not sure they believe me. I'm not sure what to believe myself now. Perhaps I've been right all along, or perhaps I'm an idiot. We did have a plan this time, though, and we stuck to it.'
Portmouth had offered to bring tickets for a possible replay up to Manchester, but United said not to bother. That motivated Redknapp's players to an extent though the key to this result was United's 2-0 victory over Portsmouth in the League in January. Both goals were scored inside 13 minutes, and by Redknapp's own admission United might have ended up with 10.
Pompey were helped by some lacklustre United attacking play that must have had Ferguson momentarily reviewing the advantages of retirement. Only joking. Ferguson would be happier if Keith Hackett retired instead. 'He's not doing his job properly,' Ferguson fumed about the referees' supervisor. 'The referee's performance today was unacceptable, but he'll be doing it again next week. Don't even ask me why Ronaldo didn't get a penalty, I cannot explain that decision and I don't think anybody could.'
Ferguson later calmed down to the extent of accepting that United had missed too many chances, and that Portsmouth were entitled to play in the way they had. Though he failed to mention Wayne Rooney's booking for the most dangerous tackle of the afternoon, he did have a point about Martin Atkinson's refereeing, certainly over the penalty controversy in the seventh minute. Four minutes earlier Lassana Diarra had barged Cristiano Ronaldo over the touchline with his shoulder. Ferguson thought that should have produced a booking. Atkinson kept his cards in his pocket but did award a foul. Yet when Sylvain Distin did exactly the same thing to Ronaldo in the area, as the winger drove goalwards after accepting a superb pass from Rooney, no offence was deemed to have been committed. Yet if one was a fair shoulder charge, so was the other. The only possible explanation was that Atkinson did not fancy awarding a penalty so early in the game.
For all Ferguson's fury his side still had over 80 minutes in which to win, yet played into Pompey's hands by growing frustrated. Either Rooney or Carlos Tévez should have scored midway through the first half when they caught Portsmouth on the break, but Tévez delayed his pass too long to put Rooney clear, Rooney rounded James but found Sol Campbell had got back in time to dispossess him, and when the loose ball rolled to Tévez with only Glen Johnson defending the goal he inexplicably opted for a snap shot that the defender was able to head away.
That was by no means the end of the slapstick either. In the space of five minutes Tévez inadvertently cleared a goal-bound Nemanja Vidic header off the Portsmouth line, then fell over when Evra's cut-back presented him with a chance in front of goal. Ferguson hoicked him off shortly afterwards, together with the equally disappointing Owen Hargreaves, only to see substitute Michael Carrick miss what looked an open goal when Distin arrived at the last second with a superb tackle on the line.
There was more, much more, but the only thing that matters is that United were caught cold at a corner 12 minutes from time, when James's smart clearance sent Milan Baros and Nico Kranjcar running at just Anderson and Rooney. It was not much of a contest and when the latter squared to the former, Tomasz Kuszczak, on at half-time for groin-strain victim Edwin van der Sar, was obliged to bring down Baros. There was some debate about whether he should have been sent off, with Rooney standing on the line, but once Sulley Muntari had scored past Ferdinand from the spot there was not much point in complaining. Not until after the game, anyway.
'The referee today was unbelievable,' Ronaldo said. 'There were three bad fouls in the first few minutes, and if the referee doesn't want to give yellow cards or penalties he cannot protect the skilful players. I am becoming scared to go past people. It is difficult to play football in these circumstances. It is just a joke.'
Man of the match: Sylvain Distin
Lassana Diarra was magnificent in midfield, but the game really revolved around three moments, the two blocks on the line and the first-half penalty that wasn't. Distin was involved in two of them, with a superb interception to deny Carrick and a perfectly timed shoulder charge to stop Ronaldo.
THE FANS' PLAYER RATINGS AND VERDICT
Ray Hunt, Observer reader We feel a little hard done by, but you have to credit Pompey for their game plan, albeit a limited one. I haven't seen replays in terms of what contact Kuszczak made, but the sending-off was cruel given he wasn't the last man and Ronaldo was flattened by Distin for a blatant penalty in the first half. But it was a fantastic day for Pompey and their fans and I hope they now win the Cup. We couldn't take our chances and it wasn't to be - the crowd were nervous the way it was going at half time. Scholes was really off his game - Carrick and Anderson should have come on earlier - though Evra going forward and Vidic under the aerial assaults were excellent. The stand-out player, though, was Diarra for Pompey - it's hard to see why Arsenal let him go. Fan's player ratings Van der Sar 7 (Kuszczak 6); Brown 6, Ferdinand 7, Vidic 8, Evra 8; Ronaldo 6, Scholes 5, Hargreaves 6 (Carrick 6), Nani 6; Rooney 7, Tevez 6 (Anderson 6)
Colin Farmery, Pompey-Fans.com Without doubt this was the greatest result I've known in 38 years of supporting Pompey. This was once-in-a-lifetime stuff and Project Wembley is on. There's been this feeling all through the Cup run that this could be our year and even when the draw was made I was only disappointed for an hour that it was United. They put their top boys out and don't forget they never lose when Rooney and Ronaldo start. Well, they did today! Sir Alex Ferguson, your boys took one hell of a beating. All our players were absolutely outstanding, restricting United to a couple of chances. This team are up for the Cup and have the mentality to win the competition. The fans never stopped shouting - I brought my wife and son all the way up here. What a day, what an extraordinary day. Fan's player ratings James 10; Johnson 10, Campbell 10, Distin 10, Hreidarsson 10; Utaka 9 (Lauren 10), Diarra 10, Diop 9, Kranjcar 9 (Hughes 10), Muntari 10, Kanu 9 (Baros 10)
Harry's plot silences theatre of dreams
FA Cup Quarter-Final Manchester United 0 Portsmouth 1
Muntari (pen) 78
by Paul Wilson at Old Trafford, The Observer, Sunday March 9 2008
Never mind Sir Alex Ferguson staying on for another three or four years. His blood pressure will not stand another three or four months of this, and he might just have seen his best chance of another Treble disappear over the horizon as well.
The United manager was on his feet practically the whole game, turning various shades of purple at perceived refereeing injustices and ultimately at his own team's inability to convert pressure and chances into goals. As Portsmouth barely had a shot until the late penalty that put them into the semi-finals this must rank as one of the greatest of FA Cup shocks. Pompey have not won at Old Trafford in over half a century. You could get 10-1 odds on an away win for Harry Redknapp's team and some of us did. It was never a safe bet though, even with United down to 10 men with Rio Ferdinand in goal.
To say Portsmouth rode their luck would be understating the case by the length of the Manchester Ship Canal. United were denied a clear penalty in the first half, saw two certain goals blocked by astonishing interventions from defenders on the line, not to mention the Patrice Evra shot that David James touched on to a post, and had enough close-range opportunities to win a dozen cup ties. Portsmouth came with a simple plan - not to concede early and to frustrate their opponents for as long as possible - and ended up shattering Ferguson's sunny optimism.
'Of course we rode our luck, we were up against a fantastic side,' Redknapp acknowledged. 'United are different class, we came here six weeks ago and got slaughtered. It was the draw no one wanted and Alex didn't exactly rest anyone either, it was pretty much the full monty we were up against. When I saw the teamsheet I must admit I was stuck for words. I usually tell the lads they are the best in the world, but I'm not sure they believe me. I'm not sure what to believe myself now. Perhaps I've been right all along, or perhaps I'm an idiot. We did have a plan this time, though, and we stuck to it.'
Portmouth had offered to bring tickets for a possible replay up to Manchester, but United said not to bother. That motivated Redknapp's players to an extent though the key to this result was United's 2-0 victory over Portsmouth in the League in January. Both goals were scored inside 13 minutes, and by Redknapp's own admission United might have ended up with 10.
Pompey were helped by some lacklustre United attacking play that must have had Ferguson momentarily reviewing the advantages of retirement. Only joking. Ferguson would be happier if Keith Hackett retired instead. 'He's not doing his job properly,' Ferguson fumed about the referees' supervisor. 'The referee's performance today was unacceptable, but he'll be doing it again next week. Don't even ask me why Ronaldo didn't get a penalty, I cannot explain that decision and I don't think anybody could.'
Ferguson later calmed down to the extent of accepting that United had missed too many chances, and that Portsmouth were entitled to play in the way they had. Though he failed to mention Wayne Rooney's booking for the most dangerous tackle of the afternoon, he did have a point about Martin Atkinson's refereeing, certainly over the penalty controversy in the seventh minute. Four minutes earlier Lassana Diarra had barged Cristiano Ronaldo over the touchline with his shoulder. Ferguson thought that should have produced a booking. Atkinson kept his cards in his pocket but did award a foul. Yet when Sylvain Distin did exactly the same thing to Ronaldo in the area, as the winger drove goalwards after accepting a superb pass from Rooney, no offence was deemed to have been committed. Yet if one was a fair shoulder charge, so was the other. The only possible explanation was that Atkinson did not fancy awarding a penalty so early in the game.
For all Ferguson's fury his side still had over 80 minutes in which to win, yet played into Pompey's hands by growing frustrated. Either Rooney or Carlos Tévez should have scored midway through the first half when they caught Portsmouth on the break, but Tévez delayed his pass too long to put Rooney clear, Rooney rounded James but found Sol Campbell had got back in time to dispossess him, and when the loose ball rolled to Tévez with only Glen Johnson defending the goal he inexplicably opted for a snap shot that the defender was able to head away.
That was by no means the end of the slapstick either. In the space of five minutes Tévez inadvertently cleared a goal-bound Nemanja Vidic header off the Portsmouth line, then fell over when Evra's cut-back presented him with a chance in front of goal. Ferguson hoicked him off shortly afterwards, together with the equally disappointing Owen Hargreaves, only to see substitute Michael Carrick miss what looked an open goal when Distin arrived at the last second with a superb tackle on the line.
There was more, much more, but the only thing that matters is that United were caught cold at a corner 12 minutes from time, when James's smart clearance sent Milan Baros and Nico Kranjcar running at just Anderson and Rooney. It was not much of a contest and when the latter squared to the former, Tomasz Kuszczak, on at half-time for groin-strain victim Edwin van der Sar, was obliged to bring down Baros. There was some debate about whether he should have been sent off, with Rooney standing on the line, but once Sulley Muntari had scored past Ferdinand from the spot there was not much point in complaining. Not until after the game, anyway.
'The referee today was unbelievable,' Ronaldo said. 'There were three bad fouls in the first few minutes, and if the referee doesn't want to give yellow cards or penalties he cannot protect the skilful players. I am becoming scared to go past people. It is difficult to play football in these circumstances. It is just a joke.'
Man of the match: Sylvain Distin
Lassana Diarra was magnificent in midfield, but the game really revolved around three moments, the two blocks on the line and the first-half penalty that wasn't. Distin was involved in two of them, with a superb interception to deny Carrick and a perfectly timed shoulder charge to stop Ronaldo.
THE FANS' PLAYER RATINGS AND VERDICT
Ray Hunt, Observer reader We feel a little hard done by, but you have to credit Pompey for their game plan, albeit a limited one. I haven't seen replays in terms of what contact Kuszczak made, but the sending-off was cruel given he wasn't the last man and Ronaldo was flattened by Distin for a blatant penalty in the first half. But it was a fantastic day for Pompey and their fans and I hope they now win the Cup. We couldn't take our chances and it wasn't to be - the crowd were nervous the way it was going at half time. Scholes was really off his game - Carrick and Anderson should have come on earlier - though Evra going forward and Vidic under the aerial assaults were excellent. The stand-out player, though, was Diarra for Pompey - it's hard to see why Arsenal let him go. Fan's player ratings Van der Sar 7 (Kuszczak 6); Brown 6, Ferdinand 7, Vidic 8, Evra 8; Ronaldo 6, Scholes 5, Hargreaves 6 (Carrick 6), Nani 6; Rooney 7, Tevez 6 (Anderson 6)
Colin Farmery, Pompey-Fans.com Without doubt this was the greatest result I've known in 38 years of supporting Pompey. This was once-in-a-lifetime stuff and Project Wembley is on. There's been this feeling all through the Cup run that this could be our year and even when the draw was made I was only disappointed for an hour that it was United. They put their top boys out and don't forget they never lose when Rooney and Ronaldo start. Well, they did today! Sir Alex Ferguson, your boys took one hell of a beating. All our players were absolutely outstanding, restricting United to a couple of chances. This team are up for the Cup and have the mentality to win the competition. The fans never stopped shouting - I brought my wife and son all the way up here. What a day, what an extraordinary day. Fan's player ratings James 10; Johnson 10, Campbell 10, Distin 10, Hreidarsson 10; Utaka 9 (Lauren 10), Diarra 10, Diop 9, Kranjcar 9 (Hughes 10), Muntari 10, Kanu 9 (Baros 10)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/mar/10/match.manchesterunited
Redknapp builds superiority complex as sourness taints United's hard-luck story
Man of the match Lassana Diarra
FA Cup Quarter-Final, Manchester United 0 Portsmouth 1
Muntari (pen) 78
by Daniel Taylor at Old Trafford, The Guardian, Monday March 10 2008
Contrary to popular opinion, Manchester United do know how to lose with dignity. Or at least their fans do. Five years ago, when Ronaldo scored a Champions League hat-trick here for Real Madrid, the Brazilian left the pitch to a standing ovation and on Saturday there was another show of appreciation from the Stretford End as the scrum of back-slapping, high-fiving Portsmouth players made their way to the tunnel.
Sir Alex Ferguson, a man who operates by the philosophy that a good loser is, well, a loser, will be worried that it is becoming something of a habit given that Manchester City's players were afforded the same treatment following their 2-1 victory here last month.
Nonetheless it was a stirring sight and, as David James, Lassana Diarra, Sol Campbell and the rest of Portsmouth's heroes waved back, something else became apparent: none of the players in blue and white was holding a souvenir red shirt. For once nobody had rushed to Cristiano Ronaldo or Wayne Rooney at the final whistle. The best souvenirs from an FA Cup run are medals and Harry Redknapp's players were not at Old Trafford to admire the view, soak in the atmosphere and go through the usual small-club routine of hunting out keepsakes. It was only a small thing but it spoke volumes about this obdurate Portsmouth side.
Redknapp had been playing golf when he found out they had been drawn to play United and his immediate reaction was to fling his eight-iron down the fairway in a fit of pique. In the dressing-room afterwards James asked his team-mates who had been "secretly scared" when the draw was made and, to loud laughter, almost everyone raised an arm.
Yet there was no inferiority complex. Redknapp said: "I told them before the game, 'I keep telling the newspapers how good you are. I keep saying I've got the best goalkeeper [James] in the country, two centre-halves [Campbell and Sylvain Distin] I wouldn't swap for anybody, a right-back [Glen Johnson] who should be playing for England, that there's no better midfield player anywhere than Diarra and that Kanu's a magician. Well, get out there and prove it, will you?'"
It was a call to arms that led to one of the finest results in Portsmouth's modern history. The only shame was that the post-match recriminations - when Ferguson and his assistant, Carlos Queiroz, went too far in their condemnation of the referee, Martin Atkinson - provoked enough headlines to deflect some of the glory from a club that had not won at Old Trafford since 1957.
It was the classic diversion technique, an old trick of the United management. But the stench of controversy does not alter the fact that, for everyone associated with Portsmouth, this was an 'If Carlsberg did football ...' kind of day, one that has established them as the best-placed team to win the Cup, for what would be the first time since 1939, when the Second World War allowed them to keep the trophy for seven uninterrupted years.
Ferguson and Queiroz thought it a travesty, pointing to the critical moment seven minutes into the game when Ronaldo hared away from Hermann Hreidarsson, surged into the penalty area and was body-checked to the ground by Distin. Their complaints had some foundation: had it occurred anywhere else on the pitch a free-kick would almost certainly have been awarded. They were entitled to be angry but their protests turned into a rant that smacked of sourness about losing to a team that created only one chance.
For United, it was a story of scuffed shots, goalmouth scrambles, bad luck and a number of telling moments when it felt as though fate was conspiring against them, such as Distin's goal-line clearance to deny Michael Carrick and James's save to turn Patrice Evra's shot against the post. Then James hoofed a long kick and suddenly United had thrown so many players forward that the entire defence had gone awol. Anderson, a midfielder, and Rooney, a striker, were forced into the role of centre-halves as Nico Kranjcar sent Milan Baros clear on goal. He rounded Tomasz Kuszczak, inviting the challenge that led to the penalty and a red card for the offender.
Kuszczak had replaced the injured Edwin van der Sar at half-time and, with no more goalkeepers, Rooney wanted to pull on the gloves but, to Redknapp's delight, Ferguson nominated Rio Ferdinand to face Sulley Muntari's penalty. "I've seen Rio in goal when he was a kid at West Ham," said Redknapp. "I'll be honest with you, he wasn't very good."
Man of the match Lassana Diarra
His performance was reminiscent of Claude Makelele in his prime - no higher compliment
Best moment Dispossessing Owen Hargreaves with a crunching tackle and skipping past Paul Scholes
Pompey's 51-year wait
How they lined up when Portsmouth last won at Old Trafford
Saturday October 19, 1957
Man United 0 Portsmouth 3
Man Utd Wood; Foulkes, P Jones; Coleman, Blanchflower, McGuinness; Berry, Whelan, Dawson, Viollet, Pegg.
Portsmouth Uprichard; Gunter, Wilson; Albury, Rutter, Dickinson; Harris, Gordon, Dougan, Henderson, Newman.
Attendance 38,253
League positions at the time
Man United 4th (final position 9th)
Portsmouth 17th (final position 20th)
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=A1YourView&xml=/sport/2008/03/09/sfgman109.xmlLassana Diarra helps Portsmouth beat United By Patrick Barclay at Old Trafford
Last Updated: 1:51am GMT 09/03/2008
Manchester United (0) 0 Portsmouth (0) 1
Now Harry Redknapp has completed a hat-trick of FA Cup knockouts of Manchester United - with Bournemouth, West Ham and by virtue of this extraordinarily obdurate Portsmouth display - the question must be asked: should he get to keep them? Certainly not. Indeed on this occasion the prize of a place in the semi-finals could almost be described as stolen goods, given that Portsmouth won the match towards its end with their only clear chance, a penalty, after United had been denied one in the opening stages.
Stretching point: Hargreaves and man-of-the-match Diarra challenge for the ball at Old Trafford
Although referee Martin Atkinson appeared seriously to have erred with the first decision, there could be no arguing with the second. Nor with the dismissal of Tomasz Kuszczak, a half-time replacement for Edwin van der Sar in United's goal, one of whose outstretched arms brought down Milan Baros as the Portsmouth substitute tried to run round him.
To give the victors their further due, another referee might have permitted Baros an earlier opening when he won a tussle with Owen Hargreaves and sprinted clear, only to be judged to have fouled the England midfielder. But the truth is that United made more than enough opportunities to have remained in contention for the treble they succeeded in completing in 1999 (even if such talk seemed a shade premature in the light of our not having reached the Ides of March, let alone the buds of May).
Credit for United's frustration was happily shared by Redknapp, whose negative tactics were vindicated, with heroes such as the central defensive pair of Sylvain Distin and Sol Campbell, Glen Johnson at right-back, David James in goal and, above all, Lassana Diarra in the holding midfield role, where the 22-year-old Frenchman performed the considerable feat of making Hargreaves, England's saving grace at the last World Cup, look pedestrian. Diarra, who left Chelsea and then Arsenal because he fancied himself as a key player, was hailed as such by Redknapp afterwards. "He could play anywhere in the world," said the Portsmouth manager, who also repeated his call for Johnson to be tried again by England. By contrast Sir Alex Ferguson was sourness itself; even those of us who detest the permissive nature of the refereeing regime overseen by Keith Hackett and welcome Ferguson's support would be suspicious of the notion that it works against United all the time.
It did this time, though. Against Cristiano Ronaldo, once more; if he is again voted Footballer of the Year, it will constitute quite a triumph over those who constantly endeavour to chop him down and, for that matter, those who inadequately punish it. When Ronaldo, reflecting on the recent terrible injury to Arsenal's Eduardo, says he is "scared sometimes to do skills", surely even the zombies who are supposed to police the game should listen.
Atkinson is far from the worst referee in the business; his issuing of yellow cards to Papa Bouba Diop and Wayne Rooney inside 20 minutes could be cited. Yet, while giving three free-kicks for early fouls on Ronaldo, he chose to ignore an offence as blatant as any. The play it curtailed was simply magnificent: a crossfield ball from Rooney that invited Ronaldo to take it in full stride, then a spurt goalwards. Distin barged Ronaldo over and, although it was Ferguson who most visibly fulminated, no neutral football-lover would have been any less irked.
With Diarra overshadowing a pallid Paul Scholes as well as Hargreaves in central midfield, Portsmouth settled. They survived another scare when Johnson, showing his England credentials on Gary Neville's patch, headed off the goal-line from Carlos Tevez, and emerged for the second half to discover Kuszczak keeping goal; Van der Sar had strained his groin. But it was a while before they threatened the Pole.
Ronaldo shot wide, headed over and dragged off target from a chance beautifully made by Rooney's return backheel. Ronaldo flicked Michael Carrick through and the substitute passed James only to be thrillingly thwarted by Distin, who got one foot to the ball, then the other, inches from an unguarded net.
A flying James made the save of the match from Patrice Evra, touching the adventurous left-back's half-volley against a post. Then Portsmouth broke, were delighted to find Nani and Anderson acting as emergency defenders, easily carved a path through as Niko Kranjcar did the obvious thing well and left Baros and Sulley Muntari to do the rest, the Ghanaian beating Rio Ferdinand from the spot. So ultimately United had only themselves to blame.
"You have to ride your luck," observed Redknapp, "and I'm not going to sit here and pretend I've some secret formula for beating United. In fact I've taken plenty of beltings here! Only a few weeks ago we came, got beaten by two and it could have been 10. So this took character."
Best moment: Any of Wayne Rooney's links with Cristiano Ronaldo. Pure class. Worst moment: The denial of a penalty for Sylvain Distin's foul on Cristiano Ronaldo – anti-football.
Man of the match Sulley Muntari (Portsmouth) 9
• Scored penalty• Completed 88 per cent of passes
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml;jsessionid=TXEOLTPFNORCTQFIQMGCFF4AVCBQUIV0?menuId=1087&menuItemId=6828&view=COLUMNIST&grid=F7&targetRule=10
Comments
It may not have been clear live, at full speed, but on TV replay there was clearly no contact on Baros from Kuszczak's arm. The contact that was made was from Baros' knee into Kuszczak's face, which tripped him. I doubt that this was intentional, unless the Utd keeper is either incredibly courageous or stupid . A clear miscarriage of justice which should see his red card rescinded and an apology to Ferguson!Posted by Timbo on March 9, 2008 1:59
The match report is so far badly written it's the usual anti United bias we expect. Player with skill like Ronaldo, Eduardo, Nani, Torres, Fabregas, van Persie are standing no knowing that referees are not going to afford them protection from referees actually punishing player who go out to injure. Many mock what Wenger and Ferguson say, but what's it going to take another player out for over a year because of a jealous hack'em player ?Posted by Jack on March 9, 2008 1:14 PM
Hargreaves does a good job on his own at looking pedestrian. He's awful, actually worse than Darren FletcherPosted by Someone else on March 9, 2008 12:36 PM
This is good. No Top 4 side in the FAC Final.Posted by rodney on March 9, 2008 11:26 AM
Pompeys Distin gave Ronaldo a fair shoulder charge, not seen much these days but Tom Finney and Stan Matthews will tell you all about them!!! Alex Ferguson has been bullying Refs for years now ,this ref was not intimidated by him and gave correct results, a strong ref. Well done Martin Atkinson. It is over due that Ferguson is told he is not to intimidate match officals in the way he does.Posted by James T Cramp on March 9, 2008 11:05 AM
This article feels like it could have been taken from MUTV rather than a national newspaper. Yes, Manchester United did create the more clear chances and yes, we did play a single striker up front. However, when playing one of the richest teams in the country and without a single eligible fully fit striker, what other system does the writer expect us to play? With regard to the 'treatment' of Ronaldo, I can only recall a handful of challenges on him, and those were shoulder charges (which are legal according to the rules of the game) and body checks rather than anything worse - hardly career-threatening. The only dangerous challenge of the day was Rooney's flying leap at Kranjaer which could and possibly should have resulted in a red card. I understand that Ferguson will try to distract attention from his team's defeat in whatever fashion he can, but I am disappointed that a journalist from a supposed 'quality' newspaper is happy to blindly follow the same line.Posted by Jon Buckle on March 9, 2008 10:32 AM
I normally enjoy reading Patrick Barclay's comments and invariably agree with his opinions. On this occasion though he has got it totally wrong. Yes - Portsmouth enjoyed a share of luck and referee's decisions (rare indeed for any away team at Old Trafford). However, except for a couple of robust shoulder to shoulder charges on Ronaldo, Portsmouth played the game fairly. There was only one dangerous challenge in the whole match - from Rooney - in which he was lucky not to see a red card. If Sir Alex Ferguson wants to cut out wreckless tackles from the game, he needs to start at home.Posted by Phil in Somerset on March 9, 2008 10:06 AM
In an otherwise good report, I was surprised that there was no mention of Rooney's studs up "jumping in" tackle that should have got him a red card - it deserved some mention as it was the only dangerous tackle of the game. The Mancs did not lose because of a refereeing display (and, Lord knows, they have won enough because of referees playing the favouritism card Ferguson has suddenly decided to despise) but because, over 90 minutes, there players were unable to score against our players who acted far better as a team.Posted by Chris Millar on March 9, 2008 9:09 AM
I live in Europe. I am big fan of EPL and watch 4 or 5 matches every week-end. I am only bemused, sometimes disgusted with comments and reactions of English media (public?) to games like ManUtd-Portsmouth where physical strength, aggression and negativity beat imagination and skill. 'Determined, committed defensive display' etc. ?? Well I guess Jack the Ripper was determined and committed to what he did as well. Tells you something about reasons behind England's failure to win major international trophies. For us from this side of the Channel it looks worse and much more disgraceful than so called diving. Because young kids are watching that as well. Pompey were entitled to their negative approach - I only think it should not be praised as heroic.Posted by Marcel on March 9, 2008 8:27 AM
Shoulder to shoulder contact is still allowed in the Laws of Football. Was Ronaldo in possession of the ball i.e: was it within one circumference ofteh ball (26in) or had Ronaldo just played it? Yes! The charge was therefore legitimate unless considered dangerous play. Ronaldo was unharmed except for his dignity!Posted by Peter Braybrook on March 9, 2008 8:27 AM
With reference to the penalty which Ronaldo did not get in the opening minutes of the Portsmouth match: Perhaps someone should explain to Sir Alex, and to you, that a shoulder- to-shoulder barge on a player in possession of the ball is permitted. There is no requirement that the player doing the barging "play the ball" or even attempt to play the ball. Given that that is the only form of physical contact permitted by the rules, I don't think the ref. ought to be excoriated for playing by those rules.Posted by Tony Waters on March 9, 2008 6:13 AM
I disagree that the offence against Ronaldo was as blatant as Mr Barclay is stating - I saw shoulder to shoulder which I thought was within the rules of the game - clearly the referee saw the same. Gifted though he is, to paint Ronaldo as a footballing pearl among swine is to overlook his predilection to fall over way too easily, which upsets neutral football lovers much more than debatable refereeing decisions. Also sorry the article did not include any of SAF's post match thoughts. Trust he was as upset as he generally is about unjusitfiably long added time at the end of the game - the 4 minutes that were awarded and the 5 that were played.Posted by Jonathan Atherton on March 9, 2008 5:40 AM
Not a lover of football, but what does Feguson expect? Other teams to roll over and die because they're palying Man Utd? Arrogant fool. More power to Pompey, Hary Redknapp and any other team that can stand up Ferguson's insolent attitude. He does his game no favours by his bluster.Posted by Andy Millar on March 9, 2008 1:40 AM
if you took the time to view the incident for the penalty you will find that the keepers arm did NOT make contact with baros,but it was baros infact that left his leg in to contact the face of the keeper.no other part of the keeper touched him!. but that what player are like these days,in all clubs. Posted by lou on March 9, 2008 1:33 AM
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Carlos Queiroz's United blame game hits low
By Alan Smith
Last Updated: 1:12pm GMT 10/03/2008
Ok, let's take a step back. This is getting out of hand. The growing debate about dangerous tackles, about protecting skilful players and the referee's role in all of this has just reached its nadir (hopefully anyway) with the ridiculous comments emanating from Old Trafford on Saturday following Portsmouth's dramatic FA Cup win over Manchester United.
Tackling issues: Carlos Queiroz was outspoken after United's defeat. Sir Alex Ferguson blames Keith Hackett, the refereeing chief, for what he describes as an unacceptable performance by Martin Atkinson. Meanwhile, Ferguson's assistant, Carlos Quieroz, took it further still, arguing that referees should be given red cards if they don't come up to scratch, replaced by someone else during a match. And if that sounded absurd, the Portuguese coach let himself down badly by bringing Birmingham's Martin Taylor into the argument about the supposed lack of protection for Cristiano Ronaldo.
"This is why the Taylors of the game are allowed to survive and the best players are out of the game." It was a disgraceful remark, dredging up Taylor's leg-breaking but malice-free challenge on Arsenal's Eduardo, as if the defender makes a habit of cynically 'topping' opponents, as if his type should be expelled from the game without further ado.
Arsene Wenger had the good sense to retract his own unsavoury comments on Taylor, albeit grudgingly. Let's hope Quieroz does the same in the interests of good taste.
Look, nobody expects United to be happy about losing. Nor should they have been impressed by Atkinson's display. The official, in truth, made several mistakes on the day, most notably his baffling failure to award a penalty when Sylvain Distin charged across to take out Ronaldo.
But please let's not pretend this happens all the time, that brilliant ball jugglers like Ronaldo are being constantly denied. I mean, United's wondrous winger wouldn't have racked up an amazing 30 goals this season without being granted a stage on which to perform. Silly of him, therefore, to start moaning afterwards, threatening to change his game in order to survive. "I think about the Arsenal player [Eduardo]", he said, "and I'm scared sometimes to do skills because some players do unbelievable fouls and the ref protects the defender, not the skilled player!" Such opinions, alas, lend credence to the deluded belief that today's game has suddenly turned into a brutal free-for-all, as if career-threatening tackles are on the increase. They aren't. I'd put money on that. It's just that the game, thanks to advances in sports science, has become so quick and powerful now that the slightest misjudgment in timing can look very bad.
The number of downright vindictive challenges, however, must be lower than ever. For confirmation, just take a look at some of the grim stuff that went on in the 70s. X-rated, it was, though largely unnoticed by the wider audience at a time when television cameras didn't fill every ground.
Now that they do, every single challenge gets closely scrutinised. If someone gets injured, we want to know why. More worrying still for a contact sport, certain sections of our flock look for ways to eradicate injury altogether. It seems that our heath and safety culture is spreading its wings. Apparently, nobody is allowed to get hurt nowadays. And if they do, there's got to be a reason. Someone must be blamed. It's pathetic. It really is. In a sport where the feet do most of the work, contesting a ball bobbling about at ground level, injuries will happen. They're an inevitable consequence. Time to stop all the talk, then, that Eduardo's unfortunate injury began. Time to stop all the conspiracy theories about players going out to crudely nullify the top dangermen. This isn't a dirty game. In fact, it's cleaner than ever. Easy to forget that when tempers run high. www.telegraph.co.uk/smith
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Giant-killers give FA Cup magic back to fans By Henry Winter
Last Updated: 2:59am GMT 10/03/2008
From Old Trafford to Oakwell this weekend, the FA Cup stirred the emotions of the great, the good and the grumpy. Anger at defeat coloured every toxic comment spilling from the mouth of Sir Alex Ferguson. Across the Pennines, pride in victory fuelled a "thank you" speech from Dickie Bird so lengthy it could have graced the Oscars, Barnsley's No 1 fan showering gratitude on everyone connected with the club including "the tea ladies and ladies who wash the kit". Nothing showed the Cup's power to seize the imagination like United's leaving of it, or Barnsley's staying in it. Ferguson's players fought like tigers to overturn Portsmouth's 1-0 lead only to be thwarted by the defensive brilliance of Glen Johnson, Sol Campbell, David James and a spiky midfield sentry named Lassana Diarra.
Magic of the Cup: the FA Cup quarter-finals provided some colourful scenes at Oakwell and the Riverside as Barnsley and Cardiff City of the Championship disposed of holders Chelsea and Middlesbrough respectively. As the clock ticked down, Wayne Rooney gave Nani the mother, sister and distant cousin of all rollockings for showing mercy to a stricken Portsmouth player and putting the ball out. Up in the gods, Pompey's jubilant fans twirled their shirts in the air, chanted "let's all have a disco" and danced their way to the semis. At the final whistle, Ferguson looked more ready to start a war than a waltz. A distinguished manager and remarkable man, United's driving force embarrassed himself with that vitriolic attack on the refereeing community. When the Football Association disciplinary beaks meet to punish Ferguson for claiming that Martin Atkinson was "on the side" of Portsmouth, they should point out certain unanswerable realities.
Atkinson, one of the game's better referees, undoubtedly erred badly in failing to award Cristiano Ronaldo a blatant penalty when bowled over by Sylvain Distin but it was an honest mistake. Atkinson was hardly culpable for Ferguson's substitute, Michael Carrick, missing the target from a yard. Ferguson also chose the wrong day to lambaste the elite referees' chief, Keith Hackett. He appoints officials in the league, not the Cup. If Ferguson still falters on the road to contrition, the FA should remind him that if he had glanced to his left on Saturday, he would have spotted a certain Pedro Mendes, a midfielder outrageously once denied a goal at Old Trafford that clearly crossed the line. Lady Luck winks at everyone in time.
When Ferguson then disappears in a cloud of self-righteous smoke, the FA can shout after him that he is quite right, elegant crowd-pleasers like Ronaldo do deserve protecting, just as Pompey's Niko Kranjcar did when Rooney dangerously left the ground and launched his muscular frame at the Croatian.
Ferguson is a wonderful manager but his judgement is skewed at times. The vaunted Scot was not alone amongst the troubled aristocrats. On the weekend that downstairs stormed upstairs, similar defiance to Portsmouth's against Ferguson's United could be discovered at Oakwell.
A side assembled for £1 million took the lead against a visiting Chelsea XI costing £100 million, and they then protected that lead with their lives as all around shouted "Yorkshire, Yorkshire". As the late siege of Luke Steele's goalmouth deepened, a Barnsley child in the stands clutched his Thomas the Tank Engine bag tightly for reassurance, occasionally using it as a shield to obscure the sight of Chelsea's scary attacks. When the day was won, the bag flew to the heavens. That was the moment a Yorkshire lad fell in love with football for life. The Cup has that effect.
Barnsley's impressive young manager, Simon Davey, spoke for all outside the roped-off area of the glitterati when he enthused about the lower orders' fervour for the Cup.
"We hope we have put the Cup back up there on its pedestal," said Davey, as the Thomas the Tank Engine bag was reunited with its owner and police and stewards ushered jubilant Barnsley fans off the pitch.
"It has always been a top Premier League team side, a United, Liverpool, Arsenal or Chelsea who have won the Cup. We put Liverpool out and now Chelsea. We are making dreams come true. We are putting the magic back in the Cup."
The numbers give substance to Davey's words, to the whiff of revolution in the air. Of the 248 semi-finalists since the War, 72 have worn the colours from United, Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea, with 29 of the 62 trophies falling to that leading quartet. Not since 1987 have one of the Big Four failed to feature in the semis. Throw in Tottenham and Everton and the last time the elite were not represented in the final four was 1975.
The Cup runneth over with joy everywhere. In the BBC bus parked in the Oakwell car-park, familiar faces who know their way to Wembley, illustrious former professionals like Gary Lineker, Alan Hansen, Alan Shearer and Mark Lawrenson, nibbled on crisps and feasted on the extraordinary event they had just covered. A Barnsley fan walked past with a banner celebrating the Beeb's presence. "Bring Back Lawro's Tash" it read.
The Cup is certainly back in fashion. "Look at the stadium," Davey told his players before kick-off as Oakwell shook with passion. "Look at the supporters. Look at the players you are playing against - and don't miss today. Be focused. These occasions don't come along often. Make sure when you read the papers in the morning, they are talking about you not them."
The more lionised the elite are, the more money the Anelkas and Ballacks earn, and the more vain and histrionic some become, the more teams like Barnsley crave this chance to prove their own worth. "We went out there knowing all our families and friends were watching," reflected Barnsley's outstanding full-back, Rob Kozluk. "They're the people you don't want to let down, not just yourself."
Kozluk kept throwing his body in the way of Chelsea shots. Some of his colleagues even spilled blood for the cause. In chasing down one ball, Martin Devaney collided with Michael Essien, a fate akin to encountering a Baobab tree at speed. "He's still got part of my nose on his forehead now!" smiled Devaney, whose magnificent cross set up Kayode Odejayi's winner. Carlo Cudicini was badly at fault and the keeper may join Florent Malouda and Juliano Belletti hurtling out of the Bridge this summer. Cup humiliations are remembered long, hard and bitterly because of their sudden, high-profile nature. Speculation inevitably intensifies now that the Cup may eventually cost Avram Grant his job.
Chelsea's powerbrokers were hugely disappointed. Neither Roman Abramovich, Eugene Tenenbaum (director) or Peter Kenyon (chief executive) were at Oakwell but the chairman, Bruce Buck, was present, his lawyer's frame perched on a wooden seat, watching the unfolding horror. To his credit Buck had the class to applaud Barnsley off.
Stamford Bridge sources stress that Grant will be their manager next season, but caveats surely abound. Having frittered away the inheritance bequeathed by Jose Mourinho, notably the two Cups, Grant must impress in either the Premier League or Champions League. Chelsea's hierarchy noted that Mourinho's name was chanted briefly by the visiting fans.
"I didn't hear anything," shrugged Grant before admitting blame for the mess. "I am responsible for everything. There will be many negative things said about it [the Cup loss] and I will accept it." Grant patently lacks the authority and nous to lead Chelsea but he did possess the good grace to congratulate Davey and company. His captain followed suit.
"Well done, you deserved it," John Terry told Davey. "Now go and win the Cup."
Some people are on the pitch: Barnsley supporters congratulate Denis Souza after Oakwell victory. Terry then handed his shirt to Odejayi, while Cudicini gave Steele his keeper's top. Barnsley players were unable to repay the compliment. Most had their shirts ripped from their backs by overjoyed fans. Some reached the dressing-room in only their jock-straps.
As regards the pitch invasion, the FA will take into account whether there was negligence by Barnsley on the security front (which there was none) and any violence by their supporters (again, no). Some of the greatest moments in English football have climaxed with people on the pitch.
FA Cup semi-finalists
Barnsley (last won 1912)
Cardiff City (last won 1927)
Portsmouth (last won 1939)
West Bromwich Albion (last won 1968)
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Harry Redknapp happy he's at Portsmouth By Mark Odgen
Last Updated: 2:34am GMT 10/03/2008
Manchester United (0) 0 Portsmouth (0) 1
Harry Redknapp is no Tiger Woods on the golf course, but he might just play the round of his life this afternoon if he maintains his tradition of avoiding the nervous tension of the FA Cup draw by challenging son Jamie to 18 holes. For the first time in living memory, Redknapp's Portsmouth will enter today's draw for the semi-finals as cup favourites having eliminated Manchester United at Old Trafford in a game that underlined the growing perception that Pompey's name is already on this season's FA Cup.
Portsmouth rode their luck all right. United had two efforts cleared off the line, hit the woodwork and were victims of one of the most bewildering non-penalties of the season, about which Sir Alex Ferguson complained bitterly, but Portsmouth took their chance and booked their first semi-final since 1992 when Sulley Muntari's late penalty settled the tie.
So having dispensed of the most successful club in FA Cup history, Redknapp is unlikely to have his mood soured by the outcome of the draw for the last four. "I remember when the draw was made for the quarter-finals," admitted Redknapp. "I was on the golf course with Jamie and I got a phone call from Peter Storrie, our chief executive, who told me we had drawn Manchester United away. I had an eight-iron in my hand and I think it went further than the ball when I heard that!
"The last thing we wanted was United away but after beating them, nothing we'll get in the semi-final draw will be as tough as going to Old Trafford."
With the semi-finals at Wembley, Redknapp will lead a team out at the stadium for the first time in his managerial career.
Already this season he has been overlooked for the England manager's job, before, wisely it seems, rejecting the opportunity to leave Portsmouth for Newcastle. Redknapp said: "It was a difficult decision not to go to Newcastle, but I was thinking about the players who I had encouraged to come here, who I had told what we could achieve and I thought to myself, 'I can't have done that and then just walk away myself'. "Newcastle is a fantastic club but I made the decision and I am happy with it. If I was 40, I might have gone, but I didn't want to be away from my wife and grandchildren. I also have a great team here. "I'm delighted to be in the semi-final and that it's at Wembley. If I'd been knocked out I would probably be sat there saying it's wrong to have the games there, but not now!"
United, unfortunate to lose, hardly covered themselves in glory off the pitch. Both Ferguson and his assistant, Carlos Queiroz, muttered dark accusations about referee Martin Atkinson, who aside from wrongly dismissing appeals for a penalty when Cristiano Ronaldo had been bundled over by Sylvain Distin, called virtually everything else correctly, including the decision to award Portsmouth a late penalty and send off United goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak for felling Milan Baros.
Distin, the Portsmouth defender, claimed Atkinson was right to ignore Ronaldo's claims, however. He said: "If every time you touch a player a penalty is awarded then how do you defend? Football is also about contact. He just touched the ball and I turned, I followed the ball, and it was shoulder against shoulder."
Portsmouth, whose solitary FA Cup success came in 1939, possess the individuals to end the long wait and, in Redknapp, a manager whose longevity is deserving of a day in the spotlight. Now all they have to do is win it. Distin said: "If we don't win it now, we will have done all this hard work for nothing. We expect to win it now. It's only two games but it is still a long way and, just because you beat United it doesn't mean you are guaranteed to beat anyone else." your view
Penalty or not?
Man of the matchSulley Ali Muntari (Portsmouth) 9
• Scored the winning goal• Completed 88 per cent of his passes• Set up a goalscoring chance
Everton (1) 3 Portsmouth (1) 1 interactive match report
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Some would argue that today should be an occasion to toast Harry Redknapp, for whom the FA Cup has created an opportunity, after the most dramatic of weekends, to strike a blow for a seemingly dying breed as well as to win the first significant honour of a colourful career.
Should Portsmouth win at Wembley in May – and the demise of Chelsea leaves them as strong favourites – Redknapp would be the first English manager to lift one of the two major trophies since Joe Royle won the FA Cup with Everton in 1995.
Yet the fallout from Sir Alex Ferguson's intemperate blast at the referee Martin Atkinson and his superior, Keith Hackett, will dominate today's headlines. The Manchester United manager, who was banned earlier this season for his behaviour towards another official, believes Atkinson should be penalised for an "unacceptable" performance and accused Hackett, who is in charge of the English game's match officials, of appointing referees on the basis of favouritism.
The Football Association said yesterday that it would investigate Ferguson's remarks, made in interviews on Sky television and on United's own channel. They will be obliged also to study comments made by his assistant, Carlos Queiroz, who could find himself in even hotter water.
Speaking to the BBC, Queiroz channelled his anger into a wide-ranging and sometimes bizarre rant in which he described Atkinson as "a robber", who saw the match "from one side" and applied rules in his treatment of United players that he did not apply to Portsmouth.
He drew parallels between Lassana Diarra's treatment of Cristiano Ronaldo and the recent challenge by Birmingham's Martin Taylor that left Arsenal's Eduardo da Silva with a broken leg. He also called for referees to be subject to a red card in the same way as players – and replaced even while a match was in progress.
If the decision by Atkinson not to award a penalty against Sylvain Distin for barging Ronaldo in the seventh minute was the focal point of United's rage, Queiroz insisted that there was more to it than that, naming Diarra, rather than Distin, as the player he believed was the biggest offender.
He accused Diarra of elbowing Ronaldo inside the first minute and Atkinson of allowing the France international to continue employing rough-house tactics effectively without restraint, although Diarra did eventually receive a caution.
"It was a clear penalty [against Distin] but before that there were two attacking fouls on Ronaldo," Queiroz said. "What does Diarra expect when he elbows a player and puts him over the touchline: that he becomes a saint?
"That's why the Taylors of this game can survive and some of the best players are out of the game. It cannot happen any more. The referees were a disgrace – they did not do their job. When referees come here and support players that in the first 15 minutes do nothing but foul, stopping attacking movements, it needs attention bringing to it.
"It is a pity but the game has moved to a situation where the referees also deserve red cards. This referee today, he deserved that somebody come inside the pitch after five minutes, give him a red card and put him out of the game. That is my opinion about these robbers today."
Queiroz said United had no complaint over the penalty awarded to Portsmouth, when the substitute goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak brought down the Pompey substitute Milan Baros and Sulley Muntari scored the winning goal from the spot. Nor did he feel that the red card for Kuszczak was unjust – but, he said, he believed Atkinson had applied one rule for United and another for Portsmouth.
"We accept the penalty against us, but it is exactly what should have happened when Cristiano was alone and he was stopped from scoring a goal – foul, red card, OK.
"We accept the red card against us but what we cannot accept is the referees who are only able to watch one side. That cannot happen, it is not acceptable in the game. There are no different rules for Manchester United."
Ferguson had said that Atkinson's performance "should not be accepted" and called for Hackett's performance to be assessed as closely as the officials he oversees. "I'm assessed as a manager, players are assessed – and that performance should not be accepted," he said. "Keith Hackett has a lot to answer for; he is not doing his job properly. He has to be assessed. His favourites always get the games and that's disappointing. That guy [Atkinson] will referee next week, no problem."
Ferguson was banned from the touchline for two matches and fined £5,000 after he admitted using "abusive and/or insulting words" towards the referee Mark Clattenburg during a match at Bolton last November, when he similarly felt his players were not protected from physical tactics. Amid all this, a splendid defensive performance by Portsmouth, as United spurned chance after chance to render the penalty controversy irrelevant, risks passing without proper recognition, as does the lone voice of Distin, who spoke on behalf of defenders in this debate.
"He [Ronaldo] just touched the ball and I followed the ball; it was shoulder against shoulder," he said. "I am not going to move out of the way and say, 'Go on and pass me', so I try and defend and do my job. Football is also about contact. If every time you touch a player a penalty is awarded, then how do you defend?"
He did defend, heroically, as also did Glen Johnson, supporting Redknapp's claim that he should be in the England squad. Both Distin and Johnson made goal-preventing stops and their goalkeeper, David James, pushed a Patrice Evra shot on to a post.
It was Redknapp's third noteworthy FA Cup win against United, having pulled it off with Bournemouth in 1984 and West Ham in 2001. This time it might preface his winning the trophy.
"I'm excited," he said. "I've never been to Wembley as a player or a manager – the semis is the furthest I've been. After the strides we have made with this club, to win it would be fantastic."
Goal: Muntari pen (78) 0-1.
Manchester United (4-4-2): Van der Sar (Kuszczak, h-t); Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra; Ronaldo, Scholes, Hargreaves (Carrick, 68), Nani; Rooney, Tevez (Anderson 68). Substitutes not used: O'Shea, Park.
Portsmouth (4-1-4-1): James; Johnson, Campbell, Distin, Hreidarsson; Diarra; Utaka (Lauren, 74), Bouba Diop, Muntari, Kranjcar (Hughes, 81); Kanu (Baros, 54). Substitutes not used: Ashdown (gk), Mvuemba.
Referee: M Atkinson (West Yorkshire)
Booked: Manchester United Rooney; Portsmouth Bouba Diop, Diarra.
Sent off: Kuszczak (76).
Man of the match: Johnson.
Attendance: 75,463.
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Manchester Utd 0 Portsmouth 1: Ferguson fury after Muntari sends United crashing out
Scot furious at referee and Ronaldo demands protection By Nick Townsend at Old TraffordSunday, 9 March 2008
In the week that Sir Alex Ferguson had refuted claims after an interview for French radio that he plans to quit in three years, he stressed that his retirement date depended on the success of his team – and his health. His players will recover from this, but yesterday there was some doubt whether the old ticker would last the match, let alone years.
Seasoned Fergie-watchers have rarely seen the Manchester United manager so animated as he witnessed his team capitulate 12 minutes from time to a Sulley Muntari penalty and Pompey recorded their first victory here for 51 years. They did so on a day of two penalty claims: the one rightly awarded, followed by the dismissal of substitute goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak; and the one denied United early on, wrongly. Ferguson's ire over that incident was surely exacerbated by the fact that, in between, his men should have confirmed their attendance at Wembley.
Ferguson's hackles were raised as early as the sixth minute. A beautiful ball inside Hermann Hreidarsson by Wayne Rooney invited Cristiano Ronaldo to drift inside the Icelander but he was then charged off the ball by Sylvain Distin. It looked like a penalty but referee Martin Atkinson was unmoved.
It provoked a major strop, with an enraged manager berating the referee, assistant and fourth official. Afterwards there was no evidence that Ferguson was in a more reflective mood as he said of Atkinson's failure to act: "It's absolutely ridiculous. I cannot explain it. Managers get sacked because of things like that and he's going to referee a game next week. They had great confidence to hang on knowing the referee was on their side." He also attacked the referees' chief Keith Hackett. "He's not doing his job properly. He needs to be assessed. I'm assessed as a manager, players are assessed, referees should be assessed properly by the right people."
And Ronaldo raised the temperature further by declaring: "They say sometimes that this is the best League in the world, but sometimes they don't protect the skilled players. It's a joke. I may have to change my game. After what happened to that Arsenal player [Eduardo] I'm scared to use my skills." That appeared something of an overreaction. Arguably the most dangerous challenge in the game was a jump tackle by Rooney that was punished by a caution.
But in the furore that followed, it was easy to forget this was Portsmouth's day. It was far from Harry Redknapp's first FA Cup triumph over United; his Bourne-mouth side beat them in 1984, and the West Ham team he then managed did it in 2001. "We came here four weeks ago and got beat 2-0," he admitted. "They could have had 10. Today we had a gameplan and stuck with it, and we grafted. But you always have to ride your luck here."
Beforehand, Ferguson spoke of his concern about the physical stature of the opposition. But though Pompey did seemingly emerge from the land of the giants, there is much quality too. When he warned that Pompey are having their best season in 50 years it proved prescient.
Though Niko Kranjcar produced their only first-half chance, they looked comfortable in that period, other than when Carlos Tevez and Rooney found themselves two against one on the break and really should have scored. Somehow Sol Campbell and David James foiled Rooney and with the keeper out of his goal, Glen Johnson headed off the line from the Argentinian.
After the interval, United looked certain to score. Ronaldo's aim was awry twice and United might have thought this would not be their day when substitute Michael Carrick rounded James but was thwarted by Distin, virtually on the line. Patrice Evra then saw his ferocious effort tipped on to a post by James.
There was a cruel inevitability about what happened next. Kranjcar and substitute Milan Baros broke; the latter was felled by Kuszczak, who came on at half-time after Van der Sar sustained a groin injury. Rio Ferdinand took over in goal but could not deny Muntari from the spot.
So Pompey go to Wembley for the first time since 1939. That choice of venue for a semi-final was another thing that irked Ferguson this week. At least he will not have to concern himself with that now.
