Liverpool 2 United 0: Player ratings

Stuart Mathieson

October 25, 2009

Lucas and Patrice Evra in action

Van der Sar: Two excellent saves in the first half but maybe slightly disappointed he was beaten on near post for Torres goal 7

O’Shea: Was a solid performer and not much got past the Irishman 6

Ferdinand: Had been largely on top but was out-muscled and out-manoeuvred by Torres for breakthrough goal 6

Vidic: Had got his head and legs to virtually everything all game but when stretched he suffered 7

Evra: The Frenchman had his normal quality game but couldn’t provide attacking spark 7

Valencia: After his improved form against Bolton and CSKA he never seriously hurt Liverpool with his crosses 5

Scholes: Managed to find room in the frantic midfield battle but couldn’t inspire Reds 6

Carrick: Never really got a firm grip in the engine room but not overrun 5

Giggs: United’s vital spark this season had nothing to dig out for this one 5

Rooney: One decent header but didn’t have much else to get his teeth into 6

Berbatov: Couldn’t bring calm to a frenzied match and never suggested he could inspire 5

Subs:

Owen (sub Berbatov 74) No magic wand 5

Nani (sub Scholes 74) No impact 5

Anderson, Fabio, Evans, Neville, Foster

Liverpool:

Reina, Johnsen, Carragher, Agger, Insua, Benayoun (Skrtel 90), Mascherano, Lucas, Aurelio, Kuyt, Torres (Ngog 80)

Goals:

Liverpool: Torres (65) Ngog (90)

United: None

Bookings:

Liverpool: Mascherano (72,90) Carragher (87)

United: Evra (15) Berbatov (37) Vidic (75, 89)

Vidic sent off (89)

Mascherano sent off (90)

Battle of the Bosses:

Referee: Andre Marriner - Got most of big decisions correct 7

Attendance: 44,188

Agree with the ratings? Have your say.

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Red Lou, Malta (25/10/2009 at 16:22)

Starting the game with Paul Scholes and keeping the erratic and ineffectual Giggs on the pitch for the whole game were the 2 cardinal mistakes that led to this deserved defeat. Our best midfielder Anderson should have started and Nani should have come on a lot earlier.

neal 07, south stand lower (25/10/2009 at 16:25)

Van der Sar & Vida are the only one's who can look in the mirror and admit that they gave everything out there!! Can the rest of the team say the same thing? Me thinks a big NO!!!

I am not going to go into detail, as I really need the dust to settle on this embarrasing, pathetic, sloppy, lethargic, lazy, disgusting 'performance'

We got outplayed by the worst dipper team in decades...if only our players were hurting/cared as much as we the fans do!!!

abdul mutalib fadzil (25/10/2009 at 16:25)

vds - 7
oshea - 6
rio - 6
vida - 7
evra - 6
valencia - 6
scholes - 6
carrick - 6
giggs - 6
rooney - 7
berbatov - 7

we need ADEM LJAJIC,MAGNUS EIKREM,MATT JAMES,DAVIDE PETRUCCI !!!

Venturer (25/10/2009 at 16:28)

"Referee: Andre Marriner - Got most of big decisions correct 7"

Is this a wind up?

USARed1, Woodbury,Connecticut,USA (25/10/2009 at 16:30)

You have got to be kidding. Positioning and reaction of both Vidic and Ferdinand directly responsible for Torres' goal. Three straight red cards for Vidic vs. Scousers....he gets a 2; and Ferdinand a 3 or 4 at best. Central midfield lacked any energy at all; with work rate across the middle off the ball and quality of passing poor. Maybe Ryan and Antonio get 6s in a pinch; but Scholes and Carrick had no response to incessant pressure(which, when United get beat, is often the case). They both get 3s. And the constant attempts, even early in the match, to beat Liverpool over the top gets Fergie a 3 as well for tactics. You knew, facing the prospect of 5 straight losses, they were going to be totally focused and energized on defense. Their defense won this match. This is 3 straight losses(to Liverpool); and, when you look at the quality of our win against Arsenal, looks all again like last year. We are not going to snatch the title under those circumstances. I usually hate to rag on the team or the manager. But I sure do hope that SAF doesn't try to blame this one on the ref. I would be stunned.

Macca, Cornwall (25/10/2009 at 16:31)

is this some kind of joke? none of our players apart from VDS were worth above a 5. Berbatov was the only one causing them problems, but still didnt do enough. We had 1 worthwhile shot on target. Not good enough. I understand we can have bad games but we quite simply bottled it. Carrick and Scholes are not mobile enough to play against 3 midfielders, Carrick was shocking. All we needed was a few good performances and we would have won.

On the bright side, at least it means Rafa stays.

Fergie hasn't a CLUE, Madoc Ontario Canada (25/10/2009 at 16:47)

Vds-7, Oshea-6, Rio,-3, Vidic-7, Evra-6, Carrick-?,Was he there? Scholes-4, Giggs-6, Valencia-6, Barbie-6, in a thankless cause, Rooney-6, again, no support from the midfield. Ref-6, a bit pro Liverpool but not at fault for Uniteds performance, Fergie -1 for being so stubbornly stupid in his team selection and perception for substitutions.

Django, Hampshire (25/10/2009 at 16:52)

No disgrace. We are just a bit short of quality at the moment compared to recent years. The key older players are very old now and SAF hasn't been great in the transfer market recently. We cannot expect to win the big prizes all the time and it was a sort of miracle to have got the title last year, even with Ronaldo, because we haven't played very well very often for a long time now.

It's Chelsea's and Arsenal's turn for a year or two now. The cycle will turn again but we will have to be patient and hope for an inspired choice as SAF's successor.

danny, WILMSLOW (25/10/2009 at 16:55)

Its time for the January sales at United starting with Fergie and Phelan,Followed by Carrick,Rio,Scholes,Neville Giggs,I would have like to see the like of Delaet Kiko Gibson Fabio get a long run in the team Fergie has his favourites,and the others are lucky to get two games in a row.
He will probably sell most of our best young players in January so we can afford to pay the likes of Giggs and Neville etc.

Zizi, Coventry, UK (25/10/2009 at 16:58)

These ratings are a joke! WE WERE PATHETIC THROUGHOUT THE GAME!!!

VDS 7-Cannot be blamed for either goal.Was solid otherwise.

O'Shea 3-Invisible donkey!

Rio 3-Poor!!

Vida 2-Very very poor!!!

Evra 2-worst game in a Man Utd shirt.

Scholes 2-He isn't influential any more. He cannot dictate the pace of any game at this age.

Giggs 4-A dip in form was expected after recent sparkling displays.Unfortunately, he chose Pool to show his poor form.

Carrick 1- He was simply HORRIBLE!!!

Valencia 5-Looks decent but again too much predictable and one-dimensional at times. Link up play with team mates needs a lot of improvement. I was constantly frustrated with his wrong positioning as was Berbatov.

Berbatov 6-He was the only man in the field wanting to actual do something positive instead of continuously back-peddling as his other team mates. Liked his work-rate though and unfortunately Valencia was too rubbish to beneficiate anything from it.

Rooney 1-Not because you are named "Wayne Rooney" that you are going to get high marks. He was a pain to watch. Again went missing in a big game!

Subs: Owen 1-Get yourself retired mate. Your football career is over!

Nani 4-At least he got 2 shots on target.

Conclusion:

*It seems that our centre-halves have run out of gas after a phenomenal display last season. Both rio and vida are dire with their performance this season!

*This game was crying out for Fletcher and Anderson.

Scholesy passed me the ball..., England (25/10/2009 at 17:01)

I don't think losing to Liverpool hurts this group of players as much as it did in the past.

mike , denver (25/10/2009 at 17:12)

Neal 07, well said mate,could not have put it better, I feel like throwing up after seeing that gutless performance, once again Fergie is out-coached by his nemesis.

When will United see the light and show Berbatov the door? The biggest flop in world football today!!! Just cut your losses and get rid.

Red now in Keswick (25/10/2009 at 17:18)

The referee pulled up Evra in the first incident for a blatant piece of cheating by Torres, and subsequently booked him for what was actually the first foul. Lucas committed at least 5 fouls but wasn't cautioned. Owen was through on goal when the last defender, Carragher, took him down. He was given a yellow card. How come he gets a 7? Having said all that, we still didn't deserve to win.

Semso Muminovic (25/10/2009 at 17:20)

No penalty is not an excuse for playing Manchester desperate, desperate team setting permanent experiments in midfield, Liverpool had the judge Marriner on their side of the penalty clean Carick, red card Caragheru
VDS 7
O'Shea 1 (not on the team from League 4 )
Evro 5
Ferdinand 2
Vidic 2
Valencia 6
Scholes 1
Carick 0
Giggs 0
Berbatov 0
Rooney 0
Ferguson 0
Marriner 0 S
AF many experiments with Torres I, together worth a vintage Roooney and Owen and I paid Berbatov is 7 m pounds and Tooresa .Dzeko the solution in Berba out

danny, WILMSLOW (25/10/2009 at 17:28)

Berbatov like many quality players go backwards once they join United he is not alone,but get real the problem is not his Fergie is a joke both his selections and tactics are pathetic,Playing Rooney and Berbatov together does not work as they both sit so deep waiting for a decent ball to come their way.
There is only one thing wrong at United and that is Fergie he should have quit before.

Dublinhead, Dublin and New York (25/10/2009 at 17:29)

United were terrible, passing was woeful, and the team lacked any invention. Having said that Liverpool were excellent all over the park and were completely worth the win. Fergie got it very wrong and was too slow to make the substitutions. We never looked like troubling Liverpool.

I can't believe some muppets on her slating Fergie, Giggs, Scholes, etc. It was an off day - and the opposition played very well with great tempo and pressing. Also - Berba is not a flop - he has looked exquisite all season and even looked our best player today despite no service from midfield or the R wing.

VDS 7 --- JOS 8 --- RIO 5 --- Vidic 6 --- Evra 7 --- Carrick 4 --- Scholes 4 --- Giggs 6 --- Valencia 4 --- Rooney 5 --- Berba 7.

Nani and Anderson should have come on (MUCH EARLIER) in midfield for Scholes and Carrick with Giggsy moving into the center. We really miss Darren Fletcher in the engine room.

Once again - Liverpool had the tactics spot on and fully deserved the win.

Gerry, Glastonbury (25/10/2009 at 17:34)

VDS – Looked solid and no chance with the goals – 6

O’Shakey - Absolutely awful distribution and the second shocker in a row as a full back – He’ll be out next time – 3

Rio – is it me or has he lost a yard of pace? Was doing OK until Torres made him look a Championship player – 5

Vidic – As brave as always but the alarm bells are really ringing now. I think it may be time to give Evans or Wes a run? – 5

Evra – Usual self but unable to unlock the Pool defence - 6

Valencia - Tried but well held. Unlucky with shot that hit the crossbar – 5

Michelle – non existent in the first half. Better in second but too many stray passes – 4

Scholes – United’s best player by a mile. Hardly a misplaced pass. Unlucky to be subbed – 7

Giggs – The bubble had to burst at some point after a long run of good games. Back to his bad old ways of wayward passing and Hollywood balls. Should have been subbed instead of Scholes – 4

Rooney Well shackled but should have scored with first half header. Always giving it a go though – 6

Berb – Again well held and a frustrating afternoon for him. Not much space for either front man but that was to be expected - 5

yorkie-cpm, Huddersfield (25/10/2009 at 17:40)

Cannot understand leaving out Anderson. The way he has been playing should secure him a game especially against Liverpool. JOS solid, but a solid what? We needed Fabio or Brown to run that wing with Valencia. Even Garry would have done a better job than JOS. Rooney AWOL for this one. He needs to perfect the art of the short pass as most of his short passes fail to land at a Man Utd player. Nani needs to link up with PE to be effective. I despaired of the whole shower today.
yorkie_cpm

neal 07, south stand lower (25/10/2009 at 17:43)

Dublinhead, Dublin & New York...

Are you for real with your comments?

1. You give the biggest waster in our squad an 8!!!! ? O'Shea has been a decent club servent at best, but on todays performance you give him an 8?? What does he offer as an offensive alternative? What does he offer as a full back in the modern fast paced game?

2. You say that the dippers were excellent all over the park? Which park is that then, Phoenix or Central as it was not at Anfield. This was the worst dipper team in decades, with no moral, no skill and we make them look like the Argentian world cup winning team!!!

In general we were pathetic today and Sir Matt would be turning in his grave with rage, fury, frustration like all we are, because they were there to be well beaten today and we flopped big time!!

Mark (25/10/2009 at 17:44)

Most sane Reds (so that counts out 50% of those who write on here) would have picked the same 11 (with the exception of possibly Anderson for Scholes - which would have been my choice). anyone picking Nani over Giggs would fall into aforementioned 50%. Here are the issues: once again we lost to a major rival early in the season... hmmm, I wonder when that has happened before. I really hope it does not turn out to be one of those seasons again where we collect 2 or maybe 3 trophies...if it is, then I am cancelling my subscription to Sky and throwing the remote control out of the window. PS - I would have brought on Owen 2 minutes earlier then Sir Alex did...there, I do not agree with everything he does. Red Army, Salford Branch

Red Bill, Salford (25/10/2009 at 17:46)

These ratings are getting worse week by week. Just who does them anyway ? Berbatov was simply awful, only Carrick was worse. General opinion that Scholesy is past his sell by date is spot on - great shame but it happens to the best. Giggs was poor today but they all were. Perhaps Evans should replace Rio for a while - ( Once Vidic completes his needless ban ). He's well short on confidence.
Fergie needs to spend some of Ronaldo's transfer fee and get a decent striker to partner Rooney. Berba's undoubted class would be better used as a sub. I just hope Hargreaves comes good but that will take ages. We just can't afford to let Chelski get too far away from us

Fergie hasn't a CLUE, Madoc Ontario Canada (25/10/2009 at 17:55)

Dublinhead, Dublin and New York. You call Fergies critics muppets then give Oshea an 8? Nuff said mate.

ADEBAYO ADENIYI (25/10/2009 at 17:59)

Seeling C'RONALDO and TEVES at the same time is a big mistake. You don't know the value of what you have untill you loos it. That we lost to liverpool does not mean they are beter that us but it's going to be more disasterous if we don't buy player by january as this squard can not get us to any where.

Dboy84

whale, toronto (25/10/2009 at 18:13)

Wow Madoc you never cease to amaze! A Danny clone !why is it that these two have so much to say after a poor performance.Frustrated dreams of youth it seems.

Ed from Davyhulme, Manchester (25/10/2009 at 18:23)

We were very much second best and lost it mainly in the midfield area. Scholes and Carrick wanted too much time, Giggs had a poor game by his standard and moving forward was just so slow. Valencia was the best of the midfielders but because of the slow build up, he was usually receiving the ball standing still and therefore not able to bring his speed to bear. Although most of our side deserved low marks, none would have merited one as low as the referee, who had a stinker. He was one sided from the word go and, having booked Evra and Vidic for minor tackles, he allowed Liverpool (in particular Lucas and Masheraeno) to clatter into United players at will. Carragher was always going to take man and ball when he hit Carrick and that sort of offence is therefore a penalty more often than not. The booking of Carragher, when he hauled down Owen, was a joke and I am looking for the head of the ref's union, who has been calling for SAF's head over the Wiley 'slur', to come out and say how sorry he is about Marriner's performance. Do you think he will? Don't hold your breath!

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