Ferguson: Don't blame Roy

February 24, 2005

SIR Alex Ferguson refused to single out goalkeeper Roy Carroll for blame for the goal which left Manchester United with plenty to do in Milan in a fortnight if they are to keep their Champions League hopes alive.

Carroll fumbled Clarence Seedorf's straightforward shot, allowing Hernan Crespo to score from close range and Milan to return to the second leg in the San Siro with a 1-0 lead.

Ferguson said: "Seedorf should have been closed down.

"We directed him into the middle of the park and should have closed that area down and forced him out to the side.

"After that no-one closed him down and he has got a free shot."

Asked if Carroll should have done better, Ferguson added: "I'm not changing what I've said, that's exactly what happened."

Ferguson said United should take encouragement from the match against Juventus in Turin in 1999 which they won 3-2 after being 2-0 down, en route to winning the Champions League.

"It will be a difficult game for us but no more difficult than when we went to Juventus," said Ferguson.

"I think we deserved more from the game, it was a game of real high quality and AC Milan played an open game because they felt their best chance was tonight.

"This gives them a great advantage obviously but we have a terrific opportunity still because we can score away from home and we have got the pace to worry them."

Ferguson also rued the missed opportunities of the first half when Paul Scholes and Quinton Fortune passed up gilt-edged chances.

"We were a bit rushed," said the United boss. "We lacked composure to take advantage of the opportunities and it's a pity because if we had gone in front I think we would have been okay."

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Frank, Old Trafford (24/02/2005 at 09:17)

I BLAME ROY CARROLL! HE IS AND ALWAYS HAS BEEN SECOND RATE AND HE COST US THE MATCH!

Frustrated Man U Fan, Manchester (24/02/2005 at 09:19)

Its not that i dont think roy carrol is a good player its just frustrating watching the team you support having a goalkeeper who cant catch a ball. You would think that Roy being payed B#15000 a week would be able to cath a football!

Mick, Dublin (24/02/2005 at 09:47)

That goal was 100% Carroll's fault. He had a clear view of it from the moment it left Seedorf's boot and it didn't even move in the air. Disgraceful goalkeeping. I think Fergie is right not to single him out though. It's bad for team morale to start pointing fingers after a game. What he does need to do, though, is drop the useless plank.

Mary, Sale (24/02/2005 at 09:54)

Fergie should take off his tinted glasses Carol cost us a Carling cup final and that mistake last night was a schoolboy error.
His subs were crazy,takes off Fortune who was playing well.and Ronaldo who can work a goal,and puts on Sylvester who along with Neville was rubbish.Smith should have replaced Scholes.

Kevin, Tralee,Eire (24/02/2005 at 10:00)

Of course RC should get blamed but so should Giggs, pedestrian & wasteful, caught napping on the ball so may times. Scholes, his miss apart was just not at the races even Keano who the team look to for inspiration was guilty of several misplaced passes. Why did Ronaldo come off when he was our only creative force in midfield. Rooney was so isolated up front & really needed another striker beside him. The second leg looks very dodgy can't see Ruud being fit enough or Smith for that matter. Somebody better mention "contract" to Giggs again to see if we can get a reaction from him. On the plus side I thought Wes & Heinze looked very good last nite

Nige, City centre (24/02/2005 at 10:06)

Thouroughly deserved victory for the Italians - a very enjoyable evening all round, wave bye bye to to another trophy-less season Fergie, ha ha ha!!!!!

Allan, Denmark (24/02/2005 at 10:08)

Frank, Old Trafford you are not right Carroll is not even 2. class, he is the worst ever keeper to play for United. I dont understand why Fergie cant see it. It is not just his many blunders but he dont give any security to the defence. In Denmark we have a forum, where I was ban coz of calling Carroll for Carroll the Clown. But that is what he is a clown. Carroll leave OT NOW!!!!!

Bill, Wirral (24/02/2005 at 10:37)

We were all hailing Nigel Martyn for making an identical error as Roy did. Ronaldo followed up at Goodison, Crespo followed up at OT. Where were the defenders on both goals. Hey, thats football. It was'nt Roy's fault that we did'nt score either.
I thought the lads were brilliant but Milan were better.

Matt, Surrey (24/02/2005 at 11:12)

WE have to go all out to get a keeper in the summer... Chelsea have Cech, we have two calamity keepers... we'll win nothing without a decent stopper!

Paul, Birmingham (24/02/2005 at 11:14)

We've known for a long time what we have with Carroll - quite a good Premiership goalkeeper but one who is not up to the standard required by United to perform at the highest level. As he seems to have little loyalty I can't understand why he is playing since in my opinion isn't any better than Howard who at least had a great season last year and needs to gain experience. All goalkeepers make mistakes - even the Great Dane. More concerning to me was that I never felt that we got on top of the game and from the statistics I've seen this morning I'm amazed that the possession was virtually equal. I've said it before - this 4-5-1/4-3-3 system that we play only has a hope of working when the two wide players are on fire and last night Ronaldo and especially Giggs weren't. Poor Rooney was outnumbered in the middle and Maldini and Nesta never had to worry about going out to support their fullbacks as Milan's midfielders were quick to do that. If we contimue with 4-5-1 in the San Siro then I don't think it's even worth getting on the plane. Milan will be superbly organised and will only be beaten by sustained pace and aggression and with RVN to put the chances away in the middle. I heard on the radio last night that some fans don't think RVN and Rooney can play together. Sorry I don't agree. Rooney is just the type of player that RVN needs - some one who will drop deep and play incisive passes but also present a goal threat with his long range shooting. We know RVN doesn't score from outside the box. SAF it must be a high tempo 4-4-2 for the games before MIlan so that we get in the practice and RVN has a chance to work through his ring rustiness and develop an effective partnership with Rooney.

CG, Singapore (24/02/2005 at 11:22)

Bill: I have to disagree with you here. Nigel Martyn's goal wasn't really his doing -- the ball was tipped on the way in and if you notice, he had to change his body shape and direction just to palm away the ball.... which unfortunately for him was in the path of Ronaldo.
I expect Fergie not to publically blame Carroll but it was also partically Fortune's role to at least make it difficult for seedof to take a shot on goal. But nevertheless Carroll worth his premiership weight should be able to catch that or palm it away ... very similar to Dudek's mistake. There were no dispute there.

Phil, Derry, N. Ireland (24/02/2005 at 11:29)

Why is Roy Carroll still at OT? Has he signed a new contract yet? If not, grab the chance and shove him out the door. The difference with him and Howard, is that if you cut the stupid errors out of Tim's game he has the potential and ability to be a world class keeper. Even if you cut the blunders out of Roy's game, he will never be more than a good keeper, never great. I don't know who we could buy to fill Schmeichel's boots, but either sort out what's wrong with Howard's confidence and concentration or buy someone older and experienced with Howard waiting in the wings, (he's still only young), but for goodness sake, get rid of Roy Carroll! I've said it before and last night only proves it. Problem solved!

Frank, Old Trafford (24/02/2005 at 11:44)

Agree with Phil

Rob, Brussels (24/02/2005 at 11:45)

Worst goalie ever? Roy Carrol or Jim Leighton?? I remember being part of a Stretford End in 1989 that held its collective breath in great anxiety evertime big jim was called on to deal with a cross!

Anthony, Hamilton, Canada (24/02/2005 at 12:10)

United played against a superb team but they did not deserve to lose by a goal of that quality.The Milan scouts did a great job. They saw United's only weakness and that's why they were shooting at every chance they've had, from any distance. SAF is quite right not to, publicly at least, throw the blame on Carroll, as he did with Howard against Chelsea. But the problem is there and it's got to be fixed asap.

Stan the man, at home (24/02/2005 at 12:11)

Altough I have to agree that Carroll did make a mistake, what the hell was Fortune doing letting him have a strike on goal in the first place? Milan are a class act and showed us for what we really are, a mediocre side whose future looks bleak to say the least

Ferrari, Stockport (24/02/2005 at 12:19)

This is typical rag arrogance! Why blame Roy Carroll? So he made a blunder, had he saved it you would have still drawn a blank at home and would still have had to score in Italy. Of course, you lot are that arrogant, you are still going to win over there aren't you? Also, why on earth was the goal line painted straight and between the two posts. Last time Carroll was in the spotlight it had a big curve in it.

Chris, sale (24/02/2005 at 12:25)

Your right Fergie, don't blame roy after all it was you who picked him, you who sat with your hands in your pockets through the transfer window when Van de Saar was eager to come, and you that has kept faith with a goalkeeping coach who has masterminded a long line of losers (Ricardo et al).

the hine meister, withington thats manchester for all you southerners (24/02/2005 at 12:31)

Dodgy dodgy keeper,dodgy dodgy keeper.Lets all laugh at CARROLL na na na na.When are you going to wake up and actually realise that your team is actually light years away from being the best in europe,think about it,you weren,t the best team in 1999 when you actually did win it and but for the referee playing the next goal wins you were totally played off the park that night as well.When the best players in the world become available for transfer you are not even in the running for them,because being a PLC its all about returning profits.Just think back to the RONALDINHO fiasco when you offered 2 frogs and a conker for somebody who then went on to become world player of the year,it beggars belief I can hear you say,but name alone no longer attracts the best players in the world its all down to pounds,shillings and pence.Milan last night turned you over without the current european player of the year SHEVCHENKO and the return leg will of course be no different,class and ability will always beat workrate and graft.Personally I am looking for to Mr Glazer becoming head honcho and doing a bit of asset stripping and then lets see how many fanatical "non mancunian" fans jump ship and claim allegiance to who ever is doing alright at that point in time.

Simon Smith, Salford (24/02/2005 at 12:46)

I honestly think Fergie's not blaming Carroll because he's all we've got for now. He's history! I don't mind us getting beat by better teams in the latter stages of the CL but every year we seem to go out due to some ridiculios goalkeeping error. Barthez twice, Howard, once and this, the latest of quite a few recent Carrol Howlers. This has to be our top priority in the summer! How much have these goalkeeping errors cost us in the past few years? We should rescue Cudicini from his Chelski hell. A few mil and the promise of first team football should be enough. He's been one of the best keeper around for a few years and he's sitting on the bench which no 31 year old wants to do. It's not a long term solution but it should do for 4/5 years. We won't need to buy another striker for years now. The defence is solid with adequate cover and good young future prospects. We could use wing cover and another creative option but with Ole coming back, Rossi coming through, Ronaldo and fletcher improving and the Old guarded not moving for a few years we're OK in that error. I'm not saying we would've won the CL but if we'd had decent keepers over the past few years we would have gone a lot further i.e. Semi's and the finals and maybe with a bit of luck won it. We're one of the only top teams around without a top keeper at the moment an I'm sad to say that we might end up payin for that. I hope that whatever money we got from sell Forlan, Djemba and even Kleb(who I think we should keep) goes straight into a keeper fund! Carrol wants to go, maybe some average team would buy him for a couple of mil? Probably not.......it's ridiculous, even Norwich have a better keeper than us. Ridiculous.

Nige, City centre (24/02/2005 at 12:46)

Eire, Denmark, Wirral, Surrey, Birmingham, Singapore, N. Ireland, Brussels, Canada - mmmmm there's a pattern emerging here !!!!

Joel Glazer, Albuquerque (24/02/2005 at 14:16)

I have to agree with everyone on here and say we need a new quarterback and quick

Bert Mottershead.., Stalybridge (24/02/2005 at 14:25)

Roy Carroll reminds me of Paddy Roche from the 70's.. Deadpan features and a distinct look of 'No Confidence'. unlike Jim Leighton who looked like a funeral director..
How we need a confident and charasmatic goalie of the Schmeichel mold who is the 'MASTER' of his penalty area and who bosses the defence.
Please Sir Alex go out and get us one for next season.These howlers are going to cost us dearly.For once please relinquish your stubborness and realise we have a major goalkeeping problem at this level..(Europe)

david, Ottawa Canada (24/02/2005 at 15:21)

As an exiled red in the frozen wastes of Canada I was unhappy with the performance yesterday from a number of perspectives. Carroll is at best erratic and the fact that he has not signed a new deal can only be a good thing for United. His Taibi esque errors have cost us dearly this season and last nights schoolboy error could potentially be his worst yet. However, last nights failure was not entirely Carrolls fault. To play a lone striker at home is outrageous, not to mention negative. We also carried too many passengers - the two centre backs were poor, Giggs, Scholes, Rooney and Roy Keane all had bad days at the office, (something I do not expect will happen at the San Siro). I do not believe though that this is the end of our european journey and firmly believe that we will previal in Italy in two weeks time! Well we had better as its cost me a fortune to book flights to get me there!

de Meester, Amsterdamned (24/02/2005 at 15:58)

We were 'bossed'last night.
That is the fact after anylising the game.
Their side full of players taht hav eso much experience.
It hurts to say but it is true.
We still endeavour to make elimentary mistakes, in
'closing down' and not ball watching - GOAL!.
It's dissapointing when you see how bayer and Lyon, even,
have performed.
Again we've been found to be naive, and it hurts!.
Up The Reds

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