Van Gaal anxious by lack of goals
FC’s Steve Nicol and Shaka Hislop discuss Manchester United’s chances against Wolfsburg in the UEFA Champions League.
Manchester United had 13 shots compared to PSV Eindhoven’s eight in the 0-0 draw at Old Trafford on Wednesday night. However, the goalless draw leaves United facing a similarly embarrassing exit to Liverpool’s last season.
Sevilla, who scored through Vitolo in the 82nd minute with Ever Banega adding a stoppage-time penalty, have now lost their last four group games since beating the Germans in their opener, are in bottom place on three and face Juventus next.
The most annoying thing about the situation is that Manchester United had their fate comfortably within their own hands.
Reflecting on the frustrating draw with PSV, Smalling offered his verdict on what his team could have done better: “I think we needed to move the ball a little bit quicker and just take our chances really”.
“It’s a learning curve for us, but we can’t go on saying it’s a learning curve”.
“I can not say every game in the interview with you that we didn’t finish but it is the truth”.
But the Dutchman insists his team can still make it through to the Last 16 of the competition.
Group B is nicely placed with Wolfsburg leading with nine points, followed by United (8) and PSV lie third a point below. We can win everywhere. “We did a great job twice in our home games and we have to do it again”. With Michael Carrick and Ander Herrera out injured, plus Juan Mata only given six minutes at the end, the main reason United failed to win this game was the lack of drive in midfield and the fact that the entire team simply seemed to run out of steam.
“Of course I am anxious, but I also know that goals are coming and going”, admitted Van Gaal.
Louis van Gaal’s side came out firing in the second half and went close on three occasions in the five minutes after half time. “In the second half it became open – they had chances but with the chances we created we felt we should have won so there is a lot of disappointment”. “That is their style”, PSV coach Phillip Cocu said. They were not the most hard chances, but we didn’t score and the next game you can score out of nothing. They couldn’t find a solution to beat our defense. Tactically, we were very good.
Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic crowned a triumphant homecoming with a second-half goal as Paris St Germain crushed Malmo 5-0 to book a place in the last 16.