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"Ideally, everyone would like to have the stepovers and overhead kicks and be
like Ronaldo. But we all have abilities and you learn what you do well." When
Owen Hargreaves spoke candidly about his own limitations a few weeks back
there was no hint of a yearning to show down the right flank at Old Trafford
what, from his position on the substitute's bench, he has been watching the
Portuguese deliver most of this season.
Last night he provided precisely that. The hair gel was missing, the boots white
not red and Ronaldo does not pull his socks up quite so high, but it might for all
the world have been United's 37-goal man shepherding ball after ball down the
right flank.
Hargreaves seemed to have been waiting for this opportunity all his life. He might
have been signed as a holding midfielder for European nights – after Sir Alex
Ferguson admired his battling displays quelling Milan's Kaka and Lyons' Juninho,
in the Champions League for Bayern Munich – but he did not waste much time
making himself at home in Ronaldo's berth.
The game was four minutes old when Carlos Tevez first released him down the
right. A right-footed cross of the Beckham class was headed clear by Juan as
Anderson waited.
There were occasional retreats to type for Hargreaves: a clattering challenge to
dispossess David Pizarro and start another move which saw another of his own
crosses dealt with. But make no mistake – he was here to do what Ronaldo
does, morphing between the flank and central channel, and Old Trafford had to
wait less than 10 minutes for the improbable sight of Hargreaves sent racing
through on goal by Ryan Giggs. Doni's alertness denied him, but it was on the
same piece of turf that Hargreaves displayed a skill he only gets the chance to
show at Carrington. A 30-yard lofted pass from Giggs was taken down, left
-footed with all the aplomb of Wayne Rooney. This time Juan intervened as he
shaped to shoot with his right.
There were more of the hidden talents which Bayern fans probably know more
about than United, such as the decision-making which saw Hargreaves deliver a
first-time cross towards Giggs, after Tevez released him into space when others
might have gone for glory.
It was a first half of such utter dominance that it is hard to believe that United –
playing mostly with squad players – will ever have a better chance of reclaiming
the Champions League.
Hargreaves could be forgiven for thinking he was in dreamland. Ferguson's
decision to play Ji-Sung Park down the right flank in Rome was eye-catching
because of the impression it gave that Hargreaves had slipped yet further
down the pecking order. He is not utterly free of injury worries – the tendonitis
that ruined the early part of his season can still flare up – but would have hoped
for more than the solitary European start (in Lyons) before this night. Michael
Carrick's resurgence of late has seen his hopes further diminish.
This was a night of such supremacy that even Gary Neville took a place in central
midfield when he arrived to a thunderous welcome nine minutes before the end.
But by then Hargreaves had provided his most eloquent reminder that he is the
man to play when Ronaldo's resting up. Taking a pass from Tevez on 70 minutes,
skipping down the right flank and crossing, inch perfect, for the diving header
which put Roma out of sight.
"Ferguson followed and tracked Hargreaves for a long time so I don't think
playing him was presumptuous [about our threat]," Luciano Spalletti said later.
Ferguson was more succinct. "He was our man of the match," he said.
- By Ian Herbert at Old Trafford
The Independent
Article No. 2
Hargreaves in form to justify the £18m fee for once
Bought at considerable expense after a pursuit lasting more than a year, Owen
Hargreaves arrived at Manchester United last summer as the intelligent,
experienced player who was supposed to turn the club into potential Champions
League winners.
Instead, the Canadian-born England midfielder, 27, has spent much of this
season as a substitute.
United have certainly developed into one of the best teams in Europe, but they
have done it largely without the help of their £18million signing from Bayern
Munich.
Last night Hargreaves emerged from the periphery of Sir Alex Ferguson's squad
to play an important role in the type of game that he was bought for.
On this occasion, United followers began to see what the original fuss had been
about. Hargreaves — deemed so important to England — has barely been
handed the responsibility he craves by Ferguson.
Before last night, Brazilian Anderson, 20 this Sunday, had played more games
than his senior colleague, as had fledgling Portuguese winger Nani.
One of Hargreaves' most recent starts had come against Bolton — as an
emergency right back.
What Hargreaves, a Champions League finalist with Bayern, has made of it is
open to debate.
Perhaps he would concede that early-season injuries and subsequent indifferent
form has made it easy for his manager to leave him out.
But this was his moment and he rose to the occasion in a manner befitting his
stature in Europe.
Bought by Ferguson as a holding midfielder, a player to stop United being
embarrassed in Europe as they were by Milan's stellar midfield in last season's
semi-final, Hargreaves was deployed in a more offensive role last night as his
manager boldly left Paul Scholes, Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo on the
bench.
Ferguson may have surprised everybody with his team, given that United's
Barclays Premier League game against Arsenal at Old Trafford does not take
place until Sunday afternoon.
Nevertheless, Hargreaves' energy and enterprise was such that United were as
fluent and incisive as ever at times last night, especially in the first half.
With Michael Carrick playing the holding role in front of a patched-up back four,
Hargreaves, along with Anderson, was encouraged to occupy the space ahead of
that.
The manner in which Hargreaves supplied Tevez for the winning goal with 20
minutes left was typical of his contribution.
Receiving the ball wide on the right, Hargreaves delivered a clipped cross with his
right foot that was once the trademark of David Beckham.
Certainly, Hargreaves' England colleague would have been delighted with its
accuracy as the ball fell in front of Tevez, allowing the Argentine to head it past
goalkeeper Doni.
It was a superb goal and the two players had served notice of their capabilities
on several occasions prior to it.
Most noteable was a moment in the first half when Tevez sent Hargreaves clear
down the right, and his superb first-time cross set up Ryan Giggs for a left-foot
shot that Doni again saved well.
Another Hargreaves cross let Anderson in for a shot that the keeper also saved
before Hargreaves burst clear himself just before the interval, only to be stopped
by two defenders.
Having endured such a frustrating season, Hargreaves looked liberated last night
and one can imagine that he felt it.
This was, after all, only his second European start for United. Ferguson later
nominated him as his team's best player on a night when he finally began to look
like the star United bought.
- The Daily Mail
like Ronaldo. But we all have abilities and you learn what you do well." When
Owen Hargreaves spoke candidly about his own limitations a few weeks back
there was no hint of a yearning to show down the right flank at Old Trafford
what, from his position on the substitute's bench, he has been watching the
Portuguese deliver most of this season.
Last night he provided precisely that. The hair gel was missing, the boots white
not red and Ronaldo does not pull his socks up quite so high, but it might for all
the world have been United's 37-goal man shepherding ball after ball down the
right flank.
Hargreaves seemed to have been waiting for this opportunity all his life. He might
have been signed as a holding midfielder for European nights – after Sir Alex
Ferguson admired his battling displays quelling Milan's Kaka and Lyons' Juninho,
in the Champions League for Bayern Munich – but he did not waste much time
making himself at home in Ronaldo's berth.
The game was four minutes old when Carlos Tevez first released him down the
right. A right-footed cross of the Beckham class was headed clear by Juan as
Anderson waited.
There were occasional retreats to type for Hargreaves: a clattering challenge to
dispossess David Pizarro and start another move which saw another of his own
crosses dealt with. But make no mistake – he was here to do what Ronaldo
does, morphing between the flank and central channel, and Old Trafford had to
wait less than 10 minutes for the improbable sight of Hargreaves sent racing
through on goal by Ryan Giggs. Doni's alertness denied him, but it was on the
same piece of turf that Hargreaves displayed a skill he only gets the chance to
show at Carrington. A 30-yard lofted pass from Giggs was taken down, left
-footed with all the aplomb of Wayne Rooney. This time Juan intervened as he
shaped to shoot with his right.
There were more of the hidden talents which Bayern fans probably know more
about than United, such as the decision-making which saw Hargreaves deliver a
first-time cross towards Giggs, after Tevez released him into space when others
might have gone for glory.
It was a first half of such utter dominance that it is hard to believe that United –
playing mostly with squad players – will ever have a better chance of reclaiming
the Champions League.
Hargreaves could be forgiven for thinking he was in dreamland. Ferguson's
decision to play Ji-Sung Park down the right flank in Rome was eye-catching
because of the impression it gave that Hargreaves had slipped yet further
down the pecking order. He is not utterly free of injury worries – the tendonitis
that ruined the early part of his season can still flare up – but would have hoped
for more than the solitary European start (in Lyons) before this night. Michael
Carrick's resurgence of late has seen his hopes further diminish.
This was a night of such supremacy that even Gary Neville took a place in central
midfield when he arrived to a thunderous welcome nine minutes before the end.
But by then Hargreaves had provided his most eloquent reminder that he is the
man to play when Ronaldo's resting up. Taking a pass from Tevez on 70 minutes,
skipping down the right flank and crossing, inch perfect, for the diving header
which put Roma out of sight.
"Ferguson followed and tracked Hargreaves for a long time so I don't think
playing him was presumptuous [about our threat]," Luciano Spalletti said later.
Ferguson was more succinct. "He was our man of the match," he said.
- By Ian Herbert at Old Trafford
The Independent
Article No. 2
Hargreaves in form to justify the £18m fee for once
Bought at considerable expense after a pursuit lasting more than a year, Owen
Hargreaves arrived at Manchester United last summer as the intelligent,
experienced player who was supposed to turn the club into potential Champions
League winners.
Instead, the Canadian-born England midfielder, 27, has spent much of this
season as a substitute.
United have certainly developed into one of the best teams in Europe, but they
have done it largely without the help of their £18million signing from Bayern
Munich.
Last night Hargreaves emerged from the periphery of Sir Alex Ferguson's squad
to play an important role in the type of game that he was bought for.
On this occasion, United followers began to see what the original fuss had been
about. Hargreaves — deemed so important to England — has barely been
handed the responsibility he craves by Ferguson.
Before last night, Brazilian Anderson, 20 this Sunday, had played more games
than his senior colleague, as had fledgling Portuguese winger Nani.
One of Hargreaves' most recent starts had come against Bolton — as an
emergency right back.
What Hargreaves, a Champions League finalist with Bayern, has made of it is
open to debate.
Perhaps he would concede that early-season injuries and subsequent indifferent
form has made it easy for his manager to leave him out.
But this was his moment and he rose to the occasion in a manner befitting his
stature in Europe.
Bought by Ferguson as a holding midfielder, a player to stop United being
embarrassed in Europe as they were by Milan's stellar midfield in last season's
semi-final, Hargreaves was deployed in a more offensive role last night as his
manager boldly left Paul Scholes, Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo on the
bench.
Ferguson may have surprised everybody with his team, given that United's
Barclays Premier League game against Arsenal at Old Trafford does not take
place until Sunday afternoon.
Nevertheless, Hargreaves' energy and enterprise was such that United were as
fluent and incisive as ever at times last night, especially in the first half.
With Michael Carrick playing the holding role in front of a patched-up back four,
Hargreaves, along with Anderson, was encouraged to occupy the space ahead of
that.
The manner in which Hargreaves supplied Tevez for the winning goal with 20
minutes left was typical of his contribution.
Receiving the ball wide on the right, Hargreaves delivered a clipped cross with his
right foot that was once the trademark of David Beckham.
Certainly, Hargreaves' England colleague would have been delighted with its
accuracy as the ball fell in front of Tevez, allowing the Argentine to head it past
goalkeeper Doni.
It was a superb goal and the two players had served notice of their capabilities
on several occasions prior to it.
Most noteable was a moment in the first half when Tevez sent Hargreaves clear
down the right, and his superb first-time cross set up Ryan Giggs for a left-foot
shot that Doni again saved well.
Another Hargreaves cross let Anderson in for a shot that the keeper also saved
before Hargreaves burst clear himself just before the interval, only to be stopped
by two defenders.
Having endured such a frustrating season, Hargreaves looked liberated last night
and one can imagine that he felt it.
This was, after all, only his second European start for United. Ferguson later
nominated him as his team's best player on a night when he finally began to look
like the star United bought.
- The Daily Mail
