Last time the equivalent thread was locked before I got to say anything so I'm trying to get in earlier now.
I've skipped most of the pages here. I don't really fancy reading posts from bad winners and sore losers, which are probably rife over the past 10-15 pages, but I'm probably missing many good posts too... Might read it when I've calmed down a bit.
I can't say the performance was shocking. Porto huffed and puffed and rarely had any good chances. Whilst we didn't really do anything neither. On the whole I'd say we defended well but we just weren't good enough in attack, again. Giggs had a game where he did sweet F.A. and I was worried that Scholes was doing the same because other than the goal he did nothing in the first half. After the break though, his game improved, and so did that of Man Utd.
I have to say that I used to respect Porto, but over the past 2 legs I've lost quite a bit of the respect I had for them due to their theatrics. I must stress however, that this has very little to do with the result, which we didn't play well enough to get over the 2 legs, but then neither did Porto, imo. But their theatrics were awful and if they have to rely on those antics to win games, and I believe it played a large part in todays game, then I don't want to see them win at all.
Take away the ugly side of their game (and it's difficult to see passed it when they are so unsporting against your team) and they are a good team. Unlike Portuguese teams in the past they were well organised. Normally I'd associate top notch technical ability in Portuguese teams but Porto have taken it to another level.
Looking at the 2 legs as a whole as well, you have to say that Porto scored 2 class goals in the first leg, the second was particularly special as I can't ever remember a header like it. I'd like to think that in the end it was those 2 goals that did it but it wasn't it was a stupid last minute equaliser after a linesman conned us out of a goal.
Unfortunately, I have a load of gripes about this tie. We didn't play well at all, but we won that 90mins if the ref was good. The offside decision was attrocious. ffs there were at least 3 Porto players playing Scholes onside. Absolutely appalling, but that's part of the story of our season to date.
C Alberto's dive in the penalty area meritted a yellow card, not least for his persistant diving throughout the first half. But then he was off the field when the equaliser went in.
O'Shea was terrible. Last season he looked the part, this season he looks like more of a spare part. Sort it out O'Shea, you have to earn the right to play in the red shirt.
Looking again at it, you could say that of the 11 players we had out there, only Ruud, Scholes, Giggs, G Neville and Howard would normally be playing. P Neville perhaps, but not in that position. Our defense had everyone playing an unfamiliar other than Brown who was phenomenal today. But that's part of football.
Djemba's injury, Ronaldo's injury, the ridiculous offside (Stevie Wonder wearing ear-muffs would've spotted that it was ONSIDE!!!), suspensions (self-inflicted or otherwise) and injury have absolutely blighted our campaigns. Still it can't be used to excuse our performances.
This United team is currently very much a team for the future, I guess that shows promise. But the potential must be realised. Ronaldo is starting to consistantly show the promise that he had shown in patches up until Christmas, and 2Djembas has impressed me immensly when he has played. Howard is already showing signs that he is World Class, and not just potentially World Class. Not forgetting Fletcher, also in his first season is starting to find a level of consistancy which is needed at the top level. It's not too late for this season yet, there still the FA Cup and as long is it's mathematically possible to win the league there's no reason to give up on that either.
If we'd gone out like we did in the 2nd leg against Real Madrid last year there would be no complaints, but we haven't. Since 99 every season we've gone out, we've gone out with a whimper, either showing too much respect to the opposition(Bayern, Real) or not enough (Leverkusen). I wouldn't say that we didn't respect Porto's ability we just met them at the wrong time for us. But there should not be a 'wrong time' to meet a team.
But to lose to a team of cheats where the ref has cost us as much as our poor performances, whether Porto played well or not, is a bitter pill to swallow.
Rating...
Howard 6 - Solid performance, pity that he didn't just tip that free-kick wide.
Brown 8 - Brilliant.
G Neville 7 - Did well out of position.
P Neville 5 - Stop hoofing the ball up the pitch aimlessly
O'Shea 4.5 - Offered little, except for the cross which lead to Scholes' goal (which earns him a bonus point)
Butt 7 - Would now re-take his place from Phil Neville in a United team with a fully fit squad to choose from
Djemba-Djemba 7 - Couple of shakey defensive errors, loses him 0.5 of a point. Other than that, can't fault him.
Fletcher 7 - Took a while to settle in but then showed promise.
Scholes 6 - An average performance despite a nicely taken couple of goals (one of which was ruled out in one of the worst line-calls of all time)
Giggs 5 - A very weak performance from our left side, but Giggs did better defensively than O'Shea.
Ruud 5 - Poor service prevented him from getting into the game.
Subs:
Saha 5 - Could've been useful if the supply was there.
Ronaldo 6 - Ref missed the foul that injured him
Solskjaer 6 - Anonymous after his introduction.
Notables for Porto:
C Alberto - Did well to earn many free-kicks from non-existent fouls.
The linesman - good call.
Here try these glasses.
IceBlu... Glad that Juve and United are in the same boat. Whilst our exit comforts you, Juve's exit comforts me.
have a taste of your own medicine now!!!! hahahahaha... 
