Europe Endless

So, we're through. We weren't at our best and Inter had their chances, but it always had the feeling of a game that we would win. Had Inter scored we would simply have stepped up a gear. And that is the line that most of the papers, to their credit, take. There's always one though, and it quite often seems to be The Independent. James Lawton begins his article with a rather insulting comparison:

In Milan Manchester United oozed the quality of masters of Europe. Here they looked nothing like that. Indeed, at times it seemed they could do with a few lessons in conviction from, yes, Liverpool.

Whatever. Considering Liverpool had the first two goals gifted to them and were playing a Real team who were completely hopeless on the night, I'm not sure where he gets this conviction thing from. And then he decides to randomly have a go at Ronaldo, how bloody original:

Wayne Rooney, who had never done anything but run to the point of exhaustion, made it happen, carried United beyond their crisis, when he sent in the perfect cross for Cristiano Ronaldo. It was a touch of bite and beauty and for once Ronaldo had his mind – and his head – in precisely the right place.

What? Is he talking about the game or just Ronaldo in general? I'm fairly sure Ronaldo is second top scorer in the Premiership with 12 goals, in a season where he has been spending a lot more time on the wing than last season. So, "for once", what is that supposed to mean?
Martin Samuel's assessment in The Mail takes much more notice of reality:

This victory may not win the prize for the performance of the week by an English club in Europe, but do not underestimate it. There were flaws, yes, and a 20-minute period when the champions of Europe were far from comfortable but Inter Milan are the finest team in Italy, and this is a notoriously difficult time in the season for European Cup holders.

The last 16 has been the graveyard of champions for those lifting the European crown in the previous four seasons and, having run through it without fear, Ferguson's players can now let their imaginations go wild.

...

This was a tremendous challenge, far greater than the previous four champions of Europe have faced at this stage. Yet United were never in danger; not really. There was a brief time when Inter played to their potential and it was unnerving, but a goal after four minutes in each half is a fine way to settle the spirit and, even though Inter hit post and bar, nobody can claim that United were fortunate over two legs.

Good old reason. Inter tested us for sure, but isn't that what the Champions League is about, coming through challenges? And it was just a 20 minute spell where Inter showed they wouldn't be a walkover, taking some pride from the game, but even then "United were never in danger"
While a lot of the talk is centred on Mourinho, Kevin McCarra, in The Guardian, points out the obvious:

It would be wrong ... to pretend that managers were the key.

What say did Mourinho have when Internazionale ineptly allowed Nemanja Vidic to open the scoring? Where was Ferguson's influence, for that matter, when Zlatan Ibrahimovic adhered to his sorrowful reputation in this phase of the competition by squandering his chance to level the game at 1-1 and put his side in front on away goals. The safest conclusion about this tie is that United are the far more accomplished group.

In his heart Mourinho would have realised there was little prospect that he would be racing down the sideline as he did here when Porto scored the goal that eliminated United at this phase of the Champions League in 2004. The Old ­Trafford crowd chanted "You're not ­special any more" at the Portuguese, whose job security may be little better than that of his predecessor Roberto Mancini. He had also disappointed the president Massimo Moratti in this tournament.

Mourinho cannot transcend the limitations of a group of footballers who ­malfunctioned when the contest had barely begun.

Having said that, David Pleat, and a few others, point out Sir Alex's tactical change that helped our cause:

Yet here, again, was evidence of Sir Alex Ferguson's ability to react and out-think a rival manager, with the tactical switch that allowed the hosts to nullify the threat posed by the visitors' marauding right-back, Maicon, key to smoothing Manchester United's progress.
Yet Sir Alex soon spotted the danger and duly made the key switch, asking Rooney to move to a position out on the left – not an unfamiliar role for the England striker in Europe – to contain Maicon.Rooney, now tracking the Brazilian, positioned himself so the full-back did not receive the ball in free space as he had in the first half. Giggs, as sprightly as ever, worked more centrally to mirror Inter's threesome but also gave Berbatov support through the centre when he could.

While in contrast, The Sun points out, "Mourinho was running out of ideas and hope".
At least he made an entrance, from The Telegraph:

He was on parade last night. Only Roy Keane has looked cooler in a suit at Old Trafford. He must have practised his entrance in the hotel before leaving. Hands stuffed in pockets, jaws wrapped around gum, the Special One bowled into Manchester like the sheriff in Dodge City. I've come to clean up this town.

And again:

Arguably, the most eye-catching performance from someone with Inter connections came when Mourinho had entered this famous arena. Breaking off from hugging Carlos Tevez in the tunnel, Mourinho marched on his own down the touchline, milking the mix of applause and many jeers tumbling forth from the United faithful. It was a piece of pure theatre from the Special One, who will have particularly enjoyed the song accompanying his every step towards the dug-out - "This Is The One’’. His smile soon disappeared. As an audition to be Ferguson’s long-term successor, this was a night of fluffed lines.

Mourinho was magnanimous after the game, from The Mail:

Mourinho said United could go on to win five trophies this season. He said: 'Yes, they can do it. They have the same team as they had when I was in this country but they have been together for five years.

'They are in the right moment to be at the top of their careers. They have the experience and the quality.

'They deserved to win and we have to accept that. But you do need luck in this competition and we didn't have it tonight.'

Although telling the truth by saying how good we are obviously suits his agenda anyway. Sir Alex points out where our problems lay while hailing the victory:

'I didn't know if I was watching a game of football or suicide! I thought we'd kill them off after the first goal but we left the door open and we were lucky to be ahead at half-time.

'We started to give the ball away and Inter should have been level.

'We try to drum into players that possession is important at this level but they forgot that in the first half.

'They started trying flicks and playing balls into space where there was nobody there.

'It was practice football and allowed Inter to get into the game. They were the better team for that period.

'But we have played a team that has played at its maximum and to get through is a big plus for us because we will be better in the next round.'

There's a nice description of Ibrahimovic by Paul Hayward on The Guardian blog:

Apparently there is a man who has seen Ibrahimovic perform brilliantly all the way through a really big game, but he is believed to be in Patagonia and left no contact number, so the claim cannot be verified.

Still yet to score in Champions League knock out games in 16 attempts.
There's a story about a dispute between FIFA and The FA about wearing a badge on our shirts, from The Telegraph:

The Premier League have risked a potential diplomatic row with Fifa by refusing Manchester United permission to wear a crest denoting their status as world champions on their shirts for the rest of the year.

United's famous red shirts bore the badge for the first time in last night's Champions League clash with Inter Milan but the Old Trafford side have been told by Soho Square that they will not be allowed to use it during Premier League games.

While the stand-off appears to be simply both organisations flexing their muscles, there are fears it could spill over and harm England's bid to host the 2018 World Cup. Sources close to the bid accept that such a skirmish is unlikely to be a deal-breaker but believe acquiescing to Fifa's wishes would avoid possible loss of good will at the game's governing body.

Moving swiftly on to Saturday, The Sun have "Tel's Big Match Countdown", in which Terry Venables looks at the clash between Vidic and Torres. Why anyone would be interested enough in "Tel"'s opinion to want it spread over a few days is beyond me.