Brave United undone by mistakes as Bayern heap more misery on Fergie...

United atoned for recent poor performances in a pulsating first half-last night when Bayern Munich were the visitors to Old Trafford. It was an action-packed Champions League second leg quarter final tie. One that didn't disappoint and the home crowd were very much up for it. The champions were dominant from the off and they deservedly raced into a two-nil lead inside the first six minutes as they turned the tie around.

Ferguson gambled on the fitness of Wayne Rooney, who started against the odds; in the pre-match press conference, the United manager was adamant that Rooney would not start, but he said his talisman might play some part from the bench. As things turned out, Rooney was in from the start and you wonder if the player had selected himself.

There was no doubts about the decision to play Darron Gibson; the manager used Park Ji-Sung in a similar role at the weekend against Chelsea. It didn't work as Chelsea went on to win. But against Bayern it was the Ulsterman who was tasked with supporting Rooney from an attacking central midfield position; the ploy worked quite magnificently in the opening minute. Rafael started the move that led to the opening goal when he robbed Ribery just over the half-way line, before advancing quickly and then playing a good ball to the feet of Rooney, who in turn played it to Gibson who blasted home to give United the perfect start.

Just a few minutes later and Nani put United two-nil up; as on so many other occasions this season, a move that started on the right flank ended with a goal; this time it was United's in-form Portuguese winger who was on target, scoring with a clever flick off the heel of his right boot, after good work by Valencia who supplied the cross.

A shell-shocked Bayern team were not in the game at this point, so much so they were in danger of being blown away by a rampant United. United had Bayern on the rack, and more goals looked likely.

Thirty three minutes into the contest, Rafael, was guilty of taking the wrong option following a brilliant counter-attacking raid which he'd started; the move should have ended with another goal, but the young Brazilian went for glory, instead of pulling the ball back to Rooney who surely would have added to United's growing tally.

Despite taking the wrong option, the young Brazilian was having a fine game; he had Ribery in check; in the first-leg, the Frenchman had the beating of Gary Neville at will, but it wasn't a bit like that last night as the tables were very much turned. However, Rafael showed his inexperience again when getting booked on 17 minutes for hitting out at Van Bommel - it was a booking that would later lead to United's Champions League exit.

Five minutes before the break, United scored from another counter-attack and once again the move started on the right, and once again it was Nani who smashed home another brilliant goal. Rafael started the move with a quick throw-in to Valencia and his cross was lashed home from the edge to Bayern penalty area. It should have been United's fourth goal of the night, but at that point, three looked like enough. But, just two minutes later, Michael Carrick was guilty of giving Bayern an undeserved life-line when he failed to make a challenge on Olic who went on to score, from a headed knockdown inside the United penalty area.

Earlier, Rooney had been injured when a Bayern defender made a clumsy challenge; from that point onwards the United striker was pretty a much a passenger, but the player insisted he was okay to carry on, when clearly he wasn't.

United went into the break 3-1 up. It was somewhat surprising that Rooney wasn't withdrawn at the interval. Rooney's lack of mobility was a major factor in Bayern's revival - that and Ferguson not having faith in his subs on the bench.

Rooney was eventually replaced fifty five minutes into the game; but John O'Shea was the wrong choice, because it left United with no striker up front, and as a direct consequence the ball just kept on coming back, in so doing putting more pressure on the defence.

As the second-half went on, it was Bayern who took control. The turning point in the game hinged on Rafael picking up his second yellow card of the night, just five minutes after the break; on this occasion for an ill-advised challenge on Ribery. The sight of half the Bayern team surrounding the referee was sickening, but it was another needless caution and United went on to pay a very high price.

United were down to ten men, and as a result played out the remainder of the half on the back foot. It felt as though it was only a matter of time before Bayern got that vital second away goal and on 73 minutes it arrived from a Ribery corner.

Despite United being down to 10 men, they should have been able to pick up the Bayern players inside the United penalty area. However, when the ball was crossed, there was two unmarked Bayern players inside the box; one of them was Robben, once again Carrick tried and failed to make a telling challenge. Robben scored a brilliant goal, one that ended United's hopes of making it into the semi-finals.

Robben has been to Bayern, what Rooney has been to United this season - the fact he was left unmarked on the edge of the box was an act of criminal negligence. Being down to 10 men is no excuse for such shoddy organisation.

In summary; it was a brave effort by United, but once again mistakes played a big part in the Red Devils downfall. Having gone three nil up, United should have been good enough to progress; the fact that United didn't progress should be cause for concern. In all probability, Barca will go on to retain the trophy. Barca, would probably have wiped the floor with the current United team, as Fergie hasn't addressed any of the issues that were so obvious in last year's final.

The spine of the team needs to be significantly strengthened with the addition of at least three new players. The question is, does Fergie still have the where-with-all to find the players, and importantly, the funds to bring them to Old Trafford?