Champions League Final 2009: Manchester United vs Barcelona.Wed 27th May. Rome.

[Minder]

Was good to see Fergie taking the defeat in the proper way. He showed that bit of class that other managers could learn from. But then some other managers will never have class.

Post of the year.

[A Quinn Martin Production]

First of all hands up...I backed MU to win 3-1 so I must preface anything I write with the admission that I seem to know feck all about soccer.  Not much to add to the general jist of what has already been said, MU were played off the pitch by a much better team.  Reservations about Barca's defence were unfounded as MU didn't get much chance to attack them after the first 10 mins and Puyol had a great game and Pique (of the handball ) was a contender for man of the match...if Ferguson is such a good judge of a player how come he let him go?  

On other subjects, the premiership may be the self styled "best" league in the world but clearly Spain has the best players.  The best player in the world??  For me there's a sheet of paper between Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta, two all-round geniuses.

Not much here made of Ferguson's tactics, one sage on the board mentioned MU's one paced midfield, and that's spot on, Giggs. Carrick (Dunphy once called him a nothing player), Anderson and Park...no speed there (Iniesta is deceptively quick) and the decision to start with Tevez on the bench??

Myself and Norf Tyrone often have to put up with quips about Chelsea's lack of "class" (whatever that is) but in the last 10 minutes there were some pretty nasty challenges from Utd players.  Sad to see Scholes (once a great player) reducing to clogging for a living...he should have got the line for the "tackle" on Busquets and Ronaldo was lucky to stay on after a two footed lunge at Puyol.  MU usually are fairly graceless losers and Ferdinand and Ferguson (admittedly in the heat of the moment) seemed to blame defensive lapses for the defeat when everyone else knew they had been outplayed.

Only Chelsea seem to have had the measure of Barca in Europe this season

[longrunsthefox]

Was good to see Fergie taking the defeat in the proper way. He showed that bit of class that other managers could learn from. But then some other managers will never have class.

Post of the year.

Did he not say Messi wasn't really  a problem  Time for the old people's home...

[Minder]

From bbc website

Lorry driver James Loney, who had travelled from Lurgan, County Armagh to watch the match, said he was devastated.

He said: "There's no point in pretending otherwise, but I've been a United fan all my life, 40 years.
Was your oul fella not there to tuck you in last night Our Nail...........?

[maxpower]

Was good to see Fergie taking the defeat in the proper way. He showed that bit of class that other managers could learn from. But then some other managers will never have class.

Post of the year.

Did he not say Messi wasn't really  a problem  Time for the old people's home...

Too be fair Messi wasn't the main problem, the main problem was United could not get the ball of Xavi or Iniesta
Not overly disapointed, if you have to get beat, and even great teams do, then Barcelona is the team to get beat by and at least Man U tried to play some football.  The fact was Barca were much superior on the night and United's ball retention was woeful and the normally reliable defence was shoddy.  Though JOS did well enough

[longrunsthefox]

F** it... here goes  2-0 Barcelona (Messi and someone else)

This board is freaking me out  a bit. Posted this at 6pm yesterday. Am a useless tipster and everyone I did on the board comes up trumps! yiks!  Four previous with Everton right too! Is scaring me 

[ziggysego]

F** it... here goes  2-0 Barcelona (Messi and someone else)

This board is freaking me out  a bit. Posted this at 6pm yesterday. Am a useless tipster and everyone I did on the board comes up trumps! yiks!  Four previous with Everton right too! Is scaring me 

You most have sold your soul to the Devil.

[longball]

I would have loved to see Liverpool play Barca this year think the liverpool set-up of:

    Xavi A           Masch

Kuyt        Gerrard        Yossi

              Torres

would have done much more to cope with the threat of Xavi and Iniesta.

Think last nites final is a sad end to the likes of Giggs and Scholes who both looked like they just didnt have the legs anymore

[full back]

Dont know what to say

Thoroughly outplayed last night & the short comings of some Utd players were brutally exposed by a Barca team that are superb.
Bar the first 10 mins Utd didnt get close to them.

I thought earlier in the season the midfield wasnt up to it & this seems to be the case. The strikers/wingers covered for this lack of quality.

For what its worth

VDS - may have got a stronger hand to the 1st goal, not bad otherwise
OShea - he may have been Utd's best performer (not saying much)
Vidic - very shaky (like the game against the scousers)
Rio - on a night when Utd neded leaders he was AWOL
Evra - exposed time & time again
Giggs - sh1te. POTY my hole
Carrick - didnt want to know
Anderson - cause of the first goal, not world class standard
Park - ran all night (much like a headless chicken)
Ronaldo - had a shoot on sight policy, greedy, but at least he tried
Rooney - very disappointing for 2nd CL Final in a row. Couldnt pass it 5 yrds
SUBS
Tevez - high workrate as usual, nothing else
Berbatov - sh1te. The free header summed his season up
Scholes - came on, tried to break someones legs, not much else

All in all, Utd were exposed & torn to shreds
In reality if it had finished 4-0 there could have been no complaints

Probably sounds like a scathing attack on the players, but that is the harsh reality when you play against a team like Barca.
Fergie would have been better of in keeping it tight (like Chelsea) and using Utds undoubted counter attacking skills.
Schoolboy error to try & play Barca at their own game

[Billys Boots]

A few punters were well off the mark with their predictions in the first few pages of this thread - not being one to gloat or nuffin

I was one of those - genuinely thought that Utd would be too strong for their midfield, but they certainly weren't.  Complete display from Xavi and Iniesta in the middle - a joy to watch.  Eto's goal was the turning point, Utd were a busted flush even that early.

[longrunsthefox]

Bless their hearts...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZ1ME1aqW4I

[AbbeySider]

Thats right Rafa, we won it 5ive Times 

Actually only one

Eh?

Thats wrong Rafa.
Won What 5 times?
Ye have only won one Champions League title.
European cup was different tournament, different qualifications, different cup.

[Minder]

Thats right Rafa, we won it 5ive Times 

Actually only one

Eh?

Thats wrong Rafa.
Won What 5 times?
Ye have only won one Champions League title.
European cup was different tournament, different qualifications, different cup.

Same cup horse.

[gawa316]

different cup.

1977


1978


1981


1984


2005



They all look pretty similar to me

[deiseach]

Was good to see Fergie taking the defeat in the proper way. He showed that bit of class that other managers could learn from. But then some other managers will never have class.

That's a bit rich given the churlish manner in which he usually takes defeat. Still, he was very dignified last night and you have to give him that.