Man Utd Thread:

[gallsman]

I've always said Mascherano isn't a midfielder... Barca have realised that by playing him in defence. At best he's a right back. All he can do is tackle... he's not a footballer.

Neither lucas nor Carrick can tackle, however they do seem to be able to pass the ball... Carrick slightly better, however Lucas seems more mobile. However, I don't think any of them are good enough to start for UTD!

carrick cant tackle , i'll give you that, but lucas was one of the top tacklers in the Pl last season.
just because he doesnt go flying into tackles doesnt mean he isnt winning the ball back.

Carrick doing a pretty passable impression of a defensive midfielder

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Az-ly_hqLWE

lads carrick is DUNG, luckiest player ever to have the medals he has. i hope Cleverly and Ando can keep their places in the team ahead of him

Carrick & indeed Lucas have done a decent job as defensive midfielders but most would look "DUNG" compared to Barca. Darren Fletcher seems to be a forgotten man in these parts? a fully fit Fletcher is arguably one of the best defensive midfielders in the PL.

Fletcher is one of the best defensive midfielders in the league, and was a big factor in the 2009 and 2011 Champions League final results.  I read an article saying that Hargreaves would be good cover for De Jong if fit, but for me if Hargreaves is fit he will easily be the number 1 player in that position in the league.  Brilliant holding midfielder.

The deification of Owen Hargreaves continues. He had a good (but overrated) WC for England in 2006 and then had one good season at United having been distinctly average for Bayern for 3/4 years. To describe him as the number 1 in the league is laughable.

[gallsman]

Nrico, you still talking this nonsense that those finals would have been any different with Fletcher playing ?!

Had Fletch not been suspended in 09 and Fergie had picked the right team I'd say yeah United could have beaten them. In '11 Fletch would have made as much difference as me..

Also, and this isn't being snarky Boycey, but he'd have done nothing in 2009 either. Even if he had done a bit of defensive job and won some ball, he wouldn't have held onto to it much longer. United's only glimmer of hope in that game was Ronaldo and he fizzled out very early.

[nrico2006]

Nrico, you still talking this nonsense that those finals would have been any different with Fletcher playing ?!

Had Fletch not been suspended in 09 and Fergie had picked the right team I'd say yeah United could have beaten them. In '11 Fletch would have made as much difference as me..

IF, if and if. Never likely.

Nobody knows how much a difference he would have made, but the fact remains that in 2009 and 2011 he was Uniteds number one ball winner/spoiler and without him United had none in those finals and simply could not break up the Barca play in the middle.  If he had been there, things 'could' have been different as he would have potentially disrupted Barcelonas game and enabled United to get more of the ball. 

[Boycey]

Nrico, you still talking this nonsense that those finals would have been any different with Fletcher playing ?!

Had Fletch not been suspended in 09 and Fergie had picked the right team I'd say yeah United could have beaten them. In '11 Fletch would have made as much difference as me..

Also, and this isn't being snarky Boycey, but he'd have done nothing in 2009 either. Even if he had done a bit of defensive job and won some ball, he wouldn't have held onto to it much longer. United's only glimmer of hope in that game was Ronaldo and he fizzled out very early.

To be fair I'd reckon Fergie playing the wrong team was the bigger factor but Fletch being suspended probably contributed to that. Barca in '09 weren't yet at the standard they are now and United in '09 while not as good as in '08 were infinitely better than they were in 2011. United had reduced Barca to half chances only a year before (albeit with a half fit Messi) and Chelsea had out played them over 2 legs only a few weeks previous only to be denied by some bizarre refereeing. 2009 always feels like the one that got away to me, United never did themselves justice on the day. But 2011 as chastening as it was probably showed the right gap between the 2 teams.

I don't suppose any of this has changed your opinion but then again you will hardly change mine either

[Bingo]

What was the team played that day and what should have been played?

From memory of watching the game, I can't recall United ever looking likely in that game, perhaps for a period early on but then Barca scored.

[paco]

United were missing Fletcher in 2009, but you must also remember that Barcelona were missing Dani Alves and Abidal. As someone said earlier, United's best hope was Ronaldo, especially with Sylvinho-who was 35 at the time-playing left back.

[Boycey]

Ferguson played a defensive 451 system rather like he would in the away leg of a 2 legged tie.

VDS
O'shea, Ferd, Vidic, Evra
Park, Giggs,Carrick, anderson, Rooney
Ronaldo

leaving Tevez, Berba and Scholes on the bench.

Bingo - Was at game and have never watched it on tv since but from memory United had 3 decent half chances early on with Parks probably the best and a Berbatov chance straight after Messis goal but other than that did very little.

Paco - Ronaldo played up top criminally not exploiting a perceived weakness in Sylvinho??

[new devil]

Rooney with another 2 goals tonight for England...just a matter of time until he gets injured always seems to happen when he's in a great run of form

[ross4life]

Another goal for Hernández tonight decent international record of 22 goals in 30 games.

[Minder]

Rooney with another 2 goals tonight for England...just a matter of time until he gets injured always seems to happen when he's in a great run of form

Youse must be proud of the 3 Lions roaring tonight.

[new devil]

I like to see united players do well for there country's....aren't you the same with liverpool players?

[Minder]

I like to see united players do well for there country's....aren't you the same with liverpool players?

Not for England. I prefer them to lose every game 5-0.

[muppet]

do well for there country's

Sad to think that many half literate kids could probably spell Chicharito perfectly.

[laoislad]

I like to see united players do well for there country's....aren't you the same with liverpool players?

Not for England. I prefer them to lose every game 5-0.

[Puckoon]