Roiling football blather

[vimothy]

I agree with that.

 

[hucks]

It was the most one sided final since...Euro 2008. There is an obvious Xavi & Iniesta overlap between those teams, and once they are in control they are pretty much unplayable.

 

[crackerjack]

im amazed that people enjoyed this. what was there to enjoy? a load of nervewracked
blokes in white tshirts standing by listlessly as barca wove an intricate web of non-consequential passes around the centre of the pitch. it was as boring as watching serie A. rooney seems to be suffering some sort of cirsis of confidence, possibly due to being so comprehensively outshone by ronaldo, carrick was utterly pointless, song was a bag of nerves, im not sure giggs touched the ball.
i wasn't bothered about who won, but i was looking foward to seeing a tight, competitive, exciting football match, that pile of shit didn't come close. barca weren't very impressive, utd were abject.

Song? Did Utd merge with Arsenal for the occasion? That would explain a lot.

It was the most one sided final since...Euro 2008. There is an obvious Xavi & Iniesta overlap between those teams, and once they are in control they are pretty much unplayable.

But an absolute delight to watch. Two small blokes (three including Messi) who just seem able to control the ball under any circumstances. FIFA may have to change the laws on tackling to stop them winning everything.

 

[luka]

a typo? from me? impossible.
i don't think barca are nearly as good as you think.

 

[crackerjack]

a typo? from me? impossible.
i don't think barca are nearly as good as you think.

Well they were helped in being up against Anderson, whose game has gone for a burton, and Carrick, who has most of what it takes but is a yard too slow at the top level. Fletcher would've made it a tighter match, and maybe with that extra possession, United's forwards would've shown their usual confidence.

But you can only beat the side in front of you. Liverpool have been the best team in England over the last four months. Iniesta and Xavi vs Alonso and Mascherano would've been a more even contest.

 

[IdleRich]

"United not dynamic enough, neither in attack nor in defence."

Yeah, they just seemed curiously lacking in heart. Never had any oomph to have a go at them.

"im amazed that people enjoyed this. what was there to enjoy? a load of nervewracked
blokes in white tshirts standing by listlessly as barca wove an intricate web of non-consequential passes around the centre of the pitch. it was as boring as watching serie A."

Yeah, that's what I thought. The early goal was supposed to set up a good match but the second it went in United looked shell-shocked and never recovered and the match never had any real tension or even moments of excitement.
Iniesta class again though.

 

[IdleRich]

"Well they were helped in being up against Anderson, whose game has gone for a burton, and Carrick, who has most of what it takes but is a yard too slow at the top level. Fletcher would've made it a tighter match, and maybe with that extra possession, United's forwards would've shown their usual confidence."

But even when Carrick had the ball he couldn't pass it yesterday - it was as though they had a collective attack of nerves. With hindsight United were light in central midfield with too many players too far up the pitch. I can see why that seemed like a good tactic with Barcelona's make-shift defence but as it turned out it really looked better than their first choice back four - funny to see Puyol coming forward.

 

[crackerjack]

funny to see Puyol coming forward.

He redefines the traditional overlapping full-back with a touch of stampeding elephant. He had a cracking game actually - how come Ronaldo and Rooney never really skinned him once? ridiculous.

 

[IdleRich]

"He redefines the traditional overlapping full-back with a touch of stampeding elephant. He had a cracking game actually - how come Ronaldo and Rooney never really skinned him once? ridiculous."

Rooney seemed to be lacking in confidence as well - every time he got the ball in a vaguely threatening position he crossed it straight away, I'd rather have seen him taking a few people on.

 

[crackerjack]

The Sun are calling it a Messi-cre! Gawd love 'em

 

[scottdisco]

can't speak for anyone else Luka, obvs, but the reason why i enjoyed it is because i'm an embittered City fan, in a similar manner to how Telford don't like Shrewsbury, Swansea and Cardiff, Wolves and West Brom etc

 

[routes]

rooney's turning into sheringham, isn't he?! slow, industrious, often makes simple things look hard, does the occasional ridiculously stunning thing..

 

[scottdisco]

speaking of Sheringham on the ITV1 coverage, do you think he'd had a few shandies before he got into the studio?!

 

[IdleRich]

"rooney's turning into sheringham, isn't he?! slow, industrious, often makes simple things look hard, does the occasional ridiculously stunning thing.."

Don't really see the comparison to be honest.

speaking of Sheringham on the ITV1 coverage, do you think he'd had a few shandies before he got into the studio?!

He did look a bit flushed and strangely animated.

 

[crackerjack]

rooney's turning into sheringham, isn't he?! slow, industrious, often makes simple things look hard, does the occasional ridiculously stunning thing..

Ha ha, no fucking way. You obviously missed the bit where he took a corner, then chased back and caught Messi as he was breaking clear.

People seem to be slagging him off today, but I didn't think he was that bad. United's problems were clearly in midfield (as they have been all season, IMO).

 

[IdleRich]

Yeah, agreed. They seemed light in centre midfield and to bring on more attackers was a kind of desperate throw of the dice rather than sensibly addressing the fundamental problem.

 

[scottdisco]

you all seem very OTM re the stuff in the centre of the park. more ballast and less holes please.

Pique played well, also.

as earlier in the year when Torres had him in his pocket, Vidic can struggle at times against real top class oppo.

 

[IdleRich]

"Pique played well, also."

Yeah, I kind of thought that however well they are playing the game is never over 'cause you can rely on them to give away some stupid chances at the back, but for once they didn't. Mainly down to Pique I think.

 

[crackerjack]

Yeah, agreed. They seemed light in centre midfield and to bring on more attackers was a kind of desperate throw of the dice rather than sensibly addressing the fundamental problem.

That said, who did they have to replace the inadequate midfielders? Scholes would have retained and passed it better than Giggs, I suppose - but PS is only half an option these days. But they really missed a ball-winner (hi Darren), and someone to drive forward and raid in the box. If Rooney had played in the hole....but for all their depth in numbers, United lack a world-class midfield at the mo and Fergie's kidding himself if he thinks you can build on around Giggs.

 

[IdleRich]

"That said, who did they have to replace the inadequate midfielders? Scholes would have retained and passed it better than Giggs, I suppose - but PS is only half an option these days. But they really missed a ball-winner (hi Darren), and someone to drive forward and raid in the box. If Rooney had played in the hole....but for all their depth in numbers, United lack a world-class midfield at the mo and Fergie's kidding himself if he thinks you can build on around Giggs."

Well I'm moaning about the deployment rather than the personnel but, yeah, Fletcher's sending off looks more significant now.