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| Champions League | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Aug 13 2007, 02:00 PM (4,079 Views) | |
| Pepe | Apr 24 2008, 11:32 AM Post #301 |
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I know why the Barcelona fans get frustrated with their team, so often they wanted to walk the ball into the net rather than shoot it! Will somebody other than Deco please shoot the ball from more than 15 meters out? Both teams, as somebody else wrote, really should be angered at themselves, Manchester United for missing that penalty then playing 89 minutes of some of the most negative football I've seen this season, and Barcelona for not having the courage to shoot the ball and take advantage of how they were controlling the midfield. In the end I think it is true both teams really were playing this game just to get to the next. Hopefully that one will then provide more entertainment and better all around play. |
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| Yogi | Apr 24 2008, 01:51 PM Post #302 |
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So much for my wish for an attractive game between Barcelona and Manchester United but at this level fear takes over for the teams and coaches and they get so conservative. Who would have thought we'd see Carlos Tevez basically playing as a two way midfielder and Wayne Rooney on the right of midfield? I'll join the others here in hoping game 2of both series turns out to be more interesting than the first legs were. |
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| Dr. Z | Apr 24 2008, 03:58 PM Post #303 |
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Well in Barcelona's defense it is difficult to penetrate against a team that put 10 players behind the ball. I'll also join others in thinking the return leg should be more interesting as there should be more space available as Manchester United won't play as conservatively at home. |
| Poniendo el pecho a las balas! | |
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| robdog | Apr 24 2008, 07:44 PM Post #304 |
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The funny thing about the first round of the Champion's League, is the fact everyone was saying how boring L'Puke vs. Chelsea would be. At least there was drama with the lack of calls or whatever. Then the goals. I tried to watch the manure vs. barfa match, but I couldn't understand why Henry didn't start, especially with his success vs manure. Then what was SAF thinking He has three talented attacking players in Tevez, Fake Ronaldo, and Looney Rooney, but didn't let them go at Barfa. Oh well, as long as the rest of the world is happy with this fixture. <_< I take boring Chelsea vs L'Puke any day. Oh btw, this was a penalty
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| Supporter for FCK, San Lorenzo, Chelsea, Pachuca, Corinthians & Real Betis | |
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| Simon | Apr 25 2008, 01:55 PM Post #305 |
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It's interesting to read what's been said here. The truth is, I don't think United went into that game to be negative. Ferguson was stressing before the game how important it was to score an away goal and he even explicitly stated that "0-0 is not a great result". There's been a lot of debate these last few days among United fans about why the first leg turned out so badly. One thing that's been emphasised in some quarters is that we had a makeshift defence and missed the energy and ball-winning ability of both Hargreaves and Anderson in midfield. A lot of people have said we were simply looking ahead past the first leg to the more important game tomorrow at Chelsea. From Ferguson's point of view this was true, as he rested Vidic, Anderson and Giggs, and played Park because he's keen to ensure we have our strongest side out at Stamford Bridge. But from a player's point of view, I find it hard to believe that you can be on the pitch in front of 90,000 at the Nou Camp and still be thinking about Chelsea. I thought the top and bottom of it was that we played crap, pure and simple. We've been on poor form for a while now, but the difference is when you continually keep giving the ball away at Blackburn it's easier to get it back than it is at Barcelona! Whatever you put it down to, it was at least encouraging to know that we could go away to the Nou Camp, play crap, end up having Barcelona spend vast stretches of the game attacking our very weakened back four and our midfield with no tacklers in it, and still get a draw. I'd usually back us to beat anyone at Old Trafford and thus finish the job, but two things make me cautious. Firstly, the lack of an away goal is IMO a real problem for United. We've seen countless occasions where 0-0 away turns out to be a bad result the moment you let a goal in at home. Secondly, and most importantly, on Saturday United and Chelsea must both put 110% blood, sweat and tears into our most important game of the whole season. Meanwhile, both Barcelona and Liverpool will effectively have the weekend off as they rest all their players and concentrate on the second legs of the CL semis. I think that could be highly significant and it reinforces the view that the CL is these days usually be won by teams either from a weak championship or who are from a strong championship but are out of contention for a domestic trophy. Anyway, let's at least hope we see two great games this next week! |
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| gaviota | Apr 28 2008, 09:27 AM Post #306 |
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Not much turnaround time for either Manchester United or Barcelona with leg 2 being played tomorrow night. Barcelona had the luxury of resting some players in their league match while Manchester United had their key game against Chelsea. But we'll soon find out if Ferguson's rotation of players will work as his club goes through such a difficult portion of the schedule at a time when most teams are tiring. While a draw isn't out of the question I think Manchester United's home advantage will effect them and I think they'll pull out a win. To me Barcelona just don't seem to have that extra gear to them this season. |
| CHAMP13NS | |
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| Dr. Z | Apr 28 2008, 08:42 PM Post #307 |
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In the first leg Barcelona showed the fire that they've previously had and that is promising heading into this second leg against Manchester United. As I previously wrote there should be more room for both teams to attack in this game. Hopefully we'll be treated to an entertaining game tomorrow. Barcelona did a good job containing Cristiano Ronaldo last week but to be successful they'll have to do that again and that won't be easy. On Barca's side, Leo Messi needs to play closer to goal in my opinion. He is the type of player who is capable of breaking down United's well organized defense. |
| Poniendo el pecho a las balas! | |
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| Simon | Apr 29 2008, 02:58 AM Post #308 |
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Anything can happen in this game really but my main wish, win lose or draw, is to see United pick their game up from what it's been during the previous few weeks. At this stage of the season momentum is of great importance, and as far as I'm concerned the last genuinely satisfying United performance sustained over 90 minutes was precisely a month ago - 29th March when we beat Aston Villa 4-0. Since then we've won just one game, against Arsenal, and even that was despite being second best throughout the first half. Having been five points clear with 4 games left we now find ourselves zero points clear with two games left, and in grave danger of blowing the title. So when I read that Rooney and Vidic, who both missed training yesterday through injury, are rated '50-50' for tonight's game I just thing for God's sake leave them both out. Saturday's game against West Ham is of greater importance than tonight's game with Barcelona and I don't want us taking unnecessary risks. Besides, in no way is the team strengthened by a Wayne Rooney who's only able to hobble about holding his hip, although admittedly he scored a briliiantly taken goal against Chelsea. Anyway, Ferguson denies we're on a slump "Our performance in the first leg was our poorest in Europe this season. That's a worry as you look for reasons to explain why our attacking skills deserted us. But I remain confident that we can come out on top. We're not in a slump. It does not matter what went before, the point is we have two games to win the title and are in the semi-final of the Champions League. We are faced with a big game with a place in the final at stake and we have a marvellous chance." So that's all alright then! I'd normally be quite confident of beating anyone at Old Trafford, but despite what Ferguson says publically he must know that we need a dramatic improvement on anything we've done in April if we're to do well in these next 3 games. |
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| siralfred | Apr 29 2008, 07:30 AM Post #309 |
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Forza Zlatan!
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I can only hope that Sir Alex is saying one thing to the media and something entirely different in the locker room and on the training ground. I sincerely doubt that he's telling the players that everything's alright. That said, I was baffled by his decision to rest Ronaldo at Stamford Bridge. As Nick Webster said on Fox Soccer Channel here in the US, he's only 23! If he can't play 3 games in a week, who can? If it was to spare him from possible injury (we can't afford to lose both him AND Rooney), then one would have to conclude that the Champions League title is the top priority this season. I'm very curious to see who starts today, not just for us, but for Barca, as well. With no hope of a domestic title left, Rijkaard has some incentive to throw everything at the CL now in order to save face and, possibly, his job. Just note, please, that after 34 rounds, they have only four wins on the road in La Liga. I admit it's not entirely pertinent to today's match, but it gives me hope. |
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| Simon | Apr 29 2008, 01:59 PM Post #310 |
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Result below: . . . . . . . . . . . . Manchester United 1-0 Barcelona (United win 1-0 on agg) Scholes 14. So United get the job done with a win at Old Trafford to book a place in the final. That was indeed a much better game tonight than the first leg, and I thought that was helped by a pulsating atmosphere at OT that really roared the boys home. Very close game again, nerve-wrackingly tight in fact, and perhaps it was inevitable that a moment of magic from one of the star players would decide it. It's testimony to the quality of both sides that there were so many players on the pitch who would be candidates to provide it, but in the end there was no more fitting person that little Scholesy. Barcelona made the fatal error of letting him shoot from the edge of the area and he sent a missile right into the top corner. Scholes is one of the cleanest and most accurate strikers of a football in the game and that was a goal worthy of winning any match. I did feel that Barcelona played well and they certainly contributed to the game as a spectacle. They had plenty of possession again, but sometimes I feel that they are not direct enough. Every now and then I got the impression that Barcelona feel that keeping the ball is an end in itself rather than a means to an end, and that they had oportunities to shoot but didn't always take them. Carrick and Scholes were superb in the middle for us, but again it should be said that both of them are primarily play-makers rather than ball winners. When we did get the ball I thought we were more direct and purposeful than Barca and created chances, such as the Nani header that went narrowly wide, the Park shot that did likewise and the Tevez strike that was saved by Valdes. Barcelona looked a bit shaky at the back and really I thought we should have got a second or third goal to settle things. As it was, the end of the game was very nervy but in hindsight although some of Barca's long-range efforts were good ones, the one real chance they were able to make was the Henry header that went straight to VDS. Barcelona's most direct player was Messi who was always willing to run at us. He was dangerous but I thought we dealt with him well. There are many candidates for our man of the match. Our makeshift defence did brilliantly, especially Wes Brown, our midfielders were great in their various duties but I'd personally give my vote to Carlos Tevez who was immense. He never stopped running all game long, and linked the play up very shrewdly. You could power the national grid from the energy he generates! Our work rate gave us an extra edge IMO. There were several times when the Barca players didn't track back to defence, most notably for the goal when the three Barca midfielders just let Scholes jog past them into the space vacated by Toure when surely they should have been busting a gut to get back. Good night for United, now let's kick on against West Ham. Three wins needed to be champions of England and Europe! Follow Follow Follow, Because United are going to Moscow There'll be thousands of reds And they'll be p*ssed out their heads Because United are going to Moscow! |
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| kevin | Apr 29 2008, 02:34 PM Post #311 |
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Yup. It's a good day, Simon! It wasn't a perfect performance but it was a game-winning one. I started to feel pretty good in the 2nd half (albiet as a posted somewhere else, I took my pulse as we entered extra time and it was above 100, when it's usually at about 60 -- it may not get that high when I'm reffing tonight!!!). United seemed very composed throughout the second half and simply had the answer for anything Barca threw at them. In fact, other than the Henry header -- off a set piece -- I can only think of one time when a United defender lost his man in a crucial position. That's when Bojan got behind Wes Brown late on, but it still would have required a very clean control, first touch to further shake free and a good strike past Van der Saar. In other words, we gave them nothing to work with. On the ball, well, the game changed with the early goal and United lost it's imperative to attack. But there was generally some very good decision making when the ball was won from Barca and the players didn't always rush the ball upfield or hoof it to touch. Nor did they give it up under pressure. This was the performance of a veteran team, lead by one of its most veteran players to the win!!! |
| 'Tis better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. | |
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| Merengue | Apr 29 2008, 02:35 PM Post #312 |
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Congrats to Simon and the other Manchester United fans here on their teams triumph. Close game which could have gone either way but was decided by Scholes nice long range shot which was created by a poor giveaway by Zambrotta. He just gave the ball right to Scholes. For me the best players of the game were Messi for Barcelona and Ferdinand for Manchester. Messi ran at United's defense and created all sorts of problems for them and forced van der Sar into the save of the match. But Messi didn't get much help from his teammates who other than Deco were more content, as Simon pointed out, to pass the ball than shoot it. Ferdinand was superb for Manchester United's defense, big, strong and quick, he dominated in the air (why were Barca trying to cross the ball into the middle with Ferdinand there?) and had the pace to shut down Eto'o, making him completely ineffective in this game. Barcelona for all their skillful players just have had trouble scoring goals because they over elaborate their plays. There wasn't much to choose between these two teams but Manchester United advance to the final because they took advantage of an opposition's mistake while Barcelona were unable to do that on the other end. |
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| robdog | Apr 29 2008, 06:04 PM Post #313 |
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Excuse me, did the fake ronaldo play in this match? I watched, but I don't recall him doing much. Ok, he got that run, which helped resulted in a goal. I guess you can give him the credit of an assist, but really??? He is supposed to be the best playa on the planet??? I don't know. Is he tired or something?? I don't think he out played Messi or Deco in this tie. I am happy to see manure grind out the win, but I don't know if they want to see the Blues in Moscow. Roman's backyard and all. The one thing that manure has in their favor, is the fact the Blues are jinxed vs L'Puke. We shall see if this was just applied to Jose Mourinho.
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| Supporter for FCK, San Lorenzo, Chelsea, Pachuca, Corinthians & Real Betis | |
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| Dr. Z | Apr 29 2008, 07:42 PM Post #314 |
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I'll stick with what I said pregame that Lionel Messi needed to play closer to goal. He was the one Barcelona attacker who was able to take Manchester United's defenders on and did unsettle them but he would begin his attacks from so deep that after beating one or two defenders he still had many others to deal with and his teammates were very stationary so his passing options were limited. Credit to MU's defense, they did play well, notably Ferdinand as Merengue noted, and I'd include Brown too. Barcelona had the ball but because of their lack of movement they didn't create as many true goal scoring opportunities as you'd expect with that type of possession. Zambrotta I thought played a solid game and took Cristiano Ronaldo out of the game but Zambrotta made one mistake and Scholes punished him for that. Football can be a cruel game but you have to take advantage of what is presented to you, Manchester United did that, Barcelona did not, that is why United advance to the final while Barcelona's season essentially is over now and I think we will see some significant offseason changes there. |
| Poniendo el pecho a las balas! | |
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| historyman | Apr 29 2008, 08:54 PM Post #315 |
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And so now we are definitely going to witness the first ever all-English CL final. Both Man Utd and Chelsea/Liverpool are definitely there on merit, but this has been quite a poor CL overall, in my opinion. Bring back Bayern Munich next season, so that we can watch some top quality opposition to the Premiership sides! Still, I'm looking forward to seeing how 'Game 39 by stealth' turns out.
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He has three talented attacking players in Tevez, Fake Ronaldo, and Looney Rooney, but didn't let them go at Barfa. Oh well, as long as the rest of the world is happy with this fixture. <_< I take boring Chelsea vs L'Puke any day. Oh btw, this was a penalty

5:04 PM Jul 10