I enjoyed Barney Ronay’s write up of the Utd match.
Four members of the Manchester United back five run ragged in the Champions League defeat at Barcelona were brought to the club by Sir Alex Ferguson
www.theguardian.com
On the stroke of half-time Lionel Messi did something awful, but also quite funny, to Phil Jones. Messi had spent the previous 45 minutes picking up the ball in half-spaces and running in a series of vengeful repetitions at Jones and Chris Smalling.
This time Messi took the ball just past the centre circle. He saw the space ahead of him. He also saw Jones ahead of him. As the United man veered back into his path there was a nutmeg so gentle it was almost loving.
The Camp Nou let out a roar. Jones surged back gamely but could only watch as Messi jinked past the other way, teasing him the way you might tease a fond, lovable old family dog with a paper cone on its head and one good eye.
...
Jones in particular has been oddly persistent, an heirloom handed down from manager to manager like a chipped mahogany sideboard nobody can ever quite get rid of. He can look imposing, assured, powerful, out of control, baffled, euphoric, gripped with panic – often all at the same time. Here Jones took to the field decked out optimistically in a white head bandage, preserve of the heroic centre-half. Alongside him United fielded a team of mix-and-match defensive parts. Four of the back five were brought to the club by Sir Alex Ferguson, who has, for all the fond nods and sighs, been gone quite a long time now.
