United.. a clear victim of their own hype

[davek]

He worried far too much about Barca to be honest, he was trying to hard to stop them instead of concentrating on there own game. Barca on the other hand play one way, they know exactly what to do and concentrate on themselves.

Man utd haven't had a balanced side all season, does anyone really know there strongest eleven? I don't and I'm not sure Ferguson does. It's cost them in the big games.

Arguably the best two performances they put in all season were the two away legs in the CL - one against Inter in the round of 16 and the other the QF against Porto. They did what they do best in those games: move the ball about swiftly and with accuracy and closed down the opposition. Shorn of anyone who could get in amongst Barca and rattle them they never had the confidence to play their own game. Who'd have thought the name of Darren Fletcher would be looming so large as being part of any explanation why a normally accomplished team lost a CL final? All that said, I think it was just Barca's time last night.

 

[atrottel]

I must admit I was shocked to see the way some of them strolling around the pitch at 1-0 down last night. Wouldn't have expected it from a Ferguson team in what would be the biggest game of some of their lives.

 

[davek]

Dave I used the phrased " Rumbled " in the context of the media having built them up to the point of them simply having to turn up to win . Two things happened last night . Like has been already said on here by some Fergie was caught out by his shocking midfeild game plan . Rooney was asked to play a role that largely made him redundant as an attacking option and Ronaldo either chose or was instructed to test the wrong full back leaving a stand in defender void of pace to have a largely trouble free night .

No one is slighting what Manchester United have achieved in this country but they are not and never where the best team in Europe . Last night the frankly pathetic Oliver Read from the mirrior was probably having the re-write the utter s***e he has the cheek prints in his collum . His tongue will have to be surgically removed from Taggarts arse . It was was a slap in the face for all those know it all scribes that infest the British media

I dont agree. I know there's a case to be made that the best teams dont always win the CL (Liverpool being the obvious example), but results are the only yardstick we have. United have won it twice in the past decade, reached another final and have been SFists on a few occasions. Have they enjoyed the type of superiority AC Milan or Real Madrid had in recent memory? No. But that's like dismissing Barcelona for only winning it twice of late. The hype United get is beside the point.

 

[Yid4life]

Its Uniteds own fault

The other 2 times they have won the Champions League we (The Mighty Tottenham) won the League cup in the same season (1999 & 2008).

If they had let us win the League cup this season, they would be European Champions now.

Nobody to blame but themselves.

 

[uknightbreed]

i thought it was a rubbish game myself (apart from barcelona's midfield play.)

utd lost for a few reasons.

1. anderson and o'shea are rubbish.
2.tevez has more heart than the rest of the man utd squad put together and should have started.
3.rooney was awful and should have played central (never seen him play so bad , he produced nothing)
4.iniesta and xavi were just completely brilliant , both oozed class.(man , i cant wait till arteta is back!)
5.whoever scored first was always going to win imo.utd let in 2 very bad goals.they beat themselves.
6.ronaldo is a drip and should have played wide.

barcelona may have beaten the prem champions but they havent beaten the best team in england.......everton. clearly theres more heart in cahillls big toe than there is in the whole utd squad.

 

[Rook]

I think United were a clear victim of the stupidest tactical decision I've seen for years.

Against a team having lions share of the possession, he decides that having 4 strikers and 2 midfielders = more goals.

Daft.

And one of those midfielders was Anderson, not sure what he was thinking.

 

[Dixie Dean]

For my money Messi is the best player in the world right now, bar none. I've watched Barca play all winter and have really enjoyed their performances.
There have been so many times this season (like the 6 goal blow out of Madrid) where I've said to myself "No one can beat this club when they're on". Yesterday proved it. Congratulations to Barca! That was the greatest football display I've witnessed so far in my short football watching life.

Oh for the Toffees to have that kind of lineup.....

 

[Robert Jarvis]

Poor team selection, Anderson and Giggs should not have started. The midfield was non existent. Continually plays Rooney where he is least effective. Rooney at Everton was played as a striker not a wide man. Certainly has not fulfilled the potential he was showing at Everton.
What were the back four doing to let Messi score? bit like the way Cahill does it.

United far too arrogant, thought they would walk it. Better team won.

 

[evilwebby]

Well when I saw the teamsheets.. Barca's midfield duo of Xavi and Iniesta... I knew that Man U were going to have a lot of trouble. No matter what you say, Park and Carrick cannot hold a candle to those two, Giggs's best days are well behind him, which left Ronaldo as the only viable threat.

 

[evilwebby]

Barca's display was outstanding. I didn't really care who won it, but having watched the match, I am delighted that the best team won - a triumph for football.

What it showed was that football really is a simple game - it dosn't matter who is on the other team and how many millions they cost, if you keep the ball well, then the opposition can't hurt you. We can learn from this - all teams can and should learn from this display. Learn to keep the ball better and you will improve as a football team.

 

[Jamo Martinez]

Wouldn't have been disappointed if Utd had won as it would have pissed off the rs. However, good for football that a team like Barca cleans up on the title front. I've never enjoyed watching a team so much as Barca this season (From a pure footballing point of view, obviously the Blues winning excites me more). Oh, and Iniesta is my fave non-Everton player.

 

[danzante]

United have expensive players who fail to show up on the biggest occasions.

Wayne Rooney, most overrated player in football history. Sure he looked like he'd eventually be world-class at age 17 but he barely looks better now. A hard worker but nowhere near world class. Messi - Iniesta - Xavi: these are world-class players. Wayne Rooney is not. Was the worst player on the pitch in last year's final and average again today, although the whole United team were beside Ronaldo who did fairly well.

While the Barcelona team is full of world beaters, the United team has its share of average players. Oshea? Ji-Sung Park? 35-year-old Giggs? You have to play your best team and avoid playing favorites.

United need better midfielders. I fear Liverpool have a great shot at winning the league next year the way they've played these past few months.

you missed yer vocation as a comedian.

Are you really that gutted he left?

 

[evilwebby]

A couple too many 'squad' players in the lineup for Utd last night - O'Shea, Nani, Park. Someone forgot to tell SAF that it was their last game of the season.
Rooney was totally wasted on the wing in the old Beckham position, but Beckham he ain't and the quality of his final ball was pathetic. Nothing came off for Utd last night, if they had played their best football it would have been a great match, but this was the Utd who were thumped by the RS and defensively frail for much of the last 1/4 of the season.

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[steevie]

Messi got man of the match on UEFA.Com but although he had a decent game, Iniesta and Xavi where superb.

 

[Desaparecido]

It's not like Man U are suddenly rubbish. The players who played won the league and a couple of cups, they just performed badly on the night. people are making out like it was some sort of masterclass. Yes Barca were good but United didn't really get going as they can.

Don't believe the hype.