How Fletcher Can Bring down Barcelona

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/footba...article/30337/

Judging by his teamsheet last night, Sir Alex Ferguson turned his attention to Barcelona long before a shadow Manchester United side finished off Schalke at Old Trafford.

Ferguson has just over three weeks in which to ponder this: what does he have to do to ensure his team are not humiliated again in the manner they were the last time these two sides met in the final, in 2009.

Back then, there were many - me included - who thought United's victory against Arsenal in the semi-final pointed the tactical route to victory. Particularly in the away leg at the Emirates, Ferguson's side had given a masterclass in counter-attacking, breaking at pace to unhinge the Gunners back line. Barcelona proved to be less generous opponents and United were brushed aside with an ease that bordered on the contemptuous. Mind, a best-of combo gleaned from the ranks of Brazil 1970, Milan 1989 and Real Madrid 2002 would have struggled. Some of Barca's possession football that night was so good it was impossible to see how they might be beaten.

But if Ferguson - a student of history - is looking for clues, he could do worse than go back into his own club's past, to the last time United contested a European Cup final at Wembley, when they played Benfica. It was - by all accounts - not a great game 41 years ago. Scrappy, tetchy, nervy, both teams seemed quickly drained by the fierce humidity of a baking hot early summer's evening. But what was notable about United's tactical approach was how it was based around shackling their opponents' best player. Although by then past his peak, Eusebio was still reckoned to be, after Pele, the finest in the world. Pace, power, athleticism: he had it all. Plus a clinical eye for goal. So United's manager Matt Busby assigned Nobby Stiles to do a man-to-man job on the Portuguese with David Sadler doubling up on him when necessary.

Stiles in particular relished the role. He had done precisely that for England in the World Cup semi-final two summers previously. And he set about his work with snarling tenacity, only once letting his opponent out of his sights. Mind, it was a dangerous moment. With five minutes to go and the scores level, Eusebio found himself one-on-one with United's keeper Alec Stepney. Stiles, blinking myopically from the halfway line, could only watch as his rival bore down on goal. Fortunately for Stiles, Eusebio blasted the ball straight at Stepney, who found the ball lodged in his midriff. In a show of considerable sportsmanship, the Portuguese generously applauded the goalie for his effort. A relieved Stiles continued his duties through extra time to help steer United to victory.

It would be a woeful underestimate of a Barcelona team way more elevated than that Benfica to suggest they could be similarly defeated by simply taking one man out of the game. But the fact remains, even if a successful marking job alone cannot guarantee that one of the several other supreme talents of the Barca team will not come to the fore, unless Ferguson can find a way to stop Lionel Messi he has no chance.

Which is why he will have been so relieved to welcome Darren Fletcher back last night. Struck down by a virus, Fletcher has been missing from United's ranks for the past few weeks. In truth, such is the nature of his work, there are not many who noticed he was gone. But Ferguson knows - especially with Owen Hargreaves incapacitated - he has few in his squad as capable of man-marking Messi as Fletcher. Remember the Scotland captain absented himself from such duty last time by getting sent off at the Emirates. And with no one else to take on the job, Messi was allowed to run free, embarrassing United's centre-backs by even having the audacity to score with his head.

Fletcher would dog his every step, harry and hare at him, running him into parts of the pitch where he can no longer act as such an effective conduit to passing movements. Sure, there's still Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets and David Villa to worry about. But with Messi diminished, even they would not be able to conjure up the passing patterns with quite the same ease they showed in '09. Fletcher on Messi has to be the start of any tactical planning to subdue the Catalans.

And it also leads to this unexpected conclusion: with this in mind, Darren Fletcher has claim to be reckoned United's most important player ahead of the final. Who would have thought that?

he probably wont start tbh

Get Gibbo to literally kick his head off.

Job done and possible life ban for Gibbo. Their subs are £#%&!.

10 men victorious.

jesus christ what a load of %@#$&!s

Barcelona proved to be less generous opponents and United were brushed aside with an ease that bordered on the contemptuous. Mind, a best-of combo gleaned from the ranks of Brazil 1970, Milan 1989 and Real Madrid 2002 would have struggled. Some of Barca's possession football that night was so good it was impossible to see how they might be beaten.

drivel. it was 2-0 ffs, not 10-0. and the rest

But if Ferguson - a student of history - is looking for clues, he could do worse than go back into his own club's past, to the last time United contested a European Cup final at Wembley, when they played Benfica. It was - by all accounts - not a great game 41 years ago. Scrappy, tetchy, nervy, both teams seemed quickly drained by the fierce humidity of a baking hot early summer's evening.

'by all accounts'. why not just watch the match?

But what was notable about United's tactical approach was how it was based around shackling their opponents' best player.

oh, right, because it would demonstrate the rest of the article to be total %@#$&!s

He'd have had a better guess if he'd said that united were guilty of believing their own hype going into the final, what with barcelona missing players and united themselves having totally outplayed and outclassed, and taken apart piece by tiny piece, the media's other barcelona over a masterclass of two utterly dominant legs of the semi-final.

United began in Rome as if it was only a matter of when they would open the scoring. Then from nowhere they fell behind and took an hour to get over the shock...

Originally Posted by Tumescent Throb

He'd have had a better guess if he'd said that united were guilty of believing their own hype going into the final, what with barcelona missing players and united themselves having totally outplayed and outclassed, and taken apart piece by tiny piece, the media's other barcelona over a masterclass of two utterly dominant legs of the semi-final.

United began in Rome as if it was only a matter of when they would open the scoring. Then from nowhere they fell behind and took an hour to get over the shock...

Actually Throb, a superb summary. Yhgr for that

He could pass on that virus he had.

Originally Posted by red in cumbria

Actually Throb, a superb summary. Yhgr for that

Agreed -

Originally Posted by borsuk

jesus christ what a load of %@#$&!s

drivel. it was 2-0 ffs, not 10-0. and the rest

Incredible isn't it. The game was pretty even, then at 2-0 Barca were comfortably tapping it around and thus it became 'humiliating'. Comfortable winners in the end, and a crushingly flat performance from United, but not the 10-0 obliteration some pretend.

Originally Posted by Tumescent Throb

He'd have had a better guess if he'd said that united were guilty of believing their own hype going into the final, what with barcelona missing players and united themselves having totally outplayed and outclassed, and taken apart piece by tiny piece, the media's other barcelona over a masterclass of two utterly dominant legs of the semi-final.

United began in Rome as if it was only a matter of when they would open the scoring. Then from nowhere they fell behind and took an hour to get over the shock...

I turned to my mate after the first ten,and said we are over them,piece of piss this.

eh? january window shut a long time ago.

rio and vida let the smallest man ever to play football get between them unnoticed when he was the only player within 40 yards of the goal. when messi heads a goal, you're shit.

also fergie £#%&!ing wasted rooney on the wing, sacrificed to ronnie's ego. maybe not entirely his fault we had no midfield options but carrick didn't turn up, ando was (and remains) a headless chicken and park was out of his depth.

Originally Posted by bcred

I turned to my mate after the first ten,and said we are over them,piece of piss this.

benyon did exactly the same to me - "we'll piss this"


i'll never forgive him

Originally Posted by Zorg

Incredible isn't it. The game was pretty even, then at 2-0 Barca were comfortably tapping it around and thus it became 'humiliating'. Comfortable winners in the end, and a crushingly flat performance from United, but not the 10-0 obliteration some pretend.

I think it's not the scoreline but as you alluded to yourself, the comfortable nature of barcelona's win which was embarrassing for our club and a humbling way to be dethroned as champions of europe.

The first 9 minutes aside we never troubled them and that sucker punch from Eto'o was a blow we never got our heads round. Ronaldo, in particular was playing as much for his own ego that night as I've ever seen him. Shooting from ludicrous angles and distances. Being on the same pitch as messi seems to bring out the worst in him.

The 2 goals from a defensive point of view were horrific. For a team that went so long without conceding a goal that season, we gifted them 2 goals. First the Eto'o goal was a comprehensive defensive failure , iniesta travelling 30 yards with the ball at feet, fair walking past anderson and carrick. Then vidic allowing Eto'o to easily cut inside him and van der sar being done at his near post. A horror show.

The 2nd was almost comically bad, Eto'o breaks down the right, hit's a failed cross which anderson just hoofs away whilst under no pressure, xavi then picks it up 40 yards from goal, casually strolls forward into acres of space and crosses the ball straight to messi at the back post..who has lost both O'Shea and Ferdinand (both ball watching).

Originally Posted by borsuk

'by all accounts'. why not just watch the match?

probably about 12 years old and thinks things filmed in black and white are 'boring'

Back to the question though, for me, our best hope is that fletch's gaunt grey lifeless complexion begins to draw the very life from the healthy continental glow of the sun tanned barcelonians. And when he's close enough, that his dry death like cold breath excorcises the very energy from their souls leaving them like spent wizened husks crying for their pretty glamorous lives.

It's what the jocks are best at.

Originally Posted by My Name is Keith

Back to the question though, for me, our best hope is that fletch's gaunt grey lifeless complexion begins to draw the very life from the healthy continental glow of the sun tanned barcelonians. And when he's close enough, that his dry death like cold breath excorcises the very energy from their souls leaving them like spent wizened husks crying for their pretty glamorous lives.

It's what the jocks are best at.

I'm loving every abu fan being super confident we'l get smashed. Much prefer that than presuming we'l beat somebody.


we will lose though.

Originally Posted by ScarFace

I'm loving every abu fan being super confident we'l get smashed. Much prefer that than presuming we'l beat somebody.

They're all it, aren't they. @#%&!s.

Will be hilarious if we do win though. I mean, this United team has been pillared all season by ABU's (and some of our support) as being the worst United team that could potentially win the league. How funny would it be if the 'worst United team ever' went out and beat 'the greatest team in the history of the world and all time ever'.

It would shove it right down the ABU @#%&!'s throats forever.

I feel an "our worst team ever is better than your best team ever" banner would be in order.

Originally Posted by Tumescent Throb

He'd have had a better guess if he'd said that united were guilty of believing their own hype going into the final, what with barcelona missing players and united themselves having totally outplayed and outclassed, and taken apart piece by tiny piece, the media's other barcelona over a masterclass of two utterly dominant legs of the semi-final.

United began in Rome as if it was only a matter of when they would open the scoring. Then from nowhere they fell behind and took an hour to get over the shock...

Great post.