General mutterings and observations from Saturday night.

Wish Scholes was 10 years younger ! ..once again showed his class.. albeit briefly... calmed everyone down and made sure his passes went to a white shirt. Both his and Rooney's passes are just on another level. No having to check a run, break stride or overstretch for the intended recipients.

God we'll miss him.. just hope we can eak another season out him.

Thought Rooney was superb, tireless. Great performance from Vidic aswell. It doesn't seem to be mentioned elsewhere but age looks to be catching up with Rio ! ..however Smalling looks a cracking purchase.

It'll be an interesting Summer. New Goalkeeper and one, possibly two class midfielders ?

Our warchest must be huge.

@#%&!s.

Why can't WE get the likes of Club Brugge, Malmo or St Etienne in a European Final??

The only observation that really counts, tbh

Originally Posted by red in cumbria

Why can't WE get the likes of Club Brugge, Malmo or St Etienne in a European Final??

The only observation that really counts, tbh

because they're all shit?

Originally Posted by believe

because they're all shit?

Tell that to the Dippers, mate.

Jesus, what would have happened last night to that bunch of Aston Villa journeymen who somehow won it in '82??

Originally Posted by Fountz

It doesn't seem to mentioned elsewhere but age looks to be catching up with Rio ! ..however Smalling looks a cracking purchase.

that's why he was in my team ahead of rio.

I'm not sure it's age, but rio doesn't look fit and hasn't done in the league either. over the first yard, he has lost his quickness. he is way too young for that to be age, though.

i thought rio played well, covered well and put in some excellent tackles/blocks.

the problems were all in front and to the left of rio last night.

I thought Rio Had a decent match.

Originally Posted by naes_sean

I thought Rio Had a decent match.

Indeed - jem being contrarian again, who'd have thunk it??

Originally Posted by naes_sean

I thought Rio Had a decent match.

He did. There was one tackle in particular in the first half that was superb, should have been a goal kick too.

Agree about Rio.. I thought he had a decent match. He made some brave "shit or bust" interceptions.. he just looks slow ( more a general observation than a judgement on last night )

Giggs looked on another planet last night. It'd be understandable if the events of the week had had an effect on him. Hernandez reminded me of Andy Cole at his most frustrating with his inability to haul his arse onside.

However, let's not forget, they were up against not neccesarily the best club side ever, but, a team, perhaps producuing one of the highest standards ever seen. Unfortunately for us ( and everyone else ) that is the new level.. the benchmark that we should aim meet if not surpass.

barca will dominate in europe for many years to come now
i think for the next few seasons the cl should be treat like the carling cup untill the barca squad splits up .
by then we could be on league title 24/25 which will be £#%&!ing ace .

Originally Posted by Horst_ Bucholst

barca will dominate in europe for many years to come now

Yeah, but they won't win it every year. Even this year they were a Bendtner sitter from going out to the Arse. The way they tend to sleepwalk through away legs will get them, as it did last season.

Originally Posted by Grimson

Yeah, but they won't win it every year. Even this year they were a Bendtner sitter from going out to the Arse. The way they tend to sleepwalk through away legs will get them, as it did last season.

£#%&!ing hell, imagine if that had gone in. Barca out and just a bunch of very beatable teams left in.

Sigh.

Originally Posted by Zorg

£#%&!ing hell, imagine if that had gone in. Barca out and just a bunch of very beatable teams left in.

Sigh.

I made the point pre match, that they were very lucky to get past Chelsea in 09 as Didier Drogba would agree

Just think, if they hadn't signed Zlatan and had gone for just about anyone else, they'd have had 3 in a row.

How in £#%&!s name can they make a monumental £#%&! up like that and get away with it?

Originally Posted by red in cumbria

Indeed - jem being contrarian again, who'd have thunk it??

I didn't say he didn't have a good game, I said he hasn't looked fit.

Barca are beatable, we just happen to have a squad that are unable to cope with their midfield. If we had a fit hargreaves and fletcher then it would of been a different contest, those two chasing the ball around, actually putting in some tackles. That is the one thing that i just didn't understand about our performance, never once did i see a strong challenge go in to let the likes of iniesta or xavi know that someone was there and make them think. As soon as they received the ball they knew they didn't have to hurry. Shits me as i honestly thought we'd see us play like we did against bayern at old trafford last year where we harassed their midfield into mistakes, till the sending off we were dominating them. I'd like us to sign de rossi, can pass but also strong in defence, then an attacking midfielder who can run with the ball like kaka use to do for milan. Its going to be an interesting summer

Originally Posted by Google

Barca are beatable, we just happen to have a squad that are unable to cope with their midfield. If we had a fit hargreaves and fletcher then it would of been a different contest, those two chasing the ball around, actually putting in some tackles. That is the one thing that i just didn't understand about our performance, never once did i see a strong challenge go in to let the likes of iniesta or xavi know that someone was there and make them think. As soon as they received the ball they knew they didn't have to hurry. Shits me as i honestly thought we'd see us play like we did against bayern at old trafford last year where we harassed their midfield into mistakes, till the sending off we were dominating them. I'd like us to sign de rossi, can pass but also strong in defence, then an attacking midfielder who can run with the ball like kaka use to do for milan. Its going to be an interesting summer

Agree with a lot of that.

This general air of resignation is rather frustrating.. and the thought of waiting until the Barca squad splits up before we take the European Cup seriously is shameful.

First of all, it's our duty as a club to have a go,

..secondly, Saturday night may end up being Barcelona's high water mark. You never know !! ..Guardiola goes, a contract dispute, a new unsettling and disruptive face appears, personal issues rise to forefront, resentment (money !), injury to a key player... it doesn't take much to reduce the team's effectiveness by 5% or so..

..naturally we need to improve, but they may well come back to us.

Originally Posted by Grimson

Yeah, but they won't win it every year. Even this year they were a Bendtner sitter from going out to the Arse. The way they tend to sleepwalk through away legs will get them, as it did last season.

I think there is no doubt that we (and indeed, most other teams) have more chance against them over two legs.

It's an interesting contrast to our former nemesis, the Real Madrid team a decade ago. They definitely had the beating of us home and away but in a one-off game, I always thought we would have a chance. As 2002 might just have proved - that one still hurts like £#%&! and always will

Originally Posted by Fountz

This general air of resignation is rather frustrating.. and the thought of waiting until the Barca squad splits up before we take the European Cup seriously is shameful.

First of all, it's our duty as a club to have a go,

we have to give it a go, yes.... but not give it priority.

It's not worth sacrificing points in league games prior to and after European games.... if the net result is that city end up pipping us to the title, and we are just subjected to another Barcelona exhibition match in another final