*OFFICIAL* FC Barcelona v Manchester United match thread

Originally Posted by dunk

The best way to play against a midfield, is with midfielders. We had 2 on the pitch and one was so woefully out of his depth that we had to take him off at half time, leaving us with 1, against 3, 2 of which are probably the best in the World. We never stood a chance, really.

giggs and park are midfielders.

the problem is that we had a not completely atypically slack performance. we have in the past relied on a bit of magic. we had no magic tonight.

worse than that, we weren't even competent.

Originally Posted by Sparky***

Mate, they did outplay us. They were giving it the "ole's" at certain points. it was a consumate lesson in how to keep the football and then win it back through pressure - simple as that.

Look at the times carrick, giggs, anderson, scholes gave the ball away. They got in our midfields faces and gave them no options. Our midfielders weren't good enough to keep hold of it. We couldn't even land a blow in anger.

That is the key to the game, it was not how well they kept the ball, it was how they stopped us from hitting the quick early ball into the forwards feet that all are best play comes from. Carrick especially was closed down rigorously. Iniesta and Xavi are so nimble with the ball at feet it is hard to put pressure on them in the same way.

An obvious point but the first goal against barca is crucial.

Originally Posted by jem

giggs and park are midfielders.

the problem is that we had a not completely atypically slack performance. we have in the past relied on a bit of magic. we had no magic tonight.

worse than that, we weren't even competent.

Interesting theory, Park is a wide midfielder, not really effective in the middle, Giggs is a winger playing in midfield, because we haven't enough quality in that area to keep him out. In fairness, Giggs has papered over the cracks this season, but without Hargreaves and Fletcher, we are toothless.

Good job Fletcher didn't play though, huh, would've been embarrassing if he had

Originally Posted by dunk

Interesting theory, Park is a wide midfielder, not really effective in the middle, Giggs is a winger playing in midfield, because we haven't enough quality in that area to keep him out. In fairness, Giggs has papered over the cracks this season, but without Hargreaves and Fletcher, we are toothless.

Good job Fletcher didn't play though, huh, would've been embarrassing if he had

He played centrally for PSV and S.Korea and was superb.His natural position imo.

Originally Posted by magic_cantona

He played centrally for PSV and S.Korea and was superb.His natural position imo.

Always played wide whenever I saw him. Not a central player by any means, hence he isn't played there.

Originally Posted by Sparky***

Won't bother me at all. Just laugh mate ask them what their team have achieved this season.

It's a shame that the season should have to go out on a low point after how glorious we've been through the whole thing. But no @#%&!s going 'aaaahhhh barca beat you' are going to bow my head or wind me up.

We've won our 18th league title this season as well as the league cup, world club cup, got a fa cup semi final, got to the champions league final. What the £#%&! have YOUR team done lately?

Hmm, you have a strangely short memory. We have been average at best for the vast majority of this season, if we're honest, to achieve what we have is nothing short of a miracle. Next season will be miles better.

Originally Posted by dunk

Hmm, you have a strangely short memory. We have been average at best for the vast majority of this season, if we're honest, to achieve what we have is nothing short of a miracle. Next season will be miles better.

true

I would like to take this opportunity to announce my retirement from starting matchday threads. It's been a good run but I feel the time is right to hand over the mantle to someone else.

Originally Posted by Sparky***

I would like to take this opportunity to announce my retirement from starting matchday threads. It's been a good run but I feel the time is right to hand over the mantle to someone else.

Sparks you have achieved everything on this thread and no-one would fault you for going having achieved everything you can here.

Please stay.

Originally Posted by Sparky***

I would like to take this opportunity to announce my retirement from starting matchday threads. It's been a good run but I feel the time is right to hand over the mantle to someone else.

£#%&! off and get back out there first thing next season

never go out on a loss

and your threads saw us to 18

so take you bowing out and stick it where the sun don't shine

Tough love Borsuk-like it.

Originally Posted by Sparky***

Mate, they did outplay us. They were giving it the "ole's" at certain points. it was a consumate lesson in how to keep the football and then win it back through pressure - simple as that.

Look at the times carrick, giggs, anderson, scholes gave the ball away. They got in our midfields faces and gave them no options. Our midfielders weren't good enough to keep hold of it. We couldn't even land a blow in anger.

They did, but I just thought we helped them being so poor. That was my point. If we had gone out there and played OK and got beat, fair enough, but we were so £#%&!ing poor. The first 10 minutes Barca were all over the show, then some abysmal defending from Vidic put us on the back foot early on.

seems vidic saves his bad performances for big games.

our biggest mistake was replacing fletcher with giggs and switching the roles with anderson playing fletchers role and giggs playing andersons.

fletcher should have been replaced by either park or scholes.

park as part of a front 3 was a bad decision as he did carry any attacking threat. whenever the ball went out wide, he didn't look like genuinely making something happen etc.

[SIZE="3"]is that the barca goalie shitting himself...or is he smoking a big one

smoking a fat one

skills don't run to drawing deckchairs or else...



stick on £#%&!ing goal that was

Why bump this?

Originally Posted by Sloppy

Why bump this?

painful subject, but still a good gauge of the forum intelligentsia

Originally Posted by Tumescent Throb

smoking a fat one

skills don't run to drawing deckchairs or else...



stick on £#%&!ing goal that was

it was a wonderful opportunity to get back into the game and possibly change the outcome

considering my form for hysterics, i think i came out of this thread looking good. Didn't see my arse or anything.