The 5 steps to Rome Revenge (ongoing thread)

Originally Posted by Tumescent Throb

at wembley united didn't carry out their instructions. it went like it did because we let it. ferdinand has talked about this. ferguson coating rooney off by the touchline for not keeping the shape is my defining memory of the game. personally thought barcelona were better in 11 than they were in 09, and they definitely had a massive psychological advantage before most games started because it was so hard to keep the ball off them... the first press had to be broken and then you had to play back through it to play at your own tempo - very few could do it. the alternative was to maintain high tempo, which invariably resulted in quick turnover... mourinho had the answer - well honed counter and match barca's disgusting snide. not all refs would help the catalans thank £#%&!.

Mourinho also had the players to do that. In the 2011 Final we did well to keep the game within our reach with the players we put out against arguably Barcelona at their very best. Our poorest title winning squad IMO under SAF.

6. Wait for Messi to get old

Fabio was one of our few players to come out of the 11 final with any credit, all of the 60 mins he lasted before his injury curse hit, how many games did that lad finish for us?. It looks a strange selection now but he was our form right back at that point, Raf had been injured.

Rome was winnable, we were favourites going in, rightly so. During those years Giggs and Scholes seemed to alternate years when they played well, in both finals Giggs was the form pick but against the pressing of Barca Scholes' ability to move the ball and superior spatial awareness in midfield might have been the better choice.

Ultimately I think we need to refresh and revitalize the style that is natural to Utd, tempo and pace as the key rather than the more studied possession game that LVG wanted. I doubt we will ever be capable of beating Barca playing their style.

Originally Posted by Grimson

6. Wait for Messi to get old

ah the old "mayweather" tactic... I like it.

Originally Posted by Tiberian

Fabio was one of our few players to come out of the 11 final with any credit, all of the 60 mins he lasted before his injury curse hit, how many games did that lad finish for us?. It looks a strange selection now but he was our form right back at that point, Raf had been injured.

Rome was winnable, we were favourites going in, rightly so. During those years Giggs and Scholes seemed to alternate years when they played well, in both finals Giggs was the form pick but against the pressing of Barca Scholes' ability to move the ball and superior spatial awareness in midfield might have been the better choice.

Ultimately I think we need to refresh and revitalize the style that is natural to Utd, tempo and pace as the key rather than the more studied possession game that LVG wanted. I doubt we will ever be capable of beating Barca playing their style.

Blah blah blah blah. The biggest mistake we made in the two finals against Barcelona was trying to beat them at an open game of football. You quite simply can not do that with a team of that calibre. As unpalatable as it may seem to some on here, the only way we'd have beaten them was a 1-0 smash and grab type game that would have involved us employing '2008' semi final style tactics.

Park gets a lot of unfair stick for Rome (as he does more generally) It certainly doesn't compare with putting £#%&!ing Owen rather than Berbs on the bench two years later

Originally Posted by Sparky***

ah the old "mayweather" tactic... I like it.



Blah blah blah blah. The biggest mistake we made in the two finals against Barcelona was trying to beat them at an open game of football. You quite simply can not do that with a team of that calibre. As unpalatable as it may seem to some on here, the only way we'd have beaten them was a 1-0 smash and grab type game that would have involved us employing '2008' semi final style tactics.

Irony being the Barca side we employed pragmatic tactics against in 2008 were having an ordinary domestic campaign. A long way off in 3rd behind Villareal and Real. Spanked by Real at
the Bernabeu when they had to give a guard of honour.

Then as you say we tried to take on a rejuvenated Barca in Rome and the peak Barca in Wembley toe-to-toe.

Maybe Fergie felt those tactics weren't worthy of a final. I still think either way we'd be beaten in 2011 as we went backwards in player quality while they were at their best. 2009 could have been much different..

Originally Posted by Sparky***

ah the old "mayweather" tactic... I like it.



Blah blah blah blah. The biggest mistake we made in the two finals against Barcelona was trying to beat them at an open game of football. You quite simply can not do that with a team of that calibre. As unpalatable as it may seem to some on here, the only way we'd have beaten them was a 1-0 smash and grab type game that would have involved us employing '2008' semi final style tactics.

In 2011 I would agree with you but our 2009 group was an outstanding squad, more than capable of taking pre-peak Barcelona on, especially with their defensive issues.

09 was much tighter than most recall, and Utd badly under performed that night.

Originally Posted by Tiberian

In 2011 I would agree with you but our 2009 group was an outstanding squad, more than capable of taking pre-peak Barcelona on, especially with their defensive issues.

09 was much tighter than most recall, and Utd badly under performed that night.

Aside from the first 10 mins it was an extremely comfortable night for barcelona. The two goals we conceded however were awful.

Edwin getting done at his near post and Messi heading a goal in against rio and vidic.

Originally Posted by Sparky***

Aside from the first 10 mins it was an extremely comfortable night for barcelona. The two goals we conceded however were awful.

Edwin getting done at his near post and Messi heading a goal in against rio and vidic.

The type of mistakes that we rarely saw from that Utd team. Anderson had a nightmare that night as well, choked in the first half. Barca were better but compared to 2011

I felt sorry for the team in 2011, they were out of their depth, did well to get to the final but I am sure you remember the feeling in the build up that we were about to witness a ritual slaughter. I have never wanted to watch that game again but at the time it felt like Barca backed off towards the end of the game so as not to humiliate us. Or further humiliate us.