man utd v barcerlona

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

Last night showed up the Premier League to be a house of straw. United were deserved champions, but they played last night with a midfield of Giggs, Park, Carrick and Anderson. Limited in pace, technique and imagination. Vidic is a very good defender against good strikers, but against exceptional ones, such as Torres and Et'oo, he has been shown up this season. Van Der Saar and the post stopped the result being a rout.

Liverpool finished second last season and they are a two man (albeit two very good men) team, Chelsea have run out of cash, are ageing and have no pace, and Arsenal lack backbone when the chips are down. As for the rest of the Prem, paying £70,000-85,000 a week to journeymen like Lucas Neill of West Ham and Wayne Bridge in an indication of the collective madness that has overcome boardrooms up and down the country.

Barcelona were deserved champions last night, in spite of a wobbly defence, and for me the final word goes to Puyol "We dedicate it to our people, who have fought and suffered the same as we have." Theirs is not a football club, it is a symbol of the people, and for that reason I salute them.

No, no it doesn't. What it shows is that Barcelona are a wonderful football team-probably the best since the Milan team of the late 80's and early 90's. Man utd were poor-very poor: if they played like that against an average prem team they would have been lucky to get a result there too. Let's be honest, that performance wasn't indicative of man u at their best. Ferguson got it tactically wrong and the players-individually and collectively-played poorly. If they'd played to their best would they have won? Maybe but maybe not.

If the premier league is a house of straw what does that say about the rest of the leagues in Europe? Three of the four semi-finalists were premier league teams for the second consecutive season. There's been at least one premier league team in each of the last five finals. Liverpool humiliated Spain's second best team 5-0 on aggregate. Barcelona over 180 minutes of football against Chelsea were NEVER in front. It took some strange refereeing decisions and the last kick of the game for them to get past chelsea. Inter Milan, the Italian champions for the past four seasons got knocked out by man utd. The other Italian representatives-Juventus and Roma- were knocked out by Chelsea and Arsenal.

As for Puyol: is he comparing the historical 'fights and suffering' of Catalonia with the 'fights and suffering' that he's faced playing football?! He's well within his rights to-it's EXACTLY what I was thinking when I saw him rolling around the ground for the umpteenth time last night. Cor, being barged by Ronaldo is JUST like what the Catalan people went through during the civil war and under Franco. Well, Ronaldo does want to play for Madrid...

 

[El Presidente]

No offence but I reckon your fairly one-eyed defence of a dirty little runt of a player - and a player who totally chickened out of playing for his country - sounds at least as slanted, to be blunt.

He didn't chicken out, he had no time for the preening players and WAGtastic media attention, and so chose not to play.

Best English midfield player of his generation.

 

[Man of Harveys]

He didn't chicken out, he had no time for the preening players and WAGtastic media attention, and so chose not to play.

Best English midfield player of his generation.

So he was intimidated by David Beckham's hairgel and some ditzy tarts who go SHOPPING? Wow. NAILS.

How can any England supporter defend a player who can't even feign to give a shit about playing for his country over playing for his paymasters?

I think it's because he has a small COCK:

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

No offence but I reckon your fairly one-eyed defence of a dirty little runt of a player - and a player who totally chickened out of playing for his country - sounds at least as slanted, to be blunt.

Mellotron is one-eyed? It's a fairly accepted opinion amongst those in the game that Paul Scholes is/was a fantastic player. People who know far more than average joe's like us about what it takes to be a top class player have repeatedly said as much. If he was German I'm sure you wouldn't have such difficulty in accepting that. And before you say i, yes he is shit at tackling and some of his attempts have been reckless and some downright dangerous. Doesn't deny the fact that when in possesion of the ball he was a brilliant player who any team or manager would gladly have had in their team.

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

So he was intimidated by David Beckham's hairgel and some ditzy tarts who go SHOPPING? Wow. NAILS.

How can any England supporter defend a player who can't even feign to give a shit about playing for his country over playing for his paymasters?

I think it's because he has a small COCK:

that's one of his more offensive tackles...

 

[Man of Harveys]

If he was German I'm sure you wouldn't have such difficulty in accepting that.

You're not only sounding a bit silly and more than a teensy bit patronising, you're also simply plain f***ing wrong. But hey, there we are.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

But Barcelona play it more the right way.

I love the way Barca (and Arsenal try to) play. But it isn't the only way. There are few more exciting sights in football that United in full flight at Old Trafford. Why I say they play it the right way is that they go out to win and attack. It is faster and more direct than typical Barca for sure.

 

[El Presidente]

you're also simply plain f***ing wrong. But hey, there we are.

Over 600 appearances for United and 66 for England. He must have pulled the wool over a lot of people's eyes for such a shit player.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

Scholes would have been a first choice in any team in the country and maybe Europe in his prime.

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

You're not only sounding a bit silly and more than a teensy bit patronising, you're also simply plain f***ing wrong. But hey, there we are.

Well, my apologies. Plenty of your posts on English football give the impression(to me at least) that you're happy to belittle not just that that deseves belittling but that which doesn't. At the same time you seem(again to me at least) to talk up everything to do with German football. If that's not the case I apologise.

I think your wrong about Scholes though. Scholes is a great player who's positives outweigh his negatives.

 

[Common as Mook]

Scholes is/was a better all round footballer than David Beckham. I honestly believe if he was better looking and charismatic he would have been regarded as truly world class.

 

[El Presidente]

No, no it doesn't. What it shows is that Barcelona are a wonderful football team-probably the best since the Milan team of the late 80's and early 90's. Man utd were poor-very poor: if they played like that against an average prem team they would have been lucky to get a result there too. Let's be honest, that performance wasn't indicative of man u at their best. Ferguson got it tactically wrong and the players-individually and collectively-played poorly. If they'd played to their best would they have won? Maybe but maybe not.

If the premier league is a house of straw what does that say about the rest of the leagues in Europe? Three of the four semi-finalists were premier league teams for the second consecutive season. There's been at least one premier league team in each of the last five finals. Liverpool humiliated Spain's second best team 5-0 on aggregate. Barcelona over 180 minutes of football against Chelsea were NEVER in front. It took some strange refereeing decisions and the last kick of the game for them to get past chelsea. Inter Milan, the Italian champions for the past four seasons got knocked out by man utd. The other Italian representatives-Juventus and Roma- were knocked out by Chelsea and Arsenal.

As for Puyol: is he comparing the historical 'fights and suffering' of Catalonia with the 'fights and suffering' that he's faced playing football?! He's well within his rights to-it's EXACTLY what I was thinking when I saw him rolling around the ground for the umpteenth time last night. Cor, being barged by Ronaldo is JUST like what the Catalan people went through during the civil war and under Franco. Well, Ronaldo does want to play for Madrid...

Fair enough, IMO the Spanish and Italian leagues are also a bit crap, and there is a self serving conspiracy amongst both the leagues and their media partners to tell us that what is being served up is fantastic fare, needed to justify the high match ticket prices and ridiculous TV subscription fees.

There is an awful lot of shite in European football dressed up as something far better.

For what it is worth, I don't for one minute think that Puyol was referring to Ronaldo's spiteful little kicks and elbows in his comments, but he is a Catalan and knows what Barca stand for, nothing wrong with that.

 

[Mellotron]

How can any England supporter defend a player who can't even feign to give a shit about playing for his country over playing for his paymasters?

I repeat - do you actually KNOW why he retired from International football? Or are you just making it up as you go along?

 

[Mellotron]

Scholes is/was a better all round footballer than David Beckham. I honestly believe if he was better looking and charismatic he would have been regarded as truly world class.

Comparing David Beckham and Paul Scholes in terms of natural ability is an insult to Paul Scholes.

Leagues ahead.

 

[Mellotron]

BANG.

"Everyone of us should emulate him. We can all learn from Paul Scholes."
Edgar Davids

"My toughest opponent? Scholes of Manchester. He is the complete midfielder. Scholes is undoubtedly the greatest midfielder of his generation."
Zinedine Zidane

"Without any doubt the best player in the Premiership has to be Scholes. He knows how to do everything, and he is one who directs the way his team plays. On top of that, he has indestructible mental strength and he is a genuine competitor."
Thierry Henry

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

Fair enough, IMO the Spanish and Italian leagues are also a bit crap, and there is a self serving conspiracy amongst both the leagues and their media partners to tell us that what is being served up is fantastic fare, needed to justify the high match ticket prices and ridiculous TV subscription fees.

There is an awful lot of shite in European football dressed up as something far better.

For what it is worth, I don't for one minute think that Puyol was referring to Ronaldo's spiteful little kicks and elbows in his comments, but he is a Catalan and knows what Barca stand for, nothing wrong with that.

I guess though they can get away with calling it fantastic if there's nothing else out there that's better. They should add the qualifier 'relatively' before their grandiose statements! I've not seen much of the Italain or Spanish leagues so have no idea as to how strong they actually are. Maybe the gap between the top and bottom teams is not as large as the premier league?

 

[Man of Harveys]

I repeat - do you actually KNOW why he retired from International football? Or are you just making it up as you go along?

Hey, don't get me wrong: I'm literally all ears as to why he stayed flounced so determinedly, especially at times when - I'm truly sorry to be so very blunt about it and cover up your ears if it hurts - but when I suspect England might just have very much have done with a player of his unquestionable talent. But he did.

Because all this looks in marked contrast, say, to David Beckham who's never behaved as anything other than a model professional amongst model professionals in response either to being dropped or making himself available for his country if or when he's been needed. I know which one I'd admire a whole lot more, personally.

 

[Publius Ovidius]

BANG.

"Everyone of us should emulate him. We can all learn from Paul Scholes."
Edgar Davids

"My toughest opponent? Scholes of Manchester. He is the complete midfielder. Scholes is undoubtedly the greatest midfielder of his generation."
Zinedine Zidane

"Without any doubt the best player in the Premiership has to be Scholes. He knows how to do everything, and he is one who directs the way his team plays. On top of that, he has indestructible mental strength and he is a genuine competitor."
Thierry Henry

you made those up didn't you?

 

[Mellotron]

you made those up didn't you?

No. Next?

 

[Mellotron]

Hey, don't get me wrong: I'm literally all ears as to why he stayed flounced so determinedly, especially at times when - I'm truly sorry to be so very blunt about it and cover up your ears if it hurts - but when I suspect England might just have very much have done with a player of his unquestionable talent. But he did.

Because all this looks in marked contrast, say, to David Beckham who's never behaved as anything other than a model professional amongst model professionals in response either to being dropped or making himself available for his country if or when he's been needed. I know which one I'd admire a whole lot more, personally.

I just don't understand why you ASSUME the worst of a player that is WELL KNOWN for being a model pro? This is hardly Jamie Carragher we're talking about here.

Don't get me wrong. I think Beckham's a very, very likeable bloke.

I think England could've very much done with Fabio Capello at that point actually. No shortage of quality players around 2006. Just shortage of a quality manager with the balls to make big decisions in big games.