Manchester United v Barcelona *** Official Thread ***

[perseus]

Wembley

Varied British style v Tippy-tappy possession play.

I prefer the Poyet foreign style play but in the one-off cup ties I am not sure it is a guaranteed winner and Barcelona are over-rated.

The best bet is for Manchester United to get just one corner in 90 minutes which I think is 14/1. My tip Manchester United to win 2-1 on goals.

Coomentators will be under test. I hope they are not too silly.

 

[pork pie]

Come on your greasy Spaniards!

 

[perseus]

Gus's view:

Poyet: Barca are best ever - and here's why! From The Argus)

 

[perseus]

I prefer Paella to Eccles cakes.

 

[pork pie]

I prefer Paella to Eccles cakes.

Isn't it balm cakes in Manc?

 

[Beach Hut]

I really do fancy Man Utd tonight, they are playing excellent, quality football at present.

 

[Mackenzie]

Oh is that tonight? I might watch it later, is it 7-45 ko?

 

[pork pie]

The graet man has spoken!

"Gus Poyet believes the Barcelona side who will play at Wembley tonight are the best the game has ever seen.

He admits it is fanciful to ask his Albion team to copy them in the Championship.

But, as his old midfield sparring partner Pep Guardiola marshals the largely home grown Blaugrana from the touchline in the Champions League final, Poyet will perhaps permit himself a thought or two about what he would like to build in Brighton.

He would love to develop continuity of playing style through the ages which has seen Andres Iniesta, Xavi Hernandez, Carles Puyol, Sergio Busquets and even Lionel Messi come through the ranks.

Poyet will watch today’s final back home in Uruguay, where interest in the big European showpiece is high.

Messi is the main attraction, despite coming from the old enemy Argentina before heading to Europe as a schoolboy.

But there is more than Messi to commend about Barca.

Poyet said: “They are the best team I have ever seen in everything they do. It’s the way they keep the ball, the way they attack, the way they press.

“They don’t kick the ball in the air. They keep the ball better than any club or national team in history.

“Forget about any team with Pele or Maradona or Cruyff. This is the best team ever.”

Asked if there was anything of Barcelona the Albion squad could realistically take into their game, he said: “We can’t even compare because the players who play for Barcelona have played that way for ten years.

“How many Championship teams have played the same way for ten years? They know what they want and don’t want.”

Albion have started taking steps in that direction.

The Reserves, which is often a mainly development team with just one or two older heads, set up and play like the first team.

Youth team coach Steve Brown revealed in The Argus this week that, while new scholars are selected on their ability rather than style of play, they are encouraged to play like the first team.

Poyet said: “That’s the idea. We have been doing it with the development squad.

“We are looking at doing the same with one or two age groups below that.

“It’s still a dream at the moment. We will wait and see what we can do next year.

“Of course it depends if I am here. It’s difficult if a manager wants to develop a certain way of playing but then if the first team lose a few games he isn’t there anymore.

“It’s easier when you can bring through players who have been playing the same way. When they get into the first team it makes it easy.”

Poyet knows Guardiola well from the days they went head to head.

From 1990 until 1997, Poyet was the attacking threat coming from midfield for Real Zaragoza while Guardiola was the deep-lying schemer making Barcelona tick.

That Barca side were known as the Dream Team as they won four titles in a row with Hristo Stoichkov, Michael Laudrup and Romario at the sharp end.

But Poyet said: “This team is better.

“I played for seven years against Guardiola, twice every season in the league and often in the cup.

“He was a very clever player. He knew what to do with the ball every time he was in possession.

“He made the team play. You could see he kept things organised. I’m really pleased he is doing such a good job.”

 

[perseus]

Isn't it balm cakes in Manc?

Probably right. Barmy Bolton they say.

 

[pork pie]

Probably right. Barmy Bolton they say.

? Balm cakes are bread rolls?

 

[brightonmark1234]

barca to win 2-1 or 3-1

 

[sod1]

gone for Hernandez to score first Barca to win 2-1 (145-1) .

 

[perseus]

The best team I have ever seen was the 1970 Brazil, but there tactics were flawed (arguable?), but they were just so good players, they won anyway. Winning every single game.

 

[BensGrandad]

I was laughed at on here for suggesting that the way for Man Utd to win tonight was to man mark Messi although I suggested O'Shea to do that job the experts are predicting that Man Utd will adapt that tactic but using Park Ji Sung in the role.

 

[*Gullsworth*]

Barca are favorites and if they hit form they could win comfortable..............but Man U are capable of beating them if they find form. Its all about form. Form to win 2-0 (utd)

 

[Brighton M]

Say what you want about the new Wembley, but not much beats wembley way on final day: Mucha GENTE en la entrada. - WEMBLEY on Twitpic

 

[pork pie]

Barca are favorites and if they hit form they could win comfortable..............but Man U are capable of beating them if they find form. Its all about form. Form to win 2-0 (utd)

I do not think "form" has much to do with it. If you consider "form" to be a record over time. Then Barcelona must be clear favorites. However, like any cup game, it will be who gets the breaks on the night. On that basis, Manure (spit!) have every chance of winning.

 

[Albumen]

The closer I get to kickoff, the more I want Messi to rip United a new one. 5-0. Go on. Please.

 

[bn18bloke]

2-1 to Barca, Rooney sent off

 

[Brighton M]

I think this has all the symptoms of England at the world cup (and 2009!).

English press hyping up Man U, but really, if Barca turn up and play to their best, no team in the world has a chance, and certainly not one with Michael Carrick at the heart of the midfield.