WPOTY Continued

[comme]

Sorry to continue this thread, but it is inevitable, especially with the Euros coming up.

Comme, based only on what happened in the game, whose performance did you think was better and why?

Ronaldo against Chelsea's or Messi against United in the second leg?

Two different performances.

Ronaldo won on end product. He scored, made one great chance and generally did reasonable well.

Messi looked dangerous, showed for the ball more, looked to inspire his team-mates more. He looked like the go to guy.

So on the night I think Ronaldo's performance won out TBH. But, and I realise this wasn't what you asked, Messi showed a performance more in line with greatness, that I would expect a great to put in.

[comme]

I just rewatched the final and tried to focus as much as possible on Ronaldo. My conclusion was exactly the same as the first time around.

Good first half, then he faded and made gradually less impression as the match wore on.

Johno, I was just wondering if you could point me in the direction of Ronaldo's full length runs in the game, as despite looking out for them I couldn't see one.

[Bronaldo]

I think if we had not been run over in midfield, Ronaldo would have had a magical performance. In the first half he was very good, and like comme has said, he died down and faded out. He was almost non present in the second half bar a couple of dangerous counter attacks.

In terms of WPOTY, he should win unless someone like Ballack or Ribery have an amazing Euro Cup.

Is he the best player in the world? Not sure.

[lynne]

So on the night I think Ronaldo's performance won out TBH. But, and I realise this wasn't what you asked, Messi showed a performance more in line with greatness, that I would expect a great to put in.

This reminds me of the scoring for Olympic Ice Dancing, an event where nothing much ever happens and skaters are scored based on hard to describe minutiae by judges who's impartiality is always suspected.

Anyway, I don't really like Ice Dancing, and I prefer sports where you can tell who wins because there's a score at the end of the game. So taking a game where there is a score, and trying to say that Messi is a better player because he wins on Style Points just seems to be reaching a bit.

[johno]

I just rewatched the final and tried to focus as much as possible on Ronaldo. My conclusion was exactly the same as the first time around.

Good first half, then he faded and made gradually less impression as the match wore on.

Johno, I was just wondering if you could point me in the direction of Ronaldo's full length runs in the game, as despite looking out for them I couldn't see one.

There was one particular run where he picked up the ball just outside our box. Can't recall if it was from a defender or from Edwin, he sprinted 3/4 length of the field and then passed it off to one of the forwards whom I believe didn't even look in his direction again and United lost possession. The commentators for ESPN, Rae specifically said that was something he needed to do to relieve the pressure.

That run was more through the heart of the field - he had a couple where he picked up the ball inside our half and ended up just outside the box after going right by Essien.

[comme]

This reminds me of the scoring for Olympic Ice Dancing, an event where nothing much ever happens and skaters are scored based on hard to describe minutiae by judges who's impartiality is always suspected.

Anyway, I don't really like Ice Dancing, and I prefer sports where you can tell who wins because there's a score at the end of the game. So taking a game where there is a score, and trying to say that Messi is a better player because he wins on Style Points just seems to be reaching a bit.

Football though is a team game, only the teams have a score, not the players. So the point doesn't hold.

There was one particular run where he picked up the ball just outside our box. Can't recall if it was from a defender or from Edwin, he sprinted 3/4 length of the field and then passed it off to one of the forwards whom I believe didn't even look in his direction again and United lost possession. The commentators for ESPN, Rae specifically said that was something he needed to do to relieve the pressure.

That run was more through the heart of the field - he had a couple where he picked up the ball inside our half and ended up just outside the box after going right by Essien.


Any idea of the time of these? Or anybody else that saw them. I'm not gonna go through the entire game again to look for phantom runs.

[johno]

Well, the runs against Essien were in the first half probably after minute 15 and before the 40th... I'm not certain about the long one but it must have been after a sustained period of pressure from the chavs in the 2nd half. If I have the time tonight I'll watch the replay and see if I can pin point it for you - that is if I'm not throwing up or sat on the toilet - picked up a lovely stomach bug.