Not really. They are clicking a lot better yes, but the fact that they will not have what Abidal & particularly Alves bring to the game means they could be back to last year against us; playing the ball centrally amongst Xavi & Iniesta, trying to either thread it through to one of the front three, create one-touch-passing movements, and freeing up space for one of the '3' to exploit. Our defensive unit knows how to break this down better than anybody, as shown last year. It's just a matter of if we can do it again. Besides, when we beat them last year we did it without Vidic at CB, with Owen Hargreeaves playing at RB, and Ji-Sung Park in CM. Park & O'Shea are both 100% definite starters for this game btw, I would put my house on it.
But not usually 3, (arguably 4... I didn't think the last Ballack handball was a particularly strong claim), in the same match. You have to admit, EC, that's unusual. Regarding the conspiracy theories, I made this post on the ManU boards. https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showpost.php?p=17650947&postcount=474
You giving credit to Ferguson by "selling off" a home-sick player is going a bit far. Yes he may be less talented or have less potential than Evans, but giving Ferguson some "rep" for it is over the top. Other than that, I agree Barca are f***ed. No full-backs, as well as having their best CB (Marquez) out. Puyol should start in the middle, but out wide...Sylvinho at LB??? who at RB??? They need Toure back in midfield as Keita is only a good back-up while Toure has had a good 2nd half of the season. Henry linking up again with Eto'o and Messi will help them, but having Iniesta back in midfield is probably be most important. So are we expecting this from both teams? Man Utd van der Sar O'Shea - Ferdinand - Vidic - Evra Park - Carrick - Anderson Tevez - Rooney Ronaldo Barca (no idea who will play at RB/LB but ill guess) Valdes V.Sanchez? - Pique - Puyol - Sylvinho Toure Xavi- Iniesta Messi - Eto'o - Henry
I think Puyol will play at RB and Caceres/Toure at CB. At any rate, they are going to trust Caceres at CB more than Sanchez at RB.
I don't think this is true at all. The away goal rule is supposed to encourage the away team to attack rather than just park the bus. OK Chelsea did park the bus in the Nou Camp but this was largely due to the fact that they could not get hold of the ball for long periods. Barca certainly pressed forward at Stamford Bridge. Without the away goal rule more teams would play like Chelsea at the Nou Camp. It should be noted that Liverpool have scored in their last dozen or so away CL matches (excluding qualifiers). They rely on their home form less than teams like Man U and Arsenal who generally win their home CL games by several goals but (especially Arsenal) are less potent in away legs.
Agreed. Although we've suffered from it on this occasion think it's a good rule. I certainly wouldn't want to see it changed.
Barca are a very different proposition than when you played them last year. Last season in the semi's Barca were crippled with self doubt and poor form and had players like Eto'o and Messi out injured or just back from injury. Henry was in much worse form as was the entire team. Everyone in the media including the Spanish Press put Man U as massive favourites to go through. Barca were at their weakest mentally than at any time in the Rijkaard era. They were certainly in a much worse state of mind than when we faced them the year before. This season Barca have had such outstanding results that the Spanish Press have claimed they could be the best Barca side ever! OK they often exaggerate but this claim merely indicates how highly regarded this season's Barca is. The fact that they crushed Real Madrid in Madrid by an almost unprecedented margin merely lends weight to the plaudits and confidence in Barca. The 2 ties against Chelsea were surprising and stand out as anomalous performances in the Barca season. They were favourites to blast away Chelsea as they did Bayern. The fact that they did not is credit to Chelsea. But Barca have improved massively since last year in a similar way that Chelsea have noticeably improved under a new manager since their trip to OT in Jan. Certainly Barca will offer Man U a very different challenge than the one that would be offered by Chelsea. The fact that Man U knocked them out last year may have a psychological bearing. I just wonder how many Mancs are going to end up being stabbed by those nice Roma fans.
Thinking back to the Drogba disgrace video, anyone else think he was doing a remarkably similar gesture to Rafa's two handed crossing gesture? No? So just my and my mates Alex and Sam then! I fully expect to hear, after a week's seething indignation, Fergie and Allardyce blast Drogs for his signs of disrespect towards Blackburn Rovers! Also, I think it is amusingly ironic for Drogba to be so incensed at the thought of a Ref getting some decisions wrong when half his game is based upon play-acting and fooling the Ref to getting decisions wrong. And finally, was not Drogba subbed off injured? He seems to be able to run about after the Ref pretty quickly. He even somehow stayed on his feet despite being hauled strongly back by Stewards, team-mates and even Hiddink. Surely his legs are hard-wired to stop working when he feels the slightest contact with another person? There are countless video examples of Drogba having this medical condition! I am baffled as to how when Hiddink put his arm across Drogba, that Drogs did not fall to the ground and clutch his face as happens numerous times during every football match. Very strange!
Oh and if Fletcher is allowed to play in the finals and Abidal aint.The world continues cause there is absolutely nothing wrong in that.Its called justice.United style justice!All Praise Sepp Blatter and the morons behind FA and UEFA.
The MLS a few years ago in their wisdom and trying to appease the anti soccer faction's war cry about: "How can you finish a real game with a draw" Experimented with a PK shootout for 'every' drawn game. So, Matches died into a defensive stalemate at about the 70 minute mark with neither team pushing up for a goal in fear of a counter attack. And the best PK kickers were subbed on before the 90 minute mark. My feeling is that without the away goal rule (Unsatisfying as it is) the CL league will degenerate to the same tactics. As I mentioned in my last post, I felt Chesea at 1-1 would have bunkered up during extra time holding out for PKs.
I don't think you'll find he's alone in that respect mate. It seems to be all the rage with some players
They also experimented with penalty kick shootouts with PKs like this... [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_JpXVZwxYA"]MLS Experimental Penalties[/ame]
My point is that Pique was further down the pecking order at Man United (at least in the hype department), and ultimately a bid of £12mn for Evans that far exceeded what Pique went for, was rejected by Ferguson. Just look at Ferguon's willingness to play Evans against anybody even at times when Rio & Vidic are both fit as opposed to Pique, yet he seemed reluctant to give a game even against the weakest of Premiership sides. I wasn't giving Ferguson credit for considering Evans superior - I would have just taken it as popular opinion, and that was my point. Pique would've been our 4th choice CB, and possibly behind O'Shea or a fit Brown in the pecking order as well. Otherwise, I once again agree. I reckon you've got our team more or less spot on, with the front three rotating a bit.
Despite Park's abilities, I have to say that along with Carrick, Fletcher has been your form central midfielder this season and it is a bigger loss than the media is currently saying. Given that he is underrated, this was obviously going to happen. I dont think Park has the tactical knowledge as a central midfielder, in a ball-winning and high intensity closing down type role. Although Fabregas is no great player, when given time and space he can be very good. Watching the game again and specifically watching Fletcher's efforts without the ball on Fabregas and other midfielders is a great lesson to any young "defensive" midfielder.
Oh, it's completely true that missing Fletcher is a kick in the arse. I just don't think it's near losing Alves, Abidal & Marquez though (especially with Milito out for the season), which is why our fans haven't been too vocal in their complaints. On top of that, Park also played in CM for both of our semi-final games against Barca last year, and after our backline & Scholes, was probably our best player out there. My guess is we use him again like we did in those games - kind of like a 'free role' CM to offset the lack of tactical nuance, but due to Park's energy and workrate, he will pop up everywhere. He is also a far, far smarter player than I think you give him credit for - only Ferdinand, Scholes, Giggs and arguably Carrick are smarter players than him, as far as our team goes.
Hardly a Mensa chapter you've got there if Rio (I forgot my drug test) Ferdinand is one of the leading brains.
you do know that intelligent player does not automatically meaan intelligent person? For example, what has your stance on Gascoigne being labelled a genius for the last 20 years or so?
well there is a certain gift of vision and game craft that is labelled as intelligence that has little to do with knowledge or wisdom -- and I'd say Gazza was more in the realm of an idiot savant
I wonder who they are going to get as manager. I am sure they have a pretty interesting shortlist. Whoever they are going to get will be instantly under pressure, because Madrid is always compared to Barcelona (plus other top clubs) and Guardiola (plus other top managers). But mainly Barca and Pep (who I think has done a remarkable job at Barca, not that it is too hard).
3-0 to Valencia now, Cannavaro at fault (at least partly) in all 3 goals. haha. Well done Valencia. Title is Barca's now. My only worry is Silva, he came off injured
i agree that puyol will probably play RB... he's played more than a few games out wide this season and has played well... that said, while battling the niggling injuries this year, he hasn't been the same, centrally or wide... alves was so poor in the chelsea game he might as well not even have been out there... although, he's played very well this season, and helped open it up for meesi, i don't think that RB will be the area of most concern for barca... sylvinho has logged a lot of time at LB this season as abidal was out for a while with injury... he also played well and i dare say has had a better season top to bottom than abidal, splitting the position... the biggest suspect will be whomever the other CB will be with pique... caceres has been good at times, but poor more of the time... yaya filled in okay but i would hate to have to trust him in such a big match... and, on the subject of marquez, others have said that he's been the best CB for barca this season... i'd say he's been the worst and i'd be surprised to see him at barca next season... with all of the superstars on both sides, the talk about the barca back line, the big 3, rooney and ronaldo, i think that whomever has the better game between iniesta and carrick will be the winning side...