Originally Posted by Saaf_laandon_mo (Post 34802616)

FTW?

Originally Posted by Damien (Post 34802198)

The Celtic fans (who complained) can go screw themselves if they hate a manager just because they didn't win this season. Morons.

Originally Posted by BBC Sport

Sunderland want Wigan boss Steve Bruce to succeed Ricky Sbragia as their new manager, BBC Sport understands.

Originally Posted by BBC Sport

Celtic would have to pay about £1m in compensation to prise Tony Mowbray from West Brom, BBC Sport understands.

The 45-year-old has been installed as favourite by some bookmakers to replace Gordon Strachan, who left on Monday after four years in charge of the club.

Originally Posted by Mal (Post 34802634)

Link



...and...

Originally Posted by CHiLL (Post 34802688)

Didn't West Brom get relegated? If they did...why would you want a manager who can't keep a team up?

Originally Posted by CHiLL (Post 34802688)

Didn't West Brom get relegated? If they did...why would you want a manager who can't keep a team up?

Originally Posted by Niles Crane (Post 34802698)

From what i've heard and read, one of the main problems with Strachan was his apparently awful playing style. The fans didn't like the way Celtic were playing at all, even if it did bring them their usual trophy haul.

Originally Posted by Agent47 (Post 34802904)

Good luck Barca hope you beat those manc ****.

Originally Posted by Russ B (Post 34802921)

That's more like it! That's the sort of thing I want to hear if we lose tonight.

Originally Posted by Damien (Post 34802924)

:p: Someone likes the pain...

Originally Posted by Russ B (Post 34802930)

I only say because if we win there's going to be a LOT of smug United fans in here tonight, all cranking it up a notch or two. But we've got to be prepared to take it back if we lose.

Originally Posted by Damien (Post 34803034)

I only just noticed that Barcelona don't have a proper team kit sponsor! They advertise Unicef for free and donate to them. That's a great idea, other clubs should do the same.

Originally Posted by Damien (Post 34803034)

I only just noticed that Barcelona don't have a proper team kit sponsor! They advertise Unicef for free and donate to them. That's a great idea, other clubs should do the same.

Originally Posted by matt-h (Post 34803040)

Aston Villa do.

Randy Lerner did a deal where he pays "Acorns" , which are kids hospices (?) to promote them on villas kits.

Say what ya like about foreign owners of clubs ( like uncle malcolm the poison dwarf ) but i wish more of them were like Lerner.

Thumbs up to the bloke

Originally Posted by matt-h (Post 34803040)

Aston Villa do.

Randy Lerner did a deal where he pays "Acorns" , which are kids hospices (?) to promote them on villas kits.

Say what ya like about foreign owners of clubs ( like uncle malcolm the poison dwarf ) but i wish more of them were like Lerner.

Thumbs up to the bloke

Originally Posted by Niles Crane (Post 34803188)

Athletic Bilbao were another team who'd never had a shirt sponsor. Until very recently, when they had to give in due to financial reasons.

Originally Posted by TheDaddy (Post 34803196)

You have to be Basque to play for them, the ultimate club for producing home grown players, they don't have much other choice.

Originally Posted by TheDaddy (Post 34803196)

You have to be Basque to play for them, the ultimate club for producing home grown players, they don't have much other choice.

Originally Posted by Russ B (Post 34803211)

Come on!!! Send Solskaer on!! :D

Originally Posted by pedantic (Post 34802962)

Here we go...

Linky

Originally Posted by DocDutch (Post 34803256)

such a shame totally outplayed by Barca :)

Originally Posted by Russ B (Post 34803259)

Before the floodgates open let's not forget that although Barca played well it was equally down to United being awful. Surely SAF realises how much of a waste of time Berbatov was, let's just blow him out for £15m and buy a striker who can score.

Originally Posted by Damien (Post 34803260)

Credit to Barca though, they demolished United! Not an easy task considering how good United have been this year. I get the feeling a lot of United felt it was theirs already though.

Originally Posted by Russ B (Post 34803262)

That wasn't a demolition, they played well but not outstanding. United just couldn't get out of second gear after Eto's goal.

Originally Posted by danielf (Post 34803263)

They couldn't get the ball...

Originally Posted by iadom (Post 34791923)

You know, the one thing that has puzzled me over the last few months is the accepted wisdom that Barcelona are 'the best club side in the world' and are now slight favourites to win the Champions League..............why.:confused:

After the way that Liverpool destroyed Real Madrid who are currently second in La Liga it seems obvious that the standard there is pretty poor.

The much vaunted Barca side did not manage a single shot on target during the full 90 minutes of normal time against Chelski on Wednesday. I know which side I would sooner face in the final, the ones who couldn't muster a shot on target, and also have a suspect defence, or the team that prevented them from having a single proper shot for 90 minutes. ;)

To take this further, how many of the Barca side would you want in the Man United team, Messi, Iniesta, possibly the keeper and Xavi on a good day. Toure is not bad but he wouldn't catch United's first team and the rest of them, Henry, Eto'o et al would be lucky to make the bench although I always rated Pique when he was at Man Utd. In a one off final they will have as much chance as United but 'the best team in the world' do me a favour.:rolleyes:

Jim.

Originally Posted by Russ B (Post 34803270)

To be fair next door's poodle is in a class above 'Donkey' Dimitar Berbatov.

Originally Posted by Shadow Demon UK (Post 34803280)

Better team won.

Originally Posted by Shadow Demon UK (Post 34803280)

Better team won, a goal against the run of play totally changed the game. I wouldn't say we were outclassed, just beaten by an all round better side, we always ran the risk of conceeding the second by pushing forward so much and we just couldn't take the chances we made. Still with a young squad they can learn from this and push on next season.

Originally Posted by Russ B (Post 34803274)

With a man as ineffective as him on the team he's actually a hinderance.

Originally Posted by CHiLL (Post 34803283)

It isn't really a young squad with an average age of 29.

Originally Posted by TheDaddy (Post 34803282)

Indeed, there is no shame in finishing runners up though...

Originally Posted by Niles Crane (Post 34803288)

Josep Guardiola - 38 years old, 2nd season in management; La Liga, Copa del Rey, Champions League, the first treble in Spanish history. Incredible.

Originally Posted by Shadow Demon UK (Post 34803280)

Better team won, a goal against the run of play totally changed the game. I wouldn't say we were outclassed, just beaten by an all round better side, we always ran the risk of conceeding the second by pushing forward so much and we just couldn't take the chances we made. Still with a young squad they can learn from this and push on next season.

Originally Posted by Shadow Demon UK (Post 34803289)

Well that's because of players like VDS who's about 36, Giggs who's 35 and Scholes who's about 33, pushing the average age up, the core of the squad is still young and the players i've mentioned already have replacements at the club who are young and are learning from experiances like tonight.

Very true, try telling a scouser or gooner that at the moment though lol

Originally Posted by CHiLL (Post 34803293)

But those inexperienced and younger players weren't playing, the older, more skilful and experienced squad was.

I'm a scouser, and there isn't any shame finishing runner up...did better than the team I support did this season.

Originally Posted by Russ B (Post 34803295)

Yes indeed, better to come second on the night than over 38 games :D

Originally Posted by Julian (Post 34803292)

So outclassed then. :)

For 80 mins Manu were outclassed. Also the behaviour of Ronaldo and Scholes didn't help at all.

How long was Scholes on the pitch before he got booked?

It's a shame 'cos I wanted to see Platini crying at another English triumph.

Originally Posted by CHiLL (Post 34803293)

But those inexperienced and younger players weren't playing, the older, more skilful and experienced squad was.

I'm a scouser, and there isn't any shame finishing runner up...did better than the team I support did this season.

Originally Posted by CHiLL (Post 34803296)

Iniesta and Xavi had an amazing game.

Originally Posted by Shadow Demon UK (Post 34803300)

I missed out 'on the night' at the end of that sentence ;) We must have a different definiton of 'outclassed'. We were the better team for the first ten minutes and then a period in the second half before they scored we were controlling the game, but as i said before the better team won. I didn't think there was anything wrong with Ronaldo's behaviour, it's Puyol that needs to take a look at himself imo.




Did Anderson, Ronaldo, Rooney, Tevez, Carrick etc not play then?? Or was i seeing things? They are all, in my opinion at an age before they have reached their 'prime', but this a stupid debate, the only players who will be retiring anytime soon are Giggs, Scholes and VDS and as i said we already have players to replace them.

Your a rare breed then :p:

Originally Posted by pedantic (Post 34803302)

Well played Barcelona, the better team won. :tu:

Have to say though, I don't agree that they were streets ahead of us in class, despite Clive Tyldesley masturbating at the sight of Iniesta and co. At no point did I think we were out of the game. Had Park have scored from the rebounded free kick, the game may have panned out differently. I'm mostly disappointed that we didn't score, against that defence...it's crminal.

Originally Posted by Moldova (Post 34803312)

Ferguson is not in the least bit bitter, you could tell by the way he said both of Barcelona's goals were shoddy in his TV interview post match.[img]Download Failed (1)[/img]

Originally Posted by Shadow Demon UK (Post 34803314)

Sir Alex Ferguson - "We were beaten by the best team. We weren't at our best"


Bitter indeed :rolleyes:

Originally Posted by Moldova (Post 34803316)

He did actually call the goals shoddy on the ITV news though.;)

Originally Posted by kingbuxton (Post 34803322)

The finishes weren't shoddy, what led up to them was. Second one more so, Evra messing about and one of the smallest blokes on the pitch unmarked. First goal was just bad defending.

Seemed like once they scored it kicked the life out of us, we looked shocked and never got over it. There is a bit too much "It'll be Alright on the Night" in us sometimes, luck isn't going to dig you out of the hole everytime, and they looked clueless. I guess this is where we still miss Keane, they spent the rest of the half looking at each other instead of continuing what they had been doing, it was just a question of time before we scored.

Barca on the other hand took full advantage of that and just killed it, pass, pass, pass, pass they never let us compose ourselves from that point on, by not letting us have the ball. First 10 mins aside, it was a perfect performance from them.

Originally Posted by Niles Crane (Post 34803309)

I think it's funny how suddenly some Man United fans are bitching about Tyldesley's commentary because he's glorified Man United's victorious opponents. He's notorious for his nauseating pro-Man United and Liverpool bias and has been for many years. The man practically orgasms every time the likes of Rooney and co touch the ball. Now the shoe is on the other foot for a night and he's awful.

Originally Posted by SB_07 (Post 34803327)

Amazing display from Barca.

Man United didn't turn up.

Originally Posted by pedantic (Post 34803329)

You really think it was amazing? Think maybe I was watching a different game. I thought both teams under performed, Man U more so than Barca. Typical final really...

Originally Posted by pedantic (Post 34803329)

You really think it was amazing? Think maybe I was watching a different game. I thought both teams under performed, Man U more so than Barca. Typical final really...

Originally Posted by SB_07 (Post 34803331)

If both teams didn't turn up then Man United would've won.

Yaya at CB? Sylvinho? Puyol at RB? LOL.

Originally Posted by icestar2 (Post 34803333)

Really ? I didnt think Barca under performed at all TBH. Maybe in the first 10 mins but after they scored they were calm and controlled and dictated the rest of the game imho. Maybe there could of been a couple more goals but as an over all performance I dont think you can say it was anything other than great.

Originally Posted by pedantic (Post 34803324)

And I think it's funny how bitter Arsenal fans come on twittering simply because they were given the runaround in the semi's, but hey ho. ;)

I was, of course, referring to Tyldesleys presumption that Barca were head and shoulders above us, when they weren't, in my opinion. It wasn't a rant over Tyldesleys commentary style per se. Do try and keep up. ;)

Originally Posted by pedantic (Post 34803334)

Have you been smoking again? :D

---------- Post added at 23:56 ---------- Previous post was at 23:52 ----------



As I've said in previous posts, at no point during the game did I think Barca played with a "wow" factor. Yes, they were the better side, but not great, in my opinion. Maybe I have high standards. :erm:

Originally Posted by Mal (Post 34803340)

Oh well...we only have the league title to console ourselves with ;)

Originally Posted by Niles Crane (Post 34803337)

Except they were head and shoulders above you, according to every one who watched the game, apart from you and no doubt a few others who feel the need to cushion the blow of defeat with the same denial.

Originally Posted by Niles Crane (Post 34803337)

Though as i chose Sky Sports over ITV because i can't stand their awful football coverage, including their sickening commentators, please forgive me for not being fully in tune with your Tyldesley anger.

Originally Posted by pedantic (Post 34803342)

Well, I don't bull anyone, I tell it as I see it. If I wanted to cushion the blow, I'd be saying how fantastic Barca were (and how they'd have to be to beat my beloved team) but I didn't. I say it as I see it.
.

Originally Posted by Damien (Post 34803399)

Well actually, and I am not saying this is the case, it is easier to say your team underperformed than you were outplayed. The former suggests it was an off-day and can be improved, the latter concedes that Barcelona were the better side and are the best team in the world.

Originally Posted by Russ B (Post 34803391)

Winalot were ready to sign a multi-million pound sponsorship deal with Liverpool until they realised how inappropriate their name would look on the team shirts....

Originally Posted by superbiatch (Post 34803445)

Do we really want to go down this road Russ?