Champions League Final [Archive]

Risteard

15/05/2006, 6:44 PM

Best of luck getting tickets Larry.

I think its Barcas really. Nearly all the pundits are giving it to Arsenal on the false assumption that they'll be seen as the nay-sayers.
I don't think they will because there's probably too many young players having this as their first huge occasion.
Also, something not to be under-estimated is how fecking brilliant Barcelona are.
Believe the hype.

mypost

15/05/2006, 8:03 PM

something not to be under-estimated is how fecking brilliant Barcelona are.

Barcelona may have had a weakened side playing last week, but they showed once again that without Ronaldinho, they're useless. Even with him, they barely scraped past AC Milan, and struggled to beat Benfica. Arsenal haven't conceded a goal in the comp now, for 8 months. Real, Juve, and Villarreal couldn't break them down, and if they don't let Barca play, they should win again. :)

Risteard

15/05/2006, 8:23 PM

Read a desparate article about how 'poor' they were against AC Milan saying that Milan had a perfectly good goal disallowed etc.
I thought they showed that they could shut out a quality attack against them and as for the goal, Valdes didn't even try as the whistle had been blown a few seconds previously.
I've no doubt about the quality of Wengers side but i think Barca will take them nine times out of ten.

mypost

15/05/2006, 8:29 PM

i think Barca will take them nine times out of ten.

That's what Milan said before the final last year. Didn't quite go to plan, did it?? :) :)

Risteard

15/05/2006, 8:37 PM

Hmmm . . . at least i get to cover my ass with that 10%.

Karlos

15/05/2006, 10:36 PM

Really looking forward to the final as an Arsenal fan. I honestly am so happy they got this far already with what is a very young side. If they get beat it will be by one of the best teams in the world so there will be no shame in that.

I do think it's going to be far from an easy game for Barca though. It's a cup final and anything can happen. Arsenal have enough about them to hurt any team in Europe and if Barca are not top of the game they could get punished.

Whatever happens I think it's been a great european campaign for Arsenal and far beyond any expections I had of it. I do hope they can write another bit of history - it's certainly there for the winning. :)

drinkfeckarse

16/05/2006, 8:13 AM

Barca are strong favourites but you can't rule anything out and Arsenal are more than capable of taking them. I hope Wenger doesn't sh!t it though and just put Henry up front on his own.... I think Arsenal's best chance will be if they play they normal game. If they do it could be a classic.

Larry 'da' Wyse

16/05/2006, 12:00 PM

[QUOTE=Risteard]Best of luck getting tickets Larry.

Thanks - no luck yet.:(

See Messi is included in the Barca squad. To borrow a Gah phrase bet he will be 'sprung from the bench' if all is not well in the 2nd half.

Looks like Cole and Campbell to start for Afc.

Dodge

16/05/2006, 12:08 PM

Bit on sky sportsnews last night about tickets. Changing hands at �1,000 a ticket. Loads of takers for them too.

LOL @ the "scraped past AC MIlan" line above.

Junior

16/05/2006, 12:19 PM

Any news on whether Larsson or Guilly will start?

Sorry Karlos but I'll be rooting for Barca, purely selfish reasons (Celtic get automatically in to group stages of CL) and also would like to see Henrik get a CL medal before he heads home to Sweden.

Dodge

16/05/2006, 12:24 PM

Guily was rested at the weekend. Larsson started (taken off after an hour)

Stuttgart88

16/05/2006, 1:00 PM

I'd have Barca as favourites but I'll be amazed if Arsenal don't get chances. However, I have doubts about whether players like Reyes, Ljungberg & Pires will be clinical enough if a chance comes their way. I know it's not Wenger's philosophy to capitalise on it, but a definite weakness in Barcelona's make up is defending set pieces, which Chelsea showed. And Valdes has got to be vulnerable in my opinion. Gilberto vs Ronaldinho could be interesting. No better man to do the spoiling job that may be required.

Junior

16/05/2006, 1:36 PM

Guily was rested at the weekend. Larsson started (taken off after an hour)

Yeah I saw that, but it has also been the reverse in recent weeks. Either way Im sure they will both feature at some stage.

I just wondered what the speculation is regarding the starting 11 for tomorrow night.

Dodge

16/05/2006, 1:46 PM

Personally I think he'll start with Guily, hoping his pace would trouble a not totally fit Ashley Cole. BTw the big rumour in Barcelona is that Henry will announce he's joining them this weekend

Roadend

16/05/2006, 2:17 PM

Is Xavi back? If so, the Arsenal midfield could be steamrolled.

Dodge

16/05/2006, 2:21 PM

Xavi's in the squad but midfield will be Edmilson, Deco and one of Iniesta, Xavi or Van Bommel. If truelly fit it'll be Xavi but apparently its a little soon for him

superfrank

16/05/2006, 3:17 PM

Imo, too close to call. Yes Barca are probably the best team in the World at the moment but Arsenal's defence has been outstanding in the Champions League this year and this won't be any different for them.

I think it'll depend on who plays better, Henry or Ronaldinho.

Roadend

16/05/2006, 3:43 PM

I think it'll depend on who plays better, Henry or Ronaldinho.

See I have to laugh at that, Henry has been Arsenals main goal getter in the CL and League, that's not the same with Ronaldinho. Barca have more goal threats than Arsenal, which is why I think they will win.

geysir

16/05/2006, 4:10 PM

I was surprised to see Paddy Power have it close enough
1/1 Barca 11/4 Arsenal.
If it goes to penalties, should be some shoot out but then I'd fancy Arsenal.

NeilMcD

16/05/2006, 4:16 PM

Should be a great game and fair play to Arsenal they have dont great to get to the final. Should be a great game but I just think that Barca have more goal threat around the pitch to get them goals. I think Stuttgart is right about Pires Reyes and Ljungberg. In my view Reyes has a terrible attitude and not the sort of guy you need when things get tough. he is the sort of guy who will get you a great goal when you are 2-1 or 3-1 up when the other team are pressing forward. If Arsenal keep Barca out Henry could well pop up with the winner through a piece of magic and the same goes for Barca. I predict 2-1 to Barca after extra time.

NeilMcD

16/05/2006, 4:17 PM

I was surprised to see Paddy Power have it close enough
1/1 Barca 11/4 Arsenal.
If it goes to penalties, should be some shoot out but then I'd fancy Arsenal.

Thats not close in my view, I would have had it closer, I think the Gunners are a good price there at nearly 3/1. I think that is pretty generous odds on Arsenal. I would have had it more like 7/4 or 2/1.

geysir

16/05/2006, 4:40 PM

I wouldn't give anybody even money on Barca winning. Quite generous odds imo.

geysir

16/05/2006, 4:43 PM

OOpps sorry about that, the generous odds are for 90mins play

to lift the cup 1-2 barca
6/4 Arsenal

Dublin12

17/05/2006, 8:05 AM

I think it'll depend on who plays better, Henry or Ronaldinho.

That's nonsense mate to be honest:rolleyes: ,both teams have 4 or 5 players that can cause big problems.

OwlsFan

17/05/2006, 10:36 AM

1-1 with Barca to win on penos.

Lionel Ritchie

17/05/2006, 10:48 AM

Genuinely hope Arsenal do it. Head says Barca mind. Hope I'm wrong.

superfrank

17/05/2006, 5:11 PM

See I have to laugh at that, Henry has been Arsenals main goal getter in the CL and League, that's not the same with Ronaldinho. Barca have more goal threats than Arsenal, which is why I think they will win.
I wasn't talking about goals. But what would a team like Barca do without their playmaker Ronaldinho?

And yes....I know Henry's not Arsenal's playmaker.

superfrank

17/05/2006, 5:12 PM

That's nonsense mate to be honest:rolleyes: ,both teams have 4 or 5 players that can cause big problems.
It's perfectly good sense. I don't think either team would play the same without their respective players.

Karlos

17/05/2006, 5:27 PM

Very excited about the game now. I don't necessarily hope the best team wins but I do hope it's not decided on a bad referree discision or a controversial issue. I hope neither team can feel hard done by.

I really hope Arsenal can do it. :)

Plastic Paddy

17/05/2006, 8:46 PM

Unlucky Arsenal - so near but nothing to show for it. And well done to King Henrik and (almost) all at Barcelona - worthy winners. All except Deco, the dirty cheating little *****. Hope he chokes on his medal.

:ball: PP

carrickharp

17/05/2006, 9:00 PM

Henry just gone to town on the ref in the interview on ITV and so it wasen't a dive for the free that resulted on the Arsenal goal!

Karlos

17/05/2006, 9:08 PM

Very proud of the Arsenal performance under the circumstances. I think the world saw in 11 v 11 the best two teams in Europe so equally matched.

Sadly the referree got so many things wrong in the game for both sides including the Arsenal goal.

Sadly we never got to see the final everyone wanted to see. :(

That's football and it can be very cruel. :ball:

Congratulations to Barca, a great side and a great club. :ball:

Closed Account 2

17/05/2006, 9:16 PM

Arsenal were unlucky, they nearly pulled it off, even at 10 v 11 for an hour they were so well organised they made Barcelona look very ordinary. In fact it was only when Larsson went on that the game changed.

Such a shame about the red card, as it was shaping up as a great game before that.

oconghc2

17/05/2006, 9:31 PM

absolutely delighted for Barca!!!! what a team - what a club! its what its all about! Hard luck arsenal - good side - disgusted by how ungracious in defeat Henry was! Thought he showed himself up! Real product of Wenger in terms of moaning and not seeing both sides of story. Fair enough wounds were fresh and maybe when he reflects he'll see it a bit different!

Karlos

17/05/2006, 9:46 PM

Hard luck arsenal - good side - disgusted by how ungracious in defeat Henry was! Thought he showed himself up! Real product of Wenger in terms of moaning and not seeing both sides of story. Fair enough wounds were fresh and maybe when he reflects he'll see it a bit different!

I don't agree. If it was Roy Keane people would be calling it 'speaking his mind'. I feel he was spot on about the referee who made some shocking discisions for both sides and his comments while obviously passionate were on the money about Ronaldinho & Eto'o.

on tonight's viewing I wouldn't swap Henry for any of them. Two world class players turned up tonight, one was Henry, the other was Larsson. Ronaldinho and Eto'o looked incredibly average in comparison.

Credit to Barca on the win, no sour grapes there at all but Arsenal deserve many many plaudits for tonight's performance. :)

thejollyrodger

17/05/2006, 9:47 PM

well Done Barca

JoeSemi

17/05/2006, 9:57 PM

The title as 'Champions of Europe' has been passed on from one great club to another tonight.:)

Henry's outburst wasn't justified and I think it was heat of the moment stuff. Whatever way people look at it I don't think Arsenal would have beaten Barca if the disallowed goal had stood and Lehmann had stayed on the field. Campbell's goal came from a contentious freekick, so I can't see where the complaints lie with Henry.

Credit to Arsenal though. It won't be the last we see of them at Europe's top stage. Congratulations to Barca too, and best of luck to everybody in trying to wrestle 'old big ears' back off them!!

Risteard

17/05/2006, 10:25 PM

pineapple stu

17/05/2006, 10:31 PM

I'm unsure of the rule exactly now myself, but why, if the goal was allowed, would Lehmann have stayed on the pitch?
Listening to the argument that he should have stayed and the goal allowed from British TV all night.
I thought different at the time, but now I think that the goal should have stood and Lehmann been warned about his behaviour. I think that'd be for the reason you noted - he didn't actually deny anyone a goalscoring chance. Also thought at the time that Barca would prefer the red card, but as it turned out, the goal would probably have suited them better.

Fairly poor game, I thought. Obviously Arsenal looking to defend and hit on the counter, but still made for a very defensive game. Ronaldinho was very quiet - a couple of poor frees, a couple of weak shots and not a huge amount else. I think the better team overall won, but they didn't really show it on the day.

Risteard

17/05/2006, 10:35 PM

My reading of it now is he should have been booked for the foul, not a red as he didn't 'deny a goalscoring chance' (if that is the actual wording) and the goal should have stood.
If that's not the wording, he should have been sent off for a professional foul and the goal should have been allowed to stand.

Karlos

17/05/2006, 10:36 PM

It was an awful decision. That's definate.
I'm unsure of the rule exactly now myself, but
Why, if the goal was allowed, would Lehmann have stayed on the pitch?
Listening to the argument that he should have stayed and the goal allowed from british tv all night.
Maybe it's got something to do with him not denying them a goalscoring chance if they actually score.
Fair enough it spoiled what would have been a good match, but he had to go imo.

I've absolutely no complaints over the sending off. It was the correct discision for that moment.

I do think other refs would have waited, played advantage, given the goal and just booked the player. It was a shame as it was setting up to be a classic with Arsenal despite what people had written all week taking the game to Barca. Had the game finished 1-0 to Arsenal tonight though I feel Barca would have every right to have been very upset with not getting the goal. I think you should always look to give the advantage to the atacking team. I don't think either team nor the game were given that advantage

However, this discision isn't my real issue, it was all the other discisions he got terribly wrong. The Arsenal free kick for the goal being one, Eboue should have been booked. Then there was also the continual fouling & diving from other players that went unpunished including the likes of Ronaldinho.

His booking of Arsenal players while seemingly refusing to book Barca players for similar incidents for a long time was quite obvious. When he actually did book a Barca player he got it completly wrong as he did when he booked Henry.

The overall referee performance I felt was very poor for a major final and affected both teams. :)

dfx-

17/05/2006, 10:40 PM

wrestle 'old big ears' back off them!!

'New big ears' off them - last year's winners took out ownership of ol' big ears ;)

Perfectly fair result. Blatant red card, even Wenger agreed that it should've been. Arsenal didn't have a hope once they resorted to defending their 18 yard line for 80 minutes. As I said before the game to a few lads, Barca are used to having to break down defensive teams not only at the Camp Nou and will get through and sure enough they did. (Chel$ea, 10 men and 1-0 up at home, same result - another example.)

Again the quality throughout the Barcelona team showed itself tonight. Ronaldinho didn't have to play well. Larsson, Eto'o, Deco and Belletti created and scored. They have the ability to change the game from the bench in Belletti and Larsson. The quality shines through the whole squad. They've won back-to-back league titles and now a double. This isn't a flash-in-the-pan, one-season-wonder Barcelona. There is a certainty they'll be around about it next year.

Can you say the same about Arsenal? The same Arsenal slaughtered for their performances at Bolton and West Ham time and again just months ago, squeeze into fourth in an arguably easier league.

Forca Barca!

dfx-

17/05/2006, 10:50 PM

1. I think that'd be for the reason you noted - he didn't actually deny anyone a goalscoring chance.

2. Also thought at the time that Barca would prefer the red card

1. Could he be done for committing "a professional foul"?

2. Yep. A ridiculous free-kick wouldn't have entered into their decision.

It's like the Luis Garcia winner against Chel$ea last year, which would you take Cech off and a pen or the dubious goal? There still was 80 minutes and still should've dealt with the lead much better than what they did. Keep the ball like Barcelona did, make Barca work for their opportunities and instead they looked for the 0-1 and time wasting with 35 minutes left (1 minute for a kick out) and they paid for it.

eirebhoy

17/05/2006, 10:57 PM

The overall referee performance I felt was very poor for a major final and affected both teams. :)
I can forgive the ref for not playing advantage with Lehmann's foul and it was the linesman that flagged for the blatent dive which led to the goal. Other than that nothing the ref did really affected the outcome of the game, that I can remember.

pineapple stu

17/05/2006, 11:00 PM

1. Could he be done for committing "a professional foul"?
I don't think he did commit one, though. I think the fact that Barca scored anyway meant that no clear cut scoring chance was prevented, which I think is effectively the definition of a professional foul.

geysir

17/05/2006, 11:01 PM

I don't agree. on tonight's viewing I wouldn't swap Henry for any of them. Two world class players turned up tonight, one was Henry, the other was Larsson. Ronaldinho and Eto'o looked incredibly average in comparison.

Credit to Barca on the win, no sour grapes there at all but Arsenal deserve many many plaudits for tonight's performance. :)
Tough luck Karlos, Arsenal gave their all, I guess you know that anyway.
But there is still space for a mild difference of opinion :)
Not many refs would have done different with Lehmann. I wish he would have let the goal stand but...
The ref didn't loose the game for Arsenal nor win it for Barca.
I found it to be an absorbing game, a worthy enough final. You're right about Henry on the night but the incredibly average player in a Barcelona shirt was Van Bommel.

Karlos

17/05/2006, 11:05 PM

'New
Perfectly fair result. Blatant red card, even Wenger agreed that it should've been. Arsenal didn't have a hope once they resorted to defending their 18 yard line for 80 minutes. As I said before the game to a few lads, Barca are used to having to break down defensive teams not only at the Camp Nou and will get through and sure enough they did. (Chel$ea, 10 men and 1-0 up at home, same result - another example.)

I haven't seen anyone question the fairness of the result.

I think Arsenal had little or no choice but to resort to a more defensive play for ahem.....70 minutes. They certainly didn't start like that despite what all the experts said (including the ones on here). They could very easily have been 2-0 up within 5 minutes and taking the game to Barca. They have only themselves to blame for not taking some of the chances they carved open with 10 men against a supposedly superior team.

Even with how they had to play, they still created those 4 or 5 direct chances on goal aginst what looked like a very poor Barca defence. Valdes was the only stand out player in the defence. Nobody can convince me that Barca's performance against a ten man Arsenal has shown them as far superior. Anything but in my eyes. For the 20 minutes that both teams were 11 v 11, the game was even. Barca only used the 10 man advantage effectively with 9 minutes to go. That's a gleaming example of how poor their own performance was by their own standards.

Can't say it enough but congrats to Barca, they have won so they deserve it.

I hope we get to see the two play again 11 v 11 as it was truely shaping up to be a classic.

As for Mr. Henry, if his descision to stay is based on how the Arsenal performance went on the field tonight against a top club then I'm fairly sure he'll be at Emriates when the season kicks off.

Karlos

17/05/2006, 11:11 PM

Tough luck Karlos, Arsenal gave their all, I guess you know that anyway.
But there is still space for a mild difference of opinion :)

Wouldn't be the same without it! :)

Not many refs would have done different with Lehmann. I wish he would have let the goal stand but...
The ref didn't loose the game for Arsenal nor win it for Barca.
I found it to be an absorbing game, a worthy enough final. You're right about Henry on the night but the incredibly average player in a Barcelona shirt was Van Bommel.

I agree on the referee. That paticular incident he called right I believe. It was the countless others he didn't that were bad

I'd probably plump for the right back 'Oleguer' over Van Bommel (spelling) - truely shocking!

My point though was more on the fact that Henry who is continuously accused of not doing it in the big games totally outshone Ronaldinho. It's ironic that Henry has played so well and Arsenal have lost.

Despite the loss, there are far more positives than negatives from tonight imo. :)