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My logic was that United hadn't won at Stamford Bridge since 2003 or something and Chelsea have an incredible record at OT. I honestly think it could have been a very different story if Drogba started on his own in both games, glad he didn't though. Also, I didn't realise Rio Ferdinand was going to pop out of the wilderness for both matches, United are a different side with himself and Vidic playing.Quote:
Originally Posted by shakermaker1982
Would love a Real vs Schalke final, with Raul netting the winner.
Am expecting a Barcelona vs Man United final, with difficulty determining which of Barca's three or four goals is deemed 'the winner'.
I predict Barca v Man United :)
Ugly but intriguing game tonight. Messi - what a genius.
yes ugly & messi is a genius .. but some of the antics of both sets of players was a disgrace ..Quote:
Originally Posted by Stuttgart88
Barca have alway got a face clutching episode in them.
We know Barca can play football, meeting a typically negative Mourinho team in the CL semi final.
Jose didn't talk about the football after the game, he was beaten hands down in the football and Guardiola hammered his cynical game.
In the end football clearly won and Jose is left squealing like pig. Happy enough ending.
fair point in the end the football won, but barcelona for such a great team drive you mad with play acting and going down holding faces & 6-7 players rushing to ref after every tackle.. mourinho's plan backfired big time last night and they were deservedly beaten.Quote:
Originally Posted by geysir
So, looking like a Barça -vs- Man Utd final unless all Hell breaks loose next week. Scoreline predictions?
It's a pity Barcelona weren't able to claim the moral high ground more emphatically. The diving and play acting let them down.
I'm surprised nobody has countered Mourinho's attack on the legitamcy of Barcelona's other semi-final wins with an attack on the legitimacy of Inter's win last year. An Inter goal from a ridiculously offside position and a nailed-on penno in Milan for Barcelona denied. Not to mention the iffy decision to chalkm off Krcic's goal in the Nou Camp.
I also have strong views on the supposed robbery of Chelsea, but I've discussed these before here.
I see Busquets has been caught making racist jibes at Marcelo... Hope they throw the book at him, should have been banned last over the Thiago Motta face-covering dive. For a team that festoons the "more than a club" drivel all over their shirt and stadium, and for all the media love-in they generate, they dont exactly epitomise fair play. Not that I'm saying Real Madrid are saints.
Interesting to see Villareal (one of the supposedly stronger also-rans in Spain) getting a drubbing in Porto.
Anyone got a stream for the match tonight?
I watched it on tv3, which is a penance (woeful commentary team), but fortunately the game was top entertainment.
Madrid - 5 yellows and 30 fouls V Barca - 1 yellow and 10 fouls.
A few 'could haves' could have sent the tie in a different direction, shouldn't distract from a thoroughly deserved victory by Barca who won hands down, with 99% of their efforts focussed on producing the spectacle (arguably) of the most positive artistic display of team football, ever seen.
How many yellow card challenges did Carvalho risk last night?
The game was played in a better spirit but Alves still disgusted me with his roll after Diarra took ball and man in the second half. Amazingly he recovered as soon as he got to touch line.
Real were unlucky to have their first goal chalked off for the foul was unintentional and Ronaldo should have had a free if the game wasn't to go on. Shows though that Mourinho's plan might have worked. 0-0 at home and a score draw away but the little master made sure that didn't happen. I wonder how long before Mourinho goes to Man City?
It does show though that a manager's rant after a game does have an effect on Officials because at least 2 Real players were lucky to stay on the pitch, especially Carvalho.
Yep, the ref had many reasons to show red cards.
Just as an aside: I don't buy the view that if a player already on a yellow commits a foul deserving of a second yellow, he should be sent off. The ref should be allowed the discretion to issue a final warning. That said, Carvalho could have had any number of second yellows last night and he'd have had no excuses whatsoever if that tackle from behind led to a sending off.
I'm glad Barcelona won but that Real goal should definitely have stood. As any Ireland and Arsenal fan can tell you, goals change games. In fact goals can completely change games, so Real had good reason to be miffed - just as Barecelona had every reason to be miffed in last year's semi vs Mourinho's Inter (both legs).
Mourinho's stock has fallen a lot in this affair.
As brilliant as the little master is, Barca are a team laden with world class footballers. There are times Xavi reminds me of Brady, the way he sides steps and glides around a marker. Last night, Busquets was imperious holding the midfield. The back 4 and the goalie are complete footballers. Villa is world class, Pedro about be.
Barca are in their 3rd season at the top, another 2 should clinch their all time greatness.
Agree, but Villa has been a shadow of his self of 12 months ago. I think he needs to discover his scoring touch ahead of Wembley. For all Messi's brlliance the WC showed he can't always be depended on for a goal, no matter how close he gets at times. If Villa was on better form I wouldn't give United (presumably) a chance but if United go ahead this time maybe Barca will dominate but shoot blanks.
I go along with most of what is being said. But surely playing Villa through the middle, as oppose on the left, would be allot better for him personally and Barca.
For all the bad press Mourinho has got and his antics of "Cute whoreism" with regards trying to bring the game into disrepute I think he has sown some seeds of doubt in the Barcelona camp. In that he has now complained so much about the diving and poor antics of Barcelona that now the media and Uefa lov-in will be under scrutiny from all angles.
It has to be next to impossible to build a team in one year and expect to beat Barcelona. It's just not going to happen. It's going to take a well seasoned team who have played together along time to break them and be better than them.
If Madrid had a two year plan I would think at this stage they are well ahead having gotten to the semi final of the champions league and winning the Copa Del Rey. Being eight points behind in La Liga aint good but that's a gap that can be bridged. Barring the disaster in the Nou Camp they have won one drawn two and lost two I honestly think that's as close as they can hope to be....
Goalkeeper is the weak link for me. I dont rate Valdes at all, he's very good at running to the middle of the park to contest a decision, but I've seen a number of shots squirm under his arms over the last few seasons (Wallcots at the Emirates last year being the classic example) I think if he didn't have Puyol in front of him he would be badly exposed far more often.Quote:
Originally Posted by geysir
Very impressed with Utd's B team last night. Gibson impressed and I even spotted him sprinting back on many an occasion.
I'm really looking forward to the final now. I don't think United can play any worse than they did in Rome and it should be some game, gutted I missed out on the ticket ballot. It'll be interesting to see what Fergie does for the final in terms of team selection.
Predictions League so far:
9 Shakermaker
9 Bennocelt
9 OwlsFan
7 Gustavo
6 Cfdh Edmundo
6 Delorean
Man U vs Barcelona
Was amazed it was so comfortable for Man U 2nds last night but great to see Gibson getting top marks in some papers this am. The whole qualifying rounds were a waste of time really as the two favourites have got to the final and comfortably at that.
Roll on the Final.