Liverpool do it again

[Emmet]

Since the inception of the Champions League the winners have come from

France 1
Holland 1
Portugal 1
England 2
Germany 2
Italy 3
Spain 4

and when you consider that United and Liverpool both stole their respective finals from better teams, then you might see that technically English teams, much like their national side, just aren't up to it technically

Ok - well you've gone back a good number of years there to make your point. I doubt there are very many players who were around when the CL was conceived who are still playing so I fail to see what relevance their skill back then has on how good certain teams are now. If you're saying that historically English teams lack technical skill then I'd certainly agree. However to say that at this point in time they lack technical skill then I'd totally disagree with you.

Your association between English clubs and the England national side is remarkably simplistic. Cristiano Ronaldo is not English. Neither is Henry. Or Shevchenko. Or Fabregas. Or Mascherano. Or Ballack. Or Alonso. I could go on and on. Do you really believe those players lack technical ability? They all play for English clubs.

As for Liverpool and United stealing the trophy from better teams I'm struggling for words! A game of football is determined by goals scored. It's fairly simple really. The team that scores the most wins the game. In a final if both teams score an equal amount it is (rightly or wrongly) settled by penalties. Again, the team that scores the most wins the shoot-out. United scored two goals, their opponents one. Noone from United stole anything. They deserved to win because they scored the most goals. Liverpool scored more penalty kicks than their opponents. Again, Liverpool deserved to win because they scored the most penalties. If they were playing 'better' teams then why did these so-called better teams not outscore them?

God no- I was responding to you're point where you said that people shouldn't be complaining that Chelsea are playing long ball football (or at least something along those lines, can't remember now).

I think what I was trying to say is that Chelsea are a very good side defensively and that it was unfair to criticise them for being good at that whereas United were being praised for being cavalier and pleasing to watch but in truth had an exceptionally strong attack and an exceptionally poor defence! Chelsea going forward aren't particularly creative and they find it very hard to break down well-organized defences (as we saw on Tuesday) - I'd certainly agree with you there. My point really was that their defensive strengths shouldn't really be a reason to criticise them!

[Marked Man]

[QUOTE=Emmet;678680] As for Liverpool and United stealing the trophy from better teams I'm struggling for words! A game of football is determined by goals scored. It's fairly simple really. The team that scores the most wins the game. In a final if both teams score an equal amount it is (rightly or wrongly) settled by penalties. Again, the team that scores the most wins the shoot-out. United scored two goals, their opponents one. Noone from United stole anything. They deserved to win because they scored the most goals. Liverpool scored more penalty kicks than their opponents. Again, Liverpool deserved to win because they scored the most penalties. If they were playing 'better' teams then why did these so-called better teams not outscore them? QUOTE]

If that's struggling for words, I'd hate to run into you when you were feeling like a bit of a chat.

[Emmet]

Well ... I was struggling at the start!!

[NeilMcD]

Football is made up of subjective feeling, of suggestion - and, in that, Anfield is unbeatable. Put a **** hanging from a stick in the middle of this passionate, crazy stadium and there are people who will tell you it's a work of art. It's not: it's a **** hanging from a stick [...] if football is going the way Chelsea and Liverpool are taking it, we had better be ready to wave goodbye to any expression of the cleverness and talent we have enjoyed for a centur

[Erstwhile Bóz]

How many Liverpool matches has Valdano watched this season, do you reckon? I've a funny feeling he has watched one or possibly two of the European ties. I stand to be corrected.