Manchester United

[soihok]

So there is hope for Sheffield United then?

I can see the shirts all over SE Asia when they become sucessful. Unfortunately this probably won't be in my lifetime though

Don't Sheffield United have a tie up with one of the Chinese teams?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chengdu_Blades_F.C.

This one of a number of our ( ex ) chairman's vision to conquer the world of football. His dreams of an empire are sadly lacking at home though where he would gladly sell his family if the price was right..." come on down Kevin McCabe "!!

Strictly speaking, it's hard to knock a man who has ploughed half his wealth into a football club, reported to be something like 70 million he has injected into SUFC out of his own pocket

On the other hand, its due to his control over the club why we are now in the third tier of English football

Blades boys v Red Devils boys ( unbiased ) match report.

http://www.network54.com/Forum/651079/message/1305671964/Blades+2+Man+Utd+2+-+report

[LeungKen]

OK lads, any predictions for tonight.

I've got a feeling that it'll go to penalties - but then again it might just be wind.

Go United - Park to score the 1st goal.and Rooney Man of the Match.

[carmine]

OK lads, any predictions for tonight.

I've got a feeling that it'll go to penalties - but then again it might just be wind.

Go United - Park to score the 1st goal.and Rooney Man of the Match.

Whilst i will support Utd, i reckon it'll be Barca 3 Utd 1. The only way you could win is starving Messi of the ball and i just can't see that happening. They are also a far more complete team than two years ago. That said, i hope i'm wrong.

[properjob]

Apologies if this has been asked and answered already - too blummin lazy to trawl nearly 250 pages to find out! - but what Thai TV channel is the Final on tonight?

I have a limited selection of cable channels at home, and as a neutral football supporter I am hoping I don't have to go to a Sukhumvit pub full of partisan fans to see the game....

pj

Edited May 28, 2011 by properjob

[carmine]

Apologies if this has been asked and answered already - too dam_n lazy to trawl nearly 250 pages to find out! - but what TV channel is the Final on tonight?

I have a limited selection of cable channels at home, and as a neutral football supporter I am hoping I don't have to go to a Sukhumvit pub full of partisan fans to see the game....

pj

It'll be on Thai channels 3 or 7.

[properjob]

Apologies if this has been asked and answered already - too dam_n lazy to trawl nearly 250 pages to find out! - but what TV channel is the Final on tonight?

I have a limited selection of cable channels at home, and as a neutral football supporter I am hoping I don't have to go to a Sukhumvit pub full of partisan fans to see the game....

pj

It'll be on Thai channels 3 or 7.

Thanks, Carmine.

[rixalex]

OK lads, any predictions for tonight.

I've got a feeling that it'll go to penalties - but then again it might just be wind.

Go United - Park to score the 1st goal.and Rooney Man of the Match.

Whilst i will support Utd, i reckon it'll be Barca 3 Utd 1. The only way you could win is starving Messi of the ball and i just can't see that happening. They are also a far more complete team than two years ago. That said, i hope i'm wrong.

Cheers.

Not sure how this game will end, but feel pretty relaxed about it. We go in as under-dogs and if we lose, well, we have lost to the best team in the world, so no great shame in that.... and if we win, well obviously that makes us better than the best team in the world... well for those 90 odd minutes.

Hope it's an open game with a lot of attacking play.

Bring it on...

[Sparkles]

Win or lose tonight its been a fantastic season for United supporters.Going back to the time of the Rooney fiasco at the start of the season even the most ardent supporter would have felt it unlikely that United would win the league and be in the CL final. On top of that the Youth team won their final and the Reserves won the Seniors Cup. There is some wonderful talent in the youth team including one Will Keane (no relation) Pogba and Ravel Morrison,the future looks bright.

Like Rivalex I hope we see a quality game. I also hope that SAF goes into the game with an attacking line up and not use the Mourinho tactic of 2 lines of 4 defenders hoping to give Barcelona little breathing space.That's not the United way

I would like to see the folowing line up and use Hernandes pace to unsettle Pique and Puyol,something they are not used to in their 2 horse La Liga compeition.

VDS

FABIO FERDINAND VIDIC EVRA

VALENCIA CARRICK GIGGS PARK

ROONEY HERNANDES

Bench : Berbs , Anderson , Nani , Fletcher, Smalling, O'Shea

See the game is on both Ch 7 and 3 lets hope one has an English commentary and that without the incredbly annoying avalanche of commercials.

[Sparkles]

Apologies how could I leave Scholsey out from the bench line up.The litle man well may be playing, or being part of, his last game in a United shirt

[rijit]

OK lads, any predictions for tonight.

I've got a feeling that it'll go to penalties - but then again it might just be wind.

Go United - Park to score the 1st goal.and Rooney Man of the Match.

Whilst i will support Utd, i reckon it'll be Barca 3 Utd 1. The only way you could win is starving Messi of the ball and i just can't see that happening. They are also a far more complete team than two years ago. That said, i hope i'm wrong.

What a shout carmine!! cant remember the last time i saw a utd team totally outplayed, probably when they were relegated in ?? or maybe in the wilkins or Birtles days. And Ive been bigging up Valencia for weeks and he was just totally out of his depth. Strange decision by Ferguson to leave Berby out, thought that perhaps his height might come into play and I do like the way he links with hernandezzz, but hey thats life. I would say, sort of out of politeness, unlucky but we all know it just wouldn't be true.

[R123]

Out played and out classed:

Man U bring shame on the Premiership: I reckon even Blackpool could have put up a better performance!

[salty]

Out played and out classed:

Man U bring shame on the Premiership: I reckon even Blackpool could have put up a better performance!

Assumming this is not a windup one has to ask what shame? Barcelona were magical and it was a joy to watch them. Has to be one of the greatest displays in a final since European Cup began in 1955/56. Sure Man U were well beaten but no other team in Europe could have lived wit Barca.

[rixalex]

Out played and out classed:

Man U bring shame on the Premiership: I reckon even Blackpool could have put up a better performance!

Assumming this is not a windup one has to ask what shame? Barcelona were magical and it was a joy to watch them. Has to be one of the greatest displays in a final since European Cup began in 1955/56. Sure Man U were well beaten but no other team in Europe could have lived wit Barca.

Yep. Barca were simply awesome, completely unplayable. We did well to keep it to the scoreline we did. Take some heart from Rooney's goal too.

At the end of the day, when you get beaten like that, there's nothing you can do but hold up your hands. Better team won. Congrats to Barca. Best 90 minutes of football i have ever seen.

Can see us doing a bit more business in the summer than we might of done. Not a bad thing, because this year we were basically handed the Premiership by other teams being so awful. Can't count on that happening again next season.

Onwards chaps...

[carmine]

I thought Barca were rather good last night.

[mrbojangles]

I too thought Barca were rather good last night.

[meatboy]

what can you say barca played them off the park,lacking up front could have done with ronaldo or tevez they might have made a diff.berbatoff should have been playing but would he have got any support and where was my home countrys player r.giggs,was he playing?

[rixalex]

lacking up front could have done with ronaldo or tevez they might have made a diff.

Didn't in 2009. Don't think they would have done in 2011.

berbatoff should have been playing but would he have got any support and where was my home countrys player r.giggs,was he playing?

Berba perhaps should have made the bench but no way that he should have started ahead of the Rooney - Hernandez partnership. Hate to think how he would have reacted were he on the pitch having all those rings run around him and with zero service. Would have been even stroppier than he would have been not playing i reckon, so we saved ourselves those histrionics. One good thing.

[Zodiac]

I get up in the middle of the night expecting a decent final and all I see is a lop sided one way traffic match with only one winner. Man-ure are meant to be English champions yet they looked at least one and perhaps 2 leagues below Barca. The word shameful is correct. Such a gap in class makes it embarrassing for anyone who says the Premiership is the best league in the world.

Edited May 29, 2011 by Zodiac

[SantiSuk]

No current team in the world could have achieved a better score line with Barca in that mood - maybe Real, maybe the Spanish national team. I can think of at least two Manchester United teams of the last 15 years that would have given them a much better run for the money though and you would normally expect the current team to have done better - too many Man U players off form last night - Park, Valencia, Giggs, Ferdinand, Carrick.

SAF was aparently bluffing when he told us he knew what went wrong last time, implying that had the secret for unlocking them. I've seen Barca a lot this season on the telly. I still don't know how they manage to close down on their opponents so much more comprehensively than any opposition - they don't even seem to be tired at the end.

Yep Man U need a pretty thorough rebuild of the midfield if they are to continue their dominance of English football next season - shouldn't waste Rooney by using him as a midfielder. Man U can't rely on all of the other 5 usual suspect clubs (see how generous I am too Spurs ) to have an absolute rubbish period like they all did this year. Should be a pretty busy close season coming up.

[rixalex]

The word shameful is correct. Such a gap in class makes it embarrassing for anyone who says the Premiership is the best league in the world.

Depends how you define best. If you define it as being the league with the best team in the world, then obviously last night proved, if it needed to be, that it isn't.

If on the other hand you define best as being the league with the most competitive, exciting and entertaining games, up and down the league, then for some, yes it might be. Viewing figures show that around the world, people love to watch it, more than any other league. That says something. Not that it's the best perhaps, but that it is incredibly successful and you can bet, the envy of all the other leagues.

Another factor that needs to be considered is how the Premiership has over the last five years or so, consistently had more teams in the final stages of the Champions League than teams from any other league. If the Premiership is so crap, how has that been possible? Truth is, i don't think it is. It might not boast the best team in the world, but it can boast a spread of quality that goes beyond just the top two teams.

Anyway, not that any of that will stop some taking the chance to have a pop. Perhaps it goes back to that envy i spoke of. Blatter et al certainly seem full of it.

Edited May 29, 2011 by rixalex

[RedFxTrade]

Out played and out classed:

Man U bring shame on the Premiership: I reckon even Blackpool could have put up a better performance!

Assumming this is not a windup one has to ask what shame? Barcelona were magical and it was a joy to watch them. Has to be one of the greatest displays in a final since European Cup began in 1955/56. Sure Man U were well beaten but no other team in Europe could have lived wit Barca.

Yep. Barca were simply awesome, completely unplayable. We did well to keep it to the scoreline we did. Take some heart from Rooney's goal too.

At the end of the day, when you get beaten like that, there's nothing you can do but hold up your hands. Better team won. Congrats to Barca. Best 90 minutes of football i have ever seen.

Can see us doing a bit more business in the summer than we might of done. Not a bad thing, because this year we were basically handed the Premiership by other teams being so awful. Can't count on that happening again next season.

Onwards chaps...

I recorded the game in the UK, as I thought something special was going to occur last night. Such an amazing team, with the ball, fantastic, without the ball, fantastic. Arsenal have played them four times over the last 2 years...Arsenal won 1, drew 1, lost 2....but were totally outplayed in all those games, and didnt really deserve to win or draw. Although Arsenal did have a good 35 minutes against them. It shows how good they really are when they probably out played UTD even more than Arsenal.

No shame in Man U getting beat here...and I think Ferguson knew it. If you did not know the score and someone just showed the clip of the two managers shaking hands at the final whistle, you could be forgiven for thinking that UTD had won, as I have never seen Ferguson smile so much in the face of defeat. Fair play to Ferguson, he just laughed and smiled as if to say, "well, what the hell could anyone have done to stop that"

[rixalex]

I recorded the game in the UK, as I thought something special was going to occur last night. Such an amazing team, with the ball, fantastic, without the ball, fantastic. Arsenal have played them four times over the last 2 years...Arsenal won 1, drew 1, lost 2....but were totally outplayed in all those games, and didnt really deserve to win or draw. Although Arsenal did have a good 35 minutes against them. It shows how good they really are when they probably out played UTD even more than Arsenal.

No shame in Man U getting beat here...and I think Ferguson knew it. If you did not know the score and someone just showed the clip of the two managers shaking hands at the final whistle, you could be forgiven for thinking that UTD had won, as I have never seen Ferguson smile so much in the face of defeat. Fair play to Ferguson, he just laughed and smiled as if to say, "well, what the hell could anyone have done to stop that"

Spot on.

[Abrak]

I recorded the game in the UK, as I thought something special was going to occur last night. Such an amazing team, with the ball, fantastic, without the ball, fantastic. Arsenal have played them four times over the last 2 years...Arsenal won 1, drew 1, lost 2....but were totally outplayed in all those games, and didnt really deserve to win or draw. Although Arsenal did have a good 35 minutes against them. It shows how good they really are when they probably out played UTD even more than Arsenal.

No shame in Man U getting beat here...and I think Ferguson knew it. If you did not know the score and someone just showed the clip of the two managers shaking hands at the final whistle, you could be forgiven for thinking that UTD had won, as I have never seen Ferguson smile so much in the face of defeat. Fair play to Ferguson, he just laughed and smiled as if to say, "well, what the hell could anyone have done to stop that"

Spot on.

Oh that was what his smile was about.... I thought it was something along the lines 'lucky we didnt meet you in the quarter final or the semis'

[RedFxTrade]

I recorded the game in the UK, as I thought something special was going to occur last night. Such an amazing team, with the ball, fantastic, without the ball, fantastic. Arsenal have played them four times over the last 2 years...Arsenal won 1, drew 1, lost 2....but were totally outplayed in all those games, and didnt really deserve to win or draw. Although Arsenal did have a good 35 minutes against them. It shows how good they really are when they probably out played UTD even more than Arsenal.

No shame in Man U getting beat here...and I think Ferguson knew it. If you did not know the score and someone just showed the clip of the two managers shaking hands at the final whistle, you could be forgiven for thinking that UTD had won, as I have never seen Ferguson smile so much in the face of defeat. Fair play to Ferguson, he just laughed and smiled as if to say, "well, what the hell could anyone have done to stop that"

Spot on.

on a lighter note...here is a Twitter parody account of Howard Webb the referee if you haven't seen it. Howard Webb Twitter

I think its pretty funny...

Ferguson may regret not playing star man Howard Webb on Saturday against Barca, I am the only one who can stop Messi!

and stuff like that, lots of topical football jokes...

[R123]

Dear oh dear some of the responses here are sycophantic. Are you all wimps or uriah heaps? Stop being so <deleted> humble and for those who support Man U, you should demand you get a team which can match Barcelona. Otherwise you may find that a certain team with City in their name will over take you,,,,,,,,

Edited May 29, 2011 by R123

[RedFxTrade]

I recorded the game in the UK, as I thought something special was going to occur last night. Such an amazing team, with the ball, fantastic, without the ball, fantastic. Arsenal have played them four times over the last 2 years...Arsenal won 1, drew 1, lost 2....but were totally outplayed in all those games, and didnt really deserve to win or draw. Although Arsenal did have a good 35 minutes against them. It shows how good they really are when they probably out played UTD even more than Arsenal.

No shame in Man U getting beat here...and I think Ferguson knew it. If you did not know the score and someone just showed the clip of the two managers shaking hands at the final whistle, you could be forgiven for thinking that UTD had won, as I have never seen Ferguson smile so much in the face of defeat. Fair play to Ferguson, he just laughed and smiled as if to say, "well, what the hell could anyone have done to stop that"

Spot on.

Oh that was what his smile was about.... I thought it was something along the lines 'lucky we didnt meet you in the quarter final or the semis'

It is a worse feeling getting beat in a final that a quarter or semi...

[Abrak]

It is a worse feeling getting beat in a final that a quarter or semi...

Cant really remember. Its been a while since we even played CL football....

[mrbojangles]

It is a worse feeling getting beat in a final that a quarter or semi...

Not to the Club's Finance Director and owners.

[ThaiPauly]

A poll on Sky Sports asks "is the current Barcelona team the best footballing team EVER?"

73% confirmed

No team in the world could have lived with Barcelona last night, but as SAF said , teams are cyclical, he probably had the best team in the world in '99, and sure as eggs are eggs in 10 years time another team will be the best in the world, maybe United, City, FC Porto ,....or AFC Wimbledon....we'll have to wait and see.

Its what makes our special game so speacial..the not having a clue just hope:D

[StevieH]

A poll on Sky Sports asks "is the current Barcelona team the best footballing team EVER?"

73% confirmed

No team in the world could have lived with Barcelona last night, but as SAF said , teams are cyclical, he probably had the best team in the world in '99, and sure as eggs are eggs in 10 years time another team will be the best in the world, maybe United, City, FC Porto ,....or AFC Wimbledon....we'll have to wait and see.

Its what makes our special game so speacial..the not having a clue just hope:D

don't agree with that pauly, united weren't even the best team in the 99 champions league final. united have never been the best in the world in their particular eras. . . .madrid, bayern, ajax, liverpool, milan have all had obvious periods of dominance, now barca have too. ferguson, for all his domestic dominance, has largely disappointed on the biggest stage throughout his career.