UCL: Barcelona 0-0 Manchester United [23.4.2008]

[Mr Brightside]

Beating Barca isn't a new thing.

3-0 in 1984 was the best atmosphere EVER in Old Trafford. Ask any supporter who was there and they will concur.

So we have to do it again.

I think we'll do it comfortably.

3-0.

[hanuma]

Originally Posted by c.ronaldo#1

Rooney is a better defender then Ronaldo and Ronaldo is a better dribbler then Rooney.

Yes, but you didn't have to play Tevez, it wasn't like he was playing a particularly good match, you could have brought on anyone else to play a defensive role on that right hand side. Ronaldo was one of the few players on the pitch quick enough to support a lone striker. So for me it was still a strange decision.

[c.ronaldo#1]

Originally Posted by hanuma

Yes, but you didn't have to play Tevez, it wasn't like he was playing a particularly good match, you could have brought on anyone else to play a defensive role on that right hand side. Ronaldo was one of the few players on the pitch quick enough to support a lone striker. So for me it was still a strange decision.

Not strange if you understand football. Sure Ronaldo was quick enough to support a striker but he doesn't even pretend to defend so for Man U's strategy to work they need wingers who will hold posistions and help out the full backs.

[c.ronaldo#1]

Originally Posted by jlae11

yeah, im with duke here... united played basically the same formation throughout the match... a 4411... they may have moved to a formation that resembled a 4321, a la the ac milan "christmas tree," during the second half... but both are similar. if anything, i would say that united tried to be more progressive in the first half compared to the second half. for me, the only difference is that ronaldo started in the start of the game a bit more on the flanks as a winger (sometimes even on the same side as park, who was usually moving thru the center at the start), and as the game progressed, he was positioned solely thru the center with tevez in behind him.

initially:
rooney scholes carrick ronaldo
park
tevez

later (4411 or 4321, park interchangeable):
rooney scholes carrick (park)
tevez (park)
ronaldo

thats what i saw... maybe i missed something. united never seemed to me to be in their traditional CL formation: 4231 or 433, interchanging, because rooney sat back far too much and played more like a traditional defensive wingback in my opinion.

if someone told you this: this is a one-legged tie, and you must beat barcelona at home to move on to the champions league final... wouldnt you take that? I know i would!!!!!! so, i still really like united's chances at progression to moscow... just as much as before this result.

just a question: i read something today that said that some would prefer a 1-2 loss in an away match than a 0-0 draw away... isnt that ridiculous?? i think i understand the concept there, but it seems a stretch to me.

I am still waiting for you to tell me how what i said was stupid.

[dukeofdavinci]

well im here, the atmosphere is sure great in the pubs around i have been to so far.and this a day before the match, it will go ballistic on the night it self.

worried, jittery, confident to all sorts of feeling are in and im one of those in that group too.

if nows the time to give it all its now.lets get that ticket to russia!!

[hanuma]

Originally Posted by c.ronaldo#1

Not strange if you understand football. Sure Ronaldo was quick enough to support a striker but he doesn't even pretend to defend so for Man U's strategy to work they need wingers who will hold posistions and help out the full backs.

Yes and where did I say to play Ronaldo? Read it again then come back when you have a clue.

[jlae11]

^

no explanation needed

[c.ronaldo#1]

Originally Posted by jlae11

^

no explanation needed

I am sll waiting for your explanation for me as to why my posts was stupid. I guess ill be waiting along time.

[c.ronaldo#1]

Originally Posted by hanuma

Yes and where did I say to play Ronaldo? Read it again then come back when you have a clue.

Yes you were correct. Sorry sir.

[russe||]

Originally Posted by hanuma

I missed most of the first 10 minutes and most of the last 15-20, but definitely in the hour I saw Utd were set up with a lone forward and two wingers (usually switching positions) then went to a more rigid flat four across the middle in the second half, firstly with Tevez on the left, then Park there with Tevez behind Ronaldo.

Before the match I said Barca wouldn't be able to cope with Utd's counterattacks and in the first half that looked the case, in the second Utd tried to open up, but they seemed to think Ronaldo's pace was going to be the be all and end all of any attack against generally slow defenders, when for me their best weapon would have been putting Rooney up against Marquez, allowing Ronaldo to run onto the play, something that seems to suit his skillset better.

It's the value of an away goal, the difference certainly isn't vast between these results. You're going to argue that you're happy enough with either result in these sorts of matches.

I don't think it naturally follows that just because you're at home you're going to get a better result, or that the game is going to be dramatically different, certainly not in this case where there was a massive clash of styles that (if a goal had been scored early) might have led to a lot more goals. Even if, as Kyan suggests, your midfielders 'get their passing game together', you aren't going to see Utd dominate the possession, it's not the way they play against the big sides and I don't remember the last team to do it against Barca in the CL.

Jlae, I agree exploiting Barca out wide is something that's possible to do, but if you're playing counterattacking football your attacks are usually planned on where there's space and invariably the first place to get covered is out wide and the space left open is in the middle. For me Utd need to slow their build up play down at times, it can look so rushed...Scholes will be really important for doing this.

unitedfan: Yes, Barca did play very centrally when faced with Utd's defensive wall, mainly because it was about getting the ball through to Eto'o and also the fact that Iniesta isn't a real winger and then you consider the likelihood of Barca scoring with a header from a cross....not likely really is it? I think Utd did a good job of limiting Barca's options.

Good post.

I'm quite confident for tonight mainly because of hope poorly Barca dealt with us on the counterattack. They could easily have given away 2 or 3 penalties despite us hardly getting into their penalty area all game. Every time Ronaldo got the ball and ran they hadn't got a clue.


I think we will do better at home. You look at our stats for away games in the CL - we do poorly; while we've won our last 10 home games in the competition.

Look at Barca's home record this season (player 17, won 13, drawm 2, lost 2 in the league conceding 9 goals; played 5 won 5 in the CL conceding 1 goal) a 0-0 draw there was a good result.

Barca concede a lot more goals away from home and generally don't win as many games (played 17, won 3, drawn 8, lost 5 in the league conceding 24; played 4, won 2, drawn 2 in the CL conceding 4).

[hanuma]

Originally Posted by russe||

I'm quite confident for tonight mainly because of hope poorly Barca dealt with us on the counterattack. They could easily have given away 2 or 3 penalties despite us hardly getting into their penalty area all game. Every time Ronaldo got the ball and ran they hadn't got a clue.

I think we will do better at home. You look at our stats for away games in the CL - we do poorly; while we've won our last 10 home games in the competition.

I think so too. If I bet I'd bet on Utd. Maybe in Extra Time though.

[unitedfan]

I said a while ago I didn't want an all-English final. Then Jesus decided to make a funny ol' joke and tamper with the semi-final draw, leading to me having to hope for one. Nice one Christ

Which is making me feel very funny about the final. Usually, you'd look forward to things like this, but I'm fairly certain we'l see a highly uninspiring game, where both sides will be equally tentative, and the game perhaps going goaless and down to penalties. I'm actually expecting a replica game of the all-Italian final a few years ago. So I am, in a way, not looking forward to it. Somehow, it's a situation where we're all probably more afraid of losing then we are wanting to win, despite the fact there's no inbetween. It's just bloody confusing.

[hanuma]

Originally Posted by unitedfan

I said a while ago I didn't want an all-English final. Then Jesus decided to make a funny ol' joke and tamper with the semi-final draw, leading to me having to hope for one. Nice one Christ

Which is making me feel very funny about the final. Usually, you'd look forward to things like this, but I'm fairly certain we'l see a highly uninspiring game, where both sides will be equally tentative, and the game perhaps going goaless and down to penalties. I'm actually expecting a replica game of the all-Italian final a few years ago. So I am, in a way, not looking forward to it. Somehow, it's a situation where we're all probably more afraid of losing then we are wanting to win, despite the fact there's no inbetween. It's just bloody confusing.

The biggest differences for me are Utd's superior pace up front, our superior midfielders and how each of these areas is exploited. Utd need to draw Chelsea on to them to make space for their wingers and we need to keep it tight and bide our time....it's who breaks first and how long there is after that to equal things up. One team might break early, both teams might not break at all....if it's the former we're in for an amazing game, if it's the latter, it's penalties and we're all slashing our wrists and wetting our pants.

But whatever happens it's highly unlikely the purists will end up dissapointed. For me the FA Cup final was a great bit of sport, even if it made poor TV and poor viewing for people that really didn't care like Gary Lineker....

Edit: I don't think it's a fluke that we've won 6 of the last 12 meetings. For me we've either simply had better players, a better manager, or at least had better options to change the game. This CL Final probably won't see any distinct advantage in our favour, we'll see.

[dukeofdavinci]

I'm actually expecting a replica game of the all-Italian final a few years ago

and to the irony it was held in old trafford and we were out by the 2nd round of it.

[jlae11]

Originally Posted by hanuma

Edit: I don't think it's a fluke that we've won 6 of the last 12 meetings. For me we've either simply had better players, a better manager, or at least had better options to change the game. This CL Final probably won't see any distinct advantage in our favour, we'll see.

easy now hanuma...... mourinho is a "better" manager than saf... dont think so...