2011 CL Final: FC Barcelona - Manchester United FC 3-1 - Champions!

[Nani17]

Been reading through this thread and would like to offer my congratulations again. As a United fan I was absolutely gutted about the result, and quite a few individual performances, but sort of proud to lose to such a brilliant team that we will be telling our grandchildren about. Nice to see the majority of the posters on here are humble and appreciated the teams efforts to give you a game.

Hopefully we can make it third time lucky sometime

 

[UEFA_Barça_Chris]

Been reading through this thread and would like to offer my congratulations again. As a United fan I was absolutely gutted about the result, and quite a few individual performances, but sort of proud to lose to such a brilliant team that we will be telling our grandchildren about. Nice to see the majority of the posters on here are humble and appreciated the teams efforts to give you a game.

Hopefully we can make it third time lucky sometime

I'll cry if we make it into a final the third time, It'll just prove that us both are really the most dominant in Europe, despite the fact we are, but it will confirm it. :beer2:

 

[barca7788]

have watched the match for about 4-5 times but i`m amazed how alves was nervous in those few first minutes....loved his fashion in the celebrations though.

 

[Chygrinskiy21]

[YOUTUBE]1ptF_mQCd_k[/YOUTUBE]

only look-a-like ofc

Put that guy next to Mou, and I couldn't tell them apart... Lost twins?

 

[Neeraj]

For me, it's really hard to describe how good this team really is. I mean..the only way i can explain it..well..that feeling when you jizz? Now imagine sustaining that same feeling for 90 mins..Yeah that's exactly how i feel when i watch these guys play...

and when they play like that in a game as big as the UCL final, it's like an orgy with Megan Fox, Aniston, Jolie, and Alison Brie.

 

[Corb]

Been reading through this thread and would like to offer my congratulations again. As a United fan I was absolutely gutted about the result, and quite a few individual performances, but sort of proud to lose to such a brilliant team that we will be telling our grandchildren about. Nice to see the majority of the posters on here are humble and appreciated the teams efforts to give you a game.

Hopefully we can make it third time lucky sometime

:beer2:

I've seen the game again and I think SAF commited suicide allowing Barça's midfield to outnumber ManU midfield.

I would have changed Chicharito, who was completely missed all the game, for a DM to flood the midfield and difficult Barça's passing game.

For instance, in the first goal, Iniesta only needed to pass the ball to Xavi to break ManU midfield defensive line. Carrick and Park defended Iniesta and Busquets and left Xavi alone.

Rooney's goal was a Barça's defense mistake. I don't mind if it was offside or not, referees choose wrong sometimes. Three Barça players went to defend Giggs and left Rooney uncovered. He didn't miss his chance, he is a classy striker.

Second Barça's goal is another MU midifield mistake. It's very difficult for two players to defend three players, but when that three players are Iniesta, Xavi and Messi, the mission becomes impossible. So, Messi simply changed his pace to surpass Park and created a space to shoot.

Third goal was a mix between good luck and bad defending. Villa's definition is good luck but MU failed dramatically to clear the ball inside the area.

 

[dalitis8]

If Man Utd. played differently, Barca would still win, but in a different fashion, and most would again say that SAF chose the wrong tactics...

 

[Corb]

If Man Utd. played differently, Barca would still win, but in a different fashion, and most would again say that SAF chose the wrong tactics...

I don't know too much about MU tactics but how many times they have played with a 4-1-4-1 system?

 

[Ocelot]

We should wrap the league up quickly, so Pep can rest players for the final. Seeing how tight the PL title race is, Utd will probably have to field in strong sides until the very last day of the season. In any case its 60/40 for me in Barca's favor.

GuillemBalague Guillem Balague
Perhaps, as RM did, one of the keys to beat Barcelona is to admit your inferiority. Sir Alex did not want to approach game as inferiors

 

[Catalonian Devil]

Fergie should have gone 4-5-1, but I believe he was looking to catch us off-guard, and it wasn't looking too bad in the first 10-15 minutes as his team hit the ground running. A goal then would've changed the course of the whole game. However I think that 4-5-1 would've been the better option. First of all Chicharito is a poacher, he doesn't create his chances but finishes the chances created by his teammates. That is why he would naturally struggle if his team doesn't have the ball and are not creating chances, Rooney on the other hand creates chances out of nothing. There was no doubt in my mind that Javier was going to be isolated this game as Barcelona were never gonna let United get much of the ball. The formation I would have gone with would've been:

---------------VDS----------------
Fabio/Rafael - Rio - Vidic - Evra
---------------Fletcher------------
------Carrick--------Giggs--------
Valencia--------------------Na----
--------------Rooney----------ni


Anderson in for Fletcher if the latter wasn't fully fit.

Fletcher would play the Pepe part but with more discipline. Messi was allowed too much space in his second goal, and mainly whenever he beat his first man, had an easy time gliding up into the D. If Fletcher was there to mark him he wouldn't have taken over the way he did. Fletcher has proved he is excellent at playing that role, like in the Arsenal CL semi 2 years ago. The three man midfield will also give Giggs more room to breathe and pick out passes. Giggs was too busy being caught between the Barca midfield passing bonanza as United's midfield was clearly out numbered. If you noticed during the game the numerical advantage Barca had forced Park to frequently operate as a 3rd central midfielder, especially when Messi dropped back, this left Alves with acres of space on the right.

Since I would choose a 3 man midfield, I'd rather have Nani in the flank than Park. First of all his pace will ensure that Alves would have to think twice before wondering too much forward. Second of all he can also operate as a second striker with Rooney, and his pace can trouble Barcelona. Not starting Nani was a mistake and left Alves with too much freedom IMO as Park was too busy covering for United's lacking midfield.

Just my 2 cents...

 

[FCBarca]

Well, if we're going to play the 'what if' game, if I were SAF, I probably would've made the move sooner to push Valencia to RB and bring on Nani sooner...One chance on goal for 90 minutes in a CL Final is nothing to be proud of really

 

[Barcafan 2304]

Been reading through this thread and would like to offer my congratulations again. As a United fan I was absolutely gutted about the result, and quite a few individual performances, but sort of proud to lose to such a brilliant team that we will be telling our grandchildren about. Nice to see the majority of the posters on here are humble and appreciated the teams efforts to give you a game.

Hopefully we can make it third time lucky sometime

I think you can take a lot of pride and your club a lot of credit for your performance. Man Utd approached the game in the right way and made a spectacle out of it, unlike clubs such as Inter and Real we have come across recently. You certainly played your part in what was probably one of the best CL final spectacles for quite a few years.

 

[estranged]

As others have pointed out already what I loved about United was how Ferguson didn't come out and park the bus or tell his players to bully Barca, shows how much more class he has than Mourinho. And in defeat instead of bitching about this or that he admitted he was beaten by the better side.

Fergie

 

[Barcafan 2304]

As others have pointed out already what I loved about United was how Ferguson didn't come out and park the bus or tell his players to bully Barca, shows how much more class he has than Mourinho. And in defeat instead of bitching about this or that he admitted he was beaten by the better side.

Fergie

Yeah. I've knocked Fergie in the past but he was very gracious last week

 

[walchazali007]

I am very proud to be FCBarcaaaaaa supporter , i like keep going like this Viva El Barcelona all the best..........