UEFA Champions League

mid-mon man wrote:Just what I was thinking Niamh! Arsenal need 4 goals, now who could get them that! Mind you, I'd like to think the Utd defence would maybe hold him to 2 or so!

They just don't have the belief in themselves as the pool does eh?!lol Its better for Liverpool if Arsenal lose today as they might use the league as revenge of sorts.

NiamhDerry wrote:Great play by Man U but (from my p.o.v.)not a very interesting match Arsenal are just lying and taking it.

Yeah I suppose that's right, the atmosphere was electric for the first few minutes until Park's goal. Then it went a bit dead but Ronaldo's goal killed it completely. Arsenal need to score, and soon, to reignite the mood but utd look far more likely to get the next goal.

NiamhDerry wrote:

mid-mon man wrote:Just what I was thinking Niamh! Arsenal need 4 goals, now who could get them that! Mind you, I'd like to think the Utd defence would maybe hold him to 2 or so!

They just don't have the belief in themselves as the pool does eh?!lol Its better for Liverpool if Arsenal lose today as they might use the league as revenge of sorts.

I suppose Arsenal would like to get one back in the league(assuming they lose tonight!), but I honestly don't think it'll make a pile of a difference. This game tonight was Arsenal's whole season, it was all or nothing, and at the minute they look like they're not capable of doing it at all. They've nothing really to play for in the league, and it being Utd's last home game, they'd love to win the league on that day(which there's a good chance of). Arsenal are always tough, and they've a certain little Russian who'll be there too, but I'd still be confident of Utd winning(but even a draw will do!).

I agree the man in you picture would make all the difference.

Will be interesting to see what the start of this half will be like. Arsenal no doubt will go flat out and Utd will just have to hold tight. I'd like to see Rooney and Evra took off sometime though.

Was just keeping an eye on PP odds for final score there, the odds for Arsenal to win 4-2 went down from 175-1 to 100-1 in a couple of minutes!

Here if Theo Walcott is allowed a couple of his runs it could put a more respectable look on the scoreline.

Evra definately won that battle in the first half, but if it meant Evra was took off and saved a possible yellow I'd let Walcott run away! Good chance Evra can get booked, Walcott's a fast fella and all it takes is for him to flick it past Evra and for him to stick a leg out and catch him.

Just pure class, that's all!

One of the best goals I have ever seen.

well thats that then

Evra safe for the final anyway! Bring on Berbatov for Rooney and that's perfect!

That's a f**king joke!

very VERY poor decision

And the worst thing is it can't be appealed! Absolutely disgraceful decision. Fletcher really doesn't deserve that, he's a model pro and an extremely honest player who always does his best for the team. He didn't get a run in last year's final and had a very good chance of playing a part this year. Now he's been robbed of that because of a joke decision.

yeah and also note the way he immediately left the pitch - i respect him for that. a truly shocking decision that should be allowed to be appealed.

I think the only chance is if the ref puts it down in his report as a mistake, but there's nothing Utd can do about it. There seems to have been uproar from both sides aswell as neutrals over it(probably because he's such an honest player), and rightly so. Utd in the final again, which is obviously fantastic , but the Fletcher red card puts a downer on the result tonight.

overall manu in nthe final will make things more exciting-
Manu v chelsea
Manu v Barca

Mouth watering!

yeah it really is a shame for Fletcher. it makes me angry, like i'm sure it makes any fan angry. referee's have got to get things like that right, or there should at least be a way of cancelling the red card.

United's first attack, young lad falls over, game over. Few minutes later, young lad makes a mistake, then Van Persie mistake, then Van Persie might have fouled Ronaldo, goal keeper dives UNDER the free kick, game definately over.

Fletcher? Now let's get things straight. Winning the ball doesn't matter anymore, probably because of the premiership where players dived in, touched the ball and carried on and emptied the opponent.So they changed the rules.Intent now comes into it, did you intend to follow through and break someone's leg.

Fletcher's however was a bad decision because he had no intent to injure Fabregas.Fabregas did not dive, he is caught by Fletcher after the ball has gone.


I said Liverpool, Chelsea, Bayern or Barca could beat United over two legs, but United avoided them all in the draw.

Over one game, a final, they could do it although I suspect Chelsea or Barca would be favourites.

United have the best squad of 25 players so will usually win the league, but best 11 or 14? I don't think so, not on this years evidence. In 5 games against the others in the "Big four" in the league this year they have won one, drew one, lost three. The only winning game came against a rock bottom Chelsea, who have improved somewhat since.


Mind you if it is Chelsea V United I won't be watching it, like Rugby League without the skill. The way power and commitment dominates now I reckon Munster would win the CL easily.

agreed Patrique it is debatable that United got the easiest draw. I can't see them winning it anyway.

Ach now patrique you're very negative! Of course Utd got a couple of early breaks but overall they completely destroyed Arsenal and I wouldn't have seen Arsenal winning tonight, nevermind winning the tie. Yes, Arsenal were doing better at the start, but I wouldn't have seen them keeping it up long enough to trouble Utd, and they never really threatened the Utd goal until the hour mark. A team of young lads for the future, no way they'd have kept up with the pace for the whole game.

And all the talk of Utd's luck for the first two goals but not a mention of the third? Yes, the game was long gone, but that doesn't take away from the fact that it was a sublime goal, credit where it's due patrique when you're going to critcise all the faults!

I think Utd would have it tough against Barca in a final, but think Chelsea will beat them tomorrow night and Utd will win in the final.

I think United's defence will be the winning of the Champions League thsi year not to mention Ronaldo and Rooney.

I hope Barca destroy Chelsea simply for the way Chelsea played in Camp Nou. It was everthing I hate in soccer defensive soccer, alot of foul poor tackles etc. At least with a Man U v Barca you know the football will be good to watch.

A few points, Arsenal stopped after 11 minutes so we can't judge United's performance, a bit like Dubs V Tyrone last year when the Dubs stopped after 10 minutes.

Also Rooney was still playing left back half the game.

United played Barcelona twice last year and had 11 men behind the ball for most of the two games. Their entire game is based on Rooney, Park, and the rest, bar Ronaldo, defending.

They are not the only team who do this, Chelsea do the same, especially against Barca.

And Mid Mon it was a sublime third goal but if Arsenal had been winning 1-0 at the time would it have happened? I doubt it.

Patrique - surely you meant to say Leinster could win it???

What chance the Brazilians turning Utd over for Sunday lunch?