Barca, the best. Xenophobic English media so wrong

[DT Withdean]

For 2 weeks we were told Rooney, Hernandez, Park, Carrick, Valencia
would re-live 1968 to beat a tired Barca with defensive weaknesses.

Utter garbage.

The media ignored the greatest players and team on Earth.
Fantastic Barca deserved winners.

 

[Art Vs Science]

Xenophobic is a bit strong. The British press are Cnuts though

 

[Pinkie Brown]

Men against boys in the end. Egg on face time for the red top rubbish rags. They'll be a lot of broken hearts in the Southern Counties tonight.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

The press always build them up and then do them down, exactly the same with the England side.

 

[Pantani]

For 2 weeks we were told Rooney, Hernandez, Park, Carrick, Valencia
would re-live 1968 to beat a tired Barca with defensive weaknesses.

Utter garbage.

The media ignored the greatest players and team on Earth.
Fantastic Barca deserved winners.

Not in the papers I read. I don't think I have seen a single British media outlet say anything other than Barca are the favourites. Maybe I should try reading the Sun, Mail, Mirror etc.

 

[8ace]

Glad they did, Barca would have been sent off about 8/11 otherwise.

 

[Wilko]

So an English paper backing the English side hoping they win is xenophobic?

 

[JBizzle]

So an English paper backing the English side hoping they win is xenophobic?

Yes, even though virtually every type of media backed Barca as favorites.

Sure, they called for a big performance but aren't they due one from an English team in Europe and one from Rooney in a big match?

Besides, the Spanish media is just as bad and if you want "xenophobic" (which the British media of this coverage definately isn't) then go to Spain.

 

[alan partridge]

didn't think the press were xenophobic in the build up to this game. Man Utd are a good team, who seriously could have thought they'd be made to look so bad?

the press and the public were definitely xenophobic after that awful Madrid Barca game though. Everyone'll have to get off their high horses now.

 

[Twizzle]

I was impressed by Barcalona, of course, but just as de-pressed by dis-United.
They were shambolic, while Barca organized quickly after every play, kept backing each other up and offering options that manure didn't close down. MU were focusing on making sure individual players didn't break through... and Barcalona simply passed out to their available 'free' men who were unmarked!

United's goal was as simple as it gets for a wall pass, schoolboy stuff that worked to a t.
Defenders such as Vidic and Ferdinand were useless except for getting in Van De Saar's line of sight, and Giggs was never getting the position or space to run at anyone with the ball - which is what he is good at! Park was man of the match for the reds as he took the Giggs role.

British football doesn't seem bothered to train technical play which also allow for individual skills - and Barcalona do seem bothered. Which as far as i can tell, is how and why they won.
Arsenal are the closest to how Barcalona play, and note that they ran them close in their round once they realised the game that was on.
I'd consider putting money on Arsenal to win the Prem next season actually, as the English managers aren't bothering with developing any more complex a game - and it was probably as basic as that in 1970 as now.

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

I was impressed by Barcalona, of course, but just as de-pressed by dis-United.
They were shambolic, while Barca organized quickly after every play, kept backing each other up and offering options that manure didn't close down. MU were focusing on making sure individual players didn't break through... and Barcalona simply passed out to their available 'free' men who were unmarked!

United's goal was as simple as it gets for a wall pass, schoolboy stuff that worked to a t.
Defenders such as Vidic and Ferdinand were useless except for getting in Van De Saar's line of sight, and Giggs was never getting the position or space to run at anyone with the ball - which is what he is good at! Park was man of the match for the reds as he took the Giggs role.

British football doesn't seem bothered to train technical play which also allow for individual skills - and Barcalona do seem bothered. Which as far as i can tell, is how and why they won.
Arsenal are the closest to how Barcalona play, and note that they ran them close in their round once they realised the game that was on.
I'd consider putting money on Arsenal to win the Prem next season actually, as the English managers aren't bothering with developing any more complex a game - and it was probably as basic as that in 1970 as now.

Totally agree. It would be interesting to see the stats on ground covered by each player, to a man I bet Barca covered more. Man utds players were far too static especially when not in procession.

 

[Goldstone Rapper]

I was impressed by Barcalona, of course, but just as de-pressed by dis-United.
They were shambolic, while Barca organized quickly after every play, kept backing each other up and offering options that manure didn't close down. MU were focusing on making sure individual players didn't break through... and Barcalona simply passed out to their available 'free' men who were unmarked!

United's goal was as simple as it gets for a wall pass, schoolboy stuff that worked to a t.
Defenders such as Vidic and Ferdinand were useless except for getting in Van De Saar's line of sight, and Giggs was never getting the position or space to run at anyone with the ball - which is what he is good at! Park was man of the match for the reds as he took the Giggs role.

British football doesn't seem bothered to train technical play which also allow for individual skills - and Barcalona do seem bothered. Which as far as i can tell, is how and why they won.
Arsenal are the closest to how Barcalona play, and note that they ran them close in their round once they realised the game that was on.
I'd consider putting money on Arsenal to win the Prem next season actually, as the English managers aren't bothering with developing any more complex a game - and it was probably as basic as that in 1970 as now.

This is crazy talk!

 

[Twizzle]

Yes, even though virtually every type of media backed Barca as favorites.

Sure, they called for a big performance but aren't they due one from an English team in Europe and one from Rooney in a big match?

Besides, the Spanish media is just as bad and if you want "xenophobic" (which the British media of this coverage definately isn't) then go to Spain.

Good points, there are many ready to mix patriotism with xenophobia. You are allowed to want an English side to win against a foreign one without being called xenophobic. Most reason I'd wanted MU to win or at least do better, was because they have some England players. Ferguson won the league again but didn't win the CLF - so it's not like he's suddenly awful, he got to the final after all.

 

[Twizzle]

Totally agree. It would be interesting to see the stats on ground covered by each player, to a man I bet Barca covered more. Man utds players were far too static especially when not in procession.

They were extremely quick in getting into position around their man in possession. The stat I saw for possession was 66-34%, which is outrageous - but united couldn't hang onto the ball, didn't offer half as many options, lacked ideas and were nervous to move out of an original position. So when a manu player got the ball going forward there was always a need to chuck an iffy pass to a player who wasn't in a lot of space as it was.
Most managers in England are now studying that match to emulate the Spanish club - and if they aren't, then they're dim.
The last time I saw 'complete' football like that was England under Hoddle in the Tornoi de France

 

[drew]

Not in the papers I read. I don't think I have seen a single British media outlet say anything other than Barca are the favourites. Maybe I should try reading the Sun, Mail, Mirror etc.

I think you are right. The opening post is more an indictment of the papers that DT Withdean reads rather than the whole British Media. The overall sense was that United had their work cut out against probably the best club team ever. Technically we are not in the same league as Barca but then who is. The facts are that in the last 6 finals, we have had 7 finalists, only last year not featuring an English Club. The cup has been won in two of those finals. Barcelona are the stand out team of the moment and it remains to be seen whether this will be a lasting legacy or if it just due to coincidence that they happen to have at the same time, Messi, Iniesta and Xavi. Whatever happens, they are currently a joy to watch and lets hope that Gus and the coaching team can improve our passing game during the close season to try and emulate as far as possible the way Barca play.

 

[ILIKECANDLES]

Not in the papers I read. I don't think I have seen a single British media outlet say anything other than Barca are the favourites. Maybe I should try reading the Sun, Mail, Mirror etc.

this

 

[Lord Bracknell]

What astonished me was the BBC1 News report at about 10.20 last night. Their reporter simply said "It wasn't a great game".

If watching the best side in the world win by playing some of the best football anyone has ever seen makes for "not a great game", I'm hard pressed to imagine what a great game would look like.

 

[JBizzle]

Why does nobody ever mention Van Der Sar smashing the ball long from every stationary kick or back pass?

Literally, every time the ball came back to him and they had the opportunity to either build from the back or calm things down and relax with the ball at feet, he'd hump it long giving posession straight back and starting of another wave of Barca pressure.

Really poor posession play against a team that thrives on such weakness.

 

[Horsham by the Sea]

I loved the stat when carrick came off in 70 ish minutes.. around 27 passes 70% completed.. about 15 minutes before Iniesta had 160 passes with 90 something completed.. it just stuck with me that if you dont give the opposition the ball then they cant play... when we will GET THIS in England ?? Id love to see teh team stats on passes and shots last night.. total football played by the best team I have ever seem.. I trust Gus was watching too, just imagining for a moment what we may achieve one day..

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

They were extremely quick in getting into position around their man in possession. The stat I saw for possession was 66-34%, which is outrageous - but united couldn't hang onto the ball, didn't offer half as many options, lacked ideas and were nervous to move out of an original position. So when a manu player got the ball going forward there was always a need to chuck an iffy pass to a player who wasn't in a lot of space as it was.
Most managers in England are now studying that match to emulate the Spanish club - and if they aren't, then they're dim.
The last time I saw 'complete' football like that was England under Hoddle in the Tornoi de France

Totally agree and the main point I was making was the difference when not in procession, Barca closed down immediately and gave Utd no room at all. A marked difference to Utd and especially the front players, Rooney stood and watched them play from the back time and time again with out so much as a step towards the player with the ball.

We witnessed time and again last season teams with a game plan to stop us playing from the back. however after 30 mins or so the forwards start to drop back and not attempt to close down. From then on in its only a matter of time before we took full control. Utd did just the same and constantly invited Barca onto them.