Comments on: Barcelona – Manchester United: A Live Blog of the Champions League Final

By: Brandon C

Brandon C — Thu, 28 May 2009 03:34:46 +0000

Joao Jorge wrote:
“A quality first touch is worth a lot.”
That seemed to be the defeat of the ManU midfield and their build up, and attack. Whenever contested (and usually in a pack by the Barca players) they had bad touches, bad passes, bad…for lack of a better word, technical skill. Every touch they had that could have (and was, when Barca had the ball) been passed was contested, and won by any of a number of the of the Barcalona players.

Puyol and Pique played out of their skins, but Barcalona won the Cup on sheer skill and ability.

By: nick

nick — Thu, 28 May 2009 01:06:22 +0000

United looked like they were too worried about the butterflies to focus on the game.

By: Elliott

Elliott — Thu, 28 May 2009 01:05:23 +0000

I actually like machines and am really offended by the anti-machine hatespeech. Just wait until the anti-machine defamation league subpoenas vandal-prone, err, brian, and gets a hold of your ip addresses!

By: A.

A. — Wed, 27 May 2009 23:35:11 +0000

Ah, the sweet scent of vindication!

By: Dave

Dave — Wed, 27 May 2009 22:25:52 +0000

I suppose you have to credit Ferguson for the formation and for trying to press, but it really showed them up as an unremarkable team and was perhaps naive, they were totally outclassed. I think next season’s Premiership will be interesting.

By: Joao Jorge

Joao Jorge — Wed, 27 May 2009 22:12:37 +0000

Man Utd looked the same all season: Machines they are – like machines, they malfunctioned. Unlike the dystopian dreams of Hollywood, Machines will never rule the World!!

Barcelona won the game based on a simple truth: If i play better than you, then i’m better than you. Individual technique counts for something, people, even in tight physical duels. A quality first touch is worth a lot.

By: Brian Phillips

Brian Phillips — Wed, 27 May 2009 21:49:05 +0000

Sigh…I already called the lawyer. You guys are all witnesses if he gets accused of anything or if Dancer…you know…

Sethu — Seriously, why did they let him leave Man Utd again?

By: Laura

Laura — Wed, 27 May 2009 21:46:52 +0000

Bit of a one-sided game, IMO, and certainly doesn’t live up to last year’s nail-biter! But hang on… does no-one care about Vandal-prone’s fate?

By: Sethu

Sethu — Wed, 27 May 2009 21:44:55 +0000

Pique and not Puyol, is my DOTM. Snuffing out attacks,intercepting passes,cutting out crosses.He was all over the place.He was essentially the one reason for Barca going into the break ahead.
No wonder he has 2 medals in 2 years!!

By: Brian Phillips

Brian Phillips — Wed, 27 May 2009 21:27:27 +0000

Fredorrarci — That’s right, I think. They lost the midfield battle in a spiritually ruinous way. No one in their midfield trio (including when they brought on Scholes) could compete with Xavi or Iniesta, which meant they got overrun when they were defending and either lost the ball or forced it through Rooney on the flank when they were attacking. And Rooney couldn’t do much with it, and when it found Ronaldo he was already so frustrated with the lack of possession and the defending from Puyol that he just kept making mistakes. I think I understand the logic of starting Anderson in place of Tevez or Berbatov, but it wound up being a terrible move. You could even say the same thing about Park, though I don’t think there was ever a real question that he’d be starting this game.

Brett — Puyol was sensational tonight, and it was doubly impressive because he knew he had to be. It’s easy to single out Xavi and Messi (and Iniesta, and Eto’o) but Puyol might have been my man of the match tonight.