DIDN'T LIVE UP TO IT

Sorry to say that the match didn't live up to all the hype the English media cranked up all week. Don't get me wrong, the game was good, but it left that feeling that you were shortchanged.

My MOTM, Carvalho for Chelsea and Cristiano for the Mancs. Carvalho had Rooney in his pocket yet again. Carvalho was so good he even took on Saha, but unfortunately Saha got one past him. We know we can't count on Terry to anticipate the plays.

Cristiano was amazing turning Ashley Cole sideways, backwards, twisting him like a pretzel throughout. It's too bad Cristiano missed that goal in the second half when the ball bounced funny close to goal after a Heinze cross I believe. Ashley Cole had enough of Cristiano he had to kick him all game. Can't provide anything on offense, in danger of being the scapegoat, last resort is to get Cristiano out of the game with fouls. Ashley is such an overrated player, Bridge is more than capable of doing the job there.

Kudos to Vidic, Scholes, Carrick, Essien, Drogba. Good game, but didn't live up to all that hype as almost always in the EPL. We know that.

Evening Puro

Agree with everything here except your assessment of Ashely Cole.

How many times did Ronaldo get around Cole during the game, despite all the twisting and turning?

None, Cole was arguably man of the match. He played excellently defensively, when you consider that Ronaldo is probably THE best winger in football at the moment, and yet Cole stuck to him for 90 minutes until a mistimed tackle late on. He made two late challenges on Ronaldo all game. Lesser fullback would have done 2 in the first 5 minutes and then given up.

Cole, defensively, is underrated, and overrated going forward (he cant cross for shit)

Have they shown the Tottenham goals on Setanta? Berbatov = , Defoe's turn was pretty special too

you will often find the over hyped games in England always dissapoint, personally I thought todays game was great, it was always going to be a tight game, but what I find is that in Italy for example games that are overhyped such as the Milan derby do live up to expectations

The Real White Pele wrote:Evening Puro

Agree with everything here except your assessment of Ashely Cole.

How many times did Ronaldo get around Cole during the game, despite all the twisting and turning?
None, Cole was arguably man of the match. He played excellently defensively, when you consider that Ronaldo is probably THE best winger in football at the moment, and yet Cole stuck to him for 90 minutes until a mistimed tackle late on. He made two late challenges on Ronaldo all game. Lesser fullback would have done 2 in the first 5 minutes and then given up.

Cole, defensively, is underrated, and overrated going forward (he cant cross for shit)

Have they shown the Tottenham goals on Setanta? Berbatov = , Defoe's turn was pretty special too

actually quite a few times mate the only real times cole edged him out was in one on one races down the touchline, when CR had space he beat his man

poiuy1 wrote:

The Real White Pele wrote:Evening Puro

Agree with everything here except your assessment of Ashely Cole.

How many times did Ronaldo get around Cole during the game, despite all the twisting and turning?
None, Cole was arguably man of the match. He played excellently defensively, when you consider that Ronaldo is probably THE best winger in football at the moment, and yet Cole stuck to him for 90 minutes until a mistimed tackle late on. He made two late challenges on Ronaldo all game. Lesser fullback would have done 2 in the first 5 minutes and then given up.

Cole, defensively, is underrated, and overrated going forward (he cant cross for shit)

Have they shown the Tottenham goals on Setanta? Berbatov = , Defoe's turn was pretty special too

actually quite a few times mate the only real times cole edged him out was in one on one races down the touchline, when CR had space he beat his man

Ronaldo didnt get a single opportunity to put a cross in all game from the byline, because each time Cole was there flying back to block him out. I'm neither a Cherlsea nor United supporter so my eyes arent blinkered with bias, Im just saying what I saw - Ive seen Ronaldo utterly rape fullbacks on form like that both in England and in Europe. But Cole coped admirably well with him

watch the game again and see how many time Ronaldo beat his man on the counter,

Cole did get the better of him but i wouldn't say he woned him

Carvahilo did defend well and done well with the goal.

However MotM after backing off of Saha and getting done by Giggs which should of resulted in 2-0?

No way. Cole was Chelsea's best player.

Forget the goal, Carvalho was Chelsea's best player .. the only Chelsea defender that looked comfortable

Carrick was the games overal MOTM ..

rai de Hunter wrote:Forget the goal, Carvalho was Chelsea's best player .. the only Chelsea defender that looked comfortable

Carrick was the games overal MOTM ..

nah not having this.. nearly all the united's attacking moments came from carvalho's recklessness and came on his side of the pitch.

yo puro, why praise Scholes, one of the worst performers on the park? Normally an excellent player, but today (certainly in the 2nd half when Chelsea upped the tempo) he went missing and gave Carrick (who I thought was excellent) no help.

Everytime Ronaldo went past Cole, Cole was back making the challenge. Block after block. I think it's Ronaldo who is glad to see the back of Cole.

Terry did his usual best. Beat everyone in the air, did enough to put Saha off etc, etc. Carvalho was excellent, but gave Saha too much space for the goal. Something I promise you, Terry wouldn't have done.

Carvalho also complete fucked up the slide, which let United in. Luckily enough Terry read the danger and stopped Giggs from scoring.

I thought Drogba was quite poor to be honest, but played well compared to Sheva, Ballack, Lampard. He also looked dangerous a couple of times throughout the match. Essien had a much better 2nd half.

I too thought Carvalho was skinned a few times too many.

S4P wrote:yo puro, why praise Scholes, one of the worst performers on the park?

He wasn't even in the bottom 4.

That was Ballack, Lampard, Giggs and Sheva.

I must be the only one who thought Drogba didn't play that well...

Parks Lives wrote:

S4P wrote:yo puro, why praise Scholes, one of the worst performers on the park?

He wasn't even in the bottom 4.

That was Ballack, Lampard, Giggs and Sheva.

I was talking about for United. I still think he played no better than Lampard.

Sorry I wasn't specific

Owen Thomas wrote:I must be the only one who thought Drogba didn't play that well...

Vidic had him in his pocket. First player in the Prem to achieve this I reckon. Could be a darkhorse for defender of the season is it carries on. The new Jaap Stam?

Owen Thomas wrote:I must be the only one who thought Drogba didn't play that well...

Im with you on that. He dropped too deep and kept nicking the ball off our players who would genuinely play the ball about

Parks Lives wrote:

S4P wrote:yo puro, why praise Scholes, one of the worst performers on the park?

He wasn't even in the bottom 4.

That was Ballack, Lampard, Giggs and Sheva.

scholes was great in the first half.. made lampard look like an amateur I thought.. and before SP complains half of the tackles were not even fouls.

completely non existent in the second half mind, just like essien in the first.

I actually thought saha was very poor but u can't really not factor in the goal. sheva looks worryingly shit at the minute. eveything about him is sloppy. he's like the forward version of lampard.. slow and clumsy.

COTR wrote:

Parks Lives wrote:

S4P wrote:yo puro, why praise Scholes, one of the worst performers on the park?

He wasn't even in the bottom 4.

That was Ballack, Lampard, Giggs and Sheva.

scholes was great in the first half.. made lampard look like an amateur I thought.. and before SP complains half of the tackles were not even fouls.

completely non existent in the second half mind, just like essien in the first.

I actually thought saha was very poor but u can't really not factor in the goal. sheva looks worryingly shit at the minute. eveything about him is sloppy. he's like the forward version of lampard.. slow and clumsy.

Agree with all that.

Well done.

COTR wrote:

Parks Lives wrote:

S4P wrote:yo puro, why praise Scholes, one of the worst performers on the park?

He wasn't even in the bottom 4.

That was Ballack, Lampard, Giggs and Sheva.

scholes was great in the first half.. made lampard look like an amateur I thought.. and before SP complains half of the tackles were not even fouls.

completely non existent in the second half mind, just like essien in the first.

I actually thought saha was very poor but u can't really not factor in the goal. sheva looks worryingly shit at the minute. eveything about him is sloppy. he's like the forward version of lampard.. slow and clumsy.

So you are saying a kick from behind is not a free kick?

This is not the days when the likes of Souness were playing. It's just not allowed now.

I also wish Andy fucking Gray would stop commentating on Chelsea-United games

The Real White Pele wrote:

Owen Thomas wrote:I must be the only one who thought Drogba didn't play that well...

Vidic had him in his pocket. First player in the Prem to achieve this I reckon. Could be a darkhorse for defender of the season is it carries on. The new Jaap Stam?

I remember some people had written of Vidic in January .. although he hadn't played any competitive football for months (as the Russian league had ended months back), people were saying 'hes not good enough', 'old man Ferguson made another mistake etc, etc'

Whose eating humble pie now?

The same was said for Evra


Both have been in top form this season for Manchester United, Sheva was 'lucky' that the ref was near him or Vidic would have beaten him down. USSR v Yugoslavia .. sorry I'm getting political..

You would have liked Ballack sent off then S4P?

Awful tackling in the first half.

Some were free kicks SP.. some where just simple pressure and since frank lacks composure and speed he simply fell over.. do you never get annoyed by the fact nearly every chelsea attack ends up with a lampard shot into the stands or straight at the keeper.. im sure shev wouldn't mind a through ball every now and again

right that's enough flump bashing from me today

Owen Thomas wrote:You would have liked Ballack sent off then S4P?

Awful tackling in the first half.

Yeah, he should have gone. But the same could so easily be said of Heinze (2 yellow cards), and Scholes (5 yellow cards).

You know Scholes has kicked someone badly when Andy Gray says "The master of mis-timed tackles"

COTR wrote:Some were free kicks SP.. some where just simple pressure and since frank lacks composure and speed he simply feel over.. do you never get annoyed by the fact nearly every chelsea attack ends up with a lampard shot into the stands or straight at the keeper.. im sure shev wouldn't mind a through ball every now and again

right that's enough flump bashing from me today

S4P wrote:

Owen Thomas wrote:You would have liked Ballack sent off then S4P?

Awful tackling in the first half.

Yeah, he should have gone. But the same could so easily be said of Heinze (2 yellow cards), and Scholes (5 yellow cards).

You know Scholes has kicked someone badly when Andy Gray says "The master of mis-timed tackles"

Ballack could of been off after ten minutes by your way of refing.

S4P wrote:

Owen Thomas wrote:You would have liked Ballack sent off then S4P?

Awful tackling in the first half.

Yeah, he should have gone. But the same could so easily be said of Heinze (2 yellow cards), and Scholes (5 yellow cards).

You know Scholes has kicked someone badly when Andy Gray says "The master of mis-timed tackles"

So, Scholes off Ballack off Heinze off.....(and lets no ignore some almost red card elbows from both sides). Have you ever even played the game? it's not touch rugby where as soon as your boot touches a leg it;s a foul.

There is absolutely no way that was a 3 red card game. The ref did very well considering the very physical nature of the game.

COTR wrote:Some were free kicks SP.. some where just simple pressure and since frank lacks composure and speed he simply feel over.. do you never get annoyed by the fact nearly every chelsea attack ends up with a lampard shot into the stands or straight at the keeper.. im sure shev wouldn't mind a through ball every now and again

right that's enough flump bashing from me today

I do get annoyed when Lamps hits an aimless shot sometimes, but then again, if I was an Arsenal fan, I'd complain we don't do enough of that. It just depends on what you want.

I'm sure you perhaps feel the same way about Gerrard when he plays in the middle.

I just don't quite know what Scholes did today to deserve such an ovation. I rate him highly but today, when the tempo was raised and Carrick needed help, he just went missing. I think I saw him touch the ball maybe 5 times in the 2nd half.

It's just a shame Sheva didn't play in the Nou Camp, when Frank was the best midfielder on the park, and was giving Robben glorious chances to score.

& S4P, what did you think of Drogba's elbow smash into Vidic's face.

You can have no complaints about yellow and red cards.

rai de Hunter wrote:

The Real White Pele wrote:

Owen Thomas wrote:I must be the only one who thought Drogba didn't play that well...

Vidic had him in his pocket. First player in the Prem to achieve this I reckon. Could be a darkhorse for defender of the season is it carries on. The new Jaap Stam?

I remember some people had written of Vidic in January .. although he hadn't played any competitive football for months (as the Russian league had ended months back), people were saying 'hes not good enough', 'old man Ferguson made another mistake etc, etc'

Whose eating humble pie now?

The same was said for Evra


Both have been in top form this season for Manchester United, Sheva was 'lucky' that the ref was near him or Vidic would have beaten him down. USSR v Yugoslavia .. sorry I'm getting political..

Ha ha ha!

Thats knee jerk reactionf for you. Im now going to list off the top of my head the number of players I remember being written off early on and proving a lot of people wrong:

Crouch

Vidic

Evra

Berbatov

Henry (yep, he didnt score for 11 games and people thought he was a poor mans anelka!!)

A. Johnson

Drogba,

and so forth

so thats why Im certain Ballack and Sheva will be added to that list despite being written off in some areas, mostly the knee jerk media who also wrote off Carrick befiore a ball was kicked (football365 cunts!)

It takes time for all players to settle Except Kuyt

Owen Thomas wrote:

S4P wrote:

Owen Thomas wrote:You would have liked Ballack sent off then S4P?

Awful tackling in the first half.

Yeah, he should have gone. But the same could so easily be said of Heinze (2 yellow cards), and Scholes (5 yellow cards).

You know Scholes has kicked someone badly when Andy Gray says "The master of mis-timed tackles"

So, Scholes off Ballack off Heinze off.....(and lets no ignore some almost red card elbows from both sides). Have you ever even played the game? it's not touch rugby where as soon as your boot touches a leg it;s a foul.

There is absolutely no way that was a 3 red card game.

ref was great I thought. got most things right. was slightly favourable to chelsea in the second half but then again could easily have given a penatly for heinze's push on drogba near the end..

P.S Just thought id give vidic a little mention since henry got so much stick for the puyol incident..

blatant blatant cheating in the first minute. sort of defies his unit image ..
great player though.. he's become more important than rio