SIR ALEX FERGUSON AND THE MANCS

I just heard Ferguson say "we were just beaten by a better team". For those of us who watched him scouting Milan at the Allianz Arena when the Italians were destroying Bayern, knew right there that Ferguson was very concerned about Milan. The expression on his face spoke volumes that night.

Yes, his Mancs were crushed by fantastic Milan, but Ferguson knew what he was up against. The man is gracious in defeat as he is gracious in victory! Kudos to Sir Alex for that. Here's hoping they win the EPL.

Thanks.

Is there a twist?

They were the better team on the day sure. With an unbiased ref and Rio...who knows. But yeah now for the premiership

Parks lives wrote:Thanks.

Is there a twist?

No twists Parky! I'm a straight shooter, and hope you win the EPL!

Puro wrote:I just heard Ferguson say "we were just beaten by a better team". For those of us who watched him scouting Milan at the Allianz Arena when the Italians were destroying Bayern, knew right there that Ferguson was very concerned about Milan. The expression on his face spoke volumes that night.

Yes, his Mancs were crushed by fantastic Milan, but Ferguson knew what he was up against. The man is gracious in defeat as he is gracious in victory! Kudos to Sir Alex for that. Here's hoping they win the EPL.

Learn Mourinho!

They were the better team on the night, they wanted it more than us.

The CL seems to be turning into the competition for clubs who dont compete for the title in the domestic league.

Rez wrote:They were the better team on the night, they wanted it more than us.

The CL seems to be turning into the competition for clubs who dont compete for the title in the domestic league.

Well that isn't our choice this season. For us the CL was the main target.

And I'm sure the Liverpool fans would love to win the English title just as much.

Rez wrote:They were the better team on the night, they wanted it more than us.

The CL seems to be turning into the competition for clubs who dont compete for the title in the domestic league.

Which is why Barcelona won the CL and La Liga last season and the season before Milan slipped up in Serie A in the last few weeks of the season. Oh, and the season before was a Portuguese double by Porto. Didn't Juve win Serie A the year they lost in the CL final?

zen and the art of wrote:

Rez wrote:They were the better team on the night, they wanted it more than us.

The CL seems to be turning into the competition for clubs who dont compete for the title in the domestic league.

Which is why Barcelona won the CL and La Liga last season and the season before Milan slipped up in Serie A in the last few weeks of the season. Oh, and the season before was a Portuguese double by Porto. Didn't Juve win Serie A the year they lost in the CL final?

trying to sum the Champiosn League up into little soundbites is pointless. There is no real system to winning it.

Pre-season we all that Chelsea and United could suffer from tiredness/injuries due to their squad size. I'd put their (particularly Chelsea's) lacklustre performances down to this.

zen and the art of wrote:

Rez wrote:They were the better team on the night, they wanted it more than us.

The CL seems to be turning into the competition for clubs who dont compete for the title in the domestic league.

Which is why Barcelona won the CL and La Liga last season and the season before Milan slipped up in Serie A in the last few weeks of the season. Oh, and the season before was a Portuguese double by Porto. Didn't Juve win Serie A the year they lost in the CL final?

Seems to be turning

2005 Liverpool finish 5th in the league and win the European cup.

2006 Arsenal clinch 4th place on the last day of the season and get to the final.

2007 Liverpool and Milan are 3rd and nowhere near the top team in their respective leagues.

Oh and Barca were miles ahead of the competition in la liga last year, so they could afford to rest lots of players in La Liga before the CL SF an finals. If there was any decent competition, Barca wouldnt have been able to rest players.

You can see the impact of the media. It's like everyone heard these opinions on Sky (one of the posters here said they mentioned it on there), and in the past few hours we've had at least 3-4 posters come on and make comments in different threads about this same "it's only for those who can't win their league title" point.

And then all of them get instantly rebutted (I think that's the word) with a mention of us, Porto, etc.

Don't think it's to do with the media. Just when you have teams doing well in europe who are not in the league people wonder why. And the simple reason is the best teams are fighting on many fronts, while some other teams are just going for the cl only. Is it a coincedence both the teams who rested players went through?

You cant really be champions of europe if you are not champions of your own country it just doesn't seem right. Last year Arsenal were the exact same fighting for 4th place with spurs, yet 20 minutes away from being champions of europe.....It's just not right.

L.r.d wrote:Don't think it's to do with the media. Just when you have teams doing well in europe who are not in the league people wonder why. And the simple reason is the best teams are fighting on many fronts, while some other teams are just going for the cl only. Is it a coincedence both the teams who rested players went through?

You cant really be champions of europe if you are not champions of your own country it just doesn't seem right. Last year Arsenal were the exact same fighting for 4th place with spurs, yet 20 minutes away from being champions of europe.....It's just not right.

i 100% agree.

I also agree.

L.r.d wrote:

You cant really be champions of europe if you are not champions of your own country it just doesn't seem right. Last year Arsenal were the exact same fighting for 4th place with spurs, yet 20 minutes away from being champions of europe.....It's just not right.

morality according to lrd? Now there's a best seller in the making.

Historically the winner of the old European Cup didn't necessarily win the domestic league the same year. Of course the Champions League looks better alongside a domestic title. But winning a competition vs the likes of Wigan, Fulham etc or winning a competition vs the likes of Barcelona, Milan etc - it's hardly comparable.

Glenn, you know that's ridiculous, the league is far more difficult to win, or how would Liverpool have made two CL finals in 3 years without even challenging for the league?

waft the hapless youth wrote:Glenn, you know that's ridiculous, the league is far more difficult to win, or how would Liverpool have made two CL finals in 3 years without even challenging for the league?

if you're going to suggest I've said something probably best to quote it.

Please quote the bit where I say the league is easy to win, or, shut up

waft the hapless youth wrote:Glenn, you know that's ridiculous, the league is far more difficult to win, or how would Liverpool have made two CL finals in 3 years without even challenging for the league?

Glenn Hysén wrote:winning a competition vs the likes of Wigan, Fulham etc or winning a competition vs the likes of Barcelona, Milan etc - it's hardly comparable.

The implication is there, no need to be rude.

waft the hapless youth wrote:

Glenn Hysén wrote:winning a competition vs the likes of Wigan, Fulham etc or winning a competition vs the likes of Barcelona, Milan etc - it's hardly comparable.

The implication is there, no need to be rude.

implication is: it's hardly comparable

implication is:

Historically the winner of the old European Cup didn't necessarily win the domestic league the same year.

so, before you describe my point as ridiculous, maybe check to see if you understand.

Shut up

The implication is the CL is superior.

Rude man.

Glenn Hysén wrote:

L.r.d wrote:

You cant really be champions of europe if you are not champions of your own country it just doesn't seem right. Last year Arsenal were the exact same fighting for 4th place with spurs, yet 20 minutes away from being champions of europe.....It's just not right.

morality according to lrd? Now there's a best seller in the making.

Historically the winner of the old European Cup didn't necessarily win the domestic league the same year. Of course the Champions League looks better alongside a domestic title. But winning a competition vs the likes of Wigan, Fulham etc or winning a competition vs the likes of Barcelona, Milan etc - it's hardly comparable.

You are not beating wigan to the title, you are beating chelsea man utd arsenal to the title.

Over 38 games you see who is the best team. A few knockout rounds where things are decided on penalty shoot outs in Liverpool's case hardly does that. Every Liverpool fan would prefer to win the prem not the champions league next year as they would have at the beginning of the season, it aint happening so try and delude yourself otherwise

LRD

What was wrong with the ref? I thought he was quite well. He perhaps could have given Gatusso sooner a yellow card

Ricardo Jol wrote:LRD

What was wrong with the ref? I thought he was quite well. He perhaps could have given Gatusso sooner a yellow card

I genuinely have no idea what Lrd is on about

with a different ref and rio it may have been different


united were totally played off every corner of the pitch

L.r.d wrote:Don't think it's to do with the media. Just when you have teams doing well in europe who are not in the league people wonder why. And the simple reason is the best teams are fighting on many fronts, while some other teams are just going for the cl only. Is it a coincedence both the teams who rested players went through?

You cant really be champions of europe if you are not champions of your own country it just doesn't seem right. Last year Arsenal were the exact same fighting for 4th place with spurs, yet 20 minutes away from being champions of europe.....It's just not right.

They (Richard Keys and Sky) mentioned this last night.

It is becoming more and more difficult to fight on all fronts unless you have an embaressment of riches and a little bit of luck too. Five years ago realistically only five teams could win in Europe, now it could be up to ten, the bar has been raised.

It makes 1999 more unique and more special as an achievement. I can't see that being done for a long time yet.

If we had Neville, Rio and Vidic match fit in the first leg then the whole tie could have beeen alot different, never mind.

Cesc wrote:

L.r.d wrote:Don't think it's to do with the media. Just when you have teams doing well in europe who are not in the league people wonder why. And the simple reason is the best teams are fighting on many fronts, while some other teams are just going for the cl only. Is it a coincedence both the teams who rested players went through?

You cant really be champions of europe if you are not champions of your own country it just doesn't seem right. Last year Arsenal were the exact same fighting for 4th place with spurs, yet 20 minutes away from being champions of europe.....It's just not right.

They (Richard Keys and Sky) mentioned this last night.

It is becoming more and more difficult to fight on all fronts unless you have an embaressment of riches and a little bit of luck too. Five years ago realistically only five teams could win in Europe, now it could be up to ten, the bar has been raised.

It makes 1999 more unique and more special as an achievement. I can't see that being done for a long time yet.

True

If that was the case, you would probably be through.

At least you are back fighting for the competition, it didn't seem real last years Man Utd in Europe.

I actually really wanted a Liverpool - Man Utd final. But it will still be a great re-match final.