• Welcome to the Cricket Web forums, one of the biggest forums in the world dedicated to cricket.

    You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community you will have access to post topics, respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join the Cricket Web community today!

    If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us.

*Official* English Football Season 2007-08

dontcloseyoureyes

dontcloseyoureyes

BARNES OUT
They do it every year though. They did it against Milan last year as well and look how well it worked for them there. Considering how good they can look when they do move the ball forward and not sit 10 men behind the halfway line, it amazes me how they can think a tactic like this can do them any good. If not for VDS they'd have lost at the Nou, even if Ronaldo scored his penalty.

They may yet win the trophy but after Wednesday they sure as hell don't deserve to. No guts, no glory, for mine.
 
Loony BoB

Loony BoB

International Captain
dontcloseyoureyes said:
They do it every year though. They did it against Milan last year as well and look how well it worked for them there. Considering how good they can look when they do move the ball forward and not sit 10 men behind the halfway line, it amazes me how they can think a tactic like this can do them any good. If not for VDS they'd have lost at the Nou, even if Ronaldo scored his penalty.

They may yet win the trophy but after Wednesday they sure as hell don't deserve to. No guts, no glory, for mine.
Click to expand...
While I agree that I can't stand how negative we played (mentioned that earlier), I disagree that VDS was the only reason we stayed up. Not many shots reached VDS, it was more of a general defending play.

Think there was way too little support given going forward, though, and one thing you have to keep in mind is that while we did indeed get put out by Milan in a big way, we still beat them at home, and if we manage to do that against Barca then we'll be through.

If they play negative in the final, though, I'll be angry (unless we win, in which case I'll be angry only up to the final whistle :p).

Regarding the last two games (Barca + Chelsea), I feel that SAF has always viewed both games as "can win" rather than "must win". With three games with just two days' rest and an international flight between each of them, I think the only one he intended on going all-out in was the one we have yet to see. He's always known we can still do a double even if we lose both the first two, and the lack of attacking prowess I've seen has reflected that. However, I still do have my doubts regarding our overall attacking play as lately we've been lacklustre.
 
Last edited:
roseboy64

roseboy64

Cricket Web Content Updater
dontcloseyoureyes said:
They do it every year though. They did it against Milan last year as well and look how well it worked for them there. Considering how good they can look when they do move the ball forward and not sit 10 men behind the halfway line, it amazes me how they can think a tactic like this can do them any good. If not for VDS they'd have lost at the Nou, even if Ronaldo scored his penalty.

They may yet win the trophy but after Wednesday they sure as hell don't deserve to. No guts, no glory, for mine.
Click to expand...
Apart from Brac Utd play the best football of those left so meh.
 
Scaly piscine

Scaly piscine

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Loony BoB said:
Definitely. Although even then, I only enjoyed the last 10-20 minutes.
Click to expand...
I enjoyed the last few seconds, the rest was dire. Liverpool playing their usual brand of headless chicken football which negates most of the attacking threat from both sides, meanwhile Chelsea weren't good enough to string passes together particularly in the final third and just repeatedly hoofed it up to Drogba.
 
T

Tom Halsey

International Coach
dontcloseyoureyes said:
They do it every year though. They did it against Milan last year as well and look how well it worked for them there. Considering how good they can look when they do move the ball forward and not sit 10 men behind the halfway line, it amazes me how they can think a tactic like this can do them any good. If not for VDS they'd have lost at the Nou, even if Ronaldo scored his penalty.

They may yet win the trophy but after Wednesday they sure as hell don't deserve to. No guts, no glory, for mine.
Click to expand...
No idea how you come to that conclusion, despite playing poorly we created just as many chances - they didn't make much at all. As I said just after the game, their determination to play pointlessly sideways reminded me a lot of Arsenal. We should also have had two more pens - though away from home in Europe getting one is a bonus, I suppose. Then there's the penalty that we did miss, plus Carrick had a decent chance. We attacked poorly overall, but I thought we were value for the draw, despite lack of possession - which was as Ferguson intended, I think. VDS didn't have a particularly taxing save to make, and was in fact responsible for one of the few chances they did have through a poor clearance to Messi.

I agree we should have attacked in Milan last year, and do think we bottle it in Europe somewhat, but Milan last year is an unfair example overall. Over the two legs, only one of our cumulative eight spots in defence was filled by a fully fit first-teamer (Evra at OT, Vidic did play at the San Siro but that was a last resort, he was obviously not match fit).
 
Last edited:
T

Tom Halsey

International Coach
GeraintIsMyHero said:
Yet the Liverpool-Chelsea game was so much more enjoyable...
Click to expand...
Will agree with this, though I'd blame Barcelona for this just as much as United's tactics.

Given how poorly we were playing, we could hardly be expected to play openly and get slaughtered - we're playing to win, not to entertain. Barcelona were the ones with all the ball, and showed no imagination/intent, and were restricted mainly to long range shots - only had one serious chance IMO, which fell to Eto'o, who wasted it.
 
GIMH

GIMH

Norwood's on Fire
dontcloseyoureyes said:
Well I never said it was. However, this game I didn't watch, so I couldn't spray at it.
Click to expand...
Mate, it was I was being serious...

roseboy64 said:
That relates to my point how? One game out of the many that have been played this season.......8-)
Click to expand...
My point is, you probably play the best footy out of pretty much anyone, maybe Arsenal early season were better on the eye, but generally, best footballing side in the world? Yes. So it was pretty ****ing sad to watch you kill a game like that. I think that was basically Smith's point as well.

There is no way on earth that Liverpool playing Chelsea should be anywhere near as entertaining as Man U V Barca, yet it was twice as good, and that clearly does relate to your point. I agree that you are the best side to watch, so to see you choose to play, well it's awful.
 
Magrat Garlick

Magrat Garlick

Rather Mad Witch
I initially thought of Vladimir Romanov, but he doesn't seem to have been convicted of any crimes yet. Nuts though. And the dealings from Hearts to Kaunas can't be good for much except whitewashing money.

Maxwell seems to fit the bill pretty well though.
 
Matteh

Matteh

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
BoyBrumby said:
Ha. Read in the paper some punter clocked him at your last match. Just where were you on Saturday...? :p
Click to expand...
Can't divulge that information. :cool:

Apparently someone broke into the directors box and smacked him one. Can't say he doesn't deserve it tbh.
 
roseboy64

roseboy64

Cricket Web Content Updater
GeraintIsMyHero said:
Mate, it was I was being serious...



My point is, you probably play the best footy out of pretty much anyone, maybe Arsenal early season were better on the eye, but generally, best footballing side in the world? Yes. So it was pretty ****ing sad to watch you kill a game like that. I think that was basically Smith's point as well.

There is no way on earth that Liverpool playing Chelsea should be anywhere near as entertaining as Man U V Barca, yet it was twice as good, and that clearly does relate to your point. I agree that you are the best side to watch, so to see you choose to play, well it's awful.
Click to expand...
Fair point that but still disagree with Smith.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Top