It didnt happen for utd last nite, they were totally out passed by an excellent footballing side who are not only great going forward but outstanding in midfield and tight in defence. That said, utd are great entertainers also - they have been a really class team to watch and support over the last 15 years. There is still something magic about them and they always seem to bounce back. They have had a great season this year - almost doing the double double and very importantly - clinching the premiership from liverpool's grasp. Well done to all, especially the golden oldies - Giggs and Scholes. Id say they were all disapointed last nite.... Until they check their bank balances at the weekend!ha

Brolly (Monaghan) - Posts: 4472 - 28/05/2009 14:36:01    296574

the premiership was never within liverpools grasp

cunday9lu (Louth) - Posts: 175 - 28/05/2009 16:18:21    296707

its not very hard to bounce back when you have unlimited money

32_4_1 (Meath) - Posts: 4156 - 28/05/2009 16:27:20    296721

Ah yeh theyll bounce back. But its gona be tough to look at what silverwear they do have and realise that two teams (at least) are better than them and have proven so this year, despite all the Manc-biased media hype which I think led most Utd fans to believe they had a god given right to 5 trophies...then 4, then 3 (2 of which no-one cares about). Well done Utd on winning a Premier league that Liverpool handed to ye despite outclassing ye twice, home and away, and fair play to ye on taking the clearly easier route to the European Final and then being demolished by the first goo team ye met. Enjoy yer silverwear!!

spudenator (Laois) - Posts: 1052 - 28/05/2009 17:37:42    296837

I think that is the difference between utd and any other club. You know they are probably going to be in next years CL final again, probably more-so than barca. Thats why they are a great side.

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 28/05/2009 18:10:09    296877

unlimited money 3241???
sure if thats the case, why didnt man city buy a world eleven in january they would have won the league.

bigcook (Longford) - Posts: 129 - 28/05/2009 19:32:26    296925

United world club winners and league champions enough said .

Dellboypolecat (Tyrone) - Posts: 15069 - 28/05/2009 19:50:11    296947

except the world club championship is meaningless and the premiership is terrible. united were pushed all the way by a team who only have 3 excellent players. but wait next year united will have some real competition in the form of football giants burnley

32_4_1 (Meath) - Posts: 4156 - 28/05/2009 21:02:39    296979

how did liverpool hand the title to utd could somebody please explain this

cunday9lu (Louth) - Posts: 175 - 28/05/2009 22:24:35    297045

Re Spudenator,
Its not Utd's fault if Liverpool dont beat the so called weaker teams and hand the title to Utd for the third year in a row is it ?.
Now as far as Utd taking the easer route to the European final i will try and make this as easy as i can so that you might be able to understand the rules of the compition there is what you call a draw made where teams are put into mini leagues and after playing everyone in your section home and away the top two teams progress to the next round. This process is once again used in the second round and again the top two go through to the Q- final's where it is an open draw and the winners progess to the Semi final and then the winners on to the final so how can you say we took the easer route the mind boggles.

Mulligan Eamonn (None) - Posts: 896 - 29/05/2009 01:10:16    297154

Re Spudenator,
Its not Utd's fault if Liverpool don't beat the so called weaker teams and hand the title to Utd for the third year in a row is it ?.
Now as far as Utd taking the easier route to the European final i will try and make this as easy as i can so that you might be able to understand the rules of the competition there is what you call a draw made where teams are put into mini leagues and after playing everyone in your section home and away the top two teams progress to the next round. This process is once again used in the second round and again the top two go through to the Q- finals where it is an open draw and the winners progress to the Semi final and then the winners on to the final so how can you say we took the easier route the mind boggles.

Mulligan Eamonn (None) - Posts: 896 - 29/05/2009 01:13:13    297157

Liverpool just about had it over the Christmas period - then fergie rattled benitez and they fell apart for a while which ultimitely lost it for them. Its the best chance they have had in years! Fergie a genius!

Brolly (Monaghan) - Posts: 4472 - 29/05/2009 08:55:56    297189

The fixture schedule for the Premiership created the illusion that United and Liverpool were vying for topspot and changing places. In reality, when Liverpool dropped off in early January they were never again in a position to overtake United on points having played the same number of games. So the second half of their season was pretty much an illusion. They finished four points off United and the league was won when they still had two games left to play. Hardly a photo finish.

pearsesabu (Antrim) - Posts: 663 - 29/05/2009 13:33:52    297379

Mulligan Eamonn. Ya dont really want to patronise me like that lad, Id have ya for breakfast!

Utd had the easy draw in the knockout rounds, that is a fact...the only mind boggling thing is that u offered an explanation of a group & knockout tournament based on an open draw as proof that Utd DIDNT have an easier route. Just have a good think about that now. If its an open draw, theres every chance that someone is going to get an easy route and this year it was Utd.

Look, getting through the group is now a given for English teams so forget that, then look at Utds route in the knockouts: an awful Inter Milan, Porto & an awful Arsenal- Sure with that draw once ye overcame a poor Inter, ye had a virtual buy into the final. Barca on the other hand had to overcome a resiliant Chelsea in the Semi (who themselves had overcome Liverpool in another titanic battle) and had previously had to defeat an on-form Lyon and a Ribery-inspired Bayern Munich. If you dont think theres a difference in the routes to the final taken by these teams, maybe its YOU who needs ME to explain it really slowly!!

spudenator (Laois) - Posts: 1052 - 29/05/2009 15:04:44    297452

Also I just re-read your post. Mulligan, I thing ya might have to take a look at the Champs league structure before ya start explaining it to everyone else in such a patronising manner. It goes: Groups stages-Last 16-Quarters-Semi-Final...

Ah lad your just teein them up for me here, all I have to do is drive them down the fairway. Your too easy young fella!!

spudenator (Laois) - Posts: 1052 - 29/05/2009 15:21:56    297461

I hate, absolutely hate, being right.

Vidic, ok in England at head ball, not the best at foot ball, Van Der Sar, getting on, too many runners in the United team instead of footballers like Berbatov, Ronaldo not interested and unable to take the ball past the opposition, and it all proved to be right on the night.

Add in that I said Barca had the better defence,a nd as I say being right, for someone who supposedly knows nowt about soccer, well it gets dull.

Barca's second goal the other night was IDENTICAL to Porto's second at Old Trafford, whichy suggests tw0o things, United defence is not very good, and the club do not use video analysis.

patrique (Antrim) - Posts: 13709 - 29/05/2009 20:51:42    297685

re Spudenator 29/5.
As far as i am concerend only one team got the better of Utd this season and that was Barsa not Liverpool no matter what way you try and dress it up. The premier league is played over 38 games not 2 and the final placings prove my point. P W D L PTS
Man Utd 38 28 6 4 90
Liverpool 38 25 11 2 86.

Also Utd have 6 players named on the PFA team of the year and hold the record for consecutive clean sheets(11games) and plus this is the third title in a row.

Now as far as the Champions league is concerend the only hard match that Barsa had was against Chelsea in the semi finals all their other matches in the nockout stages were very easy or awful as you put it. They beat Lyon 6-3 on agg and Bayern Munich 5-1 on agg its hardley what you would call close was it. Do you see its only your opinion that Utd had the easier route and as far as eating me for breakfast i would sugest you try a more balanced diet it might help your brain.

Mulligan Eamonn (None) - Posts: 896 - 31/05/2009 02:16:30    298144

Patrique; You need to clear the air out of your head before making any more of a fool of yourself! Same goes for a few others on this thread.

trilaecAbu (Tyrone) - Posts: 134 - 31/05/2009 11:33:03    298211

trilaecAbu
County: Tyrone
Posts: 120

298211
Patrique; You need to clear the air out of your head before making any more of a fool of yourself!
Same goes for a few others on this thread.



Look at the thread on "Next United Manager".

I could well be favourite after the Barca match.

They could do a lot worse, at least I was able to accurately pin point all United's weak points, mainly that what works in a very weak English league, will not work in Europe.

So I may be a fool, but I am a fool who was proved right. Poor old Fergie was a fool who was wrong.

patrique (Antrim) - Posts: 13709 - 01/06/2009 16:35:54    298853

Geway outta that Mulligan Eamonn, that reply brought me back to the primary schoolyard... ''No YOUD want to get a better diet to help YOUR brain''.

I wouldnt for a moment say Utd didnt deserve the title...they did, but only thanks to us throwing it at them, a mistake well not make again. Im not that much of a blinkered Pool fan but what does a team have to do to be proved better than Utd? Id have thought beating them very convincingly home and away in one season would have been enough, especially seen as you accept that Barca beating them once and even less convincingly than Liverpool did (and on neutral ground) deems them to be the better team. The best team doesnt always win the league title and that goes for any league in any sport. This year is a pefect example of it!

spudenator (Laois) - Posts: 1052 - 01/06/2009 17:33:24    298882