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Champion's League Final (R)

River City

By River City
in World Soccer

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fan Newbie

fan

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I was disapointed that Ronaldinho did not have a great day I love to watch him play when he is on.

Henry was very good and Campbell header was nice.But I thought Larsson was the difference in the end.

Eboué and that ref were brutal.

I am neutral for this game but I just wanted to see a good game.

It is unfortunate but reality and theres nothing we can do about it.

The only difference and its a big one, between the ref and Eboué was the ref was human and just couldnt see the dive but then went on to demonstrate his incompetence, Eboué dive was intentional and pathetic and ruins the sport, himself and the actual game being played.

Too bad it rained the field was perfect and it could have been a great final.

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Guest Jeffery S.

Guest Jeffery S.

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So nobody really wants to talk about it?

The story from Barça's perspective in the first half is that Rijkaard plays Van Bommel ahead of Iniesta, a terrible error that throws off the whole team, suggests we don't want the ball and want to get physical (Olivia Newton-John notwithstanding), apart from being an injustice. VB does not have the ball skills to play for Barça, and Iniesta has been, arguably, the teams key player of the last month. The most criticized coaching decision by Rijkaard in almost two years.

The other story from Barça's point of view was Valdes, who showed his skills in the first minute (as later in the 2nd half). Some keepers are cool and trendy and are liked, others are simply good and do the job. Victor is one of the latter.

As for the key play, I went to the BBC site at the half and was surprised to see most commentators critical of the decision. Even Arsenal would have preferred, in principle, to be a goal down but with 11, as there was plenty of time left. Down a man means having to pace things, even thinking about extra time. I think the decision ruined the game for the fans a bit, as the Gunners did not play their game, and them hanging back so much meant that Barça did not have the spaces to set a striker free.

Love it when the English score on a foul that should have been a yellow to Eboué for diving, his second and thus expelled. English fans and teams whine about diving because they usually want to hack with impunity, then they go out and do it shamelessly (I admit, to be fair, that at Barça we see a bit of it with Deco). But we did not defend the free kick well, if you are up a man the least you can do is double team key attackers in your box.

In any case, since we had to attack after the goal, it would have been right to even make a substitution before the half, and it was not done only to save Van Bommel or Edmilson the embarrassment. But after the half, with persistence and as the Arsenal defense tired, the three subs were key to the game. Larsson got one assist on the last and perhaps touched or dummied to touch on the first. Belletti got the winner, a completely unlikely hero (heard on La Rambla last night: "Belletti President! Belletti President!"). But it was Iniesta who started to pass more dangerously into the holes, pick apart the defence and keep the team moving in a way that was not totally mechanical or predictable.

I agree with the above post that Ronnie had an average day, but maybe that opened things up for others, as he draws a lot of attention. But do not agree about the rain. A wet pitch favoured Barça, as the ball ran faster to the foot of your teammate and the play is sharper (they said the pitch was naturally slow), but for a counterattacking team like Arsenal it meant the ball could get away more easily as they tend to pass into space. In any case...

I was nervous throughout, even scared my son a bit, but with about 20 minutes to go I sat him on my lap and said we had to relax, be calm, and show faith in our team. Made me sound like a wise man. I just cooled out, did some dumb talisman things with the tv set, changed the radio station i was listening to with the tv image, did what normally works which is leave the room to do something for 30 seconds with the game on (go get my ipod, choose my socks for the next morning) as a way of saying they can do it without me, my presence is indifferent. And the goals came. I think we deserved them, both were players in free, though with tight angles.

Celebrations last night were much wilder than for the league a few weeks ago, indeed the intensity all over the city, with people going onto their balconies to celebrate the goals and near goals and talk and complain about the play at the half, was incredible. I got home just before 4 AM and there were teens sitting on the sidewalk, drinking and chatting, near my closest metro stop, waiting for it to open to go home. The subway here, by the way, opens at 5.

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Guest Jeffery S.

Guest Jeffery S.

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quote:Originally posted by Desigol

We were ROBBED!

Are you still crying over it? I have never seen such a bunch of whiners after a loss, it is unsportsmanlike and completely against the spirit of fair play. But "same old Arsenal" it definitely is.

Figure this: we get a legal goal annulled that the ref and the president of FIFA say should have stood, you score on a free kick off a shameless dive, and we take 75 minutes to correct the refs errors and score our first.

You were damn lucky I would say. And I am not talking about the play, just the ref. In play you came out strongly for a good 15 minutes and our keeper had to do a good job. As he did on Henry in the 2nd half too (Henry played great, but by missing three goals he was the real reason for your fall).

But get this: Barça has not lost a lead when going up a goal all year, we would have massacred you on the counter if that first one had stood. It also would have completely demoralized you after all that bragging about not giving up a goal in 10 Champion's games.

In the end justice was served and the superior team won. We'll be back in semis at least next year, as our run was not lucky. You will likely fall sometime between the group stage and the round of 16.

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Gordon Newbie

Gordon

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quote:Originally posted by Jeffrey S.

In the end justice was served and the superior team won. We'll be back in semis at least next year, as our run was not lucky. You will likely fall sometime between the group stage and the round of 16.

Only if Barca replaces Puyol and Marquez who were badly outclassed in this game and were fortunate that the Norwegian ref allowed them to Mug with impunity. I don't accept your take on the game, Jeffrey, Barcelona's midfield and defence were not up to the task of an 11 man Arsenal - at least on the day.

I was very disappointed to be held up at work and arrive in front of my television at the 22 minute mark. Can't really complain about the card, a another ref might have let play continue but this one didn't and the call was not incorrect. Arsenal scored off a dive, Deco was not lucky in that his theatrics occured in the line of sight, a faux paus that requires a mandatory deduction of points even from the french judge. All in all a pretty good game despite the imbalance in numbers.

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amacpher Newbie

amacpher

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quote:Originally posted by Gordon

Only if Barca replaces Puyol and Marquez who were badly outclassed in this game and were fortunate that the Norwegian ref allowed them to Mug with impunity.

Marquez was pretty poor on the night, but Puyol is one of the best defenders on the planet. Even when Henry skinned him that one time along the sideline (some 40 yards from goal), Puyol got back to his feet and got back in-to the play to prevent Henry from scoring.

I guess you haven't seen Barca play much the last few seasons. Arsenal would kill for a player like Puyol on their team instead of the unreliable Campbell and Senderos.

quote:

I don't accept your take on the game, Jeffrey, Barcelona's midfield and defence were not up to the task of an 11 man Arsenal - at least on the day. I was very disappointed to be held up at work and arrive in front of my television at the 22 minute mark.

well, from around the 4th minute to the time Lehmann was sent-off, Barca was doing just fine against 11-man Arsenal.

It would have been a great game had the ref just played advantage and let Lehmann stay on. I'm pretty sure Arsenal would have scored had Lehmann stayed on. But its unlikely that they would've scored 3 or 4 times, which is how many they needed to have a chance at winning.

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Guest Jeffery S.

Guest Jeffery S.

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Considering the kind of brash, hard defending that EPL refs habitually permit, in the air especially but also on the ground, Henry whining about hard defending when he was never fouled dangerously in the whole game is a bit pathetic.

But I agree that he was impressive in open field plays, and having seen Puyol for years, have to admit that it was one of the hardest marks he has ever had. Don't think it was a great game for him; meanwhile, Marquéz needs to be cutting off passes in anticipation, or to be in more static defending positions, he is not fast at all. The two complement each other well, but Henry was great against them I admit.

Just to say I am so glad he is not coming to Barça, as the key to our team has been a peaceful dressing room, and, while not saying he is problematic personally, I think he would disrupt the harmony and the hierarchies that make things work for us. Not to mention taking a starting spot away from either Messi or Giuly, both valuable to the team in their own ways.

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