For fear of sounding arrogant, but if you're in the prime of your career, once you've played for Man Utd who else are you going to want to play for in the EPL?
Brown never wanted out, just more money.
Brown never wanted out, just more money.
On the Eve of the new Season...
i guess the story was they werent going to give it to him. doesnt matter now
must have been a rough weekend for mank :p
Originally posted by god's shoeshine:
must have been a rough weekend for mank ;)
haha, you werent much of a mackem then
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SEMI-FINALS - First Leg
Tuesday, April 22
2:30 Liverpool vs. Chelsea (ESPN2)
Wednesday, April 23
2:30 Barcelona vs. Manchester United (ESPN2)
Tuesday, April 22
2:30 Liverpool vs. Chelsea (ESPN2)
Wednesday, April 23
2:30 Barcelona vs. Manchester United (ESPN2)
We have four tickets for the whole season including the Champions League, however, the team is doing so bad that my brother might not go and two of the four tickets might not be used (I guess he will change his mind, but Barcelona has the quietest supporters in Europe who get depressed with the team quite easily).
http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news;_ylt=AnpthaQBuNslPCMRSu9HCzkmw7YF?slug=ap-extratime&prov=ap&type=lgns
Barcelona aims to copy AC Milanâ??s Champions League triumph
By ROBERT MILLWARD, AP Soccer Writer
AP - Apr 21, 12:05 pm EDT World Soccer Gallery LONDON (AP)â??Last season, it was AC Milan vs. the Premier League. The Italian club won.
This time, itâ??s FC Barcelonaâ??s turn to take on English soccer in the Champions League with Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea all in the semifinals for the second season in a row.
If last season is any guide, bet on a Barcelona triumph when the final comes around in Moscow on May 21.
Although the current form and odds suggest the famous trophy will be headed for England, fate could send it to Spain.
The English teams are great at reaching the last four, and there will be at least one Premier League club in the final for the fourth season in a row. Actually picking up the trophy is another thing altogetherâ??theyâ??ve won just two since 1984.
Since then, the Italian clubs (seven titles) and Spanish (five) have proved to be much better at that, and the English trio could well be beaten to the top prize by Barcelona, which defeated Arsenal 2-1 in the 2006 final.
Like Milan a year ago, Barcelona is way off the lead in its domestic league, plagued by injuries to big players and struggling for consistency.
Milan finished fourth and 36 points behind Inter Milan in the 2007 Italian league, although that included eight points imposed for its part in a match-fixing scam. Saving its best form for the Champions League, it beat Liverpool 2-1 in the final in Athens, Greece.
Barcelona is third and 11 points behind Real Madrid in the Spanish title race and that means, like Milan last season, it realistically only has the Champions League to focus on.
Now, with Lionel Messi, Samuel Etoâ??o and Deco fit again, Barcelona has the talent to beat Manchester United in Wednesdayâ??s first leg at the Camp Nou a day after Liverpool and Chelsea face each other at Anfield. The return legs are next week.
Barcelona comes off a 0-0 tie at home against cross-city rival Espanyol on Saturday, although midfielder Andres Iniesta says thatâ??s a good sign.
â??The Champions League is another story,â? Iniesta said. â??A good example is that after a terrible (3-2 loss) in Seville against Betis, we were able to beat Schalke in Germany. Itâ??s very important for us to get to the final, and we have 180 minutes ahead of us to do so.â?
Barcelona just has to shrug aside its league form and switch into Champions League mode. But pressure has been mounting on the Barca players since they began falling too far behind Madrid in the league title race.
Barcelona started the season expecting great things from its new-look strikeforce with Thierry Henry joining Messi, Etoâ??o and Ronaldinho. But the French striker has failed to make an impact in Spanish soccer, Messi and Etoâ??o have spent long spells on the sideline with injuries and Ronaldinho, clearly putting on weight, has been accused of enjoying the nightlife a little too much.
The Brazilian great is out of action with a torn leg muscle and there is strong speculation he might be moving to AC Milan. With 17-year-old Bojan Krkic producing standout performances on his introduction to the team, however, Barcelona still has the players capable of beating Manchester United.
The problem for the Catalan team is that it appears to have lost confidence, and the fans can feel it.
They have been getting on the backs of the players, coach Frank Rijkaard and president Joan Laporta, especially with traditional rival Madrid on the way to winning the Spanish league title for the second season in a row.
Now the team has to respond with two big performances against Manchester United, which is leading the Premier League and hoping to win the league title for the second season in a row. United effectively needs only to win at second-place Chelsea on Saturday to clinch. The Red Devils were in a similar situation last term, with Chelsea also back in second place.
But Alex Fergusonâ??s team couldnâ??t manage the double. It struggled twice in the Champions League semifinals against Milan, coming from behind to win 3-2 in the first leg at Old Trafford and being soundly beaten 3-0 in the return.
With the home leg first, Rijkaard needs to get the best out of Messi, Etoâ??o, Henry, Deco and Krkic when the two teams meet at Camp Nou, so it can defend a lead at Old Trafford next week.
If he doesnâ??t, European soccer will be looking at a first all-English Champions League final, Premier League dominance will be complete and Rijkaard probably will be searching for another job.
http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news;_ylt=AnpthaQBuNslPCMRSu9HCzkmw7YF?slug=ap-extratime&prov=ap&type=lgns
Barcelona aims to copy AC Milanâ??s Champions League triumph
By ROBERT MILLWARD, AP Soccer Writer
AP - Apr 21, 12:05 pm EDT World Soccer Gallery LONDON (AP)â??Last season, it was AC Milan vs. the Premier League. The Italian club won.
This time, itâ??s FC Barcelonaâ??s turn to take on English soccer in the Champions League with Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea all in the semifinals for the second season in a row.
If last season is any guide, bet on a Barcelona triumph when the final comes around in Moscow on May 21.
Although the current form and odds suggest the famous trophy will be headed for England, fate could send it to Spain.
The English teams are great at reaching the last four, and there will be at least one Premier League club in the final for the fourth season in a row. Actually picking up the trophy is another thing altogetherâ??theyâ??ve won just two since 1984.
Since then, the Italian clubs (seven titles) and Spanish (five) have proved to be much better at that, and the English trio could well be beaten to the top prize by Barcelona, which defeated Arsenal 2-1 in the 2006 final.
Like Milan a year ago, Barcelona is way off the lead in its domestic league, plagued by injuries to big players and struggling for consistency.
Milan finished fourth and 36 points behind Inter Milan in the 2007 Italian league, although that included eight points imposed for its part in a match-fixing scam. Saving its best form for the Champions League, it beat Liverpool 2-1 in the final in Athens, Greece.
Barcelona is third and 11 points behind Real Madrid in the Spanish title race and that means, like Milan last season, it realistically only has the Champions League to focus on.
Now, with Lionel Messi, Samuel Etoâ??o and Deco fit again, Barcelona has the talent to beat Manchester United in Wednesdayâ??s first leg at the Camp Nou a day after Liverpool and Chelsea face each other at Anfield. The return legs are next week.
Barcelona comes off a 0-0 tie at home against cross-city rival Espanyol on Saturday, although midfielder Andres Iniesta says thatâ??s a good sign.
â??The Champions League is another story,â? Iniesta said. â??A good example is that after a terrible (3-2 loss) in Seville against Betis, we were able to beat Schalke in Germany. Itâ??s very important for us to get to the final, and we have 180 minutes ahead of us to do so.â?
Barcelona just has to shrug aside its league form and switch into Champions League mode. But pressure has been mounting on the Barca players since they began falling too far behind Madrid in the league title race.
Barcelona started the season expecting great things from its new-look strikeforce with Thierry Henry joining Messi, Etoâ??o and Ronaldinho. But the French striker has failed to make an impact in Spanish soccer, Messi and Etoâ??o have spent long spells on the sideline with injuries and Ronaldinho, clearly putting on weight, has been accused of enjoying the nightlife a little too much.
The Brazilian great is out of action with a torn leg muscle and there is strong speculation he might be moving to AC Milan. With 17-year-old Bojan Krkic producing standout performances on his introduction to the team, however, Barcelona still has the players capable of beating Manchester United.
The problem for the Catalan team is that it appears to have lost confidence, and the fans can feel it.
They have been getting on the backs of the players, coach Frank Rijkaard and president Joan Laporta, especially with traditional rival Madrid on the way to winning the Spanish league title for the second season in a row.
Now the team has to respond with two big performances against Manchester United, which is leading the Premier League and hoping to win the league title for the second season in a row. United effectively needs only to win at second-place Chelsea on Saturday to clinch. The Red Devils were in a similar situation last term, with Chelsea also back in second place.
But Alex Fergusonâ??s team couldnâ??t manage the double. It struggled twice in the Champions League semifinals against Milan, coming from behind to win 3-2 in the first leg at Old Trafford and being soundly beaten 3-0 in the return.
With the home leg first, Rijkaard needs to get the best out of Messi, Etoâ??o, Henry, Deco and Krkic when the two teams meet at Camp Nou, so it can defend a lead at Old Trafford next week.
If he doesnâ??t, European soccer will be looking at a first all-English Champions League final, Premier League dominance will be complete and Rijkaard probably will be searching for another job.
1-1 at least they doubled the goal tally of their usual encounters. :roll:
haha, to be fair one was an o.g., right. i made it a point not to watch, and i plan on watching barca play some team when i get home from work
transfer speculation is running wild already. today's rumor is that the toon have pretty much sewn up modric
transfer speculation is running wild already. today's rumor is that the toon have pretty much sewn up modric
Predictions for the result? I've no idea because it really could go either way, but will stick my neck out and say 2-1 for United.
Vidic was taken into hospital last night with a stomach problem….or maybe it was another Fergie mind game.
Man Utd wait on Vidic after scare
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/europe/7363565.stm
Vidic was taken into hospital last night with a stomach problem….or maybe it was another Fergie mind game.
Man Utd wait on Vidic after scare
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/europe/7363565.stm
i'll go 1-1 just barely making the second leg interesting. cant see barca scoring more than a goal at ot, assuming that fergie is playing games
My only fear is that Ronaldo will over-play (if that's even a term) because tonight, in his mind, he'll be auditioning for his new team.
real? ;)
So, as for last night, I thought the whistle had blown and Riise stuck it in the net as a joke at then end.
Then I saw him pick his head up and turn white as a ghost. He looked like he was about to cry and couldn't believe what had happened. Even the Chelsea players were sort of in shock over what happened.
Then I laughed. And laughed. And laughed.
As for today, 1-1 draw. I will not be watching live and will be avoiding this thread from 2:30 on.
Then I saw him pick his head up and turn white as a ghost. He looked like he was about to cry and couldn't believe what had happened. Even the Chelsea players were sort of in shock over what happened.
Then I laughed. And laughed. And laughed.
As for today, 1-1 draw. I will not be watching live and will be avoiding this thread from 2:30 on.
Originally posted by Barcelona:After watching today´s game, I give Barcelona a 40% chance. We didn´t play well, but Manchester will have to look for a goal in Engand, that may open spaces for Messi, Etoo, Iniesta, Deco and Xavi. can´t wait for next Tuesday.
I give Barcelona a 20% chance of making it to the final.
Ronaldo missed a golden opportunity early, but United's defense was splendid. Boy I would have liked that away goal though.
Barca were the better team tonight going forward, but were very short on chances, despite the absence of Vidic.
Barca were the better team tonight going forward, but were very short on chances, despite the absence of Vidic.
kind of a weird team man u put out there, but they really seemed to out muscle barca in the last third. scholes really enjoys giving away free kicks in bad spots
Just a couple of comments from yesterday.
1.) That missed penalty just might cost United a place in the final
2.) Barca dominating the game with 65% of possesion and not being able to put the game away on home soil just might cost them a place in the final.
In summary - It's all still to play for and too close to call!!!
1.) That missed penalty just might cost United a place in the final
2.) Barca dominating the game with 65% of possesion and not being able to put the game away on home soil just might cost them a place in the final.
In summary - It's all still to play for and too close to call!!!
So I watched it again last night on a real TV (I slingboxed it the first time), and I must say, I now know why I can't watch Italian football. United definitely looked like Milan out there playing as defensively as they did. And with fergie taking out both strikers for the last 10 minutes, I just don't know what to think. I've never seen a United team take it's foot off the pedal. I was a little disappointed.
Which led me to think, maybe Barca cut a deal with Fergie. Don't embarasas us at home by beating the crap out of us, costing all of us our jobs, and we'll reward with a 2-0 victory at Old Trafford and trip to the finals. That's the only thing I can think of.
Which led me to think, maybe Barca cut a deal with Fergie. Don't embarasas us at home by beating the crap out of us, costing all of us our jobs, and we'll reward with a 2-0 victory at Old Trafford and trip to the finals. That's the only thing I can think of.
Barca are spanish, not italian so I don't think there'd be any match fixing going on.
Why was Rooney out on the wing? England have proved many times he needs to be up front in the middle running at the defense to be effective.
I thought Wes Brown did a fine job of shutting Messi down, admittedly he's probably short of match fitness, but still. And we have no shortage of fullbacks seeing the way Hargreaves played back there.
Tevez may as well have been back in Manc watching the game on telly for all he did. At half time I would've pulled Tevez, put Rooney in the middle and brought Giggs on as a winger.
If United had scored that penalty that game would ended up being a high scoring game because it would've opened it up early on.
Barca seemed to play like Arsenil by trying to dribble the ball over the line. At least when Henry came on he actually tried a shot that challenged VDS.
I can't remember EVER seeing United sit back like that. Maybe Fergie was playing for a draw with the chelskzzzz match in mind so not wanting to tire them out too much.
On a brigher note, at least we can survive at the back without Vidic if needs be.
Why was Rooney out on the wing? England have proved many times he needs to be up front in the middle running at the defense to be effective.
I thought Wes Brown did a fine job of shutting Messi down, admittedly he's probably short of match fitness, but still. And we have no shortage of fullbacks seeing the way Hargreaves played back there.
Tevez may as well have been back in Manc watching the game on telly for all he did. At half time I would've pulled Tevez, put Rooney in the middle and brought Giggs on as a winger.
If United had scored that penalty that game would ended up being a high scoring game because it would've opened it up early on.
Barca seemed to play like Arsenil by trying to dribble the ball over the line. At least when Henry came on he actually tried a shot that challenged VDS.
I can't remember EVER seeing United sit back like that. Maybe Fergie was playing for a draw with the chelskzzzz match in mind so not wanting to tire them out too much.
On a brigher note, at least we can survive at the back without Vidic if needs be.