Football Focus

[SimonM]

I wonder what plans The Special One will hatch for dealing with the marvellous Messi in the semis?

[jimmy two times]

What a fantastic performance from Barcelona and Messi last night. I hope Wenger has learned some lessons from a very humbling defeat from the team who he is trying to emulate.

One of the first things he could do is to promote a better work ethic in his team. A key feature of Barcelona's success is their off the ball work and how hard they pressurize their opponents when they do not have the ball. They are not the biggest team in the world yet they still seem to match anyone physically and Messi epitomises this with his unselfish work rate.

Also ,like Arsenal, many of Barcelona's squad are products of their academy. Unlike Arsenal most are Spanish players. Xavi, Iniesta, Pique, Puyol, Pedro, Busquets, Valdez, Bojan. How many English players are produced by Arsenal's academy? In their team last night the answer was none. Walcott was bought from Southampton. What happened to the talented Jake Wilshire? He's on loan at Bolton. Wenger does nothing to promote English players and I don't think he trusts them technically.

[matthew123]

When Barcelona put their foot on the gas Arsenal had no answer - and as such they treated the 2nd half like a warm down session.

Inter Milan will play a lot deeper than Arsenal so maybe the semi final will be more competitive just like Barca v Chelsea last season.

[Narnia]

Did anyone think Walcott bottled it by passing instead of shooting when Arsenal scored? It was a poor pass when it seemed easier for him to shoot.

[matthew123]

Yes very surprised by the pass to a player who was tightly marked - and the pass itself was very poor. It seemed Arsenal were still patting themselves on the back when Messi completed his hat-trick.

Looking forward to the big game tonight. This really could be a classic. I think Bayern hold the upper hand (even with a fit Rooney) after that late winner last week. Bayern pretty much destroyed the United midfield in Munich and without Rooney tonight I simply cannot see how it is anything but a Bayern Munich win.

[Narnia]

BM did scrap through their group by going to Juventus and stuffing them 4-1 in a must win game. They were almost out away to Fiorentina in the last 16 but managed a second goal late on in a 3-2 defeat to win on away goals. What does this mean? I haven't a clue! Unless French football is better than I thought Bayern can't be that good given they lost to Bordeaux twice who are in turn 1-3 down to Lyon. Their 1st leg goals against United were lucky against a team that played really poorly. I expect United to go through if they play like they can with plenty of energy.

[matthew123]

Well I am not sure what that says about United then as Bayern deserved their win last week. For the record all 3 goals were lucky - but then United can count themselves lucky Bayern were more than a bit sloppy with the goalscoring chances they had which perhaps would have made the scoreline more emphatic.

[Jah Lush]

Whichever way it goes it'll be close.

[Mick Mac]

except if its not.

[Annasfield]

Rooney starts

[Sandperson]

We made a few chances as well. It wasn't all one sided. I expect us to make a good show of it tonight and I'm sure we'll get a result.

[Mick Mac]

with big plastic boot?

[Mick Mac]

He seems to have hurt himself again.

Anyone would think Alex Ferguson did not want England to win the World Cup!

[kpc]

That was a compelling half of football.

[????]

Great gane but why oh why did Rooney stay on after that knock on 20 mins? He spent nearly an hour as a passenger. Selfishness from him and/or cowardness from Ferguson (seems unlikely) but I'm baffled.

[Bluerevolution]

on one hand glad Rooney stayed on, less chance of anymore domestic games although Tevez is on form but worry about England now

[Mick Mac]

"typical Germans"......quote from a knight. Real class from Sir Alex.

[SCSB79]

Mick Mac Wrote:

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> "typical Germans"......quote from a knight. Real

> class from Sir Alex.

he's right though!!

[Narnia]

Mick Mac Wrote:

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> "typical Germans"......quote from a knight. Real

> class from Sir Alex.

I just thought that was a heat of the moment comment Mick and it was typical of the Germans to beat an English team.Not that SAF actually meant it that way.

[Bluerevolution]

I see his point, ManUre would never do something like that

http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/1490000/images/_1493932_andy_durso300.jpg

[ruffers]

Regardless of whether they pressured the referee to give the yellow, it was a clear as day yellow.

Always amazes me when a crowd (any crowd, including ours) applauds a player off who has through stupidity got his team reduced to ten men..

[matthew123]

'typical Germans' ... more like Ferguson gracious as ever in defeat

I think United hit such an early pace that they run of steam even before half time. I wouldn't say it was a doddle for Bayern but they had total charge of midfield during that second half and just pushed United further and further back and over the two legs were IMO the better team.

[Narnia]

Blind and deaf as ever Matthew. If anyone is usually gracious in defeat it is Ferguson. Just find out what he said about losing to Chelsea for example.

[Bluerevolution]

Narnia Wrote:

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> >

> Blind and deaf as ever Matthew. If anyone is

> usually gracious in defeat it is Ferguson. Just

> find out what he said about losing to Chelsea for

> example.

Spat my gin and tonic over my laptop at that ! PMSL

['bout now]

Thought Rafael was lucky to be on the field after the first challenge, looked like retaliation to me, most refs hate that.