Shak

It's easier to list the guys that actually gave it their all. Of players that played a fair amount this year I'd say Taylor, Beye, Butt, Duff all deserve praise. While 3 of the 4 of them were more often than not poor, or worse, I can't really fault them for application and really giving it their all. Bassong I'd find hard to quantify. Guy looked a bit not arsed at times, but he was still very good. If you're playing well, then you can look as interested as a 12 year old goth at Christmas mass for all I care. It's the numerous others who were shite but didn't have the balls about them to actually try that deserve the pasting. Guthrie and Enrique are two more that I'd give honourable mentions to. Both actually tried, just their respective styles don't seem very urgent. Could have given a bit more though, to be honest. The rest of them (I may be forgetting someone) were by and large a disgrace.

Nah man, I reckon you missed out. Man U are an absolutely awesome side, let's not forget that. People will say they didn't show up last night, but it's mostly because Barca didn't let them. As good a display from an individual side as you'll ever see, truly magnificent it was.

"I think Barca at 2 up are a tougher proposition than Bayern were at 1-0 going into stoppage time." - George Hamilton

terrible tackle that like Nah, nothing in it. Good honest pro, just never learned to tackle. *Chortle*

Typical Paul Scholes challenge that.

The gameplan was doubtless not to find themselves 1-0 down at any point. Once Barca score, they're fucking impossible to play because they keep the ball so well. The first goal ruined their entire game plan.

Back of the net!! Ha take that Cronaldo you buttlicking arse bandit.

http://imgsrv.kmbz.com/image/kmbz/UserFiles/Image/Brian%5C%27s%20Pics/captain_obvious.jpg

If Man U score the next goal and don't go on to win this I'll leave the forum for exactly one year. The next goal is absolutely monumental.

Thank God for RTE, sounds like Ray Houghton is the overwhelming lesser of two evils.

Barca are magnificent to watch, the ease at which they string together 20+ passes together is staggering. Totally outclassed Man U, but one goal would change everyting.

Well, he certainly showed me.

Wonder if Etoo' will look as fucking hopeless as he always does against teams who can actually defend.

Early Barca goal would be by far and away the best thing that could happen here for the neutrals.

Reckon Fergie will do the exact opposite, thinking that with all those defenders missing for Barca he doesn't need to commit many to attack to get goals. Just sit back and defend, knowing that inevitably Barca will make mistakes at the back or they'll catch them on the counter. It's the right strategy too IMO, unfortunately.

Kiss my asphalt.

This. I'm disappointingly non-plussed about this game though, not looking forward to it eagerly at all. Reckon it'll be fairly dull viewing.

Wait, so the cops knew internal affairs were setting them up all along?

What actually makes you believe Barton is worth keeping at this point? The guy is a complete disaster, he's not going to just sort himself out and stop getting himself in trouble all of a sudden. It'd be nice if he did, cos he's a quality footballer, but it's time to face facts. The guy is an absolute cunt of the highest order and will be nothing but a cancer as long as he's on our books.

Would agree with that, except I'd want another striker brought in. Shola, Carroll, Lovenkrands and Ranger will hardly be good enough, even in the Championship.

Can you imagine the standard of crossing? Jonas would be great in the Championship though, I reckon. He'd go by some of the cunts down there for fun, and I don't buy this theory that he'd get kicked to bits and not be able to hack it physically. He's good and strong when he needs to be, it's just that he's a shocking diver. Get someone whose got some quality in his crossing on the other flank and we'd be sorted.

He'll be pretty decent in the Championship tbh, and his experience could prove handy in what I envisage will be a very young side. If we come back up and he's still here, then we'll have problems.

Yes, stupid tournament is every two years. Somewhere, an alarm just went off in Babatunde's head.

What a man. If Ashley and Llambias make a mess of the Shearer discussions and fail to appoint him as permanent manager, something I fully expect to happen, then he could still be off though. Great news though, if he's here next year he's the captain for sure.

Still be a decent crowd IMO, be surprised if we don't average above 40k. Prices will come down surely, and we might even win a few games and be fun to watch against a lower standard of opponent.