Post by RobRedDevil on May 29, 2011 16:36:09 GMT 1
To be honest, last nights game showed the difference between Barcelona and ourselves. For so many games this season where we have played as the "away", team, the players have let it sink into their philosophy of playing as an "away team." We had an inexperienced left-back playing at right-back, we had a left-back who has not had a great season by any stretch of the imagination ever since the World Cup in South Africa. We have had the Rooney saga, we have Valencia out with a broken and dislocated ankle/leg to add to Sir Alex's problems. This year has probably been his most average for a Premier league winning Manchester United side.
At some times in our lives, we all like to play the 'if' card, and to be honest, if that Barca side of last night had played the treble winning side of 1998/99 then, it would have been even closer than expected. Our players that night in the Nou Camp were special and were playing for each other. No matter what happens, no matter if Munich hit the bar, it was always the philosophy of "Believe", that kept us in that game. Last nights game, the philosophy of "Believe", was nowhere to be seen in the 2nd half once Barcelona had effectively confiscated the ball. To believe, you need to have the ball, and we simply didn't have it, neither the ball or the belief.
Barcelona proved that to win, and to have the right mentality, you have to go back to grassroots football. We need to start blooding the youngsters and to give them some big game experience, otherwise, should Sir Alex Ferguson retire, then I cannot see another manager, especially a foreign one, bringing in youngsters, unless it is Wenger of course. As Hansen once stated, you cannot win anything with kids, well, Barcelona proved this in 2009 and last night as these were the kids that were taught how to play football in La Masia, where the likes of Lionel Messi, Xavi Hernandez, Andreas Iniesta, Busquets, Bojan, Pique, Puyol and Valdes were all brought up on Total football. Manchester United simply need a season or two of blooding youngsters so that they can make the transition from youth football to reserve and/or Professional Football. If that can happen then, our future will be secure for a number of years.
As far as the result is concerned, our players were up against the best team in the world, and they deserved to win. There is no disgrace in losing to the best team. As someone once said, to be the best, you have to beat the best. We have beaten Barcelona before, and we can do it again, all we need to do is 'Believe.'
What are your thoughts on this subject?
At some times in our lives, we all like to play the 'if' card, and to be honest, if that Barca side of last night had played the treble winning side of 1998/99 then, it would have been even closer than expected. Our players that night in the Nou Camp were special and were playing for each other. No matter what happens, no matter if Munich hit the bar, it was always the philosophy of "Believe", that kept us in that game. Last nights game, the philosophy of "Believe", was nowhere to be seen in the 2nd half once Barcelona had effectively confiscated the ball. To believe, you need to have the ball, and we simply didn't have it, neither the ball or the belief.
Barcelona proved that to win, and to have the right mentality, you have to go back to grassroots football. We need to start blooding the youngsters and to give them some big game experience, otherwise, should Sir Alex Ferguson retire, then I cannot see another manager, especially a foreign one, bringing in youngsters, unless it is Wenger of course. As Hansen once stated, you cannot win anything with kids, well, Barcelona proved this in 2009 and last night as these were the kids that were taught how to play football in La Masia, where the likes of Lionel Messi, Xavi Hernandez, Andreas Iniesta, Busquets, Bojan, Pique, Puyol and Valdes were all brought up on Total football. Manchester United simply need a season or two of blooding youngsters so that they can make the transition from youth football to reserve and/or Professional Football. If that can happen then, our future will be secure for a number of years.
As far as the result is concerned, our players were up against the best team in the world, and they deserved to win. There is no disgrace in losing to the best team. As someone once said, to be the best, you have to beat the best. We have beaten Barcelona before, and we can do it again, all we need to do is 'Believe.'
What are your thoughts on this subject?