i would not say Fergie played e all-flowing game tt characterises Man Utd's style, but they dont deserve as much criticism as post-1st leg. he was right abt one thing. e United tt showed up in this leg did go out to attack n reminded e opponents this was Old Trafford. but criticism, esp by Barca coach Frank Rijkaard, are unworthy. United did not play like "other English teams" in killing play. when we had e ball, we played our game. just tt when u had e ball, we armoured up n took on e classic English discipline n killed "your" play. this was the respectable thing abt United's strategy n performance.
basically, e strategy employed was clear to see. it's home, so we attack. we have no away goals, so we attack. but it's Barca, they need e away goal, n this is a Champions' League semi final, so we must maintain e discipline showed in e 1st leg.
ive always felt rather timid when Man Utd play giant clubs, even those English ones. that's why e goalless 1st leg felt an achievement. maybe it's a defensive attitude lah, although i must say opponents fear us too. even with our impressive goalscoring record through e years, i always go into a match with a world class team thinkin we cant score. i guess tt doesnt set me up for disappointment.
when it mattered, Man Utd always seem to score that odd goal. and who better for this occasion than e man who was booked in 1999 at this stage and missed e triumphant final. moreover, a trademark piledriver that's been missing from his recent portfolio. what a time to get it.
typical Man Utd deadly counter attack, e superb Gianluca Zambrotta unfortunate to make e mistake under pressure, squaring e ball across to e wily Paul Scholes, always anticipating and ready to pounce. even before he received e ball, he had set his body up for e right direction so no time would be wasted. intelligent thinkin. first touch and e ball spinned upwards, so he has to let fly a half volley. with one more bounce, Scholes hit e ball precisely with his outside foot, curling it ouwards to e top corner leavin Victor Valdes stretched to his fullest.
e Old Trafford was amazing, if not just scary. they booed (unless u find tt unsporting) every single time Barca was on e ball. they were like e 12th player who harried e opponents n unsettled em. of course, from e way Barca played, n being such a massive club, they didnt seem affected. but still, it was something n good to see em responding to Fergie's call for their presence. e image of a whole stand of thousands holdin placards tt read "Believe" before e match, or e whole stadium waving celebratory towels in e last 10mins, will be lasting ones.
Man Utd celebrated like they've won something when e final whistle went. but o well. maybe it is like tt. it's been years since we've reached e final. this is it. 9 years from 1999. Fergie can become e 1st coach to win it twice without sufferin a defeat at all. Scholes, cruelly suspended in 1999, has waited for this n it could be fairytale. n it's 50 years after e Munich crash. destiny. u cant beat it.
