Sky are ranting

[Tosh]

that Milan were "ordinary" and there for the beating.

 

Could it be that we made them look ordinary but in so doing we lacked the ability to beat them? Yep, you can blame Rafa's tactics/formation for the latter but in so doing, would we have been picked to bits like ManU were?

 

Mascher goes off, Kaka finds space to put Inzaghi through, for example

 

 

Sure some of our players didn't "show up" on the "beating them" side, but they all showed up in making Milan look ordinary. Sky were not saying they were ordinary after they demolished ManU at the San Siro.

 

Sure, they were beatable but after the deflected goal it was always going to be very difficult. And yes, we need a goalscorer

[Guest Anders Honoré]

Milan were worse than ordinary. The number of times they gave the ball away or failed to trap the ball with little or no pressure was shocking. They didn't need much help to look ordinary.

[Falconhoof]

Sometimes its just not your night.

 

We'll be stronger for it.

[Guest sniffer]

The problem is that, unlike the Liverpools of yesteryear, we do not have goals coming from all over the side. Take away Crouch and Gerrard and how many have the rest scored?

[RedNik]

Beyond a goalscorer, we need more creativity - i feel.

 

You need chances first to squander them.

 

We didnt create enough, and our quality in the final 3rd, especially in the second half was lacking.

 

I thought Rafa was a bit defensive in his tactics, which is ok - but Gerrard really isnt at his best when he has to play as the shadow striker. I would have even preferred him at left mid, instead of Bolo who was absolutely attrocious.

 

Kuyt is in no way a striker who can play up on his own. Atleast 3 or 4 times, he was the one with the ball on the wing, looking for someone to cross to. Additionally, his clever interplay with others is lost, when he is up on his own.

[Tosh]

The problem is that, unlike the Liverpools of yesteryear, we do not have goals coming from all over the side. Take away Crouch and Gerrard and how many have the rest scored?

 

 

Could that be because they are doing such great jobs at "spoiling" the opposition? In the truncated match thread someone said that the players were all worried about their "defensive zones". Not sure I agree with it entirely but I can see what the poster meant.

 

We stopped them playing, but in so doing, stopped playing ourselves. 2nd half in Istanbul we went for it and the shock stopped Milan playing.

[Guest InExile]

Sometimes its just not your night.

 

We'll be stronger for it.

 

That's a good point and statement! Specy-four eyes!!

[Zoob]

I thought tonight really showed the genius of Rafa. The team selection (perhaps Zenden aside) and formation made Milan look totally ordinary. Their midfield was non-existent, not because they're rubbish but because they couldn't cope with our pressing them so quickly.

 

Things just didn't go our way tonight. There was something almost inevitable about Milan scoring right at the end of the first half. We had dominated, had the better chances, concede a soft free kick and then concede an absolute freak of a goal. Inzaghi couldn't have meant to do what he did, and if it hadn't brushed him it would have been a simple catch for Reina.

[Swipe]

Sky also seem to be pushing this agenda that Milan were totally and utterly robbed two years ago. That just isn't the case.

 

We bossed the game tonight. Milan have won the CL with one of the worst performances in a final i've ever seen.

 

But we're just not good enough in the attacking third. We'll hopefully put that right in the summer.

 

Ref was s*** too. Really poor.

 

But such is football.

[Falconhoof]

We had them penned back in their own area for large parts of the 1st half. Anyone thinking we should have done it differently is splitting hairs.

Just bad luck and a few players not having their best game on the night.

[Flanders]

I thought Rafa was a bit defensive in his tactics, which is ok - but Gerrard really isnt at his best when he has to play as the shadow striker. I would have even preferred him at left mid, instead of Bolo who was absolutely attrocious.

Rafa played the best available left midfielder, ok he is poor, but I like the fact he plays a balanced side with players comfortable with their positions.

Edited May 23, 2007 by Flanders

[Falconhoof]

Things just didn't go our way tonight. There was something almost inevitable about Milan scoring right at the end of the first half. We had dominated, had the better chances, concede a soft free kick and then concede an absolute freak of a goal. Inzaghi couldn't have meant to do what he did, and if it hadn't brushed him it would have been a simple catch for Reina.

 

 

Story of our season in many ways. United scored a soft goal to beat us, Everton were 2nd best but beat us handsomely at Goodison, there's other games where we just lacked a cutting edge.

 

Glad that Rafa finally has serious money to spend.

[pipnasty]

I thought tonight really showed the genius of Rafa. The team selection (perhaps Zenden aside) and formation made Milan look totally ordinary. Their midfield was non-existent, not because they're rubbish but because they couldn't cope with our pressing them so quickly.

 

Things just didn't go our way tonight. There was something almost inevitable about Milan scoring right at the end of the first half. We had dominated, had the better chances, concede a soft free kick and then concede an absolute freak of a goal. Inzaghi couldn't have meant to do what he did, and if it hadn't brushed him it would have been a simple catch for Reina.

 

Agree with all of that - I thought we were superb in the first half, absolutely superb, but their first goal knocked more stuffing out of us than I imagined and we never seemed to recover from that.

[Guest The_Drunken_Clam]

You were the better team today, but then again, Milan were the better team back in 2005.

 

I don't think your tactics made them look so s****, they did that on their own. Kaka who had the ball glued to his feet against United, had trouble getting one touch without giving it away. Gattuso who dominated the midfield against us, couldn't be less bothered today, kept giving away the ball without any pressure.

 

That ball Gattuso gave away to Gerrard, i was certain the t*** was going to put it away.

 

Milan nearly bottled it, after all the hype in the press, going on about getting their revenge.

 

Rubbish match, just like the FA cup final

[RedNik]

I think our tactics for the first half were sound. Its more the second half, having conceded a goal, that I was disappointed with.

[Captain Chaos]

Agree with all of that - I thought we were superb in the first half, absolutely superb, but their first goal knocked more stuffing out of us than I imagined and we never seemed to recover from that.

 

 

no - it was football tonight - not the crap that was served up last weekend!!

[Swipe]

You were the better team today, but then again, Milan were the better team back in 2005.

 

I don't think your tactics made them look so s****, they did that on their own. Kaka who had the ball glued to his feet against United, had trouble getting one touch without giving it away. Gattuso who dominated the midfield against us, couldn't be less bothered today, kept giving away the ball without any pressure.

 

That ball Gattuso gave away to Gerrard, i was certain the t*** was going to put it away.

 

Milan nearly bottled it, after all the hype in the press, going on about getting their revenge.

 

Rubbish match, just like the FA cup final

 

They were playing against Carrick and Fletcher in the San Siro. They were always gonna dominate your lot.

 

We dominated them tonight. Completely bossed midfield.

 

Kaka had so much space against Utd is was laughable. He didn't get any tonight.

 

We lost the game cos we're not good enough in the final third. Not enough threat.

[Captain Chaos]

Sorry - got the wrong quote - was meant to qote the "The Drunken Clam" for whatever reson - the wrong quote was diplayed!!!!!!

[pipnasty]

Sorry - got the wrong quote - was meant to qote the "The Drunken Clam" for whatever reson - the wrong quote was diplayed!!!!!!

 

 

 

I kinda guessed that

[Guest The_Drunken_Clam]

They were playing against Carrick and Fletcher in the San Siro. They were always gonna dominate your lot.

 

We dominated them tonight. Completely bossed midfield.

 

Kaka had so much space against Utd is was laughable. He didn't get any tonight.

 

We lost the game cos we're not good enough in the final third. Not enough threat.

 

No doubt about that

 

However, your tactics wasn't the reason Kaka couldnt get two touches when he wasn't even under pressure, nor was it the reason Gattuso kept giving away the ball.

Milan were poor, even Maldini kept giving you chances

 

no - it was football tonight - not the crap that was served up last weekend!!

 

Both finals were rubbish.

[hideNseek]

You were the better team today, but then again, Milan were the better team back in 2005.

 

I don't think your tactics made them look so s****, they did that on their own. Kaka who had the ball glued to his feet against United, had trouble getting one touch without giving it away. Gattuso who dominated the midfield against us, couldn't be less bothered today, kept giving away the ball without any pressure.

 

That ball Gattuso gave away to Gerrard, i was certain the t*** was going to put it away.

 

Milan nearly bottled it, after all the hype in the press, going on about getting their revenge.

 

Rubbish match, just like the FA cup final

It was no way near as poor as the Fa cup final.

[Swipe]

No doubt about that

 

However, your tactics wasn't the reason Kaka couldnt get two touches when he wasn't even under pressure, nor was it the reason Gattuso kept giving away the ball.

Milan were poor, even Maldini kept giving you chances

 

I hate Gattuso. Such a wee prick. His hardman act is preposterous.

 

Mediocre player.

 

Ah well. Bring on the summer and transfer gossip!

[RaoulD]

Milan have won the CL with one of the worst performances in a final i've ever seen.

 

You obviously didn't see Steaua Bucharest in 1986...

[Guest The_Drunken_Clam]

I hate Gattuso. Such a wee prick. His hardman act is preposterous.

 

Mediocre player.

 

Ah well. Bring on the summer and transfer gossip!

 

His "bodybuilder walk" is rubbish

[Swipe]

You obviously didn't see Steaua Bucharest in 1986...

 

I was 6 in 1986, so that's entirely possible