Sir Alex Ferguson risks talk of another Manchester United treble

[Joss]

Agree with everything you said. Apart from The last sentence, and the bit about Barcelona and Real Madrid.

So you actually don't agree with much, apart from that Utd are less likely to bottle it than Arsenal are...

Barcelona are probably the best team this year yes. No real argument. But that doesn't make them unbeatable. A full strength Man Utd team has arguable the best defense in Europe which can stop Barcelona from scoring. And with United's attacking talent, and a average Barcelona defense, United can win against them.

Of course they could, I just don't think they will. Neither, IMO, can Utd or any other side keep out Barcelona at their best. Especially not over two legs...

According to Opta stats; Lionel Messi has scored 25 goals in his last 30 Champions League games and 14 in his last 11 starts. He's the best player in the world and has pace and skill along with Villa. If Vidic struggles against Torres, I'd love to see him shut out Messi and Villa for 90, or 180 minutes.

Barca's defence is in no way average. It's not the best, but they are by no means bad. Height in Pique, pace in the FBs and experience/tenacity in Puyol. None of those players are average while Utd's attacking talent, while very good, isn't without flaws.

Real Madrid also rely to much on Ronaldo. Such against Tottenham they didn't need him as much, but then Tottenham were down to 10 men, playing away from home, and were rather confused with the Lennon injury thing.

Not true. A common misconception, I feel - it's explained well in this article by Sid Lowe, but players like Ozil, Benzema & Xabi Alonson are just as key.

Lennon being injured hardly effects their ability to defend.. Ronaldo was superb last night, and scored a goal which he deserved, but other players were also key. Marcelo once again was brilliant, Adebayor.. etc.

You should also see these stats/graphics: Real Madrid's real danger men: Together they created 17 chances out of Real's 28...

And as proven this season, Barcelona can dominate Real Madrid, and if Barcelona can Dominate them, United can by logic.

That makes no logical sense at all.. Barcelona dominated RM once this season - when have Utd proven they can dominate/beat Barcelona, other than the comments I quoted above? By *your* logic, Man Utd are pretty much unbeatable, which they're clearly not.

Even if you had beaten/do beat Barca at some stage, that doesn't mean you have divine right to beat RM as well.. Barca are a completely different, and better side. RM fell apart and had the wrong tactics - it takes different tactics to beat Utd and football, fortunately, isn't as simple as that. Otherwise, for example: Chelsea, who were dominated at the Emirates, would also have been dominated by Man Utd, who beat Arsenal. But that wasn't the case.

To be honest, the media do tend to latch onto bad things that United players do. Like the Rooney elbow. Was a week's worth of papers all talking about that. Yet when Carragher went in strong on Nani and gave him a gash, The media just turned on Nani for getting up, when they should of been talking about the reckless challenge from Carragher.

Rooney elbowed someone in the face... Of course he's going to get bad press. Plenty of people condemned Carragher's challenge, and other pointed out that Rafael's wasn't a great deal better. Nani getting up and then falling over straight away when someone touched him on the shoulder didn't help his case - why would it? He gets up to complain to the referee..

Arsenal get bad press all the time - people are forever criticising Wenger for claiming he didn't see incidents and there have been plenty of articles about Fabregas and/or Wilshere and whether they did or didn't spit at someone or whatever it might be.

I disagree. The media will do anything to sell a story, or a paper etc. It doesn't matter whether it is detrimental to United, Chelsea or even their own country's International ambitions. Ashley Cole and Wayne Rooney seem to spend more time on the front pages than the back ones.

Agree with this completely. Ashley Cole shooting someone with an air rifle got plenty of bad press and likewise JT sleeping with Bridge's wife and the England captaincy saga was heavily criticised.

And they are average. They are a team that closes down all other the pitch, and they mainly win the ball back in the opponents half. But as soon as a team gets past that bit, they look average from what I've seen. And its worse then Puyol is out. They look terrible at the back.

How often do you watch Barcelona? They're vulnerable at times, but they're also very good at the back most of the time. And pressing over the whole pitch is part of their defending - they defend as a team rather than having two or three different lines of players who contribute only to one phase of play.

Arsenal have a superb forward line, but they shut us out completely (bar a silly OG) at the Nou Camp. Without Puyol.

And what. I said arguable the best defense. The pairing of Vidic and Rio when they are fit is unbeatable. Evra down the left is one of the left backs, and Rafael down the right is looking brilliant albeit worrying, but normally has help from the holding midfielders.

Rafael can't both be brilliant and worrying, surely. He's only 20 or so and there are many RBs better than him. Arguably the best defence, but that doesn't make them unbeatable. Neither are especially quick, for example.

 

[Mike.]

Wrong joss, we have kept barcelona out twice in our last three times against them when they were at their best. its entire possible, hercules did the same, they actually ruined barcelona's game plan, they werent lucky, they actually forced barcelona to end up playing sub par. Sides liek united and chelsea are well equipped to play against them. vidic has shut out messi for 180 minutes before. Just becuase arsenal cant do doesnt mean united cant, we shall see IF the day comes