I don't understand why Michael Carrick tried to sliding tackle it. He had a better chance of blocking the shot by just standing in front of Robben. On top of that, sliding tackle in that area had at least a 50% chance of giving up a penalty kick if Robben flopped.
Robben's a ****ing beast. I think he has the ability to take the Orange Machine to the promise land. Netherlands is stacked. Wesley Sneijder Robben Huntelaar Rafael van der Vaart Van Persie Van Bommel Babel Dirk Kuyt Damn..
man I was hoping to see another Barca-Man U final again, difficult loss for United. Thought it was over after they went up 3-0, but with only 10 players and a hobbled Rooney for just one half, it was going to be difficult for them to win the aggregate score.
Never underestimate the heart of a champion. And the resilience of a German team. I thought we were done when we were totally dominated and down 3-0. My friends proved me wrong...
yep. My favorite team. I've been pulling for the orange for as long as I could remember, and they've consistently disappointed in a combination of bad luck and other unfortunate circumstances (see: game against Portugal in 06). But I have high hopes for them this year. Can't wait for the WC!
Me neither. I've always liked Netherlands, hard working players with incredible ball handing skills. I remember this game in 98' as if it were yesterday, Van der Saar was the best goalie in the world at that time and EG David's was always a Juve favorite for me. I think you guys could of beaten France in the finals if you would've won this match. <object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/B9Z5wLJ7BUE&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/B9Z5wLJ7BUE&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object> Their World Cup championship is long overdue
Don't remind me. we have had so many dissapointments, the losing by penatly kicks or free kick of Branco in 1994, the matches against Portugal The injury of Van Basten. The problem with our team isn't the attack. We have very limited defenders. That is why we should have won a championship when we had De Boer and Stam as our central defenders. Congrats SJC I'm rooting for the Barca - Munich finals.
Wow, Mr. Ferguson is such a sore loser. What a jerk. Manchester United 3-2 Bayern Munich: The Daily Mirror match report Auf Wiedersehen, United, and England's Champions League "Golden Era" dead and buried too. As Sir Alex Ferguson spluttered and spewed, though, the unpalatable truth was one the Scot did not want to accept - that United were knocked out by themselves as much as the Bavarian ham-actors. This should have been the night Ferguson revelled in the success of the great Wayne Rooney deception, the psychological master-stroke that that stunned Bayern and saw United with one and a half feet in the semi-finals after just 41 minutes. Instead, as United committed footballing suicide, it ended with the Munich players holding hands in front of the swathe of empty seats, saluting the fans high in the upper tier of Old Trafford's East Stand, celebrating yet another stunning decider from Arjen Robben. The pain and anguish of this one may not go away, United's first home win over Munich counting for absolutely nothing, their week of misery complete. What will really, really hurt, is the knowledge that this was one they threw away, suffering another dose of 1999 Karma. In the Allianz Arena, it was United's turn to discover what it feels like to take a kick in the teeth with the final touch of stoppage time, Barcelona on the other foot. And last night, they got to know how Juventus felt in the semi-final that year, losing when they had done all the hard work. Fergie moaned and groaned about Bayern, pandering to basic stereotypes as he lambasted "typical Germans", ignoring the fact that Rafael Da Silva was sent off for fouls on Mark Van Bommel - Dutch - and French winger Franck Ribery. But the truth is that his players must look at themselves and he, too, must question the response to Rafael's red card that handed the initiative to Louis Van Gaal's team, ruthlessly exploited by Robben's wonderful volley, as good as the one he scored in Fiorentina in the last round. Up to the instant when Nani exploded into the roof of the Bayern net four minutes from the interval, everything that could have gone right for United did. Rooney's presence on the team-sheet spooked the life out of shell-shocked Bayern and within seven remarkable minutes of the start the first leg deficit had been overturned. Rafael, in for Gary Neville, turned away from Ribery to feed Rooney, dropping off the Bayern central defenders. He laid into the path of the surging Gibson, Datton whose 20 yarder went past a startled and slow-moving Hans Jorg Butt and four minutes later, United had clear red water. Rooney picked up and spread wide to Antonio Valencia, who faked to cross twice as the terrified and terrible Holger Badstuber stood off, too scared to make a tackle. On the third occasion, Valencia was for real, drilling low across the six yard box and with the Bayern back-line static, Nani's sublime heel-flick found the bottom corner. United were rampant. Rafael, freed by Gibson, wasted a fantastic chance to make it three and while Ivica Olic was thwarted by Edwin Van Der Sar, it seemed all over soon afterwards. Rafael's throw saw Valencia run away from Badstuber, beat Martin Demichelis and lay back for Nani to smash home. Had United seen out the half, they would surely have seen out the game. Cue the fatal outbreak of collective madness as last man Carrick allowed Olic tri shrug aside his feeble challenge and find the far corner, before Robben hinted at what he would later deliver. Rafael's folly compounded the felony, Rooney, who shrugged off a first half tweak, sacrificed as United opted to defend for their lives, hoping for something on the counter. They had the chances too. Nani, released by Patrice Evra, should have done better, Carrick too, while Gibson's shot from 18 yards lacked all the conviction his earlier strike had carried. But the killer blow was coming. Ribery's volley was beaten away, Mario Gomes' header flicked the bar, while Robben was getting too much joy from Evra. And 16 minutes from time, United ignored Robben lurking on the far corner of the box as Ribery lined up a left wing corner and paid the ultimate price as the former Chelsea man's beautiful strike arrowed into the bottom corner. Desperation time. First Dimitar Berbatov and Ryan Giggs, then, at the death, Nemanja Vidic sent forward. To no avail. For the first time since 2003, no semi-finalists. Out, out, out. http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/new...-Daily-Mirror-match-report-article384445.html Very classy, "Sir" Alex - but van Gaal gave the appropriate responses. And what a brilliant goal by Robben! <object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/_VVkLx029w8&hl=de_DE&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/_VVkLx029w8&hl=de_DE&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object> I already made arrangements for Lyon...and for the final in Madrid!
Yes, Lyon for the 1st time in semi-final ! And it happens now that we're not as good as we were 3/4 years ago. Oh well, now it will be tough against Bayern ! But we can do it !
Let me know if you have any questions for the Lyon trip. I haven't lived there for 6 years, but I know the city pretty well.
Quick question, anybody know when Luca Toni's loan to Roma is over? I know he got transferred in January. I've always liked Bayern but it would be much easier for me to root for them if a Italian were to be on the squad. I hate inter, I don't even consider them Italian.
Thanks arno - yes, that would be exciting. Very tough to beat Barca, but in one game, with some luck...who knows. But first both teams have to make it through...not a given for either one of them. His loan is over this summer, but he will not be back. I think he will stay with Roma (they'll buy him for 1 Euro or something). Thank you very much. I made a reservation at the Hilton (was fully booked, had to invoke the Diamond guarantee, so very expensive - made a backup booking at a 3* place (City Suites Lyon Vaise - heard of the place? is it decent enough?)). I'll probably just join the official sponsor programme or just (as usual) party and drink around the game...anything I should not miss in Lyon other than the game (I have been there before, but don't remember much)? Merci.
I don't know the City Suites. Vaise is decent neighborhood, not too far from the Stadium, you can be there in 20-30ish minutes using the subway (there's one change of subway). I definitely recommend checking out le Vieux Lyon (the Old Lyon) if you have time and the view from Fourviere (it's a cathedral on top of the hill, can't miss it). It's not very far from where you're staying, just go south along the Saone River, it's about a 10min walk. Most of the nightlife is in "downtown" which is located between the two rivers Saone and Rhone. That's where you'll find most bars. Oh yeah, and be ready to be heckled if you're walking around wearing a Bayern jersey just before the game
Hopefully Huntelaars spell w/ Milan doesnt affect him cos I still think he's class. RVP is injured isn't he? How you could leave Eljero Elia off the list beguiles me. That lad is going to have a coming out party in the wc. I think almost every non-German supports the Dutch as their 2nd team. Just fabulous people and fantastic players.
Yes RVP is still injured, and it is unclear if he will play at the WC. Elia is a great player, but He might not be on the Dutch WC team. We have many great players at his position. I hope van Marwijk will bring him to the WC.
Actually, as a German, I love watching the Dutch team. I also like it when we meet them in the world cup. I'd just wait for the penalties... . I would root for them as some of the players have grown on me (Robben, van Bommel, van der Vaart...), but as I grew up close to the Dutch border, I don't want them to win the WC because my Dutch buddies would start taunting me.
Now that's just mean and wicked of you to say something like that. You don't bring up Penalties to the Dutch or English. You're a meanie! :grin:
1st leg. Not the be all end all for the away team, especially since they got the away goal. But I'm sticking w/ Inter. Felt this is their year and I believe they will win the whole thing.
