Arrivaderci Roma

[warthog]

You know that goal they always show of Best's (It could be against Sheff U but I could be mistaken) where he dribbles it past about 6 players and chips it over the goalie into the net?

I think that was Southampton (same strip). He beats all of those 6 players at least twice.

My favourite Best goal was the one against Chelsea, where he runs from the half way line and three different defenders try to clog him (there was absolutely no attempt to play the ball). The only one who gets anywhere near him is Ron Harris, but despite taking the hit he keeps his balance (which was the most remarkable thing about his game) rounds the goalkeeper and walks it into the net. And all this on a pitch that was a quagmire.

As you may have gathered I was a fan. That he played for Man Utd is irrelevant, when it comes to genius, I'm biased.

[TANGODANCER]

No. Still disagree.

We have very few players with outstanding individual skills now, so he'd be more significant, especially given the protection that strikers get nowadays. What's changed now, is not the skill of defenders, but the way they're organised. 4-5-1 is the norm with the midfield flooded with bodies in order to stifle the opposition. He'd still have overcome that.

I don't agree that today's game is based on rapid passing interchange. United do it very well and Arsenal to a lesser extent. The Liverpool team of the eighties and Brian Clough's Notts Forest team in the late seventies played that way as well, but apart from those, English football has always, and continues to be poor in that respect. That's why England continue to do badly in international tournaments.

That's the advantage of being older; I've seen good individual footballers in several generations. Who can forget Puskas and Hidejkuti, Jairzhino, Beckenbaur, Johan Cruyf and Marco Van Basten, Klinsman, Dennis Law, Pele, Maradonna, Jimmy Johnson, not to mention Lofthouse, Mathews and Finney etc etc etc. All world-beaters in their day but, unfortunately, gone.

[claus jensens guitar]

I was on Oxford Road station last night about an hour after the game and there was around 50 united fans getting on my train. None of them were jumping around or even smiling, I thought they had lost. Got on the train and there was no singing or anything.

[boltonboris]

No. Still disagree.

We have very few players with outstanding individual skills now, so he'd be more significant, especially given the protection that strikers get nowadays. What's changed now, is not the skill of defenders, but the way they're organised. 4-5-1 is the norm with the midfield flooded with bodies in order to stifle the opposition. He'd still have overcome that.

I don't agree that today's game is based on rapid passing interchange. United do it very well and Arsenal to a lesser extent. The Liverpool team of the eighties and Brian Clough's Notts Forest team in the late seventies played that way as well, but apart from those, English football has always, and continues to be poor in that respect. That's why England continue to do badly in international tournaments.

That's the advantage of being older; I've seen good individual footballers in several generations. Who can forget Puskas and Hidejkuti, Jairzhino, Beckenbaur, Johan Cruyf and Marco Van Basten, Klinsman, Dennis Law, Pele, Maradonna, Jimmy Johnson, not to mention Lofthouse, Mathews and Finney etc etc etc. All world-beaters in their day but, unfortunately, gone.

Greatest player of my generation to date

[Bijou Bob]

It kicked off good stylee both before and after the game last night. Just had a chat with a cop in the buttie shop who was right in the middle of it. According to him, several hundred Utd fans ran at the Italian fans who were stood peacefully waiting to get into the ground. The cops deployed betwen the 2 sets of fans and the cop I was talking to got leathered along with his mates. From what Im told, the trouble was due solely to the home fans. They then waited 90 minutes to ambush the Italians as they left the ground having been held back.

On another note a Spuds supporting mate of mine was at Scorchio last week when it kicked off. He was stood at the side of the bloke in the wheelchair who got battoned, as did Spuds's own stewards that they'd taken with them. He was herded down some steps to a reception committee of 30 Spanish cops who proceeded to leather them as they were forced to run the gauntlet. Fortunately, one of the other runners was apparently a Chief Superintendent in the Met Police who was there as an observer!!

EUFA travels anyone??!

[NumptyNumbNuts]

I was on Oxford Road station last night about an hour after the game and there was around 50 united fans getting on my train. None of them were jumping around or even smiling, I thought they had lost. Got on the train and there was no singing or anything.

Strange how emotion can effect your mood - I remember coming home from Wembley on the train after we'd beaten Reading in the play-off final after extra time - it was quiet & there was very little rejoicing, most people were just physically & mentally drained.

With regard to the scummers last night & considering the opposition (2nd in the Italian League) and losing 2-1 from the first leg, I would say that is one of the best performances I have ever seen by an English team in Europe. I wouldn't say that to a rag's face though!

[hisroyalgingerness]

I was on Oxford Road station last night about an hour after the game and there was around 50 united fans getting on my train. None of them were jumping around or even smiling, I thought they had lost. Got on the train and there was no singing or anything.

you should've been on the 22.15 to London Euston, big party

[Bruce Rioja]

I was on Oxford Road station last night about an hour after the game and there was around 50 united fans getting on my train. None of them were jumping around or even smiling, I thought they had lost. Got on the train and there was no singing or anything.

you should've been on the 22.15 to London Euston, big party

Well not if he wanted to get back to Bolton he shouldn't. That's quite ridiculous!

[americantrotter]

Looks like Milan will be in for some Manc Love now. I hope they take that same fore to them too.