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Just shows that the quality in the Premiership has been slightly diluted in the last couple of years.

That isn't our strongest team

Team from '08 looks class.

I quite miss Ballack in the PL, what a player he was, grossly under rated imo, top passer and in his younger days he was lethal.

if that was still our starting line up we'd have absolutely pizzed the league this season.

These things go in cycles. In a few years, Xavi and Puyol will not be as effective at Barca, Mourinho will not be at Madrid with the funds to buy anyone he wants and those clubs won't be as dominant as they are now.

City and Chelsea will spend until they have a champions league title and Ferguson will either still be grinding out great teams, or we may even have new owners to let us compete financially.

When Barca and Madrid relax their grip on European dominance, it will pace way for another country to be the centre of European football. England has the capability of being that country, let's just hope that the Germans or Italians squeeze in before we can.

Madrid, European dominance ? really ?

And this was Utd's starting line up last year against Barca in the final

VDS GK
Fabio RB
Ferdinand CB
Vidic CB
Evra LB
Valencia RW
Carrick CM
Giggs CM
Park LW
Rooney ST
Hernandez ST

What was SAF thinking when he decided to play Park on the left wing and Giggs central in a 442 formation, No Nani and Berba dropped instead Owen was picked...major wtf. We got humiliated 2nd time round in the final...it was painful to watch.

SAF said he knew exactly what he did wrong in the 2009 final, well looks like he did a lot worse with the team selection and formation for the 2011 final. We knew Barca were far more superior then us, especially in midfield but when you play 442 with Giggs in CM and Park LW, then you know its going to be a bad day.

* don't squeeze in, obviously

Our team in 07/08 was our best one ever. Absolutely loved that side. Hargreaves.

or we may even have new owners to let us compete financially.

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Please explain that comment? According to SAF, our ownes have given him money to buy who ever he wants?

Madrid have the second best team in Europe currently, and it took Barca to stop them last year. Spain are the dominant force in European football.

VC

OK, but we haven't gone for any major players in the last few years, so even if we do have the funds, try either aren't large enough to compete with Madrid or Barca or Ferguson is reluctant to spend. If he isn't here in a few years, that may have changed.

All sort of things can happen.

"What was SAF thinking when he decided to play Park on the left wing and Giggs central in a 442 formation, No Nani and Berba dropped instead Owen was picked...major wtf."

Funny thing is, he would probably do that same again this season, he seems to think oe owes some of the older players the chance in these sorts of games.

Vidicschin (U3584)
posted 7 minutes ago

or we may even have new owners to let us compete financially.

....................

Please explain that comment? According to SAF, our ownes have given him money to buy who ever he wants?
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I'm not sure, I think he has been forced to buy into the re-sale value concept over the last couple of season (although I personally like it). I also believe he genuinely feels there is no value in the market, though the likes of Cisse, Sahin, VDV and others would suggest otherwise.

OK, but we haven't gone for any major players in the last few years,

................

That is down to the stuborness of SAF, and his unwillingness to phase out Giggsy and Scholes.

Nothing to do with the owners.

And their are two main reasons why we can't compete with Barca and Real. One is that Spain has a much better way of life and climate than the UK, the other is that they don't pay so much tax.

The tax or weather doesn't prevent us trying to get foreign players. It may change their minds but it shouldn't stop us from going for them.

If a player wants to go to Madrid or Milan but there is only an offer on the table from United, he is surely going to think about it.

I agree that Fergie's stubbornness has alarge part to play, it's maddening at times, but like I say, in a few years we might have somebody else in charge.

A change of owners was just an example of one of the many, many things that can change in a few years.

the climate in Madrid isn't a lot better than the UK. Try Madrid in January its bloody freezing. I get off the AVE from Malaga and can't believe how cold it is.
The in the summer its so hot everyone has to leave town. Give me Barca's climate any day, or better still Malaga, who now also have the money.

A change of owners was just an example of one of the many, many things that can change in a few years.

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I can't see the Glazers going anywhere. And you never know who you might get. We could end up with someone like H&G or the clowns at Blackburn or the idiot at Villa.

If a player wants to go to Madrid or Milan but there is only an offer on the table from United, he is surely going to think about it.
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SAF pulled out of the Benzema bidding when the price went stupid.

He'd pay for Benzema. He just wouldn't overpay for him, which is something the neighbours have done time and time again. Look at how much Milner, Dzeko, Balo etc were.

I'd take a Vidic for 5m or a Ronaldo for 12m anyday of the week

This is an article about having top players right? Rooney, Rio, Hargreaves - we all played big bucks for. For every Ronaldo we signed we signed 3 or 4 who didn't turn into greats. The reason Madrid and Barca are so far ahead is that every player they signed is a well known, top prospect or established player.

I am not saying that that is the right way to do things, but I am saying that is why our side looks like it does now. We may well turn into a great side in a few years, but currently, Madrid are above us because they have signed players who better than the players we have signed recently.

United played 4-4-2 in the 2008 CL Final.