Quote Originally Posted by Numeric View Post
so do you think that united would have fared better with a different starting line-up? i know it's easy in hindsight but i'm thinking that the game may have been a little more balanced if we'd packed the midfield and played rooney as a lone striker or maybe berba up front, with rooney wide
maybe. It would have at least cut their possession down a bit.

I actually think it's United's tendency to stand off opponents and not close down quickly enough that really played into Barca's hands..
We get away with it quite alot in the prem because 9 times out of 10 we have the ball alot more than our opponents.
It's risky to close down too quickly and commit to tackles, but it seems the only way to deal with Barca to me.
Although you then run the risk of it ending up a rugby score if it doesn't work and all your players end up on their arse watching Messi etc exploit the extra space.

A fully fit Owen Hargreaves would have made a big difference imo, but I'm not one for "ifs" "buts" or "maybes" (I'll leave that to the Arsenal fans).

We didn't win because we aren't good enough, simply as that.