Champions League Final

Uncle Mort · Post by **Uncle Mort** » May 18th, 2006, 9:15 am

I know this is bold of me but I'm so bad I can't resist, but as I watched the Champions League Final last night and it all fell apart for Arsenal I couldn't help but wish that I was watching the match on Saturday from Cardiff and it wasn't Arsenal but another team in Red, (no not BOPB, a team whose supporters think they're favourites, a team whose supporters think that they just have to turn up), that were falling apart. We can but hope I suppose.

But getting back to last night's match if there's any team that used to playing with 10 men it has to be any Arsenal team under Arsene Wenger.

It's been a good week for the Catalans, let's hope those from the Pays Basques also have their day in the sun.

Allez BOPB!!

sexy_rexy · Post by **sexy_rexy** » May 18th, 2006, 9:24 am

Did anyone else think it was a bit unsporting of Thierry Henry to complain about the standard of refereeing straight after a match on live TV. Maybe I'm just more used to rugby, but would a whole 'Congratulations to Barca, they played well, hard luck to my team, blah, blah' have been a better road to go down. Then when he has had a chance to calm down and watch the match again, make a decision on whether to talk to the press regarding the referee. He is the captain after all. I suggested this to a mate, an arsenal fan and he said it was fair and he was just saying what he felt, but again he is the captain of the team and not just another player. I think it goes back to the argument on this forum before about a captain representing the team on and off the pitch.

Colm · Post by **Colm** » May 18th, 2006, 9:38 am

sexy_rexy wrote:Did anyone else think it was a bit unsporting of Thierry Henry to complain about the standard of refereeing straight after a match on live TV. Maybe I'm just more used to rugby, but would a whole 'Congratulations to Barca, they played well, hard luck to my team, blah, blah' have been a better road to go down. Then when he has had a chance to calm down and watch the match again, make a decision on whether to talk to the press regarding the referee. He is the captain after all. I suggested this to a mate, an arsenal fan and he said it was fair and he was just saying what he felt, but again he is the captain of the team and not just another player. I think it goes back to the argument on this forum before about a captain representing the team on and off the pitch.

Can you not see the hint in Henry's actions. He doesn't care less now as he'll 99% be leaving Arsenal so why not air his grievances on air

claire_m · Post by **claire_m** » May 18th, 2006, 10:37 am

Added to which, footballers are hardly known for their respect of the ref (or indeed anyone!). If any rugby player had said that, he'd prob get banned for a spell, but that's the difference between the 2 games, and why I prefer rugby. That, and the fact that the men wear shorter shorts in rugby.

bluesky · Post by **bluesky** » May 18th, 2006, 10:37 am

No I don't....Henry was giving out about the standard of refereeing that was appalling last night.

It gave Arsenal a goal and the sending off and failure to award the 11th minute goal to barca ruined the flow of the game.

cr@p ref but Viva BARCCCCCCCCA...

sewa · Post by **sewa** » May 18th, 2006, 10:40 am

Uncle Mort wrote:I know this is bold of me but I'm so bad I can't resist, but as I watched the Champions League Final last night and it all fell apart for Arsenal I couldn't help but wish that I was watching the match on Saturday from Cardiff and it wasn't Arsenal but another team in Red, (no not BOPB, a team whose supporters think they're favourites, a team whose supporters think that they just have to turn up), that were falling apart. We can but hope I suppose.

But getting back to last night's match if there's any team that used to playing with 10 men it has to be any Arsenal team under Arsene Wenger.

It's been a good week for the Catalans, let's hope those from the Pays Basques also have their day in the sun.

Allez BOPB!!

Do you know a bookies where we arent favourites?

Realdd · Post by **Realdd** » May 18th, 2006, 10:43 am

Uncle Mort wrote:I know this is bold of me but I'm so bad I can't resist, but as I watched the Champions League Final last night and it all fell apart for Arsenal I couldn't help but wish that I was watching the match on Saturday from Cardiff and it wasn't Arsenal but another team in Red, (no not BOPB, a team whose supporters think they're favourites, a team whose supporters think that they just have to turn up), that were falling apart. We can but hope I suppose.

But getting back to last night's match if there's any team that used to playing with 10 men it has to be any Arsenal team under Arsene Wenger.

It's been a good week for the Catalans, let's hope those from the Pays Basques also have their day in the sun.

Allez BOPB!!

I thought Liverpool did well in fairness.

No point wishing 4 days after the event about the Scousers though as while they looked like falling apart in Cardiff on Saturday - where they wore red - they came back for a glorious victory.

Duke Raoul · Post by **Duke Raoul** » May 18th, 2006, 10:43 am

The referee was a pure joke, but although incompetent, he did not cost Arsenal the game. Consider:

He disallowed a Guily's 'goal'- and how important that might well have been.

He awarded Arsenal a free on the edge of Barca's box for no apparent reason. A free from which Arsenal scored.

And that Barca's equalizer was shown later by Sky to be just onside. Even Paul Merson, who was apoplectic at the ref's performance, admitted this.

As for Henry's bitching about getting fouled, "So many times Puyol should have got a yellow card and so many times Marquez came from behind to take my ankles. I have ended with bruises all over my body". This is the most whiney piece of guff I've ever heard in my life, albeit completely consistent with the person he has become/revealed himself to be. He obviously believes that 'the greatest striker in the world (tm)' should not be roughed up in any way. Certain Premiership defenders obviously believe it too. NOT in Spain though by the looks of things, and if he does decide to fock off over there he could well be in for a rude awakening.

Eto'o was my man of the match. Brilliant in whatever role he was asked to play, with a special mention to Larsson of course.

The pick of the Arse for me was Ljunberg and I probably would have given it to him if Arsenal had held on.

Wenger was classless in defeat yet again. I hope he has it in him to be embarrassed with his comments when he looks back on the game in the cold light of day.

dingbat · Post by **dingbat** » May 18th, 2006, 11:13 am

In fairness, Henry was kicked up and down the pitch last night and the fact that he was booked for what wasn't even a tackle (he just got to the ball ahead of the barca player!) was scandalous.

That ref should be shot. UEFA should also be hanging their heads for appointing a ref to the biggest club game in the world who isn't even deemed good enough to be involved in the World Cup.

T.C.B. · Post by **T.C.B.** » May 18th, 2006, 11:17 am

That ref should be reffing in the Celtic League instead. Awful.

Post by **limecat** » May 18th, 2006, 11:22 am

T.C.B. wrote:That ref should be reffing in the Celtic League instead. Awful.

I found the Dunphy comment about the standard of refereeing in soccer quite funny. He said that it was abysmal in general and they should aspire to the standard of refereeing in other sports, namely rugby union and rugby league.

He obviously hasn't seen any CL games

RobbieRockBoy · Post by **RobbieRockBoy** » May 18th, 2006, 11:29 am

dingbat wrote:In fairness, Henry was kicked up and down the pitch last night and the fact that he was booked for what wasn't even a tackle (he just got to the ball ahead of the barca player!) was scandalous.

That ref should be shot. UEFA should also be hanging their heads for appointing a ref to the biggest club game in the world who isn't even deemed good enough to be involved in the World Cup.

Nothing wrong with that.. part of the game.. always has been.. especially in Spain

Uncle Mort · Post by **Uncle Mort** » May 18th, 2006, 11:39 am

RobbieRockBoy wrote:
dingbat wrote:In fairness, Henry was kicked up and down the pitch last night and the fact that he was booked for what wasn't even a tackle (he just got to the ball ahead of the barca player!) was scandalous.

That ref should be shot. UEFA should also be hanging their heads for appointing a ref to the biggest club game in the world who isn't even deemed good enough to be involved in the World Cup.
Nothing wrong with that.. part of the game.. always has been.. especially in Spain

As Mark Lawrenson so rightly put it on BBC Radio 5 this morning if he complained about last night he should be thankful he wasn't playing the 70s and 80s

Colm · Post by **Colm** » May 18th, 2006, 11:47 am

What's BIG, YELLOW and goes BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP?

The Arsenal open-top bus revesing back into the garage.

Colm · Post by **Colm** » May 18th, 2006, 11:48 am

Duff Paddy · Post by **Duff Paddy** » May 18th, 2006, 11:52 am

Henry blew that one on one with the goalie and that was that.

Felt a bit sorry for Arsenal, as they did well to hang on with a man down. Poor old Pires looked like he was going to cry when he was sitting on the bench. The ref was really terrible - not playing advantage for Barca's first goal and then wrongly giving the free kick which yielded Campbell's goal.

TrueBlue · Post by **TrueBlue** » May 18th, 2006, 12:07 pm

Duff Paddy wrote:Henry blew that one on one with the goalie and that was that.

Felt a bit sorry for Arsenal, as they did well to hang on with a man down. Poor old Pires looked like he was going to cry when he was sitting on the bench. The ref was really terrible - not playing advantage for Barca's first goal and then wrongly giving the free kick which yielded Campbell's goal.

yeah ref was awful. It would have been a better final if Barca went 1-0 up, and Arsenal still had 11 players.....i dont understand this though.....

...the ref isnt on the FIFA panel of referees for the World Cup, so obvioulsy he is not of the best standard....why then is he reffing the Champions League final?????...............I mean, all the previous refs that I can remember in the CL final have been well known consistent top referees e.g. Collina...

Also, Henry needs to grow some f%~kin balls. Lehmann was sent off, but to start whingin about people that should be getting yellow cards is just childish-i agree with him, but i dont think it would have made a difference, and he should have scored twice in that match.

twas funny to hear him speak at the end of the match about how he didnt see Ronaldinho all game, but Larsson won the game for them!.........although i didnt see the point in playing ROnaldinho through the middle in the first half

apple sourz · Post by **apple sourz** » May 18th, 2006, 3:09 pm

It's been a difficult week being a Leinster and Arsenal supporter

badger79 · Post by **badger79** » May 18th, 2006, 3:13 pm

Henry was a bit OTT in his comments but its good (for an Arsenal fan) to see that anger in a player. Truth is we blew it big time. Better than Barca when it was 11 v 11 and had 3 good chances to win the game when 1 - 0 up....Arsenal actually looked the more likely to score with their 10 men until tiredness caught up with them. Was a shame about the sending off - could have developed into a great game.
Apparently Henry gave an interview in the plane on the way back when it was all 'we' this and 'we' that about next season, so you never know.....

T.C.B. · Post by **T.C.B.** » May 19th, 2006, 9:09 am

apple sourz wrote:It's been a difficult week being a Leinster and Arsenal supporter

Hear hear.

Babbling 'brook

Champions League Final

Champions League Final

Re: Champions League Final

Re: Champions League Final