Football Champions League

[megadave]

To be fair to the guy, on another night with a bit of luck he could of had a hat trick.


As the commentator said about Ibra, he's a bit like Berbatov in the way he plays.

 

[Ch3tan]

Inter was a fair side for man utd, not like man utd totally overclassed them, if inter had 1 decent finisher.. And juve is doing good with such a team, if they buy a few good players.. They are rebuilding after the corruption and they will be back.

They can never rebuild to the level they were at. Italians and Spanish had real dominance and spending power over the rest of Europe. Now look at them, the Premier League is dominating, and does not show signs of weakening. I do not see where the money is coming from, the people with money do not seem to want to invest in Italy and they are unable to buy the young stars they used to. What is worse is that barring Juve (who were forced to rebuild with home talent) the other top Italian teams have very few Italians playing for them, and too many old stars bought when the going was good. Maybe in 5 years if they invest in youth and homegrown talent. I think it is telling how many Italians were playing for Inter compared to Englishmen playing for United.

Pfft, he isn't fit to lace Zidane's boots. Zidane is by far the greatest player since Maradonna.

He's still the best striker by a country mile that the world has had in a fairly long while. At his peak he was a fucking god.

YouTube - Ronaldo 9

Ronaldo is the best striker we have seen for a long time, it is a shame we never saw him in England at his peak. But he threw his own career away, injuries aside, he has not looked after himself enough. The guy is a class when fit, but he was never fit often enough. A waste of talent is a crying shame.

 

[Everz]

They can never rebuild to the level they were at. Italians and Spanish had real dominance and spending power over the rest of Europe. Now look at them, the Premier League is dominating, and does not show signs of weakening. I do not see where the money is coming from, the people with money do not seem to want to invest in Italy and they are unable to buy the young stars they used to. What is worse is that barring Juve (who were forced to rebuild with home talent) the other top Italian teams have very few Italians playing for them, and too many old stars bought when the going was good. Maybe in 5 years if they invest in youth and homegrown talent. I think it is telling how many Italians were playing for Inter compared to Englishmen playing for United.
.

Santon and Ballotelli was the Italians playing for Inter, they need to rebuild as there miles off what they once were, but Inter and AC's youth looks very promising, the league is still recovering from the whole payoff scandal.

 

[cHodAX]

Ronaldo is the best striker we have seen for a long time, it is a shame we never saw him in England at his peak. But he threw his own career away, injuries aside, he has not looked after himself enough. The guy is a class when fit, but he was never fit often enough. A waste of talent is a crying shame.

A waste of a great talent yes, better than Zidane at his peak? Not a chance.

 

[Everz]

A waste of a great talent yes, better than Zidane at his peak? Not a chance.

I dont see how 2 World Cups and a whole host of other medals and trophies can be considered a waste of a career?

 

[Cerb]

Got lucky and watched the game from the stretford end wasnt the best game ever but the atmosphere was great, especially chanting bye bye mourinho as he left the pitch!!

 

[cHodAX]

I dont see how 2 World Cups and a whole host of other medals and trophies can be considered a waste of a career?

He has pissed away what should have been the peak of his career though, if Messi was to do the same thing in 5 years time would that not be considered a waste of a career as well? 28 is when a player hits his peak and Ronaldo has been on a downward spiral since well before his 28th birthday. The media spotlight and the lifestyle all got too much for him, now he shags midget transvestites for kicks. Very sad.

 

[Wonk]

He has pissed away what should have been the peak of his career though, if Messi was to do the same thing in 5 years time would that not be considered a waste of a career as well? 28 is when a player hits his peak and Ronaldo has been on a downward spiral since well before his 28th birthday. The media spotlight and the lifestyle all got too much for him, now he shags midget transvestites for kicks. Very sad.

yet he stilled scored tons of goals. Most of the scandals happened when he was injured and in the last year in real, where the manager wouldn't use him anyway. The last two years Zidane played in real, wasn't his best either.

I still think Ronaldo was head and shoulders above Zidane. Even when he turned fat, he still had lots of speed. (and his fatness % was lower than the average persons)

we will never agree here, so let us not spoil the CL discussion I just felt like posting my thoughts after his latest matches.

 

[cHodAX]

yet he stilled scored tons of goals. Most of the scandals happened when he was injured and in the last year in real, where the manager wouldn't use him anyway. The last two years Zidane played in real, wasn't his best either.

I still think Ronaldo was head and shoulders above Zidane. Even when he turned fat, he still had lots of speed. (and his fatness % was lower than the average persons)

we will never agree here, so let us not spoil the CL discussion I just felt like posting my thoughts after his latest matches.

I respect your opinion, I just utterly disagree with it. Ronaldo was world class no doubt about it, had the potential to be up there with the all time greats but never quite made it. He let the lifestyle get in the way of his focus and it cost him his best years, yes he was injured but he was also drinking and living the high life, something that Zidane never did. For me Zidane is the finest player since Maradonna, infact the finest midfielder since Bobby Charlton. I would put him in my all time top 5, Ronaldo would be in the top 20 but he never quited cemented his greatness in my mind. Of course you can disagree but that is ok, we both agree he was was top class and the difference of opinion is a very small gap to bridge.

 

[cHodAX]

Got lucky and watched the game from the stretford end wasnt the best game ever but the atmosphere was great, especially chanting bye bye mourinho as he left the pitch!!

The Stretford End is a pale imitation of it's former glory sadly. For my early years I was always in the Stretford Paddock with my dad as I was too small for the End. Once I got to 12 though I was a Stretford End lad for almost 8 years and it was immense. The Scousers who have been in the Kop will know what I mean, there is nothing quite like that sensation of a crowd swaying too and fro, singing like there was no tomorrow.

Sadly once they developed into all seater football grounds it all became a bit bland for my liking, Trafford Council don't help matters by constantly threatening United with losing thier event licence for allowing those people standing to sing albeit for short periods. You certainly don't see Liverpool City Council pulling that shit but then what do you expect, Trafford Council are a bunch of Tories from Sale and just don't 'get' football.

 

[soze]

Your all nuts everyone knows Eboue is the best player ever to grace a football pitch!1

 

[Lethul]

Your all nuts everyone knows Eboue is the best player ever to grace a football pitch!1

Pff, Limpar!

 

[cHodAX]

Your all nuts everyone knows Eboue is the best player ever to grace a football pitch!1

He couldn't hold a candle to those fat puddings Alan Brazil and Mickey Quinn!

 

[Marc]

Agree with Chodax, Zidane is the finest player since Maradona. On the subject of Zidane, he claims that Steven gerrard is the best player in the world. Hes defo up there thats for sure.

 

[Vladamir]

He's no Frank Lampard though

 

[Zita]

He's no Frank Lampard though

But then again why would he want to be?

 

[Marc]

YouTube - Controversy on MUTV

 

[Ch3tan]

LOL. She does keep looking

 

[Vladamir]

But then again why would he want to be?

Because Lampards records compared to Gerrards are equal or superior

 

[Aoami]

28 is when a player hits his peak and Ronaldo has been on a downward spiral since well before his 28th birthday.

That's not true.

Ronaldo (Portuguese one) will probably never have another season like he had last year, and he was what? 22/23?

Every player hit's their peak at different times and i'd say Ronaldo (Brazilian) hit his when he was young.

 

[cHodAX]

That's not true.

Ronaldo (Portuguese one) will probably never have another season like he had last year, and he was what? 22/23?

Every player hit's their peak at different times and i'd say Ronaldo (Brazilian) hit his when he was young.

Rubbish, Ronaldo has had a season blighted by injury and his ankle still isn't 100%, he will most likely be having a tidy up operation in the summer on it. Last year was an exceptional season with the number of goals he scored but that doesn't mean he won't play better in the future and still score less goals than last seasons tally. Have a look at his career and put it into full context, the guy is on target to score 20 goals again this season and that is what his career goalscoring record averages out at.

He is far from past his peak and even if he never scores over 40 goals again in a season doesn't mean that he won't have progressed as a player. Your point holds no water at all but then why would I expect anything less from a paid up member of the ABU brigade.

 

[megadave]

Saying every player hits their peak at 28 isn't true though. Depends on position and playstyle a great deal.

 

[Aoami]

Your point holds no water at all but then why would I expect anything less from a paid up member of the ABU brigade.

The what?

And you're talking shit, not every single player in the world peaks at 28, that's just a completely mental assumption. Some do, no doubt, but not everyone, not even the majority of players i'd say.

 

[leviathane]

Saying every player hits their peak at 28 isn't true though. Depends on position and playstyle a great deal.

agreed i'd say defenders/gk's peak alot later, hey maldini still going strong

 

[Wonk]

That's because most defenders/keepers relies alot more on experience, than those on other positions.

It is said that a player hits his peak at 26-29, because the body is fully developed by then. Ronaldo COULD become a better player, however that requires so much of him mentally, now that he has won so many trophies/awards already.

Hunger may be the keyword for him

 

[leviathane]

That's because most defenders/keepers relies alot more on experience, than those on other positions.

And other positions usually require alot more pace and work rate, ofc there are exceptions to the rule in every case, for example totti and del piero

 

[Wonk]

And other positions usually require alot more pace and work rate, ofc there are exceptions to the rule in every case, for example totti and del piero

yep, and Inzaghi... uhmm, no wait, he still haven't learned the offside rule.

 

[megadave]

by the way... did anyone see the single lone everton fan amoungst the real madrid fans at Anfield? had his everton scarf out going mental

 

[Corran]

Midfielders/attackers generally reach their peak between 25 and 28. This is a time where the experience is of a very high level thus they at their mental peak (ie decision making etc) and they physically be at their best still (physically they get to the peak sooner, however they hold the physical peak a long time unless get injuries etc)

Defenders generally peak around 27-30, especially centrally. Defense requires so much extra mental strength and awareness which generally is why you find defenders peaking later in their career.

Goalkeepers vary, but again you looking at the keepers reaching their best at about 28-32. They do not have as much physical demand however the mental side of the game for a keeper is of massive importance, that why you see older keepers doing so well. They dont rely on their physical abilities to make up on mental mistakes (positioning etc) because they can no longer rely on it. This shown in al the top keepers. Just look at good old Edwin VDS. He admits he would have quit years ago if not for being at Man Utd, but if he did we wouldnt have seen him at what looks like some his best... this comes after some pretty poor performances he learnt from a couple years back

 

[megadave]

I still don't rate VDS, not seen him do much this season at all.