Jim White

Genius may not be enough

Wed May 27 12:17PM

Nobody understands what Manchester United is all about more than Alex Ferguson.

An enthusiast of history, he made it his business from the moment he arrived from Aberdeen 23 years ago to study and then absorb what the institution was all about.

He knows that, buried deep in the club's DNA, is the requirement to play attractive, fluent, persuasive football, an approach summed up by the Stretford End's insistent chant of "attack, attack, attack".

But Ferguson also knows that winning is the thing that really counts. A pragmatist at heart, he has long balanced his team's attacking instincts with a measured keenness on defence. It is the only way.

That is why he has won so many titles and Kevin Keegan - for instance - is now spending time with his lawyers negotiating his way out of a failed position at Newcastle. Ferguson knows defence wins you games.

"If we go all out at them then we play into their hands," he said on the eve of his side's meeting with Barcelona tonight in the Champions League final. "That is what they want us to do."

It was the clearest signal you could need to indicate that tonight will not be the all-out attack fest dreamed of by the Champions League marketeers.

This will not be a procession of end-to-end chances, a feast of goals, an endless parade of reckless attack. It is a prize too important to Ferguson for that.

Instead United will play a cagey, careful, clever game based on stout containment and rapid counter attack. We are far more likely to see ten white shirts behind the ball than we are ten flooding the opposition penalty area.

Ferguson will go 4-5-1, with Wayne Rooney and Ji-Sung Park playing wide, tracking back, squeezing out the space available to Barcelona's extravagant attacking forces.

Cristiano Ronaldo, a man who considers tracking back to be beneath his elevated self-image, will play alone in the middle, consigning Dimitar Berbatov and Carlos Tevez to the bench and thus probably ending Frederico Macheda's dream of playing in a European Cup final in his home town.

Behind those three, Ryan Giggs, Michael Carrick and Anderson will try - and it won't be easy - to maintain possession. It is the same way United played Arsenal in the semi-final second leg at the Emirates. And, as their insistent breaks demonstrated, though its primary purpose is defensive, it is not a wholly negative approach.

When they get the ball they will move at pace and with purpose. But when they don't have it, they will choke the life out of the game, squeezing Barcelona's attacking space down to a minimum.

Lionel Messi is the king of the one-two, a player who thrives on the quick wall pass, on the interchange with colleagues on the same wavelength.

Tonight, when he tries a speedy give and go, he will find his options narrowed down by the bustling presence of Park or Rooney or Anderson getting in the way of his passes, making sure Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic are not exposed to his runs.

It is not something the Catalan club enjoys, this kind of opponent. Used to exploiting the space in the Spanish league, they were quick to condemn Chelsea's smothering tactics in the semi. Non-football they called it.

Still, at least it gave them a taste of what to expect tonight. Though tonight it will be Chelsea with a twist, as United possess the added edge their Premier League rivals lack, an ability to turn defence into attack at a pace to match Usain Bolt.

Barca's manager Pep Guardiola has revealed that his tactical plan has been to tell his players just to go out and play, the mantra once embraced by United's own Matt Busby. It is the romantic position, the tactic that Barcelona's sense of history insists upon, a virtuous methodology that places maximum trust upon the attacking instincts of their hugely talented collection of players.

But you wonder against a team than mixes scurrying work-rate with a coruscating counter, whether it will be enough.

Barcelona have the best front six in world football (everyone goes on about Messi, Eto'o and Henry, but if there is a better midfielder than Andres Iniesta around he has yet to reveal himself).

But United, while not matching their opponents' stellar constituents, have the best team ethic around, the best manager and a tactical approach that perfectly melds their resources into a force greater than the sum of its parts.

Though it may be wise not to expect fireworks, the chances are this will be the game that cements Ferguson's legend.

And 2-1 United looks the best bet at the bookies.

Comments1 - 30 of 110
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Why are all the blogs extolling the values of Manchester United like they're the ONLY ones going to be affected if they lose the game? These pages are BIASED!!!
From stanessel on Wed May 27 01:25PM
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Well said.Glory Glory Man United!
From wanfirdaus on Wed May 27 01:28PM
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Of course it is biased, ....what did you expect from Eurosport's english writers???
From ekongub on Wed May 27 01:36PM
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Because this is a British website? And it's an English writer expressing his personal English opinions?
The majority of English people will be supporting Manchester United tonight, and I am one of them - not only because Barcelona don't deserve to be in the final, but because I always back English teams against foreign opposition.
If you take any biased content out of articles you end up with statistics. If you want statistics try Wikipedia.
From johnnywilkinson on Wed May 27 01:40PM
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ManU will win - the prediction of 2-1 is giving too much to Barca. I say 2-0 as ManU defence is the best and will shut them out.
From greg_bbb on Wed May 27 01:40PM
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We shall see, Mr White, we shall see.
From shady725 on Wed May 27 01:48PM
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A good article but you missed the key to Man U winning tonight that is Mr Park who i believe will be the star of the show. Energy,commitment,and never giving Barca a minutes peace for their stars to shine and a couple bob on a goal from him may be good 2 1 utd
From cslsz on Wed May 27 01:52PM
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i agree with most of it Jim. but i think Barca's defence is so weak that Man Utd could score lots of goals if they went for it. Utd could easily lose if they just sit back
From bobo.spamble on Wed May 27 01:53PM
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stanessel , I am sure if you read the Spanish online and hard copies newspapers you won't find alot about Manchester United. That is because English websites care about English things and Spanish websites care about Spanish websites. You just had to say ''it is biased'' because you think it makes you look smart.. Well it does not. It just makes you look like a Liverpool supporter. Do you really wanna look like that? Well then shut up
From jrad878 on Wed May 27 01:53PM
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I think Barca to win this is only an opinion based on my gut feeling so no need to abuse me for sayin I think the game will end up 2 - 0 to Barca, as I just feel like Man Utd think it is already won (Thats not an attack at the fans either) Remember: To finish first, first you have to finish. However hope I am wrong as I hope the premier leagues brings the cup home...again
From leejthomson on Wed May 27 01:54PM
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Let's all hope for the sake of football, Man Utd are completely humiliated by Barca tonite. Nothing less than 8-0 Barca please!
From jwhitin6 on Wed May 27 01:57PM
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mighty reds will win in rome come on you redssssssssssss
From cookzara on Wed May 27 01:58PM
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I despise Manchester United with every ounce of my being, but tonight I will be one of the millions willing them to win as an English team. Hope JW is wrong and we see the awesome attacking flair BOTH teams can produce in full flight. Good luck you dirty dirty mancs. A liverpool fan.
From mikejones07 on Wed May 27 02:04PM
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For all Alex Fergusons guile and Utds greatness, this is one game they just cannot win. I see a Barcelona victory and cant wait to see Ronaldo crying like the big girl he is. He has never performed on the BIGGEST stages when it mattered.
From alan2973 on Wed May 27 02:32PM
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i agree totally with #20, and i too am a liverpool supporter, but tonight its england v spain club football and therfore im with Man U
From chuggen84 on Wed May 27 02:32PM
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no 20 i like u...1st bring the cup to our league..then gl for ur team to for next season scouser loser...A man united fans
From triange_0 on Wed May 27 02:33PM
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22 looks like you allready turned into something woprse than a vegetable AN OVERIPE BANANA LOLOL
From jono53uk on Wed May 27 02:40PM
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If Utd do go 4-5-1 with Ronaldo up front, I believe that to be the best way. Ronaldo plays better on his own up the pitch when the only option he has to himself is to go direct and attack, rather than faff around in the midfield losing posession. His instincts are better when the only thing in front of him is the goal, not more players to pass to and run through! This did Arsenal, it should do Barca.
From shaungbuk on Wed May 27 02:46PM
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I think we should all be supporting Manu U for this game - regardless of who you support. The reason is simple: The best teams in the world all come from England now. Liverpool, Man Utd, Arsenal & Chelsea are the top four in the world (any order you like) and Barce can claim 5th spot. Liverpool only lost to Chelsea in champs lge & Arsenal lost to united. Other Europe teams oculd not / would not have beaten them.
PLUS, the biggest scam in footballing history was carried out at Stamford Bridge where chelsea were robbed by a ref (probably on Platini's orders).
So there should really be 2 english teams in the final. And it would be the right balance of power (in terms of footballing league abilities) if the rpem lge brought the cup back home.
Personally, it would be a disgrace if the champs lge went to a spanish team - given the fact that there a re 4 better teams in the prem lge!
From shujaahmad2004 on Wed May 27 02:56PM
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well done mikejones07 man enough to admit his hate for man u but big enough to support a team from his country. man u fan
From stspeed on Wed May 27 02:56PM
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Really ?lol.........Just heard that he is ho-oking up with a nice gi-rl on the inter-esting cl-ub called: ____Tallconnect Co M____, really ? Sounds it is a famoaus on-line service.
From danakiss23 on Wed May 27 03:03PM
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this is real good article an insight in what fergie will probably do
From jimmyrice on Wed May 27 03:04PM
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Barcelona to win 1 nil (Manchester U.own goal)
from
Francisquito
From francisgalvez on Wed May 27 03:04PM
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Why all over a sudden are people referring to Jing Su park as a player with "endless energy?"...
there is a difference between being radarless and having purpose. Tevez has endless energy, because when he gets ball, you can be assured you have an advantage over your opponent.
Jing su park is more of a bruce-lee character, falling theatrically and possessing no stamina or direction. His goals are nothing to make anyone smile.
So lets learn to describe players accurately. Park is for selling Man-U tshirts in China/Korea/Japan whichever country he comes from. Tevez is for scoring goals!
From mikemugweru on Wed May 27 03:20PM
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Nothing extra ordinary about Barca attacking force. The players are good no doubt about that. But against tough opponent they will be rendered ineffective. They were out played by chelsea at the bridge, so for their coach to call that anti football is rubbish. Without referee assistance i dont see how they will beat manu.
From dapfash on Wed May 27 03:22PM
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Spot on except one thing---- it will be 3-1 Man Utd !!!!!!!!!!!!
From keithjoneskj on Wed May 27 03:25PM
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"if there is a better midfielder than Andres Iniesta around he has yet to reveal himself"
Well I think Steven Gerrard is pretty nifty. I may be wrong, but I've yet to see Iniesta display strength and power as well as technical ability. But then again, as he plays for Liverpool, I'm not surprised that he's not even considered here. The final, as ED says and Jim White seems to be saying here, is probably going to be a big disappointment. But then again, we can but dream (and drool).
From alex.ranahan on Wed May 27 03:27PM
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"Though tonight it will be Chelsea with a twist, United possession the added edge their Premier League rivals lack of an ability to turn defence into attack at a pace to match Usain Bolt."
Shouldn't someone proof read these blogs prior to posting?
From twomjc on Wed May 27 03:28PM
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Barcelona have flair, but I can see that the longer Man U can frustrate them, the tougher the Spaniards will find it. Both attacks are awesome- Man U have the vetter defence. And could we cut the plain stupid comments: "(Ronaldo) has never performed on the BIGGEST stages when it mattered." Er, so a goal in last years final, that screamer vs Arsenal, I was imagining those was I?
From domgarnett on Wed May 27 03:30PM
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@34 Park is his family name, given name is Ji-Sung, wiki him to check it.
From twomjc on Wed May 27 03:31PM
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