Another great display by Bilbao - they worked harder and showed more quality than us in both legs. Hats off to Bielsa as well - that's the only approach I've seen that could potentially throw Barca off their game. It demands a huge amount from the players though. They looked a bit knackered at the end so I'm not convinced they can do that twice a week - it won't surprise me at all if they lose to Valencia at the weekend.
at this stage of the season I would tend to agree though when things are going well the younger players can go on for ever, that 19yo was very good. You cartainly cannot keep that pace up all season To be fair if they'd tucked away chances it would have been out of sight at half time as a tie and they could have rested a few and taken it a bit easier
I think Bilbao would have a good chance of winning the prem if they could produce that regularly, thats some good football.
and if you'd have won tonight 3 0 you'd be all, what a come back so like united to come back and win yadda yadda yadda. followed by, come on city get beat you losers yadda yadda yadda
I don't think you can play like that every game - they left everything on the pitch and they'll be knackered at the weekend.
Yup agree. We have no idea, maybe bilboa have a soft underbelly or a midfeild which lacks consistancy. Also lets remember that (much though I hate to admit it) man united have a track record of winning the title over teams which appear to be better football teams. The mental side of football is huge. The best players I have seen, your xavi, messi and zidane types, all seem exceptional mentally. Focussed on teh pitch and from reports are all ridiculous trainers.
They put that team together they didn't luck into a bunch of players at very similar ages of quality arriving togehter in significant numbers, butt scholes giggs neville neville keane beckham Irwin, not a criticism though, it is not lucking into a generation, it is a philosophy and an effective one that requires very good stamina and concentration
the way things stand they could afford to not play like that for a period of the season I reckon but its ust waffle, no idea how it would really go, I know that play would destroy the stokes and sunderlands completely and be enough to beat any of the top 6 with comparative ease on that form
I'd like to see us play with a similar approach - if you put a game to bed by the hour mark then you can ease off a bit and make some substitutions. I don't think Bielsa speaks English but I'd take him as SAFs successor.
I would also be happy if that was the end product. I heard commentator say stats showed they were the hardest working team to play at OT for 10 years Rotation would be a must with a tempo like that, imagine it was them playing Arsenal when ye beat em 8 2 it would have been 44 2
