Really. The team they beat 2007/8 was managed by Rikjaard and finished 17 points behind Real. Pep’s Side humiliated United in 09. Chelsea got close to stopping Barca in 09 bar ref
... Why if Barca were so poor under Rikjaard in your opinion were Chelsea unable to beat them at the Nou Camp during his term as manager? Real are 15 points behind Barca this season but they're still a force in Europe and still capable of winning this season's Champions League.
Cruyff would probably have to give up smoking. He'd still be unplayable though. As would Maradona, Pele, George Best. Maybe they would all have needed to work a bit harder on their fitness - maybe - but they absolutely would be able to dictate games today, every bit as much as they did then. You can argue that you get less time on the ball when your opponents are faster and fitter - but the great players make time and space.
Also the opposite side of the coin is that players today would never have survived back in the day. We didn't have pitches that were like relaid pool tables but more like ploughed fields. And back in the day you had lumps knocked out of you, todays players, might be faster and fitter but a bunch of wimps, its like knocking a cue ball about, but its useless on a pool table from a back street pub in the East End with bent or even broken cues. Yesteryear players would have survved, todays players would have died. Kevs stooopidity for the morning
You have to wonder how Dele Alli, Daniel Sturridge or Raheem Sterling, for example, might have got on against the likes of Norman Hunter or Tommy Smith.
Chopper Harris Ref he just hurt me hahahaha Oh lets check with VAR as Bremner comes over and nuts him.
I don't care what people say, i do miss them days. I think it's why i was defensive of the West Ham supporters, the game today has become all precious and all due to money. The game survived for 100 years without tv scrutiny, it wasn't about the fitest but the strongest, the men with the biggest balls. No wonder the Ruskies ultras will be kicking our arses back into Europe, we've bred a bunch of overweight pansies.
I can remember back then, if my club had a big game, it would be an attendance of 13-17k...today due to all the H&S get 10k and we are deemed as full. I remember a trip to our rivals Swindon would be like taking your life in your hands....today you go along and fall asleep because its like a fooking morgue, so instead of running the risk of being put in a coffin, they box you up as you enter these days.