****Offical F.A. Cup Final thread, Arsenal vs Man Utd****

[marc71178]

And yet another big cup is decided by a glorified stone paper scissors competition - this is exactly why cricket is so much better.

Because a bowl-off is so much better.

 

[marc71178]

My favourite (that I remember) is 1987, but that may be 'cos T*ttenham lost in extra time to an oggy! I'm sure Marc would agree too...

The 87 Cup Final was a truly great game, regardless of who won.

Might go and watch it on DVD now...

 

[nikhil1772]

I like penalties. It's the most exciting football gets (which quite frankly bores me to death)

You're weird...whats in there to like the penalties?The real skill is in the real play in the 90 minutes which is better than any skill-showing on earth

...I feel for the Goal-Keepers though,have all the pressure in the world on their shoulders in the shoot-outsAlso felt bad for Scholes yesterday...and even Patrick Viera indiectly acknowledged that Man U were better team during his post-match interview

 

[Jamee999]

Keepers DO NOT have pressure on them during a shoot-out.

Think about it, what do you expect to happen?

The goalie to save it or the striker to score?

Scholes didn't perform that well, not as bad as Beckham in Euro 2004 or Waddle/Pearce.

Lehmann deserved MOM, the amount of times he saved us from the Axe.

 

[andyc]

Keepers DO NOT have pressure on them during a shoot-out.

Think about it, what do you expect to happen?

The goalie to save it or the striker to score?

are you kidding me!?? have you tried keeping in a shootout?? damned nerve-wracking

 

[Agent TBY]

are you kidding me!?? have you tried keeping in a shootout?? damned nerve-wracking

But yeah he's somewhat right.Penalty shootouts are decided by how many you score..not by how many your keepers save.

 

[Pale]

Man United outclassed Arsenal for large parts of the match, but they didn't take any of their brilliant chances to score. That's mainly down to Jens Lehmann, who was excellent in keeping his goal. On so many occasions Arsenal could have conceded but didn't because of him and they kept their cool when it mattered to win the Penalty Shoot-Out. Paul Scholes was the only player to have his kick saved. He shot it at a good height and not far enough into the corner for Lehmann to save. There must have been a lot of pressure on Patrick Vieira to score the last kick because if he had missed it would have taken the Shoot-Out to Sudden Death and surely made the match open for both teams again. I'm happy that Arsenal won the FA Cup, but Man United now need to pick themselves up and get ready for a fresh start next season.

 

[marc71178]

are you kidding me!?? have you tried keeping in a shootout?? damned nerve-wracking

That's as maybe, but who remembers the keeper after the game?

The story is about the one who misses, not the keeper who doesn't make a save.

 

[BoyBrumby]

I'd say the keepers have the better of it in shoot outs, they have (usually) at least 5 chances to be a hero, the poor old taker gets just the one.

Scholes didn't have a bad game, but in a year's time all we'll remember is his miss. Ditto Vassell, Batty, Ince, Southgate, Pearce, Waddle......

 

[Magrat Garlick]

That's as maybe, but who remembers the keeper after the game?

The story is about the one who misses, not the keeper who doesn't make a save.

Think there was a German Cup semi where the keeper saved three shots, then scored the deciding penalty! Then you remember the keeper...

 

[marc71178]

Now doubt it was Hans-Jorg Butt?

But then again he's more remembered for scoring the winner.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Because a bowl-off is so much better.

They hardly ever happen tho.

 

[Neil Pickup]

They hardly ever happen tho.

*Compares cricket and football's scoring systems and accompanying likelihoods of non-conclusive results in knock-out games*

 

[sledger]

are you kidding me!?? have you tried keeping in a shootout?? damned nerve-wracking

indeed it is nerve wracking, but as the keeper you are not expected to save any, the pressure is very much on the striker or whoever else is taking the kick. I mean really there should be no reason or excuse (within reason) for a good player failing to score from 12 yards.

 

[steds]

You're weird...whats in there to like the penalties?The real skill is in the real play in the 90 minutes which is better than any skill-showing on earth

As I said, it's far far more exciting than the 90 minutes which is so full of skill.

Maybe watching so much Rugby League has changed my mind-set. I naturally expect the whole game as action-packed as a game of League and I've forgotten to appreciate the subtle skills of a boring football game.

 

[sledger]

tbh i didnt really find it boring at all, where it wasnt action packed it was a very entertaining contest, arsenal defended excellently against all of man utds attacking force, a great achievement.

 

[Scaly piscine]

tbh i didnt really find it boring at all, where it wasnt action packed it was a very entertaining contest, arsenal defended excellently against all of man utds attacking force, a great achievement.

Not particularly, the CDMs were pretty dodgy defensively and were reliant on cynical hacks and trips and horse's inability to hit a barn door (or indeed the ball itself) from 6 yards, Man Utd defended far better.

 

[sledger]

cynical hacks ? otherwise known as man utds tactics for reyes.

 

[roseboy64]

If anything he deserved it. I haven't seen the match in full yet just highlights but he's had it coming if that is in fact true.

 

[sledger]

and why is it that he has "had it coming to him" ?