Champions League Final

[DFF]

Ok, here a different line of thought. The two Barca goals. (Aside from the fact that Eto'o's did look offside)... Would Lehmann have saved them? I'm almost certain he'd have saved the first. Almunia should've had it covered. The second was more down to luck, but I'd have thought Jens would have kept his legs closed better.

And for the matter, I believe that the ref should have used common sense and just glanced over to see if Barca had the advantage with the Lehmann foul. Less than 2 seconds after the foul, Giuly cracked it into the net. 2 Seconds wouldn't have killed him (hell, I've seen many a referee - across the continent - play MUCH longer advantage). I still reckon we should have a rugby style advantage, where there is quite a large advantage given. Anyways, that a different point. I do think he should've used common sense and just waited, momentarily, to see if Barca had the advantage, and then award the goal. IIRC The prof foul rule change is down to their discretion (and I've yet to see a ref give a goal AND a red card - sometimes a yellow though). However, it is in the laws of the game to do what he did. He saw a foul and blew for it. I admit, I was annoyed as Hell he did it - but it wan't an incorrect decision. A gave a free kick for a foul - that's his job.

And yes, the echo everyone else, he was a fucking shit referee.

Bring back Collina!

Edited May 18, 2006 by Kid Britain

[fineintent]

JP, how in gods name was Ronaldinho good? He wasted free kicks, spooned that chance wide and was ran off the ball numerous times. Perhaps you were just blinded by his flicks, he was fucking awful last night.

[The Slickman]

All that last night proved to me is Barca are definatly not a one man team, Yeah they were aiming for Ronaldinho but he was awful and the match difference really was Henrik Larson

Edited May 18, 2006 by The Slickman

[lafunky xxvii]

All that last night proved to me is Barca are definatly not a one man team, Yeah they were aiming for Ronaldinho but he was awful and the match difference really was Henrik Larson

[The Slickman]

No, He was the defining man at the end of the day for 2 passes which made the goals. The WHOLE Barca team turned it on in the last 20 mins. I didnt make that clear in the first post.

Edited May 18, 2006 by The Slickman

[Summers]

So they're a two man team.

[Guest Kliq Masterson]

Three. That Valdes sure made a difference as well

[Summers]

Yr mom.

[fineintent]

I don't see the problem with Eto's performance. He did what all goal scorers should - he had a quiet game, and scored when it mattered. Henry, Ljungberg, Cole, Valdes and Larrson had good games in mind, with Henry (despite not scoring) looking absolutely unbelievable, leading the line practically by himself.

[TheArsenal]

Referee Terje Hauge has admitted he may have acted too quickly in sending off Arsenal keeper Jens Lehmann during Barcelona's Champions League triumph.

Hauge dismissed Lehmann in the 18th minute for fouling Samuel Eto'o, with Ludovic Giuly's resulting effort ruled out as Hauge had blown for a free-kick.

"I would have liked to have taken a few more seconds before I made a decision," Hauge told a Norwegian newspaper.

"If I'd done that, I could have given a goal and given a yellow card as well."

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger and captain Thierry Henry have both slammed Hauge's performance in Paris and claimed his decisions favoured the Spanish side.

But the Norwegian said he was pleased with his overall display as Barcelona won the match 2-1 thanks to goals from Eto'o and Juliano Belletti.

And he said the Lehmann incident was a difficult one to judge after the German became the first player to be sent off in a European Cup final.

He added: "We had full control of the match and all in all I'm quite happy with my performance.

"Under other circumstances I would perhaps have done something different with Lehmann, but this mostly rested on the positioning in relation to the situation.

"Everything happens quickly on the pitch and for me it looked as if there was physical contact.

"As well as that it happened in the linesman's working area and I had no reason to doubt him in this instance.

"It was obviously a big game for Arsenal, and to lose is a huge disappointment so I understand their frustration. But we'll have to give it a few days so we can discuss this more sensibly."

[IAceI]

Ronaldinho was just contained and not allowed to do anything, it was good work on Arsenal's part.

Campbell played well and Cole was awesome - there's something I care about from this match.

[Guest muddatrucker]

Cole was superb, I'd like to keep him at the club, if Henry fucks off maybe he should become captain, he doesn't deserve it but I can tell thats what he craves.

Good game, disappointing result, I'm not bitter, just disappointed.

[ONO]

I don't know how any Arsenal fan can't be bitter. If that happened to my team I'd certainly be pissed off. Especially when the referee came out the next day and said maybe he shouldn't have sent Lehmann off. It ruined the whole atmosphere of the game. Fuck him. Then again, it's not Barcelona's fault, they played well, took the two chances when they needed to take them and won.

[fineintent]

I don't know how any Arsenal fan can't be bitter. If that happened to my team I'd certainly be pissed off. Especially when the referee came out the next day and said maybe he shouldn't have sent Lehmann off. It ruined the whole atmosphere of the game. Fuck him. Then again, it's not Barcelona's fault, they played well, took the two chances when they needed to take them and won.

[ONO]

I don't know how any Arsenal fan can't be bitter. If that happened to my team I'd certainly be pissed off. Especially when the referee came out the next day and said maybe he shouldn't have sent Lehmann off. It ruined the whole atmosphere of the game. Fuck him. Then again, it's not Barcelona's fault, they played well, took the two chances when they needed to take them and won.

Because poor decisions are the nature of football. Would Arsenal have had the free-kick that led to Campbell's goal if it wasn't for poor refereeing? Would Eboue have been sent off on another day?

Weird stuff happens in football, like in the Man Utd/Arsenal FA Cup final a year or two ago.

[lafunky xxvii]

I don't know how any Arsenal fan can't be bitter. If that happened to my team I'd certainly be pissed off. Especially when the referee came out the next day and said maybe he shouldn't have sent Lehmann off. It ruined the whole atmosphere of the game. Fuck him. Then again, it's not Barcelona's fault, they played well, took the two chances when they needed to take them and won.

[TMM]

I don't know how any Arsenal fan can't be bitter. If that happened to my team I'd certainly be pissed off. Especially when the referee came out the next day and said maybe he shouldn't have sent Lehmann off. It ruined the whole atmosphere of the game. Fuck him. Then again, it's not Barcelona's fault, they played well, took the two chances when they needed to take them and won.

As FI said, that's just the way football is. You can blame the ref and be bitter, but that's just what happens in football. You can't be bitter, you can just be disappointed and proud.

I kinda feel ripped off because of it. Ever since both us and Barca got to the final, everyone was talking about how it was gonna be such a great match, but then the referee ruins it. In the heat of the moment (see: hours) after the game, I was just pissed beyond belief, now it's had the chance to "sink in", I'm still pissed, but I see the referee's point off view. So yeah, next season, we winneth.

[lafunky xxvii]

Well the good news that has come from the defeat, atleast according to The Sun, is that Henry is going to sign a contract extension later today because of the heart the team showed on Wednesday night.

[FLiam]

Well that sucked.

I haven't read any of the thread, but I imagine what has been said.

Referee had an absolute shocker of a game, the Lehmann red card was the biggest decision in the game and he got it wrong, yes he was the last man and the law states if you are the last man and foul a player you have stopped a goalscoring oppurtunity but he didn't, they scored, he should have let the goal stand and given Lehmann a yellow card. In sending Lehmann off and giving Barca a free kick, he penalised both teams at that point.

Yes, Eboue did dive to win the free kick.

And no, Thierry Henry should never have been booked for that tackle on van Bommel, who by the way, is still a royal cunt.

This kind of thing happens way too much and UEFA need to bring back Collina, or clone him or something, because these other referee's are fucking shit.

[Summers]

Collina's so overrated though, it's not even funny.

van Bommel rocks, too.