Football - Cup Competitions 2021

greybeard

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Congratulations Villareal, that was some penalty shootout!

Commiserations Manchester United, but I felt you didn't do enough to win.

 

oldius

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A poor final in which United were the better team. As usual, I was dismayed by the incessant play-acting and Fernandes in the referee's ear every couple of minutes. That really was United's final to lose and they were dominant, in spells, but Villareal showed some superb defending, as a unit, and a couple of United players, Rashford especially, looked just a little short of it at this level.

 
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myles

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Fernandes didn't let me down with his lack of hunger (or something) for the big game. 

I feel this was a snapshot of the whole season for United; started well, tailed off, no real punch up front, dominated in the second half then were the second best team in extra time.

Villarreal wanted it more, exacted their plan perfectly and stepped it up in extra time when I was sure United would steal it. 

Result: another season with no silverware, a keeper, defence, and midfield that are questionable and once again pulling players out of retirement to bolster the attack - which isn't 'the United Way (TM)'. Let's not even talk about a manager who hadn't won a trophy outside of his home country. 

 

Non-Smoking Man

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Disappointing end to the season, as someone said. It wasnt easy listening on BBC radio..

It didnt help they scored first, given they are well drilled in defence. For anyone who watched it, what did they make of Torres? He is a Man U. target.

I had a small interest @ 4.9 on Betfair for the value when we went one down and thought, after we had equalised with plenty of time ,we might nick it.

Not good enough.

Jack

 

Devil

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Good goal Chelsea!

Nice to see your owner in the stadium, wouldn’t have been able to do that if the final was at Wembley!  :p

 

Bazzer

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Oct 22, 2009
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I wanted City to win but fair dues to Chelsea they thoroughly deserved it .

 

bencat

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Chelsea played as a team and to a plan and carried out that plan very well . City were poor in general and not as focused and accurate in passing as they have been . Sadly a step too far for them again but there is always next year.

City again were the masters of the what used to be called the professional foul just to stop the other team from building momentum . Hate to see this but it has been a something all Pep,s teams have done from his Barcelona days . Chelsea mean while seem to have perfected the scream and drop to perfection and then remain down and get treatment to break up any momentum for the other side . Sadly the way all football seems to be moving .

 
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plasticpenguin

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Congrats to Chelsea. Well deserved win. To be honest, before the game, I couldn't call it. On paper Man City is the better side, Chelsea's last few games have been iffy but cup matches tends to bring out the occasional surprise. I suppose some would class last night's result as a surprise.

I know Chelsea get some bad press on forums and in newspapers, not really sure why unless it's envy. But throughout the last 50-odd years they have always produced top class players... and nearly all were genuinely nice: Peter Osgood, who I've met years ago; Ray Wilkins etc etc and countless others. Not forgetting that Sir Richard Attenborough is a former director.

That's seemed to be there now. Just listening to Tony Cascarino, Chelsea player in the 90s, mentioned something few people know about Chelsea FC. On Talksport, he divulged he took a phone call from the club to ask if he and his family were okay during the pandemic. According to Cascarino, they have phoned all ex-players to make sure they are fine. Not many clubs do that. This must come from one person: Abramovich. 

So I think credit where credit's due. Not only all the trophies they've won over the decades but how they regard former players and their families.

 
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DIB

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As a neutral I really enjoyed the game last night. I thought that the two Chelsea wingbacks were excellent, and N'Golo Kante was just magnificent in midfield. As for tactical fouls, that block by Rudiger on Kevin De Bruyne arguably turned out to be a matchwinner. 

 
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myles

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As a neutral I really enjoyed the game last night. I thought that the two Chelsea wingbacks were excellent, and N'Golo Kante was just magnificent in midfield. As for tactical fouls, that block by Rudiger on Kevin De Bruyne arguably turned out to be a matchwinner. 
I'm not sure De Bruyne was influencing the game in the same way he usually does - that's not to say that he wasn't going to come up with the goods at some point. I wanted City to win but as the game went on I really enjoyed the way Chelsea controlled the game; it was a really good final.

 
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DIB

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I'm not sure De Bruyne was influencing the game in the same way he usually does - that's not to say that he wasn't going to come up with the goods at some point. I wanted City to win but as the game went on I really enjoyed the way Chelsea controlled the game; it was a really good final.
That's true. KDB was not having the influence on the game that I thought he would have, but in those frantic last 20 minutes or so he could have been the difference. We will never know of course.  I'd actually had a little bet on KDB last night, 2 shots on target plus 1 assist @ 12/1.  

 
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Non-Smoking Man

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HiFi Trade?
  1. No
Congrats to Chelsea. Well deserved win. To be honest, before the game, I couldn't call it. On paper Man City is the better side, Chelsea's last few games have been iffy but cup matches tends to bring out the occasional surprise. I suppose some would class last night's result as a surprise.

I know Chelsea get some bad press on forums and in newspapers, not really sure why unless it's envy. But throughout the last 50-odd years they have always produced top class players... and nearly all were genuinely nice: Peter Osgood, who I've met years ago; Ray Wilkins etc etc and countless others. Not forgetting that Sir Richard Attenborough is a former director.

That's seemed to be there now. Just listening to Tony Cascarino, Chelsea player in the 90s, mentioned something few people know about Chelsea FC. On Talksport, he divulged he took a phone call from the club to ask if he and his family were okay during the pandemic. According to Cascarino, they have phoned all ex-players to make sure they are fine. Not many clubs do that. This must come from one person: Abramovich. 

So I think credit where credit's due. Not only all the trophies they've won over the decades but how they regard former players and their families.
Didier Drogba comes to mind as a great former Chelsea forward player; also John Hollins MBE and Hudson in MF.

Jack NSM

 
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plasticpenguin

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Didier Drogba comes to mind as a great former Chelsea forward player; also John Hollins MBE and Hudson in MF.

Jack NSM
Indeed. 

There was one story my brother told me years ago. His friend's eldest son was a Chelsea trainee, back in the mid-90s, and the senior players always trained at the same time every week. The little'uns used the same training pitch as the seniors. All of the home-based used to go home as soon as the training was over. Two players, however, used to stay behind for an hour and coach the children: They were Zola and Di Matteo. Both wonderful players and both gave up their own time to help the kids.

Not sure you would get that today, regardless of the club.

 
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DIB

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Indeed. 

There was one story my brother told me years ago. His friend's eldest son was a Chelsea trainee, back in the mid-90s, and the senior players always trained at the same time every week. The little'uns used the same training pitch as the seniors. All of the home-based used to go home as soon as the training was over. Two players, however, used to stay behind for an hour and coach the children: They were Zola and Di Matteo. Both wonderful players and both gave up their own time to help the kids.

Not sure you would get that today, regardless of the club.
Similar tales came out of the old Manchester United training ground at The Cliff in Salford back in the 90's with regards Eric Cantona. Fans loved him for far more reasons than merely his exploits on the pitch. A wonderful man.

 
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