Exclusive: Sir Alex Ferguson has devised a two-pronged strategy to beat Barcelona in Saturday's Champions League final, including a radical rescue plan should Manchester United fall behind at Wembley.
The last time Barca were made to look completely at sea in a CL tie was when they needed the help of the match officials(in denying AT LEAST four stonewall penalties)to sneak past Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in Hiddink's last CL game at Chelsea before the Rome final where Barca beat Utd.
Fergie SHOULD have watched what Hiddink got Chelsea to do that night in tying up the likes of Iniesta until Messi became a peripheral figure. Make no mistake Iniesta's last ditch strike was about the only one they had all night and they wee beyond lucky to survive that evening-something 99% of their fans will admit to. Sadly, instead of emulating what Chelsea had tried(and would have succeeded with had it not been for a really poor set of match officials)Fergie was a tad arrogant in thinking he'd found another, easier way and it was found to be wholly incorrect. Now Messi has become a more complete player but the basics of what Chelsea did that night still represent the best way to tie them up and still offer enough going forward to beat them-Barca had to commit a lot of fouls(that they got away with) that night and wouldn't do so in a final against Utd. Utd have all the staff needed to pull it off and i'm hoping Fergie had enough about him to ask old gus a few questions this week because if he has done I reckon the wily old scot would have system in place which he could add to and beat the Catalan giants just when nobody thinks he can.
That second leg of the semi was quickly dismissed by celebrating Barca heads after Rome but, believe me, i've rarely seen that group of players made to look as ordinary and it's a plan I think Utd would win using. You can't merely attack Barca as committing everyone forwards on the wide open spaces of Wembley is suicide against ball lovers like Xavi and Iniesta never mind Messi. Talk to Gus.
Yeah it's called attack ;)
The last time Barca were made to look completely at sea in a CL tie was when they needed the help of the match officials(in denying AT LEAST four stonewall penalties)to sneak past Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in Hiddink's last CL game at Chelsea before the Rome final where Barca beat Utd.
Fergie SHOULD have watched what Hiddink got Chelsea to do that night in tying up the likes of Iniesta until Messi became a peripheral figure. Make no mistake Iniesta's last ditch strike was about the only one they had all night and they wee beyond lucky to survive that evening-something 99% of their fans will admit to. Sadly, instead of emulating what Chelsea had tried(and would have succeeded with had it not been for a really poor set of match officials)Fergie was a tad arrogant in thinking he'd found another, easier way and it was found to be wholly incorrect. Now Messi has become a more complete player but the basics of what Chelsea did that night still represent the best way to tie them up and still offer enough going forward to beat them-Barca had to commit a lot of fouls(that they got away with) that night and wouldn't do so in a final against Utd. Utd have all the staff needed to pull it off and i'm hoping Fergie had enough about him to ask old gus a few questions this week because if he has done I reckon the wily old scot would have system in place which he could add to and beat the Catalan giants just when nobody thinks he can.
That second leg of the semi was quickly dismissed by celebrating Barca heads after Rome but, believe me, i've rarely seen that group of players made to look as ordinary and it's a plan I think Utd would win using. You can't merely attack Barca as committing everyone forwards on the wide open spaces of Wembley is suicide against ball lovers like Xavi and Iniesta never mind Messi. Talk to Gus.