Tug-O-War: Enough about players, now its bloggers turn II

By: Adam | April 23rd, 2008

We are few hours away from today’s match. This is tug-o-war between the Nick (Man Utd blog), Isaiah (Barca blog) and Kevin (Barca blog). Lets see how it turns out to be. As usual it is divided between two sections. Common and club specific sections.

COMMON SECTION:

Q:Ronaldinho won’t be playing for rest of the matches in CL? Is it big relief or disappointment?
Isaiah -I’ll always be disappointed with the way this saga has turned out. Both sides are giant babies and if only it were finally over.
Kevin -It’s always a bummer not to have a fully-committed Bucky in the house. The wascally Bwazilian never fails to amaze. But he hasn’t been fully-committed all season, so the relief that he won’t be present is palpable. Now the lads can stop waiting for him.
Nick -I’m not sure which really.Would we have seen the gap-toothed genius of two years ago or the gap-toothed party animal recently linked with a move to Manchester City?
I’m not sure even he knows the answer to that question.

Q:Which player will hold the key to Moscow?
Isaiah -Santiago Ezquerro. No, seriously. Stop laughing.
Kevin -Toure Yaya. If he keeps the middle closed, it makes Man U a wing team which makes them easier to defend. All that Zambrotta and Abidal have to do is stand in the way, which Italian defenders to exceptionally well.
Nick -As ever, our number seven. If he plays like he is capable of playing, it’s game over.

Q:Do you think your team has been “lucky” till now?
Isaiah -No team is lucky at this stage. It’s about skill.
Kevin -About as lucky as a one-legged man wearing a glass slipper whose only route home is across an oil slick. In other words, hell no. The Evil Empire has been lucky, those bastids.
Nick -Lucky? We’ve been simply brilliant at times this season. That’s ability and nothing to do with luck.

Q:Do you think your opposition has been “lucky” till now?
Isaiah -Same as above.
Kevin -We’ve brought them luck with our rather uncertain play. Propping up suckas is what we have done best this season. Atletico Madrid? 4-1? Their performance from this past weekend is more indicative of that side’s reality.
Nick -I suppose being drawn against Schalke in the previous round might be considered lucky for Barcelona.

Q:If you win then which opponent would you like to meet in the Final? Chelsea or Liverpool?
Isaiah -Liverpool because I hate Chelsea. In terms of winning it, then Chelsea, who aren’t as good this year as they’ve been in the past and aren’t as good as Liverpool. But, given that our potential opponents are both boring English teams (is that redundant?), it’ll be boring no matter what. ManU-Barcelona is the most exciting possible contest as a final that I can think of, but I guess that’s not going to happen. Rafa Benitez’s boys are all from Spain, so I guess they’re not really English anyway, though it would nice to show the world why Torres left Spain in the first place.
Kevin -Definitely Liverpool. We have to pay them back for giving them the tie last season….or….Valdes does.
Nick -If I knew we’d win I’d have to say Liverpool. But if I knew we’d lose, then Chelsea, as defeat against the Scousers would be a bit of a nightmare.

Q:If your manager is reading this blog then what advise would you like to give?
Isaiah -Show Guddie where the goalmouth is.
Kevin -4-2-4. Messi, Krkic, Eto’o, Iniesta.
Nick -Play Carlos Tevez from the start please.

Q:If your manager recommends this blog to owners/directors then what message would you like to convey?
Isaiah -HI LAPORTA!!!!
Kevin -New hair for Rijkaard, get us Dani Alves, what the hell were you thinking with Garay? Sign him. Now.
Nick -To consider themselves lucky that their countrymen’s soap opera at Anfield has helped make them look better than they probably should.

Q:Big ears for you – Dream or Destiny?
Isaiah -Since we’ve already got big teeth (Ronnie), big head (Henry), big nose (Messi), and big ego (Eto’o), it only stands to reason that it’s destiny to lift the CL cup. Again.
Kevin -Destiny.
Nick -As long as we win the Premier League, I’ll be happy enough. It’s a greater test of your abilities.

Q:What jibe/dig would you like to throw at opposition fans?
Isaiah -Remember last year when we beat you 7-1 at Old Trafford!? Remember that!? Oh you don’t? Oh you think that was you beating Roma? Ha! Silly ManU fans!
Kevin -Ronaldo wears panties. That explains his funny walk, and the spread-legged stance on free kicks. Thong-age.
Nick -I just hope for all fans that the best footballing sides win and the referee’s don’t influence events too much.

Q:Any specific chant/song you’d like remind us?
Isaiah -Tot el camp
és un clam
som la gent blaugrana
tant se val d’on venim
si del sud o del nord
ara estem d’acord, estem d’acord
una bandera ens agermana
blaugrana al vent,
un crit valent
tenim un nom,
el sap tothom
BARÇA ! BARÇA ! BARÇA !
Kevin -Som la gent blaugrana/Tant se val d’on venim (We’re the blue and claret supporters/It doesn’t matter where we come from)
Nick -Viva! Ronaldo, of course.

Q:What will be your reaction if your team looses due to unfair decisions (like bad referring)?
Isaiah -[expletive] ref [expletive] piece of [expletive] [expletive] your [expletive] mother [expletive] [expletive] gimme a drink.
Kevin -Typical of this snake-bitten season. It’s all part of the beautiful game.
Nick -I’d obviously be livid. For several days.

Q:Last but not the least, your predictions?
Isaiah -I’m always awful at predictions…um…2-1 Barcelona.
Kevin -2-1 Barca at the Camp Nou, 2-2 at Old Trafford, 4-3 Barca on aggregate. Then we spank Chelsea in the final 3-1.
Nick -One all at the Camp Nou. Two nil to the home side at Old Trafford.

TEAM SPECIFIC SECTION:

Barcelona-

Q:Do you think your defense can hold Ronaldo and Rooney?
Isaiah -Definitely. While we’ve had some defensive deficiencies lately, we’re still one of the best defenses in La Liga on our day and our day will be Wednesday. Rooney is a hothead who will not like Milito and Puyol making him look like a fool, so he might blow up and if the ref has any sort of cojones, he’ll give The Churlish One a yellow somewhere in there for abuse. Of course, he won’t, but you know, he should. As for Cronaldo, he’ll flippyflop all over the place and probably score, but that’s sort of what he does, right?
Kevin -Like two babies, wrapped in swaddling clothes. Abidal will even follow Ronaldo to the loo, and Mr. Rooney….meet Mr. Yaya.

Q:If you get chance to swap your opponents for Real Madrid then will you take it?
Isaiah -Of course. RM sucks, ManU is good.
Kevin -I wouldn’t swap a used jockstrap for anything from the Evil Empire.

Q:1st leg at home, is it advantage or disadvantage?
Isaiah -Disadvantage, for sure. While it’d be nice to get started, it’s always nice to come home and know what needs to be done.
Kevin -Advantage. Huge. Even without Puyol. The lads will play better at home, and get all the jitters out of their system. The Camp Nou is worth a step for Xavi, and Messi really likes it there. It also seems to diminish Abidal’s Jackass Factor.

Man Utd-

Q:Do you think your defense can hold Messi and Henry?
Nick -The vintage Henry and a fully fit Messi would certainly be a challenge to contain for 90 minutes — but a struggling Henry and injury returnee Messi perhaps not so much.
But I’m sure Rio and company will take nothing for granted regarding those two.

Q:If you get chance to swap your opponents for Liverpool then will you take it?
Nick -Not a chance.If we have to play English opponents, it may as well be in Moscow.

Q:1st leg away from home, is it advantage or disadvantage?
Nick -Traditionally it’s always been the advantage to play the first leg away from home. I’m happy it worked out that way for us.

Enjoyable!! Isn’t it? Oddly enough but no one wants to meet Chelsea in final. Are they still that fearsome? Kevin, thats the best dig on Ronaldo I have ever heard. It was ROFL for me. By are you sure its panties? I think it might be diapers. Afterall he is cry baby. By the way, big thank you to all the contributors.