Few things I've observed:
1. Barca was the better team that night. United's effort, however valiant we might want to think it is, fell short.
2. Ferguson is a gracious in defeat - Something for Liverpool's manager to note. He said and I quote - "In fairness we were beaten by the best team. We weren't at our best. The first goal was a killer, it was a bad start to the game. If you give them the ball they will keep it all night." - http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=650241&cc=4716 . Now that's class ok.
3. United's defence - something that was the cornerstone for United's success so far - wasn't effective for the game.
4. United should take heart knowing that this season was a fantastic one - regardless of the outcome of last night's game. English premier league champions, Carling Cup winner and Club World Cup winner. Something that most EPL pretenders have not achieved since the formation of the Premier League (I think we all know who).
Before I end my post, I would like to note that strangely - I feel sorry for Newcastle United's Manager - Alan Shearer. The day Newcastle was relegated, Shearer said -
''I spoke to them (the players) in the dressing room and said 'you can make all the excuses you like."
''But I wasn't good enough, Mike Ashley is not good enough, the same with Chris Hughton, Kevin Keegan, Joe Kinnear (who have all managed Newcastle this season), people in the dressing room, all of us."
This is the mark of a great manager in the making. He first shoulder the blame - admitting that he wasn't good enough - often making you feel so sorry for him although he tookover when the club was already in dire straits. Maybe and just maybe, with him in-charge of the club next season, and given a free hand to manage Newcastle - they might just be able to climb back up to top flite football again. As for now, Scunthorpe United awaits..
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