Europa League Final

For those UK viewers who haven't got a BT subscription tonight's final and the ECL Final on Saturday are being broadcast live on youtube by BT for free.

BT youtube

Barry, thanks.

I hadn't kept track and was going to use the usual black market route.

Haven't given Villareal much thought since Collina and yet my enemies enemy is my friend. COYY

Come in United. Don't want the Spanish winning

"At the end of the day, I just hope football will be the winner"

Apart from Rotterdam, I think the Alaves RS 2001 UEFA final was the best to watch, even though the bastards ultimately - as always as nearly always - won it. A nine goal thriller between these two would be nice as well!

Something about the colour red, so with no other particular convictions I hope Villareal win. Although the Glazers deserve fuck all when it's said and done as well.

Cmon Villarreal! Suck it United!

Heart say Villareal. Head says mancs.

Pundits on BT seem to think it's a foregone conclusion, but I'm going for Villareal. Didn't realise they only got to the Spanish top division in 1998.

Barry

I recall it was a foregone conclusion that Liverpool would beat Sevilla, or Arsenal would be Zaragoza in the semi back in the day, or indeed Arsenal would beat Galatassary in the final. You never know, and Unai seems to be the Europa whisperer

Pogba looks on his toes tonight, I can see him making the difference.

Ha Kieran! Seamans was named Caveman after letting in that 40 yarder from the sideline.
And decent Rabona from Bacca 5 ago

Fuck yeah. V 1-0

Dale

Nayim wasn't it? ex Spurs man

That's a free kick.

Kieran I was in smoke cloud for that one. Thought it was an ex-Tenerife player but don't know Emery is in Ole's head here

Bit of a team, this Villarreal.

I see that Ramiro Funes Mori is on the bench for Villarreal.

Bill

Hopefully he stays there. Don't want him blowing it by decapitating Pogba and then doing his badge kissing routine

United fans want to see the back of Lindelof, looking at comments on BBC.
Yeah but who would sign him and pay the wages he would want. Damned if I know 🤔

Unai definitely landed on his feet. Seems a class guy from what I've read. And that has to be the fewest touches by Fernandes ever

Alan - shhhh!!

Goalscorer Gérard how ironic iso that haha

Pinball goal but 1-1

It's end to end isn't it, a game full of pace we are nowhere near this standard, we would have been embarrassed in Europe (again).

We would have 4 new signings though Joe, so who knows how we'd do.

What iritates me is that these got knocked out the CL but are allowed to go into this. It stinks. There would be no need for Europa Conference if uefa stopped that. Winning a competition you qualify for by getting knocked out of another.

Rashford again killing it in the overrated player league.

Couple nice passes maybe Will, not much else. Real wingers a dying breed these days.

Tell me about it, David - and yet so many games look lacking in exactly that.

Yep, l'd have Trevor Steven over James all day.

Southgate will pick Rashford in the Euros but he's been crap for 12 months, and that's from United fans I know.

Ha ha, brilliant!

Amazing penalty decider United v Villarreal. Every penalty converted until it came to the keepers to take one. Superb penalty taking.

Incredible standard in the penalty shoot-out. De Gea the unlucky one to have the only miss. Yellow Submarine sinks United.

What I tell you? Emery wins the Unai cup again. Great but for “busted flushes” Utd get the booby prize of ESL along with other trophyless wonders Real and Arsenal.

Villareal = Heroes! A real David vs Goliath performance.

Some nerve and bottle by Villa Real,good game management and well done.

Staggeringly goods pens, wow! Result barely matters after that. Talk in the commentary of "Inquest" about United losing is so entitled, really.

That was remarkable. Every pen well taken until De Gea. Villarreal get CL, well done Emery I take it back , Shaw's sucked but Rulli let him off

Feel good for Emery who was laughed at and hounded out of English football for his language difficulties

Colin

He was hard done by at PSG too but four European trophies he gets the last laugh

Delighted glad ole didn't get his trophy. Underdog vs a Goliath of a club. A timely slap for a “big six club” ha ha ha.
This is what we have been dreaming about lately for Everton

Shower of miserable bastards............. All removing their medals from around their necks. Made up they got beat!!

The chaps from across the park will be singing and dancing

Funes Mori with a winners medal!

I know, Rob. Bad form that.

David (29),I'd have James, the young right winger of Man.Unt. over James,our part timer player any day of the week, young, energetic, and rearing to go for every game.

shows what heart and genuine team spirit can do

And organisation, Anthony.

Bit hypocritical from Lineker saying Emery was the butt of jokes in England when he and his pals on motd made a point at laughing at his English every Saturday!!

Dave you reckon on James? He's fast enough but his goals and assists are few and far between. I'd say he's like Traore, looks the part but no end product

Colin

Lineker is a bit of a bastard really. There was that Man U youngster talking about how Lineker ridiculed his slim build and large ears. Really affected the lad.

Everton that! The last penalty that De Gea saved was when he faced Lukaku in the Semi-Final in 2016.

Conte has left Inter Milan and apparently Spurs is his destination.

In your face, Bruno Fernandez! What a cheeky bastard that Fernandez is.

Congrats to Villarreal. Well done.

The last thing we needed was for that lot to think they were back in the big time. It's been great watching Man Utd these last few years. Hopefully this is just the kick in the bollocks they need to maintain that standard.

Barry

Interesting to see Inter have done a Portsmouth, Las Vegas or bust. Won a trophy now facing financial ruin. A team mostly of veterans, a few like Erickson bought by the board, opposed by the manager. All on inflated wages. Sounds a lot like the current Everton gameplan under Mosh

Kieran (48), possibly Kieran, but he is still very young and hasn't had a consistent run in the team, he is a tough little nut, a fighter, plenty of pace like you say, can dribble, tackle and pass, I think he can make, and take, his potential into a very good career, whereas James, our player, is on the decline and his good days are fading fast, unfortunately.

How fitting that one of our very own "Septic Six" lost to a club they consider not worthy enough to share a pitch with them.

Thomas R #42 - as for what the red shite might think of this result, they're insanely jealous not just of manure but of each and every one of the rest of the Septic Six. Problem for then on Saturday is that City and Chavs can't both lose!!

Delighted with the result and that open goal miss by Rashford - what a laugh - SAF would have shot him. Well, no, he wouldn't be at Man Utd to start off with.

I suppose this thread is as good as any to put this out.
I wasn't aware of this technology, never mind that it has been trialled at an unnamed Premier League club this season.
George Bond of the Mail reports:

Sportsmail first revealed in October 2019 that the League were exploring the use of limb-tracking technology to provide instant calls on offsides.

The system has undergone a successful trial at a Premier League club for the last year, and four teams - Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United - will have it in place next season. The system could be fully operational as soon as 2023.

Premier League officials told Sportsmail in March that they backed the Hawkeye system's rapid response, as assistant referees were being criticised for keeping their flags down while waiting for a VAR review at the end of a phase of play.

Hawkeye

Wasn't aware of that either Barry.

I personally don't think there's necessarily an issue with the technology. I think, especially with regards to offside, we need to look at the rule. I'd prefer the "daylight" option we had a few years ago (unless I imagined it). But even then there will be fine margins and judgement so I get the need for the technology.

I don't like the way the officials have kept flags down and let play go for too long this season. I get the understanding to let the game flow and play the advantage, but the counter to that is that a player could get unnecessarily injured in the subsequent follow on play when there was an obvious decision to be made.

And ultimately, football needs better officials of the same standard they have in Rugby Union. The players and supporters respect them because they know the game and the rules, so make better decisions most of the time (not always; there's never a 100% solution) regardless as to whether they use technology or not.