on this day.........

[moomba]

What was the reasoning for this?

It was just something different for the Boro defence to deal with. We had plenty of small/mid sized slow forwards. James went up front, knocked defenders on their arse, got his head on the ball and ultimately won the penalty that would have sent us through to Europe (if Schwarzer didn't save from Fowler).

James was hilariously bad, running around like a baby giraffe. But it was effective.

 

[SM]

To this day, the weirdest feeling at a match.

Reyna's coming off for .... Weaver?

WTF?

Nearly worked to.

We did that a few times back in the 90s, and think the keeper actually scored.

 

[chef]

 

[WealstoneRaider]

Couple of days late with this one, but one of my earliest football memories

 

[chef]

It was a good day.

 

[Bojan KantKick]

 

[chef]

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Selected ahead of the injured Ray Clemence and became a hero in front of the North Stand.

 

[chef]

 

[Bojan KantKick]

 

[chef]

Just looking at stats you wouldnt get how collosus Drogba was for Chelsea.

 

[Zidane98]

 

[Zidane98]

 

[Zidane98]

Just looking at stats you wouldnt get how collosus Drogba was for Chelsea.

apollo_creed loves this post

 

[Cruyff14]

Just looking at stats you wouldnt get how collosus Drogba was for Chelsea.

One of the best big game players I've seen.

 

[glenferry23]

Just looking at stats you wouldnt get how collosus Drogba was for Chelsea.

His stats in Finals are ridiculous. Almost as good as his record against Arsenal

 

[Bojan KantKick]

Just looking at stats you wouldnt get how collosus Drogba was for Chelsea.

Just a wind up buddy.

 

[ADL9798]

 

[Cruyff14]

That Milan back four was nuts.

 

[ADL9798]

That Milan back four was nuts.

Their whole team was nuts.

 

[Cruyff14]

Yeah, true. No flaws in that team.

 

[glenferry23]

That Milan back four was nuts.

It reads like the back 4 of one of your combined XIs

That was one hell of a team Liverpool defeated.

 

[Cruyff14]

It reads like the back 4 of one of your combined XIs

That was one hell of a team Liverpool defeated.

It's probably the best back club four that I have seen IMO.

 

[ADL9798]

Yeah, true. No flaws in that team.

It reads like the back 4 of one of your combined XIs

That was one hell of a team Liverpool defeated.

This got me thinking about other Champions League finalists over the last 30 years - some of my favourite XIs that I can remember:

Milan 1989-1990
Galli
Tassoti Costacurta Baresi Maldini
Colombo Rijkaard Ancelotti Evani
Gullit Van Basten

Ajax 1995
Van der Sar
Reiziger Blind Rijkaard de Boer
Seedorf Davids Litmanen
Kluivert de Boer Overmars

Juventus 1998
Peruzzi
Toricelli Iuliano Montero
Di Livio Deschamps Davids Pessotto
Zidane Del Piero
Inzaghi

Milan 2005
Dida
Cafu Staam Nesta Maldini
Seedorf Pirlo Gattuso
Kaka
Shevchenko Crespo

United 2008
Van der Saar
Brown Ferdinand Vidic Evra
Scholes Hargreaves Carrick
Tevez Rooney Ronaldo

Chelsea 2008
Cech
Essien Terry Carvalho Cole
Ballack Makelele Lampard
Malouda Drogba Cole

Barcelona 2011
Valdes
Alves Pique Mascherano Abidal
Xavi Busquets Iniesta
Villa Messi Pedro

Bayern 2013
Neuer
Lahm Boateng Dante Alaba
Martinez Schweinsteiger
Robben Muller Ribery
Mandzukic

Barcelona 2015
Valdes
Alves Pique Mascherano Alba
Rakitic Busquets Iniesta
Suarez Messi Neymar

Real Madrid 2016-2018
Navas
Carvajal Ramos Pepe Marcelo
Kroos Casemiro Modric
Bale Benzema Ronaldo

Liverpool 2018-2019
Alisson
Arnold Gomez Van Dijk Robertson
Henderson Fabinho Wijnaldum
Salah Firmino Mané

 

[Zidane98]

The man was true to his word.