The last three teams left in the European Cup are Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea. How unutterably horrible. This may be the first European Cup final ever that I actively don't want to watch.

I guess I want Liverpool to win, as the third most hateful club left. I used to quite like them but I've gradually grown to despise their sterile, lacklustre football and their wanker of a manager.

All of Chelsea's achievements are utterly discredited while they are relying on Abramovich's dirty billions. But nonetheless, the thought of the likes of John Terry and Ashley Cole lifting the European Cup is too horrific to contemplate. The one plus point is that it would be faintly hilarious to see the modest, seemingly inept, and actually quite likeable, Avram Grant achieve what Jose Mourinho desperately craved to achieve but never could.

Manchester United's redeeming feature is that they play by far the best football of the three. But no one with an ounce of soul would ever wish them any success whatsoever. Plus their manager is the biggest cunt of them all.

I can see a certain black humour in Liverpool winning a torpid final 1-0 (Kuyt, 3) with a desperate backs-to-the-wall defensive performance. But that's about as good as it gets.

The European Cup wasn't supposed to be like this.

I have the complete opposite position to you. Although I abhor non-champions going into the European Cup a Man U Chelsea Final or a Man U beating Liverpool final would be great.

Hofzinser wrote:

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I can see a certain black humour in Liverpool winning a torpid final 1-0 (Kuyt, 3) with a desperate backs-to-the-wall defensive performance. But that's about as good as it gets.

That's the result I want but I'd rather see a 120th minute penalty awarded after a blatant dive by Steven Gerrard - and then Ferguson's head explodes.

Hofzinser wrote:

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The one plus point is that it would be faintly hilarious to see the modest, seemingly inept, and actually quite likeable, Avram Grant achieve what Jose Mourinho desperately craved to achieve but never could

He was probably slightly less desperate after winning it in 2004 ;)

The one plus point is that it would be faintly hilarious to see the modest, seemingly inept, and actually quite likeable, Avram Grant achieve what Jose Mourinho desperately craved to achieve but never could.

That's not actually true is it? He did achieve it, just not with Chelsea.

But it is grotesque, you're right. Only lightened by the fact that there's no Arsenal left in it. Then it really would be awful.

I couldn't agree more.

I think I would probably edge Chelsea as the least worst option.

It has always got on my goat that fans of other big clubs have sneered at Chelsea's dirty millions, as if the wealth earned by United, Arsenal and the rest as a result of the stitch-up that is the Champions League qualification system were somehow honorable.

I would also laugh a lot if Avram Grant won something and the newspapers' finest had to backtrack on their sneering "whycan'twehaveJoseback" position.

And Rafa is a wanker.

And no, not United, never.

Part of me wanted Utd ( whom I support ) to lose last night - losing the final to L'pool, not good......

Wes Brown & Rio were excellent, Rio's the nearest thing to a captain we've got in Gary Nev's absence. Fletcher's the new Scholes in that he gets in the vital touches without being spectacular. Life in Scholes yet, great strike.

I am quite well aware that Mourinho won the European Cup with Porto - I was, surely obviously, referring to the fact that he was desperate to win it for Chelsea, which he never did.

Aye, slightly less desperate.

I'm relaxed about the situation- have been since Celtgers and Rangtic got knocked out, to be honest.

Hofzinser, I read your opening post nodding my head in agreement throughout (metaphorically speaking of course, or else it would be hard to keep reading). I agree entirely, except that I don't really mind Liverpool winning. Certainly the least bad option of the three, and it would be great for OTF reasons.

Thing is, I think Man Utd will murder them in the final. And I reckon they'll go out tonight anyway.

But anyway, what Hofzinser said.

Quite horribly, I think I am edging towards Chelsea as the least worst option as well.

I am absolutely at a loss as to explain why, perhaps because I think this is the winner that would attract slightly less hype , despite the fact I am based near London. I think I have just guaranteed a Liverpool win tonight there.

Whoever wins in the final , please let it not be from a "rope-a-dope" performance like Man U's over the two legs of the semi-final and Liverpool's default setting.

QUOTE:
Only lightened by the fact that there's no Arsenal left in it. Then it really would be awful.

Couldn't agree more. All the other cuntery seems like a breath of fresh air in comparison.

You know how, on very odd occasions, there is a reason for wanting the team you despise more than any other to succeed? Well, I have today been trying to come to terms with the fact that I actually want Liverpool to come away with a result tonight and progress to the final. Because a Manchester United/Chelsea final would surely beone of the most execrable of experiences. Not so much because it would necessarily be a bad game, but because, especially given whatever the outcome of the race for the Premier League title turns out to be, one side will be out for nothing but retribution, and it will become possibly the dirtiest, niggliest, nastiest, aggro-ridden, dive-sodden game of football ever played.

I think that I want Liverpool to win but, really, football is the loser any which way.

Can we not just vote for this and all future Champions Leagues to be put out of their misery.
While we are about it, can we get everyone that says they "want an all English" final banned for life from football?

Do they not remember when the European Cup (a completely different and superior competition, of course) was glamourous? Remember when Liverpool used to beat glamourous sounding clubs from glamourous sounding countries with glamourous sounding names. Oh, and Brugge.

I don't mind, I haven't invested much time in this but it must be a non-event for you guys that have.

The FA Cup though, there is a reall football event

King Mob wrote:

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it will become possibly the dirtiest, niggliest, nastiest, aggro-ridden, dive-sodden game of football ever played.

That's actually a far more entertaining proposition than I am expecting from any permutation of the finalists.