> The English game? Man United play the English game? Don't speak rubbish.
> They play with continental flair, using counter attacks and passing
> football. And luck, gallons of luck.

They play more of the English game than the continental versions.  I
think the word 'continental' is perhaps a bit misleading, in that most
people seem to assume it means a lot of good passing, brilliant flair
all the time, and scads of truly spectacular goals.  Let's look at the
reality:

Italy:  The better side passes the ball around the back four for most of
the game, occasionally passing it forward where a brief attack on goal
may or may not occur.  If it doesn't happen, the midfielders scramble to
get the ball and then hastily re-set by passing it back to the back
four.

Germany:  Like Italy except that once a goal is scored, the winning side
stops passing forward and takes off a striker.

Spain:  Everyone thinks they're an attacker.  Brilliant single-handed
runs into clumps of defenders, 9 times of out 10 resulting in losing the
ball.  Little passing because everyone thinks they can go all the way by
themselves.  Lots of breakaway goals because the opposition defense has
been in attack (see Brasil for examples).

Holland:  Lots of skill on the ball and fancy tricks and, occasionally,
an attempt to move the ball towards the goal and score, if it isn't too
much trouble.

France:  Like Italy, until they get impatient, then like Spain.

England:  Continuous pressure on the ball, much use of the flanks, lots
of crossing, high work-rate.  As the season progresses, most players get
knackered and die.  The club with the most and/or most fit players wins
the title.

--
'There are no stupid questions, only stupid people.'
manc0046@sable.ox.ac.uk - http://users.ox.ac.uk/~manc0046