Well, yesterday's Champions League final pitted perhaps the two most even sides ever to face each other in the competition's history. There probably isn't more than a point's worth of difference between the sides over the course of a campaign. The kind of match we saw yesterday was almost guaranteed because of the near extreme familiarity that both sides have with each other (if it were Liverpool, then it would be psycho extreme familiarity over the past 4 seasons). Needless to say, after Lamps scored in the 45th, from that moment on, I found it difficult to breathe.
Of all of Chelsea's players to miss from the spot, the player I wouldn't want to see miss was JT. JT is what's right with football, plays the game the right way (and hard), supports the attack, plays through some tough injuries and is a fantastic captain for the blues. Obviously, if J Cole, A Cole, le sulk (well, he missed) or Drogba missed, that would have made me happy. To have that happen to JT is simply cruel.
I think Utd created far more chances, and, save for some profilgacy in front of goal from Carrick and Tevez and the heroics of JT in AET, it really wouldn't have mattered in the 2d half. Remember, the blues only had 1 shot on goal from 24. Also, their lack of discipline (they jointly led the prem in sending offs with Blackburn) cost them in the end.
As to a solution to replacing spot kicks to decide these matters, I have long supported reducing both sides by 1 when going into AET to expand the pitch, open up more play, etc. Maybe in the 2d AET session, reduce by another player, but both reduced players would be eligible for spot kick duty at the end of AET.
But, in the end, the Busby Babes have been given quite the gift and must still be partying in the great beyond!!
Right now, it just sounds so great: Champions of England, Champions of Europe. Glory Glory Man Utd!
Now, both Chelsea and Man Utd have to begin thinking of next season, as we both have some problems (us in attack, need a right back come to mind, while Chelsea will have to sort out the post-Jose situation, Grant's deal, Lamps, Drogba, Carvalho, Malouda, will the russian sell?, etc.).