A big mistakes that Fletcher was at the bench?

   There was always going to be a gulf in class between Barcelona and Manchester United at Wembley, but that should not disguise the fact that Sir Alex Ferguson's tactical choices prevented us from seeing a closer contest.

   They suffered from a lack of presence in midfield and I was quite surprised to see Darren Fletcher sat on the bench while Javier Hernandez partnered Wayne Rooney in a two-man attack.

   I know Fletcher had been out for a while due to a virus and was lacking a bit of fitness, but his natural enthusiasm and his desire to play in the final - having missed out due to suspension in 2009 - would have got him through it. But Fergie didn't take that chance and there must have been a very good reason not to do so.

   I would have had Fletcher in the side because a central midfield comprising Ryan Giggs and Michael Carrick was always going to lack legs. When you play Barcelona you are never going to have a lot of the ball so you need players with energy and at least one player with a bit of guile who can win the ball back and launch a counter-attack. United did not have that player, and suffered as a result as their midfield was overwhelmed.

   United pressed very well for the first 10 minutes or so and hounded Barcelona, but when Pep Guardiola's side did settle into their rhythm, Fergie's men were running out of energy and couldn't get near them. They desperately needed something in that midfield, four or five workmen, and they needed to disrupt the passing 'carousel'.

   Park Ji-Sung supplied some impetus but a 10-year-old has more energy than Michael Carrick. He is only effective if you are enjoying the lion's share of possession and it was never going to be that way against a Barca side that monopolises the ball.

   In fairness, there are very few teams who can stop Barcelona playing. Inter did so when knocking them out at the semi-final stage last season - they stifled them all over the pitch - but Jose Mourinho had the players to adopt that kind of approach and make it work.

   For Sir Alex and United, it is not in their mentality to play in a negative fashion; they try to stick to the club's tradition of attacking football. That meant United's midfield was outnumbered and outlclassed by Sergio Busquets, Andres Iniesta and Xavi, and they were inferior in all departments to be honest. The moment United's players tired, Barcelona capitalised and exploited the space.