Spain win Euro 2012

[colinmk]

Still think their team would benefit from a quality striker like Llorente. He is a handful and drags people all over he place, making space for others and obviously he would provide a proper target for their crosses and corners. Barca and Spain play quite differently imo. Formations are similar however not the same and the style is significantly different. Barca's play is pure attacking football, Spain's I would call midfield possession football.

[Guest Roger Kint]

Still think their team would benefit from a quality striker like Llorente. He is a handful and drags people all over he place, making space for others and obviously he would provide a proper target for their crosses and corners. Barca and Spain play quite differently imo. Formations are similar however not the same and the style is significantly different. Barca's play is pure attacking football, Spain's I would call midfield possession football.

 

Exactly, personally dont think its boring but it is the complete refusal to have a 'Plan B' that pisses me off. Barca dont have it(with Messi its not often its needed either) but Spain do and he wont do it yet will play Fabregas with two wingers at the end? WTF for?

[Ketsbaia]

The lack of Llorente is frustrating. I dunno if he shagged Del Bosque's daughter but when you bring on Navas and theres only midgets to meet his crosses, theres something wrong.

[alpal78]

Seriously how can you enjoy Spain match? It is f***ing boring.  It is a f***ing negative tactics that the aim is to eliminating opponent's chance by having as much possession as possible. That is not Barca FFS.

 

I'm with you, its f***ing boring. Passing is a means to attack not an ends in itself. It's all fine showing of your passing skills, but very little action takes place in the final third of the pitch. I suppose the Barca bumming boys might find Spain's play enjoyable because of oooh look at their possession statistics. I hope Germany t*** them in the final. 

 

Absolutely mental opinion. The idea that Barca or Spain are boring is ridiculous, you're not fully appreciating all the aspects of football if you think that IMO.

 

Patience, technique, persistence, pressing the ball in defense, I could watch them play all day.

 

Also, as Iniesta said the other day, teams set out to contain and frustrate Spain, so that results in a tight game. If people would be brave enough to attack them, the game would be more open.

 

You misunderstood me, I like Barca's style because they have that cutting edge largely due to the combination of Iniesta and Messi. Spain is Barcelona without Messi and without that cutting edge in the final third, they are f***ing boring. The whole 'other teams set out to frustrate Spain" is just an excuse (do you expect Iniesta to admit that they are boring s***). Whilst it might be true for some games, it does not always apply. For the record for large part of yesterday's game Portugal looked like the team more intent on attacking and instead of exploiting this, Spain was just fannying around passing the ball in midfield and showing off their superior passing and possession stats. Sorry football is about scoring goals not passing the ball aimlessly

[Guest Roger Kint]

The lack of Llorente is frustrating. I dunno if he shagged Del Bosque's daughter but when you bring on Navas and theres only midgets to meet his crosses, theres something wrong.

 

Yeah. Its really strange that the pretty un-spanish Negrado started last night, was predictably awful and got Ben Arfa'ed(TM wireside) instead of starting Llorente. Has he even got on the pitch this tournament?

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Seriously how can you enjoy Spain match? It is f***ing boring.  It is a f***ing negative tactics that the aim is to eliminating opponent's chance by having as much possession as possible. That is not Barca FFS.

 

I'm with you, its f***ing boring. Passing is a means to attack not an ends in itself. It's all fine showing of your passing skills, but very little action takes place in the final third of the pitch. I suppose the Barca bumming boys might find Spain's play enjoyable because of oooh look at their possession statistics. I hope Germany t*** them in the final. 

 

Absolutely mental opinion. The idea that Barca or Spain are boring is ridiculous, you're not fully appreciating all the aspects of football if you think that IMO.

 

Patience, technique, persistence, pressing the ball in defense, I could watch them play all day.

 

Also, as Iniesta said the other day, teams set out to contain and frustrate Spain, so that results in a tight game. If people would be brave enough to attack them, the game would be more open.

 

You misunderstood me, I like Barca's style because they have that cutting edge largely due to the combination of Iniesta and Messi. Spain is Barcelona without Messi and without that cutting edge in the final third, they are f***ing boring. The whole 'other teams set out to frustrate Spain" is just an excuse (do you expect Iniesta to admit that they are boring s***). Whilst it might be true for some games, it does not always apply. For the record for large part of yesterday's game Portugal looked like the team more intent on attacking and instead of exploiting this, Spain was just fannying around passing the ball in midfield and showing off their superior passing and possession stats. Sorry football is about scoring goals not passing the ball aimlessly

 

OK, I agree a cutting edge is better, but I just think it's becoming the fashionable opinion to say Spain/Barca are boring at the moment. Nobody was saying that when they were passing their way to every trophy going. Obviously they haven't been at their best in this tournament like.

 

Personally I don't think their passing is aimless, possession is everything in football and when you control it you control the game.

 

Anyway, each to their own, personally I quite like the audacity of playing without a striker and believing that you can follow your philosophy to those extremes. I enjoy fast paced football with great strikers on show, but I enjoy this just as much.

[colinmk]

Ian, there is a huge difference in the way Barca and Spain play.

[ElDiablo]

I think everyone appreciates Spain's ability in keeping the ball and one touch stuff, but there's a line between using it to your advantage and spoiling the game. So far they've verged on the latter. There seems a definite reluctance to make runs in behind or commit men forward for the sake of keeping the ball which is a shame when you look at their squad.

[Mistle17]

I don't have problem at all with the way Spain, prior to this summer and currently. I enjoy the way they keep the ball and bid their time. And, as Ian W quoted Iniesta saying; teams set up to shut out Spain and prevent them from playing in behind, and without a recognised striker (open to debate) that's going to prove difficult.

 

If people think Spain are boring then Jesus Christ I take it no one watched Ireland?

[Ocho]

It'd be interesting to hear what the Spanish players think about playing with no recognised strikers.

 

I'm sure Xavi, Iniesta and Silva would prefer someone like Torres running behind defenders, for them to slide balls through.

[Andy]

It'd be interesting to hear what the Spanish players think about playing with no recognised strikers.

 

I'm sure Xavi, Iniesta and Silva would prefer someone like Torres running behind defenders, for them to slide balls through.

 

Looks like it's about to win them another major trophy so they probably don't give a fuck.

[Dave]

It's fashionable to say it's fashionable to say they're boring. Boring.

[Cronky]

If I had to pick between Iniesta and Ronaldo, I'd pick Iniesta every time. I thought his performance was phenomenal last night. A lot of things didn't come off for him, but his energy levels and his ability to hold and use the ball under pressure were brilliant. He seemed to be playing in the 119th minute in the same way that he was playing in the 1st. (only slight exaggeration)

 

I'd say he's the second best player in the world.

[steve_69]

It's fashionable to say it's fashionable to say they're boring. Boring.

 

I disagree. People watch football to be entertained and if they, like me, don't find the way Spain play entertaining then it is boring.  When I watch a game I want to see skill, aggression, physicality and lots of goal scoring opportunities - that, to me, is what makes a game exciting.  I respect the way Spain play and I obviously appreciate that they are technically superior to the vast majority of teams but do I find them exciting to watch? No.

 

[Dave]

[Andy]

It's fashionable to say it's fashionable to say they're boring. Boring.

 

I disagree. People watch football to be entertained and if they, like me, don't find the way Spain play entertaining then it is boring.  When I watch a game I want to see skill, aggression, physicality and lots of goal scoring opportunities - that, to me, is what makes a game exciting.  I respect the way Spain play and I obviously appreciate that they are technically superior to the vast majority of teams but do I find them exciting to watch? No.

 

 

I disagree, I think they're pretty boring to watch overall, I certainly wouldn't say I find them exciting.

[NG32]

Sam Allerdyce is Spains next manager.

[Cronky]

It's the Arsenal - Swansea continuum. When a team are keeping possession in order to penetrate a defence, it's exciting. When a team are keeping possession just to starve the opposition of opportunities or wear them out, it's boring.

 

When Barca or Spain get a lead, they can become boring. Last season, I became particularly conscious of that with Barca.

[steve_69]

It's fashionable to say it's fashionable to say they're boring. Boring.

 

Ah, now i see what you did. Fucksticks!

[Shak]

Spain games generally are boring to watch, to be honest.

 

The way they set up is very, very cautious. They rarely commit more than a couple of men to the box on an attack, and they very rarely try anything too ambitious when in possession. The result is that it's incredibly difficult to score goals against them as you rarely have possession of the ball and when you do get it they generally have a lot of men behind the ball so you can't hit them on the break.

 

The strategy is to deny the opposition any goal threat and patiently probe away at teams in the final third, waiting for a lapse in concentration from the defence or a moment of magic from one of Spain's players. The result is that they don't create that many chances, but they allow their opponents absolutely nothing.

 

In the knockout rounds of the last three international tournaments Spain have played 9 games. In those games they've scored 10 goals and conceded none in games that generally don't have a lot of chances. It shouldn't be that hard to see why some people find them dull to watch.

 

That doesn't mean I don't appreciate how good they are. No other team in the world could play the way they do, the touch, technique and coolness on the ball is absolutely amazing, with the exception of Arbeloa the whole team is absolutely top class in their use of the ball. We may never see another side like them and they should be appreciated while they're here.

 

I'm sure that all the people who call them boring do appreciate how good they are, but they're entitled to call them boring IMO.

[gbandit]

OK, I agree a cutting edge is better, but I just think it's becoming the fashionable opinion to say Spain/Barca are boring at the moment. Nobody was saying that when they were passing their way to every trophy going. Obviously they haven't been at their best in this tournament like.

 

Personally I don't think their passing is aimless, possession is everything in football and when you control it you control the game.

 

Anyway, each to their own, personally I quite like the audacity of playing without a striker and believing that you can follow your philosophy to those extremes. I enjoy fast paced football with great strikers on show, but I enjoy this just as much.

 

I'm a fan of technical football and while it's disappointing that Spain don't try and take the game to other teams more and pass through them rather than pass between themselves I still love to watch them play when they use wonderful touch and control.

 

I don't find watching Spain boring but I'd prefer to see Germany win the title as I think they have been pro-active and wanted it more. Tournament after tournament, Germany turn up and score incredible long range goals, dictate play and take the game to the opposition. Always playing offensively.

 

Making a reference to boxing here, no one prefers to watch a boxer hold their opponent in a match and pick them off. They want to see them beat the other guy up. That's what we want to see Spain do and they're capable of it. They should have played llorente from the first game and started him, that is by far my biggest hang up with them but I'll always love watching Xavi and Iniesta play.

[David28]

Weird, very weird looking line-up by Löw today:

 

Neuer, Hummels, Badstuber, Lahm Boateng, Khedira, Schweinsteiger, Özil, Kroos, Podolski, Gomez.

 

So, Gomez and Podolski back for Klose and Schürrle. Kroos for Reus? Strange one. Probably a different tactic today.

[David28]

Italy btw:

 

Buffon, Chielini, Balzaretti, Barzagli, Bonucci, Marchisio, De Rossi, Montolivo, Pirlo, Balotelli, Cassano.

[Jill]

Hope Gomez bags a goal or two.

[Segun Oluwaniyi]

Low is a strange man. Kroos has played eighteen minutes in the entire tournament and he starts against what will be Germany's most difficult test to this point. I suppose Ozil stays wide, now? I don't understand why Muller has been banished, either.