Only saw this after the event, but the qualifying started last night. Brian Kerr's Faroe Islands went to Estonia, were 1-0 up for over an hour before conceding two 90th minute goals. Sickening.
Printable View
Only saw this after the event, but the qualifying started last night. Brian Kerr's Faroe Islands went to Estonia, were 1-0 up for over an hour before conceding two 90th minute goals. Sickening.
I watched most of the second half while waiting for the Welsh game to start. Surprised when I got back to see that Estonia had won, because it looked as though the Faroes were comfortable enough.
Spain were demolished tonight by the Portugese it finshed 4-0 but could easily have been 6.
Fairplay to them for beating Lichtenstein and Lithuania and edging Scotland, these are all top class teams. But they have shipped a worrying amount of goals in the games since Joburg
Mexico 1:1 Spain
L'stein 0:4 Spain
Argentina 4:1 Spain
Spain 3:1 Lithuania
Scotland 2:3 Spain
Portgual 4:0 Spain
They're a team that's passed its peak. I would argue that they peaked in 2008, but still had enough to grind out the World Cup win.
They are the greatest international side I have seen. France 98-00 would be the only team to come close, but I'd give Spain the nod for their ability to retain the ball for such long periods. They kept 5 clean sheets in 7 WC matches, and their defence is supposed to be their weak link. Says it all. Totally controlled the semi final against Germany, who had blown England and Argentina away.
Don't think this mini WC hangover will be much of an issue come the Euros, but the results are very surprising.
Well I think West Germany in 1990, France in 2000 and Yugoslavia in 1989-91 were better but the game has changed a lot since those days so maybe it's hard to compare.
I wonder what odds you would get for Spain to become the first winners not to sucessfully qualify for the next world cup (Brazil 2014).
Here are their starting XIs for those games btw:
vs. Argentina
23 Pepe Reina
3 Gerard Pique
4 Carlos Marchena
2 Nacho Monreal
17 Alvaro Arbeloa
14 Xabi Alonso
16 Buskets
7 David Villa
10 Cesc Fabregas
6 Andreas Iniesta
21 David Silva
vs. Portgual
1 Iker Casillas
5 Carlos Puyol
3 Gerard Pique
11 Joan Capdevila
15 Sergio Ramos
16 Buskets
14 Xabi Alonso
8 Xavi
6 Andreas Iniesta
7 David Villa
21 David Silva
It looks to me that teams have figured out there is a very brittle veneer to this team, and if you don't play into their hands (by stifling as the Paraguayans did, or by sucking their midfield into your half and then bypassing it as the Argentines and Portuguese did) you can overcome them.
Yeah, the line ups are very stong. Still though, friendlies are friendlies. On the subject, did you see Nani depriving Ronaldo a bit of a wonder goal in the game? Can't access it at work but if anybody wants to see it, just type 'Nani denies Ronaldo' into YouTube.
I'd imagine you'd get fairly serious odds on Spain not qualifying for any tournament. Didn't see any of that Yugoslav team really, but they must have been pretty decent to top that famous qualifying group containing Denmark. I remember watching Red Star win the European Cup alright, in a truly awful final.
http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/88/sp...medium=twitter
Look at the strop on Ronaldo when he realises - Great player but want an absolute cnut of a guy. Theres no "I" in Team Cristiano...... :-)
That's harsh, he's just p!ssed off because his team are denied a goal. I don't think he's bothered who takes the glory.Quote:
Originally Posted by Junior
.......
.......
.......
I joke, I joke!
Yeah I saw that, like I say it was a pretty comprehensive victory.... would have been a sensational goal alright!! Not sure if (a) Nani was offside - Pique (slid at the bottom of the screen) might have been playing him on or (b) had the ball crossed the line when Nani headed it ?
I think Spain should make the Euros (they only have the Scots and Czechs to contend with and the latter have already slipped up to the Lithuanians 1-0 at home), but if they get a harder draw - say with the likes of Croatia / Serbia / Switzerland they could slip up in qualification for 2014.
Yeah, the ball looked over the line to me. Not sure about the offside, thought it was but didn't take much notice. Just going back a bit, I'm not entirely sure what you meant by this...
Are you talking long balls over the top or swift counter attacks? (or neither?!) I think they are very difficult to counter attack against because they rarely leave themselves completely exposed by throwing eveything into an attack. It's a far more measured process where they either hold their positions or fill in for each other. This is when they are playing well obviously. I think (open to correction as he may have come on in the Argentina match?) Xavi was only on the pitch for one of those eight goals conceded, he really is their key man. Fabregas, as good as he is, has a long way to go before eventually filling his boots.Quote:
Originally Posted by cfdh_edmundo
I'm no fan of Ronaldo but it was Nani who was being selfish there. The ball was going in and his glory hunting cost them a goal.Quote:
Originally Posted by Junior
Yeah, I don't disagree but come on, that strop, what a tw@t
I can't argue with that!Quote:
Originally Posted by Junior
Swift counter attacks, that's pretty much what the Portuguese did, running at the empty Spanish midfield. The Germans didn't really have that outlet as Müller was suspended for the semi final. Argentina did the same with Banega releasing Teves or Messi.Quote:
Originally Posted by DeLorean
He was on in the second half in Buenos Aires, actually he didn't close down the Argentine midfielder (can't remember which one, might have been Cambiasso) who then hit it out to Heinze who crossed it for AgüeroQuote:
Originally Posted by DeLorean