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Well Germany crushed Argentina.
What's to say they will not crush Spain?
Spain's record in the World Cup does not look great.
I can get 2-1 at Betfair, that looks like a good deal.
However I have lost all my world cup bets so far :D (IIRC).
Anyway I have my money on now so I wait yet another of my 'betting disasters'
All looks good on paper, England 4:1 Argentina 4:0, looks better
than Spain's 1:0 wins over Portugal and Paraguay.
I wonder how the reality will pan out?
Where the hell is Fabregas? What does he have to do to get on that team. Pedro? he was rubbish in the CL, a joke, I think the tall guy Spain brought on in one of their previous games was quite good.......................
Living in London now.................................man I miss RTE
Never underestimate a team making up for two lost world wars ;)
All the BBC pundits say Spain, so they will all be eating humble pie I hope.
In their entirety, Barca were rather blunt in the CL this year. They never played as well as they did the year before. Pedro was one of many others who didn't play up to their standards.Quote:
Originally Posted by bennocelt
Out of curiosity, how many times dud you see him play?
Pedro has had an amazing domestic season for Barca. He has great ability. He fully deserves to be in the Spanish side and he's still settling into it. AFAIK, he only made his debut in the warm-up games before the WC.
The reason Fabregas isn't starting is because he doesn't fit into del Bosque's favoured system. With Torres out, Villa will take his spot at the front and Pedro can fill Villa's regular role a lot better than Fabregas could.
i surely did. got it at 20/1 with paddypower, pity i only went a fiver! also backed holland at 9/1 each way to win it out.
and entered finn harps prediction game with spain to beat holland in the final, though had them beating argentina and england in the semis, still i think Im in with an outside shout of getting a prize in that competition as long as spain get through tonight
Typical bang goes my money :(
17 minutes to get it back.
After defending him, he goes and wastes a chance to seal it.
Yeah, he should have passed. If he hadn't tripped though... cracking little player; I don't understand the criticism of him above. If Fabregas is to get into that team, he'll have to beat Iniesta or Xavi (Hernandes, not Alonso).Quote:
Originally Posted by superfrank
I thought Spain were tremendous tonight. I said earlier in this thread that they hadn't been consistent, but they were consistent over 90 minutes tonight.
Germany decided not to press the Spanish in their own half as the Paraguayans had done effectively, presumably as they wanted to keep as many players between the ball and the goal as possible when Spain had possession. They were willing to let Spain pass the ball into their half, but the problem with that was that it killed their usually effective counter attack. The one or two chances they had to counter they wasted with poor passes. And when Puyol got the goal, not much changed, as Spain kept the ball easily, and apart from that one Kroos chance, Germany created nothing.
Yes problem for Germany is that Spain were not as disogansied in defense as England or Argentina and needed to get more
behind the ball to defend against Spain who were good with the ball.
Still had Germany been awarded a penalty it could have been so different.
I'm am pretty sure Germany would have won if I had backed Spain!!
SO I just have to decide which team to give the kiss of death to in the final now.
I think you're being a little harsh on Germany, osarusan. I thought they looked dangerous at times, and while Spain were the better team, it wasn't as one-sided as you're making out.
I thought that was a brilliant and utterly compelling game of football. Germany did pretty well but when Spain went up through the gears they were in a different league. Still, Germany rode the storm & made a chance or two, and how frustrating it must be for Germany to concede from a corner. I thought Pique cleared Puyol's path very cleverly. Spain were deserving winners in the end. I'd be very surprised if Holland can beat them.
Spain won all 10 in qualifying and 5 out of 6 here. Holland won all 8 in qualifying and all 6 so far here. In 2008 Spain won the tournament and Holland had 3 wins out of 4 and all wins against top teams. What a run of form each is bringing into this final.
At least now I might have so chance to claw some money back with Spain in the final
To be fair Pedro did play well, but could you imagine the flack he would have got if the Germans had scored - (but Inter Milan had him in their pocket, no problems.)
Still think the game was dying for Fabregas to come on, Des Bosq is a stubborn old fella
There is a great chance for the Dutch now, who many seem to be labelling as rank underdogs, if you watch the BBC it seems there is no point in the Dutch turning up - absolute folly. I can see the physicality of the Dutch, esp at free kicks, causing the Spanish some problems. I saw the Dutch three times when I was out there (vs Japan, Slovakia and Brazil) and on each occasion their tricky play prized open stubbon opposition. The Dutchmen are yet to lose a game in the competition and I hope (and think) this will continue into the final, they have shown resiliance against the Brazilians in turning the game around.
Sneidjer, Robben, Van Bommell, Heitinga (and to a lesser extent others like Huntelaar - who I dont really rate as a player) have all spent time in La Liga and will be aware of the tricks they might pull. If there is a smidgen of justice in this world Capdevilla, Busquet and the other villians won't lift the trophy. For all the noshingoff about the "lovely passing game" the Spanish play they've yet to really dismantle a team (save Honduras) - eeking past a 10 man Chile, an ineffective Portugal and a sadly labouring German team by a single goal. Plucky Paraguay gave them a real test and the Spanish floundered but for the aid of a bizzare series of ricochets off the posts.
Did anyone else think that was not a peno for Germany?? Couldnt believe the whole panel thought it was. Decent game, Germany perhaps not as good as we hoped them to be. Best team performance by Spain so far, in no small part to the omission of the out of form Torres. Agree with above posters on Fabregas, there is no doubt the guy should be starting but with such a qualify midfield its hard to fit him in the XI.
Spain deserved their win, no question, must have had 60%+ possession, only real chance for Germany was Kloos chance which wasnt easy but perhaps was struck more or so at the keeper.
Final is equally intriguing, expect a similar game to tonight. Wont be an open attacking classic but I do think the Dutch in Robben in particular will offer more going forward than Germany did tonight.
I didn't notice it at the time, but looking at the BBC report, it seems there wasn't even one yellow card in the game. Pretty impressive for a world cup semi-final.
I thought it would have been very soft myself.Quote:
Originally Posted by elroy
What a great game of football. I thought Spain controlled the entire game. 1-2's.1-2-3's. Running off the ball. The wit and guile to change from short corners to hitting it toward the peno spot for Puyol. Dropping Torres. And all of this achieved on a playing surface that would not be tolerated in the United Churches Division 3. They made a good Germany side look tired and confused. I can't wait for the final.
It was never a penalty, he'd lost control of the ball it would have been ridiculously harsh.
Spain were good, composed, patient and pretty clinical the chance at the end that Pedro should have played in Torres apart, I think they were comfortably the better side. As always you can't score without the ball, the Spanish possession game may not be everyone's cup of tea but it's damned effective.
have money on villa myself. that "sneider goal" v Brazil was 100% an own goal. mad decision!Quote:
Originally Posted by Den Perry