FIFA World Cup 2014 - GROUP B [Spain, Netherlands, Chile, Australia - 13/18/23 June] **spoilers**

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Boring the opposition to death doesn't seem to be the way to do well in this WC, and as a result it's been great so far compared to SA.
 
On the game earlier in the day, Aussie were impressive again and even if they lost to Spain could go home proud. Scored some great goals, played some great football, took two very good teams to hard fought victories.

I do feel that Holland were taking the game a bit easy as after they went 2-1 down the ease with which they upped the gears and drew level then won the game was, well, a team with that extra gear they were trying to not use.

It is pretty funny that RVP has scored the best Tim Cahill special headed goal, and Tim Cahill scored the best RVP special volleyed goal.

RVP has been on fire, so many brilliant touches, as above after they went 2-1 down the amount of truly great chances Holland made was impressive. Several where RVP did no look passes to set others up, one he could have blasted with his right but cut it back for De Jong perfectly who really should have scored. Holland probably took the game a bit lightly and thought they could save a little energy for Chile, but in the final 30 mins they could have scored multiple goals which would have been a bit harsh on the scoreline so glad it was a tight victory.

With spain you would presume utterly dejected and somewhat embarrassed, and Australia with two great performances under their belt, I wouldn't bet against a Australia win.

Or we could see everyone who played crap actually dropped for Spain, no Silva, drop one of the fullbacks for Juanfran, Koke really didn't do anything but a horrible game/situation to come on and be the difference. Villa, Fabregas, Albiol, Juanfran, Cazorla should start.
 
No villa or fabregas. Del Bosque is an absolute moron. WHY THE **** IS TORRES STILL BEING USED? Every guy and his dog can see he's so far below the professional standard and has been for 3 years. Insanity.
 
drunkenmaster said:
It is pretty funny that RVP has scored the best Tim Cahill special headed goal, and Tim Cahill scored the best RVP special volleyed goal.
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Very true! Both absolutely incredible goals, but if it was me doing the scoring, I think I'd rather scored Cahill's goal today. Such an incredible connection with the ball! :eek:
 
The pundits kept banging on about Spain's two missed chances that could have got them a draw but Chile had at least half a dozen chances that they fluffed in and around the box, they could easily have beat Spain by the same margin as the Netherlands did if they had been as ruthless.
 
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toshj said:
Very true! Both absolutely incredible goals, but if it was me doing the scoring, I think I'd rather scored Cahill's goal today. Such an incredible connection with the ball! :eek:
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Yup, a truly cracking hit, jaw dropping levels of great.

The only downside for Cahill is his yellow card so he'll miss what is probably his final international game ever. Though that wasn't a bad goal to be remembered for. If Australia with Cahill could play the same they really could beat Spain.. which would be an epic way to go out frankly. Two great goals he's scored, happy for him.
 
mmj_uk said:
The pundits kept banging on about Spains two missed chances that could have got them a draw but Chile had at least half a dozen chances that they fluffed in and around the box, they could easily have beat Spain by the same margin as the Netherlands did if they had been as ruthless.
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Yeah, Chile had so many chances, most better chances. It was far closer to being a wider goal difference than a smaller one IMHO.

Murphy was saying a couple days ago at half time or something(pundit not commentator) that Spain were a few inches from a 2-0 lead and that would have been game over against Holland and I was thinking, what crack pipe have you been smoking. Firstly Holland had the first and best chance missed in the first half, so Holland could have gone in 1-0 up at half time, and the penalty for me wasn't a penalty and was undeserved and one of their only real chances of the half.

Spain "dominated" he said, in so much as Holland were feeling them out and letting them have the ball. When they realised they could get at them they did so.... hard. The game wouldn't remotely have been over at 2-0, and Holland could just as easily gone in at half time 2-0 up with the Sneijder chance and the RVP goal.

Sneijder though again looked a complete passenger.
 
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Seems like it. Enjoyed watching Xabi Alonso, alongside Gerrard when they played together at Liverpool. Today he looked way past his sell by date, though TBH the team did. Safe to say this current Spain team is a spent force, and I feel some would've played their last international match, with Del Bosque probably getting sacked after the group stage concludes. They've got very good youngsters and the style of football isn't the issue, the execution was. Barcelona under Vilanova but especially under Guardiola showed tiki-taka at is best. Spain have never had it at that level.

Don't think they're spent completely. They have some excellent youngsters coming through such as Koke, Isco, Thiago, Deulofeu, Muniain, and some approaching their peak such as Mata, Fabregas, Pedro. They certainly need to regroup and refresh though. Casillas has been terrible, which when you consider he's out of the Real squad, it is obvious. Consider that they brought Torres on says it all. Should've taken Negredo or atleast Morata or even Jese. Torres is rubbish since he lost most of his pace.

Having said that Chile were excellent, and we've seen some great goalkeeping, from South American teams no less. Ochoa is a free agent so he'll be hot property if he performs again for Mexico and Bravo does deserve a round of applause and a bravo for keeping his clean sheet.

Sad in a way to see the Aussie's go out. They seemed to try but ultimately got outclassed in the end. Thought they'd be this tournaments New Zealand, complete underdogs but admired for trying.
 
Pighardia said:
Tbh, Australia will probably be more up fir it than Spain next week... Spain to get no points?
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Yup, who knows though, Australia deserve something out of their performances, but won't have Cahill. Spain could be completely crushed, or could be very up for saving some face and getting a win. We could finally see massive sweeping changes which could bring about a totally different performance.

Trouble there is a very different Spain side wouldn't have played together before so no telling if they could turn it on or not. Quite hope Australia get at least a point, but I quite want to see an almost completely different Spain side show up the rest of the players and the manager by performing brilliantly with Alonso, Xavi, Iniesta, Ramos, Alba, Casillas.


As above Bravo was very good in both games. He's very happy to come out into the players to punch a ball away when required to, none of this hesitation or staying on his line when he shouldn't. Sounded like he might be heading to Barca as a back up/rotation keeper, depends how the other guy works out, can see him being first team to be honest. Would be sad to see him leave Sociedad though.

I think Spain had two problems, one an incompetent manager who really had to do nothing at all to change the team after he took over to win the two cups and something MANY teams have a problem with. Dropping big names when they aren't performing. I'd say 4-5 starters shouldn't have been, and a few of them shouldn't even be in the squad. When a team wins something too many managers are too scared to drop players from that team. I see him being fired and the next manager basically making the chances he could have made for this cup. Next manager will have an easier time making those changes and frankly won't have a lot of problems making a great team, Spain is still full of stupidly talented players, it was just about picking form over fame, something Del Bosque failed miserably to do.
 
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