World Cup 2010 - GROUP H (Spain, Switzerland, Honduras, Chile) **spoilers**
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Soldato
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Might have to put a cheeky bet on Chile 1-0 Spain... though my predictions are crap 
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I think south africa uruguay will be pretty even game to be honest
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Switzerland are my sweepstake team at work! Woop woop!
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That's what I was thinking... If I was Brazil, I'd deliberately lose against Portugal to avoid that
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That's what I was thinking... If I was Brazil, I'd deliberately lose against Portugal to avoid that
Very sporting! Can see it happening though
Caporegime
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Hmm, I think I mentioned earlier today, or was it yesterday that Spain will have a VERY tough time against the Swiss who didn't concede in normal time in the last world cup at all, and only went out on penalties in the knockout stage.
They are great defensively and frankly Spain look a bit of a mess without Fabregas. Alonso and his constant 35 yard shots and 50yard crossfield balls but not enough direct passing or fast passing nor enough supporting runs into the box.
Why they play Busquest and Alonso I don't know, Busquets should maybe not even be in the squad(is Senna still playing, fit?) and most certainly shouldn't be starting. De Villa has never impressed to be honest and Iniesta really doesn't work on the wing. Likewise Silva is almost as over rated as Ribery is, he's decent on his day but not one of the best at all.
Spain massively miss Senna and Fabregas, and like in the Euro's Spain struggled for goals in games before Fabregas was introduced, he changes the team into a far better unit.
The swiss deserved the second goal, can't believe he did SO well then shot for the near post, outside of his foot into the far corner was fair simpler, more space and easier and would have put them at 2-0 and been a truly brilliant goal, frankly the run/passing move just deserved a goal as it was the kind of goal you'd remember for years and years.
EDIT_; I wasn't sure as I was in the garden for most of the first half, can't believe Fabregas was on the bench and wasn't brought on, I'd assumed he was injured or something, thats criminal, he turned every game in the Euro's and they WOULD NOT have won the Euro's without Fabregas, he got more assists and goals than Xavi/Iniesta together and was truly brilliant every second he was on the pitch.
The spanish side seem REALLY anti playing people that don't play in Spain, as Barcelona are getting, Yaya/Henry are so much better than Busquets/Pedro and a few others yet have been dumped and Alonso couldn't get a Spain game till he went back to Madrid.
They are great defensively and frankly Spain look a bit of a mess without Fabregas. Alonso and his constant 35 yard shots and 50yard crossfield balls but not enough direct passing or fast passing nor enough supporting runs into the box.
Why they play Busquest and Alonso I don't know, Busquets should maybe not even be in the squad(is Senna still playing, fit?) and most certainly shouldn't be starting. De Villa has never impressed to be honest and Iniesta really doesn't work on the wing. Likewise Silva is almost as over rated as Ribery is, he's decent on his day but not one of the best at all.
Spain massively miss Senna and Fabregas, and like in the Euro's Spain struggled for goals in games before Fabregas was introduced, he changes the team into a far better unit.
The swiss deserved the second goal, can't believe he did SO well then shot for the near post, outside of his foot into the far corner was fair simpler, more space and easier and would have put them at 2-0 and been a truly brilliant goal, frankly the run/passing move just deserved a goal as it was the kind of goal you'd remember for years and years.
EDIT_; I wasn't sure as I was in the garden for most of the first half, can't believe Fabregas was on the bench and wasn't brought on, I'd assumed he was injured or something, thats criminal, he turned every game in the Euro's and they WOULD NOT have won the Euro's without Fabregas, he got more assists and goals than Xavi/Iniesta together and was truly brilliant every second he was on the pitch.
The spanish side seem REALLY anti playing people that don't play in Spain, as Barcelona are getting, Yaya/Henry are so much better than Busquets/Pedro and a few others yet have been dumped and Alonso couldn't get a Spain game till he went back to Madrid.
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Caporegime
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I don't think he's bad, but I do think he suits a team like Liverpool with a lone striker who want to slow up the game and spray it out wide to let support get up. I think for a team piling forwards, attack and pace heavy with lots of support you want a FAR more direct passer who will turn defence into attack in a couple of seconds and run the ball and get in the box to support, which is something Alonso just doesn't do.
If you play one DM I'd play Senna, (because he's truly excellent defensively) or Alonso, but with Busquets already in the Senna role, running around fouling and diving I just don't see a place for a slow long ball passing Alonso, at all.
Notice thats the SECOND top seeded team, the other being Italy, who started in a 4-3-3 and promptly dropped it and improved, 4-3-3 is balls and works only in the most disciplined and well organised teams not national sides that get very little chance to practice, likewise against a truly superb defensive display 4-3-3 has trouble breaking it down, against great centre backs you REALLY need two strikers pulling the CB's around.
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They should've brought Fabregas on, Spain couldn't pass.
Wow just wow...shocked at how Spain lost a pretty easy game to the lowly Swiss...again Swiss playing exactly like NK last night...defend defend and defend till you get lucky with a defensive error and you get a goal.
Both CB's of Spain are to blame for that goal...theres no way he should have got through on goal and got lucky with a tumble which meant the ball landed at the guys foot for an easy goal :/
Anyhow Spain with all that possession and no end product...they couldnt work through the middle so had to resort to wings and then soon ran out of ideas. Kudos to Swiss though for defending like mad...Spain could and should have had at least 3-4 goals.
I fear Spain may well be knocked out as Chile are not a bad side...infinitely better than Swiss and Honduras...im pretty sure Honduras are going to give the Spanish a very tough time too.
Calling it now...Germany or Brazil to win this WC...no other team has impressed me otherwise...disappointed with Spain and their lack of killer touch.
Both CB's of Spain are to blame for that goal...theres no way he should have got through on goal and got lucky with a tumble which meant the ball landed at the guys foot for an easy goal :/
Anyhow Spain with all that possession and no end product...they couldnt work through the middle so had to resort to wings and then soon ran out of ideas. Kudos to Swiss though for defending like mad...Spain could and should have had at least 3-4 goals.
I fear Spain may well be knocked out as Chile are not a bad side...infinitely better than Swiss and Honduras...im pretty sure Honduras are going to give the Spanish a very tough time too.
Calling it now...Germany or Brazil to win this WC...no other team has impressed me otherwise...disappointed with Spain and their lack of killer touch.
Funnily enough i was saying the same in the office whilst watching the game...was screaming for Fabregas to come on and perhaps make something happen but they didnt...dont know if his presence would have made a difference as spain couldnt hit for **** really.
I have a feeling that this new fangled ball along with the altitude is causing all sorts of issues for teams...so far this WC has been absolutely dire apart from a few games ie Germany, Brazil, Chile and to an extent the Spain game.
Spain played ok but the their front men lacked sharpness. Villa was caught on his heels a few times and Torres didn't seem to know what to do when he got into a shooting position. They will be under huge pressure in the next two games which won't help but they should still get into the last 16.
Chile played 3-1-3-3 today and they were awesome going forward, they seemed to have no trouble pulling Hounduras apart at will.
What you are missing is the importance of the last 3, in 4-3-3, that a formation playing 3 attacking players, A center forward and 2 wide attacking players who drive in to the box.
Thats a lot better than 4-4-2.
What isnt good is 4-5-1 where they play wide players who sit on the half way line and are two far away to offer effective support.
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Germany played Australia, hardly a world beater. Swiss put up much more of a fight than the Aussies did so cant really compare. I dont think the Germans would have torn the Swiss apart in the same manor.
Brazil though did have a tough game and did prevail so this I can go with.
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