2010 World Cup - Germany 0 Spain 1 - Semi Final #2

[weasel]

Iniesta was immense. WTF was Pedro thinking when it was the simplest thing in the world to square the ball to Torres and it's 2-0? How costly that might have been. Well, Germany finally came up against a team tactically organised and with a capbale midfield and they were hardly even in the game. I do feel for the Germans who have seemed so close but so far from a trophy recently, at least this time they can feel like they deserved to lose the semi, unlike four years ago where they ought to have accounted for the Italians in 90 minutes, and ended up coming unstuck in extra time. Specials for Euro 2012 I reckon.

 

[Bulldog Force]

Iniesta was immense. WTF was Pedro thinking when it was the simplest thing in the world to square the ball to Torres and it's 2-0? How costly that might have been. Well, Germany finally came up against a team tactically organised and with a capbale midfield and they were hardly even in the game. I do feel for the Germans who have seemed so close but so far from a trophy recently, at least this time they can feel like they deserved to lose the semi, unlike four years ago where they ought to have accounted for the Italians in 90 minutes, and ended up coming unstuck in extra time. Specials for Euro 2012 I reckon.

Germany's young team will be 4 years the wiser in Brazil. I can't see a reason why (even now), they shouldn't be considered favorites for then!

As for Spain, Iniesta is awesome. Xavi has been doing pretty well too. Those 2 combined has awesome communication. Let's not forget Casillas, another awesome save from him today, another good save today in the first half.

 

[weasel]

Let's not go crazy, Bulldog Force. If Brazil somehow bottle it on hometurf, I reckon it'll be another South American team that wins it, four out of five participants in the quarters on neutral turf this year, give them the home advantage and they're going to be hard to stop. That's why I said Euro 2012 - much more realistic, imo.

 

[Russell Crowe's Band]

woo hoo

gotmyself atleast $50 in the work sweep.

well done spain

 

[Raiders_Premiers]

Iniesta is brilliant, but gee the heart and soul of the team is Xavi. Surely the best technical footballer in the world

 

[Bulldog Force]

Let's not go crazy, Bulldog Force. If Brazil somehow bottle it on hometurf, I reckon it'll be another South American team that wins it, four out of five participants in the quarters on neutral turf this year, give them the home advantage and they're going to be hard to stop. That's why I said Euro 2012 - much more realistic, imo.

I know they will mate, and I'm not trying to sound arrogant, but Germany were also on Neutral ground, and, to the surprise of many, went further than all of them, including the thumping of Argentina. There's nothing to say they can't do it again.

 

[Bulldog Force]

Iniesta is brilliant, but gee the heart and soul of the team is Xavi. Surely the best technical footballer in the world

He was voted 3rd overall - behind Messi and Ronaldo respectively.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIFA_World_Player_of_the_Year#List_of_male_winners

 

[Cletus]

Geeze, the first I've heard Germany fell apart after going behind against Serbia.

One man down, ad they still had the better of the play and probably should have got a point except Lukas Podolski was soooooo wasteful. If you look at the stats here,
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=264051&cc=3436&ver=global

they had more shots and 7 corners to 1. They were the better side. easily imo.

There is the possibility though, they could be bossed in the midfield. They've a young side and Schweinsteiger is still learning in that holding midfielder role. It will be this game more than any that they'll miss the presence of Michael Ballack.

Spain also have the attacking players to expose the Germans dodgy centre backs.

Well I didn't say Germany fell apart, it's just that they could dictate the tempo of the game when they score early and could expose teams on the counter with their speed.
Didn't see much of the game this morning (woke up with five to go) but I was hoping for a German-Dutch final. I think I'll be going for the Dutch in the final but they'll be the underdogs.

 

[CC_Eagle]

Fell asleep after half an hour, sounds like it was a good move.

Credit to Spain, they deserve the be there.

Should be a cracking final.

 

[fish eel]

Is it blasphemy to say Spain are just plain boring?

Everyone likes to bang on about how well they play, I've just been finding them dull and boring.

 

[Bumble]

Is it blasphemy to say Spain are just plain boring?

Everyone likes to bang on about how well they play, I've just been finding them dull and boring.

I agree. They didn't even try to score in the first half an hour...just passed it around the back. I was battling to stay awake.

 

[aqua_duck]

I agree. They didn't even try to score in the first half an hour...just passed it around the back. I was battling to stay awake.

I disagree. Spain plays possession football, they suffocate the opponents, their style has a huge Johan Cruyff influence about it. I prefer a team play possession football rather than defend and counter attack with long balls

 

[Ridders]

Whatever floats your boat I guess. I enjoy watching Spain play but I can understand why others would see it as boring.

 

[fish eel]

I don't see the Johan cruyff influence. Spain don't play 'total football'

They play geat possession football and have been sucking the life out of their opponents and the matches. They've become the kings of 1-0

 

[aqua_duck]

I don't see the Johan cruyff influence. Spain don't play 'total football'

They play geat possession football and have been sucking the life out of their opponents and the matches. They've become the kings of 1-0

they don't play total football as a team but alot of the individuals were brought up to play the Cruyff way. Spain have been good this WC and if it wasn't for poor finishing they would have scored alot more goals. There's no point being the flashiest team to watch if you don't win

 

[fish eel]

I agree, no point being flashy if you don't win. Spain have been exceptional at keeping the ball and sucking the life out of games.

Funnily enough given the prevalence of Barca players, I find Barca much more enjoyable to watch as they seem to have more attacking intent in their game than the national team.

 

[weasel]

I agree. They didn't even try to score in the first half an hour...just passed it around the back. I was battling to stay awake.

I'm sure in the first 30 minutes we saw that magical through ball from Xavi to Villa that the goal keeper just managed to scramble to save. This is the kind of football I love to see, but I understand it's not for everyone.

I had my brother visiting last week, for some reason he loves England (he was stopping over in Korea in route to go live over there) and he was so desperate for Spain to fail just because he wants the Premier League to be number 1. Watching the Round of 16 games with him I could see that the Premier League has conditioned football fans these days to think things like running fast are exciting, and not appreciate finer parts of the game like off the ball movement, controlling possession, spreading the ball around to create space, Spain puts an exhibition of all these skills on show every time they play. But people just want to see it direct. Boring.

 

[Bulldog Force]

I agree, no point being flashy if you don't win. Spain have been exceptional at keeping the ball and sucking the life out of games.

Funnily enough given the prevalence of Barca players, I find Barca much more enjoyable to watch as they seem to have more attacking intent in their game than the national team.

Barca have the luxury of not being restricted to using only Spanish players like the Spanish National Team is. Barca have the luxury of having players like Messi, Ibrahimovic, Milito, even Dani Alves who are creative and exciting players to watch.