*Official* Germany v Spain (Semi Final 2)

[The Sean]

Meh, didn't think either side was especially good but fair play Spain - they were the better team tonight. Germany IMO were dreadfully disappointing right when they needed to really step up most, but they're a wonderful young team and their time will come. It feels a little wrong somehow that a team blessed with as much talent as Spain are just continuing to "get by" match after match. Still, that's probably the romantic in me and if they lift the cup with another 1-0 win they won't care a jot.

Go Holland.

[Pothas]

Originally Posted by Matteh

Well they were ****ing boring for pretty much all the game and did nothing bar speculative shots from outside the box.

Find this attitude hilarious I must say.

All game it seemed the Spanish were being blamed for not attacking enough well what were Germany doing??

Spain did what England and Argentina could not do, keep the bloody ball.

Ok it was not the most thrilling side but Spain outclassed Germany today, not doubt about that.

[Quaggas]

Glad no one took me up on my June 2 avatar bet proposal

"Germany to take home the whole ball of wax. Until SA wins an ICC trophy."

give how long I'd have to suffer

Avatar Bets

[nightprowler10]

Have Spain winning the whole thing in the work pool. Looking good so far.

[GingerFurball]

Originally Posted by Pothas

Find this attitude hilarious I must say.

All game it seemed the Spanish were being blamed for not attacking enough well what were Germany doing??

Spain did what England and Argentina could not do, keep the bloody ball.

Ok it was not the most thrilling side but Spain outclassed Germany today, not doubt about that.

Find it hilarious when Lawrenson kept criticising Spain for "passing too much."

It's the best form of defence - if Spain have the ball, the opposition can't score.

For the Spanish to so comfortably deal with the attacking team of the tournament, and to do so without appearing to get out of first gear, is frightening. This generation of Spanish players could quite conceivably dominate for a while, because watching them you get the feeling that this is a side that's playing well below their potential - yet they've gotten to the World Cup final without really being troubled.

[Ikki]

Am I the only one who dislikes Spain's passing? It grates as much as catenaccio. I actually hope Holland win now.

[Pothas]

Ikki.

[Matteh]

Originally Posted by Pothas

Find this attitude hilarious I must say.

All game it seemed the Spanish were being blamed for not attacking enough well what were Germany doing??

Spain did what England and Argentina could not do, keep the bloody ball.

Ok it was not the most thrilling side but Spain outclassed Germany today, not doubt about that.

Pedro's stupidity summed up the general lack of a clue once Spain found themselves near the box though. For all the 'nice' passing for hours going nowhere, they scored a pub-team goal.
Germany showed far more attacking intent once they had the ball however and Janssen made Ramos look ridiculously bad once he was on for instance.

[Pothas]

Could not get the ball though could they?

To be honest most of the match Germany were happy to sit back and hit on the counter, only really showed any atacking intent once the went behind.

Can moan all they you want about Spain but they deserved to win.

Not going to defend Pedro, was a pathetic effort.

[Ikki]

For all this sitting back by Germany, Spain only just shaded the possession stats (51-49) but so much of that was pointless passing, trying on the patience of the opposition. Some see the aesthetics to it, even it's effect, I just see it for what it is. Spain have scraped through a number of matches now. I just can't bring myself to like them.

[Scaly piscine]

Originally Posted by GingerFurball

Find it hilarious when Lawrenson kept criticising Spain for "passing too much."

It's the best form of defence - if Spain have the ball, the opposition can't score.

For the Spanish to so comfortably deal with the attacking team of the tournament, and to do so without appearing to get out of first gear, is frightening. This generation of Spanish players could quite conceivably dominate for a while, because watching them you get the feeling that this is a side that's playing well below their potential - yet they've gotten to the World Cup final without really being troubled.

They didn't comfortably deal with the attacking team of the tournament. Germany botched two massive counter-attacking opportunities in the first half and throughout delivered shocking crosses which gave the forwards absolutely no chance. People massively under-estimate how important this sort of delivery is.

Other than that... have you bothered to watch any games with Spain playing? Portugal had the better chances, blew it. Paraguay had the better chances. Blew it. Chile comprehensively outplayed them for half an hour and then handed them the game. Switzerland got ahead and Spain had no response until the last 20 minutes. Germany had lots of opportunity they just screwed it up. This bunch have defaulted their way to the final.

[vcs]

Originally Posted by GingerFurball

Find it hilarious when Lawrenson kept criticising Spain for "passing too much."

It's the best form of defence - if Spain have the ball, the opposition can't score.

For the Spanish to so comfortably deal with the attacking team of the tournament, and to do so without appearing to get out of first gear, is frightening. This generation of Spanish players could quite conceivably dominate for a while, because watching them you get the feeling that this is a side that's playing well below their potential - yet they've gotten to the World Cup final without really being troubled.

This, this and this. I find it amazing that people fail to appreciate the courage and skill it takes to play football like this. Didn't the great Brazil sides of '70 and '82 go down as legendary for playing precisely this style (in an era where it was much easier to do it, because of the slower pace of the game)? And yet, this Spanish NT and Barcelona side seems to draw haters like moths to a flame. I think with all the coverage and hype, any successful team in this era tends to alienate a lot of neutrals.

Anyway, it's obvious that Spain have lacked cutting edge in the final third in this tournament.. but since when have 10-9 scorelines become a prerequisite for enjoyable, attractive football?

[Ikki]

It takes a lot of skill and fitness to play catenaccio too. And no, the Brazilian side of '70 went down in history for it's attacking flair. In fact, it's the German's that replicated that legacy. The Germans in this tourney are the only other team since Brazil in 1970 to score 4 or more goals in 3 WC games. Spain have scored 7 goals in 6 games so far.

[Pothas]

Find this all a bit hard to take from someone who idealizes Rafa Benitez.

Anyway Germany were great to watch but most of the goals came on the counter attack, we saw very little of that against a truly class side today. Spain have not been at their best but outside their first match they have always found a way through.

[vcs]

Originally Posted by Ikki

It takes a lot of skill and fitness to play catenaccio too. And no, the Brazilian side of '70 went down in history for it's attacking flair. In fact, it's the German's that replicated that legacy. The Germans in this tourney are the only other team since Brazil in 1970 to score 4 or more goals in 3 WC games. Spain have scored 7 goals in 6 games so far.

Goals aren't everything. As I said, this Spanish side have lacked something in the final third. The Brazil side was legendary for its style of play, goals are just a natural consequence if things are working perfectly. Check Barcelona's goal-scoring record in the last couple of seasons for evidence.