2010 FIFA World Cup Thread

[rwthelegend]

Spain did have like 4 very nice opportunities. Furthermore, they were able to pace the match to the speed it suited them. IIRC, Germany had two good chances: the Özil (EDIT: it was Trochowski, re-EDIT: no, Trochowski shot a few minutes earlier, the chance was by Özil indeed) one at the end of the first half, and a short distance shot by I don't remember who. There was also a long distance shot on the first half.

In any case, could you tell me why Spain doesn't deserve it? It's true they have competed a bit in the italian fashion, but they haven't received a goal in three matches and a half, neutralised CR7, paced the game agains what was perhaps the best team so far and broke the defending wall and suffocating pressure put by Paraguay.

Well obviously Spain beated Germany, so they deserve it, it's just their football is just so boring to watch.

Every game they have like 60-70% possesion and they don't do anthing with it.

It just makes for a boring team to watch.

[Brunellus]

Well obviously Spain beated Germany, so they deserve it, it's just their football is just so boring to watch.

Every game they have like 60-70% possesion and they don't do anthing with it.

It just makes for a boring team to watch.

I find Spain really to be much more interesting to watch than most. They are very patient. On offense, they pass crisply, move smartly, and capitalize on opportunities. On defense, they pursue the ball and win it back.

They can run at you with players like David Villa or Torres; they can string together long crosses into the area.

For a team that depends on possession, they are remarkably positive, always probing for weaknesses, and very very difficult to defend. I have been impressed with their performance.

[Laxman_prodigy]

You still haven't provided examples of how Spain was impressive.

Passing and movement of ball as reflected by Spain is no comparision with Germany who were only trying to throw the ball anyhow to the strikers which was only frustration.

It's actually lack of possession, passing skills, attack/defence balance, and elegance.

[Rey117]

Having a good passing game usually gives for more opportunities to score, however, me as a exfootball player can say that 8/10 opportunities that you have will be wasted. Why do think Barcelona won all those championships in a single season? Because of the passing game. So if you create more opportunities...you get the picture. Still you can't ignore the individual players that shine AND make a difference that can turn the game around i.e. Muller, Sneijder, van Persie, etc. But having a solid team play is more important in my opinion.

[jonian_g]

Having a good passing game usually gives for more opportunities to score, however, me as a exfootball player can say that 8/10 opportunities that you have will be wasted. Why do think Barcelona won all those championships in a single season? Because of the passing game. So if you create more opportunities...you get the picture. Still you can't ignore the individual players that shine AND make a difference that can turn the game around i.e. Muller, Sneijder, van Persie, etc. But having a solid team play is more important in my opinion.

Because of Overbo. Ha!

[Rey117]

Lol his name is Ovrebo.

[Miguel]

Lol his name is Ovrebo.

LOL, I had to look it up in google to find out who this bloke is. It turns out he's the referee of Chelsea-Barça, 2nd match of the semifinals of the 2008-2009 champions league. I don't like teams being favoured by the referees, but what the heck, I dislike Chelsea so much (and here in London there are many anti-Chelsea supporters, I tell you!) it almost tasted better! And, oh boy, that goal by Iniesta has to be one of the sweetest things I've witnessed in football (the Villa goal against Paraguay also ranks up there).

[Hated On Mostly]

But doesn't the U make the UK the actual nation (and England, Wales, etc, just member states)?

The US has a single united team, not one from each member state, for example.

The reason why there isn't one team for the United Kingdom as it should be and there are separate teams for England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland is because of racism/nationalism. England, Scotland, Wales, and N. Ireland are not sovereign states, the UK is the sovereign state. As someone's example mentioned, it would be like California fielding its own team separate from the other 49 states of a unified US team. The US is a sovereign state just as the UK is, yet there are not 50 different teams.

English/White British people do not ever want to be associated as the "same kind of people" as Scots, Welsh, or Irish and vice versa. This has a long bloody history to this and I don't know why everyone dances around this very obvious reason for the separate teams, especially given the rise of nationalism all over the UK constituent countries in the past years.

However, if Scotland, Wales, and N. Ireland had superior teams and athletes in their sports then you can bet there would be one united team, because then the majority ruling class (i.e. English) would want the credit and not be upstaged by their colonized members.

Much like how the United States used to let black athletes compete for them in world competitions like the Berlin Olympics even though they weren't treated as citizens in the US. The attitude is, "if you make us look better, you are one of us, if we are better than you, we want separate teams, you are always still inferior no matter the situation though."

Fastest way to cause a fight in an English pub is to suggest someone's accent sounds Irish or Scottish. Just wait for the fireworks. The ugliness beneath the surface will come to a head very quickly...

[jonian_g]

Lol his name is Ovrebo.

No, it is Øvrebø.

[jonian_g]

LOL, I had to look it up in google to find out who this bloke is. It turns out he's the referee of Chelsea-Barça, 2nd match of the semifinals of the 2008-2009 champions league. I don't like teams being favoured by the referees, but what the heck, I dislike Chelsea so much (and here in London there are many anti-Chelsea supporters, I tell you!) it almost tasted better! And, oh boy, that goal by Iniesta has to be one of the sweetest things I've witnessed in football (the Villa goal against Paraguay also ranks up there).

I'm an Arsenal fan and I hate Chelsea too. But most of all I hate Platini.
Chelsea deserved to go through that semifinal.