266 replies to this topic

[Nibs]

jack h, on 12 July 2010 - 07:53 PM, said:

Some people may want to watch two teams pass it around in the middle of the pitch for hours with no tackles whatsoever but i'd take a game with teams who can ruff it up a bit all day long.

But that's a complete fallacy. Spain don't just pass the ball around the middle of the pitch. They are always looking to get the ball forward and players are inter-changing all the time. Sure there are times when a forward pass isn't on and then it will get passed sideways or backwards but it's called retaining possession something I'm an advocate of!!
If teams are defending well and getting many men back behind the ball we all know how difficult it can be to break them down, even more so when you are also being kicked to pieces! But Spain prefer to play it that way rather than hoof it long and I can't help but admire that. It was noticeable that the main times they lost possession was when Alonso would try one of his "Stevie G" hollywood passes -  a bad trait he clearly picked up from his time on Merseyside! They looked better IMO when Fabregas came on.

I'm also sure that if Torres had been in any kind of form and pared with Villa, Spain would have scored a fair more number of more goals than they did.

[Valerie]

Phillip, on 12 July 2010 - 11:40 PM, said:

I must say that I went into this game rooting for Holland, but after De Jong did his Johnny Evans kung-fu kick on Xabi Alonso, I had had enough, and changed my allegiance to the Spaniards (I HOPE VAL DOES NOT SEE THIS POST).  That, and von Bommel's horrid tackles did it for me.  Now, don't get me wrong, I was not over-the-moon with the Spanish victory, and I changed my allegiance for a mere split second when Robben was through on goal twice (since it would have been great if he would be known in history as scoring the goal that gave Holland the World Cup), but I went quickly back to Spain after his missed chances.

Also, even if Robben would have scored, something deep within me feels that Spain would have just ratcheted up their play a gear or two, and scored the equalizer and the winner.

I did see your post, and I'm very hurt   It comforts me to read that you're very fickle in your allegiances, switching about every 10 minutes; what are you, a woman ?

[moi]

World cup? What world cup? Did you know there was a world cup, Valerie?

[Phillip]

Valerie, on 13 July 2010 - 10:58 AM, said:

I did see your post, and I'm very hurt   It comforts me to read that you're very fickle in your allegiances, switching about every 10 minutes; what are you, a woman ?

Rats, you saw it.



Like I said, I would have loved to have seen Robben score the winner, and be remembered for years afterwards as the person who gave Holland their first World Cup trophy, but alas, it was not to be, due to Casillas' big toe that got in the way.

My fickleness is hard to explain, because usually I stick with a team to hell freezes over.  Believe me when I tell you I was dying when Robbie Resenbrink (or was it Johnny Rep?) hit the post late in the match against Argentina in 1978 (?).  I actually watched that match live, and to this day I still remember that substitute Dik Naninga scoring a header to level the match, and to bring it into extra time.

Can't you tell from my avatar that I am not a woman.  Though I am not sure what that thing is supposed to be  (a large turd?!).

Edited by Phillip, 13 July 2010 - 02:09 PM.

[Valerie]

Phillip, on 13 July 2010 - 02:06 PM, said:

Rats, you saw it.



Like I said, I would have loved to have seen Robben score the winner, and be remembered for years afterwards as the person who gave Holland their first World Cup trophy, but alas, it was not to be, due to Casillas' big toe that got in the way.

My fickleness is hard to explain, because usually I stick with a team to hell freezes over.  Believe me when I tell you I was dying when Robbie Resenbrink (or was it Johnny Rep?) hit the post late in the match against Argentina in 1978 (?).  I actually watched that match live, and to this day I still remember that substitute Dik Naninga scoring a header to level the match, and to bring it into extra time.

Can't you tell from my avatar that I am not a woman.  Though I am not sure what that thing is supposed to be  (a large turd?!).

Aargh, yes, that Rensenbrink ball, I saw the repeat just the other day. I think my dislike of the Argentinian team (remember that horrid Mario Kempes?) originates from that match.

I thought your avatar was a depressed potatoe. You mean it isn't?

[Maksimov]

Phillip, on 13 July 2010 - 02:06 PM, said:

Can't you tell from my avatar that I am not a woman.  Though I am not sure what that thing is supposed to be  (a large turd?!)

It's Russian Winnie the Pooh, so in a way you're not that far off.  

Edited by Maksimov, 13 July 2010 - 04:47 PM.

[Randy36]

The World Cup is over.  Now let's concentrate on Chelsea and the pre-season!