266 replies to this topic

[clubhappy]

3rd time lucky for Holland i hope . For me Spain are a side who entered a W.C. at a time where the standards of International opposition is  sh*te but the Dutch havnt lost any  games and have a more physical approach . Holland havnt exactly blown us away either but they are much better than Germany and wont defend deep or sit in their own half. If Holland really have a go , close down their midfield then were in for a nice dirty final.

I hope its a great game , but i'd settle for a dull Dutch 1-0 win  just to piss off the so called Spanish version of total football.

[Valerie]

geezer, on 08 July 2010 - 06:58 PM, said:

Who does the octopus say will win?

Nothing yet. Octopus Paul will do his thing on Saturday. You know what to do, Paul!

[dkw]

The Octopus better pick Holland if he knows whats good for him, if he picks Spain Valerie will be there with her Sushi knives....

[Valerie]

dkw, on 09 July 2010 - 08:01 AM, said:

The Octopus better pick Holland if he knows whats good for him, if he picks Spain Valerie will be there with her Sushi knives....

I love calamari  
Apparently, Paul has received death threats from German supporters, disappointed that he picked Spain. A Dutch aquarium has offered him asylum, but will withdraw that offer if he is going to pick Spain again for the final.

[ethicalstrategy]

loz, on 08 July 2010 - 09:25 PM, said:

I also expect Spain to come out on top.  I think they will pass Holland to death and then sneak a winner whilst dkw and ethical are drafting a letter to  Sepp Blatter demanding  a ban on two touch football.

I don't want it banned.  I just want the right to find it dull without being abused as some ignorant pleb who knows nothing about "real" football (even though that is true!)

If others find it enjoyable then that's fine by me.  I believe that there is already a minority group who love that type of football.  It's headquarters is situated somewhere in N5.

[ThunderDan]

Holland 3-2.

Probably been mentioned, but van Bronckhorst had one of the best goals I've ever seen...

[Valerie]

Paul the Octopus has done his prediction thing today, not tomorrow. Germany win 3rd place, and he picked Spain as the winner   We're doomed, doomed!

[ThunderDan]

That octopus is trying for 7-7, which is a good day in Vegas. And calamari is actually squid. It only took me 40 some years to figure that out,

[dkw]

ethicalstrategy, on 09 July 2010 - 10:20 AM, said:

I don't want it banned.  I just want the right to find it dull without being abused as some ignorant pleb who knows nothing about "real" football (even though that is true!)

If others find it enjoyable then that's fine by me.  I believe that there is already a minority group who love that type of football.  It's headquarters is situated somewhere in N5.

Come on Eth, anyone who cant see the beauty in passing for passing sake, then passing for passings sake again, and again, and again, and again obviously know nothing about football and only like route one hump it football.

[loz]

Being serious for a second it is not passing for passings sake.  If you can keep the ball for the length of time that Spain often do and pass it round as comfortably as they do it is bloody tiring for their opponent as they are permanently using up energy trying to retrieve possession.  It also preserves your own team's energy better as they are doing less scampering around.  As a result are often much the better side in the last half hour of games.

[Andreas]

Spain will win this im afraid, paul the octopus has had his say and he never gets it wrong it seems.

[Hutch]

loz, on 09 July 2010 - 12:06 PM, said:

Being serious for a second it is not passing for passings sake.  If you can keep the ball for the length of time that Spain often do and pass it round as comfortably as they do it is bloody tiring for their opponent as they are permanently using up energy trying to retrieve possession.  It also preserves your own team's energy better as they are doing less scampering around.  As a result are often much the better side in the last half hour of games.

in other words, it's just another way of wearing down the opposition. if you wanted to stretch a point you could even describe it as grinding out a result.

[Valerie]

ThunderDan, on 09 July 2010 - 10:57 AM, said:

And calamari is actually squid.

The octopus may not know that, so keep it quiet, will ya, so I can use it as a threat!

[ethicalstrategy]

loz, on 09 July 2010 - 12:06 PM, said:

Being serious for a second it is not passing for passings sake.  If you can keep the ball for the length of time that Spain often do and pass it round as comfortably as they do it is bloody tiring for their opponent as they are permanently using up energy trying to retrieve possession.  It also preserves your own team's energy better as they are doing less scampering around.  As a result are often much the better side in the last half hour of games.

Thank you Loz.  You have just made my point for me.

Everything you have just said is true.  I'm not arguing that Spain aren't the best side in the tournament, nor that they won't win it or even deserve to win it.  What they do is very effective.

I just don't find it attractive or enjoyable.

[Nibs]

ethicalstrategy, on 09 July 2010 - 01:06 PM, said:

I just don't find it attractive or enjoyable.

ES, would you say that you find the way Spain play, less attractive / enjoyable than a lot of the football we played under Mourinho? (And I'm talking the later stages of his time with us when there were a fair number of ground out 1-0's NOT the Duff / Robben era).

Edited by Nibs, 09 July 2010 - 01:18 PM.

[ethicalstrategy]

Nibs, on 09 July 2010 - 01:18 PM, said:

ES, would you say that you find the way Spain play, less attractive / enjoyable than a lot of the football we played under Mourinho? (And I'm talking the later stages of his time with us when there were a fair number of ground out 1-0's NOT the Duff / Robben era).

That's a hard one to answer.  Firstly, I don't subscribe to the idea that we played boring football under Mourinho.  I don't mean in any particular game, but rather just generally. Secondly, I'm always going to enjoy watching Chelsea more than any other team simply because they are my team.

In this case, I don't support Spain. I'm sure if I was Spanish, I would be over the moon.  My enjoyment and excitement would come from following my team.  I certainly wouldn't care less if some prick in England thought we were boring.

Unfortunately, England have left me in the position of a neutral in this tournament.  As such I look forward to watching Chelsea players for other countries and supporting them.  I watch the matches on their merits and judge them accordingly.  I don't have any particular reason to like or dislike Spain any more than any other team.

I can admire them for their skill and for the defensive strength and their tactical play.  But, in a situation where I don't care if they win or lose, I can't get excited seeing them monopolise possession without making better use of it.  

In the final, I hope Holland win - for Val and for Robben.  If Spain win because they destroy the Dutch with free flowing football and score a hatful of goals then I'm sure that I will enjoy watching it.  If they play like they did against Germany and just squeeze the life out of it and score from a set piece then I expect I will be bored by it.

[Randy36]

It is unusual to have a team of world class quality players gel so brilliantly like Spain.They have a solid defensive unit that allows Sergio Ramos to push forward on the right wing incessantly.They have exceptional midfielders in Xavi, Iniesta and Alonso who move forward and laterally with ease and are interchangeable. I would like to see Torres and Villa start up front in a 4-1-3-2 formation. For the Netherlands, Robben and Sneijder are dangerous but lack solid support. It will be interesting to see how the Dutch defend. I believe Spain have the talent to break down their defence which is suspect.

As someone who picked and wagered on Spain to win prior to the start of the World Cup I'm obviously rooting for them. This does not mean I don't respect the Dutch and am looking forward to an exciting match. As a lifelong fan of the beautiful game I view Spain as a truly great team and expect them to come out on top.

[dkw]

Randy36, on 09 July 2010 - 02:39 PM, said:

It is unusual to have a team of world class quality players gel so brilliantly like Spain.

I think having  6 or 7 players from one club makes a massive difference there. The problem for me is with England out I am basically watching games to be entertained and as a complete neutral (well, mostly.) Watching Spain play 5 yard passes for minutes and minutes without actually getting anywhere or making any real attacking moves bores me, bores me senseless. This bollocks about it being the beautiful game is just that, bollocks. Football is football, keep ball is keep ball. Taking it to its extremes you could actually label it as that new in term, anti-football. They would rather keep the ball and make safe passes than risk a forward ball and lose possession.

[Valerie]

AndyCFC, on 09 July 2010 - 12:10 PM, said:

Spain will win this im afraid, paul the octopus has had his say and he never gets it wrong it seems.

I've just heard on the Dutch news that a Singapore parakeet, that's also known for its accurate predictions, has predicted a Holland win. I'm very relieved.

Although I obviously want the Dutch to win, the football fever is getting on my nerves a bit. About 16 million people can talk of nothing else. I'll be glad when it's all over and we can go back to Blue again. All this orange is starting to hurt my eyes.

[Randy36]

ThunderDan, on 09 July 2010 - 10:41 AM, said:

Holland 3-2.

This looks like a score I'd expect to see in the Premiership, in a game between Wolverhampton and WBA with each team conceding two goals. If 5 goals are scored in the World Cup Final I can't see Spain conceding any more than 1 goal.

So I would expect the result to be 4-1 or 5-0 Spain.