The Official 2010 FIFA World Cup

[ross4life]

I can't understand why some of you see Spain as boring, they play great football, have the most talented squad of players. They may not create clear cut chance after chance but they keep the ball until they see an opening. It was a WC semi, it wasn't going to be 6-4.

After last nights exciting 3-2 game, on both ITV & RTE they both said Germany v Spain should be a cracker, game of the world cup so far, now after watching Spain v Portugal,Paraguay & Germany tonight where likely to see a final like 1990, 1994 or 2006

I hope I'm wrong & we get a final like 1986

[paco]

Spain and Inter are ridiculous comparisons. For a start half the Spain team are the Barcelona team.

Spain are offensive and Inter are not.

That's my point exactly they have half the barca team but don't excite like them maybe -messi is the reason for that? as for Inter they have been offensive but people seem to only remember the defensive games they play

yeah, the 3-1 beating of barce in san siro has been quickly forgotten.  Messi does add that cutting edge to barce, but spain are not boring to watch, their skill levels are amazing.  Similarily, I can't believe people are saying that arsenal aren't good to watch too.
I was very surprised with germany, but i don't think they wanted to be so defensive, it's just that they had no choice, they couldn't get the ball.

Exactly. It's almost impossible to counter attack against Spain. Argentina didn't have the tactical know how, England didn't have the technical qualities, Spain had both and this was the telling factor. One good thing of all this, maybe now Joachim Low will get a chance to wash his good blue v-neck

[Minder]

Ross you are bloated on a diet of EPL hoofball.

[Main Street]

Spain and Inter are ridiculous comparisons. For a start half the Spain team are the Barcelona team.

Spain are offensive and Inter are not.

That's my point exactly they have half the barca team but don't excite like them maybe -messi is the reason for that? as for Inter they have been offensive but people seem to only remember the defensive games they play

yeah, the 3-1 beating of barce in san siro has been quickly forgotten.  Messi does add that cutting edge to barce, but spain are not boring to watch, their skill levels are amazing.  Similarily, I can't believe people are saying that arsenal aren't good to watch too.
I was very surprised with germany, but i don't think they wanted to be so defensive, it's just that they had no choice, they couldn't get the ball.

Exactly. It's almost impossible to counter attack against Spain. Argentina didn't have the tactical know how, England didn't have the technical qualities, Spain had both and this was the telling factor. One good thing of all this, maybe now Joachim Low will get a chance to wash his good blue v-neck

Lowly Paraguay managed a fair bit. You would expect that a team of Germany's technical ability would have had more ambition to throw caution, maybe they should have let Spain score early on in the 2nd half, get it over with and lay siege afterwards, instead of clinging on in a hope for a penalty shoot out. At least hoof the ball up to Klose and get forward to support him. Or as Inter did in Italy against Barca, launch it into the channels, bi-passing the midfield congestion.

[Bogball XV]

just seeing the highlights again, the ref really was awful - he let everything go, didn't show a card either (it's as though there were 22 van bommels playing).

[paco]

MS, Paraguay worked their socks off in midfield putting pressure on Xavi, Iniesta and Alonso and also the defence, causing them to lose possession much more often. This was evident towards the end of the game when they all looked completely shattered, they should have taken the lead but for a tired looking penalty. The Germans just didn't have the energy to pressurise them. They're great at working back to win the ball but seemed happy to let Spain play amongst themselves in midfield and maintain possession, maybe Khedira's "injury" had something to do with this as he's normally full of energy but just didn't look it tonight.

[ross4life]

Might be a english man in the final after all as Howard Webb looks good odds but the Argentina ref was the best so far..

[paco]

Might be a english man in the final after all as Howard Webb looks good odds but the Argentina ref was the best so far..

He'll probably get his own special ref-cam on BBC.

[Hoof Hearted]

Might be a english man in the final after all as Howard Webb looks good odds but the Argentina ref was the best so far..

would a european man get an all european final ?

[ONeill]

After last nights exciting 3-2 game, on both ITV & RTE they both said Germany v Spain should be a cracker, game of the world cup so far, now after watching Spain v Portugal,Paraguay & Germany tonight where likely to see a final like 1990, 1994 or 2006

I hope I'm wrong & we get a final like 1986

Exciting 3-2 game? It was shite.

[ONeill]

Also, the 1986 final wasn't a great game.

[ross4life]

Also, the 1986 final wasn't a great game.

in your opinion what was a better final? (one that you witnessed)

Back then Germany had Dirty tactics to stop Maradona, still didn't work as they went 2-0 down but the Germans fought back with 10 mins to go to make to it 2-2 & then a brilliant through ball by Maradona won Argentina the world Cup

That's the kinda excitement/good match I'm looking for on Sunday

[Main Street]

MS, Paraguay worked their socks off in midfield putting pressure on Xavi, Iniesta and Alonso and also the defence, causing them to lose possession much more often. This was evident towards the end of the game when they all looked completely shattered, they should have taken the lead but for a tired looking penalty. The Germans just didn't have the energy to pressurise them. They're great at working back to win the ball but seemed happy to let Spain play amongst themselves in midfield and maintain possession, maybe Khedira's "injury" had something to do with this as he's normally full of energy but just didn't look it tonight.

The energy excuse does not hold water. This is a WC semi final. If other teams can at least run themselves ragged until they drop, then so can the Germans.
Goalkeeper Neuer  gave an honest appraisal "We had little courage and little chances, we attacked more in other games"

[Puckoon]

Also, the 1986 final wasn't a great game.

3 points from the penalty would have fairly changed that.

[ONeill]

Too young to remember the 70s so I cannot remember any great World Cup final. I suppose the '98 was full of incident - the Ronaldo craic, France at home, the sending off etc but not that exciting a game. I honestly cannot remember a final where both sides produced good football. The '86 final was distinctly average and only livened with 15 mins to go.

I've been very disappointed with the football at this World Cup. I heard Dunphy on about the ball and altitude being a problem and maybe he's partially correct. Players who could cross the ball or produce accurate free kicks for their clubs throughout the season lost the ability to do so this summer. I just hope Spain play the football they're capable of in the final although Holland will try their hardest to prevent that.