World Cup 2014

[Jairzinho]

Tiki taka has been found out. Football has moved on. It happens

 

They didn't play Tiki taka last night.

[RazorBack]

Imo, Spain should look ahead and start rebuilding. Del Bosque made a mistake going with proven players - Torres, Villa instead of Llorente and Negredo or even Soldado if he doesn't want to many "big" strikers. Martinez and Koke should be starting, Carvajal should be in the team. Xavi is past it, Iniesta is not as effective in attack as he is in the midfield three, or put it this way - Spain has better attackers than he is. Pique has been shite all year, as well. They are still probably going to get far, might even win it, but I think they could've taken a different approach and play more like they did on EURO08, that was truly amazing and exciting to watch. Not WC2010 with 6 scored goals. Don't get me wrong, they can score 30 goals and it could still not be as entertaining as if they scored 6.

[Jairzinho]

Imo, Spain should look ahead and start rebuilding. Del Bosque made a mistake going with proven players - Torres, Villa instead of Llorente and Negredo or even Soldado if he doesn't want to many "big" strikers. Martinez and Koke should be starting, Carvajal should be in the team. Xavi is past it, Iniesta is not as effective in attack as he is in the midfield three, or put it this way - Spain has better attackers than he is. Pique has been shite all year, as well. They are still probably going to get far, might even win it, but I think they could've taken a different approach and play more like they did on EURO08, that was truly amazing and exciting to watch. Not WC2010 with 6 scored goals. Don't get me wrong, they can score 30 goals and it could still not be as entertaining as if they scored 6.

 

Yeah, as good a player as Azpilicueta is you need more pace and attacking ability that that if you're going to have number 10s on either flank. He's not particularly young, but Juanfran offers much more going forward. I'd have played him right back.

 

Lopez

Juanfran Ramos Martinez (Inigo) Alba

Busquets

Koke Iniesta

Silva Negredo Pedro

 

Something more like that. Bit more energy, width, and variation upfront.

[Trumo]

Tiki taka has been found out. Football has moved on. It happens

 

Spain's style of play has not been 'found out'. It's a particularly high-intensity and demanding approach to use and if the same group of players have been playing it for a number of years with huge success, they'll eventually succumb to weariness added with a fall in the level of hunger they've previously displayed. It happens. Spain's issue right now is how to evolve their approach play to make the most of a newer group of players because if they stick to the same faces all the time, it will only make it that much harder for the team to evolve when it starts creaking.

 

Xavi in particular is showing - and has been for some time - signs of burn-out.

[Caramac]

[Kevin D]

Pretty clear "come and get me" plea to Madrid, that.

[Jairzinho]

Pretty clear "come and get me" plea to Madrid, that.

 

I think you'll find that is a Neapolitan shrug.

[markcd]

Spain's style of play has not been 'found out'. It's a particularly high-intensity and demanding approach to use and if the same group of players have been playing it for a number of years with huge success, they'll eventually succumb to weariness added with a fall in the level of hunger they've previously displayed. It happens. Spain's issue right now is how to evolve their approach play to make the most of a newer group of players because if they stick to the same faces all the time, it will only make it that much harder for the team to evolve when it starts creaking.

 

Xavi in particular is showing - and has been for some time - signs of burn-out.

 

agree - plus they seem to have adapted to play with Costa, who hasn't looked fit for about a month. When they brought Torres on, you just knew how short of options up front they are.

[Pureblood]

Roberto Martinez and Santiago Solari on ESPN were excellent. Commentry can be a bit "USA" at times but it's trumping domestic coverage for me.

[Boss]

The bbc's commentary was excellent as well last night, theres something about Chiles that just winds me up, and then finally when the game starts you have to put up with Townsend, the one-two cunt punch, It's like water boarding for the soul.

[Pureblood]

Ooph, it was one of them. He almost hit it too well.

[Boss]

'He should be scoring from there for me Clive' - header 12 yards out in a crowded box, facing backwards.

[VladimirIlyich]

The bbc's commentary was excellent as well last night, theres something about Chiles that just winds me up, and then finally when the game starts you have to put up with Townsend, the one-two cunt punch, It's like water boarding for the soul.

The BBC actually had people on their panel who had a knowledge of the game they were watching and playing against them. Even dopey Rio sounded credible.

ITV has Chiles,Townsend and Wright and makes you want to slit your wrists.

[Chip Butty]

Went out for a game of golf yesterday, finished by noon, went on the ale, watched the first game in the pub, went home to watch the Spain v Holland game and proceded to pass out on the couch and woke up at 5 this morning. To say am gutted is a slight understatement.

 

....And me bird just left me there. 2 days in and we've had our first world cup row. She has been warned.

[Boss]

The BBC actually had people on their panel who had a knowledge of the game they were watching and playing against them. Even dopey Rio sounded credible.

ITV has Chiles,Townsend and Wright and makes you want to slit your wrists.

 

Yeah, how true.

[Jairzinho]

'He should be scoring from there for me Clive' - header 12 yards out in a crowded box, facing backwards.

 

Anytime someone doesn't score when they either try and place or chip a finish, or pass it to someone in a better position, the answer, always, is that they should have "put their foot through it".

 

Yes, Andy, the answer to every situation in football is to just kick the ball as hard as you can. This is in no way a perfect example of the aids riddled standard of British football punditry/commentary.

[Chip Butty]

Anytime someone doesn't score when they either try and place or chip a finish, or pass it to someone in a better position, the answer, always, is that they should have "put their foot through it".

 

Yes, Andy, the answer to every situation in football is to just kick the ball as hard as you can. This is in no way a perfect example of the aids riddled standard of British football punditry/commentary.

 

To be fair to Townsend - his commentary and analysis of games that exist in a parallel universe, where his commentary is preceded by the word 'if' ...if he'd turned then, passed then shot then - is pretty darn good, to be fair to him.

[Pureblood]

Whichever team/player is attacking most is "at it". Conversely, whichever team/player is not attacking is "not at it".

[Boss]

"They don't like it up em, Clive' that one's only ever reserved for England to allow them free reign to foul the other side with complete impunity in Townsend's mind. 

[Jairzinho]

Not at it, for me, Clive. That's BBBBEETTTTer! Now, they're at it. No, not for me, Clive. Go on, Wayne!

[Trumo]

I don't know which part of the north west Tyldesley is from so I can't say whether they all speak like that, but the way he pronounces certain words and names is really fucking irritating. For example:

 

NICOLA Anelka

AIDEN AZARR

ManchesDER UNARDID

RRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOONNNNEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEYYYYYYYY!!!!!!

ANNE ORTHER instead of 'another'

 

Townsend should stick to his 'tactics truck' where he can ruminate over whether to go for Mint or Orange & Lime. Also, you'd never know he played for Ireland judging by how much he goes on about England.

[markcd]

Not at it, for me, Clive. That's BBBBEETTTTer! Now, they're at it. No, not for me, Clive. Go on, Wayne!

 

"He's been clever there" - translates to English player throws himself to floor.

 

"Don't like to see it - but it's part of their culture" - translates to dirty foreigner throws himself to floor.

[SoMuch4Gravity]

Is that a Christopher Walken lunch pail?

[Boss]

https://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/news/football-buffon-doubtful-azzurri-054215653--sow.html

 

Buffon has sprained his ankle and looks like he's out of tonights game, if so third choice Perin will play, good news for England.

[Sugar Ape]

https://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/news/football-buffon-doubtful-azzurri-054215653--sow.html

 

Buffon has sprained his ankle and looks like he's out of tonights game, if so third choice Perin will play, good news for England.

Just seen this on Twitter:

 

@GFN_France: Gianluigi Buffon is out for Italy vs England. #PSG's Salvatore Sirigu set to take his place for his 9th ever international. #ITA