Good effort by Australia. Shame a couple of calamity defensive mistakes lost them a game, they played really well. They're going to be that team who performed well over their expectation but didn't really do any better this year it seems! Looking forward to see how Spain respond!
I missed all the goal's because my bus coming home was stuck in traffic . I only got to see the last 20 mins. Come on Chile!!!
'The David Moyes of Spain' is trending on Twitter :roflmao: Seriously though, no idea what's up with Spain. People say the players are getting old etc but the fact is the average of this 'aging' Spain squad is only two years older than the supposedly 'young' England squad. Spain's average is 28, England's 26. I don't think age can be an excuse. As I said though, I really don't know what turned them into having this nightmare of a tournament.
Home before the postcards No urgency to Spain's play either, 2-0 down with 15 minutes to go and they're still doing their don't score until we've strung together 75+ passes and can sidefoot it in from 3 yards out stuff.
Hell, they're just two years removed from the Euros - not much of an excuse. And even if you use that argument, it's not like the talent dried up into nothing. Looks to me like they just got too used to winning, and lost the drive to keep doing so.
I think maybe Spain are too rigid. They rely on the same 'tiki-taka' style and exactly the same players. While I wouldn't say that tiki-taka football is dead, I do think that Spain (like Barcelona) are beginning to suffer against teams that play fast and aggressively. Chile got it exactly right; Del Bosque got it wrong.
Problem is Barcelona and Spain are obsessed with scoring the perfect goal every time. Doesn't matter how the game is going they insist on making sure every player gets at least three touches in during the move, strung together 100 passes, nutmegged at least two defenders, beaten the offside trap and then tapped it in from inside the six yard box. I think tiki taka was also disguising the fact that both teams defensively were pretty shoddy. Barca have needed a new back line and a midfield enforcer for about three years now, instead they've just kept bolstering their front line and hoped that tiki taka will allow them to retain possession ad infinitum. They need to get their heads round the idea that nobody's particularly bothered about how you score goals, as long as you score them and don't pull an Henry in the process. EDIT: You know that old Kent Brockman soccer commentary from the Simpsons? "Halfback passes to center, back to wing, back to center, center holds it! Holds it! Holds it!” - That sums up Barca/Spain's football right now.
Just read the news that Spain lost. Yikes! Spain now joins Brazil, France, and Italy, all that failed to defend their titles in previous World Cups.
Am not one for getting nervous but I am now! I dont care how they do it but England need 3 points tonight . COME ON LADS .