Liverpool FC Forum

[NANNY RED]

Most people have commented on the fact that Senna had a very good game after i said that Aragones should of played Xabi.

The reason i still think Xabi should of played is because he would of had so much of the ball and Italy were happy to let Spain have it in deeper areas without really pressing them, Alonso would imo of got attacks going quicker and got Torres more involved with early diagonal balls.
He varies his passing alot better and would of given the italians something to worry about.
Just my opinion, Senna played well and did what was asked of him, but i think Aragones should of been abit more bold knowing Italy would sit so deep with so many players behind the ball.

I felt that myself Ace the killer pass wasnt there

i asked Sabre at half time didnt he think Xavi was playing to deep.  I did and would of liked to have seen Senna hold a bit more and for Xavi to push on or play a neat little through ball but he stayed to deep for my liking. Thats why i would of liked to have seen Xabi come on when he went off He knows the movement of Torres and would of played him early. I think with Xabi on the pitch you would see a much better Fernando

[Sabre]

I did think he had to play too deep, but not because it was his choice. As for Ace Ventura's point, well, he has a point. But I felt unfair to diminish the credit of a good game of Senna after 24 years of failure

[Ace Ventura]

Most people have commented on the fact that Senna had a very good game after i said that Aragones should of played Xabi.

The reason i still think Xabi should of played is because he would of had so much of the ball and Italy were happy to let Spain have it in deeper areas without really pressing them, Alonso would imo of got attacks going quicker and got Torres more involved with early diagonal balls.
He varies his passing alot better and would of given the italians something to worry about.
Just my opinion, Senna played well and did what was asked of him, but i think Aragones should of been abit more bold knowing Italy would sit so deep with so many players behind the ball.

I felt that myself Ace the killer pass wasnt there

i asked Sabre at half time didnt he think Xavi was playing to deep.  I did and would of liked to have seen Senna hold a bit more and for Xavi to push on or play a neat little through ball but he stayed to deep for my liking. Thats why i would of liked to have seen Xabi come on when he went off He knows the movement of Torres and would of played him early. I think with Xabi on the pitch you would see a much better Fernando

Yeah i know, and its not just his ability to spot a pass, its the variation he has. He can change the tempo of an attack quicker then most players with his raking long balls.

When i said Aragones didnt gamble enough by selecting Senna ahead of Alonso, you could also see it the other way, that he gambled, because as the game wore on and it was obvious that Spain with that sort of system and playing at that sort of slow tempo where not going to break the Italians down.
You could see it was always going to penalties, now penalties are a lottery at the best of times but given Spains current record you would of thought Aragones would want of done all he could to avoid that.
His substitutions were baffling to say the least. One of the best strikers in the world isnt performing, do you A) drag him off for a player nowhere near as dangerous B) Try and find a way of getting the player into the game ?


Sabes i agree about Senna mate he played well and did all he was asked. It was just that the game was crying out for more from midfield, this time you went through on pens, if that happened again though you could easily lose the shoot out and then the substitutions tactics and selections would of been scrutinised alot more closely.

[red37]

Russia will open the game up loads more than the cagey Italians. They won't sit in half as much. Spain will have their room in the middle. Even if that doesn't hold true...then counter attack would be a decisive weapon.

[Kharhaz]

Great, two whole days without footy now! Damn these tournaments: they get you hooked on watching football every day and leave you hanging just when things are getting interesting.

I noticed that on sunday, and to make it worse all we have until then is bloody tennis......

[Bad Bob]

Great, two whole days without footy now! Damn these tournaments: they get you hooked on watching football every day and leave you hanging just when things are getting interesting.

I noticed that on sunday, and to make it worse all we have until then is bloody tennis......

Been rattling about the house all bloody night bored senseless.  Come Sunday evening I'm going to have to find a proper hobby for a few weeks!

[stmichael]

had a fiver on russia at 33/1 before the tournament started.

[metalhead]

I want to say something about Luca Toni, a striker that hasn't scored so far but has all my respect as a footballer. He's the classic "9", strong in the air, and he has all my respect.

I hope we're not under a case like the one of Paolo Rossi in 1982, in which he didn't score at the beginning of the tournament but later excelled at the end.

Very good striker, and classic at that.

He is a very good striker, really unlucky he didn't score any goals. He was always a threat in the tournament.

However, he needs to cut his cheating and diving!!!

[stmichael]

spanish commentary on the penalties:

http://www.as.com/deporte....Aes

[Sabre]

spanish commentary on the penalties:

http://www.as.com/deporte....Aes

Literally the said their prayers online and lost the plot online!! 

[Bad Bob]

spanish commentary on the penalties:

http://www.as.com/deporte....Aes

I love the group prayer before the penalties and the music after each Spanish goal!

[Sabre]

Spain changes the plan. Since the 4 goals against Russia came basically from counter attack actions, Aragones will change the system and will make two changes.

Alonso for Senna, and Fabregas for Villa.

All that according the last training sessions. Torres is better suited to play a deadly counter attack and Alonso is more able than Senna in the long pass. So Spain seems to recover their most used system to play against the Russians.

On the other hand, Fabregas surprised us with this statement "I hadn't shot a penalty since I was 15".

Hell, what a day to score one!!

[liado]

Russia will open the game up loads more than the cagey Italians. They won't sit in half as much. Spain will have their room in the middle. Even if that doesn't hold true...then counter attack would be a decisive weapon.

It will be one of the most beautiful football matches this year, obiously it depends on your type of football taste.
the best weapon of Russia is they a very fit (Their players are in the middle of the season) .If this match would be played on February, Spain would win, I have no doubt.
I pray to watch a balanced match as this is the type of match I was looking for long this season(again my taste...)
however I fell the impression Russia is going to dissapoint me..

[liado]

I want to say something about Luca Toni, a striker that hasn't scored so far but has all my respect as a footballer. He's the classic "9", strong in the air, and he has all my respect.

I hope we're not under a case like the one of Paolo Rossi in 1982, in which he didn't score at the beginning of the tournament but later excelled at the end.

Very good striker, and classic at that.

He is a very good striker, really unlucky he didn't score any goals. He was always a threat in the tournament.

However, he needs to cut his cheating and diving!!!

I agree with that.
What is important, and must be a mixture of football passion,desires or something I do not know...is that We usually tend to judge football players for 2-3 matches in this type of tournaments and We do not bear in mind  there are involved a good range of factors in their success or failure.One day they are heroes , the other day the opposite.Toni is one of the examples, Ramos another one for instance .How someone on the earth can say Ramos / Tony are rubbish that easily? (i read it everyday on some sites)
And then the other way around, Arshavin is the best example of it.

[stmichael]

Spain changes the plan. Since the 4 goals against Russia came basically from counter attack actions, Aragones will change the system and will make two changes.

Alonso for Senna, and Fabregas for Villa.

All that according the last training sessions. Torres is better suited to play a deadly counter attack and Alonso is more able than Senna in the long pass. So Spain seems to recover their most used system to play against the Russians.

As well as Villa has played I can see the argument you are making.

I was saying to my mate the other day whilst watching the Spain-Italy game that Spain don't seem to be able to get the best out of Torres on a regular basis, and to me that's down to the pace of international football.

When he plays for us in the Premiership, the likes of Gerrard release the ball to him much earlier and give him more time and space to do damage. For Spain, sometimes the play is so slow and deliberate that it's much easier to mark him.

Having said that, Kolodin the Russian's main centre half is suspended so Torres maybe able to get some joy in this game.