Quote:
Originally Posted by Bagor
Girly, can you clarify.
Are you suggesting that, from a creative/technical pov the Croatia/Ireland game was more entertaining than the Spain/Italy one?
You a big fan of hoof it into the box and hope for the best?
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More entertaining yes. It wasn't just hoof the ball into the box, both the Irish and Croats showed good movement with the ball as well. I like a good mix of play. Some short passing, some long balls. My favorite pass is probably when a player is around the 40 yard line on the right sideline and hits a long pass to about the 25 yard line on the left sideline. It stretches out the defense and then there are forwards charging into the box getting ready for a cross or a midfielder running to the top of the box for a possible one timer (like the one Modric hit).
Free kicks! You saw the free kick Ireland scored on (and one Croatia almost scored on minutes before that). If that were Spain they would just tap the ball 2 feet and continue on their way. Spain even plays their corner kicks about 2 feet.
Even if Spain played a bit wider I wouldn't mind it so much but they do nothing. If you drew an imaginary box from the D to the halfway line that's 40 yards narrow... that's the only area Spain has the ball. It's an area about 40x40 yards (each opponent's half is 60 yards x 75 yards) that's so easy to defend.
As Big Chill mentioned, Spain played better once Torres was there. Not because Torres was particularly good, but the #9 position historically causes defenders fits.
Watch tomorrow when #9 Benzema gives Terry and Lescott fits as Ribery, Nasri and maybe Valbuena launch balls into the box.