Spain - the best team in the world?

[SugarRay]

Appreciate your opinion, but having just watched Englands finest, give me Spain every time.

Give me Scotland every time in terms of entertainment. At least guaranteed a goalfest!

Nobody is comparing England to Spain. Anyway, I'm English and support England so their games will always be more exciting to me, even if we are hideous to watch right now.

 

[Kushal]

Del Bosque has recognised that without Villa their attacking options are greatly reduced, and rather than using an inferior player to suit their usual style in Torres/Negredo/Soldado/Llorente, he's chosen to further reinforce his team's strongest area - his midfield.

The more midfielders they have, the more sideways passes they will choose to do - and that isn't a bad thing, it helps stretch the play and get the opposition out of position every time, especially if the opposition decide to have 9 men behind the ball.

Still the best team in the World without a striker, and technically miles in front of anyone else.

 

[nailsy]

I'm not a huge fan of Spain at the moment - I've got Llorente in the Fantasy auction team. I think the way they press the ball is amazing. Every time they lose the ball they have two or three players pressing the ball straight away - I wish England had that mentality.

 

[PLTuck]

They are kinda boring to watch at times. I feel dirty saying it but I get much more enjoyment watching Germany play.

A fully fit Spain (with David Villa) is without doubt the best team though.

 

[tototoner]

Best team ever

 

[ethanedwards]

Best team ever

Hard to argue with that. Thought Xavi was outstanding tonight.

 

[haxman]

They just play their way, regardless of the opposition, and until someone finds a system to counter it, I can't see it ending. And their squad is still young enough that most of those players should be around in 2 years time for the world cup.

I do enjoy watching them play. Can't understand how anyone finds it boring tbh. To me it's highly effective.

 

[Kingstheman]

I don't like the lack of recognised striker.

I am not a fan of the rush towards 8 or more midfielders/utility players in teams.

 

[tototoner]

David Villa was injured or he would have played, none of the other forwards on a par with him movement wise

 

[jamesc0le]

incredible team.

 

[Kingstheman]

They just play their way, regardless of the opposition, and until someone finds a system to counter it, I can't see it ending. And their squad is still young enough that most of those players should be around in 2 years time for the world cup.

I do enjoy watching them play. Can't understand how anyone finds it boring tbh. To me it's highly effective.

It can be highly effective and boring.

Analogy, Lennon Lewis and the Klitschkos were/are effective, but boring boxers.

 

[haxman]

Just saying how I see it mate. Would like to be from a nation where we have a genuine chance of winning a major tournament.

 

[Spurger King]

They were a pleasure to watch tonight. Over the last few years Spain and Barcelona have played some incredible football and it's been a joy to witness.

 

[Kingstheman]

Just saying how I see it mate. Would like to be from a nation where we have a genuine chance of winning a major tournament.

That is fine, however, others are only doing likewise.

Your last sentence is puzzling though (I assume you are English). England have every chance of winning a major tournament, the Footballing England just make poor decisions and thus don't achieve their goals.

 

[ethanedwards]

It can be highly effective and boring.

Analogy, Lennon Lewis and the Klitschkos were/are effective, but boring boxers.

Thats how I would describe the team that plays at the Britania Stadium, IMO Sugar Ray we be a better analogy.

 

[haxman]

That is fine, however, others are only doing likewise.

Your last sentence is puzzling though (I assume you are English). England have every chance of winning a major tournament, the Footballing England just make poor decisions and thus don't achieve their goals.

I'm Irish. We were on the end of a heavy beating from Spain not long ago too.

 

[Kingstheman]

Thats how I would describe the team that plays at the Britania Stadium, IMO Sugar Ray we be a better analogy.

I chose Lewis and the Klitschkos as they were champions. Stoke aren't. Stoke are a journeyman.

I get the same feeling watching Spain as I did watching a Lennox Lewis fight - I know the result before I switch it on (mostly) and I know the other boxer won't be able to 'fight his fight'.

Whereas Stoke play crap football, Spain play football that doesn't allow other teams to play. Great for Spain, but boring for a lot of other teams.

I guess that is why 5-4 tends to get called 'a great game for the neutral' and you aren't going to get many of those with Spain.

 

[Kingstheman]

I'm Irish. We were on the end of a heavy beating from Spain not long ago too.

Do you think Ireland should try to play like Spain or develop their own style to win? (Hard though that may be)

 

[Bus-Conductor]

they are very good, they are very efficient, they are very boring.

This isn't sarcasm or a trick question, but what would you like them to do to be less boring ?

 

[Bus-Conductor]

Of course they are the best team in the world. Certainly until the next world cup and we see how they fair against the sides from outside Europe. Last world cup I thought Chile actually outplayed them and if memory serves Paraguay gave them a tough game didn't they ? But they still won the world cup and beat some serious contenders on the way to doing it, outplaying most of them. They have now won 3 straight international tournaments in similar fashion.

I think Italy gave Spain a damn good game twice, and Portugal had their chances too. I think Spain looked a bit jaded, a lot of their players have had long, hard seasons, which culminated in high pressure games. Hard to then turn up for another tournament, especially as most sides are as tactically astute as most top European nations are, with the quality and level of football most are capable of, and play scintillating football.

The generally dominate the ball and win. What more could they do to deemed the best ? If they were like Germany or Portugal who played some entertaining stuff but with slightly more vulnerable and flawed tactics - and they lost because of it - how could they ever be deemed the best. They wouldn't be, they'd be what teams like Germany are, good, but not the best.

They are only being called boring because people get bored with a team winning regularly and invariably dominating the ball in doing it. They are not really boring, they are repetitive. There's a difference. But repetition can be boring. it is not them or their football that is boring, it is the fact that they have been doing it repeatedly for 4 years now. But if you analyse what they do it is incredibly impressive, important and has had a massive influence on football for the better and will drag the standards of the opposition up in the process.

There shouldn't be anything boring in watching a team continually pass the ball with incision and wit and move intelligently. With players demonstration fantastic technique and vision, creativity and supreme work rate. But I guess for some that becomes like watching a well oiled machine and loses some entertainment value.

I wanted Italy to win tonight, not just because I'd backed them at 12's at the start (I also backed the Spain/Italy final at the same price sod wasn't heartbroken even if Spain won), but because I thought they were brave and tactically very astute. They didn't stick 11 men behind the ball and tried to take the game to Spain at times and retain the ball as much as possible. But there's no denying Spain are the better football team.