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*Official* Netherlands vs Spain (World Cup Final)

vcs

vcs

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But whichever of Spain or Netherlands wins, it would be pretty churlish to deny them the title of the "best team". Both have perfect qualifying records, Spain have lost 2 games in 4 years FFS and Netherlands are on a long winning streak. If Brazil self-destruct on the biggest stage, they aren't the best team in any sense.
 
P

Pothas

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Uppercut said:
He's right tbf. No one else in the tournament is really as good as Brazil. One bad half doesn't change that. Knockout football hey. The best team hardly ever wins, but the team that does win pretty much always deserves it 100%.
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Really?

Feel it is Brazil being overated because they are Brazil.

Sure they are a good side but who did they beat? North Korea, Ivory Cost and Chile.

Not sure how this makes them the best side in the tournament.

If Spain had beaten those sides then gone out in the gutless fashion Brazil did then Scaly would leap all over it.

Spain got the better players on balance as well.
 
grecian

grecian

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Pothas said:
Really?

Feel it is Brazil being overated because they are Brazil.

Sure they are a good side but who did they beat? North Korea, Ivory Cost and Chile.

Not sure how this makes them the best side in the tournament.

If Spain had beaten those sides then gone out in the gutless fashion Brazil did then Scaly would leap all over it.

Spain got the better players on balance as well.
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Agree with this, a mediocre Brazil side if I've ever seen one, and I saw the 1990 vintage.

Couldn't beat Portugal, Spain did. Fairly good form line I'd of thought. Fabiano and Robinho, Brazilian greats? Nah not for me I'm afraid. Lucius was their best player, a defender, pssh.

Not going to be a great side win this World Cup, but that's nowt new, they'll be better then last times winner. Whoever wins it I reckon will have deserved it, again unlike last year, and a number of other World Cups I can remember.
 
Teja.

Teja.

Global Moderator
If Spain win it, they'd deserve it, but it'd be such a sad event. Played aesthetically disgusting possession-defensive football only trying to score off set pieces and counters and just waiting for the opposition to make a mistake.
 
vcs

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Teja. said:
If Spain win it, they'd deserve it, but it'd be such a sad event. Played aesthetically disgusting possession-defensive football only trying to score off set pieces and counters and just waiting for the opposition to make a mistake.
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A.) Oxymoron. B.) Contradiction.
 
SirBloody Idiot

SirBloody Idiot

Cricketer Of The Year
PhoenixFire said:
Was saying AWTA to Teja's post, but point still stands :p

Yeah, hate it when commentators coo about Spain's beautiful passing game. Would much rather watch Germany or Uraguay play than Spain.
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Haha I followed. Was agreeing.

I like watching Spain play, but some of the scribes over here in the UK sound like they reckon it'd be an absolute travesty if the Dutch managed to win. Thats bull**** IMO
 
Teja.

Teja.

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vcs said:
A.) Oxymoron. B.) Contradiction.
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Don't see how the first is an oxymoron tbh. I don't pretend to know that much about football, but they always seem content to keep the ball in possession without showing any attacking instinct whatsoever. Kills me even more because the Spanish have the one of the best teams for attack-oriented football in the world at their disposal.

Don't see how the second statement is a contradiction either, Spain always seem to prefer to wait out the opposition in making the attack and then try to score of counters/set pieces obtained through the counters or possession-play.

Again, I don't know that much about football, so can make slight mistakes with the terms. All I can say is 1.They definitely, are not playing aggressive football, 2. They definitely are not playing attractive football.(or my personal definition of it)
 
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Scaly piscine

Scaly piscine

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
grecian said:
Agree with this, a mediocre Brazil side if I've ever seen one, and I saw the 1990 vintage.

Couldn't beat Portugal, Spain did. Fairly good form line I'd of thought. Fabiano and Robinho, Brazilian greats? Nah not for me I'm afraid. Lucius was their best player, a defender, pssh.

Not going to be a great side win this World Cup, but that's nowt new, they'll be better then last times winner. Whoever wins it I reckon will have deserved it, again unlike last year, and a number of other World Cups I can remember.
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Amazing how quickly people change their opinion of a team. Brazil completely dominated the Netherlands in the first half. Absolutely ripped them to pieces. Somehow a reversal in the second half makes Brazil complete ****house?

Brazil v Portugal was a meaningless, nasty game. Portugal controlled the game against Spain, they just botched their chances. What you're failing to grasp is one result doesn't make a team useless or awesome, unless you happen to work for the gutter press of course.
 
vcs

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Attractiveness is very subjective. If you don't find it attractive, that's entirely understandable.

However, calling possession-based football defensive is a bit of a stretch, IMO. The degree of patience and directness may vary, but the ultimate motive of possession is always to fashion goal-scoring chances, either by pouncing on small gaps, or grinding down the opposition physically (as Spain have tended to do in this tournament, which people find unattractive). As a by-product, it also keeps the opposition from posing a threat to your goal.
 
vcs

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TBF, Xabi Alonso has had a great tournament. The problem for Spain is, even though this formation fits in all their best players, it somehow renders the team less than the sum of its parts. A fit and sharp Torres would give this team the bit of directness it lacks, IMO.
 
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