free_cat wrote:The dreaded semifinal. It's hard to decide which team to support. I always support the team that plays vs. Spain, but in this case said team has Pepe, Concentrao and Cipriano.

Anyway, I'm with them. Go Real Portugal (but get half the team suspended and injured for the final).

Welcome to the club #SaveusCR

I know you did that on purpose Free LOOOOL

And agree Zeal totally. If Spain play Cesc as a false 9, Pepe will come charging out from the back and he will disrupt Spain in between the lines more than they can imagine.

Its not like the space he leaves will be exploited either if the duo of Silva and Iniesta joins him.

Simply put, Pedro, Llorente or even Torres have to play this game.

Le Samourai wrote:It's a different story on the counter, I'm soley talking about if the ball is brought up slowly and the defense has a time to set up properly.

Cristiano's link up is quick and simple, he won't dally on the ball unless he's waiting for support (which he'll get).

Also I doubt Portugal will have long spells of possession unless they continue pressing for 90 minutes which is unreasonable. Their attacks will be quick, as quick as possible.

Some of my friends actually call him Concentrao lool

Spain only needs to limit Christina for 9 chances, and he will not score.

Le Samourai wrote:Nah, Portugal's best bet if they consolidate possession is to move it around once the long ball option is taken away. If Cristiano gets the ball early in the play , with the defense set in front of him , the ball won't move that much, having him on the ball means his off the ball movement is nullified and he would be forced to create for Almeida and Nani.

I'll take that all day long.

It's a different story on the counter, I'm soley talking about if the ball is brought up slowly and the defense has a time to set up properly.

Yeh I think Ronaldo will be better on the counter for Portugal. Arbeloa may not attack as much as previous games.

Zealous wrote:

Le Samourai wrote:It's a different story on the counter, I'm soley talking about if the ball is brought up slowly and the defense has a time to set up properly.

Cristiano's link up is quick and simple, he won't dally on the ball unless he's waiting for support (which he'll get).

Also I doubt Portugal will have long spells of possession unless they continue pressing for 90 minutes which is unreasonable. Their attacks will be quick, as quick as possible.

Not long spells of posession, but once our defensie strategy on the counter goes to plan, put lines in front of the ball to slow it down and our defense has time to settle, then their attack needs to break down our defense and that's least likely to happen with their sole goal threat on the ball having to create.

If it happens that they just decide to avoid that altogether because it makes them defensively vulnerable then it's pretty much up to the mids to quickly get the ball to wingers and hope they can create something on the fly.

Hence the entire forwad line needs to pressure Moutinhio and Mierles, Busquets and Alonso need to do a good job of reading the play making interceptions and getting in front of the ball , Ramos and Pique need to support until the fullbacks can get back, all pretty simple....

If they score off a counter I'll be dissppointed because we have 2 DM's plus Ramos who is excellent at covering ground and making interceptions / tackles...my only worry is that Pique is a little slower and could allow Cristiano to get into dangerous positions but i think even then he can deal with it....

His link up is a 1-2 with Corentrao and the whole world knows it

Wow I think you're really mis-reading Portugal's game here. Like really realy mis-reading them looooool

Spain shoud cover their left flank extra carefully, considering how bad Jordi Alba can be at times.

Alonso and Busquets will have to extra careful in terms of covering the fullback positions.

VDB should drop one of the midfielders, either biscuits or Cesc, Id go with biscuits because hes been complete waste of space and play with 1 striker. The thing is with playing 5 midfielders its about as same as 3, dosent have any kind of significant benefit. Just like Spain vs France, most of the game was played in the middle, so Spain was forced to attack with fullbacks.

This could be the match where the double pivot is most useful.

I also feel like Albiol should play instead of Pique, but hell with it.

Ronaldo, according to El Mundo Deportivo, has taken a swipe at Spain's Barcelona players and their Catalan roots leading up to the big game.

"I, at least, I am Portuguese, not like some internationals of Spain who are not Spanish," Ronaldo is quoted as taunting Spain's players.

mtfootball wrote:Ronaldo, according to El Mundo Deportivo, has taken a swipe at Spain's Barcelona players and their Catalan roots leading up to the big game.

"I, at least, I am Portuguese, not like some internationals of Spain who are not Spanish," Ronaldo is quoted as taunting Spain's players.

Ronaldo trying to make them mad yo. Lets see how this plays out.

mtfootball wrote:Ronaldo, according to El Mundo Deportivo, has taken a swipe at Spain's Barcelona players and their Catalan roots leading up to the big game.

"I, at least, I am Portuguese, not like some internationals of Spain who are not Spanish," Ronaldo is quoted as taunting Spain's players.

CR supports Catalan independence

CR fights for freedom and liberty

I really doubt Ronaldo said that, it's the Catalan media up to their age old mischief again.

Today's game may not at all be pretty I see a lot of tackles flying here and there, and players exaggerating contact to get other players sent off.

My prediction is a Spain win, I think Spain will struggle a bit but will win the game from the bench if Del Bosque makes the right subs, I can see him starting with the same lineup that beat France.

I have always said I would like to see Spain play a 4-3-3 and especially with the fatigue levels as it provides us an actual winger/striker and would see the great of the xaviniesta though with Portugal I find that we need 2 holding midfielders.

LOL this is the only game where a double pivot makes perfect sense and you want to drop it? loool

Dat life energy

We must all join again and donate again

Ronaldo and Coentrao vs Arbeloa and Ramos...

Regardless of Casillas still in between the sticks I think the Portuguese win this battle.

Spain's strength is their defense by keeping possession and not necessarily the back four. So you can't make a player for player comparison like that.

kiranr wrote:
Spain's strength is their defense by keeping possession and not necessarily the back four. So you can't make a player for player comparison like that.

This time it is .

Our strengths play to their strengths, our possession is to their relief because now their midfielders don't have to create anything, their gameplan is now clearcut and precise.

So the key now becomes how we defend their specific players , not necessarily 1 person but the entire team.

They have great outlets , wings require individual defense , I think a more apt comparison is Busquets and Arbeloa vs Corentrao and Ronaldo because Busquets is expected to be the first line.

Cristiano is going to get away with doing zero defending tonight.

In previous games, he has the fullback goal and it even cost his team chances/a goal. But here, letting Arbeloa go is fine, he cant do anything in attack. Of all 10 outfielders, he is the least the rest of the team want on the ball.

In fact, Arbeloa himself knows this and probably wont even go forward.

Football is also about match-ups aswell as quality, and here, while Spain has much more quality, Portugal match up very well. Even down to which side their wingers play.

Nameless wrote:VDB should drop one of the midfielders, either biscuits or Cesc, Id go with biscuits because hes been complete waste of space and play with 1 striker. The thing is with playing 5 midfielders its about as same as 3, dosent have any kind of significant benefit. Just like Spain vs France, most of the game was played in the middle, so Spain was forced to attack with fullbacks.

This.

There is less need for a destroyer in midfield s there is no direct threat to attack. If Xavi and Xabi can match up against Meireles and Moutinho, then Busquets is unnecessary. The wings are the key to Portugal's attack. So, the wide midfielders and fullbacks are essential in this game. Spain's fullbacks need to hang back to defend, as Ronaldo and Nani won't track back creating a potential counterattack if the Spanish fullbacks push up too often.

I would actually play a 4-2-2-2 with
_____Xavi-Xabi
Silva ------------- Iniesta
_Fabregas - Torres
This was Fabregas can drop off, drawing out a defender and creating space for the other attacker/Torres to run into. In any case, I expect to see Fabregas starting this match.

Why would anyone even neg this post? It makes some solid points.