Final: Spain vs Italy

If it go to Penalties i can see Spain winning it. Iker is a penalty specialist while buffon doesnt strike me as a good penalty stopper.

This Italian team is there for the taking, especially with their not-so-good defense. Only wish that bald guy in charge of Spain would notice that and go for the jugular instead of playing for a freaking draw.

Anyway, Spain to win comfortably if Torres, Fabregas and Silva do not start.

wondering if the game goes to penalty shootout will ramos or pirlo try the cheeky chip?

deadrave wrote:wondering if the game goes to penalty shootout will ramos or pirlo try the cheeky chip?

Both. Pirlo to score it. Ramos to shoot for the stars again.

urbaNRoots wrote:Has Bonucci any chance to start?

I would think so. Likely to be him and Barzagli as CBs in a 4-4-2 (diamond) or Bonucci - Barzagli - Chiellini in a 3-5-2. The other options aren't any better than Bonucci, and, honestly, he's had a cracker of a tournament so far.

Dat backheel clearance... I think I need a cigarette, and I don't smoke...

http://www.goal.com/en/news/2898/euro-2012/2012/06/30/3211321/spain-are-not-boring-insists-pran

The Azzurri are set to meet Vicente del Bosque's men in the Euro 2012 final on Sunday, but the Spaniards come into the game amidst accusations of lacking penetration during their route to the showpiece.

However, the Italian boss has dismissed the suggestions completely and spoke of other teams' fear of the world and European champions.

"Boring Spain?" He said to reporters. "In fact the other teams are afraid and play defensively against them, but they manage to win in the end anyway, so that hasn't really worked either.

"They are not boring at all."

The debate on the best way to try and counter Spain's 'tika-taka' style remains, but the 54-year-old believes ball retention will be vital to his side's success.

"Our main task tactically will be to recover the ball as soon as possible," he continued.

"Where will we recover the ball it would depend on how Spain play, but our main focus will be closing the spaces to prevent them from playing their game, especially in the middle of the pitch."

At the centre of the Spanish style debate has been their use of Cesc Fabregas as a 'false nine' in a 4-6-0 formation, a ploy they have utilised on several occasions.

Prandelli thinks his opposite number will continue to use the same system and added that playing without an out-and-out forward allows the Spaniards to attack through various other avenues.

"I expect the same Spain, the one that suffocates their rivals, it's a team that doesn't receive goals," he added.

"Even if they play without strikers, they attack you from very deep positions, they are very modern and I like the way they play.

"We will try to adapt to the way they play, whether if they use a number 9 or not."

As for his own tactics, the former Juventus boss is not considering starting a five-man defence but may switch systems during the match should he see it necessary.

He said: "These last few matches we have been able to maintain a balance, so I'm not thinking on changing to a five-back line, it might happen during the match but we won't play that way from the beginning."


--------------------

Former Juventus boss.

Come on Prandelli? 5 man defence? Everyone knows that Itali played with 3 defenders vs. Spain in the 1st game. It wasn't a 5 man defend at all.

/ sarcasm.

mtfootball wrote:Uefa has announced that Portuguese referee Pedro Proenca will officiate the Euro 2012 final between Spain and Italy on Sunday.

After taking charge of Chelsea's penalty shoot-out victory over Bayern Munich in the Champions League showpiece in May, the game in Kiev be his second major final in the space of six weeks.

I think he's fast becoming one of the best or even the best referee in football today.

Del Bosque:

"We will play with three strikers, but all the team have to help them," he told reporters at a press conference.

"These three players will have the obligation to attack and to try to score a goal. We have more obligation to attack than to defend."

mtfootball wrote:Del Bosque:

"We will play with three strikers, but all the team have to help them," he told reporters at a press conference.

"These three players will have the obligation to attack and to try to score a goal. We have more obligation to attack than to defend."

3 strikers = 3 attacking midfielders. 4-6-0 incoming!

0-10-0

mtfootball wrote:Del Bosque:

"We will play with three strikers, but all the team have to help them," he told reporters at a press conference.

"These three players will have the obligation to attack and to try to score a goal. We have more obligation to attack than to defend."

Either mind games or Del Bosque is starting Pedro, Navas, Torres, Negredo or Llorente three up front

I expect a heated second half. There will be fights ... oh yeah...

Dutti wrote:I expect a heated second half. There will be fights ... oh yeah...

Close game or if Italy play reckless like Dutch did in WC, which most likely won't happen unless Ballotelli gets in the action

paxtonpale wrote:

Dutti wrote:I expect a heated second half. There will be fights ... oh yeah...

Close game or if Italy play reckless like Dutch did in WC, which most likely won't happen unless Ballotelli gets in the action

They will remain disciplined.

sbaggio wrote:

paxtonpale wrote:

Dutti wrote:I expect a heated second half. There will be fights ... oh yeah...

Close game or if Italy play reckless like Dutch did in WC, which most likely won't happen unless Ballotelli gets in the action

They will remain disciplined.

As I said in my quote. Can't you read sarcasm??

paxtonpale wrote:

sbaggio wrote:

paxtonpale wrote:

Dutti wrote:I expect a heated second half. There will be fights ... oh yeah...

Close game or if Italy play reckless like Dutch did in WC, which most likely won't happen unless Ballotelli gets in the action

They will remain disciplined.

As I said in my quote. Can't you read sarcasm??

No, it needs do be spoken and then tone and body language reveals the sarcasm.

sbaggio wrote:

paxtonpale wrote:

sbaggio wrote:

paxtonpale wrote:

Dutti wrote:I expect a heated second half. There will be fights ... oh yeah...

Close game or if Italy play reckless like Dutch did in WC, which most likely won't happen unless Ballotelli gets in the action

They will remain disciplined.

As I said in my quote. Can't you read sarcasm??

No, it needs do be spoken and then tone and body language reveals the sarcasm.

My ass... Anyway, I clearly did say that they most likely won't play reckless. Sacrasm or not, you did not understand me...

"recklessly" Learn English, Pedro.

sbaggio wrote:"recklessly" Learn English, Pedro.

It is good to know you take out little deal like that and can't even understand my original statement

At the 'boring' football...
Successful football systems and styles of play have 3 stages of evolution.
1. Revolutionary and totally dominating
2. Benchmark for others to emulate
3. Weakness understood, become less dominating and considered boring
For Spain this has been a 6 year process that has moved well into stage 3. For Italy Stage 1 has commenced...

paxtonpale wrote:

sbaggio wrote:"recklessly" Learn English, Pedro.

It is good to know you take out little deal like that and can't even understand my original statement

No comprende.......I was just agreeing with you. Relax.

paxtonpale wrote:At the 'boring' football...
Successful football systems and styles of play have 3 stages of evolution.
1. Revolutionary and totally dominating
2. Benchmark for others to emulate
3. Weakness understood, become less dominating and considered boring
For Spain this has been a 6 year process that has moved well into stage 3. For Italy Stage 1 has commenced...

Italy has played some of the most entertaining football of the tournament. What are you on about?

It's an Euro final; tendency to do brave challenges is higher especially with the physical Italian team and the way Spain play in tight formation.

English media fawning over Pirlo like they've just discovered him. He was only MOM in WC Final in 2006 & played 3 CL finals! Blinkers on... adrian healy @ espnsoccernet.

he got a point, besides i lol at english media when majority of them think that since italy beat germany 2-1, they seem to think that England were better than Germany having drew and taking the game up to penalty and thinking they could have won against italians....
good for them thinking they got their vengeance against germans lol with the help of italians....

i am rooting for italians to beat spain but should italians beat spain tonight then english media would be taking massive credit that england have done a great job lol... that mentality that arrogance will never win them anything, and i hope for the good of football it stays that way....

2-1 italy win, forza azzurri!!!!

paxtonpale wrote:At the 'boring' football...
Successful football systems and styles of play have 3 stages of evolution.
1. Revolutionary and totally dominating
2. Benchmark for others to emulate
3. Weakness understood, become less dominating and considered boring
For Spain this has been a 6 year process that has moved well into stage 3. For Italy Stage 1 has commenced...

Interesting thoughts. Maybe tonight the shift in power in international football will finally happen.

JespSwe wrote:English media fawning over Pirlo like they've just discovered him.

That's not strange. Any time a player delivers an outstanding performance against an English team especially in a very important match there is a lot of fawning over him. I was immediately reminded of Iniesta after the UCL 2009 final.