OT: Spanish seleccion

Sarabia for the Olympics

futbol_bill wrote:[ Team will be based on U21 team that won euro last summer plus Canales. The key players are de Gea, Botia, Dominquez, Montoya, J Martinez, Thiago, Herrera, Munain, Mata, Adrian, Boyan, Jefferen, Canales, Parejo.

I wouldnt be too sure about Canales. After his injury, he might not make it, especially if those kind of injuries are as bad as you said. I would like him to be there, but Im not too hopeful.

Saetablanca wrote:

futbol_bill wrote:[ Team will be based on U21 team that won euro last summer plus Canales. The key players are de Gea, Botia, Dominquez, Montoya, J Martinez, Thiago, Herrera, Munain, Mata, Adrian, Boyan, Jefferen, Canales, Parejo.

I wouldnt be too sure about Canales. After his injury, he might not make it, especially if those kind of injuries are as bad as you said. I would like him to be there, but Im not too hopeful.

Yeh, unfortunately you might be right. That's why Thiago played yesterday (in Canales spot) with U21 team. The other problem is size of squad apparently is only 18. That really limits players on team.

futbol_bill wrote:

Saetablanca wrote:

futbol_bill wrote:[ Team will be based on U21 team that won euro last summer plus Canales. The key players are de Gea, Botia, Dominquez, Montoya, J Martinez, Thiago, Herrera, Munain, Mata, Adrian, Boyan, Jefferen, Canales, Parejo.

I wouldnt be too sure about Canales. After his injury, he might not make it, especially if those kind of injuries are as bad as you said. I would like him to be there, but Im not too hopeful.

Yeh, unfortunately you might be right. That's why Thiago played yesterday (in Canales spot) with U21 team. The other problem is size of squad apparently is only 18. That really limits players on team.

If Sarabia gets on instead of him, TBH I woudlnt complain.

Saetablanca wrote:

futbol_bill wrote:

Saetablanca wrote:

futbol_bill wrote:[ Team will be based on U21 team that won euro last summer plus Canales. The key players are de Gea, Botia, Dominquez, Montoya, J Martinez, Thiago, Herrera, Munain, Mata, Adrian, Boyan, Jefferen, Canales, Parejo.

I wouldnt be too sure about Canales. After his injury, he might not make it, especially if those kind of injuries are as bad as you said. I would like him to be there, but Im not too hopeful.

Yeh, unfortunately you might be right. That's why Thiago played yesterday (in Canales spot) with U21 team. The other problem is size of squad apparently is only 18. That really limits players on team.

If Sarabia gets on instead of him, TBH I woudlnt complain.

No way. There are too many ahead of him. I can name at least 10 ahead of him. Sarabia has potential, but he,s only 20 and most of those ahead of him are now 21, 22. And most play in la liga - regularly. With only 18 players will be those from last year's under 21 team. Possible exceptions are any over 23 players chosen (eg Cesc, we are allowed 3) or leaders from U20 team (eg Canales, Bartra, Orieu). Sarabia was with U19 team

Spain nt needs to play a target cf... Llorente. All this passing is useless without a box presence. Everyone just plugs the middle because they know that wide centering balls have nobody to get under them.

sportsczy wrote:Spain nt needs to play a target cf... Llorente. All this passing is useless without a box presence. Everyone just plugs the middle because they know that wide centering balls have nobody to get under them.

I agree!!!! Shit, Cesc should have had 3!!!!

But to put this game in perspective, it was a friendly and for VDB it was a chance to play as many players as possible. Look for the other 6 to play against Costa Rica. Alba looks good at LB. Let's see how Monreal plays in next game? I think the 2 strikers will be Torres and Llorente.

Problem VDB has is who to start. Quite frankly you can't go wrong with any of the MF ( Xavi, Alonso, Iniesta, Busquets, Cazorla, Cesc, J. Martinez) nor with forwards (Viila, Silva, Mata, Llorente, Torres and either Navas or Negredo) . I think you are right tho, we need also to be more strategic with starting lineup and have a CF in starting lineup.

They don't need a target man CF.

They just need to stop starting both Busquets and Alonso.

mtfootball wrote:They don't need a target man CF.

They just need to stop starting both Busquets and Alonso.

No way. The system is preventing goals first including possession control and extra protection for CBs. Like it or not, that's our system. If you take one of them out you put J. Martinez in for them. The weakness is lack of height, strength in the centre up front. Sportsczy is right.

Villa

futbol_bill wrote:

mtfootball wrote:They don't need a target man CF.

They just need to stop starting both Busquets and Alonso.

No way. The system is preventing goals first including possession control and extra protection for CBs. Like it or not, that's our system. If you take one of them out you put J. Martinez in for them. The weakness is lack of height, strength in the centre up front. Sportsczy is right.

That isn't a weakness. Barca manage with a 3 man midfield. There's no need to play with 4 central midfielders. It's the reason Spain barely create chances.

-------------Busquets/Alonso
----------Xavi--------Iniesta
-----Silva--------------------Pedro
------------------Villa

Pedro is horrible right now. No way he plays. Villa is also off form. Llorente needs to be in there... if you are going to play with 3 mids, mata and silva would be my wingers.

mtfootball wrote:

futbol_bill wrote:

mtfootball wrote:They don't need a target man CF.

They just need to stop starting both Busquets and Alonso.

No way. The system is preventing goals first including possession control and extra protection for CBs. Like it or not, that's our system. If you take one of them out you put J. Martinez in for them. The weakness is lack of height, strength in the centre up front. Sportsczy is right.

That isn't a weakness. Barca manage with a 3 man midfield. There's no need to play with 4 central midfielders. It's the reason Spain barely create chances.

-------------Busquets/Alonso
----------Xavi--------Iniesta
-----Silva--------------------Pedro
------------------Villa

We don't play the Barca system, we play the Spanish system. Difference is tighter defense which has 2 deep MF.


@ Sportsczy, we are playing with 4 MFs so it's only 2 forwards (not counting Iniesta nor Cesc as forwards) and the choice is Llorente with Silva, Mata or Villa. Note - Pedro is out for a few weeks with injury, but when he is back he falls behind the 3 mentioned above. Note there is also Navas out there and of course using Cesc or Iniesta as forward. Not an easy decision. Of course you could open this up with only 3 MFs, but no way with VDB. He would much prefer to win 2-0 than 4-2.

I think Xavi-Busquet-Alonso are too many defensive-minded and facilitating mids Bill. If you're going to play these 3, might as well only have Ramos-Pique-Puyol in defense. You don't need that much cover. Spain NT lacks width and a CF presence right now. The talent is there. VDB should adjust because the other NTs have found the weakness to his system. Losing to Italy, England, Portugal and Argentina in 2011 should be worrying.

Silva's barely a forward.

Ive been saying it for some time, VDB has some big problems and TBH I think he is really messing up as Spain coach and has been for a while now. I think they should play like this:

--------------Iker
-Arbeloa-Pique-Ramos-Enrique
---------------Xabi
---------Xavi------Iniesta
-Silva----------------------Villa
--------------Llorente

Or whoever at LB and whichever striker is doing better at the front.

If it helps, there was a survey inMarca after game asking if we should play with a #9 and the response is 65% si.


@seta, we don't share the same view on VDB, but I agree with the lineup you put up except for LB. Alba looked good today and we'll see how Monreal does against Costa Rica. Enrique may get a call for next friendliy, but so far (this decision won't be made until June) Alba is leading.

sportsczy wrote:Pedro is horrible right now. No way he plays. Villa is also off form. Llorente needs to be in there... if you are going to play with 3 mids, mata and silva would be my wingers.

Yeah, I would do the same.

futbol_bill wrote:If it helps, there was a survey inMarca after game asking if we should play with a #9 and the response is 65% si.


@seta, we don't share the same view on VDB, but I agree with the lineup you put up except for LB. Alba looked good today and we'll see how Monreal does against Costa Rica. Enrique may get a call for next friendliy, but so far (this decision won't be made until June) Alba is leading.

It makes me sad to say VDB is doing badly, but I think he really is. Not that he should be sacked or anything. On Alba, yes I agree he has been very good. If he keeps up like this Spain doesnt really need other LBs though Monreal and Enrique should get a chance too.

We need to play only one deep MF and replace him with true #9, preferably Llorente.

VDB probably use the 6 who didn't play yesterday. That means

Valdes in goal (likely 2nd half)
Monreal in at LB
J. Martinez as deep MF (likely for half of game)
Navas as RW (likely for half of game)
Llorente as #9
Albiol in with Puyol (likely for half of game)

Keys are Monreal, Navas and Javi since they need to impress to have chance for Euro.

Interesting twist is if they go to just one deep MF, they don't need Javi on team so he can be ready for Olympic team. That would leave only Mata to serve double duty..

I'm pissed.

2-2 was the final.

For once we played with only 1 deep MF, but since Llorente was injured and no confidence in Torres, we went with Cesc as a false 9. Although he had chances I don't like him in this position.

They got 2 goals due to defensive errors.

We didn't have our normal possession control, but I don't think it was because of only deep MF.

We didn't look dangerous until end of game when we went with 3 defense.

Navas and Monreal looked OK and will be in running for last 2 or 3 spots on team. I think Enrique is the only one left who needs an audition. Interesting J.martinez didn't get into game. I think maybe they are planning on playing one deep MF and therefore may save Javi for Olympic team and thus creating another spot on team either for a second LB, but more likely for an extra forward (i.e. Navas)