Spain 2008-2012

[Lord SInister]

I thought their performance vs Germany was very pleasing on the eye in 2010.

But they were rather toothless in 2012 until the final.

I wouldn't say toothless, they were deliberately keeping the ball for the sake of time wasting, waiting until Pedro comes on and starts doing his thing.
It was so frustrating tbh, how they were toying around the midfield with very little intent of penetrating.

 

[Hound Dog]

All made possible by the incredible Pep, clearly the bestest manager of all time.

 

[Peyroteo]

Beat us through an offside goal in 2010 and on penalties in 2012 after an even game. Infuriating team to play against so hopefully they get remembered more for how boring they were rather than how superb they were.

With that said, they weren't very good at all in 2012. European teams were just in a very bad state at that time. The teams they beat in the knockouts (France, Portugal and Italy) are all big names but it only takes a look at the team sheet on the day to see there wasn't anything special at all about those teams.

The next Euros will be the most high quality Euros since 2000/2004 with several top teams in it, this 2008-12 Spain team wouldn't dominate the way they did nowadays.

 

[giorno]

Can't stand Xavi but he was the best CM of the last 30 years and probably a top 25/30 all time player. By far Spain's best and most important player, and the best Spanish player ever

 

[Fluctuation0161]

I hear they had a great doctor during that period.

 

[Falcow]

That happened to England once the "golden generation" started getting old a bit, a lot of the younger players coming through at that time didn't fulfill their potential which lead to a pretty disasterous 2010s for England.

What? Were the 00's any better?

 

[Falcow]

Iniesta was one of the greatest players I have ever seen. That midfield of Alonso Xavi and him was mostly cheating.

That's it. Those three in midfield, didnt really matter who else was playing. Kroos and Modric for Madrid a poor version but still excellent.

There is about 7 CLs, a WC and 2 euros between those 5 midfielders.

 

[Rajiztar]

2008 Spain was lot more vibrant but 2010 , 2012 winning Spanish team almost gave you slow death. They passed you to death. Pass,pass,pass,pass again pass,pass,pass,pass.

 

[Fortitude]

Really don't understand the viewpoint that they were boring to watch at their peak.

There is so much to admire and savour when a whole team executes to perfection a technical command of passing and movement in harmony.

Indeed. Boring is not what I would ascribe to tactical perfection. Perhaps: infuriating; frustrating; humiliating and a whole bunch more "ing's" that sent the opposition and people who wanted to see balanced games, up the wall.

The blood scandal does make one wonder, however... a sudden burst of the most intense pressing the game has seen, allied to football essentially from another planet. Perhaps Xavi was just that good that it would all die with him, but the coincidence with the medical team changing does remain.

 

[Ødegaard]

Alleged reason #0

 

[GatoLoco]

Can't stand Xavi but he was the best CM of the last 30 years and probably a top 25/30 all time player. By far Spain's best and most important player, and the best Spanish player ever

Who was the best CM of the last 50 years?

 

[giorno]

Who was the best CM of the last 50 years?

Lothar Matthaus

 

[United58]

Their football in the World Cup and second Euro win was spirit-crushingly boring.

Absolutely, Christ World Cup 2010 in general was shockingly dull

 

[Handré1990]

Their football in the World Cup and second Euro win was spirit-crushingly boring.

This. They were fun to watch in 2008, after that it was hard work.

 

[Rozay]

Reason #1:

Villa was the key too. Once he was finished, Spain lost a lot of cutting edge.

 

[Drainy]

Nobody will ever convince me they weren't doping.

The doctor, the destroyed blood bags, the massive drop in performance as soon as it all came to light. Far too many coincidences.

Clicked into the thread expecting the OP to be about that allegation.

 

[roonster09]

That's it. Those three in midfield, didnt really matter who else was playing. Kroos and Modric for Madrid a poor version but still excellent.

There is about 7 CLs, a WC and 2 euros between those 5 midfielders.

As a combination?

Xavi - Iniesta - 4
Kroos-Modric - 4

If it's individual, you can add one more for Kroos (both CL and World cup) and 1 for Alonso (2005) . Lots of trophies by these midfielders. Barca and Madrid just dominated last 15 years in CL.

 

[Sanchez7]

Remember Marcos Senna being lauded as the final piece of the puzzle in 2008. He played the Makele role in that team if I remember correctly. We were also briefly linked with him around that time.

 

[Gio]

2008 was more entertaining because they played with one holding midfielder rather than Alonso and Busquets in 2010. Also Torres was up top with Villa in 2008 and he wasn’t the same player in 2010 physically, so didn’t start.

Yup.

In each tournament from 2008 to 2012, they added another midfielder (from 4 in 2008, 5 in 2010, ended with 6 in 2012), increased their share of possession (from 57% up to 65%), conceded fewer goals (from 3 to 2 to 1) and took fewer shots on goal (a shot for every 32 passes in 2008, up to 45 in 2010 and up to 59 in 2012). They were more direct, incisive and electric in 2008 inspired by Torres/Villa partnership that was an attack befitting the calibre of the midfield, but their control over the game was stronger in 2010 and 2012.

 

[FootballHQ]

Interesting for me they did it without some of the players who were seen as certs at the start of the 2000s.

If you look at the 2002 world cup Joaquin was argualby their best outfield player and was linked to all the major euro clubs when at Betis. He was 27 at start of euro 2008 but hadn't been called up by Spain for a year, indeed 2007 was his last cap.

Reyes was also seen as a big hope but think Arsenal was the wrong move for him and his career sort of fizzled out after that despite playing for major clubs, last called up for Spain in 2006 when he was still only 23.

Vicente was a fantastic wide player for Valencia but had constant injuries, ended up at Brighton when he was about 29.

After 2006 world cup they sacrificed width for more numbers in central midfield so perhaps that's something England should look at to take the next step in major tournaments. Brazil ignoring Marcos Senna was also good fortune as he did a great job for them at euro 2008. Deciding to move away from Raul in 2007 was also a huge call at the time.

 

[paraguayo]

 

[GuyfromAustria]

If you look at the 2002 world cup Joaquin was argualby their best outfield player and was linked to all the major euro clubs when at Betis. He was 27 at start of euro 2008 but hadn't been called up by Spain for a year, indeed 2007 was his last cap.

My mind is blown every time I remember he's STILL playing at Betis.

 

[Paul_Scholes18]

I don't think they impressed that much during the world cup run. Could have easily gone another way that run. 4x 1-0 wins I think to win. They had most of the ball though, but it was very boring to watch.

 

[Rojofiam]

Still makes me sad that the Netherlands lost the WC final in 2010

 

[dbs235]

What? Were the 00's any better?

Yes? Going out on penalties twice to Portugal and Brazil in quarter finals was definitely a lot better than the showings in 2010, 2014 and 2016. England actually won some knockout games too.

 

[Falcow]

As a combination?

Xavi - Iniesta - 4
Kroos-Modric - 4

If it's individual, you can add one more for Kroos (both CL and World cup) and 1 for Alonso (2005) . Lots of trophies by these midfielders. Barca and Madrid just dominated last 15 years in CL.

Completely forgot about Alonso's CL in 05, ha. Also Kroos WC.

Unbelievable trophy haul between those midfielders. Shows you what you can do when you have two truly world class midfielders in your team.

 

[Falcow]

Yes? Going out on penalties twice to Portugal and Brazil in quarter finals was definitely a lot better than the showings in 2010, 2014 and 2016. England actually won some knockout games too.

Still the same end result though.

I fully expect England to win at least one int trophy in this decade. Some real talent there at the moment. Foden, Rice, Grealish, Sterling, Sancho, Rashford, Kane and Greenwood, those are great options from midfield on. Defence not bad either, keeper probably still a weakness. Amazing England haven't had a really good keeper in last 20 years.

 

[dbs235]

Still the same end result though.

I fully expect England to win at least one int trophy in this decade. Some real talent there at the moment. Foden, Rice, Grealish, Sterling, Sancho, Rashford, Kane and Greenwood, those are great options from midfield on. Defence not bad either, keeper probably still a weakness. Amazing England haven't had a really good keeper in last 20 years.

Don't want to open up a massive debate about England's golden generation in this thread but the whole point was that the generation of players that were coming through as Gerrard/Lampard/Rooney/Cole started getting etc never fulfilled any sort of potential, a lot of it could be down to injuries. But players like Walcott, Jones, Smalling, Sturridge, Welbeck, Wilshere. So in the first half of the 2010s there was a bit of a gap and England looked extremely average.

 

[Falcow]

Don't want to open up a massive debate about England's golden generation in this thread but the whole point was that the generation of players that were coming through as Gerrard/Lampard/Rooney/Cole started getting etc never fulfilled any sort of potential, a lot of it could be down to injuries. But players like Walcott, Jones, Smalling, Sturridge, Welbeck, Wilshere. So in the first half of the 2010s there was a bit of a gap and England looked extremely average.

Those players were talented but never reached potential for variety of reasons and England were long way behind in terms of international know how despite having continental managers at that point.

Lampard and Gerard were always in each other's way back then as well and no o e seemed to have the balls to drop one of them.

Anyway in fairness, I think they have done something right sense given the talent now being produced.