85% possession certainly is decent. 5 shots on goal from that, not so much.
Spain Euro 2021 - Discussion Thread
- Thread starter Berbaclass
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95% pointless and predictable passing. Frustrating watch, that was.
Wouldn't be overly surprised if they don't make the group stage as I can see one of the other teams in the group potentially upsetting them considering they are better upgrades than a Sweden team still having to play the likes of Larsson and berg.
Dead
Yeah because Slovakia and Poland have better players
Sweden has better players though, they just like experience and consistency, hard to argue it was the wrong choice to play Larsson instead of say Kulusevski or Claesson who is both better footballers. Sweden is a better team than Slovakia and probably Poland too.Poland do have better players I think. But they may not be a better team. I'd say those three teams are more or less on the same level, certainly enough that any individual game could go in any direction.Yeah because Slovakia and Poland have better players
If Sweden met Slovakia 10 times I think they would win 6 or 7 times times and draw the rest. No way Slovakia is better and that it's "from game to game". Poland seems like an overrated bunch too, what have they done? Sweden has performed way better than both of them it's not even close, now and in the last decades.
I'm not arguing Slovakia is better than Sweden, but I don't think they're fundamentally in such different quality brackets that you could with much confidence expect an individual game to have any given result. They're all pretty close on the FIFA ranking - in fact, Sweden and Poland are right next to each other on the UEFA list. Slovakia a little bit further down, but they don't look like a significantly weaker team to me.
Agree with this and don't forget that Spain had two positive COVID tests last week and were in lockdown. If Morata scores that sitter in the first half they would've won last night. Enrique needs to start Moreno ahead of him going forward and be a little more direct.
Sweden are better than both Poland and Slovakia. I will be quite surprised if Spain drop any more points.
Since Spain no longer have De gea for pens they can do like Portugal and draw the way to the trophy.
I think the boy scout defenders in Spain can get some problems when they face better attacking sides than Sweden.
Honestly, I don't see very much difference between the two sides. Other than the fact David Villa would've scored at least two of Morata's chances and one of Moreno's.
Spain had 85 per cent possession last night and it wasn't sterile. Koke also should have scored at least once.
In 2010 Spain played pretty much the same way. It led to a shaky start with a loss to Switzerland, a comfortable win against Honduras. A really tight win against Chile, where Bielsa's tactics were very impressive. Followed by a succession of 1-0s in the knockouts. Spain's 2010 World Cup win was impressive but, as I remember it, it wasn't a case of them peppering the goal with shots. It was them keeping the ball, tiring the opposition and then David Villa scoring. It was not that exciting to watch, it was like watching a snake slowly strangle its prey.
If Spain had David Villa last night the game ends 2 or 3-0 and we're all talking about how Spain are 'back'.
If Sweden had Ibrahimovic last night it would have been another game as well.
Possibly. Zlatan's pace on the counter isn't what it used to be. Sweden might have had to change approach. Although Zlatan's size and strength would've allowed Sweden to go long and have Isak run off him more. Might have allowed them to do more. Although Spain's press was so effective its hard to see things going that differently.
If Spain get the wins they need to go through the big issue for them will come against teams that have real pace and power on the counter. Mbappe, for example, would've lit Spain's back line up last night.
Yes we saw how Laporte and Torres struggled with Isak’s speed and technical abilities yesterday. Mbappe would be a tough one (for any team I might add).
Zlatan wouldn’t be able to press, but would be someone up front who could take care of all long balls and distribute them to quick players like Isak. He would be calm when others stressed and gave back the possession. He would be a threat at setpieces as Indont think the is anybody in Spain who could match him in the air.
Plus the bonus that Zlatan is one of those few players who can create goals out of nowhere, again and again.
Is Morata rated in Spain? He's terrible.
Agree with other posters that it was very similar to the WC winning Spain team. This is their style. Personally like Pep ball I don't find possession for possessions sake attractive to watch, but you can't deny the effectiveness.
I'm just amazed the Spanish players themselves don't get bored. Must take so much discipline to just not try and score a goal for that long.
What's funny is just like City in the final, the actual goal scoring chances came from mundane things like a wide player crossing the ball, and yet til the 80th minute that's clearly frowned upon.
I'm just amazed the Spanish players themselves don't get bored. Must take so much discipline to just not try and score a goal for that long.
What's funny is just like City in the final, the actual goal scoring chances came from mundane things like a wide player crossing the ball, and yet til the 80th minute that's clearly frowned upon.
They'll be vulnerable to counters because that's inherent in the way they play. They have good enough defenders that it shouldn't be a massive issue in itself though.
The problem is that they won't convert enough of their dominance into goals and if you're not doing that then every goal you do concede is a big problem.
I can see them being able to beat other big teams. But being able to beat enough big teams to win the tournament? No chance. Eventually their inability to kill teams off will hurt them.
The problem is that they won't convert enough of their dominance into goals and if you're not doing that then every goal you do concede is a big problem.
I can see them being able to beat other big teams. But being able to beat enough big teams to win the tournament? No chance. Eventually their inability to kill teams off will hurt them.
Ponderous possession with little end product. They've had plenty of major tournament games like that in the past but I guess the difference is you expected that side to eventually score, and I didn't get that feeling last night because they don't have the same quality.
I agree it is very effective. I hope they run into problems against the bigger nations because I find it extremely tiring to watch when possession becomes the main objective.
They didn't pepper the goal with shots because of how cynical sides set up against them. If Sweden played the same away against Spain 2010 they would have conceded 5 goals. The talent discrepancy between Spain of 2010 and today is drastic.
The thing is you could just as well point out they played in pretty much the same way as the World Cup in Russia. Where, just like yesterday, they basically flopped because they couldn't translate their possession domination into goals.
Bottom line yesterday that they probably should worry about is that they had 85% possession, but not only failed to score but also produced just 17 shots and 5 on goal, which is pretty average even if you don't have much of a possession adavantage. Plus, they yielded to an opponent who hardly had the ball not one but several big scoring chances that could very easily have settled the game the other way.
They'll have no problem getting out of the group. If the other sides play like Sweden did, they're not all going to come out with a point, it is very unlikely that can consistently work. I think they'll get better as this progresses.
Finishing is something to improve on but 17 chances isn’t the worst thing in the world. If they focus on being more aggressive I have high hopes for them. Not sure how many chances morata ended up having, 2 or 3? That’s not that many for your main striker and many a striker miss two or three chances a game. There’s also no denying he needs more confidence but not sure what will give it to him. If it was Diego Costa yesterday, game won.
You pretty much negate yourself of scoring chances if you start Morata...
The differences is huge, no just Villa...
That team was one of the best of football history.
Spain started playing a real quality "tiki taka" under Luis Aragones and we won the Euro2008. It was kind of unexpected after 2006 elimination against France, but the team played very well. Massive superiority (4-1, 3-0 to Russia that was the surprise of the tournament) or 1-0 in the final against Germany , which should have been 3-0 easy. Massive superiority despite of the result.
However it came with a cost... literally every team in the world started playing with an Airbus... 10 players in the area. Germany, France, Portugal, Italy... no matter who. 90 minutes of Spain trying to find a space against a wall.
With less space... Spain just got patient... taking less risks (Switzerland game was a warning... you cannot concede.) and taking total control of the games... if your opponent don't want to play you are not going to give them spaces. It worked so well that Spain won Euro2008, WC2010 and Euro2012 without conceding a single goal in knock out stages, dominating 90 mins per match. If we scored soon and the rival went forward... better for us. 4-0 against Italy in the Euro2012 final because they just left more spaces. If the opponents had chosen a less negative football Spain would have played more aggressively (and scored more goals).
Today the story is very different... the quality of the players is far from it... the dominance is different. Now we have the ball, but we do not necessarily dominate the match. We are not as good in the offensive side, but the main difference is that the defense is way weaker. Not just because of the names, but due to the ball speed and situations and places where we lose the ball... now we lose the ball in more dangerous positions, the opponent is less tired (because of the speed, not % of possession) and they can counter-attack (or dominate the game, which was out of the table in the past) easily and with more energy.
Today we can beat anyone (we scored 6 against Germany and Croatia in the last 2 years), but we can lose or suffer against anyone too (Ukraine por example).
The confidence is at a record low for Spain due to inept goalkeepers and strikers. The midfield was also weaker than before.
But Spain is at the right step now that they play Unai Simon. I think they should play Moreno up front. Morata isn't a striker. He's more suited as an attacking midfielder but this Euro has no place for him as there are others to play in that positions as well.
But Spain is at the right step now that they play Unai Simon. I think they should play Moreno up front. Morata isn't a striker. He's more suited as an attacking midfielder but this Euro has no place for him as there are others to play in that positions as well.
Easily one of the teams that can go far in this tournament, I find them a bit of a tough watch, but they'll be really dangerous in the knockout stages.
If you can control the majority of the game then you stand a chance against anyone. If they score first then teams are going to struggle against them imo.
If you can control the majority of the game then you stand a chance against anyone. If they score first then teams are going to struggle against them imo.
Honestly remind me of a slightly technically better version of England. Look absolutely clueless going forward.
They play like a toothless midtable La Liga team.
They'll be better in the knockout stages against teams that would want their own share of the ball as well.
Spain are awful, there style of play is awful, possession doesn’t win you games! You have to do something with the ball… sideward passes all the time! Spain just cost me 350 pound! They deserve to get knocked out.
Not really. They just suffer from an acute bout of Werneritis
No quality regarding the finishing. Their frontline is dreadful. Enrique doesnt help either with guys like Sarabia and setting them up one paced. They are back to the pre 2008 Spain i.e. no challenge for trophies
I dont find them as bad as some, as i think they create enough overall, but they lose their composure once they are around and in the box.
I dont find them as bad as some, as i think they create enough overall, but they lose their composure once they are around and in the box.
I still think they're fine and will be fine. If they sort out how bad their finishing is or just go on a hot streak for a few games they could easily go all the way. They create plenty of very good chances and keep the ball well... but just lack the final bit of composure to get it in the net. Partially because Morata is shit, but he scored today anyway.
I mean they create enough decent chances, but they're totally toothless up front, and the way they play is so slow and nonchalant. Not shitting on them. They're an OK team.
Find them incredibly boring to watch and as a part-pole, Delighted to see the Poles hold them to a draw tonight!
What a header.
What a header.
Yeah. For all their technical quality, which is obvious when they pass and move, they just don't look likely. The whole team seems built to work as though they have a special striker. But they don't.