THE FINAL: Germany v Spain

[dalliance]

THE FINAL: Germany v Spain

Lawrenson has a point though. The Premiership gives players a certain physical conditioning that can only benefit their game and it was this vigour for hard running and shoulder to shoulder stuff that cost the Spanish in the past - they felt they were above such prosaic stuff.

Look at Torres last night chasing a ball with Metzelder, a player several inches taller and several stone heavier. He just muscled him off the ball, put it through his legs and drew a foul and maybe a booking (can't remember exactly). Carlos Santillana and Emilio Butragueno never did stuff like that.

Spain has benefitted from players playing in England. If they move to Italy the style of game is not all that different, at least in England they are learning a new way.

Discussing Euro 88, I would be inclined to agree with Impact Sub about the Dutch. Not sure anyone has mentioned the outrageous penalty decision they benefited from against the West Germans too. I felt that the USSR was the best side over the entirety of the competition - especially their clinical picking off of the exuberant Italians in the semi final.

[ursus arctos]

THE FINAL: Germany v Spain

Completely agreed about Torres, who has clearly benefitted considerably from his time at Liverpool.

That said, I think it is harder to see any similar transformation in Fabregas or Xabi Alonso, and Reina and Arbeloa are of course irrelevant.

[Bill Poster]

THE FINAL: Germany v Spain

Good final and the right team won. Fantastic goal from a fantastic striker. Torres has had a good tournament in my book. Dalliance is right, he's run defenders ragged and created space. That's why I backed Villa to be top scorer in this tournament (at 29-1, thank you Ladrokes) and not Torres.

But was I the only one disappointed by Iniesta last night? He kept having to cut back inside on his right foot when playing on the left. Other times he gave the ball away too easily. This allowed the defenders time to get back and get a challenge in. I can't see why he made the UEFA list for best players in this tournament.

[Wyatt Earp]

THE FINAL: Germany v Spain

No, you weren't. In fact, I was just thinking how many chances Iniesta had let go by shuffling from foot to foot in the box, when Motson and Lawrenson started calling him the pick of the Spanish players.

[Bill Poster]

THE FINAL: Germany v Spain

Well you know you've called it right when those one-eyed idiots have the opposing view.

[E10 Rifle]

THE FINAL: Germany v Spain

Can anyone think of a worse set of subs ever used in an international final than Jansen, Kuranyi and Gomez.

No. In fact it felt like game over as soon as Low started making his replacements, for all the lazy "never write off the Germans" guff coming out. I don't think they ever looked like scoring at all, such was the woefulness of their final ball and general passing from midfield.

Funny that, for all people (including me) upthread have rejoiced in the unpredictable and well-matched nature of the games in this tournament, looking back overall Spain's superiority to the rest seems obvious and unchallengeable.

Me not betting on them for the first time in 14 years had the desired effect.

[dalliance]

THE FINAL: Germany v Spain

Iniesta is a curious player. As clever and resourceful as he is with the ball, he's often frustrating when he dwells too long and gets muscled out of possession.

That said, in the semi and in the final he played several of the best passes of the tournament slipping wonderful balls into Capdevilla and Torres in the box.

[Etienne]

THE FINAL: Germany v Spain

I think one tactical change that was key was the decision to move Silva over to the right after 15 minutes. As usual, all Germany's attacks were coming down the left, and Puyol was spending most of his time covering Ramos. By putting Silva there, who might not be the best at tracking back, but spent more time on the flank than Iniests, Spain prevented Germany from having the extra man there - and by pushing Lahm backwards meant that his defensive game was tested.

And, as in the rest of the tournament, if Germany couldn't attack down the left, they only had set-pieces to rely on. And Schweinstiger had a wretched day for his deliveries.

[DCI Harry Batt]

THE FINAL: Germany v Spain

That was enjoyable, that game. Nice that Spain won. I am a bit gutted about the severe lack of shirt-removal by the winners, but you can't have everything.

Is that nasty old racist going to retire now?

[matt j]

THE FINAL: Germany v Spain

Iniesta was good yesterday, but far too unselfish. He kept looking for a cross when he should have shot, and had a couple chances at the end to press for the 2nd and held the ball up.

I rate Klose usually, but this tournament was pretty poor for him. I've seen him take on defenders much better and not have to rely on crosses from the wings, but then again, he had to play with Gomez for too many games, and then when Germany played him as the lone striker, he became far too isolated. (The commentators from whatever station it was I happened to watch yesterday - not ESPN - kept saying how Klose kept trying to pull away from the defenders and create space, but that there wasn't a German midfielder who tried to pass him the ball.)

Has anybody mentioned that stretch in the 2nd half where Ballack (who was quite poor, and who could easily have been sent off) had possession and could find no-one to pass the ball to? He held it for about 30 seconds and every other German player just stood around. Kind of sums of the game for me - they just had no idea what to do.

[Jimmy Bignutz]

THE FINAL: Germany v Spain

Perhaps worth pointing out that Germany's only good performance in the tournament was under this guy:



Bit embarassing for Jogi "Jogi" Low

[ursus arctos]

THE FINAL: Germany v Spain

TonTon, Aragones is off to cash in at Fenerbahce.

[the cantering captain]

THE FINAL: Germany v Spain

Taking off Lahm at half time seemed like a change for the sake of change. Ok he cocked up somewhat for the goal, but he is one of their most effective attackers and they needed to score.

[DCI Harry Batt]

THE FINAL: Germany v Spain

Excellent, ua. Spain for the World Cup too, then.

[Ray de Galles]

THE FINAL: Germany v Spain

Can I clarify two things;

a) why did Spain recieve the trophy on the prow of a yacht specially constructed in the stadium.

b) I unfortunately missed all the build-up to the game, did the trophy come out of a little trap door on that prow as the teams walked out at the start and was it already sporting red & yellow ribbons or have I seen some footage out of synch?

[Guest]

THE FINAL: Germany v Spain

dalliance wrote:

Discussing Euro 88, I would be inclined to agree with Impact Sub about the Dutch. Not sure anyone has mentioned the outrageous penalty decision they benefited from against the West Germans too. I felt that the USSR was the best side over the entirety of the competition - especially their clinical picking off of the exuberant Italians in the semi final.

The West Germans got an equally appalling penalty decision in that match, earlier. It was another one of Klinsmann's "Aaagh, I've just been blasted with a shotgun" efforts, the ones he immediately gave up when he joined Spurs in 1994.

The Soviets were good for most of Euro 88, but were completely outplayed by Ireland and never really got going in the final. The best team won that year without a doubt.

[Etienne]

THE FINAL: Germany v Spain

Harry, I didn't see the trophy emerge, but it had ribbons for both countries attached at the start.

[Jimmy Bignutz]

THE FINAL: Germany v Spain

Two countries with largely the same colours on their flags.

[Tactical Genius]

THE FINAL: Germany v Spain

Dalliance is right.

[Spearmint Rhino]

THE FINAL: Germany v Spain

Wow.

[Jimmy Bignutz]

THE FINAL: Germany v Spain

They had paella in the canteen at lunch today. It looked nice, so I ordered it, and only in the lift did it dawn on me why, perhaps, they made it.

Bah.

It was nice though.

[G-Man]

THE FINAL: Germany v Spain

Taking off Lahm at half time seemed like a change for the sake of change.

Apparently Lahm had a cut on his foot. Not that the English commentators let us know about that.

I'm still mystified at Löw's tactics. I'd like to have seen Borowski coming on for Hitzlsperger, playing at the left with Podolski going upfront to create more space for Klose. It probably wouldn't have won Germany the game, but perhaps the whole performance might have been less feeble.

[N est à?]

THE FINAL: Germany v Spain

Ah. I was saying to all and sundry in the second half that Löw should have put Jansen on for Hitzlsperger, let Lahm take Podolski's position going forward on the left, and put Podolski alongside Klose, as was highly effective in 2006.

But if Lahm was injured, then Borowski would have been a good idea as well. Or even David Odonkor and put Schweinsteiger alongside Klose. Or anything, anything but Kevin cocking Kuranyi.

[ursus arctos]

THE FINAL: Germany v Spain

Marca have just begun a campaign to rename Madrid's "Olympic Stadium" (and Atleti's future home) after Aragones.

[Guest]

THE FINAL: Germany v Spain

The Estadio Negro di Mierda.