non-Spain related: So the way I understood it France will go in group I but their results won't count?
Yes, from what I understood last month when Platini came up with this rule is that France will play in I and results will not count.
well in the space of a few days we have lost two players for the WC. First Valdes and now Thiago is all but out as well.
Thiago has a partial ligament tear in his left knee. Out 6-8 weeks. Club season over but World Cup? Let's wait and see.
well with so many quality midfielders, will Del Bosque really select Thiago who would be in recovery and trying to gain game fitness over any of the other midfielders? I mean Thiago was on the fringe as it is.
I think he had taken Mata's spot in the Spanish squad, so Thiago's injury might be Mata's last chance to make it to Brazil IMO.
Soldaldo has def flopped at Spurs. No way he's taken to Brazil right? Doesn't look any likely that last season was anything other than a misnomer for Michu.
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I think there's a big Chance Negredo's left out of your final squad for Llorente or Villa. Is Vdb going to announce a list of 30 players 1st or is he going to just name his 23 man Squad???
I'd rather see Llorente than Negredo anyway. The only striker that has a secure place right now is Diego Costa, everything is up in the air after that.
If Torres could go on a scoring run, might just be able to pip a spot. Soldaldo and Negredo haven't been much of a factor in recent weeks/months.
Very good and balanced starting line up imo. if i'll change anything in that line up, it will be Busquets in place of Xabi and maybe Cesc for Silva (and move Iniesta to the left where he's always positionned for the NT) for the simple reason that Cesc behind a real striker is very dangerous and will often dish out those through balls to Costa and he's also a better goal scorer than Iniesta & Silva.
---------------------d.costa---------------------- iniesta---------------cesc------------------pedro ------------busquets------koke------------------ alba---------ramos-------pique-------------azpi --------------------casillas-----------------------
Juanfran and Arbeloa if it was up to me, Carvajal and Juanfran out is looking like it if it was up to Del Bosque.
Torres??? really DB?? SMH. I would leave Xabi, Torres and possibly Villa... I would have never called Isco so i am glad he wasn't called. I would consider not taking Pique, he has been slow and inconsistent. Albiol, I have no idea since I have not seen him play at all this season. Azpilicueta though? bleh. I would have taken Lopez for sure. Costa is basically a Llorente with triple the scoring power. Negredo is a slightly different type of a striker so I guess I would leave Llorente. Koke (as much as I like him) is a one trick pony and doesn't fit the Spanish play. At the end of the day you can't keep winning everything but let's see what Del Bosque is made of.