Semifinal #2 Russia v Spain [R]

[Alberto]

Yep. Hopefully the refereeing will be better informed and less biased than some comments by the moderators here.

We will see on Sunday. If Germany match up well and dictate the attack you will not see hard play from them. I think that Spain has better possession and holding in the midfield and this could frustrate the Germans if they fall a goal behind. The German midfield has not really held the ball well. Ballack has not really imposed himself for this team the way he use to for Bayern. Most of the German goals have come from set pieces and counters. I have not seen many good build ups in the attack. Turkey maintained possession and had Germany on their heels for a good portion of the match. This was a undermanned Turkey too. Rustu really was responsible for the one goal being so out of position. I respect German pride and confidence to find a way to win, but this German team is not as skilled as Spain. Hopefully, Spain does not reverse form like Holland did against Russia and they play to the level they of their abilities. It should be an interesting and exciting final.

[Cris 09]

We will see on Sunday. If Germany match up well and dictate the attack you will not see hard play from them. I think that Spain has better possession and holding in the midfield and this could frustrate the Germans if they fall a goal behind.

The Germans don't get frustrated by lack of posession. Controlling the ball is good, but scoring is better. That will be their overall objective.

[laudrup]

Wehrmacht will steamroll Spain this Sunday, after Spain's pityful display against Italy and Russia i'm preparing for 3:0 or 3:1 (Germans might give up late goal after game will be decided).

Nazi Germany reference. Classy.

[Alberto]

The Germans don't get frustrated by lack of posession. Controlling the ball is good, but scoring is better. That will be their overall objective.

Please read my post again. I said Germany will get frustrated if they fall a goal behind and Spain maintains possession.

[Dage]

That would NEVER been happen. Germany can be back to every time. All are talking 'bout the come backs of Turkey but at all, it's a German thing. One goal, even two will mean nothing!
At the other side, I'm really interesting how Spain will react with one or two goals back. Look to Portugal.

€: pls set a sign and ban this nazi shit from this board.

€2: @Alberto again: the frontiers between counters and very fast switchovers are floating. There were a lot of beautiful combinations which were very kind of controlled build ups - but in a very fast kind. A counter for me is to kick the ball wide out of your own half or have a nice long ball to the forwards and then a 1 to 2 or 1 to1 situation. No German goal was shot by this.

[Alberto]

€2: @Alberto again: the frontiers between counters and very fast switchovers are floating. There were a lot of beautiful combinations which were very kind of controlled build ups - but in a very fast kind. A counter for me is to kick the ball wide out of your own half or have a nice long ball to the forwards and then a 1 to 2 or 1 to1 situation. No German goal was shot by this.

To me a counter attack is just that a quick attack following an attack by the opposition. I do not limit my definition of a counter to a long ball played quickly up field to a forward.

[Dage]

If this is your opinion, counters are the highest way to practise football.