Spain-Italy Quarterfinal Euro 2008 [R] part 2

[Matto_per_calcio]

Italy didn't seem to mount any real threats to Spain, that was dissapointing. Spain basically kicked the ball around in midfield throughout the entire game and on occaision tryed to do something offensive, but really it was all tactics and had few moments of drama. It was lame and I wish this one could be started over from the top! :(

Should we blame Toni? I think a big mistake was to wait for the ball. There was nobody feeding him passes, except those crazy long balls (alla England style, funny how they criticize us :confused:) We had zilch up front, we did not deserve to go through, I am sorry to say.

I don't really have confidence that Spain get beat Germany. I say they will beat Turkey (if that happens!:eek:) but the Turks seem to never give up. I wonder about Russia, they played a super game against Holland.

[canzano55]

When the country you are very passionate for goes out its always upsetting but for the first time since I can remember I'm not even that sad, a little disappointed but thats all.

Italy went out in what is probably the most forgettable football game of the tournament when you consider all the entertaining displays the world has witnessed in the last two weeks.

Everybody canceled each other out all over the pitch for 2 hours of football and basically all we were left with was a celebrity contest between Iker and Buffon.

Does Spain deserve to advance? Of course they do; they played as best they could and gave it their all and its not their fault that Italy had inferior players in several positions and were nowhere near the competitive conditioning that saw them win the world cup.

I will say this though: despite people insinuating that the winner of this match will reach the finals and win need a serious reality check. Competitively speaking, sides like Turkey, Germany and Russia are much more prone for victory than either Italy or Spain could ever hope to be.

[squidward123]

well first went my dream germany-holland final now there goes the italy-germany final. I have not watched the game yet so I won't make any comments...although I did see the pagliuca moment buffon had

[Albirrojo]

That ref Fandell certainly should not have stopped action 2 times I count, when those with "injuries" to say it generously went down...that was shameful on both parties behalf.

The cameras certainly showed that Villa went down on physical contact...

[squidward123]

Italy during the WC played nice football. Not an "attacking" team but certainly closer to that than "defensive" and there was no catenaccio in sight.

And I don't know how people who watched the France game from these euros can call italy defensive at all. There were some very good attacking moves in that game from Italy. And in the Holland game it was the same plus a crap defence.

Of course it is easy to call them defensive and banish them to hell without the benefit of following them properly for the last few years, after seeing one game like this.

[Rainer24]

I didn't think this match was as boring as everyone else seemed to. Italy played with absolutely no confidence. It was as if they new they could not build a sustained attack with Pirlo on the sidelines. Aquilani and DeRossi are good young players, but the Italian midfield was never menacing in this match and that is absolutely essential if you are going to play a solitary target man for most of the match.

[Albirrojo]

Italy didn't seem to mount any real threats to Spain, that was dissapointing. Spain basically kicked the ball around in midfield throughout the entire game and on occaision tryed to do something offensive, but really it was all tactics and had few moments of drama. It was lame and I wish this one could be started over from the top! :(

.............



I read a press report that said Spain had the best opportunity, the ball Buffon bumbled a bit on and it rolled into the post.

But from what I remember, Casillas had to parry at least one shot over the top bar if not two and then there was that great leg save. It was an extraordinary goalkeeper performance.

But maybe I'm wrong on what the best opportunities of the game were. Sure, Spain were down there most of the game and must have shot long about 4 or 5 times.

[Cris 09]

I can't believe the fans who are saying it was a great game. The game sucked. The best game was czech republic vs turkey

Only from the 75th minute...

[FNU]

I didn't think this match was as boring as everyone else seemed to. Italy played with absolutely no confidence. It was as if they new they could not build a sustained attack with Pirlo on the sidelines. Aquilani and DeRossi are good young players, but the Italian midfield was never menacing in this match and that is absolutely essential if you are going to play a solitary target man for most of the match.
Bad tactics man, bad tactics. Players out of position too. It was a mess, Donadoni created a nightmare.

[Cris 09]

I didn't think this match was as boring as everyone else seemed to. Italy played with absolutely no confidence. It was as if they new they could not build a sustained attack with Pirlo on the sidelines. Aquilani and DeRossi are good young players, but the Italian midfield was never menacing in this match and that is absolutely essential if you are going to play a solitary target man for most of the match.

And so how is this not the recipe for "boring"?

[Caesar]

It wasn't an exciting or pretty match. But it was a good match. Italy played dour, negative, defensive football but they played it very well, and kept out the most rampantly attacking team of the tournament for two hours.

I found the game very absorbing... like a chess game, Spain constantly probing, Italy stonily repelling each attack. At the end of the day Italy paid the price for employing what was a pretty poor strategy and having a toothless Toni up top with no service, but both teams played some very good technical football.

[cachundo]

I fell asleep through 20 minutes of ET. Somehow woke up just in time for PKs. That's how boring it was. :)

[teccomin]

Italy joins Austria and Greece to become the only teams to not score a goal in open play :D

[uclacarlos]

Italy does not dive more than any other team, in fact I've seen more diving and crying from Portugual and even today with Villa (Spain, in case you are new to football). A yellow card was given in fact. Open your eyes!
Um. To the fact that he slipped and wasn't looking for a pk? :rolleyes:

That ref Fandell certainly should not have stopped action 2 times I count, when those with "injuries" to say it generously went down...that was shameful on both parties behalf.
It was sick.

The cameras certainly showed that Villa went down on physical contact...
And w/ the yellow card, he went down b/c he slipped. Extremely clear in the replays.

The ref stopping the game twice for "injuries"???? WTF??? :mad:

[pippomo]

Spain showed they have become a tactically mature team. Their first half show that: this time their fear turned in a conscious wait. We lacked Pirlo and De Rossi's match was under par. A good defensive match, leaving spain vitually nothing, which is a great result: Chiellini has the quality to become a great defender, one of the best.
Donadoni did what he could in the tournament but his great mistake has been the lack of a proper tactical choice. If he wanted to paly with Toni he had to go with a couple of winger, insted we played without a real winger for all the matches.
In the end congrats to Spain for their (temporary?) coming of age.

[VCFan]

Can any Italian honestly say that they didn't expect this? Ever since Francesco Totti retired, we've put so much of the creative burden on Pirlo's shoulders that we look like headless chickens without him. But it would have been far less humiliating had Donadoni not been at the helm... how exactly does one bring the World Champions so low? Poor tactics and unfounded trust in the wrong players. Luckily, Lippi is rumored to be waiting in the wings, so hopefully he'll revamp the squad with some of our very impressive youngsters.

Congratulations to Spain. IMO they've proved that they want it more. I won't say that they'll have an easy time against Russia, but I would take a Spanish victory over a German one any day :D

I find it incredibly immature that some posters who superficially have so little invested in this game (i.e. not Spanish or Italian fans) have come out in full force against Italy while the Spanish fans for the most part have been quite classy. Get a life, guys. No matter how hard you pray, the world won't forget the trophies that we've won and we'll see you in 2010.

Again, congratulations to Spain... your victory was perhaps the only possible result after Pirlo's suspension, but you showed that you deserved it too by battling through the PKs.

P.S. The only good thing that's come out of this tournament for Italy is the coming-of-age of Giorgio Chiellini. That boy will be one of the best central defenders in the world.

[fliime]

defensive boring football? do you guys know the game of soccer? From a technical standpoint, italy had to play such a game since their midfield was weak due to missing 2 key players, not to mention the best defender in the world. Italy did what no other team did, they shut down spain. So, in a sense, their defensive strategy worked to plan. I hate to see a game go to PK's,, but alas, it was a result that one team had to win one team had to lose. Congrats to spain, I hope you guys aren't too tired to face russia and make a game out of it.

The russians are coming!!! Watch the russian mafia at work!;)

[sardus_pater]

congrats to Spain.

the game was the typical "boring" 0-0 where the 2 teams annulled each other but they deserved the win on the penalties because they tried more even though it didn't translate into much chances at scoring. actually italy had the (few) most dangerous ones the rare times we did try but casillas was superb.

a very tactical game. a play of chess where italy had troubles to pass the quality (and quantity) spanish midfield. Pirlo's creativity and accurate long range passing was greatly missed. Chiellini was great.

[dmar]

I expected italy to put a lot of pressure on our midfielders. They're midgets, after all. But nothing of that. Instead they allowed us to play, defended with 8 in the area, and were content with sending long balls ti Cassano and Toni, which were easy even for our weak defence. Even Ramos looked really improved. And Senna was a defensive monster.

I guess the Italian players were tired after working their way out of the GoD. They got tired some 10 minutes before we did, and at that point, well in the 2nd half, we had our best chance. So much for resting players in the 3rd game interrupting the flow of the team.

[sardus_pater]

I expected italy to put a lot of pressure on our midfielders. They're midgets, after all. But nothing of that. Instead they allowed us to play, defended with 8 in the area, and were content with sending long balls ti Cassano and Toni, which were easy even for our weak defence. Even Ramos looked really improved. And Senna was a defensive monster.

They are midgets but still they are probably the best midfield in the world. Tactically speaking the spanish midfield played a great game. ;)

Aquilani is still too timid for the international scene and it showed, he is more than capable to add creativity and he knows how to get dangerous in attack both by long range shooting and incursions in the penalty area. None of that was there. No reasons to be too hard. it was the second time he played as a starter, he needs to get experience.

I think the next italy midfield will be qualitatively better with the inclusion of Aquilani and Montolivo.

I don't know if Italy's game plan was really that defensive as it turned out to be. The battle in the midfield was lost and I guess that played a big part in how the game developed.

I guess the Italian players were tired after working their way out of the GoD. They got tired some 10 minutes before we did, and at that point, well in the 2nd half, we had our best chance. So much for resting players in the 3rd game interrupting the flow of the team.

The italian players were tired since the tournament started. Serious problems of fitness there. Age might have played a huge part in that.
Time to renew.

If you keep this tactical wisdom you're going to win it all. talent wise you're the best of the 4 remaining teams.