https://footballfutbolcalciosoccer.blogspot.com/2016/06/euro-2016-preview-group-d-spain-czech.html In the group without a clearly weaker team (aka the Group of Death), with Croatia having won the opener (it should have been a wider margin than 1-0 - their finishing and the post kept the scoreline down), this game becomes intriguing. Just imagine if the Czechs win how fun this group could be. Spain have such a talented squad, the Czechs are clearly inferior on paper. Games thus far have all been tight all the way through, this shouldn't be that different.
0-0 at half. Total domination by Spain, yes. But the Czechs seem pretty comfy. Cech has made a few good saves, but Spain's build up is painfully slow. Not sure the Czechs care to score today.
It took 88 minutes, but Spain finally has their goal. Iniesta cross onto Pique's head. Even he couldn't eff it up. That'll be that.
Are you being sarcastic? The Czechs played amazing defensive football. They just couldn't hold on for the whole 90 min and its not surprising against the former champions.
It's a balancing act - if you play the style the Czechs did, and can't hold out, it looks really bad. But if they opened up the attack, they may have conceded 3 or 4 instead. Would they be credited for their style then? Nope. They tried what they had to try, it just didn't work. Almost worked - but that's how it goes.
Spain is playing the same amateurshit again. Not surprised if they score maximum once every match. But Czech played 4-2-3-1, why? Many teams already showed how to play against Spain. The midfield it is. Thats where you need the most players and then you have to play forward ofc Czech lost the ball nonstop. I wont watch one more Spain shit game with their countless balls near the goal and absolutely NOTHING to show for.
I get it - but their concern isn't to be aesthetically pleasing, their concern is progressing through the tourney. The way the Czechs set up, I'm not sure how you wanted Spain to play. They were guilty of waiting too long to pull the trigger, but it's not their fault that the opponent wanted no part in possessing the ball.
Yeah but that's exactly what they try to do: to play aesthetically. Thats the point. Fooling around nonstop not scoring. No speed forward.
fair enough. That's down to team selection, I think. Not too many classic international quality finishers in their pool, and those that are aren't in the squad.
There are better players more suited to our style of play but they weren't selected. For example, Paco Alcacer was our leading scorer in the qualifiers but he wasn't selected for the finals here. The big criticism today is that our players didn't shoot quickly enough, the opportunities were there but they just didn't finish them. Otherwise, not sure what else you can do against an opponent who plays like the Czech Republic did today.
Precisely. The only world class "shoot on site" player in the pool, Diego Costa, is probably chillin' in Ibiza right now. So, that's what you get - a ton of possession and a glut of missed opportunities.
I would say Northern Ireland looked very limited.... from the games I saw... Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk
I think you hit the nail on the head. If Pique had not headed home Iniesta's fantastic feed, we would have been crediting the Czechs with a defensive masterclass. That being said, it may be a loss but by keeping the goal difference, this may still be beneficial for the Czechs. I think they could hurt the Turks, which really will be the only win they need once they aren't blown out in the other two. That'll likely be enough to make it as a best third placed side.