Match #31 :: The Final :: Sunday 29 June [R]

Friendlies sadly don't count

I don't care what happens just as long as the Germans don't win the Cup

 

aahh, today I can say Germany will win it hands down. Our keeper can already go on vacation. Spain just looks terribly weak!

oooh, we might get slaughtered by these little speedy Gonzales'. They are so quick you cant even foul them. Scarry cloudy forecast for sunday.

 

Spain has easily been the best team of this tournament, I don't care what happens in the final. Germany has had one good game all tournament and struggled against average and below average sides. The only thing is that Germany is mentally much stronger than the Spanish.

 

Mental strength is the key. That's what makes winning against some teams so hard.

Also, trends. If Team A tends to lose to Team B, even if Team A is doing great, chances are they'll come out all shy and scared to play Team B and lose. Even if Team B is crappy.

The last time Germany and Spain played was five years ago, so we don't have direct results that can help predict anything.

Judging from recent form and results, I'd say Spain is a slight favorite (barely winning over Peru and USA didn't impress me; on the other hand, Germany has struggled the whole tournament).

In defence, I'd give a slight edge to the Germans. The midfield is clearly in Spain's favor. The attack is strong in both team. The keeper may be the difference, and Casillas has been better than Lehmann IMO.

It's going to be a great game if the Spaniards come to play. I know for sure the Germans will, they are much more consistent.

 

Marca still reporting he's only dudoso to play, let's hope they're right. Not having Villa would be horrible, not decisive, but horrible.

 

Excellent. Lately we don't seem to like going into a game as favourites.

 

Lets hope that whatever the final result may be, people wont blame anything below 20-0 for spain on the missing Villa. But I already see it coming!

 

He's our topscorer, it's not like him not playing will make things better for us now will it?

 

Don't worry if Villa doesn't play.

Casillas being such a good guy will shut out the Germans then to make sure Villa ends up with the golden boot.

 

Yep. They showed the interview on German TV.

 

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I gues smilar to Turkish NT foward Nihat Kahveci's injury (?)
They both get injured when they took freekick.
Nihat at Croatia game, Villa at Russia game.

 

Spain make big this game, and thats all!

We can win or we can lose , but we play a beautiful game.

 

Ole! for Spain!

Germany will control the air no doubt, but the ground will be Spain's. Fabregas made the difference today, so Villa missing isn't as bad as some might think. Podolski vs. Ramos is the key match up IMO. On the other end, Torres vs. Lahm and Company. I think Ballack has to put in his best performance in the tournament because Germany's midfield hasn't been as good as it should be.

In the end, the subs. will make the difference and that edge goes to Spain.

 

Most Germans probably don't know how lucky they are Villa isn't playing. He is the heart of our attack. Forget about Torres. He has never helped us much in a game. Villa is our engine.

Having said that, there are no excuses. If Germany win then it is because they were better on that day. Good luck to both teams. Lets hope for:

1) Good officiating!!
2) no lightening so we can all see the game!!

 

Options to replace injured Villa:

- Start Guiza, replacing a forward for a forward
- Start Cesc along with Xavi and Iniesta, put Cesc in midfield instead of Iniesta and Iniesta as second forward/left wing.
- Start Cesc along with Xavi and Iniesta, and play the three of them in midfield as ball-passers, and move Silva from midfield to forward.
- Start Xabi Alonso, to have a "rough" player play the corpulent germans, and move either Iniesta or Silva forward.

 

Have you noticed the performance of both defences in the semi-finals? Spain's defence looked pretty strong during the whole tournmament so far!

We're the clear outsiders in this final ... and I'm not unhappy about this!

 

Even though Germany are going into the game as underdogs I hope Loew addresses the obvious problems we've seen so far in games against Turkey and Croatia.

I don't know why some people claim mental strength as one of Germany's strong points, its been our weakness so far.

AUF GEHTS DEUTSCHLAND!

 

I think:

-------------------- Casillas

Ramos---------Puyol---------MArchena-----Capdevilla

-----------------------Senna

---Iniesta---------Xavi---------CEsc--------Silva

-------------------------Torres

 

And I remember a certain game in Euro 88 when Germany eliminated Spain by 2:0...


Btw: Here's all historical statistics (with match reports) between both nations.

CLICK

Yeah, therefore we defeated Portugal and reached the final.