Spain - No longer WC under-achievers?
Posted by DavidM in Spain, World Cup | 16 June 2006
As each World Cup comes around I look down the list of competing teams and make a mental note of the main contenders. Brazil, Argentina, France, Germany, maybe Italy. Being patriotic I usually add England to the list.
Then I think about Spain. They should be on the list, they've got some big name players, they play the right style of football. But they are perennial under-achievers in the World Cup. They should be on the list but they never are.
But could this be the year that Spain deliver on the promise? Their win against Ukraine wasn't just emphatic in terms of the scoreline but also in the way they played. Good passing, decent defence and excellent finishing.
It was only the first game and they have plenty of opportunity still to disappoint but they should easily qualify for the knockout stage where they are likely to play the Swiss or South Korea - a relatively easy ride to the quarter finals.
Then they will probably meet Brazil. Then we'll see whether they have stepped up and are going to show us the best of Spain this year.
I'll definitely be watching them.
Comments
This garbage annoy's me! Are England "under-achievers"?
Yes Spain have played just one game and have plenty more to show a dissappionting performance. England have played 2 games and both of them were pathetic, please look at your own team before yopu critisize others.
So if Spain don't knock out Brazil that will be a dissapointment?? Hello??? England last World Cup?? England are a disappointment, under-achievers, Spain proved themselves last World Cup by again playing fluid one-touch technical football. We were disallowed 3 goals against the hosts preventing us from progreesing to the semi's. Please stop with this under-achieving tag and concentrate on your own diabolical performances.
Why you had England as SECOND favourites to win shows the arrogance and disrespect you have for other nations who clearly have a better record than yourselves. Why should you be second favourites? how have you proved that? You palyed against Paraguay and the mighty T&T in the same style as always - long ball, boring football.
Sorry to rant but this monotonous drivvle is starting to taste sour.
Well I'm glad you got that off your chest, but to be clear about a couple of the things you said above:
Are England under-achievers? Yes - we should be playing much better than we are and all the English fans I know are very frustrated by the quality and style of play given the quality of players we have.
My point about Spain is that I think they SHOULD be better than England but are usually about the same level. That's why I consider them to be under-achievers.
I didn't say it would be disappointing if Spain were knocked out by Brazil but rather that's when we'd see how good they are. Can they give Brazil a good run for their money, even though Brazil will always be favourites to win.
I absolutley agree that England's football so far has been long-ball and boring. It was only when Lennon came on yesterday that we changed the gameplan and started to improve.
Finally, I didn't have England to come second - my prediction is for Brazil to beat Argentina in the final - though watching Argentina I may reverse that.
So good luck in your next game and I hope your tournament isn't ended by dubious decisions this time.
