Quarter-final 4: Paraguay v Spain, Saturday 3 July 2010 at 18:30 GMT

[ZexyZahid]

Here is the preview: Paraguay v Spain

 

[m_vaughan]

Potential banana skin. South American teams are doing well in this tournament and Spain were not really that comfortable against Chile.

Torres and Iniesta must not start.

 

[Dr. Pepper]

Paraguay were very poor in their match against Japan, although Japan were equally as bad. According to the fifa.com matchcast, Paraguay had a pass completion rate of 60%. That is quite appauling at such a level, and they will surely be punished vs Spain if they keep that up.

 

[War]

Potential banana skin. South American teams are doing well in this tournament and Spain were not really that comfortable against Chile.

Torres and Iniesta must not start.

Can understand reservations about leaving Torres out. But why Iniesta?.

 

[Dr. Pepper]

The inclusion of Iniesta denies necessary width. When he plays he drifts inside a lot and it means the middle becomes congested. Ramos isn't adventurous enough when attacking although did a good job of supporting positionally vs Portugal. He still lacked the final cross though. I guess this is the reason why?

 

[ZexyZahid]

Spain should go through to the semi-final. It's clear as that.

 

[m_vaughan]

Exactly. Iniesta moves in a bit too much as he is probably used to at Barcelona where Messi plays on the right and Pedro on the left. I have no issues with Ramos though as he is always moving up when required, and his crosses aren't actually that bad. Plus he also tries to cut in himself every now and then.

 

[rulervik]

Spain can do it easily...
its not so easy though on field but ....
Spain can make to semi finals.....

 

[War]

Exactly. Iniesta moves in a bit too much as he is probably used to at Barcelona where Messi plays on the right and Pedro on the left. I have no issues with Ramos though as he is always moving up when required, and his crosses aren't actually that bad. Plus he also tries to cut in himself every now and then.

I dont see why that would be an problem & reason to leave him out though. Iniesta was doing that same role in EURO 08 & everytime i see Spain & its never been an issue.

Plus Villa also is cutting in from the left all the in this tournament. Spain aren't really dependant on wing-play like most teams. Its all about passing & intridcate movements through the mid-field lead by the X-Men.

 

[Dr. Pepper]

Cutting inside is different from what Iniesta does. Villa stays wide then when he gets the ball makes diagonal runs. Iniesta will naturally drift inwards sideways. Even if a team isn't dependant on wingers, stretching the play is crucial. You need to stretch the pitch and make as much space as possible to work in. The middle just becomes congested and difficult to work in. You can't make passes if there's no room to pass.

 

[War]

Cutting inside is different from what Iniesta does. Villa stays wide then when he gets the ball makes diagonal runs. Iniesta will naturally drift inwards sideways. Even if a team isn't dependant on wingers, stretching the play is crucial. You need to stretch the pitch and make as much space as possible to work in. The middle just becomes congested and difficult to work in. You can't make passes if there's no room to pass.

All true about Villa & Iniesta's movement. But when you have passing god's like the X-Men who never loose the ball 90-95% of the time. It doesn't matter if the opposition packs the mid-field, they are so good they will find the killer passes.

Portugal had a fairly physical & technically sound passers in their mid-field trio of Pepe/Meireles/Taigo & they couldn't get the ball off or get close the X-Men & Iniesta.

The only way you can stop them is if you play a really super defensive game & man-mark the X-Men, Iniesta. Like what Inter Milan did to Barcelona in the Champions League this year & United/Chelsea did in the 07/08 & 08/09 CL semis respectively. But no international team left in this tournament has the mid-field capabilities of those club sides to do that to Spain.

So basically En Espanyol are safe unless someone gets injured or has to miss out due to yellow-card suspensions.

 

[AsadAbrar]

I wish paraguay win!!!!!!!

 

[m_vaughan]

I dont see why that would be an problem & reason to leave him out though. Iniesta was doing that same role in EURO 08 & everytime i see Spain & its never been an issue.

Plus Villa also is cutting in from the left all the in this tournament. Spain aren't really dependant on wing-play like most teams. Its all about passing & intridcate movements through the mid-field lead by the X-Men.

In Euro 2008 there was only Xavi and Senna in the center of the midfield so Iniesta moving in din't congest it that much. Now we often see Xavi, Xabi and Iniesta right next to each other.

It's not an issue, but it does limit the overall play and ability of the team. Also with Silva not playing (and Villa playing pretty much in his position), Spain just have one man in the box). I realise the width isn't required as much as other teams because of the attacking abilities of both Capdevila and Ramos, but I would atleast play one between Silva/Navas.

 

[War]

In Euro 2008 there was only Xavi and Senna in the center of the midfield so Iniesta moving in din't congest it that much. Now we often see Xavi, Xabi and Iniesta right next to each other.

It's not an issue, but it does limit the overall play and ability of the team. Also with Silva not playing (and Villa playing pretty much in his position), Spain just have one man in the box). I realise the width isn't required as much as other teams because of the attacking abilities of both Capdevila and Ramos, but I would atleast play one between Silva/Navas.

Welll yea i guess Del Bosque has done things a bit different from what Aragones did in EUR0 08. But i kind of like what Del Bosque has done more than with the formation than Aragones:


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

Villa---------------------------------------------------------------Iniesta

------------------Xavi-------------------Alonso---------------------------

-----------------------------Busquets-------------------------------------

As you said yourself. I dont really see it be a problem if you have the full-backs - especially Ramos flying down the flanks.

If Torres was in top form, he would lead the line perfectly in the box. Thus making this formation invincible.

 

[Dr. Pepper]

The problem is that it becomes more like this:

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

Villa----------------------Xavi--------------------Iniesta------------------

-----------------------------------------Alonso---------------------------

-----------------------------Busquets-------------------------------------

There's hardly any space to work in and you also have to remember there are opposition midfielders there taking up space too.

-DEF------------DEF-----------Torres--------DEF-----------------DEF------

Villa----WING--------MID----Xavi-----------MID------Iniesta---------WING-

-----------------------------------------Alonso---------------------------

-----------------------------Busquets-------------------------------------

This is what it eventually becomes and there is little to none space to work in.