Transportation issues means this is going to be a lightweight version of the TSSF this morning. What you need to know is this: Olivier Giroud, the bread and butter of Montpellier, has signed for Arsenal. This plus the addition of Lukas Podolski means Arsenal are once again, interesting. Yay for Arsenal.
Moving along, the big Euros debate of the moment is whether Spain—they of the striker-less midfield pinging the ball around like a horizontal plinko until Torres comes on—is boring or not. Sid Lowe rather shockingly says they’re the best and stuff. Jonathan Wilson says pretty much the same thing, and flings this in our face:
Why risk defeat because the modern breed of fan has an absurd sense of entitlement and demands to be entertained? Football isn’t an action thriller or cheesy soap opera: its appeal lies in the struggle of two teams trying to win. It’s hardly Spain’s fault if no opponent has yet been good enough to come and take the ball off it.
Let me say this Wilson: no one particularly gives a shit that Spain plays boring football. I don’t sit at home and harrumph that Vincente Del Bosque doesn’t throw balls “into the mixer” or charge up the flanks Eee Pee El style to send in mad-cap crosses for Torres to bobble off the pitch. If someone told me Canada could play like Spain for the rest of time if I ate a bucket of glass, I would eat the bucket of glass.
But I, and many others, will reserve the right to pray to whatever god we believe in for Mario Goetze, Marco Reus, Thomas Mueller, to rip them a new one should they reach the final on July 1st. That’s the universally accepted means for neutrals to express their displeasure over a particular style of play.
Moving along, Hodgson didn’t think Wayne Rooney did a good job at the Euros. Which means he isn’t blind.
Paddy Barclay interviewed Michel Platini. Haven’t watched it yet. Was it good?
And this is why Cesare Prandelli is an awesome, awesome manager.
In Maple Syrup news, the Canadian womens team released their Olympic roster. So read up! And Grant Surridge wants more Canada friendlies.
And in bits and bobs: some lovely failed Panenkas:
And that, give or take (a lot take today) is the story so far…
I’d like to add this to
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7S3Wa6PPI4
The way normal human beings play football:
Two teams upon where either think they can win and the game becomes a collection of mistakes, fortunate events and a blender/plethora of events going back and forth that’s deemed “exciting”.
The way gods play football:
If you saw real madrid against your local high school team, what do you think would happen?
1) No respect given from madrid ’cause they know, your high school knows and everyone knows madrid will win. No. Matter. What.
2) Utter domination without the slightest sign of real effort.
Spain do all this, except it’s against PROFESSIONAL PLAYERS AND TOP NATIONS. They have proven that the most basic parts of the game are most effective. THEY PLAY AS A COMPLETE TEAM. NOTHING IS BY CHANCE, EVERYTHING IS BY DESIGN. They suffocate, pound, strangle, pressure, push teams for 90 + minutes no matter who you are, where you’re playing and how “good” you are or even whether you’re winning or losing.
It may not be entertaining in the literal sense that you see the ball being constantly pinged around as if they don’t care. It’s more entertaining to see the fear and amazement on the faces of the 11 guys on the other team. hahahah they go their WHOLE career playing most of their games with at least a decent chance of winning. Say 50% at LEAST.
Then they play Spain. hahahahah their hope is annihilated. Spain bring out the best or the worst in their opponents. No middle ground. They are the measuring stick.
To see a team control every minute of every game with that style is unfckingbelievable. It’s the hardest thing to do. And they do it better than anyone has ever seen it being done. We should feel blessed.
If this style was banned, then sure Spain would play like everyone else and score on a break here and a random goal there and also concede stupid ass goals. But they control everything. How they play, how you play hahaha it’s hilarious. And ALL THIS WITHOUT A STRIKER AND HALF THE TEAM UNDER 5 FOOT 9.
The best part of weekends: Seeing Iniesta make footballers on 100 grand a week cry because they can’t do sht against him. First touch is everything and the hardest thing. To master it, is to master your opponent.
LOL at the Iniesta part.
All I gotta say is Spain need to be careful. There is a smell of complacency coming out of their camp.
These guys are all pretenders.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3uAurHNHDg
Did you say something Andrea?
If I`m Rooney I retire Scholes-style. It helped Scholes in the long run and makes Man U all the better for it. England have three world-class players, Gerrard, Rooney and Hart and Gerrard is over 30 already. There is no help coming soon. Oxlade may be good, but he`s never going to be world-class. Maybe Jones might be a great defender down the road, thrown in Smalling, but outside of defence we are woeful. Carroll and Welbeck are not game-changers. Wilshere for all his talent, is not a game-changer like Scholes and Rooney are. Different type of player. It would be better for all English fans out there if Rooney retired and we can all get our heads on straight and lose the sense of entitlement we seem to have.
Spain Are the most boring team in the world to watch. Their brand of football is safe and unadventourous. There is absolutely no element of risk taking with them. Its just possesion possesion possession forever and ever. I don’t watch soccer to see a game of keepaway.
Then you don’t appreciate how hard a game of keep away is. It’s hard bro. Especially when there’s 11 guys on the other team being paid to play or wanting to kick your ass. Try doing it for 90 min. You call it safe.
‘Tis but a synonym for PERFECTION.
How can it be unadventurous WHEN THEY RETAIN THE BALL IN THE OPPONENTS HALF FOR MOST OF THE GAME. THANK GOD THERE’S NO SHOT CLOCK LIKE BASKETBALL OTHERWISE THEY’D WIN EVERY GAME BY 5 GOALS.
It’s not like basketball where you can just pass it to a dude’s hands after a screen and keep the ball. THAT’S WHY THERE’S A SHOT CLOCK TO PUSH THE TEAM IN POSSESSION TO GET RID OF IT.
There’s no such ‘shot clock’ in footy BECAUSE THIS KIND OF POSSESSION IS UNPRECEDENTED.
Not adventurous hahahaha you must realize that the Spanish and his greatness Del Bosque realize that they are extremely vulnerable on counter attack. EXTREMELY VULNERABLE. They got ballz to do what they do. And they do it better than anyone in the human civilization has ever witnessed.
Barcelona are exciting however, because they have the most audacious player in the world. Lionel Messi, who is never afraid to try and beat a player, even when there is a perfectly good, safe pass off to one side. This is what makes a great player and a great team.
An interesting article about Anders Limpar’s relationship with former Gooner boss George Graham: http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/1116119/ex-arsenal-star-anders-limpar-hits-out-at-george-graham?cc=5901
Does anti-football necessarily mean anti-class? All of Graham’s recent comments about us have been far from complimentary. as if he were jealous of Arsene’s success. No Gooner should care what this bitter old man thinks.
Spain is now what Brazil used to be, and I’m Brazilian, so for me it’s hard to admit this, but they are without a doubt a new class of world football.
Everyone else is quite frankly playing catch up, and wish they could do the things Spain does. Germany is the same Germany we’ve seen for years, just younger and a bit more dynamic.
But if a neutral can’t appreciate what Spain does on a football pitch then its fair to say that person hardly understands the game and should perhaps stick to North American sports where the need for constant gratification in scoring is common place.
I love you.
http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/img-thing?.out=jpg&size=l&tid=21652468