Leppard Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 vs Venue: Arena Gdansk Referee: Pedro Proença (Portugal) Team News Spain's strikerless experiment against Italy, when Cesc Fabregas started as a 'false nine', had mixed results; Fabregas scored but Spain struggled to penetrate the Azzurri. Against a defensive Ireland side Vicente del Bosque is expected to bring in a recognised striker, with Fernando Torres favoured to get the nod ahead of Fernando Llorente and Alvaro Negredo. Despite his goal, Fabregas appears the man most likely to drop out. Giovanni Trapattoni has broken with his custom of naming his team the day before the game, but promised "one or two" changes. The Italian is likely to resist the public clamour for Sunderland winger James McClean, keeping faith with wide men Aiden McGeady and Damien Duff. Jonathan Walters could replace Kevin Doyle as Trapattoni opts for work rate against Spain, while Stephen Kelly could come in at right-back in place of Stephen Ward, with John O'Shea shifting from right to left. Manager Quotes Vicente del Bosque: "We trust all of our three strikers. All of them can play and we know all of them will do everything for the team. We have used Llorente - he helped us to become champions and he is a different player. We played in Brussels with one forward and we put another forward on instead of Fabregas. Sometimes, it's a question of football. We are really confident about our strikers - that's why we brought them here. But we have played just one match and we could use all of them. You can only make three substitutions, so everybody can't play. If we could have played with 13 players, it would have been different." Giovanni Trapattoni: "I am proud to be the manager of the Irish players because the Irish players have heart. But we have achieved results not only with heart because we have met France, Bulgaria, Italy, many other teams and we played the same. We play our football. It's creative enough and it's technical enough. Maybe Spain have one or two more creative players, but football is not only about creative players. Today, football is about balance on the pitch and strength with attitude and also luck. We have attitude, mentality, commitment, technical ability. We don't make bets, but I think we can win. Why not?" Possible Line-ups Spain: Casillas; Arbeloa, Piqué, Ramos, Alba; Busquets, Xavi, Xabi Alonso; Silva, Iniesta, Torres Ireland: Given; O'Shea, Dunne, St Ledger, Ward; Duff, Andrews, Whelan, McGeady; Walters, Keane Previous Meeting Spain 1 - 1 Ireland (WC02) --------------- Yeaaaah, going for a Spain win here. They need to start with a striker, though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenco Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Spain have to play at least 1 striker tonight, it's not like they need many in the middle to dominate Ireland, Alonso could do it by himself. Two-nil to the Spaniards. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
skybluedave Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 I predict Torres to get nowhere near a goal Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr_Whippy Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Spain will win, Torres will be useless as ever. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leppard Posted June 14, 2012 Author Share Posted June 14, 2012 I predict Torres to get nowhere near a goal Don't think it'll work twice in successive games Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
skybluedave Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Fairly confident with this one Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niebiescy Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Spain should manage 70-75% possession today. Just comes down to whether they can actually convert their chances. Maybe be a better matchup for Ireland than Croatia who were just too dominant in the air. Fear for Ireland however is that they couldn't keep possession against Croatia while Spain are obviously at a different level ball retention wise. Thinking a comfortable 2-0/3-0 win here. Doubt Spain push themselves too hard once up by a couple of goals with a more difficult game against Croatia in four days that could decide both teams' fate. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leppard Posted June 14, 2012 Author Share Posted June 14, 2012 Should start with Llorente. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baptista_8 Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Should be a fascinating spectacle this one! Can't go against Spain but you never know Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bomma Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Ireland to get mullered. This could get ugly. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Philip Rolfe Posted June 14, 2012 Administrators Share Posted June 14, 2012 Marca running with a headline of "El césped estará al gusto de España" ****ing parody of themselves. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenco Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Ireland should be the first team knocked out of the competition tonight. Hopefully Sweden will be number 2 tomorrow. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy_T Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Marca running with a headline of "El césped estará al gusto de España" ****ing parody of themselves. such trolls Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orzelek Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 I really don't know why del Bosque still wants Torres as their main striker? Llorente would be miles better Anyway- can't see anything else then a easy win for Spain. Ireland looked really poor in the first game Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RubenJ Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 if Spain can't convince against Ireland, they're not good enough to win it Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricky Button Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 if Spain can't convince against Ireland, they're not good enough to win it did you say the same after they lost their opening WC2010 game to Switzerland? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gizmo7 Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Ireland to cause the shock of the tournament and win 2-0. Heard it here first Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Razzler Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Norn Iron did it in '82 with Gerry Armstrong Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy_T Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pukey Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Torres hat-trick please. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leppard Posted June 14, 2012 Author Share Posted June 14, 2012 I'd be soo happy if Torres scores. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
football_master_94 Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Torres Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
noikeee Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 I expect Spain to start with Fabregas as a false nine again and then bring on Llorente later on if they can't score. Ireland will be experts at closing the middle of the pitch, but the quick movement of that fluid midfield/front will also dazzle them. Llorente would obviously provide an alternative as to the style of play upfront, but aerial play should be one of Ireland's strongest points too, given that it shouldn't scare them enough to defend higher up the pitch, one of the big advantages of fielding a target man. This is only a game for Torres if Spain's already winning and Ireland feels forced to go upfront and get goals, which is totally unnatural for them and would open up highways for through balls over their defense for Torres' movement to cause chaos. All being said the false nine thing didn't seem to work particularly well against Italy and needs to have more incisiveness to be truly effective. The Fabregas goal is a good example of how good it can be, maybe a couple more training sessions and more games and that option will turn into something properly dangerous, rather than the figure of fun it's been made of by most press and fans at the moment. After all Fabregas played brilliantly as a false nine early in the season for Barcelona and nobody ridiculed Barcelona for not playing a striker. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy_T Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 torres is starting Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-Man11 Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Iker; Arbeloa, Ramos, Piqué, Alba; Xabi, Busquets; Silva, Xavi, Iniesta; Torres. Torres for Fabregas the only change. Still no width and the wrong striker playing Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leppard Posted June 14, 2012 Author Share Posted June 14, 2012 Don't need Xabi Alonso AND Busquets, ffs. Play Xavi and Busquets together, and play Silva, Iniesta, and Navas in front of them. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirty_ACE Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Iker; Arbeloa, Ramos, Piqué, Alba; Xabi, Busquets; Silva, Xavi, Iniesta; Torres.Torres for Fabregas the only change. Still no width and the wrong striker playing Perhaps the width will be up to the fullbacks to provide? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
noikeee Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Don't need Xabi Alonso AND Busquets, ffs. Play Xavi and Busquets together, and play Silva, Iniesta, and Navas in front of them. I'd normally tend to disagree and argue a duo of defensive midfielders gave Spain a lot of stability during the World Cup and it clearly worked, but today they're facing a team who should cause very little danger in open play so I agree with you. Unnecessary to play a duo of holding midfielders against Ireland. I wouldn't drop Alonso tho, but push Busquets to centre-back and move Sergio Ramos to right-back, dropping Arbeloa. Ramos is more of an attacking threat increasing Spain's width on the wing, and looked a bit iffy defensively as a centre-back in the first game. Dropping a def. midfielder would also allow Xavi to play deeper where he excels the most. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
eldeniro Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 The honey monster that is Richard Dunne is gonna eat Torres alive and McGeady will run Spain's defence ragged to open up space for Keane to bang in the winner in the 89th minute. Easy 1-0 win for Ireland. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-Man11 Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Perhaps the width will be up to the fullbacks to provide? Then don't play Arbeloa, a FB who will not pass the halfway line. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
noikeee Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Btw I hope by a miracle it ends 0-0, Ireland holding of Spain all game and choosing not to pursue a win at all not even during the final minutes (which they need to progress), because I'd win quite a lot of money in our office's betting pool as I'm the only guy who went for 0-0. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
football_master_94 Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Don't see why Ramos is still playing at CB Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helarxe Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Would love to see a surprise result here. Though not as much as in Italy x Ireland. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
georginho_juventusygr Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 The honey monster that is Richard Dunne is gonna eat Torres alive and McGeady will run Spain's defence ragged to open up space for Keane to bang in the winner in the 89th minute. Easy 1-0 win for Ireland. What a beautiful world we live in that we can dream this. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirty_ACE Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Then don't play Arbeloa, a FB who will not pass the halfway line. Maybe they're going for some sort of asymmetric width pattern. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Confused Clarity Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 What did Roy Keane say about Robbie Keane? Just saw a brief tweet about him saying something on the coverage? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DazRTaylor Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Hoping for a Spain win Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
foofighter23 Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 2/3-0 by half time i reckon. ireland looked like a championship side in their first game. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Philip Rolfe Posted June 14, 2012 Administrators Share Posted June 14, 2012 What did Roy Keane say about Robbie Keane? Just saw a brief tweet about him saying something on the coverage? He isn't/never has been world class but has had that sort of career in terms of longevity. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Powlay Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Idiots n twitter saying the Spanish team don't love their country because they are not singing the national anthem hahahahaha so funny. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pukey Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Torres in just 4 minutes Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeanNUFC Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 hhahaha oh dear Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
football_master_94 Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Tooooooorrrrrreeeees! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gillsminnow Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Torres ffs Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leppard Posted June 14, 2012 Author Share Posted June 14, 2012 Torres!! :) :) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean_oc16 Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Well, they lasted slightly longer this time... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raeks Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Game over :o Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bomma Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Oh, Ireland. Making Torres look good. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudge7 Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Torres Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjani'sBootCleaner Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 \o/ Great Finish. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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