Morocco vs Spain, Round of 16, 3PM GMT, Education City Stadium

[Heartwork]

Best Bono

[Gary_Parker]

Spain are absolutely pathetic. Not content with trying to bore the other teams into submission with their "possession for possessions sake only" approach they eventually bored themselves as well and forgot how to take a penalty. All the technical play, none of the intelligence.

They'll still pump Scotland in the Euro qualification though sadly. 

[GunmaN1905]

1 minute ago, Darius1998 said:

Wasn't Theo from Atletico?

No, that was Lucas.

 

[Coulthard's Jaw]

Morocco... could reach the semi finals? Like legit they have a really good chance against either Portugal or Switzerland?

Edited December 6, 2022 by Coulthard's Jaw

[JD nawrat]

2 minutes ago, Darius1998 said:

Wasn't Theo from Atletico?

As a youth, yeah, but Real signed him and played him like 10 times then loaned/sold him. 

[Darren Moores Mum]

Daughter fuming that Spain are out and her school sweepstakes dream is over.

 

[JD nawrat]

1 minute ago, GunmaN1905 said:

No, that was Lucas.

 

They both came through the Atleti youth system. Lucas never played for Real while Theo did. 

[The Guy From The Sunny Place]

10 minutes ago, mrbpme said:

Gavi and Pedri in tears

C.Ronaldo was crying after the Euro 2004 final. It did him good.

Edited December 6, 2022 by The Guy From The Sunny Place

[Weezer]

2 minutes ago, Gary_Parker said:

They'll still pump Scotland in the Euro qualification though sadly.

Pump them 1-0.

[GunmaN1905]

1 minute ago, Coulthard's Jaw said:

Morocco... could reach the semi finals? Like legit they have a really good chance against either Portugal or Switzerland?

Portugal has way more quality up front than Spain, but Santos won't mind playing for 0-0.

They're on par with Swiss, I'd say. We'll have to see who wins that match.

 

 

As much as I hate Ramos, this Spain had no leader.

Ramos at CB and Rodri in his position would've been better.

Edited December 6, 2022 by GunmaN1905

[Darius1998]

1 minute ago, GunmaN1905 said:

No, that was Lucas.

 

Both of them were. Atletico sold him to one of the Basque clubs and then he went to Real, I think.

[XuluBak]

1 minute ago, GunmaN1905 said:

No, that was Lucas.

 

It was both. Theo moved to Real, but he was at Atleti first. 

[Gary_Parker]

Just now, Weezer said:

Pump them 1-0.

Reminder...we have Grant Hanley in defence, they could get 2.

[JD nawrat]

Just now, Darius1998 said:

Both of them were. Atletico sold him to one of the Basque clubs and then he went to Real, I think.

He was loaned to Sociedad. Real exercised a release clause to sign him direct from Atleti

e: googled and I'm wrong. He was loaned to Alaves then Real signed him. Then they loaned him to Sociedad before selling to Milan. 

Edited December 6, 2022 by JD nawrat

[The_jagster]

Yes, it was Spain who just pass it to death but Morocco played that really well. Give them that header and those chances for the Bari (9 in 12 on wiki must be an editing error right?) striker against the Sarabbia chance late on and you take that all day long, should have won it before pens based on chances.

[Heartwork]

Do Morocco get Melilla and Ceuta back now

[Astafjevs]

I don't think Morocco are a good team. I think they'd lose to Portugal. And Switzerland actually.

[GunmaN1905]

5 minutes ago, Darius1998 said:

Both of them were. Atletico sold him to one of the Basque clubs and then he went to Real, I think.

No, he was at Real for a couple of seasons, even got a CL medal.

Loan to Alaves one year.

 

Call me a hater, but Pedri and Gavi have done nothing the entire tournament, not counting useless Costa Rica match.

Midfield was just too soft, with no directness.

Quote

Luis Enrique reveals Spain have taken 1,000 penalties in training to avoid World Cup shootout heartbreak

Edited December 6, 2022 by GunmaN1905

[Darius1998]

2 minutes ago, JD nawrat said:

He was loaned to Sociedad. Real exercised a release clause to sign him direct from Atleti

e: googled and I'm wrong. He was loaned to Alaves then Real signed him. Then they loaned him to Sociedad before selling to Milan. 

I only remember it because he kept failing to do some keepy-uppies when presented to the fans at Real.

[Darius1998]

Just now, GunmaN1905 said:

No, he was at Real for a couple of seasons, even got a CL medal.

Yeah, I know that. Looked like you initially mentioned both Hakimi and Theo spending their youth careers at Real when it was only Hakimi.

[Weezer]

4 minutes ago, Gary_Parker said:

Reminder...we have Grant Hanley in defence, they could get 2.

Maybe if Hanley gets one of them himself.

[kpain16]

This might bite me in the future, but I'm not a fan of Pedri and Gavi either. Pedri is obviously technically superb, but I'm just not buying the hype. Gavi shouldn't be nowhere near Spain's first team IMO. 

Edited December 6, 2022 by kpain16

[Astafjevs]

Pedri is amazing. But I half agree on Gavi. He's a good player but I don't quite get where the hype comes from with him.

[Weezer]

They’re both good players but they seem shackled paying in this Spain side. Pedri the better of the two but they’re both just kids still.

[GunmaN1905]

Just now, Weezer said:

They’re both good players but they seem shackled paying in this Spain side. Pedri the better of the two but they’re both just kids still.

Their midfield just lacks urgency, there's no goalscoring threat in those three. Neither one is good attacking the box from deep or a long range shot threat.

Busquets is just useless and washed up, leaving all the pressure on two teenagers. With attack also being toothless.

Regardless of this shootout, they weren't getting past Portugal with this style of play.

 

Enrique decided to weaken both the defense and attack by playing Busquets. Yeah, I'm a hater, but I'd like to see one useful thing he did the entire tournament.

[skybluedave]

Never gets old

 

[Astafjevs]

You need good forwards as well. Only so much a midfield can do. Obviously how they play vs. weaker sides is a factor, with their boring passing, but they lack an outstanding forward. I always thought they were better when Ferran Torres played through the middle 

[XuluBak]

They're both extremely talented young players, but don't think Gavi would get anywhere near the hype of Pedri if they were both still at clubs not named Barcelona. 

[SouthCoastRed]

23 minutes ago, ginnybob said:

Daughter fuming that Spain are out and her school sweepstakes dream is over.

 

At least both kids are pissed off now, equality and all that

[Weezer]

4 minutes ago, SouthCoastRed said:

At least both kids are pissed off now, equality and all that

Surprised they still even like football after being forced to be Wednesday fans.

[SouthCoastRed]

Just now, Weezer said:

Surprised they still even like football after being forced to be Wednesday fans.

I hadn’t considered this. 

I’m ringing Ester Rantzen right now

[Weezer]

1 minute ago, SouthCoastRed said:

I hadn’t considered this. 

I’m ringing Ester Rantzen right now

Ginny scum.

[Icy]

There should be a rule that after a game like todays one both teams get the loss.

We (Spain) played really bad, again pasing without any purposse. The same strategy but at propper speed instead of in slow mo would have given us the win. The sad part of this is that we have the technical players to do the quick passing, other than Busquest of course, why is he still considered a good player?? He was for sure in his youth, but for the last years only his good positioning saves him, he is so slow, and so risk alergic that is just there for not making mistaked but not adding anything to Barcelona or Spain for years. Did he touch the ball even once today? And then this false 9 trend... maybe it was an innovation years ago but now please give me a propper goal scorer, specially vs teams sitting in their own field so at least you can kick the ball into the area from time to time to scare the defenders. A False 9 is only useful if you have two killers on the wings to occupy his space, that was not the case of Ferran Torres and even Olmo. Germany did the same mistake and also they went home.

The fact that Luis Enrique feels proud of this game... where we shot 3 times vs a team defending for 90 minutes in their area, really sickens me, hope he won't continue. Not a single far shoot, not any movement at all from the front 3 besides some minutes from Asensio, no wingbacks bombing forward, nothing, just passing between the defenders in slow motion while the rest of the team just watches static.

Then Morocco, well they defendeded well for sure, very organized and figthing the whole game but... you have players like Hakimi and Ziyech, Ambrabat, Nesyri... your could have at least tried something instead of going for the pens since minute 0. It worked for them this time more because Spain didn't do anything, else they would have lost and embarrased themselves as they will next round.

Again I would discalify both teams for wasting 120 minutes of our lifes. Only positives is that I hope that this will be the last game for Busquets, Luis Enrique and his son in law Ferran and hope the beguinning of a new era with Pedri, Ansu Fati, Nico Williams, Olmo and a few others that Luis Enrique left behind and would have done better but were not his friends or Barcelona old team mates.

Btw, player of the game without any doubt was Amrabat, wow, he was everywhere and didn't stop to run for 120 minutes, best DM I have seen this WC so far.

Edited December 6, 2022 by Icy

[skybluedave]

Is Enrique likely to lose his job?

[Icy]

hace 5 minutos, skybluedave dijo:

Is Enrique likely to lose his job?

Not fired as he is a good friend of the Spanish federation high staff, but will reach an agreement that is the best for both sides to start a new era blah blah.

[Heartwork]

Moroccan fans have taken over Oxford Street. Not like I have to get home.

[craigcwwe]

1 hour ago, Orzelek said:

And Sarabia was an even worse substitute than taht Italian player, who blasted his penaltyover goal against Germany in 2016  

Simeone Zaza. 

 

Comical penalty.  

[darren1983]

Whole thread of Moroccan fans celebrating in London  

 

 

[Heartwork]

2 minutes ago, darren1983 said:

Whole thread of Moroccan fans celebrating in London  

 

 

Yeah I've been stuck on the bus trying to get home for nearly an hour

[skybluedave]

There has been way to many bad penalties at this WC. I'm praying England don't go to pens. Too many softly struck. Saudi Arabia's was terrible. Both of Lewa's misses awful (even the retake he scored was). Japan and now Spain. Messi's was a decent save from Woj. I don't wanna go all Roy Keane, but just smash it fgs

[craigcwwe]

1 minute ago, skybluedave said:

There has been way to many bad penalties at this WC. I'm praying England don't go to pens. Too many softly struck. Saudi Arabia's was terrible. Both of Lewa's misses awful (even the retake he scored was). Japan and now Spain. Messi's was a decent save from Woj. I don't wanna go all Roy Keane, but just smash it fgs

Too many stuttering, delayed penalties being taken in an effort to try and look cool. 

[scott MUFC]

spain.. pass pass pass pass pass pass passport boarding pass

[DJ]

To be fair, many teams would have broken their teeth on this Morrocan defense. It was a joy to see (and that's not something I say often, being a fan of attacking football): no matter where or what Spanish player got the ball in the attacking half, they always, always had at least two opponents in their face. Lots of times one of them being Amrabat. Don't know if they did give him one, but for me he played for a 10 yesterday. They actively denied Spain opportunities for the full 120 minutes. No luck involved. 

Doubt they can do it again though. 

[skybluedave]

Morocco had by far the better chances too. 2 in extra time they should have scored 

[themadsheep2001]

Morocco created the best chances. A lot in Spain seem absolutely unwilling to give them their credit, as if there is a right or wrong way to play football, it's snobbish 

[GunmaN1905]

Rodri complaining about how Spain lost against a team that didn't want to play football.

Tbh, this is the usual level of Spain, golden generation was just an anomaly, now they're going back to where they belong. Huge expectations, even bigger disappointments.

[EnterUsernameHere]

41 minutes ago, GunmaN1905 said:

Rodri complaining about how Spain lost against a team that didn't want to play football.

Tbh, this is the usual level of Spain, golden generation was just an anomaly, now they're going back to where they belong. Huge expectations, even bigger disappointments.

No idea what he's complaining about. Another game of Godri topping 200 passes 

[Icondacarver]

18 hours ago, Icy said:

There should be a rule that after a game like todays one both teams get the loss.

We (Spain) played really bad, again pasing without any purposse. The same strategy but at propper speed instead of in slow mo would have given us the win. The sad part of this is that we have the technical players to do the quick passing, other than Busquest of course, why is he still considered a good player?? He was for sure in his youth, but for the last years only his good positioning saves him, he is so slow, and so risk alergic that is just there for not making mistaked but not adding anything to Barcelona or Spain for years. Did he touch the ball even once today? And then this false 9 trend... maybe it was an innovation years ago but now please give me a propper goal scorer, specially vs teams sitting in their own field so at least you can kick the ball into the area from time to time to scare the defenders. A False 9 is only useful if you have two killers on the wings to occupy his space, that was not the case of Ferran Torres and even Olmo. Germany did the same mistake and also they went home.

The fact that Luis Enrique feels proud of this game... where we shot 3 times vs a team defending for 90 minutes in their area, really sickens me, hope he won't continue. Not a single far shoot, not any movement at all from the front 3 besides some minutes from Asensio, no wingbacks bombing forward, nothing, just passing between the defenders in slow motion while the rest of the team just watches static.

Then Morocco, well they defendeded well for sure, very organized and figthing the whole game but... you have players like Hakimi and Ziyech, Ambrabat, Nesyri... your could have at least tried something instead of going for the pens since minute 0. It worked for them this time more because Spain didn't do anything, else they would have lost and embarrased themselves as they will next round.

Again I would discalify both teams for wasting 120 minutes of our lifes. Only positives is that I hope that this will be the last game for Busquets, Luis Enrique and his son in law Ferran and hope the beguinning of a new era with Pedri, Ansu Fati, Nico Williams, Olmo and a few others that Luis Enrique left behind and would have done better but were not his friends or Barcelona old team mates.

Btw, player of the game without any doubt was Amrabat, wow, he was everywhere and didn't stop to run for 120 minutes, best DM I have seen this WC so far.

Morocco are in the quarters. Regardless of ifs, buts and maybes, the Moroccan fans are happy today.

They are the only ones that matter to a Moroccan manager or player, and as such, their tactics were the right one as it got them through. I would rather have one or two games in the second round like this, that result in a giant killing. Much better than 8 open games that eventually go the way of the better team

[Heartwork]

4 hours ago, GunmaN1905 said:

Rodri complaining about how Spain lost against a team that didn't want to play football.

Tbh, this is the usual level of Spain, golden generation was just an anomaly, now they're going back to where they belong. Huge expectations, even bigger disappointments.

Like us then

[av3ry]

No, because their golden generation won everything. This current generation is still held to the standard of the Xavi/Iniesta generation despite not having the players to be able to play to that standard anymore.