Can anybody stop Spain?

The Spanish Team - easy - Stevie G would make it. Why? Cos he can raise his game to win. Remember also that Barca and Madrid wanted him a few years back. Barca offered 32 million but chelsea beat that with 40... Happy he never go. He is not the same player after his bar incident but he seems to be comin back now.
Xavi and Iniesta - a perfect pair but with 2 weaknesses - not enough goals and they do slow the game down. Opposition teams and countries have been exploiting this by shutting down the centre (i.e. putting all men in the centre), which is also why Alves is so important, he offers width.
This is what Guardiola says, in order to stay on top, he has to change his system every few years. This is why he bought Ibra (most overrated player ever, not worth 40 mill + Eto) and sold Eto, and also why he wants Cesc and Masch cos they can add speed to the game and Cesc can score. But he is under pressure now as there in an over-relaince on Messi to score goals as prev there was Eto.
Villa has still a point to prove, some may regard him as the best, but the fact he does not play CL is his downfall. Maybe if he played in the Euro final and scored, but it was Torres who made a goal out of nothing. he is the one player that can take on any defence (him and Messi and Ronaldo).
Remember 06 WC, ***a and Ronaldinho at their prime and favorites, it took 2 players to stop them, Viera and Makhalele. Maybe Masch and Cambiasso can stop Spain while Messi, Higuain, Aguero and Tevez are upfront (though Maradonna prefer Veron who is not the same player).
Spain is such a good team that could make 2 teams and win, while Brazil always seem to raise their game when they underdogs.
England probably have their best team (probably their last WC with Stevie G and Lampard) with a coach that does pick the team on STARS but they lack a good GK and CDM.

All i can say is this is goin to be one of the best world cups ever.
 
LoL - how can you say Iniesta and Xavi are slow? They spray that ball around in midfield and make oppostion chase the ball until they cant anymore.

Teams have been packing the midfield since forever trying to stop Xavi and Iniesta, but simply cannot - they are now trying pack the players in the final quarter, practically giving Iniesta and Xavi freedom in midfield to do what they want. To put it into perspective, Cesc is highly rates in the EPl but cannot make the starting 11 of the Spanish side.

Villa doesnt have any point to prove. He is on track to be the best striker in Spanish football history. He is on par to overtake Raul.

He never scored in the Euro final because he was injured. He did finish top scorer at the Euro's though. He is a much better player than Torres, always has been. Only people who dont watch La Liga and the Spanish side play will think Torres is better. There is a reason why Torres plays second fiddle to Villa.

I dont think there is an over reliance on Messi to score goals, he scored mroe goals than Eto last season and is simply picking up where he left off.
 
Not slow, but they slow down the game when there is a need to counter attack quickly. Understand that i am talking about the difference between the best team in the world to the greatest team. Barca were very lucky to win against Chelsea last season and Real this season. They still are the best team.
I also do watch La Liga, but usually Barca games and a little of both Madrid teams. Raul is the golden boy more becos of what he did for Madrid as Spain were the chokers (like Holland) back then.
My point about Villa (i know he was injured which is why i said if he played) is that, in order for him to be the best, he has to be recognised, and to be recognised, he has to win something with the team or country. No doubt he is one of the best and will be preferred to Torres cos he is the better all round player, but when the oppposition cannot be broken down, up will have to step Torres. (this is all Speculation and Villa will prove me wrong and win the WC for Spain and then i will say he is the best - but he has to do it first, like Torres did for Spain in Euro final, like Messi, Ronaldo, Raul did for Barca, UTD and Madrid, Zizuo for France...).
Anyway Cantera, do you watch EPL. I watch both although will always prefer LFC over Barca.
And your point that Messi scores more goals is why i say they is an over-reliance on him. Ibra is not consistent Eto but Pedro is coming of age.
Iniesta has scored for the first time in a long time recently, and no matter how brilliant he is (reminds me of Zidane) he has to score more goals.
 
I understand what you are saying. Villa has been banging home 20+ goals since 2001! Every year he has scored 20+. Torres has only done it twice in La Liga and once in the EPL. Villa has done it for 9 SEASONS straight!!!!! He is a MACHINE!

For most people that is enough to state that Villa is a better striker than Torres. He has been the no1 striker in Europe for a long time in my opinion.

I do watch both the EPl and La Liga as well as some Serie A.

I think you wrong about Barca and Spain not being able to counter attack, they are probably the most dangerous teams when it comes to attacking in any form. I also dont think there is an over reliance on Messi, he scored more goals than Eto last season when Eto was chasing the golden boot, Messi still out scored him.

Pedro is crazy amazing and he is so young, him and Bojan are definately the future of Spanish football.

Iniesta is probably one of the finest footballers on planet earth, one can almost forgive him for not scoring goals because he is so amazing to watch. Him and Xavi are not really goal scorers. But with the modern game and midfielders scoring often they are definately lacking.

On your point about Barca never deserved to win against Chelsea and Madrid. I disagree 100%

Barca had 75% possession at Stamford Bridge and were playing with 10 men. For me that deserves all the praise, they were the only team that kept on attacking when Chelsea even with and extra man on the field were intent on parking all 10 players in front of goal.

Against Real Madrid, if you look at the stats, Barca deserved to win the game. More shots on target, more possession, i dont understand how you can say they didnt deserve the win, when the stats speak for themselves.
 
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