UEFA Euro 2012

[Red Reign]

Fair enough I find the style Spain plays to be anti-football....and their arrogence doesn't help either...

Yeah thats why we beat Spain in 2009 at Confederations Cup....and Switzerland openly borrowed (Coach gave Bradley credit) what Bob Bradley hatched and beat them in the 2010 World Cup....as did England and Italy who is known as a defensive minded team I suspect will borrow a page from Bradley too....

Buffon is better....

Italy will win because of their defense and Buffon....and they have a world class striker as Germany found out....one goal may win this game....

Now we are on opposite sides of the pitch. :stickouttongue:

I will never root for Italy, I just don't like that team. Spain, for all their diving, is playing the same game most major international sides play. They, along with teams like England, Italy, Portugal, are rough players, they have a tendancy to dive - or exaggerate a foul until play stops or the magic water is brought on - and never commit a foul. That could describe most teams, including the two Euro 2012 finalists.

I like how Spain moves the ball around as well, making teams chase the ball or make a mistake that leads to the opening the creates a scoring opportunity. Lots of people, including you RR, do not like that style, but you cannot score if you do not have the ball. Spain keeps teams from having opportunities by their style of play. Countering teams have a good chance of beating Spain, if they have good passing and great speed up top. Still if they cannot get the ball from Spain, they won't score. That, and Spain has a pretty good keeper in Iker as well.

I expect a good match, with set pieces being of great importance, from corners or from direct/indirect kicks from the field of play. I see Spain winning 3-2, 2-1, 1-0, with a big time of possession difference. If Italy can frustrate Spain like Portugal did, they might have a chance, if they can match Portugal's efforts.

Just my :2cents: :2cents:.

 

[4evrHusker]

Sorry my friend, but Iker has taken his team farther than Buffon ever has. Buffon is good, I will grant you that, but, in my opinion, Iker is better. He also has a better team in front of him, in my opinion, as well. Balotelli is the wild card, in many ways. This will be the best game of the tournament, but Spain finally beats Italy in a major tournament, and cements their place as one of best sides, if not the best, of all time.

 

[Red Reign]

Buffon won a World Cup in 2006....and is the best goalie in the world....on a team that requires the goalie to be great with the style they play.....

Yeah I know you have a man crush on Iker.....the same Iker the USA beat in the Confederations Cup 2-0....

Spain better than the great Brazilian sides with Pele and Carlos Alberto? Are you serious?....they didn't even need a goalie or defense because they were on your side of the field 80% of the game.....Braizl with Pele would own Spain...put the Kool Aid down...

Oh and Brazil won the World Cup in 1958, 1962 and 1970 with Pele....he is the only player to win 3 WC winners medals...

Sorry my friend, but Iker has taken his team farther than Buffon ever has. Buffon is good, I will grant you that, but, in my opinion, Iker is better. He also has a better team in front of him, in my opinion, as well. Balotelli is the wild card, in many ways. This will be the best game of the tournament, but Spain finally beats Italy in a major tournament, and cements their place as one of best sides, if not the best, of all time.

 

[mjw11]

http://espnfc.com/us/en/news/1120894/carlislewhy-spain-side-best-all-time-.html

The Euro 2012 trophy has been raised. The red-and-yellow confetti has settled onto the ground. And Spain can rightly celebrate not only its 4-0 victory over Italy but also its third consecutive major title.
The run of tournament victories, one that includes Euro 2008 and the 2010 World Cup, marks an unprecedented achievement, and with Spain's dynasty cemented, all that’s left is to judge its place in the pantheon of great international sides.
Certainly there are a few worthy candidates to rival La Roja’s accomplishment. There was Brazil’s consecutive World Cup-winning sides of 1958 and 1962. Then there was West Germany’s run in the early 1970s, when it won the 1972 European Championship as well as the 1974 World Cup. Die Mannschaft’s run only ended when it lost the 1976 European Championship on penalties to Czechoslovakia.

Of course, those two teams fell short of Spain’s accomplishment. That Brazil side failed to win any of the numerous South American championships – the forerunner to today’s Copa America – during that time, although it must be said, the tournament wasn’t taken as seriously then as the Copa America is now. One could expand the time horizon to include Brazil’s 1970 World Cup triumph, but that team was completely different, save Pele, making the talk of dynasty more tenuous.

 

[Dotsee]

I think back to back World Cups, is better than back to back Euro's. Although this Spain's teams accomplishments are good.

But I think 1994 - 2002 Brazil was better. They won 2 WC's finished 2nd in another and won 2 Copa America's and finished 2nd in another(lost on PK's)...imo the best run ever

 

[Red Reign]

Agree....and I think 1958-1970 Brazil was the best from all of the film I have seen and read on them...three World Cups out of four in 12 years.....

I think back to back World Cups, is better than back to back Euro's. Although this Spain's teams accomplishments are good.

But I think 1994 - 2002 Brazil was better. They won 2 WC's finished 2nd in another and won 2 Copa America's and finished 2nd in another(lost on PK's)...imo the best run ever