What midfielders should Spain take to the WC

BoBo Vieri 32 wrote:

Messiah wrote:

L r dd wrote:Cesc will be starting for Spain ffs.

in place of who

Xavi:No
Silva: Can't
Alonso: maybe if spain really want to fuck their best chance of winning the WC in years and its already fuck with Alonso in there instead of Senna.
iniesta: Can't
Villa: No
Torres: No

He will be a super sub and in the Xi if the want to go 4-1-4-1

I agree with this. In Euro 2008 they had a very balanced midfield, even if that meant having players like Alonso and Cesc on the bench.

Thats when the didn't have a madridista racist c**t for the manager

Why is Cesc starting for Spain in the premiership world? Surely this is against the rules.

In the Prem world anything in the "Big 4" is better than anything else in the world, hence cesc would walk into the team, after all he is scoring goals for fun right now.

But in the real world, he isn't a start, anyways i don't want to get into a cesc debate, anyone that knows anything about the spanish NT knows cesc isn't considered a starter.

So the fact that Cesc has been the outstanding midfielder probably in world football this season means nothing in the real world? yet you're considering Senna?

Cesc will start but discussing this with you seems pointless. I reckon he'll go with Silva ahead of Alonso. But not sure on that maybe one of the front two will be injured who knows.

L r dd wrote:So the fact that Cesc has been the outstanding midfielder probably in world football this season means nothing in the real world? yet you're considering Senna?

Cesc will start but discussing this with you seems pointless. I reckon he'll go with Silva ahead of Alonso. But not sure on that maybe one of the front two will be injured who knows.

No it doesn't putting out a balance team is more important in the real world and thats what senna will bring to the team.

Outstanding midfielder in my arse, Ozil

Silva ahead of Alonso


--Siilva---Xavi---Cesc---Iniesta



Only in your world.

L r dd wrote:So the fact that Cesc has been the outstanding midfielder probably in world football this season means nothing in the real world? yet you're considering Senna?

Form isn't everything. Balance to the midfield is more important.

Cesc will only start if Del Bosque decides to go with only Villa up front...because Cesc is the best fit for a central goalscoring midfielder. But if Torres partners Villa, then I think it will be Silva-Xavi-Iniesta with Xabi Alonso or Busquets behind them. Of course it's possible that in some games Cesc starts, in some he doesn't. The starting lineup is not set in stone since he has as much quality as any of Spain's other midfielders.

We might have guessed the thread would end up like this. Agendas

I like the way the reason Spain had a balanced midfield at the Euro was because Luis Aragones is "not a racist cunt"

Del Bosque's been playing a 4-2-3-1 recently

Xabi Alonso, Busquets; Xavi, Silva, Iniesta; Villa

Allez les rouges wrote:We might have guessed the thread would end up like this. Agendas

I like the way the reason Spain had a balanced midfield at the Euro was because Luis Aragones is "not a racist cunt"

At least he doesn't hide it and knows when to USE a blackman for the benefit of himself and the team.

and he isn't a madridista which is even worst.

Messiah wrote:if were are picking right now, then yes the likes of canales and pedro would be their,

And Cesc wouldn't?

You're such a Barca biased spastic.

I said cesc could be called up, but these two players offer spain something different.

Cesc is just a mini xavi that scores more goals, but can't control a game anywhere near as good.

But he can score - which is more than quite a few of those midfielders can do.

And he can take free kicks and corners.

And he can play a better killer final ball than both Xavi and Iniesta.

He may not be a starter but you'd have to be a deluded idiot to not think he warrants being called up.

He'd be the perfect replacement for Xavi if a little more urgency was required and you needed a goal.

Tweesus wrote:But he can score - which is more than quite a few of those midfielders can do.

True.

Tweesus wrote:And he can take free kicks and corners.

So can all of those midfielders

Tweesus wrote:And he can play a better killer final ball than both Xavi and Iniesta.

What?

Tweesus wrote:He'd be the perfect replacement for Xavi if a little more urgency was required and you needed a goal.

Correct.

Xavi's great at passing prettily around midfield but he's not as direct a player as Cesc. He'd choose the easier pass if it was on whereas Cesc tries to get himself in positions to make things happen.

And Iniesta -who plays more of a similar position to Cesc, has incomparable assist stats.

And that for the 'best team ever in the history of football with every player in the world class bracket'.

Sorry Tweedle...I watch all 3 regularly and I can guarantee you that Cesc is not better at the final ball than either of those two.

Cesc may well have better assist stats than Iniesta but it doesn't mean he's a better final passer than Iniesta...maybe all of Cesc's assists are just simple 5 yard passes that only count as an assist because he - like you said - has the mobility to get further forward and make more of a visible impact on the game.

Well whatever your opinion its still nuts to not bother including him in a squad selection. Messiah was clearly doing it to get a rise out of someone.

Well yeah I don't disagree with you that Cesc should be in the squad. It's bloody obvious.

Don't worry about Messiah, he'll come around once Barça sign Cesc

Agree with Tweeds on this one. Xavi was at his best last season with so many assists for Barca while cesc was injured or something. But in other season, Cesc compares favorably to Xavi and Iniesta, perhaps not to Ozil and toni kroos.

I'm just kidding dude, of course cesc should be called up and be the 12th man in the team, i only put that their to miss with you guys.

better passer than Xavi

He is maybe not better passer than Xavi and Alonso.

But he is better with "killer pass", "final pass" or "assists". Whatever. I still fancy Del Bosque to play Biscuits along with Xabi.

kas wrote:Sorry Tweedle...I watch all 3 regularly and I can guarantee you that Cesc is not better at the final ball than either of those two.

Cesc may well have better assist stats than Iniesta but it doesn't mean he's a better final passer than Iniesta...maybe all of Cesc's assists are just simple 5 yard passes that only count as an assist because he - like you said - has the mobility to get further forward and make more of a visible impact on the game.

"better final passer" is in deed about being in the right place to make the pass. Xavi and Cesc are better than Iniesta at this.

Iniesta doesn't have the off-the-ball mobility to do that. He is far better receiving the ball and dribbling to certain positions before releasing the pass. That's difficult and invariably why his figures are low. In any case, that's a valuable contribution on its own.

In terms of making long range passes, difficult through passes and range of passing, Cesc is at least on level with Iniesta.

Can't believe I made a post without agendas.

Why do I have the feeling of deja vu?

Mobility: Iniesta > Cesc > Xavi
Passing: Xavi > Cesc > Iniesta

Olé wrote:Why do I have the feeling of deja vu?

Mobility: Iniesta > Cesc > Xavi
Passing: Xavi > Cesc > Iniesta

Off-the-ball movement: Cesc>Xavi>Iniesta
Vision: Xavi=Cesc>Iniesta
Dribbling: Iniesta>Xavi>Cesc
Possession under pressure: Xavi=Iniesta>Cesc
Controlling tempo: Xavi>Cesc>Iniesta
Interceptions: Xavi>Iniesta>Cesc
Workrate: Iniesta>Xavi>Cesc
Tackling: Xavi>Iniesta>Cesc
Shooting: Cesc>Xavi>Iniesta
Tactical discipline: Xavi>Cesc=Iniesta
Set-pieces :Xavi=Cesc>Iniesta

We should do this more often

Cesc is as average for Spain as Henry is for France.

Xavi-Iniesta-Senna (the closest thing Spain have to Yaya Toure) is a must.

He's a good player if they need to up the pace. Also agree with Cali that Navas should be there as well, in case they need to be a bit more direct.

The Santa Stalker wrote:Cesc is as average for Spain as Henry is for France.

AVERAGE?!
Henry is crap for France.

I don't think Cesc is bad at all. He was top assist maker in Euro 2008 and in their qualifying campaign. That's fenomenal for "minutes appeared".

Xavi-Iniesta-Senna (the closest thing Spain have to Yaya Toure) is a must.

I would like to see that. But Iniesta and Silva are nailed-on certainties for two wide berths.

If Spain go with a 4-4-2 then Cesc probably won't start.

If Spain go with a 4-5-1 (which they should, IMO) then he will.

--------------Casillas
Ramos----Pique--Puyol----Capdevilla
----------------Senna
---------Xavi---Cesc---Iniesta
---------------Silva
---------------------Villa

is what I think would work best; with Ramos + Cap providing the width.

Doubt we will see that however, given Torres' club form.

The Santa Stalker wrote:Cesc is as average for Spain as Henry is for France.

Xavi-Iniesta-Senna (the closest thing Spain have to Yaya Toure) is a must.

He's a good player if they need to up the pace. Also agree with Cali that Navas should be there as well, in case they need to be a bit more direct.

Senna is the furthest thing from Yaya Toure at the moment. This year he's been mostly injured and not very good when fit.

Could Guti be Spain’s World Cup Wonder?



Bernd Schuster says the concept is “ridiculous.”

Vicente del Bosque muses that “the door is open.”

Sport claim that he can’t change his ways at 33.

Penelope Cruz screams “in the name of all that is holy, La Liga Loca! Leave me alone! How did you get my number, anyway? Don’t you understand that it’s over between us!”

All week, the whole country has been a-buzzin' with the notion that Guti could be the most unexpected of entries into Spain’s World Cup squad for South Africa 2010. And all because of a back-heel to Benzema up in La Coruña. Many argue that the idea is insane, ridiculous, barmy, ludicrous, absurd, risible, nonsensical and farcical. Others maintain that the debate is complete b*llocks, dreamt up by AS and Marca after some kind of bet to see what they can get away with. But La Liga Loca asks: Guti at the World Cup with Spain? Why the heck not?

Why It's Crazy Talk

1) In Guti’s 14 seasons as a Real Madrid professional - stretching that term to breaking point - the midfielder has played in fewer than half of the available minutes during that spell.

This stands in comparison with the 78 percent racked up by Raúl, who is just nine months older.

This rather hefty absentee rate has been down to laziness, injuries both real and... (checks law book...) real, falling out with coaches, being suspended, awful form, dentist appointments, christenings, holidays, something good being on TV and offering naff all for much of the season aside from a couple of over-hyped passes the blog’s dead granny could make given the opportunities Guti has handed to him every year.

Guti would be as committed to Spain’s World Cup cause as Maniche is to a bowl of Special K.

2) Guti may claim this week that he would like to go to South Africa, but this is the player that Katy Perry writes songs about (two of them, in fact).

In the course of a recent interview Guti revealed that he wanted to see out his career at Real Madrid, play in England (see proof on the YouTube!), play for Inter Milan and retire to Bangkok to bomb around on a moped.

The Madrid player may be itching to go to the World Cup now, but what happens when Del Bosque calls him up and Guti pulls out due to the opening of a new hat shop?

Or the home delivery of a disco ball?

3) Because he waddles like Liam Gallagher circa What’s the Story, Morning Glory?.

Why It's Perfect Sense

1) When the chips are down, the turnips are up and it’s all gone Pete Tong out on the pitch, the footballer that Spain really needs coming off the bench is not Cesc Fabregas, but Guti - the only player in the world who can change the fortunes of his team in a split second with a moment of pure genius.*

*Not technically true. Guti generally likes Madrid to be a good two or three goals to the good against beleaguered opposition before making his “killer passes,” which tend to be fairly ordinary when taken out of context of the Madridista hype-machine.

2) Spain may well come up against all kinds of dastardly, dark-arts devils during this summer’s footballing festival.

The midfielder is the one cat who is guaranteed to remain cool, calm and collected in the midst of the most horrendous of hullabaloos.**

**Again, a slight white lie. Just boot Guti a couple of times from behind (see Osasuna games) and you can be sure he’ll be sent off after a retaliatory knee-breaker just seconds later.

3) Guti is better than all of Spain’s current midfielders combined. And then some. For example...

Xavi has suckered the world into thinking he is a superstar due to his ability to complete five-yard passes. “Whoopedy do!” says the blog. Guti can do them backwards. And he’s a more useful presence in the dressing room when items off high shelves are required.

Iniesta? Forehead too big, scalp too bare and hasn’t scored for his club this season. Guti? Cool hair and THREE goals.

And as for the new young tyke, Jesus Navas? All Luis Fabiano needs to do in their upcoming clash in South Africa is show the Sevilla man a photo of his house and he’ll be sobbing into the turf and shipped home before you can say “I should never have left Andalusia.”

These are the arguments both for and against Guti’s World Cup inclusion, plain and clear. Now it's time for the blog collective to chew over this week’s big issue: Guti - should he stay, or should he go?

http://fourfourtwo.com/blogs/laligaloca/archive/2010/02/03/could-guti-be-spain-s-world-cup-wonder.aspx