Euro 2012: Semi Final 1: Portugal v Spain match thread

[DuDe]

EURO 2012: PORTUGAL V SPAIN

• Venue: Donbass Arena, Donetsk
• Date: Wednesday, 27 June
• Kick-off:19:45 BST

Coverage: Live on BBC One, BBC Radio 5 live and BBC Sport website
LINEUP, BOOKINGS (0) & SUBSTITUTIONS (0)

TEAM NEWS

Portugal striker Helder Postiga is ruled out with a thigh injury, meaning coach Paulo Bento will be unable to name an unchanged side for a fifth successive match.
Postiga is expected to be replaced by Besiktas forward Hugo Almeida.
Spain coach Vicente del Bosque reported no new injury problems following victory against France.
However, Fernando Torres and Pedro may be in line to start following claims the Spanish camp are "drained".

 

[talkshowhost86]

Should be a really interesting game tonight. I actually think that Postiga being out is good news for Portugal. I don't think Almeida is necessarily a better player than the Post-man but I think his strength is better for bringing the likes of Ronaldo and Nani into the game.

Would be good if it wasn't the one sided affair that all of the quarter finals turned into.

 

[tototoner]

Pedro Mendes on Talksport talking about this now

All I will say is that it will not be the same scoreline as the last time they met, Portugal 4 - 0 Spain in Nov 2010

 

[Marty]

I think it'll be cagey, Portugal will sit back and let Spain pass, and when they do get the ball they'll get it to Ronaldo and see what happens.

1-0 either way, either Spain will at one point pass Portugal to death and create the one opening they need, or Ronaldo will spank one in from 30 yards.

 

[ShelfSide18]

Can't wait for this one, Spain vs a side comfortable with counter attacking, and of course Ronaldo with a point to prove.

Spain boring? Do me a big fat fucking favour.

 

[talkshowhost86]

Can't wait for this one, Spain vs a side comfortable with counter attacking, and of course Ronaldo with a point to prove.

Spain boring? Do me a big fat fucking favour.

To be fair it's not exactly thrilling to watch. That's not to say that it isn't mightily impressive, and they have no duty to entertain anyone, but at times it is pretty tedious.

I expect them to raise their game tonight though. I really think they should play with a striker and then we'll see some more opportunities.

 

[ShelfSide18]

To be fair it's not exactly thrilling to watch. That's not to say that it isn't mightily impressive, and they have no duty to entertain anyone, but at times it is pretty tedious.

I expect them to raise their game tonight though. I really think they should play with a striker and then we'll see some more opportunities.

As Xavi said once...

That's upside down. It's not that we were boring, it is the other team that was. What did Holland look for? Penalties. Or [Arjen] Robben on the break. Bam, bam, bam. Of course we were boring – the opposition made it that way. Paraguay? What did they do? Built a spectacularly good defensive system and waited for chances – from dead balls. Up it goes, rebound, loose ball.

Often the most thrilling goals our on the counter attack, because they are scored with pace, where there is lots of space - Spain rarely get to counter because they are rarely attacked, and if they are it's generally only a couple of men that dare venture forward. It's because they are so good that teams are forced to sit in the 6 yard box, which makes the game tedious and boring to some. Not me, I love it - just watching the ball mastery of the likes of Xavi/Iniesta/Silva/Busquets/alonso ad infinitum I find entertaining, that isn't to say I don't enjoy a thrilling counter attack either!

I do think tactically Del Bosque hasn't got it entirely spot on, although I also think his devotion to midfielders is in part an idealistic decision. It's not the strikerless system which in itself which is flawed, but what you do need is some verticality and directness out wide. What we've seen is Iniesta and Silva drifting infield where there are already 3 CMs, oh and Fabregas also arrives for the CM orgy too, I'd like to see Pedro (maybe Navas) start out wide right to offer that width and depth, and to make direct runs in the space Fabregas creates by dropping off. Obviously the main man at doing this is David Villa, who is the perfect example at Barca of attacking the space created by Messi dropping off. I say wide right because Arbeloa is a bit more reserved than Alba who should really be hammering it forward as Iniesta drifts infield (their first goal against France came from Alba making one of those direct vertical runs inside the full back).

This is how I'd go strikerless with spain tonight

Casillas​

Arbeloa Pique Ramos Alba​

Busquets​

Xavi Alonso​

Pedro Fabregas Iniesta​

​

I won't be bored!​

​

 

[tototoner]

No strikers also means the CB's don't know who to pick up

 

[tobi]

Rumour (Twitter) has it that Negredo is starting for Spain.

 

[nightgoat]

Spain starting with a striker! WTF?!

 

[Welshiespursboyo]

Come on Portugal.

 

[tobi]

Great atmosphere in the stadium.

 

[nightgoat]

How the hell did Ramos get away with that?

 

[tobi]

Nani could have played on.

 

[CosmicHotspur]

No goals yet, but a very interesting game to watch nevertheless.

 

[Gbspurs]

Negredo held the ball up really well there.

 

[DuDe]

Great game so far, but that ref is definitely giving me the Pro-Spain vibes with some of his decisions so far.

COYP !!

 

[CosmicHotspur]

Chances at both ends!

 

[jimtheyid]

Good game.

 

[tototoner]

Has that Negredo touched the ball yet ?