Have to say I find it bizarre that anyone would even attempt to argue that England have been trying to emulate Spain's style of play for the last few seasons - SERIOUSLY???? Whether or not I agree with much of what Carrabuh usually says about stuff on this occasion I am in his corner and I at least can totally see where he's coming from and have to say I find it arrogant in the extreme the way he has been talked down to on this thread - and that's coming from me! I don't necessarily agree 100% with his argument, but I'm not far away from it and I find it hard to believe certain people can't see any sense in it at all. Like I said, bizarre.
Thankyou Munky, I think you must have been the only person who actually read what I'd typed. I don't know anybody apart from Wonky or Pyjamas who think England TRY and play like Spain. England play rigid, medium/ long, counter attack, wide and quickly. Spain play, fluent, interchanging,short, possesion, central and patient. I don't think you can get anything more opposite in approaches, it's not just me comparing footballing stereotypes. Its just true.
I not sure England really know how they want to play. And by not committing to playing a certain way they are really suffering. I think for a time, especially under Capello they tried to play more possession football (could be argued similar to Spain) but sadly the players lack the movement required to play in such a way. They need to find a way they really believe will be successful and they are capable of playing and commit to it, instead they just chop and change maybe because they lack confidence.
I don't think even Capello had a pass, pass philosophy. It was just too structured England do know how they are going to play under Hodgson, and it is going back to the direct, long ball, 10 man defence (when against the better sides), easy, simple football, relying on numbers and percentages. We are going backwards fast. I don't think we really chop and change, its always comes down to a football based on physical traits. Big, strong or quick.
I don't know if I've missed something, but this is the first time I've ever heard anyone attempt to argue that England have been trying to "play the Spain way" and I find it incredulous that anyone would consider it as such a generally accepted concept - unless I'm missing something obvious of course? I may not profess to be an 'in the know' oracle of all things football*, and I may not be right about everything I believe in, but I'm pretty certain I know what I'm on about most of the time and this just makes no sense to me. I also may not study as much international or continental football as some others either, but I've seen a fair bit of Spain and Barcelona and I was at Wembley last year for what was possibly Capello's finest hour as England coach (albeit in a friendly) when we beat the World Champions in one of the most opportunistic, smash and grab victories in one of the most one-sided games I've ever seen. Spain had about 70% of the possession, I don't think we ever put together more than five passes at any point of the game but one the day Capello's tactics of getting ten men behind the ball, soaking up the relentless pressure and waiting for a goal from a set-piece worked a treat. But for anyone to suggest the two styles of play on that day - when Capello was in the midst of a good run of form - were in any way, shape or form even remotely similar they have to be completely barking mad in my opinion * I'm not for one second suggesting that anyone else is either, just stating that I'm not
If this was in part response to my post above I am not suggesting we try to play like Spain. More so that when Capello tried to play possession football (not very well) it was likened to trying to play like Spain. However I agree it is nothing alike really. Yes Spain play with lots of possession but really it is their movement and fluidity that makes them so good. Just to be clear I don't think we play like Spain
We don't play like Spain or TRY to play like Spain. Passing a little bit more is not trying to be Spain.
That is why I said it was "likened to Spain" by lazy media when in reality it is only a minor part of their game
What you're, again, missing carrabuh is they TRY to play like Spain not that they actually do play like Spain. So, they do or they don't try to play like Spain? How very confusing.
They clearly don't try to play like Spain, and if they are trying to they're either not trying hard enough or a million miles away in terms of ability because I have never seen us play anything like Spain, certainly not against anyone half decent. I don't know the stats but I imagine that the average Spain attack involves well in excess of a dozen passes, probably nearer twenty, I almost fall off my seat if England manage to string togather half a dozen without giving it away or lumping it long. I don't know why this is so hard to take on board. And no Tipsy by the way, my earlier post wasn't particularly in response to yours
"We don't play like Spain or TRY to play like Spain. Passing a little bit more is not trying to be Spain. " Gruffnuts, I understand what the argument is about (some time ago I might add, just read above), I have said it about three times. I'll reiterate "again" just to clarify my position. We do not TRY to play like Spain.
Looks like it might be more like a minority of two then after all Another point I'd add to the international debate is that I can honestly never see us winning a major tournament again unless we are the either the hosts or we somehow discover a player with unbelievable match-winning ability, a complete one-off who turns out to be one of the very best, if not the best players in the world at that time. Rooney isn't that player, though he remains the best we've got. Gazza in at his best was the last player we had of anywhere near that calibre, and its no coincidence that we've not been anywhere near seriously competing for either of the competitions since him.
I haven't seen Spain run out of ideas after 20 minutes then play 9 in defence, which results of course in lumping the ball forward whenever we get it, to no one in particular, it's not Spain, it's not "like" Spain, it's just embarrassing!
