FIFA World Cup group stages

[hopeforthebest]

I haven't watch a great deal of games in this WC but the tackling has been pretty fearsome in the games I have watched.

[shankycricket]

I can't believe how poor Iniesta and Silva have been.

? Iniesta has been quite good. Maybe poor by his standards but come on....

[shankycricket]

Torres over Villa..... Del Bosque has gone senile...

Same Villa that didn't score a league goal in the last 2/3 months of the season?

Not saying he is a messiah but Torres has been useless for a while now. Agree though that Villa is probably past it too.

[shankycricket]

Don't really agree with the "end of an era". Not as if Spain don't have good players anymore. Just picked the wrong players. Ageing stars over young talent. Reputation over form. You reap what you sow. Spain have only themselves to blame.

[dan08]

Shocked to see Spain go out. A mixture of VDB not picking the right squad, not adapting their tactics and probably the main one is their players really underperforming.

[shankycricket]

The Defending Champions have been knocked out in the group stages in 3 out of the last 4 World Cups. Amazing to see how much difference 4 years (or even 2 years in this case, Spain did win Euros a couple of years ago) can make in Football. Completely different to what we see in Cricket.

[dan08]

Don't really agree with the "end of an era". Not as if Spain don't have good players anymore. Just picked the wrong players. Ageing stars over young talent. Reputation over form. You reap what you sow. Spain have only themselves to blame.

I don't think there's too much wrong with this squad. Easy to say in hindsight but lots had Spain as title contenders again. VDB picking his favourites is definitely a factor though and could also be a reason if Brazil go out early as Big Phil does the same.

[shankycricket]

Don't really agree with the "end of an era". Not as if Spain don't have good players anymore. Just picked the wrong players. Ageing stars over young talent. Reputation over form. You reap what you sow. Spain have only themselves to blame.

I don't think there's too much wrong with this squad. Easy to say in hindsight but lots had Spain as title contenders again. VDB picking his favourites is definitely a factor though and could also be a reason if Brazil go out early as Big Phil does the same.

I was referring to the starting XI. Casillas retaining his place after the last game and despite not being first choice for his club was a real shocker. Also the likes of Torres being picked of Llorente, etc was a real shocker. Of course, players could have done better too but some really questionable selections (and substitutions).

I don't think Brazil will go out early. I think their slow start somewhat resembles Spain in 2010. Think they'll catch up later. Still favourites for the tournament IMO. Home advantage has historically proven to be quite significant in the FIFA World Cup.

[shankycricket]

I think the writing was on the wall when Brazil destroyed them in the Confed Cup final last year but yeah a group stage exit does come across as a bit too sudden.

[shankycricket]

Will Suarez play tomorrow?

[mikesiva]

Don't really agree with the "end of an era". Not as if Spain don't have good players anymore. Just picked the wrong players. Ageing stars over young talent. Reputation over form. You reap what you sow. Spain have only themselves to blame.

I don't think there's too much wrong with this squad. Easy to say in hindsight but lots had Spain as title contenders again. VDB picking his favourites is definitely a factor though and could also be a reason if Brazil go out early as Big Phil does the same.

Anybody who watched Spain get hammered 3-0 by Brazil in the Confed final last year could not seriously have Spain as title contenders again....

Sometimes I think European analysts think a bit too much of European football on the world stage.

[shankycricket]

Don't really agree with the "end of an era". Not as if Spain don't have good players anymore. Just picked the wrong players. Ageing stars over young talent. Reputation over form. You reap what you sow. Spain have only themselves to blame.

I don't think there's too much wrong with this squad. Easy to say in hindsight but lots had Spain as title contenders again. VDB picking his favourites is definitely a factor though and could also be a reason if Brazil go out early as Big Phil does the same.

Anybody who watched Spain get hammered 3-0 by Brazil in the Confed final last year could not seriously have Spain as title contenders again....

Sometimes I think European analysts think a bit too much of European football on the world stage.

Agree but surely not a bad enough side (on paper) to be knocked out in the group stages, although as alluded to earlier, its becoming a bit of trend nowadays. France 2002, Italy 2010 and Spain 2014... 3 out of the last 4..

On the whole though, they picked the wrong side. Starting with Casillas in his current form in goal and leaving out someone like Koke were utterly bewildering decisions.

[hopeforthebest]

The charge against Spain has always been that they under perform on the big stage and they were saying that in the run up to last WC. It would appear they've returned to old ways.

[dan08]

Don't really agree with the "end of an era". Not as if Spain don't have good players anymore. Just picked the wrong players. Ageing stars over young talent. Reputation over form. You reap what you sow. Spain have only themselves to blame.

I don't think there's too much wrong with this squad. Easy to say in hindsight but lots had Spain as title contenders again. VDB picking his favourites is definitely a factor though and could also be a reason if Brazil go out early as Big Phil does the same.

Anybody who watched Spain get hammered 3-0 by Brazil in the Confed final last year could not seriously have Spain as title contenders again....

Sometimes I think European analysts think a bit too much of European football on the world stage.

On paper, i'd still take Spain's team over Brazil. Just didn't turn up in these 2 games.

[dan08]

The charge against Spain has always been that they under perform on the big stage and they were saying that in the run up to last WC. It would appear they've returned to old ways.

2 Euro's and a World Cup in the last 6 years...