Eck
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Registered: 17th Apr 06
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Where the fuck do fifa get their world rankings?! Brazil are 22nd. Just behind Ghana  They're not the nationthey were but they're a damn sight better than Bosnia, 7 places up 
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Robbo
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Registered: 6th Aug 02
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its because they arent playign any competitive games (confed aside) so they will just keep on slipping whilst everyone else plays wc qualies
confed will see them jump back up im sure
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Hammer
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Registered: 11th Feb 04
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They need to alter their ranking system!
Brazil 2 nil up on Spain, fantastic finish from Neymar for the 2nd.
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Eck
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Registered: 17th Apr 06
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Very surprised at how much Spain have been dominated. I never get tired of Ramos and Pique being shown up for the quite frankly terrible defenders they are Great on the ball but god they aren't CB's. Luiz has been great again 
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Hammer
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Registered: 11th Feb 04
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Torres is a waste of a shirt and they have numerous players better than Pedro as well.
I'd bring both of them off, even if it means going back to the packed midfield and a false striker routine.
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Eck
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Soldado was brilliant in the first game so fuck knows why Torres is getting in before him. I'm betting Navas will be on soon to cause Marcelo nightmares.
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Eck
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Registered: 17th Apr 06
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Unreal! Didn't think much of it when Bayern battered Barca, but is the tiki taka dominance over?
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Hammer
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Registered: 11th Feb 04
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Not a chance - Spain are the World, European, U21 and U18 champions for a reason.
Losing the Confed Cup final doesn't change that. Brazil are progressing nicely though, as they always do the year before a World Cup.
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Eck
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Registered: 17th Apr 06
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They're giving all to win this tournament so its hardly like they aren't trying. Interesting next year!
Why let Ramos hit it
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Hammer
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Registered: 11th Feb 04
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Yeah I'm not suggesting they aren't trying but 2/3 of a defeat doesn't signal the end of an era when you are dominating everything. I don't think tiredness, the crowd and the humidity can be underestimated although they are excuses and Brazil have been by far the better side.
Ramos is the Madrid number 2 penalty taker I believe?
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Eck
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Registered: 17th Apr 06
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Just gets worse. One of the most overrated defenders in the world. In my opinion of course.
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Eck
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And isn't Ronaldo and Alonso the pen takers at Madrid?
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Hammer
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Registered: 11th Feb 04
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Possibly, the commentators comment about him being reliable made me think he hit them. They are fucking clueless right enough
Navas done more in minutes than Pedro and Torres put together in an attacking sense.
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Eck
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Registered: 17th Apr 06
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Ramos sending it in to orbit the other year is the lasting memory of his penalties for me
I don't get why he doesn't start Navas tbh. I can only think its because he's so direct and doesn't play like the rest. He's very effective!
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Hammer
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Registered: 11th Feb 04
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I'd be extremely excited if I were a Man City fan, Navas is a weapon!
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Cavey
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Registered: 11th Nov 02
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England drawing 2-2 with Brazil seems an even better result now.
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Robbo
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Registered: 6th Aug 02
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There is something seriously wrong with SPain IMO... they can't get their balance right.
They need to start moving toward new players... Casillas/Valdes/Reina have peaked and will most likely only go one way (thought Casillas was generally pretty poor yesterday, esp on the first goal)
Arbeloa is just shit
Ramos/Pique are never going to be a great partnership IMO, too similar
LB is fine
Midfield, all great players but why the fuck is that Cesc still can't get a game? Again, balance just doesnt seem right
Forwards, again balance is all wrong. Torres is a spent force at that level, Soldado/Llorente are good players but not great and Villa is also goign one way (plus is a LF not a CF). Why dick around with Mata in RF then castigate him all match. Navas looked excellent coming on and you have Cazorla, Cesc and David fucking Silva all sat on their fucking arses on the bench!
By no means the end of the line for SPain as 90% of their squad is still better than most of the rest of the worlkd but they need to reshuffle IMO or else theya re in serious danger of doing a France in 2002; persisting with a starting 11 that won Cups 4 years prior and not utilisign the fantastic squad they have
Also I think SPain just looked fucked from all playign shit loads of games and probs the travelling, heat and humidity didnt help.
[Edited on 01-07-2013 by Robbo]
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Robbo
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Registered: 6th Aug 02
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Thought Neymar was good last night. Still too much pony trickery, diving and generally cuntiness but that will get kicked out of him when he becomes a small fish in a big pond in la liga. goal was superb
Fred is awesome lately Lyon must be gutted, seen him linked with City too
Ramos is a cunt, why the fuck in that team did he take the peno??
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mwg
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Registered: 19th Feb 04
Location: South Lakes
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Only saw the first half but Spain didn't play like they normally do. They were never given chance to settle and start their passing game. The amount of times they misplaced passes and saw them lumping the ball forward a bit too!
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Eck
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Neymar really has surprised me with some of the flashes of brilliance. Seems he might have what it takes to step up to the top level. But the diving is so fucking infuriating
Fred has always been a good finisher. His scoring record for club and country is testament to that!
I think Brazil's weakest link was Marcelo. He was caught horribly out of position time and again. Even Alves played better defensively!
The standout performer for me, aside from Neymar, was David Luiz. He's always been questionable at the back but good going forward; but he stuck to the task brilliantly. Covering both the CB and LB role at times. His range of passing with both feet is outstanding. I hope he stays at Chelsea and he continues to grow as a player in the PL.
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JonnyJ
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Registered: 23rd Sep 05
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Just seen that clearance off theline by Luiz... Not sure what was more surprising, the fact he brilliantly got it off the line and up and over the bar, or the fact he was actually that far back in the first place!
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Robbo
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Registered: 6th Aug 02
Location: London
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fully agree eck-mon
Luiz was playing 2 roles as well as he was covering marcelo the whole time (as you said), marcelo is shit tho - mioght as well play andre santos 
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Robbo
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Registered: 6th Aug 02
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luiz got lucky with the clearance in that as he connected it bobbled but he had the good sense to use his right leg even tho left was the standing leg, as it were. that was a nailed on goal - amazing clearance
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Hammer
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Registered: 11th Feb 04
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Why Spain continue to shoe-horn in Torres I don't know, the entire shape of the side looks disjointed when he plays.
He had a cheek going up to pick up the Golden Boot as well
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Robbo
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Registered: 6th Aug 02
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yep. be better with cesc up front like they did in the euros, the effectvie 4-6-0
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