Could we line up like Spain?

[The Erectile Banana]

Ultimately I don't think you could in the Pl and certainly not without substantial personnel overhaul. The system relies on having exceptional tight control and passing - we have no equivalent of Xavi or Iniesta in our squad and there are very few of them around. I also think that in the PL where defences are more tigerish and better organised than England's (and to be fair most in international football) it would be hard to make the formation as effective.

I think Gerrard would be less effective in that formation.

Intricate passing movements aren't Maschers or Gerrard's forte and I can't see them being suited to such a formation.

Also I don't think our full backs are good enough going forward to play a system that requires them to bomb on and provide an attacking threat high up the pitch.

[Pablo]

How biased was big Fat Sam by the way, hilarious!

[ric.williams]

i was tring to explain to my mates in the pub that england had been totally dominated and outplayed, they felt that our two best players who were injured (rooney and gerrard) wouldve walked into the spain team which i strongely disagreed with. dont think either of em would get in the team

[Shaggy]

i was tring to explain to my mates in the pub that england had been totally dominated and outplayed, they felt that our two best players who were injured (rooney and gerrard) wouldve walked into the spain team which i strongely disagreed with. dont think either of em would get in the team

Rooney - not a ****ing prayer.

Gerrard...hmmm. Tough one. You'd have to make room for him I think. I'd drop Senna - as crucial to them as he is - and move Xabi back into the anchor/pivot role, making room for Gerrard.

Although as has been pointed out, his strengths are not subtlety of touch and intricate passing. He might look horribly out of place in that team.

[Harv]

Rooney - not a ****ing prayer.

Gerrard...hmmm. Tough one. You'd have to make room for him I think. I'd drop Senna - as crucial to them as he is - and move Xabi back into the anchor/pivot role, making room for Gerrard.

Although as has been pointed out, his strengths are not subtlety of touch and intricate passing. He might look horribly out of place in that team.

I'd play Gerrard at RB in that side

[BG1973]

Personally I still think we would struggle to breakdown teams intent to sit back and keep 10 men behind the ball and nothing much would change. Things would just get a bit too congested in the middle. Just like us, all Spain’s best performances come against teams who are willing to attack.

Although I do love watching the Spanish play. As entertaining and flamboyant and the Brazilians are, I’d much rather watch lovely, controlled passing football like last night.

Spain are unbeaten in 29 games having won 27 of them.

They would play through any 10 men behind the ball scenario.

Breaking down teams is all about precision and speed of passing, pulling players out of position which they have and do in spades.

Another reason to love Rafa.. best international team on the planet happens to be for most of us our 'second' team..

[RedReet]

I didn’t realise their record was that good, although to be fair I was making my assumption mainly on the Aragones reign. I didn’t realise Del Bosque was doing so well, although outside of friendlies they haven’t played the greatest teams yet.

I also think the slower international pace suits this style of play better, and again would have my concerns about how well it would work in the Premiership. Maybe if we had the full Spain squad (well we’re on our way) we could make it a success, but I honestly don’t think we could buy the players to make it work on a regular basis.

[Imy]

Spain are unbeaten in 29 games having won 27 of them.

They would play through any 10 men behind the ball scenario.

Breaking down teams is all about precision and speed of passing, pulling players out of position which they have and do in spades.

Another reason to love Rafa.. best international team on the planet happens to be for most of us our 'second' team..

Our team just can't do this, if we could so many of those home draws would read as wins.

[andrewces38]

How biased was big Fat Sam by the way, hilarious!

He really pissed me off about his comments on Rafa resting torres against portsmouth,for the benift of Spain ,Not the fact that he played 2 hours of football as a lone striker in a mersyside derby fewdays earlier and was totally ****ed.

Also i agree with earlier post about Alonso passing the guts out of barry he looked masterfull last night alongside 2 worldclass midfielders Also liked the challenge on Carrick quality.

A point about the Spanish width or lack of it.It was only the right back that was bombing forward esp 2nd half without causing too much trouble to the english defence and yet spain cut them to threads with their neat passing,I would love to watch that type of football week in week out in the prem.
Give Rafa 100million in the summer and we could yet see it.( we live in hope)

By the way fellas do you like my paragraphs

[RedReet]

He really pissed me off about his comments on Rafa resting torres against portsmouth,for the benift of Spain ,Not the fact that he played 2 hours of football as a lone striker in a mersyside derby fewdays earlier and was totally ****ed.

Also i agree with earlier post about Alonso passing the guts out of barry he looked masterfull last night alongside 2 worldclass midfielders Also liked the challenge on Carrick quality.

A point about the Spanish width or lack of it.It was only the right back that was bombing forward esp 2nd half without causing too much trouble to the english defence and yet spain cut them to threads with their neat passing,I would love to watch that type of football week in week out in the prem.
Give Rafa 100million in the summer and we could yet see it.( we live in hope)

By the way fellas do you like my paragraphs

Not with todays prices.

[Neil Young]

By the way fellas do you like my paragraphs

[Skillz]

I'd play Gerrard at RB in that side

and he would be the best RB in the world

[BG1973]

Our team just can't do this, if we could so many of those home draws would read as wins.

the irony is the closest we have come to playing like this was spurs away and it's the only league game we've lost all season..

[BG1973]

I didn’t realise their record was that good, although to be fair I was making my assumption mainly on the Aragones reign. I didn’t realise Del Bosque was doing so well, although outside of friendlies they haven’t played the greatest teams yet.

I also think the slower international pace suits this style of play better, and again would have my concerns about how well it would work in the Premiership. Maybe if we had the full Spain squad (well we’re on our way) we could make it a success, but I honestly don’t think we could buy the players to make it work on a regular basis.

It's an awesome record eh. They're just on another level to anything else out there at the moment.

Most of their world class players (most of the team) are yet to peak too.. Astonishing.