Spain 1 (3) vs Russia 1 (4) 2nd Rnd Match-Penalties FT

[bret- hart]

Spain’s tactics were awful and they deserved the loss. You can’t play it too safe.

They didnt have a game plan for Russia. They played like they felt they could break down Russia whenever they wanted. It didnt happen, and they didnt have another gear, formation or style to go to.

IMO, Spain is suffering from a lack of diversity in their team. Teams like England, France, Belgium have added cultural diversity into their football, giving them something else to go to when things dont work.
All their players look and play the same. Short, accurate passing technicians. But where is the power, the pace when needed? Where is Spain's Mbappe, Ali, or Lukaku?

Spain needs to take a close look at their football, and find ways to diversify their DNA because it is getting stale.

You think those racists are going to start capping black players?? They will go the way of Italy. They cant help themselves.

When is Naija going to start capping white players?

How many white people live in Nigeria and acquire Nigerian citizenship?? There are lots of Africans living in Spain. More so now because of the refugee crisis. Anyways wetin cosign me. I don't want Spain to start converting potential world class African players like France, England and Belgium are doing.

[ohsee]

Don’t agree that they didn’t have another gear. The loss here was twctical IMO. They played safe and paid the price. No diversity in tactics? Most def but they had the players

Not sure why Hierro did not bring on Rodrigo Moreno earlier. He is the real Brazilian on the team--Diego Costa plays like an European. Rodrigo made a couple of dazzling moves as soon as he came on, but he was not on long enough to affect the outcome.

[Curve whiz]

@Zee, that 100 large owed following Klopp’s failure, put it on the table, double or bust. England take down Colombia and bulldoze their way to the big dance.

Off topic, Ref bottled it with the VAR call. Penalties have been given for such in this tournament. He knew his water would be tainted if he dared.

So which of the two fouls should the Referee have given a penalty for? Ignashevic was pulling a Spaniard, but Ramos was also holding on to a Russian player. So which of them should he had called.?

[zee]

Don’t agree that they didn’t have another gear. The loss here was twctical IMO. They played safe and paid the price. No diversity in tactics? Most def but they had the players

Spain’s tactics were awful and they deserved the loss. You can’t play it too safe.

They didnt have a game plan for Russia. They played like they felt they could break down Russia whenever they wanted. It didnt happen, and they didnt have another gear, formation or style to go to.

IMO, Spain is suffering from a lack of diversity in their team. Teams like England, France, Belgium have added cultural diversity into their football, giving them something else to go to when things dont work.
All their players look and play the same. Short, accurate passing technicians. But where is the power, the pace when needed? Where is Spain's Mbappe, Ali, or Lukaku?

Spain needs to take a close look at their football, and find ways to diversify their DNA because it is getting stale.

The sight of Koke for 120mins was more than I could stomach. Each successive pass adding to the collection; all square, all short, all tidy, all methodological; and ultimately of little impact.

Why play Koke and Busquets for 120mins against a team seating deep in their penalty area, and only counterattacking with the long ball to an aged forward?

Why play two strikers with Cavarjal wide and not deliver one cross to the box?

The Russian game plan was evident from kick off; get the game to PKs.

Spain obliged them, on little square pass at a time!

monday morning quarterbacking......................at it's ugly best

[YUJAM]

Yup Koke was incredibly poor. He passed backwards and sideways and slowed ot down to a snails pace. But it hasto come down to the coach.

Don’t agree that they didn’t have another gear. The loss here was twctical IMO. They played safe and paid the price. No diversity in tactics? Most def but they had the players

Spain’s tactics were awful and they deserved the loss. You can’t play it too safe.

They didnt have a game plan for Russia. They played like they felt they could break down Russia whenever they wanted. It didnt happen, and they didnt have another gear, formation or style to go to.

IMO, Spain is suffering from a lack of diversity in their team. Teams like England, France, Belgium have added cultural diversity into their football, giving them something else to go to when things dont work.
All their players look and play the same. Short, accurate passing technicians. But where is the power, the pace when needed? Where is Spain's Mbappe, Ali, or Lukaku?

Spain needs to take a close look at their football, and find ways to diversify their DNA because it is getting stale.

The sight of Koke for 120mins was more than I could stomach. Each successive pass adding to the collection; all square, all short, all tidy, all methodological; and ultimately of little impact.

Why play Koke and Busquets for 120mins against a team seating deep in their penalty area, and only counterattacking with the long ball to an aged forward?

Why play two strikers with Cavarjal wide and not deliver one cross to the box?

The Russian game plan was evident from kick off; get the game to PKs.

Spain obliged them, on little square pass at a time!

[YUJAM]

Don’t agree that they didn’t have another gear. The loss here was twctical IMO. They played safe and paid the price. No diversity in tactics? Most def but they had the players

Not sure why Hierro did not bring on Rodrigo Moreno earlier. He is the real Brazilian on the team--Diego Costa plays like an European. Rodrigo made a couple of dazzling moves as soon as he came on, but he was not on long enough to affect the outcome.

Chief. Hierro hasn’t coached in ages

[bepanda]

Hierro to get fired soon enough. Embarrassing.

[joao]

What a dogged performance by the Russians!!!

Superior talent + superior football league + Tiki-Taka
+ 78% ball possession
vs.
determination +tactics ,

honours even after 94 minutes.

Determination wins over superior talent. The next time your fellow African tells you that you should lose because you are weaker or have inferior talent, tell them that the devil is a liar and to stop raising our children with defeatist approach to life and not believing in themselves.

See strawman argument. Chief biko take sofry. Did we not try to play like Russia against Argentina and Croatia? And what happened? Some of you called the coach a coward for playing like that.

Chief ohsee, why bother with flip-flopping experts?
Only they know what players should be fielded and what tactics to employ against every team.
The sorry part is that these ITKs can't even make a bet based on their 'expertise',
or better yet apply for a coaching job.
Like the saying goes, 'commenting on things is easier for on-the-fence pundits'.

[asabe]

Colombia for the good of football please beat England abeg ooo

My entire football nightmare is for Engaland to win it all. All the route one English coaches will set camp in English speaking Africa...We are DONE!!

[Heliopolis]

Spain was a disaster all tournament and could've easily finished it without a win. Their only win was 1-0 against an Iran team that wasted a number of good chances against them. What is the point of playing tika taka against a significantly inferior opponent that posed no threat at all? Spain didn't have a shot on target in the first half and it wasn't until ET that they began to show urgency. I'm glad theyre out.

[Heliopolis]

Spain’s tactics were awful and they deserved the loss. You can’t play it too safe.

They didnt have a game plan for Russia. They played like they felt they could break down Russia whenever they wanted. It didnt happen, and they didnt have another gear, formation or style to go to.

IMO, Spain is suffering from a lack of diversity in their team. Teams like England, France, Belgium have added cultural diversity into their football, giving them something else to go to when things dont work.
All their players look and play the same. Short, accurate passing technicians. But where is the power, the pace when needed? Where is Spain's Mbappe, Ali, or Lukaku?

Spain needs to take a close look at their football, and find ways to diversify their DNA because it is getting stale.

You think those racists are going to start capping black players?? They will go the way of Italy. They cant help themselves.

Marco Senna, Diego Costa, Thiago Alcantara...

Spain had 3 problems this WC. They were weak at the back and Pique was a huge liability. They lacked a cold-blooded striker. They didn't switch up their tactics. Despite their flaws they shouldve made the semis at a minimum but they were poor from game 1.

[theYemster]

How many times now has Spain been knocked out by the hosts in a tournament? I remember Portugal at Euro 2004, Germany at Euro 88, South Korea in WC2002 and England at Euro 96, and I believe those last two were also via PKs. I doubt they've ever beaten a host nation...at least in recent memory.

[airwolex]

The truth is Spain has always a class below the very best. Their mentality has always been poor. They had their time in the sun but are now back were they belong. I am not surprised at all. They won't win anything in a long time because their tiki taka, or whatever they call it just will not work anymore.