Game thread: ESP v CHI (0:2)

[mate]

I bet they did not expect this...

Proper shock .. and then blame game. Their forums and news columns will be ten times worse
than what we nigerians are having right now..

Actually, no. The vast majority of Spanish fans are measured. Sure, they would have liked to go out more dignified.

But they have an amazing 6 year run to cherish and build upon. Most Spanish fans I know see this as a deserved swan song for a great generation.

I wish I can say the same about my teams.

Cheers, Mate

[mmeny]

Spain imploded. A generation of players simply failed catastrophically. Xavi, Alonso, Casillas, Villa, & Pique proved to be long past their expiration date. Nobody adequately replaced Senna and Puyol.

This wasn't about tactics. Nothing new was discovered that might have worked against Spain 2008 - 2012. That outfit could play tika taka. They ran all day. They not only possessed the ball, but also had a rugged defense.

This Spanish team amazingly can't run and amazingly can't pass. I never could have predicted this. I really thought some fine tuning would see them through the semifinals. Not a chance.

Spain needs a total overhaul. But I appreciate the last 6 years. The best NT football I've ever seen. I can only hope somebody pushes the bar even higher.

For me, it's about good football. I don't care who it is. And for good football, I thank Spain for the experiences.

Cheers, Mate

Didn't they win two more cups without both players?

[soothsayer]

Worse defending champions ever!!!! I don't think even France conceded that number of goals..
I hope Australia finishes them of..... 2-0 .

[soothsayer]

lol..... them Chile fans embarrassment...
But I guess you can't miss history.. no matter the consequences..

[mate]

Spain imploded. A generation of players simply failed catastrophically. Xavi, Alonso, Casillas, Villa, & Pique proved to be long past their expiration date. Nobody adequately replaced Senna and Puyol.

This wasn't about tactics. Nothing new was discovered that might have worked against Spain 2008 - 2012. That outfit could play tika taka. They ran all day. They not only possessed the ball, but also had a rugged defense.

This Spanish team amazingly can't run and amazingly can't pass. I never could have predicted this. I really thought some fine tuning would see them through the semifinals. Not a chance.

Spain needs a total overhaul. But I appreciate the last 6 years. The best NT football I've ever seen. I can only hope somebody pushes the bar even higher.

For me, it's about good football. I don't care who it is. And for good football, I thank Spain for the experiences.

Cheers, Mate

Didn't they win two more cups without both players?

I was talking about the long haul. The strain on the remaining guys as they aged proved too great. I never liked Busquets when he replaced Senna. Same with losing Puyol. Defensive steel and overall grit was lost. It was compensated for while Xavi, Iniesta, and Villa were at peak, but was exposed once they couldn't weave tiki taka as they once did.

It's going to be interesting where Spain goes from here.

Cheers, Mate

[SylverEagles]

What a limp surrender of the world cup trophy! Spain gone back to being ultimate chokers!!

Just like that, they are back to being Ultimate chokers? So if you can be so quick to call Spain back to being Ultimate chokers... no wonder you have no problem berating the African Champs

*Whistling tune* What have you for me lately? Pan pan pan pan pan!! Defending champions not scoring a goal from open play in two games no be choking be that??

[GREENWHITEGREEN]

Life lessons from football. Everything that has a beginning has end. One day awa pikin wey we born just yesterday will catch up and will be making end of life decisions for us. One day our time on CE, as sweet and fun as it has been will end. Our time on this earth will come to an end.

Enjoy your time on CE. Do not waste even a second of your life on useless, road-to-nowhere, merry-go-round arguements. I don't care to answer every insults, have the last word or win every discussion. Life is way too dang short.

Congratulations to Spain. They dominated WC for a long time and were worthy Champs. They will be back.

[green4life]

Spain imploded. A generation of players simply failed catastrophically. Xavi, Alonso, Casillas, Villa, & Pique proved to be long past their expiration date. Nobody adequately replaced Senna and Puyol.

This wasn't about tactics. Nothing new was discovered that might have worked against Spain 2008 - 2012. That outfit could play tika taka. They ran all day. They not only possessed the ball, but also had a rugged defense.

This Spanish team amazingly can't run and amazingly can't pass. I never could have predicted this. I really thought some fine tuning would see them through the semifinals. Not a chance.

Spain needs a total overhaul. But I appreciate the last 6 years. The best NT football I've ever seen. I can only hope somebody pushes the bar even higher.

For me, it's about good football. I don't care who it is. And for good football, I thank Spain for the experiences.

Cheers, Mate

Excuses. Had this been an African team you'd have cried naivety. Bonus this. Lack of commitment that. They conceded 7 and scored just 1 from a pk through a dive. This was poor. Goal tending was comical. Coaching was pants. Selection was far from perfect. They even negotiated the highest ever bonus package in the history of the game. Where's your criticism for all these? The height of hypocrisy.

[mmeny]

What a limp surrender of the world cup trophy! Spain gone back to being ultimate chokers!!

Just like that, they are back to being Ultimate chokers? So if you can be so quick to call Spain back to being Ultimate chokers... no wonder you have no problem berating the African Champs

*Whistling tune* What have you for me lately? Pan pan pan pan pan!! Defending champions not scoring a goal from open play in two games no be choking be that??

Spain have won 3 out of the last 4 major tournament... Yes they were not good enough this tournament and are now out but too early for your back to being Ultimate chokers.

[Cally]

Spain imploded. A generation of players simply failed catastrophically. Xavi, Alonso, Casillas, Villa, & Pique proved to be long past their expiration date. Nobody adequately replaced Senna and Puyol.

This wasn't about tactics. Nothing new was discovered that might have worked against Spain 2008 - 2012. That outfit could play tika taka. They ran all day. They not only possessed the ball, but also had a rugged defense.

This Spanish team amazingly can't run and amazingly can't pass. I never could have predicted this. I really thought some fine tuning would see them through the semifinals. Not a chance.

Spain needs a total overhaul. But I appreciate the last 6 years. The best NT football I've ever seen. I can only hope somebody pushes the bar even higher.

For me, it's about good football. I don't care who it is. And for good football, I thank Spain for the experiences.

Cheers, Mate

Well written.

[Coach]

@Mate, with all due respect, if you get garri for house, abeg put am well well for wetin you drink. Chile played a front three, aggressively pressing the defence, especially the fullbacks. Following that, they dropped deep and centrally, the two central midfielders sat infront of a narrow back five and proclaimed squatters' rights. They left Spain the ball out wide and refused to fall for the okeydoke.

...Tis no surprise the shape was similar to that used by Van Gaal. The crosses, sweeping diagonals, the wingbacks ravenous and tactics, spot on. This was a tactical triumph, Spain were shut down, there was no overlapping Jordi Alba, why? Because he missed his morning weetabix? Perhaps twas a 90 minute testicular strike with resultant effemimancy? Nonsense, Chile played Spain in the pom exactly the same way, but for Ejideonics, they'd have been bludgeoned back then too.

[Mr. Piffington]

Talk about an implosion. Spain didn't put up any kind of fight at all.

[YUJAM]

They were clearly the worst team in this world cup.

There must be an interesting story behind this. As they say, all good things come to an end. Thanks for the memories Spain

[platinum]

Spain imploded. A generation of players simply failed catastrophically. Xavi, Alonso, Casillas, Villa, & Pique proved to be long past their expiration date. Nobody adequately replaced Senna and Puyol.

This wasn't about tactics. Nothing new was discovered that might have worked against Spain 2008 - 2012. That outfit could play tika taka. They ran all day. They not only possessed the ball, but also had a rugged defense.

This Spanish team amazingly can't run and amazingly can't pass. I never could have predicted this. I really thought some fine tuning would see them through the semifinals. Not a chance.

Spain needs a total overhaul. But I appreciate the last 6 years. The best NT football I've ever seen. I can only hope somebody pushes the bar even higher.

For me, it's about good football. I don't care who it is. And for good football, I thank Spain for the experiences.

Cheers, Mate

Didn't they win two more cups without both players?

I was talking about the long haul. The strain on the remaining guys as they aged proved too great. I never liked Busquets when he replaced Senna. Same with losing Puyol. Defensive steel and overall grit was lost. It was compensated for while Xavi, Iniesta, and Villa were at peak, but was exposed once they couldn't weave tiki taka as they once did.

It's going to be interesting where Spain goes from here.

Cheers, Mate

They'll be just fine. If you've watched their U-23's or U-21's, you wouldn't worry about them. This was one tourney too much for the current generation, I contend that if they'd brought the guys like illara, isco, muniain and others, they'd be going to the next round. Spain is the last team to worry about.

[Dr. Sabinus Okoro Phd]

First team to be eliminated. lol!

2nd, Australia was first

Officially, they are the first.

Chief once the final whistle of this match was blown both teams were technically eliminated. Who goes first is a question of who gets go the airport first.

[zee]

@Mate, with all due respect, if you get garri for house, abeg put am well well for wetin you drink. Chile played a front free, aggressively pressing the defence, especially the fullbacks. Following that, they drop deep and centrally, the two central midfielders sat infront of a narrow back five and proclaimed squatters' rights. They left Spain the ball out wide and refused to fall for the okeydoke. Tis no surprise the shape was similar to that used by Van Gaal. The crosses, sweeping diagonals, the wingbacks ravenous and tactics, spot on. This was a tactical triumph, Spain were shut down, there was no overlapping Jordi Alba, why? Because he missed his morning weetabix? Perhaps twas a 90 minute testicular strike with resultant effemimancy? Nonsense, Chile played Spain in the pom exactly the same way, but for Ejideonics, they'd have been bludgeoned.

All this na long STORY ..........just summarise the long story by simply saying that Chile played a ..............



MICnized football

[mmeny]

Spain imploded. A generation of players simply failed catastrophically. Xavi, Alonso, Casillas, Villa, & Pique proved to be long past their expiration date. Nobody adequately replaced Senna and Puyol.

This wasn't about tactics. Nothing new was discovered that might have worked against Spain 2008 - 2012. That outfit could play tika taka. They ran all day. They not only possessed the ball, but also had a rugged defense.

This Spanish team amazingly can't run and amazingly can't pass. I never could have predicted this. I really thought some fine tuning would see them through the semifinals. Not a chance.

Spain needs a total overhaul. But I appreciate the last 6 years. The best NT football I've ever seen. I can only hope somebody pushes the bar even higher.

For me, it's about good football. I don't care who it is. And for good football, I thank Spain for the experiences.

Cheers, Mate

Didn't they win two more cups without both players?

I was talking about the long haul. The strain on the remaining guys as they aged proved too great. I never liked Busquets when he replaced Senna. Same with losing Puyol. Defensive steel and overall grit was lost. It was compensated for while Xavi, Iniesta, and Villa were at peak, but was exposed once they couldn't weave tiki taka as they once did.

It's going to be interesting where Spain goes from here.

Cheers, Mate

Whether you liked Busquets or not doesn't matter. They won two more championship with him playing that position and he has won everything at club level so I don't see how that affected them this particular world cup.

Spain just wasn't good enough in this tournament, that is why they are heading home. SIMPLE

[green4life]

Spain imploded. A generation of players simply failed catastrophically. Xavi, Alonso, Casillas, Villa, & Pique proved to be long past their expiration date. Nobody adequately replaced Senna and Puyol.

This wasn't about tactics. Nothing new was discovered that might have worked against Spain 2008 - 2012. That outfit could play tika taka. They ran all day. They not only possessed the ball, but also had a rugged defense.

This Spanish team amazingly can't run and amazingly can't pass. I never could have predicted this. I really thought some fine tuning would see them through the semifinals. Not a chance.

Spain needs a total overhaul. But I appreciate the last 6 years. The best NT football I've ever seen. I can only hope somebody pushes the bar even higher.

For me, it's about good football. I don't care who it is. And for good football, I thank Spain for the experiences.

Cheers, Mate

Didn't they win two more cups without both players?

Lol. No mind am with the arse licking. Now he's saying busquets wasn't a good enough replacement for senna meanwhile when they won a Euro Cup & WC with Busquets no one complained about missing senna. All we heard was how busquets was the best holding midfielder in the world. A fact well documented on CE.

[ElHadary]

Two teams came to the World Cup. One to right the wrongs, pains and agony of losing in the World Cup final. The other wanted to prove to its former owners and to South America they belonged in the round of 16. And through all this, Spain wanted them to bow down to them.

They didn't bow, not so much as even a kneel.

[wanaj0]

They were clearly the worst team in this world cup.

There must be an interesting story behind this. As they say, all good things come to an end. Thanks for the memories Spain

European champion not able to get through the group stage.

Definitely the coach is clueless. He left better players at home while selecting junk players. He was trying to market players like Torres.

He was just lucky with previous victories.

[mmeny]

Spain imploded. A generation of players simply failed catastrophically. Xavi, Alonso, Casillas, Villa, & Pique proved to be long past their expiration date. Nobody adequately replaced Senna and Puyol.

This wasn't about tactics. Nothing new was discovered that might have worked against Spain 2008 - 2012. That outfit could play tika taka. They ran all day. They not only possessed the ball, but also had a rugged defense.

This Spanish team amazingly can't run and amazingly can't pass. I never could have predicted this. I really thought some fine tuning would see them through the semifinals. Not a chance.

Spain needs a total overhaul. But I appreciate the last 6 years. The best NT football I've ever seen. I can only hope somebody pushes the bar even higher.

For me, it's about good football. I don't care who it is. And for good football, I thank Spain for the experiences.

Cheers, Mate

Didn't they win two more cups without both players?

Lol. No mind am with the arse licking. Now he's saying busquets wasn't a good enough replacement for senna meanwhile when they won a Euro Cup & WC with Busquets no one complained about missing senna. All we heard was how busquets was the best holding midfielder in the world. A fact well documented on CE.

.

See my very next response to him...... At some point, people just have to say they were not good enough... It is not like Mikel Arteta is the one playing the holding midfield role... It is Sergio Busquets that has won everything on both club and world level. Spain simply wasn't good enough this world cup and are heading home simple.

[wale1974]

With all these surprises in this World Cup, i won't be surprised if Iran win the trophy!!

[Coach]

@Wana, Del Bosque refused to evolve, even the suit him wear today, the same ting from 2010 be dat.