Agreed.

And the way the pundits relentlessly blame Spain's opposition for the games being boring is a simplification - Spain's keep-the-ball-at-all-costs style, being especially reluctant to relinquish it by running at the opposition (the most exciting thing in football), playing long but accurate passes or chancing on a shot, means that teams have no option but to play defensively, because you can't attack without the ball.

Spain's style is brilliantly effective and technically astute, and can only work with a group of highly technically skilled players who've been together for a long time, but its intention is to kill games and put them in a position to win (by whatever margin) rather than to thrill.

Posted By: Ottosson Foxtrot, Jul 12, 13:47:25