When Tony Mowbray blinked into life as Celtic manager in June 2009 he philosophised that he respected Spain – crowned European Champions the July previously – and their style of play.
Most Celtic fans welcomed this. Spain were the best team in the world. Their style was purred over but the transition from Luis Aragones Tiki Taka to Vicent Del Bosques Tiki Taka – Aragones left the Spanish job July 2008 – has made this something that you don’t want your club to emulate as it has become nothing but self gratificating w*nkery and a cure for insomnia.
Watching Del Bosques Spain is like being suffocated to the point that you urinate uncontrollably and then die by choking on your vomit. Against Croatia we struggled to work out what way they were shooting, if they actually wanted to win the game and whether or not the torture they inflict by picking El Nino should be reported to social services.
People will point to that they are missing David Villa. He wasn’t missing in the 2008 World Cup when they had four one nil victories in the knock out stages and played in the same manner as they are doing now.
Vincent Del Bosque is not a poor manager. He has a CV that is gold plated. Real Madrid manager 3 times, he is their most successful manager – 2 Champions League, 2 La Liga’s – since the 50’s & 60’s and is a World Cup winner.
So, why does he seem blinded by a seemingly unnerving homeage to all things Barcelona? I know that he was treated like a stray dog but is he trying to defecate his Real Madrid bedsheet in the most public of arenas?
I don’t play Football Manager but I watch a lot of football and call me old fashioned (or an old git) but I like to see at least one centre forward on the pitch. Scoring goals is a fun part of the game. It helps you reach the aim of winning games. Barcelona were found out this season. Their philosophy imploded. So why continue trying to make playing with no strikers a success?
As they wobbled like a drunk in a taxi rank through to a quarter final meeting with France Del Bosque ignored the talents of Pedro, Negredo, Mata and Llorente. Aye, Llorente a man that would walk into any other team in the Euro’s. Only Falcao is more in demand than Fernando but Del Bosque attempts to play Cesc Fabregas as a striker and rehabilitate Torres who is alongside Lindsay Lohan on the rehabilitation ladder.
There is a myth that Torres had a great end to the season. He scored against Barcelona by ignoring his managers instructions and a hat-trick against QPR is hunting road kill. Two goals against Ireland felt tipped this myth but see QPR and that Spain were like a cat playing with a mortally wounded budgie in that game.
Del Bosque is committing a criminal act with that squad and to the watching public.
Oh, how the hell did Sergio Busquets ever get the opportunity to play alongside the irresistible Inestia on a weekly basis? I can only think that a 15 year old Sergio walked into La Masia one day and devoured a diminutive midfielder then with a severed right leg bludgeoned a dwarf like striker to death. He’s now known for wandering around saying “Messi” like Hannibal Lecter say’s “Clarice”.
I’m disappointed that the French reverted to beret wearing, red wine drinking, Betty Blue watching surrender monkeys as I wanted England, the ultimate pragmatists, to out pragmatist the pretend pragmatists and for Andy Carroll to use Pique like Shakira uses Bodyform.
I want Spain to return to the entertaining under achievers with amusing failures to get out of groups and spiritless knock out round defeats. I loath them being the world’s best subbutteo team. It never used to be that way. Ask Tony Mowbray.
sorry, but i could not disagree with you more.
would you rather watch the way England and Greece play? defend and win at all costs.
if so your welcome to it
Can you say with any great confidence that Spain are any better to watch than the teams you mention? No they are not. Spain’s possession play means they are ultra defensive.
what alot of shite if u watch as much football as you say you do you would no that Busquets does all the dirty work which people like you oviously dont appreciate!! and watching the way spain keep the ball and pass it is an art a suggest if you like seeing goals get scored go watch a school team usually alot of goals in those games
Aye, it’s fashionable to knock Spain, and Barcelona for their tiki-taka, but this has been a truly golden era for football. Before Guardiola’s Barca and Del Bosque’s Spain-with-a-Barca-engine conquered the world, thing had begun to get a bit staid, a bit defensive. The Makalele role was talked about as some sort of revolution, lone strikers were stuck at the end of defensive 4-5-1’s, and things were looking grim. Barca and Spain gave football another ideal to strive for. Not that they could achieve it, mind you, so everyone’s gradually going back to defend and counter again. Boo! You’ll miss them when they’re gone.
Busquets may be an insufferable prick but he makes Spain and Barca tick. Xavi, Messi, Iniesta aside he’s the most important player.
Llorente’s end to the season was rubbish. Not his fault – Bilbao’s whole squad suffered from burnout. Spain won’t play to his strengths either, it would be a massive change in style. Torres offers pace and penetrative running. He’s not the player he was but still brilliant.
I do wish Spain would shoot more.
I do think that Spain would need to change style to suit Llorente is another false claim. Bilboa played football and didn’t just lump balls to him as in an old school target man way. He would give Spain a focal point to hit both in the build up and in the box.
Totally disagree. Spains passing and technique is awesome and evrybody in scotland would do well to take note of this instead of 4-4-2, play a big guy up front and boot the baw up to him. This is why our national team is a joke. As for Busquets? What ur saying is the Barca academy coaches and guardiola are wrong? he is the defensive mid who protects the defence. Hes not a xavi or an iniesta and doesnot try to be.
What a load of pish this is! Spain’s football is mesmirising. Can’t belive what I’m reading here.
Not entertaining? A joy to watch!
Loathsome? Hardly.
Criminal acts? Eh, naw.
Obviously not a clue.
I think where your whole premise falls down is you fail to take into account the oppositions default set up when it comes to playing Spain (and Barcelona for that matter)- 10 men firmly behind the ball leaving virtually no space.
When Spain won their first major trophy the opposition weren’t really wise to them. They probably assumed it was the same old Spain. But after watching Spain go on and win a Euro championship and world cup while watching the bulk of the squad winning everything at a canter with Barcelona it’s no surprise that opposition managers felt the best form of attack was defence, all out defence!
What can you do if you’re a classy boxer when all your opponent does is curl up in the corner? Pretty hard to put on a good show for the punters and it illustrates that it takes two to make a good show.
To be honest, it’s embarrassing that you’ve posted this article on a Celtic-related site.
I don’t think any team is beyond criticism, but your analysis is pitiful. Sorry, but it really is.
It would be more embarrassing if I was having a go at teams who seem to embed that Celtic Way now like Germany, Italy or even Chile in 2010. Spain are not in that spirit.
Pitiful analysis? I’ll give you that. 🙂
Completely agree, they are boring as fuck, I like attacking fast paced end to end Football with shots on goal, raking passes, saves, tackles, the lot not 1 team pass it about endlessly in no real direction have 1 shot, score 1 goal, win 1-0
No one is denying the skill, technique, ability and concentration for that level of possession is phenomenal it’s just not exciting to watch and realistically Spain and Barcelona get way too much protection from the ref’s, the slightest of grazes on their shirts they hit the deck like a sack of shit
Well said.
Spain and Barcelona bore the pants off me. Arsenal do the same, badly. I’d rather watch paint chip.
What a pile of nonsense! Surely you dont mean the same Sergio Busquets as i do? The 23 year-old, 2 time champions league winning, world champion at club and international level, first pick in maybe the best club and national teams ever to play the game Sergio Busquets? Have a day off!
Your an “Old Git” !
Utter rubbish, go watch some videos of Spain goals from the past few years then decide if their football is tiresome. Being able to maintain possession between such goals to an extent that has never been witnessed in world football before (aside from Barcelona who won 13 major trophies with this tiresome style under Pep Guardiola) gives Spain a massive physical and psychological edge over their opponents.
The mastery required to implement such precise football is a joy to watch in itself.
This is not the Spain from a few seasons ago.
The only diffrence is the lack of a traditional striker, but take into account the fact that Cesc Fabregas scored 4 more goals then Torres this season and it’s clear the lack of striker is not a negative move. Their 2 goals (so far) in the final were mesmorising.
Hahaha, you claim in your reply that Spain are no better to watch than England or Greece. Mmmmm, think you might be at the wind up!
Let me get to my main point……….Barcelona are miles ahead of spain, barcelona scored 190 goals last season ok they only won the copa del rey but they have won 14 out of the last 19 trophies. Pep Guardiola and Tito Vilanova have brought a style not just on the field but off the field too that has never been seen before and will never be matched in my opinion. As of Spain i would agree that not playing a stricker is frustrating but the are a joy to watch…..i would rather watch spain over greece ! ! ! They way Spain play out the back and there one touch football is out of this world ! Is that not better than a punt up the park ! ! As for Busquets he is a fantastic player who does all the dirty work to win the ball back and gives it to the flair players to work their magic ! !
Nice to see the ‘Fanboys’ are out in force. 🙂
I’m not denying that Barca are the best club team since Milan in the early 90’s or even ever but they do play the Tita Taka differently and have a certain Messi, which makes it virtually impossible for any other team in the world to play the way they do.
I’m also in complete AGREEMENT with those who say that for Spain to play the way they do takes fantastic work-rate, technical ability and vision that is far beyond their peers and most mere mortals.
My point is and main beef is that for what Del Bosque has at his disposal and has had at his disposal since he took over in July 2008 is that he has made Spain a mainly joyless occasion where even the wonder of Xavi can be blinded by the urge to scream: “JUST SHOOT!!!!!!!”
Off course Spain are more pleasing on the eye than England or a Greece but the Tika Taka is just a more aesthetically pleasing pragmatic tactic brought in as Spain haven’t got the players to play the way England or Greece do.
For those who want to argue consider is there any point to Alsono and Busquets being in the same team when they are going to have over 60% anyway? Is really they best way to beat a packed defence to play with no centre forwards?
I’m sure Busquets mother is pleased with the love being showed for him. I saw a player the other night, coached at the Mecca of football, where they teach systems and not positions burst into the box, one on one with a goalie, and look to play the ball back the way!!!! Even the most undercoached nugget or Barry Ferguson would have shot at goal.
Yaya Toure is by far greater.
SHOOOOOOT !, no kiddin
Spain play the beautiful game the way it should be played.Watching this tourament empathises that.Watching England Greece and Ireland was frankly painful.No Class and no quality players. The way Spain and Barcelona play hopefully will be the future of Football.They certainly will not be influened by people who know nothing about the “beautiful game” and how it should be played.