Why is Redknapp so highly rated?

[seabs]

Don't they have Isco, Muinian and the like coming through though? How do they do in youth tournaments? Agreed on Mascherano, who's better at doing the donkey work in midfield? No one imo.

 

[Crayo]

Di Maria I counted as a forward. Mascherano is a fantastic CDM but he gets played as a CB most of the time now. Cambiasso is old and overrated. Argentina are really not that good. As for Germany, Mertesaker is piss poor (and not a wing back). Shweinsteiger is fantastic yes, but the other names you mentioned don't matter as they internationally retired years ago... Gomez is experienced, Podolski doesn't start that much anymore. Their foundation is ALL youth.

Spain have Fabregas, Mata, Isco, Thiago, Busquets, Rodrigo, Alba, and MANY others (which is why they are leaps and bounds ahead), they win the U21 competitions a lot. They have such a fantastic youth system to step into their places, trust me.

 

[Senhor Perfect]

Spain can be beaten. Portugal came very close at this years Euros. All their guys will be a little older and a lot less hungry come 2014. Germany will be tough to beat after all their youngsters have another 2 years experience under their collective belts. Brazil is always a threat, you can't deny the pure skill that comes out of that country. Argentina still doesn't have the horses on the back end to support the talent up front. The dark horse team will be Uruguay. They are balanced and play at a great pace. Don't be surprised to see them make it very far.

 

[Crayo]

The older argument has been settled already and the "less hungry" argument I always find absolutely astonishing. Barcelona have won everything under the sun multiple times, their "hunger" has never ceased to exist even with that success. Spain have won Euro 2008, World Cup 2010 and then Euro 2012, is that the limit for hunger or something? You would think winning the three major international tournaments in a row would show you that the lack of hunger argument is completely null now. I don't understand, do people really think players will think "Ah dw, don't need to play well in this world cup, we won it four years ago"?

 

[Senhor Perfect]

I see your point but there's less motivation and more pressure being the defending champs. I'm not saying they can't win, or they don't want to. Previous to the first Euro win, they were known as the skilled team that could never win the big one. Now that the feats have been accomplished it gets harder and harder for them to repeat. That extra ember in your fire to shut everyone up is definitely a factor IMO. Where as you have a team like Uruguay which is great but doesn't really have the world pressure on them cause no one expects them to win it all. In conclusion, my main point is Spain can be beaten, and it's going to be a lot harder to win a fourth major championship in a row then it was to win others.

 

[seabs]

Plus the only way for this Spain team to go is down sadly, they're the best team very possibly in history what is left for them?

 

[JeebaK]

Plus the only way for this Spain team to go is down sadly, they're the best team very possibly in history what is left for them?

Nah i wouldnt say they are the best team in history. One of the best maybe, but nowhere close to being the best. Their playing style is kind of too slow and rely heavily on short passes, midfielders lack speed. If put against some of the high tempo flairy side like the Dutch side with cryuff and all, or the 70s brazilian team, or more recently the 2002s brazilian team, they will struggle to cope.

 

[Crayo]

I see your point but there's less motivation and more pressure being the defending champs. I'm not saying they can't win, or they don't want to. Previous to the first Euro win, they were known as the skilled team that could never win the big one. Now that the feats have been accomplished it gets harder and harder for them to repeat. That extra ember in your fire to shut everyone up is definitely a factor IMO. Where as you have a team like Uruguay which is great but doesn't really have the world pressure on them cause no one expects them to win it all. In conclusion, my main point is Spain can be beaten, and it's going to be a lot harder to win a fourth major championship in a row then it was to win others.

That logic would apply if they have just won their first title, but they have one the last three MAJOR international tournaments in a row... How does this logic apply now? is the fourth one mysteriously harder or something? No, of course not, the hunger hasn't gone at all. The majority of Spanish players are from either Madrid or Barcelona, those players have shown no lack of hunger by constantly winning.

Not even replying to JeebaK saying Spain aren't close to being the best ever, that's hilarious. They're the best ever with 70's Brazil and that's it... Everyone says the same thing, I don't even see how it's not close. No team has ever won three major tournaments in a row apart from Spain.

 

[Senhor Perfect]

Well we'll see what happens next Summer. I suspect a new team will be holding up the trophy. Stating my picks now, Germany or Uruguay.

 

[JeebaK]

Not even replying to JeebaK saying Spain aren't close to being the best ever, that's hilarious. They're the best ever with 70's Brazil and that's it... Everyone says the same thing, I don't even see how it's not close. No team has ever won three major tournaments in a row apart from Spain.

I find your post a typical teenage mark attitude. Its basically the same thing as labelling Messi as the greatest ever, marks will always label the greatest team/player of their generation as the greatest ever. Happened with Maradona, happened with Pele, happened with Best, Happened with Cruyff, Happened with Zico, Happened with Ronaldo, now its happening with Messi.

And i remember accurately when brazil won the world cup in 2002 everyone was saying about how its the greatest team ever.

If anything is hilarious its ur judgement on teams based on trophies. The fact that no team has won it 3 times in a row means nothing. Maybe the compititors werent that weak as theya re now? Maybe they had bad luck with injuries? Maybe they didnt have virtually the same squad for 6 years in a row like Spain has had?

Its quite obvious that Spain plays slow, short passing football and would have trouble coping with any team with speed and flair. Portugal played with speed and flair in the Euros and we all say how incapable Spain's class was in that match, if that happens to a simple side like Portugal i dont see how they can compete with classic sides like the 2002 brazilian team or the dutch team with cruyff and their total football.

 

[Crayo]

:facepalm:

 

[JeebaK]

:facepalm:

Such a classy reply, you totally owned me there :