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firebird

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still ill
Could we be watching the end of an era here?

Not sure, Spain has very good young players like Illarramendi, Isco or Thiago. They failed to integrate those players into the team yet.

Yep good point and i suppose Italy went out in the group stage last time. Just remains to seen whether this is a blip or football has caught up with the way Spain have played for the 7 or 8 years.

Mind you, if Torres is your second striker you've got problems.

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still ill

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firebird

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still ill
Could we be watching the end of an era here?

Not sure, Spain has very good young players like Illarramendi, Isco or Thiago. They failed to integrate those players into the team yet.

Yep good point and i suppose Italy went out in the group stage last time. Just remains to seen whether this is a blip or football has caught up with the way Spain have played for the 7 or 8 years.

Mind you, if Torres is your second striker you've got problems.

I don't see anything of the footbal Spain have played for the last 7 or 8 years. Looks like they forgot how to play tiki taka

And France went out in 2002 too...a bit of a curse, eh ? But Spain just seemed "tired", oh well, next game please !

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IORR Links : Essential Studio Outtakes CDs : Audio - History of Rarest Outtakes : Audio

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firebird

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still ill

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firebird

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still ill
Could we be watching the end of an era here?

Not sure, Spain has very good young players like Illarramendi, Isco or Thiago. They failed to integrate those players into the team yet.

Yep good point and i suppose Italy went out in the group stage last time. Just remains to seen whether this is a blip or football has caught up with the way Spain have played for the 7 or 8 years.

Mind you, if Torres is your second striker you've got problems.

I don't see anything of the footbal Spain have played for the last 7 or 8 years. Looks like they forgot how to play tiki taka

Looks like they were trying to but the Netherlands and Chile wouldn't let them.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014-06-19 00:04 by still ill.

Chile just played perfect football: fighting, running, scoring! Great job!

I thought that would happen.

Goodbye Spain.i'm sad sad sad for spanish brothers. Sici

Probably not the end of an era, but something very similar.

Spain and Barça walked hand in hand in the last years. 2 Euro and 1 World Cup for Spain, 3 Champions for Barça....everything was perfect, everything was magic but unfortunately all this disappeared.

Players are getting older, no more challenges to achieve, then the results arrive. Bayern last year 7-0 in semifinals and Spain today out.

I see Barça at Nou camp every match and even they are still very good players, something is missing. The team reached the top two or three years ago. That's life.

New blood and re-invent the tiki-taka is Luis Enrique and Del Bosque next goal.

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llargueras
Probably not the end of an era, but something very similar.

Spain and Barça walked hand in hand in the last years. 2 Euro and 1 World Cup for Spain, 3 Champions for Barça....everything was perfect, everything was magic but unfortunately all this disappeared.

Players are getting older, no more challenges to achieve, then the results arrive. Bayern last year 7-0 in semifinals and Spain today out.

I see Barça at Nou camp every match and even they are still very good players, something is missing. The team reached the top two or three years ago. That's life.

New blood and re-invent the tiki-taka is Luis Enrique and Del Bosque next goal.

Thus Spain was doomed, loss to Chile inevitable...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014-06-19 02:55 by nightskyman.

I don't see it as an end of an era. It just moves over a few slots; maybe east, north or west. My point is that if it is not Spain, it will be Italy, NL, France or Die Mannschaft.
beginning to a new era would be IMO African or far east nations becoming real competitors.
The schadenfreude in oneself wants to say "Well they won everything; their head just got too big. they probably didn't even practice hard, and thought they would still win it". But the truth is that the Spanish players are all incredibkly likeable, and (at least IMO) have not ever come off as big headed and cynical. So I do hate to see a good team go down finally. But it must be.

Spain's still Euro Champs, 2 times straight, the only team that has done that. They could really make a statement and say, Yeah, we got eliminated in the World Cup but taking the Euro again would really be some feat.

Aragones is who set up this success, bless the old man. Spain's still best in Europe. In the world cup, looks like we will see Belgium, Argentina, Brazil, maybe even outsiders like Croatia, Mexico, Chile win it, Colombia too, I've had on my profile, I thought the Colombians might take it though it's totally a guess.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014-06-19 04:56 by BroomWagon.

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treaclefingers

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michaelsavage
USA looks strong

They were ok...I thought Ghana dominated through most so I think they were lucky to get the victory.

It will be tough for US vs. Portugal or Germany.

I can agree with that. But even luckier because Ghana could not hit the net.

Mexico's goalkeeper Ochoa made some outstanding saves against Brazil. It was one of the best pieces of work I've seen from a goalkeeper.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014-06-19 05:13 by The Sicilian.

Toronto Sun isn't some obscure newspaper and they have been running the story that Ronaldo may well not play the rest of this World Cup: [www.torontosun.com]

So, FWIW.

[us.soccerway.com]

Portugal sweat on Ronaldo injury.

Then again, sometimes you don't know if this stuff could be so-called "mind games" but I would tend to think not.

So without Ronnie, a healthy Ronaldo even, USA should win.

Reigning world champions and out after two straight losses. I have never seen anything alike. What a shameful exit for Spain!

yes they seemed to be pretty tired which is quite unusual when you remember how they were in 2012.

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Stoneage
Reigning world champions and out after two straight losses. I have never seen anything alike. What a shameful exit for Spain!

Yeah, the biggest surprise so far. There were indications that the dominance is gone, but a collapse like that, incredible... Holland and Chile look strong, but how much that was to do with their greatness or Spain's poorness? Probably both.

But great games so far, lots of goals. Today another big one, England vs. Uruguay. Both need a win to keep the hope alive. Uruguay was a huge disappointment, but I enjoyed very much England's fresh, imaginative way to attack, no matter that they lost. Costa Rica helped a lot their way to the next round, though...

A bit letdown that no Nordic countries in this tournament. Always love to follow Denmark, Sweden and Norway, but unfortunately not possible now.

- Doxa

But as far as IORR predictions go, TOP THIRTY is within my reach, #26 at the moment...><

- Doxa

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Doxa
But as far as IORR predictions go, TOP THIRTY is within my reach, #26 at the moment...><

- Doxa

Frankly, we share the #21 spot with 11 points and five IORRians so far.

Isn't it nice to see the unpredictability of sports? I had a Spain-Brazil final in mind
when I filled in the predictions. Both countries were disappointing so far. It might
be Argentina-Germany after all.

Just as long as the guitar plays, let it steal your heart away

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jpasc95
yes they seemed to be pretty tired which is quite unusual when you remember how they were in 2012.

So now I wonder if the Dutch were really that good against them, or Spain was just very bad...

Dutch were that good

yes the Dutch were good and they destroyed all Spanish hopes ! they are the great responsible of their elimination.

Italy played well and will have a chance to win all 3 of their group stage games. Pirlo is a class act, Balotelli is a hardworking forward. A number of teams could get to the final.

Some say Belgium's first game wasn't that good but they won it in the end.

Netherlands put on a great display of football vs. Spain. At the 2008 Euro they impressively won all 3 group stage wins as well.

There won't be that much incentive in the game between Chile and Netherlands in the 3rd round. Chile is a good team but the announcers mentioned Chile seemed to be making a meal of their players going down. That part is not good.

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BroomWagon

There won't be that much incentive in the game between Chile and Netherlands

...You don't think playing either Brazil, or Mexico or Croatia in the next round would mattter?

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RoughJusticeOnYa

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BroomWagon

There won't be that much incentive in the game between Chile and Netherlands

...You don't think playing either Brazil, or Mexico or Croatia in the next round would mattter?

Yes, it would. You are correct.

Still, neither will be fighting for survival, that would be a much bigger incentive.

Will they both play hard saying "We don't want to face Brazil?" I guess.

The way the refs gave Brazil breaks really is almost as much to fear as just playing Brazil straigt up. Not to take away from Brazil, in 2006, they left people quaking in their boots, 2010 was still a good team as well.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014-06-19 18:03 by BroomWagon.

Does anyone remember Oracle Paul the Octopus (from the Sea Life Center in Germany) who made several correct results predictions in the 2010 World Cup? He even predicted Spain's win over Germany in the final. He was quite a hit at the time..awfully cute..well, for an octopus. Poor little thing passed away in 2010.

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Bellajane
Does anyone remember Oracle Paul the Octopus (from the Sea Life Center in Germany) who made several correct results predictions in the 2010 World Cup? He even predicted Spain's win over Germany in the final. He was quite a hit at the time..awfully cute..well, for an octopus. Poor little thing passed away in 2010.

No I understand Google's main page from earlier this week. Pretty sure that it was supposed to be him. Explains the "halo" they had over his head now.

I can't seem to copy the picture so here's a Link to page with all the google world cup doodles - so far. Paul was Day Six.

Peace,
Mr DJA

That's cute!

USA lucky if Ronaldo cannot make the match

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michaelsavage

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jjo

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michaelsavage
USA looks strong

What is your favorite mid fielder combination?

What is your preference?

. I prefer the NFL. Even watching bad teams like St. Louis , or the Raiders is more entertaining