I know you are thinking about it …..this final between GERMANY and SPAIN on ABC tomorrow at 1:30 pm looks to be a beauty!
I am currently in LA to do tonite’s CHIVAS USA vs. NEW YORK RED BULLS game and am having a hard time not thinking about tomorrow’s EURO FINAL.
So here are a few of my thought on the game and I would love to hear yours. Also, lets start the prediction game as to whom you think will take the title.
* SPAIN have clearly played the best and most consistent soccer in this tournament . Not to mention the most attractive.
The GERMANS have been up and down but have produced good play at the right times in this tournament. As always , GERMANY finds ways to get it done in tournaments…..
*SPANISH DEFENDING
I know all the talk has been about the attacking side of the SPANISH game but I have also been impressed as of late with SPAIN’s back 4 of JOAN CAPDEVILA, SERGIO RAMOS, CARLOS MARCHENA AND CARLOS PUYOL.
PUYOL has led this team firmly from the back.
*TORRES STRUGGLING
FERNANDO TORRES may have struggled in this tournament but he has also challenged defenses which has set up timely substitutions from LUIS ARAGONES.
*STAR MAN FABREGAS
The young talented attacker has been excellent off the bench and has been brought on at the proper moments. A great performance tomorrow and he could be the STAR of the tournament. DAVID VILLA is apparently a long shot up front.
One has to be in awe of the comfort on the ball that the SPANISH posess.
EDGE:
SPAIN can find an edge if they balance some good wide penetration to create space around GERMAN center-backs Christophe METZELDER and PER MERTESACKER. If they achieve this and get good movement around the two who lack some mobility they will be in business.
NOT SO FAST…..this is GERMANY after all who always seem to find a way to get it done. Just reflect back to the last WORLD CUP.
*BASTIAN SCWEINSTEIGER could also end up the star of this tournament with a great final…..Add to his contributions the play of LUKAS PODOLSkI and the Spanish defense will have far more of a challenge to deal with then RUSSIA who was a big let-down.
GERMANY will be dangerous on set pieces and conversely will need to protect JENS LEHMANN their goalkeeper who has been shaky.
IS SPAIN THE TEAM OF DESTINY? WILL GERMANY PREVAIL ON THE BIG STAGE AND WHO WILL LIVE UP TO THE MOMENT?
Head over to STAGS HEAD PUB near SHEPERD and 59 for a game watching party tomorrow that may include DYNAMO players…don’t forget the radio show DYNAMO ALL ACCESS with GLENN DAVIS on MONDAY from 7-9pm and hope to see you at STAGS HEAD PUB.
surprisnly Spain has been consistant. It’s about time they made FINAL!! I was just so use to seeing them flop in major tournaments. I’m rooting for them, but like you said the Germans always find a way to get it done. Even when you think there struggling, they come back at you!
Comment by Chino — June 28, 2008 @ 3:22 pm
David Villa will not be there tomorrow, but apparently the posibility of Michael Ballack starting the game is almost null, even tough every team will lose a player, Germany will suffer more, Ballack is more than a player, is one of those head figures.
Having said this, Spain has played so much better than Germany, lets not forget that Germany had troubles with a depleted Turkish team, those Otomans played with a huge heart, they earned the respect of everyone, but struggling against an almost team B is not a sign of a great team.
But I still think Germany will win and I will tell you why I think that although I just wrote Spain is playing so much better. Mentality, the problem with Spain is their mentality, they choke on big games, every WC and every Euro they seem to arrive with a great team, and every time something happens (except for the Euro they hosted), but they have never won anything big playing outside of Spain, this is their chance to change the mentality, but it will be on their heads tomorrow.
Germany on the other side is famous for their winning mentality, even when they have a mediocre team they achieve a lot, they win games they should have lost, just one error and they can end the game.
My guess is tha the game will end 2-1 in ET.
Now a rant about ESPN and the Euro, why an almost all European broadcasting team?, I wasn´t even born here and I find it offensive, are they telling us no one in the US knoews about soccer?, we don´t have enough broadcasting talent?, my problem is not even that they are not Americans (I´m not one, so how could I be mad), but is the fact that the majority of them don´t have their broadcasting careers in the US.
But if they had turn out to be this great colorful, knowledgeable commentators, I wouldn´t even bring the point, but they decided to shun local talent to bring not very good broadcaster, no knowledge about the players or the teams, in fact, some of them sound as if they dont know that much about the sport, they sound like regular fans, talking about the game, I can do that.
Comment by Jarrambide — June 28, 2008 @ 8:20 pm
I agree that losing Ballack is a bigger loss than losing Villa. Spain gets the W in a very low scoring game (likely a 1-0 OT win) unless lehmann gives up a pair in regulation. Wasn’t impressed with the way the undermanned Turks penetrated the German defense (especially Lamm).
Comment by Chris — June 28, 2008 @ 9:34 pm
OK so Ballack is starting, but he’s not even close to 100% and I still think Lahm and Lehmann are a liability that will cost them today.
Comment by Chris — June 29, 2008 @ 1:21 pm