...but I should have known better! GT doesn't break - the reason there were only half a dozen games showing for tonight is because Betfair have the smallest in-play coupon I think I have ever seen, and all bar one of those games is in Latin America which kick off that much later in the evening.
So what have we learnt from the International Break? For me, a number of things...
1) Spain are not invincible. Watching the first half of the England game highlighted the massive skill gap between the two teams as far as I am concerned. Spain were calm and controlled, pinging the ball around England's midfield with unerring accuracy. On the rare occasions that England wrested the ball away from Xavi and co the seemed to pass or lamp it straight back to them. At 1-0 down, however, especially as time ebbed by, Spain lost their composure and seemed vulnerable. True, they had enough chances to equalise and probably even to win but some stout defending and off colour finishing allowed England to hold on.
I didn't watch the following match against Costa Rica. But I did take advantage of Spain's discomfiture at being 2 goals down at half time by laying Costa twice in the second half, to be rewarded by a bit of a last gasp equaliser.
2) Fabio still doesn't really seem to know what sort of team he is trying to build. I really struggle with the concept of 8 or 9 changes in one of the last competitive matches before an international tournament, and struggle even more with the silly number of substitutions allowed. Perhaps it's my imagination but it seems to me that he is following a sort of throw mud at the wall in the hope that some sticks approach.
3) Germany are unpredictable. Struggling against the Ukraine one minute (another successful two goal lead lay by the way) and ghosting past a much better team in the Netherlands the next.
4) I really ought to find another sport to trade when the footie cards are so dire!
Ideas on a postcard, please.
Greetings From HorseTrading
ReplyDeleteWish you were here Gun!!
Thought of you the other night when Spain were 2-0 down. Knew you'd be all over it :-)
Redimp thanks mate. Got a tad edgy for a while but I kept the faith!
ReplyDeleteHi Dave, the Spain game (against England) highlighted the problem with them, it cost me a few quid, serves me right for backing against my own country I suppose, did get some back laying under 3.5 and Costa Rico (at 2-0) against them.
ReplyDeleteThe England V Spain game was just like the Switzerland V Spain game at the world cup, all the possession and no goals to show for it, their goals to possession ratio is so out of sync it's unbelievable, but that's what you are going to get with them I suppose.
I do believe it has happened quite a lot in friendlies since their world cup victory, will probably avoid them from now on.
I did hear that the Germans trialled a different defensive system against Ukraine, just goes to show that maybe the old adage of giving the friendlies a miss is an accurate one.