Spain debates the Torres dilemma


Spain debates the Torres dilemma

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sydneycroatia58
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[size=6]Spain debates the Torres dilemma[/size]

Spaniards, and particularly the Spanish media, are very successful at turning the most marginal victory into a huge triumph.

However, after Spain's meandering passage into the knockout stages, most people have resisted blowing the events of the last week out of proportion and a sense of relief and a period of stocktaking has descended over the country in the aftermath of their 2-1 victory over Chile.

The win secured Spain's place the last 16 and meant they also avoided Brazil by finishing as top of their group but no one in Spain, at least not anyone sober or reasonably sensible, is talking too loudly any more about winning the World Cup.

The old mantra of 'one game at a time' which, to be fair, has been repeated regularly by Spain's coach Vicente Del Bosque since the draw was made last December, has become the phrase of the day both in South Africa and at home.

Having started at the favourites, or joint favourites with Brazil, and having left for South Africa at the start of the month with a tide of optimism behind them last month, people are now suffering a bit of a reality check.

Spaniards are now saying to themselves, in the media, in the bars or just in their own living rooms, "There are some other good teams in this tournament and maybe we are not quite as good as we thought we were."

Nevertheless, they now face neighbouring Portugal on Tuesday - with many pundits here are expecting bookings a plenty as the Spanish defenders, none of whom play for Real Madrid, subtly settle a few old scores with Cristiano Ronaldo.

If they get past Portugal, and you would have to say that Spain are the favourites after the defensive displays by Carlos Queiroz's side against Brazil and Ivory Coast, then they will play either Paraguay or Japan in the quarter-finals. In theory, whoever they face, that should be a very winnable contest for Spain.

However, the big question that emerged after the restrained euphoria of Friday night had died away, is how do Spain break down Portugal's resilient defence which has yet to concede a goal.

Eduardo has done an excellent, if understated, job in goal for former Manchester United assistant and Real Madrid coach Queiroz and his job has been made much easier by the form of Bruno Alves and Ricardo Carvalho, possibly the best central defensive pairing seen so far.

How will the one classic dilemma of an unstoppable object, in the shape of Spain's magnificent strikers, meeting an immovable object be resolved?

There is however a huge debate about whether Fernando Torres should be in the starting line up against Portugal. In similar fashion to England's Wayne Rooney, the feared forward arrived in South Africa far from fully match fit, and it has shown.

"He was quite simply bad," reflected one commentator in the Spanish sports daily As on Saturday.

Various Spanish media marked him as the worst Spanish player on the pitch, his loss of touch in marked contrast to David Villa against Chile and Honduras.

Nevertheless, Del Bosque looks as though he will keep faith with him, probably hoping that he will act as a talisman or that those skills in front of the goal that have been woefully absent will suddenly reappear.

"Even though he's not scored, he's a very important player for us because he makes the opposition defences sweat," said Del Bosque on Saturday, suggesting that it is a moot point about whether he should be dropped.

Rumours abound that the various players have been privately muttering that Del Bosque should leave out Torres and bring in Barcelona's Pedro or Athletic Bilbao's Fernando Llorente.

However, the image that Del Bosque has been giving in Spain is that, like the Danish coach Morten Olsen who has a nice little sideline in advertising hearing appliances - if you've ever gone through Copenhagen airport as I did last week, you'll know what I mean - he is turning a deaf ear to the mildly mutinous words.

"He (Torres) is improving and although he suffered a few twinges in this game he's not feeling any after-effects with his knee injury," Del Bosque told Spanish journalists after beating Chile.

Not surprisingly, his rather half-hearted defence of Torres' poor form was seized upon by the media and public alike highlighting the possibility that Torres will be on the bench on Tuesday.

Probably not helping either has been the fact that the former coach Luis Aragones, who lead Spain to triumph at the European Championships two years ago, has chosen this moment to start sniping from the sidelines, perhaps trying to make sure that his place in Spanish football fans' affections is not immediately trumped by Del Bosque.

"Spain won the match (against Chile) with a great deal of difficultly, they looked nervous in the first half. They need to wake up, move faster and demonstrate movement (off the ball)," commented Aragones.

Del Bosque has never shown himself to be swayed by public opinion but, from a personal perspective, for once the critics might be right and perhaps he should leave out Torres.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/philminshull/2010/06/spain_debates_the_torres_dilem.html


IMO Torres shouldn't start. He's clearly off the pace and unfit.
RedsUnited
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It's unfortunate that his form isn't that great, but just having Torres on the pitch because it's Torres isn't going to do the team any favours. I'd have to agree to putting Pedro or Llorente on instead.

And on a completely different note, I have no idea why Rosell, the new Barca boss, wants to bring Torres to Camp Nou...
sydneycroatia58
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RedsUnited wrote:


And on a completely different note, I have no idea why Rosell, the new Barca boss, wants to bring Torres to Camp Nou...


Mother fucker is copying my tactic from FIFA 99. Just buy all strikers forget about defenders a whole team of strikers We may conced 10 a game but we'll score 11.:lol:
GazGoldCoast
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Starting Torres off the bench might put a rocket up his ass...
RedsUnited
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sydneycroatia58 wrote:
RedsUnited wrote:
And on a completely different note, I have no idea why Rosell, the new Barca boss, wants to bring Torres to Camp Nou...


Mother fucker is copying my tactic from FIFA 99. Just buy all strikers forget about defenders a whole team of strikers We may conced 10 a game but we'll score 11.:lol:

:lol: Seriously though, if Barca want to steal buy anyone from Liverpool, it should be Mascherano. :p
GO


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