Spains squad depth

SeantheMan

Was on wikipedia today, just seen the current (last spain squad) ...and there was a list of players that weren't included in the squad for 1 reason or another.
You could make an 11 that could compete with the top teams in world out of it

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spain_national_football_team

Ridiculous !!

GK - De Gea

DF - Pique
DF - Azpilicueta
DF - Alba
DF - Puyol

MF - Fabregas
MF - Xavi
MF - Isco
MF - David Silva

FW - Diego Costa
FW - Roberto Soldado

Agueroooo

Belgium also have a pretty healthy squad.







good outside e/w bet for W.C

Johner

Agueroooo wrote: »

good outside e/w bet for W.C

Shocking price now, wouldn't touch them at the current odds the value is gone.

shano_88

Agueroooo wrote: »

Belgium also have a pretty healthy squad.







good outside e/w bet for W.C

Belguim are underpriced at this stage. Seems to be best priced at 17/1 at this stage and that is far from a good price imo.

Red Crow

shano_88 wrote: »

Belguim are underpriced at this stage. Seems to be best priced at 17/1 at this stage and that is far from a good price imo.

Agreed it's Spain or Brazil for me.

NIMAN

Any team with Felliani in midfield won't win the WC.

mike65

I suspect we quietly wait for the moment the Spanish conveyor belt starts delivering duds but there is no sign of it.

shano_88

Spain at 7s aren't a bad price imo

NIMAN

shano_88 wrote: »

Spain at 7s aren't a bad price imo

Thats a decent price but the bookies are obviously hoping that the Euro team winning on SAmerican soil thing holds true.

Plus, it will be hard to Spain to continue the winning record. Brazil, Argentina and Germany will make it tough for them.

SeantheMan

If you took out that Belgium 11 though what are you left with ?
The 11 posted in the OP weren't even in the squad of 22 for the last match ....

Vinz Mesrine

I wonder how long we'll wait to be informed of just how good Spain are by "you know who".

GavRedKing

SeantheMan wrote: »

If you took out that Belgium 11 though what are you left with ?
The 11 posted in the OP weren't even in the squad of 22 for the last match ....

Courtois and Hazard to begin with. :pac:

LiamoSail

Surely De Gea will be in the Spanish squad for the WC? Is Casilles still their #1?

maximoose

GavRedKing wrote: »

Courtois and Hazard to begin with. :pac:

Mertens, Benteke, Chadli, Witsel

(I don't believe they have a chance next year though)

Blatter

Red Crow wrote: »

Agreed it's Spain or Brazil for me.

Germany?

Best international team in the world for me right now.

gimmick

LiamoSail wrote: »

Surely De Gea will be in the Spanish squad for the WC? Is Casilles still their #1?

Casillas, Reina and Valdes are the 3. Whether Casillas, their captain, will be #1 is questionable after a season of being sat on the bench, but Del Bosque will probably stick with him.

I doubt De Gea is even number 4. Id imagine that would be Diego Lopez ahead of him. He is, afterall, holding Casillas out of the Real team on merit this season.

Augmerson

Yeah but do they have Paul McShane?

No?

Thought so.

keeponhurling

SeantheMan wrote: »

Was on wikipedia today, just seen the current (last spain squad) ...and there was a list of players that weren't included in the squad for 1 reason or another.
You could make an 11 that could compete with the top teams in world out of it

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spain_national_football_team

Ridiculous !!

GK - De Gea

DF - Pique
DF - Azpilicueta
DF - Alba
DF - Puyol

MF - Fabregas
MF - Xavi
MF - Isco
MF - David Silva

FW - Diego Costa
FW - Roberto Soldado

I assume Xavi, Fabregas, Pique, Silva, maybe a few more weren't included as they were injured?
Not very meaningful in that case.

keeponhurling

NIMAN wrote: »

Any team with Felliani in midfield won't win the WC.

Yeah, cos Fellaini is the problem.
That goalkeeper in the photo is rock solid I assume?

LiamoSail

gimmick wrote: »

Casillas, Reina and Valdes are the 3. Whether Casillas, their captain, will be #1 is questionable after a season of being sat on the bench, but Del Bosque will probably stick with him.

I doubt De Gea is even number 4. Id imagine that would be Diego Lopez ahead of him. He is, afterall, holding Casillas out of the Real team on merit this season.

I'd have thought De Gea merited a place ahead of Reina. Hasn't Reina lost his place at Napoli? Would also make sense to bring him so he can benefit from the experience, given he's a long term option for them.

Blatter

Spain have a ridiculous array of goalkeepers. Casillas, Valdes, Diego Lopez, de Gea, Reina. I've never seen a country have so much quality depth in that position.

keeponhurling

LiamoSail wrote: »

I'd have thought De Gea merited a place ahead of Reina. Hasn't Reina lost his place at Napoli? Would also make sense to bring him so he can benefit from the experience, given he's a long term option for them.

I remember reading somewhere that Reina is the joker in the gang, and keeps the squad happy and good for team spirit.
So for the sake of a 3rd choice goalie who won't play anyways, that's why they bring him.

Could be horsesh!t, but equally there could be something in it.

premierstone

keeponhurling wrote: »

Yeah, cos Fellaini is the problem.
That goalkeeper in the photo is rock solid I assume?

Neither are certain of their place, Belgium have been rotating the two keepers and have plaeny of other options in MF. Mignolet has made a few mistakes the last few weeks but he is still a very capable keeper.

Gringo180

The pool of talent in Spain is scary. Even the Catalonia national team would give most top international teams a run for there money.

ScummyMan

DDG is better than Reina and Valdes imo, and touch and go between him and Casillas.

Johner

Man.UnitedLad wrote: »

DDG is better than Reina and Valdes imo, and touch and go between him and Casillas.

He's better than all of them imo but is still very inexperienced at international level so don't think he will make the squad.

keeponhurling

Gringo180 wrote: »

The pool of talent in Spain is scary. Even the Catalonia national team would give most top international teams a run for there money.

Speaking of provincial sides, is this the same Spain who lost to Northern Ireland ?

The_Kew_Tour

keeponhurling wrote: »

Speaking of provincial sides, is this the same Spain who lost to Northern Ireland ?

That was what 7 years ago?

Gringo180

keeponhurling wrote: »

Speaking of provincial sides, is this the same Spain who lost to Northern Ireland ?

It is.

klose

Spains depth and conveyor belt of talent is freightening, you could probably name 3 very good XIs and a decent 4th one too

---

casillas
Arbeloa-ramos-pique-alba

---

busquets

---

xavi--iniesta
--Pedro--costa---silva

---

valdes
Azpi--albiol--puyol--monreal

---

alonso

---

cesc

---

mata
Villa----negredo--cazolra

---

reina
Juanfran--martinez---bartra--moreno

---

javi martinez

---

thiago

---

koke

---

isco

---

soldado----torres


Many others left out. Frightening stuff.

klose

Man.UnitedLad wrote: »

DDG is better than Reina and Valdes imo, and touch and go between him and Casillas.

I know valdes is the butt of jokes at times but hes been very good this season, injury aside.

keeponhurling

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

That was what 7 years ago?

Yeah, about that.

Out of curiosity, I googled the Spanish team that lost to NI


Spain: Casillas, Sergio Ramos (Salgado 45), Puyol, Pablo, Antonio Lopez, Albelda (Fabregas 29), Xavi, Alonso, Torres (Luis Garcia 63), Villa, Raul.
Subs Not Used: Reina, Marchena, Reyes, Iniesta. Goals: Xavi 14, Villa 52.

a decent enough side they had out that day
(not sure why Iniesta was a sub not used)

LiamoSail

keeponhurling wrote: »

Yeah, about that.

Out of curiosity, I googled the Spanish team that lost to NI


Spain: Casillas, Sergio Ramos (Salgado 45), Puyol, Pablo, Antonio Lopez, Albelda (Fabregas 29), Xavi, Alonso, Torres (Luis Garcia 63), Villa, Raul.
Subs Not Used: Reina, Marchena, Reyes, Iniesta. Goals: Xavi 14, Villa 52.

a decent enough side they had out that day
(not sure why Iniesta was a sub not used)

Wasn't it immediately after that defeat they started the run of games unbeaten, something like 50 games until they were eventually beaten by the US at the confederations cup

NIMAN

keeponhurling wrote: »

Yeah, cos Fellaini is the problem.
That goalkeeper in the photo is rock solid I assume?

Sometimes if your defence is good and strong they can protect a keeper.

But in the big games v the best, if you are an average midfielder there's no hiding places.

The_Kew_Tour

keeponhurling wrote: »

Yeah, about that.

Out of curiosity, I googled the Spanish team that lost to NI


Spain: Casillas, Sergio Ramos (Salgado 45), Puyol, Pablo, Antonio Lopez, Albelda (Fabregas 29), Xavi, Alonso, Torres (Luis Garcia 63), Villa, Raul.
Subs Not Used: Reina, Marchena, Reyes, Iniesta. Goals: Xavi 14, Villa 52.

a decent enough side they had out that day
(not sure why Iniesta was a sub not used)

Good side, but even then some of those players were not half as good as they turn out few years later.

They went from being very average to good side very quickly.

Individually that is quite a frightening starting 11

Cypher_sounds

Lets make a fourth team

De Gea

Carvajal/Montoya Ruiz Dominguez

Delf Illarramendi/Herrera Suarez/Benat Michu/Muniain

Jese Morata/Tello Llorente

Andersonisgod

The options available to Vicente Del Bosque is jaw-dropping. More than that though, because other countries have impressive squad depth too, it's that practically each Spanish player has been brought up to play the same way, it's a brilliant system in that you can take a player out, bring a player in and the style doesn't change, the player coming in doesn't have a huge amount of adapting to do because he is coming into a side that is playing the type of football that he has been taught his entire life, it's been nurtured and now it's second nature.

A squad that potentially can leave players like Thiago Alcantara, Koke, Illaramendi, Villa and Soldado at home is a credit to Spain as a football nation that they can produce such a wealth of talent. For a time it was thought that this was a golden generation of Spanish players, that claim now looks particularly dubious as a new generation of talents like Bartra, Isco, Thiago, Illaramendi, Morata ect. make their way through. You can't help but draw a comparison with England, who are contemplating bringing Ross Barkley to the World Cup, in Spain such a young, untested talented wouldn't be risked in such a high pressure tournament because there is no need to risk him when established options and future stars are so plentiful.

Not surprising, I think this Spanish side will lift the World Cup, their 4th major tournament in a row.

On the keeper debate, on merit I think Valdes would absolutely deserve to be the Spanish number 1, he is sublime, but I expect Casillas, given that he is the captain, his standing in Spain and that Del Bsoque tends to be quite loyal to the players who have brought him success, to be the number 1 at the World Cup. Still, he's hardly weakening the team.

G.K.

Cypher_sounds wrote: »

Lets make a fourth team

De Gea

Carvajal/Montoya Ruiz Dominguez

Delf Illarramendi/Herrera Suarez/Benat Michu/Muniain

Jese Morata/Tello Llorente

He missed out Navas too.

Cypher_sounds

Andersonisgod wrote: »

The options available to Vicente Del Bosque is jaw-dropping. More than that though, because other countries have impressive squad depth too, it's that practically each Spanish player has been brought up to play the same way, it's a brilliant system in that you can take a player out, bring a player in and the style doesn't change, the player coming in doesn't have a huge amount of adapting to do because he is coming into a side that is playing the type of football that he has been taught his entire life, it's been nurtured and now it's second nature.

A squad that potentially can leave players like Thiago Alcantara, Koke, Illaramendi, Villa and Soldado at home is a credit to Spain as a football nation that they can produce such a wealth of talent. For a time it was thought that this was a golden generation of Spanish players, that claim now looks particularly dubious as a new generation of talents like Bartra, Isco, Thiago, Illaramendi, Morata ect. make their way through. You can't help but draw a comparison with England, who are contemplating bringing Ross Barkley to the World Cup, in Spain such a young, untested talented wouldn't be risked in such a high pressure tournament because there is no need to risk him when established options and future stars are so plentiful.

Not surprising, I think this Spanish side will lift the World Cup, their 4th major tournament in a row.

On the keeper debate, on merit I think Valdes would absolutely deserve to be the Spanish number 1, he is sublime, but I expect Casillas, given that he is the captain, his standing in Spain and that Del Bsoque tends to be quite loyal to the players who have brought him success, to be the number 1 at the World Cup. Still, he's hardly weakening the team.

I can't believe Casillas hasn't made even 1 league appearance this season for madrid. Ok he has played all the cup/CL games but Jose and now Carlo not having him as his main keeper surely says that he is struggling with something or even in decline and makes it difficult for Del Bosque to pick him in the summer.

gimmick

DDG better than Casillas or Valdes? I cannot disagree more.

Andersonisgod

Cypher_sounds wrote: »

I can't believe Casillas hasn't made even 1 league appearance this season for madrid. Ok he has played all the cup/CL games but Jose and now Carlo not having him as his main keeper surely says that he is struggling with something or even in decline and makes it difficult for Del Bosque to pick him in the summer.

I agree with what you are saying and if it were a goalkeeper who'd been the number one for only a year or two then he probably would struggle to even make the squad but because it's Ilker Casillas, a genuine legend and hero in Spain, he will still almost certainly start the tournament as number 1. The thought was that Mourinho thought him too influential in the locker room and his friendship with Barcelona players (Xavi in particular) was having a negative effect on the negative atmosphere he was trying to create between players from both clubs. Once he signed an adequate replacement, Diego Lopez, he had his justifiable reason for dropping Casillas. Ancelotti has been an odd one, I fully expected Casillas to go back to his position as undisputed number 1 but it hasn't happened, maybe it's a decline in form (though that hasn't been particularly evident when he's played for Real Madrid in the cup and Europe) or maybe Ancelotti wouldn't feel it is morally just to drop Lopez when he has been excellent since joining Real Madrid. Perhaps his club career may take an unexpected turn out of Madrid but I still expect him to start for Spain at the World Cup, even though based on performances it is not deserved.

Andersonisgod

gimmick wrote: »

DDG better than Casillas or Valdes? I cannot disagree more.

He plays in the Premier League! For Man Utd no less!!! Just go with it.

Professional Griefer

Andersonisgod wrote: »

He plays in the Premier League! For Man Utd no less!!! Just go with it.

Funny you put it like that, since you lick the arse of every Barca player with their amazing philosophy.

FWIW, I don't think DDG is better than either of them.

Andersonisgod

Professional Griefer wrote: »

Funny you put it like that, since you lick the arse of every Barca player with their amazing philosophy.

FWIW, I don't think DDG is better than either of them.

I know, damn table topping, record breaking, football re-defining Barcelona, damn them all!

The_Kew_Tour

Andersonisgod wrote: »

I know, damn table topping, record breaking, football re-defining Barcelona, damn them all!

Bad form bringing up the 7-0 agg drubbing by Bayern

Andersonisgod

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

Bad form bringing up the 7-0 agg drubbing by Bayern

I was more referring to their record breaking treble season, in which they beat Ma Utd in the Champions League final but hey, individual interpretation is great.

The_Kew_Tour

Andersonisgod wrote: »

I was more referring to their record breaking treble season, in which they beat Ma Utd in the Champions League final but hey, individual interpretation is great.

You seem a little rattled!

FWIW Barca are one the greatest sides of all time. I have enjoyed watching them even though they haunted us past few times in CL.

You only have to go into United thread and I have stated this more then once even this week that Barca humiliated United in 2011.

I have defended Barca in Past, even defended you when people questioned about your username. But, your arrogance is quite funny past while.

If you say 1 bad word against Barca you denounce it straight away.

Its the last I will say on matter, you can go off and talk jibberish about Barca all you like.

Andersonisgod

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

You seem a little rattled!

FWIW Barca are one the greatest sides of all time. I have enjoyed watching them even though they haunted us past few times in CL.

You only have to go into United thread and I have stated this more then once even this week that Barca humiliated United in 2011.

I have defended Barca in Past, even defended you when people questioned about your username. But, your arrogance is quite funny past while.

If you say 1 bad word against Barca you denounce it straight away.

Its the last I will say on matter, you can go off and talk jibberish about Barca all you like.

I've never been rattled, ever.

Anyway now that, that inevitable sideshow is over, back to talking about Spain's squad depth.

Frankie Lee

G.K. wrote: »

He missed out Navas too.

Joaquin would be an option for most international teams and he wouldn't make Spain's 5th team.

The_Kew_Tour

Frankie Lee wrote: »

Joaquin would be an option for most international teams and he wouldn't make Spain's 5th team.

that is scary.

Frankie Lee

Delofeu has not been metioned yet either, if he was English he'd have been capped by now. Tello is another one.

Borja Valero and Mikel Arteta too not mentioned.