Don't you feel for that ugly animal? Someone surely should. Africans are better when it comes to abuse. They rushed in to rescue Python "2010" in Cape Town from such abuse, whisking him off from slavery. Poor Paul.
Spain and Holland play each other in the first ever World Cup on African soil, when they clash at the Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg.
From a spectator point of view, even to journalists, they exhibit similar characteristics in the field of play. Let the learned one tell you: they do not.
DEFENCE
Spain have a central defense that is solid but play square instead of tandem. This means that the partnership of Carles Puyol and Gerard Piquet has not conventional marker in front and a sweeper behind him. They are side to side.
Piquet, and not Puyol or Xavi, is the brain of Spain if you know your football, though Puyol is an influential and essential leader. Their strength is, diffusing the danger before it arises. They are very clever and organised. They make up for their lack of pace by quick decision-making. While Sergio Ramos and Joan Capdevila like going forward, they have not been as productive to date. I do not expect anything further in the final. They will surely have their hands, feet actually, full.
The Netherlands have John Heitinga and Joris Mathijsen in the central defensive partnership that assumes a marker and sweeper partnership. They are full of energy and are a dependable lot that has not given much so far. The full backs are Gregory van der Wiel and Giovanni van Bronckhorst. Their roles are more defensive because the corridors they need going forward are always occupied by the Dutch natural wingers, either Robben or Kuyt.
MIDFIELD
For Spain, Sergio Busquets and Xabi Alonso are a central midfield duo that are marshalled by Piquet and Puyol. They intercept the ball well and early. They surge forward to support attack if play pulls Xavi and Iniesta to the wings, otherwise, they form a formidable cover for their aging central defence not to be exposed. This destructive combative unit enables the creative nature of Xavi and Iniesta to focus solely on offensive duties. Xavi touches the ball every 46 seconds in this tournament, the majority of the time going forward. The pair can be supported by Pedro, making them a goal making industry that moves left to right with deadly efficiency.
Mark van Bommel and Nigel de Jong give Holland the bite the Spanish may hate. They have a work-rate they need, given the less defensive qualities of Robin and Sneijder. They lack the intelligence and patience when under pressure and commit quite a few worrying fouls that Spain will love to take. Arjen Robben, Dirk Kuyt and Wesley Sneijder are a very mobile trio that on its day, can be a handful. The coach prefers a left footed Robben on the right flank where he accelerates forward, drops a shoulder, checks in and shoots with his left. This has been productive even at club level fir Arjen. The same can be said about Kuyt on the left, though due to lack of pace, he only manages to get to crossing positions instead. He gets into prime scoring positions well and often.
FORWARDS
Arsenal's Robin van Persie is a dangerous rusty and forceful attacker that may be hard to contain. So far, he has been crawling out of his skin, though his worry about injury is evident with every touch. He is even less comfortable with a possibility of a tackle. This is already cutting the Spanish defence job by half. Puyol will find gaps to join attack with less worry.
Spain have David Villa alone in attack, usually preferring to open up space on his left and running into the penalty area, unlike van Persie who stay centrally as a target man. The fluidity of the Spanish attack gets all offensive characters into the penalty area at the end of each attacking period. In a scenario where Fernando Torres plays, he takes a target man kind of role and Villa plays behind him, probing the flanks, especially the left.
General Team Behaviour.
Holland are a technically superior team relying on pace and commitment. Their speed of attack is very nerve wrecking. They are not psychologically strong and they may not retain their composure if things don't go well. It is something they may have overcome, given their response to the Brazil 0-1 lead in the quarter-final. Spain are a precise and patient lot that is highly tactically gifted. They are the most mature team in the world by far. They are not prone to mistakes, being mentally strong with huge hearts and amazing fighting and team spirit and they will punish any lapse of concentration.
Usually this world cup has shown us one team coming to play unusual football and lose, rather than a team that brings in something new to break down the opponents. So it depends who will abandon their everyday tactics and lose. Just in case they come out and stick to their guns, we will see teams separated by a penalty shoot-out. Otherwise, the Dutch, if they win, they will score more than once. Spain will only achieve an odd goal for their win.
What does your Octopus say?
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