The Final 23: Del Bosque’s Selección

VICTOR!! YAY!!! AND PEDRITO!!

*ahem*

I think it’s as good as we could have hoped for, although Senna’s exclusion in particular is disappointing (though understandable).

This is it! Win this World Cup guys and lose the label of chokers for once and for all!

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I haven’t heard of Javi Martinez. Is he really that good? Also, I think Negredo is better than Llorente and would better suit this team. Other than that, a good selection.

Anybody else thinks not taking Senna is a risk?

I’d would’ve taken Senna instead of Javi Martinez, but it’s a difficult decision and I really don’t think any of his other decisions could be questionned.

What a team!

Who cares, Senna is brazilian anyway, viva espana

JaviMar and Llorente are going!!!

And to answer the earlier question, Javi Martinez is that good.

Del bosque has balls! unlike the other coaches in this world cup to pick young and in form players no matter if they don’t have the experience. He basically picked my dream 23 squad.

if you were allowed to take 24 players i would have taken Cazorla for his versatility to play on either wing

Excuse, Mark, Marcos Senna is Spanish, and has defended like few others the colours of La Roja. To say anything else is plain disrespectful.
I do think Del Bosque is taking a risk foregoing Senna’s experience for Martínez potential, but I think the risk can pay off. After all, Senna is less in form than Javi, after having had all those injuries this season.
I’m more disappointed about Cazorla, though. I’d have taken him instead of Navas, he’s extremely versatile and in good form.

Vicente should have dropped Busquets and taken Senna with him , what do coaches see in the former i seriously do not know , i know he can dive with the best of them but what else ?
the rest of the seleccion are perfect though
Choosing a starting line up out of these 23 is going to be an headache but i’d go with
Iker
Ramos Puyol Pique/albiol Capdevilla
Iniesta Xavi Xabi Silva
El guaje Torres

ADE Navas has that dangerous pace and cool finishing for a winger (Example goal against athletico)

Ade, I think Navas is one the best pure wingers Spain has got. It was something of a foregone conclusion that he would be in the national team the day he got over his homesickness and rightly so, in my opinion.

Yes, Rod and Nithin, I also think Navas is a very good winger, I just think that Cazorlita would give the team a few more options. But all in all I’m happy with Del Bosque’s selection and lloking forwards to see them play!

so what now? what do everybody think will be the starting line up in the first world cup? It will probably depend on torres fitness and I think Del bosque will play villa as a lone striker and play a 4-3-3 with silva and navas on the wing and Xavi,Alonso,Bisquits or iniesta if fit

It’s going to be the same 4-1-3-2 they always play with Alonso replacing Senna.
Ramos (RB) – Pique (CB) – Puyol (CB) – Capedavilla (LB)
Xabi Alonso (CDM)
Iniesta (RAM) – Xavi (CAM) – Silva (LAM)
Torres(ST) – Villa (ST)

If Torres is still injured they will play a modified 4-5-1 with Villa up top and Fabregas in the midfield if hes fit otherwise Busquets might go out on the wing and Iniesta will come back to the center. Unlikely they could include Javi Martinez in the center. I suppose there is an outside chance they would play the 4-1-3-2 with Llorente(more likely) or Negredo alongside Villa though that seems risky.

Err not Negredo I mean Pedro

i think that there is no real midfield player that good in blocking attacks from midfield like senna

mr andy i think u must get busquets away from your guests couse he need too much to learn

First of all, Senna is Spanish.. he defended the colors of spain bravely and all Spaniards thank him and owe him all the gratitude.
I have thought about it for 3 days now and I believe it is a mistake not to have taken Senna.
I just dont think Javi nor Xabi can do what Senna does…I would have went with Senna instead of Javi incase I needed a more defensive sweeper in the middle.
Either way, lets go for the cup this time damn it!!

all da best ….

great selections…awesome team.
and from looking at other big teams i guess Del bosque was the best of them when comes to choosing players…
they should go all the way to win it…they deserve it…

Is anybody worried about Capdevilla and ramos?
I think they can get caught out field with somebody with pace and skill.For what I have seen of Ramos I don’t think he’s quick enough to track back and even worse for capdevilla who I saw him get destroyed by Messi and Pedro

Well, Rod, I’m a bit concerned about Capdevila; he *is* getting on years and not as fast as he was once. Ramos, though, I think has been having a fantastic season and I don’t think he has any problems of pace or skill (haven’t watch many RM games, though…).
And yes, the more I think about it, the less I believe that Alonso/Busquets/Martínez can replace Senna…

senna for busquests is a no-brainer. and guiza has been the greatest super-sub of all time. he scored amazing goals with the limited number of minutes he got. what else do you want from a substitute striker? he should be in instead of llorente. other than that, amazing squad.

Ade,Ramos has been very dodgy at times in the right back position with madrid were he’s never had the pace to track back and I am worried Spain might have problems with an counter attacking team in the world cup for example in the confed cup against the US. I Think the reason Senna is not going is because this world cup will be a fast counter attacking tournament where a lot of goals are going to be scored in the transition and senna with his 34 year old legs might not be able to get back and defend.Even though he’s the complete package in terms of his passing,tackling,and seting up the attack I think his lack of pace will hurt the squad.

Do you believe that Cesk Fabregas is going to be a substitution once again?

how about a 4-3-1-2 formation where you put fabregas behind the strikers that way you can have xavi and fabregas on the field
Ramos-pique-puyol-cap
Alonso/Bisquits
Xavi-iniesta
Cesc
torres/llorente-villa

I’m new here but I love how Spain plays and I have been a long time Spain fan. I remember the duo of Raul and Morientes like it was yesterday.

Anyways what do you guys think of this formation presuming everyone is healthy?
—–Casillas—-
Arbeloa—Albiol—Pique—Puyol
——Ramos—Xavi
-Silva————Iniesta
—-Torres—Villa

javi martinez, xabi alonso, fernando llorente, all basques!

The busquets-phobia is now striking Spain Fans after infecting Barca fans before. Honestly I never feel bored reading fans reaction about it. Entertaining

And As I used to tell Barca fans (when Busquets benched Yaya), and on various boards (when I predicted few months ago that Busquets will bench Senna in this world cup), you will see Busquets playing more matches than you expect/wish. Especially now that Del Bosque proved that he goes for quality, not popularity.

In fact the biggest Del bousque risk is not playing Busquets instead of Senna (thats a given now for what every player can offer). The risk that I hail most is taking Javi Martínez instead of Senna. If you are seeking a back up for the holding midfielder, why selecting a 55 years old player who cant serve you later? Selecting a young player who may even end up being the discovery of the competition (or at least a gain for the future) is a better choice.

You won the first battle already, Del bosque. Even before your players kick a ball.

Ah, Ramzi, I wondered how long ’til you showed up to defend Towanata!!! I’m going to have to take on your mantle in here, you know I’m not Busquets’ greatest fan but he has done a good job this season and deserves a place in the starting XI as much as Alonso… which no-one else seems to think. Oh well. As long as he’s not competing with Yaya, I can defend Sergi.
Mitsos, yes, I think Fàbregas is going to spend more time in the bench than on the field. Spain has a busy, busy midfield. But he’ll play some and undoubtedly he’ll do well.
Chapu, I see one big problem with your line-up: Puyol as a LB; he can play there, but I think he might have a problem with pace; better to leave him in the CB and plug Arbeloa there, I think. Of course, that disrupts the whole thing, sorry.

The reason alonso is in the starting 11 is because of his long range passing even though I don’t rate his defensive game that much he’s certain to get a yellow card then and there but I am starting to come around to busquets he’s not as bad people think he is I think a lot of his reputation is judged by his theatrics not by his football playing which overtime he could be a great footballer

I think with the inclusion of martinez there will be a competitive battle with sergio for that alonso spot because alonso is prone to yellow cards and could be suspended for a key game in the world cup

If Alonso is ‘prone to yellow cards’, Rod, then what is Busquets? A yellow card magnet (for himself and for others, true)? The Javi M vs Alonso vs Busi battle is going to be an interesting one…

Well, I think leaving Senna behind is a mistake. In my humble opinion, he was the best player for Spain in Euro 2008. They need him in the midfield. They don’t have another player quite like him. Do you think USA scores two goals on counterattack with Senna in the midfield of the Confed Cup?

This is probably the quietest national team forum where the rest are panicking,trolling worried about players form and fitness cussing out their managers (lippi,maradona) for not taking in form players its just very quiet for now. Hopefully we get some debate out of these friendlies even though with the exception of south korea they are playing very weak opposition (Poland,saudi arabia)

Senna 2 years ago could have kept up but he's not the same player he can barely play 45 minutes let alone 90

Hails from Bangladesh.

Go Spain GO!

is there somethinf wrong with that?

LLorente is not basque he is from Rioja and was born in Pamplona because it was the nearest available hospital. So dont confuse things mate. Besides Pamplona is not the basque country.

I am rooting for Fabregas (10) although he is most likely gonna be benched for most of the games with Xavi and Iniesta at the helm. Em' Nou Campers are overpowering the Spanish national team.

And for the record in Spanish La Liga, Valdes > Casillas.

me love David silva!!