Top ten clashes of 2010 – Part 3
We continue with our countdown to the best clash of 2010 here in our final part of this edition.
2. Spain 1 – 0 http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Germany-c2904
It is easy to forget games where not enough goals are scored but it is equally difficult to neglect a game when one team put up a show of the best passing game ever witnessed.
Germany had been the most exciting team to watch at the FIFA World Cup 2010. However, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Spain-c3011 who are known for the passing and possession football, outclassed the Germans and never ever gave them a chance to play their counter attacking style of football.
Spain played higher up the pitch which was suited to their highly technically gifted players who kept the ball moving in Germany’s half. Germans had to work very hard to win the ball and every time they won it, they had very little space and time to make
any use of it.
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Xabi-Alonso-c37045 and Xavi Hernandez were a treat to watch in the middle of the park and although Spain kept the ball for most of the time, they retained it back quickly whenever they lost it. They pressed together as a team and did at right from the front. In
other words, they defended from the front.
The Germans had spent the tournament sitting in their own half and bursting forward with pace in counter attacking football. However, Spain who usually controlled the games did it once more to book a place in the final of the World Cup.
Germans chased shadows as Spain hardly gave the ball away and scored the solitary goal from a corner to frustrate the German side that were by far the most exciting team to watch at the World Cup but were outdone by a more technically gifted side.
1. Inter 3 – 2 Barcelona (aggregate)
It was match between two sides with winning mentality but with different ideologies. http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Inter-c39567 were like warriors, ready to lay down their lives for the sake of the team, while Barca believed in the playing the game in the most beautiful manner.
The El Clasico was a goal fest and was a treat to watch, however, the game was over by half time. This one was not over until the last kick in the second leg of the match.
The game was highly technical and both sides matched each other stride to stride. The first leg saw Inter come away with a two-goal lead. Many criticised Mourinho for his defensive tactics but his players did attack Barcelona and surprised them repeatedly.
However, it was the second leg which stunned everyone, Inter went a man down and Mourinho asked his players to play in their own half and not retain possession of the ball, as it would mean they lose their positions.
“We didn’t want the ball because when Barcelona press and win the ball back, we lose our position – I never want to lose position on the pitch so I didn’t want us to have the ball. We gave it away,” Mourinho commented after the game.
This performance from Inter was one of the most defensive performances seen in recent history. They hardly had the ball during the game and the whole 90 minutes were played around their 18-yard box.
In many ways, it was a beautiful clash of two footballing ideologies. Barcelona have been praised from all corners for their brilliant passing, movement and pressing. However, they were beaten by a team that did not pass, did not attack; they did not even
want to play with the ball.
Mourinho won the battle and although it was a boring encounter for many viewers, it was an epic clash when looked from a tactical point of view.
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