Posts Tagged ‘Cesc Fabregas’
Spain the team to beat
This summer’s World Cup is wide open, just as it was last time out in 2006. Nine teams will arrive in South Africa knowing they have a realistic chance of going all the way.
They can be categorised as multiple winners of the event - Brazil, Italy, Germany and Argentina, single winners - France and England - and prospective first time winners - Netherlands, Spain and Portugal.
Brazil and Spain present the best cases for victory. They have the star quality, current form and strength in depth to lift the trophy, although as their previous record suggests, there is a difference in experience.
However, Spain’s poor World Cup record - they have only reached the semi finals once, in 1950 - is no longer a major factor. Their victory at Euro 2008 lifted the burden of underachievement and the largely similar squad can go for glory with confidence.
As impressive as Brazil are, Spain edge the five-time winners when it comes to quality. In a neat role reversal, the most fancied European team is full of flair and skill, the strongest South American outfit characterised by pragmatism and organisation.
Brazil are hardly short of game-changing players and any World Cup betting guide will reflect how close the two teams are. However, Spain’s fluid passing game, built on the technical brilliance of Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Cesc Fabregas trumps a team who can be more pedestrian in their passing. In David Villa and Fernando Torres, Spain also have the ideal strike pair combination.
Spain are ranked as the world’s best team for good reason. Their record 35-match unbeaten run that ended last year demands respect, as does the way they responded to the defeat by winning every match since, including showdowns with Argentina and France. They are in the winning habit and should start the tournament as favourites in the World Cup odds.
Tags: Andres Iniesta, Betting Guide, Cesc Fabregas, Characterised, Demands Respect, Euro 2008, Fernando Torres, Going All The Way, Good Reason, Passing Game, Pragmatism, Realistic Chance, Role Reversal, Semi Finals, Star Quality, Technical Brilliance, Time Winners, Underachievement, World Cup Odds, Xavi
Are Arsenal the real deal?
I’m sure most people expected Arsenal to beat Porto in the Champions League - the Portuguese side have an awful record in England after all. However, the manner of the 5-0 victory, achieved without talisman Cesc Fabregas, should force people to sit up and take notice.
Arsenal put in a sparkling performance against the 2004 European Champions, dominating pretty much from start to finish. Nicklas Bendtner will no doubt take most of the headlines with a face-saving hat-trick going some way towards making up for his horror show against Burnley at the weekend.
But credit also has to go to the two chief architects, Samir Nasri and Andrey Arshavin, whose probing midfield runs were instrumental in the victory and eased the pain of being without captain Fabregas.
The win caps off a satisfying few weeks for Arsene Wenger, whose side are visibly growing in confidence. Following last Saturday’s win over Burnley they will firmly believe they can take advantage of their favourable fixture list and win their first Premier league title since 2004.
After the Porto result what is stopping them going all the way in the Champions League as well?
Wenger himself has admitted he would relish the chance to avenge their heavy league defeats to Chelsea and Manchester United should they be drawn together in the next round.
Personally I feel the Champions League is a step too far. The Gunners have shown already they struggle against the top sides in the Premier league and I feel that when up against a similar side in the Europe they will fall just short. The Champions League football betting certainly suggests this will be the case.
The momentum is definitely with them in the league, however. Their win at Stoke the weekend before last was celebrated with extra vigour, not just because it was in response to Aaron Ramsey’s shocking injury but because it was seen as a rare banana skin in what is a dream of a run-in fixture list.
Local rivals Spurs and fellow fourth place chasers Man City are the only other major hiccups remaining for the Gunners and if the past few games are to go by, they shouldn’t present a problem. If this proves to be the case, then the title could be heading to Arsenal’s new Emirates Stadium for the very first time.
Meanwhile, hat-trick hero Bendtner will be hoping he can hit form in time for the World Cup.
He will be representing Denmark and while the side are unlikely to be many people’s World Cup 2010 tips they could still cause an upset.
Tags: Andrey Arshavin, Banana Skin, Burnley, Cesc Fabregas, Champions League Football, Chasers, Chief Architects, European Champions, First Premier, Fixture List, Going All The Way, Gunners, Hat Trick, Horror Show, Last Saturday, Man City, Midfield, Nasri, Vigour, Wenger
Adidas Spain World Cup home shirt 2010
The current European Champions Spain qualified for the 2010 World Cup easily from their group, winning all 10 qualifying matches of their group to finish 11 points ahead of their nearest rivals Bosnia. The Spain home shirt that they will wear through out the tournament has been released and they will be hoping that this one brings them as much success as the last one did.
The new Spain shirt is manufactured by Adidas and is the countries traditional red colour with gold detailing. The three Adidas stripes on the shoulders are gold as is the Adidas badge just below the collar. The Spain badge is on the left chest and there is blue detailing around both the sleeves and the collar of the new Spain home shirt.
Spain go into the 2010 World Cup in South Africa as one of the favourites for the competition and it is not surprising to see why when you look at the quality of players pulling on the Spain soccer jerseys and the recent success that the country has been experiencing on the field. Vicente del Bosque is the coach of Spain national team and will be confident of leading his players to glory in next summers tournament.
The Spain football shirts are always some of the most popular shirts due to the number of top quality players that Spain have and because of the Spain football kit itself which is always one of the best designed shirts. The Spain home shirt is available with official shirt printing of all your favourite players including Carlos Puyol, Sergio Ramos, Xabi Alonso, Cesc Fabregas, Andres Iniesta, Xavi, David Silva, David Villa and Fernando Torres.
The Spain World Cup shirt has a very good chance of being the winning shirt at the end of the tournament, however Spain have not done particularly well at recent World Cups with them only managing to get to the last 16 in 2006 and the quarter finals in 2002. Reaching these stages of the competition is not easy to do but for the vast amount of talent in the Spain team better is expected from them.
Click here to buy the new Spain World Cup home shirt
Tags: Andres Iniesta, Carlos Puyol, Cesc Fabregas, David Silva, European Champions, Fernando Torres, Football Kit, Football Shirts, Left Chest, New Spain, Quality Players, Red Colour, Sergio Ramos, Shirt Printing, Soccer Jerseys, Spain Football, Spain Soccer, Vicente Del Bosque, World Cups, Xabi Alonso
SALE - Spain away shirt only £24.99
We have now discounted the 2008-09 Spain away shirt to £24.99. We only have around 15 shirts left (in a mix of sizes L and XL) and once these are gone, we will not be restocking this shirt, so if you want to get your hands on it then it essential you move quickly.
This is the away shirt worn by Spain as they won the Euro 2008 tournament last summer.
The Spanish National Team jersey can be customised in official Adidas font with the names of star players including Fernando Torres, David Villa, Xabi Alonso and Cesc Fabregas.
However, you can choose any name and number, including your own custom name and for £12.95 we will print the shirt for you in the official template.
The printing will be the same template Adidas used for the Euro 2008 shirts.
Click here to buy the Spain football shirt.
Tags: Cesc Fabregas, Euro 2008, Fernando Torres, Spain Football Shirt, Star Players, Xabi Alonso, Xl
New Spain home shirt revealed
Spain have released their new home shirt which will be worn in the 2009 Confederations Cup tournament this summer.
The Euro 2008 champions wore the shirt for the first time in Saturday’s 1-0 victory over Turkey in a World Cup 2010 Qualifier.
The shirt is available in all adult and junior sizes and follows the new Adidas international template.
It is the first time the Spain home shirt has been available to buy since approximately July 2008 as stocks of the 08-09 shirt sold out when Spain were crowned European Champions after a 2-0 victory over Germany in the tournament finals.
The Spanish National Team jersey can be customised in official Adidas font with the names of star players including Fernando Torres, David Villa, Xabi Alonso and Cesc Fabregas.
However, you can choose any name and number, including your own custom name and for £12.95 we will print the shirt for you in the official template.
The printing will be the same template Adidas used for the Euro 2008 shirts. A new printing template will be made available for the 2010 World Cup Finals in South Africa.
Click to buy the new 2009-10 Spain home football shirt.
Tags: Adidas International, Adult, Cesc Fabregas, Confederations Cup, Euro 2008, European Champions, Fernando Torres, Football Shirt, Germany, Home Football, New Printing, New Spain, Printing Template, South Africa, Star Players, Stocks, Turkey, Victory, World Cup 2010, World Cup Finals, Xabi Alonso