Player2 said:
Yeah, we had Villa in the hospital recovering from a broken leg and Torres warming the bench.
This is Spain's starting 11 in the Euro 2012 final against Italy:
Casillas, Arbeloa, Piqué, Ramos, Alba, Xavi, Busquets, Xabi Alonso, Silva, Fábregas and Iniesta. No striker.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Euro_2012_Final
Defensive midfielders only need to be good and defending? If that it's what people think in england no wonder why their national team has been so sucessful in the last decades.
A defensive midfielder with good passing skills (in addition to defensive skills) is extremely important in offensive play to avoid losing the ball in critical zones (and therefore concede counterattacks) or having to rely in long pass. Johan Cruyff was seeking so hard for such a player when he was Barcelona's coach that as soon as he saw Guardiola playing for Barcelona's youth team he ordered the coach to make him play as defensive midfielder. Guardiola ended being Barcelona's defensive midfielder and cornerstone in the 90's, and I'd bet people remember him doing more than running and tackling in his player days.
Fernando Redondo, Marcos Senna or even Yayá Touré are examples of defensive midfielders with good passing skills too.
The fact that players like Makelele are the ones seen as some sort of golden standard for defensive midfielders when other players can get the job done and then do much, much more is disturbing.
The lack of passing skills is why Alex Song has failed in Barcelona.
Of course if your plan is to park the bus or play long pass Gattuso or Paulinho are good enough.
I think it's pretty clear now who has no idea.
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