CESC FABREGAS provided assists for two goals in Spain’s thrilling 3-1 victory in rain-soaked Stuttgart last night.
Cesc split Tunisia’s defence again in the 89th minute when he released Fernando Torres on the right, but the striker took too long to shoot.
In stoppage time Torres was impeded by big No.4 Yahia, who held down his shoulder as he jumped for a cross.
When the penalty was awarded, Torres grabbed the ball and the more senior Xabi Alonso looked at him as if to say : Do you want to discuss this ?
TORRES turned away, put the ball on the spot, and smashed it in off keeper Boumnijel’s elbow.
FABREGAS would enhance any team at this World Cup, and so would Torres.
THE OTHER GOALS ?
In 8, Jaziri crossed from the right wing and midfielder Mnari volleyed and Casillas could not hold it and Mnari rammed in the rebound for 1-0.The interplay of Luis Garcia, David Villa and Fernando Torres was delightful, as Spain played in triangles as bright as their red & gold shirts.
It was still 0-1 at half-time and I was wondering about 4-3-3 and 4-3-3.
This narrow version of 4-3-3 has players whose passing is much more varied than the Dutch, who have a big No 9 backed up by two left-footed winger-strikers, Robben and van Persie , who cut in from the flank and go for goal on their own.So the Dutch attack is more individualistic, more hit-and-miss.
As the first half was going on, I felt that if Cesc was there he would get his passes forward a split-second faster than Xavi and Senna were doing.
Senna, magnificent against the Ukraine, was anonymous here, and Cesc came on for him at half-time, with Raul replacing Luis Garcia.
Within three minutes, Cesc had a rocket shot saved.
Was Raul the right call? Was this a retrogade step? When in doubt, look back?
As the second half went on without further score I was enjoying it so much that I didn’t care whether I lost my Asian Line Handicap bet on Spain by two goals.
In 71, Spain equalised when Cesc’s low shot was parried and Raul knocked in the rebound.
In 76, Cesc split the defence and Torres jabbed the ball past the recklessly advancing keeper for 2-1.
TORRES has everything : dribbling skills, heading ability, awareness, chutzpah, perseverance. He leads the line, kills you with diagonal pace beyond your back four, goes in where it hurts, and keeps coming back for more. He’s a sprinter with a lion’s heart. He is relentless. He is not moody, not mercurial, doesn’t disappear in a game, doesn’t hide.
And he uses top quality gel that keeps his hair sticking up even in a heavy German monsoon.
Torres at 22 is a more exciting footballer than Drogba, Crespo, Van Nistelrooy, Adriano, Owen or any of them.
In a limited side like Atletico Madrid, Torres can’t achieve much. With better players round him, as he had here, he looks a world-beater.
Spain had all the luck in that 4-0 win over Ukraine, but against Tunisia they came from a goal down to win by a distance.
This vibrant young team is fun to watch, even when they are 1-0 down.
They played beautiful football, full of positive ideas, clever runs, different-looking passes, despite dodgy defending in the first half, when Puyol looked burned-out, a warrior who peaked emotionally in Paris when Barcelona won the European Cup.
True, Spain don’t have Ayala or Heinze at the back, the kids look raw at times, but they are so refreshing.
Good team, good bench, resourceful players, very spirited. They are unbeaten in 24 matches since losing to Portugal in Euro 2004.
To watch Spain the day after watching Brazil and France was illuminating.
Just as Klinsmann went young, and van Basten went young, so has Luis Aragones, who is 67.
TUNISIA COACH Roger Lemerre, 65 yesterday, got a bold performance from his side, who contained classy opponents for 70 minutes.
Despite losing he must have enjoyed this more than the games his France team played in 2002 and he will believe that Tunisia are good enough to give Ukraine a game on Friday.
Four years ago I heard a few stories from French journalists who were in Korea / Japan.
Apparently, the players begged Lemerre to play Makelele -Vieira in midfield but he refused.
Apparently, Lemerre told Trezeguet, who was born in Argentina, “The one thing I DON’T want you to do in this tournament is to book rooms in the team hotel for your adolescent Argentinian mates.” Which Trezeguet then did, allegedly.
When French fans bumped into Marcel Desailly in a casino at 4 a.m. they allegedly said, “Marcel, what the hell are you doing here? We are on holiday, watching the football. You are supposed to be defending the World Cup ! What are you doing here at this time of night?”
As Thuram later admitted, “In ’98, we still thought we could lose.”
That said it all.
Forget France. They are history.