I must start by saying that it is too early to count Spain out of this competition. I still think they represent one of Europe's best opportunities but they are not the force they were. So where did it go wrong?
GOALKEEPER:
Both Mourinho and Ancelotti can't be wrong. Casillas is not the keeper he was - in fact he's been in decline for a good 5 years now. Bad positional sense will be exposed.
DEFENCE:
Both Pique and Ramos are good players, make no mistake. But in the Spanish league, they play against one or no strikers as teams do not attack them so last night, Ramos was pulled from pillar to post by Dutch movement. Then, Jordi Alba was always attacking, leaving Robben all the space he wanted and making Ramos’s job even harder. On the right, Azpilicueta didn’t abandon his post but Silva kept wondering across the field and allowed Blind all the space he needed in front of him. Blind caused problems with his crosses but from halfway – where Silva should have been. In fact, defensively, the midfield gave absolutely no support to the overrun defence.
MIDFIELD:
Usually Spain’s strength, but where was the possession? Xavi – long my favourite player – did not touch the ball. The short pass mand build up was missing. Iniesta was playing long balls and connected twice, Silva was a waste, Busquets was more interested in theatre and Alonso, probably Spain’s best player on the night, was pretty ineffectual. I have witnessed the demise of Barça in the last couple of seasons and it is linked to the fact that physically, Xavi is unable to control games as he once did and Iniesta is incapable of doing it. I’m afraid Barça should have actually played Cesc in his real position and started to plan for life without Xavi. If Silva is not disciplined enough, he should also not retain his position. It may be time for Koke and Fabregas to start.
ATTACK:
Actually, Costa offered Spain something they haven’t had for a while and was OK. He is obviously not fit but what you cannot do with any striker is just leave him isolated up front – no striker can play like that, they need support.
What we can see is that tiki taka depends on players having possession and movement – yesterday Spain had neither. It also depends on picking players who are physically good enough to carry the system out. I’m afraid Xavi and Iniesta are no longer capable of doing it regularly. Spain’s defence was always having the ball 70% of the time and pressuring high up. They did not manage that yesterday. And Barça haven’t for 2 seasons.
Time for a change?
The demise of Spain and the link to Barça
posted on 20/6/14
Good post xiu, much of which I agree with and a little which I might have my reservations about but find understandable from your standpoint. Fortunately, my opinions aren't drawn from the mainstream Spanish media - I cannot say I never watch/listen to them, but I always try to do so with a critical mind, as with any other information that comes my way (yours would be no different ).
But perhaps here you could clarify a few points for me. Last I heard on the referendum issue was a survey, I think from the Catalan Institute of Statistics, that reported support for independence at slightly over 50%, though I think the undecided vote accounted for about 20% more. You mention over 70% (in the European Election I presume), but you mention 4 parties and I'm not certain who they are.
ERC I have no doubts about, nor regarding their views.
As for CiU, I don't have doubts regarding the coalition on the whole, but I do as regards Mas' motivations. My impression (though I could of course be mistaken) was that the push for independence started out as an attempt to deflect attention from issues relating to the economy and cutbacks in social spending. Are CiU a single united block, not regarding nationalism but actual independence itself? Perhaps it's only a minority within Unió, but I feel vested business and financial interests might weigh heavily on some right-wing nationalists' minds.
Iniciativa I am aware are in favour of self-determination, but I wasn't aware they had specifically spoken out in favour of independence if they are one of the 4. What links do they have to IU, and would this be a factor in them not wanting to speak out openly about independence itself?
The 4th I can't pinpoint right now - is it the one Laporta founded (apols for not knowing the name)?
As for the rest, interesting you should mention Els Comediants. Joan Font and Joan Armengol both worked closely with an NGO I worked for in the late 90s/early 00s. Very decent people indeed beyond any other consideration. La Trinca I remember well, and I recall were extremely popular at one point all around Spain. I'm most definitely antitaurino too, though I would like to point out that bull festivals have been deeply intertwined with Mediterranean cultures for thousands of years, I definitely don't view them as a 'Spanish' thing as much as their last strongholds are here (well, not in the Canaries, which was actually the first region in Spain to ban them without -interestingly enough- so much as a whisper from Spain's nationalist parties ). Flamenco, or more specifically Sevillanas are another big no-no, though while not being a fan, I do have respect for other forms of Flamenco.
About the new laws you mentioned, from a social standpoint every PP government sets us back at least 20 years. I only wish the rest of Spain had sussed them out like you guys have.
Take your time answering, I have to go out now and don't expect to have time to get back on before tomorrow, but it's nice to have this discussion without tempers flaring. Just please, try to bear in mind that we Spanish are many, different and diverse. Some of them - like your friends from Jaén - can actually be nice people.
posted on 21/6/14
So many questions ...
The fourth party is not actually a party, it was just a the total of some small parties all grouped together to give the result - this included a splinter group of PCE/PSOE in favour of independence. PSOE is in turmoil as Catalunya is key for their success in Spain. They have however, almost totally disappeared as a force. Iniciativa is most definitely in favour of independence - at least that is what they said in the last European election.
The force behind independence has been growing for a while now and you are right that the vigour and quicker than expected growth has been exacerbated by spending cuts and the fact that Catalunya is contributing far to much to the 'union'. I can give you many examples, but I will give you two, one populist and one a very real threat to the area.
Firstly, in Catalunya, we have more kilometres of pay roads than any other part of Spain - but by quite a margin. In fact, it costs me 4 euros to drive to Barcelona and I live next to the city. It's a ridiculous situation which is magnified because the money collected goes to road building projects around Spain leaving the Catalan infrastructure without resources for improving and repairing our own roads. People are particularly upset about the fact that all the roads in Madrid are free but we have to pay here and the money goes to the centre.
What is actually more dangerous for the area though is the lack of investment in areas such as education and health. Here, teachers are centrally contracted by government through "oppositions". Madrid has basically put a cap on the quantity of teachers we can appoint in Catalunya while allowing Andalusia and Sevilla etc to appoint thousands. We now have a problem with classrooms of 40 and even 45 children instead of the 25 of ten years ago. This is not myth, I have direct experience of this through my work.
I am happy you mentioned the Joans who are personal friends of mine, as are the members of La Trinca, especially Toni Cruz and his family. La Trinca did enjoy success in Spain in the 1980s as slapstick comedians but they started life as anti-Franco campaigners and as such still retain great respect in this area. These people come from our neighbouring town, Canet de Mar, which has been a hotbed of creativity and politics despite being a small unassuming town.
I think the biggest problem for Spain as a whole but especially here in Cataluya is that we perceive the PP as being Franco's party. Aznar and Rajoy are definitely a pair of reprobates who have done their best to increase support for Catalan independence as have the generals of the Spanish ejercito who are forever threatening us with invasion and being crushed.
There is one thing that is for sure though, whatever happens within my country (Catalunya) and Spain, it has to happen with mutual respect. Spain, Catellano as a language and a culture is important to Cataluya even if only historically and for the culture of a large percentage of the population who are and want to be Spanish. We must respect this more than the current government is respecting our freedom to speak Catalan. In the end, we cannot do to people what we are trying to escape from ourselves.
posted on 21/6/14
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7pLgjWJtjA
posted on 21/6/14
i like gasol
posted on 21/6/14
more sensible catalans
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8fXHvH5gVc
posted on 21/6/14
Thanks xiu....lots of questions because I'm genuinely interested. As I said, I like to have as complete a view as possible.
Yep, I know about the toll roads, they've been like that for decades. I wasn't aware the fees collected were pooled for all of Spain though. I'd agree that it should primarily go towards the maintenance of your own network and, should there be any to spare, that it might be put to good use elsewhere, whether other services in Catalonia or communications networks in other regions.
I hear you on education. Health should also be a major concern. Although I do not have details on how the budgets are spread out, to my knowledge each region administers its own. However, please believe me when I tell you that I have close friend who are secondary school teachers in Cadiz and they are facing the exact same problems you describe. Here in the Canaries, I can tell you the case of my own son, whose form teacher two years ago was diagnosed with cancer in February. The local authorities refused to assign a substitute teacher: kids spent the remaining months without a form teacher. Their lessons were covered by whichever teacher had a free slot, and were sometimes even left on their own for an hour.
Health is another major issue. My own wife is a doctor who refuses to have a private practice as a matter of principle (unfortunately, she's the only one out of 13 cardiologists in her unit). Anyhow, at least here in the Canaries, the regional government administrates the health budget. They are right-wing Canarian nationalists, and almost 50% of the budget gets outsourced to private hospitals instead of the public health service. Meanwhile right-wing Spanish nationalists are trying to privatise health administration in Madrid.
The reason I mention this is that in my view there is little difference among conservatives regardless of their view of Spain.
I also view the PP as being Franco's heirs. I do not believe that everyone in the party, and much less all of their voters share the same radical opinions, but I do think the prevalent current does. It's no coincidence that whenever independence has flared up it has been with them in power. Given the choice, I wouldn't want to have anything to do with them either.
Incidentally, the organisation I referred to in my earlier post is Pallasos Sense Fronteres, I am sure you're familiar with or have at least heard of them. I worked out for a few years out of their small office on calle Montera in Madrid. As a freelance, I've worked for over a decade as a translator for MSF too, and have also developed a strong friendship - albeit at a distance- with one of their founding members, another wonderful Catalan woman. I realise the Sans Frontieres movement is utopian, but I do think that people who put their effort into these principles do help to bring us all closer as human beings regardless of our distinct cultural identities.
posted on 21/6/14
The best thing that can happen to Spain is Iniesta retiring.
posted on 21/6/14
And a special thanks to....Paul Preston !
posted on 21/6/14
comment by 'Bats' (U18355)
posted 1 hour, 54 minutes ago
The best thing that can happen to Spain is Iniesta retiring.
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That would be better news for Barça
posted on 21/6/14
iniesta is the only player from spain's golden generation that isnt in a decline
he still has a few good years left in him
if he were to leave barca, r madrid would hopefully take a good castillian boy like iniesta into the fold with open arms
viva iniesta !
viva Fuentealbilla !