Spain still unbeaten: "Bravehearts" smited

Fatih Terim maintains that his side didn't deserve to come away with nothing to show for their efforts in both games against Spain. He's probably right, but the great sides have a knack of winning when not playing particularly well. Winning is a habit, and for Spain it is proving a hard one to break. It's 31 games now without defeat for Vicente Del Bosque's side.

Turkey, for all the "Braveheart" bluster before the match looked like a team in awe of the European Champions. Even the crowd was subdued. They had chances though, but snatched at them. Spain lacked the fluency in midfield that was the hallmark of their triumph in the summer and played in fits and starts. Torres didn't play well, the Alonso/Senna partnership in midfield doesn't work: they're too similar in style and Xavi looked a little lost playing "in the hole." They're the European Champions though, and you get the feeling that teams are beaten before the game starts: Turkey certainly were and I was surprised by their attitude. So who will beat Spain? Answers on a postcard please.

Fatih Terim: "I'm going to put 11 Bravehearts on the field."

Turkey showed some bottle in the European Championships last summer. After losing their first match against Portugal they were immediately on the back foot. In the second group game they trailed Switzerland at half-time 1-0, but scored in injury time to win 1-2. In the final group match they were 0-2 down after sixty minutes but scored three times in the last fifteen minutes to win. In the quarter final they went a goal down in the last minute of injury time against Croatia but equalized a minute later. A devastated Croatia side lost the resulting penalty shoot-out.
In the semi-final against Germany they were severely handicapped by injury and suspension, but it took a goal at the death by Lahm to finally beat them. This is a team with serious balls.

They deserved a point against Spain on Saturday. Yes, Spain were better after the goal, but who wouldn't be? Goals change games, innit?

Turkey manager, Fatih Terim, says he is going to field "11 Bravehearts" tonight. I'd fancy this Turkey side against the English AND William Wallace.

Pique the unlikely hero

Spain are on their way to South Africa, but they didn't have it all their own way against a very good Turkish side. Their campaign at the European Championships was one of the highlights of the tournament and they deserved a point at the Bernabéu. Turkey didn't let Spain settle and it took a set-piece move to break the deadlock, with Piqué getting the goal. The return match on Wednesday should be a cracker and I fancy Turkey to inflict Spain's first defeat in thirty matches. Put your house on it!

International Break

So all the leagues around Europe go on hold for the International Break. The tournament at the end makes it worthwhile, I suppose. But it messes up my weekend routine of wall to wall football from England and Spain, drinking and posting codswallop on various forums while the matches are on. Ah, well. Can't be helped, can't be helped.

The Spain game should be good, though. Alongside Barcelona they've been my favourite side to watch over the last 18 months or so. They'll have to do without Iniesta, who's out for two weeks with a thigh strain. His absence isn't a massive blow to Spain as there are capable deputies available to come in and do a job, but Spain like Barcelona just aren't the same without him. I don't think it's a coincidence that Barcelona's recent slump coincided with Iniesta's absence. At times this season his level of performance has been as good, if not better, than Messi's. Barcelona fans will tell you that, but he has never received the universal adulation of the Argentine. Maybe he likes it that way. He reminds me of Paul Scholes in that sense: idolised by his own fans and deeply respected by his peers but light years away from the bullshit. Barca say he should be back for the game against Bayern Munich. I hope so.