Spain vs Turkey - preview

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- Latest events

SPAIN

·         They had to battle hard, very hard, to break down the gigantic Czech bus, but with the help of Pique Spain eventually got the win.   

·         Spain’s game was predictable but with some intensity that was lacking in Brazil, and the overload in the second half wasn’t more prolific because of Cech.

·         It was great for Spain to get that goal, as confidence will be flying now, to try and achieve an historic three-peat.   

TURKEY

·         Arda Turan came out after the game to apologize for the quality of his match, and it was something that he needed to do, as he just wasn’t present.

·         He wasn’t the only one though, as Turkey attack was clearly uninspired, unable to create noteworthy chances, and putting their backline under pressure with bad transitions.    

·         If they get their act together, they might have a chance, because the defense was fairly safe, and are ready for another battle.    

- Areas to follow

SPAIN

·         Defense

Del Bosque opted for the more experienced Juanfran over Bellerín and is not expected that he will change his backline. They were barely tested anyway, are a quality bunch that has played together a lot of times, so Del Bosque should keep everything as it is.   

·         Midfield

It was just as expected, a lot of the ball, always near the last third, but then unable to end it in a goal. That is more related to the finishing moment than to their ability to create spaces, but Iniesta, Silva and all those other magicians will have to be even more accurate.

·         Attack

Morata is not a goal scorer, but he has a will like no other, he will do everything to get the goal, but he lacks the composure. Also Morata is a player that has a better time facing the goal, not with his back to it. He should play again, and surely a goal will appear, as Turkey, at least, doesn’t have a Petr Cech.  

             

TURKEY

·            Defense

   They did a good job against Mandzukic, but the quick and low-gravity centered Spanish players are much harder to deal for Turkey’s big, slow defenders. If they work together they can close down the space, but they will face huge pressure throughout the game and it’s not predictable they will hold.

·             Midfield

Arda Turan and his sector companions will have to be fully ready to run and chase the ball, as they will rarely see it. They will have to be strong on the tackle, in a fair but intimidator enough to scare Spain. Going to attack, they have to quick and much, much more effective than what they did against Croatia

·             Attack

   Burak Yilmaz was just used as a sub in the first match, but we feel that he could be perfect for Fatih Terim to try and steal this game. With his presence and the offensive nature of Spain’s full backs, Burak can be unleashed with a long ball, as he has the ability to hold it for its teammates run. We’ll see how Terim’s thinking.

- FIL’S VERDICT

It will be a tight game again. Turkey will think if they can get a point against Spain they will still be in it because a win from their last game could be enough to take them through, but they should not renegade to attack as did Czech Republic, because Spain will create enough chances to score one. The Spanish were, if anything, wasteful and if they correct that aspect, they should get a comfortable win, as Turkey’s defense faces the worst matchup for their characteristics.

 

FIL’S PREDICTION

SPAIN 2-0 TURKEY