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Spains 5-1 humiliation at the hands of the Netherlands on Friday came as a shock to everyone who follows the beautiful game. Jerseys For Sale Outlet . It also served as a reminder that at the highest level of the game, the margin for error is incredibly small. Up 1-0 in the first half after Xabi Alonso had converted a dubious penalty kick, Spain had a glorious chance to double their lead in the 43rd minute. An exquisite reverse pass from Andres Iniesta (pictured below) sent David Silva in alone on the Dutch goal. Unfortunately, Silvas finish wasnt up to the same standard as Iniestas pass. (CLICK FOR LARGER IMAGE) Just one minute later, the Netherlands equalized through a spectacular Robin van Persie diving header. With no apparent danger coming from the Netherlands, Spain set up in a very narrow defensive shape. (Spains opponents will do well to take note – exploiting this is a key to success against the reigning World Cup champs.) Yet just two passes later, the ball was in the back of the Spanish goal. The first pass came from Bruno Martins Indi to Daley Blind, who took up a wide position on the left flank. It was a free pass, with no Spanish player in a position to put pressure on Blinds first touch. (CLICK FOR LARGER IMAGE) Once Blind received the ball, Spains back four was vulnerable to the diagonal ball over the top to van Persie – because Sergio Ramos, the left central defender, fell asleep and got caught ball-watching. (CLICK FOR LARGER IMAGE) With no pressure on the ball, Blind was able to spot that van Persie managed to get a step in front of his marker, Ramos. (CLICK FOR LARGER IMAGE) The ball from Blind was exquisite, and it was matched only by the finish from van Persie - a diving, looping header over Iker Casillas in Spains goal. (CLICK FOR LARGER IMAGE) So what could Spain have done differently? In this situation, when the ball went wide to Blind, Gerard Pique was tight with Arjen Robben, the first striker – as he should be. His defensive partner, Ramos, needed to be in a deeper covering position, so that he could support Pique while also nullifying the threat of the ball in behind to van Persie. (CLICK FOR LARGER IMAGE) It is only a matter of Ramos being 3-4 yards deeper, but at the World Cup, that is sometimes all that is needed to create scoring opportunities. Had Spains back-four been properly aligned (highlighted in yellow, above), Blind would never had played the ball forward for van Persie to run onto because Ramos would have been in a position to head the pass away. This goal, scored right before the half-time break, was a real blow to Spains confidence. From nearly doubling their lead a minute earlier, to conceding a wonder goal to the Dutch, the momentum turned in favour of the Netherlands going into the second half. The Spanish collapse after the break – where they conceded four unanswered goals – should have been prevented, though. The second goal was down to a combination of wonderful skill from Robben and slack marking from Pique and Ramos; the third and fourth goals down to mistakes from Casillas, with the fifth goal a classic counter-attacking move from the Dutch. It would be naïve to presume that this result – as shocking as it was – is an indication that Spains style of play is now ineffective. La Roja still possess a squad full of some of the worlds most talented players, and they will continue to employ their tiki-taka possession game to great effect. Players like Alonso, Xavi, Iniesta and Silva are still a joy to watch, and they will go into their next game with Chile knowing they must win, as a loss will effectively end their tournament. What it does prove, though, is that even the best are fallible on an off day. Authentic Jerseys For Sale .Cullen scored the go-ahead goal at 13:47 of the third period and Nashville beat the slumping Dallas Stars 3-2 on Thursday in a game that wasnt decided until the last shot of the night. Fake Jerseys For Sale . -- The guys in green raced off the court and into the locker room where they danced and sang, compared whose shot was most likely to end up featured on "One Shining Moment," and checked Twitter to see who was giving them a shoutout. https://www.jerseysforsalechina.com/ . Watch all the action unfold live on TSN and TSN Mobile TV at 7:30pm et/4:30pm pt. You can also watch the game live with the debut of Wednesday Night Hockey on TSN.ca and chat throughout the game with TSN.With the NHL season getting underway today, Id like to take a moment and pay tribute to a unique group of Canadians. A group that is pretty much completely ignored in the vast, cultural mosaic that makes up Canada. Im talking about members of a minority group so marginalized, whose expression is so trampled upon that they are never reflected in this countrys music, poetry or literature. No one every pays them tribute or acknowledges their suffering, which lasts annually from September right up until June. Im speaking, of course, of those Canadians who hate hockey. We know its not easy to hear over and over again that the nation you live in is defined by the sport you cant stand. And, of course, trying to avoid hockey in Canada is a little like trying to avoid mosquitos in the forest. Except for you, hockey is more annoying. Well, Canadians who hate hockey, there are just so many things in this country you just have never experienced, nor care to experience. Youve never driven your kid to a rink at 7am. Youve never played shinny on a frozen pond on a winter day. Youve never read a Roy MacGregor book and you dont follow Bob McKenzie on Twitter. What about Saturday nights? Well, for you those have always meant college football doubleheaders, somewhere you can safely hide from the gospel of Don Cherry. We undersstand it drives you nuts that youve got to sit through a full series of Nashville-Columbus highlights before they get to the NBA games on the nightly sportscasts. Wholesale Jerseys For Sale. And those features on small town rinks in Canadas hinterland dont warm your heart. They make you want to puke. Kind of like you feel when you hear Stompin Tom Connors recording of The Hockey Song. Yes, for you Canadians who hate hockey, we know you often feel lonely and isolated throughout the year. And we know there are days when you wish you were in South America... or somewhere like that. You dont get fired up for free agent frenzy on July 1st. The trade deadline for you is just another mundane Wednesday in February. And then theres the one you cant stand more than any other. Yes, Im talking about Hockey Day in Canada... or as you call to it, Black Saturday. Yes for you Canadians who hate hockey, we know how much it bugs you when youre visiting another country... and people want to know you what you think of PK Subban. And we sympathize every five years when its time for yet another tribute to that damn Team Canada 1972. But get ready, hockey hating Canadian, for its about to begin. The great onslaught that blankets this country from coast to coast is about to happen. As you are well aware, theres no point trying to hide. ' ' '
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