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World Cup Final Odds – Spain V Holland Betting

Spain to win: 23/20 at Victor Chandler
Draw: 12/5 at Totesport
Netherlands to win: 11/4 at Totesport

Spain v Holland brings together a European clash for the final of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Spain will go into the match as favourites in World Cup betting, and here we take a look over the areas of the games where the World Cup Final may be won or lost. Spain have history in their grasp, but Holland will do their best to make a match of it of course. The Dutch may have a hard time living with the passing quality of Spain, but the Spanish need to keep their feet on the ground and not get carried away with the hype of what is expected of them. The Dutch will be underdogs, but they have already beaten Brazil. Which way will the 2010 FIFA World Cup final swing?

To Lift Trophy
Spain: 4/7 at Bet365
Netherlands: 6/4 at Bet365

Spain V Holland Preview

Goalkeepers. Iker Casillas, who is known as Saint Casillas back in his home nation has the edge on this one. If you were backing one of them to pull off a match winning save, then it would be Casillas, who is one of the top goalkeepers in the world. That is not to say that Stekelenburg has not pulled off some good saves, he has done the trick and looked fairly solid, but this is the big occasion and for Casillas, who generally has very little to do, his concentration is fantastic. Casillas was at fault largely for the Swiss goal against them, but other than that he has been good. The Dutch keeper will be the busier of the two without doubt, and even if it goes to penalties, you’d back the confidence of the Spaniard.
Goalkeeping: Spain 1, Holland 1

Defence. With full backs Joan Capdevila and Sergio Ramos flanking Carles Puyol and Gerard Pique, there probably is not a more solid and consistent back line in the World. Not only that, they are a major threat at the other end of the pitch with Pique and Puyol going up for corners, and the two full backs playing as wingers. That is the confidence which Spain have, and they use the overlapping full backs to get crosses into the opposition box, so much better than any other team in the world. Not only do opponents have to find a way to stop the threat of the Spanish midfield tearing down the centre of the pitch, they have to stop the wide players as well. If there is a chink in the armour then it probably is Capdevila, but there is so much quality and composure in the back line, they really don’t give much away. For the Dutch, watching the Spanish full backs run at them will give them nightmares. Giovanni Van Bronckhorst and Khalid Boulahrouz are not the fastest of full backs, and Van Bronckhorst, while a great professional, may have a torrid time against Spain when they attack down the right. It will be imperative that he gets help from Robben or Kuyt, whoever is patrolling the left of midfield at the time. That doesn’t instil a lot of confidence either, as they aren’t great at tracking back. In the middle they are a little more secure with John Heitinga and Joris Mathijsen, who both look very solid. While they have the height to deal with crosses and long balls, they are going to be test more on the floor from the Spanish passing, an area which they aren’t as strong. Cameroon caught them out badly when playing at pace, and Brazil tore them apart in the early stages of their quarter final match, and that should send warning signals.
Defence: Spain 1, Holland 0

Midfield: This is where the game will be one or lost. If you are looking for the most likely candidate to get a red card in the World Cup final, then look no further than Holland’s Mark Van Bommel. The midfielder, who is out of favour at Bayern Munich has been fouling left right and centre under the nose of the referee and he keeps getting away with things. He will have a very tough time in trying to keep Xavi and Xabi Alonso quiet. How well Van Bommel and his midfield partner (which will probably be Nigel De Jong who will return to the side after suspension) can deal with the Spanish duo will be key. They can’t afford to lose sight of them, especially with Alonso making late runs to join attacks, and they can’t give too many free kicks away either. There is a lot of responsibility resting on their shoulders, and while Van Bommel has probably been one of the best Dutch players, he will need to be on top of his game. If he has a bad day at the office, Spain will run riot. Why are Spain so good in midfield? Because they have such phenomenal passing quality in there. Xavi is one of the best passers of the ball in the world, and pretty much everything goes through him. Opposition know that, and still they have a hard time in keeping him quiet, and that is because Spain as a team keep the ball so well. When they start stretching their passes across the full width of the pitch, it creates so much space in the middle for Xavi, they are able to use him to the best of his best ability. Spain do like to keep things fairly narrow in the centre of the pitch, when defending, but when going forward, there are always options out wide, and Xavi will pick out the passes. For the Spanish, having Iniesta dropping back to pick up the ball as well, he uses his phenomenal control to take advantage of any space. He takes balls into tight spaces and ties up defenders, creating space for his team mates. For Holland, their main weapons in going forward are Arjen Robben and Wesley Sneijder. Sneijder is in awesome form, being the link up man between midfield and attack. The question is, can he find the space to deliver his usual performance, as he may spend a lot of time tracking back? The same for Robben, who switches flanks well with Dirk Kuyt and Robben, Kuyt and Sneijder are great on the break. They may have to do more defensive duties than they will like, but when they do break, they simply have to make it count. The counter punching quality is there for Holland, but not the ball retention or creativity.
Midfield: Spain 1, Holland 0

Forwards: Not surprisingly Spain will have the edge here, as they have tournament top scorer David Villa. Villa hugs the left hand touchline and likes to come in and attack from angles there. He has pace, he has great close control and he is bristling with confidence. He will give any back line in the world a problem, and it is no wonder Barcelona have paid big money to land him. He has an incredible international scoring record and would be well worthy of lifting the Golden Boot at South Africa 2010. He will be the big threat, but the question is, who will be his partner? Will coach Del Bosque throw Torres back into action after dropping him for the semi final? Will he stick with the livewire Pedro whose energy really gave Spain an extra dimension, but blew a clear cut chance to make it two nil in the semi final by being selfish? Will Del Bosque change things altogether and put in Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas in a supporting role? Questions, but Torres will likely get the nod because of experience. For Holland, Robin Van Persie is quality, but he was expected to carry just a little more threat at the tournament, only scoring once so far. Has been a bit anonymous, truth be told and he will need to have a big game, as the Dutch do not have a great deal of options on the bench. If a chance comes his way he will have to take it, as it he clearly will not get as many as David Villa will.
Forwards: Spain 1, Holland 0

Coach: Del Bosque inherited the current squad pretty much, but still he has worked well with them in turning them into a world beating side. Really has not had a lot to do tactically, as Spain play their way whoever the opposition is. Showed a lot of sense in dropping Torres for the semi final, and whether he puts him back into the line up or not is his only question. Van Marwijk deserves a lot of praise for his work, having only lost one match since taking over as national coach. The Netherlands are on a 25 game unbeaten run, and that is thanks to the calm composure he has instilled in his team. Does not change things tactically too much, as Holland like to play on the attack, but seems to be a great leader of a nation which is usually self destructive.
Coach: Del Bosque 1, Van Marwijk 1

Tactics: Tactically the sides will line up relatively similarly. They both employ a back four, and while Holland have two holding midfielders, Spain employ just the one in Sergio Busquets. Sneijder is the key man as he stays central in joining the lone attack, while Robben and Kuyt are used for width. This means that they are great on the break, but are also vulnerable to teams getting in behind them. Spain, with a similar system, use Xavi and Alonso in front of Busquets, and then Iniesta and Torres to drift wider into attack. Spain use their full backs better in getting forward, and David Villa creates a whole world of space because he has that extra level of movement in him, attacking from wide on the left. Dynamic is the word for Spain, predictable would be the one for Holland. Holland are set up strongly, but Spain play to the strengths of their playmakers, and that allows them to control games with possession.
Tactics: Spain 1, Holland 1

Spain V Holland Betting Tips

Prediction: Holland may put up stubborn resistance, but Spain should be backed to win this final simply because player for player, they have a higher level of quality in the midfield. With their foot on the ball and playing their patient game, Spain will dominate anyone. They have grown in confidence, and there is just the feeling that they will have saved their best till last, and will win comfortably in the end by a couple of goals.
Winning Margin: Spain to win by one goal 13/5 at Bet365

World Cup Final – Over / Under 2.5 goals – betting tips

The climax of four years preparations are about to come to fruition for either Spain or The Netherlands.
For me it will be won and lost in the midfield. With Iniesta and his crew just shading it.
From a betting angle there are good trading opportunities for those brave enough to take a view.
Spain’s attack has seen them ahead on CORNERS WON in their previous matches. I can’t see it being any other way here.
TOTAL corners could also be a possible bet. Over 10.5 looks good. Most bookies will make prices available for both bets.

TRADING SCORELINES.
For those who enjoy this type of battle there are some interesting outcomes in the offing.
Dutching the following will appeal to many who decide how the game may end.
For betting purposes The Netherlands are regarded as the HOME SIDE.

UNDER 2.5 GOALS.  Available at around 1.6. Bet365
Cover for 1 – 2 (11.5) and 2 – 1. (17.5) Approximate profit 30%.

OVER 2.5 GOALS.  Available at around 2.62. Bet365
 WITH NETHERLANDS TO WIN
 1 – 0 (10.0)
 1 – 1 (7.8)
 2 – 0 (24.0). Approximate profit 50% +

OVER 2.5 GOALS. Available at around 2.62. Bet365
 WITH SPAIN TO WIN
 1 – 0 (6.4)
 1 – 1 (7.8)
 2 – 0 (10.5). Approximate profit 31%.

Many bookies will offer NOVELTY MARKETS. My tip is give them a miss. When you look at the mathamatics of the offers, they are sadly lacking in balance. They are eheavily weighted in the bookies favour. (Surprise surprise).

3rd and 4th PLACE.
Usually neither side would want to be here. However the Uruguyans have stated that they aren’t there to make-up the numbers.
As both sides may well give some of the unused squad players an outing,
 (As has happened in the past), Forget NORMAL FORM and plump OVER 2.5 GOALS.
Both teams are capable of getting a netful on their day.
The 1.76 on offer is an indication that others feel the same way.

ROLL-ON EURO 2012.

Let’s start this article with a few stats:

•    Spain have won their last three World Cup matches by a 1-0 scoreline
•    David Villa has scored the opening goal on two of those occasions, although the match against Germany saw him playing as the (less effective) front man
•    Spain have been level at half-time in these three matches before going to find a winner in the second half

Therefore, if you believe that we will see the Sunday’s World Cup final follow a similar pattern, then there are some corresponding bets that might catch the eye:

•    Spain to win in ninety minutes is 11/10 with bet365
•    Spain to be level at half-time and ahead at full-time is 4/1 with Paddy Power
•    Spain to win by a 1-0 scoreline is 11/2 with Ladbrokes
•    Spain to keep a clean sheet is 5/4 with Sporting Bet
•    Spain to ‘win to nil’ is available at odds of 21/10 with Paddy Power

While a Netherlands goal will mean the latter three bets are losing selections, we  should also bear in mind that the Dutch go into this match as outsiders and that’s because the bookmakers are not expecting them to have a lot of possession at Soccer City. Therefore, their first port of call will be to ensure they keep things tight against the European champions before looking for ways to attack.

Yes, Holland beat Brazil and some might fancy backing them at 11/4 (bet365) to beat the other team that headed the pre-tournament outright market. The Dutch have certainly had Lady Luck on their side, playing a fluid formation with Wesley Sneijder going forward! However, are the Oranje really any better than a vibrant Germany team that were clearly second best against Spain during the semi-final on Wednesday night?

The big concern for Bert van Marwijk is that his team have not kept a clean sheet in the past four matches, with the defence making sloppy mistakes to allow Cameroon, Brazil, Slovakia and Uruguay to score. Therefore, their customary defensive approach might end in tears and the manager might be looking for ways to get the supply line through to Robin Van Persie, who has been isolated for much of the campaign. The Arsenal striker is 15/2 (Blue Square) to open the scoring on the biggest stage imaginable and Spain do have a chink in the defence.

Joan Capdevila is the only player in the likely starting XI that doesn’t play for Barcelona or Real Madrid and the left-back could be targeted by the tricky Arjen Robben (10/1 Blue Square), who is the class act in the team, despite Sneijder (9/1 Paddy Power) scoring five goals during this tournament (it was actually four but FIFA have gifted him a 5th).

Therefore, can the Dutch manage a 1-0 win (15/2 bet365) of their own and claim their first ever World Cup? It’s unlikely, although their defensive tactics means that Under 2 Goals (10/11 bet365) can be backed with a fair degree of confidence considering that you will get a refund if there are exactly two goals in normal time.

I don’t know whether to be upset or pleased that some colleagues have taken to calling me ‘The Octopus’. You must have heard of Paul the Octopus, the soothsayer cephalopod of Oberhausen in Germany? The bottom-dwelling psychic has become a Facebook phenomenon by correctly forecasting the outcome of all of Germany‘s World Cup matches so far so I have taken it as a compliment to have my powers of prediction compared to a creature known to be highly intelligent and with a remarkable strike-rate. Unfortunately, someone pointed out that it’s the fact that the octopus and I share the same nom de plume that I’ve given the nickname (though it could have been worse, at least we don’t look alike)! Paul, who was ‘transferred’ from England to Germany in his formative years and has now been given his own TV show, could have made a fortune if he’d been able to operate a keyboard (the accumulative odds of the five correctly predicted games is over 130/1) but there are signs that his popularity is already on the wane in his adopted homeland after he predicted Spain would end the run of the Germans in the semi-finals, prompting the Westfaelische Rundschau newspaper to label the mussel-munching medium a ‘traitor’. The tentacled tipping machine certainly made a sucker out of one British punter who blew the best part of £417,000 with William Hill by backing ‘Jogi’ Loew‘s team to get the better of the European champions – I wonder if he’ll try to get his money back by following the octopus’s advice when he decides whether Germany will beat Uruguay in the third-place play-off. If you prefer your tipsters to have a diet not entirely comprising of molluscs, Paddy Power have Germany at 4/5 to beat the South Americans in 90 minutes. Given the Uruguayans’ decimated squad, that may be a decent bet.

Will Missing Mueller Be Key Factor?

Germany will be without Thomas Mueller, who has been in sparkling form at South Africa 2010. The exciting young winger, who has accumulated four goals in his seven international appearances for his country, will have to watch from the sidelines after picking up a harsh yellow card in Germany’s 4-0 thrashing of Argentina in the World Cup quarter finals. It was a dubious call for an alleged handball, which was a whole lot of nothing, and the semi final will be robbed of one of the tournament’s best players. Coach Joachim Loew has a big selection to make, as to who will step in for the young midfielder, and have to carefully think who will be able to do the job as well as Mueller has. The main choice could be Piotr Trochowski who is a midfielder, while the other options would either be Cacau or Mario Gomez. Both of those are strikers though, and while Mueller joins in the attack a lot from midfielder, the question is whether any of the two forwards would be able to complete the same kind of work ethic in getting back for midfield duties. Cacau probably won’t get the nod as he has been struggling for fitness all tournament, while Gomez would likely be saved for the role as coming on as a substitute up front.

Loew had to go through training without two other key players in Arne Freidrich and Sami Khedira, but both are expected to start. Khedira teams up with Bastian Schweinsteiger in midfield, and will be vital in closing out the threats from the Spanish midfield. Missing Mueller though could be one of the key factors of the Spain v Germany semi final. He has been so creative and has done his job in the formation so well, that he will be missed. Loew has a system and a formation into which he fits players who can do the roles, and now the Germans will be missing one of their main source of goals. But that does not mean they will be short, certainly not with Lukas Podolski, Mesut Oezil and Schweinsteiger in the team. The Germans may not be able to get as much possession as they would like against the Spanish, but when they do, they look as if they are not afraid to get numbers forward. This is why the second of the 2010 FIFA World Cup semi finals should be quite an open affair. This could almost be the final that the crowds want to see, with Spain’s immaculate passing game, going up against the high tempo youthful German team.

Germany v Spain match Odds
Spain to win: 7/4 at Bwin
Draw: 23/10 at Ladbrokes
Germany to win: 15/8 at Boylesports

Stage of Elimination
Semi Final: 10/11 at Bet365
Winner: 21/10 at Blue Square
Runners Up: 10/3 at Bet365

Anytime Goalscorer:
Miroslav Klose: 21/10 at Bet365
Lukas Podolski: 11/4 at SkyBet
Mesut Oezil: 11/2 at SportingBet
Bastian Schweinsteiger: 7/1 at SportingBet

Spain to go with Fabregas or Torres?

Spain will go into Wednesday’s semi final against Germany, with coach Vicente Del Bosque pondering what do to with the out of form Liverpool striker Fernando Torres. Del Bosque has received some good news about Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas who has been cleared fit to play. Fabregas had picked up an injury during training but despite some initial fears there was no real damage to the influential midfielder. Fabregas would be the ideal replacement to come into the side, if Del Bosque decides to start Torres from the bench. After coming back from a couple of knee surgeries in the summer, Torres has looked far short of sharp best during the World Cup so far. While Del Bosque has persevered with him, worrying about dropping him from the side and denting his confidence even further, at such a crunch time at South Africa 2010, will the coach go with form over reputation? Fabregas is likely to be heading to Barcelona in the summer, with reported bids already coming in for the 23 year old, but has not been a starting choice for Del Bosque.

Del Bosque may simply stick with his starting eleven and see if Torres can provide something up front with David Villa, even if it is only for the first half. Spain have been carrying him through the tournament, but can they afford to do so right now? Whether Torres starts or not could all depend on the degree of fitness of Fabregas. It would probably be a safer bet for Del Bosque to pull Torres off and inject some extra pace in Fabregas in the second half, rather than worrying about whether to put an out of from Torres on if the game happens to need rescuing. The Netherlands will await the winners of Spain v Germany, which itself is a rematch of the Euro 2008 final, which Spin won thanks to a goal from, yes, Fernando Torres. Apparently an octopus in Germany has predicted a win for the Spaniards, who have not been right at the top of their form throughout the tournament, and have been heavily outscored by the Germans. “Paul” has gotten all of Germany’s results right so far at South Africa 2010, and of all World Cup betting tips this has to be one of the weirdest, but certainly has had the success and the legs to run and run.

With all yellow cards being wiped out for the semi finals, Spain have a fully fit squad to pick from, as long as Fabregas is fit. How much of an influence will Torres starting or not have on the actual match? Although he has not been scoring, he has still been doing his job in creating space for the attacking midfielders to join in the play, notably Iniesta and Xavi. He is still contributing to the team, but it is like the old argument about England’s Emile Heskey, do you need a striker who is scoring? While Fabregas is more suited to the middle of the park, the other options up front for Del Bosque would be Fernando Llorente or Pedro. While Pedro is an incredibly exciting talent, his inexperience will count against him, and would you throw Llorente into the mix instead of Torres? Probably not, not at this stage of a tournament. Fernando Torres is 2/1 at SportingBet as an anytime goal scorer. Bets are that Del Bosque will stick with Torres and leave his options on the bench. Spain need to find goals from somewhere else though, and take lessons from Germany’s clinical finishing in front of goal.

Spain v Germany Match Odds
Spain to win: 7/4 at Bwin
Draw: 23/10 at Ladbrokes
Germany to win: 15/8 at Boylesports

Stage of Elimination:
Semi Final: 10/11 at Bet365
Winner: 21/10 at Paddy Power
Runners Up: 10/3 at Bet365

Team Specials
Spain to Reach Final: 17/20 at Blue Square
Spain to keep a clean sheet in the final: 11/4 at 888Sport
Spain to win to nil in the final: 10/3 at Blue Square
Spain to score in both halves in the final: 5/1 at 888Sport
Spain to win having been behind in the final: 12/1 at Blue Square
Spain to win the World Cup on penalties: 14/1 at 888Sport

Quite simply, this is a huge game of football and many people will have wished this contest to be the World Cup final on Sunday. It’s a repeat of the Euro 2008 final where Spain won 1-0 thanks to a Fernando Torres goal, although the net might bulge more than once when these two attacking teams clash swords in Durban.

The bookmakers are also getting excited about the match and have started to produce a number of special promotions for the biggest game of the World Cup so far. Totesport should be applauded for a wide range of moneyback specials on all the big events and the UK firm will refund all losing correct score bets on this game if Germany manage to get their revenge for Euro 2008 and win the game 1-0.

Meanwhile, bet365, Paddy Power and Blue Square will be running with their customary ‘Bore Draw’ cashback promotions, with refunds being offered on selected markets if the game ends goalless. While Germany have been scoring for fun recently, they will surely adopt a more defensive approach against a free-flowing Spain and they will have Thomas Muller suspended for the big game.

Ladbrokes are continuing to offer their unprecedented 500% new customer bonus during the World Cup, where you will get a free £25 bet simply by depositing £5 when you register. It’s been a popular offer and they are also providing special odds on the two teams going through in extra-time or on penalties.

Only three matches in the 2010 World Cup have gone to extra-time so far and two were decided on spot kicks. However, Germany and Spain might be evenly-matched at the Moses Mabhida Stadium and you can get 10/1 with Ladbrokes that Vicente Del Bosque’s team win after extra-time. However, you can’t rule out Die Mannschaft winning on penalties as they have done so many times before, with odds of 12/1 available about this possibility.

Over at Coral, you can get a free £20 bet when you deposit and wager £10 on the Germany v Spain match. There are so many markets to choose from and it’s noticeable that they are offering a best-priced 4/1 that Miroslav Klose finishes as Top Goalscorer in the 2010 World Cup. While they might be looking to balance their books, it could be a value offer as the Bayern Munich striker looks to break Ronaldo’s record.

Talking of goalscorer bets, Paddy Power are offering customers the chance to bet on ‘First to Score for their Team’ and ‘Insurebet First Goalscorer’ on the Germany v Spain match in addition to First Goalscorer, Last Goalscorer and Anytime Goalscorer. The Insurebet option means that if a player doesn’t score the first goal in a match but scores later in the game, you will get your stake refunded. David Villa has scored first in the last three Spain games and is on offer at 13/5 on the Insurebet market or 4/1 if you just think he will score first.

Spain v Germany Betting Odds

Spain to win: 17/10 at Bwin
Draw: 23/10 at Ladbrokes
Germany to win: 19/10 at William Hill

Spain

Twelve World Cup tournaments and nothing to show for it. That is what the current Spanish players are carrying on their shoulders at the moment. That is the daunting record which they are trying to overcome, as the European Champions go into their semi final against Germany, one of the hottest teams in the tournament. Spain lost their first match of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, and no team who has lost their opening match, has ever gone on to win the World Cup. That is another piece of history which Spain are fighting against, but two pieces of World Cup history have already been shattered, so will it be case of things coming in threes? When South Africa went out in the group stage, they became the first host nation not to reach the second round. Up until 2010, Brazil were the only nation to win a World Cup outside of their own continent, meaning that no European side has ever won it outside of Europe. That will all change too, after Holland knocked out Brazil in the Quarter Finals. So if Spain go on to win the World Cup, they will be creating some more World Cup history. They were outright favourites to win the tournament before it started, and they have just reclaimed that spot after falling behind in betting odds to Brazil and Argentina. With them both gone, the path is apparently clear for this current Spanish side to fulfil their destiny. To do that, they will first need to find a way past Joachim Loew’s impressive young Germany.

The quality over Spain and their chances of lifting the World Cup have never been in question. They clearly have had one of the most outstanding squads at the World Cup. It is a squad which coach Vicente Del Bosque pretty much inherited, and nothing much has changed since their Euro 2008 success. Their victory in the Euro 2008 final was against Germany, the side they now face in the semi finals of the World Cup. That fixture two years ago will have little bearing on what will happen at South Africa 2010, as Spain will be facing a much better German side than they did back then. So let us look at Spain’s qualities. They are one of the best passing teams in the tournament, and have a very South American feel about them. They back themselves so much in possession, it is a joy to watch them knock the ball around with confidence, and patiently wait to create that opening. This is something which has worked so well for them, as they generally have to be patient, for teams tend to line up defensively against them from the outset. Their passing at the 2010 FIFA World Cup has in some ways been detrimental to them running up big scores. They have been over-passing, trying to be a little too cute at times with the ball instead of being more direct and cut throat as their semi final opponents Germany have been. This is because they have looked nervous, perhaps over-compensating after their loss to Switzerland. Spain do possess a lot of patience, and they have needed to during their 2010 FIFA World Cup campaign, where all but one of their victories have been by a one goal margin, and their last two, tough 1-0 triumphs over Portugal and Paraguay respectively.

Spain generally have the upper hand in matches, simply because of their ability to hold on to the ball and dominate possession. That is their strength and that is what they stick too. The passing ability they have in their side, from Xavi, to Iniesta, to David Villa, to Sergio Busquets, to Xabi Alonso and Cesc Fabregas, is probably unrivalled. However, they have not been putting that creativity to great use at South Africa 2010, and without David Villa, one would be wondering just where the goals would be coming from for Spain. Certainly not from Liverpool’s Fernando Torres, who has looked woefully short of his very best, and for all of the possession they have created, Spain have simply not been ruthless enough. This is either a very worrying sign for Del Bosque, or a very worrying sign for the remaining teams left in, that Spain have been winning without hitting their limits of potential. Another thing which Spain do so very well, is throw their full backs into action down the flanks. Sergio Ramos and Joan Capdevila have been dominating in this area, and they are allowed to do so, by the fact that Busquets is generally hanging around backing up the play in front of the defence should anything go wrong. They also have one of the World’s top strikers in David Villa, who is a little unorthodox in that he hugs the left touchline. What this does is create a whole world of extra space in the middle of attacks which Iniesta and Xavi in particular can exploit. Villa likes playing alongside Torres, but the time may have come to yank Torres from the line up, as he has been completely ineffectual. Del Bosque is not short of quality replacements on the bench, and it will be interesting to see if he keeps the same shape against Germany. Spain need to keep possession against Germany and use their width to keep the Germans pressed back. The threat from Germany will come in the form of lighting fast counter attacks, and with Spain’s naturally tendency to flood forward too, this could be one very open game, especially out wide. If there is more to come from Spain, then now will be the time to deliver.

Germany

Coach Joachim Loew has built his team from the ground up. He was not happy about the way they lost to Spain in the final of Euro 2008, and so shook up his entire squad. He welcomed into the fold some of their successful Under 21 side, products of a huge investment a decade earlier by the German football federation to promote and nurture the talents of their youngsters. He has done that with great aplomb, and he kept faith with his tactics and players even when things were not looking right through international friendly matches. He has persisted with tweaking the formation, and the best thing about Germany, is that they have the players to do the roles and the jobs that are asked of them, without any question. While there is a back bone of experience in the team, like Miroslav Klose, Bastian Schweinsteiger and captain Philip Lahm, Germany are the youngest side at South Africa 2010 and their youthful exuberance is paying dividends. They are a huge success story and one to be admired, and hopefully Fabio Capello and the English FA will take notice of the fact that youth can work. If they are good enough, then they should play, even if it is at the expense of more established heads. This is the balance that Loew has gotten right with his side. He has his formation, and into that go the players than can do the job. If you don’t fit as a piece of the puzzle, then you are likely not getting in.

Germany have destroyed Australia, England and most recently Argentina on their way to the semi finals. They play an up tempo game which any top side in the English Premier League would be admirable of, and perhaps the most notable thing about them, is that they are not afraid to throw numbers forward when they can. Speed. Ambition. Discipline. These the three key words which Joachim Loew demands of his team, and everything has been done while flying under the radar. They were well back as an outsider at the start of the tournament in World Cup betting odds, and not many fancied their chances because of their inexperience. They went undefeated through their European qualification group, and while it was not the toughest of opposition which they faced, one stand out result for them, and which said a great deal about the place they were at, was a victory in Russia which clinched top spot in the group for them. Germany are the success story of the World Cup, and they looked to have gotten better and better. There were questions over them, after they lost to Serbia in a group match after Klose was dismissed, and then were given a very tough time by Ghana. The Germans pulled through that one by a single goal, but there looked to be vulnerabilities which good teams would exploit. It was a completely different Germany which showed up against England, beating their old rivals 3-1, and then an even better Germany which showed up and crushed Argentina 4-0. Tactically, that was probably the most impressive performance by any team in the tournament so far. They completely negated the main threats from the South Americans, while not taking anything away from their own game.

Germany have hit thirteen goals in comparison to Spain’s six. Why they are so potent, is largely down to how brave they are in getting numbers forward. Creative midfielder and inspiration, Mesut Oezil sits in behind lone striker Miroslav Klose, pulling the strings of attack. With two wider players in Lucas Podolski and Tomas Mueller they are able to get plenty of men forward into the attack, and they are backed up by midfield general and star, Bastian Schweinsteiger. Schweinsteiger used to be an attacking winger and that is why his movement and passing is so very impressive. He really drives the team forward, even though has huge responsibility with Sami Khedira in patrolling in front of the defence. This system works because Germany have a lot of speed, and they have the young legs to get up the field and cover back in the blink o f an eye. There would be weaknesses if they did not play at the speed with which they have. That is not to say that Germany are not in any way infallible, for they have been exposed, and when you have a passing team in front of them as good as Spain are, there are holes which can picked out. That was the general consensus of what would happen against Argentina, but Schweinsteiger and Khedira did such an incredible job of shutting down Messi, that the supply line to the forwards was pretty much cut off. Because there are the two defensive midfielders operating, it forces teams wide and takes pressure of the centre halves. It also allows Germany to press forward themselves, and if they are able to get their own full backs forward, it will negate a big threat from Spain. Germany are riding high and full of confidence. Can they take another step forward in the advocacy of youth?

Betting Tip – To Win – Germany 19/10 at William Hill

Match verdict. This should be an open match, with neither team willing to set out too defensively, as that will take from their strengths. Who would win in such an open match? You would tip Spain, simply because of the experience and ability which they have. But they are not looking the most confident of teams, and if German captain and right back Philip Lahm can keep David Villa quiet, Spain could be a bit subdued. They have been kept quiet by opponents in this World Cup already, looking a little bit short of their dynamic best. Germany have shown that they can take on the best and beat them, so why not do it again? They will be full of confidence that they can outscore Spain if it is an open game, but they are missing four goal hero Tomas Mueller through suspension. That is a huge blow for them and Piotr Trochowski may just fill in as a straight swap. Still, backing Germany is well worth a punt with an Asian Handicap. They have the firepower.
Germany 0 Asian Handicap – Evens at Paddy Power

Top Spain v Germany Betting Odds

Correct score
Spain 2-1: 9/10 at Bet365
Germany 1-0: 15/2 at SkyBet

To Qualify
Spain: 18/19 at Bwin
Germany: Evens at Totesport

Anytime Goalscorer
David Villa: 13/10 at Bwin
Fernando Torres: 2/1 at Blue Square
Miroslav Klose: 21/10 at Bet365
Andres Iniesta: 5/1 at Bet365
Mesut Oezil: 11/2 SportingBet

There’s a mouth-watering match in prospect on Wednesday night, with the two best footballing teams clashing swords in Durban for a place in the 2010 World Cup final. Spain might finally get the chance to play a team that are not camped in their own half of the pitch for the whole game, looking to counter-attack on the rare opportunities that they have possession of the ball.

The bookmakers are struggling to separate two teams who have reached the semi-final in very different ways. The Spanish were on the back foot in Group H after an early defeat by Switzerland and victories against Portugal and Paraguay haven’t come easy for Vicente Del Bosque’s team. However, bet365 are happy to offer 13/8 that the European champions win in normal time at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.

Spain once again demonstrated their brilliance and fragility in equal measures against the Paraguayans and it’s possible that one of Iker Casillas, Joan Capdevila or Gerard Pique will make a critical mistake to allow the Germans to score. La Furia Roja also like to pour forward in numbers which leaves them susceptible to the counter attack.

Many people will regard Germany’s price of 19/10 (William Hill) as way too big, especially as they have trampled all over the World Cup dreams of Argentina and England. Die Mannschaft produced two outstanding performances to beat their old foes and Joachim Loew has got the team playing a simple yet effective brand of football which might see them go one better than the Euro 2008 final where they lost to Spain in the final.

While Thomas Muller will be suspended for the semi-final, it won’t stop Miroslav Klose being a threat and the Bayern Munich forward is getting closer to becoming the all-time World Cup leading goalscorer. It will be his last tournament in all probability and bet365 offer 13/2 that the 31-year-old breaks the deadlock and sets his team on their way to a final against the Netherlands or Uruguay.

The two German players that have also stood out in this competition are Mesut Ozil (14/1 Blue Square) and Bastian Schweinsteiger (18/1 Ladbrokes), the latter of whom controlled the match against Argentina. However, it’s possible that both men will be employed snuffing out the midfield threat of Xavi (16/1 Ladbrokes) and Andres Iniesta (14/1 Victor Chandler), with the latter looking particularly sharp against Paraguay.

However, Spain would probably be out of the World Cup if it wasn’t for the mercurial David Villa, who stated at the start of the campaign that he has a chance of winning the Golden Boot and is currently a goal clear of his rivals. The Barcelona new boy has been a revelation cutting in from the left flank and was once again the match-winner against Paraguay. Bet365 offer 4/1 that he scores first and you’ll get your money back with this firm if the match finishes goalless during normal time.

Online Bookmaker Bet365 is still offering a cash back offer on your selection for the winner of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The tournament may be down to the last four teams standing, and if the team you back as an outright winner (and this can be a single win or an each-way bet) gets eliminated from the tournament on penalties, then your stake on that losing bet will be refunded. We have seen thrilling penalty shoot out action already, with Uruguay edging out Ghana and Paraguay beating Japan. We are down to the best four in the World at the moment, and the games should be tight and run with a great chance of going all the way down to a penalty shoot out. There is little to chose between Spain (15/8), Germany (2/1), Uruguay (10/1) and Holland (21/10). There is nothing more thrilling than a shoot out, unless you are Asamoah Gyan, and to back up this service, Bet365 are making the market available through their In-Play service, throughout the remainder of the tournament. If your team crashes out on penalties, then you will at least be spared some heartache of your own. If you want to back any of the team, then the time to do so is now. The offer expires on Sunday, July 11th when the World Cup Final kicks off.

More coverage for your World Cup betting, is Bet365’s Bore Draw Money Back promotion. This is something which runs throughout domestic leagues, and it is being covered for the World Cup too. So, if you get your bets on pre-match (meaning that it won’t count for In-Play bets made), then you will get refunded lost stakes on First, Last and Anytime Goalscorer markets, along with Correct Score, Half-Time/Full-Time and all Scorecast Markets. Boring 0-0 draws have never been so interesting. The Bore Draw offer from Bet365 also runs on any other football match in their sports book, and covers the Correct Score, Half-Time/Full-Time and Scorecasts markets. So, while the 2010 FIFA World Cup from South Africa enters its final stages, there is still time to take advantage of these great offers, from one of the most highly recommended online bookmakers out there. To put the cherry on the World Cup Betting cake, new account holders can take advantage of up to £200 worth of free bets. This is done as a 100% matched bonus on your first deposit. That is a lot of free World Cup bets to enjoy for opening a new account with Bet365.