Why Spain Lost?

Spain(0) – USA(2) sounds like a major shock result but is it really? I was not all that surprised as the warning signs had very much been there in the previous two matches.

Let’s look at the long list of reasons why this “upset” happened.

1. Wrong tactics – If you look around all the major teams in world football, playing two strikers is slowly going out of fashion. It’s still not impossible for that system to work but the two strikers really have to complement each other. Torres and Villa play in such a different way that they never do that. Torres’s game is based on playing off the shoulder of the last defender and breaking at speed. Villa on the other hand drops into midfield and helps to build the game from there using his creativity. The way Spain play makes Villa actively involved but Torres is often rendered completely useless in several matches. Although this has not been mentioned much, the injury to Villa in Euro 2008 was actually a blessing in disguise. Spain changed its formation to 4-1-4-1 and looked a much more dangerous team in the semi final and final than they had looked earlier. Torres now had space to run at defenders and Fabregas behind him provided great link up play. This is the best formation for Spain. On the other hand the 4-4-2 used earlier was not all that bad but then they had two flank players. Using Silva’s pace and Iniesta’s guile really helped, neither of whom played yesterday. On the other hand playing 4-4-2 with Fabregas on the right was always going to be a recipe for disaster because he would play through the centre leaving Sergio Ramos alone on the right flank. He has already complained in Real Madrid that being the only right sided player, he finds it very difficult. So when he himself does not believe he is capable of performing such a difficult role, why give it to him?

2. Lack of speed – Whether we like it or not, speed is crucial in the modern game. A beautiful technically top class team like Argentina were troubled so much by a pacy Mexico side in the second round of WC 2006 and the same team was thrashed by a mediocre Brazil in the final of Copa America 2007. Their main problem was lack of speed. In Spain it’s mainly Torres who has the pace but as explained above he is often rendered useless. So Silva and Iniesta can provide some speed but even they are not that fast. Yesterday neither of them were there any way.

3. Lack of strength – Spain does not have players as strong physically as some of the other teams and this counts in a big way. They are unable to prevent the other team, no matter how inferior, from playing. Marcos Senna did this job wonderfully in Euro 2008 but he was not there this time. It seems he has no ready made substitute. Xabi Alonso while being a great central midfielder is not really an enforcer and hard tackler. Even in Liverpool he depends on Mascherano to do that job for him.

4. Defensive frailties – Even though they had kept a lot of clean sheets Spain’s defense has never been very convincing. I think playing Pique in place of Albiol was a big mistake. The Barcelona man has had an excellent season but he fancies himself as an attacking player which along with his lack of experience decreases his reliability. Albiol on the other hand is probably the best defender in Spain at the moment. As for Puyol, what people do not say but a few of them know is that in Euro 2008 Marchena made him look much better than he actually is on current form. Capdevila showed yesterday that he has a long way to go. As for Sergio Ramos who is supposed to be a very promising player, frankly yes he does spectacular things once in a while but I have seen him make so many mistakes that I am fed up now. No wonder Real Madrid are trying to get Maicon who is much better.

5. Lack of set piece abilities – In a game if you dominate possession and create many chances, you are bound to get a lot of free kicks and corners. Yet if you cannot make use of even one of them, what can be done? In Spain not one guy looks capable of striking a spectacular goal from a free kick. They don’t do much from corners either mainly due to a lack of aerial threat.