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| Vicente del Bosque’s Spain will attack, attack but must play patient game | Vicente del Bosque’s Spain will attack, attack but must play patient game |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The ball sailed in a huge, long arc through the fading light and dropped into the net. On the halfway line of pitch six at the Alfredo Gottardi training ground outside Curitiba, Spain’s players cheered. Their work here was done. Scoring from the middle of the pitch without the ball bouncing was the warm-down, extended until someone succeeded. Behind them, Iker Casillas and Pepe Reina were in the middle of a familiar face-off from the penalty spot. | The ball sailed in a huge, long arc through the fading light and dropped into the net. On the halfway line of pitch six at the Alfredo Gottardi training ground outside Curitiba, Spain’s players cheered. Their work here was done. Scoring from the middle of the pitch without the ball bouncing was the warm-down, extended until someone succeeded. Behind them, Iker Casillas and Pepe Reina were in the middle of a familiar face-off from the penalty spot. |
| For just under an hour the ball had moved swiftly and so had they: 20 players in barely 20 metres, passing and pressing. At one stage David Villa flew into Sergio Busquets, dumping him on the turf and continuing, no acknowledgement, not even a glance. There was an intensity to the session that had been missing in previous days. The recovery was gathering pace and there were places to play for. | For just under an hour the ball had moved swiftly and so had they: 20 players in barely 20 metres, passing and pressing. At one stage David Villa flew into Sergio Busquets, dumping him on the turf and continuing, no acknowledgement, not even a glance. There was an intensity to the session that had been missing in previous days. The recovery was gathering pace and there were places to play for. |
| On the morning after the defeat against Holland, the front cover of the sports daily Marca was a funereal black. The headline said “Fix this”. That is what Spain are trying to do. Vicente del Bosque admitted that he fell asleep in front of the Australia game, exhausted, and that when he awoke the television was still on. Ideas assault him, questions, too. Fixing this may not be easy and may not be in their hands but they must do their bit to fix it. The question is: how? | On the morning after the defeat against Holland, the front cover of the sports daily Marca was a funereal black. The headline said “Fix this”. That is what Spain are trying to do. Vicente del Bosque admitted that he fell asleep in front of the Australia game, exhausted, and that when he awoke the television was still on. Ideas assault him, questions, too. Fixing this may not be easy and may not be in their hands but they must do their bit to fix it. The question is: how? |
| Cesc Fábregas called it “life or death”; Spain had two options: “win or win”. Win and win, more like. The world champions need six points and for Chile not to beat Holland. If that happens, they will need to overturn a huge disadvantage in goals. Spain’s goal difference stands at -4, Chile’s at +2. If Spain do go through it is likely to be in second place now: and that may mean meeting Brazil, who have not lost in Brazil for 12 years. | Cesc Fábregas called it “life or death”; Spain had two options: “win or win”. Win and win, more like. The world champions need six points and for Chile not to beat Holland. If that happens, they will need to overturn a huge disadvantage in goals. Spain’s goal difference stands at -4, Chile’s at +2. If Spain do go through it is likely to be in second place now: and that may mean meeting Brazil, who have not lost in Brazil for 12 years. |
| Xabi Alonso spoke of “analysis”, of “gauging sensations” and “detecting” the failings. They had done so, he said. Some were obvious: specific errors could be detected in all five goals. Casillas stood before his team-mates and apologised before saying sorry to the supporters, too. | Xabi Alonso spoke of “analysis”, of “gauging sensations” and “detecting” the failings. They had done so, he said. Some were obvious: specific errors could be detected in all five goals. Casillas stood before his team-mates and apologised before saying sorry to the supporters, too. |
| But the problems were more profound, even if David Silva had a wonderful chance to make it 2-0 that might have ended the game. Too many players ended the season out of form and fitness. | But the problems were more profound, even if David Silva had a wonderful chance to make it 2-0 that might have ended the game. Too many players ended the season out of form and fitness. |
| Within the camp, the idea that their problems are physical is given short shrift but since 1 April Gerard Piqué had played only 90 minutes for Barcelona and 45 for Spain; 2013-14 may have been the worst season Xavi and Busquets have endured and it would be natural for Sergio Ramos and Alonso to undergo a post-décima decompression. | |
| One of the men on the pitch noted that Spain’s central defenders barely spoke during the game. There was a lack of concentration and intensity; in the final half an hour it was almost as if they did not, or could not, compete. | One of the men on the pitch noted that Spain’s central defenders barely spoke during the game. There was a lack of concentration and intensity; in the final half an hour it was almost as if they did not, or could not, compete. |
| “With 20 minutes to go, instead of thinking: ‘We can turn this round’, we were thinking: ‘It’s four, there’s 20 minutes left still and we can’t do anything,’” Fernando Torres admitted. | “With 20 minutes to go, instead of thinking: ‘We can turn this round’, we were thinking: ‘It’s four, there’s 20 minutes left still and we can’t do anything,’” Fernando Torres admitted. |
| Some doubted the attitude and some of the criticism has been sharp. As usual, Del Bosque was measured: “We were not the saviours of the fatherland before and nor are we trampling on the flag now,” he said. | Some doubted the attitude and some of the criticism has been sharp. As usual, Del Bosque was measured: “We were not the saviours of the fatherland before and nor are we trampling on the flag now,” he said. |
| Juan Mata insisted the analysis had been focused more on Chile than Holland. “It was hard to get back to normality but we have to look forward now,” Andrés Iniesta said. | Juan Mata insisted the analysis had been focused more on Chile than Holland. “It was hard to get back to normality but we have to look forward now,” Andrés Iniesta said. |
| Decisions will be conditioned not only by defeat but by fitness and form. And above all by what stands before Spain now. Del Bosque admits he will make changes but he has been at pains to insist that a dropped player is not a blamed player. He has not told his players what those changes will be yet. | Decisions will be conditioned not only by defeat but by fitness and form. And above all by what stands before Spain now. Del Bosque admits he will make changes but he has been at pains to insist that a dropped player is not a blamed player. He has not told his players what those changes will be yet. |
| “If they know what the team is in advance, it may change their state of mind,” he said. “I feel affection for all of these players but above personal feelings we have to find solutions for the team.” | “If they know what the team is in advance, it may change their state of mind,” he said. “I feel affection for all of these players but above personal feelings we have to find solutions for the team.” |
| Silva is likely to make way for Pedro, who had started eight consecutive games before the match in Salvador, and the coach has also contemplated a change at centre-forward, with Torres or Villa as a No9 or even Fábregas as a false No9. Juanfran offers more attacking thrust than César Azpilicueta. Koke for Xavi has been discussed widely. If Xavi were to be left out it would carry a symbolic significance; he is 34 and he is also the ideologue of the approach that has defined Barcelona and la selección. | |
| In a season in which, as Mata put it, “the possession debate is fashionable”, some saw defeat as the end not only of an era but of a philosophy. | |
| But it may not be that what Spain do is intrinsically wrong, so much as that they were not able to do what they do. They lost the control that has defined them. Alonso dismissed the idea that Spain’s problem had been physical and said that they had played “more with our hearts than our heads”. There will be no sudden shift in style, no revolution. “We are flexible in some aspects of the game but stubborn in others,” Del Bosque said. | But it may not be that what Spain do is intrinsically wrong, so much as that they were not able to do what they do. They lost the control that has defined them. Alonso dismissed the idea that Spain’s problem had been physical and said that they had played “more with our hearts than our heads”. There will be no sudden shift in style, no revolution. “We are flexible in some aspects of the game but stubborn in others,” Del Bosque said. |
| Yet there are doubts and they are exacerbated by the fact that Spain may need to chase goals and that is not really what they do: of the European teams at the World Cup, only Greece and Croatia averaged fewer goals in qualifying. Since Euro 2012, Spain’s top scorer is Pedro. He had scored 12 of Spain’s 59 goals. | Yet there are doubts and they are exacerbated by the fact that Spain may need to chase goals and that is not really what they do: of the European teams at the World Cup, only Greece and Croatia averaged fewer goals in qualifying. Since Euro 2012, Spain’s top scorer is Pedro. He had scored 12 of Spain’s 59 goals. |
| He is followed by Villa on six, Torres on six, and Santi Cazorla, Álvaro Negredo, Mata and Jordi Alba on four. Of those, only Alba started against Holland. | He is followed by Villa on six, Torres on six, and Santi Cazorla, Álvaro Negredo, Mata and Jordi Alba on four. Of those, only Alba started against Holland. |
| A solitary goal is usually enough for Spain – in their past 10 knockout games at major tournaments, counting finals, they have not conceded a single goal – but now it may not be. | A solitary goal is usually enough for Spain – in their past 10 knockout games at major tournaments, counting finals, they have not conceded a single goal – but now it may not be. |
| The doubts were played out in front of the media, with Alonso and Fábregas as protagonists; the scene spoke of an almost existential angst, an uncertainty over identity that had not been seen before in a team where the style has been non-negotiable. | The doubts were played out in front of the media, with Alonso and Fábregas as protagonists; the scene spoke of an almost existential angst, an uncertainty over identity that had not been seen before in a team where the style has been non-negotiable. |
| As if the need to chase down a six-goal difference had blurred everything. “There is not only one way of playing,” Fábregas said. “We have to beat Chile and if possible with more goals. Instead of controlled football, of pass, pass, we have to be a bit more dynamic, a bit more vertical. We have played a game of touch, position and control but there are moments in life, and this is one of them, when you have to attack. We have to be brave. We have to try to win by more one goal and we have to attack, attack, and score a lot of goals.” | As if the need to chase down a six-goal difference had blurred everything. “There is not only one way of playing,” Fábregas said. “We have to beat Chile and if possible with more goals. Instead of controlled football, of pass, pass, we have to be a bit more dynamic, a bit more vertical. We have played a game of touch, position and control but there are moments in life, and this is one of them, when you have to attack. We have to be brave. We have to try to win by more one goal and we have to attack, attack, and score a lot of goals.” |
| That brings its risks and alongside him Alonso reined in his team-mate. “We know the needs we have. We will probably have to attack but there’s a time for that,” he said. “We have to be intelligent and not fall into what [trap] Chile want.” | |
| For Spain, patience must remain a virtue. And by the following day, Fábregas’s tone had changed. It is all about winning any way they can, Torres said, but the best way for Spain remains Spain’s way. | |
| “We will try to get the win, whether that’s in the first minute or the 90th,” Del Bosque said. Anything else could prove suicidal and for all the potential permutations, one thing is for sure: Spain must win. | “We will try to get the win, whether that’s in the first minute or the 90th,” Del Bosque said. Anything else could prove suicidal and for all the potential permutations, one thing is for sure: Spain must win. |
| “The first thing we have to do is win,” Torres said. “Then we can think about scoring as many goals as possible. If you don’t win there are no more calculations: you’re out.” | “The first thing we have to do is win,” Torres said. “Then we can think about scoring as many goals as possible. If you don’t win there are no more calculations: you’re out.” |
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