Sticking to
strengths or adamant?
It is not characteristic for the title holder to bow out so
humbly from the greatest show on earth. So, I ask myself - Is this the same
Spain side that was turning heads and compelling people to pick up and don the
bright red jerseys in the last decade? The problem is…………….it exactly is!
The game is evolving with newer equipment (like knitted
boots, jerseys made of recycled bottles, aerodynamically improved balls), additions
of technology (like goal line), coaches experimenting with bolder formations
and players adapting to different styles of football by playing in top leagues
across countries. But has some teams failed to adapt?
I assume it may be safe to say that the Spanish national team,
mirror the Barcelona system. The starting tactic relies on retaining possession
through short and often one-touch passing and a patient build up play. But all
that possession counts to nothing if the ball doesn’t end up in the back of the
net. That is precisely the problem that the title defenders have demonstrated.
It comes as no surprise after a trophy-less season for Barcelona. Make no
mistake the system is not completely flawed as it helped win 4 La Liga titles and 2 UEFA
Champions League titles for Barcelona and 2 Euro and 1 World Cup titles for
Spain in the last six years. Yet there are certain drawbacks or weaknesses
that other teams have found a way to exploit. Both teams have often been criticized
of not having a “Plan B” in case things don’t work out as usual.
The answer to
tiki-taka?
Tactics in football are often compared to chess where you
plan your move anticipating your opponent’s move. Is it mere coincidence
that two of the teams that have found success against the reigning champions,
used the same formations? Expecting the usual possession based strategy of
Spain, in 3-4-1-2 coaches of two teams seem to have found an answer to the
international domination of La Furia Rojas.
The tiki-taka focuses on technically gifted mid fielders
passing the ball around patiently and retaining the ball till a gap is spotted
in defense to play it into the space and a capable finisher snatching the
opportunity. This ploy has often led to most oppositions succumbing in
frustration of not having the ball at their feet.
How the teams lined up
Spain started both matches with 4-2-3-1 with the 3 attacking
midfielders operating centrally and focusing their passing through the center
as usual. Though in the second game they started with Pedro to add width and
pace, they stuck to the same type of passing barring few occasions.
Netherlands and Chile used 3-4-1-2 with 3 central defenders aimed
at reducing the gap centrally at the back to avoid falling prey to through
balls. It also helped them stop the striker and 3 attacking midfielders from
running into central gaps. The two wingbacks supported the defense by falling
back during the defensive phase of play and providing wide options during
possession and attacking phases. The central attacking midfielders for both
teams (Snieder for Netherlands and Vidal for Chile) though different type of
players, possessed intelligence to find the killer pass for one of the two forwards
to run onto.
The midfield dominance of Spain was countered by the two
central midfielders of Netherlands and Chile sitting deep, close to the three central
defenders and even the central attacking midfielders coming deep to congest the
central areas and prevent the no 1. ranked team from passing around freely.
Netherlands
Chile
The
wingbacks provided width and one of the forwards (Robben for the Dutch and
Sanchez for Chile) provided pace.
Netherlands and Chile using the width
This worked perfectly against the lack of
pace of Pique and Martinez in each game. Again the lack of importance to
defense shown by fielding players who lack the attributes of a good centre half
cost them. Martinez is not a natural centre back and Pique loses concentration far
too often. Spain refused to change the tactic that have won them many a laurels
and it ultimately led to their downfall.
So, are the days of tiki-taka over? Only the future can tell
us for certain. But teams have definitely found the weakness of the system and
started exploiting them.
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