Spain's need for a plan B

If Spain’s loss to Switzerland showed us anything, it was their lack of adaptability when faced with a resolute and determined defensive display (and Switzerland did defend impeccably). Their passing football is wonderful to watch and can be breathtaking (see David Silva’s goal in the recent friendly against Poland) but it can be equally frustrating when they stubbornly refuse to win by any other means.

The similarities in style between the current Barcelona side and the Spanish national team are evident, not surprising given the heavy Barca representation at international level. The same issue was highlighted in this season’s Champions League semi-final when Jose Mourinho’s immovable Inter Milan despatched of Barcelona with relative ease. Mourinho was more than happy to surrender the possession percentage knowing that it was goals and not pretty passing that would get his team to the final.

Of course, Spain (and Barcelona) will have played against teams who have parked the bus in the past and won with ease – it is generally a case of nabbing that first goal. On another day Xabi Alonso’s thunderbolt would have flown in or they would have got a bit of luck in the penalty area and won the match comfortably.

Switzerland’s wily coach Ottmar Hitzfeld played it perfectly on the day with a 4-1-4-1 formation that defended deep and allowed no space in behind for the pace of David Villa, and Fernando Torres once introduced. As the game went on, Switzerland began to look more comfortable as they nullified the Spanish threat. The Swiss were happy for Spain to have the ball in front of them and in wide areas and they dealt with anything that was put into the area. It was the ultimate smash and grab.

Spain manager Vicente del Bosque brought Torres and Jesus Navas on after an hour and then Pedro with ten minutes to go. We know Torres is a player who can score a goal from nothing (though he didn’t look sharp) but Navas and Pedro, though great players, were not going to alter Spain’s style. Fernando Llorente, their 6’5” striker from Atletico Bilbao, was ignored. You can’t help but feel that if they occasionally adopted a more direct game it could pay dividends in games such as this. The Swiss had settled into their defensive set up after Gelson Fernandes’s goal and were coping with what Spain had to offer – a Niall Quinn-esque striker would have given them something new to think about.

Spain are still highly fancied and I expect them to qualify from Group H, but they may need to learn how to win by slightly uglier methods than those which they adamantly embrace.

Matt Morrison