Before Spain’s first match in this Euro football, coach Luis Enrique swept aside doubts about his team’s lack of experience. “The years go by, the players are not eternal. I am not thinking of a restructuring, but of players who adapt to my idea. “ Problem, this idea did not seem very clear during the group stage where Spain suffered in the first two games, obtaining their qualification for the round of 16 with a large victory (5-0), Wednesday 23 June , facing a Slovakia who came to visit Seville. So, do you have to sacrifice the Spanish style of play based on possession of the ball to dream of a title? Or should coach Luis Enrique insist in this direction?
If La Roja can boast of one thing in this tournament, it’s a record. Spain is the first country to have had more than 85% of possession in a Euro match (against Sweden on the first day), since 1980, when these statistics were made available. However, this domination gave a sterile and ineffective football, against Sweden (0-0) then against Poland (1-1), but more flamboyant against the Slovaks.
Enrique Sanchez Flores, Spanish coach who has traveled the world – he has notably coached Benfica (Portugal), Atlético de Madrid, Al-Ahli (Saudi Arabia), Watford (England) or even Shanghai Shenhua (China) -, regrets this unproductive game of the first two games: “We faced teams with a very low block [une stratégie défensive compacte], who relied on sporadic offensives to worry our defense. The team had to be ready to face this kind of selections with minimal initiatives, but La Roja failed to convert possession into danger for the opponent. Today’s football is less accepting of the slow pace Spain is playing. “
Coach Paco Jemez believes the path is right: “I saw a protagonist Spain, as often. Simply, this game of possession does not accept monotony. To generate danger, you have to accept the risk of losing the ball. We cannot judge the profitability of a style of play over three games ”, analyze the one who made Madrid’s Rayo Vallecano shine in La Liga and who advocates attacking football. “I am not one of those who want to win at all costs: in my opinion, your conviction must always be the foundation of your football, he adds. And the latter lasts until your players no longer believe it. However, this is not the case here. I am sure that the Spanish players will defend this way of playing to the end. “
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