The myth of Spain's high-powered offense

By Ryan Hollm

Four years after Spain's offense propelled it to the Euro 2008 championship, the team once again a favorite. But as its tepid showing against Italy demonstrated, this is a completely different, duller team.

A lot of the discussion during Spain’s opening 1-1 draw with Italy revolved around the fact that Spain did not look like the Spain we expected to see.

There was little of the fluid, high-octane offense and controlling style that propelled the team to the Euro title in 2008. The pitch conditions and Italy’s tactical midfield crowding seemed to slow Spain’s attackers, disrupt their play and turn the match into a tedious slugfest. 

But for those who have watched the national team evolve in between tourneys, the performance was much less surprising. Since coach Luis Aragones retired, Spain have abandoned their aggressive approach, opting instead for the kind of depressingly workmanlike style that they displayed on Saturday.

Judging from press coverage and early expectations, you’d never suspect that Spain have undergone a complete transformation. La Roja have lived off of romanticized nostalgia since their 2008, famous for being the squad that introduced offensive possession-based football to the international community. 

At a time when bigger was better, and midfielders were growing larger and more physical, Aragones  in 2008 opted to start Cesc Febregas, Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez, three players well south of six feet. The team soon won over both the pragmatists and the passionate. It proved that results and beauty could coexist, a philosophy far afield of cruder teams like Italy and England. Fans envisioned a golden generation of Spanish football that would serve as the heir to Brazil’s Samba Soccer era. 

But Spain’s heyday lasted a mere 24 hours. Luis Aragones retired right after the tournament, and former Real Madrid manager Vicente Del Bosque took control.

via Mirror Football

It seems odd that the transition from the crotchety Aragones to protoypical Spanish gentleman Del Bosque would snuff out the national team’s innovation and creativity. Yet Del Bosque is notorious for both his conservatism and his success, and the team he built for 2010 mirrored his sensibilities. 

Del Bosque’s teams rely on a “double pivot,” or two defensive midfielders who support a back line of four defenders. This system subtracts one offensive midfielder or forward in favor of reinforcing the defense. By comparison, Spain in 2008 employed just one defensive central midfielder, along with two attack-minded defenders. The results in both cases were predictable: Spain scored 12 goals in six Euro 2008 matches, and just eight goals in seven World Cup 2010 matches.

Nevertheless, the team adjusted and rode Del Bosque’s conservative approach to a World Cup. Buoyed by that success, Spain saw little need to change its tactics. But injuries leading up to Euro 2012 have exposed the team’s offensive deficiencies. With center back Carlos Puyol out, Sergio Ramos must move into his position, leaving right back to pure defender Alvaro Arbeloa. 

Up top, David Villa’s broken leg has forced Fernando Torres into action. In the first match alone, the shaky Torres blew a series of scoring chances. By the time Spain salvaged a 1-1 tie, the team’s scoring futility had been laid bare.

The scoring juggernaut myth that Spain have enjoyed for the past few years is finally dead. Now, the question is whether it can prevent its Euro Cup chances from dying with it.