How to Stop Spain (part 1)

[Guest Jeffery S.]

How to Stop Spain (part 1)

Put your best defensive back and a linebacker on Iniesta and don't let him even touch the ball. After one is carded, change him for your second best defensive back or another linebacker. Continue until Hume scores the winner in extra time after a 0-0 draw over 90.

More later (seriously, just don't have time now, but will definitely come up with something more subtle).

[Guest Jeffery S.]

Okay, here it is.

First off we are all clear that Spain is favoured. Unlike Brazil, Spain will play with more system and less pure inspiration, so stopping the attack has even more to do with a team effort and some tactical thinking. As I suggested, the key is how to block Iniesta and what that might mean for Canada's play.

Spain is a refined team, with clean often intricate passing, a relaxed, generally patient build-up. The wings get used, and Juanfran (Madrid youth) made some v. dangerous runs up the right vs. Paraguay. He should be double teamed after receiving and someone should stay wide with him so he has less space.

The side is physically a bit small and was put severely to the test by Paraguay after going ahead, esp by taller S. American boys going forward and looking for the crosses. Paraguay could have tied it late. Thus the classic Canada model of seeking out the end line in the hope for corners should be exploited. And maybe we need someone to get forward and under a Hume cross in the run of play, as it could be the way to go. But even still Spain is reliable at the back (like us), having shut out their last three opponents.

Spain won the European championship in Norway, though the team was quite different. First off Fernando Torres (Atletico Madrid) was striker, Reyes (Sevilla) ran havoc up the right side, and Iniesta (Barça) was injured and did not play. The team had more goal. Valdes (Barça) and Reina (Villareal) covered the goal in Norway, the current keeper is a notch or two lower. Sergio García, another Barça B player, is actually better behind a classic hitter like Torres, and though he's scored, has a lively work rate and good moves, can be handled if kept a bit away from the goal. Watch for his long shots too, not hard but well picked out. Iniesta is back on the side. But he is still the team's best player, clearly a cut above his teammates, and likely one of the stars of the tournament so far.

Iniesta, who I have seen numerous times on the B team and for the first side of Barça, is the latest in the long line of Barça 4s. The first was Luis Milla who most have forgotten, then came Guardiola, Xavi who is still there, Mikel Arteta now at Rangers, and Iniesta. They are all physically slight, and none are the type that will do real battle vs opposing defensive midfielders, like your Mazinho's or Fernando Redondo's. The basic idea is simply to move away from the defender, find a metre or two of space, and make the pass. Avoidance, yes, a simple way to keep clear and safe. Of all those mentioned, Iniesta has perhaps the greatest verticality in his passing, apart from being a bit more of a goal scorer, as he can pick out a corner from 25 metres. Like all of them, he relies on having a passing option on one or both wings, can change direction well, and usually knows what to do before the ball actually gets to him.

So first lesson. Man-mark Iniesta. This does not mean just standing on your side of him or pressuring him after he receives, as it is not enough. You have to literally block him to dissuade defenders or other midfielders, all of whom rely on his presence in the attacking centre, to make the key play. I have seen so many teams fail at this by not understanding how it works. The player has to be prevented from receiving comfortably (the Paraguayans interpreted this as manhandling him, error as it only will get you cards and force you to lay off), though there is no real need to be overly rough or even foul. You can take away his better foot, though he works both well. So the idea is to just crowd, not let think, have someone else do his job; it is like guarding a Steve Nash when the opponent needs a three-pointer, so as to force another, inferior player, to take the shot.

The team that concentrates on this tactic might find that it will actually renounce pressuring the Spain defense. You don't have to, the key is taking away the midfield effectively. If you see their defenders resorting to passing over the heads of the midfield, that is a very good sign; you'll also get the ball back sooner that way. What is good about this option is that your striker is not required to pressure up so high and run himself out (Spain defenders are technically good enough not to lose it, and have no fear about playing it back to the keeper to start again), and that you concentrate on having more men behind the ball and and extra defenders on the more definitive players of Spain.

If that is the key to defending Spain, it is worth considering how to score on them. First point: they will have the ball, and sometimes you will not see it for a long time. Meaning less chances for you on the goal and more comfort for them, better with it than without it. You chasing it, more tiring than having it. So have to think about earlier subs, eh Dale!! Raising your possession levels could help, and then you build in concentrated fashion, stay a bit tight, and not just do the long counter, as the defenders will be prepared for Humey. Nor will they go too far forward, so it'll be harder to catch them. The team needs to try to get forward together, so using the wings could help, perhaps the alignment used thus far needs to be revised. Maybe more like a 3-5-2 this time to get some width and also ensure some guys in position to go forwards?

Then there is the air option. I am not sure we have it. No Rob Friend or McKenna type on this team. That is too bad. But if we do get some set plays our taller defenders have to go up to take a crack, as we've seen that Spain is strong but not scoring a lot either. If we get a goal up they'll pressure with patience and faith, but we could have a good shot at closing them out. I am optimistic.

[The Ref]

If Spain could only muster one lonely goal against Paraguay, a weak team, our boys should have no problem putting them away.

[matthew]

Who else thinks Atiba needs to find out what kind of aftershave Iniesta is wearing by about the second minute and then get closer to him the rest of the way.

This is going to be damn hard, but I like our heart and spirit and it seems time for another classic Spanish blunder when everything seems possible for them.

cheers,

matthew

[Reza]

I wouldn't call Paraguay a weak team. They did not lose to Brazil and Argentina in qualifying and were unbeaten in the qualifying round from that region. They also came out with 6 points from a group that featured USA, Germany and South Korea which is no easy feat.

[JayWay]

Thanks for that excellent analysis.

[Gian-Luca]

I think the key to scoring may be Matondo. That guy is as fast as hell (and hopefully some Spanish clubs watching the match might also think so) and looks as though he can get behind any defense at this level. The quality of his off the ball runs while the ball is in the possession of Hume, Chin, Atiba etc. could be a valuable weapon.

As for classic Spanish tournament blunders..... well I'm not sure they apply at this level. Spain won this tourney the last time they were in it (1999). On the other hand, they can always under-estimate us & our players might be a little more relaxed given that the team has already exceeded expectations, whereas Spain was one of the pre-tournament favourites.

It will be tough, but it can happen.

[WilfPTheReal99]

Have we emailed Jeffrey's analysis to Mitchell yet?

[Guest Jeffery S.]

I won't send it to Dale, but if they want to look here they can. In fact since they do look here, they probably have. Maybe Morgan can send it on, though if any of you here want to do it that is fine by me.

The key to my analysis is understanding that there is more than one way to mark a key player, and you can either do it right or do it wrongly. Usually teams just set up as normal, a guy is there to correspond to the tough opponent, maybe with an adjunct helper, and he is told to watch him and try to break him down. In theory this would mean telling Chin to mark Iniesta (BTW, do Chin's two yellows force him to sit out?) and having Atiba help out, or vice versa.

This is the usual way of defending a good winger, as your outside back has no real choice. You cannot stay that wide all game, as the danger is inside, you move over when the ball goes out and just try to stay with the guy, one on one. Help arrives later and deeper from a midfielder if you are lucky. In the middle it is different. A quick thinker like Iniesta knows his options before he has even settled the pass coming in, and does not need too much time to work them. In a crunch he'll just send it back to where it came or short in to a teammate. Move a few yards as the defender lays off, and receive again with a second or two more to work the play. This is not the way to mark Iniesta then. Which is why I made the CFL reference in my first post, you have to have someone in front of the pass to dissuade the passer from making it. And if the man does receive, you have to be sure he cannot make any definitive kind of play with it. What is a definitive play? First, a forward pass linking in to a striker or wing in good attacking position. Second, a short or horizontal midfield pass that helps the team keep possession, forces the defense to adjust positionally, and permits the slow build-up to proceed forwards.

So the idea is that, since Spain will proceed with or without Iniesta marking the rhythm, it is better that they do so via another player. One who has less criteria in pass choice, one who is less precise, one who can't make the dangerous pass and will either lose it doing so or not make it, meaning you are still defending in the midfield. Which is better than defending a striker with a bit of space in the last 25 metres.

Regarding the wings. Usually as I said, you give your wings space, as the pass goes over to them you compensate. Only in the last 25 yards do you pressure the winger; if he's fast and a crosser, you give him space to eliminate an end line run, if he is a scoring threat you make sure he does not cut inside. But the problem is that Spain will use both sides to get a breather and as a legit possesssion option, and will find their wingers open as normally all wingers are in the less critical zones. When it comes to Juanfran especially, but also Gavilan think it is on the left, I think you need to cut out that pass from Iniesta as well, meaning dropping a midfielder back to cover. If Juanfran cannot receive as he's marked and Iniesta is not the playmaker, you have gone a long way to cutting out the Spanish attack (especially since striker Sergio Garcia is not comfortable too high up in the centre defender's face, and usually drops back towards the midfield for space) and you can get on with trying to build your own.

Final remark. Spain has won by close scores and with the exception of Mali, has not won comfortably. Vs. Argentina they lost a lead. They feel superior (though I heard Iniesta on the radio expressing total respect for Canada; the kid, apart from being classy on the field, is very well-spoken and a true gentleman, never polemical and not at all arrogant), and this means they feel they should control the game, attack us and get an early lead, then try to add to it. So we should have a counter-attacking option. At first we may not see it, but if we can get past the first half hour they'll feel the urgency and push more for a goal before the half, and things will open up. Humey time! I am not overly confident about this match, but think our options could be there nonetheless. It is going to be very fun for me.

[Canuck Oranje]

Canada has the athleticism to compete. We have not been blown out and we have played some solid teams. At the same time, the Canadian experience base has been improved enormously through this tournament. This is a team that should continue to improve more rapidly than most with each game. The question of course: Is it going to be enough?

At the same time, Spain is the clear favourite. But in a one game situation, who knows?

Can we still say Canada-Brazil final on Saturday?