Special Feature: Evaluating Football Tactics In 2010 - Part 3
The philosophy of Tiki Taka football paid dividends in the final match of the tournament as well as Spain benefitted from their possession play. Despite the attempts by the Dutch to physically impose themselves on the match, Spain held their own as they
ran out as eventual winners.
The most appealing tactical feature of Spain’s World Cup triumph was their patience on the ball. Unlike some other teams in the competition, Spain didn’t rush into attack. They built their attacks from the back as http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Gerard-c14664 Pique and Carlos Puyol provided a
solid foundation for their midfield to rely upon. At times, the men in red were criticized for a “boring approach” as their offensive play lacked tempo but the amount of possession that http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Spain-c3011 had in some of their matches was extraordinary.
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Vicente-c36001 Del Bosque’s men held onto the ball better than any other side in club or international football in the calendar year 2010. Thus frustrating their opponents into submission on most occasions while other times, it was just sheer brilliance of the
Spanish team as a whole that allowed them to cement themselves as one of the greatest international sides in the history of football in general. Joachim Low’s young German side also adopted the 4-2-3-1 system but the German ideology was based on their youthful
exuberance more than any other thing.
Germany used Mesut Ozil in the middle of the front “3”. http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Bastian-Schweinsteiger-c7374 inter linked to a magnificent
effect as the young Bavarian side progressed up till the semi-final stage despite being labelled as the underdogs before the tournament had kicked off. Germany’s main appeal was their tempo and speed; Mesut Ozil’s entrepreneurial outlook gave his teammates
confidence to exhibit some excellent off-the-ball movement. http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Germany-c2904’s best performance of the whole tournament came in the round of 16 followed up by the quarter finals.
In the round of 16, Joachim Low’s boys outplayed and demolished the English national team by four goals to 1. In the quarter finals, Germany thoroughly humiliated http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Lionel-Messi-c22296 and co. were sent packing due to a 4 goal defeat. Germany’s cohesive
teamwork in the 4-2-3-1 formation was a sight to behold all throughout the tournament. The formation in itself allowed http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Lukas-Podolski-c22896 to excel in a left forward’s role whereas Thomas Mueller also made name for himself at the right midfield position despite
playing in a forward’s role for Bayern Munich.
2010 has been a strange year for the passing midfielder as well. From 2006 onwards, players such as Claudio Makelele and http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Darren-Fletcher-c10361 emerged in prominence as key figures within their teams as they stopped the opposition playing. However in 2010, passing
midfielders rose to new heights as possession football became “the style to play”. Players like Wesley Sneidjer, Mesut Ozil and Xavi Hernandez were all stars of the 2010 FIFA World Cup and the Dutchman as well as the Spaniard were stars of the 2009-2010 club
football season as well.
Just four years after pundits discarded players such as Xavi as too one-dimensional to feature in modern football sides, the passing midfielder has passed his way back into the limelight. For the time being, it looks as if something drastic will be needed
to change the current tactical status quo which has the 4-2-3-1 formation and the Tiki Taka well and truly at the top.
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