World Cup 2010 - Weaknesses Of The Spanish Football Squad
The World Cup is just round the corner and the clocks are ticking before the final show. The Spanish Team is enjoying all the fame and the coverage it has been getting for being the favourites for this year’s big clash. The current team carries the record of the longest winning streak, in the international arena, of 15 matches. Among this hype created by the media there must be some things that are worrying for the coach of the National side, Vicente Del Bosque.
If we look at the Spanish side, at a glance, it seems that the team is so powerful nothing would be able to stop them from winning. From the best keeper in the World, Iker Casillas, to the best strikers in the World, David Villa and Fernando Torres, it is really a side that has the ability to create history. Also, after the winning of the last Euro Cup the team has gotten the taste of winning as well, so they would be desperate to go a step further and win the biggest title in international football, the FIFA World Cup.
However, there are certain things that the team is lacking. The first major problem which surfaces is that the team doesn’t have a natural righter winger. Iniesta and Silva, both expected to play the attacking role in the midfield, play for their respective clubs on the left side of the pitch. But, in the international squad one of them would be taking the role of Attacking Midfielder Right, and both players would be switching places throughout the game. More attacks would be expected either from the middle of the pitch, delivered by Xavi, or from the left hand side.
The bench seems to disappoint as well. The real problem lies with the strikers on the bench. We all know that the schedule of the World Cup is hectic, especially after the warm-up matches leading up to the Finals. In this hectic schedule, there is always a chance that a player might be rested in the middle of the game. Although there is a tendency in the players to show more commitment and enthusiasm while playing with their national sides, but the worries of fatigue and injury are always boggling the minds of the managers. Now, the Spanish have Fernando Llorente as their substitute striker, but he lacks class as compared to the two first choice world class strikers, Villa and Torres. Although, he showed during the match with Saudi-Arabia by scoring a goal in injury time to clinch victory for the side, but the story is ought to be different in the big matches of the World Cup. Llorente would have to step up to the challenge, which seems quite enormous for a player of his stature.
The same problem lies in the Midfield of Spain. Xavi can be replaced either by Xabi Alonso or Febregas, as they have the ability to take on the challenge. But, Mata, Navas and Martinez, all lack the luster to fill in the boots of the likes of Silva and Iniesta. All these players lack international experience, as well as, club experience. Navas, who plays for Sevilla, suffered from home sickness for a long period of his career, due to which he could not travel outside his home town of Seville. It was not until recently that he was added in the squad. We all know that midfielders are required to perform one of the most important functions in the squad, and if someone fails to deliver the team would suffer.
It is quite obvious that this is the squad at the disposal of Vicente Del Bosque and he has to be creative and innovative in using his players to the full potential. This kind of bench and first team players make the job of a coach a lot harder, as Del Bosque would also be keeping his fingers crossed and hoping that none of his first choice player is sidelined because of an injury. A good coach always uses his strengths properly, without letting others to exploit his weaknesses, and if Del Bosque manages to do so, he would definitely lead his team to glory in the World Cup.
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