Espana: Supernatural champions

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Spain defeated Italy in the Euro 2012 Final by the score of 4-0. In doing so, the Spanish broke new ground by being the first team to win two Euros in a row and 3 major championships in a row (World Cup 2010 included). And they did so in style.

The Spanish fantasy with the tiki-taka passes, intricate moves and never-ending possession is enough to make any opposing squad scramble to gain a foothold in a match. In group play, the Italians scored first against the Spaniards and frustrated their attack patterns. By the final, however, Vicente del Bosque had figured out a new way to deal with the Italians: shut down Pirlo and Balotelli. With this, Montolivo and Cassano were isolated and the Italians lost their primary weapon: building Balotelli's game.

Aside from the mastery in placing the right pieces against the Azzuri, was the 6-man midfield, which Del Bosque corrected: It's three attackers. A 4-3-3? Why not? It's a 4-6-0 in disguise with Silva and Iniesta as co-anchors for Fabregas. And it worked. In fact, it worked during the whole tournament.

Re-writing midfield-attack strategy is just one facet of the Spanish game. For when they see that a change is needed, a number 9 like Torres can step in to deliver. Up 2-0 versus Italy late in the second half, El Nino came in to finish off the game. Juan Mata, the new rising star in this team, put the game away with a 4-0.

Spain is about fantasy, about goals, about us liking the game for what it's supposed to be: quick, direct, and fun to watch. This is arguably the best national team ever put together, at least for the last 4 decades, if we are to count Pele's Brazil in 1970. But this team is more complete from goalkeeper to forward. They know how to win and they do so in style.

The Spanish national team has broken record after record in recent times, but one in particular remains: no European team has ever won a World Cup in the American continent. That Brazil is hosting 2014 just makes things more special. If there is a group of players that can break this record, then it must be pure dream, fantasy, supernatural. And right now, Spain is riding high on being magical.

Pure Magic: Torres and Spain at Euro 2012

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When Spain fielded a 6 man midfield (4-6-0) formation against Italy in the opening day of Euro 2012 Group C most of us asked ourselves: What happened to the best attacking team in the world? How come Cesc Fabregas, an attacking midfielder, was playing the lone "forward" role? Italy, it seems, answered for us by scoring the first goal in that match. Fabregas himself would tie it up a few minutes later. And then it all changed when Del Bosque inserted Fernando Torres for Fabregas. Suddenly, the forward third moved faster, cleaner and more dangerously.

On match day two, Del Bosque decided to start Torres as the lone striker in front of a pentagonal midfield that has Silva, Iniesta and Xavi as attacking options and Busquets and Xabi Alonso as box-to-box players. Scarcely 4 minutes had passed in the game versus Ireland when the Fernando Torres that we all knew and loved from 4 years ago came back with a stunning goal. A steal first, a quick self pass and a no-look, not-thinking strike that inflated the net behind Shae Given.

Spain coasted through the first half and they could have had 2 or 3 more goals. Instead, it was 1-0 at halftime and Ireland remained within striking distance. David Silva would silence the Irish crowd, however, with a well-placed slow-roller through 4 different players that only the best players can conjure. And then it came again, a ball lofted over O'Shea that Torres pounced on like a Serengeti predator. He raced with it until he met Given and went for a "puntazo" with his shot. Goal. Spain 3-0.

Not to be left behind, Cesc Fabregas had only one chance and took it, and from a difficult angle too. His muted celebration said it all: I can score just as much as Torres. And so this is where Spain is now, Torres or Fabregas, or perhaps even Pedro. But clearly, a pure forward allows the Spaniards to keep the ball better and to be far more dangerous in the opposing squad's half.

The numbers in the game said it all: 750 completed passes late in the second half, the most since 1980. The Spaniards have added something different to the world's game, a beautiful style without the need for samba or Messi, a possession-based game that is easy on the eyes, a happiness to every play that has been missing since 1986. This is, perhaps, the best national team ever, for if you were to put Brazil 1970 alongside it, the sheer completeness of this team would stand out. 

And if the Spanish are to fall in Euro 2012 then there is only one way to do it: score early, score in bunches and keep the ball away. Italy succeeded, partially, but the match didn't have a finality of the latter stages in a tournament. At this time, however, only one team has the arguments to strip away the Euro champions of their reign: Germany. And what a final that would be.

FC Barcelona: Still number one

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At the 1st minute in today's Clasico one may have thought that Barcelona's dynasty was finally over. Benzema scored out of the locker room and Mourinho reveled in what would be a game-changing result. But as the match wore on, the resilience of Guardiola's squad slowly weathered away Real Madrid's defense. Alexis Sanchez scored and the floodgates opened.

So what really happened in today's game? Is Madrid really still not good enough? Is Barcelona just too much for the world? A quick look at recent results shows that yes, Barcelona has hit a bit of a rough patch, but they still have only lost once. Madrid has not lost two. And at 37 points tied on top of the Spanish Primera, there is still plenty to be said this season. Note that Madrid has a game in hand, but today's result is truly game-changing: no real change, that is.

Where Real Madrid has built a team around superstars Ronaldo, Ozil and Di Maria, Barcelona spreads the wealth by including newly-acquired Fabregas and Sanchez. No Villa or Pedro on the pitch? No problem. The former both bagged important goals to reiterate why Barcelona is still the best.

Mourinho tried too much offense today. Benzema, Ozil, Ronaldo and Di Maria crowded the offensive side and passes lacked clarity and individual plays went nowhere. Higuain and Kaka only served the same purpose. The defensive midfield also put too much stock going forward. This opened the flanks for Dani Alves and the go-ahead and game-sealing goals were conceded.

How does one beat Barcelona then? Midfield and defense. Crowding Messi and Iniesta can work wonders since it breaks up the "tiki taka" that makes Guradiola's squad so fun to watch. Pressure on Xavi means Busquets has to take the initiative on his own and his passing, although quite good, isn't as evolved as the rest of his midfield team mates. After this, the forwards are left without continuous service and the attack winds down.

So can Madrid accomplish this? Yes. Diarra and Xabi Alonso are perfectly capable players. Sergio Ramos, Pepe and Marcelo can all work wonders. It should be about keeping Ronaldo and Ozil from over-thinking and allowing Di Maria to exploit the spaces. Benzema and Higuain are best when paired together and today Higuain still looked like a player in recovery.

It was a fun match to watch. Keep in mind that both teams are still in the hunt for the Champions League and both have had their chances increase after the Manchester teams crashed out. This is why we love this sport, right?

Dismanteling Arsenal

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Wow. Those were surely the words worldwide today as we looked at the scoreboard: 8-2 in favor of Manchester United. No, this wasn't Derby County they were playing. It wasn't even Bolton or West Ham. It was Arsenal. Yes, the former champions and one of the best teams in the world throughout the last decade.

This loss was just as much about luck as it was about the general state of the iconic London team. Ordinarily, most shots are either saved or off target. Today they were on target and past the helpless goalkeeper. Defenders were off their lines in offside traps and in free kicks. Wenger watched in silence as his team broke apart at the seams and had no answer.

And that's the other main problem with Arsenal. How do you answer a team like Manchester United when you have given up talented players in the last two years? No more Adebayor, Nasri or Fabregas. No one coming up the ranks and no new marquee signings so far. In a world where finding game-changing players is necessary and where most notable players elect to go to Chelsea, Man U, Barcelona and Real Madrid, it becomes that much harder to compete for top spots. The team loses concentration when its main constituents have been eroded away. That's what happened today: lack of concentration.

Wenger will have to search deep within the pool of available strong players in the world. Most have already been signed by the larger teams. Otherwise, a serious change will need to be made with this team either in management or player development. If there is no Arsenal and no Liverpool (much better with Suarez this year), then the English Premier League becomes a two-team tournament. And how sad that is.

FC Barcelona: Enhancing a superclub

Move over, Real Madrid. Barcelona might just outdo you during the January transfer window. Never mind that the team already has Messi, Henry, Xavi, Iniesta, Dani Alves, Ibrahimovic, Pique, Busquets, Keita, Puyol, and counting. The latest from the BBC pipeline and other media outlets have confirmed that Barca is looking for further reinforcements emanating from the EPL... None other than Robinho (Manchester City) and Fabregas (Arsenal).

The addition of Fabregas would almost make the team have the majority of its midfield and defense be comprised of the Spanish national team. And who will they unload? Yaya Toure comes to mind. Bojan Kirkic, Jonathan dos Santos and even Thierry Henry are in danger (I see Henry staying until the summer window and then, possibly, to MLS).

Will this shift the balance of power further towards the Catalan side? Yes, in Spain. Yes, in Europe. Manchester United are depleted after losing Ronaldo and also due to injury. Chelsea can cause some headaches but the quality and style of Barca is still superior. Arsenal will be left without a creative midfielder and Manchester City will have deep pockets but no talent left. So, if the two transfers above actually do happen, then Barcelona will rival some of the best teams in history. A repeat of the Champions League title might be on the horizon.. and the local cup and league too. It's just too much power.