Espana: Supernatural champions

Photo credit: Getty Images

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

Photo credit: UEFA

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.

Torres, golden and Chelsea defeat Barcelona

 Photo credit: AP

There are few matches that leaves a person saying "wow" over and over again. And yet that's how many of us felt today as Fernando Torres sidestepped Victor Valdez and gingerly guided the ball to the back of the net to tie the score Chelsea 2 - Barcelona 2. Having won the home match by 1-0, Chelsea sent the reigning champs packing and sealed their trip to the UEFA Champions League final.

Barcelona is the epitome of the beautiful game: tiki taka from Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, steady defense in Puyol and Pique, searing runs by Dani Alves. And yet even the best, most talented teams can be undone by true teamwork and total football. Today's version of total football came in the shape of total defense. Brian McBride put it well when he said that rarely does one see two forwards playing left and right backs. And Drogba, Kalou, and Torres performed this labor splendidly. Di Mateo held the team in line for a perfect defensive second half despite being a man down.

John Terry's character mistakes, and we won't put that lightly, nearly cost the team this game. It's not the first time his actions have pained the team and perhaps the "blues" were able to look past it and regroup on the field. True, if Ramires had not struck the first goal for Chelsea, we would be praising Messi and company, but it's the undeniable determination of the Chelsea defense and a scintillating performance by Petr Cech that brought it home for the London team.

This was a tale of two talented forwards: Messi and Torres. Messi has the privilege and the stigma of being the best player in the world. He thought his high, controlled penalty kick would beat Cech but the woodwork had other ideas. Same thing happened later in the match when a low shot from the Argentinean was negated by both Cech and the left post.

Then there is Fernando Torres. The 50 million pound attacker has seen lower goal production than most goalies get in recent times. But today he showed the composure necessary to ice the game and rise to fame once more. All is forgiven when a player scores a clinching goal like this. And he also played phenomenal defense when he had to, so we must argue that he showed his worth as a complete player today.

The most credit goes to Meireles, Ramires, Ianovic, Mikkel, Bosingwa, Cole, for sealing the 18 yard box with barbed wires and holding a perfect line. This is how the game was won, in the back with the most solid teamwork defense that club soccer has seen in recent years. This is how Italy won World Cups, how Greece won the Euro, how the United States got to the 2009 Confederations Cup final. Lead from the back, always, to ensure a game. A perfect ten in the second half for this defense of ten men on the pitch.

Not scoring: from Altidore to Fernando Torres

If you are like most knowledgeable US national team fans you will know one thing: Jozy Altidore, our star at forward, isn't scoring much these days. Indeed, since his multi-million, record-breaking move to Spanish powerhouse Villarreal, Altidore has scored more goals for the national team than at club level. He scored once in La Liga play during the 2008 season and then two more times in local Cup play. Not what you want from a striker of his quality. His year-long loan to Premier League side Hull City (since relegated) saw him score just once in league play and also in Carling Cup games. Lately, on loan to current Turkish champs Busaspor, the talented American scored once just last week, as the season winds down.

Altidore is not alone in this. Eddie Johnson, once heralded as a US international star, has managed very few goals abroad in league play. Josh Wolff was another underachiever in his day. Not to mention Freddy Adu. Others out there have a bit more luck: Edson Buddle with bottom-dweller 2.Bundesliga team Ingolstadt.

But our American stars aren't alone. Spanish superstar Fernando Torres scored his first goal for Chelsea this past weekend. This was his first goal after a multi-million dollar move from Liverpool. At one point, Carlos Vela of Mexico (Arsenal) and Kikin Fonseca played eight games for Benfica, scored once, and was sent home packing.

The truth for all these players is clear: form, luck and understanding. Being patient with the ball and passing to team mates enjoying better form. Sometimes it's better to play for smaller teams and, finally, to return to one's homeland. There, they can find and regain form, get the necessary minutes, and compete for spots in the national team. Such isn't the case for Torres. For him it's about warming the bench or biding his time until opportunities and luck return. It may even be better to go back to Atletico. But Chelsea won't give up on him. Not yet. He is a proven goalscorer and his fantasy play can still dazzle. As with most injury bugs, some of these players just require more time. We are, after all, rooting for them to do better and to lite up stadiums and TV screens.

Good luck to all. Come home if necessary. Patience is a virtue.

Photo credits: Getty Images

No Austerity: The 2011 Winter Transfer Market

There is no great recession. Not in sport. Not anymore. The Barclay's Premier League shelled out $345 million in order to revamp, reshape and restructure its major financial players: the big teams. It was Liverpool, Manchester City, Tottenham and Chelsea that ruled the direct deposit channels. Will this really change the way the game is played?

A few things are true: Fernando Torres ($79.5 million from Liverpool to Chelsea) was no longer happy with mid-table dwellers and Abromovich's Chelsea was ready to add oxygen to the fuel of its already-impressive attack (Anelka, Kalou, Drogba). Manchester City unhinged itself from under-used Adebayor only to snag Bosnian phenom Dzeko. We will hear that name more often now. But Liverpool didn't just lose one of the world's best strikers, they also made up for it with Newcastle's Andy Carroll and Ajax's Luis Suarez (yes, Mr. "hand of devil" versus Ghana). A better deal, given Torres' decline.

Real Madrid continued to splash the cash by snagging up Adebayor, but in the process they also lost their prize by falling far behind Barcelona for probably the final time this season. Mourinho, "the Special One" has some walls and isn't invincible.


Who's paying for all this? Abromovich is not the tycoon he once was and Chelsea reported a loss of 75 million pounds on this very day. Liverpool has a larger wallet now in the form of the New England Sports Ventures. A quick interview on Fox Soccer Channel showed just how serious the team was to John W. Henry. A toast to you.

Other "loan" moves included a few familiar names: Altidore (to Bursaspor of Turkey), Michael Bradley (to Aston Villa), Freddy Adu (Rizespor), Jermaine Jones (Blackburn Rovers). A loan implies part of the salary is paid by the lessee and the rest by the owner. In any case, a better chance for some of our compatriots. Other moves included Jefferson Montero (Villarreal to Levante) and Giovanni Dos Santos (Tottenham to Racing Santander). Read up on some other interesting deals here.

So, are we coming out of our austerity period? No, it's still the roaring 20s or surplus 90s.according to the soccer Gods. Is there a limit? MLS tries with its salary cap, but their "designated player" rule allows for 3 overpriced (a.k.a. Beckham) players in each team at their own discretion. This is, after all, a capitalist nation and a capitalist world, right? Sometimes it takes an idea, a special talent, to recognize that excess money doesn't always buy the best. Some teams sit still, sit quiet, spend gently and purposefully, and win championships.

Liverpool falls and rebuilds

There are few clubs in the world with the fandom and recognition that Liverpool has. One of England's "big four" (includes Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United). Winners of 18 domestic leagues, 7 FA and 7 League Cups, 5 European Champions Cup/League (most recent in 2005), Liverpool doesn't lack silverware. And yet, at the moment, they are on the verge of collapse both financially and in the sport.

That is, until the New England Sports Ventures stepped in to rescue them from the precipice. Yes, another American ownership venture into the English Premier League. But this time the new owners are going to pay off the club's debts and will rescue it from going into administration and having a 9 point deficit (Portsmouth underwent the same ordeal last season). So is the team safe yet? Perhaps.

A couple of points, however. Within the Premier League itself, Liverpool has not won, at all, from the league's founding in 1992. So how is it that they've won the Champions League? Perhaps because the Champions League isn't really for "champions" of the sport only, it's more like "champions" of prestige and marketing. But that's another story entirely, and one that Michel Platini knows all too well. Further, the team has been in rapid decline ever since Hicks and Gillette took over: from Rafa Benitez's indecisions to a non-top-four finish, to early relegation battle. A downward spiral indeed.

Liverpool is another team that suffers from the international player bug. That is, less than a third of its Premier League roster is of domestic origin. Fernando Torres and Dirk Kuyt headline a heavily-international attack. This is commonplace these days, however, but it is undoubtedly part of the reason overspending occurs. Argentinians and Brazilians come at a high price. So do Spaniards and the Dutch. There are certain models out there with more home brews: FC Barcelona. Pedro, Villa, Zavi, Iniesta, Valdez, Puyol, Busquets, Pique are all starters and are all from Spain. Oh, wait, that's also almost the World Cup Champions. Food for thought?

The New England Sports Ventures owns the Red Sox, and, after acquiring them in 2002, saw the team win the World Series. Perhaps they should take over the New England Revolution from the Kraft Group? A soccer-specific stadium and acquirement of a world class player would save the dwindling fan base (games average close to 12,000 in attendance this season).

In any case, this is a time to pay tribute to one of the great teams of world soccer. Liverpool FC, a timeless institution that was on the brink of collapse and riddled with disrepair. With off-pitch drama behind them, Roy Hodgson and company can concentrate on the January transfer window and plan their return to the world scene. It's not too late. Not yet.

Paint it yellow, paint it red: Spain wins the World Cup

Yellow and red because those are the colors of the Spanish flag and the flag of Catalunia. Yellow and red because Webb, the referee, decided to give out a myriad of punishment cards (12). Most notable was the red card for Heitinga deep into extra time. Spain was victorious today because of the whole of the team. . . and they taught us how to play soccer once again.

There would be no Fernando Torres starting today. Most of us knew that. But was Pedro the right call? He had shown a bit of trepidation in his play. Maybe he wasn't ready for the big screen. Llorente and Navas were the other options. Navas would come in to add some spark to the game.

No winning goal from Torres, not this time. No sixth goal for David Villa, he would settle for five in this World Cup. No heroics from Sergio Ramos, Carles Puyol or Gerard Pique. No magic from Xavi or Xabi Alonso. It was Iniesta this time, and just in time. The man that sent Barcelona to the Champions League final in 2009 was the man that would give his country the one tournament they always knew they could get but had not been able to acquire. Gooooooooal! We screamed and cried and laughed as the net opened its petals when the ball hit the polyester strands. Spain would win it without penalties. Spain would redeem soccer once more and bring the beautiful game back to the glory it deserves.

Another chapter in world football closes today. Another four-year cycle comes to a close. We return to our everyday lives and begin to train our hearts and minds to dream once more. Maybe your country can go far in 2014. Maybe your country can win. Now we watch our players grow and fall and score and cry so that they can share the dream. This is why we love this game.

Que viva Espana.

Breaking history: The Semifinals

There are favorites in every tournament, the usual suspects: Brazil, Argentina, France, Italy, Spain, Germany. Always on the horizon is Holland, the one team many claim the best nation never to win a tournament. Of the above only Germany and Spain survive. Uruguay is reliving its glory days of 40 years ago with its first semifinal berth since 1970.

Certain patterns always emerge during World Cup cycles. For the past 36 years, for example, no team that has won the cup has lost a single game. Only one team in the 80 year history of the World Cup has won the title after losing a match: West Germany. Curiously enough, it was against fellow-finalists Hungary in 1954 and against the recently-deceased East Germany in 1974. So, contrary to previous posts, it actually is possible for a champion to lose during the tournament. The question is this: will it be Germany or Spain? As the saying goes, there can be only one.

It will be Klose-Podolski-Ozil versus Xavi-Iniesta-Villa. Germany may be fast, impressive and young. Spain, however, is a more complete team. All of Spain's players are world-class individuals. Germany can't say the same, although their collective spirit has dismantled soccer powers like Argentina and England. Do remember, however, that the Germans were pushed to the brink by Ghana and were deflated and defeated by Serbia during group play. Spain has been less than impressive during this tournament except during the Honduras game and the first half versus Chile. Germany must contain the considerable power of Spain's attack and exploit the so-far sub-par performances by Puyol and Pique, as well as Sergio Ramos' frequent excursions into the offense. Spain needs to score, plain and simple. Torres may not start the match due to lack of form.

On the other side of the coin (tomorrow's semifinal) are Holland and Uruguay. These two teams are unbeaten. Uruguay has been particularly impressive after defeating Mexico, South Korea and South Africa following a 0-0 draw versus ill-fated France and a controversial win against African darlings Ghana. Keep in mind that Fucile may not play (injury) and Suarez is unavailable due to suspension after his goal-line handball at the end of extra time versus Ghana. The team is tired and stretched after their quarterfinal game, although with plenty of confidence. The Netherlands have steadily grown stronger throughout the tournament. No multi-goal demolition of their opponents, no flashy forwards like David Villa, just a solid squad that has addressed its shortcomings in defense and that has taken care of things in the midfield. Wesley Sneijder, "Best Player of the Tournament" candidate derailed heavily-favored Brazil thanks to his partner in crime--Arjen Robben. This one-two punch along with Van Persie, Dirk Kuyt and Huntelaar may be too much for a weakened Uruguay defense. On the other hand, Uruguay has a knack for major upsets (Maracanazo in 1950).

Four games are left. Only one can be crowned champion. Were Uruguay and Germany to lose, we would have a first-ever champion, something that has not occurred since France won the tournament in 1998.

Enjoy.

Justice: La furia Espanola

Call it premonition. Call it due date. Call it glory. Call it Iberian. When in mid-May I was asked whom I thought would be the likely winner for Euro 2008 I innocently answered Spain or Portugal. I was going for my Iberian roots and had a fool's hope for those teams, especially Spain. I was hoping it wouldn't be France or Italy or Germany.
When it came time to decide I went with Spain because they have an amazing team from the backline to the forwards. Casillas is a top notch goalkeeper and surely has surpassed Buffon to be the reigning number 1. Puyol has the mastery at the back with years of experience and a knack for frustrating forwards. Capdevila and Sergio Ramos always clean up their act by moving forward and stealing the scene from the attacking line while Marchena is quite but effective. Marcos Senna stole the scene more than once in the tournament and silenced critics and fans alike that questioned his allegiance and place in the team for being Brazilian-born. Silva did a nice job cleaning up the messes in the midfield and put together a good number of tikitaka plays. Xavi is a master of the midfield and proved it by snatching a key goal against Russia while Iniesta proved why he's in one of football's most prodigious teams (FCB). Fernando Torres pulled a Zinedine Zidane (not the headbut) and scored in the final when he was most needed (ZIdane scored twice in the 98 final after not scoring once in any game prior to that). David Villa made soccer look pretty and proved why when I played the simulated final on Wii all the scores came from him. Alas, he got injured and had to miss the final. Xavi (Shabby for the spanish-impaired) Alonso came in when necessary as did Guiza, both acting admirably and timely.
Loew's Germany is a very strong, very aggressive, very dominant and physical side that rekindled the Germany of old with the play of old with Ballack and Shweinsteiger. After having competed in 5 finals and won 3 most were siding with history to crown them champs. Klose and Podolski (both Polish, I might add) were the only other bright stars and only at certain points in different games. The rest of the bunch had good games but they did not light it up on the pitch, save for Lahm against Turkey. Feel free to disagree with me here. I was a German fan for a very long time and still cheer for them against most opponents. The Spaniards saw past the history and the 12th man and looked at the flesh and bone of the German players on the pitch at Wien. That is why Spain won. They convinced themselves that they could.
Sore losers? France is an aging side and Ribery and Co. need to regroup if they want to make it to South Africa. This should be the end of the line for Vieira, Anelka, Thuram, Makalele, among others. Henry still has a couple more years in him so don't count him out yet.
Italy was dreadful except against France. Their style of play tends to be boring to me and many other critics out there.
Holland payed the price for peaking too early and Russia dismantled Van Basten's program. Practice makes perfect and this side can handle most teams out there.
Portugal was a letdown. It's defense needs a lot of help because Deco, Cristiano Ronaldo and their attacking crew can't win a game if the other team can breeze through their defense.
Turkey showed amazing courage and had me cheering and chanting for them in every game. Keep up the good work. Same goes to Russia. Maybe the killer instinct of the Soviet predecessors can be resurrected and we can stop attributing USSR's success to players from the Ukraine and other soviet states.
Speaking of... Ukraine/Poland is next in 2012. The mini world cup (minus Brazil and Argentina) awaits its next chapter. As I say to people out there... when it comes time for Euro, all bets are off. That's why only two teams have won it more than once (Germany and France) and why teams like Greece and Denmark can claim the crown at times. Now it's world cup qualifying time. Let the games begin!