As we regard the Euro 2012 final, it's
apparent that we will watch the tournament's two most irresistible
sides. Spain have for four years been the international game's
standard, a gestalt of tiki-taka, creation and industry. Italy, too,
have been utterly compelling; where Spain have over a dozen
world-class talents to call upon, arguably the Azzurri boast only a
handful – their achievement has come primarily through
unity, adaptability and system.
To some observers, their group clash
was the best
match of the tournament. Since then, the Italians have moved
from unknown quantity to having a real puncher's chance at taking the
Championship.
Italy manager Cesare Prandelli went
into the tournament expecting to play a 4-4-2 with players rotating
through a midfield diamond but opted for an unfamiliar 3-5-2 in
Italy's opening matches against Spain and Croatia. When this proved
only functional versus the Croats, Prandelli went back to his
favoured formation which consequently produced sterling results
against England and Germany. How they'll line up on Sunday is still
unknown, neither formation would surprise.
Tactically, Italy are likely to attempt
to free their key midfielders Andrea Pirlo and Daniele De Rossi. De
Rossi plays deeper and has struggled to play the full ninety minutes
on occasion; Pirlo, the team's creative hub, has been the
tournament's best – if not necessarily it's most important –
player. The only suggestion Italy may opt for the 3-5-2 again is to
offer this duo more protection from a Spanish philosophy based almost
entirely upon retrieving possession as soon as it is lost.
Almost to a man, Spain are circuitous,
dutiful pests. They discombobulate opponents with tricksy approach
patterns amid waves of possession seemingly engineered
by Phil Spector. Possession is both weapon and targe; a plastic
object moulded and shaped into beautiful creation.
Spain are likely to stick to their
favoured 4-3-2-1. Their only question is whether to opt for a true
centre-forward or keep Cesc Fabregas out of position as a False 9.
With his choices in the semi-final – Alvaro Negredo, who was only
mediocre before being subbed early for Fabregas – del Bosque
appears to have made his decision. The presence of Fabregas could be
crucial in pressuring Pirlo and De Rossi, while also allowing
Andrés
Iniesta to advance forward and create.
It's worth noting however that Spain
have often looked best after withdrawing one of Iniesta, Fabregas or
Silva and employing either Barcelona's Pedro or Sevilla's Jesús
Navas as out-and-out wide players. This is probably because each
triumvir prefers to operate in the centre of the park, while Pedro
and Navas earn their coin down the flanks. It isn't that Iniesta or
Fabregas can't do so – but that they prefer the field's centre.
Both teams have developed their own
effective methods of pacifying their opposition; the most important
factor in producing a win from that power-position is the generation
of goals. Perhaps the greatest fundamental difference between the
two finalists is in each team's ability to draw a goal from the
ether: in Antonio Cassano and Mario
Balotelli. Prandelli's two forwards have probably been two of
the tournament's best and their mere presence – backed by
impressive spells by Alessandro Diamanti and Riccardo Montolivo –
mean the Italians can feel confident of scoring.
More than perhaps any other team, this
Spain team lend themselves to analogy, simile and cliché.
Pass and move. Death by a thousand cuts. They pass you to death.
Metronomes. Boa Constrictors. They use Alan
Rickman's spoon. They possess column inches and bandwidth like
they do the football. A win would place them firmly among the best
sides of all time, yet they've never had an iconic opponent or truly
“all-time” match.
Sunday promises to be that mountaintop.
No comments:
Post a Comment