Don’t blame Morata – Enrique’s great Spanish design lacks a killer touch

[ad_1]

Football can be cruel; we know that. But it seems particularly nasty to Morata.

The man who was booed by his own fans, who coached Spain against Croatia, was ultimately dropped for the Euro 2020 semi-final against Italy. A purely tactical choice, but perhaps at odds with Luis Enrique’s hot-blooded challenge to opponents who wanted Morata to be kicked out of the squad.

How incredible it was to see Morata come off the bench and equalize 10 minutes from the end, under a quick “Vamos!” in the camera and bring the ball back to the center circle. And how inevitable it was when his tame penalty kick was saved, as Spain’s grueling campaign finally ended in yet another shootout.

Morata shouldn’t be blamed, however. On the contrary, the failures of Spain in attack were prevalent throughout. It may seem strange because before the semi-finals they were the tournament’s top scorer with 12, and they finished it with 13, their best goals come in just one European Championship.

But they should have had more, and not just at Wembley Stadium. They entered the match with nine goals scored (excluding penalties and own goals) out of 15.6 expected goals. This -3.56 difference was the worst of any team in those finals. At the end of the semi-final, their tally was 10 against an xG of 17.1.

They also looked promising. Spain may not have been captivated in these finals, just ask Rafael “they are horrible to watch” van der Vaart, but they have mastered this critical art of improving as they go. of the tournament.

From the drudgery of two draws in the group stage where they averaged one shot on target for 458 assists against Sweden, then gave Poland a point reinforced by La Roja. They dismantled Slovakia in the crucial third game and put Croatia at the edge of the sword in the last 16 (even though they tried to throw it away). In the quarterfinals against Switzerland, they shot 28 shots in 120 minutes and only the brilliance of Yann Sommer forced the match to go on penalties.

On a damp and cool evening in London, against the favorites of many observers for the trophy, Spain looked fully warmed up. The midfielder’s passage was sharp and determined; Dani Olmo’s introduction as the false nine left Italy’s center trio outnumbered and rushed after the white shirts. Olmo could have scored, and Mikel Oyarzabal really should have, hitting a shot within range of Gianluigi Donnarumma. Italy took 45 minutes to attempt a shot, with Emerson Palmieri grazing the crossbar from a tight angle.

Even after Federico Chiesa put the Azzurri ahead with an excellent finish after an hour, there was little panic in the Spanish ranks. On the contrary, there was an acceptance, an expectation that chances present themselves, as they all have tournaments. They duly did it, Oyarzabal missed the ball when a simple header came in and Olmo missed a shot from the side. In the end, it was Morata who went from scrutinized starter to super-sub, turning in midfield, exchanging passes with Olmo and leaving Donnarumma stunned by a clinical finish.

Perhaps inevitably, however, it was on the Spanish midfielders that it all rested. The game seemed to fluctuate depending on who had the ball at any given time. The three were like brothers from the same footballing lineage: teenager Pedri, experienced Koke, veteran Busquets. They certainly kept the ball as a family secret. Pedri completed his 56 passes before overtime; Busquets has lost only four of his family. You would be forgiven for thinking that Koke played for Barcelona, ​​such was his understanding with the Catalan duo.

However, controlling the midfield was not enough. At Euro 2020, that was never enough for them. It would be unfair to suggest that Italy were playing for the penalty shootout but as soon as they arrived you felt there was only one winner. Giorgio Chiellini laughed, shoved and hugged Jordi Alba during the toss before the shootout. He seemed to know. Morata did too, with the Juventus forward nodding regretfully after Donnarumma guessed right to save his shot on goal. And everyone at Wembley and the world knew Jorginho was burying the winner.

Few had a clear idea of ​​what Spain would achieve in these finals. Luis Enrique has proven that he can cultivate a strong-minded team and navigate the rigors of a tournament; even his sadly poor relationship with the national press shouldn’t hurt a few positive weeks. They seem like a realistic bet for at least the final stages of the World Cup next year.

But these worries in attack will only grow if they cannot become a more ruthless team by November 2022. Like their immaculate midfielder, Spain builds, patiently, skillfully, but without really knowing where she will lead.

[ad_2]