World Cup 2014 -- Spain vs. Chile: What We Learned/Best & Worst Players
The title defense is over. For the first time in history, the World Cup champion has been eliminated after two games. Spain's 2-0 loss to Chile offered a number of insights on the former champs. Here are some of them.
1. Time to blow the whole thing up
It was inexplicable. The defending champions were down 2-0 at halftime, and their midfield looked lost. Chile did not dominate -- just made the most of its few chances. Meanwhile, the Spanish could not get things going. The passing was disjointed. Too many top players were giving the ball away. The speed was frenzied, and it just seemed like the Spaniards were overwhelmed by Chile's pressure.
So what to do next? Start over. That is what Spain faces as it heads into the Euro qualifiers this year. The nation has more than enough talent in the likes of David De Gea, Isco, Thiago Alcantara, Jese, Alvaro Morata and Koke to get on the accelerated track back to glory.
2. Iker Casillas: From Hero to Zero
Arguably the greatest goaltender in history is a shadow of his former self. After his woeful display against the Dutch, many expected him to bounce back with the game of his life. Instead, he proved the doubters right. On the second goal, he stopped a great free kick from Alexis Sanchez. However, instead of punching the ball away from the goal, he hit it right back into the middle of the box -- and wound up paying for it.
He had little to do in the second half, but the damage had already been done.
3. Chile is messy but effective
Chile played a solid game. No doubts about that. The team pressured Spain in the midfield with relentless pace that was a marvel to watch. However, the team still looks bare on the back end and often struggled to get up the pitch against the defending champs.
In the second half, they were exposed a bit more, but they always seemed to find a way to close down Spain's space. The counterattack was effective, and the team could have scored more if not for some unfortunate misses.
4. Vicente del Bosque's baffling coaching
The Marquis was a major reason behind Spain's 2010 World Cup and 2012 Euro cup triumphs. But his decisionmaking before and during the game was highly surprising -- for the wrong reasons. Continuing with Diego Costa was a disaster in the opening game. So when Costa was ineffective against Chile, del Bosque made yet another disastrous mistake: He put in Fernando Torres, the Chelsea striker with six goals all season long, who was ineffective against the Netherlands on Friday. The result? Torres did nothing. But the baffling changes did not end there. For his final sub, del Bosque brought in Santi Cazorla, a midfielder like David Silva and Andres Iniesta. He had David Villa on the bench, but instead of using Villa, del Bosque brought in his worst striker -- a player identical to the others he had deployed.
5. The death of tiki-taka
Possession soccer is a wonderful spectacle. It requires intelligence, stamina and brilliant technique. But it is no longer effective on its own. Without pace, strength or an aerial presence, the game becomes funneled through the center of the pitch and teams simply need to clog the middle of pitch the park and wait behind the ball. Then they strike back with speed and expose the team's high line. Everyone seems to have figured out how to beat Spain, and now a new style is doubtlessly needed. One with more directness. More pace. More variety than just short passes through the middle of the pitch.
It is time for Spain to find a new style if the team has any hope of retaining the Euro championship in two years.
Man of the Match
Chile: The entire Chilean side was terrific. No player really stood out, as the team worked cohesively throughout the game. This was a master class in pressing and finishing.
Spain: No one.
Flop of the match
Chile: Every player did his part, though it was a bit unsettling to watch the Chileans falling all over the place to waste time.
Spain: The entire team looked nervous from the outset and was made to pay. Embarrassing at best, disastrous at worst.
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