WORLD CUP
Diversity over dogma: Lopetegui making Spain harder to beat
Julen Lopetegui is off to an incredible start as the manager of Spain and he is diversifying his selection of players to make them contenders in Russia this summer.
Spain's rise to the top of international football's chain was swift. Over four years between 2008 and 2012, they won three major international tournaments, their first since their previous solitary Euros triumph in 1964, and captivated the world in the process with their style. Their fall, however, was just as rapid with defeats against Netherlands (a truly painful 5-1) and Chile in the 2014 World Cup meaning their title defence never got off the ground. Not much changed, of course, during that time but their previously radical tiki-taka football had been figured out, the old guard hadn't been replaced and their lack of directness hurt them. Having been dumped out of the World Cup in Brazil, they then bowed out of Euro 2016 at the round of 16 stage with a 2-0 loss to Italy; they had 59% of possession but the Italians hit them twice on the break and it was curtains for Spain, Vicente del Bosque and a wonderful era for fans of La Roja.
The same tactic that had brought a country that had perennially underachieved to life, slowly killed them. And now Julen Lopetegui is trying to make Spain more tactically diverse so they aren't as susceptible this summer in Russia.
What Julen Lopetegui has done since taking over is rebuild a possession-heavy style yet with a focus on flexibility. He has bullet-proofed his side to ensure they can win in different ways. With the players at his disposal to enact such an approach, Julen Lopetegui's Spain are in great shape to regain the World Cup title they handed over so timidly in 2014.
Lopetegui's reliance on diversity over one style paying dividends
We have learned plenty about Spain under Julen Lopetegui. We know how much he values Isco and that he has no problem implementing a system with one striker, two strikers and occasionally no striker at all. One thing that stands out since he has named his World Cup squad and after watching the Switzerland game on Sunday night is that the 51-year-old values diversity over dogma. He’s looking to make his Spain side as multi-dimensional as possible.
As the manager of a national team, it often seems to be easier to stick with a dogmatic approach. But if you’re brave enough and have the players to do it, then being dynamic can give you an advantage, especially in the World Cup when games are played fast and with little chance to build contingency plans. If you start off on the wrong foot, your World Cup could be over before you have time to implement change - as Spain found out in 2014.
Lopetegui, however, is off to the best start of any Spain manager since Luis Aragones in 2006. He hasn’t lost in any of his first 19 games - 13 wins and 6 draws. He has breathed new life into the Spain squad with plenty of young faces along with the old reliables.
"Lopetegui rewards the players without looking at their team they play for," Iago Aspas said of the manager after being picked. "He proved it with me and it didn't matter to the mister." Morata lost out due to the great form of Aspas and Moreno, plus his own poor run, but you feel if the Chelsea striker was able to bring something a little different from the other three strikers named, Lopetegui might have found a seat on the plane to Russia. But with the three strikers he has brought, he has a bulldozer, an artist and a technician and they can all play support or protagonist roles if needed.
The former goalkeeper could have played it safe and chosen Rodri as a direct replacement for Sergio Busquets to join the squad. Instead he picked an eclectic mix of midfielders, each of them able to function in different systems, occasionally sharing similar traits but all with very different styles. The rock n’roll Saúl Niguez complimented by the smooth Thiago Alcantara. The endlessly creative David Silva juxtaposed by the obsessive work-rate of Koke. The speed and splendour of Marco Asensio offset by the pensive and methodical Andres Iniesta. In his squad, he has eight of the top 30 midfieders in the world according to the Guardian's top 100 footballers in 2017 list. Spain are going to be a nightmare to play against this summer and Lopetegui knows it.
Spain are favourites given how good their pick of players is but every World Cup winning team needs a little bit of luck and something that sets them apart. It might sound pejorative to describe what Lopetegui has turned his side into as a novelty but their approach in any game could change in a flash.
Tiki-taka might have some life in it yet, whatever your definition of that term is, but an over-reliance on it can be fatal. Lopetegui's brave approach in making his side fluent in several formations means Spain could beat you in different ways. And it will take a special team to pin them down and hand them an 'L' in Russia this summer.