Can Spain Win Euro 2020 Playing Like This?

In Spain’s last three matches at Euro and World Cup level they’ve completed 2,541 passes to their opposition’s 508, enjoyed an extra 40 shots and... Not won a single one of those games.

They've scored just 3 goals in the process, while their opponents haven't exactly presented as a murderer's row either, consisting of Morocco, Russia (who knocked them out on penalties in the last World Cup) and Sweden.

This all-you-can-eat buffet of possession seems great, but has increasingly left Spain feeling nauseous, as well as leaving them in an intriguing position insofar as how they're going to navigate the rest of this tournament. 

While no, a goal-less draw against the Swedes isn't the end of the world for Spain, after all, 'La Rioja' opened their 2010 World Cup with a loss to Switzerland, while at these Euros it's worth remembering that no less than two-thirds of its combatants will book a ticket to the Round of 16.

With that said, Spain ought to be seriously concerned about a style of game that's quite clearly run itself into a brick wall.

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From a talent perspective, Spain's blessed with an array of world class brilliance. They always are. 

Manager Luis Enrique was once again able to select from a broad section of players from across Europe’s best leagues, ultimately comfortable enough to completely bypass Real Madrid’s offerings for the first time in national team history. 

In fact, this Spanish team is so good it could apparently afford to leave Iago Aspas at home and so good that Marcos Llorente is forced to play at right-back. So good that Chelsea’s Champions League wining captain César Azpilicueta sits on the bench, which is also where you usually find otherworldly talent like Mikel Oyarzabal and Gerard Moreno.

Yet despite Spain’s prestigious talent, the likes of which is arguably at an equal level of any nation at these Euros, they are lagging behind form a strategic standpoint. 

From a nation who borrowed so much from the Barcelona model, both from a tactical and labor perspective, and parlayed it into world domination, the national team has since become something of a strategic wasteland, with other global powers zipping past them.  

Compare Spain’s recent performances with Belgium who poured on 40 goals in qualifying, and whipped 3 past Russia in their opener without Kevin De Bruyne and with Eden Hazard on the bench. 

Compare Spain with a completely restructured Italy under Roberto Mancini or an England under Gareth Southgate who is constantly working through ways to maximise the talent as his disposal. 

Compare Spain with Didier Deschamps' French team who won the 2018 World Cup ranked 18th for possession and who routinely prevails without the urge to treat the sport as some sort of 'keepings off' training exercise, the likes of which Spain seem to constantly trot out these days.

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While Spain’s 6-0 November smack-down of Germany made headlines around the sporting world, the reality is that the result was a serious outlier and instead seems to have lulled Luis Enrique into thinking that everything's fine with his team, when it clearly isn't.

Three days prior to annihilating the Germans, Spain had required an 89th minute Gerard Moreno goal to equalise against a ten-man Swiss outfit. Their next assignment after their German demolition resulted in a 1-1 draw against Greece which was then followed by barely squeaking by Georgia 2-1, and thanks only to a 92nd minute Dani Olmo winner.

While sure, getting incredibly high off the fumes of gargantuan possession numbers once propelled Spain, the reality is that this approach to life is now leaving them weak and lethargic, and with so much fun sucked out of the game. 

Understandably, it's enormously hard to break old habits. After all, that approach to the game provided Spain with everything it ever dreamed of from a footballing point of view. 

It's also ushered in a serious case of delusion and complacency.

While sure, this Spanish team still has heavyweight talent, both established and emerging, none come close to the likes of Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Xabi Alonso in midfield. It doesn't have anything near a Iker Casillas in goal or a Carles Puyol in front of him. It certainly doesn't have a David Villa up front. 

This tournament is still young, and Spain are still positioned among its favourites. Having said that, Sweden will soon enough be replaced with the likes of France or Portugal as an opponent, or you pick of European giants who'll be better equipped to handle Spain's blunt knife, and likely torch them on the counter. 

Spain once ruled the world. To do so again, they're going to have to do something significantly different to what's worked so well previously.

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