Football trends: Spain’s perfect mix and what the DFB team is missing | NDR.de – Sport

by Tobias Knaack

Shortly after Germany won the World Cup in Italy in 1990, team manager Franz Beckenbauer predicted that the German national team would be “unbeatable” for years to come. The pool of good footballers in the newly reunified Federal Republic simply seemed too large to him. But things turned out differently. Even though they won the European Championship in England in 1996, the World Cup victory in 1990 was followed by a decade and a half of football poverty for the DFB team.

No similar statements were heard from coach Luis de la Fuente after Spain’s European Championship triumph in Berlin this summer. However, after their title-winning European Championship appearance, they can certainly hope for years of football dominance on the Iberian peninsula. The key players are in their prime, the team is tactically excellent and technically unchallenged – at least in Europe.

A left-right combination to the European title

You only need to watch the final against England to get an idea of ​​why it was so difficult to get past Spain in the summer. After a goal from the right flank to make it 1-0, the winning goal 2-1 was initiated from the left flank. I am Quarter-final against Germany: 1:0 on the right, 2:1 on the left.

Before and after: headers, counterattacks, long-range shots. There was hardly a path the Iberians took on the way to the title that was not successful. And so the art and manner in which the “Furia Roja” scored their goals represents the variability, diversity and variety of their game.

Spain variable offensively and stable defensively

And what’s more, according to the analyses of the Global Soccer Network (GSN), the Spanish offered “a perfect mix of possession, precision in passing, flexibility in attacking strategies, efficiency in exploiting opportunities and defensive stability” during the European Championship. Perfect for some, but exhausting for others, including their opponents.

Coach de la Fuente’s team not only managed to “control the game and create a constant threat to the goal, but also effectively prevented the opponent from scoring and prevented goals from being conceded.” 15:4 goals across seven teams reflect the dominance in both offense and defense.

Very multifaceted game

If you look at the playing and tactical trends of the recent European Championships – positional play (especially full-backs moving into midfield), defensive stability and transition play, counter-pressing, offensive variability and creativity as well as long-range shots – the Spanish national team covers many of these facets. And has helped to shape them.

Example of defensive stability – which on the one hand is related to a high level of tactical discipline and resolute tackling by the Iberians, but on the other hand also to a high percentage of ball possession of 60 percent.

Further development of “Tiki Taka” possession football

The Spanish offensive is characterized by several factors that underline the team’s variability and creativity: positional and transitional play, dribbling and progressive runs. Also a further development of the “pure” “Tiki Taka” possession football that was the basis of Spain’s dominance from 2008 to 2012 with three consecutive titles.

According to GSN, the team still had “remarkable patience in building up attacks,” which was reflected in the high number of positional attacks (almost 34 per game) and ball possession. On the other hand, de la Fuente’s team was also able to switch quickly and launch counterattacks – sometimes from a situational high pressing.

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Dynamics through dribbling and progressive runs

In addition, there is an enormous strength in dribbling and so-called progressive runs, with which the opposing defense can be broken through and space created. An average of 31 dribbles – eleven of them in the final third of the field – and 25 progressive runs per game kept the pressure on the opponent’s defense constantly high – and created scoring opportunities.

The team thus created a large number of shots in the penalty area (more than eight per game) and in the so-called “danger zone” – an area in and around the penalty area which, according to GSN, “statistically has a high probability of scoring a goal” (almost six).

Austria also dominant, Georgia surprises

Other nations also did very well in certain aspects. Austria, for example, was not just a feeling but also a legitimate dark horse according to the data until its somewhat surprising elimination in the round of 16 against Turkey. The team also impressed with its very good passing game and was able to dominate games in a similar way to Spain.

The team of German coach Ralf Rangnick achieved similarly good values ​​in positional attacks, counterattacks, dribbling and progressive runs as well as the number of shots on goal. The Georgians – as a counterpoint – surprised many with an ultra-defensive but extremely efficient and fast counterattack tactic.

In comparison, Germany lacked dynamism

Germany also had good ball possession statistics in its 4-2-3-1 system and was highly efficient in its finishing. However, the DFB team lacks the explosiveness and dynamism of the “Furia Roja” – and also in parts of Austria. According to GSN, the next development steps for national coach Julian Nagelsmann’s team lie particularly in the areas of individual technique, attack dynamics, pressing and physical presence.

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In particular, dynamic movements that initiate plays, as well as greater dribbling skills and the ability to resolve one-on-one duels could help the German team increase its offensive variability.

Need to catch up in pressing and tackling intensity

According to GSN, Nagelsmann and the team should also “work on the intensity and aggressiveness in tackles” – especially in order to win balls when pressing. Or to improve in standard situations, another trend at the European Championships, especially in the offensive.

According to the data, the fundamentals are very good. From the point of view of central defender Jonathan Tah, the national team could also benefit from the fact that champions Leverkusen in particular, but also Stuttgart, play in a similar way to what the national team is aiming for – and how the gap to the Spaniards could be reduced.

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Many promising midfielders

“The basic idea of ​​team play and the activity of each individual are very similar,” the 28-year-old explained during the week, referring to the playing styles of his Spanish club coach Xabi Alonso and national coach Nagelsmann. Both demand of the players: “Stand high, be brave, prevent counterattacks, look for offensive openings.”

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These are aspects that the DFB team is looking forward to after the The departures of Toni Kroos and Ilkay Gündogan will have to be pushed forward and improved in the new line-up – starting with the first Nations League game today against Hungary (8.45 p.m.). There is hope that there is a whole list of young players, such as Bayern Munich’s Aleksandar Pavlovic, who want to and can take on the roles of the departing old masters. And who could prevent Spanish dominance for years to come.