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In the catalog of problems or breakdowns presented by the Spanish team, also in the Nations League, there is one of the most obvious: the lack of a goal. A lack that, more than a defect, seems like a choice. And Luis Enrique, who demonstrates it by work with calls in which he renounces national soccer players with greater ability to achieve, also slips it without dissimulation of words. “There are teams that focus more on scoring goals,” he said yesterday to distance himself, and reiterated that in his model the non-negotiable thing about nine is defensive work. It sounds like a paradox, but it is an axiom. A declaration of principles that he will also flutter tonight (20.45, La 1) around La Rosaleda, the oven in which spain closes his minitour and the season.
The rival, again Czech Republicwho a week ago had a very bad time in Prague (2-2).
Morata summarizes the speech of his coach. He scores goals, but mainly misses them. And in any case, seeing the goal is not the virtue for which he stands out, nor for which Luis Enrique recognizes him. It is the beating that sticks to running, especially without the ball; exercise more than Gatusso than Romario. «I’m not going to start comparing players, but Morata’s defensive level in Europe… If there is one, at most it equals him; he does not improve any. That means intelligence when it comes to pressing and physical conditions beyond any doubt, a very high level”, praised the coach without exaggeration.
He also said that “with the ball he is very good, he generates superiority and appears in difficult situations for the rival”, but he insisted on what he is fundamentally pursuing for the position: “Let them know that they have an offensive facet, and a clear defensive one. Perhaps in other teams they focus more on scoring goals. With us, if they don’t do our defensive work, we can’t be solvent in order to submit the games.”
The coach already made it very clear a week ago, giving clues as to why the most gifted footballers for goals have disappeared from his team (Iago Aspas) and why others have not even appeared (John): “If they don’t meet those typical characteristics, I won’t call them again. My nine has to associate; offer to leave face and generate spaces. Some, in their clubs, don’t show the things I ask, But here, it’s mandatory. My nine has to be the first defender, run like crazy. Have a bestial attitude without the ball. The goal is secondary, anecdotal.
Anyone is worth nine
In fact, a position theoretically as specific as nine, in the national team becomes a general demarcation within the reach of anyone. The Asturian coach emphasized it again: “Any of the forwards, the wingers, everyone can play nine. Each one with its characteristics. And it is a statistical truth that the job of scoring in the national team is not only not abundant, but it is not a matter for specialists. More than Morata, score Ferran Torres, although now it has entered into depression. And if they are dying, Dani Olmo. In the League of Nations, the errors in front of goal have been as distributed as the successes. Morata, Gavi, Iñigo Martínez and Sarabia, one each, have been the ones who named the goals.
Luis Enrique does admit offensive aspects to improve, but without doubting his priorities when choosing his area players or his game proposal: «We have to be more effective. We created quite a few scoring chances, but our goal is to generate even more, set a higher pace and put the opponent in more danger.
Luis Enrique, as a player, was all about effort, but he was also endowed with that sometimes intangible gift of scoring. And yet, now as a coach that is a virtue that he neither mentions nor appreciates. Or not as an isolated feature. And finally he reduces the lack to a universal question and they have a hobby for me: «It is about looking at things with perspective, what happens in the results of the other groups of the A league. But nobody talks about that. What matters is generating doubts about the selection. If someone wants us to win every game 15-0, and sweep them away, they don’t know what modern football is.”
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