3 Factors which have plagued the Spanish National team in the past few years
Spain lost to Croatia 2-3 in a UEFA nations league match on Thursday and thereby jeopardized their own chance of qualifying for the next phase. It was Spain’s second consecutive loss after they had been defeated 3-2 by England in October.
Jedvaj scored a brace for Croatia and Kramaric scored the other while Ceballos and Sergio Ramos found the back of the net for Spain. Spain conceded a goal in the dying minutes of the game after Ramos had equalized in the 78th minute from the penalty spot.
The dismal show continues for the Spanish national team, who have not been able to win any major knockout fixture since their triumph in the 2012 Euros. Newly appointed coach Luis Enrique made a bright start with a win over England at the Wembley and a resounding 6-1 win against Croatia at home, but the last 2 matches have again exposed the frailties of the side.
Here we look at 3 crucial reasons behind the poor form of the Spanish National side:
#1 Frequent changes in the starting eleven
Spain are spoilt for choices in midfield and attack and have a lot of options to pick their starting eleven. However, it also means that they have not been able to settle on a starting XI.
Players like Rodrigo, Aspas, Alvaro Morata and Marco Asensio are still not sure of their places in the starting line-up and as a result, the forwards have not been able to develop a coordination within themselves.
The scenario is slightly better in midfield, where Saul Niguez and Dani Ceballos are regular starters and have been contributing to the team’s cause as well. However, players like Thiago Alcantara and Koke are yet to cement their place in the side in spite of being present for quite a few years now.
Luis Enrique should also consider giving starts to players like Suso, who has been a consistent performer for AC Milan. He was introduced in the second half as Spain were trailing 1-2 and it was one of his cross that led to the penalty.
He is good dribbler, can deliver good crosses and therefore, can be an asset for the team on the right flank. He has earned only 3 caps so far for Spanish national side and should definitely feature in more matches in the future.