Pirlo vs Iniesta. Soldiers of the tactics
It was a tournament that emphasized tactics. With a “good team spirit” (England) you didn’t get very far. With a “great squad” (Holland) you got nowhere. By contrast – lack of striking fire and imagination didn’t cost Spain its title so far – as no one has solved their “possession by all means” tactics.
Euro 2012 also restored the importance of International football to tactics. After 15-20 years of prevailing notion that club football is the elite form of the games. The giant clubs may be stronger than national teams – but now they are rich and strong to the extent that they are almost tactically irrelevant.
It is pointless to discuss Manchester City or Real Madrid tactical importance when they are based on 100-million euro or pounds of recruitment every summer. Barcelona are tactically important – but they feature a 73-goal forward.
The clubs rely a lot more on quality of players than the national teams, who have a smaller pool of players to choose from and that’s why their coaches need to think more about tactical solutions.
It will actually be interesting, alight less thrilling, to see this possession football confront Italy with more even manpower.
WHAT TO DO NOW?