DOHA, Qatar (AP) — The Morocco gamers fell again on protection and patiently watched as Spain saved passing the ball round midfield throughout their spherical of 16 match on the World Cup. Aspect to facet, from one Spanish participant to a different.Move after move, Spain tried to seek out a gap via the Moroccan protection, however the Moroccans stayed dedicated, unwavering, patiently ready with 11 males behind the ball in entrance of their aim.The normal “tiki-taka” ball-possession fashion allowed Spain to maintain the ball throughout many of the match Tuesday, however to not get the objectives it wanted to maintain its World Cup marketing campaign alive, and it misplaced 3-0 in a penalty shootout after a 0-0 attract regulation and additional time to finish its World Cup marketing campaign.It was the third time Spain did not make it previous the final 16 on the World Cup after profitable its lone title in 2010, when Xavi and Andrés Iniesta have been the leaders of the ball-possession fashion that amazed the soccer world.Spain’s “tiki-taka” clearly has not produced the outcomes it as soon as did, not within the worldwide degree or the membership degree with Barcelona, which was the place it began. Barcelona hasn’t received a Champions League since 2015, and was eradicated within the group stage of the highest European membership competitors that final two seasons after Lionel Messi left and signed with Paris Saint-Germain.The current failures have led to some to query whether or not it’s time for a philosophical overhaul of Spanish soccer, or if it’s only a matter of adjusting the fashion to trendy days or discovering the precise gamers to make it work once more. It’s been some time since Spain misplaced Xavi and Iniesta, key components that made the “tiki-taka” thrive, and it hasn’t had a top-notch striker since Fernando Torres and David Villa, who have been key to assist remodel ball possession into objectives when La Roja received its back-to-back European Championships and the World Cup greater than a decade in the past. This 12 months, Spain had solely a real striker in its squad, Álvaro Morata, who is way from being thought of a finisher like Torres and Villa.It appeared like Spain was going to make the “tiki-taka” work once more in Qatar after kids Pedri and Gavi led the workforce to a convincing 7-0 opening win over Costa Rica, when La Roja accomplished a file 1,003 passes for a 90-minute sport and completed with 75% of ball possession with 17 makes an attempt in opposition to zero by Costa Rica.However La Roja couldn’t win once more after that, and it scored solely two extra objectives in its subsequent three matches. If left the event with probably the most passes accomplished, with a median of 847 per sport.It didn’t take lengthy for the criticism to begin pouring again residence.“A whole lot of possession and never sufficient pictures,” the sports activities every day AS mentioned in its entrance web page. “Spain clearly dominates however can’t get the aim to advance,” mentioned the newspaper Sport.Opponents have clearly discovered methods to maintain the “tiki-taka” from working. “We knew we weren’t going to have a whole lot of possession and we weren’t afraid of that,” Morocco coach Walid Regragui mentioned after his workforce’s win over Spain. “I appeared on the final 20 video games and Spain typically talking had 70% of possession in these video games. So I accepted that.”Spain had 68% of possession and accomplished 967 passes Tuesday however made just one try on course, two fewer than Morocco with its technique that relied solely on counterattacks.“I knew it was going to be powerful,” Regragui mentioned. “We must be extraordinarily effectively organized. The protection and our midfielders and attackers labored very onerous to ensure that they didn’t have these angles for the passes.”It labored to perfection.One of many final instances Spain tried to maneuver away from the “tiki-taka” was with coach Julen Lopetegui forward of the 2018 World Cup. Spain nonetheless tried to regulate possession, however it was extra direct when attacking. The workforce went to Russia with a powerful unbeaten streak however Lopetegui was fired simply days earlier than the workforce’s debut after accepting a job with Actual Madrid with out telling federation officers. Spain was eradicated in a penalty shootout in opposition to the hosts within the spherical of 16.Since 2010, Spain has received solely three of its final 11 World Cup matches.Whether or not there might be an overhaul to Spanish soccer or not will rely largely on whether or not Luis Enrique — the previous Barcelona participant and coach — will stay on the helm of La Roja. He mentioned after the loss to Morocco he would relaxation earlier than beginning talks with the federation to determine about his future.If he stays, there might be extra “tiki-taka” coming, whether or not it really works or not.“We lacked objectives, however I’m greater than happy with what my workforce did,” he mentioned. “The gamers executed my concept of soccer to perfection.”___Tales Azzoni on Twitter: http://twitter.com/tazzoni___AP World Cup protection: https://Fifanews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Spain’s ‘tiki-taka’ below assault once more after World Cup loss
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