Spain manager after Cape Verde shock: “We have to continue with the same idea” | OneFootball

Spain manager Luis de la Fuente has claimed that it is time to double down rather than react with changes to their shock draw against Cape Verde on Monday night. La Roja, who came into the World Cup as one of the favourites to win, could not find a way past Cape Verde, who were making their debut in the tournament.

On the whole, Spain were unable to find space in the final third, as evidenced by Mikel Oyarzabal’s unwanted touches record. Even so, there were chances for La Roja, who had 27 shots but only managed six on target, and de la Fuente was keen to put out the message that the solution was not change.

“The solution lies in persisting with the same idea, continuing to improve with more finesse, but oh well… These are the kinds of matches where, as Rodri has explained, you create a lot, but without the freshness you need for these kinds of games,” he told Marca.

Image via RFEF

“The idea is what has brought us this far, what has made us European champions, what has allowed us to remain undefeated for so long; to continue betting on that idea, and also to continue betting on recovering the important players we need to recover, who will have an important role as we progress in the competition.”

‘We lacked some speed of passing’ – De la Fuente

Continuing on, de la Fuente was impressed with their opponents, and felt that a little more sharpness would have unlocked the door.

“They are a very organised team. We knew they would be playing in a low block, making it very difficult to create space. Even so, we created chances, but we lacked some speed of passing to generate more. When the ball just won’t go in, it just won’t go in. There were shots, opportunities, and a desire to settle the game quickly. We know this is very difficult, and we know it’s extremely hard to win here.”

Image via AFP7 via Europa Press AFP7 / Europa Press

“These kinds of competitions are extremely close and difficult. The teams have different characteristics, and despite their limitations, they do what they do well. The team we faced was clearly inferior to ours, but they did what they had to do very well and defended very well. If we had scored a goal in the first half, the game would have been different, but they do what they do very well. So in every match, you have to apply yourself with absolute precision at a very high level to be able to overcome your rivals, and of course, they’ve shown us that we have to keep growing, we have to keep improving.”

He insisted that his side could be relied upon to progress and to grow into the competition.

“All the noise and drama is fine, but this team is undeniably reliable. By the way, today we made it to 32 matches unbeaten. The numbers show it’s an extraordinarily reliable team. We’ll be better in the next match, that’s for sure. And we know how difficult this type of competition is; if you lack that finesse, that freshness, that accuracy in the final passes, well, this is what happens.”

“But there’s nothing that should cause us any doubt, nothing that should cause us any distraction or excessive worry, other than that it’s an area for improvement that we need to keep working on. That’s all. Whatever is said or left unsaid, we’re sticking to our path, and it’s the path that has brought us here, after many months of doing things very well and continuing to do so.”

Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams fitness

In the final stages of the game, de la Fuente put Lamine Yamal on for the final 25 minutes, and Nico Williams for the final five minutes. Both have been recovering from hamstring injuries over the past two months.

“The goal is to gradually give them playing time, so they can gain confidence and rhythm and be in better shape for future matches.”

Gavi selection choice

Image via RFEF. Gavi in action.

If there was a decision that attracted criticism though, it was the choice to play Gavi out on the left wing, away from his natural place in central midfield.

“We thought Cape Verde would sit deeper, not as deep as they did, but their retreat was so deep, a result of our absolute dominance and the constant sense of danger we created. This pressure forced them to push all 10 defenders, including the goalkeeper, back into the box, thanks to the movement of our wingers cutting inside and the width and depth provided by our full-backs. But, to put it simply, sometimes you just don’t have the necessary touch, that decisive pass that could have led to some of the goals we created.”

All eyes will be on de la Fuente’s starting line-up for their next clash with Saudi Arabia on Sunday, and whether it will see starts for any of their three wingers, Lamine Yamal, Nico Williams or Victor Munoz. In Spain, de la Fuente has certainly taken plenty of heat for his selection choices.