Spain's free-flowing football often gets the headlines, but Gerard Pique told that is "secure platform" of a middle that allows them to "attack with confidence."
There is much to admire and look at the stylish brand of football with which Spain seduced us over the last four years, sometimes forget their admirers praise the basics - from the defense.
In the last three tournaments - UEFA EURO 2008 and 2012, besides the FIFA World Cup 2010 - Spain has conceded just six goals in 17 games, keeping a clean sheet in all eight rounds. That does not happen by chance. Interestingly, the Red used three different central defensive partnerships in each of the previous competitions - Carles Puyol and Carlos Marchena, Puyol and Gerard Pique Pique and now with the Real Madrid Sergio Ramos.
Alvaro Arbeloa and Jordi Alba have made their debut tournament in Poland and Ukraine as first-choice side, however, the efficiency of defense systems remains. The additional protection provided by Xabi Alonso and Sergio Busquets, plus the degree to which each player is able to maintain Spain's possession show that other aspects are important, but the defense is still the seat in the middle of the back.
Ramos and Pique are a couple relatively untested and there is no ignoring the fact that they have been strong opponents in the series of matches played Clasico between Madrid and FC Barcelona. Pique sat down with to discuss progress and share their views on how best to mitigate the threat of his former Manchester United FC team mate Cristiano Ronaldo.
"Before the tournament had not talked much about how Sam and I had barely played together and how, perhaps, we had a very good relationship," he said. "However, game by game we have shown that it is not true and in the meantime we need to know about each of the games better. The fact that the only effort on goal from France was against us in the quarter-final produced from a free kick shows that we have together on the defensive. "We are providing a secure platform for the rest of the face can move and attack with confidence."
As for Ronaldo, the big question is whether the striker, who already has three goals and put Portugal in the semifinals with a header strikes against the Czech Republic, is a threat that does not go out or the fact that Piqué regularly frustrated him and Ramos works with the front every day in the club's training tips the balance towards the headlines?
"The moment you have to be more focused on Ronaldo's really when you have the ball," said the 25-year-old, who played with the captain of Portugal for three years at Old Trafford. "He's in his more dangerous then because if your team loses the ball and he begins to run when you have lost a sense of where it is, then it may be unstoppable. One thing is certain, not about me, Christian, or any other player and Christian.
"All the defense has to help each other defend him. If one of us, in particular, is covering Ronaldo and seeing what you're trying to go ahead of that kind should not give space or time to think because then you're dead . really you have to be fair to him all the time and most importantly, should not be allowed to rotate, because if you do and start running, then it is very difficult to stop. "
Sounds like Ramos and Pique have a tough night ahead.
There is much to admire and look at the stylish brand of football with which Spain seduced us over the last four years, sometimes forget their admirers praise the basics - from the defense.
In the last three tournaments - UEFA EURO 2008 and 2012, besides the FIFA World Cup 2010 - Spain has conceded just six goals in 17 games, keeping a clean sheet in all eight rounds. That does not happen by chance. Interestingly, the Red used three different central defensive partnerships in each of the previous competitions - Carles Puyol and Carlos Marchena, Puyol and Gerard Pique Pique and now with the Real Madrid Sergio Ramos.
Alvaro Arbeloa and Jordi Alba have made their debut tournament in Poland and Ukraine as first-choice side, however, the efficiency of defense systems remains. The additional protection provided by Xabi Alonso and Sergio Busquets, plus the degree to which each player is able to maintain Spain's possession show that other aspects are important, but the defense is still the seat in the middle of the back.
Ramos and Pique are a couple relatively untested and there is no ignoring the fact that they have been strong opponents in the series of matches played Clasico between Madrid and FC Barcelona. Pique sat down with to discuss progress and share their views on how best to mitigate the threat of his former Manchester United FC team mate Cristiano Ronaldo.
"Before the tournament had not talked much about how Sam and I had barely played together and how, perhaps, we had a very good relationship," he said. "However, game by game we have shown that it is not true and in the meantime we need to know about each of the games better. The fact that the only effort on goal from France was against us in the quarter-final produced from a free kick shows that we have together on the defensive. "We are providing a secure platform for the rest of the face can move and attack with confidence."
As for Ronaldo, the big question is whether the striker, who already has three goals and put Portugal in the semifinals with a header strikes against the Czech Republic, is a threat that does not go out or the fact that Piqué regularly frustrated him and Ramos works with the front every day in the club's training tips the balance towards the headlines?
"The moment you have to be more focused on Ronaldo's really when you have the ball," said the 25-year-old, who played with the captain of Portugal for three years at Old Trafford. "He's in his more dangerous then because if your team loses the ball and he begins to run when you have lost a sense of where it is, then it may be unstoppable. One thing is certain, not about me, Christian, or any other player and Christian.
"All the defense has to help each other defend him. If one of us, in particular, is covering Ronaldo and seeing what you're trying to go ahead of that kind should not give space or time to think because then you're dead . really you have to be fair to him all the time and most importantly, should not be allowed to rotate, because if you do and start running, then it is very difficult to stop. "
Sounds like Ramos and Pique have a tough night ahead.
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