He is hardly a secret to anyone with a passing interest in the Spanish league. But said I would throw it up anyway
Spainâs best kept secret
By Miguel Delaney
Monday, February 06, 2012
With Spainâs top two recognised strikers injured or out of form, Ireland could face an even bigger threat in Gdansk on June 14
For possibly the first time since their remarkable span of success began, Spain are faced with a real selection problem. And not of the kind managers usually chuckle about.
Quite simply, a side that have recently struggled to convert their possession into goals donât know whoâs going to lead the line. The two strikers who fired their last two tournament wins are likely to be missing for very different reasons. David Villa may not have recovered from a broken leg. Fernando Torres may not yet have broken an appalling goal drought.
As such, Vicente Del Bosque may have to break the mould.
But then itâs possible that Athletic Bilbaoâs Fernando Llorente already has.
By rights, the 26-year-old would be the stand-out forward had he been born in any other country. In every sense. At 6ft 3ins and 14 stone, he is a rare mix of power and poise â a combination that has inevitably made him one of the most prolific and sought-after strikers in Spain.
The problem for most of Llorenteâs international career, however, is that he has grown up on the fringes of a supremely successful squad defined by its diminutive-but-dynamic forwards.
This summer, though, Llorenteâs variety could end up solving a problem for Del Bosque.
He has, after all, done so before.
It was the 58th minute of the World Cup second round match and Spainâs otherwise quicksilver attack was struggling to break down a resolute Portuguese side.
Clearly, something needed to be changed. Many on the line were looking to Cesc Fabregas, Silva or Pedro. Del Bosque, though, was only looking to Llorente. Torres went off, the Bilbao man went on.
And, within just three minutes, he had helped create the only goal in a moment that perfectly illustrated his qualities. Using his strength, Llorente first held off and distracted the Portuguese centre-halves. Then, using his subtle technique, he flicked the ball on so David Villa could exploit that extra space.
It was Llorenteâs only appearance of the tournament. But it did illustrate his value. And that may well rise substantially this summer.
Because, even aside from the issues with Villa, Torres and the team as a whole, Llorenteâs sheer form should make it very difficult for Del Bosque to leave him out.
With 12 goals in 18 league games â and eight in his last seven in all competitions â he is the most prolific Spanish player in the world at the moment. And, as if to emphasise the fact that he should be competing at the highest level possible, he has scored against both Barcelona and Real Madrid this season while also taking Athletic Bilbao to the brink of the Copa del Rey final.
That form follows a remarkable upward curve in his career since he first started proving his potential around 2008. Although Llorente was the second top scorer behind Lionel Messi in the 2005 Under-20 World Cup, it took him a while to properly figure out how to make his physicality and finesse work in tandem.
That eventually came. But itâs only been this season that Llorente has added the final ingredient for a truly world-class formula: ferocity. And part of the credit must go to his new boss at Bilbao, Marcelo Bielsa. At 26, Llorente might have opportunely come across the key coach of his career.
Bielsa has been purposely bullish with the striker, demanding more from his game to enhance the Argentineâs unique approach. As well as finishing moves, Llorente has been required to drop off more, link play and â crucially â press.
The net result of all that is that Spainâs selection problem may not be a problem at all. Indeed, it may actually prove a key evolution. Llorenteâs hybrid style â and the fact he has headed more goals than any other player in Spain since 2008 â may give the side a crucial extra option in attack while also retaining that adhesive passing approach.
In Gdansk, it isnât difficult to imagine a tight, taut Ireland frustrating Spainâs attack only for Llorente to be lurking in the box late on.
Gerard Pique has described him as one the toughest strikers heâs ever played against. Richard Dunne, then, may well have a problem more pressing than Del Bosque.
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