Call them negative, but fair play to Spain, they sure know how to win tournaments

Master tactician: del Bosque silenced critics

Winning any football competition involves playing to your strengths and gaining the tactical upper hand over your opponent. Simply being the best, does not always guarantee success.

Spain might just be the best international football team there has ever been, yet Euro 2012 has been the biggest proof yet that even they have to go into their shell somewhat to emerge victorious.

Their tiki-taka style has been much criticised from all corners of the media, as well as by coaches – none bigger than one of passing football's biggest advocates, Arsene Wenger.

“Throughout their years of success, they have tried to keep the same philosophy, which is based around wanting to have the ball,” Wenger said before their cup final meeting with Italy.

“However, they have betrayed their philosophy and turned it into something more negative. Originally they wanted possession in order to attack and win the game; now it seems to be first and foremost a way not to lose.”

Strong words, especially considering Wenger's Arsenal side have often been slated in the press for their over-playing and lack of cutting edge.

But the way Vicente del Bosque has adopted a formation that includes no recognised striker is unique, but hugely frustrating.

Spain played with the kind of verve and precision that was more in alignment with the early years of their footballing dominance, humiliating one of the tournament's most impressive units

Regardless, how can you criticise the Spanish for the way they play? After all, they have just won their third consecutive tournament on the bounce, and frighteningly for everybody else, seem to be quite comfortable when it comes to major finals now.

The last side to win an international tournament other than Spain, ironically was Italy in 2006, but on Sunday night they were comprehensively out-played.

Naturally, the main worry before the game was that Italy with their traditionally conservative style of play, and Spain with their supposedly 'negative' tiki-taka would result in a boring 0-0 draw where neither side dared to cross the halfway line.

In the end, we were all surprised. Spain played with the kind of verve and precision that was more in alignment with the early years of their footballing dominance, humiliating one of the tournament's most impressive units with a 4-0 hammering.

Even so, leading striker, Fernando Torres was forced to watch proceedings from the bench to begin with.

Perhaps then, the 4-6-0 formation is more a means to an end, than a permanent solution. Spain are that good right now, that they can score goals – even with their number nine on the bench.

One argument might be that it is their way of phasing out midfield-master, Xavi over the next few years.

The Barcelona ace is now the wrong side of 30, as is Real Madrid's Xabi Alonso, so blooding the promising midfielders that Spain have coming through, looks to be the master plan.

When Xavi and Alonso eventually do hang up their international boots, the likes of Cesc Fabregas, David Silva and Juan Mata will all be capable of seamlessly taking their place – not forgetting Andres Iniesta, now aged 28.

What it does mean, however, is the rest of the footballing world need to take note and beware. Spain are far from being done yet.