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.

Football has changed, and the sooner Arsene Wenger realises that, the better.

Arsene Wenger has become a victim of his own success, in many ways. The 8-2 humiliation at Old Trafford quite possibly was the beginning of the end for a man who has contributed so much, not only to Arsenal, but the entire game of football.

It really is hard to contemplate where the football club would be right now if it was not for his presence, but unfortunately, it seems that the empire he built is beginning to turn on him.

Let's get this straight, Wenger still is a fabulous coach – his philosophy of getting the ball down and playing attractive football has been a welcome addition to the English game. It has rubbed off on so many clubs, all the way down the football pyramid.

But it is not his tactical approach that has come under scrutiny – unfortunately it is his principles. Wenger still seems to have an idealistic, almost romantic view of the game. It is a view that, sadly, died out a long, long time ago. The idea of taking a gifted youngster, putting him into the first team, and moulding him into a world superstar seems to be something that is going by the wayside more and more.

Many of the top players in the Premier League no longer can say they started their careers with a top club and worked their way up – instead they have been imported in, later in their careers for extortionate sums of money.

Ryan Giggs might be one of the few, but his career began a long time ago – things have changed an incredible amount since then, and though it may still be possible to bring two or three promising youngsters through at any one time, a whole team is impossible.

The approach that Wenger takes to the game would not have been at all out of place thirty or forty years ago. As an Ipswich supporter myself, I am regaled with stories of the golden days when Kevin Beattie, John Wark and George Burley were at the top of their game. They all came up through the ranks at Ipswich, and went on to win some of the top honours in the game with the club.

Sadly, however, the days of winning silverware have long since slipped away from Ipswich, and are now a distant, distant memory. Indeed, so distant that fans such as myself cannot even say we were alive to witness them.

That is what, I am afraid to say, is happening to Arsenal. The difference is, Ipswich were naïve, and did not stop the rot, but the Gunners still have the chance to.

Football is losing its former identity, and has now become an almost entirely different game altogether. With the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City investing heavily with the backing of their wealthy owners, club's have to spend big to compete.

Manchester United are doing the same, and that is why they are still considered the top side in England today.

The great situation for Arsenal, is that they do have money there to spend. Wenger has admitted before that if he wanted to, he could splash out up to £40m on a player. I can understand why he does not want to – it is sickening that it should be the case.

Fan's are not interested in seeing their club saving millions of pounds – they want to see their club winning games. Winning trophies. Having large sums just sitting in the bank earning interest is not the way for it to happen.

Maybe Wenger has this impression that one day, Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United and Liverpool will somehow implode, and his side will be left, unchallenged, to walk to straight to the Premier League title.

That may well happen – if Roman Abramovich walks away from Chelsea, they will have a serious problem. But who is to say that will happen any time soon, right?

The sooner Wenger changes his transfer policy, the more likely it is that Arsenal Football Club can return to their former glory. I have criticised them in the past, but as a football fan, you cannot help but feel a sense of sadness as to what is happening there.

If Wenger does not change his approach, one of two things will surely happen. The first is that he could lose his job. It would be an utter tragedy that the very man who has built that club from the ground to where it is now, would be pushed out of the door simply because his ethics, his principles and his morals are no longer suited to the game.

The alternative, of course, is that he keeps his job, and the club continues their demise. Robin Van Persie will leave, potential signings will be tempted to go elsewhere and even the youngsters will grow fidgety.

That cannot be allowed to happen – it does not have to happen – and Wenger needs to realise that. No one wants to push him out, but the sense of frustration in North London is growing stronger by the day.