Source: Telegraph
Henry Winter: Fernando Torres and Cesc Fabregas can give a Spanish lesson
At a time when the Football Association commendably employs more and more skills coaches to teach children the techniques already learnt by their continental counterparts, Sunday's meeting between Liverpool and Arsenal will highlight the gifts of two special Spaniards. English fans will admire the power of Steven Gerrard and pace of Theo Walcott but it is the subtlety of Torres and Fabregas that could light up Anfield. [LNB]Watching the pair go about their refined trade will provide a reminder of the work required in developing home-grown players close to the stature of Liverpool's No 9 and Arsenal's No 4. Observing Torres and Fabregas will serve renewed notice of the quality that Gerrard and Walcott will run into if England progress at the World Cup. In different ways, at differing speeds, Torres and Fabregas are both masters at manoeuvring a ball around an opponent. [LNB]Torres's lethal party piece was seen the moment he arrived from Atletico Madrid. Making his Anfield debut against Chelsea on Aug 19, 2007, Torres received a pass from Gerrard down the left and turned inside. Barring the way was Tal Ben-Haim. The Israeli is not the most accomplished defender in the game but he's decent enough. Torres darted at Ben-Haim and then halted. The moment Ben-Haim slipped into neutral, Torres rushed off and fired past Petr Cech. He has repeated the stop-start move many times. Many defenders have been caught out. Many goals have flowed. [LNB]His speed out of the blocks destroys defenders. One tiny slip by Philipp Lahm in the final of euro 2008 was pounced on by Torres and Germany were vanquished. Marco Materazzi, the veteran Inter Milan centre-half, was dismissed at Anfield in the Champions League for twice hauling down Torres after being beaten for pace. Nemanja Vidic does not resemble the indomitable centre-half he was before Torres shaped his nightmares. Gallas and Vermaelen know their anticipation and acceleration must be razor-sharp on Sunday afternoon. [LNB]If Torres is key to Liverpool's success (and how they missed him last month) then Fabregas is the heartbeat and think-tank of Arsenal. Even the club celebrate the reality that everything revolves around one player, hailing Fabregas as "the man who makes Arsenal tick'' on the official website. Having become more robust through gym work, he is far more the "complete midfielder'' in Arsène Wenger's estimation. He tackles as well as creates. [LNB]Fabregas's burgeoning stamina is reflected in the reality that he often starts and finishes moves, playing a short pass in midfield before setting off on a run, collecting the ball later and having a shot on goal. [LNB]Wenger, who appreciated Fabregas's potential early, has built a dais for the leader of his orchestra, stationing Alex Song and Denison close by, allowing the Spanish tempo-setter to venture forward. [LNB]So Mascherano cannot allow Fabregas any space today. Yet his close control is so good that Arsenal's captain will make a mark. Receiving the ball sideways on, Fabregas immediately enjoys more options for the best pass and he can also turn away more easily from his marker. [LNB]One of the many skills the FA, and its director of football development Sir Trevor Brooking, seek to inculcate in the nation's youngsters is the art of intelligent decision-making. During Brooking's days as a stylish midfielder at West Ham, Ron Greenwood, the manager, would stop training, order Brooking to shut his eyes and then indicate where his team-mates were and where the opposition had left space. [LNB]Under Brooking's guidance, English children are now told to carry such "pictures in their head'', knowing where everybody is on the pitch. [LNB]Fabregas is lauded as the master of this. Having such a picture in his mind, Fabregas does not have to waste a valuable second looking around to locate a team-mate first. He knows. [LNB]Take his goal against AC Milan on March 14, 2008, at the San Siro. Collecting the ball from Alex Hleb in the centre circle, Fabregas had already thought ahead. He had spotted Milan were open down the middle, so he went for the breach, outpacing Gennaro Gattuso and shooting from 30 yards, catching out Zeljko Kalac. Milan's keeper was stunned as the ball suddenly flashed past him. [LNB]Take his goal against Spurs on Oct 31 this year at the Emirates. Nicking the ball off Wilson Palacios, Fabregas already had his route to goal plotted out. He had seen Spurs players out of position. Dribbling past Palacios and Ledley King, shifting weight from one foot to the other to throw his opponents off balance, Fabregas then sent Gomes the wrong way. Genius. [LNB]Such shrewd decision-makers as Fabregas and Torres may be polite, modest characters away from the stadium but they are not short of opinions on match day. Torres is prone to moan at officials. Fabregas has a reputation for standing up to opposing managers. [LNB]Although he denies being the phantom pizza-thrower who rearranged the colour scheme of Sir Alex Ferguson's shirt, Fabregas has argued with Mark Hughes and was accused (and cleared) of spitting at the feet of Brian Horton, Hull City's assistant manager. [LNB]The confidence filling the Spaniards may also stem from the coming of age by the national team. For decades, Spain flattered to deceive, their feats never matching their technical accomplishments. Overcoming Italy in the quarter-finals of euro 2008 was a seminal moment. A psychological barrier was passed. Beating Germany in the final confirmed Spain's maturing. [LNB]Others now follow the Fabregas-Torres generation. On Liverpool's bench today could be Daniel Pacheco, wrested from Barcelona's academy as Rafael Benítez exploited the same loophole that allowed Wenger to prise away Fabregas. Born in Malaga, Pacheco scored a splendid free kick for the reserves against Burnley last month and showed his energy during a cameo against Fiorentina last week. [LNB]Gems like Fabregas and (potentially) Pacheco are polished in English dream factories but, as with Torres, the work was done far earlier. Their techniques were enhanced in those golden learning years of seven to 11. [LNB]England could do with a Spanish lesson. [LNB]***[LNB]There is already a legacy from the 2018 World Cup bid. It has forced English football to confront certain painful realities from the dysfunctional state of relations between the Football Association and the Premier League to the need for substantial stadium improvements. Conflicts of interest abound. [LNB]Getting neighbours like Everton and Liverpool to share, a suggestion that will be raised during 2018 meetings this week, would be as likely as the FA and Premier League co-habiting blissfully. Too much history separates them. If leaders such as Lord Triesman and Richard Scudamore should be encouraged to work more in tandem for the good of the game, Everton and Liverpool must live apart. Constructing a communal home in Stanley Park may make financial sense but it would irrevocably damage the special identities of two famous clubs. [LNB]
