Up to 26 players took the Asturian coach, leaving the hierarchies on the field clearly differentiated in the first phase and, of course, the roles assigned to them. Three games (a win against Costa Rica, a draw with Germany and a defeat against Japan) where only three players (Unai Simón, Rodri and Dani Olmo) have not left the grass for a second.
Busquets, Gavi and Pedri have been the starting midfield throughout the first phase of the tournament
It is the first scale of a group that is divided into up to four levels. There are the pillars of Luis Enrique which includes, of course, Busquets, Gavi and Pedri, his reference midfield, the only one he has used in Qatar, and Laporte, the left-footed center back.
From there, Luis Enrique has built his Spain, fanatically chained to 4-3-3, without introducing any variation on the tactical level during the tournament.
sides that change
After this reduced group of chosen ones who are part of the hard core of the team, Luis Enrique has been managing various alternatives both in defense – Rodri is not touched -, especially on the sides where Azpilicueta and Carvajal have alternated on the right wing in the same way that Alba and Balde have exchanged the status of starter on the left flank.
Above, the coach has also moved the offensive structure under the condition, of course, that it is Dani Olmo and two more forwards. In two of the three games without a pure nine (it was Marco Asensio) and against Japan with a real nine: Morata.
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Where there is no debate for Luis Enrique, once the roller coaster of the first phase has passed, is in the center of the field because nobody has gotten into the Busquets, Pedri and Gavi trio, leaving the rest of the midfielders to residual situations as it happens with Koke.
Seven still undebuted
The Atlético captain is integrated into that third level where the role is decreasing. group completed by Pau Torres, Carlos Soler or Ansu Fati. It is the penultimate step of a group where there are up to seven footballers (including, yes, the two substitute goalkeepers) who have not yet played a single minute in the World Cup.Eric Garcia, Pablo Sarabia, Yeremi Pino, Marcos Llorente and Hugo Guillamón nor have they yet set foot on the grass of the modern and luxurious Qatari stadiums, always accompanying on the bench Robert Sanchez and David Rayathe alternative goalkeepers to Unai Simón.
The distribution of minutes of the 26 players
1.- Unai Simón: 270 minutes
2.- Rodri: 270
3.- Dani Olmo: 270
4.- Busquets: 244
5.- Pedri: 237
6.- Gavi: 224
7.- Laporte: 180
8.- Jordi Alba: 168
9.- Marco Asensio: 168
10.- Ferran Torres: 144
11.- Azpilicueta: 135
12.- Carvajal: 135
13.- Morata: 126
14.- Nico Williams: 112
15,- Bucket: 102
16.- Pau Torres: 90
17.- Quick: 60
18.- Carlos Soler: 33
19.- Ansu Fati: 22
20.- Eric Garcia: 0
21. Jeremiah Pino: 0
22.- Pablo Sarabia: 0
23.- Hugo Guillamón: 0
24:- Marcos Llorente: 0
25.- Robert Sanchez: 0
26.- David Raya: 0