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The importance of being Villa

Sean Ingle

And still the goals come, with the certainty of thunder following lightning. Left foot, right foot. Up close, from distance. The grubby and the divine.

David Villa's second-time-lucky strike against Portugal took his tally to seven goals in eight World Cup matches, two more than anyone else in Spain's history. His scoring rate for the national team — 42 goals in 62 games —is better than anyone since Alfredo di Stéfano. And, most importantly of all, he revived a squad that appeared dazed and confused after their opening defeat by Switzerland into the quarterfinals.

Spain still do not look as fluent as they did at Euro 2008, and there are suspicions that Xavi is dropping too deep alongside Xabi Alonso and Sergio Busquets, fraying the silky fluidity between their midfield and forward line.

Impressive

But Villa has been as impressive as ever, scoring four of his team's five goals in South Africa and providing an assist for the other, as Spain have found themselves again.

As his teammate Gerard Piqué puts it: “Villa is on fire and we are playing better in every game.”

Even Villa's most vital statistics belie the full extent of his contribution to Vicente del Bosque's side. He is dogged on the chase on the rare occasions Spain lose possession. He flits from the left of a three-man attack to leading the line with the ease of someone switching from their favourite loafers into a pair of well-worn slippers.

And, in a team that appear to want to pay over-frequent homage to Leeds' celebrated 28-pass move against Southampton in 1972, Villa has a refreshing directness. One touch. Bam. Right now, few would dispute that he is the best striker in the world.

Yet while Villa, signed by Barcelona early this summer, is basking in global adulation, his strike partner, Fernando Torres, is in danger of suffering the football equivalent of a double-dip recession.

Torres scored just once at Euro 2008, albeit that was the winning goal in the final, and, still not fully fit after a knee injury, has looked short of everything — pace, games, confidence — in South Africa.

Support

Although some in Spain believe the pair cannot play together, Villa has consistently stuck up for his partner.

“I don't think Torres has been lacklustre,” he said this week. “He hasn't scored a goal but he has done spectacular work and made enormous efforts to help this team.”

Such generosity is typical of Villa, who, everyone agrees, is honest, likeable and straightforward.

Perhaps Villa understands Torres's frustrations. At the end of last season, as Valencia slogged their way to a Champions League place, point by point, hard yard by hard yard, Villa looked like a comic book hero who had misplaced his magical powers.

But, refreshed by a fortnight's holiday, the sharpness and speed have returned at this World Cup — along with the goals.

Two, in particular, have showcased the versatility of his talents: the opener against Honduras when he dribbled between two players into the box, cut back on to his right foot and lifted a shot high into the net; and a quick look-and-lob with his left foot from 45 yards against Chile.

Thanking dad

As Villa explains, his two-footedness is down to his father, a decent amateur, who helped him develop his weaker left foot — aged four — after he broke his right femur.

“He would be there throwing me the ball over and over, making me kick it with my left leg when my right was in plaster after breaking it,” he says. “I was four. I can barely remember a single training session when my dad wasn't there.”

Many have been surprised to see Villa, the deadly finisher par excellence, playing mostly on the left in South Africa. But this was always part of Del Bosque's masterplan.

As he told El País before the tournament, he wanted to play an attacking three, “with Villa on the left, Torres in the centre and someone else on the right”.

The position is nothing new for Villa, who interchanged regularly with David Silva, Juan Mata and Pablo Hernández Domínguez at Valencia. And arguably he is better there, as he can pick up scraps from Torres's tussles with opposing centre-halves and see the whites of the defenders' eyes, before losing them with his pace and movement. So far Villa has rarely put a foot wrong. The missed penalty for his hat-trick against Honduras was forgotten when Spain scuttled through the group — although a bullfighting gesture in the same game did not go down well with everybody in Catalonia, where some legislators are trying to ban the sport. While Villa refused to elaborate, it is believed he was mimicking a celebration he makes in an advert for McDonald's. — © Guardian News and Media 2010

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