Spain vs. Republic of Ireland: Rating the Spanish Players in Group C

Spain and the Republic of Ireland are facing each other in Group C of Euro 2012 in what will not be an easy task for either team.

Spain faced Italy in its maiden Group C match on June 10 and wound up with a disappointing draw.

The Republic of Ireland faced Croatia on the same day and suffered a humiliating defeat.

I will rate the Spanish players based on their performance against Italy to get an idea of how they might fare against Ireland. Their grades will also be affected by Italian striker Mario Balotelli, whose unsportsmanlike behavior during the game was completely uncalled for.

Let's take a look at how the reigning Euro 2008 and World Cup winners did.

13. Xavi

Xavi was able to function under pressure and was close to scoring at times.

For his efforts in the match between midfield, defense, and other areas, he deserves an A.

12. Jesus Navas

Jesus Navas was able to cause trouble for Italy and pass the ball to other players quickly. Navas deserves an A for effort.

11. Alvaro Arbeloa

Alvaro Arbeloa picked up a yellow card and was also not his best during the match between Spain and Italy. Arbeloa receives a C for his lack of effort.

10. Xabi Alonso

Xabi Alonso was able to deflect a corner kick from Italy during the first half of the Group C tournament. For his proactive effort, he deserves an A.

9. Sergio Busquets

Sergio Busquets did not appear to use theatrics, and he did not have the same level of activity that would be seen in an FC Barcelona match.

Busquets deserves a C for his decreased activity on the field.

8. Gerard Pique

Gerard Pique did not impress with his style of play. His lack of concentration played into the hands of Mario Balotelli, who knocked him down.

Afterwards, Balotelli started pounding the field with his fist. The first impression was that Balotelli assaulted Pique.

Pique deserved a C for his lack of concentration and an A+ for the incident with Balotelli. The total grade for Pique is a B-.

7. David Silva

David Silva defended himself in the match along with Andres Iniesta. Silva assisted (along with Jesus Navas) in passing the ball to Fabregas.

The result was the equalizer by Fabregas for Spain. Silva deserves a rating of A for his efforts, although at times the Spanish squad appeared less powerful than Italy.

6. Andres Iniesta

Andres Iniesta was great in that he was close to scoring. Unfortunately, his attempts to score were blocked by Gianluigi Buffon, the Italian goalkeeper.

Iniesta was consistent in his play as well as passing the ball to other players. Iniesta deserves an A for his effort in the Euro 2012 tournament so far.

5. Jordi Alba

Jordi Alba was tripped by Mario Balotelli on purpose during the first half. Besides the incident with Balotelli, Jordi Alba did not impress in the match.

It is doubtful he will impress when Spain faces the Republic of Ireland. Jordi Alba receives a rating of C- for his play and an A- for being tripped by Balotelli.

The total grade for Jordi Alba is B-.

4. Sergio Ramos

Sergio Ramos appeared to not have his mind on the match. The result was that Balotelli was able to remove possession of the ball from Ramos.

Ramos appeared to realize what happened after losing possession. He saw Balotelli heading toward the goal post and slowing down.

Ramos was able to take advantage of Mario Balotelli slowing down close to the goal post. Balotelli attempted to score for Italy but was blocked by Ramos.

Ramos deserves an overall rating of an B-. He gets an A- for his quick-thinking action against Balotelli but a C- for not concentrating on the match.

3. Fernando Torres

Fernando Torres entered the match as a replacement for Cesc Fabregas and played the last few minutes of the match.

The idea of replacing Fabregas with Torres was a mistake that cost Spain the chance to score. The impression from watching him on TV was that of a striker who appeared unsure of himself.

This self doubt was costly in missed opportunities to score. It also hardened the resolve of Italy to either score or have the match end in a draw.

The rating for Torres is a D for his inability to take advantages of opportunities to score. He needs to resolve the internal mental blocks that keep him from realizing his potential.

2. Cesc Fabregas

When it appeared that Spain's chances in Euro 2012 were doomed, Cesc Fabregas surprised everyone with an equalizer. Fabregas scored with a direct strike from the center. 

Fabregas receives an A+ for his efforts on the field with the stunning equalizer.

1. Iker Casillas

Iker Casillas deserves one of the highest grades before the Republic of Ireland match. Casillas was quick to react to the attempts to score by Italy.

Casillas was able to deflect every ball which was going his way. The only exception was when Antonio Di Natale scored the first goal for Italy.

Casillas deserves an A+ for his nearly flawless efforts as the goalkeeper.

Overall Team Grade

In spite of rumors of internal division (via The Times of India), the squad played united with some problems pertaining to style.

They were able to forget the Real Madrid and FC Barcelona rivalry to provide an intense match against Italy. The Spanish Euro 2012 squad was able to survive the misbehaving antics of Italy's Mario Balotelli.

The most valued players on the team are Iker Casillas and Cesc Fabregas. The major problem was Fernando Torres and his being hesitant within the last minutes of the match.

The total grade of the squad is B-.

Conclusion 

The grades are based on a personal opinion and can change with each match. The possibility exists that Victor Del Bosque may change the squad for the match against the Republic of Ireland.

My thanks to all who read and saw the slideshow. Until next time, best wishes to all of the B/R readers around the world.