Euro 2012: Why Fernando Torres Must Play for Spain in the Final Match

Over the course of the Euros, spectators have seen Spain switching between attacking players. Sometimes, it has been Fernando Torres, a natural No. 9, who has started matches.

In others, it has been Cesc Fábregas, an attacking midfielder, who has played upfront. In the most recent match, the semifinal against Portugal, Negredo, a pure striker, started. 

However, Vicente del Bosque must pick the right player to start in the final match or risk losing attacking depth. 

If one of Spain's many attacking players is to start, it should be Fernando Torres.

The other strikers that could fit this position are Fernando Llorente, Negredo or Cesc Fábregas, a midfielder who has managed to do well in this position over the course of the tournament.

Torres is the player amongst them who has more experience playing football at such a high level. Cesc Fábregas could come in later on in the game and replace him or start in a midfield position. Players such as Negredo or Fernando Llorente haven't played many matches due to the presences of David Villa and Fernando Torres. 

To start off, let's compare the three main forward options, Fernando Torres, Fernando Llorente and Negredo.

Fernando Torres

Fernando Torres had a bad 2011-2012 season with Chelsea, scoring 11 goals in 49 appearances for the season. A striker of his calibre shouldn't be putting up such poor-scoring numbers. 

Towards the end of the season; however, he started to improve a bit. He started to score some more goals. 

So far in the Euros, he hasn't had a bad tournament. In his start against Ireland, he had a great match, scoring two out of the four goals for Spain in a 4-0 victory. He then got subbed off at one point in the second half. 

He didn't score any more goals afterward.

Fernando Llorente

Fernando Llorente had a good season with Athletic Bilbao, scoring 30 goals in 53 appearances for the season—those are some great scoring numbers. He had the most headed goals in La Liga in the past season. 

However, his inclusion in Spain's national team has been limited due to the presence of other more experienced strikers such as Fernando Torres and David Villa.

In this year's Euro tournament, David Villa isn't part of the Spanish squad due to an injury. Despite that, a midfielder is picked over other strikers to play upfront. 

With this, one shouldn't be too sure if Fernando Llorente will even play in the final match. 

This is why Fernando Llorente should be counted out to start; with a midfielder starting at striker instead of him, his confidence must have stooped pretty low.

Negredo

Álvaro Negredo Sánchez had a pretty decent season with Sevilla. He scored 14 goals in appearances for the season. 

Negredo has only played one match so far in the Euros, and that match was the semifinal against Portugal. He played pretty well, using his size and strength to overpower the Portuguese defenders in some cases. He didn't have a very special match, however. 

With this, Negredo could potentially be a pick for striker in the final. The only thing is that he might have less to offer on the attack than the other strikers on the team.

Conclusion

Ultimately, if a decision had to be made about who to place at striker, the two players who can really be successful in the final are Fernando Torres or Cesc Fábregas. 

If a decision is to be made about who to start between these two players, Fernando Torres should be the one to start. 

Out of all the attacking options, Torres has played at the highest level of football, compared to the other two strikers, and he is a natural No. 9 forward, compared to Fábregas, who is more of a playmaking midfielder.

Torres might not be on the top of his form, but if anyone is to be trusted with the task of starting, Fernando Torres needs it, to prove his worth as a striker, and to raise his confidence for the future.

When he was subbed off against Ireland after having scored two goals, one could tell from his face that he was disappointed. If he starts in the final match, his confidence could improve, and he could play even better than before in the tournament.

So, do you think Fernando Torres should start in the final match? 

Thanks for reading!