Enrique’s tactics work for Spain

START: SPANISH MANAGER DESCRIBES WEEK AS PERFECT

Elche

Luis Enrique described it as the perfect start after Spain backed up their win over England with a 6-0 demolition of Croatia on Tuesday. Spain were three up at halftime against the World Cup runners-up thanks to Marco Asensio’s two long-range strikes, the second going in off goalkeeper Lovre Kalinic.

Asensio then laid on three more goals in the second half as Rodrigo Moreno, Sergio Ramos and Isco completed a statement victory in Elche.

Luis Enrique took charge after the humiliating exit to Russia at the World Cup left Spain doubting the possession game that won them three major tournaments between 2008 and 2012.

He promised evolution, not revolution, and while his team still dominated possession, they were faster, more direct and less predictable in the final third.

Beating two of the World Cup’s semi-finalists in four days leaves Spain top of League A’s Group 2 in the Nations League. But, perhaps more importantly, it should also give the players belief in Luis Enrique’s methods.

“It would be very easy to say that this is my Spain, generating chances and conceding few goals, but the truth is I am changing things very fast,” he said. “This week everything was perfect.”

Asensio was the star of the show but Saul, so impressive against England, shone again, alongside talented Dani Ceballos, 23, in midfield.

Spain were barely recognisable from the team that failed to break down Russia in the last-16.

“Comparisons with the World Cup and tonight do not make sense,” Luis Enrique said. “Today we were very effective and everything went wonderfully well.

“They had an early chance, they didn’t take it and then we played brilliantly and scored some great goals.”

Croatia’s Ivan Santini was guilty of missing early on but once Spain pulled ahead, the visitors crumbled.

Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic, so dominant at the World Cup, never took control while defensively, without Dejan Lovren, the mistakes kept coming.

“We cannot cry about it, we have to improve,” coach Zlatko Dalic said. –

Picture: AFP IN COMMAND. Spanish midfielder Saul Niguez celebrates after scoring a goal during their 6-0 drubbing of Croatia in the Uefa Nations match at Manuel Martinez Valero Stadium on Tuesday.