Villareal & the Spanish Art of War: the Archers

From the soul-crushing Catalans who lay siege to the crafty Valencia that lay traps at every corner, this series has focused heavily on the tactics of La Liga’s finest. But, whether it be war or sport, the times change, the tides turn, and technology rears its head. Those who fail to embrace the future, to run ahead of the bulls, risk getting left behind or, worse, trampled. In that regards, we look at the forward looking, long-distance divas of La Liga: Villareal.

Villareal was not always a potent force. Once a modest regional club, they took a gamble on acquiring a wayward Juan Roman Riquelme. The Argentine star who had shone brightly with Argentina had failed to convince the Nou camp faithful. Questions about temperament and work ethic surfaced. But in in his brilliant right foot Villareal saw a leader and a glimpse of the future. And it was bright.

Roman led the yellow submarine to unparalleled and unfathomable heights. Standoffish, temperamental, fueled by a silent kind of rage that drives most men mad, Roman commanded fear in his own locker room and on every blade of grass he touched. But fear bred respect. And winning.

Roman did not engage his enemy in hand-to-hand combat. Rather, from his central command station, near the center circle, Roman grasped his bow, extended his arm, and unleashed a flurry of arrows. Is there anything more beautiful than the flight of a well shot arrow? It depends on your perspective. Is the arrow flying at your head?

Riquelme could thread a needle through a strand of yarn in the blink of an eye. His arrows flew with neither power nor force, but rather by forming a part of the wind, gracefully riding a gust to the back of nets or a teammate’s foot.

But Roman was not the only one. An Uruguayan accomplice, Diego Forlan, similarly preferred to attack from afar. With throngs of arrows falling from the skies, many opposition chose to set back and hide behind shields. And sometimes, to put it simply, it worked.

While both Roman and Diego have left Villarea, Roman’s bodyguard – the tenacious Marcos Senna, continues to carry the torch. Now the captain of the yellow submarine, at least one of Senna’s feat has equaled the once great Roman. And his precision from distance is unquestionable.

While Villareal has struggled outside of Iberia, the new generation has started to string their own bows. The Italian-American Rossi has a deceptively straight shot. Still, despite this proud tradition of long distance trajectories, the new breed has shown a strong preference for hand-to-hand combat.

The old Villareal methodically struck from afar, but Joseba Llorente prefers to feel the cold sensation of skin giving way to steel. Nilmar likewise prefers the intimacy of a sword striking shield; he closes in on the enemy patiently and precisely, then delivers the finishing blow in the blink of an eye.

While the young generation has shed the archers’ legacy, the warriors’ spirit remains, and Marcos Senna guides the next generation on its path to glory. Or the Europa league.

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