"4-2-3-1 formation - used at Jamie Shore Soccer International - experienced in teaching the modern game"

After France won the World Cup in in 1998, the side evolved to play a more expansive game. The structured, functional system with three holding players and Stephane Guivarc'h was phased out, and in came a more fluid, flexible 4-2-3-1 with three creators behind the more mobile Thierry Henry. Having conquered the world, France set out to entertain. They were a far better side in 2000 than in 1998.

Spain are doing something similar. For all the technically gifted players that featured in last year's World Cup win, they only scored eight goals in seven matches, and all their knockout games finished 1-0. To describe them as 'boring' seems a step too far, but they lacked the pure aesthetic quality of the Barcelona side they owe so much of their resources to.

Their development is similar to France's 12 years ago. Having been based around the 'double pivot' of Xabi Alonso and Sergio Busquets at the World Cup, with Xavi Hernandez just ahead, they now often set up in a much more attacking fashion. Against Lithuania last year, Busquets was the sole holder with Santi Cazorla, Andres Iniesta, David Silva and David Villa all supporting Alvaro Negredo. Last month against Lichtenstein, Xavi dropped alongside Alonso to allow the use of an extra attacking midfielder, with Busquets at the back. Slowly, Vicente Del Bosque is finding room for more and more creators.

No wonder, since Spain's midfield department is rammed full of creative talents. Cesc Fabregas and Iniesta are injured for the game against the Czech Republic, yet Spain still have, by a distance, the best midfield options of any nation in the world. As demonstrated in the new film about Spain's World Cup win, 'Cuando Fuimos Campeones', the main reason for their success is the squad - both in terms of the team spirit, and Del Bosque's use of different players at the right moments.

A mixture of two factors - the increased rotation (in terms of selection) and the increased flexibility (on the pitch) means that creativity has been shared across the team. Spain have scored 21 goals in the qualification period, yet no player has more than two assists. Goalscoring is dominated by the forwards, however - 65% of their goals have been scored by Villa, Negredo, Fernando Torres or Fernando Llorente.

Torres' recent woes have seen his place in the Spain squad under serious threat, though his recent resurgence in form - coupled with his self-inflicted break from club football because of the red card against Norwich - means it's not impossible for him to start against the Czechs. Still, Villa is still the man to back when it comes to goalscoring - he's notched six in six in the qualifiers, and takes penalties too. He's been quick to defend Torres, pointing out that the Chelsea striker occupies defenders and creates gaps for him to exploit, coming in from the left wing. Villa will be the favourite to score first, and I'll take odds of anything over 5.0 for him to do so.