Put your comments herehe biggest decision facing Del Bosque is the identity of his team's
centre forward, because Chelsea striker Diego Costa has made a wretched
start to his international career since being persuaded to
switch allegiances
from his native Brazil
.
Costa has scored only one goal in nine appearances for La Roja - against Luxembourg more than a year ago - and he has also struggled to make much general impact with his rampaging, physical style of play looking utterly unsuited to the team's patient passing approach.
The other options in the current squad are Valencia's Paco Alcacer and Alvaro Morata of Juventus, and their recent international outings have been far more convincing. Alcacer top-scored during qualifying with five goals in eight appearances, while Morata's ability to link play made the team look much more effective.
But there are also plenty more alternatives and, within Spain, Del Bosque came under heavy pressure before the latest squad announcement to include popular Athletic Bilbao striker Aritz Aduriz, who has scored 15 goals in all competitions this season - a stark contrast to out-of-form Costa's paltry tally of three.
But Del Bosque resisted those calls, saying the team is in a transitional mode and that he is also thinking about the future. In other words, he believes 34-year-old Aduriz is too old.
Costa, however, is running out of time to justify his ongoing inclusion. As an indication of the national mood, a poll of readers conducted by Spanish newspaper Marca after the last set of international fixtures saw him omitted from the squad, never mind the starting XI.
So, although it is only a friendly, Costa is in desperate need of a goal or two on Friday night.
Costa has scored only one goal in nine appearances for La Roja - against Luxembourg more than a year ago - and he has also struggled to make much general impact with his rampaging, physical style of play looking utterly unsuited to the team's patient passing approach.
The other options in the current squad are Valencia's Paco Alcacer and Alvaro Morata of Juventus, and their recent international outings have been far more convincing. Alcacer top-scored during qualifying with five goals in eight appearances, while Morata's ability to link play made the team look much more effective.
But there are also plenty more alternatives and, within Spain, Del Bosque came under heavy pressure before the latest squad announcement to include popular Athletic Bilbao striker Aritz Aduriz, who has scored 15 goals in all competitions this season - a stark contrast to out-of-form Costa's paltry tally of three.
But Del Bosque resisted those calls, saying the team is in a transitional mode and that he is also thinking about the future. In other words, he believes 34-year-old Aduriz is too old.
Costa, however, is running out of time to justify his ongoing inclusion. As an indication of the national mood, a poll of readers conducted by Spanish newspaper Marca after the last set of international fixtures saw him omitted from the squad, never mind the starting XI.
So, although it is only a friendly, Costa is in desperate need of a goal or two on Friday night.
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