Belgium are through to the knockout phases, but it wasn’t without concerns. Denmark dominated the first half with smart pressing and easy progression, whilst Belgium lacked solutions. Then Roberto Martínez flew his main man in and Kevin de Bruyne changed the game. Tactical analysis and match report by Joel Parker. No matter what happened next for […]
The Germans suffered the trademark defense plus counterattacking strategy of Deschamps’ France. Looking at shot count and expected goals might wrongly show Germany as the dominant side, as these numbers were just a result of the game state. After France’s 20th-minute goal, Les Bleus mostly sat back and let the Germans come to them. The […]
Portugal’s possession play was not the strongest, but their reliance on individual ability in attack was able to create them a couple of reasonable chances in the first half. They were defensively stable enough to contain Hungary’s attack despite Ádám Szalai’s best efforts, and eventually got their goals in the closing minutes. Tactical analysis and […]
Spain’s matchup with Sweden pitted two sides on either end of the tactical specturm. Spain notoriously thrives on the ball, while Sweden is renownedly resolute without it. In a ninety minute drill of attack versus defense, only one team looked likely to score for the most part. But in the end neither outfit could muster […]
Scotland started poorly, with their possession structure unsuitable for breaking through the Czech defensive block. With the ball, Czech Republic were also relatively compact and overloaded the areas around the ball. Goals either side of half-time from Patrik Schick were enough to dispatch Scotland, despite an improved performance in the second half from Scotland who […]
In the most entertaining game of EURO 2020 so far, the Netherlands’ tactical approach led to endless transitions, lots of individual players making their mark and five goals in one half. When the dust had settled in, The Netherlands had erased Ukraine’s commendable comeback to start the tournament with three points thanks to a late […]
England came into the game with a positive attitude and proactive tactical plan, which saw them dominate the game in the opening period, featuring some good left sided combinations and attacks into depth, as well as strong pressing. Croatia’s midfield were able to bring calm to the game temporarily, however, Raheem Sterling’s goal early in […]
The second matchday will be remembered for its traumatic events hours before, but we got a game of football. Romelu Lukaku dedicated a fine victory to Christian Eriksen, in which the Belgian striker was the centerpiece in a flexible Belgium attack. Tactical analysis and match report by Joel Parker. Group B of the European Championship contains […]
A poignant rendition of Nessun Dorma set the scene for EURO 2020, evoking memories of fabled Italian teams past. But back in the here and now, the Azzurri made sure that they did not disappoint. Their 3-2-4-1 shape on the ball, along with a dogged rearguard, ground down the Turks, rolling back the years to […]
The last few years will go down as a bleak chapter in the history of the German national team. New talents and old heroes offer pieces to solving the puzzle, but awkward approaches to putting them together have blighted chances of success. This preview puts forward a brief appraisal of the country’s plight and the […]