Sweden showed some interesting aspects in their compact 4-4-2 shape in the first half but were unable to break through against Czech Republic. The away side were somewhat awkward in their 3-4-2-1 system but managed to make things difficult enough for Sweden. After a poor second half which drifted by without much happening, Sweden finally […]

A determined Czech Republic team decided to press man-for-man against the Netherlands. The Dutch responded with a lot of long balls, which made this an even game with plenty of duels in midfield and few chances. The game still scoreless, a 55th minute red card for Matthijs de Ligt tilted the match, as the Czechs […]

England’s switch to a 4-2-3-1 system seemed to pay off in the first half, impressing with a fluid attacking setup featuring Jack Grealish, Bukayo Saka and goalscorer Raheem Sterling. His goal ended up being the winner, as England tailed off a bit after a promising opening period, but were still able to hold onto their […]

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 […]

After early goals for both teams in the opening minutes, England struggled in buildup play against Czech Republic’s man-oriented pressing. In the second half, Gareth Southgate changed to a more familiar system, which helped England gain slightly more control. However it was not enough to secure a result, as the Czech Republic scored a late […]

Gareth Southgate’s England continued their good form with an impressive victory at Wembley Stadium to kick start their qualifying campaign for the European Championships. Dominance in possession, impressive runs from wingers and fast breaks forward would break down an inferior but well-organised Czech Republic – for a good hour at least. Tactical analysis and match […]