Matches performed within the group stage are completely different from the knockout rounds in any worldwide competitors.
Theoretically, opponents get harder if you progress to the latter phases of any match they usually even have a greater concept of how you have got been enjoying as much as that time.
After three video games, it’s attainable to analyse how a group performs on and off the ball with a latest pattern, relatively than one taken from worldwide friendlies in March and June.
If we take Germany for instance, their opponents know by now that in possession, Toni Kroos will drop into the left aspect of the defence to type a 3-1 form with Robert Andrich forward of him.
From this deep-lying place, Kroos conducts Germany’s assaults as they attempt to discover the three slim No 10s between the traces. “Taking part in with Toni, I’ve the liberty to remain extra in entrance and wait as a result of the ball in some unspecified time in the future goes to return,” Ilkay Gundogan not too long ago advised The Athletic.
“He reads the sport, offers us steadiness with and with out the ball, and he offers different gamers like me extra freedom to get in harmful positions.”
Subsequently, any group that wishes to restrict Germany’s menace on the ball and never fall sufferer to Gundogan, Jamal Musiala, Kai Havertz and Florian Wirtz’s intricate mixtures has to cease the availability from its supply.
The spherical of 16 introduced up a brand new contender as Denmark have been trying to do this by urgent Germany’s 3-1 build-up first and coping with the remainder of the issues later.
Out of their 5-4-1 form, Denmark centered on urgent Antonio Rudiger, Nico Schlotterbeck and Kroos utilizing Christian Eriksen, Rasmus Hojlund and Andreas Skov Olsen, with Thomas Delaney and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg in zonal roles behind them.
Eriksen had a fancy position as a result of he needed to drop and help Denmark’s left wing-back and centre-back, however Skov Olsen’s predominant process with out the ball was to smother Kroos and never permit him time on the ball.
The logical query was how Denmark used 5 gamers to press 4 Germany gamers with out moving into bother as a result of that numerical benefit offered Julian Nagelsmann’s group with a six-versus-five situation behind Delaney and Hojbjerg.
The primary a part of the reply was that Denmark’s midfield duo dropped to assist their centre-backs observe Leroy Sane, Gundogan and Musiala.
Right here, Skov Olsen presses Kroos and Delaney collects the deflected cross, however even when it bypasses the ahead, Hojbjerg is shifting in direction of Musiala.
The opposite was that Denmark’s again 5 switched markers successfully to defend towards Germany’s three No 10s.
On this instance, Schlotterbeck finds a passing angle into Gundogan, however Jannik Vestergaard instantly jumps in direction of the Germany captain and Joachim Andersen strikes inside to choose up Havertz.
Gundogan then tries to flick the ball to the Arsenal ahead, however Andersen intercepts it and begins the counter-attack by discovering Skov Olsen.
Germany’s spectacular begin to the sport was tranquilised by Denmark’s organisation with out the ball, which additionally created transitional conditions for Kasper Hjulmand’s group. Skov Olsen’s strain pressured Kroos into safer passes as a substitute of line-breaking ones and, on the odd event, a unsuitable one.
Denmark’s greatest probability within the first half got here from profitable the ball and hanging on the counter. Right here, Eriksen is deeper to help the left aspect of Denmark’s defence, Hojbjerg is choosing up Gundogan, Skov Olsen is urgent Schlotterbeck, and Hojlund is in place to restrict Kroos’ time on the ball. This forces the Germany midfielder to play the quickest obtainable cross into Musiala and Andersen jumps to press him.
Musiala tries to seek out Andrich, however Delaney intercepts the cross to begin the counter-attack and it ends with Manuel Neuer saving a one-versus-one scenario towards Hojlund.
Denmark’s strategy off the ball restricted Germany’s attacking menace in open play, however Nagelsmann’s group have proven that they’ve a number of options on the ball.
As a result of Eriksen’s advanced position out of possession, Rudiger had extra time on the ball in comparison with Schlotterbeck and Kroos and the Actual Madrid defender tried to seek out Havertz’s run behind the defence on a number of events.
Much like the transfer within the 2-0 victory towards Hungary, Havertz attacked the area behind the vast centre-back when the latter moved as much as mark one in all Germany’s No 10s.
On this instance, Eriksen is deeper than Skov Olsen, which permits Rudiger extra time on the ball in comparison with Kroos.
Whereas the centre-back is looking for runners, Havertz assaults the area behind Andreas Christensen, who has to keep watch over Sane. Rudiger’s cross finds Havertz, however Vestergaard is within the appropriate place to defend this assault.
In one other instance, Andersen strikes as much as observe Musiala’s positioning between the traces and Havertz neatly strikes in direction of the vacant area in Denmark’s defence.
When Andrich performs the ball to Rudiger, Havertz is in place to assault the area behind Andersen…
… and he makes a run into that space whereas being on Vestergaard’s blind aspect. Rudiger finds him…
… however Havertz’s shot is saved by Kasper Schmeichel.
Regardless of Rudiger’s lengthy passes being a viable attacking choice, Germany wanted to tweak their setup to ask Denmark completely different questions.
Within the second half, they modified their build-up by shifting from a 3-1 form to a 4-2 one with Kroos subsequent to Andrich and began the assaults from deeper positions.
Denmark reacted by pushing Hojbjerg to mark Kroos, however this elevated the space between their midfield and defensive position, leaving them susceptible in that space and in case they pushed up, Germany’s centre-backs may play lengthy passes behind the defence.
On this instance, Havertz drops to supply himself as a passing choice, forcing Denmark’s defence to maneuver up. Schlotterbeck spots Musiala’s complementary run behind the defence, which is being pulled in two instructions, and performs the ball into his path, with Sane making the same run on the opposite aspect.
Musiala’s cutback is intercepted by Vestergaard however Germany handle to win a penalty kick from this assault after David Raum’s cross strikes Andersen’s proper hand. Havertz scored from the spot to present them the lead.
Germany’s second objective got here from an equivalent scenario. Right here, Hojbjerg and Delaney push up in direction of Kroos and Emre Can and Musiala drops into the area between the traces, forcing Andersen to observe him.
Musiala then modifications his path and makes a run behind the defence, the place Schlotterbeck performs the lengthy cross…
… and the Bayern Munich ahead places the ball into the underside nook to make it 2-0.
Within the second a part of the primary half, Germany suffered on and off the ball, however adjusting their build-up form at half-time and shifting to a clearer again 5 out of possession with the introduction of Can put them on observe to the quarter-finals.
Germany’s particular person high quality and cohesive type make them a powerful contender to win the match — their potential to tweak their strategy solely provides to their strengths.