Key points:
⚽️ Low block 5-3-2 plays a 4-4-2 diamond with little natural width = stalemate.
⚽️Dembele sub as predicted made a difference but Coman was a big miss
⚽️Hungary focus attack down the left
Hungary gave France an awful lot of trouble down their supposedly rock solid right side of defence. Varane looked very unfocused and laboured and he did not marshal this half space well.
Hungary used third man runs to exploit this briliantly. Credit especially to Fiola...
Why did France struggle to score? Digne was a decent selection but there was no wingers or a presence down the opposite flank stretching the game. Pogba too central, Pavard can't bomb on consistently.
Mbappe doesn't go down the right as much anymore.
Benzema and Griezmann both dropped too deep and were not box presences. This meant Mbappe had to basically stretch the line and get in behind alone, which he did for the goal but he should have been used in the half spaces like in the Germany game isolating defenders 1 v 1.
Dembele helped France stretch Hungary. He could isolate Fiola 1 v 1 and that worried Hungary.
France adopted a 3-4-2-1 shape but it still was not enough to secure the win.
Coman on the opposite flank would have really stretched that Hungarian backline and opened up pockets.
This French team does not suit playing low blocks. It is a team what will excel in games against a bigger side who will at time take them on for sustained periods. Nothing to worry about for the French but a wake up call that they need to use the entire squad to win Euro 2020.
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
Germany built up down the right predominantly and switched the ball out to the left whenever they wanted to go for the kill.
When this switch was made, Havertz went central and Muller took Havertz position. This confused Portugal's defence and Kai's physicality is so effective.
With Germany's front three moving so fluidly compared to the French game, it sucked Semedo inside to try and help the bewildered central defenders and CDM's.
This opened it up for Gosens to get in behind in that right wing/right half space.
For the first 20 minutes it was clear both sides were playing with passion rather than tactics, but once the dust settled it became clear that England's chance creation was going to be minimal.
This thread will explain what England tried to do against Scotland & why it failed.
England's build up play took place on both flanks but below is an example from the left.
Scotland pressed high. Dykes would shield Rice, McGinn->Mount and O'Donnell->Shaw, leaving the ball carrier with no immediate passing options.
⚽️Dutch play through the lines quickly due to excellent hold up play from Depay, Weghorst and Gini
⚽️De Jong plays deeper today dominating the build up
⚽️Ease of coaching the 3-5-2 (Triangles)
Despite Weghorst being the only 'traditional' target man... Depay and Wijnaldum's bullish strength meant that the Dutch could bypass the press and hit it directly into the feet of this trio and know more often than not it would stick.
De Jong played deeper as a double pivot today and focused on the left half space... he was brilliant again today, defending well and also facilitating the progression from the back as per usual.
If I was in charge of MUFC, he would be my number 1 target and worth £200m.
🔴Passion in 1st half leads to aggressive Dane high press... Belgium cannot get out
🔴Witsel helps progress ball in defensive third and feeds the irrepressible KDB
🔴Lukaku was immense
Danes matched Belgium with their own 3-4-1-2. In absence of Eriksen, they brought in Vestegaard but didn't defend deep... they went for the jugular. Incredible first half performance but it was on sheer adrenaline.
Belgium lacked a press resistant DLP to help them get out.
If Belgium did break through press, it was usually through Lukaku.
Danes would respond by dropping into 5-2-3 and the focus was on hitting long ball into right half space and feed the athletic Braithwaite. He was electric but ultimately wasteful against an ageing Vertonghen.
⚽️France balance high press with backline dropping off
⚽️Germany too narrow, Kimmich not holding width and inside forwards lack pace to stretch game
⚽️Give Pogba space at your peril
France were so difficult to break down. They did not just sit back and absorb pressure but kept Germany guessing by pressing with their forwards and Pogba... and dropping off defensively if they broke through.
This frustrated the Germans who could not settle into a rhythm.
Muller and Havertz were invisible in this system. Both need to be the focal point and here they were deployed as wide inside forwards.
They lacked the dynamism to stretch the game and with France defending narrowly, and Kimmich staying too central - they were ineffective.