FIFA World Cup 2022: Lessons from the primary spherical matches
excessive press
Perhaps one of the hanging features of the World Cup has been the willingness of so-called weak groups to maneuver up the pitch to win the ball into the opposition’s space. Arsene Wenger, FIFA’s head of world soccer growth, stated earlier than the beginning of the World Cup that urgent had develop into “completely universal” around the globe. And it has been a method that has confirmed helpful for groups which have modified their strategy to drive the problem with the ball when they don’t have the person expertise to compete on the ball.
Emphasis is positioned on profitable the ball again in areas of the pitch the place groups can threaten offensively, and utilizing the little possession they achieve versus profitable the ball again in defensive areas, solely to subsequently launch successive assaults. to face.
A decisive a part of Saudi Arabia’s 2–1 victory over Argentina was a remarkably excessive defensive position, which not solely troubled the opposition however caught them offside a complete of 10 occasions – main to a few disallowed targets. Japan’s second half turnaround towards Germany was constructed round the same excessive press. In one of many extra under-the-radar outcomes, Tunisia’s well-earned draw towards Denmark got here from the identical dangerous strategy.
Teams that selected to take a seat again and look forward to alternatives to assault alone – resembling Iran, Costa Rica and Serbia – all suffered main defeats. (learn extra)
With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
