Tag Archives: Football Manager

The State of Analytics: Crosses “are not an efficient way to score goals”—Kuper

“Won’t be a full column this week, but I wanted to point readers to Opta Pro’s interview with Soccernomics co-author Simon Kuper. I’ve written in the past that the perception of Soccernomics as ‘a book on soccer analytics’ has had unfortunate consequences for the popular understanding of statistics in football, reducing it to a set of curious ‘freakonomics’ style tidbits that have little to do with how teams play but instead how many fans kill themselves during tournaments, or why England doesn’t win World Cups.” The Score

Evolution of the False 9: How Barcelona and Leo Messi Made the Position Famous

“Is football even remotely the same as it was two seasons ago? If your answer to that question is no—as is mine, and most other football fans’—then you can probably apportion either blame or thanks to Pep Guardiola. The former Barcelona manager has single-handedly changed the face of football, taking a brilliant Blaugrana team and micro-managing some outrageous successes. One of the fantastic things about Guardiola’s managerial style is his ability to create, to change and to innovate. He is a proven virtuoso in his field, and his mastery of the “false nine” is just one in a long line of genius tactical adjustments.” bleacher report

Liverpool’s Tactical Woes, 2011/12 – Part One

“Kenny Dalglish was not the world’s greatest tactician, so it was only natural to expect Liverpool to struggle tactically under him. But before we explore these problems in detail from 2011/12 – what they were, why they occurred, how they could have been fixed – it would be instructive to look at the first six months of his second spell in charge of the club. What can we see from here that will help us draw useful conclusions about his performance last season?” Tomkins Times

The Very Best of Pitch Invasion

“A revolution in soccer writing has occurred in the twenty-first century with the rise of the internet as a platform for fans and academics to write for a broader audience. Some of the best of that writing is in this collection of 39 essays from the pioneering and award-winning blog Pitch Invasion. These essays feature sharp and critical perspectives on soccer history, culture, identity and the meaning of fandom in a global soccer world. Edited by Pitch Invasion’s founder Tom Dunmore, contributors from England, Finland, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, North America and Poland explore supporter culture worldwide and the sport beyond the headlines. This is a must-read collection for any serious fan.” amazon

How Football Tactics Were Born

“In the beginning there was chaos, and football was without form. Then came the Victorians, who codified it, and after them the theorists, who analysed it. It wasn’t until the late 1920s that tactics in anything resembling a modern sense came to be recognised or discussed, but as early as the 1870s there was an acknowledgement that the arrangement of players on the pitch made a significant difference to the way the game was played. In its earliest form, though, football knew nothing of such sophistication, and so it continued for around half a century.” Sabotage Times – How Football Tactics Were Born, Jonathan Wilson, Jonathan Wilson On Tactics: Zonal Marking, Liberos And English Shortcomings

Will Manchester United revert back to a 4-3-3/4-5-1 ?

“Shinji Kagawa’s arrival has prompted many articles/debates on how Manchester United will play this season. Kagawa’s position whether Ferguson intends to play him in the hole or on the left will have intense competition as United are already well stacked in those positions. Their best performances in the past decade in Europe came about when they played a 4-3-3/4-5-1 with a fluid front 3 in Rooney,Tevez and Ronaldo. And in tough away games,where Ferguson felt there was need of more graft and discipline,Park replaced one of the three.” the false 9

A Tactical And Statistical Look At The Ball Playing Centre-Back

“Defensive tactics have changed drastically over recent years. In the 1970s the sweeper was a key feature in a lot of top European sides. Franz Beckenbauer was the archetypal sweeper, great technique and vision as well as a wonderful range of a passing. The sweeper would not only literally ‘sweep’ things up sitting behind the other defenders, but would also look to create from deep. With a movement to the modern day version of the off-side rule in the early 90s the role of the sweeper became redundant, the almost deep-lying play maker had no purpose now as teams opted to push defenders up the pitch in order to play rival forwards offside.” Think Football (Video)

Manchester United – Tuning In To Capital Radio

“Last week Manchester United fans once again saw their team’s name plastered over the business pages, as the club announced plans to float on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) via an initial public offering (IPO) that would raise at least $100 million of capital. This is the latest piece of financial engineering from the Glazer family, who have tried the patience of the club’s support ever since they acquired United in 2005 in a highly leveraged takeover that placed over half a billion pounds of debt on the club’s balance sheet.” Swiss Ramble

Corinthians finally break their duck as Emerson sees off Boca Juniors

“By the end, Boca Juniors had been so comprehensively beaten that, as the South American football expert Rupert Fryer joked, they could not even raise themselves for the traditional post-Copa Libertadores final punch-up. Corinthians won 2-0 after a 1-1 draw in the first leg but the gulf between the sides was so vast, the chances of a comeback so slight, that it may as well have been quadruple that. And so, in their centenary year, seven months after the death of Sócrates, the most iconic player in their history, Corinthians won the Copa Libertadores for the first time. No more will there be cracks about ‘the 100-year-old virgin’.” Guardian – Jonathan Wilson

Corinthian values
“The 2012 Copa Libertadores final ended up being fought out between two of South America’s biggest clubs. Boca Juniors, one of the competition’s most successful sides, who have six titles and are only one behind all-time record holders Independiente, and Corinthians, a club that despite their grand stature were hoping to win their first ever Copa. After a hard-fought couple of legs, it was Corinthians who came out on top, to become the 23rd different club to win the trophy.” ESPN

ZM’s team of Euro 2012

Iker Casillas, Spain
“Iker Casillas, Spain. This wasn’t a tournament of particularly fine individual goalkeeping displays, but the best two goalkeepers of the tournament – and of the century – met as captains in the final. Until the, there was nothing to separate Casillas and Gianluigi Buffon, but after Casillas made a fine save from Di Natale and prompted Spain’s second goal with a good ball out to Alba, he must get the nod. …” Zonal Marking

Oranje Crushed: Why did the Dutch fail at Euro 2012?

“Along with Spain and Germany, the Dutch were pre-tournament favourites, but they went home with three losses out of three games and exit Euro 2012 along with the Irish as the only teams to have gained zero points for their efforts in Poland & Ukraine. The question has been on everyone’s lips since the opening match loss to Denmark: where did it all go wrong? Losing 1-0 to a defensively strong Danish side who were also unlucky to go out in the group stages was not the end of the world, but in the Group of Death it meant that the Oranje would have to get results against a good team in Portugal and the best team (aside from Spain) in Germany.” AFR

The Reducer: Euro 2012 Final Retro Diary

“When it was over, when Fernando Torres was wearing a look on his face that said, ‘Holy shit! I won the Golden Boot!?’ I didn’t want them to leave. I didn’t want it to be over. It had been a month, but it felt like it was just beginning. Some countries wait generations to win a major football tournament. Spain, for instance, waited 44 years. Then the right generation came along. On Sunday, Spain defeated a valiant, gassed Italy, 4-0, in Kiev, to win Euro 2012. They have now won two consecutive European championships and are the World Cup holders. They are the first team to ever successfully defend their European Championship. Spain’s victory on Sunday marked the third time they won the Euros. The only other country to pull off that feat is West Germany. In terms of accomplishments, this Spanish side can only be compared to the Brazil team, led by a young Pele, that won the World Cup in 1958 and 1962, or the early ’70s West Germany team that won the Euros in 1972, the World Cup in ’74, and placed as runners-up to Czechoslovakia in Euro ’76.” Grantland (Video)

Spain sheds ‘boring’ charges in Euro 2012 final, with Italy’s help
“Everything in football is relative. How one team plays is necessarily conditioned by how the opponent plays. When Spain was accused of being boring, the response was always that it was very hard for it not to be when opponents packed men behind the ball. Italy didn’t, and Spain showed just how unboring it could be, its 4-0 win the largest margin of victory in a European Championship or World Cup final. Spain’s game plan, essentially, was a game of chicken — and it never blinked first. When opponents sat deep against it — and in the past two tournaments only Chile and Italy have not — Spain held the ball.” SI – Jonathan Wilson

Euro 2012: Perfect Spain justify Vicente del Bosque’s beliefs
“Playing without a defined striker remains a relatively novel concept but Vicente del Bosque was actually returning to Plan A. After unsuccessful attempts to incorporate a proper No9 into his side Del Bosque reverted to his initial system of six midfielders and Spain became the first side to win the European Championship by using the same XI in their opening game and the final.” Guardian – Michael Cox

Friedrich Nietschze Reflects Upon the European Championships
“We are honored at Futfanatico to welcome Friedrich Nietschze as a visiting scholar, classical philologist, philosopher, and soccer analyst. The German intellectual heavyweight took a break from his grueling publish or perish schedule to answer pressing questions on the European Championships, the gay science, post-nihilist studies, and the final between Italy and Spain. His answers will probably confuse (but may amuse) you.” futfanatico

Spain earns the big prize, but here are my Euro 2012 tourney awards
“Spain ended two debates once and for all with its master-class performance in a sensational 4-0 Euro 2012 final victory against Italy: No, it is not boring to play with six midfielders and no clear center-forward; and yes, it deserves to be called one of the greatest teams of all time after becoming the first side to win three major international tournaments in succession.” SI

Spain cements its place in history with unprecedented title run

“Three thoughts after Spain’s 4-0 win over Italy in the Euro 2012 final: • Let’s call Spain what it is: The most accomplished international soccer team of all time. What more could you ask for? On a glorious summer night in Ukraine, Spain played a spectacular game against the four-time world champions, carving up the Italian defense with speed and precision to leave no doubt that this Spanish team’s accomplishments deserve to be in the sport’s pantheon ahead of Brazil (1958-62, 1970), France (1998-2000) and West Germany (1972-74). In doing so, Spain becomes the first country ever to be a two-time reigning European champion and World Cup champion at the same time. Just as importantly, Spain turned on the style more than it had at any point in this tournament, giving us brilliant passing sequences that led to goals by David Silva, Jordi Alba, Fernando Torres and Juan Mata. The highlights of their goals — the motion, the imagination, the beauty — will live on in the history of sports, and for that we can all be thankful that we got the chance to witness it.” SI

Spain 4-0 Italy: Spain win Euro 2012
“Spain produced by far their best performance of Euro 2012, and won the final with ease. Both teams were as expected. Vicente del Bosque made a single change – Cesc Fabregas returned upfront in place of Alvaro Negredo. Cesare Prandelli also made one change, bringing back Ignazio Abate at right-back, with Federico Balzaretti dropping to the bench. Giorgio Chiellini continued at left-back, although didn’t last long before Balzaretti replaced him. Spain were the better side by a considerable distance. They didn’t settle for mere dominance of possession, and instead attacked with speed and determination to produce a wonderful display of football.” Zonal Marking

Spain 4 Italy 0: match report
“This was so much more than a stunning Euro 2012 scoreline conjured up by one of the most magical collection of footballers in history. This was a statement by Spain, a thrilling 90-minute advertisement to the world over how the game should be played, with skill, movement, bursts of unstoppable pace, with pass after pass after pass. This was simplicity and beauty, golden football leading to silverware. This was history in the making, Spain recording an unprecedented three trophies in a row. Vicente Del Bosque’s side of all the talents were good from back to front. Iker Casillas made some important aerial interceptions. Jordi Alba was all shimmering class at left-back, Xavi and Andres Iniesta controlled midfield as if they had been presented with the title deeds while Cesc Fabregas was immense in attack.” Telegraph – Henry Winter

Euro 2012: Reign of Spain goes on as Italy trail in their stardust
“In the end, Spain were the best team in Euro 2012 by a considerable distance. They turned the final into a procession and, when they reflect on becoming the first nation to win three major tournaments in succession, the sense of jubilation should be greatly enhanced by this being the night when they were rewarded for having absolute conviction in their principles. They never wavered in the face of great scrutiny and Vicente del Bosque’s formation, however unorthodox, was shown ultimately to be based on the strongest of foundations, to the extent it feels bizarre in the extreme that a team of this brilliance could ever be accused of not entertaining.” Guardian

Euro 2012: Spain v Italy – five talking points
“Spain are not boring. They are unstoppable … Vicente del Bosque’s side are history-makers, their hat-trick of major trophies secured here in such scintillating if characteristic style. They were also, quite clearly, the best team at these finals. Others have attempted to stifle them, some relatively successfully, but Spain cannot be out-passed or unpicked: the statistics suggest as much, but a glance at their fluid approach-play is more revealing. Rather, it is awe-inspiring.” Guardian

Spain makes history against Italy
“In a bravura display of creative, free-flowing, tactically nimble football, Spain made history with a 4-0 victory over Italy. With a performance fitting of champions, Vicente Del Bosque’s Spain became the first team to win three straight major tournaments and the first to repeat as Euro champions. After their campaign had been stigmatized by allegations their possession-hungry style of play had become “boring,” La Roja summoned an extra gear in this final to elevate their game and eviscerate their critics.” ESPN (Video)

Euro 2012: The Final – Spain 4-0 Italy
“Football writers the world over will be frantically thumbing through their thesaureses this evening, desperately searching for new superlatives for a performance from Spain that we may well one day look back upon as the definitive of our age. Over the last few days a frankly tedious circular debate has been raging on the subject of whether Spain are ‘boring’ or not. It’s an argument that was rendered suddenly and startlingly obsolete this evening by a complete football performance which rendered a previously impressive looking Italian side bloodied and broken. If this match had been a boxing match, it would have been stopped long ago. Had it been a horse race, they’d have shot both the horse and the jockey.” twohundredpercent

The end of forward thinking

Maracanazo, a defeat that Brazilians would never forget.
“Five years ago, at the coaching conference he hosts in Rio de Janeiro, Carlos Alberto Parreira made a prediction that left the room stunned. Discussing how tactics might evolve, the coach who had led Brazil to victory in the 1994 World Cup, suggested that the formation of the future might be 4-6-0. True, wingers had once seemed sacrosanct, only to be refined out of existence and then reinvented. Yes, playmakers were undergoing a similar process of redevelopment. But centre-forwards? Could football really function with no centre-forward – without a recognised forward line at all? The answer came in this season’s Champions League final: yes, it could. Manchester United won the world’s premier football tournament with a team that featured no out-and-out striker.” Guardian – Jonathan Wilson

Stats Zone: How Italy can counter Spain – and why Del Bosque should drop Silva

“For the fourth time in the last seven European Championships, the final is being contested by two sides who met in the group stage. The 1-1 draw between Spain and Italy in Group C’s opening game feels like an age ago, but both Vicente del Bosque and Cesare Prandelli will have reviewed that tape ahead of the final, trying to find weaknesses in their opponent.” FourFourTwo

Euro 2012: Breaking the Andrea Pirlo Code

“At the turn of the century, Andrea Pirlo, the bright young hope of Italian football, led the Italian under-21 team to European glory. Playing behind the strikers as a ‘trequartista’, Pirlo was one of the best players of the tournament, contributing with a number of assists and goals. His exploits as captain, didn’t fail to go unnoticed as managers across Italy earmarked him as the next great no.10 to don the blue of Italy. Life was seemingly nice and sunny for young Andrea; he completed a dream move to Inter Milan but in three years at the club, he failed to make the breakthrough. Because ahead of him, competing in the same position, he found the celestial Roberto Baggio – one of the finest playmakers all time – and as a result, Pirlo was loaned back out to his first club, Brescia.” The Arsenal Column

Honigstein: ‘Mr Nice Guy’ Low must be ruthless to save Germany’s golden generation

“A big part of the attraction of international tournaments is that they seemingly render a very complicated game into an ‘open source code’: millions of casual viewers feel that they can confidently talk about a team by conflating it with the country it represents (‘I like Denmark’) and/or attaching neat, stereotypical labels to them. The mainstream media reinforce this fake familiarity by trotting out the tired old cliches, in the mistaken and deeply patronising belief that their audience prefers catch-phrases to more serious analysis.” Raphael Honigstein

Cristiano Ronaldo, Paulo Bento, And The Optimal Penalty Shootout Order

“Cesc Fabregas breathed deep, took a long run-up, and slammed his penalty kick in off Rui Patricio’s right-hand post. Spain are through to the Euro 2012 final, and Portugal are out. Nine kicks were taken in the shootout; none were taken by Cristiano Ronaldo.” SD Nation (Video)

Italy-Spain Euro final promises to be clash of polar opposites

“The final was supposed to be a battle between the two schools of proactive soccer. On the one side Spain, the increasingly cautious protectors of the ball, a side that has used its mastery of possession to prevent the opposition from playing; on the other, Germany, having moved away from the reactivity of the last World Cup, playing in a more carefree way. It’s a battle, in a sense, between the bloodless purists and the more visceral entertainers.” SI – Jonathan Wilson

Euro 2012: Now Spain have entered the pantheon of greatness
“It has been repeated over and over that no side has ever won three major tournaments in a row – which is true so long as you exclude the Olympic Games. That may be reasonable in recent times when it has been an Under-23 tournament with added overage players, or even in the years after the second world war when differing definitions of amateurism gave the Eastern Bloc sides a huge advantage. But in the years up to the second world war, the Olympic Games was at least as serious a tournament as the World Cup. If Spain win the Euro 2012 final on Sunday, they will set a new record for the modern era but their feat will only equal that of Uruguay, who won the Olympics in 1924 and 1928 and the World Cup in 1930, and of Italy, who won the World Cup in 1934 and 1938 and the Olympics in 1936.” Guardian – Jonathan Wilson

Euro 2012: Joachim Loew says Germany will learn from Italy defeat

“Germany coach Joachim Loew says his players are distraught after their Euro 2012 semi-final loss to Italy, but says they will learn from the experience. Loew’s young team began as favourites in Warsaw but lost 2-1 to a Mario Balotelli-inspired Azzurri side.” BBC

Reading FC – Dear Prudence

“After the disappointment of losing to Swansea City in the 2011 Championship play-off final, not many people would have expected Reading to bounce back so well that they not only secured promotion to the Premier League last season, but they went up as champions, ahead of more fancied clubs like Southampton and West Ham. Their thoroughly likeable manager, Brian McDermott, deserves a huge amount of credit for superbly marshalling his resources, especially after losing leading scorer Shane Long to West Brom and skipper Matt Mills to big spending Leicester City in the summer.” Swiss Ramble

Italy 2-1 Germany: Balotelli double

“Jogi Low tried to change his shape to compete in the centre of midfield, but Italy produced an excellent performance to qualify for the final. Cesare Prandelli kept his diamond system. Giorgio Chiellini returned at left-back, but Ignazio Abate was unfit, so Federico Balzaretti moved over to an unfamiliar right-back role. Jogi Low had decisions to make in his front four, with only Mesut Ozil sure of his place. Mario Gomez was chosen ahead of Miroslav Klose, and Lukas Podolski was selected rather than Andre Schurrle. But the real surprise was in the other role, as Toni Kroos came into the side. That was an attempt to deal with Italy’s midfield diamond, but Germany didn’t have the right structure in the centre of the pitch and were disappointing for long periods.” Zonal Marking

Germany 1 Italy 2: match report
“Short of climbing in a fountain or disappearing off on the back of a Vespa, Mario Balotelli could not have conjured up La Dolce Vita more for Italy on Thursday night. Balotelli lit up the National Stadium with two magical goals and a rare smile to send Italy through to Sunday’s final of Euro 2012, where they meet Spain. Always beware a man on a mission. Balotelli certainly was, ripping apart Germany’s defence, and then celebrating with his mother Silvia at the final whistle. And always beware a team with a cause. As in 2006 when they won the World Cup on German soil, the Italians seemed on a mission to restore the reputation of their great footballing nation in the wake of a fixing scandal. They played superbly on Thursday night, all through-balls and fine finishes in the first half and resolute defending and occasional breakaways in the second.” Telegraph – Henry Winter

Italy’s unexpected win over Germany
“Mario Balotelli can always be counted on to put on a show. The question has always been: Would it help or hurt the team? In Thursday’s Euro 2012 semifinal against Germany, it was definitely the former, as he scored two first-half goals to give the Azzurri a 2-1 victory, and with it a place in Sunday’s final against Spain. It was a victory that Italy fully deserved, yet one that was also unexpected, even when the quality of the Azzurri’s roster is taken into account. Germany entered the match as a considerable favorite, had two days more rest than the Italians and appeared to be operating at peak form.” ESPN (Video)

Balotelli’s electrifying performance lifts Italy past Germany, into final
“Three thoughts after Italy’s 2-1 victory against Germany in the Euro 2012 semifinals, which sets up an Italy-Spain final on Sunday: • Mario Balotelli: the man, the myth … After two straight 0-0 snoozefests at Euro 2012, the most interesting man in world soccer brought the tournament back to life, scoring two powerful goals, including a thunderous finish on the break that crushed the favored Germans. Balotelli is a polarizing figure who often seems on the edge of madness, or at least yellow and red cards — and sure enough, he got a yellow for taking his shirt off after his second goal — but you can’t ignore his surpassing talent.” SI

Euro 2012: Mario Balotelli double stuns Germany and sends Italy to Kiev
“It was the night Mario Balotelli announced himself as a serious, grown-up footballer capable of shaping the biggest occasions. There have been plenty of times he has threatened it before but never with so much efficiency and clinical, sometimes devastating, centre-forward play, or the unmistakable sense that he can be trusted when the heat of the battle is dangerously close to intolerable.” Guardian

Spain 0-0 Portugal: Portugal upset Spain’s rhythm but fail to record a shot on target

“Spain defeated Portugal on penalties after a 0-0 draw. Vicente del Bosque surprisingly named Alvaro Negredo as his lone striker, meaning Cesc Fabregas dropped to the bench. The rest of the side was as expected. Paulo Bento was forced to change his striker, with Helder Postiga injured. As already announced, Hugo Almeida replaced him. A difficult game to summarise – Portugal pressed well in midfield, broke up Spain’s passing and restricted the number of opportunities del Bosque’s side had. However, they lacked a goal threat of their own, and then Spain were the better side in extra time.” Zonal Marking

Euro 2012: The Semi-Finals – Spain 0-0 Portugal (Spain Win 4-2 On Penalty Kicks
“So it was all about Cristiano Ronaldo doing nothing. And I pilloried BBC commentators for fawning over him even while he was doing nothing, when they’d actually spotted the defining moment of Portugal’s tournament. ‘Look at Ronaldo, just waiting for his opportunity’ said Steve Wilson, midway through the stultifying second half against Spain. An hour later, he was still waiting, as Cesc Fabregas’s scuffed spot-kick snuck in off a post, where Bruno Alves’s thunderously well-struck effort moments earlier had cannoned back off the crossbar.” twohundredpercent

Three thoughts: Spain advances in PKs as Ronaldo misses his moment
“Here are three thoughts on Spain’s 4-2 shootout victory (0-0 after extra time) over Portugal in the Euro 2012 semifinals … 1. Spain is deservedly one step closer to a historic achievement. No team has ever won three major international tournaments in a row, and now Spain is a mere 90 minutes from doing just that. The fact that it will have done so with three different sides, playing three different styles, makes the potential achievement all the more remarkable.” SI

Euro 2012 paper review: Spain unites to hail finalists’ shining stars
“So Spain are just one win away from becoming the first nation to win three consecutive international tournaments. Little wonder, then, that the Spanish press are in buoyant, expectant mood following Wednesday night’s Euro 2012 semi-final victory over Portugal in Donetsk.” Guardian

Was Portugal the better team?
“At the 2010 World Cup, Spain matched up with Portugal in the Round of 16. The 1-0 scoreline did not tell the story of the game. Portugal’s lackluster performance saw it outclassed and humiliated, and Cristiano Ronaldo’s only contribution of note was to spit at a cameraman as he left the field. Two years and two days later, in Donetsk, Portugal was eliminated by its neighbor again. Only this time, its organized and defiant performance suggested how much progress it has made in that time. Over the course of 120 minutes, the Portuguese refused to back down, created chances and for long periods of the first half had a nervy Spain confused and unable to impose its natural passing rhythm.” ESPN (Video)

ANALYSIS: Does Cristiano Ronaldo do it in the big games?

“In his own mind he’s the best player in the world, while in the minds of others he isn’t even in the top 10. No matter which way you look at it, Cristiano Ronaldo divides opinion. After a season in which the one-time World Player of the Year won La Liga for the first time since joining Real Madrid in 2009, Ronaldo was criticised intensely after Portugal’s first two games at Euro 2012. Never mind the 60 goals in all competitions in 2011/12, a few admittedly simple missed chances against Germany and Denmark had the public on the 27-year-old’s back once again.” Just Football

Italy 0-0 England: Pirlo dictates the game

“Italy somehow failed to score despite dominating for 120 minutes, but won the resulting penalty shoot-out. Cesare Prandelli brought in Riccardo Montolivo to play at the top of the diamond, because of concerns over Thiago Motta’s fitness. Roy Hodgson made no changes from the XI that narrowly defeated Ukraine in the group stage. Italy were the better side all over the pitch here – only finishing let them down.” Zonal Marking

Euro 2012: England versus Italy, an abbreviated but charged rivalry
“England against Italy feels as though it should be one of football’s classic fixtures, a meeting between the motherland of the game and a country that has won the World Cup four times. Yet the sides have met only twice before in major tournaments, never on neutral soil, and only four times in qualifying games for major tournaments. England have won just one of those six competitive fixtures and Italy are one of only four teams (Brazil, Uruguay and Romania being the other three) to have the advantage over England in a head-to-head comparison. It was, though, a game against Italy in 1948 that brought perhaps England’s greatest ever victory.” Guardian – Jonathan Wilson

Euro 2012: The Quarter-Finals – England 0-0 Italy (Italy Win 4-2 On Penalty Kicks
“So, then, to Kiev and to the quarter-finals of the European Championships. It’s the final match of the round this evening, featuring an Italian side that is something of a curates egg, excellent against Spain in matching them every inch of the way before being slightly underwhelming against Croatia and The Republic of Ireland, whilst England remain somewhat enigmatic, decent enough in fits and starts but also a little lucky in places and, for fifteen minutes against Sweden nine days ago, almost apocalyptically disorganised. The history books say Italy, who have a considerably better record against England than many realise due to the infrequency with which the two sides have played each other over the years, but England have showed considerable character over the last few weeks and this match felt, prior to kick-off, difficult to call.” twohundredpercent

England v Italy: match report
“This was a chronicle of a death foretold, of a failure to prepare properly. This deserved defeat on penalties, England’s sixth reverse in seven shoot-outs, highlighted technical deficiencies also painfully apparent during the two hours of football. Italy, and Andrea Pirlo in particular, were vastly superior. Italy deserved to progress to a Euro 2012 semi-final with Germany in Warsaw on Thursday. Some of Pirlo’s passing was sumptuous; he guided the ball around England’s half as if using satnav. He cherished the ball’s company whereas England, following a deceptively promising start, continued to surrender it cheaply.” Telegraph – Henry Winter

Euro 2012 paper review: ‘The world has been turned on its head’
“The devilishly handsome model in the Zegna menswear advert may be too smouldering and intense to express much in the way of emotion, but elsewhere in La Repubblica joy is unconfined. Underneath their masthead, the Italy goalkeeper Gigi Buffon can be seen celebrating Italy’s Euro 2012 quarter-final penalty shootout win over England with team-mates Antonio Cassano and Daniele Di Rossi, among others.” Guardian

Three thoughts: Italy nips England for well-deserved berth in semis
“Here are three thoughts on Italy’s 0-0 win over England in penalty kicks: 1. Justice was done in the end. From the second minute of the match, when Daniele de Rossi struck a swerving shot from 30 yards out that cannoned off the inside of Joe Hart’s post, Italy might have felt it was not going to be its night. Mario Balotelli had a hat-trick of chances in the first half, the last of which a close-range toe-poke that was deflected over the crossbar, led him to kicking the goalpost in frustration. It was not so different in the second period, most of which Italy dominated.” SI

Redemption for England and Italy
“The exact role of coaches is a hotly debated topic in soccer. Is the sport like jazz in which the players use their creativity to improvise genius, with the coach merely there to provide the cut-away reaction shots the television cameras need to enhance the drama? Or is it akin to a symphony in which the coach is the conductor, a Bill Parcell-ian puppet master orchestrating every move?” ESPN (Video)

Spain 2-0 France: Blanc’s double right-back plan fails and Alonso deservedly scores both goals

“Laurent Blanc named an extremely reactive team – but France neither stifled Spain’s threat down the left, nor played their own game effectively. Vicente del Bosque had hinted he would make changes from the team that beat Croatia, though it was still a surprise to see Cesc Fabregas return to the side in a false nine role, meaning Spain played the XI that started against Italy in the opening game – an experiment that didn’t go well.” Zonal Marking

Three thoughts on Spain-France
“1. Laurent Blanc’s tactical gamble backfired — As a coach who spent a year playing for Barcelona — he would often talk tactics with Jose Mourinho, then on the coaching staff, as well as teammates Pep Guardiola and Luis Figo — Laurent Blanc has made no secret of his admiration for Spain’s style of play. He talked of wanting France to play like the reigning champion, and was happy to pick technical players — like Samir Nasri, Marvin Martin, Jeremy Menez and Mathieu Valbuena — over physical ones; he wanted his defenders to start attacks and his forwards to play a fast-passing game.” SI

Spain still the team to beat
“Legendary French icon Zinedine Zidane turned 40 on Saturday. He celebrated with an appearance on French radio in which he made a birthday wish that France would play with ambition. ‘We’ve got the players, we’ve got the manager,’ he declared. ‘What we need is some folie [madness].’ Not all birthday wishes come true. What Zidane received was a lineup that L’Equipe described as ‘ultra-defensive.’ Manager Laurent Blanc used five midfielders, one of whom, Mathieu Debuchy, is a right back. Samir Nasri, rumored to be at the center of the team’s Gallic midweek bickering, was relegated to the bench.” ESPN (Video)

Euro 2012: Xabi Alonso strikes at double for Spain to knock out France
“One hundred caps, two goals and victory against France for the first time in Spain’s history. There was also revenge for the last time they were knocked out of a major tournament, six long years ago. Xabi Alonso was on the losing side that night in Hanover. Everything has changed since them; Spain have gone from habitual failures to perpetual winners. And, ultimately, they were comfortable winners here, France were simply unable to truly trouble them. Alonso controlled much of this game. He decided it too.” Guardian

Memorization killed chess—is football the next victim?

“Jonathan Wilson wrote a short but intriguing article just over a week ago for the New Statesman (of all publications). On initial reading, it appears to cover familiar ground for an unfamiliar audience. With the infamous 6-3 victory by Hungary over England in 1953 as its fulcrum, Wilson argues that international football was once a festival of contrasting styles, approaches and national visions of the ‘Beautiful Game’.” The Score (Video)

Germany 4-2 Greece: near-total dominance

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Philipp Lahm fires in a superb opener
“Germany thrashed a poor Greece side to progress to the semi-finals with ease. Jogi Low, as widely reported before the game, changed three of his front four. Mesut Ozil remained, but Marco Reus, Andre Schurrle and Miroslav Klose replaced Thomas Muller, Lukas Podolski and Mario Gomez. Fernando Santos was without Giorgos Karagounis from the centre of midfield, so Grigoris Makis played instead. Sotiris Ninis played on the right, with Dmitri Salpingidis upfront. Greece tried to soak up pressure, but simply weren’t good enough defensively and Germany constantly created chances.” Zonal Marking

Joachim Low pulls the right strings
“Germany’s run to the Euro 2012 title encountered some hiccups against Greece, but it wasn’t enough to stop a side that appears to be gaining momentum. Facing a tricky, yet highly defensive Greece team, Die Mannschaft largely cruised to a 4-2 victory, thanks to goals from Philipp Lahm, Sami Khedira, Miroslav Klose and Marco Reus. Yet it was a scoreline that was deceptive on multiple levels. Germany seized control early, and only rarely loosened its grip on the match. Had Joachim Low’s side been more precise with its finishing, the final score would have been even more convincing.” ESPN (Video)

Three thoughts: New lineup doesn’t alter Germany’s dominant attack
“Three thoughts on Germany’s 4-2 victory against Greece in the Euro 2012 quarterfinals, sending Germany to the semifinals next Thursday against England or Italy… • The Germans dominated. Aside from a totally unexpected Greek counter-attack goal that tied the game at 1-1 early in the second half, the Germans were in complete control of the game. Hoarding possession, moving smartly as a team and displaying the stamina that comes with top-level fitness, Germany overwhelmed a scrappy but talent-deficient Greek team that had trouble merely taking the ball into the German half of the field.” SI

Euro 2012: Germany’s power ends Greece’s taste of the high life
“Germany were already formidable enough at Euro 2012 but they will be enlivened all the more by their rout of Greece. In mid-campaign, Joachim Löw’s side became carefree as they relished the fun to be had after half-time. Greece did not lack pride and there was a second goal for them in the 89th minute when Dimitris Salpigidis stroked home a penalty but it was a rare moment of inconvenience for the victors.” Guardian

Euro 2012: England versus Italy, an abbreviated but charged rivalry

“England against Italy feels as though it should be one of football’s classic fixtures, a meeting between the motherland of the game and a country that has won the World Cup four times. Yet the sides have met only twice before in major tournaments, never on neutral soil, and only four times in qualifying games for major tournaments. England have won just one of those six competitive fixtures and Italy are one of only four teams (Brazil, Uruguay and Romania being the other three) to have the advantage over England in a head-to-head comparison. It was, though, a game against Italy in 1948 that brought perhaps England’s greatest ever victory.” Guardian – Jonathan Wilson

Gerrard proves he can deliver from deep – but Italian intelligence the real test

“Roy Hodgson has based his England side around organisation, discipline and a good shape without the ball. It’s not a system that brings the best out of individuals, particularly flair players, and as a result, it’s been difficult to name a standout man of the match in any of England’s three Euro 2012 matches so far – despite England topping their group comfortably with seven points. But over the three games, Steven Gerrard has been England’s star performer, from his deep midfield role alongside Scott Parker.” FourFourTwo

Portugal 2-1 Holland: van Marwijk makes changes, but Holland crash out with zero points

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“Portugal suffered an early setback, but played better football and fully deserved their win. Paulo Bento kept the same starting XI for the third game in a row. Bert van Marwijk made three changes. In defence, Ron Vlaar replaced Johnny Heitinga in a straight swap. It was further forward where he made significant alterations – Rafael van der Vaart came in for Mark van Bommel in order to add some creativity to the midfield, while Klaas-Jan Huntelaar started upfront, meaning Robin van Persie played just behind a and Wesley Sneijder went to the left, the system Holland used at the end of the Germany match. There was a huge contrast in styles here – Holland were a bunch of individuals without any cohesive structure, while Portugal were disciplined, organised and clear with their attacking intentions.” Zonal Marking

Ronaldo answers critics in victory
“The mark of a great player is responding in the face of criticism. An irritated and annoyed Cristiano Ronaldo couldn’t hit a barn door against Denmark on Wednesday, but the Ronaldo who vies with Lionel Messi for the tag of best player in the world showed up Sunday in Portugal’s pivotal Group of Death clash with the Netherlands.” ESPN (Video)

Three thoughts: Ronaldo finds form in Portugal’s win over Netherlands
“Here are my three thoughts on Portugal’s 2-1 win over the Netherlands in Group B… 1. The Dutch midfield: Finally Bert van Marwijk gave the Dutch public what it wanted, dropped Mark van Bommel and played a holding pair of Nigel De Jong and Rafael van der Vaart. And finally we saw just why Van Marwijk has been so reluctant to go into games without his two dogs of war. It all started extremely well for the Dutch, Van der Vaart showing the positive side of his game as he ran on to an Arjen Robben pass and whipped a finish around Rui Patricio. That showed the advantage of playing him: not only would Van Bommel probably not have been able to produce such an instant, accurate finish, but he wouldn’t even have been that high up the pitch. The two halves of the broken team from the first two matches were suddenly linked. That gave the Dutch a flow and a rhythm but it also left it with a desperately soft center.” SI – Jonathan Wilson

Euro 2012: Holland are sent home by Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo
“After all the speculation about the tortured arithmetic that might decide this group, the sums were simple. Germany and Portugal advance. Hope had arrived for Holland in the shape of Rafael van der Vaart’s opening goal, but Cristiano Ronaldo first equalised and then struck the winner in the second half to send his side into a quarter-final meeting with the Czech Republic.” Guardian

Czech Rep. fully deserving of victory

Petr Jiracek
“Eight days ago, the Czech Republic’s dreams of advancement at Euro 2012 looked to be in tatters. Remarkably, the Czechs came back from the dead to beat Poland 1-0 to win Group A and send the Euro 2012 co-host crashing out of the tournament. Petr Jiracek scored the game-winner in the 72nd minute, finishing off a counterattacking move that was as swift as it was deadly. Poland, meanwhile, failed to make the most of another impressive start when it squandered several chances and in the process left a nation in despair.” ESPN (Video)

Three thoughts: Czechs surprise with 1-0 victory over host Poland
“Here are three thoughts after the Czech Republic’s 1-0 win against Poland, which gave the Czechs first place in Group A, with Greece advancing in second place and Russia and Poland being eliminated…” SI

Petr Jiracek strike puts Czech Republic through and Poland out
“Only the hardest of hearts could not feel for Poland. They had surfed a wave of emotion in the buildup to this tie and they believed that the fairytale script would play out. On their turf, in front of their passionate supporters, they would march into their first ever European Championship quarter-final. For the opening half-hour, as they subjected the Czechs to a battering and this stadium rocked to a memorable beat, it looked as though it would happen. An almighty party loomed. But football has the unerring capacity to reduce dreams to dust in the blink of an eye. Here in Wroclaw, the pain was triggered by a swing of Petr Jiracek’s boot.” Guardian

Three thoughts: England switch to 4-4-2 keys comeback over Sweden

“Three thoughts from England’s dramatic 3-2 victory over Sweden in Kiev, Ukraine. 1. England is winning with 4-4-2. There is a scene in Steve Barron’s 2001 film Mike Bassett: England Manager, an affectionate satire on the England national team, in which Ricky Tomlinson, playing the title character, reaches the end of his tether. He reacts furiously to the suggestion that he might experiment tactically. “Four-four-fookin’-two,” he shouts as the audience laughs at a poor, befuddled man out of his depth. Eleven years later, England is again playing 4-4-2. And somehow, it seems to be working.” SI – Jonathan Wilson

England 3-2 Sweden: long balls, set-pieces and terrible defending

Danny Welbeck, Andy Carroll
“A scrappy game low on quality, but high on entertainment. Roy Hodgson made one change. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was dropped with Ashley Young moving to the left, and Andy Carroll coming upfront as a target man. Erik Hamren brought in three players – Johan Elmander upfront, Anders Svensson in the middle, and Jonas Olsson at the back, though Sweden played pretty much the same formation as against Ukraine. This was a crazy, open match that could have gone either way – both sides had spells when they were on top.” Zonal Marking

England’s show of character
“Buzzwords in the England camp the past few days included ‘bold’ and ‘creative.’ For large parts against Sweden at the European Championships at an Olympic Stadium mostly bathed in yellow, England was anything but. However, an inspired substitution of Theo Walcott by manager Roy Hodgson will ensure most will only remember the result, a frenetic 3-2 England win that knocked the Scandinavians out of the tournament.” ESPN (Video)

Sweden 2 England 3: match report
“Danny Welbeck struck a goal of elegance, athleticism and immense significance for England, here on Friday night. It was a magical flicked finish, created by Theo Walcott, who helped turn a crazy game on its head with a vibrant second-half cameo. England were trailing 2-1 when Walcott arrived, swiftly equalising and then fashioning Welbeck’s winner with a superb darting run and cross. England were panicky at times late on but held on and now face hosts Ukraine in Donetsk on Tuesday knowing a draw sees Roy Hodgson’s side into the quarter-finals of Euro 2012.” Telegraph – Henry Winter

Euro 2012: Danny Welbeck hits late winner as England beat Sweden
“There was a point here when all of England’s old failings had resurfaced and the match was straying dangerously close to an almost implausible ordeal. Sweden had turned the game upside-down with two goals early in the second half and, at that point, it looked like Roy Hodgson’s team might finish the evening at the bottom of Group D.” Guardian

France 2-0 Ukraine: Ribery v Husiev battle decides the game

“After a long rain delay, France took the initiative and went onto win the game comfortably. Laurent Blanc made two changes. One was a straight swap, with Patrice Evra dropping out and Gael Clichy starting at left-back. Higher up, the introduction of Jeremy Menez at the expense of Florent Malouda meant Samir Nasri moved into a permanent central position, and France switched to a 4-2-3-1. Oleg Blokhin had said before the tournament that he didn’t have a set first choice XI, and would switch from game to game, but after Ukraine’s famous 2-1 victory over Sweden on Monday, he stuck with the same side.” Zonal Marking

France comes alive in second half, beats co-host Ukraine in Group D
“France won a match at a major tournament for the first time since Zinedine Zidane’s head-butt, beating Ukraine 2-0 Friday in a storm-delayed match at the European Championship. Jeremy Menez and Yohan Cabaye scored early in the second half for the French, who last won a major match in the semifinals of the 2006 World Cup. In the final of that tournament, Zidane was given a red card for his head-butt in the last match of his career.” SI

Three thoughts: France’s tactics work in 2-0 victory over Ukraine
“Three thoughts from France’s 2-0 victory over co-host Ukraine from Donetsk, Ukraine. 1. The tactical and personnel changes of Laurent Blanc worked perfectly. France’s 4-3-2-1 against England, with Samir Nasri and Franck Ribéry on either side of Karim Benzema, was switched to a 4-2-3-1 against Ukraine. In the latter formation, Nasri was side of Ribéry and Jérémy Ménez, who came in for Chelsea’s Florent Malouda.” SI

France’s talent too much for Ukraine
“The Ukrainian national anthem, “Ukraine has not yet Perished,” rang out raucously in the driving rain ahead of the team’s game against France, yet the co-hosts could not summon a performance to match the title. In this contest, French quality snuffed out the opponents’ passion. France coach Laurent Blanc tweaked his lineup ahead of the game, dropping veterans Patrice Evra and Florent Malouda in favor of Gael Clichy and Jeremy Menez, hoping to find sharper movement in the attacking third. Blanc knew his team had mustered 15 shots on goal against England yet created few clear-cut chances. His changes would prove to be vindicated.” ESPN (Video)

A Few thoughts on the German Midfield

“Two goals from Mario Gomez saw the Germans beat their arch-rivals, Netherlands 2-1 to ensure progress to the next round of Euro 2012 (Mathematically they can still be knocked out). The difference between the two sides was clearly felt in the middle of the pitch. Although both sides on paper lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, the German double pivot of Khedira and Schweinsteiger were given freedom to go forward where as Nigel De Jong and Mark Van Bommel stayed behind, guarding the Dutch defence.” The False 9

Spain 4-0 Ireland: whitewash

“The biggest win of Euro 2012 so far. Vicente del Bosque made one change, leaving out Cesc Fabregas and playing with a proper striker – Fernando Torres started upfront. Giovanni Trapattoni also made a single change upfront – Kevin Doyle dropped out, and Simon Cox started behind Robbie Keane. Spain were clearly the better side here – so much so, that the tactical battle was almost non-existent. Ireland did well to get to half-time at only 0-1, but Spain wrapped the game up soon into the second half. Neither side did anything different or unusual tactically.” Zonal Marking

True nine or false nine?
“True nine or false nine? That is the question Spain manager Vicente Del Bosque is wrestling with ahead of his side’s game against Ireland, its second fixture in Group C. And there are compelling reasons on both sides of the argument.” ESPN (Video)

Euro 2012: Fernando Torres and Spain end Republic of Ireland hopes
“Anything can happen in 90 minutes, said Giovanni Trapattoni. But when Spain play like this and his Republic of Ireland team see their limitations so painfully exposed, only one thing can happen. The mis-match of Euro 2012 so far concluded with Spain igniting their championship defence and Ireland beating a humble retreat.” Guardian

Euro 2012 Analysis – Day 1, Groups A, B, C, D

“This is the first piece in our Euro 2012 Analysis series, during which we’ll analyze all the matches based on our FootballrRating score. The app is currently in public beta. Register now to gain access to our match, player, and team analysis.” chimu solutions

Italy 1-1 Croatia: Pirlo dictates first half, Croatia dominate the second after half-time switch

“Croatia initially had problems with Italy’s 3-5-2, but a clever half-time switch by Slaven Bilic got them back into the game. Cesare Prandelli kept the same formation and starting XI, so Mario Balotelli remained upfront despite Antonio Di Natale’s impact as a substitute in the 1-1 draw against Spain. Bilic rewarded the eleven players that played in the 3-1 win over Ireland with a second start. A game of two halves. In the first, Italy recorded 11 shots compared to Croatia’s three. In the second, Croatia ‘won’ this statistic 7-3, summing up the change in the balance of play.” Zonal Marking

Croatia shows fighting spirit vs. Italy
“Fearless Croatia demonstrated that its opening-round victory was more than a fluke, recovering from a goal down to tie Italy 1-1 amid a fiery atmosphere that left Group C finely poised. The game boiled down to a fascinating tactical battle between two of the world’s finest playmakers, Italy’s Andrea Pirlo and Croatia’s Luka Modric. The first half belonged to the 33-year-old Italian, a metronomic midfielder whose departure in 2011 after a decade at AC Milan was meant to ease him into pasture. Pirlo responded by leading Juventus to the Serie A title this past season, and he reveled in this game, alongside teammate Claudio Marchisio, as Italy dominated the initial exchange.” ESPN (Video)

Croatia rallies in second half, forces 1-1 draw with Italy in Group C
“Italy sat back and paid for it Thursday in a 1-1 draw with Croatia at the European Championship. Andrea Pirlo gave Italy the lead with a curving free kick in the 39th minute but Mario Mandzukic was left unmarked to equalize in the 72nd. Italy had numerous other first-half chances from Mario Balotelli, Claudio Marchisio and Antonio Cassano, but the Azzurri lacked finishing quality. Balotelli, in particular, appeared hesitant and missed one opportunity after another. And this time, second-half replacement Antonio Di Natale never really had a chance to score.” SI

Euro 2012: Croatia’s Mandzukic grabs point after Pirlo gives Italy lead
“Italy are still waiting for their first win against Croatia and their first win in this tournament. They seemed to have done enough to secure three points when they held a first-half lead until 18 minutes from the end, though they never played with much assurance and could not complain when the Croatians came back at them to snatch a draw with Mario Mandzukic’s well-taken equaliser.” Guardian

Holland 1 -2 Germany: The broken team…

“A match that Holland needed to win in order to keep chances of qualifying to the knock-out stages of Euro 2012 in their own hands, ended in a bitter defeat. Germany had the better of the game, except maybe in the closing stages when Van Marwijk made some changes and Holland bravely, but desperately, chased an equalizer. In the end, Germany thoroughly deserved the victory, based on their tactical superiority and several key German players outperforming their Dutch counterparts.” 11 tegen 11

Portugal 3-2 Denmark: No tracking from Ronaldo and Rommedahl means goals come from that flank

“Silvestre Varela grabbed a late winner as Portugal registered their first win of Euro 2012. Paulo Bento named an unchanged side from the team that lost to Germany – Helder Postiga continued upfront, despite Nelson Oliveira’s positive impact from the bench in the opening game. Morten Olsen also made no changes from Denmark’s surprise 1-0 win over Holland. Think of Portugal and Denmark – not just the current sides, but their style over the course of the century so far – and you think of width. That was the main story here, with little happening in the centre of midfield, and all the attacking thrust coming from the flanks.” Zonal Marking

Ronaldo struggles, but Portugal wins
“In this, the Group of Death, Portugal avoided a premature discovery of the afterlife. Unheralded substitute Silvestre Varela’s late goal earned them a 3-2 victory against a resilient Denmark. The game was an enormously entertaining affair, not least because of the fascinating clash of styles it presented as the wet, hair-gel look of Portugal, all ‘Night At The Roxbury,’ was pitched against Denmark’s Motorhead full-arm sleeve tattoos.” ESPN (Video)

Three thoughts: Portugal’s victory showcases great aerial play at Euro
“Three thoughts after Portugal’s 3-2 victory over Denmark in Lviv, Ukraine. 1. Heading is the new shooting. Portugal’s Pepe and Denmark’s Nicklas Bendtner both scored on headers in Wednesday’s Group B match, raising the total to 12 headed goals — out of 30 — at Euro 2012. It doesn’t seem to be a coincidence. At the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, the quality of crossing was noticeably poor. Players blamed everything from the Jabulani ball to the high altitude in certain stadiums. Whatever the problem was, it seems to have been solved. Aerial assists from dead-ball situations and open play are markedly improved in this tournament, passes that gives forwards (and plenty of defenders, too) the opportunity to calculate flight paths and attack the ball accordingly. Are fullbacks attacking too much to defend properly? Or is the new Tango 2012 ball simply more stable? We certainly haven’t heard the usual complaints from goalkeepers yet.” SI

Euro 2012: Denmark v Portugal – as it happened
“Good afternoon everybody. If only there was some over-used, catchy but not entirely accurate phrase to describe the one group in a major football tournament in which four apparently strong teams with no obvious whipping boys were drawn together, then it could almost certainly be applied to Group B in Euro 2012. After the first round of games in The Group Of Four Apparently Strong Teams With No Obvious Whipping Boys, Germany and Denmark are cock-a-hoop with one win each, while Portugal and Holland have been forced to lick their wounds, regroup and set about playing catch-up.” Guardian

Germany 2-1 Holland: German flexibility outwits the static Dutch midfield

“The second excellent Group B game of the night, and another encounter decided by superiority in one particular zone. Jogi Löw continued with the same starting XI that defeated Portugal on Saturday. Despite widespread predictions that Holland would change at least one of their front four, Bert van Marwijk’s selection featured only one change, with Ron Vlaar dropping out of the side now Joris Mathijsen was fit to start. Clearly, van Marwijk believed that the majority of Holland’s play against Denmark was good – it was just the finishing that let them down.” Zonal Marking

Germans too strong for the Dutch
“The Netherlands hardly needed extra motivation heading into Wednesday night’s encounter with Germany at the European Championships. The countries have plenty of footballing history between them – as the saying goes, there’s no such thing as a friendly between these two nations, let alone in a big tournament. More importantly, the Dutch flopped against Denmark in the Group of Death opener and desperately needed all three points. They didn’t get them, losing to Germany 2-1.” ESPN

Euro 2012: Gomez strikes twice as Germany shred Holland’s nerves
“The European Championship is unremitting. Germany may have been a better-balanced side but the match still tilted when Robin van Persie trimmed the Dutch deficit to 2-1. The score, however, was not to alter further. Germany lead the group with six points but Holland, with none at all, still have some prospect of advancing to the quarter-finals.” Guardian

Poland 1-1 Russia: Poland beef up their midfield and prevent Russia counter-attacking

“Neither side played particularly open football – but strangely, this turned out to be a very good contest. Wojciech Szczesny was suspended, so Franciszek Smuda continued with Przemyslaw Tyton, the hero of the first game, in goal. More interestingly, he changed the structure of his side, moving to more of a 4-1-4-1 formation, dropping left-winger Maciej Rybus in favour of a solid holder, Dariusz Dudka. Ludovic Obraniak moved to the left.” Zonal Marking

Russia atop wide-open Group A
“Midway through the second half, Russia was poised to deal a mortal psychological blow to longtime rival Poland. But Jakub Blaszczykowski scored an emotional equalizer for his country, allowing the co-hosts to claim a 1-1 tie on a day that saw supporters from both teams clash outside Warsaw’s National Stadium. Russia’s Alan Dzagoev scored in the first half, redirecting Andrei Arshavin’s free kick. But after forcing Russia goalkeeper Vyacheslav Malafeev into several sharp saves, Poland struck back through Blaszczykowski, causing an explosion of cheers from Polish supporters in the 57th minute.” ESPN (Video)

Euro 2012 Day 5: Poland, Russia clash; Czech Republic restores hope
“It was a day of howling sirens, blood-spattered pavement and the menacing thump of baton on riot shield as the warnings of violence before Poland’s game with Russia proved to be distressingly accurate. As 5,000 Russians marched through Warsaw to celebrate their country’s national day, they clashed with Polish hooligans. Police water cannons, tear gas, auditory grenades and 56 arrests were required to restore order.” SI – Jonathan Wilson

Euro 2012 Football Daily: Poland strike back to stop Russia’s forward march
“James Richardson has Barry Glendenning and Rob Smyth in the pod for tonight’s Euro 2012 Football Daily. We start by analysing Poland’s draw with Russia, perhaps the best game of the tournament so far, as well as nodding favourably in the direction of the Czech Republic’s victory over Greece. Who will go through from Group A? The learned Jonathan Wilson joins us from Warsaw to share his thoughts.” Guardian – Jonathan Wilson, James Richardson (Video)

Euro 2012: Poland 1 Russia 1
“Some matches have a backdrop that is more than just about football, and with more than a dozen military conflicts between the two nations over the last millennia, feelings run high. As well as a presence of around 6000 Polish police officers, an estimated 5000 Russian fans marched through Warsaw. This march wasn’t one proclaiming military might, but political freedom, as June 12 is Russia Day, a national holiday to commemorate the day the Russian parliament declared sovereignty from the former Soviet Union. With the historical context, and the warnings of hooliganism being rife in Poland, there was always a likelihood of conflict off the pitch, and while there have been skirmishes between rival fans, the feeling coming out of Poland at the time of writing is that this has been blown up by the media to satisfy their moral panic coming into the tournament.” twohundredpercent

Gavin Hamilton Euro 2012 diary, Warsaw June 12
“The violence between Russian and Polish fans overshadowed a terrific match in Warsaw tonight. But trouble had been brewing all day, with tension in the air from early on. There was a heavy police presence around the stadium, with helicopters, horses and armed cops waiting for the inevitable.” World Soccer

Czech Republic 2-1 Greece: Greece vulnerable down their left again

“The Czech Republic had a very good first ten minutes, and that was enough to put themselves in a commanding position. Both coaches made changes to their starting line-ups, moving their XI closer to the side that finished their opening matches. Michal Bilek started holding midfielder Tomas Hubschman, with Petr Jiracek on the left of midfield. At the back, Michael Kadlec moved into the middle from the left-back position he looked uncomfortable in against Russia, so David Limbersky came into the side at left-back.” Zonal Marking

Czech Republic strikes early, beats Greece 2-1 in Group A at Euro 2012
“Petr Jiracek and Vaclav Pilar scored in the first six minutes to give the Czech Republic a 2-1 win over Greece on Tuesday at the European Championship. Jiracek shot the ball past Greece goalkeeper Costas Chalkias in the third minute after a pass from Tomas Hubschmann sliced through the Greek defense. Three minutes later, Pilar scored his second goal of the tournament, beating Greek defenders to a ball sent across the goal by Czech Republic defender Theodor Gebre Selassie.” SI

Czech Republic back in contention
“A few thoughts from Czech Republic’s 2-1 victory over Greece… What it means: Shorn of its two first-choice center backs, the vaunted Greek defense crumbled early against a grateful Czech team that strengthened its hand in an open Group A. Its final group game against Poland should be winner-take-all.” ESPN (Video)

Euro 2012: Early strikes give Czech Republic upper hand over Greece
“Both centre-backs, gone. The goalkeeper, gone. The game, gone. All with just 22 minutes gone. That was the grim reality for Greece. And then, just when they thought they had grabbed a lifeline, that was gone too, taken from them by a linesman’s flag that the full-back Vassilis Torossidis insisted was no coincidence. Once again, they rebelled. Just as Dimitris Salpigidis had come on at half‑time in their opening game and scored, so Fanis Gekas came on at half‑time in their second game and within seven minutes he too had scored.” Guardian

France 1-1 England: France dominate possession but creativity stifled by England sitting deep

“A match with little invention, played at a very slow pace. Laurent Blanc chose his expected side in a 4-3-3, with Florent Malouda shuttling forward from the midfield. Roy Hodgson’s side contained one surprise name – Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who started on the left. James Milner started on the other flank, and Danny Welbeck got the nod over Andy Carroll upfront. As expected, France dominated possession (65%) and had 21 shots compared to England’s 5, but many were from long-range, as Blanc’s side struggled to create clear-cut chances.” Zonal Marking

Three thoughts: England’s set play success forces draw with France
“1. England thrives with English goals. In the Balkans and perhaps elsewhere, a goal scored with a powerful header is known as an English goal. If that header comes from a set play, that makes it even more English (British, really, but in the Balkans comprehension of the distinction is blurry). So far in this tournament, that stereotype has proven to be true. Only two goals have been scored with one touch from a set play, and, appropriately, both were scored by players on English clubs: Sean St Ledger of Leicester City for Ireland and Joleon Lescott of Manchester City for England.” SI – Jonathan Wilson

France 1 England 1: match report
“Good point, average creativity. England were under sustained pressure towards the end of their opening Group D game but they held on and will take deserved satisfaction from this result, if not necessarily the display. It’s a good start though. The French were more technical, more assertive through the likes of Franck Ribery and their terrific right-back, Mathieu Debuchy, comfortably the man of the match. Uefa awarded the honour to Samir Nasri, who had brilliantly equalised Joleon Lescott’s header, but Debuchy really impressed most.” Telegraph – Henry Winter

Euro 2012: Samir Nasri’s goal for France echoes England’s old failings
“New coach, but familiar pattern. England have scored before conceding at every international tournament they have competed at since 1990. Yet so often they lose that lead with a goal struck from a similar position. For years England’s weak zone has been the space between defence and midfield and it has constantly been their downfall in opening games. In 2000 the game-changer was Portugal’s Rui Costa, who got all three assists as England squandered a two-goal lead to lose 3-2. In 2004 Zinedine Zidane scored a superb free-kick after a clumsy Emile Heskey foul in that position. Two years ago Clint Dempsey turned past Frank Lampard’s poor challenge before his weak shot squirmed between Robert Green’s legs.” Guardian – Michael Cox

Not a bad start for England, France
“Not a win for England, but not a bad start. A team devoid of four regulars, including Wayne Rooney, showed grit, organization and calm to earn a 1-1 draw with tournament dark horse France, which extended its unbeaten streak to 22 games. Les Bleus won’t be disappointed, either. Neither team wanted to lose.” ESPN (Video)

England, France draw in Group D
“England held on for a 1-1 draw with France on Monday at the European Championship, giving the Group D favorites one point each. Joleon Lescott put England in the lead with a header in the 30th minute, and Samir Nasri leveled for France shortly before halftime with a strike into the bottom corner of the net. France still has not won a match at a major tournament since the 2006 World Cup. The national team, however, is unbeaten in its last 22 matches.” SI

Lionel Messi hat-trick leads Argentina to 4-3 win over Brazil

“The summer friendly has become a familiar genre for American fans, but this felt different. For one thing, Brazil and Argentina are perhaps the only teams in the world able to draw more than 80,000 people in the same time slot as Germany-Portugal — a European Championship game that actually matters. For another, it provided another chance to compare Neymar and Lionel Messi, excellent players in their own right and proxies in the cold war between Pele and Diego Maradona.” Guardian

4-4-2 G4M3 TH3ORY 4-3-2-1 4-2-2-2 3-4-1-2
“Brazil finds itself in an awkward position. After a desperately disappointing quarterfinal exit in the 2011 Copa América, the Seleçao has three years to put it right with only the Olympic Games this year and the Confederations Cup next in the way of ‘proper’ matches. (Even then, the Olympic Games allow only three players over the age of 23, and the quality of opposition in the Confederations Cup is questionable, as the major nations seem unsure of the tournament’s importance.) Other teams may complain about qualifiers, but they do at least offer an opportunity for competitive games.” Howler – Jonathan Wilson

Ukraine 2-1 Sweden: the Shevchenko show

“The story of the tournament so far – Andriy Shevchenko rolled back the years to complete a surprise turnaround in Kiev. Shevchenko was named from the start, despite speculation Oleg Blokhin would use him as a substitute. The rest of the side was as expected. Erik Hamren made a surprise choice in the centre of midfield, playing Rasmus Elm alongside Kim Kallstrom. This meant Ola Toivonen started on the left, and Markus Rosenberg played upfront.” Zonal Marking

Another Euro shock
“Isn’t it fun to see your prognostications go up in flames? The tournament’s been full of head-turning incongruities — Croatian attacking verve, Greek resiliency, Spanish struggles — but the sight of Ukraine and Sweden punching relentlessly did a lot to buck the trend of scoffing pundits who reckoned it might be Euro 2012’s most grueling contest to date. In the end, further shock came from the eventual winners: not the gritty, impressive-in-qualifying Swedes led by Zlatan Ibrahimovic, but a 2-1 victory for the unfavored co-host complete with a talisman of its own.” ESPN (Video)

Euro 2012: Andriy Shevchenko double gives Ukraine victory over Sweden
“The script was written for Andriy Shevchenko and Ukraine’s most iconic figure followed it to the letter. Back in the arena where he was a ball-boy before he made his name as a young forward for Dynamo Kyiv, Shevchenko turned this pulsating match around in seven remarkable second-half minutes with two opportunist headed goals. The 35-year-old’s body may be creaking but here was compelling evidence that his predatory instincts remain as sharp as ever.” Guardian

Spain 1-1 Italy: Spain start with no striker, Italy use a 3-5-2

“A fascinating tactical battle between two systems rarely seen at international level. Vicente del Bosque supposedly had a three-way choice between Alvaro Negredo, Fernando Llorente and Fernando Torres upfront – but instead chose to play with a false nine, with David Silva and Cesc Fabregas both becoming the highest player up the pitch at different points. Cesare Prandelli went with the 3-5-2 system he’s been using in training over the past two weeks, which meant Daniele De Rossi dropping into the defence, and Emanuele Giaccherini making his international debut as a left wing-back.” Zonal Marking

Three thoughts: Spain’s striker-less attack cost them vs. Italy in draw
“1. Spain’s striker-less attack: Spain’s system, a 4-3-3-0, was the most radical seen in a major international football tournament for decades. Usually the international game, because of the lack of time the players have to work together, lags way behind the club game, but this placed Vicente Del Bosque firmly in the avant-garde. Unusual systems that have been termed “strikerless” at least have a forward — a Francesco Totti, Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi — to drop back and create space for runners from deep while still getting forward to score goals themselves. But Spain’s shape, with Andres Inietsa, Cesc Fabregas and David Silva across the nominal forward line had three players who have spent most of the season operating as orthodox attacking midfielders.” SI – Jonathan Wilson

Tactics key in Italy-Spain draw
“A mouthwatering matchup between the past two World Cup winners became all the more engrossing as both managers made brave tactical decisions ahead of the game. After a 1-1 tie, one man, Italy’s Cesare Prandelli was left seeming bold. The other, Spain’s Vicente del Bosque, appeared more desperate. The decisions were different responses to a similar problem — the lack of the team’s best-fit striker. Spain’s David Villa was unable to recover from the broken leg sustained at the Club World Cup last December. Italy’s Giuseppe Rossi has been a long-term absence after suffering a double ACL tear.” ESPN (Video)

Euro 2012: Spain v Italy – as it happened
“In the end, a draw is probably the right result and both teams will perhaps be as disappointed as they are satisfied with a point. Italy had the better chances and played in an engaging fashion for much of the game, while Spain’s strikerless formation left much to be desired. But Spain’s response once behind was excellent and a fine goal from Cesc Fabregas got them out of jail; from there, they could and would have won it if Fernando Torres hadn’t been Fernando Torres. Overall another entertaining match in what is becoming a very entertaining tournament, but Spain can produce so much more than they managed in the first half, as indeed they showed in the second half. In the end, I just about forgive them for that ridiculous starting line-up.” Guardian

Rapid Reaction — Spain vs. Italy
“There was elation for Antonio Di Natale, vindication for Cesc Fabregas, and more misery for Fernando Torres. Add it all up, and it made for an action-packed 1-1 tie between Spain and Italy in the Euro 2012 opener for both sides. Italy had broken on top in the 61st minute, when Di Natale ran onto a gorgeous through ball from Andrea Pirlo and coolly finished past Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas. But three minutes later, Fabregas hammered his shot past Gianluigi Buffon after taking a deft pass from David Silva.” ESPN (Video)

Spain, Italy draw in Group C
“For Spain, a tie counted as a bit of a stumble. For Italy, a bit of a reprieve. Opening their bid for a third straight major title, the Spanish rallied to earn a 1-1 tie Sunday against Italy, which entered this year’s European Championship amid another match-fixing scandal. Antonio Di Natale put Italy in front after an excellent setup from Andrea Pirlo in the 61st minute, but Cesc Fabregas tied it for the defending champions three minutes later by finishing off a dazzling display of Spain’s trademark passing game.” SI

Croatia 3-1 Ireland: Ireland invite pressure, but deal with it poorly

“Croatia recorded a comfortable victory over Ireland and go top of Group C. Slaven Bilic used Vedran Corluka in the centre of defence and played Darijo Srna in his traditional position of right-back in order to play Ivan Rakitic on the right of midfield, and used Ognjen Vukojevic as his holding midfielder. Giovanni Trapattoni announced his XI days ago, and they started as expected (with 1-11 on their backs). Set-pieces played a large part here, but Croatia were the better side – more inventive with their passing, cleverer with their movement, more ruthless in the penalty box.” Zonal Marking

Three thoughts: Hard-hitting Jelavic helps Croatia upend Ireland
“1. Croatia doesn’t miss Ivica Olic: When Ivica Olic returned from injury to play in the playoff games against Turkey last November, he came as a revelation. He is not as technically gifted a player as some of those Slaven Bilic has to choose from, but he has an energy and a muscularity that drives back opposing defences giving the more skilful midfielders space in which to play. Turkey couldn’t cope with him and Croatia, finding the sort of rhythm they hadn’t shown in over three years, swept to a 3-0 victory in Istanbul, taking an early lead and picking Turkey off on the break.” SI – Jonathan Wilson

No luck for the Irish
“Despite being considered a significant second fiddle to Spain and Italy’s cagey, engaging midday draw, we should have seen this coming. Group C was already pressurized given the four teams pitted against one another, yet that pressure increased thanks to the 1-1 result in Gdansk between the presumptive favorites to advance. (That, plus the tension accompanying overnight reports of fighting between fans that resulted in 14 arrested.)” ESPN (Video)

Denmark 1-0 Holland: Krohn-Dehli goal provides the first surprise of the tournament

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Michael Krohn-Dehli
“Holland had the majority of possession and chances, but Denmark snatched the three points. Morten Olsen chose the XI that was widely expected to start the game, in a rough 4-2-3-1 formation. Bert van Marwijk’s starting selection was also as predicted, with Ron Vlaar in the side to replace the injured Joris Mathijsen. Jetro Willems became the youngest player in European Championship history at left-back.” Zonal Marking

Three Thoughts: Denmark gives the Netherlands more to worry about
“1. The defensive worries for the Dutch were not overstated. The Netherlands created enough chances to win this game twice over. But at the back, things were actually worse than the pessimists had anticipated. Every time Denmark ventured forward in wide positions, the Oranje fullbacks looked vulnerable. The problem was partly due to the two “controllers” — Mark van Bommel and Nigel de Jong — being too slow to come out to center to cover. But that didn’t excuse the utter sluggishness from Gregory van der Wiel and Jetro Willems in the one-v.-ones against decent, but not exactly stellar, opposition.” SI

Dutch face uphill battle in Group B
“All week long the Dutch have said that nothing less than winning the European Championships will do. If they’re to end a 24-year drought at major tournaments, a drought that belies their immense talent, it’ll have to happen the hard way. After losing 1-0 to Denmark in Kharkiv, Ukraine on Saturday, simply advancing from the Group of Death will take some doing. The mighty Germans are up next and Dutch manager Bert van Marwijk knows it’s a must-win game.” ESPN (Video)

Euro 2012 Day 2: Dutch loss a big story, but don’t overlook the Danes
“There were two things that the managers of Netherlands and Denmark agreed on before the teams met on a clammy Saturday evening in Kharkiv, Ukraine: The Dutch were the favorites, and their players are ‘arrogant in a good way.'” SI

Germany 1-0 Portugal: Gomez gets the nod upfront, and nods in the only goal

“The quietest of Euro 2012’s four games so far ended with a narrow German victory. Jogi Löw had a few decisions to make – Mario Gomez, rather than Miroslav Klose, started upfront and Mats Hummels was picked over Per Mertesacker in the centre of defence. At right-back, Jerome Boateng played up against Cristiano Ronaldo, despite rumours that Lars Bender would be played out of position there.” Zonal Marking

Three Thoughts: Germany holds off Portugal 1-0, but could be better
“1. Germany has room to grow, but adjustments may be needed. His 2010 World Cup side was devastating on the counterattack, but this time around Germany manager Joachim Loew has opted for a far more possession-oriented approach. The thing is, he’s been working on tweaking the philosophy without changing the personnel. But here’s the reality: Against a team that defends well and denies the space behind, Germany is going to struggle with a trio of Thomas Mueller, Mario Gomez and Lukas Podolski.” SI

Euro 2012: Mario Gomez goal gives Germany victory over Portugal
“It took a long time coming but there was a sense of inevitability that Germany would eventually wear Portugal down. Their slow, methodical approach had failed to deliver reward and Mario Gomez was close to being withdrawn when one more patient buildup yielded a precious goal for the Bayern Munich striker and the breakthrough Germany so badly needed. Miroslav Klose, who was ready to replace Gomez, returned to the bench and Germany’s Euro 2012 campaign was up and running.” Guardian

Russia 4-1 Czech Republic: Russia’s Zenit-style counter-attacking exposes Czech weaknesses

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Roman Shirokov
“Russia made a terrific start to their Euro 2012 campaign with a high quality counter-attacking performance. Dick Advocaat named his expected side – a 4-3-3 system, with Vyacheslav Malafeev in goal. Michel Bilek’s side featured one alteration from the expected XI – Michal Kadlec moved to the left, where he frequently played during qualification, which meant Roman Hubnik playing at centre-back, and no place for David Limbersky. Russia were simply the better side throughout the game – more organised defensively, and showcasing much more penetration going forward.” Zonsl Marking

Russia too strong for Czechs
“Andrei Arshavin frustrated Arsenal fans this season, but he remains a joy in interviews. Call him a thoughtful, philosophical chap. Here was more proof as Arshavin discussed Russia’s mindset. ‘To put it simply, what lies in the Russian character, and why someone might consider us a dark horse, is that we can lose against every team and we can win against every team,’ he told UEFA.com.” ESPN (Video)

Three thoughts from Russia’s 4-1 victory over the Czech Republic
“1. Russia is excitingly fluid. The potential was always there. This is a Russian side that has been together for a long time. All of the starting XI apart from Alan Dzagoev either played at Euro 2008 or would have played if not for injury or withdrawal. Six of the starting outfielders also play for Zenit St Petersburg, providing Russia with a greater mutual understanding than just about any side at the European Championship. On Friday, that chemistry paid off: With Aleksandr Kerzhakov’s natural inclination to drop deep and operate almost as a false nine, Andrei Arshavin and Dzagoev’s cutting in from the flanks and Aleksandr Anyukov and Yuri Zhirkov overlapping from full back, Russia was superbly fluent.” SI – Jonathan Wilson

Poland 1-1 Greece: Poland start brilliantly but Greece adjust admirably after red card

“One goal each, one red card each, and one point each in an entertaining opening game of Euro 2012. Poland went with their expected side – there were no real debates to be settled in the starting line-up, and Franciszek Smuda used his usual structured yet energetic 4-2-3-1 system. Fernando Santos had two major decisions to make. The first was in goal, where Kostas Chalkias was chosen from Greece’s three distinctly average goalkeepers. The second choice was on the right of the front three, where Sotiris Ninis started over Dimitris Salpingidis. This was a game of three phases: 11 v 11, 11 v 10, 10 v 10. Both sides looked in a commanding position at one stage, but a draw was a fair result.” Zonal Marking

Greece, Poland play to 1-1 draw in opening match of Euro 2012
“Greece missed its chance for a stunning comeback victory, botching a penalty kick, then hanging on for a 1-1 draw with co-host Poland in the opening match of the European Championship on Friday. Both teams had players expelled, including Polish goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny.” SI

Dimitris Salpingidis the savior
“As Dimitris Salpingidis stood in the mixed zone, the grin on his face was akin to that of a burglar who had just made off with the heist of a lifetime. Indeed, in his back pocket he not only held the hopes of his suffering countrymen back home in Greece, but those of a Polish nation desperate to start off its hosting of Euro 2012 in style. That Poland was forced to settle for a 1-1 draw was in no small part because of his efforts.” ESPN

Euro 2012 previews: general themes

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Klaas Jan Huntelaar and Arjen Robbe
“Team-by-team previews are on their way later today. But, to save repetition in many articles, here are some general themes based upon recent international tournaments…” Zonal Marking

Euro 2012 preview: Holland
“After a reputation for playing beautiful football was undermined by Holland’s brutal performance in the 2010 World Cup final, Holland’s strategy in the past two years has been an interesting balancing act – Bert van Marwijk wants to look as if he’s moved on to a more open style of football, but remains reluctant to abandon the structure and functionality that took Holland to the World Cup final in the first place.” Zonal Marking

Euro 2012 preview: Spain
“Spain didn’t win World Cup 2010 through pure tiki-taka. They won because they mixed tiki-taka with different options that brought more directness and urgency to their play.” Zonal Marking

Euro 2012 preview: Germany
“They didn’t win the competition, but Germany hit the greatest heights at World Cup 2010. While Spain embarked on a series of controlled but rather uninspiring 1-0 victories, Germany hit four goals past Australia, England and Argentina.” Zonal Marking

Euro 2012 preview: Czech Republic
“Michal Bilek hasn’t been particularly popular during his time as Czech Republic coach, but he has assembled a well-organised, functional side that mixes experience with youth.” Zonal Marking

Euro 2012 preview: Greece
“Greece aren’t overwhelmingly different from the team that shocked Europe to win Euro 2004. They’re not as extreme in their negativity, and not as effective, but are still broadly defensive and their main threat will come from set-pieces.” Zonal Marking

Euro 2012 preview: Italy
“In many ways, Cesare Prandelli isn’t a typical Italian coach. He’s a highly intelligent man, but one doesn’t think of him as a pure tactician like Marcello Lippi, Giovanni Trapattoni or Fabio Capello. He’s of an Arsene Wenger figure – he wants an overall, attacking philosophy rather than lots of specific tactics, and likes developing young players to suit his footballing identity.” Zonal Marking

Euro 2012 preview: England
“Roy Hodgson was the right choice as England coach – at least in the short-term – but realistically, you can’t expect a side to play good football when their coach is appointed a month before the tournament.” Zonal Marking

Euro 2012 preview: Croatia
“Of the 16 teams in this competition, Croatia are one of the hardest to define. They seem trapped between a few different ways of playing, and don’t have a specific footballing identity.” Zonal Marking

Euro 2012 preview: Sweden
“For the first time since World Cup 1994, Sweden are at a major international tournament without Lars Lagerback. Now in charge of Iceland, Lagerback was at the helm for so long (first as a joint-coach with Tommy Soderberg, then in sole charge) that his footballing style -organised, defensive – became merged with Sweden’s footballing style, to the point where it was difficult to tell the difference between the two, at least to an outsider.” Zonal Marking

Euro 2012 preview: Denmark
“It’s impossible to think of Denmark at the European Championships without thinking of their astonishing victory 20 years ago. Then, they triumphed at Euro 92 despite not qualifying for the tournament initially…yet they’re even more of outsiders this time around.” Zonal Marking

Euro 2012 preview: Russia
“There are many lessons to take from Spain’s dominance of international football over the past few years, and an important one has been the importance of bringing a solid club connection to international level.” Zonal Marking

Euro 2012 preview: Ireland
“It is a decade since Ireland last qualified for a major international tournament, and the three biggest stars from the 2002 World Cup will represent Ireland again here – Shay Given in goal, Damien Duff on the wing and Robbie Keane upfront.” Zonal Marking

Euro 2012 preview: Portugal
“Such is their habit for producing a certain type of footballer, it rather feels like we’ve encountered a Portugal side with these strengths and weaknesses many times before.” Zonal Marking

Euro 2012 preview: Poland
“Poland come into this tournament with the lowest world ranking of the 16 competitors, but they are certainly not the weakest side in the competition.” Zonal Marking

The Question: Does 4-4-2 work for England?

“‘In 1966, English football changed forever. Alf Ramsey led his wingless wonders to the World Cup and Allen Wade sat down to start writing the FA Guide to Training and Coaching, a book that, published the following year, became a Bible to a generations of coaches. Wade’s thinking chimed with that of Ramsey, whose success legitimised an approach that might otherwise have been thought of as overly negative.” Guardian – Jonathan Wilson

Tactics: What can we expect at Euro 2012?

“A goal-rich European football season suggests Euro 2012 could be a high-scoring tournament, despite the likely preponderance of apparently conservative single-striker formations. The 2011-12 campaign was one of the most prolific in the modern history of the European game. Barcelona and Real Madrid both smashed through the 100-goal barrier in La Liga, the Catalans amassing 114 goals and champions Madrid plundering 121 to obliterate the 107-goal season record set by John Toshack’s Madrid side in 1989-90.” Football Further

Euro 2012: Croatia tactics and key questions – the expert’s view

“Slaven Bilic has proved to be flexible when it comes to formations. The Croatia manager can switch from 4‑1‑3‑2 to 4‑2‑3‑1, 4‑3‑3 or 4‑4‑2 – but usually in some sort of modified, unorthodox fashion. He does not think formations play a crucial role and is far more likely to rely on individual instructions as one of the few international managers who is prepared to employ five or six attack-minded players. It could be argued, however, that in Croatia’s case this is done out of necessity rather than any determination to play attacking football.” Guardian

Euro 2012: Spain tactics and key questions – the expert’s view
“Winners of the last two major championships – Euro 2008 and the 2010 World Cup in South Africa – Spain go into the European Championship as favourites for the first time in their history. That does not bother them because for a while now they have always been at their best in official matches, but not in friendlies, where they have been matched by smaller rivals such as Costa Rica or Mexico, and beaten by more substantial opponents such as Italy, Argentina, England and Portugal. The makeup of the squad, however, produces few questions, beyond those raised by the absence of David Villa (broken tibia) and any tactical tweak that Vicente Del Bosque may affect at the back.” Guardian

Euro 2012: Republic of Ireland tactics and key questions – the expert’s view
“Many in the game consider the formation to be outdated now but Giovanni Trapattoni makes no apologies for being slightly old fashioned and he is a great believer in the 4-4-2 that his Ireland team have played in almost every outing since he took the job four years ago.” Guardian

Xavi, Pirlo, Carrick, Modric… A Tactical And Statistical Analysis of Deep-Lying Playmakers in 2011-12

“With the death of the traditional number 10 many of Europe’s top sides have looked to other areas of the pitch for the creative spark, which has seen the rise of the ‘inverted forward’ or ‘inverted play-maker,’ who dictates the play from wider positions. As well as this we have seen the number 10 move back to a number 6 with the rise of the deep-lying play-maker. Players that look to collect the ball off the back four or keeper and spread the play from deep positions.” Just Football

Milan – Warning Signs

“By most people’s standards Milan have just enjoyed a pretty good season. They were runners-up in the league, only behind an undefeated Juventus; they reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League before being eliminated by the mighty Barcelona; and lost in the semi-finals of the Coppa Italia. However, it was still a disappointment, as they had established a healthy lead in the race to the scudetto, and it was a backward step compared to the previous season, when they had won Serie A for the 18th time.” Swiss Ramble

ZM’s European Team of the Year 2011/12

“It’s that time of year again. Minimal explanation needed – eleven starts and eleven substitutes.” Zonal Marking