Two of the better coached sides have made the Euro 2020 final. Italy, under Roberto Mancini, have found a tactical system that works and have stuck to it regardless of who they’ve come up against. England, on the other hand, have tweaked their system and personnel based on their opponent in almost every match. Will they do so again?
My suspicion is that for the first time in the tournament Gareth Southgate will keep things unchanged. He would have seen Spain outplay Italy for much of regular time in the semi-final. In the first half there, Spain played without a notional centre-forward. Dani Olmo, as a false nine, constantly dropped back and created a numerical advantage in midfield. Even after Alvaro Morata came on, when Spain had to go in search of an equaliser—despite having enjoyed the better of the match—their forwards continued to pick the ball up in deeper positions.
Italy’s foundations are built on the solidity of their centre-backs, Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini. But neither likes the prospect of an opponent driving straight at him, as Spain’s goal showed us. When Morata picked up the ball in midfield, he didn’t look to get it wide, or to recycle it in midfield. Instead, he drove at the heart of the defence, and exchanged a wonderful one-two with Olmo, before slotting the ball into the net.
The system that England used against Denmark in their semi-final ought to allow them to attack in a similar vein. Harry Kane has become increasingly adept at dropping deeper and bringing the wider forwards into play. But Mancini will be most worried about the three other attackers that England will likely deploy. Mason Mount, the most advanced of the midfielders, loves to push forward with the ball at his feet. And the wingers, Raheem Sterling and Bukayo Saka, both enjoy tucking in and driving from deep.
Italy use only a single pivot in midfield, in Jorginho. Can he do enough to counter England’s pressing? So much depends on how he plays. If he can beat the press—especially from his club-mate Mount—he can set Italy rolling forward. There are few players in the world as accomplished as Jorginho is in seeing where the spaces ahead of him lie. He’s just as good at playing it short around the corner to his fellow, slightly more advanced, midfielders as he is at playing it over the top.
Mancini has huge faith in Jorginho. But he can also select Manuel Locatteli in place of Nicolo Barella and give Jorginho more cover. This will mean that Italy will lose some of their thrust going forward. But when you win the midfield battle you invariably win the football match.
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“I hope I made Evonne proud, said Ashleigh Barty” last evening after defeating Karolina Pliskova to win her first Wimbledon and second grand slam trophy. Fifty years ago, Barty’s mentor and idol, Evonne Goolagong, lifted the Venus Rosewater Dish for the first time. Here’s Goolagong’s story narrated by Barty:
Barty, it must be said, didn’t have to overcome anywhere near the challenges that Goolagong did. But her story is inspiring all the same. She won the junior title aged 15. That she’d compete for the big trophies was seen as a given. Yet she struggled on her maiden appearances on the senior tour. She didn’t make it past the fourth round in any of her first four attempts at Wimbledon. A break from tennis, and a stint with professional cricket back in Australia ensued. Returning years later, she plodded her way up through the challengers to become number one in the world and now, Wimbledon champion.
Barty’s game is built for the grass courts. She has a supremely effective and accurate first serve, a backhand that she almost always slices with guile and placement and a forehand that is unrivalled in the game. Watching her play can at times give one the impression of watching a metronome going about its job; there’s a quiet efficiency to everything she does. But unlike a metronome there’s nothing dull about her game. There unyeilding competence about it, but there’s also grace and flair aplenty.