World Cup semi-final – Croatia 2 England 1 aet

 

 

Before the semi-finals I had a premonition that England were going to play Belgium.   I don’t know if this was to do with them being in the same group but I was rather hoping it was going to be in the final, not the 3rd-4thplay-off game.

 

England got off to such a good start against Croatia with the peach of a free-kick from Kieran Trippier after five minutes.    It was clear from the off that Croatia were going to press England and, unlike in previous games, they opted invariably to play the ball long.   The idea was to try and release Raheem Sterling who was playing high on the last defender.   The strategy of playing out from the back was not completely abandoned although it did seem the occasion of a world cup semi-final or the quality of the pressing Croatian team might have had a bearing on this.

 

The long ball strategy to Sterling did cause Croatia a few problems but unfortunately did not result in any goals.   It also had the effect of a much more expansive game which Slaven Bilic appearing pitchside before the game, was cautiously expressing his delight in that this type of game would play to Croatia’s strengths.   A more open game is not particularly what you want when you are 1-0 up.   There were some early long balls from the goalkeeper Jordan Pickford that seemed a good idea to get the ball up front quickly.   He was electing to kick long quite a lot of the time.   England were also often winning the second ball but were not able to maintain possession for sufficiently long enough periods in the middle third.

 

In the second half the game turned in Croatia’s favour.   Luka Modric was starting to control the game from midfield and this was forcing England’s wing-backs into more defensive positions.   The flank down Croatia’s right-hand side in particular seemed to provide the full-back, Sime Vrsaljke, with space to roam.   In fact, this area was the source for their equalising goal.  A deep cross was sent over towards the far post and Ivan Perisic, showing predatory instincts managed to get his left boot to the ball ahead of Trippier and Walker on 68 minutes.

 

In some ways the goal conceded was not too dissimilar to the goal England conceded to Tunisia.   Kyle Walker was exposed on that occasion by just not being aware of opponents ghosting in from the far post area.  Walker had provided an exemplary performance up to this point.   His speed across the ground was able to meet any threat comfortably.   He had managed to get his head on balls from corners to clear the danger.   He even managed to block one shot with an area of your body that you would rather keep protected.   But this particular aspect of his game is a cause for concern.

 

This sort of detail, understanding exactly how to mark opponents in these situations is as important to the team’s overall effectiveness as preparing a free-kick or corner routine.   It may be a product of him not being use to playing as a centre-back although John Stones was later to fall foul of a not dissimilar marking mix-up.   Roy Keene talks about the need to smell danger and be more alert in this type of situation.   It certainly involves a special sort of awareness.

 

England were, by now, on the back foot.   Perisic, probably their best player, struck the post as extra time loomed.   The idea of Croatia tiring and the youthfulness of England players would shine through did not seem to materialise.   In fact, it was the other way round.   Stones saw a goal-bound header cleared off the line in extra time, courtesy of the ‘love train’ routine before the decisive moment that came in the 109thminute.   A poor clearance from England was not sufficiently acted upon (smell danger!) as the ball was returned to the unmarked Mario Mandzukic in the penalty area.  This time it was John Stones who had failed to spot the danger.   His feet seemed to be rooted to the ground.   There was no anticipation in covering around his teammate on that side.   Mandzukic, completely unmarked was able to find the corner of the net despite the advancing Jordan Pickford.

 

Two goals from open play by Croatia.   Sometimes games are won and lost by the finest detail.   Not scoring a second goal in the first half is clearly a factor and these goals might both be regarded as soft goals to concede.   But conceded they were.   Whether you regard them as soft or not, it is right to try to understand the reasons or potential errors in technique of players defending in these situations.   The sensing of danger may develop with experience but the answer is more fundamentally rooted in the playing of zonal defence.    In both cases, defensive players are holding a space in their zonal shape as an attacking player arrives.

 

For those familiar with this blog, I will lift a paragraph from “The perfect antidote to countering Pep Guardiola’s title-winning tactics” posted earlier this year to reiterate the point.

 

“The problem with zonal marking is that most of the time there is no particular responsibility to be marking an opponent and then, boom a player needs marking!   This is because there is often a blurring of the line between holding a space and marking.   The defensive player is caught in two minds.   Confusion arises.   The centre-back and the full-back, for example, both think the other is covering and yet neither of them are covering.   The forward is left unmarked”.

 

This is what happened to England.    This is what cost them a place in the world cup final.   If you ask me, it is not the scoring of goals we need to panic about, but the conceding of them.