World Cup 2022

TUNISIA will be playing in Group D alongside France, Denmark and Australia.It is definitely going to be a complicated group stage for Tunisia, who will start by facing Denmark and then aim to beat Australia before challenging the World Cup holders, France, in the last group stage match. 

Tunisia’s most difficult test in this World Cup will be the way with which they deal with their first match against Denmark. 
Playing well in this first game and getting a positive result against a tough Denmark team will change everything in the Tunisian players’ minds and make them very confident to win the second match.
Predicted Starting XI
Tunisia will most likely start the tournament with Aymen Dahman as a goalkeeper as he is favoured in comparison with Bechir Ben Said and Sedki Debchi. 
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Here’s how Tunisia are expected to line up
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In defence, head coach Jalel Kadri has got some good options to choose from and he will more likely rely on Mohamed Drãger as a right-back and Hamza Mathlouthi as his backup. 
Wajdi Kechrida proved to be the second-best option for this role alongside Drãger. 
The central defensive duo will most likely include Lorient’s Montassar Talbi and Salernitana’s Dylan Bronn knowing that both of these players have been consistent throughout this first part of the season.
Bilel Ifa and Nader Ghandri have also proven their worth whenever they participated with the national team.
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On the left flank, Ali Maaloul proved during the last few years that he is the best actual left-back in Tunisia.
Moreover, his chemistry with players like Youssef Msakni, Naim Sliti, Wahbi Khazri and others was obvious to everyone and helped Tunisia win numerous games previously. 
Therefore, it would be essential to preserve this kind of chemistry and work on improving it.
Despite these offensive abilities, Maaloul can also be less efficient in defence especially against wingers with great pace such as the ones Tunisia will encounter during the group stage.
Jalel Kadri can also try to adapt his team to suit the opponent’s strengths and weaknesses by switching to the 3-4-3 as he did in last year’s Arab Cup.
This formation might be more balanced for the team against teams like Denmark and France.
In terms of attack, Tunisia doesn’t really have plenty of excellent options and will rely on Youssef Msakni’s magic on the left wing.
Attacking phase
The above graphic shows detailed statistics on Tunisia’s attacking style, their weaknesses and strengths. In fact, what we can understand from this pizza plot is that Tunisia pass a lot inside the final third but don’t score a lot of goals despite shooting so often during games.
Therefore, they will have to improve their finishing accuracy in order to exploit the chances they create and more importantly, it would be important to try shooting more often on goal instead of passing the ball passively.
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On the counter, Tunisia push numbers forward
Moreover, working on the offensive duels would help Tunisia a lot during this World Cup in order to have more possession in their opponent’s half.
The team should focus more on intercepting the ball in their opponent’s half by applying pressure intelligently and efficiently.
Tunisia can be excellent on the counter especially when their players are 100 per cent focused.
In the following picture, Jebali had a counterattacking opportunity in the last minutes of the match and had two teammates asking for the ball as you can see. 
Jebali exploits the use of runners either side by shooting for goal
These two players offered great passing options but at the same time made defenders hesitate.
Jebali exploited this situation in the best possible way by showing that he intends to pass while shooting the ball with great power towards the top left angle to score a beautiful goal.
Defensive phase
When it comes to defending, Tunisia proved during the Arab Cup and the AFCON that they are solid in defence and that they are improving a lot from this aspect. 
The team make a lot of interceptions per match but they still do not win a lot of defensive duels. They need to improve their statistics in this regard in order to be more efficient in defence.
Moreover, the team plays a lot in the air despite not winning a lot of the aerial duels per match.
And at the same time, Tunisia concede numerous shots per game, which can be very dangerous for them especially knowing that they will face teams with great shooting accuracy.
The Tunisian defence will have to be very careful when it comes to passes played at the back of this defensive line.
Since their opponents will certainly include numerous technical midfield players, Tunisia’s defence will have to be attentive to possible penetrations throughout the 90 minutes to not let something like what happened against Brazil occur again.
In the following picture, we can see how Barcelona‘s Raphinha was penetrating through the back of Talbi while Ben Ouanes didn’t try to cover for his teammate.
Defensively, Tunisia have a tendency to switch off
Both players should have defended better in this situation and more importantly, they had to react in a more effective way as soon as Chelsea‘s Thiago Silva crossed the ball.
Such errors might lead to conceding goals, especially against France and Denmark and therefore, Tunisia should be alert to similar actions.
In addition, Tunisia will have to avoid conceding too much space to skilful attacking players inside the final third as such players are usually going to create danger if not score goals, like what Raphinha did in the next picture when Tunisia left too much space for him on the right-wing.
Clever attacking players can exploit Tunisia’s weak defence
Tunisia will face tough attackers in Group D, like in this friendly against Brazil.
Transitions
Tunisia’s offensive transitions are usually quick and quite direct. They rely on one of Skhiri or Laïdouni to start the first pass and then the ball always gets to Msakni or Sliti who are very good dribblers and can advance well with the ball. 
In the next example, Msakni is advancing with the ball and looks at the striker to see if there is a passing possibility.
Quick, direct attacking transitions often to Msakni kickstart Tunisia’s attacks
The Tunisians can also opt for direct passes towards the strikers whenever they detect the adequate opportunity to do so. 
Direct passes from the flanks are angled towards the forward
Attackers 
As mentioned earlier, Tunisia have various options in attack and will mainly rely on Khazri, Jaziri, Khenissi and Jebali.
Although these players are all 29 or older, all of them are still delivering some solid performances with their respective clubs and are capable of helping their national team by scoring goals during this tournament, knowing that they have the experience needed to help the team.
Khazri, for instance, has already scored in the previous World Cup against Belgium and Panama and we can expect to see goals from him.
The same applies to Jaziri who has been excellent during the past few seasons with Al Zamalek and will represent a great weapon for Jalel Kadri knowing that he has some great finishing skills and pace.
Midfielders
We have already explained that this might be the team’s best area as the players existing in this part of the field are excellent and will be fundamental for the team both from a defensive and an attacking perspective. 
Players like Skhiri, Laïdouni, Chaalali, Sassi and probably Ben Romdhane will have a key role during the tournament and will be responsible for dictating how the team will play.
Also, they will have a very delicate mission which is protecting the defensive line and covering when necessary, according to the head coach’s instructions.
Defenders
This might be the most delicate and fundamental section of the team as it is the part that will suffer the most and endure a lot during the group stage, given the quality of the opponent’s attack. 
Tunisia, indeed, have some excellent names in defence.
Nevertheless, it will not be sufficient to be excellent on an individual level.
It is going to be necessary to defend as a unit and have a very organised defensive line in order to avoid mistakes and limit the attacking threats. Otherwise, Tunisia would be in trouble.
Key Player
Tunisia’s key player in this tournament is Youssef Msakni.
The Al Arabi 31-year-old international will be the team’s leader in this competition as he is the most skilful player in the team and the most experienced player to boot. 
Msakni plays in most attacking positions and doesn’t have problems with adapting to different formations or positions.
He plays mainly in all final third positions and can also play as a false nine. But most of all, he excels when playing as an advanced playmaker or as a left winger.
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Tournament prediction
Tunisia will face a tough group with two clear favourites to qualify to the Round of 16: France and Denmark.
The team of Tunisia is also considered almost as good as the Australian one, which makes Group D a big challenge to the African team. More

DENMARK are one of the teams that, although they might not be favourites in the World Cup, are expected to make life difficult for every team that competes against them.The Danes have shown character against some of the most challenging teams in the last calendar year thanks to a squad full of experience and talent and a suitable strategy.

With most of the players playing in the top five European leagues on a club level, it is no surprise that they achieved victories against the current World champions France twice in the Nations League tournament.
The team has also earned six wins in their last seven games of the World Cup Qualifications, making a statement that they will be fighting for the top spot in Group D, where they will compete against Australia, France and Tunisia.
Kasper Hjulmand, who has been in charge of the team since 2020, has managed to build a flexible side that reached the European Championship semi-final last year.
The Danish are expected to show a solid performance off the ball, but to experience struggles with it, considering the lack of a distinguished finisher who can take advantage of the chances created by the experienced midfield.
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Predicted starting XI 
The manager’s tactical flexibility sees him easily switch between 4-3-3 and back-three formations.
It is expected that he will predominantly rely on the 4-3-3 scheme throughout the tournament, although his starting XI is equally as unpredictable as his tactical changes.
However, some players have earned his trust, and he is expected to rely on them for this new challenge.
Denmark’s expected line-up
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The 35-year-old Kasper Schmeichel remains the main option for the goalkeeping spot.
The left-back position will be occupied by Atalanta’s Joakim Mæhle, who is capable of disturbing the opposing players by constantly joining in the attack and creating overloads. 
The other full-back spot is expected to be covered by Rasmus Kristensen. The 25-year-old has been one of the best performers for Leeds and will balance out the team’s defensive performance by compensating for Mæhle’s offensive movement.
Andreas Christensen and Joachim Andersen will be the pair in central defence as they formed a good partnership for Denmark, with Milan‘s Simon Kjær most likely to be left as an additional option, despite his leading qualities and experience.
However, Hjulmand won’t take any risks with his midfield picks, lining up Thomas Delaney, Christian Eriksen and Pierre-Emile Højbjerg to dominate centrally.
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Christian Eriksen was everywhere in the Nations League win over France
The manager’s quality options in attack are more limited.
It is yet unclear if he will rely on a particular player for the whole tournament or rotate them.
The left-wing is reserved for Mikkel Damsgaard, while the in-form Andreas Skov Olsen will be the threat from the right.
The 25-year-old Kasper Dolberg might get the chance to lead the attack, despite the slow start of his spell at Sevilla, where he is yet to score.
Attacking phase
As already mentioned, the Danish might experience struggles in the attacking phase. 
This is their weaknesses compared to the rest of the teams participating in the World Cup. 
The players’ inability to retain possession in the advanced areas and to win their offensive duels often stops them from creating goalscoring opportunities.
Even in the cases where they manage to reach the final third, the lack of a distinguished finisher results in a low number of goals.
Defensive phase
Things look different defensively for the Danes.
The team try to apply constant pressure on their opponents, and they are good at winning the ball back.
The high press helps them to recover possession in the final third frequently, which means they avoid dangerous attacks and can remain solid defensively.
The only thing that takes off of their defensive performance is Mæhle’s active offensive role.
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Denmark’s Joakim Maehle, right, in action against Austria’s Xaver SchlagerCredit: Reuters
His movement to the advanced areas often means that the spaces behind him can be exploited should the opposition recover possession and make a quick turnover.
However, in most cases, the midfield players do provide additional support and cover depth whenever any of their teammates are out of position.
Transitions
Denmark rely on frequent passing and focus on a high pass completion rate in their aim to retain control of the games.
The team have averaged an 85.3% accuracy of their passes in the last calendar year, which has helped them dominate their opponents.
They actively involve Schmeichel in their ball retention and build-up from the back which allows the team to occasionally move into a more advanced position and bypass the opposing press more easily. 
Attackers
The forwards’ stats are not satisfying enough both at a club and international level.
Surprisingly, one of the most efficient players in front of the goal during the qualifications has been the left-back Mæhle, who has scored five goals. 
Most of the attackers are struggling at club level as well, not getting enough playing time and respectively failing in fulfilling their responsibilities.
Midfielders
The midfielders are the ones that balance out the team’s performance.
As already explained, the manager has relied on experienced players, which all can be described as “key” for their performance both on and off the ball.
The three of them have perfectly split responsibilities and have different profiles, which allows Denmark to achieve that balance.
Delaney is more supportive of the defensive phase and his presence centrally is key for breaking opposition attacks and keeping the ball away from their own goal.
Hojbjerg’s pass map in the Nations League win over France
Højbjerg’s role is connected to ball progression and distribution as he often orchestrates play and supports the team movement with his passing.
Eriksen, on the other hand, is more involved in attacking actions and trying to create opportunities for his teammates. He is also considered a major threat from attacking set-pieces.
The midfielders create a good connection between the lines, although they often lack support from the attacking players as they struggle in exploiting quality areas and making good combinations.
Defenders
The manager has a few defensive options but seems to have found the right partnerships at the back.
The central pair Christensen and Andersen proved solid enough and have minimised the mistakes done in dangerous areas and the number of lost balls in the games.
As mentioned, Kjær is another option for the central defence as his experience and composure can help the team in critical situations. 
However, the timing of his interventions is sometimes off, which results in losing possession or committing fouls, hence the team conceding dangerous attacks.
Key player
Højbjerg is one of the most important players in Denmark’s current set-up, as he is for his club Tottenham, and his player profile shows what are the strengths that make him a leading figure. 
Of course, the focus falls on his passing data, which underlines his distinguished abilities and his contribution to ball progression compared to the average for his position.
As shown, he overperforms in every indicator, starting with the frequency and accuracy of his passes and moving to the number of forward-directed passes. He also provides more passes to the penalty area compared to the other players in his position.
As his defensive stats show, while the frequency of his defensive actions is low, his efficiency is impressive as he succeeds in most of the indicators. His success rate in the direct interventions is positive and above the average for the position.
Tournament prediction
Denmark have a real chance to reach the top spot in Group D, as France have been disturbed by the injuries of key players who are expected to miss the competition.
While they have proved they have the quality to resist every opposition defensively, not being able to convert chances into goals might be a huge deal-breaker for them both in the group and if they eventually proceed to the next stage.
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If they find the right formula in attack, the Danish Dynamite have the chance to move past the round of 16, although, realistically, there are teams with much more quality in the squad.
At the end of the day, at least making it to the Round of 16 is more than expected when it comes to the reality of Denmark in Group D.
For even more detailed analysis of all 32 teams in the FIFA World Cup 2022, download your copy of the November Total Football Analysis magazine here More

FRANCE’s lineup for the 2022 World Cup with one of the best and largest squads, full of incredible talent – including this time the recent Ballon D’Or winner and mad inventor lookalike, Karim Benzema. After lifting the prestigious World Cup in Russia back in 2018, France wants to repeat their recent success.

The holders will also aiming to erase what happened in at Euro 2020 — being knocked out early by the Swiss on penalties. 
Didier Deschamps has a massive pool of talent at his disposal.
He can narrow that down to a great squad, with depth in all positions – but we cannot hide from the fact their tactical performance has worsened since the last Euro.
Predicted starting XI
Although France has one of the most changeable starting XIs, with even their formations constantly changing, Deschamps has found the balance inside his large group.
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How France could line up at the World Cup
Setting up in a 3-4-1-2 with Hugo Lloris in what is going to be his last World Cup, behind Lucas Hernández, Raphael Varane and Jules Kounde – in what seems to be a very solid, yet young and experimental defence.
Kingsley Coman has started to play as a wing-back for them, and on the other flank is Ferland Mendy, whose performances have helped him to become a starter for his National Team.
Adrien Rabiot and Aurélien Tchouaméni will likely be the midfield partnership after N’Golo Kanté’s injury setback leaves him out of the tournament.
Up front, France will likely play with a trio of Antoine Griezmann, Kylian Mbappé and Benzema. 
Attacking phase
France likes to use a possession-based style where players can move around the pitch, but also with certain roles to contribute in the build-up.
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Players like Tchouaméni have become vital for the team because of their fantastic ability to break pressure between the lines, contributing both defensively and with attacking actions, just like he does for Real Madrid.
Yet, France have become a slow-tempo team that doesn’t find the correct answers quickly.
Tactically intelligent France can break the lines with ease
The team certainly has talent, but they are not living their best days tactically.
The team has the tactical intelligence talent to break the lines as we can see in the image above and the image below.
France play with a slow-tempo and don’t find the correct answers quickly
When France reaches the attacking zone, players like Griezmann and Benzema can create chances as well as score goals – yet the can also crowd spaces too frequently.
Below, ahead of the man on the ball, you can see all three players in the same zone leaving few passing options.
The French midfield can struggle to find a pass with attackers who bunch together
France has many different ways of scoring goals. The versatility of Kylian Mbappé is notable.
His long carries that start at the middle of the pitch and end up almost every time in a 1v1 duel against the goalkeeper are a strong weapon of the team of Deschamps.
But it is Griezmann who is really the orchestrator – as we can see below, he likes to take up space between the defence and the midfield and fire passes into the feet of the front two.
Antoine Griezmann likes to drop deep and start France’s attacks
When the midfielders and the attackers of France mix into a block before the box of the opponents, their creativity to find spaces is a strong weapon, due to the talent of names like Griezmann, Benzema, Mbappé and Rabiot.
Below, we can see an example of getting players into the box and quick, clever interplay between the attacking players.
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Clever interplay in the box is a feature of France’s forwards
Defensive phase
France can defend using different formations including a line of 3 or 4 in defence.
Regardless of the formation, they have talent to defend and counter quickly when they recover the ball.
As we see below, their shape tries to stop the player on the ball having an easy pass into the attacking third – if any of the three players highlighted furthest from the ball win it, then they will have options in the three players highlighted higher up the pitch.
A structured shape allows France to counter quickly when they recover the ball
Below we can see that France have not been looking that good defensively in terms of their numbers. T
hey don’t win the ball back often, even less often high up the pitch.
That said, they concede few shots per game. We feel their best bet is to be as aggressive as possible and score goals early, dominating the games from the beginning. 
Transitions
In attacking transitions, ‘Les Bleus’ like to rely very much on the world’s best player running into space: Kylian Mbappé.
When the PSG player gets the ball, his impressive and almost unbeatable speed allows him to sprint towards the box, create chances for his teammates and of course, more importantly for him personally – score himself.
Defenders
France has good squad depth in the centre-back spot including names like William Saliba, Dayot Upamecano, Presnel Kimpembe, Raphael Varane. 
Full-backs are also well-covered and it’ll be another dilemma for Deschamps to select the best ones, with the likes of Ferland Mendy, Léo Dubois, Jonathan Clauss, Benjamin Pavard or Lucas Digne all available.
Midfielders
Midfield presents another tough selection for Deschamps – as if this squad could present any easy choices.
With the injury to N’Golo Kanté, the call for Tchouaméni and Adrien Rabiot to be the starters at the double-pivot is surely going to happen. 
Attackers
Having players like Kingsley Coman, Wissam Ben Yedder, Ousmane Dembélé or Christopher Nkunku to play alongside Karim Benzema, Antoine Griezmann and Kylian Mbappé has to be one of the most difficult decisions Deschamps is going to make.
Modern football can make it hard to distinguish between attackers and midfielders, especially when it comes to wingers.
But the French manager surely will have some of the greatest options possible compared with other coaches.
Key player
Karim Benzema has become the main man for France
Recent Ballon D’Or winner Karim Benzema has the chance to show what his football is capable of.
His magical season at Real Madrid where his team won the double thanks to his goals, assists and his synergy with the system and especially Vinicius Jr, has made him one of the standout players for the tournament and one to follow in his return to the France National Team.
Tournament prediction
Although France hasn’t been playing beautiful football in recent matches, and even in the recent major competitions, they always have an extremely talented squad with world-class players that can’t be underestimated.
It wouldn’t be a shock to see them progress to the semi-finals and even, once again, to the final of the World Cup, running it back to 2018 and the last edition of this most prestigious competition.
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Equally, they have it in their locker to combust and exit early – but probably not in the group stages.
They are in Group D where they’ll face Australia, Denmark and Tunisia, and they are expected to finish 1st in the Group, and they’ll probably face Poland or Mexico in the Round of 16.
For even more detailed analysis of all 32 teams in the FIFA World Cup 2022, download your copy of the November Total Football Analysis magazine here More

POLAND have had a rough couple of recent tournaments – they will be dreaming of better in Qatar.Still in the ranks is the prolific Robert Lewandowski, now of Barcelona.

However, going into the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, the Polish national team has become somewhat of an unknown commodity. 
A new manager is again in the hot seat, with former Poland U21 boss Czesław Michniewicz now in charge going into the tournament.
Young talent has also started to break into the senior squad.
Spezia’s Jakub Kiwior, Feyenoord’s Sebastian Szymanski, and AS Roma’s Nicola Zalewski all likely to be not just on the plane to Qatar, but in the starting lineup for the first group stage match. 
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Predicted starting XI
Through his short time in charge of the Polish national team so far (eight matches), Czesław Michniewicz has experimented with different personnel and starting formations to try and find the best solution.
This 3-4-2-1 system has been what the Polish boss has used in their last warm-up games before the World Cup. 
Looking at the defence, Juventus’s Wojciech Szczęsny is an absolute guarantee to start in goal for Poland.
Czesław Michniewicz has settled on a 3-4-2-1 formation
The 66-cap international has become the undisputed #1 between the sticks since Łukasz Fabiański’s retirement from international football last year.
Moving forward into the defensive line, we predict that Michniewicz will stick with three centre-backs.
Aston Villa’s Jan Bednarek and Benevento’s Kamil Glik will likely start, with Spezia’s Jakub Kiwior being a surprise addition to the starting lineup.
Though he only has 4 senior caps to his name after making his senior international debut earlier this year, the 22-year-old has begun to establish himself firmly in the manager’s plans. 
Moving up the pitch into midfield, 93 cap man Grzegorz Krychowiak will once again be the anchor in the midfield at another international tournament for his country, with the Al-Shabab player being Poland’s most experienced starter in midfield.
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Next to him will likely be Torino midfielder Karol Linetty, who after an indifferent campaign for his club in the 2021/22 season, has excelled for club and country so far this term. 
Moving out to the wing-back/wide midfielder positions, Nicola Zalewski and Matty Cash look like the likely starters.
In the attacking positions, Sebastian Szymański will likely start alongside Piotr Zielinski in attacking midfield.
Szymański has had a very good start to the season for Feyenoord, with 4 goals and 4 assists across all competitions so far this season.
Finally, leading the line for Poland will be none other than Robert Lewandowski.
Poland’s all-time leading goal scorer with 76 goals for his country will be hoping he can add to that tally at the end of November. 
Attacking phase 
Michniewicz opts for a style of play based on quick ball progression by playing it long towards a centre-forward or into the channels for the attackers to run onto.
They are also not a high possession side. Following are a couple of examples of Poland’s attacking style of play that we expect to see them utilise in the World Cup. 
Poland don’t rely on a high-possession game and play long balls into channels
As we saw in the data metric above, Poland are not a high-possession side.
They instead look to win possession back and then quickly attack, looking for space in behind the opposition’s defence, and playing long balls into these channels.
An example of this is shown above from Poland’s recent UEFA Nations League match against Belgium. 
In the phase of play above, notice how the player in possession has options to play the ball short and continue to build, notably a square ball to his direct right.
However, with Belgium playing a back three, the wing-back on the far side is advanced and out of position as a result of the last Belgium attack.
The Poland player then plays a long crossfield ball into the space on the opposite side of the field.
This allows them to break the Belgian press, and attack quickly while their defence is not organised. 
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Route one is Poland’s preferred route of attack
Above shows an even better example of Poland’s preferred route one style of attacking football.
Preceding this image, the ball was played all the way back from the Belgian attacking third to Szcesęny in the Poland net.
He then played the ball out wide to the defender, who was able to send a cross in behind the Belgian defence towards the forward running in behind.
The ensuing long ball can find the forward running in behind the defender’s back shoulder.
However, the shot is sent over the bar, but the movement and pass are, again, what Poland will look to produce plenty of during the World Cup. 
Another thing to notice in this attacking phase from Poland is that all 10 outfield players are essentially beyond midfield and in the opposition’s half.
While it is rare for them to send all of their outfield players forward, this allows Poland to overwhelm their opposition in the attacking half of the pitch.
It also allows them to be prime targets to win either first or second balls when they are played long from the backline.
As a side that is not possession-oriented, the ability to win these first and second balls is key to being able to attack successfully. 
Poland can still use quick passes to spring forward
While they may be categorised as a long-ball team and not really possession-based, Poland are still capable of using quick passing sequences as a means of getting into the attacking half of the pitch. In the phase of play above, this is demonstrated.
The goalkeeper plays the ball long into the wing-back. The defender can head the ball on first-time to the midfielder who is running unmarked in behind the Dutch fullback who is isolated in a 2v1.
The flicked-on ball is played into the space for the midfielder to run onto and move into the attacking half, making it a 4v4 against the Dutch backline in a span of only three passes. 
Though Poland will not be the most expansive team to watch from an attacking perspective at this winter’s World Cup, they will create chances.
They also likely won’t create many per game, but all they may need is one to win if their defence can hold firm, which will be analysed in more detail next. 
Defensive phase 
Poland are a team that will drop back and sit in a defensive block most times. 
Their high PPDA, in the 66th percentile, also indicates that they don’t tend to press very high up the pitch.
With that said, Poland will adapt their game plan defensively to whatever it may call for.
Following are some examples of Poland in the defensive phase. 
Poland defend in a back five
The image above shows Poland’s defensive shape and shows why they rank highly in blocked shots and recoveries in their own third. In their back-three system, they defend in a back five, with it turning into a 5-3-2 defensively.
Notice how eight outfield players are behind the ball with the midfield and defensive lines staying tight and compact, not allowing much space at all centrally.
Poland allows the space out wide for teams to attack them, but can stay tight and compact to not allow the play to get moved centrally. 
That is exactly what happens in the defensive phase shown above, as Belgium are unable to move the ball centrally as a result of Poland’s defensive numbers in this area.
Due to this, the ball is closed down by the Polish defenders in the wide area and they can eliminate the Belgian attack. 
When defending, Poland’s wing back will pressure the player in possession
The defensive phase of play above shows another tactic that Poland tends to do when they are in a low defensive block.
After they force the play into the wide channel, the wing-back, along with the ball side midfielder, look to close down the player in possession, with them looking to win back possession or force them to play backwards. 
In this example, the Wales winger is forced to play the ball backwards, allowing the Polish defence to relieve some pressure.
Notice also how Poland have numbers back in the box defensively, and because they are strong in the air, they would consider themselves favourites to be able to clear the ball away from danger if a cross were to have been sent into the box. 
Poland like to double-up against the wide player in possession
This final example also shows Poland looking to double up against the player in possession out wide.
Once again, the Dutch player is forced to play the ball backwards, as there are no options for him to play forward to in advanced positions.
With the Polish defence forcing the Dutch to play the ball backwards, it once again allows them to reset defensively. 
As this section has illustrated, Poland are a team that prefers to sit back in a low block and absorb pressure when they lose possession.
However, with that being said, don’t expect Poland to just sit back in a low block defensively at all times; they may alter their defensive tactics at times based on the opposition. 
Transitions
Poland like to counter quickly when they win the ball back
With Poland not being a possession-oriented side under Michniewicz, transitional moments are some of the most dangerous attacking moments for the team.
The image above shows a good example of exactly what Michniewicz’s side is capable of when regaining possession in vulnerable areas for the opposition.
After Belgium lost possession in Poland’s final third, the Polish players were able to break quickly on a counterattack as a result of Belgium pushing a lot of their numbers forward.
Seven of Poland’s outfield players can break, allowing them to possibly engage in a quick attacking move. 
Five Poland stars join in on the break as a wave of white shirts pile forward
The image above shows another example of Poland attacking quickly as a result of a turnover by the opposition in a dangerous area.
After the ball is turned over by the Netherlands, Poland can quickly counter to try and create a goalscoring opportunity.
In this phase of play above, the Dutch full-back is caught out of possession, allowing for the ball to be played into the wide channel and behind the Dutch centre-backs. 
Poland will be dangerous in transitional moments, so this will be something that other sides need to watch out for come World Cup time. 
Attackers 
The attack is where Poland possess their game-changers. Obviously, there’s Lewa. But don’t forget Milik and Piatek – both more than capable of having an impact in Qatar.
Midfielders 
Poland try to play direct from midfield, so Sebastian Szymański is a key member of the group – Linetty, Zielinski, Krychowiak, Villa’s Matty Cash, Frankowski and Zalewski all have decent long passing accuracy stats to make this effective.
In the final third, Szymański and Napoli star Zieliński will be key to supply their man man.
Defenders 
As we said, Poland will sit in a low black defensively and will rely on the aerial strength of their three from four main centre-backs – Glik, Kiwior, Bednarek and Wieteska.
Key player 
It’s Lewandowski – shock.
Given the start he has made at Barcelona where he still scores goals for fun (turn a blind eye to how important those goals are in the really big games) and the fact he is the Polish all-time record scorer it is no surprise he is the man we expect to be key to their progress.

His goal stats throughout his career are phenomenal.
Lewa has to conserve his energy just a little bit more nowadays, but he is nowhere near the Ronaldo level of being carried.
Enjoy him while you can, he won’t be around forever!
Tournament prediction 
The lazy assumption is “oh they’ve got Lewandowski, they are a dark horse” – but, really, Poland are not.
They should get out of the group – though that is not guaranteed with Mexico pushing them hard for second place.
If they do emerge from the groups, then we would predict a Round of 16 exit and Lewa waving farewell to major tournaments.
For even more detailed analysis of all 32 teams in the FIFA World Cup 2022, download your copy of the November Total Football Analysis magazine here More

THERE are four things you can count on in life…death, taxes, Guillermo Ochoa putting on Gold Glove performances at the World Cup, and Mexico exiting in the Round of 16.Mexico is one of the 10 most populous countries in the world.

Of the nine countries ahead of them, only Nigeria and Brazil are football-first nations.
Given their obsessive following of the sport and the fact that all their top athletic talents take the football route, Mexico’s limited success at the World Cup is a bit baffling.
Could this be the time they finally break the Round of 16 curse?
Predicted starting XI
Mexico is one of CONCACAF’s two perennial powers, the other being the USA.
Like many traditional powers, they have a very specific style of play and tactical system.
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When Mexico takes to the pitch in Qatar, they will set out in a 4-3-3. The objectives are dominance in possession, dictating temp, and aggressively counterpressing.
Regardless of the opponent, Mexico wants to play on the front foot. They’ll bring energy, intensity, and aggression to Qatar.
Looking at the predicted starting XI, it’s Ochoa time.
It seems like every four years he puts on a Golden Glove-worthy performance at the World Cup. At the age of 37, this will likely be his last hurrah.
How Mexico could line up at the World Cup
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The veteran, Moreno, will anchor the backline. He’s surrounded by three very talented players in Montes, Arteaga, and Sánchez.
The two outside-backs will take very aggressive positions when Mexico is in possession. Look for them to be highly involved.
In midfield, the young Ajax stand-out, Álvarez, is undoubtedly the most talented player in the middle of the pitch, if not the entire squad.
Up top is full of question marks. Tecatito Corona suffered an injury and will miss the World Cup, leaving Mexico without their preferred right forward.
To make matters worse, Jiménez is struggling to regain his fitness. Though he should make the roster, Mexico can hardly count on him to be productive while out of form.
That puts a lot of pressure on Lozano. Antuna looks like the choice on the opposite flank, but it’s the star power of Chucky that Mexico will lean on. Should Jimenez miss the tournament, the burden only increases.
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Attacking phase
Jiménez has been Tata Martino’s go-to striker, but the Wolves player is coming back from an injury and was struggling for minutes even before the fitness concerns.
To score at the World Cup, Mexico will have to be exceptional in open play. In their 4-3-3 system, that starts with a strong build-out.
Mexico’s game model is a very standard 4-3-3. Two centre-backs split into the half spaces, outside-backs will push high and the midfield triangle will remain tightly connected with a single pivot.
That pivot player will oscillate between a higher position in midfield and dropping in between the centre backs.
Mexico’s midfield will drop into the centre back position and move the ball forward
Mexico’s midfield does rotate very effectively. If Álvarez, who will play the six, steps into the midfield, the player in the box-to-box role, typically Guardado or Herrera, will drop deeper to maintain the triangular structure.
If Mexico builds out, they’ll look to play through the lines and progress the ball near midfield.
As the team chooses to attack left, centre, or right, the forwards will adjust their positioning to coordinate their width with the sequence of play.
If the ball is in the wings, expect the near-sided winger to check towards the ball, the striker to pinch into that near half-space, and the far-sided forward to look for opportunities to get in behind.
The far side winger will always look to get behind the defence
If play is built centrally, look for the two wingers to maintain their width, at least initially.
They will look to stretch the backline in an attempt to get him behind.
If the opposition’s backline remains narrow, Mexico will look to play into the wingers, either looking for them to engage in 1v1 duels or drive inside to create the overlap for the oncoming outside-backs.
Once Mexico gets into the final third of the pitch they will look to push numbers into the box. They routinely get at least three players into the box, overloading centrally to increase their chance of latching onto a service.
In this example against Colombia, a clever dummy of a through ball got Mexico behind the backline, leading to their second goal of the game.
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Mexico like to overload centrally to get behind the backline
In terms of Mexico’s attacking tactics, they should show well at the World Cup in the way they build out of the back and play through the lines.
It’s when they get to the final third, or really the box, that issues emerge. Without Chicharito’s trademark poaching in the 18, Mexico may struggle to find the back of the net in Qatar.
Defensive phase
In the qualifying rounds, Mexico conceded just eight goals in 14 games, tying Costa Rica for the fewest goals against in the continent.
Expect Mexico to use the high press against Saudi Arabia and Poland.
However, against Argentina, we could very well see them drop into a 4-4-2 mid-block with an ageing midfield that can’t play a box-to-box game.
Those compact lines will create easier backtracking opportunities for Mexico.
Against Argentina, Mexico may drop into a 4-4-2 mid-block formation
The mid-block takes care of one vulnerability, namely, an ageing squad with the inability to play an end-to-end game.
It should also help Mexico’s box defending. With the midfield sitting a little bit deeper, they should offer better support for the backline and better track runners into the box.
They did have an issue tracking runners in the Colombia match, leading to a well-taken second goal. This comes despite sitting a little deeper in the game.
As Columbia made their way into the box, they were able to find lanes to send negative passes, as well as gaps in the Mexican lines that allowed the South Americans to get good looks at goal.
Colombia were able to break Mexico’s mid-block and score
Improved organisation, placing intense pressure on the opposition’s first attacker, and timing of pressing triggers will be massive for Mexico.
They have had issues in all three areas leading up to the tournament, leading to concern among the fan base.
Take this example against the home of MLS, the USA. All 10 Mexican outfield players are in that shaded area. The camera angle distorts the size a little bit, but it’s approximately a 25m square.
The press is very aggressive, which is fine provided Mexico wins the ball. They simply can’t afford to let the USA play out of their press.
An aggressive press could leave Mexico exposed
However, that’s exactly what happens. The Americans can play into the forwards and clip the ball behind the backline. That puts them into the box and leads to a beautiful delivery across the goal mouth.
Given Mexico’s issues in front of goal, they simply can’t afford to slip up defensively.
Transitions
When Mexico looks to counterattack, they will look to get behind the opposition’s outside-backs. Notice the centre-forward occupying both Colombian centrebacks.
That’s a perfect scenario for Mexico. If Lozano and the other wide forwards can consistently get behind the opposition’s outside-backs, they will create 3v2s and 3v3s.
When Mexico counter they will look to get behind the opposition’s outside backs
In those attacking transitions, the front three and No10 will bear the brunt of the attacking burden. Part of this is down to the system, but another part is the personnel in midfield.
At the risk of beating a dead horse, Mexico’s midfield simply won’t have the legs to consistently get in support of the front three.
Take this example against Canada. Mexico recovered the ball in their defensive third, then immediately played into the forward line.
Initially, this was a 4v3 scenario in Canada’s favour. Three seconds after the ball is initially played in, look at the evolving context.
While it’s still 4v3 to Canada behind the ball, they have another four players quickly recovering. In the end, the Canadians were able to snuff out the counterattack and comfortably restart their attack.
Mexico’s midfield struggles to support their forwards
At the World Cup, when Mexico’s opponents progress into the attacking half of the pitch, El Tri must get organised quickly and slow the tempo of the game to encourage the opponents to take more aggressive starting positions.
As the opposition becomes more expansive, Mexico will increase the likelihood of the front three’s success in attacking transitions.
Mexico could come unstuck when they send too many players forward in the final third
Mexico’s ineffectiveness in attacking transitions has been an issue the past 18 months, as has an expansive rest defence that has led to poor counterpressing and quality chances conceded during opposition counterattacks.
They ask a lot of their two centrebacks and defensive midfielder. Every so often, the squad asks too much of them. There’s simply too much ground to cover.
In a way, Mexico’s World Cup campaign will come down to how well they perform in the attacking and defensive transitions.
Attackers
When you look at the list of attackers, Raul Jimenez and Hirving Lozano leap out at you – even if Jimenez is in a difficult period in his career.
Also watch out for Lainez, once a hot prospect who is slowly rebuilding his reputation at Braga in Portugal. 
Chivas Guadalajara’s Vega is enjoying a strong season and will likely get on the pitch and there is also the exciting young Feyenoord option in Gimenez.
Midfielders
We might have seemed a bit harsh on the Mexican midfield so far – ageing when then have a 24-year-old pivot in Alvarez alongside a 25-year-old Rodriguez?
Well, it’s the third spoke in the midfield wheel which slows it down – be that 36-year-old veterano Guardado or 32-year-old Herrera.
Mexico’s game needs energy and if one of the box-to-box midfielders can’t get from one box to the other it causes problems.
Yet, they are both highly-respected in the group making it hard for Tata to pull the trigger.
Defenders
Mexico are strong at the back – not many are household names with many being based in LigaMX with a couple who have recently made the move to Europe in Arteaga and Sanchez.
Arteaga is doing well at Genk which could be a good platform for him and Sanchez is getting game time at Ajax.
Moreno, back in Mexico after a strong European career in La Liga and Serie A will lead the defence alongside Montes.
Best performer
A couple of seasons ago, we’d have been talking about Jimenez being the main man and pointing out Lozano as the hot prospect to watch out for. But now, with the Wolves striker out of fitness and form, it’s Chucky time.
His season with high-flying Napoli has been sporadic – only nine Serie A appearances at the time of writing with four starts and a handful of Champions League matches – but when we’ve seen him he’s been very very good.
Right now, he’s Mexico’s biggest threat – and he is also their most consistent performer. Their whole game will go through him because it has to if they want to progress.
Tournament prediction
The last time Mexico got past the Round of 16 was in their backyard, 1986. It’s seven exits in a row at that stage – and with Argentina clear favourites for the group, Mexico will be backing themselves to finish second and progress.
As ever, the first match is crucial – it’s really Mexico vs Poland for second in the group and it’s the first game up for both.
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If they can finish second, providing the French have woken up and remembered they are champions, Mexico will face them in the first knockout stage.
Sure, knockout stages are chaotic and anything can happen – but even so, an 8th consecutive Round of 16 exit seems most likely for Mexico.
For even more detailed analysis of all 32 teams in the FIFA World Cup 2022, download your copy of the November Total Football Analysis magazine here More