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      Ghana have Premier League stars Partey and Lamptey leading their charge in Qatar – predicted line-up and stats

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      OTTO Addo’s Ghana exceeded expectations to beat a strong Nigeria squad on away goals in the World Cup play-offs to earn a spot in Qatar.The Black Stars’ reward is the opportunity to get revenge on Uruguay, alongside facing Portugal’s talents and Heung-min Son’s South Korea in the group stage.

      Another obstacle but overall positive for Ghana is the recent influx of dual nationals to the squad.
      Improving the quality of players available for Addo to select, the new players lack experience and cohesion with the team and international football ahead of the World Cup.
      The English-born duo of Brighton’s Tariq Lamptey and Bristol City’s Antoine Semenyo have joined the squad along with Club Brugge defender Denis Odoi.
      Hamburg attacker Ransford-Yeboah Königsdörffer and Karlsruher centre-back Stephan Ambrosius were both Germany under-21 internationals prior to their recent Ghana call-ups.
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      Southampton centre-back Mohammed Salisu has finally joined the Black Stars after years of declining call-ups to focus on his club career.
      However, the most notable recent inclusion is Athletic Bilbao’s Iñaki Williams.
      Despite being capped by the Spanish national team, Iñaki declared to play for Ghana at the World Cup, unlike his younger brother Nico, who selected Spain.
      Predicted Starting XI
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      Alongside the diversity and quantity of players, new and old, that Ghana have selected in recent months, Otto Addo’s inconsistent team shapes have made predicting a starting XI more challenging.
      Addo has deployed the Black Stars in variations of a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 as well as five at the back.
      Despite Lawrence Ati Zigi being the Ghanaian goalkeeper performing at the highest level, the St. Gallen No1 has been missing from recent national team squads.
      As a result, Charlton Athletic’s Joe Wollacott appears to have beaten the more experienced Richard Ofori of Orlando Pirates to start between the sticks. 
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      At right-back, Addo has a new dilemma of choosing between 22-year-old Tariq Lamptey and 34-year-old Denis Odoi.
      Despite their clubs’ abysmal start to the season, Leicester City’s Daniel Amartey and Strasbourg’s Alexander Djiku are expected to start at the heart of the Ghana defence.
      Arsenal’s Thomas Partey is a crucial element to Ghana’s overall play with his ability in and out of possession. His experience will be vital to fulfil a more disciplined role next to Mohammed Kudus of Ajax.
      The forward line may consist of two players looking to reach milestone achievements in Ghanaian football.
      Jordan Ayew will be looking to surpass his legendary father Abedi Pele’s goal tally by scoring in Qatar.

      Rennes’ Kamaldeen Sulemana has struggled to make an impression in his appearances for Ghana so far.
      However, Sulemana’s frightening pace and unpredictable dribbling for opponents will make him a certain threat at the World Cup.
      Recruit Iñaki Williams is the best striker option for the Black Stars.
      He is developing into a multifaceted striker, capable of relentlessly gaining territory out of the box whilst always being dangerous inside the box.
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      Attacking Phase
      Ghana’s build-up from their goalkeeper is often short, but the receiver depends on the number of centre-backs.
      With two centre-backs, the goalkeeper will split the centre-backs who will be positioned between the width of the six and eighteen-yard box.
      The centre-backs will receive, with one full-back in a more advanced position and the other more reserved.
      Between the sticks, Joe Wollacott has decent distribution over long distances and could help to find outlets like Iñaki Williams to relieve pressure.
      Eupen’s Abdul Manaf Nurudeen is a weak and loopy kicker which is favourable for opponents.
      Ghana’s attacking shape can have a more 2-1 base or a 2-4-4 formation
      The image above is an example of Ghana’s attacking shape against Brazil. 
      Playing with an adaptive width, forwards will play narrowly on occasion
      An example of this adaptive width can be seen above against the Central African Republic. 
      The image below shows Ghana with a narrow front four occupying spaces ahead of Yiadom, Kyereh, Addo and Mensah. 
      A front four adopt positions close together
      Overall, the Black Stars lack a consistent attacking identity from the build-up phase all the way through to the final third. 
      Defensive Phase
      With their inconsistent setup under Otto Addo in recent international breaks, Ghana have defended in a 4-5-1 and a 5-1-2-1-1 shape with a diamond midfield.
      The Black Stars will likely line up with four defenders and deploy the 4-5-1 structure.
      The image below displays Ghana’s 4-5-1 shape against Brazil.
      Ghana deploy a 4-5-1 formation
      Their 4-5-1 is a mid-block with attacking midfielder André Ayew dropping in alongside Mohammed Kudus ahead of pivot player Thomas Partey.
      In this formation the full-backs can aggressively press the ball carrier
      As mentioned above, the 4-5-1 can allow the full-backs to jump and aggressively press the ball carrier.
      In the example above against the Central African Republic, left-back Gideon Mensah has left the defensive line.
      Typically, in these situations, the Black Stars’ ball-side winger and central midfielder will create a 3vs2 overload in the wide areas.
      In front of Ghana’s flat back five is a midfield diamond
      The image above displays the five at the back with a diamond midfield that Ghana deployed against Japan and in the second half against Brazil. 
      Transitions
      In attacking transitions, the Black Stars are keen to progress the ball through dribbling it forward.
      If the midfield area is congested, they will look to combine and find a forward pass to a teammate who can receive and drive forward in space.
      When space is available after regaining possession, the ball carrier will drive forwards and dribble with supporting numbers and move ahead of the ball.
      Upon entering the final third, Ghana will look to release the ball to a wide player before delivering a pass infield.
      Kudus releases wide man Sulemana after Ghana regaining possession
      In the above example against Brazil, Ajax midfielder Mohammed Kudus has carried possession into the opposition’s half. 
      When defending transitions, Ghana will always look for at least one player to provide pressure to the ball carrier.
      In central areas, a central midfielder will attempt to hound the opponent in possession. In wider areas, the full-back frequently jumps out to close down space the opponent attacker can receive in.
      In the image below, Nicaragua created a triangle on the left with Ghana right-back Alidu Seidu getting drawn out of position to press the Nicaragua left-back.
      When defending transitions, Ghana will look for one player to put pressure on the man on the ball
      Attackers
      The experienced brothers of Jordan and André Ayew will be joined in the Ghana squad by youngster Kamaldeen Sulemana and Spanish recruit Iñaki Williams.
      Sporting CP’s 18-year-old wonderkid Abdul Fatawu Issahaku is another option, as well as Cremonese centre-forward Felix Afena-Gyan.
      Midfielders
      Arsenal’s Thomas Partey and Ajax’s Mohammed Kudus will be starters for Ghana at this World Cup as two standout stars.
      Freiburg’s Daniel-Kofi Kyereh has started the season strongly after his summer transfer from FC St. Pauli.
      Kyereh offers some more attacking quality from midfield, similarly to Kudus, and prefers to operate behind the striker.
      Defenders
      Southampton’s Mohammed Salisu, Leicester City’s Daniel Amartey and Strasbourg’s Alexander Djiku will be Otto Addo’s three main centre-back choices.
      Amartey’s leadership is unrivalled in the Ghana defence and has developed a strong partnership with Djiku.
      Salisu is the best centre-back, but his only recent decision to play for Ghana may have hindered his likelihood to start.
      Key Player
      Mohammed Kudus is a versatile left-footer playing his club football with Eredivisie reigning champions Ajax.
      The talented midfielder has actually started the season as a centre-forward and is on fire, scoring nine goals already.
      Alongside Arsenal’s Thomas Partey, Kudus has also displayed good passing range to access Ghana’s wide players.
      Tournament Prediction
      Facing a typically well-drilled South Korean side, an experienced yet vibrant Uruguayan team and a Portuguese squad littered with world-class talent, a group-stage exit is likely for Ghana. 
      Read More on The Sun
      Portugal and Uruguay are likely to progress to the Round of 16, but depending on their luck they could try to qualify at the 2nd place eventually.
      The performances of their key players including Partey will dictate whether that is possible or not.
      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

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      Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal are mentally strong and could be World Cup dark horses – predicted line-up and stats

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      FERNANDO Santos has developed a mentally strong squad with belief and the ability to win everything since his arrival in 2014.The team has been living through a tough present where ideas are not connecting in the best way, but the quality of the team is always there, and of course, the legendary Cristiano Ronaldo is still present.

      Predicted starting XI
      Portugal often play with a 4-2-3-1 with different types of wingers on each side, a single striker and, behind, a ‘10’.
      Deeper, they use a double-pivot with one of them as a box-to-box and a rough back-four that possess the technical ability to find attacking players in dangerous positions while locking down their own box, as well as quick players to defend rapid transitions.
      Diogo Costa, Porto’s young goalkeeper, has earned his rightful spot in the national team lately, thanks to his incredible performances domestically and at international level.
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      Here’s how Portugal might line-up
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      Pepe, at 38 years of age, is still one of the regular starters for Fernando Santos thanks to his defensive solidity as well as his underrated passing abilities, always accompanied by Rúben Dias. 
      Nuno Mendes and João Cancelo, without any doubt, are going to be Santos’ full-backs, each offering a very different profile, similar to the wingers Rafael Leão and Bernardo Silva.
      Rúben Neves and William Carvalho have settled in perfectly, combining balance and intelligent roles on the ball.
      The team is completed by Bruno Fernandes as a ‘10’ and Cristiano Ronaldo up front.
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      Attacking phase
      Santos’ tactics vary from a direct team that likes to build up attacks from the back and arrive in the final third in three-to-five touches, to a pragmatic one that likes to sit in a solid and rigid mid-block.
      Players like Bernardo Silva and William Carvalho play pivotal functions inside the team system, thanks to their off-the-ball movements.
      Portugal likes to serve the ball from Diogo Costa to the centre-backs with a great capacity to find teammates between the lines.
      Normally, the right-back plays inverted and joins the back-three or the midfield to free up Carvalho (box-to-box) to move to more advanced areas and open space on the wing for Bernardo or Bruno to pin that zone.
      This is one of the first impressions the ‘Lusos’ give when on the ball.
      The Portugal right-back will move into a more advanced area
      In the first stage of the build-up, the movements of the box-to-box, usually William Carvalho, are vital to open spaces for Rúben Neves or centre-backs to break lines.
      Portugal likes to be very rapid from the back and not stay too long with the ball in their own third or between the back-four, as they want to create chaos in the opposition area. Carvalho, then, with his mobility, keeps helping the team to find spaces off the ball.
      Portugal likes to play out from the back fast as Carvalho’s mobility helps his team find spaces off the ball
      Another method used by Portugal to skip steps to get into an attacking phase is the great long distribution Diogo Costa possesses. 
      On the left side, Cristiano Ronaldo and his winger usually change positions, looking to free one of them between the middle or outside.
      In this example, we can see Bruno almost hugging the line, and Bernardo acting as the free man through the middle.
      The No10 and wideman swap positions – with Bernardo Silva the free man in the middle
      These overloads and exchanges of channels on the right are seen also in the final third,
      The first goal was scored because of Bernardo getting deep and passing it to Dalot who can then carry the ball forward before playing to Bruno who crosses it immediately after receiving.
      Crosses are a constant way Portugal look to score
      Fernando Santos’ team tries to score goals in many ways — one of them being a reliance on the goalscoring ability of Cristiano Ronaldo inside the box, so crosses can be a constant way of breaking the deadlock.
      Movements off the ball are also very important in this goalscoring tactic, as sometimes the ‘10’ is the one that goes in or Cristiano might leave his zone to make space for others.
      In the figure below, we can see Bruno is the one taking Ronaldo’s spot to score a tap-in.
      Fernandes rotates with Ronaldo as centre forward to provide a threat in the box
      Portugal like to rely also on the long shooting ability that most of the players in the squad have.
      Players like Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes, João Cancelo or Rúben Neves often try to score from outside the box.

      Defensive phase
      Fernando Santos’ team like to sit in a rigid mid-block against highly possession-based sides, looking to frustrate them as they would dominate the ball but create very few chances.
      They also like to go a bit higher if the opposition is trying to attract them, where they aggressively go to tightly mark the player on the ball.
      Bruno Fernandes man-marks the rival ‘6’ to close down that circuit of passes between centre-backs and pivot; William Carvalho occasionally jumps off his line and wingers mark zonally, leading to a pressing trap in the wide areas, where full-backs make themselves very important, especially Nuno Mendes and his big ball-winning attributes.
      A pressing tap is set with wingers marking zonally
      When they are attracted by the rival, Carvalho’s defensive ability to suffocate players becomes crucial.
      As we can see in the figure below us, Portugal likes to be very aggressive if the opponents try to stay for a long time with the ball in their own third.
      Without the ball for some time, Portugal try to be aggressive to win it back in the opposition final third
      Another good example is this one against Spain, where goalkeeper Unai Simón has stayed a long time with the ball, and Cristiano Ronaldo goes to mark him tightly and even manages to earn a corner for his team. 
      Transitions
      Portugal like to put emphasis on attacking transitions, as players like Rafael Leão and Cristiano Ronaldo are very threatening players running into space.
      This picture shows us how they usually like to execute transitions: A run on the left and a long pass through the middle, mainly struck by Neves or Bruno Fernandes.
      Transitions are executed with a long pass from deep to the front two
      Cristiano Ronaldo or Diogo Jota are the predominant players who are targeted in these situations.
      This transition started on the left, and the winger is asked to carry the ball forward rapidly and directly.
      In defensive transitions, Portugal make really good exchanges of blocks between the high and the mid-low ones, with the great work of Neves and Carvalho to protect the central areas.
      Defenders
      The goalkeeper position is fantastically covered as Diogo Costa will surely start but José Sá and experienced Rui Patrício could wait for their chance on the bench.
      In the centre of the defence, Santos has difficult choices to make, as Pepe and José Fonte, at 39 and 38 years of age, respectively, are still good options, especially the Porto defender. 
      However, young players such as Tiago Djaló or David Carmo deserve a chance to be there too alongside Rúben Dias. The full-backs are well covered with players like Diogo Dalot and Cancelo on the right, and Nuno Mendes on the left. 
      Midfielders
      Portugal has developed some serious midfield talents over the years since their setbacks in major tournaments.
      In João Palhinha and the trusted Rúben Neves, they have two amazing players to play deep as a pivot but experienced William Carvalho or Vitinha and Matheus Nunes show up as the young starlets that could bring even more to the box-to-box role.
      Bruno Fernandes, João Mario and João Félix are three great names to play in the ‘10’ role.
      Attackers
      Portugal have marvellous options up front to play in an attacking trio that looks incredible with Cristiano Ronaldo alongside wingers Bernardo Silva, Ricardo Horta or Rafael Leão.
      Key player
      In his last World Cup, Cristiano Ronaldo has a big mission to fulfil in his career: to try and win the most important trophy any player could have in his cabinet.
      He’s not living his best moment at Manchester United right now, but in the National Team, all can change radically in a context in which he’s the leader, captain and a vital player in the attacking phase, commanded by him with young gems at his back. 
      His weaknesses are well-documented, with Ronaldo offering his side very little without the ball.
      However, if Portugal can successfully set up plenty of goalscoring opportunities for the 37-year-old in high-value shooting positions, Ronaldo could still be an extremely valuable asset in Qatar. 
      Tournament prediction
      Though not playing the most entertaining football, Portugal has a brilliant and talented squad all around the pitch.
      Teams like theirs often go under the radar because they have been lacking dynamic and intensity during the qualifiers or the Nations League.
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      However, the presence of great players in each line is always a boost for them and concerning for rivals.
      Portugal can’t be ruled out of going all the way in this tournament, though they’ll undoubtedly need to up their recent performance levels.
      Their group is not that hard and they are expected to qualify and possibly end as winners, which may be important to avoid Brazil in the last 16 if they top their group.
      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

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      Granit Xhaka leads Switzerland who are aiming to reach last-16 third time running – predicted line up and stats

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      MURAT YAKIN will be hoping that his men make it to the knockout stages for a third consecutive time, after reaching the Round of 16 in the last two editions of the World Cup.They have a competitive group that consists of African giants Cameroon, Serbia and big favourites Brazil.

      With a decent squad at their disposal, Switzerland will be hoping to exceed expectations in this tournament. 
      Predicted starting XI
      There are a couple of obvious choices from each department.
      After Yann Sommer’s injury in the Bundesliga, it remains unclear whether or not he’ll be ready for the tournament.
      Therefore, Dortmund’s Gregor Kobel is likely to be their number one. 
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      In front of him, the obvious defenders would be Ricardo Rodriguez and Manuel Akanji together with Kevin Mbabu, Silvan Widmer, Nico Elvedi and Fabian Schär are also expected to make it into the final squad.
      Among the midfielders, Granit Xhaka is going to be their main man. Freuler and Djibril Sow will be partnering him.

      The other options could be Denis Zakaria who is also expected to make the squad.
      The attacking department will be spearheaded by Breel Embolo while other viable options include Haris Seferovic, Ruben Vargas and Noah Okafor. 
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      How the Swiss could line up in Qatar
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      Attacking Phase
      Switzerland are not a very dominant team when it comes to playing with possession. 
      They tend to use the long ball very often and at the same time, they don’t play many progressive passes.
      Even when they play long balls they don’t look to play it quickly due to their conservative approach. 
      Most of their chances come from crosses with the likes of Rodriguez and Widmer delivering dangerous balls from out wide.
      In most situations, Switzerland look to play the ball out from the back by inviting the opposition to press.
      Switzerland’s centre backs split as the goalkeeper helps the backline
      Their shape is typically a 4-1-4-1, with Xhaka staying deeper in case of defensive turnovers and Freuler pushing forward next to Djibril Sow in attacking midfield. This helps to stretch the defence horizontally.
      Xhaka’s importance to the team is huge; during their attacking phase, his positioning and ability to find players in space is crucial for Switzerland to move into the final third.
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      A passing lane is created for a forward to receive the ball when a midfielder drops deep
      We know they are very conservative on the ball. So Xhaka’s ability to progress the ball for them is very important to their attack.
      We can see him dropping as a centre-back in lots of situations. This means that the player marking him has to commit forward leaving space behind him. 
      The likes of Shaqiri can benefit from these sequences as he can drop into these central regions and drive forward.
      Attacking players can benefit from this tactic and drive forward centrally
      If they want to progress past the group stage against Brazil, Serbia and Cameroon, they need to get their attack firing at their best.
      Their ability to get the most out of the likes of Embolo and Ruben Vargas will be crucial to their attack succeeding on the big stage.
      Defensive Phase
      Switzerland are less intense in pressing, but have conceded very few goals overall as they block the shots very well and Yann Sommer has done a good job of preventing goals. 
      Switzerland deploy a ball-oriented pressing structure where they look to overload the ball side in most instances and try to force a turnover. 
      The issue with this form of pressing is that it leaves a lot of space for the opposition on the far side and that can cause a lot of issues.
      An example of that is given below where Switzerland has a lot of players committed to the ball side but have left huge space in front of the defence.
      Switzerland’s ball-oriented press can leave a huge space in front of the defence
      In their low block, they maintain a 4-4-2 system which is not that unusual.
      They can transition into this shape quickly from the 4-2-3-1 and this formation also ensures quick counter-attacks are always a possibility. 
      In a low-block Switzerland maintain a 4-4-2 system
      Transitions
      They use a similar set of principles even during transitions.
      An example of this can be seen below where the Swiss players are tracking backwards while having the right body orientation so that Spain’s attackers don’t have the right options to pass or make runs into. 
      Swiss stars track backwards and cut out Spain’s attackers passing and runs
      During an offensive transition, Switzerland generally look to commit just their three forward players to the counter-attack.
      By doing this, all three players are moving towards the centre instead of the wingers staying wide. 
      With the likes of Embolo, Vargas and Okafor, Switzerland has several offensive players providing very good acceleration and high speed. An example of this can be seen in the image below.
      Switzerland are blessed with pace offensively
      With the pace and power from the likes of Embolo, Okafor and Vargas along with Xhaka and Sow providing creativity for them, Switzerland look to be a very threatening team on the break. 
      Attackers
      Overall, Switzerland have a decent attack with some exciting young talents and a couple of experienced campaigners.
      The only concern is that they do not have forwards in their definite peak period with all the options either entering their peak or just leaving it, including Embolo who should be the regular striker.
      Midfielders
      Arsenal’s Granit Xhaka is their key progressor of the ball. Closely following him behind is Remo Freuler who has also seemed to be a good progressor for his club, Nottingham Forest. 
      Zakaria, one of the most highly-rated defensive midfielders in world football, is not very progressive with possession. 
      He does pretty well in finding teammates with progressive passes but does not record a lot of passes into the final third. Along with them, Djibril Sow will probably start. 
      Defenders
      Overall, Switzerland’s defensive department is stacked with some experienced faces and they have a variety of options available apart from Akanji and Rodriguez who are expected to be sure starters. 
      Key Player
      Despite having the likes of Embolo and Akanji in the squad, Granit Xhaka will be their key player and probably their best player going into the tournament.
      While Arsenal under Mikel Arteta had a turbulent 2021-22 season, the Swiss was one of the low-key best performers at the club. 
      And again in 2022-23, Xhaka provides outstanding performances.
      Overall, his positives completely outweigh his certain negatives and the stats show why Xhaka is probably the best Swiss player going into the tournament.
      Switzerland would be expecting him to be at his best for them to qualify and make it into the knockout stages.
      Tournament prediction
      With Brazil in their group, Switzerland would be the second favourite ahead of Cameroon and perhaps Serbia to qualify from their group into the next stage. 
      Read More on The Sun
      They will probably fight with the Serbians for the 2nd place in this group, and depending on what happens in Group H, they may have a chance to qualify for the quarter-finals. 
      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

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      Harry Kane can break career-long trophy drought at World Cup 2022 just like Jurgen Klinsmann says Tottenham icon himself

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      JURGEN KLINSMANN has backed Harry Kane to fire England to World Cup glory and end his trophy drought – just like he did.The Germany legend, 58, helped fire his country to glory back in 1990.
      Jurgen Klinsmann won the 1990 World Cup with Germany – his first major trophyCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      He believes Harry Kane can end his trophy drought in QatarCredit: Getty
      But despite his glittering career, before that he had only won the Italian Super Cup.
      Klinsmann would later go on to enjoy two memorable spells in the Premier League with Tottenham.
      And it is still a club close to his heart – and he especially likes his old team’s talisman Kane.
      The striker is bang in form for Spurs after failing to secure a move away to Manchester City last year and is closing in on becoming the all-time top scorer for both club and country.
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      However, the 29-year-old is still searching for his first piece of silverware as a player.
      Klinsmann believes that could happen this summer if the 2018 World Cup Golden Boot winner is on top form in Qatar.
      Speaking to the Daily Mail, he said: “Harry is admirable. He is a complete No 9 and in the top five in the world.
      “But we have suffered a bit for him because he is the kind of player for whom you wish trophies, you know.
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      “He gets closer and closer to do so with Spurs. Spurs have the capability of winning things now. They have the infrastructure and a beautiful stadium.
      “But obviously he has that hunger for winning trophies and maybe it’s the moment now that it will happen for him in Qatar.”
      He added: “I was actually in a similar situation when I played for Spurs.
      “I left after a year because I got a call from Franz Beckenbauer at Bayern Munich and couldn’t say no because I knew I would immediately win things, which I did.
      “When Harry gets those calls from other clubs he maybe gets nervous because they give him a higher probability to win trophies. But he is in a good spot, still, and hopefully it happens this season.
      “I won my first big trophy when I won the World Cup so it can happen.
      “I keep my fingers crossed for Harry from that point of view. Maybe this can be it for him.” More

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      Cameroon have tough World Cup group with Brazil and Serbia, even if Onana saves them – predicted line-up and stats

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      CAMEROON face a strong group. Their opponents in Group G will be Serbia, Brazil, and Switzerland. Serbia seems to be the most likely team to reach the Round of 16, together with Brazil.The Africans will have to fight against the Europeans to reach the Round of 16, as Brazil is definitely expected to finish 1st in the Group. Let’s learn more about the international team of Cameroon!

      Predicted Starting XI
      Since taking the job mid-calendar year, manager Song has deployed many different formations with Cameroon.
      Given the side’s strength in depth in the midfield department, the manager has been able to chop and change the shape depending on the opponent.
      Primarily, Cameroon shift between conventional back four systems, such as 4-4-2, 4-3-3, and 4-1-4-1, as well as the 4-2-3-1, although this has been the structure least used by the Cameroonians.
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      How Cameroon could line up in Qatar
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      Given that Cameroon will potentially be forced to drop off and defend for large parts of their games, Song will likely line his players out in a 4-4-2.
      Attacking phase
      Over the course of 2022 so far, Cameroon have boasted 56% of ball possession per game, on average. 
      During the AFCON last year, the side held the third-highest possession average in the competition at 58%, losing only to Morocco and Algeria who had higher numbers.
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      However, Cameroon’s numbers are greatly inflated due to Song’s team playing a lot worse opposition than what the Indomitable Lions should expect in Group G of the World Cup. 
      For instance, in Cameroon’s recent friendly against South Korea, the African giants had merely 38% of the ball and lost 2-0.
      Song is quite relaxed about his players having possession of the ball. It would be far from correct for any pundit to call Cameroon a possession-oriented team. 

      This is because on the ball, particularly during the build-up phase, the manager is keen to play direct football.
      Cameroon do like to position themselves to play out from the back, with the goalkeeper often trying to build up from the defensive field directly to the attacking zone.
      Cameroon position themselves to play out of the back – as centre-backs split to accommodate the keeper’s high position
      When the Cameroonians do so, the centre-backs split wide to accommodate the higher positioning of the goalkeeper while the fullbacks move up the pitch on the flanks.
      The centre-back plays a long ball to the frontmen while Cameroon’s midfield support the attack
      Once the ball is played long towards the frontmen, the objective for Cameroon is to win the second ball.
      In the image below, the left centre-back has hit the ball directly to the centre-forward who has managed to drag the entire Algeria backline into a deeper position.
      Cameroon look for direct passes into Choupo-Moting and Aboubakar
      Players like Choupo-Moting and Vincent Aboubakar are excellent aerially and with their hold-up play, making direct passes an efficient option for Cameroon.
      The same principle applies when Cameroon are set up in a structured positional attack around the halfway line and are attempting to break down an opponent’s defensive zone.
      Again, here, we see both Cameroon’s central midfielder and centre-forward making a run in behind the Burundi backline.
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      The central midfielder and forward make a run behind the defence’s line
      In attack, there is nothing overly innovative or astonishing about Cameroon.
      However, they do have proven, European quality among their ranks in attacking positions across the forward line and the advanced midfielders.
      One of the key elements of Cameroon’s play is that it is very direct and very physical.
      Defensive Phase
      Cameroon are one of the highest pressing sides in Africa, certainly out of the teams from the continent that have qualified for the upcoming Qatar World Cup.
      Out of possession, Song is a highly progressive coach.
      The gaffer wants his side to press high up the pitch, stifling the opponent’s build-up play and attempting to win the ball in very dangerous areas where they can transition from defence to attack in an instant and try to create opportunities.
      Each player is tasked with tightly marking one of the nearest passing options for the opposition.
      The nearest passing options are marked by Cameroon players
      Here, the players have all been assigned a man to mark when Burundi are attempting to pass out from deep. 
      When pressing in a high block, Cameroon are actually really effective and cause a lot of trouble for their opponents which can be seen from the following data visual.
      Since AFCON in 2021, Toko Ekambi, who has been used as a winger as well as a centre-forward.
      However, Song has a tendency to only order his players to press against lesser opponents as these are games where Cameroon have the best opportunity to win their individual duels against each man.
      In matches against teams of greater quality, such as Algeria or Morocco, Cameroon have primarily dropped off to defend in a compact defensive block, limiting the space behind the backline.
      Defensively against stronger opposition, Cameroon drop off to defend in a compact block
      As can be seen from this image, Cameroon’s 4-1-4-1 defensive block is narrow between the lines.
      If an opponent plays the ball inside the lines, the players must gang up to either win back possession or force a pass back outside before recouping the same shape.
      Two Cameroon stars quickly close down the ball carrier
      Here, the Algerian midfielder has received and turned on the ball. In an attempt to negate the ball carrier carrying the ball further, the two nearest players quickly close him down.
      Transitions
      Transitions are not overly important to the overall tactical set-up of Cameroon. 
      Defensively, there is more of a game plan or at least an idea of how to act in this phase. Unlike most teams these days, Cameroon don’t counterpress.
      Counterpressing is a collective effort from numerous nearby players in a structured manager to close down the ball carrier, cutting off a counterattack at its source. Song’s men are merely looking to delay their opponent’s breakaway. 
      This can be through fouling or by genuinely making an excellent tackle.
      Song’s Cameroon look to delay their opponent’s breakaway with a foul or tackle
      In this example against Burundi, the Cameroon player tracking back shuttled the carrier out wide, closing off the possibility of the attacker playing back inside. 
      When attacking, the manager allows his players to be freer with their movement, emphasising plenty of ball-carrying, dribbling past opponents and running in behind.
      Running with the ball and getting in behind is encouraged
      Having players such as Zambo-Anguissa who is an excellent ball carrier as well as Jean Onana while Aboubakar and Toko Ekambi move beyond the opponent’s backline is instrumental to Cameroon being dangerous during attacking transitions.
      Defenders
      Nouhou Tolo on the left and Collins Fai on the right will be important in providing width for Cameroon. Jean-Charles Castelletto and Nicolas Nkoulou, this will be the duo in the middle of the back four, could form a decent partnership for the African nation. 
      Furthermore, André Onana will be vital at initiating Cameroon’s attacks.
      Midfielders
      Samuel Gouet has been Song’s preferred option as the ‘6’ for Cameroon over the past calendar year.
      The midfielder will be instructed to make passes into the space between the lines to the forward line and advanced midfielders while also protecting the backline during transitions.
      It is further forward in the middle where Cameroon possess the most quality. Jean Onana and Zambo-Anguissa are two incredibly exciting midfielders. 
      Attackers
      In attack, Cameroon are stacked with experience, power, pace, strength, intelligence and goalscoring ability with players such as Vincent Aboubakar, Choupo-Moting and Toko Ekambi who have played at the highest level in Europe.
      However, the depth from the bench will be equally important. Bryan Mbeumo and Georges-Kévin Nkoudou are interesting options too.
      Key player
      Cameroon have several excellent players within the squad, especially those who are applying their trade at some of Europe’s biggest clubs including André Onana at Internazionale and Choupo-Moting at Bayern Munich, and so it was extremely difficult to pinpoint which player would be absolutely key for the Rigoberto Song in Qatar.
      However, Franck Zambo-Anguissa is definitely a strong name of this team.
      Having failed to adapt to life in the Premier League with Fulham, the midfield general moved on loan to Villarreal and later Napoli before permanently joining the latter last summer.
      Now, he is a star performer for Luciano Spalletti’s Serie A table-toppers.
      Tournament Prediction
      Cameroon faces a strong group alongside Brazil, Serbia and Switzerland and are certainly the underdogs from the quartet.
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      Realistically, Cameroon should finish bottom of the foursome but a win and a draw against Serbia and Switzerland could be enough to see Song’s side advance.
      As they’ll face Switzerland, the third force of this group, in the first game, a victory could be very important to boost morale and perhaps allow them a chance to finish 2nd behind Brazil and reach 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

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      Can Neymar can lead Brazil to World Cup glory? Only if he does what Tite wants – predicted line-ups and stats

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      BRAZIL boast the most impressive history of a team in the World Cup.The Brazilians are the only team with five titles, and the only international side that never failed to qualify for the tournament.

      Even when they’re not living their best days, they must be considered one of the favourite teams to lift the trophy. 
      The team of Tite certainly has a lot of potential.
      Neymar was the key player of a generation, but Vinicius Jr. is simply the man who scored the only goal of the last Champions League final.
      Neymar is always surrounded by controversies, especially in his homeland.
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      After the rising star of Brazil helped Real Madrid on their quest to win their 14th Champions League title, some renowned journalists in Brazil considered that the big name of Brazil in the 2022 World Cup is Vinicius Jr and not Neymar.
      The manager of Brazil, however, doesn’t have to make a choice and will most likely use both players are regulars.
      But the boys from Brazil will have to overcome some challenges to lift their sixth World Cup trophy.
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      Predicted Starting XI
      If we consider the last months of the Brazilian team, then this would be the expected starting XI, featuring big names like Thiago Silva, Alisson, Casemiro, the rising stars Vinicius Jr. and Raphinha, and Neymar. 
      However, the last friendlies against Tunisia and Ghana showed that Tite has different variations in his mind.
      Tite prefers a 4-3-3 formation with Neymar in the middle but he has put him in midfield
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      The test with Neymar as a midfielder was proof that he’s scratching his head to define a regular team.
      This question is easy to understand, but hard to solve: where to use Neymar and Vini Jr? Both players are best used as left-wingers. 
      Neymar, however, has shown versatility since his early days playing for Santos in Brazil prior to his transfer to Barcelona.
      Back when he was very young, he had already proven that he could help his teammates with lots of assists, and also score many goals.
      Perhaps the biggest surprise in the last weeks was the good form of Alex Telles.
      The Manchester United loanee is living good days in Spain playing for Sevilla.
      There’s a chance he could become the regular left-back when the Brazilians face Serbia in their first game of the group stage.
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      Attacking Phase
      When the Brazilians attack, the midfielders and attackers tend to rotate a lot and try to confuse the opposing defenders.
      Neymar and Vini Jr. are players that leave their positions when they are left winger and often run across the box – scoring goals from the usual areas where strikers, right-wingers and attacking midfielders usually appear.
      Brazil stars swap position in a fluid system that brings its own problems
      This is, in fact, Brazil’s greatest strength and weakness.
      Sometimes the change of positions in the attacking phase creates space to shoot and creates confusion.
      But sometimes, in big games like the last Copa America final, against the defence of a stronger team, this kind of style doesn’t work as well as you’d think.
      Better teams are less prone to be pulled out of position and this means there isn’t space to create the scoring chance.
      Moreover, it depends a lot on the good form of players like Neymar to work perfectly.
      Brazil has great squad depth, but they rely a lot on their biggest star.
      And as their biggest rivals Argentina have shown us over the years, relying on your No 10 all the time does not make a World Cup-winning team.
      Brazil like to use the full width of the pitch
      Brazil uses a lot of the space between the defenders and the midfielders, as well as the wings, and lower tier teams have a hard time trying to adjust their man marking.
      Teams find it hard to cope with Brazil’s wide stars
      Defensive Phase
      Brazil has been playing in a very dominant way in the last few years.
      They focus on having the ball possession in the attacking third, and their defensive moments usually don’t last long, as they work fast after recovering the ball, organizing quick counterattacks that rely on the speed of their world-class wingers.
      They have great defenders like Thiago Silva, Marquinhos and Casemiro to help them recover the ball quickly meaning they can get back into dangerous positions quickly.
      Below, as Argentina, begin their build-up on the left-hand side, Brazil shift their entire high block over.
      Brazil go for a man-for-man defensive press
      The press is initially led by two players, and as the ball is played to either side, one player will pressure the centre-back while the other tucks in on the opposition’s defensive midfielder.
      With their block moved over, they adopt a man-to-man press and aim to keep the opposition from progressing into the midfield third.
      The Brazilians are in line with modern football techniques and they work hard to recover the ball when the opponent has it in their defensive third. Yes, it’s another high press.
      Brazil players surround the man on the ball
      When Brazil doesn’t have the ball, a 4-4-2 formation is often used.
      After recovering the ball, the team focuses on using the spaces between the lines.
      Brazil often adopt a 4-4-2 formation in defence
      Transitions
      The transitions between defence and attack are a strong point of this team, especially between the midfield and the attackers.
      The midfield block and the attackers fuse into a strong block of players that confuses the opposition.
      Brazilians close down quickly to try to win the ball back
      They converge on the man on the ball
      The great quality of the players makes it easy for the player with the ball to find someone to pass the ball to quickly and effectively.
      Brazil attack with great speed when they have the opportunity to counterattack.
      The fast action after the recovery of the ball is a big asset of this team, and being able to give it to Vini Jr or Rodrygo or Neymar etc does help really.
      Brazil attack with great speed once they have the ball back
      Attackers
      Brazil always has great attackers and this team is no exception. Richarlison, Vini Jr, Raphinha and Neymar are in top form. This area is certainly the strongest one in Tite’s squad.
      Midfielders
      Casemiro is a very important player in this team as he is experienced and won lots of trophies with Real Madrid before joining Manchester United.
      Paquetá may not be as famous, but he has been called often by Tite and is an important part of his system. 
      If Tite decides to use Raphinha, Vini Jr, and Richarlison as regulars, we may even see Neymar as a midfielder during the World Cup – as has been experimented with recently.
      Defenders
      The regular defenders are an important part of this team. Thiago Silva and Marquinhos form a solid part of their defensive system.
      Alex Telles is also performing well and may become a regular during the tournament.
      Éder Militão is also a useful player as he has been used as a right-back too in the last friendlies, which gives them some versatility.
      Key player
      Neymar is a powerhouse of assists and goals and everyone knows that.
      He is displaying such a commitment during the PSG games prior to the World Cup – as he tries to show Tite and the Brazilian press that he’s serious about this World Cup.

      Neymar is always surrounded by controversies, especially in France, but his numbers prior to the tournament are great.
      It’s true that Ligue 1 isn’t as competitive as La Liga, his former domestic league, but it’s only fair to say that he’s doing all he can to arrive in Qatar in top form.
      If he can allow himself to share the limelight with some of Brazil’s other attacking stars, things could come together nicely.
      Tournament Prediction
      The Brazilians certainly are one of the favourites to win the World Cup, together with France and England.
      Brazil is expected to qualify for the Round of 16, as always, although their group has teams of intermediate quality like Serbia and Switzerland, which means they’ll be properly challenged before they face the knockout stage.
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      This challenge could be good for the South Americans, to prepare for tougher games on their quest to lift their sixth World Cup.
      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

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      Morocco have Ziyech and Hakimi to cause opposition problems at World Cup in Qatar – predicted line up and stats

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      IN the upcoming World Cup, Morocco have been placed in group F with Belgium, Croatia and Canada.Morocco are ranked 22nd in the world, while Belgium are 2nd and Croatia are 12th, making Morocco third-favourite to get out of the group.

      Canada sit in 41st, and have been mentioned as dark horses for the tournament – a little optimistically.
      Predicted Starting XI
      Since the appointment of the new manager, we only have two friendlies to go from for the predicted starting XI.
      In the past two games, Morocco have lined up in a 4-1-4-1 formation, with a style based on creating chances through combination plays and attempts to keep possession of the ball in a patient system.
      In goal, Yassine Bounou is one of the first names on the team sheet.
      The 31-year-old has been a regular for Sevilla and his strong shot-stopping abilities have the potential to help Morocco advance through a few extra rounds.
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      Arguably Morocco’s strongest area is their back line.
      Achraf Hakimi is one of the best full-backs in the world, with his immense speed, ability to attack the box and ability to cross the ball into dangerous areas.
      Hakimi is an important element of the team, and his combinations with Hakim Ziyech will likely be a key difference between failure and success in Qatar.
      At left-back, Noussair Mazraoui from Bayern Munich will provide an excellent technical base from which Morocco can build play.
      Originally a right back, Mazraoui has the technical ability and ability to play with either foot which allows him to be comfortable on the left-hand side.
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      He is vital to how Morocco how have been trying to progress the ball through the thirds, as well as providing a threat in the opposition box as well.
      At centre-back, we can expect a pairing of Romain Saiss and Nayef Aguerd.
      Romain Saiss has been playing all season, but he recently picked up an injury, which makes it unclear if he will be available for selection or not.
      His aerial presence would be missed if he were to be unavailable, but Morocco do have a young defender in Achraf Dari available for selection who was trusted by the coach in the September friendlies.
      In midfield, Sofyan Amrabat sits at the base, with an important role in the build-up phase.
      Amrabat has been key as he drops deeper to collect the ball from the defence and helps progress it up the pitch.
      Amrabat’s ability to stay patient, and always offer a passing option are key ways in how Morocco will attempt to keep possession of the ball when they win it.
      Ahead of the pivot, Azzedine Ounahi and Amine Harit are the No8’s for Morocco. Ounahi was pivotal in the qualification phase for the World Cup.
      Both he and Harit are creative midfielders, with excellent dribbling qualities that make the pair tricky to press, and difficult to tackle in the final third.
      In the front line, Hakim Ziyech makes his return to the squad after coming out of international retirement.
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      Ziyech has seen his game time become limited in the past few seasons, after becoming merely a rotation option for Chelsea. 
      On the left wing, Sofiane Boufal is expected to retain his place in the starting XI. Youssef En-Nesyri leads the attack for Morocco.
      The Sevilla striker has struggled for first-team minutes this season but has scored 14 goals for Morocco in 48 appearances.
      The target man will thrive off crosses coming into the box from the likes of Ziyech, or perhaps cutbacks from Hakimi.   
      Attacking phase
      Morocco rank very highly amongst nations in the World Cup in their attacking metrics — though it must be noted that the standard of competition they’ve faced over the last calendar year differs from the quality they’ll come up against in Qatar. 
      When Morocco gain possession of the ball, they look to build play out from the back rather than going long.
      The image below shows a great example of how Mazraoui can evade pressure by passing the ball around to get out of a tight situation. 
      Morocco’s Mazraoui is skilled at getting out of tight situations
      When Morocco face a mid-block, Hakim Ziyech usually drifts into central midfield, from where he can make the most of his brilliant passing range and ball manipulation. 
      The image below shows Ziyech in that central space, where he turns on the ball, looks up and plays a diagonal ball to the left-hand side for Mazraoui. 
      When Ziyech is central, he looks for the diagonal ball to the left flank to Mazraoui
      In the final third, Morocco try to set up in a 2-3-5 formation and make use of wide triangle combinations with the wide central midfielder, wide player and player operating in the half space. 
      In this attack pictured below, Ziyech has drifted into the wide space, which has caused the Chilean left-back to follow him, thus leaving a huge gap between the left-back and left-sided centre-back. 
      Clever Ziyech drags the left back out of position and creates a huge gap
      Morocco have shown several different ways in which they can sustain possession and create threatening situations in the final third.
      It will be no surprise to see Morocco have large spells of possession at the World Cup.
      Defending phase
      Morocco have a very strong backline, which will give confidence to the rest of the squad. 
      Morocca high-press aggressively
      From dead balls, such as goal kicks and throw-ins, Morocco look to press their opponents aggressively. 
      The problem with this system, and arguably the biggest one, is the massive gap between the midfield and backline.
      The Morocco defenders are worried about the space behind the defence so naturally drop off while the midfield holds their position to prevent the opponents from getting possession closer to goal.
      As a result, opposition players can drift in the spaces between the lines, and the lack of pressure from behind means that they can easily turn with the ball and drive towards goal.
      What ends up happening is that Morocco’s midfield is nearly non-existent, and opponents can easily give the ball to the front line and leave the defence unprotected.
      Off the ball Morocco’s lack of structure could lead to losses
      Morocco’s lack of structure off the ball is largely worrying and will be the biggest reason for any potential failures and losses. 
      Transitions
      In offensive transitions, Morocco are very difficult to defend against due to the number of skilful ball carriers they have running in the open space. 
      The image below shows an example of Boufal excellent dribbling skill. 
      With a number of skilful ball carriers running into space, Morocco offer a threat in offensive transition
      When Morocco lose possession of the ball, they are inconsistent with their actions off the ball.
      Inconsistency with their actions of the ball happens when Morocco lose possession
      Defenders
      While the depth in defence isn’t the largest, there are plenty of possible players who may look to work their way into a starting spot if their performances improve in the last few weeks before the World Cup.
      Jawad El Yamiq has recently regained his spot in the starting line-up for Real Valladolid, who have gone on a slight winning streak in La Liga.
      The central defender provides adequate cover should some of the starters not recover from their injuries in time. 
      Midfielders
      Adel Taarabt was used in deeper areas in the most recent parts of his career.
      But, he missed out on selection in Qatar.
      Imran Louza is another player who can slot into the midfield role. However, there are doubts about the fact he has been injured for the entirety of the season and is only coming back to training now. 
      Ilias Chair and Selim Amallah both can feature in the attacking midfield roles, as both have the vision to produce defence-cutting passes and the technical ability to dribble in tight spaces.
      Morocco have the adequate depth to make changes if necessary, or to add extra creativity when chasing games.
      Attackers
      Munir El Haddadi has struggled for minutes at his current club Getafe, and while he has shown promising signs in the earlier stage of his career, he has struggled to get consistency in his performance and not been up to the required level.
      He can provide a threat off the bench after playing for Morocco 11 times in the last 18 months with 2 goals for the nation. 
      Abde Ezzalzouli is a promising young player who is currently on loan from Barcelona. He was given his debut in September, and after a few good performances whilst out on loan, he may be given a chance to try to spark a change after coming off the bench.
      Key player
      Hakim Ziyech hasn’t featured for a long time for Chelsea and is a player that seems to be slightly forgotten about.
      His inconsistent performances for his club have shown that he may not be at the world-class level.
      However, Ziyech is capable of producing magic moments and when in form, he can carry his country to big results. 
      The Moroccan magician doesn’t have the greatest pass accuracy, due to his ambitious passing in the final third.
      While the accuracy isn’t high, these passes are difficult to pull off, usually against a settled defence which gives huge rewards should it be successful.
      Tournament predictions
      Morocco faces a hard group, and it seems like they are set to fight for the 2nd place of the Group, but we’ll most likely see Belgium and Croatia qualifying to the Round of 16.
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      If they manage to reach the eight-finals, things won’t be any easier as they’ll likely face Spain or Germany.
      Life won’t be easy for Morocco in Qatar!
      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

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      Croatia will aim to go one better at this year’s World Cup, led by talisman Luka Modric – predicted line up and stats

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      THE 2018 World Cup runners-up, Croatia, will be looking for a repeat this year as they aim to claw their way out of Group F and onto the podium once more.It’s difficult to keep expectations in check considering their success in Russia, followed up with the convincing Nations League campaign and World Cup qualifiers.

      This is a fresh team; a team that’s been blessed with a healthy mixture of experience and youth.
      But also a team that’s still very much a dark horse in the tournament despite their silver medal status from 2018.
      Predicted starting XI
      As for the starting lineup itself, this is where it gets tricky for both us to predict and Dalić to choose.
      The goalkeeper position is arguably one of the weakest links of this otherwise impressive squad.
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      Both Dominik Livakovic and Ivica Ivusic potential starters but certainly not their strongest weapon. 
      When it comes to the backline, the youth tandem of Gvardiol and Sutalo seems the way to go given Croatia’s possession-based style of play.
      Both defenders are strong on the ball and will aid the team’s build-up phase greatly.
      When it comes to the full-backs, Borna Sosa is expected to be a regular with Borna Barisic as an alternative on the bench. Josip Juranovic should be the regular and Josip Stanisic start on the bench.
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      How Croatia could line up
      The midfield is Croatia’s bread and butter.
      We don’t need to spend too long on the incredible trident of Brozovic, Modric and Kovacic but one potential worry for Dalic heading into the tournament is his pivot’s fitness.
      Brozovic’s injury puts the whole system in jeopardy and while he may still recover in time for the event, it remains to be seen how Dalic decides to tackle his absence, should it come to that. 
      There are a couple of options available with Kristijan Jakic probably being the likeliest to fill Inter star’s boots.
      However, the defensive midfielder position is definitely among Croatia’s weak links as the quality plummets with Brozović out of the picture. 
      Finally, we have the forward line. Croatia’s firepower is impressive but the lack of a clear No9 in the squad is a reason for concern.
      Andrej Kramaric is the roaming, false 9 type of striker while someone like Ante Budimir offers a more traditional blueprint for the position. 
      A similar thing can be said for the right-wing position as all of Mario Pasalic, Nikola Vlasic and Lovro Majer have their unique traits but also change the system with their inclusions.
      The only constant is, therefore, Perisic on the left. The veteran is among Croatia’s most important players and will surely continue to have a prominent role in Qatar as well.
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      Attacking phase
      Croatia are a formidable force in possession of the ball.
      Dalić has already confirmed Croatia are likely to stick with their 4-2-3-1 or a 4-3-3 formation, depending on the personnel available and chosen. 
      Croatia are likely to stick with their 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 formation
      Take this sequence as a great example of exactly that. In this example, we see them overload the middle of the pitch. 
      During a game Croatia will overload the midfield
      It’s not uncommon for Modrić to drop deep and then deploy either a line-breaking pass into space or simply a lofted ball over the top, both of which complement the runners Croatia have in their arsenal. The example here is a perfect demonstration of such a scenario. 
      Dalić may not be a master tactician but he needn’t be when he’s got such incredible talent at his disposal.
      The following example shows us that perfectly.
      Croatia base their attacks from out wide
      Most of Croatia’s attacking sequences do end up in a delivery from out wide. In attack, Croatia are a force to be reckoned with.
      Defensive phase
      Despite stats revealing their high success in final-third recoveries, Croatia are not a high-pressing side. 
      Dalić’s troops will sit back in a deep and compact block, often assuming a 4-5-1/4-1-4-1 or a 4-4-2 shape, depending on whether they’re more aggressive or conservative.
      Croatia sit deep in a compact block
      This shape aims to optimise their coverage off the ball while also congesting the danger zones on the pitch. 
      If Croatia decide to push up and disrupt the build-up without aggressively pressing, they will usually instruct one of the midfielders to position himself next to the striker, creating a make-shift 4-4-2 structure.
      We can actually see a very similar scenario in the following example.
      When Croatia high-press they move to a makeshift 4-4-2
      This man-marking approach does come with its pros and cons, of course. When executed well, it yields great results in terms of ball recovery, as we’ll soon see.
      However, it’s also highly risky.
      Very rarely do they actually go all the way to the final third or even the opposition’s box but as already explained, when they do, they’re often very effective.
      Transitions
      Just like in almost any phase of the game, midfielders are key to Croatia’s transition tactics. Both Modrić and Kovačić are excellent carriers of the ball.
      Midfield is key to Croatia’s transitions – with Modric and Kovacic being excelling ball carriers
      It’s not uncommon to see Croatia start their transitions by winning the ball in the middle third of the pitch, where they are undeniably most aggressive.
      Moving onto defensive transition tactics, it all comes from coordinated action in the middle third.
      Within seconds of losing the ball, Croatia aggressively hunt possession back
      Croatia will often hunt for the ball relentlessly in the first couple of seconds of losing possession.
      Attackers
      Even though they aren’t lacking firepower, there are question marks that can be raised for both their striker and right-wing positions.
      As things currently stand, we don’t know who Dalic is going to pick as his starting no.9 once the World Cup rolls in.
      In our predicted XI section, we decided to go with Kramaric but to call him a striker may be a bit of a stretch. 
      Midfielders
      The best of Croatia’s squad undoubtedly lies in their midfield line. This is where their individual quality can break any game and tip the tides in their favour.
      If everyone was fit and firing, there would be no doubt about the starting trident of Brozovic, Modric and Kovacic.
      However, they’re not all fit. At least not as of yet. Having sustained an unlucky injury just before the World Cup, Brozovic is still on the mend.
      Defenders
      Between Livakovic and Ivusic, the choice may not be crystal clear and this has been an ongoing debate in Croatian media for a long time now. 
      When it comes to the centre-backs, going with Gvardiol and Sutalo makes the most sense given Croatia’s system and style of play. 
      About the full-backs, Sosa and Juranovic could both get a nod ahead of their respective counterparts simply due to their more offensive nature. 
      Key player
      Was there ever any doubt? Even at the ‘tender’ age of 37, Modric is still Croatia’s best and most influential player. The captain will be looking to bow out of the national team with a bang and what better way to do it than to have one last go at the big trophy?
      Modric the player needs little to no introduction. He’s an all-action midfielder who glides across the pitch as if he was 17, not 37.
      His attacking, progression and retaining capacity are off the charts and we can see he regularly tops almost all the on-the-ball metrics as well.
      There aren’t many other players at this World Cup who can go toe-to-toe with the Croatian maestro as he’s basically the best at what he does. And he does it all. Well, almost.
      The Real Madrid superstar might not be the best and most active defender in the tournament but that doesn’t mean he’s a liability out of possession.
      Despite being 37, Modric still has an impressive engine and it’s his experience and footballing IQ that makes him a competent defender too, more so than his physical attributes.
      How far Croatia can and will go largely depends on the form of this little man. And judging by his season so far, both for club and country, Modric is as good as he ever was.
      Tournament prediction
      The 2018 silver medalists are back for more in Qatar. It’s very difficult to predict how far they will go because they could just as easily reach the final again as they are to somehow implode halfway through the tournament.
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      Given their potential opponents and the quality of group-stage opposition, reaching the quarter-finals and going beyond that is possible and desirable for Vatreni.
      However, if Brozovic recovers in time, Modric retains his top form and Dalic’s troops get lady luck on their side again, the quarters are the very minimum they should achieve.
      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