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World Cup 2018 tactics: England's experimental phase and how Gareth Southgate can bring football home

England formation
England formation

Let's just get one thing straight: England are average. Amid the buildup, the World Cup warm-up friendlies and attempted sabotage, it almost feels like there's some sort of acceptance that football will not be coming home. It would be nice... but nobody really thinks it.

The usual English optimism that hops onboard the runaway hype-train, routinely derailed by pressure and a lack of ability, has been replaced by realism and a little bit of intrigue. Gareth Southgate is doing things differently, professionally and it's entertaining to watch - and not in a hide-behind-eyes reality TV sort of way.

The Golden Generation is gone, now is the era of medium - so what tactics will England use to approach a tournament they are - finally - not really expected to do an awful lot in?

Southgate's modern methods

England's big problem is a serious lack of quality central midfielders. Jordan Henderson's shortcomings were exposed in Liverpool's Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid, with Toni Kroos and Luka Modric showcasing exactly how good you really need to be to control the midfield.

Without players who can really keep the ball under pressure or create from deep positions, Southgate has found a way to effectively bypass that part of the pitch. 

England formation
England formation

In a fluid 3-3-2-2, with four attacking players in central areas and width from the wing-backs, England did a number on Nigeria in the first half of their 2-1 friendly win.

Dele Alli and Jesse Lingard attacked from deep positions, making runs into space created by Raheem Sterling or Harry Kane dropping deep and Eric Dier played as an anchor, protecting the back three and pinging long passes forward when one of the strikers found room to move into.

The high press

Southgate has welcomed the effect Mauricio Pochettino has had on several of his players, pointing out that those who played for him at Southampton and Spurs had really improved.

"We noticed a definite difference that allowed them to play the pressing game they want to play," he said in September. "There was a definite impact on all the Spurs players from their club training".

The biggest difference is in how England press, with Southgate looking to win the ball ahead of the halfway line rather than sit deep and absorb pressure. 

With Alli, Sterling, Kane and Lingard all big fans of winning the ball and counter-attacking quickly, it means England aren't forced into a midfield battle they are likely to lose and instead pose a threat higher up the pitch

If the opposition do bypass the high press, everyone drops back into a 5-3-2.

England 5-3-2
England 5-3-2

The worry for Southgate will be that even in this defensive shape, England looked nervous at the back and had a few anxious moments as John Stones, Kyle Walker and Gary Cahill all panicked and swiped at the ball to get the thing away.

England in a 5-3-2
England in a 5-3-2

These players - usually so composed at the back for their club - seem to feel the weight of the shirt at international level and make rushed decisions. Southgate wants to play out from the back too and John Stones made a couple of horrible passes which gifted a turnover in possession in England's half. That dress rehearsal should be welcome practice.

No amount of defensive coaching can really prepare for England for the nerves of a big World Cup match and opponents will know that there are chances to be had, especially from second balls, if crosses are put into the box.

The importance of the wing-backs

Another clever little bit of problem solving from Southgate has been addressing the lack of a left-winger - that other English tradition. Wing-backs are the solution and having them has ensured that central attacking midfielders like Alli, Sterling and Lingard can play in the same team without being shunted out into ineffective positions.

If Nigeria had the ball on the right, Ashley Young pushed high up the left side of the pitch, if Nigeria were on the left, Kieran Trippier pushed forward.

In possession, the player opposite the side the ball is on pushes high and wide to offer a switched pass. Here's Young doing exactly that:

England tactics  - Credit: England ITV 
The full-back on the opposite side of the pitch to the ball pushes high to provide an outlet Credit: England ITV

The shape becomes a 3-1-4-2 at times as the wing-backs join in attacks, stretching the pitch and opening up space for the central midfielders to run into or pass into.

England 3142
England in their attacking shape

And because they are wing-backs rather than wingers, Young and Trippier must hold slightly deeper positions, meaning they are usually in place to either receive a switched pass, free to attack space at the back post or simply act as a means of stretching the pitch.

England Ashley Young gif

During attacks in the final third, this means England have a heap of different runners all moving into similar positions - something incredibly difficult to defend against. Here's an example of the different runs England made during a dangerous attack against Nigeria. Young is the player free on the left.

England tactics   - Credit: England ITV Nigeria 
England flood the box with multiple runners in attack Credit: England ITV Nigeria

The importance of movement

England comfortably won their qualifying group and in Kane and Walker, have two of the better players at the World Cup on their side. Sterling's finishing continues to concern though his movement, pace and ability to play quick one-twos with someone like Alli or Lingard means even if he doesn't convert every chance he gets, he will create and have some opportunities to test the goalkeeper.

The movement of players in midfield is absolutely key to the success of Southgate's tactical setup and it is interesting that once Nigeria matched their 3-5-2 shape, suddenly England looked devoid of inspiration and creativity. Southgate needs a Plan B and for his players to suss out their opponents quickly to problem solve on the pitch - the best teams do it instinctively. 

There are goals in this team and the shape has brought balance to it. If the players can keep their heads when things go against them, stay composed in defence and adapt to their opponents as and when they need to, this World Cup might not go so badly after all. 

No matter the system, the numbers, the strategy - if the players aren't good enough, they won't win. England are somewhere in the middle but under Southgate's management, definitely looking up.

World Cup 2018 tactics | JJ Bull analyses formations, line-ups and more

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