Brazil 3-1 Croatia

Courtesy of Flickr/Jose Martinez

Neymar scored twice as Brazil came from behind to defeat Croatia in the opening match at the World Cup.

Luiz Felipe Scolari fielded his expected starting XI with Fred leading the line ahead of Neymar, Oscar and Hulk. Luiz Gustavo and Paulinho started in the double-pivot.

Without the suspended Mario Mandzukic, Niko Kovac was forced to start Nikica Jelavic upfront ahead of Ivica Olic, Mateo Kovacic and Ivan Perisic. Talented midfielders Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic formed a midfield duo in Kovac’s 4-2-3-1.

Croatia enjoyed a positive opening 15 minutes before Oscar stamped his authority on the match. However, a poor decision by the referee tilted the momentum in Brazil’s favour, and the hosts dealt with Croatia’s late onslaught.

Croatia’s defensive approach

The key to Croatia’s shape in the opening minutes was partially based around their shape. Kovac’s decision to field three ball-playing midfielders led many to believe that Croatia would attempt to control the match. Croatia, however, maintained a medium defensive block, as they dropped into two banks of four without the ball.

Kovacic and Jelavic sat off the Brazilian centre backs and positioned themselves ahead of Luiz Gustavo and Paulinho to cut off passing lanes into midfield. The Brazilian duo was forced to play conservative passes into wide areas, and Kovac’s pragmatism ensured that Croatia negated one of Brazil’s main strengths.

Perisic and Olic – two wide forwards – tirelessly pressed Marcelo and Dani Alves and prevented the full-backs from pushing forward. Considering Marcelo and Dani Alves’ offensive impact in the Confederations Cup, Kovac’s decision to instruct his wingers to limit their threat was pivotal.

Croatia’s approach without the ball was logical, and equally effective in the opening period.

Croatia attacks

Croatia surprisingly took the lead in the opening 10 minutes courtesy of a Marcelo own goal, but the goal and a previous opportunity followed the same pattern.

Modric ignited the break from midfield before playing a pass to Perisic on the right flank, and the Croatian winger’s cross towards the back post saw Olic out jump Alves and steer his header inches wide of the post. Subsequently, Rakitic’s ball to Olic on the left flank led to Jelavic guiding the Croatian winger’s cross off Marcelo and into the net.

There was always space behind Alves and Marcelo as they continuously aimed to maraud forward, thus leading to the duo conceding possession and being caught out of position. Equally, Croatia aimed to use their wide players’ physical presence to outmuscle Brazil’s diminutive full-backs. Along with Olic’s early chance, Perisic received a cross from Jelavic, and out jumped Marcelo, but he guided his header directly at Julio Cesar.

Croatia’s intelligent midfielders quickly transitioned into attack when they won possession, and exploited the physical and positional deficiencies of the Brazilian full-backs.

Oscar

Scolari’s men were poor in the opening 15 minutes, and their shape was often disjointed when they were in possession. Brazil required a link between midfield and attack, as Neymar was forced to drop too deep to receive the ball, while the midfielders couldn’t facilitate passes towards the wide players and Fred.

Oscar’s start to the match was quite shaky, but he did play two good crosses into the box that shouldn’t be overlooked. The Brazilian continued to take advantage of Vrsaljko – who isn’t a natural left-back – by pushing the ball towards the byline to earn a corner and delivering a cross into the six-yard box that evaded both Neymar and Fred.

Most of Oscar’s play continued down the right; his curling effort following Neymar’s magic was pushed aside by Pletikosa, and he played a great ball into Paulinho between the lines, but the midfielder’s shot was saved by Pletikosa. Oscar usually moves to the right to create space for his teammates, but here he served as the link that Brazil required. Oscar was equally impressive on the defensive end as he protected his full-backs out of possession, and completed key tackles in midfield to halt Croatia’s breaks on the counterattack.

Likewise, the Chelsea man was involved in all three Brazilian goals. His persistence in a challenge against Rakitic and Modric enabled the Chelsea midfielder to break free and flick the ball to Neymar who opened the scoring. Oscar impressively ran past Vrsaljko and Marcelo Brozovic and played a great pass into Fred, which resulted in the referee harshly awarding a penalty to Brazil for Dejan Lovren’s non-foul on Fred. Lastly, Oscar received a loose ball and capped off his tremendous performance with a low shot past Pletikosa to double Brazil’s lead.

Oscar nearly created another goal from the right flank as his cross into the box to an unmarked David Luiz was steered wide of the net. Oscar was undoubtedly the best player on the field, and oddly it was from the right flank – a position he isn’t naturally accustomed to playing – as he was the catalyst in Brazil’s comeback with his deliveries from wide areas, clever passes, and tireless work rate.

The 22-year old displayed why many classify him as Brazil’s most important player.

Second half

Prior to Neymar’s controversial second goal, Brazil continued to struggle as a unit. Their passing tempo was vividly slow, and Croatia did a better job in attempting to nullify Oscar’s threat. Croatia dropped a bit deeper in the second half, but continued to exploit space behind Alves and Marcelo.

 

On a few occasions Olic and Perisic broke into space behind the full-backs, but their poor final ball was often cleared, and Thiago Silva and David Luiz made several timely last-ditch clearances and tackles. Perisic, in particular, enjoyed a good game with his admirable defending, reliable passing, along with his pace and power to drive forward down the flanks. Rakitic and Modric saw more of the ball in the second half as players tired. Oscar and Gustavo harried the latter in deep areas, and without Neymar closing down Rakitic, the Sevilla midfielder began to string positive passes forward.

The match lacked many clear-cut chances apart from the goals and the managers’ attempt to alter the match via substitutions were futile. Scolari’s decision to introduce Hernanes was logical – he’s a good passer of the ball and could quickly increase the passing tempo – but the Inter Milan midfielder was ineffective. Bernard’s direct threat injected energy but he didn’t offer much going forward, while Ramires’ short cameo led to Oscar’s third goal.

Marcelo Brozovic’s presence did offer another threat upfront, as he remained higher up the pitch, and although Ante Rebic offered mobility, he failed to influence the match.

The match opened up in the final 15 minutes with Neymar receiving plenty of space between the lines to drive forward, but Brazil didn’t test Pletikosa. Scolari’s men preferred to drop into their shape to preserve the lead, but Croatia’s persistence led to Modric and Perisic’s efforts from distance – that Cesar poorly dealt with — and Cesar’s controversial collision with Olic.

 Conclusion

Croatia will feel robbed of a potential point following an effective display prior to Neymar’s second goal. However, Oscar’s well-rounded performance along with Pletikosa’s poor goalkeeping also contributed to Brazil’s success on the night.

Kovac’s men did a great job without the ball in negating Brazil’s full-backs and equally exploiting space behind the attack-minded defenders, but they didn’t create enough chances and their final ball was poor.

This wasn’t a great Brazilian performance, but to some degree this is what to expect from Scolari’s men. Brazil is a highly functional side that may not play the most attractive football in the tournament, but they possess a quality that majority of the teams in the tournament lack.

They know how to win games.

 

Luka Modric solidifies significant role in Real Madrid’s title hunt

Courtesy of Flickr/ franklemus7

One of the most difficult tasks managers have faced throughout the past decade is succeeding Jose Mourinho. Normally the introduction of a new manager ignites a spark in the dressing room, as players believe their role in the squad could be threatened or enhanced, but Mourinho’s departures presented a rigorous challenge at Real Madrid.

The bond Mourinho builds with his players are usually inimitable – look no further than Didier Drogba breaking down into tears when Mourinho left Chelsea, or the footage between the Portuguese manager and Marco Materazzi after Inter Milan’s Champions League triumph.

Drogba is one of the most dominant strikers of his generation, whom struck fear into the heart of the opposition backline. Likewise, Materazzi was a stone cold enforcer that didn’t tolerate nonsense – the former and the latter weren’t renowned for being emotional characters, so the tears shed during Mourinho’s departure exemplify his personal impact.

It’s surreal to see grown men of their stature shed tears for Mourinho, but the decline his former teams encountered was alarming. Porto hasn’t come close to contending for the Champions League since their triumph in Gelsenkirchen, only now is Chelsea developing the consistency needed to challenge for the Premier League title – apart from their triumph in 2010 – while Inter Milan is no longer a contender for the Scudetto, nor are they in any European competition.

However, Real Madrid was different. The Portuguese manager fell out of favor with the supporters and his players, thus leading to Mourinho’s first trophy-less season of his career – subsequently, Mourinho was sacked. Carlo Ancelotti was chosen to follow the path of Victor Fernandez, Avram Grant and Rafa Benitez, but unlike Mourinho’s previous sides, Madrid was eager to return to the top of Spain and Europe.

The early stages of Ancelotti’s tenure were challenging, especially with the absence of Gareth Bale and Xabi Alonso, but Cristiano Ronaldo’s goals kept Madrid afloat. Yet, with the La Liga title race into the final stretch, Ancelotti’s men sit three points behind league leaders Atletico Madrid, and most recently battered their cross-town rivals by three goals in the Copa del Rey.

Madrid remains undefeated in 2014, conceding one goal – a Ibai Gomez screamer – and Ancelotti believes balance has been pivotal towards their success. “The most important thing is the balance we have at the moment; it’s the key. We defend and attack very well,” Ancelotti said following a win against Granada.

A key feat in Madrid’s hot form was the permanent change to a 4-3-3 that has seen Xabi Alonso, Angel Di Maria and Luka Modric form an imperious midfield trio. Ancelotti has always been keen on including playmakers in his midfield, to compliment his possession-based system by controlling central areas.

Alonso is the deep-lying playmaker that connects play with the attack with long-diagonal balls. Di Maria is now playing in a role similar to the one he adopts for Argentina – he drives forward to join the attack, and while he does sit centrally, he ensures the opposition doesn’t overload the left-back. Then there’s Modric – a dynamic, diminutive, controlling playmaker that’s arguably been Madrid’s star performer this season.

Modric’s first season at the Santiago Bernabeu was underwhelming by the Croatian’s standards, as he failed to adapt to Mourinho’s 4-2-3-1. Mourinho was keen on bringing in Modric after Toni Kroos’ terrific performance in the 2012 Champions League semi-final, and he believed the Croatian could fulfill the role.

However, Modric was unable to settle in an advanced position, whereas his role in the double-pivot alongside Xabi Alonso left the Spaniard vulnerable against counter-attacks. Modric was unable to express himself in Mourinho’s two-man midfield, but he still provided moments of brilliance such as his Champions League goal at Old Trafford against Manchester United.

Perhaps, with a mobile defensive holding midfielder Modric may have succeeded, but Mourinho was reluctant on playing two ball-playing midfielders in front of his backline. Yet, in the second leg of last season’s Champions League semi-final against Borussia Dortmund, Modric was the key man as Jurgen Klopp’s men aimed to nullify Alonso’s threat. United did this admirably in the round of 16, pressing Alonso and allowing Sami Khedira – not the greatest passer – to sustain possession.

With Modric as the second pivot, Dortmund was unsure of how to cope with his threat. The Croatian completed 88 percent of his passes, but also freed up space for Alonso to influence the match. As time passed in Mourinho’s tenure, opponents began to realize the importance of Alonso, and even now, as Ancelotti has moved to a 4-3-3, Modric’s significance in the side has increased.

Most recently in matches against Athletic Bilbao and Atletico, Modric was the key man – he provided an additional passing outlet when Alonso was pressed, and was Madrid’s most reliable passer, while providing penetration with his silky runs through midfield.

Ancelotti who’s been an admirer of the Croatian for some time has recently praised Modric’s impact on Madrid’s attack. “His finest quality is getting through with the ball. At the start of the season he seemed to be a little bit lacking in personality but now he is displaying a lot of character, and it is very important to have personality. Modric is changing the rhythm of the way we play in attack,” Ancelotti said.

Although Modric’s frail figure puts him at a disadvantage, nor is he the greatest tackler, the Croatian relentlessly hounds the opposition in search of possession. He’s usually the first man from midfield to close down defenders, as his dynamic presence forces his opponent into mistakes.

In attack, the Croatian nonchalantly glides from box-to-box evading challenges reminiscent to the ones he received as a 17-year-old while playing at Zrinjski Mostar in Bosnia. Modric feels that experienced helped him toughen up, as the hits inflicted and the nature of the game was rough.

Nonetheless, it’s Modric’s passing ability that is often overlooked. The Croatian’s ability to retain possession is extraordinary – he quickly switches the route of attack from flank to flank, and his willingness to play a penetrating pass is invigorating. Only Barcelona’s midfield trio – Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets – better Modric’s 90 percent passing rate in La Liga. In terms of assists, tackling and pass completion rates, this has been the Croatian’s best season of his career, as he’s slowly molding into the player many Madridstas envisioned.

“I’m in great form right now. Playing in pre-season was important for me. It’s key to have the coach’s fully backing and trust. That’s why I’m playing better. I also have a great relationship with the fans. They’ve always had my back and that has made things easier for me,” Modric told Marca.

Ancelotti’s decision to modify his formation has been beneficial – despite a sudden Ronaldo goal-scoring drought. As devastating as Ancelotti’s men can be in attack, their overall shape without the ball has improved with an extra man in midfield. Di Maria diligently moves to the left to prevent overloads, while Gareth Bale, and Jese complete their required defensive duties. Now, Madrid is consistently keeping clean-sheets, and their midfield trio has provided a mixture of proficient passing, guile, grit, and dynamism.

Ancelotti’s Madrid is finally taking shape, and with Barcelona encountering issues both on and off the field, and Atletico’s slim squad, a cup double isn’t far-fetched. Modric, however, has flourished under the side’s new possession-based system, producing genuine world-class performances.

Twelve months ago, the Croatian was voted as the worst signing of La Liga, now, he’s become a key cog in a Madrid shirt – Modric can finally call the Bernabeu home.

 

2 Guys and a MIKE – Weekly Roundup Podcast November 20th

Courtesy of Fanny Schertzer

This week on 2 Guys and a Mike, Tyrrell Meertins and Hugo V breakdown World Cup qualifying playoffs, Ballon d’Or and they touch on Southampton and David Moyes.

 

Croatia 1-2 Belgium

Belgium booked a spot in the 2014 World Cup, courtesy of a Romelu Lukaku first half brace.

Igor Stimac was bold with his team selection, opting to align his side in a 3-4-2-1. Mario Mandzukic led the line ahead of Ivan Rakitic and Ivan Perisic. Luka Modric and Mateo Kovacic played in midfield, while Sime Vrsaljko and Ivan Strinic operated as wingbacks.

Marc Wilmots preferred to assemble his side in a 4-2-3-1 with Romelu Lukaku leading the line. Marouane Fellaini, Eden Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne played behind the Everton striker, while Axel Witsel and Steven Defour played in the double pivot.

This was a mature Belgian performance that nearly backfired – Wilmot’s men were exceptional on the break in the first half, whereas they sat deeper in the second, allowing Croatia to grow into the match.

Belgium without the ball

Croatia trailed the Belgians for 83 minutes, despite finishing the match with 58% possession, and their shape without the ball was integral towards their success. Wilmots’ men dropped into a 4-5-1 in their own half aiming to maintain a compact shape.

Although Stimac’s men can be held accountable for their lack of productivity in the final third, the Belgians were organized, and deprived the Croatians space near their goal. Specifically, the work from Defour and Fellaini was admirable. Both men – with occasional help from Witsel – stayed close to Kovacic and Modric, preventing them from influencing the match. The Croatian midfield duo were marked well and forced to operate in deeper positions spreading sideways passes, and that was down to the tactical discipline of Fellaini and Defour.

Belgium was content with Croatia maintaining possession of the ball, because they nullified their two creators, and Stimac’s men struggled to push forward without them.

0-1

Lukaku stole the headlines scoring both of Belgium’s goals, and although both finishes were class, the Everton striker didn’t produce a great performance. In fairness, Lukaku’s presence alone was a threat to a slow Croatian back three.

Nevertheless, both goals displayed Belgium’s ability to transition from defence to attack in seconds. In the 15th minute, Defour intercepted a poor pass from Perisic at the halfway line, and quickly played a defence-splitting pass to set Lukaku clear on goal. The Belgian striker’s pace saw him run past the Croatian defence and round Stipe Pletikosa, to hand Wilmots’ men the lead.

Croatia wingbacks push forward

An interesting feat in Croatia’s attack was their success in wide areas. Strinic and Vrsaljko often ventured forward attacking the space behind Hazard and De Bruyne. Besides Strinic and Vrsaljko’s forward runs, Croatia lacked penetration, along with any significant threat in the final third.

Strinic surged forward driving at the Belgian midfield and backline, but the Croatian wingback lacked support from his teammates, a final ball, and his decision making was poor. The Croatian wingback did create Croatia’s best chance in the final moments of the first half when he drove forward and delivered a cross to Mandzukic, but Courtois made a good save to maintain his clean sheet.

Opposed to making penetrating runs, Vrsaljko opted to provide crosses into the box. Unfortunately for Croatia, Vrsaljko completed one of a total 12 crosses throughout the match. It was a poor first half performance from Stimac’s men, and they failed to capitalize on their freedom in wide areas.

0-2

A main concern Croatia encountered was the pace of their back three – and in the 38^th minute Lukaku added to his tally. It must be said that it was a strange decision by Stimac, based on the type of attackers the Belgian’s possess – pacy players that thrive on the counter attack.

More so, there was no surprise to see Lukaku run past the Croatian defence – specifically Kovacic – to beat Pletikosa. This time Croatia failed to make the most of a quick set-piece, and De Bruyne and Witsel cleverly worked the ball up to Lukaku. The Belgian striker dodged a challenge and was on a clear breakaway from half, and he confidently slotted his shot past Pletikosa.

Both goals highlighted Croatia’s lack of pace in defence – many will question Stimac’s decision to play a sluggish back three against a pacy Belgium side, but also praise Wilmots’ men for turning defence into attack so efficiently.

Substitutions

Croatia was down two goals at home and changes were imminent, so it was interesting to see how Stimac would attempt to alter the match.

The Croatian manager kept his initial shape, but sacrificed Rakitic and Perisic for Nikola Kalinic and Niko Kranjcar – Stimac also replaced the ineffective Kovacic for Ognjen Vukojevic. These changes were logical because they provided a scoring threat in the final third, but also presented the link between midfield and attack that Stimac’s men severely lacked in the first half. To be fair, Stimac’s changes should’ve come earlier because Croatia improved in the second half.

Wilmots was more conservative with his changes, as he knew Croatia needed to score three times to prevent automatic qualification. Nacer Chadli and Kevin Mirallas freshened up the attack, while Dembele came on in the final minutes to help maintain possession and secure the three points.

In particular, Stimac’s substitutions had an impact on the match, but the changes both managers made displayed their approach towards the second half.

Croatia grow into the match

As stated earlier, Croatia significantly improved in the second half, but it was slightly down to Belgium’s complacent approach. Wilmots’ men dropped deeper towards their goal in the second half, and pushed fewer men forward.

A key feat in Stimac’s second half approach was Kalinic – who played his role better than Perisic. Again, tired legs could have affected the Belgians, but Kalinic began to drift between the lines and receive the ball in key areas throughout the final third. Also, the pressing on Modric decreased, and he had brief spells were he drove forward. It’s key to point out that Domagoj Vida began to facilitate play as an extra ball provider, along with making brave runs forward to help push his side forward.

For all their hard work in the second half, Stimac’s men were awarded in the 83^rd minute when Vida pushed forward and delivered a good cross – unlike Vrsaljko – into the box. Kalinic met the delivery and was denied by Thibaut Courtois, but the Belgians failed to clear their lines and Kranjcar lashed a venomous shot into the left corner. The goal highlighted the positive feats in Croatia’s second half performance – a quality cross from the flank, and forward runs made into the box from the two attackers behind Mandzukic.

Croatia progressively improved in the second half – despite Belgium’s complacent second half approach – but it’s shocking that Stimac waited so long to make the required changes needed to claw back into the match.

Conclusion

Belgium stuck to Wilmots’ approach and survived a late Croatian resurgence – organized defending and quick transitions gave the visitors an early two-goal advantage and they intended on protecting their lead in the second half.

On the other hand, Croatia looks destined for a two-legged playoff tie in a few months, but they face a few issues going forward. As of late, they’ve lacked cohesion going forward, the distance between the double-pivot and attackers has been too large, and Mandzukic has been left isolated.

It’s an issue that Stimac needs to address going forward, because Croatia isn’t scoring enough goals or creating enough chances to win matches – which could prevent them from featuring in next summer’s World Cup.