Icemen out to exploit hosts’ failings
LARS LAGERBACK believes Iceland can exploit France’s attacking style to pull off another Euro 2016 upset tomorrow. England’s conquerors meet the hosts in Paris, with Iceland’s joint coach confident his well-drilled side can catch the French players out of position. Lagerback said: ‘I wouldn’t talk of weaknesses, but France have a style and attitude that is quite attacking and that’s something we could use. ‘The most important thing is what we will be able to do when we recover the ball and their players are out of position. ‘Against England we improved in that area and against France we will need to improve again.’ The Swedish coach, 67, dismissed suggestions his side lack potency, pointing out that the six goals they have scored so far matches France’s total. He added: ‘When we talk of the defensive aspect, we use all our players and sometimes we ask a little too much of our forwards. ‘In football it’s difficult to score goals so if we can keep our opponents from scoring, then we give ourselves every chance of winning. We’re very organised and each player has a precise role and fulfils it extremely well. ‘The statistics show that a large majority of goals are scored from inside the box, so that’s where you need the ball and that’s where you need the most players. ‘When your players are individually not as good as your opponents’, having two strikers gives you a better chance of creating chances.’ Lagerback (left) admitted tomorrow’s quarter-final is one of the biggest matches of his career. He said: ‘When you are in a major tournament you are in a bubble. Every upcoming game is the most important one. ‘But of course when you can get through to the next round like now it’s one of the biggest matches I have been part of.’
impressive 2-0 win, was his seventh in 16 for the Azzurri.
‘I am proud to be part of this great moment,’ said Pelle. ‘Results are coming but we face another big team in Germany. We will focus on our football, enjoy it and try to win.
‘Everything is possible. I will be more happy at the end of the tournament when we reach something important that we’re working for.’
Conte, the new Chelsea manager, is a coach who knew what he wanted and trusted Pelle to lead the line, occupy centre backs and link up play with others.
He scored the only goal of the game on his debut, against Malta in October 2014, and has not looked back.
Spain could not handle him. Pelle dominated in the air, winning headers to threaten the goal and flicks to release Eder.
Very un-Italian, and yet Conte has been hailed as a master tactician as the Azzurri beat Spain in a competitive game for the first time in 22 years.
His players spoke adoringly of ‘the game plan’ and Vicente del Bosque admitted it was a ‘difficult style to play against’.
It is intense and exhausting but these Italian players are devoted to Conte, who can afford two up front without losing the midfield battle because he has the personnel to operate with a back three.
‘It’s difficult to explain just how good he is,’ says Pelle. ‘ He works very simply and doesn’t complicate things. He’s been a footballer, so he knows how to explain and he is realistic.
‘It is about going on to the field and trying to reproduce what he’s been working on with us during the week.’
Not all the big centre forwards have been a hit at Euro 2016 but Pelle, Germany’s Mario Gomez, France striker Olivier Giroud and Poland’s Robert Lewandowski are making a strong case for a lost art.
Germany, though, came into the tournament unsure who to play in attack. They started with Mario Gotze as a false nine and tried Thomas Muller there briefly before Joachim Low settled on Gomez, who scored two in two games to equal Jurgen Klinsmann’s German record of five goals in the Euro finals. It turns out there is more to emulating Lionel Messi than adopting the same position in the team.
Gomez helped Germany crack the defensive resistance of Northern Ireland and Slovakia but, against Italy in Bordeaux tonight, Low’s side must try to overcome the weight of history, too.
The world champions have played against Italy nine times in major tournaments. They have failed to win a single one, a streak that stretches back over half a century.
Team manager Oliver Bierhoff said: ‘We know that everything will be demanded from us against Italy. This is a new game and we have been warned.
‘But the game will start from zero for both teams and the past does not interest us.’
Gomez added: ‘ So far, we have played against teams who were defending, just defending.
‘Maybe against Italy, they’re going to attack. We know the rest of the tournament will be tough.’
Gomez is not Germany’s most gifted footballer, but his physical presence has helped them add variety and a cutting edge.
The big man is back — if, indeed, he ever should have gone away.