POLAND SCOUTING REPORT

STRENGTHS

NEW boss Paulo Sousa wants his side to dominate possession. Only twice in the six Nations League games before he arrived did Poland come out on top in that area and it was immediately clear against Hungary last week how he is changing the way they play. Sousa’s players are being urged to pass out from the back, with Brighton’s Jakub Moder standing out in the 3-3 draw in Budapest by shuttling between the boxes. Even without Robert Lewandowski, Arkadiusz Milik and Krzysztof Piatek give Sousa an attack that can bail out a defence that still needs work.

WEAKNESSES

ALTHOUGH little could be learned from the stroll against Andorra, in the clash with Hungary Sousa wanted his defence to maintain a high line — so high at times that every player bar keeper Wojciech Szczesny was in the opposition half. Hungary had 35 per cent possession in Budapest, made almost half as many passes and yet finished with three goals, the first of which came from taking advantage of that high line. It is likely Sousa will tweak these tactics before facing England but if he doesn’t then the match will be won and lost on the wings. Barnsley’s Michal Helik was a surprise starter in defence ahead of Kamil Glik and he did not look comfortable alongside Southampton’s Jan Bednarek. England can punish them here.

THE MANAGER

FORMER QPR, Swansea and Leicester boss Sousa, 50, has been darting about the training pitch aware he has limited time to get his ideas across. ‘We started a new process just a few days ago,’ he said. ‘We must not interrupt it.’