High energy, high pressing
Under Jaroslav Silhavy, the Czech Republic play an energetic high-pressing game, flooding forward in an attempt to win the ball in their opponents’ half. Once in possession, a short-passing game is preferred.
Silhavy’s favoured formation against stronger opponents is a 4-2-3-1, with playmaker Vladimir Darida and wingers Lukas Provod and Jakub Jankto most likely to be supporting lone striker Patrik Schick. The full-backs, plus midfielders Alex Kral and Tomas Soucek, also like to get forward – as the latter proved with a hat-trick against Estonia in March.
In qualification, the biggest threat came through Jankto. Between them, the left-winger and Schick had a hand in eight of the team’s 13 goals.
Central defence is their biggest weak spot, where Silhavy has struggled to find a reliable partner for the omnipresent Ondrej Celustka. Another question he must resolve is how – or if – he will use captain Borek Dockal. The playmaker has struggled since returning from Achilles tendon surgery and was left out of the squad for March’s World Cup qualifiers.
If fully fit, 18-year-old Adam Hlozek could be a secret weapon in attack.