Keeping it tight
The 4-1-4-1 formation preferred by Stefan Tarkovic relies on Stanislav Lobotka (or Patrik Hrosovsky) to pivot between the back four and the midfield quartet, freeing up the ageing but savvy Marek Hamsik and Juraj Kucka to raid and try shots from deep. Kucka’s deflected goal that sank Scotland in the Nations League last November is a case in point.
Tarkovic has no shortage of flank players to stretch attacks, but Slovakia are yet to produce another classic target man in the mould of Robert Vittek, hero of the 2010 World Cup, then discarded. There were only three pure strikers in the 23-man squad for Euro 2016 - Slovakia don’t score many but don’t concede easily either.
In defence, the assurance and top-class experience of Milan Skriniar spreads confidence when Slovakia’s top two goalkeepers, Marek Rodak and Dominik Greif, are in their early twenties. If Tarkovic picks Rodak, the Fulham man has been known to score in the dying minutes, his charge upfield something for the opposition to consider in these days of long stoppage-time periods. Lubomir Satka and Norbert Gyomber are locked in a battle to partner Skriniar.