Italy on EC 2021, how to simulate their play?

[Jonas1987]

Hi all,

As I'm cheering for my Belfium team I cannot fail to notice Italies play..

Anyone who already managed to simulate their play?

[Bot Makel]

I think:

Fbsu bpdde cdde cwbsum

                Dmde

     Mezsu.       Dlpsu

Wat.                         Iwsu

                Dlfat

Edited July 2, 2021 by Bot Makel

[gokalpcakir1]

 

I feel that I am getting closer with this tactic, but it may be necessary to add PIs to some players. 

PIs:

CD: stay wider

W(a):Shoot less often mark left back

IF(s):shoot less often mark right back roam from position get further forward

If you have ideas for PIs and TIs, I'd love to see

 

[sovy666]

There's a tactic on this site that's pretty spot on. 

https://www.rdftactics.com/blog

[KCHDD]

Was watching the game just now as well, few observations of mine:

- LB stays high and wide to provide width while RB inverts to form back 3 during buildup with CBs

- RW maintaining width providing crosses and allowing RCM to underlap him at times

- LCM and DM hanging further back to recycle possession

- LW and LB rotating positions, with one always occupying left half space while the other wider

They do seem to form a 2-3-5 or 3-2-5 in possession depending on where the RB is (IWBs, IWBd, FBs????)

Still unsure how it might translate in game though

[dullywill]

Italy's strength's lie in their abilty to create from deep, Bonucci, Jorginho and Verratti are elite deep playmakers. Italy are the only team to have a world-class attacking system rather than world-class attackers. Their team last night was the most balanced I've seen them yet, I'm sure if Belgium hadn't gotten that penalty just before half-time to make things more nervy, Italy could have cruised to a 3 or 4 nil result.

Based off last night's game, my interpretation would be...

GK: GK-D Donnarumma genrally just plays it out to his centre backs, nothing fancy.

RB: FB-S Di Lorenzo stays deep to protect the flank and stay closer to to centre backs to protect from counters, but will support an attack. Sometimes you could argue he inverts, but i'd say he supports the attack more than occupies the middle.

RCB: BPD-D It's Bonucci. He's a ball playing defender.

LCB: BPD-D Interpretable as Chiellini isn't technically on the level on Bonucci, but Chiellini does have licence to occupy Spinazzola's position to open up passing lanes and carries the ball out to the left, and the BPD has to option to dribble more.

LB: CWB-A Spinazzola is sometimes Italy's furthest player forward, attacks all day. With him now gone IRL, so has arguably Italy's biggest threat.

DM: DLP-D Jorginho keeps things ticking

RCM: MEZ-S It's not an Italy team without one, Barella is a Mezzala, often the last player to occupy Italy's front five due to him supporting controlling the midfield.

LCM: RPM/DLP-S Verratti is slightly further forward than Jorginho, but both combine to dictate the tempo and control the game, while also staying deeper in attacks to protect transitions. Could argue Verratti more of a roaming playmaker, Locatelli ceratinly a DLP.

RW: W-A Chiesa offers width on the right hand side, prefer him in the team to Berardi as he offers more balance to Berardi's tendency to cut in on his left and Di Lorenzo being asked to stay back more.

CF: PF-S Immobile occupies the defenders, not one to dribble or offer Harry Kane-type balls in behind. Arguably centre forward is Italy's weakest link, especially as Immobile often likes to run in behind. 

LW: IF-S Insigne has a lot of freedom on the left flank due to Spinazzola pracically occupying it on his own. He drops deep, drives at defenders, occupies the No.10 position at times. Roam from position is a PI made for Insigne's role

In terms of TI's, Italy play a positive mentality, definitely exploit the middle, play out of defence, counter press, push up to a mid-high block... That's a basic template imo, could probaly play around a bit in game.

Edited July 3, 2021 by dullywill

[milestobudapest]

On 03/07/2021 at 15:47, dullywill said:

Italy's strength's lie in their abilty to create from deep, Bonucci, Jorginho and Verratti are elite deep playmakers. Italy are the only team to have a world-class attacking system rather than world-class attackers. Their team last night was the most balanced I've seen them yet, I'm sure if Belgium hadn't gotten that penalty just before half-time to make things more nervy, Italy could have cruised to a 3 or 4 nil result.

Based off last night's game, my interpretation would be...

GK: GK-D Donnarumma genrally just plays it out to his centre backs, nothing fancy.

RB: FB-S Di Lorenzo stays deep to protect the flank and stay closer to to centre backs to protect from counters, but will support an attack. Sometimes you could argue he inverts, but i'd say he supports the attack more than occupies the middle.

RCB: BPD-D It's Bonucci. He's a ball playing defender.

LCB: BPD-D Interpretable as Chiellini isn't technically on the level on Bonucci, but Chiellini does have licence to occupy Spinazzola's position to open up passing lanes and carries the ball out to the left, and the BPD has to option to dribble more.

LB: CWB-A Spinazzola is sometimes Italy's furthest player forward, attacks all day. With him now gone IRL, so has arguably Italy's biggest threat.

DM: DLP-D Jorginho keeps things ticking

RCM: MEZ-S It's not an Italy team without one, Barella is a Mezzala, often the last player to occupy Italy's front five due to him supporting controlling the midfield.

LCM: RPM/DLP-S Verratti is slightly further forward than Jorginho, but both combine to dictate the tempo and control the game, while also staying deeper in attacks to protect transitions. Could argue Verratti more of a roaming playmaker, Locatelli ceratinly a DLP.

RW: W-A Chiesa offers width on the right hand side, prefer him in the team to Berardi as he offers more balance to Berardi's tendency to cut in on his left and Di Lorenzo being asked to stay back more.

CF: PF-S Immobile occupies the defenders, not one to dribble or offer Harry Kane-type balls in behind. Arguably centre forward is Italy's weakest link, especially as Immobile often likes to run in behind. 

LW: IF-S Insigne has a lot of freedom on the left flank due to Spinazzola pracically occupying it on his own. He drops deep, drives at defenders, occupies the No.10 position at times. Roam from position is a PI made for Insigne's role

In terms of TI's, Italy play a positive mentality, definitely exploit the middle, play out of defence, counter press, push up to a mid-high block... That's a basic template imo, could probaly play around a bit in game.

I’ve been playing around with this set up. I found it definitely helps having the CWB(A) in the WBL slot to get that high aggressive starting positioning. As always, risk vs reward here. 
 

I find FB(S) on the right moves upfield a little too high so FB(D) is much better here. Also instruct them to bring the ball infield where the space is. 
 

The RPM/DLP toss up is an interesting one for the CML since you’ll often find the RPM does advance quite early into the half space area, which tends to impede the IF(S) movement and freedom to exploit space. It’s a nice role to have though as it helps with buildings overloads. If you want the IF to have more space to receive the ball and create though, I think DLP is the way to go here.