England are playing more directly whilst empowering their exciting wingers to showcase their quality, but Tuchel isn’t forgetting to use pragmatic solutions, notably in the form of long throws.
After a recent press conference, he stated “the long throw-in is back”. This is a fair conclusion considering the opening weekend of Premier League football saw an average of 3.2 long throws per game, up from 1.52 the season before.
When facing teams that stubbornly deeply defend their own box, the first goal is paramount in forcing teams to come out, opening up space to attack.
The use of throw-in situations as set-pieces give teams an additional chance to initially break that deadlock and require the appropriate attention.
Clever free-kicks and corner routines are key too, and it is clear Tuchel and his backroom staff have made this central to their system.
The opening goal against Serbia completely changed the direction of the game and from a well-worked corner.
Serbia set up to defend the corner in a zonal fashion, staying in specific zones.
Following Rice’s out-swinging cross, Serbia’s defenders were drawn to the ball but the positioning of England’s players in front of the Serbians meant they could stand in the way, blocking them from getting to the ball. Kane lingered deeper and was able to score, uncontested.
It was calculated, deliberate and effective with England trying the same routine earlier in the game prior to the goal.
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