A dynamic approach and a great defensive performance led Montella’s Turkey to the quarter-finals of Euro 2024
Austria-Türkiye It’s one of the classic matches you expect to see in a competition like Euro 2024: teams with new, fresh, young projects and proactive game proposalsknowing that they have nothing to lose.
Obviously there are some differences, which are mainly due to opposing philosophies: Türkiye by Montella tries to preside over the bands by expanding their structure as much as possible, both in the construction phase and in the development phase, and then attacking the line thanks to the men in width.
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L’Austria by Rangnick instead tries to advance centrally, placing its 4 most offensive men in the internal corridorslooking for a direct pass between the opponent’s centre backs.
Bothover the years, have often been the underdog most accredited. For one reason or another, however, they have never managed to assert themselves in major competitions. Both They arrive at the round of 16 at the Leipzig Arena with high hopes and the knowledge that the match will be open, despite the absences of Çalhanoğlu and Akaydin in the Turkish ranks due to suspension.
To overcome this problem, Montella opted for a 3-man line with Ayhan in the defensive trio, dusting off Demiral and putting Laughs at the center of the attack.
This new formation chosen by Montella has upset Rangnick’s plans: Turkey had too many men on the wings for Sabitzer and his teammates to contain. In the first half it was a recurring theme: the Turks built with a 3+2 and very wide fifthsTheir width was favoured by the more central position of the attacking wingers.
The three defenders in any case were not distributed symmetrically: they often left a “empty” side in which one of the midfielders would insert himself (Kökçü most of the time).
This attitude to empty the center of the field It paired well with that of the opponents, who tried to direct the pressure towards one side to isolate the weak one.
The presence of so many men in width allowed many changes of play especially on the left arm Bardakcioften left alone (considered the weak link in the construction).
The Austrian winger Schmid never came out under pressure on the Galatasaray centre-back, staying on Kadıoğlu instead to allow the full-back, Posch, to stay on Yildiz.
The structure of Rangnick’s team in the non-possession phase was very focused on the strong side: the full-back remained with the outside, thus ignoring the leadership of the fifth.
When did the change game interesting situations were created: here Müldür receives the free ball, Mwene comes out but leaves space behind him, attacked by Yilmaz.
A similar speech was also made when Austria was closing itself in 4-4-2 with medium-low block: if the ball went beyond the second line of pressure, the defensive line tightened a lot. Yilmaz has the tendency to attack the depth, especially if the offensive terminal is Güler who comes towards a lot, attracting the full-back and freeing Müldür.
As the minutes passed, the Austrian staff arrived at compromises with structural defects in the non-possession phase: Schmid started to press the left arm, Posch paired up with Kadıoğlu and Danso with Yildiz.
With Lens’ centre-back so drawn towards the outside, it created space between the Austrian centresattackable by Türkiye’s midfielders.
It is important to underline how Laughs have sent to the madmen the opposing defense. With Real’s attacking midfielder as the offensive terminal, the Austrian central defenders were without reference points: The 2005 talent was very central. Neither Danso nor Lienhart had permission to break the line.
With the two central defenders so passive, Austria often found themselves at press the construction with one man less. Also considering Güler’s “elusiveness”the pressure on Turkey was carried out by two fewer Austrians, as the two central defenders had no one to deal with directly.
An example, to demonstrate theexcessive rigidity of Rangnick’s selection not to break the line. Kadıoğlu moves centrally, and it is not Danso who comes out on him but Seiwald, leaving the midfield exposed and favoring the through ball towards the Turkish attacker who came towards him.
The two midfielders Laimer and Seiwald They often had their own references to follow and both followed the direction of the ball: Güler was very good at understanding when come forward, leaving the Austrians “behind” as they climbed onto the balloon.
In the first half, Arnautovic and his teammates suffered a lotTurkish breadthshowing clear structural defects promptly attacked by Montella. However, Turkey never punished them, often making a mistake in the final pass in the finishing area.
The match was in fact unlocked after less than a minute by a situation of seemingly random set piece: Demiral, in his first start at Euro 2024, gives Turkey the lead.
Why apparently random? The goal is indeed a bizarre one, but it comes from a studied principle. Austria defends on set pieces to man: Güler’s corner kicks were therefore always aimed at the near post, where the density of men confused the opposing jumpers.
On the first goal the ball flows, after a couple of rebounds the ex Juve and Atalanta player pounces on the ball and slams it into the net; on the second he heads right at the near post.
[Allo stesso modo, l’Austria ha sfruttato la marcatura a zona della Turchia nei piazzati: con una spizzata verso il secondo palo, Gregoritsch ha riaperto la partita]
In open play, Rangnick’s team has always had the chances to hurt them in a set play. In the first half, they struggled to create: they didn’t have much possession of the ball. In the second half of the match, Austria had to step on the accelerator to recover the disadvantage, even reaching the 69% (!) ownership thanks mainly to his skills in the counter-attacking phase – a must for Rangnick and the Austrian philosophy. So why didn’t Austria follow through?
Turkey sent the two wingers to press the two centre-backs first, lowering Güler to the low vertex of Laimer. The problem was the Kökçü marking on Seiwaldwho moved off the line allowing Posch to get up.
If Kökçü followed him, there was plenty of space centrally to get to the attacking players; if Kökçü let him go, Austria released themselves from the pressure, forcing Turkey to retreat.
At that point Montella ordered his men to arrange themselves with a 5-4-1 very compacttrying to take away the opponents’ characteristic central plays.
The arrangement has brought great involvement of central defenders in the action: Danso was the player with the most metres gained with the ball at his feet.
Austria effectively attacked with 10 men, creating a lot of density in the central corridors. Baumgartner he was in all respects a striker and not a finisher. The player home – in the summer of 2023 he moved from Hoffenheim to RB Leipzig – he often looked for depth together with Arnautovic: Turkey never tried to put them offside but absorbed all the insertions. Thanks to several throws, the distance between the departments lengthened and allowed the Austrians to work better on the second balls.
Austrian development structure, very similar to that of Schmidt’s Benfica.
The Austrians, despite the very dense structure in the non-possession phase of Turkey, still managed to find holed exceeding the second pressure line.
Montella did not let his players manage the spaces, very aggressive on the man. When one of the two midfielders was attracted by the Laimer-Seiwald duo, a 2vs1 behind: Posch inserts himself centrally and with the reception he gains positional superiorityGreat pass for Arnautovic, but the Inter striker misses when one-on-one with the goalkeeper.
The second half was a total siege: Turkey struggled to get going again, conceding more and more space, but managed to resist thanks also to what is probably the best save of the tournament so far by Gunokalso wasting two excellent counterattack opportunities at the end with Yilmaz.
Montella is in the quarter-finals against the Netherlands while Rangnick returns home bitter: given the data, Austria probably deserved to win.
In the first half the Turks approached the match better and showed aexcellent fluidity and some good ideas in possession. The defensive phase needs fixing, but it was known: two key players like Çalhanoğlu and Akaydin were missing, who will return on Saturday (the suspended Kökçü will make room for them, in part).
The Turkish team has the chance to replicate (in a small way) the historic semi-final reached in the 2002 World Cup, transforming this from a power to an act. historic “underdog” aura. A cult team already in the memory of many, but which only needs one more match to be in everyone’s. Will Turkey and Vincenzo Montella succeed in this feat?
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2024-07-03 14:36:24
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