Austria vs Netherlands

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1. ⚽Austria vs Netherlands

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⚽Austria vs Netherlands

Austria wins 3-2 against the Netherlands and qualifies as group winner for the Round of 16!

Ralf Rangnick's football philosophy is known for its directness, intense pressing, and effective counter-pressing. He famously likened his style to "Heavy Metal" in an interview, and he strongly disapproves of sideways passes.

Accordingly, the Austrians started the game very energetically and intensely. The Dutch team, whose true strength is hard to gauge, clearly struggled to keep up with the intensity of the Austrians.

oeman's team is indeed filled with highly talented players, but they do not seem to function as a cohesive unit. Many actions appear uncoordinated and inconsistent.

Let's take a closer look at Austria's defense in this game:

In the first half, Austria predominantly defended in a 4-4-2 system. They excelled in closing down the center, forcing the opponent to play out wide. On the wings, they applied strong pressure. This is where their pressing trap worked effectively: as soon as the ball was played wide, Rangnick's team shifted cleverly and attacked aggressively and swiftly.

The Dutch struggled significantly to escape this pressing and frequently lost possession. To illustrate this tactic clearly, we have selected two scenes that exemplify this approach very well.

In general, Austria managed to consistently create numerical superiority in crucial areas of the pitch. Both teams typically aim to achieve numerical superiority in attack and defense. In this instance, it's clear that the Dutch could only create an overload in the first line, specifically in defense. However, in midfield and attack, they consistently found themselves outnumbered: four Austrians against three Dutch forwards, and in midfield, five Austrians against four Dutch players.

Koeman's team struggled to circulate the ball effectively to gain advantages. They rarely managed to create numerical superiority or occupy and exploit crucial spaces. Being in numerical superiority alone does not guarantee effective defense. What matters most is closing the right spaces and winning duels to make a difference defensively.

They defended with great variability, sometimes using a 4-4-2, 4-5-1, or towards the end of the game, even a Christmas tree formation (4-3-2-1). This flexibility meant they rarely allowed passes into dangerous gaps, forcing the Dutch to build their game on the wings.

In possession:

Rangnick's team plays very directly and aims to find depth in the game as quickly as possible. Let's start with Zone 1: Since they want to keep the ball in the opponent's half as much as possible, they don't often have possession in their own zone. However, during goal kicks, it could be observed that they formed a 4-2-1-3 formation.

Like most teams, they also have six players in the first zone who could support the build-up play. There are two reasons for this: First, they want to have more players in this zone to have more options for possession, as less risk should be taken here. Second, coaches plan for the potential loss of the ball and therefore want more players in this zone to quickly regain possession.

Austria also demonstrated versatility in their offensive tactics. In Zone 2, they frequently operated in a 3-2-5 system, where full-back Prass, wearing number 8, moved into the center to form a double pivot with another midfielder.

They were also seen in formations like 4-1-2-1-2 or 4-1-2-3, where they had a strong presence in the center. In this example, you can see Prass fulfilling his role as a full-back.

His role was particularly crucial and interesting in the game. Previously, full-backs were often considered weaknesses, but nowadays they have very complex and important tasks. In this example, it's clear how Prass moves into the center to form the defensive line when the center-back advances with the ball. This requires a good understanding of the game, which these players naturally possess. Therefore, Prass fulfills a dual role: depending on the ball's position, he moves into midfield or holds his position as a full-back.

It was also interesting to see that unlike Guardiola's teams, who typically have two wingers wide at all times, they often shifted to one side and formed numerical superiority there to combine effectively.

Conclusion:

In the second half, the Dutch appeared somewhat improved compared to the first. They also tried to apply more pressure and adjusted better to Austria's intensity. One might have expected Ralf Rangnick's team to tire eventually, but that wasn't the case. They maintained their game plan until the end and deservedly won.

Austria did not create an excessive number of scoring opportunities, but they were very efficient and determined in their actions. They were rewarded for their hard work and effort. Rangnick's "Heavy Metal" football style is very uncomfortable for any opponent. Despite lacking superstars, they appear very cohesive and organized as a unit.

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