England’s plan to beat Italy revolves around their pivot, pressing and set-pieces

Former England scout Justin Goodchild tells The Independent the key to their approach in Sunday’s Euro 2020 final at Wembley

England will contest a major final for the first time in 55 years, with the principles of how they aim to overcome Roberto Mancini’s superb Italy stemming from a 2014 blueprint that shaped the national team’s identity.

When they walk out at Wembley on Sunday, the players will be well conditioned in what they need to do and how to do it. The principles of their approach, underlined in the ‘England DNA’ manifesto that has generated success at youth level, has been mastered throughout this European Championship and faces its sternest test.

Gareth Southgate’s side have demonstrated they are capable of closing out a game in possession, controlling the state of play when not on the ball as evidenced by the sole goal conceded, pressing opponents and penetrating them as well as being able to switch systems, approach and personnel without a drop in quality.

Based on their blueprint and how they’ve enacted it in this tournament, what will the team aim to implement against Italy?

Justin Goodchild, a former scout for England’s teams who knows their specifications in detail, spells out the gameplan to The Independent.

Make the game predictable out of possession

Italy are really good on the ball, so England won’t want them to have extended periods of possession and the idea will be stop them from starting altogether. The team will set traps having done due diligence and understanding how the opponents build up their play. England will try to allow them to make that first or second delivery to the typical pre-determined targets and then use a trigger, press with intensity while obviously being aware that Italy’s short game may quickly turn into a long-ball plan to bypass it. If we’re in a period where we’re losing possession, the nearest player should be pressing immediately. Obviously the common day player will be scanning constantly. So they’ll know when the right time to go, but the intent will be for the nearest player to press them, press that ball first.

They’ll want to react to that handover in possession and try to regain as quick as possible. If England do lose the ball, there’ll be recovery runs or sprints and the idea is to get back into our lines to condense the space.

What England will want to do is be able to dictate how and where they allow Italy to play. Obviously they will have their own plays and ways of stopping England, but the goal will be to try and make the game as predictable as possible when out of possession. England will want to make the pitch nice and narrow so there’s less room for Italy to move the ball within.

They will allow them to move out, but make sure to defend centrally, constantly putting pressure on the ball, trying to deny those forward passes and making sure to be dominating one-v-ones.

Patience and control

I think a big part of England’s possession game, which has not maybe been completely loved by the public, is to deliver control and this patience. They’re not looking to move the ball a hundred miles an hour and Southgate’s team selection is based upon that: retain position, build up play, disorganise opponents. England will want to tire them out by seeing a lot of the ball and while the team do want to maintain that possession, they’ll still have the intent to play forward. There needs to be runs to break the lines and disrupt the opposition’s organisation. The pitch is split into five lanes and the idea is to have someone either in or occupying all areas to find tiny pockets within Italy’s defensive lines.

Pivot

England will always play with a pivot, which is important. That’s the person who’s going to rotate possession. I think the reason we’re seeing Declan Rice and Kalvin Phillips play at the same time is because Southgate will want a plus-one security point. So that will mean England have at least two players who could pop into and make those recovery runs or slot into the full-back areas when Kyle Walker or Luke Shaw or Kieran Trippier take up wide advanced positions. If you break down Italy’s opportunity to score, then you get the opportunity to create from penetration, combinations, crossing, individualism through shots from distance for example. England will try to make Italy’s attacking play predictable to help make those regains. At the same time, Southgate will want variety in offensive play which is why you’ll see him alternate between Saka, Grealish and Sancho for example. They’ll want to create an opening or draw a foul, which leads to a set-piece, which is a great strength of the squad.

Set-pieces

What you’ve really seen from them is a growing commitment to score, visible with the intent Harry Maguire has when attacking the ball. Within those set-play environments, England will have a breakdown in four areas. Typically you will have the deliverer, the first contacts, the edge men and deep defenders. That last role is to prevent a break and goalscoring opportunity. England do not want to face dangerous counters. The edge men also help prevent this as they’ll mark space and opponents on the periphery of the penalty area with the intent to score, create or counter-press and recover the team’s shape.