Italy’s second mission accomplished.

Yesterday Italy impressed a lot of people with their performance either offensively or defensively, Also Mancini adapted to Switzerland tactical changes and he passed a more tough test than Turkey.
So I will analyze and indicate important points in this match.

First: In build-up phase.
-Italy depended on 4–2 setup to deal with Switzerland’s pressing.
-Switzerland players role in pressing was : Embolo with Chiellini and covershadow Spinazzola and the same from the another ST in the other side to force CBs to pass in the middle.
-Shaqiri,Xhaka&Freuler in the midfield to mark Jorginho&Locatelli.
And with Bonucci’s passing ability you shouldn’t leave all these space behind your midfield, so Bouncci could pass to Barella behind the midfield and Italy bypassed Swiss pressing.

Italy’s Build-up

In Progression phase.
-Locatelli went to be as a left FB to help Spinazzola to be in advanced position.
- Insigne dropped to receive the ball without any Swiss CB leave his line to be with him.
-And with Jorginho, Barella& Insigne, Italy had a numerical superority in midfield [3v2].
-Barella created a passing lane which helped Bonucci to pass to him and they progressed the ball to a higher position in the field.

Italy’s Progression

In High pressing phase.
-Immobile marked Schar.
-Barella covershadowed Xhaka & Akanji.
-Insigne marked Elevedi, Berardi marked R. Rodriguez.
-Jorginho with Shaqiri, Loca with Freuler.
So Sommer had no option so he played a long ball to the left flank which easily to win.

Italy’s High pressing.

In Low-block phase.
-Immobile press on CB.
-Insigne covershadowed Mbabu and ready to step on Elevedi when the ball went to him.
-Jorgi&Loca covershadowed Shaqiri& Freuler.
- Barella marked Xhaka and he returned in his postion so he blocked the passing lane to Embolo.

Italy’s Low block.

And with this 1st half ended with Italian mastery in most if not all phases.
Also in the 2nd half, No big changes happened until 2nd goal.
After three minutes, Vladimir Petković ( Swiss manager) made two substations, Zuber & Wildmer in and Schar& Mbabu out.
He changed the plan, Zuber was a left winger, one of two strikers dropped to midfield with Shaqiri and R. Rodriguez as a Left FB who still back to be three in defence.
These changes gave Switzerland an advantage in possession and caused issues for Italian midfield.

-Barella& Loca were resposible for Xhaka&Freuler.
- ST positioned between two CBs, so they can’t track the dropping one.
-Jorginho in a numerical minority in midfield.

Italian midfield issues.

Also the pressing scheme changed,
-Shaqiri marked Jorgi.
-Freuler marked Loca.
-the duo STs marked CBs.
-Xhaka marked Barella.
-Wildmer marked Spinazzola.
But we didn’t feel suffering for Italy when we talk in build-up, this was because Shaqiri bad covershadowing, Jorginho easily to create a passing angle and with Bonucci’s passing ability, they could bypass Swiss pressing easily.

Another awful covershadowing from Shaqiri.

Here Mancini knew that the 2nd ST position caused issues for his team, So he decided to make two substations.
- Toloi & Chiesa in, Insigne&Berardi out.
- Played with three defenders which easily one CB can track the dropping striker.

Toloi referred to his teammates that the shape will be Three in defence.

Toloi tracked Embolo.

And he played more in transitions, Immobile made runs behind Wildmer (Right FB), and he could to create two chances but he could not finish it.

Italy’s Offensive transition.

Personally, I enjoyed a lot watching Italy, and I am waiting them to continue their journey.