Genius: playmaker Andrea Pirlo. Photo: Emanuela TardocchiThe pragmatic and flexible nature of Italian football tactics explains their unrivalled ability to produce one-of-a-kind footballers.
The cultural differences between tonight’s quarter-finalists are already well documented. Italians are tactically agile, adaptable and comfortable with several systems. England broadly stick to rigid, pre-determined formulas increasingly perceived as outdated (though the debate may be reopened tonight).
An interesting side effect of this is the nature of the player development. Looking at Italy’s squad, the scope of player material is inescapable. There are wing-backs, anchor men, box-to-box midfielders and defensive and attacking playmakers. Up front, there are poachers, feather-light dribblers and players so unique and charismatic they are almost difficult to define.
Formations v player development
Compared to other top countries, this is unusual. Certainly, most have at least one typical player frequently coming though the ranks. Portugal have tricky wingers, Spain gifted playmakers, Argentina a host of glittering No10s. For Italy however, no such positions exists. Instead the variety of player types is exceptional.
The reasons for this are surely cultural. Due to Italian football’s lack of distinctive tactical preference, there are no limitations or positional hindrances to a player’s development. Whereas elsewhere, youth players are asked to “find their position” at an early stage – often compromising their natural game if their preferred position does not exist in the given set-up – Italian youth coaches, given their habit of pragmatism and flexibility, are more likely to construct a team’s tactics around its best players. In contrast, players in England unable to adapt to the 4-4-2 system consequently fall through – there is no role for them in which to develop.
How has this factor affected today’s players? How would, say, Sebastian Giovinco and Theo Walcott have developed in the opposite countries. Giovinco, almost certainly too small to play up front, would probably have played on the wing – if anywhere – trying to take on full-backs before crossing. Walcott? In a country where wingers are often sacrificed for more stability centrally, the question is hard to answer, though his positional flexibility, technique and tactically awareness would almost surely be stronger. Either way, the debate is as complex as it is fascinating.
Hugging the line: Walcott. Photo: Ronnie MacdonaldThe English 4-4-2 template
Just as Italy are adaptive, England are rigid. With the 4-4-2 so commonly deployed, the player produced are extremely well defined and have little variety. In fact it is tempting to portray stereotypes. The centre-halves are good in the air, moderately paced and accustomed to playing deep, while the full-backs almost exclusively play on the side of their preferred foot.
In central midfield, most players have evolved from box-to-box midfielders, albeit with certain specialities like long-range passing or a fearsome long shot (Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard). Others, like Scott Parker and Gareth Barry, have become more defensively orientated over time, though the core qualities of tackling and industriousness are still evident.
Furthermore, right wingers tend to be light and quick (Aaron Lennon, Theo Walcott, Shaun Wright-Phillips), while strikers are split into two categories: target men (Andy Carroll, Bobby Zamora, Peter Crouch, Grant Holt) and poachers (Danny Welbeck, Jermain Defoe, Darren Bent).
There are honourable exceptions. Wayne Rooney’s lack of pace or height is compensated by strength and explosiveness. Still, other less fortunate players of high technical and tactical sophistication – Paul Scholes, Matt Le Tissier and Michael Carrick to name some – never made their mark on the international stage despite being more than talented enough.
Tempo and physicality
Clearly, such exclusion of players is interlinked with English directness and high tempo – it poses high physical demands that many fail to meet. Almost certainly, players like Andrea Pirlo, Antonio Cassano, Giovinco, as well as the genius of Franscesco Totti and Alessandro Del Piero would have stood slim chances on Britain’s muddy pitches. While such conditions are unlikely to change, the amount of talent it habitually shuts out can only be imagined. For the Italians meanwhile, it remains a beautiful paradox that tactical pragmatism can produce such wonderful footballers.
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Pictures
The two Andrea Pirlo photos (cover and top): Emanuela Tardocchi
Theo Walcott: Ronnie Macdonald
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