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Tighe’s 2014 World Cup Tactics Board: Analysing Niko Kovac’s Croatia
Published: March 20, 2014
Next up is Croatia, a team which required a last-gasp playoff victory over Iceland to qualify for the finals in Brazil next summer.
Qualifying
Croatia finished second in Group A to Belgium by a whopping nine points, planting them squarely in the playoffs against Iceland by a comfortable margin.
They managed a 1-1 draw with the Red Devils in Brussels early on in the campaign, but lost at home and away to Scotland and were held by Serbia—three results they could not recover from.
Goals didn't exactly flow during the Igor Stimac reign and the Croatian FA made the bold move of replacing their manager just before the World Cup playoffs.
Niko Kovac has posted one win and two draws thus far in his short time in charge of the team. We'll be analysing his methods, but there's not too much to go on. As such, there's plenty of room for maneuvering.
Formation and Style
Kovac has switched the formation around a little as he assesses his options, but has stuck with a settled back four of Darijo Srna, Josip Simunic, Vedran Corluka and Danijel Pranjic for all three games.
The full-backs, Srna and Pranjic, are very attack-minded and like to push forward aggressively on their respective flanks. That can leave a temporary platform of three at the back—defensive midfielder dropping in—unless they take it in turns and the formation rotates.
Midfield is their obvious strength, with La Liga's two best central midfielders in Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic playing superbly all season long.
Mateo Kovacic played as a No. 10 in a 4-2-3-1 against Iceland in the playoff's second leg, completing a triumvirate of creative options in the centre.
M...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - International Football
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