Understanding DR Congo's Approach
In the unpredictable environment of a major tournament's knockout stages, every match carries the risk of elimination. DR Congo, England's upcoming opponent, advanced from their group with a mixed record, securing a win against Uzbekistan, a draw with Portugal, and a loss to Colombia. Their tactical setup and potential challenges for Thomas Tuchel's England squad warrant a closer look.
DR Congo has consistently employed a 5-3-2 formation throughout the tournament, both in possession and when defending. Their average possession stands at 38.8%, significantly lower than England's 65.7%, indicating a preference for a defense-first strategy aimed at launching counter-attacks. However, their defensive approach is surprisingly proactive.
High Press and Man-to-Man Marking
Despite their lower possession statistics, DR Congo often engages in a high press, particularly from goal-kick situations against ball-dominant teams like Portugal and Colombia. They maintain a relatively high defensive line, avoiding deep retreats into their own box. Their players tend to apply pressure aggressively to the ball-carrier and surrounding teammates. While this proactive stance is more dynamic than simply sitting back, it presents potential vulnerabilities for England to exploit.
From goal-kicks, DR Congo's two strikers and three midfielders push forward to press the opposition's goalkeeper, center-backs, and holding midfielder. Their wing-backs are assigned to press the opposing full-backs, leaving the three center-backs to manage three attackers. This man-to-man marking across the pitch could play into England's hands. While such pressure can induce errors, England's players, accustomed to high presses in the Premier League, are expected to handle it with their technical proficiency.
England's Potential Exploits
Utilizing Wide Areas
England could find success by deploying wide full-backs in deeper positions. This strategy would force DR Congo's wing-backs to cover greater distances, creating more time and space for England's full-backs on the ball. Tuchel's concept of 'wide units'—comprising full-back, midfielder, and winger—could be instrumental in rotating positions to pull DR Congo players out of their designated areas, targeting this weakness.
Similar to Colombia's approach against DR Congo, where a lower starting position for their full-back created space due to DR Congo's man-to-man press, England could use clever rotations to open up direct passes into attacking players dropping deep. Examples from previous England matches, such as Declan Rice moving wide to create space for Harry Kane, demonstrate this potential.
Accelerating Through the Middle Third
England's squad is designed to draw in pressure before 'accelerating through the middle third,' a tactic highlighted by assistant coach Anthony Barry. By drawing the opponent's attack and midfield away from the defensive line, more space is created for attackers to run into behind the defense. This explains England's use of direct passes from deep by players like Elliot Anderson and Harry Kane to powerful runners, and their improved performance against a pressing Croatian side compared to a more passive Ghana.
If DR Congo maintains their pressing approach, England will look to release players such as Jude Bellingham, Marcus Rashford, Anthony Gordon, and Noni Madueke into these spaces behind the defensive line.
Overloading and Switching Play
In their defensive block, DR Congo's front two often press the center-backs and screen passes to the defensive midfielder. However, if teams build with more than two players in the first line, their attackers can be outnumbered. This often compels a central midfielder to push up and apply pressure, a situation England can exploit. A central midfielder like Jude Bellingham or Declan Rice could pin this player, creating an unmarked pass out wide.
Utilizing a third central defender, as Jarell Quansah did in England's last match, could draw DR Congo's wide midfielder to press, opening up space in their vacated area. England's increased focus on central passing against Panama suggests this could be a continuing pattern.
Against deep blocks, Tuchel has previously instructed his players to play 'short, short, short' passes followed by 'a long switch' to find wingers in space. With only three central midfielders, overloading one side of the pitch with short passes can pull DR Congo players towards the ball, leaving a gap on the far side for a long pass to an unmarked winger. DR Congo's relative lack of width across the midfield makes them vulnerable to horizontal passes across the pitch, a tactic successfully employed by Spain against Saudi Arabia.
Exploiting Throw-ins
DR Congo's tendency to commit numerous players around throw-ins in the opposition's half creates another opportunity. Opponents have found it easy to locate unmarked players from throw-ins. A quick first-time pass back to the thrower before switching play could rapidly position England in an advantageous attacking position due to DR Congo's lack of width.
DR Congo's Own Threats
Despite these potential vulnerabilities, DR Congo poses its own threats. They often build up short from goal-kicks, but in an unconventional manner. Their back three spreads wide, forming a back four when the goalkeeper is involved, with wing-backs taking wide positions and a holding midfielder positioned in front. The remaining two midfielders and two forwards tend to cluster around where longer passes are aimed, rather than adhering to fixed zones, which can help them win loose balls.
This widely spaced build-up can make their passing risky, but it also makes cohesive pressing difficult for opponents due to the large distances involved. Furthermore, Yoane Wissa's ability to read attacking situations and react quickly in the box presents a significant threat to any defense.
Source: BBC Sport
