FIFA World Cup 2018: Tunisia

Tunisia are back for their first World Cup since 2006. The Eagles of Carthage have never made it out of the group stage and it doesnt look likely at their fifth attempt. They had enough of a challenge being drawn against England and Belgium even before the loss of star man Youssef Msakni to injury. Even the match order is working against them.

Progressing to the last sixteen is likely to be beyond them, however they will hoping to add to their sole victory against Mexico at the 1978 World Cup in their final game against Panama.

Tunisia’s squad

Coach: Nabil Maaloul

Pole Henryk Kasperczak was replaced after his second spell in charge by Maaloul after being knocked out in the quarter-finals of the 2017 African Cup of Nations. Maaloul was a midfielder for the country back in the eighties and nineties, earning 74 caps, and has been involved in the set-up previously, even managing them for seven games in 2013.

Under his stewardship Tunisia finished top of a group containing Guinea, Libya and DR Congo undefeated to seal their place in Russia. This success makes him the second Tunisian coach to qualify for the World Cup  the first being Abdelmajid Chetali back in 1978.

Goalkeepers
Farouk Ben Mustapha, Moez Hassen, Aymen Mathlouthi

Defenders
Rami Bedoui, Yohan Benalouane, Syam Ben Youssef, Dylan Bronn, Oussama Haddadi, Ali Maaloul, Yassine Meriah, Hamdi Nagguez

Midfielders
Mohamed Amine Ben Amor, Ghaylene Chaalali, Ahmed Khalil, Saif-Eddine Khaoui, Ferjani Sassi, Ellyes Skhiri, Naim Sliti, Bassem Srarfi

Forwards
Fakhreddine Ben Youssef, Saber Khalifa, Wahbi Khazri, Anice Badri

Tactics

Maaloul generally prefers to play with a 4-2-3-1, however, he has been known to change to a 4-3-3 to shore up the midfield against stronger opponents. With talisman Youssef Msakni missing the tournament due to an injury to his knee ligaments and two tough group matches, the latter seems more likely.

Looking primarily not to concede goals, the back-line sits quite deep and is protected by hard-working ball-winners Mohamed Amine Ben Amor and Ferjani Sassi, while the attacking midfielders are all expected to track back. The defenders are expected not to rush into challenges, but instead stand up their opponents, stop them from turning and wait for reinforcements, with the deepest midfielder dropping into the back-line to fill in any gaps if they get dragged out of position (this seems to be very important as Tunisia do seem to have a tendency to concede goals from crosses where the attacker has popped up in the gap between two defenders, so limiting this space is a must). Portugal also showed that the back-line can really struggle against pacey attackers.

The midfielders ahead of them defend with man orientations, tending to stick close to their opposite number in midfield and deny them space.

However