FIFA Women’s World Cup 2019 Tactical Preview: Norway vs England

The books transported her into new worlds and introduced her to amazing people who lived exciting lives. She went on olden-day sailing ships with Joseph Conrad. She went to Africa with Ernest Hemingway and to India with Rudyard Kipling. She travelled all over the world while sitting in her little room in an English village.

Roald Dahl, Matilda

Perhaps the greatest son of both Norway and Great Britain (he was more Welsh than English), the author Roald Dahl, could take readers across the world through his magnificent prose. This Thursday evening the daughters of each nation will instead ascend to the pinnacle of women’s world football when they face one another in a much-anticipated quarter-final.

In this tactical analysis, we shall see how Norway will hope to further refine the speed of their attack by pushing Caroline Graham Hansen further forwards. In turn, England will hope to congest the centre to prevent this area from gaining significance. Furthermore, they will, in turn, try to overcome the abiding defensive lines of Norway’s flexible defenders. If England are to have any chance in piercing Norway’s defensive tactical fluidity, they will have to get the most of their wide players but in a manner that hasn’t totally paid off in the tournament, so far.

Tactical analysis: line-ups and shape

Norway went into this World Cup with a 4-4-2 which transitioned into a 4-2-2-2 when attacking. Against one of the tournament’s top sides, however, it feels almost certain that Norway will adopt their more recent 4-5-1 starting stance. They notably first tried this when they played France in Group A. Against Australia though, they were in a much more defined 4-4-1-1 or 4-1-3-1-1.

In this shape, Ingrid Engen looks to sit much deeper, where she matured into a reliable figure on the ball. Always looking to tease Australia onto the front foot, she offered a composed target through which to pass to in order to dismantle the Matilda’s press. Vilde Bøe Risa then staggered herself from Engen, and it was this shape which allowed them to keep pushing further forwards.

From here, Norway can attack with many options but still retain a defensive precautiousness. Balls can be played to the overlapping full-backs, to Karina Saevik who positions wide before mercilessly slipping into the centre to bolster Graham Hansen, or even something a bit longer to Isabell Herlovsen, who likes to move into the channels. Personnel-wise, Norway will seek to be unchanged. Martin Sjögrens faith in his core group of players is crucial in his decision-making over his starting formation.

Phil Neville has been rather different to Sjögren in that he’s sought to use a larger variety of his squad, as well as changing formation several times. Due to the dangers which Norway provide, we should expect England to line up in the 4-2-3-1. This should provide attacking as well as defensive solidity. Likewise, Norway notably stuttered when they last played France, who adopted this shape.

With regards to his starting XI, Neville has been open about how he sees his side as having multiple personalities and he will chop-and-change to suit his ideal gameplan. Following the round of 16 victory over Cameroon, amongst his more controversial remarks, he stated, “thats what rotation is about, not about putting 23 players into a hat and picking out 11  we strategically plan each rotation and made eight today.”

As we come to