EURO 2020: The key issues Roberto Martinez must fix if Belgium are to win the tournament – tactical analysis

Belgium successfully qualified from EURO 2020 Group B to enter the knockout stage. They began the journey by putting three past Russia clinically, then coming from behind against Denmark. In the last game, Roberto Martínez rotated the team by making five changes and the team beat Finland to secure the top of the group.

In the knockout stages, Belgium will face tougher opponents, Martínez believed the team was ready for challenges. This tactical analysis introduces some positives tactics of Martínez and some potential worries that required improvements.

Offensive inefficacy

Belgium bagged seven goals in the first three games, same with Italy and only one behind of Netherlands. However, they suffered against Denmark in the second game. When Kasper Hjulmand’s men pressed with high intensity, the Belgians could not play out from the back to reach the final third, let alone creating the opportunities. It was a bit disappointing to see the team only registering one shot in the first 45 even possessing talents like Romelu Lukaku, Yannick Carrasco, and Dries Mertens.

Belgium’s major issue was their occupation of half-spaces when playing Carrasco and Mertens alongside Lukaku. Without a holding midfielder, Martínez could only encourage the team to construct the attacks through the flanks. However, this also become a weak spot when the opposition invited Belgium to enter one vertical half and trapped them with the touchlines.