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Too few impact substitutions

Mick McCarthy

More risks are required from the managers to force that moment of magic or luck that can change a game.

Switzerland have been the best exponents of intelligent defensive play in South Africa, cleverly forcing Spain to go wide and preventing them playing through the middle. They could make their system work because they had powerful centre-backs and a goalkeeper who was prepared to come out and command his area.

If a team is well-marshalled and disciplined, with every player doing his job for 90 minutes, it doesn't matter what the system is; you are going to find it very difficult to score.

What is the solution for an attacking side? Ideally, you would have good technical players, people who are patient in possession and a few individuals who can conjure up something special. The alternative is more basic; you direct the play up against their centre-backs and look to benefit from any scraps. But the quality of your opponent is also a factor.

For example, Germany couldn't have gone that way against Serbia because Nemanja Vidic and Neven Subotic were outstanding in the air. This is where Joachim Loew or any other manager in his position has to find something that gives the team a lift where the manager must make a positive change. But there have been precious few impact substitutions at this tournament so far.

No effect

Germany's two substitutions against Serbia had no effect on the game whatsoever. In all fairness, the team played well with 10 men, having had the misfortune to come across the worst refereeing performance of the competition. The officials have been really good in the main, but Alberto Undiano of Spain, who works in one of the top leagues in the world, was disappointing.

The most effective substitution was Italy's introduction of Mauro Camoranesi against Paraguay. As soon as he came on, Italy went 4-4-2 and improved considerably.

Camoranesi had an instant impact, and though he collected a quick booking for nailing his man, his introduction dragged Italy's performance level up. Marcello Lippi showed it can be done, but it has not been done enough.

It's amazing that neither Nigeria nor South Korea pushed a left-winger up against Jonas Gutirrez in their games against Argentina. Gutirrez is a good midfielder but he's never a right-back and wouldn't be able to handle someone pressing on him.

Template

It's been said that Switzerland, Algeria and others are following the template that brought Otto Rehhagel success with Greece at Euro 2004, but the problems that confronted Fabio Capello against Algeria are nothing new.

In the 1990 World Cup, Ireland reverted to a 4-1-4-1 when they didn't have the ball. Jack Charlton would tell one of his forwards to drop back and sit on the defensive midfielder. The onus is then on your opponent to produce a moment of ingenuity, or prosper from a lucky break. England's opening results mirror Ireland's in 2002.

Capello has admitted that he needs to change things. The positive for England is that it is now all-or-nothing against Slovenia. Not the scenario they would have envisaged, but one that often suits the British mentality. — © Guardian News and Media 2010

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