Euro 2016: Italy more than the sum of its parts; take apart star-studded Belgium

At long last, the tournament got a game worthy of its stature and, as happens so often in football, it was thanks to stark contrast in personnel and tactics from two sides that could not have been more different from each other. Italy have come into this tournament with question marks over selection choices made by manager Antonio Conte. In picking his 23 man squad, and the approach continued with his starting XI as well, Conte picked workhorses who melded into his 3-5-2 formation over stand-out individual talent. Prima donnas are in short supply in this group, and yet, the orchestral sync produced a 2-0 tactical masterclass, while Belgium’s group of individuals, with more than a fair sprinkling of stardust between them, struggled to find their identity on the big stage yet again. [caption id=“attachment_2833676” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Italy’s players celebrate after their win over Belgium. AFP[/caption] As expected, and as repeatedly stressed by Conte in the build-up to this tournament, the near telepathic understanding between the back three of Barzagli, Bonucci and Chiellini was on view, as they worked the ball around like Belgium’s front four had no business trying to interrupt them, passing it out effortlessly into the five-man midfield. On Monday, Bonucci’s contribution extended to an assist, a long ball from halfway across the pitch into Emmanuele Giaccherini’s feet, which was then received with a silken first touch and closed out without a fuss. For followers of the English game, it seemed incredulous, given his anonymity and lack of meaningful contribution for the best part of his stint at Sunderland. At other times, Conte’s clinical decision making resulted in key substitutions, which brought with it greater solidity to the system. Matteo Darmian, playing a wide left role as part of a midfield five, struggled to link up with the back three from time to time, resulting in the nimble-footed Belgians launching counterattacks, leaving the Juventus trio exposed. The manager then replaced him with Mattia de Sciglio, who put up a disciplined performance, ensuring that goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon remained untroubled throughout the second half. If clarity of thought and single-minded dedication to the team’s cause were evident across the Italian ranks, muddled thinking and denial rankled Belgium’s lot as the night wore on. Kevin de Bruyne, playmaker extraordinaire, had to settle for a role down the right, as Marc Wilmots tried to accommodate Marouane Fellaini into his set-up, and played him down the middle. Fellaini’s physicality succeeds more often than not, but against this bulwark of a defense, he finished a distant second. All the organisational discipline from the Italians resulted in Romelu Lukaku finding himself out of position, most often on the right, meaning the formation was left without a target man up top. Wilmots pointed to a “breakdown in communication” among his defence while conceding the first goal, blamed Conte’s “defensive tactics” and also singled out Lukaku and de Bruyne, before quickly clarifying that “it is not the time now to criticise individuals”. And yet, it was Italy who scored in the dying embers of the game, as Graziano Pelle thundered home a volley from close range past an otherwise impressive Thibaut Courtois. At the end of both goals, fittingly for a side without individual superstars, you could not have guessed the scorer’s identity. Members of the starting XI ran into a sea of substitutes in training bibs, the goalkeeper ran across the field after the second goal, and goal-scorers recognised suppliers and midfield architects with mutual cranium holding and forehead clashing celebrations that characterise such sides. As Conte reminded at the end of the game, “This is a squad of men and of good footballers” and “I don’t tell lies”. At this point, it seems hard to argue with that assertion. Lesser possession. Fewer chances. No superstars. Greater accuracy. Clinical decision making. Selfless spirit. Conte and his Italy side are starting to demonstrate their fabled art of doing more and more with less.