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Let's talk about the Czech Republic. They qualified for this World Cup as a very physical team and a highly aggressive pressing side. If you look at the most successful Czech team in recent years, Slavia Prague, much of their success has come from their intense man-oriented pressing all over the pitch. They used a similar structure to Slavia Prague, usually a 3-4-2-1 or 5-4-1, which makes even more sense when you consider that 10 of the 26 players in the squad play for Slavia. When I watched their qualifying match against Denmark, they caused a lot of problems, especially during phases where they pressed aggressively high and whenever they had the opportunity to deliver the ball into the box through set pieces or crosses from Coufal. I feel they could have caused problems for many national teams if they had fully embraced an identity based on aggressive man-to-man pressing, winning duels, physicality, set pieces, and crosses into the box. That is why I was surprised when I watched them against South Korea. It felt like they placed less emphasis on some of the characteristics that had traditionally defined them. Instead of pressing high with their usual man-oriented approach, they were much more conservative, defending in a 5-1-3-1 and allowing South Korea a +1 in the build-up phase. I felt that if they had been more aggressive, South Korea would have struggled more to match their physicality. South Korea have very clear positional principles in possession, and if you leave a free player, they will find him. The Czech Republic gave space and time to a player like Hwang In-Beom and, as a result, spent long periods defending without being able to consistently disrupt South Korea's build-up. The Czech Republic also have centre-backs such as Chaloupek and Krejci who are comfortable stepping out of the defensive line and defending large spaces, which can support a more proactive defensive approach. Pressing high aggressively can also increase the likelihood of winning corners, free kicks, and long throw-ins near the opposition box, situations in which they are particularly dangerous. After that game, they started pressing more aggressively again, but there were also several changes to the starting line-up, which seemed to affect the team's dynamics. In those matches, they used more technical players and fewer physical profiles. That gave them longer spells of possession, but naturally those players are less suited to executing an aggressive man-to-man pressing game. Anyway, the main problem for the Czech Republic is what happens when they drop into a mid or low block. They continue to defend with a high degree of man orientation, which can open up large spaces in dangerous areas. Man-to-man defending in deeper zones makes more sense when you have a significant transition threat. For example, look at Gasperini's teams and the pace they have in attacking and wing-back positions. They are willing to accept greater defensive risk because they know that, once they recover possession, they can launch counter-attacks with similar numbers to the opposition. Apart from Sulc, the Czech Republic do not have many profiles capable of doing that consistently and effectively. Because of that, they have been one of the teams conceding the most chances during this World Cup, allowing seven goals in three games. Overall, I felt there was a strong case for leaning even more into the team's traditional strengths: physicality, aggressive man-to-man pressing, duels, set pieces, and crosses into the box. The Czech Republic still did a good job qualifying, but given the profiles available, I wonder whether a more consistent commitment to their identity could have caused a lot of teams problems. They could have been the Brentford of this World Cup.

Ruxiiii4's tweet photo. Let's talk about the Czech Republic.

They qualified for this World Cup as a very physical team and a highly aggressive pressing side. If you look at the most successful Czech team in recent years, Slavia Prague, much of their success has come from their intense man-oriented pressing all over the pitch.

They used a similar structure to Slavia Prague, usually a 3-4-2-1 or 5-4-1, which makes even more sense when you consider that 10 of the 26 players in the squad play for Slavia.

When I watched their qualifying match against Denmark, they caused a lot of problems, especially during phases where they pressed aggressively high and whenever they had the opportunity to deliver the ball into the box through set pieces or crosses from Coufal.

I feel they could have caused problems for many national teams if they had fully embraced an identity based on aggressive man-to-man pressing, winning duels, physicality, set pieces, and crosses into the box.

That is why I was surprised when I watched them against South Korea. It felt like they placed less emphasis on some of the characteristics that had traditionally defined them. Instead of pressing high with their usual man-oriented approach, they were much more conservative, defending in a 5-1-3-1 and allowing South Korea a +1 in the build-up phase.

I felt that if they had been more aggressive, South Korea would have struggled more to match their physicality. South Korea have very clear positional principles in possession, and if you leave a free player, they will find him. The Czech Republic gave space and time to a player like Hwang In-Beom and, as a result, spent long periods defending without being able to consistently disrupt South Korea's build-up. The Czech Republic also have centre-backs such as Chaloupek and Krejci who are comfortable stepping out of the defensive line and defending large spaces, which can support a more proactive defensive approach.

Pressing high aggressively can also increase the likelihood of winning corners, free kicks, and long throw-ins near the opposition box, situations in which they are particularly dangerous.

After that game, they started pressing more aggressively again, but there were also several changes to the starting line-up, which seemed to affect the team's dynamics. In those matches, they used more technical players and fewer physical profiles. That gave them longer spells of possession, but naturally those players are less suited to executing an aggressive man-to-man pressing game.

Anyway, the main problem for the Czech Republic is what happens when they drop into a mid or low block. They continue to defend with a high degree of man orientation, which can open up large spaces in dangerous areas. Man-to-man defending in deeper zones makes more sense when you have a significant transition threat. For example, look at Gasperini's teams and the pace they have in attacking and wing-back positions. They are willing to accept greater defensive risk because they know that, once they recover possession, they can launch counter-attacks with similar numbers to the opposition.

Apart from Sulc, the Czech Republic do not have many profiles capable of doing that consistently and effectively. Because of that, they have been one of the teams conceding the most chances during this World Cup, allowing seven goals in three games.

Overall, I felt there was a strong case for leaning even more into the team's traditional strengths: physicality, aggressive man-to-man pressing, duels, set pieces, and crosses into the box.

The Czech Republic still did a good job qualifying, but given the profiles available, I wonder whether a more consistent commitment to their identity could have caused a lot of teams problems. They could have been the Brentford of this World Cup.

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@viktorek79

2 days ago

@ivan_gabal chce to vic chodit po schodech bych to tak videl

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@viktorek79

2 days ago

@j_plechaty @ceskarepre_cz euro 2016 to stejne

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@viktorek79

3 days ago

I have a different experience, in 2023 I had to cancel my trip due to the death of my mother-in-law, RC rejected me at first, but then they solved it with a credit for another trip, we used it and bought two extra seats. It helped my father-in-law, who tragically lost his wife after 50 years of marriage, a lot, and I am still grateful to RC for this helpfulness!

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VB

@viktorek79

3 days ago

@Ovarisimus 1… :-(

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@viktorek79

4 days ago

@Prazska_Naplava ja bohuzel taky…

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@viktorek79

4 days ago

@CNNPrima pulmetr Paja si to projel, takze cajk

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Jura Háček 🇨🇿🇪🇺🇺🇦 (jirka maso :)

@jura_haczek

4 days ago

Tahle část z vyjádření prezidenta k podání kompetenční žaloby je přesná: "...v tomto sporu opravdu nejde o jednu židli na jednom zahraničním jednání. Jde o vědomé rozhodnutí vlády vyloučit prezidenta, vrchního velitele ozbrojených sil a bývalého vysokého představitele NATO, z vrcholného jednání Aliance v době, kdy může svoji celoživotní expertizu uplatnit ve prospěch bezpečnosti České republiky a jejích občanů. Vážení spoluobčané, předpokládám, že jste mě zvolili prezidentem republiky, abych prezidentem republiky skutečně byl. Je mou povinností pravomoci prezidenta v plném rozsahu nejen vykonávat, ale i bránit. Ne kvůli sobě. Ale kvůli všem prezidentům a prezidentkám, kteří přijdou po mně..." Předpokládáte správně, pane prezidente, přesně proto jsem vás zvolil.🫡 https://t.co/WC2nrRD2xD