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The Indian’s team Hero Intercontinental Cup success sparked an outpouring of positive reactions. It wasn't solely due to their triumph against Lebanon for the first time since 1977, leading to silverware, but also because of the remarkable manner in which they attained the result.
Under the guidance of head coach Igor Stimac, the team has embraced a fearless mindset, and the players have risen to the occasion. Stimac's tactical blueprint appears to be clear and sets the stage for a potentially decisive year for Indian football.
While there is work still to be done, the Blue Tigers have a settled lineup, with combinations between the players improving with each subsequent game. This, coupled with a clear identity, positions India favorably for the upcoming high-quality competitions.
On that note, let’s delve into an in-depth tactical analysis of Stimac’s system, the structure in and out of possession, and a few of the recurring patterns in attack.
In possession – India’s structure and buildup shape
When facing teams of lower rankings, Stimac has a preference for utilizing a 4-3-3 formation, typically featuring just one defensive midfielder in the starting lineup.
However, he has also shown flexibility by employing a 4-2-3-1 structure, incorporating two deep-lying midfielders. In this setup, Anirudh Thapa and Jeakson Singh seem to be Stimac's favored options, with Sahal Abdul Samad often operating centrally behind the striker.
The Croatian tactician also appears to have found his first choice back four during the Hero Intercontinental Cup. Sandesh Jhingan had an excellent tournament, while Anwar Ali's inclusion has proven significant, particularly due to his passing range which contributes to the team's ball progression.
Meanwhile, Akash Mishra has shown remarkable growth and established himself as India's undisputed first-choice left-back. While there is competition at right-back, Mishra's former club teammate Nikhil Poojary has solidified his spot through impressive displays in the Intercontinental Cup.
In attack, Lallianzula Chhangte has cemented his place on the right flank following an incredible Indian Super League season. Healthy competition ensues on the opposite side among Naorem Mahesh Singh, Ashique Kuruniyan, and Nandhakumar Sekar.
From an initial 4-2-3-1 setup on paper, India shift their shape in settled possession. In the games against Mongolia and Lebanon, the defensive midfielder – Jeaskon Singh dropped deeper alongside the center-backs to form a back three. This in turn allows the full-backs to advance up the pitch and hold the width.
On a few occasions, we could also observe Thapa and Jeakson positioning themselves close to the halfway line, with the center-backs moving wider. These adjustments are in hindsight to the player's individual strengths and abilities.
Mishra and Poojary, both physical and quick, have energy that helps them cover the entire flank and delivering pinpoint crosses in the attacking third. Thapa and Jeaskon, on the other hand, are comfortable in deeper areas when they are allowed to orchestrate the attacks.
India’s attacking patterns
As previously stated, both full-backs venture forward for India. This in turn serves as a trigger for their wingers to position themselves in the half-spaces between the opposing center-back and full-back.
This movement effectively creates a front six and enables a numerical overload against teams that defend with four players in the last line.
In the below scenario, Thapa positions himself near the halfway line, allowing Mishra to advance. As a result, Ashique Kuruniyan drifts inside to position himself between Lebanon’s defenders.
Through his well-executed blindside movement, Ashique manages to elude his marker and makes a run in behind the defense. Mishra plays a through ball to set him up for a goal-scoring opportunity, while Chhangte launches a move from the right flank to make himself available for the cross.
This is a pattern that will serve well for India due to the availability of quick and intelligent wingers in Udanta Singh, Naoram Mahesh Singh, and Ashique.
Another one of India’s regular patterns includes the subtle movement of the attacking midfielder. Sahal, typically positioned behind the striker, moves towards the ball, effectively receiving it between the lines, and creating a three-versus-two superiority on the flanks.
Here is an example, in the game against Lebanon. As Thapa has the ball, Sahal remains central, with Chhangte holding the width.
When Thapa eventually passes to Jhingan, Sahal makes a move to the right side to link up with Poojary and Chhangte. In this situation, Poojary’s overlapping run allows Chhangte to drift inside and also enables Jhingan to play a line-breaking pass, ultimately creating an overload on the flank.
India’s most important progression method is via third-man combinations, especially on the right flank.
In the below scenario, Jeakson positions himself between the center-backs, while the two full-backs are once again higher up the pitch. As you can see, both Stimac and Jhingan are instructing Chhangte (out of the picture) to move into the half-space and make himself available for a pass.
This move allows India to pin back Lebanon’s wingers and eventually create space in behind to find Poojary's run. As Jeakson releases the pass, Chhangte’s movement attracts the Lebanon full-back, therefore creating a corridor of uncertainty in the wide area.
As the defender gets tight to Chhangte, Ashique, who started as the striker, drops deeper to provide an option. The center-backs fail to track his movement, as Chhangte lays off a first-time pass, with Poojary making a third-man run.
Ashique receives in space and plays the pass to Poojary. India have three players attacking the penalty box in Chhangte, Udanta Singh, and Sahal from the left side.
The Blue Tigers also employ third-man combinations when faced with opponents pressing aggressively. Thapa and Jeakson play integral roles in this approach, intelligently linking up before involving the advanced-positioned full-backs.
Despite Stimac opting to rotate his side against Vanuatu, there were promising elements on display. The team's established patterns and principles remained intact.
In the following scenario, India successfully executed both the ball-sided movement of the attacking midfielder and the third-man combination strategy.
Pritam Kotal, starting as the right-back, lays off the ball to Mahesh Singh before darting into the vacated space. Simultaneously, Liston Colaco, taking Sahal's position, executes a well-coordinated ball-sided movement, offering himself as a passing option for Mahesh.
From there, rather than playing the ball back to Kotal, Mahesh utilizes a third-man combination, involving Colaco, who then plays the ball to Kotal in acres of space.
In their attacking approach, India frequently deploy three players in the box, each having varied movements, as depicted in the image. Notably, the striker and the winger positioned on the far side execute runs towards the six-yard box, while Colaco positions himself in the cut-back zone.
India's out of possession structure
Like many international teams, India, under Igor Stimac, adopt a 4-4-2 formation when out of possession. This structure allows the team to maintain a compact defensive structure and swiftly shift across the field when the opponents move the ball wide.
The Blue Tigers have demonstrated their proactive approach by initiating high-pressing from the front, aiming to quickly regain possession. While this strategy proves effective against lower-ranked opponents, their response when encountering higher-ranked teams will be interesting to witness.
There are a few variations when the team presses, especially with the front two. Typically, the forward line actively engages in covering the opposing center-backs. Meanwhile, the wingers and central midfielders take on the responsibility of man-marking in the central areas of the pitch.
In the below scenario, India effectively employ a 'pendulum press.' As Sunil Chhetri applies pressure on the center-back in possession, Sahal takes responsibility for tracking the pivot player. This effectively restricts central progression for the opposition.
Similar dynamics come into play when Sahal disengages from marking the pivot player and applies pressure on the center-back in possession. In this scenario, Chhetri assumes responsibility for tracking the player.
The key factor behind India's impressive record of six clean sheets in six games is their resolute defense within their penalty box. The physical prowess and exceptional game awareness of both Jhingan and Anwar Ali highlight their importance to the side.
Nevertheless, India's defensive line will face a formidable challenge when pitted against teams of higher caliber. Transitional defending remains an area of concern, as demonstrated by the Blue Tigers' occasional struggles against Lebanon.
Despite the work that still lies ahead, Stimac's men have established a strong foundation and have a clear set of ideas moving forward. The team is poised for further improvement as they gear up for the upcoming SAFF Championship and the King's Cup before participating in next year's crucial AFC Asian Cup.
