Lothar Matthaus: Northern Ireland can cause a shock at Euro 2016 as their players are largely unknown to other teams
Former Germany skipper is bringing his unique tactical insight to SunSport’s star Euro 2016 team this summer
I THINK everyone in Europe is expecting Northern Ireland to be the Group C whipping boys.
But I love the spirit I see in Michael O’Neill’s team and it’s too easy to write them off.
They won their group, from which both Romania and Hungary qualified. They have come to France on a wave of positive feelings and they will carry that into every game.
The fact the players come from the lower leagues means not too many sides will know much about them, either.
It’s a surprise for everybody that they are here and you know they will fight for everything and try to cause Poland problems. Even so, this is a massive ask, first up.
WHAT makes it harder for Northern Ireland is that Poland have strong club combinations.
On the right flank, Lukasz Piszczek and Jakub Blaszczykowski were together at Borussia Dortmund — with Robert Lewandowski — and they love to double up.
I actually thought those two at Dortmund were better as a partnership than Philipp Lahm and Arjen Robben at Bayern Munich, so that shows how good they were.
That is where Poland will look to hurt teams, down that side, because the three of them know each other’s games so well and it makes Lewandowski even more deadly. The only issue is that when Lewandowski was made captain, which had been Piszczek, it caused some friction between them — but this is about the country, not the individuals.
No matter what O’Neill calls the shape, it will end up as a 4-5-1, with Kyle Lafferty very much on his own as the one attacker.
The midfield will be pushed back to help Gareth McAuley and Jonny Evans because that is the only way they have a chance of stopping Lewandowski and Arkadiusz Milik.
WHEN you look at Poland, the danger is obvious — Robert Lewandowski scored 13 in qualifying and Arkadiusz Milik got seven.
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For me, Bayern Munich’s Lewandowski is the best No 9 in the world, better than Luis Suarez or Karim Benzema. The best.
He’s everything you want in a centre-forward. He has strength and power, is good in the air, is happy to run in behind defenders, has great technique and two good feet.
He has formed a great combination with Ajax striker Milik. Lewandowski is also mobile and looks to play in every attacking area of the pitch, not just in the box — but the whole width of the penalty area — plus he covers a huge amount of ground.
Normally, you would play against two strikers with a back three but we know Northern Ireland won’t do that. They will have their usual back four. It is how they like to play and how they intend to set up.
I love the spirit I see in Michael O’Neill’s team and it’s too easy to write them off
Lothar Matthaus
THE IRISH have to try to take Poland on physically because that might be one area where they are lacking.
To do this and cut down the space they need to stay very compact.
They have got to close the trap round Robert Lewandowski and fellow striker Arkadiusz Milik, making them the meat in the sandwich.
That means the midfield getting around them to close off the balls, especially from the right, with the centre-backs getting tight.
But the wide attacking midfielders will also have to work deep in their own territory, making the unit tougher to break down and hoping that Poland will get too stretched.
If it works it could allow the Irish to get at them on the break or from a set-piece.
Defensively, Lukasz Piszczek will cover across and help Kamil Glik, who does lack pace in the centre.
So if Northern Ireland are to get any joy it will come down the other side, their right.
By contrast, the relationship between the left-back, Jakub Wawrzyniak and Kamil Grosicki is not quite so good. That is the weak point, if there is one.
