I know most Arsenal fans aren’t Zinsbergers biggest fan & I’m not here to discuss her performances last season but I have never seen a player who’s that consistent at hyping others up. Whenever I see her she’s either consoling or congratulating a team mate. Hell, she seems to be DVDs biggest fan despite basically being replaced by her.
If she’s actually content with only being the second/third choice while still being the clubs biggest supporter, it would be a shame to scare her away. Bc believe me, there are clubs who would gladly take her as a starter. And if it’s only for the experience 😅.
mario having the narrative of the century imagine leaving your top-tier reigning champions team to join a team that didn't even make the champions league last year and against all criticism and naysayers, managing to drag them all the way to the finals for the first time in over a DECADE to face against... your former team this is a summer blockbuster in the making
full of some of woso's biggest stars but they can't produce consistent performances so how do they start utilising their strengths: a tactical analysis
psa: i got some unbelievably angry while making this because there is so much mismanagement in a team with so much potential with some of the world's best players and constantly producing young talent in a nation with a promising league
First of all, what are Norway's major problems:
poor decision making in the players that are called up
a lack of depth in the full-back roles specifically left-back and the defensive midfield options
inconsistency in both defence and attack with inabilities to regularly score and keep clean sheets
too much competition certain positions in the team and not enough in others means that players are not playing in a consistent starting eleven so it is impossible to see what players play well together and who should get starting positions
The current Norwegian set-up uses a 4-3-3 with no real consistency in the players. Leaving CGH, Engen, Reiten and Hegerberg on the bench when they are fully fit should be a crime. They haven't had a proper manager for a long time and past managers have created toxic environments. The hiring of Gemma Grainger seems to be a good decision for the team but the tactical decisions she is making and the players that she is calling up seem to reflect some continued poor decision making and for Norway to succeed - which they undoubtedly can - this needs to change. I just want to say now, I am not going to discuss the goalkeepers here, I have not seen them play enough and there doesn't seem to be any options available playing outside of Norway, this will focus on the play outfield.
1. the problems with the call-up list
One thing is missing: an obvious left-back but she exists and she's playing for Everton. Norway needs to call up Elise Stenevik. A major problem is they currently struggle to create chances and defend on the left wing with a centre back often playing out of position in the left back role and when a left back provides service to Guro Reiten and defending the opposition's right winger (often the stronger role in most teams) this is a major loss and it shows when Norway play.
I spent three days trying to come up with a decent starting eleven that just avoided full-backs altogether but it doesn't work well for Norway's players and requires creativity that just isn't possible at an international level where players are only with their coaches for ten days at a time. All other options still leave the wings vulnerable with neither Graham Hansen or Reiten natural wing-backs and it also requires possession-based football which wouldn't be possible against top teams. If you want to introduce consistency, you need to go another route which is finding a natural left back.
I will be the first to admit that Elise Stenevik is by no means Norway's best defensive option in their available call-up list BUT she has one thing over everyone else and that's that she's played two seasons at Everton as the preferred starting left-back and she knows how to play the role because it's hers.
now for a break in a wall of text with photos that i took of her
Elise is young and her weakness is in her defending but that will improve and it will improve even faster in the national team environment than it would just at club and as literally the only left back I can find, they need to get her into the set up now so she can become the best player because even if she's not starting eleven matierial now, she will be in the future.
She would also bring an extra dimension to Norway's attack. Her talent comes in her ability to create chances and with Reiten, Hegerberg and Graham Hansen to finish them, this could be crucial for Norway especially due to their inability to consistently score. She's also very good on the ball and winning fouls and she can also win duels defensively, she just needs more time to develop that skill which will come a lot more quickly with the guidance of Norway's talented defenders such as Mjelde and Thorisdottir who also have huge amounts of experience.
2. the problems of the lack of depth in defensive midfield and full backs
I just wrote an essay on the solution to the full back problem. If Grainger plays Tuva Hansen consistently at right back, those two full back positions are filled with young talent that will develop.
The defensive midfield is more of a problem. On paper this season at centre back, Ingrid Engen has had a better season than any other Norwegian centre back. Unfortunately, she's one of just two defensive midfield options for Norway. The other option is Lisa Naalsund who isn't getting consistent minutes at United. Engen is by far the best option and the lack of depth is forcing Norway to play her essentially out of what is now her position, something she has seemed to be struggling with in recent games. Especially as this comes when Engen is the only real consistent defensive player in the defensive midfield role while the backline behind her is constantly shifting whether that be the players playing or the positions those players are instructed to play in. This is a problem for which there is little solution but it must be highlighted as a problem that Norway have.
Meanwhile, the rest of the problems: inconsistency in attack and defense and inconsistent starting elevens can be solved by a tactical changes. currently, Norway uses a 4-3-3 but I think they can be better served by the more adaptable 4-1-4-1 that can be shifted into more defensive and attacking line-ups to be used in all types of games. It would also allow for their more creative and talented players to roam in space and play their natural roles.
personally, i'd set up the starting 11 like this with these subs/replacements due to the injury
Terland is also a possibility in Hegerberg's position as well as further back while Bizet can play in Román Haug's position too. Mjelde is also a CB option as Bjlede is a RB option in Hansen's place.
Román Haug is fast, she can act in the 10 role in this position, picking up the ball from Engen's and Maanum's passing in the midfield and getting it forward in central channels for Hegerberg like she's been doing for Liverpool all season. Hegerberg's positioning in the box alongside Graham Hansen can ensure that quick chances from the counter attack are capitalised on.
Stenevik's ability to create chances down the left as she's been doing all season at Everton combined with Reiten's ability to move back (something that Blakstad can do too) allows the defensive weakness that Stenevik holds on the left to be compensated for. Her chance creation can allow for overlapping runs with Reiten to get effective crosses into the box that both Hansen and Hegerberg can capitalise. Román Haug and her speed can also capitalise on these chances.
Maanum in the midfield places someone who is effective at both passing and dribbling centrally to create chances and hold up the ball with Engen in the midfield while players can move forward in order for possession to be capitalised on in order to create chances. she's also an effective option when the opposition team is defending in a low block to get a goal from outside of the box.
The backline in this 4-1-4-1 can quickly get support. The flexible formation allows Engen to drop into a CB position to create a 5 person backline which can effectively defend against the strongest teams. With Reiten's ability to also defend and Maanum's ability to drop into central midfield, the speed of Graham Hansen and Román Haug allow for quick counter-attacking measures with Hegerberg as the lone player forward, a role she is very capable of playing and she has done in UWCL matches for Lyon.
Ultimately, this line-up would allow for consistency in all matches whether it is when in a low block against a top team or a high press against a lower ranked team or in a match of equal possession in a team of the same calibre.
Overall, Norway would benefit from the call-up of a natural LB, a flexible tactical line-up that would work against all teams and consistency in the starting 11 in a 4-1-4-1 with Stenevik playing at LB. Norway would also benefit from Blakstad being recalled to the national team as a replacement and an option as opposed to Reiten if she's injured.
If you want more analysis of all these players' strengths, I'd love to do it but the photo limit won't let me add all the heat maps I want so I've left it out of this post so let me know, just drop me an ask with a name.
