Poland’s Journey in Euro 2024: Can They Overcome the Odds?
Introduction:
Poland’s qualification campaign for Euro 2024 was far from impressive, finishing third in their group behind the Czech Republic and Albania. They had to rely on a penalty shootout win over Wales in the play-offs to secure their spot in the tournament. With such a lackluster performance, there is little hope back home that Poland can make it through their tough group.
Michal Probierz’s Challenge:
During the qualification run, former Under-21s coach Michal Probierz was brought in to turn things around. Despite his success in getting Poland through, he lacks experience in managing at a major tournament. This puts additional pressure on him as he takes charge of the team.
Key Player: Robert Lewandowski:
No one doubts that Poland’s fortunes will depend heavily on the performance of their star striker, Robert Lewandowski. As a Barcelona player, he has the potential to be a game-changer. However, he needs to improve on his record of just seven goals in 18 tournament appearances to truly make an impact.
Tactical Approach:
Poland typically adopts a 3-5-2 formation, with three central defenders and wing-backs providing width in attack. The focus is on Lewandowski, supported by Karol Swiderski from Serie A club Hellas Verona. Poland’s strategy revolves around intelligent rotations and ball movement, although they can sometimes be slow to progress. They rely heavily on their wing-backs for ball progression, preferring passing and movement over dribbling.
Defensive Strategy:
Poland is expected to press high and work aggressively against teams playing out from the back. They aim to force opponents into playing long passes or out wide, where they can slide the block and trap them. Even when defending in a medium block, Poland maintains a strong and compact central structure, with aggressive positioning from the wing-backs.
Group Stage Challenges:
Poland finds themselves in a challenging group alongside France, the Netherlands, and potentially dark horses Austria. If they manage to top the group, they would face the runners-up from Group F. However, finishing second would pit them against the runner-up from Group E. Another possibility for Poland is progressing as one of the best third-placed teams, which would lead to a tough last-16 draw.
Prediction:
Despite being considered underdogs, Poland has a chance to surprise if they can overcome the odds. Their journey to the final would likely involve facing tough opponents like Belgium and England in the quarter and semi-finals. However, their inconsistent performance in the qualifiers and lack of experience at major tournaments make it unlikely for them to make a deep run.
Conclusion:
Poland’s qualification for Euro 2024 was a hard-fought battle, and their chances of progressing further in the tournament seem slim. With a relatively inexperienced manager and an overreliance on Lewandowski, they face an uphill task against strong opponents. While they may not be among the favorites, football is full of surprises, and Poland could still spring a shock if everything falls into place.