Norway’s strategic changes against France
Norway coach Ståle Solbakken made significant changes to his squad for their final World Cup Group I match against France, a decision he described as a “no-brainer.” The team, already through to the knockout stages, opted to rest ten players, including prominent striker Erling Haaland and midfielder Martin Ødegaard. This move saw France secure a 4-1 victory at Boston Stadium.
The match saw Ousmane Dembélé score a first-half hat-trick for France. Kylian Mbappé also hit the crossbar early in the game. Despite the changes, Norway managed to score, with Thelo Aasgaard finding the net. Jørgen Strand Larsen, who started in place of Haaland, missed a penalty that could have narrowed the deficit.
Reasoning behind the decision
Solbakken explained that the decision to rest key players was a collective one, involving himself, the medical department, and some players. He acknowledged that Norway fans would have preferred to see Haaland and Ødegaard play. However, a review after their game against Senegal indicated that several players, including the entire defensive line and some midfielders, were significantly affected after playing for 80 minutes.
Former England striker Ian Wright had suggested before the game that if Haaland required rest for later stages of the tournament, he would take it. Haaland himself had previously commented on facing France, stating he “couldn’t care too much about that game now” after Norway qualified for the knockout stages, adding that France would “probably going to win against us” and “probably going to win the whole tournament.”
Roy Keane, a former Republic of Ireland midfielder, supported Solbakken’s reasoning, highlighting that Norway is not accustomed to tournament football. He suggested that Norway’s priority was to advance from the group, which they achieved, and that the manager likely believed it would be challenging to overcome France, making rest a strategic choice for subsequent matches. France assistant Guy Stephan also noted that he was not surprised by Norway’s changes, understanding that Solbakken was preparing for the round of 32.
Implications for upcoming matches
While France topped Group I, securing a last-32 match at New York New Jersey Stadium, Norway’s decision to rest players means they face a substantial journey for their next game. They will travel from Greensboro, North Carolina, to Arlington, Texas, to play against Ivory Coast. Had Norway topped the group, their travel distance would have been shorter.
Former Scotland winger Pat Nevin acknowledged the complexity of the situation, considering the travel distances involved. However, he also suggested that ensuring players are fully fit for the knockout stages is a primary concern. Wright expressed surprise at the extent of Norway’s changes, especially since they had fielded the same starting eleven in their victories over Iraq and Senegal.
Nevin further commented on Norway’s physical style of play, suggesting that risking injuries to key players might not be worthwhile. He speculated that if Norway had played their full strength side, including players like Haaland, it would have presented a different challenge for France. Solbakken reiterated that the short turnaround between their match on Tuesday and the game against France on Friday necessitated the player rotation. Norway is participating in their first World Cup since 1998.
Norway is among a few teams to make ten or more changes to their starting lineup for a World Cup match in the same edition. In 2006, Spain made eleven changes against Saudi Arabia and won, but later lost to France in the last 16. Conversely, in 2018, Belgium made ten changes, defeated Japan 3-2, and then beat Brazil 2-1 in the quarter-finals before being eliminated by France.
Read Also
Source: bbc.com
