How do England stop Norway - and Haaland?

Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Erling Haaland has scored seven goals so far at the World Cup By Umir Irfan Football tactics correspondent Published 10 minutes ago Norway may have been touted by many as this World Cup's dark horse but their impressive progress still feels like they have exceeded expectations. After finishing second above Senegal in Group B they knocked out Ivory Coast and Brazil, scoring 12 goals across five games, and now face England who are tasked with nullifying them and star striker Erling Haaland. So, what do Norway do best and what might England boss Thomas Tuchel look to tweak in order to see his side through to the final four of the World Cup? The Haaland–Nyland dilemma Norway boast attacking variety with Stale Solbakken's men fluctuating between wanting to hold onto the ball and being able to attack quickly. This is all downstream from their build-up play. From goal-kicks, Orjan Nyland's distribution has been excellent. Norway's first instinct is to play short, often setting up with a wide back four and the keeper forming a fifth option, with two holding midfielders showing for the ball centrally. With so many players deep, Norway often have an overload at the back making progressing up the pitch easier. When short options are not viable, Nyland's get-out-of-jail-free card is 6ft 5in Alexander Sorloth who Norway play on the right wing as a wide targetman for long diagonal balls. Image caption, Long balls to Sorloth on the right wing is a common pattern to look out for when Norway play This is something England left-back Nico O'Reilly will have to be alert to but given his 6ft 4in height and frame – this is a far more even match-up than Norway have experienced so far. So how do you stop Norway's varied build-up play? There are a few options but they come with trade-offs, as do all tactical approaches. The most obvious answer is a man-to-man press across the pitch. This is simple. It reduces their numerical advantage and the hope is, if Nyland goes long to Sorloth, O'Reilly is good enough to win the physical battle. The problem is this tactic leaves somebody one against one with Haaland down the middle of the pitch, in space. Most coaches, as a result, would likely want to have a spare man at the back, leaving two defenders around Haaland. Guehi a doubt for Norway game and Rice ill with bug Published 14 hours ago Mexico boss' explicit heckle a bit of fun - Gordon Published 6 hours ago How do you press Norway with two fewer players? England's options are then to either press with one fewer player than Norway have. In reality, Norway would actually have two players spare because their goalkeeper also gets involved in build-up. The second option is to drop off and block space but this has its own problems: The first being the negative association around setting up too pragmatically with Tuchel having built a side that identifies with a more front-footed approach. The second tactical downside is that Norway, as