How to stop Senegal

Watching the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations, it is clear that Senegal have been the outstanding team so far. They’ve scored more than anyone else, kept two clean sheets, and have the competition’s joint-top scorer in Liverpool’s Sadio Mane.

However, down the years we have seen teams begin like a house on fire in tournaments, only to flame out. In this regard, I always remember Marco van Basten’s Dutch side of 2008: unstoppable in a group featuring France and Italy, before crumbling against Russia in the quarter final.

So, how exactly do you go about stopping this Senegalese side? So far, they have shown no obvious systemic weaknesses, are very fluid in attack and have frightening pace. Well, I say press them.

Yes, as high up as you possibly can. Senegal are like the Death Star, with one huge “design flaw”, as it were: the base of their midfield.

Manned by Cheikhou Kouyate and Idrissa Gueye, this solid shield is almost impermeable. The pair stay solid, giving Senegal stability in defensive transitions. However, both are limited passers: Kouyate can break and carry the ball across ground, but lacks invention, while Gueye is an excellent counterpressing weapon.

In build-up, the team relies on Kalidou Koulibaly to pass through the lines into the attacking midfield stratum, while Gueye and Kouyate (a) make decoy movements to open up passing lanes, and (b) take up advantageous positions to immediately mop up potential loose balls.

It requires bravery, but I think the way to stifle Senegal is to implement a high press and take Koulibaly’s distribution out of the game. Unlike at Napoli, he has no midfielders of the technical quality of Jorginho or Hamsik to provide inventive passing angles.

By doing this, the likes of Mane and Balde Keita will be forced to drop deeper in search of the ball. You would agree that the farther away those two are from goal, the greater any team’s chances of success against them.