All of the above

by HCE, Tuesday, June 30, 2026, 05:33 (22 days ago) @ Grantland

Conventional wisdom is that, when you are playing a more skilled team, the best strategy is to sit deep, concede possession (which the other team is likely to dominate anyway), and hit back on the counterattack. A more open game almost always favors the more talented side, but a defensive approach can level the playing field.

Of course, there are some very talented sides that actually prefer to play that way, and others, like the Dutch last night, play that way for reasons passing understanding.