Mancini (1-4-3-3) established a new structure and a clear pattern for the Italian national team’s game. Although he regularly rotates the offensive players, all the actions are the same with very smooth triangle of three forwards in the center. An advanced forward in the lead and two very mobile inside forwards on the wings with additional support from full-backs in the role of wing-backs.
In defence they line up with a standard four with safety on the sides from midfielders. Moderate pressing is compensated by a very closely positioned second line, which in the event of a recover the ball is designed to immediately play it wide-out from where most of their counterattacks begin.
In positional play all their actions are played very carefully and deeply in the first phase, with a clearly deep-lying playmaker and an important role of central defenders in ball distribution. As they move to middle third they accelerate the pace of the game in many sequences of short passes across the width of the pitch.
In the offensive third they provide wings support with a very high interchangeability of midfielders’ positions in the face of penalty area. When there is no space on the wings it is from there they shoot and try vertical passes.
