Norway’s Squad Rotation Decisions
Norway made significant changes to their starting lineup for their final group game against France, a decision that has prompted discussion. The match, played at Boston Stadium, saw Erling Haaland, who had scored four goals in the two previous group games, start on the bench. In total, Norway manager Stale Solbakken opted to make 10 changes to the team that had played in earlier matches, with his side having already secured a spot in the knockout stages.
Solbakken described the decision to rest players as a “no-brainer,” citing input from the physio, health, and medical departments, as well as from some players themselves. He acknowledged that Norwegian fans would have wanted to see Haaland and Martin Odegaard play. The manager explained that several players were significantly affected after 80 minutes in the game against Senegal, including the entire defensive line and some midfielders.
Former England striker Ian Wright commented before the game that if Haaland required rest for the later stages of the tournament, he would take it. Former Republic of Ireland midfielder Roy Keane also offered a perspective, noting that Norway, playing in their first World Cup since 1998, is not accustomed to tournament football. Keane suggested that Norway‘s priority was to advance from the group, which they achieved, and that Solbakken likely believed it would be challenging to overcome France, making rest a strategic choice for the upcoming week.
Match Outcome and Travel Implications
Despite Norway‘s changes, France secured a 4-1 victory. Ousmane Dembele scored a hat-trick within 25 minutes of the first half. Kylian Mbappe also hit the crossbar early in the game. Jorgen Strand Larsen, who started in place of Haaland, missed a penalty that could have narrowed the score to 3-2 after half-time. Désiré Doué added a fourth goal for France late in the game.
France topped Group I with three wins from three matches, earning them a last-32 fixture at the New York New Jersey Stadium on 30 June against the runners-up of Group F or G. Conversely, Norway now faces a substantial journey for their next game. Their base is in Greensboro, North Carolina, and they will travel to Arlington, Texas, to play Ivory Coast on the same day. Had they secured the top spot in the group, their travel distance would have been significantly shorter.
Ex-Scotland winger Pat Nevin highlighted the complexity of the travel distances involved, especially if Norway were to lose their next game, necessitating further relocation. He suggested that ensuring players are fully fit might have been a primary consideration for the team’s management. Wright expressed surprise at the extent of Norway‘s changes, particularly as they had maintained the same starting lineup for their wins against Iraq and Senegal.
Strategic Considerations and Historical Context
Nevin further commented on Norway‘s physical playing style, questioning whether it would be worthwhile to risk injuries by maintaining that approach against France. He speculated that the team management might have concluded that such a risk was not justified, leading to the decision to rest key players. He also noted that a full-strength Norway side, with several tall players including Haaland, would have presented a different challenge for France.
France assistant Guy Stephan, who was deputising for Didier Deschamps, stated he was not surprised by Norway‘s lineup changes, acknowledging that Solbakken was preparing for the round of 32. He indicated that the effectiveness of Norway‘s decision would become clear in the coming days.
Norway is among the teams that have made a significant number of changes to their starting XI for a World Cup match in the same edition. For instance, Spain made 11 changes in 2006 against Saudi Arabia, winning that group game but later losing to France in the last 16. In 2018, Belgium made 10 changes and defeated Japan 3-2, then went on to beat Brazil 2-1 in the quarter-finals before being eliminated by France.
If Norway defeats Ivory Coast, they will proceed to New Jersey for a last-16 match on 5 July against the winners of the Brazil-Japan fixture.
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Source: bbc.co.uk
George Hartwell is the Senior Football Correspondent at News-GB.org, covering the Premier League, the EFL and the England national side with twelve years of reporting experience. He reported on West Country football before national coverage. He holds a degree in Sports Journalism from the University of the West of England and completed an NCTJ diploma. Based in Bristol, he watches grassroots football and writes a tactics column. “Tactics tell you more than any scoreline.”