Target Play

When teaching target play I try to keep things as simple as possible.  I provide limited guidelines and allow the player to problem solve in-game. We then use a handful of training exercises that accentuate specific aspects of target play.  In today's writing I am going to provide the guidelines and a more in-depth explanation of target play than I usually provide a player to help the reader gain the understanding playing and training for the position would otherwise provide.

My guidelines to target players are short, sweet and directly to the point:

1) Play back to goal.
2) Play the way you face.
3) Make a safe pass.

That's it.

I am a firm believer in providing limited guidelines then allowing the player to explore a position to the fullest extent his imagination will allow for.

To provide a written (or oral) explanation of positional responsibilities for a target player I think it best to do it by phase of play beginning with when his team is defending. More specifically we will begin with looking at the target's play when his team is in it's defending third of the field.

Defending Third

The target player must be available to receive the ball from a teammate. This involves facing his teammates with his back to the goal they will be attempting to score in.  We see many the player who stand near the center line watching their teammates compete for and hopefully win the ball. Then they look to be played through.  This is not target play.  This is lazy, unimaginative and predictable play.

We want the target player to be constantly adjusting his position. Every time the ball moves on the pitch, the target player must also be in motion. The key consideration for the target player is to be in a clear line of sight of the teammate closest to the ball so that when that teammate secures possession the target is in his vision early.  This will entail a lot of laterally movement on the pitch mixed in with limited vertical movement in establishing the clear line of sight.

Identify the type of defense you are going against.  Zonal defenses and man marking defenses each provide slightly different problems to solve.  For example, if man-marked the target player will need not only work to provide a clear line of sight to the teammate closest to the ball, but he will also need to gain separation from his mark in order to receive the ball cleanly.  This will involve a lot of misdirection play on the target's part.  Check away before checking to in the form of "V" cuts as an example. Against a zonal system defenders may not closely man-mark the defender preferring to stay in their zonal channel. The target will set up between lines - in front of the backs and behind the midfielders. This may change the defenders path to the ball from being in line with that of the target. If this is the case, the target will have to account for this in his movements so he can shield the defender from the ball as he would if tightly man-marked.

A secondary yet very important consideration is to keep the defender responsible for you from being in the clear line of sight to your teammate closest to the ball. Make the defender choose between watching you and watching the ball.  You may choose to play off to the side of the clear line of sight before bending off a check back run to the clear line of sight. You might decide to play behind the defender, even in an offside position, before checking into and back through the clear line of sight to your teammate closest to the ball,

Upon receiving the ball, and especially so when under defensive pressure, it is critically important for the target to play the way he faces. The drop pass is the currency of value in target play. Picture in your mind the target player checking back in the line of sight of his teammate closest to the ball. A (pressure) defender is in close pursuit.  A good defensive team will have cover (and balance) being provided behind the pressure defender.  In effect 2 to 3 defenders will be stepping in the same direction the target is checking back in. 

This is the manipulation of the defense target play is designed to exploit.  When a drop pass is executed defenders will have 3 options for play and most will choose one of two that are advantageous to the attacking team.  First, they let up and stop their forward movement. Secondly they may choose to continue pursuing the ball!  The third option would be to immediately give ground towards their own goal in anticipation of the through ball that is about to come off the drop pass action. 

The third option is obviously the choice of a good defense.  How many high school teams do you know who are coached well enough to execute this tactic effectively?  Most zonal teams cannot even execute an early retreat effectively.  A sweeper may lie in deep and provide a more effective defense against the drop and through tactic, but only if options for the through ball are limited.  If a runner is available on each flank the sweeper will need to choose correctly and win the through ball or be open to being beaten by an early cross back against his movement to the through ball.

Of course, this is all predicated on the target player executing a safe pass while playing the way he faces.  Dropping the ball to his partner forward (in a 2 forward system), to a midfielder or even an on-coming back who will then play the ball forward. It is this forward movement of the ball in conjunction with playing back to goal and playing the way he faces that preserves the negative space behind the opponents back line to be played in by teammates moving forward at pace.  This is what we call Playing Space with Pace or Space and Pace for short.

It is important to realize that the more successful you are as a target player the more attention you will draw from opponents. When this occurs your teammates may find it easier to play very direct once in a while to keep the defense honest. It is extremely important the target player continues and finishes his basic checking back in the clear line of sight of his teammate closest to the ball.  Just as the long direct through ball is meant to keep the defense honest so to is the continued and now somewhat predictable movement of the target.  Make the defense choose which option they will defend. They cannot defend both and any indecisiveness on the defenses part may find them defending neither. Than the fun really begins!

Middle Third

In the counter attack it is likely a second player will be required to assume target responsibilities.  If the through ball does not result in playing an attacker in behind the defense with a clear path to goal it will be necessary to re-establish target play. 

One of my pet peeves is to see an attacker carrying the ball at a defense with teammates running in the same direction and at the same pace as the ball is being advanced.  This is STUPID soccer.

What needs to happen is one teammate pushing forward at a faster pace than the ball is being advanced, then turning and sitting as a target for the ball to hold those retreating backs and preserve the negative space behind them.  It might be necessary for the ball carrier to not advance at full pace to allow target play in front of him to redevelop.  If there are simultaneous forward runs ahead of the ball this poses multiple problems for the defense to deal with. Whereas all attackers moving at the same pace in the same direction of the ball is terribly predictable and easily defended, having varying tactical scenarios and paces of play to contend with is a defending nightmare.

The target in the middle third of the field has the same duties as the target in the defending third of the field.  Establish a clear line of sight between himself and the ball carrier. 

The target is the focal point in establishing a numbers up situation for his team to exploit.

In this regard the target must discern which defender will step to meet the threat of the ball carrier and then adjust his positioning to create a situation where that defender must choose between the movement of the ball and the movement of the target player.   If the ball is passed to the target players feet, where will the defender choose to place his focus?  This is the foundational premise the cues for combination passing are based upon.

While back to goal play is still the basis of target play in the middle third of the field there will be opportunities to play sideways on and receiving the ball across the body. This is part of the sequences of cues for combination passes referenced above.  It might be the target can turn towards goal and advance the ball himself. This is perfectly acceptable if the target is not receiving the ball under heavy pressure. This provides another dimension of unpredictability for a defense to contend with... as long as it does not become consistent and thereby predictable in and of itself.

Final or Attacking Third

If we are to continue with target playing in the final third of the pitch, I prefer the target sets up along the top of the penalty area and outside the width of the goal area or 6 yard "box".  We wish to keep the space in front of the face of goal free to play in and should only move into this area when we are ready to strike on goal.  Quick one touch passing and flicks are the order of the day to play teammates in for a shot on goal.  Assorted turns utilizing the pace and path of passes to the targets feet can be used to generate shots on goal for the target.  Again, vary which options you select to keep defenders off balance and guessing instead of allowing them to sit on your predictability.

If you have the luxury of having a tall target player he may continue being the main focal point for crosses, corner kicks and free kicks. Balls played to be headed can be redirected down to a teammates feet for a shot or redirected as a secondary cross to a teammate.

The Target Player as a Defender

When the ball is lost in the attacking or final third of the pitch immediate and intense pressure should be applied by the target player whenever possible.

In the middle third of the field the target players responsibility is to cut the field in half vertically to cut off any crosses to switch the field. Make the attack as predictable as possible for your teammates to defend against. 

In the defending third of the field, well, now we are back to where be began this article.