Crawl, Walk, Run

I recently conducted a coaching clinic for a soccer organization. I gave a brief presentation on the idea of practices being preparation for matches with very little instructional coaching actually taking place on game day which is reserved for match (and training) analysis.  We then had an open question and answer period.  As is often the case many of the queries were about advanced skills and tactics.

One coach wanted to know how to teach shielding the ball from an opponent. I have seen her team play and to be perfectly blunt about things, they have trouble gaining possession of the ball. She has a bunch of go-getters that are often first to the ball which is different from actually winning the ball.  In order to shield the ball one must first be in possession of the ball, correct? 

I did not call out or chastise the coach in front of her peers.  I discussed the general concepts associated with shielding the ball and explained a couple of drills and ssg's designed to work on shielding.  I felt somewhat conflicted about this but 30 years of coaching experience has taught me coaches tend to be a strong willed tunnel vision lot.

As I drove home afterward the idea of soccer being a series of 1 v 1 battles with the winner usually being the team who wins the majority of these came to mind.  In the modern game, I do not believe this has the credence it once held.  Gone are the days of man-marking defenses that lent themselves to 1 v 1 confrontations all over the pitch.  Today's game requires attacking zonal defenses and that is usually accomplished by overloading a defender and creating numbers up situations for the attackers. And on defense pressing has been the trend which is being numbers up around the ball when defending. With this in mind, I once again considered the art of shielding the ball. 

In today's game the target forward probably shields the ball more than any other player on the pitch. Backs will shield the ball when running at their own goal, but running at your own goal is taboo in zonal defending so this should not be a regular occurrence. Checking back towards a ball being played to his feet the target will often have a defender in close proximity. The target must either sit in a post up position or come sideways on to the ball looking to immediately drop the ball back or self pass.  In either case the act of shielding is part of the act of receiving. Therefore, being first to the ball cannot be the entirety of the thought process. The target must be thinking of sustaining possession of the ball for his team.

Zonal defenses are designed to intercept "passes" and are by-and-large not tackling defenses. Pressure and support around the ball cutting off forward advancement. Intercept a pass and counter.  When tackling in a zonal defense the art of dribbling (not to be confused with running with the ball) is often the strategy of choice. This in and of itself might be considered a form of shielding, sort of.  I teach players to think of it as winning the ball to be followed by the execution of a safe pass to secure possession of the ball.

This brings us back to the coach wanting pointers about shielding the ball.  Regardless of whether we consider the game of yesteryear or today's modern game before we can shield the ball we must gain possession of the ball.  It stands to reason then, players must be taught how best to gain possession of the ball before learning how to maintain possession of the ball which shielding is a useful tool for doing. 

When I conduct a camp on attacking soccer one of the first questions I ask of a coach is, "where on the pitch is your defense designed to win the ball?"   Many coaches are taken aback by this question but it goes directly to what your team's style and system of play will be.  I can guarantee you this, if forethought is not given to this consideration your team's style of play will be direct - win the ball and go to goal.  Heck, winning the ball might not even be the primary consideration giving way to simply getting the ball moving towards the opponents goal which requires only being first to the ball.

Babies learn to crawl before they learn to walk and eventually run.  The same holds true in soccer.  The basic FUNdamentals need to be learned first.  How to gain possession of the ball considered before maintaining possession.  How to utilize possession to manipulate the defense comes after winning the ball and securing possession.  Can we really expect soccer athletes to understand and execute advanced techniques and team tactics without first having a solid foundation in the basic FUNdamentals? 

Change the Channel

This is a repost from 2013.  When a reader recently asked about "changing channels" I thought to write an article about this and realized I already had.  Changing channels fits with the theme of other recent articles advocating unpredictability in the attack. 


As we have progressed through the spring season we have installed more and more of our system of play. The past couple of weeks we have focused on flank play utilizing wing midfielders and wing defenders. These players typically man the outside channels.

A channel extends the length of the field from end line to end line although typical channel play takes place between the 18's.  Dependent on who you ask there are either 3 or 4 channels on the pitch.  The two outside channels and either one or two channels through the middle of the pitch. I prefer to think of the pitch divided into 4 channels as this matches well with zonal back 4 so prevalent in today's game.

Anyone who has played basketball knows a key to defeating a zone defense is to overload one side of the court creating numbers up situations that forces the defense to lose the shape it prefers.  The same holds true in soccer.

Our focus has been on overloading the wide channels by playing to flank players and running two other players toward the wings - some combination of forwards and center midfielders.   I like to run both forwards toward the flanks when possession is in the midfield area as this draws additional defenders wide and opens the center and weak side of the field. Early crosses into the center channels or even better, to the opposite wide channel can open seams to attack through when they catch defenses shifting.

Why play wide first?  Because it draws defenders from the space we ultimately wish to utilize - the center channels or the area in front of the face of the goal.

Sometimes it is advantageous to attack "straight" down the outside channels utilizing an outside back to engage defenders before dumping the ball in behind the defense for the wing or a forward to run onto. These "through" balls need to be played in a manner that affords your teammate the best opportunity to win the ball. Too often we see balls played too direct and with too much pace that opposing goalkeepers easily pick up. What about playing a flighted ball with backspin just beyond the defenders?  This will keep the ball away from the goalkeeper and the backspin will also serve to settle the ball back towards the teammate running onto it. Defenders often over run this type of serve and then are caught attempting to turn back to the ball allowing the forward and the ball to run by them.

Sometimes a defense will seek to press and put numbers up in the outside channel and nearest central channel. When this occurs we need to change the channel either via a drop and switch of fields or by a long diagonal cross. These long diagonal crosses should be played just over the head of the defender being isolated.  If the cross is going to the opposite wide channel it must be a flat diagonal cross over the outside defender on the weak side. 

Think of sitting in your family room with a group of people and the person in control of the remote keeps flipping channels every few minutes.  Each time you become interested in a show, he flips to something else.  Such behavior can really get on a persons nerves can't it?  Is the picture beginning to come in clearer?  Switching channels can serve to drive an opposing defense nuts just as flipping TV channels can drive people nuts!

Versatility and Unpredictability.

Our style of play is entrenched around responsibility. We want you to experience and enjoy freedom in your play. In order to achieve this, an understanding must be developed that with freedom comes incredible responsibility. You simply cannot have one without accepting the other.

I believe in complete interchangeability throughout our lineup. A player may begin at right back and through the course of play move to a midfield position, a forward position or a different spot in the back line.  It takes time to develop this type of flexibility, but it is time well spent in my opinion.

Of course, most players have a preference for playing a certain position, but with this group almost everyone has bought into playing a variety of positions.  I have made season long plans for their learning and development. With some we are simply using "their" position as a starting point and working with them on "branching out" to surrounding positions.

It is this versatility that makes our team very difficult to mark in a man marking system. When we are fluid with our movements we can destroy an opponents shape with our interchangeability.  Our player movement does not significantly impact our own shape as long as we communicate and / or are observant of the game about us. We must be game watchers. It is only when we are ball watchers that our player movement or lack thereof can lead us into trouble.

This versatility also serves us well against zonal defending as it keeps opposing backs from getting comfortable defending against certain and specific forwards. They cannot just keep an eye on one or two primary threats because the personnel is constantly changing as dictated by the run of play.  As each player has a different style, different strengths and weaknesses it is keeps us unpredictable and defenders guessing.

Confusing or manipulating a defense is a king consideration in opening seams to attack through. The idea behind this is actually quite simple - Movement of the ball is predicated on player movement off the ball.  With nearly unrestricted player movement, ball movement becomes very dynamic... and unpredictable. A second key consideration is the ability of our players to fill out our defensive shape without the need to scramble back into "their" position. We fill the position we are closest to and the versatility we have established allows each player to know the role of the position in our defensive system.

I am likely making us sound a lot better than we actually are.  We are not consistent enough in our movement for my liking . A couple of our players "abuse" the freedom of movement we allow them by roving mindlessly at times instead of moving purposefully .  They lose sight of positional responsibility in equating freedom of movement with positionless soccer.  We do not play positionless soccer, we just are not overly concerned with which player mans a specific position through the run of play. At dead ball situations we sort positions out and begin again. 

We do grant our players a LOT of freedom, but in return demand they accept a LOT of responsibility.

Possession Soccer

The purpose of possession

 

is to move the opposition

 

in order to make

moving the ball

towatd goal

easier.

Eleven Part Harmony

One of our favorite training games is a simple game involving a ball, a wall and 1 or more players. Our kids call it Slam! We use benches laid on their sides as a surface to pass the ball against. It can be a competitive game or a nice training tool that sees individuals setting personal records for consecutive touches. When playing as an individual I encourage players to listen to music, sing, hum or play a song “in their heads” to help establish a rhythm in their play. When harmony is established between body, ball and bench the number of consecutive touches add up quickly.

Take Standard Training Exercises and Repurpose them.

I have been reviewing video from past NSCAA convention sessions looking for different ideas.  One thing I have noticed is many of the clinicians use generally accepted exercises or drills for their demonstrations. I have no problem with this. In fact, when addressing a coaching audience at a coaching clinic it can be good to utilize activities most might be familiar with to build a foundation from which you can teach to explore other options.

This morning I reviewed a session on Speed of Play and Speed of Thought presented by Ian Barker from the 2014 NSCAA convention.  Far be it for me to criticize an established talent like Ian Barker. He presented a solid session working through a progression of activities focusing on combinations and patterns to increase speed of play. In approximately 50 minutes there was marked improvement in the demonstration team.

Now, 50 minutes is a limited amount of time. It would not be realistic to expect every aspect of Pace of Play to be covered in the allotted time.  That said, the one thought that kept running through my mind while watching this session is "if all we ever do, is all we've ever done. All we'll ever be is what we've always been."  I had been using the same progression of activities with teams for well over a decade.  It wasn't until I modified the activities and more importantly the points of emphasis within the activities that my teams made real progress with pace of play.

As you watch the video look for opportunities to make some of the following coaching points or points of emphasis.

1) Know your next play before your first touch on the ball.

* This involves preparing to play the ball.
     Off the ball movement
     Properly positioning the body to receive the ball
     First touch being in the direction of your play or even being your play.

2)  Receive across the body whenever possible so the hips remain open to the field and you have options for play.

3)  Intentionally engage a defender as the ball carrier to create numbers up situations to exploit.

4) Efficiency and Economy of touches.

5) Ball movement is predicated on player movement.

*  Intentional movement to
     Create space for a teammate
     Into space created by a teammate
     To intentionally and purposefully move one or more defenders.

6) Know and utilize the Cues for Combination Passing

7)  Possession is not about moving the ball. Possession is about moving opponents so the ball may be moved more easily. We call it manipulating a defender or the defense.

8) Effective Communication.  Clear and concise.  Give a pass, Give information.  Be your teammates eyes when his are focused on the ball.

 9) If a teammate is under pressure move towards him to get in his vision and do so at appropriate angles for making / receiving a pass.

10) If a teammate is not under pressure clear the space around him so he make select a defender to engage OR better yet, clear the space around your teammate to intentionally isolate a defender to be engaged by positioning yourself to begin a combination passing sequence.

These are but 10 areas not (specifically) emphasized in the video presentation linked above.  It might be taken for granted that players already possess these tools in their tool belts, but in watching the video we see that is not necessarily so.  We often refer to items like the 10 listed above as the details of the process.  And it is important to remember that success is found in the smallest of details. 

Want to learn more?  Search this sight for any of the key phrases listed above OR if you want to see this in action, contact us a 567-204-6083 or tbrown@wcoil.com and make arrangements for us to come do a camp for you and your team.  Thanks for reading! 

The Relationship of Space and Time to Positions, Formations and Systems of Play

In attempting to make the relationship between space and time more easily understood by young players I have at times used the phrase space = time and in a sense that is true. Space to play in is created by movement of players with and without the ball. Time is a product of individual players technical abilities with the ball. The two are interrelated but are not necessarily "equals", per se.

For many coaches, positions and formations are also an integral part of creating space and time in soccer. In a sense, a players positioning within a formation, even his role within a system of play, are important elements in his ability to create, recognize and utilize space. Formations and positions are also analytical tools in evaluating a players ability to see space, his ability to recognize how to move to create space. How much space is required is determined by the players technical abilities on the ball.

What is Possession Style Soccer?

The idea of one team controlling the ball better and more than their opponents is likely what came to mind when you read the title for this article. At the most basic level this is a fair assessment of possession style soccer. It is difficult to score if you do not have possession of the ball, correct?  By controlling the ball, a team controls the game.

I am not entirely comfortable with the notion that a successful possession style of soccer is tied to winning the time of possession battle. I in no way wish to diminish the importance or value of possessing the ball. I am simply saying there must exist a purpose for possessing the ball - to score the ball or to prevent the opponent from scoring the ball.

As soccer is a game about problem solving we can look at possession in those terms as well.  When in possession a team has a singular problem to solve - how to score the ball.  When not in possession a team has a two-fold problem to solve - how to gain possession and then how to score the ball. In my mind I would much prefer solving one problem well than having to devote resources to solving two problems.

Possession can also be viewed in terms of energy expended in playing the game.  Possessing the ball, especially when done with intelligent thought and intent, conserves energy for the team in possession while making the opponent expend large amounts of physical, mental and possibly emotional energy in pursuit of possession of the ball. When ball movement is predicated on player movement a team in possession can force the defending team to chase the ball.  That would be one description of effective possession of the soccer ball.

Obviously the most effective use of possession is to score the soccer ball.  Forcing a team to expend energy chasing the ball while you progress toward scoring the ball might be alternatively described as a by-product of a possession style of soccer. The same could be said of possessing the ball to prevent the opponent from being able to score.

Because we live in a world of opposites, if there exists effective uses of possession it stands to reason there must exist ineffective uses of possession. Teams and maybe more appropriately players who  are constantly creating 50 / 50 balls could certainly be accused of ineffective use of possession. A direct style of play predicated solely on kicking the ball forward for someone to run onto might be ineffective use of possession. That is not a knock on direct play, only a knock on thoughtlessly whacking the ball forward. I like direct play as a versatile part of our teams attack.

To look at direct play as part of possession play requires looking at one simple question, How many passes does it take to score a goal?

If your forward steals the ball from a defender along the top of the opponents penalty area, shoots and scores the answer could be as low as "zero" passes required to score. So, a directly played ball out of the middle third of the field to a teammate who shoots and scores is effective use of possession, is it not? In fact, there have been several studies conducted that suggest a preponderance of goals scored come from 3 or less passes made. The pressing defense system of play so talked about and utilized today has been built around this very idea.  Regained possession immediately in the attacking third to catch the opponents shape in a transitional moment allowing for your team to strike quickly on goal. Makes perfect sense.

In coaching possession soccer with my team this spring I will return to my basketball roots and concentrate on Space and Pace.  If we look at the previous example of a ball won in the midfield leading to one pass from which a goal is scored there was obviously space, negative space to be exact, available in behind the opponents defense to be utilized. One pass was sufficient.

When the opposition presses upon losing possession the attacking team may be required to execute a Safe Pass to secure possession before moving personnel and the ball forward on the attack. Pressing has a two-fold purpose for most teams, 1) Regain possession and / or 2) Allow teammates to get organized behind the ball.  If the attackers are able to successfully execute a safe pass out of the press, then they will likely have to begin a "delayed" attack in the sense the opportunity to quick counter may have been lost.  When this occurs the conventional ideas of possessing the ball come into play.  The attack (forward movement of the ball) will be based around probing the defense, recycling the ball backwards and switching the point of attack in search of a seam to move forward through.

In this sense, possession first becomes about moving the ball to move the opposition.  In moving the opposition - what we call manipulating the defense - the attacking team seeks to create the space they wish to exploit.  Remember in the direct play scenario, the (negative) space to play into already existed. When a defense is set behind the ball, space will likely need to be created by moving the opponents, by manipulating the defense to change from its preferred shape.   Probe, recycle backwards, switch the point of attack all with a watchful eye on developing seams to attack forward through. 

It is critically important to remember the sequence for manipulating a defense is to:

1)  Probe - forward movement of the ball to a target player to get defenders behind him to step forward.

2) Recycle  - drop passes for the purpose of getting defenders to step forward again

3) Switch  - to force a defense to move laterally/

Once a defense is moving backwards and forwards as well as side to side it's preferred shape is in peril and seams to attack the goal through will develop and become exposed for exploitation. There is no set number of passes for when this well occur.  There is no set number of passes that defines "possessing the ball".  A successful possession might require as few as one pass or as many passes as it takes.

What I expect players to see and execute on the pitch.

It seems difficult for many youth players to understand that purposeful off-the-ball movement predicates the movement of the ball when attacking. There are so many advantages to moving without the ball it really is a wonder players do not embrace this idea more than they do.

If you watch a typical youth soccer game there certainly is off-the-ball movement but it will mainly consist of teammates of the ball carrier running in the same direction as the ball carrier and at the same pace as the ball carrier. These movements are usually accompanied by cries of "play me through" or "cross the ball!" Watch off-the-ball action when a cross is about to be made. Typically the potential targets for the cross are aligned with the crosser rather than trailing and staggered near to far.  In the grand scheme of things defenses like this type of straight line off-the-ball movement.  It is predictable and rather easily defended in comparision to other possibilities.

The purpose of off-the-ball movement is to move the defense.  I call it manipulating the defense. We want to move individual defenders in a manner that causes the defense to lose shape opening seams that our team can attack through. Purposeful off-the-ball movement can make attacking so much easier.

Let's look at some examples of purposeful off-the-ball movement.   A forward who makes a run at the backs only to execute a "V" cut and show back for the ball will 1) push the defense back and then 2) draw defenders forward as he receives the ball at his feet. This is simple target play but the benefits can be enormous. If the target forward plays the way he faces, that is he drops the ball back to a midfielder or his withdrawn partner forward and takes a diagonal step or two away from the pass, the defense is likely to step forward again opening up the possibility to play a third man running in behind the  defense.

Two forwards making simultaneous runs across the face of the defense can bring the defense to one side of the pitch. Whether the runs are diagonal or flat to be bent off, the first can often serve as a decoy to open space for the second runner to be played to. The combined movement of the two forwards in one direction across the defense can open space on the back side of their runs for a ball to be played into against the flow of the defense.

When the ball carrier is under light to moderate pressure a strong diagonal run toward him from in front can set up a wall pass or give and go sequence. This purposeful isolation of a single defender to play 2 v 1 against him is known as playing numbers up, something teams should want to do as often as possible both on attack and when defending.  The overlap sequence is another example of isolating a defender and playing 2 v 1 against him.  These are situations that create or extend time on the ball for the ball carrier and when combined with the type of forward play described above the effects on the defense can be devastating.

Simple switching of the attack forces a defense to move.  When accomplished through the backline the actual off-the-ball movement might be slight in terms of those actively involved in the switch, but what of the forwards and mids in front of the action? Player movement away from the eventual destination of the switch even as others are moving toward that destination forces the defenders to watch contrasting movement - do they follow the ball and general flow of play or mark the runners against the grain thereby guarding against a quick switch back by the attackers?

Deception, sneakiness or clever play are all a part of off-the-ball movement.   A simple takeover well executed can serve to change the flow of play and even the point of attack suddenly. If the player gaining possession on a takeover is able to pass to a player making a strong diagonal run in the original direction of play a double sudden change of attack can occur that correspondingly forces two quick changes of directions from defenders.

Introducing purposeful off-the-ball movement can be difficult and often requires a lot of pattern play followed by shadow play just to establish the ideas talked about in this article. Patience will be rquired.  Lots of explanations and demonstrations as to why players need to move purposefully without the ball will be necessary. Any means necessary to help players visualize and see the disruptions off-the-ball movement creates in a defense. You may have to sell  some on these ideas more than others.  Many players look at purposeful off-the-ball movement as a lot of work in comparision to how they have always been allowed to play and will be reluctant to buy-in until they experience success.  the effort put into teaching and developing purposeful off-the-ball movement will pay off in enhanced attacking play resulting in more goal scoring opportunites. And often in better goal scoring opportunities!

Options for Wing Play

Options for wing play  

A wing player or wingers responsibility when attacking is to draw defenders to himself. If in possession of the ball, the winger needs to engage the defense. If by engaging a defender with an individual move the winger can defeat that defender he will have succeeded in taking two defenders out of position as a second defender must come to defend him. This is one method a winger can use to break down a defense. 

The winger can also defeat multiple defenders by passing the ball. If we think in terms of the traditional cross from the flank we recognize the possibility of eliminating several defenders with one “pass”.  It is also possible to defeat many defenders at the same time by utilizing an early cross to switch fields (width)  or by playing a runner forward down the line or in behind the backs (penetration). The early cross can be particularly disruptive to a defense attempting to establish its shape around the ball in a pressing method.  

The opposite wing should remain very wide while his teammate attacks on the other wing. This will help spread the defense out making his teammates job easier. The opposite wings path to goal is through the corner of the 18 to the corner of the 6 to the post of the goal. A common mistake made by young or inexperienced wingers is to move central when the ball is on the opposite flank. Think of it these terms: the space we wish to utilize for a shot on goal is that directly in front of the goal. By moving into that space prematurely we bring defenders there with us thus cluttering or reducing the very space we want to use. 

The Early Cross 

As the wing player approaches a position on the field that extends from the top of the 18 yard area he should consider beating a defender to the inside. Traveling with the ball long the top of the 18 causes multiple defenders to move   towards the wing carrying the ball leaving the middle and opposite sides of the field open. 

If defenders do not engage the wing carrying the ball, the wing should take the shot towards the back post of the goal. If defenders do move to engage the wing carrying the ball the wing should look for a short cross to the back post of the goal.

The opposite wing should remain very wide while his teammate attacks along the top of the 18 yard box. This will help keep the defense spread out making his teammates jobs easier by creating space in front of goal. The opposite wings path to goal is through the corner of the 18 to the corner of the 6 to the post of the goal. 

The Traditional Cross 

When the wing possesses the ball below the top of the 18, a traditional cross is often the best option. The ball should be played across the 18 yard box through the area between the 6 yard line and the penalty mark (12 yard line).

If the wing is attempting to cross the ball to a teammate attacking the near post the ball should be driven below waist high. 

If the wing is attempting to cross the ball to a teammate attacking the back post the ball should be played, driven or lofted as circumstances dictate,  head high.  

The opposite wing should remain very wide while his teammate attacks along the opposite side of the 18 yard area. This will help keep the defense spread out making his teammates jobs easier by creating space in front of goal. The opposite wings path to goal is through the corner of the 18 to the corner of the 6 and then on to the post of the goal. 

The Deadliest Cross

A third option for the winger is to attack along the end line towards the goal drawing defenders and attention to himself and the ball. The winger can then execute a “bangoo” or cross from the end line cutting the ball back across the defense to the penalty mark.  This is the deadliest cross as it is nearly impossible for a goalkeeper to defend against. 

The opposite wing should remain very wide while his teammate attacks along the end line. This will help keep the defense spread out making his teammates jobs easier by creating space in front of goal. The opposite wings path to goal remains through the corner of the 18 to the corner of the 6 and then on to the post of the goal. However, he also needs to be alert to the possibility of flattening his run and bending it off towards the penalty mark to play the deadliest of crosses.

 

Playing quickly is all about allowing the ball to do the work for you.

Much has been written on these pages about playing quickly.  Playing fast actually has as much or more to do with the thought process as it does with actual physical speed. Learning to allow the ball to do the work for you is part of the maturation process youth soccer players go through.

The key is to give the ball and get the ball with efficiency limiting play to between 1 - 3 touches on the ball.

Holding onto the ball too long or taking excessive touches serves to draw defenders to you and allows others to organize their defense around you. Chances of losing possession of the ball increase expotentially with each successive touch taken. Excessive touches can also kill an attack by turning teammates into spectators. If a player is unwilling to pass the ball his teammates will become unwilling to put forth efort to prepare to receive the ball from that player. This stagnates the attack..

The key to quick play is being prepared to receive the ball at all times. Moving without the ball so as to be in the vision of the teammate about to receive the ball provides options. Having options for play leads to creativity and unpredictability in our play. Body positioning with hips open to the ball and as much of the field as possible before receiving is a king consideration. Having a plan for playing the ball before you receive it is essential. This will allow you to play the ball in one or two touches or take space if it is available.

In short, quick play in soccer is all about preparation to get and give the ball.  Purposeful off the ball movement allows for the ball to be moved quickly. It is all about allowing the ball to do as much work as possible for you.  A simple tried and true demonstration can be used to illustrate this.  Have two of your fastest players, each with a soccer ball stand at the center line.  On command have one pass the ball to the top of the 18 and the other run with the ball at his feet to the top of the 18. The pass wins every time. 

If before you receive the ball you know you will have space to advance into, by all means take that space.  However, it is important to recognize the purpose of taking space is not only to advance the ball but also to engage defenders or the goalkeeper - that ultimately we take space to give up the ball via pass or shot. We should seek to purposefully engage a defender drawing him in and then release the ball via pass or shot just as they are about to close you down and attempt a tackle.

Just as excessive touches on the ball by an individual player can slow play and break the rhythm of the attack and even that of the game, a team that shares the ball utilizing a minimum of quick touches will play hard for one another and establish a tempo and flow that can frustrate opposing defenders.  When the ball is doing a lot of the work it is not necessary to have great physical speed to play soccer quickly. As Johan Cruyff said, "Soccer is a game that's played with the brain."  Preparation, the speed of thought, the decision-making process and quick skillful execution utilizing the least amount of touches possible are the keys to fast play.

Match Hazards: Wind

Coaches and players will encounter "match hazards" or conditions that can impact the quality of play. It is good to have a plan prepared before match time to deal with these. We will look at some of these hazards, possible coaching instructions and team management or tactical solutions that could enhance results. We will address common match hazards and progress to others of the course of the series. 

Wind

Strong winds can present very real tactical difficulties to consider. If given the choice, take the wind in the first half of the match. There exists the chance the wind could die down for the second half.  This can be especially true for twilight games.  However, it's always good to check hour to hour weather forecast on a smart phone during pregame.  Take every advantage you can, even technological ones brought to you by smart phones.

Attacking Play

Attacking Play: The Individual's Perspective

 



I often say to players I coach that I wish for them to leave our training sessions mentally exhausted. Soccer, at its core, is all about the quality of decisions made. Of course, it helps if we know ahead of time some of the most common decisions a player will be faced with so we can prepare in advance to be ready when they arise. 

As background for these articles we will need to keep in mind the three basic elements in the game of soccer; Penetration, Width and Depth.

The First Attacker aka The Ball Carrier

Before a player gains possesion of the ball or recieves the ball from a teammate he needs to have already answered the question of how best to penetrate the defense.

1) Does he have a good shot on goal?  We play soccer to win games. We must score in order to win. Therefore the first question to be asked and answered is "Can I score from here?"  If the answer is yes, then the shot must be taken.

2) Is there a teammate in better position to score than I am? If the answer to this question is "yes," then passing the ball is the solution.  It is important to remember that the ball can travel faster via pass than it can be advanced by a ball carrier.

2a) A variation of this question, Is there a teammate in a better or more advanced penetrating position than I am?  This question would be asked of yourself in the defending or middle third of the field and not predicated on having an available shot on goal, but on creating an opportunity to advance the ball to a position where a shot can be taken.

3) Does the first attacker have space to advance by running with the ball? Note that running with the ball is the third option listed. It is not the last option available, but if the objective is to score a goal we do want to exploit the path of least resistance. Running with the ball can be the best option when neither of the first two options present themselves.

3a) Can the first attacker dribble to engage a defender thereby creating option 1 or 2? If engaging a defender can create a shooting opportunity or create a numbers up situation to play a teammate or one's self into better situation, then the first attacker should purposefuly engage the defender.

4) If no shot is available, no teammate in a more advanced position is open and a defender has seized advantage and engaged you, pass to relieve pressure.  It is okay to drop he ball backwards in order to relieve pressure. Sometimes the defense will organize more quickly than the attacking team can do so. Remember that we seek the path of least resistance to the goal.

The options outlined above take into consideration the basic elements of Pentetration ( 1,2,3 )  Width ( 2, 2a, 3a) and Depth ( 4 ) of soccer. In this case "Width" is not necessarily direct lateral width but width present in passing angles. 

These questions must be asked and answered before a player receives or gains possession of the ball if we are to play the game with proper pace or speed of play. 

Outside backs in the 1-4-2-3-1 and 1-4-1-4-1 formations

Previous articles in this series:

The Goalkeeper
The Linking Midfielder
The Center Midfielder
The Attacking Midfielder
The Central Midfield Triangle
The Center Backs
How the Center Backs and Linking Midfielder interact.


The technical considerations for the outside back positions center around speed - physical, pace of play and especially in decision making ability. The ability to run onto the able coupled with a high quality of first touch  and the ability to run with the ball / speed dribble. Outside backs must be able to cross the ball early and effectively along the ground and through the air. They also need to be able to finish around the net with a high degree of accuracy and pace.

Tactically outside backs must be defenders first.  They have a responsibility to cover the inside back nearest them and defend either at the outer edge of the 18 or on the flank in the defending third dependent on the teams philosophy for covering width in the final third.  Outside backs must be astute game watchers especially on the attack as they will be called upon to make frequent calculated runs up the field in support of the attack and as vital main contributors to the attack.

Physically we like otsider backs to be runners. Work rate is extremely important and arguably second only to that of central midfielders.  Endurance is key.  Speed of play is essential. Patient on defense and aggressive in the attack. 

Psychologically these players need to have to be disciplined on defense and risk takers in the attack. They are defenders of the goal, but also man the position most capable of forcing a defense from its preferred shape through their runs up the field and long early crosses to switch the point of attack. 

I recently conducted camp at Piqua High School and it came to pass that I coached the team in a preseason tournament as well.  For that tournament match I place, arguably, the teams two best players at the outside back positions and asked of them that they be very offensive minded.  I saw the look on their coaches faces when I did this - they were skeptical.  Piqua won that match 2-0 despite being down some players and facing a decent side.  Now, the success did not lie solely in playing these two at outside back, but their presence there did not hurt the team defensively and did create problems for the opposing side.  My point is simply this, we as coaches must be mindful of our ability to manipulate the opposing defense. We must be able to stress the opponents defense to identify and expose where it is weakest so that we might take full advantage. 

The rule of thumb for placing players in positions is to build a strong spine in your formation and fill outwards.  All I did with the Piqua team was to build a strong defensive spine and place the emphasis for attacking on the flanks... (hopefully) away from the opponents strength which I assumed would be their central players.  It worked.