There are many different opinions as to what is important in the game of soccer. Below is what I believe to be 3 of the most important tactical priorities of the game, followed by an explanation of each:
1) Team Shape: Not referring to fitness or being in physical shape. If you were to take an aerial view of what a team looks like when they are defending, attacking or in the moment of transition, it would be a picture of that teams shape during a match. Shape is also known as a team’s formation during a match. This shape (or formation) should look different when you are in attack vs. when you are in defense. I like to think of team shape like this: when we lose the ball - can we get all of our players behind the ball or between the ball and our goal? Can we then get compact, leaving little room for the opposing team to play or to penetrate through us? Can we force the play a certain way (to be discussed in #3 below)? Do we always have pressure; cover (help), balance and compactness within our defensive scheme? When we win the ball and are in possession, can we open up the game by creating numerous options for the player with the ball? We always must have a “high” target player pressed up onto the last defender, with their back to the goal, as the first option to get the ball in to. If the high target is not available and we can’t penetrate with a pass or by dribbling, we should have players giving as much width and depth (behind the ball) as possible, as our next options. A good way to say this is: In defense we “close” the space that a team can play in and in attack we quickly “open” the space to create options and passing lanes. Equally as important to address is how well can we play in transition (the moment when we win or lose the ball). In offensive transition, can we play the ball forward quickly, in a counter attack mode, getting players forward in support and catch the opposing team “out of “ there preferred defensive shape? Conversely, in defensive transition can we prevent the counter attack?
2) Risk vs. Reward: This is one of the most important things to consider when putting together an attacking “system of play” for a team. Let’s examine this as related to team “possession”. Most coaches spend an immense amount of time teaching possession, but never consider Risk vs. Reward. We as coaches must ask ourselves the following: Where on the field do we want to encourage possession? How much Risk do we encounter by stringing together passes in our defensive third or in the midfield area? If we lose the ball in our defensive third will it end up in the back of our net? If we lose the ball in the midfield area will we be caught in transition and put under pressure by a quick counter attack? Are you willing to deal with the consequences of trying to play “beautiful soccer” anywhere other than in our attacking area of the field? English soccer for years was chastised for playing “long, direct” balls into the attacking area as quickly as possible. Some people called this kick ball? The reality is that they played with minimal risk, playing quick long possession into target players and cut out several defenders with one pass. They saved the creativity, short possession and 1 v1 confrontations for the offensive attacking area. This strategy constantly puts the opponent under pressure and mandates that the majority of the game will be played in the other teams defensive half/our teams offensive half. The fact is; there is only one Brazil National team and they are one of the only teams in the world that has good enough players and enough confidence to possess the ball wherever and whenever they choose. With that said, they also play their share of early, long precise passes to creative offensive/target players who like to express themselves by slotting the ball into the back of the net then running to the corner flag to do some type of samba dance.
3) Make Play Predictable: This is one of the most important things to consider when putting together a defensive system for a team. As discussed in #1, when we lose possession we immediately are getting as many players as possible behind the ball, compact and in good defensive shape. Once we are behind the ball, our first defenders (players closest to the ball – hopefully our forwards) are going to make play predictable to the remainder of the defensive players. I like to think of it that we either force the team to play the ball “out” wide towards the side-lines or we force them to play “in” down the middle, if we have strong central midfielders and defenders that can win the ball back. The forwards usually are the players that “cue” this to happen for the rest of the team. The midfielders and defenders should read this “cue” and begin to compress or congest the space that the forwards are forcing the ball in to. If the opposing team tries to penetrate into this space, the defenders must step, arrive slightly before (or as the ball arrives), break up the play and win the ball there. If coordinated and done correctly, this defensive tactic will regularly propel your team into offensive transition or counter attack mode. The reason many high level soccer games are low scoring is because it is very difficult to create continuous quality goal scoring chances within the run of play (or flow of the game), especially with the quality, complex defense that most teams offer. With that said, we must try to create goal scoring chances in other ways and by forcing “transition” to occur we will create more attacking chances.
Kevin Darcy
Chesterfield United FC – Technical Director
