Football tactics and skills
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There are various individual skills and team tactics needed to play effective football (soccer). Football is in theory a very simple game, as illustrated by Kevin Keegan's famous assertion that his tactics for winning a match were to "score more goals than the opposition". However, well-organised and well-prepared teams are often seen beating teams with supposedly more skilled players, even over time.
Football tactics diverges from that of many other sports because the sport has a large degree of continuous action (i.e. it is not divided into single plays, as in American football, or points, as in tennis).
individual skills
In order to play football at an advanced level, a number of individual skills are needed. Some skills are enhanced with a good understanding of football tactics. Goalkeepers have their own set of individual skills.
Physical skills
Fitness
Stamina is needed to sustain a high defensive and offensive work rate for the entire duration of the match. As physical contact is allowed in football, physical strength is needed in duels, as in jumping headers. Also, physical strength is needed in order to kick the ball powerfully, thus giving it great speed and/or rotation.
Speed
Speed is an important physical skill used in soccer. High-speed is mostly used by the wingers who runs all the way to the point where they can cross or pass. Strikers oftenly use speed to score but without going into the off-side trap.
Agility
This is especially important for goalkeepers and players who dribble a lot, typically wingers. Closely linked to balance.
Skills on the ball
Receiving
Players should be able to bring any ball that comes to him into his control. Simply stopping the ball is usually the easiest way, in these cases the ball should be put in the ideal position for the next touch. Advanced players may use the first touch to make the ball move in the direction they themselves plan to move. Also, the ball may be passed at one touch. Abruptly avoiding the ball instead of receiving it may trick opposing defenders, and thus be an offensive weapon in some situations
PASSING
The ability to pass the ball between nearby players accurately and in a timely manner, as well as to direct it to players further away is essential in order to keep the possession of the ball.
Shooting
A player needs to strike a balance between being too eager and too reluctant to shoot. Shots should ideally be both accurate and powerful, although it is easier to achieve one of these at a time. Whether one should choose one or the other depends on the situation.
The choice of the part of goal to aim for is a contentious issue, and depends on how many players are covering the goal. When only facing a goalkeeper, shots should be placed close to one of the posts. Ideally, a shot should also be placed just under the crossbar, but it is less difficult and also effective to shoot along the floor, towards the lower corners. When the goalkeeper is off the line, one may attempt a lob, for example by chipping.
Expert moves
Expert moves are extraordinary skills with the ball usually only expected from advanced players. They include advanced dribbling (see for example Seal dribble, nutmeg, stepovers and Elastico), highly curled passes or shots, bicycle kicks, spectacular volley shots, and the Rabona.
Taking set pieces
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- Penalty kicks: The accuracy, power and timing of a penalty kick are all important.
- Free-kicks: Usually the accuracy is the most important quality, although power and timing may also play a vital role.
- Corner kicks: Usually crossed into the penalty area towards a good header. Occasionally played diagonally backwards to a player at shot range.
- Throw-ins: After taking care to abide by the rules of throw-ins (throwing the ball over one's head), usually it's only necessary to be able to handle the ball without it slipping through one's fingers. You cannot be offside from a throw-in. Some players are capable of achieving great distances with their throws, turning the humble throw-in into an effective attack.
Defensive skills
Marking
When defending, the players generally need to "mark" the advancing players from the other team, meaning they need to stay close to them in order to deter (and hopefully prevent) them from playing effectively. One of the keys for defender to defend the coming offensive player is to give pressures by sticking to the offense, so that striker or the midfielder would have difficulties passing, dribbling or shooting the ball.
Tackling
The defending players need to know how to effectively dispossess an opponent of the ball, preferably without committing a foul. Advanced players often use the sliding tackle.
Mental and miscellaneous skills
Attitude
A player should have an offensive attitude on the pitch, and needs to maintain a self-confidence in harmony with his other skills.
Communication
Good communication between team members is an essential facet of good team play. Players on experienced teams constantly talk to one another. A pass will often be called for and the receiver of the ball is often told whether they have space to turn or are closely marked. The goalkeeper usually shouts to the defense whether or not he will interfere with play whenever there is doubt. The defense communicates to coordinate movement so as to keep the defensive line straight and in balance, plus to divide the defensive work between them, as does to a lesser degree the midfield. Other communication that may serve a purpose is pep-talks, intimidation of the opposing team and attempts to influence the referees. When there is a crowd present, they are often more than happy to help or to sabotage.
Field vision
The ability to see space developing is important. A player who does not have the ball may move to an area where space is opening, and a player with the ball may either move there or pass the ball there. Spotting other tactical moves is also vital.
Player movement
A skill very much related to jockeying — in order to be in a favorable position when they receive the ball, players on the attacking team need to place themselves into physical positions where there is the least chance that they will immediately be tackled or that the pass to them will be blocked. Player movement is, however, closely linked to tactics, and the two aforementioned rules may be disregarded for a wide spectre of tactical reasons.
Fair play - or foul play?
A player should be able to compose himself enough to avoid what is called "unnecessary cards", for example by foul-mouthing the referee or making reckless tackles.
These are some great examples of things that players may do in order to try and break the rules of the game so it benefits their own team. The following should never be done by any player anywhere, anytime.
- Pretending injury in order to delay play or getting an opponent booked or sent off
- Teasing opponents to get them out of balance
- Attempting to influence the referees
- Stealthily touching the ball with the hands
- Stealthily holding the shirts of opponents players
- Illegally stopping key players in a counter-attack
- Recklessly duelling with the opponent's goalkeeper
- Professional fouls
Although some fans and players see foul play as an good part of the game (as long as it helps them win), FIFA constantly change rules and issue campaigns for promoting "Fair Play".
Goalkeeper skills
Positioning
The ability to cover from one end of the post to the other. The goalkeeper must be able to position himself in the right places to make a save from the opposition's attempts on goal.
Anticipation
The ability to anticipate the flight of the ball during an attempt on goal or to cut out the crosses made by the opposition into the penalty box. It is also important during corners.
Reflexes
Goalkeepers need to have a short reaction time in order to protect the goal. He must be able to to act in the shortest posible time when a serious attempt on goal is made by the opposition.
General team tactics
Formations
Formations in football are a method of positioning players on the pitch to allow a team to play according to their pre-set tactics. Different formations can be used depending on whether a team wishes to play more attacking or defensive football. Formations can be altered during a game, but requires adaptions of the players to fit in to the new system.
Formations counts the number of players in each area, beginning with the defensive line (not including the goalkeeper). It is by convention counted when the team is defending and being properly organised. The most common formations are variations of 4-4-2, 4-3-3, 3-2-3-2 and 4-5-1.
Soccer used to have formations with more attackers, but gradually formations have been shifted towards increased defensive security. Old formations included the 2-3-5 and the 2-2-6.
Styles of play
Counter-attacking football
The aim of this type of football is to catch the opponent on the "break". When they give away possession in midfield or attack, where midfield is the most dangerous, defensive players will tend to be further up the field than usual to help the attack, and may not be able to quickly adjust to a defensive mindset. Counter-attacking football may involve leaving one or two strikers near the half-way line in the hope that a through ball can be played to catch the opponent off guard. This tends to go hand-in-hand with the long through ball tactic explained above. In the example, an attack by the black team has broken down and ended up in the hands of the white goalie. By kicking a long through ball for the furthermost white player (left up there in the hope of this situation, i.e. this is the "break"), the player has a chance of scoring as he should have evaded the defence if he is fast enough.
In other cases, defenders and midfielders may join in the counter-attack, trying to outnumber or otherwise overtake the opposition by quick and intelligent movement and fast passes. Speed is an important factor both in offense and defense, as the probability of scoring decreases sharply when the opponent has managed to organise their defense.
Teams playing successful counter-attacking football will try particularly hard to dispossess the opponent's midfielders, and a measure to prevent this is to play long balls from the defenders to the attackers, temporarily omitting the midfield players.
Teams that aim to retain control of the ball over longer periods of time, in the process making a large percentage of passes that give low risk of losing the ball, are said to play possession football. Utilizing this tactics demands players skilful in ball control and precise passing. If successful, it will tire the opposing players because they have to run and tackle more. Also, the term sometimes indicates that each player retains possession for a longer period of time, using more touches.
Direct football
More often associated with counter-attacking football than with possession football, direct football means that players spend little time with the ball before passing (or shooting). In order to achieve this, each player frequently uses only one or two touches.
Substitutions
In competitive 11-a-side matches, teams are allowed to bring on up to three substitutes. The rules of the competition must state the maximum number of players allowed to be named as a substitute, which may be anywhere between three and seven. In non-competitive matches, the use of substitutes must be determined before the match begins, except in friendly international matches, where no more than six substitutes may be brought on.
The most tired players should generally be substituted, but only if their substitutes are well trained to fill in the same role, or if the formation is transformed at the same time to accommodate for the substitution.
Coaches often refrain from substituting defensive players in order not to disrupt the defensive posture of the team. Instead, they often replace ineffective attackers or unimaginative midfielders in order to freshen up the attacking posture in an attempt of scoring more goals.
For a team that is losing a game, a fresh striker can bring more benefit in circumventing an opposed defense line composed of relatively tired players. For a team that is winning a game, a fresh midfielder or a defender can bring more benefit in strengthening the defense against the opposition's attackers (who may be fresh substitutes themselves). In this situation, it is usually imaginative attacking flair players who are replaced by tough-tackling defensive midfielders or defenders.
Injured players may also need to be substituted. For each injured player who must be substituted, the team loses one more opportunity to influence things later in the game in their favor.
Attacking team tactics (when the team has the ball)
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Tactics during play
Attacking in football is to some degree a matter of doing the unexpected. Creative players are often described as "artists", and often achieve immense popularity. Still, a number of set tactics are most often used, consciously or not, in effective attacks.
- 'Pass and move': This is the most basic team tactic — as soon as the ball has come into possession of the player, they need to be quick to decide whether to pass it or not. If they don't pass it immediately, they need to move with it; if they do pass it, they again need to move along, following the general ball movement.
This can also be used to mean that once a player has passed the ball he does not remain stationary but moves into a position where he can receive the ball again and give more options to the player in possession.
- Switching the attack: Using a 'square' or 'cross' pass across the whole width of the pitch to a player in plenty of space is a very effective way of both relieving pressure and building a fresh attack. The defending team will be required to adjust its positions and this usually creates spaces which can be exploited. In this example, the player numbered 1 has moved out of position, allowing more space for the opposing player. By playing the ball to the other side (the curved line represents an aerial pass), the recipient of the pass finds themselves in space which can be exploited.
- The 'through ball': Using the space behind the opponent's defensive line: Passes into this area have a number of pros: If an attacking player reaches the pass, taking care to avoid offside, he may get a 1-on-1 challenge with the goalkeeper, or be in an excellent position for a flank attack. Even if a defender reaches the pass first, the outcome could still be good for the attacking team. The defender will face his own goal, which could prompt him to give away a corner kick or a throw-in, make a risky pass to his team's goalkeeper, or being put under heavy pressure near the corner flag. Typically, teams with faster attackers than the opponent's defenders will try challenging this space, while the defending team in these cases will want to keep their defenders low when defending in order to give away as little space as possible between the defenders and the goalkeeper.
- The long through ball: This is a long, and usually high, pass from a teams' own half, over the heads of the other team's defence. It is intended for the attacking players to chase and it is important that they remain in an onside position until the ball is kicked. The tactic works best with strong and fast forwards who will have a good chance of winning back the ball, taking control over it, and eventually getting a shot on goal. In the diagram, the ball (red line) is played in front of the furthermost forward, the dotted blue line showing their run. In this example, a through-ball pass along the floor would be picked up by one of the defenders (black team) because the gap between the two central defenders is too small.
- Using the space between the opponent's defensive line and midfielder line ('the hole'): A common build-up of attacks is to pass the ball into the space between the opponent's defenders and midfielders. Normally, an attacker with his back to the goal will receive the pass. He will seek to turn with the ball, or distribute it to a player facing the goal, who optimally also is in front of the opponent's midfielders - or even on the move into the space behind the opponent's defenders.
- Triangular movement: This is a movement tactic that allows a safe and quick shifting of the offensive flanks while maintaining control of the ball. In a triangular play the ball is passed between three players to form a triangle. The triangle is then shifted to a different position when a new player is added. Many triangles can be created with various combinations of players with the intention of slowly moving the ball forward and never really compromising possession. This tactic works well when trying to gain control in the midfield. However, it can also be used for pure attacking purposes. The effectiveness of this tactic lies in the fact that defenders are unable to quickly 'adapt' to the other attacker's style of play.
- Swapping of the wing men: Sometimes, a team with two flexible (position wise) wide men will allow them to interchange as the game progresses. The aim of this is to confuse the defenders who are assigned to mark them, thus maybe leading to opportunities as the defender tries to find their man in set pieces (corners, free kicks etc, where the man may be in a totally different position and thus evade his grasp). Also, if the wingers are different types of player (one favouring crossing from deep positions whilst the other is prone to trying to dribble past their marker for example), then it might be to exploit a weakness in the opposing defender.
- Strong Side Overloads: An offensive attack can pressure the defense on to one side of the pitch by running most of it's attackers and midfielders to one side letting a wing player or defender come to the opposite side with little or no coverage. The ball is then crossed or passed to that unmarked player for a free or near free shot.
- Using a target man: This tactic is useful when the team possesses a quality striker who has the ability of taking on the whole defence on his own. He will usually occupy two defenders, thus making the defence more vulnerable. Combined with two fast wingers, this tactic may give the 4-man defence potential problems. The team may also benefit from a target man at set pieces.
Offensive tactics in set pieces
Throw-ins
How throw-ins are best handled depends on where it is:
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- In one's own half the aim of a throw-in may be to retain possession in order to build up the next attack. The throw need not go forward, and the most unmarked player may be a full-back who is behind the ball. Such a throw followed by a quickly taken 'switch' pass could be an effective tactic. Under pressure, however, the ball is often thrown up the line to gain as much ground as possible.
- If the thrower is unmarked a simple tactic is to take a short throw to the feet or chest of a marked player who immediately returns the ball to the thrower.
- In the last third of the pitch a player with a long throw can put pressure onto the defenders by throwing the ball deep into the penalty area, resulting in somewhat similar tactics to a corner kick situation. There is no offside from a throw-in.
Goal kicks
A goal kick is an important 'set piece' that will occur many times in a game and yet few teams practice it. If taken quickly the kick may be taken short to a full-back who has run into a wide position. Although this may gain little ground it retains the all-important possession of the ball. A longer kick to the midfield is more common and it is vital that the midfield unit are in a position to receive it.
Corners
A corner is a real goal scoring opportunity and it is essential to know who is the best at taking a good corner from both the left and right side of the pitch. A good corner will be aimed high across the goal and may be 'bent' towards or away from the goal. At least one of the forwards should be on or close to the goal line when the kick is taken.
A somewhat cheap tactic on a corner is to let the best shooter stay in the back "trash" position and have the defense worried about those up front. The player taking the corner kick makes a small pass back to the trash shooter who has time and space to take a good shot.
Defending team tactics (when the team does not have the ball)
General defensive tactics
All eleven players on the pitch have a defensive role. Which roles they are assigned, depends on tactics. In principle, there are two ways of defending, zone defense and man-to-man defense. In a zone defense, defensive players mainly move in relation to each other, whereas a man-to-man defense mainly moves in relation to opposing players. Whenever defensive players are given, or give themselves, a larger degree of freedom, hybrids of the two are seen. [1]
First, second and third defender
The first defender has the main responsibility for what the opponent in possession does, seeking to obstruct dangerous passes. The first seconds after the team has lost the ball are important, as the defending team in these seconds will be poorly organised defensively. Wise first defending will contribute to the defending team managing to organise before the opponents may attack.
The first defender should usually be the player closest to the opponent holding possession, but needs to be at the defending side of him in order to do an effective job. He should keep a distance of about 2 metres, although the ideal distance will vary with each situation. The point is to pressure the opponent as much as possible without giving him a large possibility of a dribble. As a dribble isn't as dangerous when the defending team is well organised, the distance may be shorter in these cases. Analogously, the distance should be increased if the defense is poorly organised.
In certain cases, the first defender should attempt a tackle. Often, however, this will increase the probability of being dribbled and passed.
The direction in which to move towards the opponent with possession of the ball may be the shortest direction. However, it may be of value to curve the defensive run, in order to channel the opponent in a certain direction. If the defensive team is well organised, he should be channeled towards the centre of the pitch. In the case of temporarily poor defensive organisation, however, he should be channeled towards the line.
The second defender is for security if the first defender is passed. In that case, he takes over as first defender, and ideally one of the third defenders takes over as second defender. The team should be organised in a manner to make this transition as fast as possible. The typical ideal distance between the second and first defender is about six metres, but this will vary strongly from situation to situation. The most important factor is the opponent's speed. If he's moving fast, the distance should be longer. If he's standing still, the second and first defender may in some cases join forces and work as two first defenders.
While the role of first and second defenders are rather similar, the third defenders' role is very different in zone defense and man-to-man defense. Also, their organisation will vary with formation.
Pressure lines in zone defense
In zone defense, second and third defenders and midfielders are organised in two lines, in the transverse direction of the field, thus organising a defender line and a midfielder line, the midfielder line working as an "outer shield" for the defenders. The lines should be as straight as possible, although the first defender and in some cases the second defender may rush out of it to pressure the opponent with the ball. A straight line of defenders may prevent spaces behind some of them due to the offside rule. Also, even in zone defense, some opponents, for example those moving into dangerous space, may temporarily need to be marked. The man-to-man defense ideology holds that almost all opponents need to be marked at all times, although they will have to keep an eye on zone considerations as well, and usually a sweeper will be given a free defensive role. In practice, however, every defense will be a mix of zone defense and a man-to-man defense, although often with heavy leanings towards one or the other.
The number of players in the defender and midfielder lines is given by the number of football formations. Some formations use midfield anchors to stop attacks between the two lines. Attackers usually also play a role in pressurising defenders, in order to give them less time to find good passing alternatives.
The lines should be shifted sideways depending where the ball is. The third defenders should keep a sensible distance to each other, depending on the width the opponent's attacking players are distributed in.
Depth considerations
The distance between the defender line and the midfielder line should be kept constant at about 15 metres. However, the defensive line should back up and thus increase this distance, stand off, when there is no pressure on the opponent in possession, as this increases the possibility of a through ball. With tough pressure on the opponent, the distance may be reduced to below 15 metres. Also, as opponents move in close to the penalty area, the defending team will be forced to move their midfielders ever closer to their defenders.
When organised, the defending team will offer no resistance until the attacking team has advanced to a certain height on the pitch. The pressure height, or at which depth the midfielders should start acting as first and second defenders, depends on a lot of factors. For example, as higher pressure is more tiring, it demands players with good stamina. In general, a defensive-minded team will tend to stay lower, thus diminishing defensive risks as opponents get less space. This however, also gives them a longer way to the goal in the event of a break and counter-attack, making the long through ball a typical alternative.
Defensive play in man-to-man defense
In a man-to-man defense system, a 'sweeper' is a central defender who has a free role, i.e. has not been assigned a player to mark. He sometimes takes up a position slightly behind the other defenders, as his defensive role often is to 'sweep up' any attacks that break through the defence and as such he adds valuable depth to the defensive unit. Usually the sweeper will be the controller of the defence. They will determine where the back line should be at any given time. Zone defense does not require a sweeper role, and as many teams have changed their tactics to this, sweepers are today rare.
If you are defending someone, wait fo the ball to be passed to them, time your run so that you reach the ball, just as it is about a foot away from the intended receiver. If the person you are playing against is good at soccer (football), they will get their body in the way. If this is the case, give them some room, about a yard, and try to prevent them from turning. Always remain goalside (with yourself closer to the goal than you opponet, so that they can not score.
Defending at set pieces
Free-kicks from shot range
At free-kicks from shot range, a wall of defensive players is lined up. How many players should participate in the wall will depend on the angle and distance from the goal, and on the opponent's assumed shooting skills. The wall usually covers one end of the goal. The goalkeeper will be positioned nearer the other end of the goal, both because he then can see the ball when it's shot, and because it is more difficult for attackers to hit a powerful shot on target at the end that the wall covers.
Corner kicks and other crosses
At corner kicks, and at free-kicks or throw-ins that are likely to become a cross, most teams use man-on-man marking, even those which otherwise play zone defense. Each player is given an opponent to mark, in advanced football they usually have been assigned an opponent before the match. Substituting at the time of a defensive set piece is regarded as unwise, as play may be started before the substitute has come into marking position.
A few teams use the tactic of gathering defenders on one line on corner kicks and similar situations, in effect giving them the responsibility for zones instead of particular opponents.
Penalty kicks
In the case of a penalty kick, no defending players except the goalkeeper are allowed within the penalty area or within ten yards of the penalty spot. A significant number of players should, however, be placed right outside the penalty area, alert to advance into the area and clear any deflection. For this purpose, sometimes the attacking team will nominate two players to run at the goal from either side of the penalty spot; timing their run so that they only enter the penalty area once the kick has been taken will hopefully give them the first opportunity at gathering the ball if it is saved by the goalkeeper. This tactic is rarely seen, however, since the likelihood of the ball being saved and then falling into the path of the attacking player is small. A particular tactic that can be used by the goalkeeper involves trying to distract the penalty taker by drawing his concentration away from striking the ball cleanly. Such tactics normally involve moving one's body, or body parts, in an extravagant manner, or through verbal comments. Famous examples of where this worked successfully include Liverpool goalkeepers Bruce Grobbelaar in the 1984 Champions league final, and Jerzy Dudek in the 2005 Champions league final.
Defending with the ball
Clearing is when the player in possession of the ball is pressed hard, often near his own goal, and chooses to shoot the ball away with low precision simply in order to get out of a dangerous situation. When opponent pressure is extremely high, the ball is often cleared to a corner kick or to a throw-in. Clearing long, but into opponent control, may give the defence time and the opportunity to organise, including setting up the correct formation and pressure height. If the attack was high up the field, such as in or near the penalty area, defenders will thus quickly push out, and attackers will then be forced to retreat in order to avoid offside in the next move. Clearing may be combined with an attempt to hit a long pass or a long through ball. Players high up in the field who are pressed hard, and who are eager to avoid a counter-attack, may in some instances combine clearing with a shot.
A team composed of good passers and mobile players with good positioning skills may more often try to avoid clearing, as their skills make it easier to make shorter passes and thus retaining possession until they get out of a difficult situation.
Retaining possession in this way may also be regarded as a longer-term way of defending, as the opposing team cannot attack when they don't have the ball. With the ball, the team applying this tactic can simply pass the ball between each other - as in the possession football style, but with little or no intention of building up an attack, thus decreasing the risk of a break.
The major benefits of this tactic is that the team is in complete control over its opponents. Meanwhile, by knocking the ball around, opponents playing the pressing game can easily tire. And should an opportunity suddenly arise, defence may be quickly switched to attack. A major downfall is that because the accuracy of passes needs to be high, short passes between the players are required. This significantly narrows the gap between the attack, midfield and defence (usually, the latter is forced to push up). So if the opponent gains possession, a long ball could effectively open up the defence. Similarly, if it is the attack and midfield that need to drop back, the team will have little chances of counter-attacking even if possession is won back.
Notable examples
This section visually presents examples of actual soccer/football tactics and plays in action. See detailed discussion above for background information on various skills and tactics. All examples contain the following:
- Both an offensive and defensive principle as noted above in the article, rather than just an individual player showcase
- Actual photos and/or detailed diagrams
- Plays familiar to fans, coaches and players and are from the World Cup or first-rank pro leagues.
- Demonstration of individual skills and provide tips for younger players
Width and depth in attack: Final goal: Brazil vs. Italy, 1970
Use of width and depth. Width and depth are both principles of offence and defence as follows:
- Width in attack- the attacker tries to stretch the enemy by maximizing width and space
- Width in defence- the defender tries to contract and deny width and space
- Depth in attack- the attacker uses depth by moving men up from the rear, but may use a constant "target striker" or front man to always be present deep in the defence.
- Depth in defence- the defender also uses depth by providing covering support for a teammate, but may abandon depth temporarily to set an offside trap.
- Balance in defence. The defence attempts balanced coverage of vulnerable space. Players do not simply cluster on the right side for example, just because the ball is there at the moment.
How to beat a defence using width and depth. The soccer fan would be hard pressed to find a better example of both principles than the final goal of the 1970 World Cup, considered by many to be the best combined team effort in Cup history. Brazil picked apart one of the tightest defenses ever seen, the famous Italian catennacio "padlock" defence. The Italians used four defenders, plus a sweeper, PierLuigi Cera, behind the "back four". They relied on a counterattacking game, deploying 3 midfielders, and 2 strikers, and closely marked opponents man to man.
This tight system however involved a "collapsing" approach that while packing the Italian penalty area and denying the Brazilian forwards much space, left relatively large gaps in midfield. See "Standing Off" defensive discussion above. Brazil's superb skills exploited this weakness, showing especially that any defence (whether man to man, zone or other variants) can be beaten using the principles of both width and depth. The weakness of the man to man system was also exposed. Italian left back Fachetti dedicated himself to winger Jairziho, shadowing him tightly wherever he went. Jair cunningly moved off the right flank, opening gaps for others to follow as can be seen below. See "Switching the attack" and "Swapping wing men" above for discussion of this aspect of offensive tactics.
Italian defence pulled left in quick sequence. Brazilian midfielder Clodoaldo began the move with a weaving dribble out to the left flank, that beat 3 men and essentially pulled the Italian defence in that direction. A fatal gap was thus eventually opened up for the thundering run of fullback Carlos Alberto on the right. Clodoaldo eased the ball to the mustachioed Rivelino moving up on the left. Rivelino quickly played the ball forward to Jairzinho, who crossed the field to appear on the left flank.
Movement in center "freezes" Italian defence. Almost without pause the powerful Jairzinho began a weaving run. Fachetti played Jair well, backing off the ball, and squeezing him inside where it was more crowded. Good defenders will "channel" (see discussion above) an attacker into areas with less space. So far, all seemed safe for Italy. Fachetti covered well, as did the other Italian defenders. There were 2 extra men as insurance in the back as Jair began his run. Depth is also a principle of defence, and the sweeper system (or other arrangements) provides such.
As Jair accelerated, the ever dangerous centre forward Tostao began a sprint up the middle, drawing his defender with him, diverting the Italian defence and making more room for Jair. Younger players should note the movement off the ball by Brazil. Increasingly squeezed inside, Jair's run nevertheless drew the defence to him and he eased the ball to Pele in the center. Always dangerous, Pele paused and shaped to make a dribble.
Overlapping defender exploits principle of depth to cap the move. For the Italian defence, there was still no cause for undue alarm. Pele seemed well covered, and there was still the sweeper at the back as insurance behind the defence. Nevertheless, Pele's feint, combined with the previous moves, kept Italian focus frozen in the middle, attracting the attention of three men, and he casually slipped the ball right- to Carlos Alberto who was thundering up from the rear, totally unmarked.
Pele played the ball well ahead of Alberto, using space intelligently, so that the fast fullback ran on and shot without pausing, in full stride, smashing the ball into the Italian net. So effective was Brazil's use of width, that no Italian defender is even within reasonable striking distance of Alberto until the last moment. The principle of width stretched and drew the Italian defence. The principle of depth -fresh men moving up from the rear- allowed Brazil to exploit the gaps created by width. It was a fitting end to the tournament.
Penetration and envelopment in attack: Banks versus Pele, Mexico 1970
Penetration in attack- the forward or through pass: To the soccer player, the penetration pass is one of the first methods learned in attack, whether it be the simple "kick and chase" of the youth leagues, or the exquisite through-balls by today's world class stars. Penetration by pass is the quickest method of advancing the ball towards the enemy goal. When well executed, it can yield spectacular results. Penetration in attack however requires more than mere passing. Players without the ball must move into space, and must time their runs so as not to be caught offside.
Envelopment in attack: the central cross. Attacking an opposing side from the flanks using crosses from the wings is among the oldest and most effective soccer tactics. An attack from the flanks leverages width, stretching an opposing defence, to create gaps in the goal area for exploitation. While the direction of the lateral cross is not as straightforward as the through-ball, both types of passes serve to split an enemy defence, in view of striking at the vital central area of the goal. This example, the legendary confrontation between keeper Gordon Banks of England and Pele of Brazil, captures the two types of attack in one snapshot. It also serves to illustrate the difficulties in defending against both types of passes.
Two pass types - one great defensive save. The powerful running of Brazil's right winger Jairzinho set the stage, with initial direction by captain Carlos Alberto. Sprinting down the flank, the muscular speed merchant pounced on an excellent through pass from Alberto, accelerated past Cooper the English back, and lofted a high arcing cross to Pele in the center. Pele headed down powerfully and was already raising his arms in triumph when Banks leaped to his right "like a salmon over a fall" Pele said later, and somehow flailed the bouncing ball over the crossbar, saving a sure goal. The Brazilian forward said it was the greatest save he had ever seen, and many would agree.
Offensively, this play demonstrates how both types of passes can divide and stretch a defence. Jairzinho's running and cross was set up by an excellent forward pass, and his center to Pele capped a move that should have resulted in a goal, were it not for the extraordinary skill of English keeper, Gordon Banks. In terms of individual skill and style of play, younger players should note that Pele headed down at the height of his leap, leveraging maximum force. When heading, attack the ball with your eyes open, and attempt to direct it, rather than let it aimlessly hit you.
Defending against penetration and envelopment passes. Offside traps are one way to defend against both pass types, but the ultimate solution is defensive depth and sound goalkeeping. During a game it is inevitable that gaps will appear, which will be exploited rapidly by skilled opponents. Attempting an offside trap, or providing an extra man for more depth at the back would have made little difference the way this event unfolded. Cooper could be criticized for his handling of Jairzinho, and indeed on this play, he was comprehensively beaten. Nevertheless, few could contain the winger during the 1970 tournament- not even an experienced defender like Facchetti, whose only job was to shadow him wherever he went during the Final. The penetration pass by Alberto gave Jair a step on Cooper, and that was all "the Hurricane" needed. While this example primarily illustrates attack through penetration and envelopment, it also shows the importance of the goalkeeper, the final line of defence. Banks had to move all the way across the goal to the far post, and was down quickly to flail away Pele's powerful header. Lesson for aspiring keepers: learn to love the turf - get down quickly. While other more difficult saves have been made, Bank's performance still rates first rank consideration.
The two-man combination
Using the two-man combination. The 2-man combination pass, variously called the wall pass, the "one-two", the "give and go" and other local names, is among the simplest yet most powerful team techniques in soccer. It requires a fair level of individual skill to pull off, yet this should not stop coaches from introducing it early in the higher youth leagues, nor should players from these leagues neglect it in favor of the all too easy "kick and chase". There are two ways to execute it: (a) pass and run to space for the return pass without pausing or (b) pass then pause briefly to gauge opposing reaction before running into an open spot for the return. In tight conditions, the first method is better, while the second can be used where there is a bit more space to operate. How does one know when to initiate and complete such a pass? Only by practice together, and by constantly moving off the ball into space, so that opportunities are seized. Move into space aggressively after initiating a "one-two" and call for the ball.
Power of the two-man combination: Holland vs Brazil, 1974. Simple as it is, the 2-man move can penetrate the teeth of the densest, most negative opposition. Peru brought it to a high art on the World Cup stage in 1970, under their coach Didi, Brazil's former midfield general of 1958 and 1962. Time after time Peruvian forwards like Cubillas, Gallardo, and Sotil put a central combination on the floor that sliced through the opposition and created countless dangerous situations. Defensively Peru was not as good, but still such moves helped the unheralded team to reach the quarter finals. The Dutch team of 1974 were also disciples of the two-man combo. The diagram here shows the first Dutch goal in the 1974 game that crushed Brazil's repeat championship hopes - product of an exchange between Neeskens and Cruyff. This one actually worked. A 2-man move also set up the second goal for Cruyff in the game. Contrast with the "hand" of Maradona below.
Potential of the two-man combination: Maradona's "hand" goal- 1986. The example shown below, the first goal of Diego Maradona against England in 1986, is used to illustrate the potential of the move. Argentina utilized it frequently, being ideally suited to their crisp, quick, short passing style. As he had often done during the game, Maradona initiated the sequence with a quick dribbling run into the packed central area. Surrounded, he began a 2-man combo pass - slipping the ball to Valdano on the right, and then moving up for the reply. Valdano pivoted and attempted to return, but conditions were too tight. Hodge, the English midfielder, intercepted and not unreasonably, attempted to tap the ball back to his keeper, Shilton. The rest is well known. Maradona and Shilton raced towards the floating ball, which connected with Maradona's (human) hand, past Shilton, into the goal.
Lesson- avoid dead-end dribbles. Aside from the notorious incident, the player and student of tactical soccer should note that Maradona, for all his skill, had really dribbled into a dead-end. Younger players should avoid such dribbles into a tighly packed area. Don't be afraid to dribble and move up quickly, but do not hang on to the ball very long unless you can do something productive. Only the very skilled can pull off dribbling in a crowded zone, but here even Maradona had reached the end of the line. Fortunately, he laid it off to Valdano at that point. A wall-pass can create something even in such unpromising situations. Continuous defensive pressure and depth is the only answer.
Lesson- keep defensive playbacks low and crisp. To their credit, the English covered well, and there were 2 men facing Maradona when he made his final lunge for goal. However the combo created a dangerous situation, as it often does when executed near the goalmouth. Hodge played Valdano well, pressuring him so he could not retain possession, and stealing the ball. Unfortunately Hodge himself made an error in his backward pass, lofting it high back to Shilton, understandable perhaps due to the bounce and with Valdano breathing down his neck. The two-man combo typically moves so swiftly that it can force such defensive errors-- from errant passes to deflections. A sloppy defence can be ripe for the picking when the 2-man combo is laid down. Younger players should learn from Hodge's defensive slip. When playing a ball backwards to your keeper, try to keep it on the ground, and play it back crisply. Avoid drifting lobs or snail-like back passes.
Lesson- make it easy to receive a return pass and learn to reply when positioned awkwardly. Run into space in such a way that your partner can get off a return. Valdano was in a tight spot here, with his back to the goal and a defender pressuring him. Make your initial pass as easy as possible to handle too. Maradona's flick had some bounce- difficult to control in tight quarters when attempting a 2-man exchange. On the receiving end, learn to return a combo pass with your back to the goal, or with different angles of the foot. The backheel is particularly valuable in limited spaces.
This offensive move had only modest potential, but it did slice through the densely packed central area. Unfortunately it simply did not have enough space to work. Maradona's illegal handling added an unforeseen dimension. Nevertheless, apart from the incident, it could be said that Maradona had created something out of nothing. With a little more space and time Valdano might have gotten off a return pass or taken a shot. Unfortunately such extra space and time may not be forthcoming. Younger players should also note that Maradona kept moving into space. He did not stop (at least initially) to admire his handiwork.
The Three-man move
Effectiveness of three-man strike teams. The three-man move is another very effective weapon in the attacking arsenal. It is distinguished from simple passing between players in that the initiator of the move finishes it with a shot on goal or a well-placed pass leading to a shot. It is thus a collaboration of three distinct players. Famous three-man strike teams are legendary in soccer, from the earliest days, through the famous Hungarian sides of the 1950s, to the "clockwork orange" of the Dutch masters in the 1970s, through the German, Italian, French, Argentinian, Brazilian and other teams of the contemporary era. The three-man package can be more effective than the two-man combo because it gives more attacking options and causes more confusion in the defence. The initial pass cannot be quickly cut off as in the 2-man maneuver which really has only one option. Typically the second pass in the 3-man move lures and diverts defenders on to false ground. This gives the initiator of the sequence time to run into an advantageous position. Triple player collaborations of course do not operate in isolation- they have other supporting players- but the tight 3-man exchange still remains a fundamental pillar of successful attacking play.
Brazil vs Uruguay 1970- strike package: Jairzinho - Pele - Tostao. The example below, is drawn from one of the most famous strike teams- Pele, Tostao and Jairzinho. This goal, against Uruguay in the 1970 semi-final, captures the power of the move. The fast winger Jairzinho set the stage- dribbling down the right flank before finding Pele ahead. Tightly marked, and with his back to the goal, Pele immediately played a beautiful back-heel to Tostao. The baby-faced center-forward drew the defence to him with a short dribble before finding Jairzinho again on the wing. This exchange of passes gave Jairzinho a lead on other defenders and he made the most of it- accelerating down the wing, selling a dummy on Uruguayan defender Matosas, and muscling him aside as he approached the enemy goal. Uruguayan keeper Mazurkiewicz came off his line but it was simply too late, as Jairzinho slotted the ball into the net. Of note in this sequence is the attacking space created by the tight exchanges between Jair, Pele and Tostao. Even the Uruguayans, playing one of the most densely packed, negative defences seen in a World Cup could not stop it. Jairzinho is surrounded by enemy defenders when the sequence starts, but at the end, he only has one to deal with. Also of note is the unselfish passing of Brazilian striker Tostao, with his skill creating countless openings for his teammates throughout the 1970 tournament.
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