.png)
Welcome to the most current and final edition of our newsletter for this year! After this issue, we'll take a one-week break and return on January 2nd to share new knowledge with you. In this newsletter, we're focusing on the following topics:
⚽ Details in Football
The pass from the full-back to the winger
Build-up play from the Goal Kick
➡️ New exercises are here!
🆕 News updates
Today's edition of our newsletter is presented by... tactical-board
Tactical-Board.com offers a versatile online tactical board for over 15 sports. With blank boards and three different views, customization is a breeze. Design your tactics using colored chips and various shapes for clear visualization. From player chips to freehand drawings, it's all there for precise training!
Tactical Board is my go-to tool for creating my training videos. For those who have already explored the exercise library, the software is familiar.
From customizing player chips to devising tactical maneuvers, the range of options is impressive. See for yourself the capabilities of this platform if you wish to record and document your training sessions online.
⚽ Football Details
What distinguishes a good coach from a world-class coach often isn't rooted in the fundamental knowledge of the various phases of football. In the professional realm, this knowledge is widely present. The real difference lies in the nuances, the details during each phase of the game. A notably detail-oriented coach is Mikel Arteta of Arsenal.
Martin Odegaard - “It has surprised me, actually, how detail-oriented he and the whole team are. I’ve never encountered anything like it, with people who see football that way and who see details as specifically as he does. It can be simple little things or more big things. It’s extremely detailed and a lot of little things we talk about, watching video after every game and all that. It’s fun working with him and the team. It works.”
We'll stick with Arteta and delve into a practical example to shed light on a specific detail we've discovered and want to present here.
The pass from the full-back to the winger
It's a familiar scenario: the full-back receives the ball, and the winger, positioned wide along the touchline, offers himself as a passing option. The ball is played directly to the winger, who has his back to the opponent's goal and is marked by a defender. In such situations, he has little room to turn and play towards the goal. Instead, he often has no choice but to pass the ball back again.
Arteta has found an interesting solution here, one that his players often implement during matches as well. Instead of the full-back playing the ball directly at the winger's feet, a pass is played into the center for him to run onto. Why? This allows the winger to shake off the defender, receive the ball in motion, and have multiple options. He's no longer facing away from the opponent's goal but is in a more favorable position. He can pass into midfield, dribble, still pass back, or even play the ball forward. This small detail significantly expands the winger's options. Of course, it doesn't always work, as it also depends on the opponent's positioning. However, when executed successfully, this move can be extremely effective in advancing play.
Practical example:
Build-up play from the Goal Kick
The construction of play, usually starting after a goal kick, follows a clear structure dictated by the coach for most top teams. Teams with a strong style aim for a polished and secure build-up to advance into the second and third zones of the field. However, this phase is meticulously analyzed by opponents because in modern football, every team has a precise idea of how they want to execute pressing in this situation.
So, what do technically skilled teams try to do in order to generate as many options as possible in their build-up and find a fluid solution to progress into the next zone? Let's first look at the typical build-up of many teams. Usually, the action starts with the goalkeeper, while the center-backs stay deep and position themselves on the left and right sides of their own penalty area. The full-backs stand a bit wider and slightly higher. Depending on the team, one or two defensive midfielders are in the center to support the build-up. When the ball is played to one of the center-backs, they already face the disadvantage of having fewer options as they typically stand relatively wide and the touchline limits them. So, when a center-back is approached by a forward in a curved run, their choices are quickly restricted.
How do technically skilled teams actually approach to have many options in their build-up play and find creative ways to enter the next section of the field? Let's take a look at how many teams typically build their game. The center-backs position themselves laterally close to their own penalty area. The full-backs take a slightly wider and slightly higher position. In the central area, depending on the team, there are one or two defensive midfielders who support the build-up play. The action always starts with a pass from the goalkeeper. So, when the ball is played to one of the center-backs, their options are already limited as they usually stand relatively far out and the touchline restricts them, especially when the forward is running towards them in an arc.
At this point, many top coaches have found solutions. Instead of the goalkeeper initiating the action with a pass, a center-back moves into the penalty area and passes the ball to the goalkeeper. What's the advantage? It expands the options. In a central position, the ball can be played in any direction, making it significantly more difficult for the opponent to press or approach.
Of course, it's not always feasible to play out from the back and build up by combining passes. Especially for this style of play, a goalkeeper who is technically adept and brave in possession is crucial. Nevertheless, this particular detail can assist the team in creating more diverse options in the build-up play.
Comments