Rob Herringer- NSCAA National StaffHead Men’s Coach- Benedictine College

• Evolution of systems of play (brief)

• Modern systems of play

• Modern Defensive Tactics

• Modern Attacking Tactics

• Implications for coaches

• Summary and Closing

• All information presented is applicable to BOTH the men’s and women’s game.

• More examples used from the men’s game, however.

“Football is not just about players. It is about shape and about space, about the intelligent deployment of players, and their movement within that deployment.”

-Jonathan Wilson

Inverting the Pyramid

ENGLAND v. SCOTLAND- FIRST INTERNATIONAL MATCH- 1872 (0-0)

• “Formations are dying out. It’s increasingly difficult to mark the movement of the players, with respect to the ball, just by assigning numbers to each line.” –Slaven Bilic (Croatia)

• “The formation is only the first snapshot. After that, the players are always on the move because the ball is on the move, so the formation no longer exists…a team’s style of play is related to an idea, not to geographic positioning on the pitch.” –Juanma Lillo (Spain)

• 4-2-3-1 (Germany, Netherlands and many others)

• 4-3-3 (Portugal and Russia)

• 4-4-2 (England)

• 3-5-2 and 4-1-3-2 (Italy)

• 4-6-0 (Spain)

• 4-2-3-1

• 4-3-3

• 4-4-2

– Block of 8

– Diamond midfield

• 3-5-2

• 4-1-4-1

“This is a fundamental: it could be said that the whole history of tactics describes the struggle to achieve the best possible balance of defensive solidity and attacking fluidity.”

-Jonathan Wilson

Inverting the Pyramid

• “Systems of play are like a poor man’s blanket…” –Anson Dorrance

• Do the players fit the system or does the system fit the players?

• Coaches must know the structural strengths and weaknesses of each system.

• Coaches must know how to train teams in each system.

• No matter what system you choose, you must always account for the principles of the game!

Shaping the three lines- backs, midfielders and forwards. Players are in natural pairs. Flank play. Can be overrun in the central midfield. Easy to stay organized defensively- block of 8.

Back four can play against 1,2 or 3 forwards. Wingbacks can get forward. Shape and roles of central midfield. Front three can press high up the field and counter quickly. Forwards can get isolated. Space given up on the flanks. Can easily drop into a 1-4-1-4-1 when defending.

Playing with 4 lines of players instead of 3. Roles of holding midfield players. Roles of the #11,#10 and #7 positions. Role of the #9. Very flexible shape which allows for many different combinations of players and tactics.

Ideal for a counter-attacking team. Roles and responsibilities of wingbacks-handling 2v1s. Shape and roles of CMF. May be difficult to get numbers forward at times. Forwards must play with one another. Central midfield and wing backs must support the attack.

SYMMETRICAL (shape) BALANCED (players)

• Zonal back four/three• Defending the ball instead

of man-to-man• Pressure, cover, balance• Use of offside space• Compaction and

concentration• Variations in thirds of the

field• The use of

sweeper/stopper systems is virtually non-existent in the modern game.

C O M P A C T I O N

CONCENTRATION

• Being used more often due to development and understanding of athletes- speed, fitness, agility, nutrition, sport science.

• FULL PRESS- “GEGGENPRESSING”– Entire team attempting to win the ball back

immediately following loss of possession.

• ¾ press– Line of confrontation

• HALF PRESS/Delayed high pressure– Line of confrontation

– Creating space to counter

• Protection against rapid counter-attacks.

• Speed and athleticism of athletes.

• 17 of the 34 first goals scored in the 2010 World Cup were executed within 10 seconds after regaining possession.

• A back 3.5…

• Not just a “stopper” anymore!

• Ability to get forward and assist with the attack.

• Combine with partners.

• Playmakers.

• Attack the 18 with dribbling or variety of service.

• More room to run?

• “Wrong-footed/Inverted” wingers coming inside.

• Playmakers underneath striker(s), on the flank or in deep-lying positions.

• The relationship between the #9 (center forward) and #10 (withdrawn forward/attacking midfielder)

• Implications for opposition centerbacks

• Use of a false #9

• No forwards at all?

“The perfect tactical system doesn’t exist: it’s the players who make the system look perfect. I don’t want to rely on a system to win a game; I want to rely on a player to win a game. I want him/them to express himself/themselves. I love open play goals…The system is there to enable the player to be as good as he can be. There is no absolute truth in terms of systems. 4-6-0 works because it is Spain, who are the best at possession football; and when you’re so good at possession football, you need players around the ball; it wouldn’t work as well- for them-with a traditional target man in the box. An ability to be flexible is more important than sticking to a system.”

PHILOSOPHY:

“We want to be a team that takes control of the ball, a team that imposes itself in possession, that is going to be brave, will defend from the front, and will take risks. But that’s a philosophy, not a tactical system. In tactical terms, we must be flexible. And we must have players who are committed to suffering for the team.”

Q: What is your coaching philosophy?

• Must expose players to a variety of modern systems that incorporate zonal defending or combination of zonal and man-marking.

• Systems that are flexible, not rigid.

• Systems with 3, 4 and 5 backs.

• Systems with 3, 2, 1 and no forwards.

• VARIETY!

• Q: Are we really developing our young players if we only teach them one system?

• Direct

• Indirect

• “Style of no style”

• Changes based on opponents, field and weather.

• Changes based on game situations/”scenarios”:– Up/down a goal

– Up/down a player

– Need a win

• Zonal backlines

• Use of holding/screening midfielders

• Pressing

• Many players entering college have very little knowledge of how to defend- individually, in a unit and as a team.– limited experience playing zonal systems.

• Limited experience playing with three in the back.

• Coaches must prepare players for the next level of the game!

• Building from the back (indirect football) is essential for development.

• Players must be encouraged and have confidence to beat opponents in 1v1 situations.

• Positional relationships/partnerships (groups and pairs)

• Technical development is essential!– Crossing, passing, receiving and finishing.

• Framing the goal/runs in the penalty area

• Reading opponents and solving problems on the field.

Q: How has the game changed?

“Firstly, everything is so much quicker. Not in the sense of running or moving quicker, no. Quicker in the head. There’s no longer space, which means there’s less time to think, analyze and control the ball. You have to find the solution before the ball arrives at your feet. Secondly, we no longer defend to protect the goalkeeper, we defend high to try to win back the ball as quickly as possible.”

“A few years ago, if a coach asked his star forward to defend, he’d have said, ‘Go f*** yourself, that’s not my job!’ There’s no longer room for lazy players. If a player doesn’t help out defensively, the opposition has so much quality they’ll always find a teammate in space.”

• Teambuilding- Rinus Michels

• Inverting the Pyramid- Jonathan Wilson

• NSCAA Soccer Journal

• Elite Soccer Coaching-

• Zonal Marking-

• NSCAA-

• US Youth Soccer/ State association

“Players lose you games, not tactics. There’s so much crap talked about tactics by people who barely know how to win at dominoes.”

- Brian Clough

• Know your players.– Warriors, artists, etc.

• Know the different systems and tactics-educate yourself.

• Know the opposition.

• Be flexible and teach your players to do the same.

• Develop your philosophy on how your team should play- it’s a process!

• Always have a Plan B, and make sure your players know what that is.

And sometimes… even Plan Z!

The English Plan

Depending on the wind, the striker’s position may vary…

The Italian Plan

Iron defense, small ideas in midfield, pass to striker…and…Penalty!

The Brazilian Plan

… no comment!

The French Plan

They manage to lose the game by themselves, no help needed.

The Dutch Plan

In their plan, they try all possible hypnosis.

They forgot the goal!

The Scottish Plan

Note: the red dot is not the ball, it’s the

referee.

• Rob Herringer

• Thank you for your time, attention and participation.