NOTE: This guide was compiled from several D License clinics that I attended over several years.  Special thanks to the clinic instructors: Kenny White, Stuart Fitzsimmons, Lisa Howe and Jason Vitrup. These notes are no substitute for the clinic as there is no substitute for the interaction with the instructor and fellow coaches.  Rather it is intended as a helpful guide for those taking the course. The real benefits of the USSF courses come from the work done on the soccer fields.  Ken Gamble

Game Analysis

Analyzing Your Own Team for both offense and defense

1. Attitude (Psychological)

   • Competitiveness

   • Desire to play

   • Concentration (particularly in transition)

   • Confidence

   • Mental toughness

   • Work rate

   • Commitment to high standards

   • Imagination  
     
     

2. Fitness (Physical)

   • Do the players display the speed, strength, power and endurance that their particular role in the game demands?  

Game Analysis
Defending  3. TECHNICAL  4. TACTICAL  

1. First Defender (pressure)

   • Do players recognize when to become the first defender? Are they in a good starting position?

   • Deny penetration - stop opponents from turning

   • Apply "Controlled Aggression"

   • Stay on their feet

   • Know when to tackle  
     
     

2. Second Defender (cover)

   • Support the first defender

   • Angle of support

   • Distance of support

   • Maintain vision of ball and marking assignment

   • Ability to track players

   • Communication 
     
     

3. Third defender (balance) 

   • Track runners away from the ball making forward runs

   • Squeeze space towards center of field

   • Communication 
     
     

4. Group Play

   • Do players in the immediate area of the ball know how to combine and communicate to effectively defend?
     
     

5. Team Play

   • Do all players make immediate transition to defending at the moment the ball is lost?

   •  Does the team play as a unit?

   • Team Shape?  

   • Is there pressure, cover, balance and compactness?

   • Goalkeeper?

   • Is the strategy effective and appropriate in the different thirds of the field?

   • Does the team have internal guidance (leadership)?

   • Are the key players taking responsibility for compactness and team shape.
     
      

6. Restarts (includes throw ins).

   • Is the ball pressured quickly?

   • Are players quickly recovered goal-side?

   • Are we organized?

   • Do we have the appropriate players (size) heading ability in the proper areas?

   • Concentration
     
      

7. Goalkeeper

   • In command and instills confidence

   • Communication

   • Decision making?

   • Clean safe handling and field skills
      

Game Analysis
Attacking  3. TECHNICAL  4. TACTICAL  

1. First Attacker

   • Is first touch positive?

   • Is first option to penetrate by means of I ) shot 2) pass 3)

   • dribble?

   • Is choice of1,2,3 correct?

   • Is it done quickly?

   • Is the players technique successful?

   • What is the quality of each pass in terms of:

   • Accuracy

   • Weight

   • Timing

   • Angle

   • Disguise

   • Is the choice of pass appropriate?

   • Long or short

   • Penetration or possession

   • One channel attack or change the point of attack

   • Pass to feet or space?  
     
     

2. Second Attacker (supportive players)

   • Can they make space for themselves?

   • Do they know how to lose a marker?

   • Distance of support

   • Angle of support

   • Do players know when to play in front of the ball and when to play behind it?

   • When to show towards the ball and when to run away

   • Is there communication? Visual and verbal.
     
     

3. Third Attacker

   • Is there a constant attempt to unbalance the defending team?

   • Do these players take the responsibility for maintaining width and depth?
     - Is the first choice to get behind the defense?
     - Can they make space for themselves and others?

    

4. Ground Play

   • Do the players in the immediate area of the ball know how to combine to perform basis combinations?
          
     

5. Team Play

   • Do all players make immediate transition to attack?

   • Does the team play as a unit?

   • Is there connection between players and groups of players?

   • Does the overall "SHAPE" of the team allow us to penetrate or keep possession?  

   • Is the strategy effective in the different thirds of the field?

   • Are key players taking responsibility for the rhythm of the game?
     
     

6. Restarts

   • Are restarts organized quickly and efficiently

   • Do the players understand their responsibilities?

   • Are the appropriate players in the most advantageous positions to maximize certain qualities?

Game Analysis

PRINCIPLES OF DEFENSE

1. IMMEDIATE CHASE

   1. Pressure ball and player  
      
      

2. DELAY

   1. Force attacking team to slow down

   2. Primary task of first Defender
      
       

3. DEPTH

   1. The quick organization of players behind the first defender

   2. Job of second Defender
      
      

4. BALANCE

   1. Positioning of defenders relative to possible penetrating attackers away from the ball.

   2. Third Defender
      
      

5. COMPACTNESS

   1. The limiting of time and space by defenders squeezing centrally behind the ball

   2. Prevention of ball playing through or over the defense.
       

ROLE OF FIRST, 2ND AND 3RD DEFENDERS

1. First Defender (pressure)

   1. Apply pressure to ball to regain possession if possible.

   2. Dent penetration of any kind.

   3. Select proper angle of challenge.

   4. Select proper speed of challenge.  
      
      

2. Second Defender (cover) - can be several players

   1. Provide cover support for first defender

   2. Select proper angle of support. .
      Will vary according to:

      • pressure by first defender

      • positioning of supporting attackers

      • third of the field

   3. Select proper distance of support

      1. Should be a distance that the 2nd defender can tackle or immediately close down an attacker who has beaten the ist defender

      2. Distance of support will vary with the third of the field and the amount of pressure on the ball.

      3. Responsible for tracking supporting attackers who make forward runs

   4. Verbal communication with the first defender. Should communicate to the first defender the following:
      Right, Left, Tighter, Looser, Contain, Tackle
      
      

3. Third Defender (balance) -remaining players-

   1. Track attackers away from area of the ball who are making forward runs.

   2. Squeeze space towards center of field to "lock up" vital areas

   3. Preserve balance/shape
      

PRINCIPLES OF ATTACK  

1. PENETRATION

   1. Getting the ball behind opponents

   2. The work of the first attacker achieved through shooting, passing or dribbling   
      
      

2. DEPTH

   1. The organization of players behind and in front of the first attacker

   2. Specifically the work of the 2nd attacker
      
      

3. MOBILITY

   1. The attempt of attacking players to penetrate and unbalance the collective defending action.

   2. The work of the third attackers.
      
      

4. WIDTH

   1. The disposition of attackers across the field to pull apart the collective defending action.
      
      

ROLE OF
FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD ATTACKERS

1. FIRST ATTACKER (penetrate)

   1. Player with the ball (penetrate)

   2. Must achieve penetration by making the best tactical decision based upon the players technical capabilities
      
      

2. 2ND ATTACKER (depth)

   1. Player in immediate support of first attacker

   2. Positioned behind, square or in advance of the ball based upon pressure applied to first attacker

   3. Positioned at the proper distance to insure that one defender cannot restrict both attackers

   4. Must combine with first attacker to gain penetration through:  

      • bents runs

      • overlapping runs

      • wall passes

      • 1-2 double pass

      • take-overs

   5. Bent and overlapping runs may isolate first attacker for dribbling
      
       

3. 3RD ATTACKER (mobility)

   1. Attempts to unbalance the defending team by making constructive runs to increase the attacking options.

   2. Penetrating runs allow for the possibility of the third attacker receiving the ball or creating space behind his run for another attacker. 

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