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by Gary Rue
garyrue@bellsouth.net
 

NOTE:  Gary did not write these exercises and tips with the idea that someone would publish them.  I subscribe to the Soccer-Coach-L e-mail list and Gary is one of the coaches that posts extremely well thought out replies.  These are some of Gary's posts that I collected for use in coaching my own teams.   I approached Gary and he was gracious enough to allow me to publish them here.  If you like what you see or have a question about one of the exercises you can reach Gary at garyrue@bellsouth.net There are 50+ more pages of Gary's posts categorized at the Home Page of Exercises of the Day by Gary Rue. Click here and enjoy.

Coaching with Style - Attacking Style
Segment #11

      By now the playing positions should be almost set and the defensive style should have defined a base shape on which to build the attacking system. The abilities and skills of the players are usually more important in defining the attacking style than that of the defensive system. Areas of importance are the ability to take players on, crossing, heading, shooting and distribution skills.

       Following are some of the questions the coach needs to address in order to start defining his attacking system:

• How many forwards will there be?
• What are the ball skills and shooting ability of the wing players?
• What are the ball skills and shooting ability of the central halfbacks?
• What are the ball skills and shooting ability of the forwards?
• What are the ball skills and shooting ability of the backs?
• Where is the speed on the team?
• Does the team tend to play more direct or indirect; can it adapt to a different style?
• Is the team able to take advantage of balls over the top?
• Is the team able to take advantage of through balls down the middle?
• Is the team able to take advantage of a wing attack?
• Can certain players get to and beat defenders along the goal-line?
• Is a certain player good at playing with his back to goal; i.e., able to receive and hold a ball, then turn or distribute?
• Are there players that can take defenders off the dribble?
• Are there players that can pass in tight spaces?
  
  
  Successful attacks are generally characterize by one or more the following situations:
  
        Quick counter attack with good team defense, winning the ball as close to the attacking goal as possible; requires quick player transition (multiple
  players) and long penetrating balls
   
  • getting players in behind the defense with balls over the top, through balls or early crosses
  • crosses from the wings
  • breaking down the defense via the dribble or short passing
  • finding players in front of the defense (versus behind) via drops, back angles and poor defensive clearances
    
     

        Teams generally have one of two primary attack modes:
   

• indirect play - is characterized with ball possession via short passing; an indirect team looks to buildup the attack by off-balancing the opponents
  with lots of square passing, drops, and switching fields. A central attack is more often a result of this type of play, though some systems look for
  the long pass to the off-ball overlapping player after moving the other team around with short passing. Generally, a short-short-long series utilized to allow the defense to shift to one area, then quickly move the ball to another area with a longer pass.
   
• direct play - is a quick and direct assault into the attacking half of the field without much buildup; backs look to play the ball forward as soon as
  possible; generally, a wing attack is used with this style, though long passes down the middle to central players that are strong in the air and on
  the ground in holding the ball can be good central distribution points for off-ball runs.
  
  
        Coaches can set up their attacking styles via shooting exercises that incorporate the buildup patterns and the runs on goal. For instance, a wing
  attacking team, needs to make sure the players know what part on the penalty area to make their runs. Back angled and near post passing needs to be stressed if players can and do get to the goal-line. Through ball work, drop and spin, and short inter-passing buildup is important for central attacks.
  
        The preparation runs by the front runners are critical to establishing a style. Defining which forward(s) stretch out the defense and where (on the off-ball side?) and which forwards check to the ball are necessary.
        Do the forwards overload one side, do they make diagonal runs to the wing on the ball side or do they open up to the off-ball side.
        How do the front runners cooperate? Do they work off each other or do they space themselves apart. Do they make crossing runs, parallel runs, or opposite runs?
        How do the wing and center halfbacks react to these runs?
  
      One last consideration is how the players interchange through play?
      What is the responsibility of the forward player when overlapped by a halfback?
      Do the halfbacks interchange positions with each other or the forwards?
      How does the team maintain or reacquire balance after these asymmetrical runs
  are made?
      Are the backs expected to look to go forward or always stay back?
      How does the team communicate when it is out of defensive shape to assure it can get back to some balance?
  
       The coach has a lot to consider. On the other hand, most teams will "create" their own style as their skills allow. The coach's training emphasis and
  patterns will help to guide the players into a certain
  system.
       However, it is important that the coach uses the players' natural abilities and inclinations to redirect their energies into a team system, rather than force them into something they cannot perform or even comprehend.
  
       Next we will discuss some of the miscellaneous and intangibles that a coach may want to consider when setting his system into motion.
  
  Later!
  
  Gary Rue
  Western Hills High School boys coach; Frankfort Youth Soccer
  Frankfort, Kentucky US
  gary.rue@mail.state.ky.us
  
   
• Additional Notes:
  
      Whereas defensive shape demands a look of symmetry, attacks are often more effective if they present the defense an asymmetric look. Players may overload one side with the forward players and try to balance out the attack with delayed far post runs the opposite side wing players or backs.
  
       Though the attacking system should not be one-sided, player skills may dictate how a team attacks on one side versus the other. For instance, a
  team is more likely to receive crosses from the right side if their right wing is good at getting the ball down the touch and crossing the ball into the area. Perhaps the left wing is right-footed and likes to dribble laterally toward the middle if he gets in on the left side.