Defensive Football

Overall Forward Movement

Check the overall forward movement of your players is balanced by using the table below, which shows scores for each player role/duty that can be added together to give an overall penetration score, solidity score and support score.

Add together the scores shown for each role/duty and compare to the targets shown at the top of each column. If your total scores are below the targets then consider adjusting roles/duties as appropriate.

For example, you can increase your penetration score by moving a player to a similar role/duty in a more advanced position, increase your solidity score by moving a player to a similar role/duty in a deeper position and increase your support score by moving a player to a similar role/duty in a position closer to the M(C/R/L) positions.

Defensive Football Example Tactic

Modify this example tactic for your team or create your own. Then check your defensive football tactic using the System Analyser and Style Analyser and see how it performs in matches.

Team mentality: Cautious

Formation:

• 4-4-1-1 – neutral
  • 4 Ds / 4 Ms / 1 AMC / 1 STC

Player roles and duties:

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Goalkeeper (GK Defend)

Forward movement scores:

• Penetration score = 0.5 + target = low to moderate
  • Left side = 0.5 – target = low to very low
  • Right side = 1.5 + target = moderate to high
  • Penetrating space in the attacking third may be difficult on the left-hand side. The STC could be moved to STCL and the AMC could be moved to AMCR to adjust these scores if necessary.

• Solidity score = 1.0 + target = moderate
  • Left side = 0.5 + target = low to moderate
  • Right side = 1.5 + target = moderate to high

• Support score = 2.0 + target = high
  • Left side = 2.5 + target = high to very high
  • Right side = 1.5 + target = moderate to high

Other team instructions:

• Narrow attacking width
• Play For Set Pieces
• Counter
• Defend Narrower

Offsetting Contrasting Player Instructions

Contrasting player instructions given by roles and duties:

• Tackle Harder (1) – Pressing Forward (STC Support)
  • Not offset by the Ease Off Tackles PI (0).
  • The Stay On Feet TI could be used to offset. However, Tackle Harder is only relevant for one player and mostly when the team is defending in advanced areas.

• Stay Wider (2) – Winger (ML Attack) and Winger (MR Attack)
  • Not offset by the Sit Narrower PI (0).
  • Therefore, the Narrow attacking width TI has been used to offset.

• Cross From Deep (1) and Cross More Often (2) – Winger (ML Attack), Winger (MR Attack) and Wing Back (DR Defend)
  • Only partly offset by the Cross From Byline PI (2) and the Cross Less Often PI (0) – Winger (ML Attack) and Winger (MR Attack).
  • The Work Ball Into Box TI could be used to offset. However, Cross More Often is combined with Cross From Byline, which makes crossing more suited to defensive football, while the Work Ball Into Box TI would restrict the Wingers from carrying out their Cross From Byline instructions and, therefore, make it more difficult for the team to create goal-scoring chances.

• Dribble More (2) – Winger (ML Attack) and Winger (MR Attack)
  • Only partly offset by the Dribble Less PI (1) – Deep Lying Playmaker (MCL Defend).
    • Two Dribble Less PIs is typical so they are ignored.
  • The Dribble Less TI could be used to offset. However, this would make it more difficult for the Wingers to carry out their Cross From Byline instructions and, therefore, make it more difficult for the team to create goal-scoring chances.

Balancing Risk

Other team instructions could be used to implement aspects of defensive football that have not been implemented by player instructions. However, they should be used in moderation so as not to overly decrease risk in possession or out of possession, while some have automatically been set to some extent by the team mentality.