Basic structure how to coach a formation

Basic structure how to coach a formation

 

  1. Structure and organisation 

 

What is your formation?

Why have you chose this formation?

Have you got the players that play in each of these roles? Play to strengths! 

Do the players know their job role in this formation?

If not, what do they know? How much detailed individual and position specific coaching do they need?

 

  1. How you play out from the back?

 

When the GK has the ball, (a trigger movement) where will you players move?

What does your ‘starting position’ look like?

Do you go wide or narrow? 

Does you midfield tuck in to allow your FBs to drive into the space on the wing?

Does your CMs double pivot and drop to receive the ball from the GK?

 

Secondary movements, when and where do your player move too when the ball is passed to the middle, left or right?

 

You will need to coach the teams initial and secondary movements.

 

  1. Attacking options

 

How does/will your formation change when moving forward?

For example, your may defend in a 1-4-2-3-1 but you will attack in 2-3-4-1? 

Can your coach your players to to create overloads with off ball runs?

Where and how do your strikers move?

Dropping into gaps, show to go to create gaps in the defence, go to show to create gaps behind the defence 

Where will you become vulnerable on the counter attack? 

 

  1. Pressing strategies

 

If you have two strikers, do you use a double pivot to press a DF.

Do you split your strikers to mark the space in between the CMs and FBs?

Or set traps to force the play to a certain player to press?

Lone striker press is relevantly ineffective due to the defensive unit being able to have more options to play around.

Can you use the natural pressing diamond in the 4-2-(3-1) to your advantage?

This will dis-encourage the opposition to play centrally and set traps and force the play wide to the FBs and wingers.

How many players are used in the press at any given time?

 

Who presses?

Who supports?

Who covers?

Who balances?

 

By given this information to your players in different scenarios you will be building a dynamic and effective press.

 

  1. Mid and Low block

 

The important factor in the both blocks is where and when does the player move too?

How does the formation change in these areas? 

 

For example:

For the mid block, would you change into a narrow 4-4-2? This will prevent teams from attacking centrally but the trade off is exposes the wide areas. Is you team naturally vulnerable (players abilities) in the central areas where you need to defend in numbers? 

 

In the low block (zone 14, central on the edge of the 18y box) you may need to change the formation to a 4-1-4-1?