Direct Plays

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.

Direct Plays Example Tactic

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

Team passing directness: More Direct Passing (one notch up)

Formation:

• 5-1-2-2 DM WB – neutral
  • 3 DCs / 2 WBs / 1 DMC / 2 MCs / 2 STCs
  • Instruct MCs to Stay Wider to provide support to the flanks

Player roles and duties:

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Goalkeeper (GK Defend)

Forward movement scores:

• Penetration score = 3.0 + target = very high
  • Left side = 2.5 + target = high to very high
  • Right side = 3.5 + target = very high to extremely high

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

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

Other team instructions:

• Hit Early Crosses
• Run At Defence
• Be More Disciplined
• Lower Defensive Line

Offsetting Contrasting Player Instructions

Contrasting player instructions given by roles and duties:

• Dribble Less (3) – Target Man (STCL Support), Anchor Man (DMC Defend) and one of the DCs
  • Two Dribble Less PIs is typical so they are ignored.
  • Only partly offset by the Dribble More PI (2) – Wing Back (WBL Attack) and Wing Back (WBR Attack).
  • Therefore, the Run At Defence TI has also been used to offset.

• Roam From Position (1) and Move Into Channels (2) – Mezzala (MCL Support) and Advanced Forward (STCR Attack)
  • Only partly offset by the Hold Position PI (1) and the “make more disciplined movement” PI (0) – Anchor Man (DMC Defend).
    • Three Hold Position PIs is typical so they are ignored.
  • Therefore, the Be More Disciplined TI has also been used to offset.

• Cross From Byline (2) and Cross Less Often (0) – Wing Back (WBL Attack) and Wing Back (WBR Attack)
  • Offset by the Cross From Deep PI (0) and the Cross More Often PI (2) – Wing Back (WBL Attack) and Wing Back (WBR Attack).
  • The Cross From Byline PI will restrict the Wing Backs from carrying out their Cross More Often instructions in deeper areas and so the Hit Early Crosses TI has also been used.

• Shoot Less Often (1) – Anchor Man (DMC Defend)
  • Shoot Less Often instructions for DCs are essentially irrelevant so they are ignored.
  • Not offset by the Shoot More Often PI (0).
  • The Shoot On Sight TI could be used to offset. However, Shoot Less Often is only relevant for one player who is not likely to be close enough to the opposition goal to shoot particularly frequently.

Balancing Risk

No additional team instructions are considered necessary to balance risk.

The use of higher risk in possession instructions is balanced by the use of lower risk in possession instructions, as shown below.

Notable higher risk in possession instructions:

• More Direct Passing team passing directness
• Hit Early Crosses TI
• Run At Defence TI
• Move Into Channels PI (2)
• Cross More Often PI (2)
• Dribble More PI (2)

Notable lower risk in possession instructions:

• Be More Disciplined TI
• Run Wide With Ball PI (2)
• Cross From Byline PI (2)
• Dribble Less PI (3)
• Take Fewer Risks PI (2)
• “Use more tactical discipline” PI (2)

“Notable” instructions include all team instructions, and player instructions which are given to two or more players (excluding ignored player instructions).

There are no additional team instructions appropriate for direct plays that could be used to further decrease risk in possession.

Ignored Player Instructions

Player instructions ignored in the above example analysis are shown in brackets below the roles/duties.

Ignored player instructions include:

• Hold Position – 3 is typical so the first 3 are ignored.
• Dribble Less – 2 is typical so the first 2 are ignored.
• Shoot Less Often – irrelevant for D(C/R/L)s instructed to Hold Position, so they are ignored.
• Stay Wider – 1 off-centre M/AM/ST(C) on each side instructed to Stay Wider to provide support to a lone D/WB(R/L) offsets the narrow formation, so they are ignored.