Possession Football

Suggested Player Roles & Duties

Suggested player roles and duties are analysed in various lists below. They are grouped in order of how suitable their player instructions are for possession football.

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Roles/duties listed between green lines have player instructions that mostly suit possession football. They are therefore described as being more “defensive” and/or “short“.

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Roles/duties listed between red lines have player instructions that mostly contrast with possession football. They are therefore described as being more “attacking” and/or “direct“.

However, these roles/duties can still be used in moderation. Their contrasting player instructions can usually be offset by other instructions.

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The contrasting player instructions given by those roles/duties that are not listed between green lines are provided below, along with brief details of how they can be offset. Further details of how to offset player instructions are provided earlier in this guide, while examples of offsetting player instructions are provided at the end of this guide. Contrasting player instructions that cannot be offset, or can only be offset by a player instruction, are detailed for all roles/duties.

Note that roles/duties described as “slightly aggressive” are slightly more suitable for aggressive possession football and slightly less suitable for cautious possession football, while roles/duties described as “slightly cautious” are slightly more suitable for cautious possession football and slightly less suitable for aggressive possession football.

Goalkeeper

Suitable roles/duties:

• Goalkeeper (GK Defend) – balanced

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• Sweeper Keeper (GK Defend) – fairly attacking, slightly short, slightly aggressive
  • Adds the “rush out more” PI which is more suited to attacking football and cannot be offset
• Sweeper Keeper (GK Support) – attacking, fairly short, slightly aggressive
  • Adds the “rush out more” PI which is more suited to attacking football and cannot be offset

• Sweeper Keeper (GK Attack) – very attacking, slightly short, slightly aggressive
  • Adds the “rush out more” PI which is more suited to attacking football and cannot be offset
  • Adds the Dribble More PI which can be offset by the Dribble Less TI

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Central Defence

Suitable roles/duties:

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• Libero (DC Support) – fairly attacking, short
  • Can only be used in between 2 other DCs
  • Useful for adding the “carry the ball more” PI
• Ball Playing Defender (DC Defend/Stopper/Cover) – fairly attacking, short
  • Useful for adding the “carry the ball more” PI

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• Central Defender (DC Defend/Stopper/Cover) – balanced
• No-Nonsense Centre Back (DC Defend/Stopper/Cover) – fairly defensive, fairly direct

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• Libero (DC Attack) – very attacking
  • Can only be used in between 2 other DCs
  • Adds the Dribble More PI which can be offset by the Dribble Less TI
  • Adds the Shoot More Often PI which can be offset by the Work Ball Into Box TI

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Balanced role/duty combinations in central defence include roles/duties that provide cover, apply defensive pressure and play safe.

Providing Cover

Providing cover in central defence can be performed by any of the following:

• Cover duties - specialise in providing cover.

  • If you are using only two DCs then you can use a Cover duty to ‘sweep up’ balls played behind a Stopper duty who specialises in applying defensive pressure.
  • If you are using three DCs then …
    • … You can use a Cover duty in the central DC position to ‘sweep up’ balls played behind a DCR and DCL who apply defensive pressure to both central and flank opposition players.
    • … You can use a Cover duty in the DCR and/or DCL positions to ‘sweep up’ balls played behind a Stopper duty in the central DC position who specialises in applying defensive pressure to central opposition players.

• Defend duties - provide cover while also applying defensive pressure as appropriate.

  • If you are using either two or three DCs then you can use all of them together as Defend duties to share the responsibility of providing cover with each other, while also applying defensive pressure.
  • If you are using three DCs then you can use a Defend duty in the DCR and/or DCL positions to ‘sweep up’ balls played behind a Stopper duty in the central DC position, as appropriate, while also applying defensive pressure to flank opposition players as appropriate.

• Libero (Support/Attack) - provides cover like a Cover duty but moves forward to support attacks when your team is in possession.

  • If you are using three DCs then you can use a Libero in the central DC position to ‘sweep up’ balls played behind a DCR and DCL who apply defensive pressure to both central and flank opposition players.

Applying Defensive Pressure

Applying defensive pressure in central defence can be performed by any of the following:

• Stopper duties - specialise in applying defensive pressure.

  • If you are using only two DCs then you can use a Stopper duty to close down central opposition players in front of a Cover duty who specialises in providing cover for him.
  • If you are using three DCs then …
    • … You can use a Stopper duty in the DCR and/or DCL positions to close down both central and flank opposition players in front of a Cover duty or Libero (Support) in the central DC position who specialises in providing cover for him.
    • … You can use a Stopper duty in the central DC position to close down central opposition players in front of a DCR and DCL who provide cover for him.

• Defend duties - apply defensive pressure while also providing cover as appropriate.

  • If you are using either two or three DCs then you can use all of them together as Defend duties to share the responsibility of applying defensive pressure with each other, while also providing cover.
  • If you are using three DCs then you can use a Defend duty in the DCR and/or DCL positions to close down both central and flank opposition players in front of a Cover duty in the central DC position, as appropriate, while also providing cover closer to the flank as appropriate.
  • If you are using three DCs with a Libero then you can use a Defend duty in each of the DCR and DCL positions to provide cover in the Libero’s absence while he returns to his position after your team concedes possession. This is particularly useful if using a Libero (Attack) as he will take longer to return to the defence.

Playing Safe

Playing safe in central defence can be performed by any of the following:

• One No-Nonsense Centre Back – specialises in playing safe by making safer passes and kicking the ball long whenever it might be necessary.

• One Central Defender – plays safe to a sufficient extent but balances safer passes with riskier passes.

Central Midfield

Balanced role/duty combinations in central midfield include roles/duties that provide cover, stretch play, create chances, apply defensive pressure and play safe.

Providing Cover

Providing cover in central midfield can be performed by any of the following:

• One individual performer – specialises in providing cover.

• Two fluid performers – work together and interchange to provide cover.

• One special case performer when combined with an appropriate partner – specialises in providing cover when your team is in possession but relies on a partner to help to provide cover when your team is out of possession.

If the only role/duty you use to provide cover is positioned on the outside of a flat three (e.g. three MCs or three DMCs), gives the Stay Wider player instruction or is a flank role/duty then you can achieve symmetrical balance by also using a similarly positioned role/duty on the other side to provide cover.

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Stretching Play

Stretching play in central midfield can be performed by one individual performer.

If the only role/duty you use to stretch play is positioned on the outside of a flat three (e.g. three MCs or three DMCs), gives the Stay Wider player instruction or is a flank role/duty, then you can achieve symmetrical balance by also using a similarly positioned role/duty on the other side to stretch play.

Creating Chances

Creating chances in central midfield can be performed by one individual performer.

Check whether you have used one of the roles/duties below to either stretch play or provide cover, or choose an alternative individual performer.

Applying Defensive Pressure

Applying defensive pressure in central midfield can be performed by one individual performer.

If the only role/duty you use to apply defensive pressure is positioned on the outside of a flat three (e.g. three MCs or three DMCs) or is a flank role/duty, then you can achieve symmetrical balance by also using a similarly positioned role/duty on the other side to apply defensive pressure.

Check whether you have used one of the roles/duties below to either stretch play or provide cover, or choose an alternative individual performer.

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Playing Safe

Playing safe in central midfield can be performed by one individual performer.

Check whether you have used one of the roles/duties below to either provide cover or stretch play.

The Flanks

Balanced role/duty combinations on the flanks include roles/duties that stretch play and create chances.

Be careful if using two Attack duties on the same flank as this can be high risk. Consider using a Support duty instead for a player who isn’t needed to stretch play, or using a formation with three DCs.

Stretching Play

If you are using two players on a flank then stretching play on that flank can be performed by any of the following:

• One D/WB(R/L) individual performer – specialises in stretching play from a deeper position.
  • Combine him with an M/AM(R/L) complementary partner who makes less forward movement to create space more effectively using overlapping movement, with the performer overlapping his partner.
  • Alternatively, combine him with an M/AM(R/L) individual performer, as explained below.

• One M/AM(R/L) individual performer – specialises in stretching play from a more advanced position.
  • Can penetrate space behind opposition D/WB(R/L)s more effectively than a D/WB(R/L) individual performer.
  • Combine him with a D/WB(R/L) complementary partner who makes less forward movement to provide him with more effective cover.
  • Alternatively, combine him with a D/WB(R/L) individual performer to provide him with more effective support and create overloads that can create space in central areas.

• Two fluid performers – work together and interchange to stretch play

If you are using only one player on a flank then stretching play on that flank can be performed by:

• One D/WB(R/L) individual performer – specialises in stretching play from a deeper position.

Creating Chances

Creating chances on the flanks can be performed by one individual performer.

Check whether you have used one of the roles/duties below to stretch play on the flanks or in central midfield, or use an alternative individual performer.

Central Attack

Balanced role/duty combinations in central attack include roles/duties that stretch play and create chances.

Stretching Play

Stretching play in central attack can be performed by any of the following:

• One AM(C/R/L) individual performer – specialises in stretching play from a deeper position.
  • Combine him with an STC complementary partner who makes less forward movement to create space more effectively using overlapping movement, with the performer overlapping his partner.

• One STC individual performer – specialises in stretching play from a more advanced position.
  • Can penetrate space behind opposition DCs more effectively than an AM(C/R/L) individual performer.
  • Combine him with an M/AM(C/R/L) or STC complementary partner who makes less forward movement to create space more effectively using their relative movement.

• Two fluid performers – work together and interchange to stretch play.

Creating Chances

Creating chances in central attack can be performed by any of the following:

• One individual performer – specialises in creating chances.

• Two fluid performers – work together and interchange to create chances