With this article I want to orient players, parents and coaches on game tactics.
It is very important to 9 years old players start learning soccer tactics. It is a turning point on their natural evolution as players. Younger players have a hard time to understand tactics but are much more acceptable to develop coordination and ball control. Consequently, it is natural for younger players’ coaches to focus their training on these skills, making practices more effective. For older player, 12 years old and up, it is easier to teach tactics than basic fundaments as ball control and passing. So, we are on the intermediary step, where we still have lot of margin to improve individual skills but at same time we have the opportunity of teaching some game tactics to our players.
The first thing to understand about soccer tactics is that soccer is an extremely dynamic sport. The game change constantly and so does a player function in the game. A player need to know that is not because he is playing on defense he never should cross the center line. In some situations it is expected a defender to go forward and create a passing option and even try to score. The same is true for offense players that are expected to cover on defense.
Soccer tactics intend to keep a basic organization of the team during the game but players can exchange their position at any given play. That is why it is so important for them to play all positions in the field, even more on young age. Professional soccer players constantly scrimmage during practices playing completely different positions from the ones they play during a game.
Because of it, I would suggest you to instruct your younger player in all the field positions and their functions.
Soccer basic player positions
Goal Keeper – Even if it is hard to point in a soccer team the most important position, there is a saying in soccer – “A good team starts with a good keeper”. Most of young players don’t like to play this position. They don’t realize how important it is for the team until they have a good reliable keeper. The problem with this position is that doesn’t matter how well you did during the whole game, if you fail once usually the blame comes on you. A good keeper needs be prepared to eventual failures and get up and keep playing at his best. The parents support is very important on this moment to raise the confidence.
A good goal keeper needs great deal of attention in the game, good reflex, agility, positioning, courage and self-confidence during the game.
Defender – A defender can play on left, right or centered depending on the formation his team is playing. Most people have the wrong idea that the main function of a defender is to steal the ball from the other team. Actually, forwards and midfielders steal much more balls than defenders. A defender primary function is prevent the other team chances to score, protecting the net, avoiding clear shots on goal and delaying attack plays from the other team, given the chance for midfielders and forwards come back and still the ball. Other very important function of defender is to start the plays. Usually, at least one defender will control the ball in an attack play and he will be responsible to decide what side of the field his team we attack. In small games as 6v6 defenders need to shade the offense in attack plays and take long shots on goal when the opportunity comes. So, as it can be new for some of you. Defenders also can score!
Defense players need to have good pass, positioning, shielding technique, decision making and read and anticipate plays.
Midfielders – As defenders they cam play centered, or in the sides of the field. Their may function is to prepare the attack plays, protect the ball when his team have it and protect the defense when the opposite team has possession. Midfielders are a mix of defense and offense players. They need be comfortable playing both functions. As we talked before, frequently they will be changing positions either with defense players, playing on coverage or offense players in over laps. Making fast decisions is the main function of the midfielders on both sides o the ball.
Midfielders need to have good pass, ball control, positioning, decision making skills, finishing and awareness of the game.
Forward – Usually play in on a side of the field, closing to the center field on goal scoring opportunities or over lapping the midfielder. Over lap is a very dangerous play and a forward need to excel on it.. When exchanging positions they confuse the defense and open space to receive a pass in scoring position or to a team mate to approach the goal. In small games as 6v6, the forward need to help on defense plays, usually pressuring the player with the ball. When a forward is capable to still a ball from an adversary it commonly becomes a very danger turn over and a great opportunity to score.
Forward needs to have great ball control, ball stealing, speed, dynamic positioning and finishing skills.
Striker – As the name says this is the finisher for a team, the guy who will score. But it is not so simple. The striker needs to pressure every play the opposite team starts to still the ball. He will overlap the forward in the side of the field to open space on the center for midfielders and forwards have a chance to score. Other odd fact about strikers is that they have to learn play most of the game with their back towards to the adversary goal, making a “pivot” play for his team mates.
Strikers need great speed and fast decision making, good finishing skills, positioning, ball control and ball stealing skills.
Now that we know the basic positions and their primary function and requirements we will approach tactics schemes and what they mean.
6v6 Tactics
2-3 (2 defender, 3 forward) – It is the most common scheme for 6v6 teams. It is simple and most of the players understand this scheme naturally. The 3 forward need to protect the defense as midfielders would do and cover a defender when he shift to a side during a play, closing the center of the box.
During attack plays, the 3 forward can working overlapping each other and one of the defenders can approach the attack to take long shots on goal.
The problems this scheme can present is that the team can lose profundity for playing in two lines. The center forward need be aware of it and play a little behind the side forwards, forming a W in the field.
1-3-1 (1 defender, 3 midfielders, 1 striker) – This is a very offensive formation and can be used during the game when the team needs a score. The midfielders need drop fast on defense when losing possession and overlap when on attack, open space and creating scoring opportunities. It demands extra running from midfielders but corrects the lack of profundity of the previous scheme.
2-2-1 (2 defenders, 2 midfielders, 1 striker) – This bring more defense protection but risks losing the midfield battle against a 2-3 team. It would require great dynamic between all 3 lines and keep the ball moving but it is strong offensively with the striker on the top..
We will use mostly the 2-3 formation this season and the 1-3-1 formation when needed. Eventually we can try the 2-2-1 formation. In a small game the formation is not so important as players’ individual skills and understanding of the game, but it is needed a minimal of organization on the field to help the flow of the game.
8v8 Tactics
3-3-1
This is a very cautious scheme where we load the defense and midfield to block the opponent team. It is very effective when playing a stronger team where we notice that our defense is overload. The two side midfielders retreat to block crossing from the flank and the 3 defenders protect the area. The center midfielder plays in front of the area connecting with the striker.
This formation though puts a lot of stress on the side midfielders that have to run the whole field extension to support attack and defense. The lonely forward will have a hard time if playing against a 3 defender formation.
3-2-2
Here we have a withdraw forward and a target forward. The target forward moves side to side high up with the last opposing defender and the withdraw forward in the center of the field closing it when the other team have possession. This formation requires a little more running from midfielders that have to cover more space but it helps the offense.
2-3-2
This formation is very offensive but it can be used if we are confident the defenders can win most of the 1v1 battles and if they know how to play it in zone. The center midfielder needs to cover a defender when he is displaced to the side to avoid a cross, taking that defender position.
I hope everyone understand a little more of soccer positions and tactics but don’t forget it plays only a minor part of the game. Our players and their individual skills is what make a team great. Tactics give some organization but a good player always will find his space to play on the field and recognize a treat that need to be stopped. More than anything we need prepare our young players to think by themselves and make their own decisions on the field.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Yesterday games by Champions League
Chelsea finally beat Liverpool and did it in great style, in the most important match they played this year. Chelsea took a big step toward the Champions League semifinals on Wednesday, rallying to beat Liverpool 3-1 in the first leg of the quarterfinals.
Liverpool took the lead in the sixth minute when Fernando Torres scored, but Ivanovic headed in corners on either side of halftime and Drogba scored the third in the 67th minute.
Now to have any chance to pass to the semifinals Liverpool needs score at least 3 goals Tuesday's in the second leg at Stamford Bridge (Chelsea home), where the Reds (Liverpool) have not scored more than twice in one game in 20 years.
My predictions were wrong and Bayern was no match for Barcelona offense. Lionel Messi scored two goals and set up another as Barcelona routed Bayern Munich 4-0 on Wednesday at Camp Nou (Barcelona home) for the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals. Samuel Eto'o and Thierry Henry also scored for the Spanish leaders, with all goals coming in the first half. Bayern, coming off a 5-1 league loss on Saturday, looked lost as Barcelona's high-powered offense swarmed the German area from the opening moments. Even with the return leg at the Allianz Arena on Tuesday, Bayern coach Juergen Klinsmann said the team would look to the Bundesliga for relief.
The Camp Nou hasn't been kind to Bayern, with the Germans allowing two injury-time goals to lose the 1999 Champions League final to Manchester United here.
Liverpool took the lead in the sixth minute when Fernando Torres scored, but Ivanovic headed in corners on either side of halftime and Drogba scored the third in the 67th minute.
Now to have any chance to pass to the semifinals Liverpool needs score at least 3 goals Tuesday's in the second leg at Stamford Bridge (Chelsea home), where the Reds (Liverpool) have not scored more than twice in one game in 20 years.
My predictions were wrong and Bayern was no match for Barcelona offense. Lionel Messi scored two goals and set up another as Barcelona routed Bayern Munich 4-0 on Wednesday at Camp Nou (Barcelona home) for the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals. Samuel Eto'o and Thierry Henry also scored for the Spanish leaders, with all goals coming in the first half. Bayern, coming off a 5-1 league loss on Saturday, looked lost as Barcelona's high-powered offense swarmed the German area from the opening moments. Even with the return leg at the Allianz Arena on Tuesday, Bayern coach Juergen Klinsmann said the team would look to the Bundesliga for relief.
The Camp Nou hasn't been kind to Bayern, with the Germans allowing two injury-time goals to lose the 1999 Champions League final to Manchester United here.
How good is our youth program?
It is amazing the volume and quality of information available in the internet about youth soccer. Websites like SoccerRom, ASSA and USyouthsoccer bring practically all information a coach or interested parent would need.
Other day I found at SoccerRom an article written by Sam Snow, Director of Coaching Education for US Youth Soccer, excerpted from "Vision: Youth Soccer in America", which was written by the US Youth Soccer Technical Department staff. This document discusses the leading research regarding why children play organized soccer, and applies these findings to define developmentally-appropriate measures of success for youth soccer players. I strongly recommend you, as a coach or a parent, to read it.
Measuring Success in Youth Soccer
By Sam Snow
Too often in America, a professional sport model is used in measuring youth sports success. Youth soccer is not immune to this misapplied standard. For soccer, the situation is made worse by a desire of many adults to use measuring tools from other sports. In fact, it is maddening to many adults that soccer is not as black and white as with some sports in judging successful play. Many team sports played in our nation are statistically-driven and coach-centered. Soccer is neither of those!
...
So, how can we measure success in youth soccer? How do parents know if the team's coach is doing a good job of teaching soccer to the players? How does the novice coach know if the kids are growing within the game? US Youth Soccer recommends the following short-term and long-term guidelines:
• Short-Term Measures
o Fun.
o Fair Play.
o Laws of the Game.
o Health and Fitness.
o Friendships.
o Skills.
• Long-Term Measures
o Commitment.
o Roles in the Team.
o Leadership.
o Tactics.
o Retention.
Continue...
Vision: Youth Soccer in America
by the US Youth Soccer Technical Department staff
…The analogy can be made to a youngster's academic development in preparation for work in the adult business world. While the child is in primary and secondary school, the corporate world measurements of success are not applied. Those business assessments are not yet appropriate because the school-aged student does not yet have the tools to compete in the adult business environment. The knowledge and skills to be a competitor in business are still being taught and learned. This holds true in soccer as well!
…
Alright fine you say. So how do we measure success? How do parents know if the team coach is doing a good job of teaching soccer to the players? How does the novice coach know if the kids are growing within the game?
As a way to measure success, let's look at the facts provided a by a study by the Youth Sports Institute, on what players want from their sports experience.
TRUTHS about children and sports
• Fun is pivotal - if it's not fun, young people won't play a sport
• Skill development is a crucial aspect of fun - it is more important than winning even among the best athletes
• The most rewarding challenges of sports are those that lead to self-knowledge
• Intrinsic rewards (self-knowledge that grows out of self-competition) are more important in creating lifetime athletes than extrinsic rewards are (victory or attention from others)1
Continue…
Other day I found at SoccerRom an article written by Sam Snow, Director of Coaching Education for US Youth Soccer, excerpted from "Vision: Youth Soccer in America", which was written by the US Youth Soccer Technical Department staff. This document discusses the leading research regarding why children play organized soccer, and applies these findings to define developmentally-appropriate measures of success for youth soccer players. I strongly recommend you, as a coach or a parent, to read it.
Measuring Success in Youth Soccer
By Sam Snow
Too often in America, a professional sport model is used in measuring youth sports success. Youth soccer is not immune to this misapplied standard. For soccer, the situation is made worse by a desire of many adults to use measuring tools from other sports. In fact, it is maddening to many adults that soccer is not as black and white as with some sports in judging successful play. Many team sports played in our nation are statistically-driven and coach-centered. Soccer is neither of those!
...
So, how can we measure success in youth soccer? How do parents know if the team's coach is doing a good job of teaching soccer to the players? How does the novice coach know if the kids are growing within the game? US Youth Soccer recommends the following short-term and long-term guidelines:
• Short-Term Measures
o Fun.
o Fair Play.
o Laws of the Game.
o Health and Fitness.
o Friendships.
o Skills.
• Long-Term Measures
o Commitment.
o Roles in the Team.
o Leadership.
o Tactics.
o Retention.
Continue...
Vision: Youth Soccer in America
by the US Youth Soccer Technical Department staff
…The analogy can be made to a youngster's academic development in preparation for work in the adult business world. While the child is in primary and secondary school, the corporate world measurements of success are not applied. Those business assessments are not yet appropriate because the school-aged student does not yet have the tools to compete in the adult business environment. The knowledge and skills to be a competitor in business are still being taught and learned. This holds true in soccer as well!
…
Alright fine you say. So how do we measure success? How do parents know if the team coach is doing a good job of teaching soccer to the players? How does the novice coach know if the kids are growing within the game?
As a way to measure success, let's look at the facts provided a by a study by the Youth Sports Institute, on what players want from their sports experience.
TRUTHS about children and sports
• Fun is pivotal - if it's not fun, young people won't play a sport
• Skill development is a crucial aspect of fun - it is more important than winning even among the best athletes
• The most rewarding challenges of sports are those that lead to self-knowledge
• Intrinsic rewards (self-knowledge that grows out of self-competition) are more important in creating lifetime athletes than extrinsic rewards are (victory or attention from others)1
Continue…
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Matches of the week
Manchester 2 vs 2 Porto
I didn’t watch the game but it seemed was a great match. FC Porto scored a pair of valuable away goals Tuesday to earn a 2-2 draw at defending champion Manchester United in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals. Manchester and Porto tied the game in 2 goals. Porto started up scoring at 4’, Manchester scored 2 goals taking the lead but Porto tied the game at the last minute of the game.
If you are interested in more details check the statistics for this game here
Villarreal 1 vs 1 Arsenal
Emmanuel Adebayor scored a second-half equalizer to give Arsenal a 1-1 draw at Villarreal and a valuable away-goal after the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinals match on Tuesday. The Brazilian Marcos Senna's swerving shot from 20 meters (yards) had earlier given Villarreal the lead with 10 minutes gone.
Here are the statistics for this game.
Today we have other 2 matches for the Champions League quarterfinals: The English derby with Liverpool (The Reds) versus Chelsea (The Blues) and the match I have been waiting for Barcelona versus Bayern, even if lot of people believe Barcelona have advantage I have watched some Bayern games and it is a impressive team. Probably it will be the best matches of the quarterfinals.
By the way, Gremio won his match against Aurora (BOL) yesterday by the Libertadores Cup. The final score was 3x0. You can watch the goals here.
I didn’t watch the game but it seemed was a great match. FC Porto scored a pair of valuable away goals Tuesday to earn a 2-2 draw at defending champion Manchester United in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals. Manchester and Porto tied the game in 2 goals. Porto started up scoring at 4’, Manchester scored 2 goals taking the lead but Porto tied the game at the last minute of the game.
If you are interested in more details check the statistics for this game here
Villarreal 1 vs 1 Arsenal
Emmanuel Adebayor scored a second-half equalizer to give Arsenal a 1-1 draw at Villarreal and a valuable away-goal after the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinals match on Tuesday. The Brazilian Marcos Senna's swerving shot from 20 meters (yards) had earlier given Villarreal the lead with 10 minutes gone.
Here are the statistics for this game.
Today we have other 2 matches for the Champions League quarterfinals: The English derby with Liverpool (The Reds) versus Chelsea (The Blues) and the match I have been waiting for Barcelona versus Bayern, even if lot of people believe Barcelona have advantage I have watched some Bayern games and it is a impressive team. Probably it will be the best matches of the quarterfinals.
By the way, Gremio won his match against Aurora (BOL) yesterday by the Libertadores Cup. The final score was 3x0. You can watch the goals here.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
I am Gremio
The relationship of soccer fans and their chosen club in Brazil is something hard to explain. When we refer to our preferred soccer club, we don’t use the expression “I support this team” we say “I am this team”. It is a family tradition! Besides few rebels, the sons cheer for the same teams as their fathers and their grandfathers. With me it is not different. When I talk to my father at the phone, we talk more about “our” team than anything else. We “are” Gremio! A tricolor team, characterized for putting a good fight in every game, a team that never gives up.
- A team born from a ball
This history starts with Cândido Dias da Silva, who moved from São Paulo to work in Porto Alegre, bringing with him his soccer ball.
The Sport Club Rio Grande, first Brazilian soccer team, formed by English and Germans had been invited for a showdown in Porto Alegre, the capital of the Rio Grande do Sul state. On the appointed day, September 7th 1903, the Várzea pitch was crowded. Cândido, with his ball, was among them, greatly concentrate in the game.
The Englishmen's ball developed a puncture, to general dismay, and Cândido quickly loaned his own ball to ensure the showdown reached its end. In exchange, the players gave him his first football (soccer) lessons at the end of the match and told him how to found a club.
On September 15th 1903, 32 young men gathered at Grau Room, a hotel and restaurant in downtown Porto Alegre, to begin Gremio’s victorious history, a club always willing to overcome all challenges. Carlos Luiz Bohrer the first President, never really imagined the world fame the newly born club would eventually attain.
- A champion team
Gremio in its more than 100 years have as its main tittles 4 Brazilian Cups (1989,1994, 1997, 2001), 2 Brazilian Championships (1981-1996), 1 Recopa Sudamericana (1996), 2 Libertadores da America (American Continental Championship) (1983-1995) and 1 Club World Cup (1983). Gremio was 2º place in the last Brazilian Championship.
The most famous Gremio former players are Renato Portaluppi, Tesourinha, Baltazar and Danrlei. Between the players who started playing soccer at Gremio’s Academy and today play in European clubs we will find: Ronaldinho (Millan), Emerson (Juventus), Lucas (Liverpool), Anderson (Manchester United) and others.
A little of Gremio's fans...
- A team born from a ball
This history starts with Cândido Dias da Silva, who moved from São Paulo to work in Porto Alegre, bringing with him his soccer ball.
The Sport Club Rio Grande, first Brazilian soccer team, formed by English and Germans had been invited for a showdown in Porto Alegre, the capital of the Rio Grande do Sul state. On the appointed day, September 7th 1903, the Várzea pitch was crowded. Cândido, with his ball, was among them, greatly concentrate in the game.
The Englishmen's ball developed a puncture, to general dismay, and Cândido quickly loaned his own ball to ensure the showdown reached its end. In exchange, the players gave him his first football (soccer) lessons at the end of the match and told him how to found a club.
On September 15th 1903, 32 young men gathered at Grau Room, a hotel and restaurant in downtown Porto Alegre, to begin Gremio’s victorious history, a club always willing to overcome all challenges. Carlos Luiz Bohrer the first President, never really imagined the world fame the newly born club would eventually attain.
- A champion team
Gremio in its more than 100 years have as its main tittles 4 Brazilian Cups (1989,1994, 1997, 2001), 2 Brazilian Championships (1981-1996), 1 Recopa Sudamericana (1996), 2 Libertadores da America (American Continental Championship) (1983-1995) and 1 Club World Cup (1983). Gremio was 2º place in the last Brazilian Championship.
The most famous Gremio former players are Renato Portaluppi, Tesourinha, Baltazar and Danrlei. Between the players who started playing soccer at Gremio’s Academy and today play in European clubs we will find: Ronaldinho (Millan), Emerson (Juventus), Lucas (Liverpool), Anderson (Manchester United) and others.
A little of Gremio's fans...
Games you should watch this week.
If you have a chance, don’t miss these games. Watch them live or delayed.
UEFA Champions League Games
Tuesday:
2:30pm - Manchester United vs FC Porto - ESPN 360, ESPN2, TSN, Video Highlights – Live
2:30pm - Villarreal vs Arsena - ESPN 360, ESPND, ITV 4, TSN 2, Video Highlights – Live
9:00pm - Manchester United vs FC Porto – ESPND – Delayed
9:00pm - Villarreal vs Arsena – ESPND – Delayed
Wednesday:
2:30pm - Liverpool vs Chelsea - ESPN 360, ESPN2, Sky Sports 2, Sky Sports HD 2, TSN 2, Video Highlights – Live
2:45pm - Barcelona vs Bayern Munich - ESPN 360, ESPND, Sky Sports 3, Sky Sports HD 3, TLN, Video Highlights – Live
7:00pm - Barcelona vs Bayern Munich - ESPND - Delayed
9:00pm - Liverpool vs Chelsea- ESPND – Delayed
If you want to check out my preferred Brazilian team, watch Tuesday 6:00pm - Gremio vs Aurora at FSE playing for the Libertadores da America.
UEFA Champions League Games
Tuesday:
2:30pm - Manchester United vs FC Porto - ESPN 360, ESPN2, TSN, Video Highlights – Live
2:30pm - Villarreal vs Arsena - ESPN 360, ESPND, ITV 4, TSN 2, Video Highlights – Live
9:00pm - Manchester United vs FC Porto – ESPND – Delayed
9:00pm - Villarreal vs Arsena – ESPND – Delayed
Wednesday:
2:30pm - Liverpool vs Chelsea - ESPN 360, ESPN2, Sky Sports 2, Sky Sports HD 2, TSN 2, Video Highlights – Live
2:45pm - Barcelona vs Bayern Munich - ESPN 360, ESPND, Sky Sports 3, Sky Sports HD 3, TLN, Video Highlights – Live
7:00pm - Barcelona vs Bayern Munich - ESPND - Delayed
9:00pm - Liverpool vs Chelsea- ESPND – Delayed
If you want to check out my preferred Brazilian team, watch Tuesday 6:00pm - Gremio vs Aurora at FSE playing for the Libertadores da America.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
USA team - World Cup Qualifying
Tonight 7:30 East time USA plays Trinidad & Tobago for the World Cup Qualifying. This games will be live on ESPN2.
The U.S. national team's performance on Saturday in a 2-2 tie vs. El Salvador could have been disappointing to some, but the great two-goal comeback was inspiring, and it showed great heart.
Tonight USA plays Trinidad & Tobago in Nashville. That's a quick turnaround time which should hopefully help the U.S. team to forget Saturday's difficulties and look toward playing a great game at home.
The U.S. national team's performance on Saturday in a 2-2 tie vs. El Salvador could have been disappointing to some, but the great two-goal comeback was inspiring, and it showed great heart.
Tonight USA plays Trinidad & Tobago in Nashville. That's a quick turnaround time which should hopefully help the U.S. team to forget Saturday's difficulties and look toward playing a great game at home.
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