COACHING TIPS: READING THE GAME

A coach must have a good eye. Before he starts a training session a coach must think carefully about what he wants to achieve. Most essentially he wants to improve the soccer performance of his players. Performance can best be analysed under match conditions where players are confronted with a wide range of different situations.

The coach must have an eye for these situations. He must be able to isolate the soccer problems which arise and he must then consider how he can deal with them in the next training session.

For new coaches an 11 v 11 match contains so many different incidents that it is impossible to abstract the most important shortcomings (soccer problems)It is therefore easier to read a game in which fewer players participate. Games of 4 v 4 are suitable for this purpose especially in the case of young players but the 7v7 also offer the trainer sufficient opportunity to identify soccer problems.

Such games can also be played during training sessions. In small sided games soccer problems become much clearer for both the coach and his players.  

A SIMPLE AID TO READING THE GAME IS TO SUBDIVIDE IT 3 MAIN SITUATIONS:

1. Own teams has possession
2. Opposition has possession
3. Change of possession:  The moment when the ball is lost or won

Players must be aware of what they have to do in each of these three situation.  A NUMBER OF GENERAL PRINCIPLES apply to each of them and can serve as guidelines for the players  We will focus on the three main game situations:

1. POSSESSION:
Game Plan

• Move the ball down field in order to create chances (build up)
• Score goals

General Principles

• Create as much space as possible  width/depth
• Aim to get forward play the ball deep when possible
• Retain the ball (important precondition for achieving the objective of the game )
• Principle ;playing the ball square paves the way for a forward pass
• The team should try to maintain a good formation and keep their shape

 
2. OPPONENTS IN POSSESSION
Game Plan

• Disrupt the build- up of the opposition
• Win the ball back
• Avoid conceding goals

General Principles

• Make the field of play as small as  possible ,, depending on the strength of the opposition
• Move towards the ball (pressing)
• Move towards own goal (fall back)
• Push towards the touchline (squeezing)
• Pressure the players who has the ball
• Mark closely in the vicinity of the ball
• Positional /zonal marking further away from the ball
• Remain useful for as long as possible

The team’s game plan will not be achieved if a foul is committed so avoid conceding free kicks.

3. Change of possession: the moment when the ball is lost or won.

​Game Plan

• Switch game plan from “possession ’to ’opponents in possession ”’ or (vice versa)as quick as possible

General Principles

• Loss of Possession

The player who is nearest the ball attempts to stop it being played forward by pressuring the player on the ball so that he will play it ,square hold, run with ,it play it back etc.

• All players switch to make a contribution towards preventing  a goal being scored by squeezing the opposing players (cutting the options for moving inside)
• Blocking opponent’s shot
• Choosing  a position which will diminish any direct threat “pressing”
• Marking  tight close to the ball if enough teammates are available ‘delaying’
• Positional /zonal marking if not enough teammates are available (delaying, not diving in, not being passed )

Winning the Ball

• The Player who gains possessions (by intercepting a pass winning a tackle etc ) first look to play it forward
• The players further away from the ball “ask” for the ball (e.g. while hanging back to avoid the offside trap)
• The player who gains possession can also push the ball forward into space and run onto it himself in order to escape the offside trap (depending where he is)
• Spread out to create as much space as possible
• Try to stay out of your opponents field of vision

​Lastly teammates of the player with the ball must take initiatives by anticipating where the ball will go making dummy runs to draw attention away from teammates.
 
BABES GOVENDER
ACCREDITED COACH