FineSoccer Kids 34

Welcome to the FineSoccer Kids Newsletter.  Today's subject deals with some basic principles of play.  It's important that players understand the way coaches think and what they look for when looking at team play.  This is a guest newsletter written by a subscriber from Malta named Joseph Aquilina.

One of the main objectives as a coach is to improve team play, but how do you know how well your team is playing?

You need a measuring stick; a set of permanent criteria against which you can analyze how well or badly your team is playing. You have to know what to look for; you have to be able to recognize good team play.

These criteria are fundamental details of the game; common elements about the game, which will reduce the likelihood of a team playing poor football-they, are the rock bottom foundations of effective team play. Broadly speaking, the principles of attack and defense are natural and logical opposites but there is a small number, which are common to both.

Three common concepts: There are three principles, which are common to both attack and defense. These are Possession, Support, and communication.

Now lets analyze these three principles

Possession: Ball possession determines everything, when your team has possession, watch to see how well they keep it. A team that continually gives the ball away cannot be playing well, possession should only lost to shoot, attempt a killer pass or dribble. Players should not lose possession in the defending or middle thirds unless it is a matter of safety.

When you do not have possession look to see how hard the players, both individually and as a team work to regain it. If players rush into tackles and do not know how to support and cover each other, then they are playing badly. When defending, a team should put pressure on their opponents by denying them time and space to play the ball.

Support: An attacking movement with support allows the player with the ball all-round passing opportunities. To achieve this players without the ball must move into supporting positions in front and behind the ball. The minimum number of players which can produce support is three-they will find themselves in some sort of triangular shape-although the nature of this triangle ( the angles and distances ) will often change rapidly. Any team in which players stand and watch each other-do not move to form this triangular shape will give the ball away and consequently will be playing badly.

This principle of support also operates in defense, when a player goes to challenge another player, he should always be supported by a second player-angle and distance? Players also move to cover spaces to restrict the area through which passes can be made. Defensive structures, therefore, become a series of interlocking triangular formations and further back they go the tighter they become.

The final common principle is communication- good communication is achieved by looking, calling, and signaling. Watch your team to determine if they talk to each other- listen for encouragement.

Any questions, comments or suggestions should be sent to kidscomments@finesoccer.com or posted to the FineSoccer Forum

Have a great day!

Lawrence