| Do you want to learn the black art of soccer | | | | football strategy. |
| coaching strategy that the pros do not reveal? In | | | | Once you have chosen your first team then you |
| this article, I'll give you some essential tips on how to | | | | need to pick some subs to make up the squad. Of |
| emulate the top tier elite of world soccer coaches. | | | | course, you need one goalie but then you need to |
| Actually, the title is a little incorrect. Soccer (or | | | | decide who else gets a seat on the bench. It |
| football) strategy is not really a black art - it just | | | | depends on how many subs you want but in any |
| looks that way from the outside. It's more like a | | | | case, I would choose very versatile players and |
| science that you normally learn through experience | | | | reach a nice balance between attacking and defence. |
| but luckily there are many good pointers out there | | | | So, for instance, attacking midfielders who can play |
| that I want to share with you. | | | | as strikers or wingers are good and so are wing-back |
| A good way for you to look at strategy is to focus | | | | style defenders. |
| on each game, one at a time. What I am about to | | | | If everything goes well you should win comfortably. |
| tell you is a good general approach but over time | | | | You might need to make changes during the game |
| you can tweak it so it works best for you and your | | | | though. Unless your formation and choice of players |
| team. | | | | is a complete disaster then I never recommend |
| Before the match you have squad and first team | | | | touching the team until half time. If there are bad |
| selection. You need to look at your opposition and | | | | problems, make one change at half time. Then you |
| decide how you are going to beat them. Try to find | | | | need to give the team time to gel so don't make |
| out their formation before the game because it may | | | | any other changes until between 65 and 70 minutes. |
| affect your own choice. For instance, if they play | | | | This leaves enough time for a super sub to come on |
| only three defenders at the back and one of them is | | | | and change the game. Finally, if you have a |
| poor then you may want to play with a tall man up | | | | commanding lead and not used many subs then use |
| front who can knock the ball down to your other | | | | them up after the 80 minute mark to waste some |
| attackers. Or you may just want to play your own | | | | time and annoy the opposition. |
| way with what you think is your best formation. | | | | You can repeat this process above for every match |
| You can either pick the formation to fit around your | | | | that you play and through your experience, tweak it |
| best players or you can pick a formation and then | | | | for your own needs - remember that every team |
| select the best players to fit it. Different managers | | | | and coach and situation is different so you need to |
| have different views on this particular aspect of | | | | be ready for that. |