| I was recently asked, "Coach Hardy, why are you | | | | into unmarkedpositions. The basic rule for defenders |
| coaching youth soccer teamsto play a flat back four | | | | is to mark the most dangerous player inyour zone |
| zone defense?" The perception being that a sweeper | | | | and stay ball-side and goal-side of them. |
| stopper system is a 'safer' defense for younger | | | | The break-aways against the Swoosh defense |
| teams. First of all, any defensewill have its strengths | | | | usually happen when adefender is "caught flat " and |
| and weaknesses. A knowledgeable coach will know | | | | doesn't react to the open opponent in their zoneuntil |
| thoseweaknesses and will encourage their team to | | | | it's too late. If a defenders waits until after the pass |
| break it down. All disclaimersaside, the flat back four | | | | is played forward tomove towards the mark in their |
| is the preferred system of most modern teams. | | | | zone then there is often a foot race to the goal. |
| Ayouth soccer coach should emphasize the | | | | 90% of good defense is positioning away from the |
| development of players within thecontext of modern | | | | ball. |
| soccer. | | | | (Note: Another reason I use the "Swoosh" term is to |
| When properly executed, a flat back four will provide | | | | because young players willoften stay "flat" if the |
| excellentdefensive pressure, cover and balance. | | | | defense is called a "flat back four".) |
| Young soccer players should bedeveloped to play at | | | | Ball watchingis pretty normal behavior for young |
| their highest potential level and nearly all higher | | | | soccer players, however, a defender is avery |
| levelteams play a flat four or three system. Coaching | | | | important position and that player must be alert and |
| a flat back four defense givesplayers a foundation | | | | mature enough tonot ball watch. Learning to mark |
| for future success in soccer. Even a team as young | | | | correctly is a skill that will come withcommitment to |
| as U11team can successfully play a flat back four | | | | learning. |
| zone defense. A team may give up | | | | 3. Line Of Restraint And Compactness During |
| 'break-away' goals in the short term, while they learn | | | | Transition |
| the system, but in thelong run they will have the | | | | The basic principle of good defending is to create |
| ability to confidently step into a modern | | | | 'compactness'. Iencourage the defense to create |
| defensivesystem. | | | | compactness when we transition to offense orwhen |
| A team can successfully play a flat back four after | | | | the opponent passes the ball backwards. We do this |
| just a few trainingsessions and a handful of games. I | | | | because (a)compacting the space that the other |
| use the pre-season practices, tournamentsand | | | | team has to work with creates pressureand (b) we |
| scrimmages as a time for a team to learn the player | | | | can catch them off-sides. I do not encourage a |
| roles and team shapeof a flat back four zone | | | | sophisticated off-sides trap below U14, but moving |
| defense. | | | | up the field to create compactness will catchunaware |
| To help players visually understand the team shape | | | | forwards off-sides. |
| of the defense Icall it the 'Swoosh' defense. As the | | | | If we are slow in our own transition to offense (for |
| back four defenders shift left and rightacross the | | | | example, after wejust cleared the ball from the |
| field, the shape of the defense unit looks like the | | | | defensive third) and our defenders just stay deepin |
| Nike "Swoosh"logo. If the players drift out of shape I | | | | our own half then we are giving the other team lots |
| can just say "Swoosh" and immediatelythe players | | | | of room to move the ballback towards our goal. The |
| know where to position themselves. As the players | | | | general rule I coach is if the ball goes up the field |
| feel comfortablewith the system they will remind | | | | 5yards then we move the defense up 5 yards - 20 |
| each other to "Swoosh". Here are four basicideas to | | | | yards up the field means wemove 20 yards up the |
| be aware of when coaching the Swoosh defense. | | | | field. This is true until we cross half field. At half |
| 1. Swoosh Defense | | | | field,the back four step a few yards into the |
| The back four defensive shape will prevent the other | | | | opponents half of the field. |
| team from having | | | | If our defense stays back in our own half of the field |
| 'break away chances' by making sure the far-side | | | | then there is lesspressure and with less pressure the |
| outside defender and thefar-side central defender | | | | other team will spend the game in our half. |
| shift and cover diagonally behind the | | | | I believe it is a better idea to try and defend the half |
| pressuringnear-side defenders. It sounds complicated | | | | line than your goal. |
| but it's actually pretty simple. Thedefenders shift | | | | The key to successfully compacting the space is that |
| diagonally to the position of the ball. | | | | all of thedefenders must move up together. If just |
| With this correct positioning the 'Swoosh' defense is | | | | one defender stays back then theother team will |
| denying ballpenetration, the dangerous attacking | | | | exploit that. The line of defenders moving up the |
| players are marked and the coveringdefenders will | | | | field is calledour 'Line of Restraint'. Our goal is to have |
| 'sweep' any ball that gets played through. If the ball is | | | | our 'Line of Restraint' no more than |
| switchedto the far side of the field, the defending | | | | 35 yards from our forwards until our defenders reach |
| four players will shift the 'Swoosh'accordingly. I have | | | | the half line. |
| found that young players can easily remember to | | | | Again, a secondary bonus of compacting the space |
| 'Swoosh!'more that 'Pressure, Cover, Balance'. | | | | during transition isthat the other team is often |
| It is important for players to remember that the | | | | off-sides because their forwards are caughtstanding |
| diagonal cover shapeis why the team doesn't need a | | | | around after the ball has been cleared. |
| sweeper. The most common defensive mistakeis for | | | | 4. Off-Sides And Referees |
| the team to stand totally 'flat'. This is especially | | | | A common concern when playing the Swoosh |
| common at the half-fieldline when the team with the | | | | defense is that refereescan make mistakes with the |
| ball has been maintaining possession in theopponent's | | | | off0sides call and the other team will have |
| half of the field. Which explains why teams that are | | | | easybreak-aways. As far as the referees missing |
| learning the | | | | offsides calls, well, that's thenature of the game. The |
| Swoosh defense will usually give up their goals from | | | | key is to control the controllables. As coaches, |
| half-field breakaways. | | | | wecan't control the referee's decisions but we can |
| If the defenders stand flat at half field then any ball | | | | control the team's ability tohave good positioning and |
| played behind thedefense will result in a breakaway | | | | marking. Furthermore, if a team plays good |
| race without anyone to stop a goal but | | | | defenseand scores goals then they will not be in a |
| thegoalkeeper. | | | | position that will allow the referee todetermine the |
| 2. Marking A Man In Your Zone | | | | outcome of the game. |
| In addition to the Swoosh shape, the four defenders | | | | In summary, if we coach to have defenders compact |
| need to becomeaware of the attacking player in their | | | | in transition, getin our proper 'Swoosh' shape, and |
| area of responsibility. Young playersoften focus all of | | | | mark their opponent goal-side and ball-side, then I am |
| their attention on the ball. This bad habit is called | | | | confident that the flat back four zone defense can |
| 'ballwatching'. Young players will often ball watch until | | | | be successfuleven with young teams. |
| the ball comes near themand only then will they try | | | | Now that my current U11 team is comfortable with |
| and get it. But getting the ball is only part of the | | | | the |
| jobof defending. The Swoosh defense requires that | | | | Swoosh defense, we have moved onto the role of |
| players be in a good defensiveposition while marking | | | | the attacking outsidedefender and their ability to |
| the opponent 'goal-side and ball-side'. | | | | move forward to join the attack. |
| When defenders 'ball-watch', opponents will move | | | | |