| As you begin to assess your youth soccer team's | | | | width and depth in your attacking formation. |
| abilities, you should start to get a better feel for | | | | Combined Attack |
| what style of play they are best suited to play. One | | | | To be successful as a youth soccer coach you need |
| of the more effective soccer tactics is to be able to | | | | to be able to mix your attacks. If your opponent is |
| adjust to your opponent, and to use different styles | | | | pushing their defense up, you can use a direct attack |
| of play to keep them off balance. | | | | to break through the defense and get one-on-one |
| As a youth soccer coach you need to be able to | | | | opportunities against the keeper. |
| decide which style of play will work best for your | | | | If the defense is playing back, you can use an |
| team. There are different factors that will affect that | | | | indirect attack to work the ball forward. You need to |
| decision. Everything from the abilities of your players, | | | | be able to adjust your style of play according to |
| to the weather, to the condition of the soccer field | | | | what the defense is giving you. |
| will play into your decision. | | | | Defending Styles of Play |
| Styles of play refers to the way your youth soccer | | | | Low Pressure Defending |
| team plays together during the game. It is your job | | | | A low pressure defense focuses on slowing the |
| as the youth soccer coach to determine which style | | | | attack to allow your players to get into their |
| to use. | | | | defensive positions. By forcing the attackers to slow |
| Attacking Styles of Play | | | | down it allows your team to get more players |
| Direct Attack | | | | between the ball and the goal. |
| Soccer teams will use a direct attack to try to beat | | | | Teach your youth soccer players to play a zone |
| the defense by playing long passes. This is not a | | | | defense rather than defending individual players. |
| dump-and-run offense. These are long, accurate | | | | It is important that your team falls back on defense |
| passes to players making runs toward the goal, that | | | | as a unit. They should practice maintaining a compact |
| penetrate the defense. | | | | shape as they fall back. This will prevent the |
| The objective is to push the ball forward with few | | | | attacking team to find gaps in the defense that they |
| passes, and only a few players touching the ball. By | | | | can pass through. The closer to the goal the |
| quickly passing the ball through the defense you can | | | | attackers move, the more compact the defense |
| attack the goal before the defense has an | | | | becomes. As passing lanes close down your team will |
| opportunity to drop back to assist the goalkeeper. | | | | find opportunities to force the attacker to make a |
| Your job as the youth soccer coach is to include drills | | | | mistake and turn the ball over. |
| in your practices that teach your players to shield the | | | | You need to emphasize the importance of patience. |
| ball, to make penetrating and overlapping runs, and | | | | Delaying the attack is more important than winning |
| most important, to make long, accurate passes. | | | | the ball quickly. As more of your defender get into |
| Indirect Attack | | | | place the opportunities to win the ball will come. |
| The indirect style of play requires a lot of patience. It | | | | High Pressure Defending |
| also requires a lot more technical ability than the | | | | High pressure defense is designed to apply immediate |
| direct style of attack. It is a style that emphasizes | | | | and intense pressure on the ball handler. As soon as |
| ball control. The objective of this style is to maintain | | | | the opposing team wins possession of the ball they |
| possession of the ball through each third of the | | | | are immediately challenged. The defenders job is to |
| soccer field. | | | | win back possession of the ball as quickly as possible. |
| The key to success is patience. You need to make | | | | By applying high pressure, and marking the attacking |
| sure your players understand that it could take 10 to | | | | team player to player you will make the ball handlers |
| 15 passes to work the ball up the field. You should | | | | play the ball faster then their abilities allow. This will |
| use a formation that allow you to play a wide | | | | force mistakes in dribbling, or in making bad passes |
| offense that spreads the defense. You players | | | | that can be intercepted by your players. |
| should provide support from behind the ball, offering | | | | The more you can take what you learn as a youth |
| the ball handler multiple options for making short, | | | | soccer coach and apply bit to game situations, the |
| controlled passes. | | | | quicker your youth soccer team will learn the skills |
| You will need to include drills in your practice that | | | | they need to be successful. |
| emphasize possession and movement that will create | | | | |