TACTICAL CONCEPTS

Defensive Principles	Playing Team Offense
Attacking Principles	Systems of Play
Playing Team Defense

DEFENSIVE PRINCIPLES

1. Immediate Pressure
2. Delay
3. Depth
4. Balance
5. Concentration

IMMEDIATE PRESSURE

The player closest to the ball (first defender) has to pressure the ball. His responsibility is:

• Take away the forward pass.
• Force the ball square or back.
• Don't dive in and get beat.

Force the player with the ball to slow down, therefore allowing your teammates to get organized behind the ball. Teach your players to "contain", force the ball into a particular direction and to make play "predictable".

DEPTH

There has to be a quick organization behind the player pressuring the ball (role of the second defender). The second defender has to position himself so that he can provide cover for the pressuring defender. In case the first defender gets beat, he then can step up to pressure the ball and become the first defender.

BALANCE

This is provided by the other defenders away from the ball. It is important that these players position themselves "goal side and ball side" in relation to their opponents.

CONCENTRATION

Defensively we need to restrict time and space. This means that we need to stay compact as a team.

Attacking Principles