The playmaking style examines what is needed and what to expect when a team is at a higher level than their opponents. They can 'carry the game' and determine what speed it will be played at. The counter attacking style is useful for teams that are playing against them or might want to defend a lead.

Key Ingredients For The Counter Attacking Style

The teams defensive organization is in its own half. Teams will want to "limit the space behind the back line and the goal." 6 The 'defending' will start around the midfield line. It's important that individuals don't chase the ball too deeply into the opponents half and leave gaps between the lines. Each line must stay compact and avoid getting separated from the other's creating a 'block' defense. "In the first place, a good counter attack team needs to have a strong defensive line with players who will remain calm even under high pressure. These players are good technical defenders, as for example, the Italian defenders. These players do not fear having to play defense in their own 16-meter area." 6 See diagram below.

Use the organization to stop the opponents build up and attack. With so many players committed to defending in such a small area the attackers are faced with significant problems. A big one is how to penetrate the defense for a shot. With the players ahead of the ball tightly marked and the space for dribbling through the defense reduced attackers can become frustrated and impatient. "... It is also required that the tactical coherence between the defenders is optimal. In that manner, you can close down the operational attacking space of the opponents." 6 Attackers who become impatient have taken the first step towards making a mistake in judgment which is what the defenders are looking for.

Defenders keep the play in front of them. By limiting the space behind them defenders can be content to allow the attackers possession as long as they play in front of them and just outside shooting range. While the player with the ball must be pressurized it is not at the expense of the defensive organization. Patience is a virtue and choosing the correct moment to win the ball is an art. Protecting the goal and controlling the attackers is more important than immediately chasing after the ball.

Launching the counter attack. The decision of whether to counter or build up the attack must be made immediately. As soon as the ball is won or even better, before. Good players will read the situation, calculate the probabilities, make a decision and act. Speed of thought and action is essential for successful counter attacks. It's vital that counter attacking teams use the few seconds that they have before the opponents can reorganize into their defensive shape.

The counter is on when: The player who has won the ball can find a target forward. This means that he'll have to be facing the opponents goal and have the space to pass forward and a target to pass to. Defenders who have to chase opponents towards their own goal, or trap the ball facing the side line, are in a poor position to start a counter. They have a poor view of the field. Players who intercept a square pass while facing the opponents goal, win a tackle and their first touch is into the space behind their opponent towards their goal and players who intercept a through pass while the attacker has run past them are in a good position to start a counter attack. In the first case, the defender has beaten at least two players, and possibly an entire line and should have open space in front of him. If he's a top player he might only have the goal keeper between him and the goal. In the next two the player who wins the ball is usually moving into open space. He'll need to get his vision up quickly and find a target. (Compare this section to the defensive 'hunt' in the playmaking style. Deny the deep/forward pass until the defensive shape can organize. This is why the defensive aspect of the playmaking style is so important.) Finally, if the player who wins the ball is pressurized and cannot play it forward, has no idea or cannot make a deep pass, the counter can still be on if he quickly gets it to someone who can. Use supporting players quickly.

The runs. In counter attacking soccer teams can count on certain situations repeatedly. The ball is usually won in recurring situations and players are usually in certain positions. It has a predictable nature. "When a counter attack team regains possession of the ball, certain players will run set patterns (pattern play) so the counter attack will be successful and can be performed at a high tempo. On the other hand, every player can get involved in the counter attack as long as the situation allows for this. It is all about choosing the correct moment to get involved... Mostly, the fast target player who is good with the ball is the basis. With the big spaces around him he remains an important target to play the ball to. He takes the pressure off his team by being able to quickly receive a long pass." 6 The caveat of choosing the correct moment presents a problem for youth teams. Almost everybody (coaches included) thinks that everyone should take every opportunity to go forward. When this happens the teams shape disintegrates due to a lot of unnecessary runs. Players become fatigued for no good reason. This also assumes that the attack will be over quickly and that these the runs won't serve any useful purpose to the team. One solution is to limit the number of players that are allowed to go ahead of the ball in a counter attack. This helps to conserve energy and insure that the basic team shape is ready for the next assault.

Strengths and weakness. The counter attacking style is the easiest to organize and is the best guarantee of getting a result. Compared to the playmaking style the technical and physical requirements are lower. However, there is still a great demand on individual and team discipline and the need for speed on the break out is absolutely vital. A big problem for teams that are dependent on the counter attacking style is how they adapt when they're behind. If your game is based on the opponents coming at you and they are content to hold the ball nothing is going to happen. The counter attacking team will have to change the way they play. "The situation in the match forces the team to change to this (playmaking) style of play. Usually the coach will substitute a player; for example a forward or an attacking midfielder takes the place of a defender. The coach can also choose to change the description of the tasks or the guidelines concerning the defensive, buildup or attacking team function." 6

In the diagram at right the counter attacking team is concerned with not conceding any space behind it. A strong, confident back line with a defensive block in the center of the field, a good goal keeper and the team will give away very little. When the team wins the ball it must be passed forward quickly, usually to the a fast target player. Then, only a few players will look to get ahead of the ball depending on the situation. The rest of the team will close up quickly behind the ball to offer support and prevent a counter against themselves. See the counter attacking game. Since the runs from deep inside your own half tend to be very long, in excess of 50 -70 yards, players will need to develop an 'eye' for when to follow up and when to let the attackers go on their own. 'Pick the runs that will bring a return on your investment. A match is no time for fitness training.'

What happens when two excellent counter attacking teams play each other? "A good example of this is the championship match between Germany and the Czech Republic in the Euro '96 tournament in England. It was a match between two teams who both favor counter attach style football. The Czechs put themselves in the underdog position and forced the Germans into becoming the favored team. Thus coach Berti Vogts had to change his tactical plan for the match. This meant that he had to put a bigger emphasis on the functions when his team was in possession of the ball (buildup and attack.) This is not an easy assignment for a counter attack team." 6

See coaching mentality.

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