It would be nice to think that every time your team is in possession of the ball that they could go directly forward, score a goal and then reset for the opponents kickoff. However, this isn't going to happen. In order to go forward it is often necessary to go sideways and even backwards. This is because the opponents will apply pressure and try to deny the direct route to their goal. "Forward players in particular are likely to find themselves under pressure and the principle way in which to relieve that pressure is to support the man with the ball. Support is always important, but it is absolutely vital against a team which is pressurizing well." 9

Support play in youth soccer poses several problems. The biggest is that the time it takes to develop the team shape during the change in possession, from defending to attacking, is often not available. Support play begins as a team is winning possession of the ball. This means that they are moving from tight, compact positions into more spread out ones. This is a test of; the players insight, do they read the change in possession, the transition, measured by how quickly they start to move; physical speed, how quickly can they move after they start; communication, do two players move into the same space getting in each others way and leaving some other useful space vacant; even technique, does the player need three touches before he is ready to play the ball? It is also a key moment when players lose concentration. With these factors it's obvious that children will need at least a few seconds in order to move into their new support/attacking positions. Contrast this starting point with how support is usually taught. Often the team in possession starts with the ball in essentially a dead ball situation. Real learning will need to take both starting points into account.

Add to this the typical thought of many youth players upon winning possession of the ball. It's either 'get rid of it,'i.e. the big boot-long ball, or 'score,'i.e. they immediately start dribbling in the direction of the opponents goal. In the former, teammates may not have had time to move into good positions and the ball goes immediately back to the opponents. In the later, the players head goes down, vision is lost and they often run into an opponent and have to fight their way out of trouble.

In summary the biggest problem in support play occurs in the moment of transition from opponents in possession to winning possession and the correct choice of action, do we build up or launch the immediate counter attack? The entire team must arrive at the same decision in a matter of seconds. Only after answering this question can the correct positions and roles be determined.

Support in Building Up

"Supporting players should understand that it is essential to the performance of their job that they move into position quickly. When a team always has the opportunity to play the ball early it is a sign that the supporting is good. It is also a fact that a team that supports well and plays the ball early is very difficult to pressurize. Conversely, of course, a team which does not support well will find it very difficult to build successful attacks. Players must appreciate quickly, therefore, when a teammate needs support and move into position quickly." 9

The first consideration for every player at the moment their team regains possession is that they do their required task. This is different from the assigned task, for example, a left back who switched places with the left midfielder would take over the midfielders attacking role until they had an opportunity to switch back. He will do what is required at that moment and not what his assigned task was in the overall plan. Once the basic tasks are taken care of, the attacking shape has been reestablished, the next question is whether or not to go ahead of the ball. This is decision depends on the players basic and supplementary tasks defined by the his role at the moment. But in youth soccer it's not uncommon to see almost everyone try to go ahead of the ball, they attend to the supplementary task first. This 'fix bayonets and charge' mentality is a real problem when trying to develop composed play. Not only does the space ahead of the ball become crowded, teammates get in each others way and defenders follow them, but the team is in a poor position to stop the opponents when they lose the ball.

"Part of the skill of being a good supporting player is to know when to support from behind the ball and when to move into a position in advance of the ball. The first question, therefore, is when should a player move into a position in advance of the ball? The answer really is that a player should move forward in advance of the ball when the player in possession of the ball no longer needs support. Of course, it would not make tactical sense for every player to try to take up positions in advance of the ball, since the defense should always be organized and ready to meet emergencies. So the defense should be organized on the basis of equal (or greater) numbers, i.e. if the opposition leaves three players up we leave three (or more) back." 9

Two Factors in Support Play

Distance. See sweeper is too far back for examples about the correct and incorrect distance.

Angle. The first consideration in the support angle is to be at one where you can get the ball.

In the diagram at right the orange number 8 is in trouble. The number 3 has come forward to to support but into a space where he cannot receive the ball, highlighted area. This doesn't help number 8 at all and if he loses the ball there is no one between the blue team and the orange goal.

 

In the diagram at left the number 3 is in a much better, if not the only position where he can receive a pass and relieve the pressure on his teammate. Imagine that the ball has eye's and must 'see' the target.

 

The second consideration is to be at an angle where you can change the point of attack and, if possible, pass the ball forward.

In diagram 1 the orange number 8 is behind the number 9 and can receive a pass from him. However, the orange number 3 has run into the space behind the blue defender and now number 8 must make a difficult chip over the heads of both numbers 4 and 9. Not only is this difficult for number 8 but it gives number 3 a problem with control. This picture, common in youth soccer, places unnecessary demands on the technique for both players.

In diagram 2 the number 8 has moved to the right and is still behind the number 9. This still allows for a safe pass, 9 can still see the target, 8,and the space between them. But it makes the pass to the number 3 much easier. From this position 8 can play the ball along the ground giving both 8 and 3 fewer problems.

 

 

"Good supporting from behind the ball is the basis of good attacking play and will ensure that a team has plenty of ball possession. But that is not enough. Ball possession must be used as a means for producing strikes on the opponent's goal. In this respect players who know when to support and when to move forward in advance of the ball are invaluable." 9

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