Soccer Coaching: Systems Of Play And Formations

By Author: John Gibbons
Total Articles: 3
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Every soccer academy needs to emphasise the important facts about systems of play, for those believe that It is the most single important aspect of soccer coaching, and many people do.

Those people would be well advised to take heed of the well known adage, a little learning is a dangerous thing.

It's quite extraordinary how people have become obsessed with systems of play, yet it should be obvious that
there is no system which will overcome inaccurate passing, shooting nor which will improve ball control or allow for players who don't support each other and none which will allow for players who are not mentally-physically fit.

So why are so many people obsessed with systems of play? The main reason is that few people involved in soccer coaching understand the real issue behind the success or failure of a team and as a result are influenced too greatly by what they hear and read.

When a manager of a club announces in the media that his team will be playing the 4-2-4 formation, his audience usually accept what he says without criticism. When the same manager after a string of defeats, announces ...
... that the system is to be changed to 4-3-3, everyone believes that the root of the problem has been found and that success will immediately follow.

The fact is that people who do not understand the underlining issue in soccer coaching place more reliance on what they are told and less on what they see. It is necessary to attend a competent soccer academy which can address this underlining issue.

It is important therefore that managers and those in a position of influence should state the facts as they really are and not cloud the issue with jargon.

How many managers does one hear talking about the importance of set plays, corners, freekicks and throws?

Yet the facts show that at every level of game, almost 55% of goals originate from set plays. At the highest level and especially in key matches that percentage is even higher.

How many talk about the importance of a highly competent goalkeeper, yet two world class saves from a
goalkeeper can be the difference between winning 1-0 and losing 1-2.

These factors have nothing to do with systems of play. The fact is however that any team which has only a moderate goalkeeper and if not well organised at set plays will end the season in the ranks of the also rans.

A team can play as many forward players as it wishes but if it does not have the capacity to gain and retain possession of the ball, has poor shooting and dribbling technique and is incapable of attacking the blind-side, the system of play will count for nothing.

Likewise a team can get as many players as it wishes behind the ball to defend but if they lack the ability to defend as individuals and as a team, to mark players and space, they do not have a quick reaction to be first to the ball and are lacking recovery runs in the defending third the system will again count for nothing.

It's quite normal for every team to set the starting positions of the players after searching their ability
and productivity in the specific position they start according to the formation.

But the task is that players have to be creative, inventive and unpredictable in their movement and thinking. This is achieved only through qualitative soccer coaching by attending a soccer academy.

The thinking of players cannot be formed but they can be transformed by creating in them speed of move and mind - there is no formation that can achieve this.

The final conclusion is that the formation has to match the player's ability, thinking and productivity. It is therefore necessary to participate in a soccer academy and receive quality soccer coaching, in all aspects of the game.