Creative Attacking Through Tight Defenses

By David Clarke

 Modern day football formations make it essential that midfielders and attackers become accustomed to playing in congested areas. If they can display the skills needed to produce short, sharp interchanges of play, the rewards in the final third can be impressive.

This session replicates the free-flowing passing football of Arsenal and Barcelona.

It will provide a platform to help your team find a way through opponents with flooded backlines, as well as those who attempt to break up play by deploying one or two holding midfield players.

Why this works

The session requires speedy and decisive passing over short distances. Opposition defenders are used as solid obstacles meaning attackers are encouraged to sidestep their man so as to find an angle for a pass.

The move should prove that the fewer touches each player takes, the quicker and more accurate the pass is likely to be, and with two attacking outlets, the last two defenders will need to make quick decisions as to which player to track.

Try to repeat this move until the attacking players can produce the quick interchanges using only one touch each.

Starting with an attacking triangle, you can adapt the attacking elements of this move to show the freedom of space that players can move into.

How to set it up

• Four attackers and four defenders are required for the session to work – in the picture above, the attackers are labelled A, B, C and D.
• The activity is carried out in the final third of the field using the goal and a goalkeeper in position.
• Players A, B, C and D form a triangular shape.
• The four defenders are positioned in the shape of an upside-down letter "Y", spread apart from each other but close to attacking players. They must hold shape and allow the attackers to work the angles.

Getting started

• Player A starts with the ball. He must make an angle to evade the first defender and pass to player B, before making a run towards goal.
• Player B lays a similar ball to player C, who after laying a pass to player D makes his own forward run.
• Player D controls the ball and look for runs from A and C, then he lays a pass off to his chosen man.
• In this instance, player A receives the pass. Making sure to stay onside, he fires at goal with a first-time shot.
• Player C must continue his run in order to take advantage of any loose balls or rebounds.
• Vary passing shapes but always ensure a centralised midfield move breaks out into a double-headed attack.