Pressing

Hello there,

Does anyone have any articles or information about pressing?

For example, how should forwards and midfield should be set up in different systems (4-4-2 / 2-2-5 / 3-2-3-2 etc.) , and where do you normally aim to direct the ball towards?

Thanks!

The pressing set-up is up to you.
You usually direct the ball to where you set the trap and/or their weakest player.
What lines and where the fwd/mid line players run is determined by you to set this trap.

So in answer to your question - you decided where and you decide how.

Thanks for replying MK. I am finding it hard to decide what various playesr, (especially midfield/forwards) should be doing in a 4 - 4 - 2 (diamond) system.


Say for example we want to set up a 3/4 press to the left half.

How can only two forwards control where the ball goes? Is it not to easy to transfer the ball around them? Maybe you would step one of the midfield players up to form a front 3 in the press?

2 forwards - cut the pitch in half (goal to goal) with the 2 fowards pushing the ball left or right. Once thats set-up, the midfield behind can step up.

'Cutting the pitch in half' should be pretty straightforward if the ball is over to one side.

If they have a 16 that is central would the best set up to cut the pitch (forcing the ball to the defenders left) be something like:


x

x.
o
x o x



Or more like:

x

x.
o
x x
o



Or more like :

x

x.

x x

o o







And which midfielders exactly would you reccomend stepping up, and how?

Hey,

With a 3/4 press you are basically allowing the opposition to play around the back freely, but forcing the ball into a specific area once the opposition try to move forward. It can be very difficult to force the ball to a specific side with a 3/4 press as you would leave space in behind your forwards - rather defend the middle of the field and attack the ball once it gets transferred to one of the sides. What works quite well is to create fake space in the areas you want the ball to go to. So give the outside halves some space and then as soon as the ball gets played to them your forwards step up to prevent the trough (cut the square and back options) while your midfielders step up to put pressure on the ball carrier and his passing options.

So you might start out with your forwards as shown in your 1st / 3rd diagram, and then when the ball gets played to the outside half they step up into the second diagram.

If you are looking for some tips on pressing you can check out http://www.coachingmill.com/viewArticle.php?article=26, although those are shown for 3331 setups.

Regards,
CoachingMill.com

press them on their backstick

I realised that I've joined the conversation quite late, but I thoroughly recommend that you have at least two or three different presses. You need to be applying full pressure, and you want your defence to be very assertive in the way they try to win the ball back.

I don't recommend a 3/4 press largely because it's a kind of 'Nothing Press', you are left in no-man's land. You're better off getting your team to work together in a full press and put some serious pressure on the opposition. Have your midfield ready to pick up interceptions, and you will get the ball back almost every time, the opposition will panic and smack possession away.

Attack even without the ball, and defend higher up the pitch. That way you won't be scrambling around defending at the top of your goal circle.

Hey, full pressure works for the Australian men's team, and if quality international teams are flustered by the opposition applying a full press, it's probably a safe bet that any team you play against will also be flustered by full pressure.

Pressing is a team effort though, and not something that is only undertaken by strikers. Full pressing is ideal for teams with young players as they have a natural instinct to want to chase down the ball anyway. You do need to spend some time practicing your pressing as a team though, to make sure your patterns are efficient and effective.

Good luck.

hiii..new to coaching...just wanted to know the benefits of pressing in the 2-3-3-2 formation...would also like to know the benefits and the loop hole in this system...