Pressing - Resistance

Prologue by Steven Turek

Dear Coaching-Colleagues,

first and foremost, you as reader surely ask yourself what is meant by pressing-resistance. Therefore, a short definition: Pressing-Resistance is the ability to identify the opposing pressing, resist it and purposefully outplay it. It includes individual skills as well as team-tactical strategies. This definition gives you a first impression about the contents that will appear on the following pages.

A core element of most offensive strategies, is usually the attempt to press the opponent into motion, more precisely, into sprinting. Pressing distinguishes itself by players, creating high pressure on the ball carrier. Why don’t we consequently consider that opposing pressure in a positive way and use it for our own strategy? That’s exactly the aspect I want to discuss in “Pressing-Resistance”.

„The opponent only has ten players as well. If he creates numerical advantage somewhere on the pitch, somewhere else has to be a numerical disadvantage - that’s simple logic.” - Carlo Ancelotti

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If a coach considers the opposing pressing in a positive way, strategic aspects become more important, because: Behind every good pressing strategy is an idea, how the ball is supposed to be won. To counter that strategy, I developed all kinds of match solutions, which orient on common pressing strategies and specifically focus on weak spots. To focus on these weak spots, it can happen that specific types of players find themselves in unfamiliar positions on the pitch. Therewith, I purposefully want to provide suggestions and break up common thinking patterns.

I wish you the best to consider the opposing pressing positively, to outplay it and use it for an own goal!

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Enjoy reading, Steven Turek

Pressing Resistance

Change of Perspective

A change of perspective switches, as it says, the angle of perspective. The current situation is not seen from a first-person perspective (red team) anymore, but rather from the perspective of the opposing team (Blue). It is of great relevance, because the anticipated ways of the opposing behavior build the foundation for ones own attacking strategies. Usually, we build up from realistic (good) defending behavior.

When the Back Three is a Solution

Analysis

Indeed, thebuildingof a back three within the game, can bring along a variety of advantages. If one plays against an aggressively attacking team, it is not a rarity, that an opposing central midfielder (8) follows the 6, who supplements the build up. Now, a situation is created, in which a central midfielder defends wide away from his usual position, to create equal numbers. The same equal numbers are created in his back. Now, the pressing of Bluecan be outplayed by a long ball.

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Detail: Attention: The difference lays in the circumstance, whether one plays with a back three from the beginning or if it is created situationally!