Key Offensive Soccer Principles and Tactics
Offensive Principles in Soccer
Dismarking (Desmarque)
Dismarking is a tactical action to escape the opponent’s vigilance when we are in possession of the ball. All players dismark when in possession of the ball, holding areas and offering the possibility of an affordable game to the player with the ball in any zone. It’s useful and effective for the play.
Splitting
Splitting is an offensive tactical action that involves the exchange of positions and tasks between players of the team that has the ball, rationally taking the pitch.
Space Creation
Space refers to those places on the field that are deserted, previously left by a teammate possessing the ball and the opponent marking them: Creating (many), employment (some), use (just one).
Game Rhythm (Reitme)
Game Rhythm refers to the actions that a team makes with the ball in order to play at the speed that best suits them to dominate opponents.
Attack
An attack is an attempt to bring the ball towards the opponent’s goal once it’s put into play or recovered. It’s a whole-team action. Strategic retrieval and ball home. There are three phases: initiation, creation, and termination.
Counterattack
A counterattack is a tactical action that consists of stealing the ball and quickly reaching the opponent’s goal before they can organize.
Support
Support means approaching or moving away from a teammate without possessing the ball as much as possible. Support can be lateral, diagonal, deep, from behind, or ahead.
Walls (One-Twos)
Walls, or one-twos, are the delivery and prompt return of the ball with a single contact, in order to overcome one or more adversaries. The same player always starts and ends it. There are simple 1-2s and double 1-2-3s.
Permanent Aid
Permanent Aid refers to favorable solutions that the player possessing the ball now has. The coach instructs each player, with supports previously set by the coach. Poor mobility (standing still) indicates passivity and poor help.
Temporizations (Temporitzacions)
Temporizations are slow actions made maliciously, with ball possession during the game, to the team’s advantage and benefit. This can save time, give time for teammates to dismark, break the other team’s rhythm, recover physically, or create open spaces.
Ball Conservation
Repeated offensive actions performed by a team with the intention of not losing the initiative and maintaining ball possession.
Change of Pace
Change of Pace involves various movements, and how to slow a team’s speed. This includes different player speeds with the ball and different ball trajectories (individual or collective), alternating slow and fast play, short and long passes, and rapid changes in player direction. This can involve a normal start and rapid completion, or vice versa.
Charges
A charge is an action a player performs on an opponent, specifically a shoulder-to-shoulder charge (within the rules), to maintain ball possession.
Changes of Orientation
Changes of Orientation are different changes of trajectory (short, medium, or long) of the ball during the game. This is done to create free space, disorient the adversary, and attack the adversary’s wide shoulder.
Speed on the Field
Speed on the Field refers to precise and rapid movements of the ball. Good technical quality is required, not to be confused with precipitation, which leads to failure.
Offensive Surveillance
Offensive Surveillance means watching over the ball when not marked otherwise. When launching a corner, not everyone hangs back. When launching an attack, everyone collaborates. When not needed, a free man watches his side area. Monitoring can be man-to-man or zonal.
Progression in the Game
Progression in the Game refers to actions performed by a team bringing or sending the ball perpendicularly towards the opposite goal. This may be more or less rapid but is expressed clearly, perpendicularly, trying to look for numerical superiority or at least balance when unbalancing in order to progress the attack.