Manchester Youth Soccer League

The Yellow Brick Road To Success

 My focus at this age level is to work on your ball skills and tactics.  Ball skills include dribbling, passing, receiving, and heading.  Numerous articles/video clips can be found in the right margin labeled "skills".  Skills are the foundation to becoming a good soccer player. 

 

What are soccer tactics?  Soccer technique (skills) is what you do with the ball.  Soccer tactics (teamwork) is what you do without the ball.  Articles/video clips about this subject can be found in the right margin labeled "tactics".  

One of my favorite movies is the Wizard of Oz.  In fact, decades ago I played the Tin Man on stage in this classic story.  I still remember chanting "Lions, Tigers, and Bears, Oh My!!!  I wish the oil can could still work for me today. 

 

No matter how crazy things seemed in the Land of Oz, Dorothy and her ensemble soon realized there was a reliable (albeit wacky) path to follow; that is, the Yellow Brick Road.  Soccer can likewise be totally wacky and chaotic unless we establish some guidelines. Fortunately, soccer is a very geometric game.  Its most basic attacking shapes are the triangle (width), the diamond (depth), and the square (open space). 

 

I will guide you along this tactical "Yellow Brick Road To Success".  Hopefully, at the end of our journey you will be chanting "Triangles, Diamonds, and Squares, Oh My!" 

 

Coach Houseman (aka The Tin Man)

 

THE TRIANGLE

The triangle is the most fundamental soccer shape teammates form once they gain possesion of the ball.  Shown below are 3 passing situations (Figures 1,2,3).  A1 (1st attacker) has the ball while D1 (1st defender) is moving in to challenge for the ball.   

 

 

 

Important Bullet Points (click on pic):

 

 

 

 

 

Figure #1 - WhenA1 has the ball, his/her teammates should give her at least 2 forward passing options - one LEFT & one RIGHT.

  

Figure #2 - As D1 approaches the ball, he/she casts a widening defending shadow behind him/her.  A1's teammates must get out of that defending shadow by spreading out.

 

Figure #3 - D1 is making a tackle on A1.  A1's teammates must retreat to a completely flat (horizontal) position to receive a pass.  This is call a "square pass".

                  

In a 8v8 game, the 8 field players (including the goalie) can pre-set 3 triangles (click soccer field below).  However, soccer is not a stagnant game.  Therefore, as the ball moves around the field, the players must constantly reset their triangles which requires teamwork and attacking imagination.

 

 

In summary, the triangle shape gives the player with the ball 2 forward passing options.  A team that can successfully form these triangles, can play a "cat and mouse" keepaway game all over the soccer field.  And as we all know, it's a lot more fun being the cat in this game. 

 

 Video Clip

 

Pro Evolution Soccer show a number of examples of the triangle pass - click here 

The Diamond - Down The Field Option

As we learned above, the triangle shape gives the attacking team a passing option right and left (plus back).  In addition, it stretches our opponents defense from sideline to sideline.  Since soccer is a game of keep away, we want to create maximum dribbling and passing space once we get the ball.  Therefore, not only do we want to “widen the field”, but we also want to “stretch it” vertically.

This is accomplished by the diamond attacking shape with a player at the top of the diamond.  Shown below (click to enlarge) is a 8v8 game using a 1-2-3-2 tactical formation. 

As you can see, there are 3 pre-set diamonds:

1. Goalie - Right Back - Left Back - Center Mid
2. Right Back - Right Mid - Center Mid - Right Striker
3. Left Back - Left Mid - Center Mid - Left Striker

Question - When either the goalie, or wing backs have the ball, what is his/her best passing option?

Answer – The high pass to the top of the diamond because we’ve beat more opponents with a single pass!!!  Therefore, when you get possession of the ball, your first option should always be a vertical pass to a teammate or attacking space down the field.  This will give our team more scoring opportunities and keep our opponents from compressing their defense around the ball. 

Sweeper Keeper - In order to make the triple diamond effective, the goalie should play an active role as a field player (sweeper) in addition to being a net minder.

Video Clip

Shown below is a series of triangle and diamond passes used by the attacking (white) team to maintain ball possession (keep away) while advancing the ball down the field to score.

 

Square

 

The 3rd and final attacking shape is the square.  Since it represents a pass into open space rather than to a teammate’s feet,  it’s probably the most difficult shape to visualize and execute.  However, once you get it, your ability to move the ball around the field will be virtually unstoppable.

Please click on the soccer field below right to enlarge.  Yellow cones represent the square.

Example #1 – Backward Square Pass

A1 has the ball and is being challenged.  A1’s teammates are in great attacking shape.  A2 and A3 have formed a triangle giving A1 wide passing options either left or right while A4 has completed the diamond shape (with her other 3 teammates) giving A1 a passing option high down the field.  However, the red defense (red arrows) are positioned to prevent all of these passing options.  A1’s best option is a square pass.  A2 yells “square”; A1 makes a lateral pass into open space (dotted arrow is ball movement); A2 retreats (blue arrow is player movement) to receive this pass directly across (square) from A1.  Obviously, this same square pass could have been made by A1 to A3 on the other side of the field. Ball possession rather than ball advancement is the objective of this classic square pass.

Example #2 – Forward Square Pass 

A2 has the ball and is being challenged.  Once again, the blue team is in great attacking shape (the triangle/diamond).  A2 has two passing options.  She could easily make a back pass to A1 who is unmarked.  However, A2 can make a thru pass down the field (dotted arrow is ball movement) to A4 who cuts across the field (blue arrow is player movement) to receive this square/thru ball into open space.  Communication between teammates is a key when passing to open space.  A2 yells something like “down the line” to tell A4 to run across the field to receive a this thru ball.  As opposed to the backward square pass, the objective of the forward square pass is ball advancement rather than ball possession.

Video Clip

We practice the square pass often in our 3v1 "Monkey In The Middle Keep Away" game.  Here is a NSCAA instructional clip of this activity.  Notice the movement "along the square" to support your teammate (with the ball) a passing option both left and right.

NSCAA Instruction – Movement Along The Square

Summary

The square is the third attacking shape representing passing options to space rather than to feet.  Once you see the square, you’ll know which way to run to receive an open pass from a teammate.  Generally, A1 and A4 (top and bottom of the diamond) move laterally to complete a square pass while A2 and A3 (sides of the diamond) move vertically to complete a square pass. 

The triangle, diamond, and square are used by all players (including the goalie) when you gain possession of the ball.  This includes all set pieces (throw in, kick off, goal kick, corner kick, and other free kicks except the penalty kick).  It’s micro-tactics; that is, the small game inside the big game.