A Soccer Rant

Coaches who just roll the ball out and expect their players to freelance (and then yell at their mistakes) are doing them a huge disservice. 1v1 battles all over the pitch miss the point of organizational teamwork.

A field General would never simply yell at his soldiers “go that way!” Well, not for long anyway, unless his enemy was so hopelessly mismatched as to eliminate the need for the General’s presence in the first place. Organization and positional discipline are force multipliers. This is self evident - and the examples of organization multiplying efficiency are manifold. School, business, sports.

Any company so relies on this ideal that a synonym for a business is an ORGANIZATION.

The 4-3-3 As An Example

In a 4-3-3, the organization is critical, or the back line will be facing chances with every loss of possession. Why? Because three players are dedicated to attack. Therefore the midfield MUST be organized or chaos reigns. This issue, this lack of organization, plagues youth club and school soccer. It is pandemic. And some of the truly skilled midfielders get lost because frankly, their coaches won’t put in the effort.

As a player, and as parents, demand better. Your demands are the only thing that will change the supply of those willing to work hard.

Increased passing completion rates are not primarily driven by the skill of the passer. No, they are driven by the off-the-ball disciplined movements and positioning of the potential pass recipients. Passing is successful, possession is successful, when the passes are easily executed.

This organization shouldn’t be at the cost of attacking prowess. No, a well-organized side which is ready to defend every loss-of-possession immediately is actually better prepared to create more chances.

You may think that letting your players run rampant may mean you are providing them a platform for creativity and expressing offensive nous. Quite the contrary - you are hamstringing their efforts, actually making the task of progressive possession and chance creation harder. The ultimate way to foster creativity is ORGANIZING your team to create time and space for players in dangerous areas.

If you are a player, don’t scoff at organizational drills or shadow play. Learn to love them. If you are a parent demand better or find a new coach.

While there are many excellent ways to illustrate how to organize a 4-3-3 (the example formation in this rant) I have always been drawn to this oft-reposted video of disciplined, yet flowing, rotational (yet strictly positional) movement.