Association football tactics and skills
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There are various individual skills and team tactics needed to play effective football (soccer). Football is in theory a very simple game, as illustrated by Kevin Keegan's famous assertion that his tactics for winning a match were to "score more goals than the opposition." However, the flowing nature of football and the fact that it is a sport with continuous action (i.e. it is not divided into single plays, as in American football, or points, as in tennis) means that well organised, well prepared teams can often beat a team with supposedly more skilled players, even over time.
Examples of Individual skills
- Physical fitness: Each player and the team need to be fit enough to sustain a high workrate for the entire duration of the match.
- Passing: The ability to accurately and timely pass the ball between nearby players, as well as to direct it to players further away is essential in order to keep the possession of the ball.
- Field vision: The ability to see space developing is incredibly important--a player who does not have the ball should move to an area where space is opening, and a player with the ball should either move there or send the ball there.
- Shooting:
- Whenever a reasonable chance appears to have a shot at goal, the players need to attempt it.
- Shots must be accurate. A shot on target, even if it lacks power, puts the defending team under great pressure.
- The choice of the part of goal to aim for is a contentious issue. Some coaches say always aim for the farther post, others for the near, but all agree that a low shot at the corners of the goal is the best place to aim for.
- Marking: When defending, the players generally need to "mark" the advancing players from the other team, meaning they need to stay close to them in order to deter (and hopefully prevent) them from playing effectively.
- Tackling: The defending players need to know how to take possession of the ball without committing a foul.
- Agility: this is especially important for goalkeepers. Closely linked to balance.
- Communication: Good communication between team members is an essential facet of good team play. Players on experienced teams constantly talk to one another. A pass will often be called for and the receiver of the ball is often told whether they have space to turn or are closely marked. The goalkeeper usually shouts to the defense whether or not he will interfere with play whenever there is doubt. The defense communicates to coordinate movement so as to keep the defensive line straight and in balance, plus to divide the defensive work between them. Other communication that may serve a purpose is pep-talks, intimidation of the opposing team and attempts to influence the referees. When there is a crowd present, they are often more than happy to help.
- Taking set pieces (out-of-play kicks):
- Penalties: The accuracy, power and timing of a penalty kick are all important.
- Free kicks: Usually the accuracy is the most important quality.
- Throw-ins: After taking care to abide by the rules of throw-ins (throwing the ball over one's head), usually it's only necessary to be able to handle the ball without it slipping through one's fingers.
- Creating space: A skill very much related to jockeying — in order to be in a favorable position when they receive the ball, players need to place themselves into physical positions where there is the least chance that they will immediately be tackled.
Team tactics
Attack (when the team has the ball)
- Pass and move: This is the most basic team tactic — as soon as the ball has come into possession of the player, they need to be quick to decide whether to pass it or not. If they don't pass it immediately, they need to move with it; if they do pass it, they again need to move along, following the general ball movement.
This can also be used to mean that once a player has passed the ball he does not remain stationary but moves into a position where he can receive the ball again and give more options to the player in possession.
- The through ball: Where a pass is played in front of a player to encourage them to make a forward run to catch up to it. This is one of the deadliest weapons an attacking team can use, if implemented well, as it tends to lead to 1 on 1 situations (where only the goalkeeper is between the attacker and scoring a goal).
- Switching the attack: Using a 'square' or 'cross' pass across the whole width of the pitch to a player in plenty of space is a very effective way of both relieving pressure and building a fresh attack. The defending team will be required to adjust its positions and this usually creates spaces which can be exploited. In this example, the player numbered 1 has moved out of position, allowing more space for the opposing player more space. By playing the ball to the other side (the curved line represents an aerial pass), the recipient of the pass finds themselves in space which can be exploited.
- The long through ball: This is a long, and usually high, pass from a teams' own half, over the heads of the other team's defence. It is intended for the attacking players to chase and it is important that they remain in an onside position until the ball is kicked. The tactic works best with strong and fast forwards who will have a good chance of winning back the ball, taking control over it, and eventually getting a shot on goal. In the diagram, the ball (red line) is played in front of the furthermost forward, the dotted blue line showing their run. In this example, a through-ball pass along the floor would be picked up by one of the defenders (black team) because the gap between the two central defenders is too small.
- Counter-attacking Football: The aim of this type of football is to catch the opponent on the "break" (when they give away possession near the goal, defensive players will tend to be further up the field than usual to help the attack). This involves leaving one or two strikers near the half-way line in the hope that a through ball can be played to catch the opponent off guard. This tends to go hand-in-hand with the long through ball tactic explained above. In the example, an attack by the black team has broken down and ended up in the hands of the white goalie. By kicking a long through ball for the furthermost white player (left up there in the hope of this situation, i.e. this is the "break"), the player has a chance of scoring as he should of evaded the defence if he is fast enough.
- Playing possession football: A team that retains control of the ball needs players skillful in ball control and precise passing, but this allows it to tire the opposing players (because they have to run and tackle more). Critics have pointed out that most goals are scored after only few passes, and that it is exceptionally rare that goals are made after making more than 20 passes.
- Triangular movement: This is a movement tactic that allows a safe and quick shifting of the offensive flanks while maintaining control of the ball. In a triangular play the ball is passed between three players to form a triangle. The triangle is then shifted to a different position when a new player is added. Many triangles can be created with various combinations of players with the intention of slowly moving the ball forward and never really compromising possession. This tactic works well when trying to gain control in the midfield. However, it can also be used for pure attacking purposes. A prominent example is FC Barcelona who plays a trio of attackers up front (usually Ronaldinho, Eto'o and Messi). They constantly switch positions to baffle opponents - but this is done so without breaking the triangle. The effectiveness of this tactic lies in the fact that defenders are unable to quickly 'adapt' to the other attacker's style of play. For example, Eto'o likes to play with his back to goal, Ronaldinho tends to carry the ball straight towards the opponent, while Messi prefers to knock the ball forward and beat his opponent through pace. So when a switch occurs, a defender - who was previously marking either attackers a certain way - is often surprised by the sudden change of style.
- Swapping of the wing men: Sometimes, a team with two flexible (position wise) wide men will allow them to interchange as the game progresses. The aim of this is to confuse the defenders who are assigned to mark them, thus maybe leading to opportunities as the defender tries to find their man in set pieces (corners, free kicks etc, where the man may be in a totally different position and thus evade his grasp). Also, if the wingers are different types of player (one favouring crossing from deep positions whilst the other is prone to trying to dribble past their marker for example), then it might be to exploit a weakness in the opposing defender.
- Using the space between the opponent's defensive line and midfielder line: A common build-up of attacks is to pass the ball into the space between the opponent's defenders and midfielders. Normally, an attacker with his back to the goal will receive the pass. Wayne Rooney has this role for England. He will seek to distribute the ball to a player facing the goal, who optimally also is in front of the opponent's midfielders - or even on the move into the space behind the opponent's defenders.
- Using the space behind the opponent's defensive line: Passes into this area have a number of pros: If an attacking player reaches the pass, taking care to avoid offside, he may get a 1-on-1 challenge with the goalkeeper, or be in an excellent position for a flank attack. Even if a defender reaches the pass first, the outcome could still be good for the attacking team. The defender will face his own goal, which could prompt him to give away a corner kick or a throw-in, make a risky pass to his team's goalkeeper, or being put under heavy pressure near the corner flag. Typically, teams with faster attackers than the opponent's defenders will try challenging this space, while the defending team in these cases will want to keep their defenders low in order to give away as little space as possible between the defenders and the goalkeeper.
- Throw-ins: How throw-ins are best handled depends on where they are along the side line:
- In your own half the aim of good throw in must be to retain possession in order to build up the next attack. The throw need not go forward and the most unmarked player may be a full-back who is behind the ball. Such a throw followed by a quickly taken 'switch' pass is a very effective tactic.
- If the thrower is unmarked a very simple tactic is to take short throw to the feet or chest of a marked player who immediately returns the ball to the thrower.
- In the last third of the pitch a player with a long throw can put pressure onto the defenders by throwing the ball deep into the penalty area. It is well worth spending some time in training to establish which player has the most reliable long throw. Remember there is no offside from a throw-in and this is an opportunity to push players well forward to look for a corner, or penalty, or a shot at goal.
- Under pressure simply throw the ball up the line to gain as much ground as possible.
- Goal kicks: A goal kick is an important 'set piece' that will occur many times in a game and yet few teams practice it. If taken quickly the kick may be taken short to a full-back who has run into a wide position. Although this may gain little ground it retains the all-important possession of the ball. A longer kick to the midfield is more common and it is vital that the midfield unit are in a position to receive it.
- Corners: A corner is a real goal scoring opportunity and it is essential to know who is the best at taking a good corner from both the left and right side of the pitch. A good corner will be aimed high across the goal and may be 'bent' towards or away from the goal. At least one of the forwards should be on or close to the goal line when the kick is taken.
Defence (when the team doesn't have the ball)
The basic defensive tactics include:
- Who are the defenders? The uninitiated might think that the back four plus the goalkeeper are the 'defenders' but that is not true. All eleven players on the pitch have an important defensive role to play.
- The forwards have several defensive jobs to do. Firstly they must ensure that short goal kicks are prevented. They must pressure the full-backs when they try to bring the ball out from defence. Defence in the attacking third of the field is vital, it puts pressure on the opposing team, and any turnover created in this area of the field can quickly become a scoring opportunity.
- The midfield unit is the 'outer shield' of the defence. As such they should not commit themselves to a tackle too early, but jockey the opposition, preventing them from driving towards the goal.
- The defensive unit is the last line of defense. There are two main ways of defensive play, man-to-man defense and zone defense.
- Keeping shape. Immediately after the ball is lost the whole team should be moving to get into shape. This is not a time to have a rest! This might mean tackling-back if you are near the ball, or getting goal-side of the ball if you are out of position, looking for an opponent to mark, or adopting a holding-role by jockeying the opponent with the ball. A good team will think about building 'layers' of defence between the ball and their goal.
More specific defensive tactics include:
- Channelling: The defender should, where possible, "channel" the attacker in possession toward the side line. Forcing the attacker to move wide is a good tactic because it reduces the risk of a shot on target. To achieve this, the defender should turn his body so the attacker cannot easily get past him to the centre of the pitch. This encourages the forward to go to the outside. This on the other hand may create 1 v 1 as the opponent may be channelled away from the supporting defensive players. For example, in the first game of the 2006 World Cup, the Costa Rica team failed to channel Germany's Philipp Lahm, which led to him scoring the first goal of the tournament.
- The sweeper system: In a man-to-man defense system, 'sweeper' is a central defender who has a free role, i.e. has not been assigned a player to mark. He sometimes takes up a position slightly behind the other defenders, as his defensive role often is to 'sweep up' any attacks that break through the defence and as such he adds valuable depth to the defensive unit. Usually the sweeper will be the controller of the defence. They will determine where the back line should be at any given time. Zone defense doesn't require a sweeper role, and as many teams have changed their tactics to this, sweepers are today rare.
- Working as a unit: As a rule, the defense should try to keep on a straight line. This way, there will not be any space behind any of them where opponents can stay without being off-side. Also, in a zone defense, there should as a rule be a fixed distance between players. However, support should be given to avoid 1-on-1 situations if necessary, such as in a flank attack.
- Setting the offside trap: To set an offside trap the defensive unit move up the pitch leaving one or more of the opposition players in an offside position. It is a difficult and risky tactic and several things must be done correctly for it to be effective. Firstly all the defenders must move up together on a straight line and at exactly the same time. It is considered gambling to do this if the opponent who has the ball isn't properly put under pressure. This is usually achieved by a loud call from the sweeper. This not only tells the defenders to move but also makes the referee aware that the defence is moving out. Secondly the opponent who has the ball must not be ignored. They must not be allowed to dribble the ball past the defenders who are moving up the field. Lastly the officials must be relied upon to give a free kick if an offside infringement occurs.
- Defending at corners: It is vitally important to 'jump with your player' as the ball comes over. As soon as the ball is cleared the defence should attempt to step away from their goal.
- Pressing/closing down: The aim of this defensive tactic is to prevent the opposition from having the ball for long periods of time. Whenever the opposing team has the ball, players are encouraged to challenge them, forcing them to either pass or try and dribble past them. This prevents the opposing team from having time to co-ordinate attacks and makes them more prone to mistakes if used properly. The tactic has obvious effects on the teams fatigue, as players are continually closing down the opposition they will tire quicker. This is an important aspect of the game, and one of the main reasons why stamina is very important in modern football.
- Standing off: This is the opposite of pressing. The team will allow the opposition to play the ball amongst themselves, but will not challenge them unless it is necessary. If performed well, the tactic will "contain" the opposition team, meaning they cannot progress down the field. This is because standing off means that the opposition are limited in passing choices, since they are all marked. It also allows a team to keep energy levels high, possibly accommodating for a counter attack when possession is finally attained. However, this can sometimes prove a disastrous tactic to implement. It invited the opposing team to dribble forward and to take shots from long range; if the opposing team is good at the two aforementioned skills then goals will be conceded freely.
Defending with the ball
A team who is highly skilled and composes of good passers will often use this tactic. The main idea is to retain possession and hence, limit the chances of the opposing team. Whilst with the ball, the team does not necessarily need to attack and can simply pass the ball between each other with no intention of building up play.
The major benefits to this tactic is that the team is in complete control over its opponents. Meanwhile, by knocking the ball around, opponents playing the pressing game can easily tire. So should the opportune moment arrive, defence can be quickly switched to attack. Major downfalls is that because the accuracy of passes needs to be high, short passes between the players is required. This significantly narrows the gap between the attack, midfield and defence (usually, the latter is forced to push up). So if the opponent gains possession, a long ball could effectively open up the defence. Similarly, if it is the attack and midfield that needs to drop back, the team will have no chance to counter-attack even if possession is won back.
Formations
Formations in football are a method of positioning players on the pitch to allow a team to play according to their pre-set tactics. Different formations can be used depending on whether a team wishes to play more attacking or defensive football. Formations can be altered during a game, but requires adaptions of the players to fit in to the new system.
Formations counts the number of players in each area, beginning with the defensive line (not including the goalkeeper). It is by convention counted when the team is defending and being properly organised. The most common formations are variations of 4-4-2, 4-3-3 and 4-5-1.
Substitutions
In competitive 11-a-side matches, teams are allowed to bring on up to three substitutes. The rules of the competition must state the maximum number of players allowed to be named as a substitute, which may be anywhere between three and seven. In non-competitive matches, the use of substitutes must be determined before the match begins, except in friendly international matches, where no more than six substitutes may be brought on.
The most tired players should generally be substituted, but only if their substitutes are well trained to fill in the same role, or if the formation is transformed at the same time to accommodate for the substitution.
Coaches often refrain from substituting defensive players in order not to disrupt the defensive posture of the team. Instead, they often replace ineffective attackers or unimaginative midfielders in order to freshen up the attacking posture in an attempt of scoring more goals.
For a team that is losing a game, a fresh striker can bring more benefit in circumventing an opposed defense line composed of relatively tired players. For a team that is winning a game, a fresh midfielder or a defender can bring more benefit in strengthening the defense against the opposition's attackers (who may be fresh substitutes themselves). In this situation, it is usually imaginative attacking flair players who are replaced by tough-tackling defensive midfielders or defenders.
Injured players may also need to be substituted. For each injured player who must be substituted, the team loses one more opportunity to influence things later in the game in their favor.
Famous soccer plays and tactics
This section visually presents examples of actual soccer/football tactics and plays in action. See detailed discussion above for background information on various skills and tactics. All examples contain the following:
- Both an offensive and defensive principle as noted above in the article, rather than just an individual player showcase
- Actual photos and/or detailed diagrams
- Plays familar to fans, coaches and players and are from the World Cup or first-rank pro leagues.
- Demonstration of individual skills and provide tips for younger players
Width and depth in attack: Final goal: Brazil vs. Italy, 1970
Use of width and depth. Width and depth are both principles of offence and defence as follows:
- Width in attack- the attacker tries to stretch the enemy by maximizing width and space
- Width in defence- the defender tries to contract and deny width and space
- Depth in attack- the attacker uses depth by moving men up from the rear, but may use a constant "target striker" or front man to always be present deep in the defence.
- Depth in defence- the defender also uses depth by providing covering support for a teammate, but may abandon depth temporarily to set an offside trap.
How to beat a defence using width and depth. The soccer fan would be hard pressed to find a better example of both principles than the final goal of the 1970 World Cup, considered by many to be one of the best combined team efforts in Cup history. Brazil picked apart one of the tightest defenses ever seen, the famous Italian catennacio "padlock" defence. The Italians used four defenders, plus a sweeper, PierLuigi Cera, BEHIND the "back four". They deployed 3 midfielders, (generally playing defensively) and 2 strikers, and marked opponents man to man. Despite this tight system however, the superb skills of Brazil triumphed, showing especially that any defence (whether man to man, zone or other variants) can be beaten using the principles of both width and depth. This move began deep in the Brazilian half, in the middle of the field, then out to the left flank, then back into the middle, then back on the right, with final execution by a defender moving up from a deap rear position. See "Switching the attack" and "Swapping wing men" above for discussion of offensive tactics.
Italian defence pulled left in quick sequence. Brazilian midfielder Clodoaldo began the move with a weaving dribble out to the left flank, that beat 3 men and essentially pulled the Italian defence in that direction. A fatal gap was thus opened up for the thundering run of fullback Carlos Alberto on the right, as we shall see. Clodoaldo disposed of 3 opponents and found the mustachioed Revelino moving up on the left. Revelino quickly played the ball forward to Jairzinho, who crossed the field to appear on the left flank. Quick, accurate passing was a hallmark of Revelino, something younger players, who too often hang on to the ball or kick it aimlessly, should learn. Also of note is Jairzinho's movement off the ball, playing FROM the wing, not on it.
Movement in center "freezes" Italian defence. Almost without pause the powerful Jairzinho began a weaving run. In the Final he was contained somewhat by the Italian captain, the giant Fachetti, but even Fachetti could not stop Jair from scoring the third goal, and here containment was his only hope as "the Hurricane" made his move. Still as can be seen, Fachetti played Jair well, backing off the ball, and squeezing Jair inside where it was more crowded. Good defenders will "channel" (see discussion above) an attacker into areas with less space. So far, all seemed safe for Italy. Fachetti covered well, as did the other Italian defenders. There were 2 extra men as insurance in the back as Jair began his run. Depth is also a principle of defence, and the sweeper system (or other arrangements) provides such.
As Jair accelerated, the ever dangerous centre forward Tostao began a sprint up the middle, drawing his defender with him, diverting the Italian defence and making more room for Jair. Younger players should note the movement OFF the ball by Brazil. No one was sitting around waiting for a pass. Lesson: move OFF the ball into space. Increasingly squeezed inside, Jair's run nevertheless drew the defence to him and he eased the ball to Pele in the center. Always dangerous, Pele paused and shaped to make a dribble.
Overlapping defender exploits principle of depth to cap the move. For the Italian defence, there was still no cause for undue alarm. Pele seemed well covered, and there was still the sweeper at the back as insurance behind the defence. Nevertheless, Pele's feint, combined with the previous moves, kept Italian focus frozen in the middle, attracting the attention of three men, and he casually slipped the ball right- to Carlos Alberto who was thundering up from the rear, totally unmarked.
Note how Pele plays the ball AHEAD of Alberto, using space intelligently, so that the fast fullback ran on and shot without pausing, in full stride, smashing the ball into the Italian net. Also note all the space Alberto has around him. So effective was Brazil's use of width, that no Italian defender is even within reasonable striking distance of Alberto until the last moment. The principle of width stretched and drew the Italian defence. The principle of depth -fresh men moving up from the rear- allowed Brazil to exploit the gaps created by width. It was a fitting end to the tournament.
Penetration and envelopment in attack: Banks versus Pele, Mexico 1970
Penetration in attack- the forward pass: To the soccer player, the penetration pass is one of the first methods learned in attack, whether it be the simple "kick and chase" of the youth leagues, or the exquisite through-balls by today's world class stars. Penetration by pass is the quickest method of advancing the ball towards the enemy goal. When well executed, it can yield spectacular results. Penetration in attack however requires more than mere passing. Players without the ball must move into space, and must time their runs so as not to be caught offside.
Envelopment in attack: the central cross. Attacking an opposing side from the flanks using crosses from the wings is among the oldest and most effective soccer tactics. An attack from the flanks leverages width, stretching an opposing defence, to create gaps in the goal area for exploitation. While the direction of the lateral cross is not as straightforward as the through-ball, both types of passes serve to split an enemy defence, in view of striking at the vital central area of the goal. This example, the legendary confrontation between keeper Gordon Banks of England and Pele of Brazil, captures the two types of attack in one snapshot. It also serves to illustrate the difficulties in defending against both types of passes.
Two pass types - one great defensive save. The powerful running of Brazil's right winger Jairzinho set the stage. Sprinting down the flank, the muscular speed merchant pounced on an excellent through pass from Clodoaldo, accelerated past Cooper the English back, and lofted a high arcing cross to Pele in the center that bordered on perfection. Pele headed down powerfully and was already raising his arms in triumph when Banks leaped to his right "like a salmon over a fall" Pele said later, and somehow flailed the bouncing ball over the crossbar, saving a sure goal. The Brazilian forward said it was the greatest save he had ever seen, and many would agree.
Offensively, this play demonstrates how both types of penetration passes can divide and stretch a defence. Jairziho's running and cross was set up by an excellent forward pass, and his center to Pele capped a move that should have resulted in a goal, were it not for the extraordinary skill of English keeper, Gordon Banks. In terms of individual skill and style of play, younger players should note that Pele headed down at the height of his leap, leveraging maximum force. When heading, attack the ball with your eyes open, and attempt to direct it, rather than let it aimlessly hit you.
Defending against penetration and envelopment passes. Offside traps are one way to defend against both pass types, but the ultimate solution is defensive depth and sound goalkeeping. During a game it is inevitable that gaps will appear, which will be exploited rapidly by skilled opponents. Attempting an offside trap, or providing an extra man for more depth at the back would have made little difference the way this event unfolded. Cooper could be criticized for his handling of Jairzinho, and indeed on this play, he was comprehensively beaten. Nevertheless, during the 1970 tournament, few could hold the fast winger. He would score later against England, and scored in every round of the Cup, (including the Final), a record still unmatched- 36 years later.
When the center arrived it was so well placed that Mullery, Pele's defensive shadow, could do little except jump with him. Nevertheless, the English back played the dangerous striker cleanly and with some success during the game, without resorting to the negativity of petty fouls that was to mark Italy's performance against some of the Brazilian forwards during the Final. While this example primarily illustrates attack through penetration and envelopment, it also shows the importance of the goalkeeper, the final line of defence. Banks did not stand immobile, but tracked the aerial flight of the ball and was down quickly to flail away Pele's powerful header. Among the many great saves in the history of the game, Bank's performance still rates first rank consideration.
The two man combination: Maradona's "Hand" goal, Mexico 1986
Power of the 2-man combination. The 2-man combination pass, variously called the wall pass, the "one-two", the "give and go" and other local names, is among the simplest yet most powerful team techniques in soccer. It requires a level of individual skill to pull off, yet this should not stop coaches from introducing it early in the higher youth leagues, nor should players from these leagues neglect it in favor of the all too easy "kick and chase". There are two ways to execute it: (a) pass and run to space for the return pass without pausing or (b) pass then pause briefly to gauge opposing reaction before running into an open spot for the return. In tight conditions, the first method is better, while the second can be used where there is a bit more space to operate. How does one know when to initiate and complete such a pass? Only by practice together, and by constantly moving off the ball into space, so that opportunities are seized. Move into space aggressively after initiating a "one-two" and call for the ball.
Two man combination can penetrate the tightest defence. Simple as it is, the 2-man move can penetrate the teeth of the densest, most negative opposition. Peru brought it to a high art on the World Cup stage in 1970, under their coach Didi, Brazil's former midfield general of 1958 and 1962. Time after time Peruvian forwards like Cubillas, Gallardo, and Sotil put a central combination on the floor that sliced through the opposition and created countless dangerous situations. Defensively Peru was not as good, but still such moves helped the unheralded team to reach the quarter finals.
The infamous 'hand' was set up by a 2-man combo into a packed English defence. The example shown below, the first goal of Diego Maradona against England in 1986, is used to illustrate the power of the move. Maradona initiated the sequence with a quick dribbling run into the packed central area. Surrounded, he began a 2-man combo pass - slipping the ball to Valdano on the right, and then moving up for the reply. Valdano pivoted and attempted to return, but conditions were too tight. Hodges, the English defender intercepted and not unreasonably, attempted to tap the ball back to his keeper, Shilton. The rest is well known. Maradona and Shilton raced towards the floating ball, which connected with Maradona's (human) hand, past Shilton, into the goal.
Lesson- avoid dead-end dribbles. Aside from the notorious incident, the player and student of tactical soccer should note that Maradona, for all his skill, had really dribbled into a dead-end. Younger players should avoid such dribbles into a tighly packed area. Don't hang on to the ball on a dribble unless you can do something productive. Only the very skilled can pull off dribbling in a crowded zone, but even here Maradona had reached the end of the line. Fortunately, he laid it off to Valdano at that point. A wall-pass can create something even in such unpromising situations. Continuous defensive pressure and depth is the only answer.
Lesson- keep defensive playbacks low. To their credit, the English covered well, and there were 2 men facing Maradona when he made his final lunge for goal. However the combo created a dangerous situation, as it often does when executed near the goalmouth. Hodges played Valdano well, pressuring him so he could not retain possession, and stealing the ball. Unfortunately Hodges himself made an error in his backward pass, lofting it high back to Shilton, understandable perhaps due to the bounce and with Valdano breathing down his neck and Maradona cruising through. The two-man combo typically moves so swiftly that it can force such defensive errors, from errant passes to deflections. A sloppy defence is ripe for the picking when the 2-man combo is laid down. Younger players should learn from Hodge's defensive slip. When playing a ball backwards to your keeper, try to keep it on the ground.
Lesson- learn to pass when positioned awkwardly. This offensive move was promising, and it did slice through the densely packed central area, but it simply did not have enough space to work. Maradona's illegal handling added an unforseen dimension. Nevertheless, apart from the incident, it could be said that Maradona had created something out of nothing. With a little more space and time Valdano might have gotten off a return pass. Unfortunately such extra space and time may not be forthcoming. Learn to return a combo pass with your back to the goal, or with different angles of the foot. Younger players should also note that Maradona kept moving into space. He did not stop (at least initially) to admire his handiwork.