Attacking the Whole Picture

A team that can possess and break out of the back, combine in the middle thirds and connect to forwards in the final third will be a dangerous and complete team. They will have the ability to attack from all areas of the field and find a way to attack with numbers up when in possession of the ball. Below are two ideas of what that may look like.

• Shown here the ball begins with the right fullback in possession. The ball is moved through the back away from the forwards. The central midfielders, first supporting the right fullback, now move to support the left fullback in possession (pass 1 and 2).
• As the ball moves both central midfielders work over at angles to support the ball as it moves around the back.
• The forwards are in support of the right fullback. One has check in short, the other has worked long. As the ball moves they too must move.
• Once the left fullback is in possession he is looking to create, either through the midfield or with the forwards. The left fullback now finds the forward with a long ball (pass 3).

Move to next diagram.

• The fullback instead finds the forwards as the long target. As the long ball is played (pass 3), the central midfielder turns away to support the forwards.
• It can be seen that the attacking midfielder and both outside midfielders who have worked inside are viable options., however as the ball worked from right to left the defense has also shifted, opening back up the right side. This time the forward finds the attacking midfielder (pass 4), who finds the right fullback (who has pushed aggressively into the open space as soon the ball advanced into the middle and attacking thirds) (pass 5) who can now efficiently attack the empty space.
• This is simply one possible scenario of attacking space. There are many possible patterns of play.

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